When Courage Isn’t Sexy

There is a kind of courage authors use as their clay for the molding of a love story. It’s the same fabric directors use to weave together a cape for their hero. A courage that wins the girl, saves the world, and lives to tell the tale.

The “sexy” kind of courage.

Logo for Catalyst

Image courtesy of Catalyst

Then, there’s the courage that’s not nearly as attractive. It’s less of a leap into the CEO’s chair and more of a step into the whisper of God. It’s the courage of owning up to a poor decision that hurt an employee. The courage of stepping onto the road of reconciliation with a family member. A courage that may not be sexy, but surely is good.

We may be slower to speak of this side of courage, but it’s the courage effective leaders must practice often.

Contextual Leadership: Why Leaders Must Adapt To Their Team

Speaking to Bill Simmons about the championship hangover the Golden State Warriors are experiencing, head coach Steve Kerr mused, “there’s a malaise that’s settled in. We just don’t have that same edge we’ve had the last couple of years. And I’m perfectly fine with that because it’s human nature [for motivation to wane after a championship] and we’ve got to pace ourselves and get to the end of the year.”

How basketball coaches and players adapt to increase performance

Photo by JC Gellidon

Kerr’s response made me rewind the segment and listen again, this time with increased attentiveness and vigor. In the age of scripted interview answers, his raw authenticity was shocking. Yet, it also speaks volumes about Kerr’s sharp understanding of team dynamics, and his acceptance of the new-age role of a coach. In days gone by, sports coaches took a more hard-line, militaristic approach to leading. Now, the elite coaches lead contextually, changing their ‘style’ based on the situation, and the needs of the team at that time.

Introducing The 2018 Leadership Book Everyone Should Read

There is no shortage of leadership books available to read but Brian Dodd’s Timeless: 10 Enduring Practices Of Apex Leaders stands out.

If you read Brian’s popular website Brian Dodd On Leadership, he frequently profiles Apex Leaders – those who are the best in their profession.  After years of research, Brian identified over 300 traits and practices of the world’s best leaders.  He then narrowed the list down to the 10 most common.

book cover for Timeless leadership book

These traits make up the book’s content.  They are the following:

  1. Apex Leaders Build Great Teams
  2. Apex Leaders Are Humble
  3. Apex Leaders Continually Improve
  4. Apex Leaders Work Hard – Very Hard
  5. Apex Leaders Form Strong Relationships
  6. Apex Leaders Make Others Better
  7. Apex Leaders Show Consistency
  8. Apex Leaders Give Generously
  9. Apex Leaders Lead By Example
  10. Apex Leaders Deliver Results

Leaders & Decision Making: How It Can Badly Impact Others

This Unseen Influence Can Ruin Everything

“Leadership is influence. Nothing more. Nothing less”

This is leadership guru John Maxwell’s simple, core definition for what leadership is.

It applies in any context like work, family, ministries, and organizations.

I don’t know about you but I find the idea of influence and impact to be highly energizing. Who doesn’t want to see their life have influence and impact?

Decision making can go wrong. Make it go right

Image by Rhys Asplundh

But, influencing lives can have a dark, scary side… at the same time you are influencing others:

Your decisions WILL impact the lives of others… for good or for bad.

That is a sobering reality.

Read on to learn about some hidden factors that can cause your decisions to turn out badly (for everyone)… and what you can do about it.

How to Change the World Through Effective Problem Solving

4 Steps To Solving Any Problem

The magnitude of the problems we solve will determine the size of the impact we make on the world.

Since 2005, I’ve been coaching and mentoring people to live their greatest life. Everyone I’ve worked with wants to make an impact with their life. The biggest problem they face is knowing how to do it.

4 steps to solve any problem

For more than a decade, I’ve been passionate about this same subject and have done extensive research on the subject. I’ve discovered that the best way to change the world is to solve societal problems. I will show you an excellent time-tested approach that you can use to solve any problem. I’m confident that if you apply this information, you will start taking the crucial steps to making your life count.