To respect someone means to consider that person worthy of high regard or esteem. For a leader, respect is an absolutely crucial component of influence. Leading without respect is a little like trying to run in knee-deep mud…you tire quickly and go nowhere. Like most people, you have probably observed a boss or supervisor whose…

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“Reaching our potential sets an environment for others to reach theirs.”1 As leaders climb the ladder of the 5 Levels of Leadership, they pave the way for others to reach their potential. The process of building a new level upon the previous one showcases the steps by which others can follow. As high-level leaders reach…

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It’s about that time of year again: In just two short months, my new book, Sometimes You Win, Sometimes You Learn, will be released. I can’t wait for this book to come out, because while winning is fun and easy, losing can be challenging. Yet how we deal with loss has a huge effect on…

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“Who you attract is not determined by what you want. It’s determined by who you are.”1 It is likely as a leader that you have a picture of the perfect employee in your head. For some organizations, the next hire maybe in the C-Suite. For others, it may be an entry-level person with a drive…

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One of my top five values is Growth!  I work for John Maxwell, so how could I not love growth?    It demonstrates progress, it seems synonymous with life (especially living  life to the fullest), and it is often  wrapped in passion (another one of my values). I am privileged to work with a team that…

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When did you first realize that you were a leader? For me it happened as a fifth grade student in Mr. Horton’s classroom. We were studying the legal system, and we planned to assemble a mock courtroom with attorneys, a jury, and a judge. When it came time to elect the judge, Mr. Horton passed…

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As a communicator, perhaps nothing is worse than scanning the audience halfway through a presentation only to see people fiddling with smartphones, fidgeting in their chairs, or—worst of all—falling asleep in a puddle of drool. If someone had filmed my life, my communication blunders and mistakes could be turned into hours of humorous outtakes. Learning…

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After another masterful performance in Lincoln, Daniel-Day Lewis has an opportunity to capture his third Academy Award for Best Actor. He has been hailed as the greatest actor alive, and his peculiar style of method-acting has become somewhat legendary. The charisma he brings to the screen instantly transports moviegoers into his character’s world. The manner…

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In 1978, unemployed sportscaster Bill Rasmussen hatched an idea to launch the world’s first around-the-clock television station and to devote its programming entirely to sports. Roughly a year later, the Entertainment and Sports Network (ESPN) made its initial broadcast, and in just a few years the station rapidly transformed the way Americans watch athletics. Whereas…

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