I realize I’ve shared it several times already, but I don’t believe it’s possible to overstate John Maxwell’s comment that “Leadership is influence. Nothing more, nothing less.” As I detailed how having the humility to ask our son to change his behavior (while still explaining the potential results ...

While each topic we work through in this look at leveraging leadership growth can stand alone, you’ll notice a lot of interconnection. Everything we do to invest in relationships for lasting impact should be earning influence, whether we’re developing others or someone is developing us. Having frequ...

Earlier while looking at the importance great mentors have in all our lives, I shared one of the quotes I’ve heard most frequently from John Maxwell over the years: “Leadership is influence. Nothing more, nothing less.” Since then, we’ve also looked at the (often) untapped power that lies in honest ...

With the limits of a title fresh in mind, let’s look at why it’s crucial that we EARN trust - and thereby, influence - so we have a legitimate shot at achieving all we need to as leaders. Spoiler alert: the humility we looked at previously is key! Before we do, though, it’s important that we each re...

Twice to this point, I’ve alluded to the significant difference in the results we can achieve by earning genuine influence rather than relying solely on the authority of our position or title. If a mentor has been effective in helping us close our leadership gaps, that’s been through the influence t...

With that stark difference fresh in your mind, the difference in how a handful of managers in a completely foreign industry refused input from anyone and how I’ve seen Mark Cole actively solicit thoughts from someone as removed from his company’s bottom line as me, let’s consider the significant rol...

The 33rd president of the United States, Harry S. Truman once said, “It is amazing what you can accomplish when you don’t care who gets the credit.” Putting that statement into practice is a key difference between the humble confidence and all out arrogance I referenced before. Let’s face it, we can...

Every important relationship requires a strategic investment and when that investment is made in building authentic mentorship, whether we’re receiving it or giving it, the return will be exponential, especially when we’ve developed a high level of emotional intelligence. For more than three decades...

For any relationship to deliver a measurable return on investment, strategic investment will always be required. To take full advantage of the value we can recognize through strong mentorship relationships, it’s crucial that we practice a high degree of emotional intelligence as we make those invest...

Having just mentioned the manager I reported to for over a decade, and a few specific things he impressed upon me during that time, let’s look at a few more crucial lessons he mentored me on during that time. There are several passages in the Bible that caution us about overlooking the value we get ...

I rarely speak with a group at this point without referencing how blessed I’ve been through the relationships I now have with so many amazing people. Each time I share this, I’m intentional in detailing that the very best of these relationships came from strategic investments of time and energy, and...

Since we looked at the role of trust in candid conversations earlier and we just worked through how trust is crucial for solidifying any relationship we care about, let’s tie the two together to ensure each candid conversation we’re engaged in has a shot at fueling growth in the relationship as well...