Bill Peel

My friend and fellow board member at the Sam Houston Area Council of the Boy Scouts of America is an exemplary leader, both personally and professionally.  In addition to countless other business and community leadership roles, Frank currently serves as the President of the National Eagle Scout Association. I'm privileged to have had him present me with my NESA Outstanding Eagle Scout Association award in 2016, fifty years after achieving the rank of Eagle. Recently Frank wrote in his column in "Eagles' Call" (NESA's national magazine) that "earning the Eagle Scout Award greatly improves your ability to succeed in life." I can certainly attest to that. A study conducted by Baylor University (2010) indicates that "Eagle Scouts are more likely to: Have higher levels of planning and preparation skills  Be goal-oriented Network with others Be in a leadership position Have closer relationships with family and friends Volunteer their time...

I think with my hands and have been doing so for as long as I can remember.  It's a natural way for me to concentrate and create.  The bigger the writing instrument and larger the writing surface, the bigger the ideas.  I'm an active listener when I'm drawing and a much more creative person when I can see the connections between thoughts.  Thinking with your hands does not require one to be an artist.  To the contrary, it is more compelling when the diagrams and images are loose, under construction.  Take the plunge.  Grab a marker, hold it high between your fingers and don't worry about the outcome.  Just write, draw lines, scribbles, arrows, dots, anything.  Get the ideas out on paper.  Ask questions, even write out the questions.  It's fun to come back later with another color and answer them, introducing new ideas and information.  My most creative concepts have arisen from diagrams developed on large (30" wide roll) b...

I'm truly blessed.  My family and friends know that I love to read and get creative inspiration from a wide range of sources.  My mentee (and friend) Marium, recently gifted me with two books.  "In Pursuit of Inspiration," by Rae Dunn was provocative from cover to cover.  She believes, as do I, that "we are all born artists."  Consider this quote.  "Children need no artistic instruction.  When you put a crayon in a two-year old's hand, they instinctively begin to draw.  There is no hesitation, no inhibition, no resistance."  How true!   I often use an exercise in a facilitation session where I give the participants a sheet of paper and a large tip marker.  Each sheet is different and has one amorphous shape on it.  I ask them to draw something on the paper that uses the shape and tells the group something about them.  It's amazing how many of the people struggle with drawing it "right."  Given the ...

Winning  teams spend an inordinate amount of time preparing.  I recommend that you use a simple rule of thumb -  spend one-hour planning for every minute of presentation !  In other words, if you're preparing for a 30-minute presentation, invest a minimum of 30 hours in the research, planning, and rehearsal of the presentation.  The results speak for themselves!

It's amazing the ideas that arise when I'm on long drives through the countryside.  In the Fall of 2018, while traveling to attend a board meeting of The Jeffersonian Institute in Jefferson, Texas, I heard a program on National Public Radio ( NPR podcast ).   Thanks, Sirius.  You're my lifesaver on driving trips, along with Audible. The program told the story of how communities of people, large and small, were reading together, uniting diverse groups and creating a common cause.   The broadcast (check out the link) sparked an idea.  What if Mays Business School was reading the same book at the same time - students, faculty, staff and even former students. I pitched the concept to Bailey Urban, the energetic and vivacious leader of the Mays Transformational Leadership initiative, who was all over it.  As was the case in the communities profiled by NPR, I told her that we (Mays) would buy the books and give a copy to anyone who was willing to participa...

It was a pleasure to be interviewed as a part of the Texas A&M University College of Architecture “Lessons in Leadership” program. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TwWUVwIuFMU

I  was in a large lecture hall at Mays Business School, waiting for a presentation by the “U.S. National Elevator Pitch Champion.” Everyone in the room was at least four decades younger than me, but I was intrigued to hear from the widely celebrated speaker. He had just coached the A&M Pitch team to victory in the largest and most lucrative pitch competition in the world. That alone piqued my interest. In a quick moment a hand reached out and said, “I’m Chris! Thanks for being here.” As the evening unfolded, I was enthralled with how eloquently Chris Westfall shared his philosophy, his “Leadership Language,” and how he engaged and entertained the audience.  It’s challenging for this charisma to convey in writing, yet, this book articulates the foundation of Chris’ award-winning philosophy. I burned through two highlighters, and eventually had to change colors, to capture the points that resonate in his “10 Leadership Factors.” What looks like a simple (and possibly fast)...

Christoph Niemann never ceases to amaze me. He is not only one of the finest graphic artists on the planet, but is also a creative genius. I could study this book for hours and never tire of the iconic drawings and innovative concepts. It’ll have a prominent spot beside a favorite reading chair for frequent perusing and persistent inspiration.

This short book was recommended to me by my dear friend, and fellow voracious reader, Robert Riggs. It’s interesting how the fable reinforces Amazon’s Four Pillars - Customer Centricity. Continuous Optimization. Culture of Innovation. Corporate Agility. It’s an easy read, yet prompts many opportunities for introspection and reflection. The examples are clear, concise and memorable. The Buyer Legend process is enticing and worth examining for any entrepreneur or executive who is committed to turning the four part Amazon “fly wheel.”

The following idea was presented to the Texas A&M University, College of Architecture) for consideration. Texas A&M has a highly loyal and engaged alumni, as is evidenced by the high levels of financial support to the University and the individual colleges.  Former Students give generously of their time as well, returning to the University to lecture, critique student work, and serve on a range of advisory councils. The common denominator in this dedication is far more than philanthropy; it is a fervent commitment to enhancing the depth, breadth, and quality of the educational experience and the students’ return on their academic investment.  There is an even greater under-tapped resource in this dedicated alumni base – the fervent desire to share their experiences and expertise as they make the shift from success to significance at the apex of their careers.  This premise has prompted the idea of developing an innovative forum where F...

There is no greater honor than being asked to write a eulogy.  Following is one that I wrote for my dear friend, and client, Blake Tartt, III, to deliver at the funeral of his dear friend, John Henry Kirby.  Blake was masterful in telling the story of his friendship with John Henry and bringing a celebration of life to the tribute to John Henry's life. From its earliest days, Kinkaid emphasized academic achievement and  character  development.  And, boy was John Kirby ever a character.  He loved people and most notably his Kinkaid friends.  And, I loved John Kirby.   He was like classic vinyl - old school music – Journey, Boston, Bachman Turner Overdrive, the Eagles, and like Neil Young said, John had “a heart of gold.”   John affectionately referred to the girls by their first name but us guys were always known by our last name.  To John I was BT3 and he was John Henry.  He was my fi...

Becoming an Eagle Scout is a milestone to which many young men aspire, but few achieve.  It is certainly a memory that has lasted a lifetime for me. I fondly remember my days at Highland Heights Methodist Church and my experiences as a member of Pack, Troop and Explorer Post 93, all sponsored by the church.  Friendships made during those formative years are still alive today, and the life lessons learned through Scouting have been a profound influence on my personal and professional life. My first “real” job came as a result of being an Eagle Scout.  As a college student with few credentials to put on my resume, I fell back on my Scouting achievements (Eagle, God & Country, Order of the Arrow) to enhance my qualifications.  Applying for a highly competitive Graduate Assistantship at Texas A&M University, I needed a resume that would differentiate me from “the crowd”. Little did I know that the individual making the selection ...