POSITIVE

Jan

2020

The Positive Power of Social Media

I typically stay off social media because it eats up time and primarily use it for business purposes, but I recently did something out of character for me. My wife encouraged me to share with people about my new book When I Am Afraid on Facebook. She understands all that better than me, so I listened to her.

I was blown away.

I try to be sensitive about my faith and don’t want anyone to feel forced to believe what I believe or be that “pushy” guy. This book is impacted by my faith and I shared in my post a little about my entrepreneurial journey from fear to trust. Usually I only hear about the negative aspects of certain social media platforms, but this caused me to experience the positive power of social media in a unique way.

Caring

After I made my post many friends commented and congratulated me. These were people I know and have interacted with not just “friends.” I must confess I did not expect the outpouring of encouragement. (I think I learned though that much of the world must be on Facebook on Sunday night at around 8:45 PM EST.) This was encouraging because I knew they were genuinely happy for me amidst being afraid to share.

Connecting

While in the middle of this experience I also connected with a man from India who is doing great work for people in that country. While responding to the encouraging replies of friends, I also was getting to know a man who serves women and children with HIV in India. In the middle of this I was realizing the power social media has to create an environment to connect with people across the world in a way I never thought.

Community

A friend of mine saw the post and asked me to share it on his private group page. Once I figured out how to join the group and share my original post, I experienced the power of community. My friend has been building this community for a year or more and this small group gathered around and helped support our family.

As part of sharing about this book my wife and I are offering it as a gift to anyone who gives $50 or more to support our family trip to Mexico to build a couple homes. This is what my friend got excited about. He rallied his tribe to help get momentum to raise money for this family adventure.

Now I am still not a huge fan of social media because of the amount of time I can potentially waste, but I now see more clearly the positive power it provides. What does all this have to do with leadership though?

If leadership is influence, then anytime we are sharing on social media we are potentially influencing somebody so the question is are we using this tool to add value to others or take it away? As leaders let’s add value to others and create momentum for good with these platforms. When we do, we can create positive transformation and, in the process, live out leading well. If you utilize social media, what is one way you can use it today to add value to the world? Share below. Lead Well.

Oct

2019

An Athletic Leader for the Next Generation

“Where do you want to sit?” I asked my son

“The very top.” So we climbed up the stairs to the top row of bleachers in the corner of the endzone at the Southern Illinois University football stadium.

Almost a decade earlier I had first met this young man at one of my camps. He was quiet, but focused . . . rare among Junior High aged boys. This year is his Senior year in college and my son and I drove about four and a half hours so I could be sure to see him play at least once.

Why would I do that?

Many reasons, but one was because of the kind of man he is becoming. Yes, he is a great athlete and very good at what he does on the field, but why I wanted my son to be able to watch him and meet him was because of the man he is becoming.

At times people complain about the next generation. If we are honest, people complained about our generation when we entered the workforce. I want to share with you three qualities in this young man that makes him a great leader and will continue to help him grow as a leader in whatever he does.

Humility

Ever since I’ve known Jeremy he has always exemplified this characteristic. Let me clarify something. Humility does not mean thinking less of oneself because he is a very confident young man. It does mean thinking of oneself less. Even after the game smiling and willingly giving high fives and talking to young boys and others. He is good at what he does on the field, but there is no arrogance in him. He exemplifies the idea of team over self.

Perseverance

I have known Jeremy for at least a decade and my role in his life for years was as a strength and conditioning coach. If you don’t know much about the role of this coach, everyone loves to hate this coach because he or she pushes you to do what you do not want to do. In the six plus years I coached him I cannot remember him ever complaining (at least not so I could hear it). He had injuries and setbacks, but he pushed through and never gave up.

Positive

One thing I always see on Jeremy is a smile. Now, I am sure life is not perfect for Jeremy and just like all of us, he has plenty not to be happy about. He chooses to be positive. I have talked to him occasionally as he has been at college and even though the season would not be going well, he was always positive. I am fairly certain this is an intentional choice he makes which is part of what enables him to be a great leader for his teammates.

For those who don’t think there are leaders in the next generation. . . . there are and Jeremy is just one of them. Now, what about us. How are we doing at maintaining humility, persevering through our leadership challenges and staying positive? Need help with breaking through your mental barriers? Contact me for a complimentary coaching session. In the meantime, lead well!

Nov

2018

Thanksgiving and Leadership

I had to leave the house because I knew I would not be nearly as productive if I stayed home. The boys had school cancelled due to an ice storm and when I work from home with them romping around I am not nearly as effective. I had some meetings scheduled and drove to one of the coffee shops and started working.

My wife had been hard at work at home that day. . . . she is amazing that way. I noticed she had hung some pictures up, organized, but one decoration caught my eye.

“Laugh.”

Right above the towel rack in our master bathroom she hung this word. I don’t think it was a secret message for me, but since then it has served as a great reminder. I see this word every morning now when I wake up and before I go to bed. This one word reminds me to relax and enjoy life.

What this really reminds me is to be thankful. As we move into Thanksgiving week three words come to mind to inform why a mindset of gratitude will help my self-leadership and maybe it will help yours as well.

Perspective. When I choose to be thankful for my three sons, my wife, the house I live in, my body that functions . . . fairly well . . . clothes on my back, food on the table, and more my mindset shifts. I may not have the biggest house or best clothes or a perfect family (who does though), but I have a lot of opportunities and experiences that many others do not. When I maintain the right focus, it puts the petty first world problems I have in perspective.
Positivity. Have you ever met a thankful person who was negative? I am not saying as a leader we wear rose-colored glasses, but might there be an opportunity out of the negative circumstance? I may not get the result I want in a business or family interaction, but if I choose gratitude and look for what I can learn I will be more positive and continue to move toward the goal.
Passion. Gratitude, perspective and positivity all fuel passion. Passion is the desire to continue no matter what obstacles may be in front of us. This fuel enables us to persist toward the goal we are pursuing. I find a direct relationship between how thankful I am and the level of passion I feel. When I fix on the problems instead of pursuing the solutions, I become less grateful and effective.

What about you? How does being thankful help you in your leadership? What is one way you can laugh, be thankful, and be positive to help you lead better at work and home? Lead well and continue with me to grow in gratitude.