Do you know what distinguishes a person who makes a difference from another person who wants to make a difference? Action. On the surface, that sounds obvious. But in reality, I encounter many folks who want to make a difference but never move past the good intention phase. In some cases, they can even tell you why the change is necessary and how it will improve lives, business processes, or a work environment. People who truly make a positive difference are people of action. Think about a teacher who made a lasting impact on you. It's likely they went beyond delivering content to taking an interest in you as a person. Maybe they challenged you to do better or dream bigger. They could have been content to stick to an outline and a syllabus. It's the extra step, the additional effort that makes a difference. Two freshmen enter high school…

Over the years, I've been privileged to sit down with many great leaders. High school football coaches, nonprofit executives, church planters, entrepreneurs, and CEO's of multibillion dollar companies. Just this past week, I enjoyed coffee with a fellow who has led several publicly-traded companies. I've discovered that great coaches, CEO's, and parents have one thing in common: they never stop learning. When I find a person who has stopped learning, I'm not surprised when I find they have also stopped growing. Even worse, they might actually be regressing in their abilities to lead and motivate people -- especially those who are continuing to expand their knowledge and skill set. Intellectually curious people ... Read books inside and outside of their field Ask more questions Ask better questions Aren't embarrassed to ask for help Debrief and deconstruct what worked and what didn't Readily share what they're learning with others Besides being…