My 7th grade teacher humiliated me in front of my classmates. I felt like a failure. But I found there is a huge difference between failing and being a failure. I determined in my heart that day that I am not a failure, regardless of what my teacher told me. It was a defining moment [...]
Ducks do what ducks do, fish do what fish do, and eagles do what eagles do. If we try to make a duck do an eagles’ job, it never works. As a leader, our responsibility is to help ducks become better ducks and help eagles become better eagles. Let’s encourage the individuals that God has [...]
“The first responsibility of a leader is to define reality. The last is to say thank you. In between the two, the leader must become a servant...” says Max De Pree. Amazing advice. And God honored the men of Issachar calling them “men who understood the times who knew what Israel should do.“ (I Chron. [...]
People naturally resist what they don’t understand. It makes communication one of the most important aspects of leadership. And it can be difficult since people receive communication in different ways. So find their communication preference, and honor them by using it. And remember, how we say something is often as important, if not more important, [...]
One thing I learned over the years is the best leaders are the ones who are wise enough to get out of the way of smarter people. Build a team of people who are full of integrity and smarter and wiser than you. Then watch God change the world through this team!
Leaders who have character do not build themselves up by tearing others down. Instead, they intentionally build others up. There is great power released in encouragement! The Scriptures challenge us to “encourage one another daily.” (Heb. 3:13)
Leadership is influence. How do you gain influence? You invest in people. And how do you invest in people? You give them time. Jesus called the 12 disciples, “that they might be with Him.” (Mark 3:14)
Often a leader’s best work is not what he or she does, but what they inspire others to. It’s not about us. It is about helping others fulfill their God-given dreams and destiny. God tells us, “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you…thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you [...]
The older I get, the more I realize I need to listen more and talk less. In my younger days, I was quick to give answers. But now, when someone is seeking direction, I find it is often better to tell my story of how I may have faced something similar, offer a scripture, and [...]
Are you an “I” leader, or a “we” leader? The more a leader says “I”, the less the team will feel “we”. Equally, if it’s “my” team, then it will always be dependent on “me”. Secure healthy leaders stay away from using “I” and “my” and use “we” and “us.” They bring value to the [...]