Leading From Your Strengths
A while back, I got to meet one of my favorite authors. Marcus Buckingham was speaking in Atlanta, and I was fortunate enough to connect with him for a few moments backstage, thanks to a little help from a few friends. Marcus is the bestselling author of First Break All the Rules, and Now Discover Your Strengths. His latest book
Five Reasons My Daughter Did Well in College
It’s hard to believe, but my daughter Bethany graduates from college this weekend. I know, I know—it sounds cliché—but it seems like we just dropped her off on the campus yesterday. Four years have whisked by—and she walks this Saturday, receiving her degree in psychology. I have the privilege of interacting with thousands of students each year—but I must say,
What Are Growing Leaders?
I have worked with students since 1979 -- and over that period of time, I have increasingly focused my efforts. At first, I just wanted kids to like me. I wanted the students I worked with to enjoy my leadership and to have a good time. Within a few years, I determined I had to pursue a bigger goal
Your Crucible
"If I had not been in prison, I would not have been able to achieve the most difficult task in my life, and that is changing yourself." Nelson Mandella A few years ago, I read a fascinating book, Geeks and Geezers, by Warren Bennis and Bob Thomas. In it they discuss their research on the role of the “crucible”
From Brazil with Love
I don’t know if you’ve been following my tweets, but our team from Growing Leaders just returned from four days in Brazil. It was four days of food, relationships, hugs and training. We partnered with an organization called the University of Family. They are committed to building healthy families and equipping the next generation to be leaders. Needless to say—we fit right
Dan Cathy of Chic-Fil-A shares 4 Areas of Discipline for Leaders
Today's blog is a video post taken from a resource produced by Growing Leaders called Leadership2Go. In this video, I sat down with Dan Cathy, President and COO of Chic-fil-a. He shares some great thoughts on the role of discipline in the life of the leader. Dan Cathy of Chic-fil-a Explains 4 Areas of Discipline for Leaders from Growing Leaders on
The Whiteboard Sessions
On May 11, I will be speaking at the Whiteboard Sessions in Atlanta. My friend, Jason Young, is directing this year’s event. The Whiteboard Sessions is a unique event, so I talked to Jason recently to share more about this opportunity. Here’s the interview: TIM: What made you decide to get into the conference business? JASON: Conferences have been a part of
Growing Leaders in Brazil
Tonight, I, and two team members, leave for Sao Paulo, Brazil. This will be our third trip to that great country. This one, however, is very significant. The first two were preparation trips. This time, we plan to officially launch “Growing Leaders” in Brazil. We’ve cultivated a relationship with a wonderful partner, called “Family University” who believes in our mission to
Are Kids Growing Up Too Fast or Too Slow?
Last week, I spoke at various locations in Oklahoma, sponsored by LifeChurch. The topic: “Generation iY.” Parents, teachers, employers, coaches and youth pastors gathered to discuss how adults can better connect with and equip students to become the adults our world needs. One issue that came up repeatedly as I signed books was this: “You say kids are getting stuck and
My Personal Mission Statement
Recently, I got a direct tweet that asked a very important question. “What is your personal mission statement?” It’s a common issue. Today it’s vogue to talk about creating a purpose statement for your life. Unfortunately, few really understand what makes for a suitable one. By suitable, I mean it both fits who you are and it includes a bigger picture. When I
SF Giants Jeremy Affeldt Shares One Secret of His Success
Today’s video blog is taken from our Habitudes for Athletes series currently being used by the San Francisco Giants, the Pittsburgh Pirates, the Kansas City Royals as well as countless university and high school sports teams. In this video, I got a chance to sit down with Jeremy Affeldt, San Francisco Giants relief pitcher and member of the 2010 World
Dream No Small Dreams…
Today's blog post is written by Jake Sumner, one our newest team members at Growing Leaders. Jake has over ten years experience working with students and we are so excited to add him to our team. His words are both challenging and encouraging. I hope you get to know him a little bit better as he shares with us today. Tim “Dream
Boosterthon: Combining Fitness, Leadership and Character Development
Today I want to take a moment to highlight an incredible organization that works directly with the next generation. They do an amazing job combining fitness, leadership and character development in a fun event that engages students. They are a great example of the EPIC approach I recommend we all use to effectively lead Generation iY. For nearly ten years, the
Men are From Mars, Women From Venus…Gen iY is From Another Solar System
I had an unforgettable conversation with a friend recently. He employs hundreds of people and just hired some recent college graduates. He told me he planned to begin seeing a therapist. This was a bit surprising since he is a healthy, well-adjusted mid-life company president. When I asked why, he said he wasn’t able to cope with the number of
The Leader as a Performer
One of the fiercest tensions I face as a leader is the tension between leading authentically and modeling the virtues I want in followers. Let me tell you what I mean. This next generation is crying for authentic leaders. Students want to follow someone who is real; someone who is the genuine article. One student said to me recently, “The only
An Exception to the Rule [repost]
I recently heard from a faculty member at Syracuse University. She gave me a classic illustration of what is happening today in so many of our schools. After returning the previous week’s tests, one student complained that she’d gotten a bad grade. When her professor suggested she might want to study harder next time, the student protested, and immediately called
Two Pursuits That Always Produce Leaders
I am on school campuses all year long—all over the world. Our team at Growing Leaders does over 100 events a year, most of them in the U.S., but this year we will also be in Brazil, Singapore, China, Malaysia, and Indonesia. Regardless of where we go, we find students that ask the question: how do I get to be
Abandonment or Abundance [repost]
Nearly every struggle a kid has today can be summarized with one of two words: Abandonment or Abundance.
The Pirates Treasure: How Sports Teams are Building Leaders
Yesterday, I blogged about the San Francisco Giants and their fresh commitment to building a culture of leadership on their minor league ball clubs. The Pittsburgh Pirates have an equally great culture. From the first meeting, I was impressed with their Player Development Staff. In fact, I have never seen management possess such a well-thought through plan for developing the talent
Facing the Giants: How Sports Teams are Building Leaders
OK, I’ll admit it. I am beyond mid-life. I can no longer call myself an “emerging leader” like those I train in my career. But, I am enjoying some of the most gratifying moments of my life today…hanging out with emerging leaders. Over the last two weekends, I traveled to Scottsdale, Arizona and Tampa, Florida to equip baseball coaches and players
Leading From the Middle of the Pack
The question I’m asked most when I speak on leadership is: What if my boss isn’t a good leader? What if someone is smarter or has better ideas than the supervisor? How do we build something great or cultivate other leaders if the person in charge isn’t doing it? This is perhaps the most looming “elephant in the room” among organizations.