How To Counter Anxiety: 3 Helpful Disciplines
Anxiety. Am I the only leader that struggles with saying the word anxiety? It is as if by saying that you are anxious you are automatically “less than.” But this is a boldface lie. In the last year it has been hard to not be at least a little anxious. So, before going further, I […]
Keeping it Real
Who would have thought a year ago that COVID-19 would last a year? We now know that it could last years and even become a part of our life indefinitely. I must confess this makes me both angry, and anxious. Can you relate to these feelings? Just in the past two days I have encountered […]
Spring BREAK
Growing up in the 1980s, I played a lot of “The Oregon Trail” video game. For those not familiar, “The Oregon Trail” was a simple game where the player assumes the role of a wagon leader and tries to guide settlers from Missouri to Oregon. Being able to play the game was usually an award […]
The Gift of People and Resistance
The two things needed to become more patient are present in every organization. As you can tell by the title of this post, the gift of people and resistance is the focus and how each of these help to grow one’s patience. If you are like me, perhaps the time your impatience is most noticeable […]
Quit Sheltering in Place From Your Positive Attitude
Deep inside all of us is a belief that things can be better. Regardless of how our life has played out so far, it is there. I say this confidently because each of us learned to walk as a baby. We were encouraged by our parents, or whomever was taking care of us, and through […]
Dear Grandpa: Here Is What I Have Learned the Past Year
The first week of March always reminds me of my grandfather because he was born on March 3, 1919. What follows is a letter to him. Dear Grandpa, Little did I know on your birthday last year how much things in our country would change. The past year has been unlike any other that I […]
Dear Class of 2021 (And Leaders)
In a few months there will be the usual onslaught of commencement speakers, albeit this time on ZOOM, across the nation. Since I won’t be speaking anywhere, here is the advice I would give to graduates. It happens to be the same advice I would give to leaders. First off, read insatiably. Living in the […]
Harshness Reflects the Hidden You
One of the my favorite weeks of the year is the week between Christmas and New Year’s Eve. Work seems to wind down, while time with family winds up. Having three kids (9-7-4 respectively) our house was full of energy this year. Unlike other years, however, we had nowhere to go. This combination worked well […]
One Action To Save Time and Lessen Stress
Here is something I am working on to save time and lessen stress: Rather than having a conversation with someone in my mind, I am working on having it with them directly and in person. That’s it. Maybe you can relate to my issue, which is the issue of stewing over potential conversations with others. […]
Learn From History: Applying Lincoln’s Wisdom
More books have been written about Abraham Lincoln than any historical figure save Jesus Christ. So, there is not much I can add to what has already been said about our 16th President. What I want to do instead is apply one aspect of his wisdom to modern-day leadership. David Reynolds’ 2020 book, Abe: Abraham […]