Blog
There’s Nothing New: Leadership’s Unchanging Fundamentals
There are over 17,000 people working in leadership development, all eager to make an impact. But here’s the kicker: despite so many voices in the field, the core principles of leadership haven’t changed in over 2,000 years.
What does this mean for us as aspiring or practicing leaders?
- Lead yourself first: Self-management and personal growth are at the root of leading others.
- Make others better: Your leadership should leave people stronger,
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Read MoreThe Bigger Picture: What Leaders See That Managers Often Miss
There’s a moment in leadership when you realize the difference between getting things done and seeing what must be done. It’s the chasm between managing the day-to-day and lifting your eyes to the horizon. Between executing tasks and carrying vision. Between reacting to what’s now and leading toward what’s next.
That moment, for many leaders, is the beginning of Conviction.
Vision Begins Where the Task List Ends
If you’re like most effective managers,
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Read More“Memento Mori” – Remember, You Will Die – A Leadership Wake-Up Call
There’s a small Latin phrase that has quietly guided wise leaders for almost two thousand years: memento mori — “remember that you will die.”
Read MoreGratitude Is the Secret Leadership Multiplier: The Best Leaders Start with Appreciation
My team gave me the “Sunglasses Award” last year
In giving me this plaque, they shared that I was always upbeat and appreciative of their efforts. What they don’t see are my early-morning preparation exercises where I address the hard things and prepare myself to appreciate the good things.
Gratitude isn’t just a nice sentiment; it’s a decision to use it as a transformational force. It shifts our mindset, strengthens our relationships,
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Read MoreWhat Kind of Leader Are You? Embracing Summum Bonum for Purpose-Driven Leadership
Am I a Good Leader?
This question haunts me regularly. While I never aspired to build a multi-million-dollar business, today I find myself leading an enterprise of more than 175 team members who look to me for leadership.
Fellow leader: you and I both know that great leadership is more than driving profits, hitting targets, or climbing the corporate ladder. The best leaders—the ones who build lasting impact, strong teams, and meaningful organizations—orient their leadership around a higher purpose.
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Read MoreSpring Leadership Check: Are You Growing or Just Going Through the Motions?
Spring is a season of renewal—a time when nature reminds us that growth is not just possible, but inevitable. Trees that once stood bare now bud with fresh life, flowers push through the thawed ground, and the world around us transforms. Yet, in leadership, growth is not automatic
There’s a stark difference between having 10 years of experience as a leader and repeating the same experience 10 times. One leads to wisdom, adaptability,
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Read MoreDelegation Is Not Abdication: Empowering Without Disengaging
I was at a business development conference last week, focused on the future of our company, when my phone wouldn’t stop buzzing. A newer manager kept texting me about a tactical issue.
Read MoreThe Wisdom of Leaders Who Value Their Time
For leaders, time is one of the most precious resources available to leaders. Moses, the founding leader of the nation of Israel, recognized this truth deeply, capturing its essence in Psalm 90:12. (Yes, for those of us who thought David wrote all the Psalms in the Hebrew scriptures, Moses wrote a Psalm!) Psalm 90:12 shares, “So teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom.”
Scholars believe Moses wrote this Psalm after leading for more than forty years;
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Read MoreSometimes They Just Need Time
From Canyon Lake to Austin by way of a call from Houston
Lake showed up two months ago. We got the call from the Houston Golden Beginnings Golden Retriever Rescue organization: there was a young Golden that urgently needed to be picked up from a surrendering family outside Austin and then briefly fostered. Could we pick up this dog and keep him for a few weeks until GBGRR could find him a permanent family?
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Read MoreThe Top 20 Leadership Books for 2024 (Plus Two Essential Bonus Reads)
As we head into the fall, leadership continues to be a crucial topic for professionals across industries. Whether you’re a seasoned leader or just stepping into a leadership role, the right book can provide the insights and inspiration needed to excel. Here is a curated list of the top 20 leadership books that should be on your reading list this year, along with two bonus selections by John Maxwell.
- “Dare to Lead”
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