Tag Archives: leadership

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7 Leadership Lessons From The London Marathon

Five years ago, I ran my first marathon. It was the Grand Rapids Marathon in Grand Rapids, Michigan. After this marathon, I said I would never run another marathon again.

Fast forward to 2024…

I ran my second full marathon. This time, in London, England.

Man with dark hair in an orange tank top jersey running the streets of London in the London Marathon

Photo by Pamela Lalonde

Running the London Marathon wasn’t a dream come true. It wasn’t something I’d longed to do. Yet, when the invitation from Team World Vision came to run the London Marathon and change kids’ lives, I couldn’t say no.

Pamela and I spent nine full days in London. We got to see so much and experience so much. You may hear about those experiences in a later post. This post is going to be about the lessons from the London Marathon.  Read more...

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Tips On Leading With Integrity And Purpose

All of us want to live a life that is authentic. We also want to live a life full of integrity. Then there’s living a life full of purpose. We know these three things can be guiding lights for us personally and professionally. 

However, I’ve seen many leaders side-step these areas of their personal and professional lives. They see a shortcut and they take it. No one will know, they think. 

It may be true. No one may ever discover what you did under the cover of darkness. You may never be exposed for taking advantage of your employees, organization, or friends. 

But those things still happened. 

You’ve broken the trust of the people you love and care about. You’ve tarnished your reputation. You’ve become the laughingstock of your industry. 

All because you decided to do the wrong thing.  Read more...

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5 Leadership Books To Read In May 2024

Margaret Fuller once said:

Today a reader, tomorrow a leader.

Mary Ann Shaffer said:

That’s what I love about reading: one tiny thing will interest you in a book, and that tiny thing will lead you to another book, and another bit there will lead you onto a third book. It’s geometrically progressive–all with no end in sight, and for no other reason than sheer enjoyment.

Both of these people have one thing in common: They know the power a book has to change your life. 

Every book you pick up will open a door into the world of someone who has been there and done that. Their experiences are there for you to learn and grow from. So, what’s stopping you from picking up a great book?  Read more...

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Are You Missing The Plank In Your Eye?

Every time someone subscribes to receive updates from my blog, they should receive an email asking them what the biggest struggle they’re facing today is. I recently had a subscriber respond with an issue most leaders have at some point. 

I shared my thoughts on the topic with them, and they said I should make our conversation a blog post. I hope you will enjoy this interaction made into a cohesive topic about leading others well. 

Man sitting in front of laptop. His hands are thrown up in frustration.

Photo by Headway on Unsplash

Here’s the struggle the reader was facing:

I would say my biggest struggle is mentoring new, younger employees.

At times their level of confidence far exceeds their abilities. In my opinion this contributes to an employee who over simplifies things, over relies on their own abilities to solve a problem, and takes unnecessary risks. This approach can create project delays.  Read more...

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Quotes And Leadership Lessons From Civil War

A Reel Leadership Article

My latest book, Reel Leadership, is now available on Amazon. If you love movies and leadership, you will love this book.

The previews for Civil War were exciting. The United States had been engulfed in a civil war that shook the foundation of the country to its core. The various factions were fighting hard against one another.

What would it spell out for the country?

Cailee Spaeny in Civil War. Young, dark haired woman holding a camera.

I went into Civil War expecting a film about the conflict caused by the breaking up of the country. Rather than that, A24 gave us a chilling look at the world of military-embedded photojournalists on a journey to reach the White House. They needed to do this quickly as rebels were also headed to the White House. Their mission? Something much more sinister: taking out the President of the United States of America (Nick Offerman).  Read more...