Immigrants & Natives: The Most Valuable Principle to Practice
Yesterday, I introduced the idea that people can be divided into 2 categories: 1. Natives – Those who are at home with the changes in culture and society. 2. Immigrants – Those who feel like foreigners in this world of change. Leonard Sweet brought up this idea years ago and I believe he’s right. In my blog yesterday, I gave you 4 questions
Immigrants & Natives: 4 Questions to Ask Yourself
Dr. Leonard Sweet said something years ago that is more true today than when he first said it. Due to the fast pace of change in our world, he suggested that the human population be divided into 2 segments: 1. Immigrants 2. Natives You either feel very much at home with new technology, the new way of working in teams, new language, nuances,
Thankful for Intentional Mentors
One of the things I’m most grateful for are the interns who serve with us at Growing Leaders. Tyler Williams is a University of Georgia grad who recently joined our team, and I asked him to write about mentors he is thankful for as he looks back on his life and prepares for the future. It reminds me of the
Grumpy or Grateful?
On Monday of this week, I turned 51-years-old. And I’m OK with that. I will confess, however, I had misgivings that morning when I found out what usually happens to people by the time they turn 52-years-old. Do you know what it is? A study by doctors reveals that when the average person turns 52, they officially become “grumpy.” Something happens physiologically and
Hot Potatoes We Don’t Want to Touch
Have you ever noticed -- certain topics are never discussed at work? What’s funny is… nearly everyone’s thinking about them. They could be mammoth and problematic… but because they’re sensitive issues, people are afraid to talk about them. They are like a “hot potato.” Nobody wants to touch them or at least, hold them for very long. I do leadership training full time.
What Do People Want to Follow These Days?
In light of the Thanksgiving holiday coming up, I thought I’d share a little thought that may come in handy for you if you lead anything -- your family, your team, your organization, your ministry, or yourself. We live in a day of complaints. We actually condition people in our culture to do so. We ask them to fill out comment
How to Receive From a Mentor
Yesterday, I shared the 4 tasks of a mentor. If you are investing your life in a student or anyone in the next generation -- these 4 tasks… 1. Expose 2. Explain 3. Exemplify 4. Evaluate …are the 4 primary tasks I believe mentors should practice. Today, I’d like to talk about the other side of the coin. How to receive from a mentor. I believe
The 4 Tasks of a Mentor
I recently finished a mentoring session with a college student. Our time together was pure joy to me. This student, Justin, is smart, hungry to grow and wants to invest his life in a worthy cause that will somehow improve the world. You got to love it. I was reminded again of a value I’ve embraced for years. Young leaders will
An Introduction to Generation iY
I was privileged to be apart of the Leadership and Influence Summit 2010 earlier this month, and thought I would share the video I taped for them incase you were unable to watch when they aired it. They asked for me to talk about understanding Generation iY in the workplace, and to give you a glimpse into who they are.
Characteristics of Influential People (Part II)
Yesterday, I began a list of 12 characteristics of influential people. The list comes from the Roper Research, and is contained in a book called, The Influentials. I enjoyed it because they boil down the kinds of traits that attract others to follow. If you care about leveraging positive influence on others, this list may intrigue you. Here is Part
Characteristics of Influential People (Part I)
Just re-read a book I wanted to pass along to you. It’s called, The Influentials, by Ed Keller and Jon Berry. If you care about leveraging positive influence on others, you’ll enjoy their insights. In the book they document the type of person who carries great influence in America. Their research says that 1 in 10 people pretty much influence
Are You a Parent or a Commander?
From time-to-time, I reflect in my blog posts about leadership and parenting styles I see today. At times, the styles we choose (by default or design) are damaging. One kind I’ve seen recently is a style I’d call: “Commando Parent.” Have you seen them? Commando Parents They have been around for centuries and often are called “military parents.” Sometimes they attract that
Hot Potatoes
Hey Readers, I have an important question for you. It’s about a new idea for the Leadership2Go subscription we’re offering next year. (Leadership2Go is an online mentoring community where leaders receive video training, reading assignments, discussion questions, robust notes, and an exercise. It’s like a leadership growth plan for the year.) Even if you don’t plan to participate, I hope you
Groupie Parents
Have you met parents before that seem to get confused about their role with their children? I’d like to introduce you to a style I call the “Groupie Parent” I am seeing around the country today. Have you seen these parents, too? They are everywhere. Groupie Parents Do you remember the term groupie? It’s usually been associated with rock stars. Groupies are
Bullied Parents
I have met grown adults who shock me when they fail to perform in their own homes with their own children. They are parents who may begin well with their kids -- but over time they abdicate their leadership in the family. Have you met them, too? Bullied Parents In the same way that a bully picks on weaker kids at school
Damaging Parents (Part IV)
Last week, I’ve been blogging about different parent styles that unwittingly damage children, both young and old. Let me reveal one more today. There are four others you can read about, along with solutions in my new book, Generation iY: Our Last Chance to Save Their Future. This one I write about today destroys in many ways. Volcano Parents These parents erupt
Damaging Parents (Part III)
I’ve been blogging about how we parents may be part of the problem we see in kids today. I write about them in detail in my new book, Generation iY: Our Last Chance to Save Their Future. I’d like to introduce you to another damaging parent style -- one that we see far too many times in a day where
Working with Generation iY: What They Expect on the Job or on a Team
There’s something you should know about these young employees who are just now gracing your workplace. In many ways, the newest hires are not like Generation X or the Baby Boomers before them. They are Generation iY, who grew up in the “I” world, online. Their world has produced a set of expectations that leaders should recognize. Below is a
More Parent Damage (Part II)
This is my second blog post on my musings about the damaging parenting styles we see so often today. Let me remind you -- I am a parent. I must work to avoid these styles myself. Yesterday, I discussed the popular “helicopter” parent. Today -- let’s look at another popular style. Karaoke Parents. Like karaoke patrons, who grab a microphone and try
Have Parents Damaged Their Kids?
I am a dad. I have two kids -- Bethany and Jonathan. I love them and would do anything for them… as normal parents would. Over the last few years, however, I wonder if our parenting styles from the last three decades have done some unwitting damage to kids today. We’ve worked harder at preparing the path for the child
I Was Like a Kid in a Candy Store
Part of our Growing Leaders team spent three days in San Francisco for the National Forum on Character Education. This past Thursday night, I experienced the highlight of the trip