A stellar group leader is first a very good person, a role model in character and behavior. Further, in demeanor and approach, an effective leader emanates the “feel” of being part of the group rather than above it. Examples include endeavoring to talk with instead of to the group in tone and substance and working hands-on as part of the group instead of its boss in group-related projects and activities.

Recognize that you are a Role Model

People follow and readily acknowledge leaders that they respect. Like it or not, life-quality and authentic leadership go hand in hand. Like children with parents, people tend to and should watch how leaders live and react to circumstances more than they hear them. Thus, living lays the foundation (or not) for people to actually listen to you (actions and words) and embrace your position as a leader.  Read more...

If you’re feeling the world is changing more dramatically and abruptly than ever, you’re not alone.

Major and unexpected shifts are becoming increasingly frequent. The global COVID-19 lockdown. The Black Lives Matter movement. And the next one…

And these events have left us with incredibly poor visibility into the future. Frankly, no-one has a clue what’s going to happen next! Who knows what the economy will be like, what shifts in demand we’ll see, who’ll be the winners and the losers.

Even on the much smaller scale of a single business, the ecosystem in which our business operates has become so complex and interrelated, it’s not possible to neatly model cause-and-effect.

So, what’s the tool we need to turn to when complexity and uncertainty rises?

A checklist.  Read more...

A few words from the prophet Azariah motivated King Asa of Judah to up his leadership performance. The same exhortation can motivate anyone in leadership today too.

The prophet simply told the king to look beyond the vision he had for his kingdom. Beyond the history of accomplishments, current circumstances, and the daily grind.

He said, “Be strong and do not give up, for your work will be rewarded” (2 Chron. 15:7).

In so many words, Azariah told the king to look forward to the divine reward that would follow a life of perseverance.

The promise of future rewards motivates many leaders. It does me. When we pour into people’s lives, drip our sweat and blood into a business, sacrifice financially to start a church, or give time and treasure to causes that matter to us, it’s incredibly encouraging to know God’s watching and will reward us.  Read more...

Everyone brings their inner children to work with them. Some unhealed parts of us left unattended, however, bleed into our emotions and can affect our behavior.

We see the consequences of unhealed parts of us acting out all the time.

• A colleague stops talking to you for no known reason.
• A boss, who has no sense of core values, frantically attempts to make his employees happy and tanks the organization.

As an educator for 30 years, I would be triggered by one or two students in a school year who inadvertently informed me that I had more healing to do.

One year an obese kindergartener, Bella, entered my classroom. She had little academic skills. She did not know any letters of the alphabet or numbers. She had little language development. On top of that, she was very uninterested in learning and would cry when you insisted she finish her assignments.  Read more...