My name is Mel Feller and I am an architect of change. I stand alongside the board and executive of a company and assist as they chart their way forward. It is scary heading into the unknown, into the often-unchartered waters of change. I know how that feels. As an independent advisor, I see clients challenged by complexity as they struggle to develop and execute relevant strategy effectively. My contribution to their enquiry is the union of my experience as a chartered Business Influencer and Real Estate transaction Engineer with a deep interest in leadership behavior and how it influences results.
Mel Feller’s dynamic presence, instinctive strategic vision, and creative thinking produce effective, sustainable bottom-line results for his clients. His “Can Do” attitude generates confidence in his executive coaching clients and strategic consulting corporate clients. Throughout Mel Feller’s career, he has increased the profitability of nearly every organization with which he has worked.
However, I can tell you that the majority of what I learned was from my grandpa. Therefore, I wrote this to share the things that I learned. Please pay attention to your grandpa if he is still alive. There is so much value to be learned and shared with the family and others just by listening to the life stories and values that our grandfathers have.
Always smile. “My grandfather always insists that you’ll attract a lot more bees with honey than with vinegar. Be sweet to others, and they’ll be just as sweet back to you.”
Never be bored. “My grandfather taught me if you feel bored, you should be working. He was a small town’s village trustee for 55+ years, retired in his 80s, then got bored and ran again.”
Food is everything. “There’s a phrase that my grandpa says literally every time I saw him that basically means ‘eat well’ in Yiddish.”
Never turn down a breath mint. “My Grandpa Samuel taught me that whether or not the person offering the mint was insinuating that I needed the mint or was just being polite, the downside to taking the mint with OK breath was nil. Whereas the downside to passing on the mint with bad breath was massive. I always take the mint, and then I don’t take it personally.”
Eat clean. “My Grandpa was all about farm to table before it was popular. His advice was to NEVER make a dish for family or friends that came out of a can especially enchilada sauce.”
Never stop learning. “In addition to being a voracious reader, my grandpa went back to school in his 70s and wrote two books.”
Take care of what you have. “I didn’t realize it as a kid, but looking back I recognize that my grandfather kept everything he owned — even items he used regularly like sneakers, swim trunks and his car in pristine condition, and they lasted and lasted because of it. I still have and use his electric leaf blower from decades ago and each time I return it to my garage I find myself taking extra care wrapping up the cord and placing it on the shelf because I know that’s exactly how he’d do it and it’s the only way it’s going to last another decade or more.”
Be a bookworm. “My grandpa taught me that if you feel sad or have nobody to talk to, read a favorite book and then have imaginary conversations with your favorite character. I passed hours that way when I was little.”
Find happiness in everything. “My grandpa taught me to find joy in things no matter what. Whether he was cracking a joke or showing me his latest trinket, he always found a way to be happy, laugh and look at the bright side of things.”
“My grandpa taught me the value of family. I had wonderful Christmas dinners with family, where everyone came together and we all knew each other. Of course, he always gave heaps of love, and I loved him dearly.”
What did you learn from your grandparents? Are you passing those lessons on to your own grandchildren? I hope that you are! Life is to short.
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