“Leadership is influence. Nothing more, nothing less.” – John Maxwell What does it actually mean to be a leader? I think we’ve complicated leadership over the years. Leadership isn’t a title. It isn’t being the loudest person in the room, having the biggest office, or having 100 people underneath your name on an organizational chart. … Read more
You don’t need to see the next ten miles. You just need enough light for the next step. I’ve thought about this a lot over the years. What if leadership came with a crystal ball? What if, before you ever took a leap of faith to launch a business, start a church or non-profit, took … Read more
John Maxwell said, “You cannot simultaneously be improving and proving.” I spent a lot of years trying to make sure everyone liked me. Looking back, I didn’t realize it at the time, but I had become a professional people pleaser. I wanted every client to be happy, every employee to agree with my decisions, every … Read more
Jesus said it this way: “For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of.” (Luke 6:45) I’ve been thinking about something lately. A lot. One of the biggest lies we were ever taught as kids may have sounded harmless, but I think it’s done more damage than we realize. “Sticks and stones may break … Read more
“Discipline equals freedom.” – Jocko Willink When I first heard Jocko say that, it stuck with me. At first, they seem almost contradictory. How can discipline create freedom? But the more I’ve reflected on them, the more I’ve realized they’re true in every area of life. Discipline creates physical freedom. Financial freedom. Spiritual freedom. And … Read more
We often think leadership begins when we receive a promotion or a title, but the truth is leadership begins the moment someone starts following our example. Yesterday was Father’s Day, and as I sat down to write this week’s leadership blog, I couldn’t think of a more fitting topic. Not because every person reading this … Read more
Motion Is Not Momentum. One of the most dangerous places a leader can be is busy. One of the easiest ways to destroy a perfectly good engine is to ignore the warning signs. Most of us know this. Yet every day, people continue driving with a low oil light on the dashboard thinking, “I’ll get … Read more
“The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.” – Martin Luther King Jr. Anybody can lead when things are going well. It is easy to motivate the team when the sales board is full. It is … Read more
“Great vision without great people is irrelevant.” – Jim Collins One of the most interesting feelings in life is being in a room where everyone seems to be speaking a language you should understand, but somehow you don’t. I know just “enough” about sports. I absolutely love watching a great Detroit Lions game, cheering on … Read more
Grace isn’t lowering the standard or letting yourself off the hook – it’s recognizing that you’re human while you pursue that standard. Last week’s blog struck a chord. “If it was easy, everyone would do it.” A lot of you reached out saying you needed that reminder, and I get it – because leadership is … Read more