Yearly Archives: 2020

Passion and conviction People want to follow a passionate leader. When we as leaders are passionate about a topic, it can be contagious. But, people need to follow a leader who also has conviction. So what is the difference between passion and conviction? We can be passionate about something and not necessarily have lived it, or successfully experienced what it is we are passionate about. It's primarily intellectual. An example could be in sports. A coach of a team, who has never played the sport, can be passionate about playing hard, preparing, winning, and has love for the game, but they haven't felt the highs and lows of being a player, and their team feels the difference. However, a coach [...]

Encouragement is key. “Flatter me, and I may not believe you, criticize me, and I may not like you, ignore me, and I may not forgive you. Encourage me, and I will not forget you," William Arthur Ward. Isn’t it true that just about every person on the planet wants to believe they have value? They want to know that they matter, and that they count for something. It is my belief that being valued and mattered is a basic human need. As a leader, helping someone feel significant can be a game changer. If you ever played sports you know how important the words of encouragement coming from the coach meant to you. Maybe accompanied with a pat on [...]

Are you an authentic leader? A good question to ask ourselves from time to time is, "Am I truly an authentic leader?" I am learning authenticity begins with living out our values. What we truly care about -- not just talk about-- and living by that code daily is the beginning of being an authentic leader. I believe our people deserve a leader who is true to what matters most. When we pursue our purpose, we are demonstrating our authenticity. Most of us have mission statements or purpose statements, and they are likely in writing and prominently displayed in an office or conference room. While a display serves as a strong reminder, what is more important, is having your people [...]