Is any leader really comfortable being known as a beginner? I don’t think so. I’ve observed that most leaders have a natural desire to become an expert. But this doesn’t always lead to success in leadership—as John Wooden said, “It’s what you learn after you know it all that counts.” To continually grow and learn,…

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All great leaders read. And I’m not talking about skimming through the newspaper each morning over coffee. I’m talking about devouring knowledge! Did you know that the average American only reads one book a year? Compare that with the fact that the average CEO reads four to five books a month. Some of the most…

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In The Contrarian’s Guide to Leadership, I read that “the average person suffers from three delusions: 1) that he/she is a good driver, 2) that he/she has a good sense of humor, and 3) that he/she is a good listener.” Although that is mostly true, it is meant to make light of a very real…

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Last week I introduced you to the idea of financial seasons in your life. Thank you to everyone who commented on the post. I can’t wait to address the seasons you emphasized and give you my thoughts on maximizing them. This week, let’s focus on the first financial season – the Season of Increased Learning.…

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If you’re a grandparent, what do your grandkids call you? It seems like that’s one of the first decisions that people make when expecting their first grandchild: What do we want to be called? In our case, Margaret knew right away that she wanted to be called Mimi. But I wasn’t sure about what I…

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What direction is your boat moving at this point in 2015? And how many fellow travelers are you partnering with? Partnership in growth is so important. This is especially true for leadership growth. When we surround ourselves with others on the same journey, and seek to learn from great leaders ahead of us, we can…

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When I adapted Sometimes You Win, Sometimes You Learn for Teens (February 24), I wanted to make it conversational in a way that would appeal to a teen or preteen. And I decided to make it more interactive, with sections for journaling and even Q and A with me. Here is another excerpt from the…

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Recently, another leader asked me about how he should go about sharpening his skills in the areas where he was naturally gifted. He had already done something that I consider really important: he had discovered his strengths. Now he was ready to focus his efforts at growth in those areas, so he could really improve…

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“The thankful receiver bears a plentiful harvest.” ~William Blake Here in the United States, tomorrow is Thanksgiving. For most of us, that means time with family, great food, and a chance to reflect on what we’re thankful for from the past year. When I look back on this year, I can’t help but be thankful…

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Adversity in life is a given. Although it’s never going to escape the picture, we don’t have to see it as a negative. We can triumph over obstacles we encounter each day to ultimately gain great experience from them. According to John Maxwell in his soon-to-be-released book, Sometimes You Win, Sometimes You Learn: “Adversity can…

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