[I advocate for you to lead where you stand. Leading is tough. It takes courage. You sometimes have to hurt people you care about. Sometimes you will be criticized. Leaders put themselves out there, which results in evaluation. But everything rises and falls on leadership. When you’re the right one to lead and you opt-out, others suffer. You don’t lead because it gives you privilege or reward. You lead because it’s the right thing to

“As a leader, think about whether the dynamic you’re creating will help release positive or negative energy.” – Henry Cloud Leaders create environments where energy is released. That’s how you become a leader. You go about your work, your games, and your hobbies in such a way that energy is released. Good energy inspires. When you’re releasing good energy, people want to be like you. They desire to join you in your activity. They are

I was reading a random article on the safest way to hike.  I don’t hike much but it looks like an attractive hobby. One piece of advice stood out.  It applies to our everyday lives. The risk was getting lost.  What do you do? Ms. Davis, the author, said don’t panic. “Remember, the mistake isn’t getting lost, but how you respond to being off course. Do not immediately rush in the direction where you think the ‘right’ trail is.”

“Trust is the stacking of small moments over time, something that cannot be summoned with a command – there are either marbles in the jar or there are not.” – Brené Brown, Dare to Lead Trust – I’ve come to learn that being trusted is among the most sought-after character traits. The leadership books tell me that as CEO, our company won’t thrive if I don’t earn your trust. Hopefully, you have confidence in my leadership

Want to add some life to your team? Catch someone doing something right and praise them. Teammates will appreciate being recognized. Take time to observe how an individual or team is working. Offer a teaching point or suggestion that leads to improvement. Set aside time to check-in with a teammate. Quality time breeds deeper relationships. Address an important issue that needs addressing. Good, respectful feedback will resonate with teammates. Troublesome problems don’t age well. Does

“Teaching is Leadership.” – Wendy Koop, Teach for America Sydney Finkelstein wrote an article in the Harvard Business Review suggesting that the best leaders are teachers. We do an exercise at training sessions where we ask folks to describe the best bosses they’ve ever encountered. Invariably, one of the characteristics used to describe effective bosses is the impact they have on learning. Finkelstein says that bosses who teach continually create a positive environment. It makes

“A bad day for the ego is a great day for the soul.” – Michael Beckwith I was telling a story about a blown leadership assignment. I was elected to a great position. I accepted the position while the organization was experiencing record success. Rather than plan ways to help the organization grow, I took a laid-back approach. I kept it at a steady pace. No new challenges. No plan to address weaknesses. Guess what?

I consider myself an “encourager,” but a recent experience expanded my definition. Previously, to “encourage” meant to be positive. To offer praise. To be an agent of hope. I offered encouragement when I saw good effort or progress. I want my teammates and family to like having me around because of my optimistic attitude. But then I listened to Admiral John Mustin speak about leadership. He noted that encouragement included inspiration and accountability. According to

Charlie Munger is Vice-Chairman of Berkshire Hathaway and shared the stage with Warren Buffett at the annual shareholders meeting I attended in Omaha. Munger, who is 92 years old, let Buffett do most of the talking, but Warren always asked him if he had anything to add. Frequently he did. His quotes during the event were often noteworthy. At one point, the two engaged in a discussion about moral failure. Buffett referred to a deceitful

Are you hardy? Being hardy is associated with being tough. Hardy people show up. They make it through the hard times. They can make bad situations better. You want hardy people in your “foxhole.” Hardy people are made, not born. Somewhere along the way, you have learned to be hardy. Someone inspired you. They guided you through a tough time through coaching, teaching, and encouragement. Once a person sees how hardiness works, they begin to