Leadership

Years ago, I had a coworker who every Thursday afternoon would say the same thing at the same time: "I've hit my 32." As in 32 hours. As in "my work week is now over and I'm leaving." He would often update us on how many hours (or minutes) he had left before hitting his 32. The first time I heard it, I thought it was funny -- then I realized he wasn't joking. He was serious. In his mind, his job responsibilities expired the moment he hit 32 hours. One time he hit his 32 in the middle of a conversation. "It's your problem now" was his response. As you might imagine, his attitude didn't do much to "win friends or influence people" -- most noticeably among his coworkers. In the words of Ken Blanchard, he was interested but not committed. “There’s a difference between interest and commitment. When...

My father once told me something that you have probably heard in some shape or form. He told me, "Ken, if common sense was truly common then more people would have it." As I've thought about this over the years, I've come to realize that some people have truly uncommon sense - they are able to anticipate things others cannot. They see opportunities where others see a blank page or a problem. Many of our innovations and advances have originated from this uncommon outside-the-box thinking. But I say this not to diminish the importance of common sense. Common sense and how it is applied forms the basic building blocks of life, relationships, finances, and so much more. Common sense provides shared pathways of understanding and tools for navigating life. Over thousands of years, the human race has discovered and developed certain operating principles that both save time and lives. Simply...

Have you ever left a conversation and wondered, "What just happened?" Or, you leave feeling worse or more discouraged or even angry. You may have been swept up into the undertow of someone else's emotions. An undertow is a current of water that lies below a peaceful surface. It's a powerful current that can sweep the strongest of swimmers out to sea. And you may not know it's there until it's too late. Truth be told, there are people who would love for you to swim in the undertow of their dysfunctions. Their pity needs a party and you're invited. But just say no. Getting swept up in the undertow is different than feeling genuine empathy and compassion. Empathy and compassion are healthy and can lead the person towards healing. The undertow will just pull you further and further down. Experience and Background Professor at Warner University masters in business...

What is the difference between an average leader and an exceptional leader? It's the same as what separates a good teacher from a great teacher - or a decent athlete from a champion. The difference lies in the way they think. And the way they think influences the way they act. So, how do the top-performers think differently? According to researchers Carol Dweck and Heidi Grant, it's approaching a challenge with a “performance improve” mindset instead of a "performance prove" mindset. But what does that mean? A salesperson with a "performance prove" mindset has to win - nothing else is acceptable. They are only focused on the outcome. Whether or not they learn from the process isn't important. It's all about winning. Contrast that with a salesperson who also wants to sign the deal but approaches the situation with a "performance improve" mindset. They analyze, debrief, deconstruct, and reflect on...

Recharge, Reinvent, or Resign - Part Three Leaders in every generation have faced challenges. In the early days of the Jesus movement, church leaders were thrown to the lions (literally!) by Roman emperors. In modern times, leaders have navigated civil wars, civil rights, and economic depressions and recessions. Those are the large, public challenges. Then there's the personal ones: depression, discouragement, stress, critics, and fatigue. As I survey the leadership landscape at the end of 2021, I believe it is the most challenging extended season of my 30+ years of leading organizations. I will be addressing three ways a leader can approach this season of life and leadership. Each of them are equally valid, depending on your situation and the needs of your organization. If we lead long enough, we will likely experience all three. Click here to read the first post or second post. Resign Your Leadership Ouch! Just...