Overcoming Fear: Finding Confidence in a Scary World
Overcoming fear begins by recognizing that fear comes from within and that we have power over it; Jodie’s story of struggle and success shows how.
Dealing With Critics
Any time we venture out of our comfort zones, it can feel like we’re sticking out, vulnerable to criticism. Someone is likely to say something. Here’s how to deal with the criticism when it comes.
Achieving Goals: Five Ways to Make Your Dreams a Reality
How do we make achieving goals actually happen? The 28th of July was huge for me. I had been chasing a goal for nearly a year, and was doing my best to make it a reality. On that particular Sunday, after months of effort, it happened. What was the goal? More importantly, what were […]
The Dangers of Taking the Easy Way
“What’s wrong with taking the easy way?” Sometimes the answer to our problem seems easy. But the easy solution may not always be the right one. Today in “Lines for Leaders” I’ll share what one famous person said about the dangers of taking the “easy way,” along with some thoughts about how we can make […]
Establishing Trust: Why the Details Matter
How do we establish trust? We know that establishing trust is a key to leading well, but how do we go about it? An unexpected encounter in the back of a dark garage shines a light on how we can build the trust we need to lead.
Overloaded: The Thing That Keeps Us From Leading Well
“Are we carrying around things that make us poor leaders?” It’s easy to collect things, harder to let them go. But as leaders we have to be aware that some of those things, one in particular, can get in our way and prevent us from leading as effectively as we’d like.
Following the Follower: 15 Ways to Lead Better by Following Better
Can being better followers make us better leaders? Focusing on following may seem an odd way to tackle the challenges of leading, but there’s a power in this approach we can easily overlook. There’s a danger in ignoring it, too. That was a lesson I learned the hard way deep in the dry, burning pine […]
Type 2 Fun: The Secret to Achieving Your Goals
Who knew there were different categories of fun? Not all fun is created equal. If you want to accomplish great things, it’s the Type 2 fun that you’re looking for. Here’s what I mean…
Learning to Fly: Innovation, Risk, and Leadership in the Real World
Most of us have probably heard of the Wright Brothers and their invention of the airplane. But did you know that one of their earlier flights featured a canoe strapped to the bottom of their flying machine? Why would such a thing be necessary, and what does their example tell us about what it takes […]
Where Did Everybody Go? 23 Ways to Stick With Your Goals
It’s happening already. If you go to a gym or fitness facility, you know this to be true: there’s that sudden influx of new faces in the new year. With the turn of the calendar often comes a desire to turn over a new leaf, and fitness goals feature prominently. Some of the regulars at […]
21 Acts of Kindness to Make the World a Better Place
“What’s the maximum effective range of a good deed?” It was 4:30 in the morning. Two weary fire fighters walked into a local diner in New Jersey. Smelling of smoke and tired from battling a warehouse fire all night, they were hungry and needed a rest. The friendly waitress brought them their breakfast, smiled, and […]
New Manager Nightmares: 11 Creepy Leaders and How to Avoid Morphing Into One
“Have you experienced New Manager Nightmares?” You are going about your business when suddenly a new manager walks in. A dark cloud seems to blot out the sun, reality distorts, work grinds to a halt, and nothing seems normal anymore. What you may be experiencing is a new manager nightmare. Here’s how to recognize some […]