3 Leadership Lessons My Dad Taught Me Without Saying a Word
More powerful than any words he could have ever said, it was what my father did without saying a thing that taught me the most about what it means to be a good leader. Today I want to share those lessons with you in hopes that his example can help us all become better leaders.
Waiting for the Light to Change
Are you waiting for permission to proceed? Traffic signals organize and coordinate the flow of traffic. They keep things safe and orderly. We wait for the green light to proceed. Organizations have managers and supervisors. They direct the traffic too. Most people wait to be told what to do, then do it. But leaders don’t […]
Climbing Solo
When I hear of the exploits of amateur climbers who somehow manage to summit Mount Everest, it makes me wonder – how many more times has his guide been to the top? When I watch amazing footage of wild life experts and extreme sports, I wonder, “If it was hard for the person on screen, […]
Mind the Gap: 9 Ways to Close the Trust Gap on Your Team
People will only willingly follow you if they trust you, and believe in your destination. But like boarding a train, there comes a moment when they have to step from the platform into the passenger compartment and join you for the ride. Crossing that gap is a leap of faith: It requires trust. Yet a […]
Flight Lessons: Preparing Your Leaders for Success
Are you giving your teammates flight lessons? As leaders, the best indicator of our success is the success of those we are responsible for. Whether it is a child, a teammate, or co-worker, when you invest time and energy in preparing them to succeed on their own, you are fulfilling one of the highest callings of […]
Signing Your Work: How the Last Details Make a Lasting Difference
He and his crew labored for months high in the Colorado Rockies last summer. They hiked through snow and dodged rattlesnakes in the desert while working with the Southwest Conservation Corps to preserve America’s wildest places. I asked him what he had learned about teamwork and leadership from that experience. What he shared with me about […]
Leadership Secrets of Buddy the Elf
Spoiler Alert – There’s a happy ending. Even if you haven’t seen the movie “Elf,” you kind of know that’s how things will turn out. And since the movie stars Will Ferrell, you know you can count on plenty to laugh about along the way to that happy ending. But during our annual re-watching of […]
Leadership Lessons Learned from Lost Luggage
Sometimes the simplest of actions can have far-reaching impact. When the unexpected happened during our fall camp out, one Scout was left without the clothing he needed to keep warm. But with the help of friends and the kind act of a stranger, not only did he make it through the weekend, we all learned […]
7 Leadership Paradoxes: It’s Not What You Thought
Too often the new leader steps forward to take charge, but quickly becomes frustrated when people won’t listen to his demands. What’s wrong? These leaders don’t see the paradoxes of leadership. What they think they need to do to be a good leader is actually making it harder for them to lead. Today we’ll talk about seven […]
What Hiking 2,189 Miles Taught Me About Leadership
What can you learn about leadership from hiking for six months straight, covering thousands of miles, and carrying everything you own stuffed into a bag on your back? Plenty, it turns out. Recently I asked successful long-distance backpacker Greg Ward if he would be willing to share some of his Appalachian Trail leadership lessons with us. His […]
Great Reads in Leadership for Fall 2016
Abraham Lincoln once said that if he had six hours to chop down a tree, he would spend the first four sharpening his ax. More recently, personal development expert Stephen Covey has said that “sharpening your saw” is a critical part of becoming better at your craft. One of the best ways you can continue […]
Book Notes – Sea of Glory: The 7 Habits of the Highly Insecure Leader
Lacking confidence in your leadership? Are you an insecure leader? Sometimes the things we are tempted to do to compensate for insecurity are the worst options, as Lieutenant Wilkes, United States Navy, found out the hard way in 1838. Here’s what happened, how you can avoid these seven deadly habits, and build the confidence you […]