Character
Do I Believe The Best In Others?
Do I believe the best in others? This is a question that I’ve been asking myself a lot lately. Because believing the best in others is not something to be assumed; you must be intentional in checking the lens you’re looking through when viewing others. John Maxwell teaches a simple exercise to help cultivate the…
Read MoreDoes Love Work as a Leadership Principle?
As I stumbled for my alarm at 3:00 a.m. on my first day on the job as a street washer, I wondered what I was getting myself into. CBS had asked my company to participate in its hit reality show Undercover Boss. As the CEO of Herschend Family Entertainment (HFE) at that time, I’d agreed…
Read MoreFour Signs of a Leader of Hope
On my podcast this week, I shared something with Mark Cole and our listeners that I don’t often share publicly. As I look around at our world today, there’s a certain feeling that comes over me, one that I don’t experience often, and I can’t help but bring it to you as we talk about…
Read MoreMark Cole: Character – Your Most Important Asset
Character is every leader’s most important asset. And like any good asset, it can be developed. With each choice that you make, you are creating your character. To bend the truth, or to bear the weight of it? To avoid the pain, or to persevere through it? To seek comfort, or to seek growth? Adversity…
Read MoreBefore You Share, Ask Yourself: Do I Want Accountability or Approval?
Imagine you’re sitting in a meeting, and a thought suddenly pops into your head. It’s a smart insight, and you’re tempted to interrupt things in order to interject. You look around the table, wondering when you might get the chance to jump into the discussion. Or maybe you’re sitting at your desk, and an email…
Read MoreMark Cole: The Difference Between Average and Achieving
Do you know people that are just a little bit better than everyone around them? Have you ever wondered what their secret is? It reminds me of a scene in the movie Space Jam, starring Michael Jordan, where the Tune Squad is losing by a large margin at halftime and go into the locker room…
Read MoreA Christmas Gift for Your Year-End Review
Dear friend— Three weeks ago, I shared some thoughts on using the end of the year as a time for reflection. I challenged you to think about what you choose to reflect on and encouraged you to think more about the positive things that happened in your life this year. I was originally going to…
Read MoreAn Open Letter to Veterans on Veterans Day
I want to take a moment and write to the women and men who make up the 18.2 million veterans in the United States of America. Today is Veterans Day, set aside to honor those who have worn the uniforms of the Air Force, Army, Coast Guard, Navy and Marine Corps while serving our country…
Read MoreFive Ways Leaders Change Lives for the Better
Did you know that we’re in a global leadership crisis? That thought has popped in the news a lot lately. There have been breathless editorials from all angles about the decline of leadership in government, education, entertainment, religion, business, art, and the family. We’re not as strong as we used to be seems to be…
Read MoreMark Cole: Give Hope
In John Maxwell’s first book, Think on These Things, hewrote an entire chapter on hope. There’s one line that has stuck with me since I read it 25 years ago: “Hope dares to give when no one is sharing.” Hope gives—I love that! Even when no one believes, hope gives. Even when the circumstances seem…
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