Business Leadership
Avodah: Your Work Is More Than a Job
Most leaders I meet are tired. Not tired of working hard – but tired of fragmentation.
They feel pulled between performance and principles, results and relationships, ambition and integrity. They want to succeed without selling their souls in the process.
There is an ancient word that speaks directly to this tension: Avodah.
In the Hebrew Scriptures, avodah is translated three ways: work,
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Read MoreStillness, Service, and Seeing People Clearly: Leadership Lessons from the Veranda
By the time our week in Kenya was drawing to a close, I realized something important: the most enduring leadership lessons of the trip didn’t just come from the animals.
They came from the people. And from the hours spent sitting still.
Much of our time at Ol Pejeta followed a predictable rhythm, early morning drives, shared meals, afternoon rest, evening outings. But some of the most meaningful moments happened when nothing was scheduled at all.
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Read MoreTraveler, Our Cattle Dog, Needs a Job, and So Do We
Traveler Needs a Job
Our gym is dog-friendly. In fact, it’s more than dog-friendly; on any given day, there’s at least one member’s dog clipped between barbells and rowers, greeting people like they’re old friends. Truth be told, while our CrossFit gym has great coaches and an incredible community, I’m convinced a surprising percentage of members joined because they could bring their dogs.
Read MoreTwo Origins, One Identity: Leadership Lessons from a Day in Northern Portugal
My wife Lynn and I were in Portugal earlier this year, and after a full day of exploring Porto, we took a driving tour with Victor, our wonderfully insightful driver from the Forte de Gaia hotel. He insisted we couldn’t understand Portugal – really understand it – without seeing two places that shaped its earliest story: Guimarães and Braga.
What I didn’t expect was how much these two locations would speak to me as a leadership guy.
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Read MoreEthical Leadership in the Digital Age: Leading with Character in a High-Tech World
Let’s be honest, leadership is challenging enough when it’s just people, projects, and performance.
Now add artificial intelligence, big data, algorithmic decision-making, facial recognition, keystroke monitoring, and digital assistants that listen better than your teenage kids. Welcome to the digital age.
It’s not just a new chapter of leadership, it’s a whole new book. And here’s the big idea:
Just because we can doesn’t mean we should.
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Buen Camino:
Measure Twice, Lead Once
Earlier this month, my wife and I had the privilege of walking a portion of the Buen Camino through Portugal and northern Spain, following a pilgrimage path that people of faith have walked for more than 1,000 years.
Read MoreI Reserve the Right to Be Smarter Tomorrow
I reserve the right to be smarter tomorrow.
That one sentence has become something of a personal mantra, a professional challenge, and a reminder that leadership is never static. It’s not a finish line. It’s not a title. And it’s certainly not an excuse to stop growing.
Read MoreThere’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 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 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.
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