Sometimes leading a business can feel like running a marathon. That’s especially true when our goals seem ambitious, daunting, and a long way off. What could the sport of running teach us about reaching the finish line? I’ve been a fan of Dean Karnazes ever since I read his book, Ultramarathon Man several years ago. […]
Archive for Leadership
Why Gratitude Makes All the Difference in Hitting Your Goals
3 Reasons to Stay Thankful All Year
When I asked successful business and thought leaders how they prepared to reach their goals in the upcoming year, several said gratitude gave them an edge. Some mentioned setting aside special time to reflect and express gratitude for all the positive they experienced. This close to Thanksgiving, that seems perfect this time of year. But […]
3 Key Revelations About Effective Teams
How Collective Feedback Creates Clarity and Innovation
This week my team met for strategic planning. We set aside several days so the leadership team could review our values, goals, and budget. We’re just finishing up today, actually. But Day 1 was dedicated not just to leaders, but to the full team. Why? I prioritize my team. Customers are important for a business. […]
3 Leadership Lessons from the Cubs’ Historic World Series Win
Because it Takes More than Skill to Beat the Odds
I’m not much of a baseball fan. I played in high school, but I lost interest after breaking my elbow. So while most of my friends were deep into game seven of the World Series, I went to bed. Then they woke me up. Several of us were staying in a vacation home for a […]
3 Ways Email Can Sabotage Your Leadership
When to Use It—and When to Avoid It Like the Plague
When I was the CEO at Thomas Nelson, one of our authors was frustrated. In response to a disappointing sales report, he fired off a blistering email to one of our divisional leaders. He complained about poor results. He criticized the sales strategy and our failure to execute. Worse, he challenged the leader’s intelligence, competence, […]
5 Strategies for Becoming a Better Conversationalist
What Leaders Can Learn from a Good Game of Ping Pong
Good conversationalists have great influence. In this post, I share five strategies I have learned for having better conversations.