Life as a Swizzle Stick
Who are the people in your life that have stirred up the good in you? What did they do to cause good things to happen in you and through you? Like you, I’ve had a few swizzle sticks in my life that have stirred up the good in me. When my ship...
Seeing What Others Can Not See: Leadership Lesson #8
Visionaries don't think outside the box; they're already outside the box. Visionaries are out in front of the wagon trains moving west, looking for new territory, better ways of crossing mountains and easier paths to cross the river. Often, they do this alone....
The Unenviable Truth About Leadership: Be Ready to Fight – Lesson 7
If you want to be a leader, be ready for a fight. You will be attacked. The hardest lesson I ever learned about leadership was that when you are elevated to a position of authority, you have a new bulls-eye on your back. Don't believe me? Ask the person who recently...
Good Leaders Inspire Others to Improve Themselves: Leadership Lesson #6
Coach Bill Snyder – Kansas State University’s legendary football coach – inherited a zero-and-twelve football team in the early ‘90’s and, three years later, they were ten-and-two. He retired once and the team spiraled downhill so they brought him back. The Wildcats...
Keeping the Monkeys Where They Belong: Leadership Lesson Part 5
"If you're a leader, imagine that most people who come to you have a monkey on their back and they want it to jump down, run across the desk and climb on your back and stay there," my friend said. "If you're not careful, soon you'll have everyones monkeys on your back...
Leading From the Back Pew: Leadership Lesson Part 4
If you want to cause someone to lose their religion in church, take the seat of a little old lady who has been sitting in the same pew since Noah beached the ark. If you didn’t need salvation before you sat down, you will afterwards. In my early days as a minister, I...
The 5 C’s of Decision Making; Leadership Series Part 3
Leading a group to a unified decision is like covering a fat little pig in grease and turning it loose for children catch; they’re hard to grab and squeal like their being tortured. Take Congress for example... What are the most effective methods of making good...
The Only Person Who Welcomes Change is a Wet Baby: Leadership Series, Part 2
"It is easier to introduce a fourth person into the holy Trinity than it is to change the color of the carpet in the foyer." - Karl Beck "Just remember this important lesson," the leadership expert said. "When you return from this conference the people you work with...
3 Ways to Move People from Chaos to Unity: Leadership Series, Part 1
Is your work environment, home life, civic group or faith-based organization in chaos? Does it seem like no one knows where the group is going, who is doing what and how things are supposed to be done? After more than 30 years of being in leadership roles or watching...