Leadership

Author Jennifer Schuldt tells the story of taking her children to an aquarium while on vacation. Like many aquariums, this one had a tank where you could pet different types of sea animals, including small sharks. Noticing the sharks, she asked the attendant if the sharks ever snapped at people's fingers. Seems like a logical question to ask before you stick your whole arm into the water (as most kids will do!) and a finger might be mistaken for a floating sausage. The worker assured her that the sharks wouldn't bite because they had just been fed. Then he added this insight: if the sharks were still hungry ... that would be different! Hungry people, like hungry sharks, don't always make the most discerning choices. One of the wisdom writers in the Bible put it this way: "A person who is full refuses honey, but even bitter food tastes sweet…

It's called by different names, but it's still inertia. Status quo Standing still Analysis paralysis Stuck Bored Flat Phoning it in In physics, a basic definition of inertia would be "the tendency of a body to resist acceleration or a change in its motion." We can thank Sir Isaac Newton and his first law of physics for helping us understand the nature of inertia: For the motion of an object to change, an external (outside) force must act upon it. Inertia is one of the worst things that can happen in a marriage. A healthy marriage embraces change. If two people never mature past the level of maturity they had when they got married, don't be surprised as the rate of conflict and disagreement increases. The status quo has sucked the life out of many organizations. It shows up when we prefer the safety of a routine (even one that…

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…