Stop me if you’ve heard this one before: Leadership is influence — nothing more, nothing less. The more I speak to leaders of all stripes, the more I’m reminded of the truth of this statement. No matter who you are, no matter where you serve, if you have influence with people, you can lead them.…

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Successful coaches come with a variety of personalities. Mike Ditka and Bobby Knight exuded emotion whereas Phil Jackson had a stoical demeanor. Pat Summitt was the very picture of intensity, while John Madden was gregarious and affable. Geno Auriemma’s outspoken and animated style paints a stark contrast to Tom Landry’s poised and understated manner of…

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In America’s 50 largest cities, the high school graduation rate is 53%. Nearly ½ of students do not earn a diploma within four years of starting the 9th grade. Not finishing high school adversely affects a person’s life in numerous ways. For example, dropouts are far more likely to be unemployed or imprisoned compared to…

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Public confidence in Congress has dropped to historic lows, and the American people have little to no respect for big businesses and banks. The President’s approval rating hovers around 40%, and less than 1/3 of the public expresses “a great deal” or “quite a lot” of confidence in the media. At a time when a…

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School is back in session. Over the past few weeks, millions of children have grabbed their backpacks and lunchboxes, boarded the bus, arrived at school, and walked into a classroom full of new faces. During the first day of school, a student’s mind buzzes with questions: • Who will be my friends? • Does my…

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Everyone wants to be the best. If you aren’t the best, then chances are you’re looking to see who is and trying to emulate them. Put simply, influencers attract imitators.Lately, Hyundai has proved to be a leader in the auto industry. While sales of competitors have slowed to a crawl, Hyundai has been cruising in…

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In 1988, pop group Milli Vanilli shot to superstardom with the release of their album Girl You Know It’s True, which spawned three chart-topping singles. The following year, the group captured a Grammy Award for Best New Artist. However, Milli Vanilli fell from fame even faster than they had rocketed to celebrity status as a…

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