Earlier, we looked at the importance of mentoring through influence rather than attempting to mentor through control. We may be able to use control for a while, at least as long as the chain-of-command reporting relationship exists, and pretend we’re providing mentorship. But that ship will sail soo...

Practicing the art of responsiveness can earn the kind of influence that enables swift, effective decisions - even under pressure. But the higher the stakes, the more important it will be to have made ongoing investments into each of those relationships. Like any sound investment strategy, the time ...

The art of responsiveness isn’t based on how quickly we can reply. There are plenty of people I respect deeply who don’t provide an immediate answer when I reach out. However, those folks have intentionally invested into our relationship - just like I have - in a way that’s built grace. When our sch...

I’ve often heard the phrase, “Your network is your net worth.” While I haven’t spoken to that from a financial perspective to this point, the strength we can each develop through great professional relationships will definitely yield success in just about any aspect of our lives that we’re willing t...

Throughout this look at the strength we can each gain by building great professional relationships, I’ve referenced several of the amazing leaders I’ve had the privilege of learning from. I’ve also worked with some absolutely brilliant people over the years. That said, those two traits didn’t always...

I’ve often heard the phrase, “Experience is the best teacher.” While I believe that can be correct, I’ve learned that far too many people refuse to evaluate their experiences, completely missing out on some of life’s most crucial lessons. In all the years we’ve studied John Maxwell, I’ve often heard...

I don’t think there’s been a topic we’ve worked through in this look at Leveraging Leadership Growth that hasn’t tied back to trust; finding a mentor, having candid conversations, maximizing the return on investment in relationships, mentoring others, displaying humility, and definitely with earning...

Uncovering our hidden strengths so we can get to a point where we begin to comprehend our true worth can be a grueling process. Without overcoming the self-imposed limits we’ve placed on our own value, often for years or even decades, there’s little chance of genuine modesty being involved in situat...

I frequently share how, through all the years I worked indirectly for Rod (Kevin was my immediate supervisor and Rod was his), there was always an expectation for me to focus on how any action I took would impact productivity in each business unit we supported. While safety and human resources are g...

I mentioned earlier how difficult it’s been to establish appropriate cost structures for the services we provide, especially as we first got started. Although we were building a level of confidence in our area of strength, coming to terms with our worth - even after reflecting on guidance from our c...

Before we dive headfirst into the importance of (and steps for) taking ownership of the irreplaceable value we can each add to the people we serve, I want you to take time to consider a specific strength you have but are likely overlooking. Since so many of us struggle with this, you may want to see...

Every title and position has its limitations; for our investments into relationships to have a lasting impact, the influence we earn will always trump any authority we hold. That influence, especially when balanced with a healthy dose of humble confidence, can produce a ripple effect that reaches fa...