It was the oddest phone call I think I’ve ever received, one of those moments that you remember exactly where you were sitting. It was my friend, Sean. He had recently been elected Lieutenant Governor of Alaska, running mate with Sarah Palin. “I’d like you to pray about something for me,” he said. “I’d likeContinue reading “Great Leaders Put Character Ahead of Competency”
Tag Archives: character
Great Leaders Invest In Themselves
On our honeymoon in Hawaii in 1989, I did something pretty foolish. I thought I would take a sailing lesson in a laser from the recreation staff at the Air Force resort where we were staying. A laser is the smallest sailboat you could imagine, barely big enough for two people to sit on. TheContinue reading “Great Leaders Invest In Themselves”
Great Leaders Think Exponentially
A desire for personal growth and improvement is important for all leaders. Not just desire, but a plan to grow our leadership capital and capacity. When we improve, our organizations improve, and that’s important. But for great leaders personal improvement is not enough. Great leaders see their job as helping everyone in the organization getContinue reading “Great Leaders Think Exponentially”
Great Leaders are Trust Builders
A few years ago, I stepped into a leadership position where I was to lead a group of people who had lost trust. They had lost trust in their previous leader (who was no longer there), their board who governed their organization, and even had lost trust in each other. Leadership in the past hadContinue reading “Great Leaders are Trust Builders”
Are You a “Catapult Leader?”
Think with me for a minute about your favorite coach. Maybe they were your athletic coach. Maybe they were another kind of teacher or mentor. What made them your favorite? If you’re like most of us, they were your favorite because they stretched you to become more than you were before. Their influence in yourContinue reading “Are You a “Catapult Leader?””
Why Launching Great Leaders Matters
Launching great leaders doesn’t just happen automatically. If it did, there would be a lot more great leaders running around everywhere. And if you’ve watched or read the news lately, you know that’s not the case. Launching great leaders requires investment of all of your capitals- spiritual, relational, intellectual, physical and, yes, financial. And it’sContinue reading “Why Launching Great Leaders Matters”
Why “Catapult Leadership?”
The U.S.S. John C. Stennis is the flagship of the U.S. Navy’s John C. Stennis Strike Group. The aircraft carrier is over 1,000 feet long, has a footprint of 4.5 acres, and weights 97 thousand tons. At sea it carries 6,200 Sailors and Marines, usually for six months at a time. Its kitchens serve 18,600Continue reading “Why “Catapult Leadership?””
Great Leaders Show And Tell
In Alaska, rarely do we enjoy our outdoor activities alone. With harsh weather and remote areas where we like to play, getting hurt when you’re alone can be disastrous. Similarly, I’ve found that the best way to learn a new outdoor activity is by doing it for the first time with someone who is goodContinue reading “Great Leaders Show And Tell”
Great Leaders Ask
An executive I work with was telling me recently how his boss, the CEO, made a significant announcement to the whole executive team. The announcement came as a surprise to him and others on the team. He told me how he wished the CEO had consulted with him in the process of putting together hisContinue reading “Great Leaders Ask”
Great Leaders are Great Learners
My all-time favorite leadership quality has got to be teach-ability. If someone has a teachable attitude, there’s no limit to what they can accomplish. On several occasions throughout my career, I have been asked to lead people in an organization that I had no experience in. When I was asked to serve as Lead PastorContinue reading “Great Leaders are Great Learners”
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