Leadership expert and author John Maxwell has written yet another book worthy of study, reflection, and action. The book is titled Sometimes You Win – Sometimes You Learn: Life’s Greatest Lessons Are Gained From Our Losses. Like many great books, there are not necessarily a lot of new revelations, but rather critical reminders of what is truly …
As much as I’d like to, I can’t do everything. I’ve lived enough years to come to terms with the fact that there are simply some things I am not cut out to do. I will never be a figure skater, violin virtuoso, astrophysicist, or computer hacker.
Yes, I believe in my potential and my ability to learn new things. Yes, the possibilities are virtually limitless. But even out of all the things that…
...Nobody likes to hear that they’re wrong. Criticism, no matter how “constructive,” usually hurts. Even the most tactfully phrased comments made with the best of intentions can still deflate, discourage, or anger the unlucky person on the receiving end.
I think people in leadership particularly dislike criticism. Even leaders who claim to welcome honest feedback still bristle or ache a little when that honesty hints at a mistake or a flaw…
...As I’ve said many times, I strongly believe that “Leadership Excellence is the Ultimate Strategy for Success.” I also believe that an organization’s culture is paramount to its overall impact and success. And as is true with so many things, an organization’s culture starts at the top. Building and exemplifying a strong, positive company culture …
In the first chapter of his recently published book titled Sometimes You Win – Sometimes You Learn, John Maxwell correctly explains that many, if not most people believe and live the philosophy of “Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose. The message is: hope to win, expect to lose, and live with the results either way.” …
Author and speaker Jim Clemmer says, “The basic foundation of leading is optimism.” If you stop to reflect on that statement, it really does make sense. In order to be a leader, you must lead someone somewhere, and optimism is at the heart of forward progress. Conversely, pessimism is the language of stagnation. It’s …
As all great leaders know… leaders are not perfect. Try as they might, every leader still has flaws. They still make mistakes. They still fall short. They still have regrets. They still yearn to do better. Every leader is imperfect. So why is it that so many leaders try to appear flawless? While strength and …
I have long believed and frequently repeated the phrase, “If it’s to be, it’s up to me!” Now I don’t mean that I have to do everything myself, or that I can’t delegate or ask others for help. I mean that I have to take responsibility for my life, my goals, and my …
As a leader, you likely spend a lot of time talking, teaching, training, delegating, and making decisions. That’s what you do, that’s what leading is about. But in order to lead effectively, leaders must start by listening. As author and speaker John Maxwell says, “Listening is the foundation for all leadership decisions.” In order to …
We’ve all been there. Whether it was at the office, in line at the grocery store, or while shopping for Christmas presents, we’ve all witnessed or experienced those moments when someone becomes rude, unreasonable, or downright mean. At the end of it we walk away shaking our heads, a little angry and maybe a little hurt, but mostly just saddened that people choose to treat each other like that.
And if we’re painfully honest with ourselves, then we have to admit that we’ve been ‘that person’…
...I recently revisited a blog article from last summer, written by bestselling author and speaker Jon Gordon. In the article, Gordon shared five leadership lessons he learned from some highly successful organizations and teams. I think these five lessons are essential for every leader to remember, so I am passing them on to you today: …