No matter your position, and no matter how much experience and expertise you now possess, the fact is at some point you were a beginner. At some point you had to be taught. That’s true for all of us! But the more experienced and successful we become, the more difficult it is to remain teachable.
Last week we discussed the importance of being authentic and avoiding the trap of accidental inauthenticity caused by mimicking others instead of developing and leveraging your own unique strengths. Of course, in order to act and speak authentically, you must first develop a clear picture of who you are and what your strengths are. So
In striving to achieve greater success or to become a better leader, employee, parent, spouse, etc., we often leverage a number of resources. We might read books and articles, seek trusted advice from mentors, or attempt to imitate highly successful people whom we admire. These are all great strategies, but in our pursuit of greater
It’s a simple concept, but following through on promises made—big or little—is a challenge for a lot of people, including me! I may be able to point to my white hair and use my age as an excuse for forgotten commitments, but no matter the reason, not following through on something you said you’d do
Have you ever wondered what the difference is between an excuse and an explanation? The line between the two can be blurred and nearly indistinguishable. Because the real difference comes down to motive: An excuse is a defensive reaction made in an attempt to deny some or all responsibility. An explanation is information intended to
Every single person on the planet has strengths and weaknesses. It may seem logical that if you want to improve yourself, your leadership, etc., you ought to identify your weaknesses and then commit to focusing on improving in those specific areas. However, I disagree. As I wrote in Be An Inspirational Leader: “The general
I didn’t coin the phrase, but I’ve repeated it many times: leadership is influence. If you agree with that concept—and that everyone has influence on others and therefore we are all leaders—then you probably realize how very important effective, inspirational leadership is. Leadership touches every facet of your life, and leadership done with excellence changes
In my last article we looked at some common misconceptions about what it means to be an inspirational leader. This week we’re diving into some truths of inspirational leadership. As I wrote in my book, “leadership is not limited by titles or hierarchy,” and “true inspirational leadership is more a matter of character than achievement.” So What
