7 New Practices for a Better New Year
My guess is that, like me, you want to accomplish more this year than last year, not less. I think the challenge with New Year’s resolve is that we overfocus on the what and the why, at the expense…
My guess is that, like me, you want to accomplish more this year than last year, not less. I think the challenge with New Year’s resolve is that we overfocus on the what and the why, at the expense…
If you’re like me, you’re already thinking about how to make the new year better than the current year. Been thinking about that for a while actually. In fact, I’m using this week of holidays to get a few things…
This post is for all of us who ‘work’ in ministry. It’s for all of us who are on staff, for elders and for volunteers who work so hard that they might as well pay you. It’s Christmas, and…
Welcome to Change Week on the blog! This is Part 1 of a 5 part blog series on leading change. We’re celebrating the release of my new book Leading Change Without Losing It with a special, limited time 50% discount…
Change is one of the most controversial issues in almost any organization. There’s something inside you and me that clings to the status quo, hoping that it will work one more time, even if it hasn’t worked in a long…
As we wrap up our three part series on speaking without notes (Part 1 was on why you should give your talk without using notes and Part 2 was on how to give a talk without using notes), let’s bat…

So I’m an optimist. When I first started in leadership, I thought that every person had potential. If someone was negative, I thought they were just one step away from seeing the light and becoming positive. As a few negative…
While we’d all rather avoid it, negativity is a part of life. Even though it’s unavoidable, it can derail you – even stunt your progress – if you don’t know how to handle it. The first strategy for dealing with…
If you’re like me, you wince every time you get negative feedback. I’ve gotten better at it over the years, but there’s something inside me and probably inside you that makes your heart sink at least a little every time…
So you want people to listen when you speak? Who doesn’t? As I outlined in my last post, one of the reasons effective leaders get a response when they communicate is because they establish a sense of urgency. If there’s…
Next time you’re on a plane, watch what happens when the flight attendant reviews the emergency procedures and safety information. Answer? Not much. Most people are tuned out, dozing, reading or otherwise distracted. I’ve always felt for flight attendants. I’m…
College aged people and 20 something leaders have a bit of a bad rap. If you listen to leaders over 40, the complaints come quickly: They don’t work hard enough. They seem to want it all, now. They have a…