Do These Five Things if You want to be remembered as a great leader
Recently, I spent my lunch time with a senior leader in our organization.
It was one of the best working lunches I’ve had in a long time. In fact, I can’t remember a time like this, when someone above me poured into me.
For too many of us, times spent with senior leaders are filled with anxiety. Or, we're beaten down afterward and feel like in order to get clean from the experience, we need to take a long, hot shower.
Please! For your sake, and the sake of your team, learn from what I am sharing and put some of these into practice the next opportunity you have to pour into your team.
1. He gave me his full time and attention.
He didn’t check his phone (or Apple watch) the entire time we met.
No blurting sounds either, to interrupt our lunch. In fact, I didn’t know he had a phone.
He listened intently to what I had to say. He asked follow-up questions often.
He looked me in the eyes often when he spoke to me, which said to me he had just the right amount of self-confidence.
2. He bought me lunch.
That is kindness in action, since I invited him to lunch and was profuse in my attempts to buy him lunch.
3. He offered up a sum of money to invest in my leadership development.
Very impressive. This said to me he not only believed in me as a leader but that he sees a future for me in the organization.
When someone does that it causes you to think, “I want to be here for a while.” I came away thinking I have a opportunity to help write our story.
4. He asked about my family.
I know there’s debate about how personal you should get with co-workers. But in this instance, man to man, I appreciated his interest how my wife and I were doing with our transition to this new job and how our kids were doing.
5. He challenged me.
As he politely inquired about one area of life, I was stuck and he knew it. He politely suggested a reason for this and then challenged me by carefully suggesting a way to become unstuck.
Very smart move on his part.
Friends, this isn't rocket science here. Life is about making good memories. This was one of them for me.
I hope you take steps now to intentionally pour into someone and make a forever positive memory for them.
God's truth sustains us in times of grief and loss
I had the privilege of preaching at Wilmore Free Methodist Church. Here's a link to the video. Sermon: Injustice and the trial of Jesus
10 Signs Your NonProfit Board May Be The Root Cause Of Your Organizational Dysfunction Part 1 By Duane E. Brown, Ph.D We like to lay blame on the CEO and/or staff for the dysfunction within non-profits. However, the time has come to begin to lay blame at the root of the leadership, or lack of it, by the board of directors. Not one of the following signs may alone be a major issue. Yet, if you see one of these signs I bet you can find many others. Here are 10 signs your nonprofit board is a root cause of your nonprofit's dysfunction. 1 . Constant staff leadership turnover at the top. When your CEOs or executive directors keep leaving for greener pastures, are angry, or burned out, look at the relationship the leaders had with the board. In this root cause, the board is often difficult to please, mired in politicization, micromanaging, or offering an unfair compensation plan. 2. The organization lacks clear vision and a written strategy. If your nonprofit lacks vision and a written strategy that is public, blame the board not the CEO. The board has a major part to play ensuring the CEO has these documents in place and that they are being implemented. These should be regularly communicated to the staff and key aspects of the 3. The CEO is weak or mired in internal conflicts with staff. When you have an ineffective leader at the helm, and s/he continues, the fault lies with the board for choosing the wrong leader or allowing an ineffective leader to continue unchecked. This dysfunction works its way throughout the organization, no matter how large or small. Subordinates quickly exit the toxicity caused by this weak leader. 4. Board members never leave. Board members serving for decades is unhealthy. In rare situations you will find long term board members who are effective in their roles. Boards that don’t make room for new members don’t make room for fresh ideas, new money, and new relationships. 5. Longstanding dysfunctional culture. Boards are responsible for the health of a culture. Their roles is not simply financial. If you have a toxic organizational culture, look first to the board. You will discover a board that is not involved in creating a healthy culture, not holding the CEO responsible for “fixing” the staff culture. Stay tuned for Part 2
It is time to begin to pray the entire Serenity Prayer
Update: I'm now 16+ months into underemployment. So, I've dug deep into my reservoir of courage to be a substitute teacher in the public schools. It's hard work, let me tell you. The experiences have taught me so much, and I am observing first hand what it's like to be a public school teachers. Let's not forget our public school teachers. Let's prop them up with encouragement and prayers every chance we get. Let's volunteer even an hour a week to help them succeed in their roles. My wife, Patty, and daughter, Liz are serving as public school teachers in the Jessamine County Public School systems. Having substituted in the schools where they serve, it has been an eye opening experience as I've learned about the blessings and challenges of serving in public education. Here are five insights: Our kids our precious... the hallways of our schools are filled with precious littles and teens. They are smart, talented, and eager to learn. I am so excited with what I see roaming through the hallways of our public schools. Teachers are givers... these heroes give and give, and give and give, and give and give, and give and give. You get my point. These men and women are constantly giving of their time and energy to the next generation. Teachers are tired... they work long hours, often seven days a week, for the sake of our children. Teachers need those many weeks off in the summer to recuperated. And most don't take off all the time the deserve because they're pouring out to get ready for the next school year. Teachers are heroes ...They possess huge amounts of courage and perseverance every day to tackle the challenges of the public school educational environment. Teachers give our world hope... they're are models to me (and our kids) of hard work. They serve on the front lines of the American workforce. They're changing lives, one student at a time.
Because strong leaders always do what is best for their people
Charlie Kirk was possessed by eternal priorities
Could it be that Canadians are being duped by the Liberal Party?
Deep down, informed Ukrainians know that their president failed them.
Here's what I think about the Feb 25, 2025 UN resolution