I wish I could do more. I hear that statement a lot from leaders around the world. The demands on their time, their skills, and their presence are always escalating, always making it seem like there’s never enough of the leader to go around. Usually, the emphasis is on the more in that sentence: I…

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Earlier this week, John Maxwell wrote a blog post on A Leader’s Silent Investment. I was captivated by this thought and wanted to spend some time unpacking this further with you. I fully affirm John’s belief that personal growth is a leaders greatest silent investment. Let’s break this down… What makes personal growth silent? Well,…

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What’s your highest calling as a leader? Well, I believe it’s being a servant leader. I often teach that leaders ask the question, “Will I help people?” But servant leaders ask, “HOW will I help people?” When you’re a servant leader, you do so much more than just make people a priority. You look for…

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The season of spring got its name from nature’s sudden display of growth. The word “spring” literally means to leap, burst forth, or fly up. When conditions are right—warmer temperatures, longer days, and more sunlight—grasses and flowers seem to spring up from the ground overnight. However, in the wrong environment, where there’s inadequate rainfall or…

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A people that values its privileges above its principles soon loses both.~ Dwight D. Eisenhower Values are the principles that influence and guide a team’s behavior. When and where they’re absent, self-interest reigns supreme. People begin to protect their own turf, putting their own power and privileges ahead of the well being of the team.…

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Personal growth doesn’t happen by accident. It’s not an automatic process. If you want to guarantee growth, then you need a plan—something strategic, specific, and scheduled. Motivational speaker Earl Nightingale said, “If a person will spend one hour a day on the same subject for five years, that person will be an expert on that…

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Connecting is the leadership ability to identify with and relate to people in such a way that it increases your influence with them. Connecting demands constant attention on the part of the leader so that people stay tuned in to the vision, values, and priorities of the organization. The trick is to keep the connection…

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I believe it is a normal human desire to be concerned about how we look on the outside. There’s nothing wrong with that. What can get us in trouble is worrying more about how we look on the outside than about how we really are on the inside. Our reputation comes from what others believe…

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I love curious people and enjoy spending time with them, conversing with them. Their excitement for knowledge and learning is contagious. I often wonder why more people aren’t curious. So many people seem to be indifferent. Why don’t they ask why? Are some people simply born without the desire to learn? Are some people just…

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Happy New Year! I hope your year has begun well. What is your favorite time of year? Is it Christmas? Is it when you celebrate your birthday? Or when flowers bloom in the spring? Or your summer vacation? Or when the children go back to school? Or the beginning of football season? Or when the…

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