Leadership

Responding To Negative Feedback

Responding To Negative Feedback

Have you ever received negative feedback from something you have said or done? I wish I could have all those hours of sleep back that I lost worrying about a comment someone said to me or an email someone had sent me.

Picture this. You have prepared for an event, planned it perfectly and executed it with precision. In fact, on the “Event Evaluation Form” that was handed out you received 10’s across the board from most people and a written note of praise from many of them. There were more than a hundred people confirming your effort, commitment and success of the event.


However...


There is that one comment. You know the one, that one comment that stopped just short of talking about your mom. That comment that

Leadership: How Do You Strengthen Yourself In The Lord?

Leadership: How Do You Strengthen Yourself In The Lord?

While sitting at the Langley Harbor on Whidbey Island waiting for my crab pot to fill up I watched the water recede and then refill. I have seen this high tide, low tide sequence repeat itself many times over the years but today it was different. I saw it with new eyes. The pictures reveal the truth about leadership. Sometimes those we lead, and, even ourselves get beached. Call it what you want but the feeling is stuck, immobile, stranded, just like the boat in the picture.

As leaders, when we feel like we are on dry ground and of no use, we often try and manufacture ways to get going. A famous verse we all use for this is 1 Samuel30:6b AMP, “David encouraged and strengthened himself in the Lord his God.” A great reminder for those times we have failed, blown it or otherwise

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Nurturing The “Childish” Out of Leadership

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Nurturing The “Childish” Out of Leadership

As parents we may say our kids are strong willed or defiant. When we are completely exhausted and exasperated we may think "brat." But, would you be open to the possibility of "Great Leader?”


Childish Leadership But Still Leadership

While boarding a flight last week I was in line behind a family of six. Dad, mom, three boys and a girl were returning home from a Disney Vacation here in California. While on the jetway the little girl, the oldest, kept moving ahead of the boys and mom and dad for that matter.

She wasn't belligerent about it she would just take one step further to be first or in front. Her brothers knew the game well I'm sure from repeated play over and over and over again.

Her youngest brother would "pull her chain" just about every other step trying to get in front of her. He would shuffle his feet to get an inch advantage then she would

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What Can Einstein Teach Us About Balanced Living?

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What Can Einstein Teach Us About Balanced Living?

Urban legend suggests that Albert Einstein’s wardrobe consisted only of black pants, white shirts and black shoes. The reasoning behind the simple wardrobe was that it reduced his choices.

If Einstein only had white shirts, black pants and black shoes he had no choice about what he would wear that day. He had to wear a white shirt, black pants and black shoes.

In other words, he would not, could not stand in his closet looking at and contemplating his options. He simply reduced his ability to choose and by reducing his ability to choose he led a more simple life. I wonder if his philosophy has some

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3 Fears That Paralyze A Leaders Potential Part 3

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3 Fears That Paralyze A Leaders Potential Part 3

Review: 3 Fears That Paralyze A Leaders Potential

 

1. The Fear of Imperfection

If my fear of imperfection makes me want to cover up, then Be Aware.


2. The Fear of Connection

If my fear of connection makes me want to hide, then Be Vulnerable.


3. The Fear of Rejection

I know, I know, leaders don’t fear rejection. Well, at least we don’t fear it out loud. I have met many leaders, including myself, that say, “I don’t care what others think.” Ok, I get it, I understand. There are two problems with this. First, we really do care what people think but saying we don’t somehow makes us a better leader? There s something wrong with that philosophy.

Second, and most important, if we don’t care what others think then, according to researcher Brene Brown, “We loose the capacity for connection.” I hope you heard that last line. "We loose the capacity for connection."

If we we don’t connect with others

3 Fears That Paralyze A Leaders Potential Part 2

3 Fears That Paralyze A Leaders Potential Part 2

The Fear of Connection

I should say the fear of deeper connection. Most of us connect on some level just not a deeper one. We connect on the surface talking about things like news, weather and sports.

Most of us don’t fear surface level connection because it’s easy. Questions like, “How are you?” How’s work?” “What’s going on?” are safe questions to ask and answer. Deeper connection requires openness and vulnerability and that my friends is unsafe.

 

You Are To Close

(8) When the cool evening breezes were blowing, the man and his wife heard the Lord God walking about in the garden. So they hid from the Lord God among the trees.

(9) Then the Lord God called to the man, “Where are you?”

(10) He replied, “I heard you walking in the garden, so I hid. I was afraid because I was naked.” Genesis 3:8-9 NLT

I love the picture verse eight paints in my mind. A picture of

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3 Fears That Paralyze A Leader's Potential Part 1

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3 Fears That Paralyze A Leader's Potential Part 1

The Fear of Imperfection

The fear of imperfection paralyzes a leader’s potential because it reduces our capacity for meaningful connection. When a leader is open and honest about their shortcomings and struggles they take a risk and become vulnerable and open to attack.


The Fear of Imperfection Makes Me Want To Cover Up

Our fear of imperfection was introduced way back in the Garden of Eden.

She took some of the fruit and ate it. Then she gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it, too. At that moment their eyes were opened, and they suddenly felt shame at their nakedness. So they sewed fig leaves together to cover themselves. Genesis 3:6-7 NLT

Both Adam an Eve started a trend that we have perfected today, the art of covering up. Adam and Eve used fig leaves we use smiles, busyness and