I have to confess; when it comes to opening doors (literally) for my wife, I think I do a lousy job. I mean, I open doors when we go into buildings but am terrible when it comes to car doors.

But that's not the kind of door opener I'm thinking about today. The door opener I'm thinking about are people who saw the potential in what I could bring to others; who saw the best in me and how I could raise the bar or challenge others. Almost every company or business I'm working with today was made available by a "door opener." It was a Pattye Moore who opened the door for the University of Central Oklahoma; Bobby Page,  formerly with JPI who opened the door for Invesco; Paula Blanton of Plantspan who opened the door for Southlake Hospital; Brett Denton of Ardent Residential who opened the door into Gables Residential; Steve Dominiak who opened the door at BRE; and finally Clay Parker who opened the door at Prometheus. These are just a few of the individuals who have opened doors for me to opportunities I could only imagine. Each person fits more than one of the following characteristics as a door opener:

1. Vulnerable
2. Transitional- they are always looking at how to make the future brighter
3. Don't shut people off, limit them, or ostracize them because they think differently, look different, or "are" different
4. See the best in others and realize "we're all doing the best we can do at any given time"
5. Opening doors for others to achieve
6. Realize trying to get even is like trying to "win a puking contest with a buzzard"
7. Make people a priority vs. their job, their position, "things", etc.
8. Don't turn people into one dimensional enemies just because they disagree with them
9. Never stop working on themselves "first" before they try to change others
10. Strive to be encouragers at every opportunity

And I know you can share more. As for me, I'm still trying to live up to the list above. I've lived long enough now that not opening doors for others means only one alternative....a closed door. And the world gets really, really small in spaces with closed doors.

An example of a "door closer":

Finally, if you're interested in the books I found most helpful last year, then check out this link: Dr. Ron is Reading

Happy New Year! May this year be a growing and prosperous one as you seek to be a door opener.

rb