Leadership

In my last post, I wrote about the importance of helping people feel valued. As a leader, this is more an attitude than a tactic. In other words, it first begins as a matter of principle and then manifests itself as a practice. Tip number one was to pay attention to people. Here's tip number two: #2 Give Compliments (and say "thank you") We've all known people who struggle to give compliments. I'm not sure why, whether it stems from personal insecurity or jealousy or just complacency. Whatever the reason, a lack of gratitude eventually suffocates the fire. When you give a compliment or say thank you, what you are really saying is this: I noticed you. By telling someone that what they did was worthwhile, you are also communicating that they have worth, too. This is more than positive reinforcement. This goes to a person's identity - how they…

One of the most important responsibilities of a leader is to help others feel valued. This is true whether your leadership position is at work, as a parent, or as part of a peer group. We've all worked with people who devalued those around them. It might have stemmed from insecurity or poor training. Regardless, the results are the same. Over time, devalued people become demotivated and demoralized. Simply put, everyone suffers. When a person feels valued, they work harder, with more passion, and the overall team is strengthened. Over the next few blog posts, I want to share a few simple ways we can communicate to people that they matter. These aren't graduate level instructions. In fact, most of life doesn't require graduate level instructions (unless you're studying brain surgery!). #1 - Pay Attention to People It's OK to not pay attention to people ... when no one is…

For a number of years, I have been fascinated by neuroscience and how it applies to our daily lives. In particular, I'm interested in the connection between the brain and how habits and faith are formed. It wasn't that long ago that scientists believed that once the brain was fully developed, it became fixed and didn't change. We now know that the brain is more plastic and neural pathways are capable of being reshaped. Neuroscientists talk about neuroplasticity -- the brain's ability to fashion new circuits. Without getting into the weeds (or the neurons), the bottom line is this: we aren't bound to following old habits and patterns. Through intentional effort and with practice, we can overwrite old maps and create better, healthier ways of thinking. Which brings me to the idea of mindshare. Our minds have limited square footage and we need to be vigilant about what we allow…

During a study break in 2017, I read "Emotionally Healthy Leadership" by Peter Scazzero. I've been a big fan ever since. It challenged me to rethink how I approached leadership, discipleship, and self-care. At this point in my life and ministry, I know I must be intentional about setting myself for maximum effectiveness. In a recent podcast, Scazzero dealt with an issue that all leaders struggle with: what it means to be successful. Here's part of what he said ... "Success is becoming the person God has called us to become and doing what God calls us to do. In other words, detaching from the outcomes and circumstances we want, and surrendering to God and his will, is success — regardless of where that takes us." Under normal conditions, it's hard for us to not confuse success with outcomes. We are wired to achieve, accomplish, and execute. When we produce…