Leader Fluent with Stephen Blandino

On the Leader Fluent Podcast, we're in a series on my book, Insanely Practical Leadership: 12 No-Nonsense Keys to Master the Art of Leading Yourself and Others. The book addresses a host of insanely practical skills, and it provides you and your team with the tools to apply the insights to your life and leadership. The book is now available on Amazon, Kindle, and other retailers. On today's episode, you'll get a taste of my chapter on, "How to Coach Others." Be sure to order Insanely Practical Leadership today, and check out the Masterclass as well as the bonus content that goes with the book HERE. In his book, Aspire, Kevin Hall provides some insightful backstory on the origin of the word coach. A village named "Kocs" in old Hungary produced horse drawn vehicles used to comfortably transport royalty between Budapest and Vienna. These carriages became known as “coaches,” borrowing their name from the township where they were designed. And their comfortable design made travel across the bumpy roads in fifteenth century Europe more bearable. Over time, the term “coach” was applied to other modes of transportation such as the stagecoach, railway coach, and motorcoach. But I love something Kevin Hall observed about the word coach. He said “However far-reaching and prevalent the word has become since the first coach rolled out of production in Kocs, the meaning has not changed. A ‘coach’ remains something, or someone, who carries a valued person from where they are to where they want to be.” We’re used to seeing coaches in the arena of sports. But the truth is, leaders need coaches too. And not only do we need coaches, but we need to practice the skill of coaching when we’re investing in others. So, what does a leadership coach do? At the risk of sounding simplistic, I want to provide an insanely practical framework to help you develop your coaching skills. I call it AIM…A-I-M. Good leadership coaches take AIM at the potential in people. Simply put, they coach leaders toward Assessment, Insight, and Movement. “A” – “Assessment” You can’t help someone remove barriers, increase their leadership capacity, or grow their organizational effectiveness unless you first assess where they are and what they need. After all, without assessment, you’ll risk prescribing solutions to problems that don’t exist. First, Ask Questions. Coaching usually begins with some casual conversation. A simple question like, “How’s it going?” or “What’s new since we last talked?” is a great way to start. Your goal is to build rapport and express a genuine interest in them. Then, once you connect, shift the conversation by saying, “What do you hope to gain from our time together?” In other words, you want to identify their goal for the coaching conversation. The second way to practice Assessment is to Administer an Assessment Tool. For example, if the person you’re coaching wants to leverage their strengths for greater organizational impact, administer a tool like CliftonStrengths. If they want to improve their leadership skills, you might administer the Leadership Practices Inventory by James Kouzes and Barry Posner. Good assessment tools provide a base line for the coaching conversation. As you practice assessment, your goal is two-fold: you want to connect with the individual, and you want to clarify their needs, struggles, and goals. “I” - “Insight” Insight is where the person you’re coaching discovers perspective, wisdom, and ideas to take measurable steps forward in their leadership journey. This is where the majority of your coaching conversation will happen. And it’s where the person you’re coaching will discover answers to their biggest challenges. As a coach, you can facilitate this discovery process with two strategies. First, pull the insight out of the person you’re coaching by asking good questions. For example, if a team member shares a specific struggle with you, you might ask,

On the Leader Fluent Podcast, we're in a series on my book, Insanely Practical Leadership: 12 No-Nonsense Keys to Master the Art of Leading Yourself and Others. The book addresses a host of insanely practical skills, and it provides you and your team with the tools to apply the insights to your life and leadership. The book is now available on Amazon, Kindle, and other retailers. On today's episode, you'll get a taste of my chapter on, "How to Lead Through Conflict." Be sure to order Insanely Practical Leadership today, and check out the Masterclass as well as the bonus content that goes with the book HERE. In the session on, “How to Lead People,” I recounted the story of Sir Ernest Shackleton and his astonishing Antarctic journey. But what I didn’t tell you was how critical Captain Frank Worsley was to the expedition. This was especially true when Shackleton assembled a small crew in a lifeboat for the journey to South Georgia. South Georgia was only 25 miles at its widest point, and 850 miles away. Finding this needle in the haystack of a vast ocean without Worsley’s navigation skills would be near impossible. So, the Captain gathered his navigational tools and tables, and then, despite the severity of the winds and the enormity of the waves, the crew set sail. After three barbaric days, Captain Worsley was finally able to use his sextant to get a rare glimpse of sun to determine how much progress they had made. In fact, in the span of 16 days, the captain got only four shadowy sightings of the sun. But thankfully, his ability for dead reckoning gave him the instincts to know his position, even without the help of navigational aids. And finally, on May 10, 1916, they reached South Georgia. The journey from Elephant Island to South Georgia is considered one of the most heroic ocean voyages of all time, and Captain Worsley’s navigation skills were indispensable to their success. So, why am I revisiting the story of Endurance and Captain Worsley’s extraordinary navigational skills? Because they powerfully resemble the navigational challenges you’ll face when you lead through conflict. When you’re navigating conflict, it’s difficult to read what the parties in the conflict think, want, or expect. Opposition looms large like a giant iceberg, and unseen motives act like the undercurrent of an ocean, quickly changing the course of your direction. One wrong word, one mishap, one lapse in judgment can sink your efforts to resolve conflict and find a way forward. And here’s the harsh reality: If you can’t navigate conflict, you won’t be a successful leader. That sounds blunt—perhaps even unreasonable—but it’s true. Conflict is inevitable in leadership, and your ability to steer through it will determine how far you go. Here's another sobering truth: how you deal with conflict reveals the level of your maturity. Let that sink in. The way in which you handle conflict provides an unfiltered view of your spiritual, emotional, and relational maturity. So, where do we begin? Effective conflict resolution requires six ingredients. 1. Cultivate Trust Trust doesn’t just play a role in conflict-resolution, it plays the central role. In other words, trust is the starting place and the driving force behind resolving conflict. To cultivate trust, begin with the right posture. In Matthew 5, Jesus said that if you come to your place of worship and realize you have a grudge against someone, you should, “leave immediately, go to this friend and make things right.” In other words, Jesus doesn’t permit us to stew with anger or blast people on social media. Instead, He tells us to address conflict quickly, privately, and restoratively. He said, “Leave immediately”—that’s addressing conflict quickly. Then he said, “go to this friend,”—that’s addressing conflict privately. And finally he said, “make things right”—that’s addressing conflict restoratively. 2. Choose Timing

On the Leader Fluent Podcast, we're in a series on my book, Insanely Practical Leadership: 12 No-Nonsense Keys to Master the Art of Leading Yourself and Others. The book addresses a host of insanely practical skills, and it provides you and your team with the tools to apply the insights to your life and leadership. The book is now available on Amazon, Kindle, and other retailers. On today's episode, you'll get a taste of my chapter on, "How to Communicate with Others." Be sure to order Insanely Practical Leadership today, and check out the Masterclass as well as the bonus content that goes with the book HERE. On January 28, 1986, just 73 second after lifting off from Cape Canaveral, the space shuttle Challenger exploded above the Atlantic Ocean. The 6-day mission abruptly ended, killing seven crew members—including Christa McAuliffe, a middle school teacher from New Hampshire. As a result of the disaster, President Ronald Reagan established a commission chaired by former Secretary of state William P. Rogers. What came to be known as the Rogers Commission Report identified the cause of the explosion: an O-ring seal had failed. But it turns out, the failure was much deeper. In addition to an equipment failure, the report revealed organizational communication failures. In fact, the night before the launch, Bob Ebeling and four other engineers from Morton Thiokol raised concerns about the forecast temperatures and the impact they could have on the O-rings. Alarmed over the risk, they recommended the launch be grounded if the temperature fell below 53 degrees. But senior management overruled the recommendation. That night Bob Ebeling told his wife Darlene, “It’s going to blow up.” And the next day, it did. In an interview 30 years later, Ebeling said, “I was one of the few that was really close to the situation. Had they listened to me and wait[ed] for a weather change, it might have been a completely different outcome.” The Rogers Commission Report stated that “failures in communication” and “selective listening” resulted in the decision to launch. As a result, seven innocent lives were lost. In most cases, poor communication isn’t a matter of life and death. And yet, it is. Why do I say that? Because in Proverbs 18:21, King Solomon said, “Words kill, words give life; they’re either poison or fruit—you choose.” So, as a leader, how do you effectively communicate with others? I believe it requires six essential communication skills. 1. Life-Giving Content Proverbs 10:11 says, “The words of the godly are a life-giving fountain; the words of the wicked conceal violent intentions.” So, what does a life-giving fountain sound like? The substance of your words must pass three tests to be life-giving. First, are your words truthful? Ephesians 4:15 says, “speak the truth in love.” Second, are your words wise? While truthful words are facts, wise words are discerning and full of perspective. King Solomon said, “Some people make cutting remarks, but the words of the wise bring healing” (Proverbs 12:18). And third, are your words helpful? The apostle Paul said, “Say only what helps, each word a gift” (Ephesians 4:29, MSG). 2. Clear Speech Mark Twain once said, “The difference between the right word and the almost right word is the difference between lightning and the lightning bug.” If people can’t understand what you’re saying, then everything you say will undermine your credibility. That’s why clear speech is marked by three qualities: clarity, conciseness, and pace. First, clear speech is obviously clear. If it lacks clarity, it will create frustration and confusion for the people who hear you. Second clear speech is concise. When we ramble on and on about a topic, it becomes an emotional drain on our hearers. And finally, clear speech is spoken at the right pace. The average pace for a conversation is 150 words per minute. If your pace is too quick,

On the Leader Fluent Podcast, we're in a series on my book, Insanely Practical Leadership: 12 No-Nonsense Keys to Master the Art of Leading Yourself and Others. The book addresses a host of insanely practical skills, and it provides you and your team with the tools to apply the insights to your life and leadership. The book is now available on Amazon, Kindle, and other retailers. On today's episode, you'll get a taste of my chapter on, "How to Lead People." Be sure to order Insanely Practical Leadership today, and check out the Masterclass as well as the bonus content that goes with the book HERE. Booker T. Washington was the first principle of the Tuskegee Institute in Alabama, where he advocated for emancipated slaves and higher education for African Americans. Well, shortly after stepping into his role, Washington was walking by the home of a wealthy family when the lady of the house came outside and asked him to chop some wood. So, Washington rolled up his sleeves, chopped the wood, brought it into the house, and stacked the logs by the fireplace. Later that day, a young girl told the wealthy woman that Washington was the principle of the Tuskegee Institute. When the woman heard this, she was embarrassed by her request and went to see Washington in his office the next morning. When she walked into his office, the woman apologized profusely. But Washington simply replied “It’s perfectly all right, Madam. Occasionally I enjoy a little manual labor. Besides, it’s always a delight to do something for a friend.” The woman shook his hand and left his office, but she didn’t forget Washington’s gracious kindness. Instead, she persuaded her friends to join her in generously donating thousands of dollars to the Institute. Booker T. Washington could have reminded this wealthy woman of his title and position. Instead, he chose the high road of servant leadership. So, what does a servant leader look like? Well, in the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus contrasts the leadership of the Pharisees with that of servant leaders. And from his teaching, we discover seven choices we must make to become servant leaders. 1. Choose INTEGRITY Over DUPLICITY The Pharisees were a religious group of leaders who came up with 613 laws they expected everyone to follow. The problem was, the Pharisees didn’t practice what they preached. That’s why Jesus said, “The teachers of religious law and the Pharisees are the official interpreters of the law of Moses. So practice and obey whatever they tell you, but don’t follow their example. For they don’t practice what they teach” (Matthew 23:2-3). Simply put, these religious leaders were masters in duplicity, and as a result, leadership became nothing more than a stage to act like somebody they weren’t. A duplicitous leader is double-minded, but a servant leader leads with integrity. 2. Choose PEOPLE Over POWER Jesus continued his description of the Pharisees in Matthew 23:4 when he said, “They crush people with unbearable religious demands and never lift a finger to ease the burden.” These leaders put power before people. They used their man-made rules like whips to beat people into submission. But Jesus had a different approach. In fact, He once told his disciples, “You’ve observed how godless rulers throw their weight around, how quickly a little power goes to their heads. It’s not going to be that way with you. Whoever wants to be great must become a servant” (Matthew 20:25-26 MSG) 3. Choose SILENCE Over SHOW The Pharisees constantly tried to project an image of importance. In Matthew 23:5, Jesus said, “Everything they do is for show. On their arms they wear extra wide prayer boxes with Scripture verses inside, and they wear robes with extra long tassels.” But instead of “Show,” Jesus chose “Silence.” In fact, when he healed a deaf man and a man with leprosy, he told both of them not to tell anyone. Why? Because at its core,

On the Leader Fluent Podcast, we're in a series on my book, Insanely Practical Leadership: 12 No-Nonsense Keys to Master the Art of Leading Yourself and Others. The book addresses a host of insanely practical skills, and it provides you and your team with the tools to apply the insights to your life and leadership. The book is now available on Amazon, Kindle, and other retailers. On today's episode, you'll get a taste of my chapter on, "How to Lead People." Be sure to order Insanely Practical Leadership today, and check out the Masterclass as well as the bonus content that goes with the book HERE. One of the greatest leadership feats of the 20th century was Sir Ernest Shackleton’s Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition. The goal of the expedition was clear: cross the continent of Antarctica from west to east. But in the end, Shackleton’s greatest leadership feat wasn’t the crossing of Antarctica, but winning a two-year wrestling match to survive its ice-cold grip. The 28-man crew sailed on Shackleton’s ship, the Endurance, and departed London on Saturday, August 1, 1914. But when they were only 60-miles from their destination, the ship became trapped by the ice floe, where it remained for months. Then, in early May, darkness covered Antarctica as the sun disappeared from the sky for the next 79 days. By the end of August, the Endurance cracked as the pressure of the floe tested its strength. And on October 27, 1915, Shackleton gave orders to abandon ship. Just 25 days later, Endurance was crushed and swallowed by the ice. The conditions on the ice floe were brutal. When the men had to relieve themselves, ice became their toilet paper. When their eyes watered, tears rolled down their faces and froze on the tips of their noses. To make matters worse, food was sparse, and the dreadful day came when they had to shoot their dogs just so they could eat. Finally, on April 9, the Boss—as Shackleton was known—gave the order to launch the three lifeboats into the water to make a perilous, sleepless journey through the violent ocean. And after a heroic effort, the men finally made landfall on Elephant Island. Then, Shackleton assembled a five-man crew to sail 800 miles to South Georgia in hopes of returning with a ship to collect the rest of the men. The crew had to sail through the Drake Passage, affectionately known as “The Drake Shake” because of its violent and inhospitable waves and weather. But against all odds, on May 10, the crew arrived. It had been 522 days since they originally left South Georgia. There was only one problem: they were on the opposite side of the island from the Stromness whaling station. And between them and the station were 10,000-foot mountains. For 36-hours the men marched through the snow before finally making it to the whaling station. And then, after four valiant attempts, they rescued the 22 men waiting on Elephant Island. Why do I share the story of Shackleton’s perilous two-year journey—a journey in which he didn’t lose a single man? Because in his journey you discover eight valuable lessons that can help you lead people today. Let me share those lessons with you. 1. Vision: Communicate an Inspiring Picture of the Future Shackleton began with an unwavering vision to cross the continent of Antarctica from west to east. You might hear this and say, “But Shackleton didn’t achieve his vision.” I would argue he didn’t achieve his original vision. But he did achieve the most important vision: to get his entire crew safely home. After the ice swallowed the Endurance, Shackleton pulled his men together, served them hot tea, and then confidently said, “Ship and stores have gone, so now we’ll go home.” His vision was always clear. You’re probably not taking a voyage to Antarctica anytime soon, but if you want people to follow, you must cast an inspiring vision for the future—a vision that’s better than where you are right now. 2.

On the Leader Fluent Podcast, we're in a series on my book, Insanely Practical Leadership: 12 No-Nonsense Keys to Master the Art of Leading Yourself and Others. The book addresses a host of insanely practical skills, and it provides you and your team with the tools to apply the insights to your life and leadership. The book is now available, and on this episode, you'll get a taste of my chapter on, "How to Build Influence." Be sure to order Insanely Practical Leadership today and the bonus content that goes with the book HERE. SHOW NOTES: Each year TIME Magazine publishes its list of the 100 most influential people. The list includes artists, icons, pioneers, leaders, athletes, and actors. Interestingly, some people on the list are here today and gone tomorrow. And I must admit, I’ve never even heard of some of these list-making influencers. So, what about you? If you assembled a list of the most influential people in history, who would make your top 100? I’d no doubt recognize some of the names, while others would probably be obscure to the world but deeply impactful to you. Well, one of my top 100 would be the Apostle Paul. Outside of Jesus, Paul was arguably the most influential person in the New Testament. Paul, also known as Saul, brought the Gospel to the Gentiles, Jews, and kings. And not only did he preach the Gospel, but he also performed miracles, equipped leaders, and planted at least 14 churches. And, of course, Paul wrote nearly a third of the New Testament. Without question, his influence is substantial and significant. So, where did it begin? Well, if you dissect Paul’s life, you discover five ingredients to build God-honoring influence. 1. Personal Calling Saul had a transformational encounter with Jesus on the road to Damascus. And when the Lord told Ananias to go and pray for Saul, the Lord said, “Saul is my chosen instrument to take my message to the Gentiles and to kings, as well as to the people of Israel.” So, Paul encountered two callings: the call to follow Jesus, and the call to preach the Gospel. Those two callings were the catalyst for Paul’s influence. Well, you too have a personal calling. First, you’re called to follow Jesus, and second, Jesus has a unique calling for you to fulfill—a calling that deploys your gifts, abilities, skills, and passions to make a meaningful difference. So, that raises an obvious question: what does personal calling have to do with influence? Your calling is the internal driver that defines the external arena where your influence will come to life. When your calling is clear, it will reveal where you’re most likely to have influence and make the greatest difference. 2. Trustworthy Character In 1 Corinthians 11:1, Paul said, “Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ.” His character was trustworthy. So, how does character build your influence? First, trustworthy character enlarges the width of your influence. Character enables you to influence more people because it gives them a reason to trust you. Next, trustworthy character increases the depth of your influence. The more trustworthy you are, the more people will allow you to influence them at the deepest levels. And finally, trustworthy character supports the weight of your influence. You see, leadership becomes heavier and harder as your responsibilities become bigger and broader. 3. Inspiring Vision What’s the difference between inspiring vision and personal calling? Your vision flows out of your calling and engages the people around you. That’s what happened for Paul. He was called to preach the Gospel, but that calling became an inspiring vision when he partnered with others to see the vision fulfilled. 4. Proven Competence It’s one thing to have an inspiring vision, but it’s quite another to turn that vision into reality. This is where your competence plays a critical role. Paul’s competencies included things like communicating,

On the Leader Fluent Podcast, we're in a series on my book, Insanely Practical Leadership: 12 No-Nonsense Keys to Master the Art of Leading Yourself and Others. The book addresses a host of insanely practical skills, and it provides you and your team with the tools to apply the insights to your life and leadership. The book is now available, and on this episode, you'll get a taste of my chapter on, "How to Make Leadership Decisions." Be sure to order Insanely Practical Leadership today and the bonus content that goes with the book HERE. SHOW NOTES: Several years ago, my wife Karen and I planted a church near downtown, Fort Worth, Texas. Well, a few years after planting the church, our building reached a tipping point. Our auditorium was full, our kid’s space stretched thin, and we knew we needed to either renovate or relocate. After careful consideration, we decided to renovate the building. Here's the framework we drew from to make the decision. 1. PRAYER: Have I Asked for the Holy Spirit’s Wisdom? 2. DNA: Does the Decision Support Our Organizational Identity? 3. RESEARCH: Have I Done My Homework? 4. EXPERIENCE: Do Lessons from Past Experience Support the Decision? 5. ADVICE: Does the Wisdom of Others Affirm the Decision? 6. RESOURCES: Can We Get the Money to Start and Sustain the Decision? 7. IMPACT: Will the Decision Deliver a Good Return on Investment? 8. INTUITION: Is My Gut Telling Me to Proceed? 9. INFLUENCE: Are My Key Leaders Receptive and Supportive? 10. TIMING: Is the Timing Right for the Leader, Team, & Organization? LEARN MORE ABOUT INSANELY PRACTICAL LEADERSHIP: The teaching in this podcast series comes from my book, Insanely Practical Leadership: 12 No-Nonsense Keys to Master the Art of Leading Yourself and Others. Get your copy of the book, masterclass, and study guide to maximize your leadership and to invest in the growth of your team. You can learn more about Insanely Practical Leadership and the bonus content that goes with the book HERE. LEAVE A RATING & REVIEW: Would you do me a favor and leave a rating or review on this episode of the podcast. Your help in spreading the word is deeply appreciated.

Today's an exciting day because it's the OFFICIAL RELEASE of my new book, Insanely Practical Leadership: 12 No-Nonsense Keys to Master the Art of Leading Yourself and Others. The book addresses a host of insanely practical skills, and it provides you and your team with the tools to apply the insights to your life and leadership. In preparation for the release, I've been giving you a taste of each chapter on the Leader Fluent Podcast. Today, you'll get a taste of chapter 5, "How to Manage Your Time." It's a great way to start the new year. Again, be sure to order Insanely Practical Leadership today and the bonus content that goes with the book HERE. SHOW NOTES: Let me start this session by asking you a question: how valuable is your time? In his book, Becoming a Coaching Leader, Daniel Harkavy offers a great perspective on determining the value of your time. He suggests that you start by identifying your desired annual income five years from now. In fact, go ahead and pick a number. How much do you hope to make five years from today? Once you’ve picked a number, open the calculator on your phone and divide your desired annual income by 2,080. 2,080 is how many hours there are in a 40-hour workweek during an entire year. Once you divide your desired income by 2,080, you’ll come up with an hourly rate. For example, if you want to earn $100,000 per year and you divide it by 2,080, you’ll make about $48 per hour. If you want to earn $250,000 per year, you’ll make about $120 per hour. Now, look at that hourly dollar amount on your calculator and ask yourself this question: “Is how I currently use each hour of my day worth that much money?” You might push back and say, “Stephen, I don’t make that much money per hour.” I get it, but that’s not my question. The question is, “Is how I CURRENTLY use each hour of my day worth that much money?” Let’s make it personal. Is scrolling through social media worth $48 an hour to you? Is watching TV for three or four hours each night worth $120 an hour to you? Is spending excessive hours on your favorite hobby worth the number on your calculator right now? If your answer is “No,” I have news for you: If you don’t change how you use your time today, you won’t earn your desired income tomorrow. This example obviously doesn’t encompass the full value of time. After all, time isn’t just a matter of money. But this example does help us see time in a new light. Psalm 90:12 also provides incredible perspective on the value of time. It says, “Teach us to realize the brevity of life, so that we may grow in wisdom.” When you realize the brevity of life, you begin to see time as a precious resource entrusted to you by God. We can spend time frivolously or invest it wisely; either way, how we use our time reveals what we value most. So, how do you effectively manage time? Well, I believe it begins by identifying three circles. The first circle is “Why.” The second circle is “Where.” And the third circle is “How.” Let me unpack each one. CIRCLE #1: WHY: Purpose & Values Without a well-defined purpose and clearly stated values, you’ll efficiently manage your time to accomplish the wrong things. That’s not a picture of success. After all, who cares if you get the wrong things done quicker. Purpose and values are the north star for time management. So, let’s start with purpose. If you want to discover your purpose, begin by identifying how God wired you. God designed you with your purpose in mind be depositing in you abilities, passions, and spiritual gifts. so if you identify how God designed you, you’ll begin getting clues to your purpose in life. Each of these traits are like puzzle pieces, and when you turn each puzzle piece face up, you quickly begin to see patterns emerge that give you clues to your life purpose. What about values? Values are the people, principles, and priorities that guide our lives. They’re the internal rules of the game that influence...

In this Leader Fluent Podcast Series, I'm sharing some teaching from each chapter of my book, Insanely Practical Leadership: 12 No-Nonsense Keys to Master the Art of Leading Yourself and Others. The book addresses a host of insanely practical skills, and it provides you and your team with the tools to apply the insights to your life. Enjoy this taste of what’s in the book, and learn more about Insanely Practical Leadership and the bonus content that goes with the book HERE. In today's episode, we're talking about "How to Think Like a Leader." SHOW NOTES: Authors Mark Batterson and Dick Foth once said, “In a very real sense, my world begins and ends between my ears. I don’t have to be brain-dead to be brain-defeated.” So, how do effective leaders think? Well, in Insanely Practical Leadership, I outline eight essential mindsets of a leader. But today, I’d like to focus on three of them. 1. Leaders Think Possibilities vs. Excuses Unfortunately, leaders can come up with excuses, and Moses is a perfect example. When God called Moses to return to Egypt and lead His people out of slavery, Moses tried to dodge God’s call with five different excuses. Excuse #1: Insignificance: I’m Not Important Enough Moses said, “Who am I to appear before Pharaoh? Who am I to lead the people of Israel out of Egypt?” In other words, Moses felt insignificant for the task at hand. Excuse #2: Incompetence: I Don’t Know Enough Moses protested, “If I go to the people of Israel and tell them, ‘The God of your ancestors has sent me to you,’ they will ask me, ‘What is his name?’ Then what should I tell them?” Moses didn’t have the answers to move forward. In his mind, his competence didn’t cut it. Excuse #3: Invalid: I’m Not Credible Enough Moses said, “What if they won’t believe me or listen to me? What if they say, ‘The Lord never appeared to you’?” So, get the picture: In this moment, Moses was doubting his credibility. Excuse #4: Inadequacy: I’m Not Skilled Enough Moses reminded God of his speech impediment. He said, “O Lord, I’m not very good with words.” Simply put: “God, I’m inadequate for the job. My skills don’t measure up.” Excuse #5: Inferior: I’m Not Good Enough Moses finally said, “Lord, please! Send anyone else.” In other words, “God, if you lined up a hundred other people, I’d be the least qualified. I’m inferior. Please, pick someone else.” Have you ever used any of those excuses with God or with someone else? Have you ever said, “I’m insignificant, incompetent, invalid, inadequate, or inferior?” Well, here’s the problem with excuses: they’re the permanent exit ramp from the highway of obedience. But that’s not how good leaders think. The most effective leaders think in the realm of possibility. Why? Because that’s where God resides. That’s why God didn’t put up with a single excuse Moses threw at Him. Instead, God told Moses, “I’ve sent you,” “I’ve equipped you,” and “I’m with you.” And the same is true for you. God has sent you. God has equipped you. And God is with you. And when that’s the way you think, you’ll lead in the realm of possibility. 2. Leaders Think People vs. Programs Industrialist Andrew Carnegie once said, “Take away my people but leave my factories and soon grass will grow on the factory floor. Take away my factories and leave my people and soon we will have a new and better factory.” Leadership is about the people not the programs, products, or property. You design programs, but you develop people. You create products, but you cultivate people. You buy property, but you build people. When you stop developing, cultivating, and building people, the day will come when you have no more programs, products, or property. In fact, when you think people first, you won’t have to worry about products and programs because the people will think of them for you. So, if you’re going to think people vs. programs, then you must begin investing in people.

In this Leader Fluent Podcast Series, I'm sharing some teaching from each chapter of my book, Insanely Practical Leadership: 12 No-Nonsense Keys to Master the Art of Leading Yourself and Others. The book addresses a host of insanely practical skills, and it provides you and your team with the tools to apply the insights to your life. Enjoy this taste of what’s in the book, and learn more about Insanely Practical Leadership and the bonus content that goes with the book HERE. In today's episode, we're talking about "How to Lead with Character." SHOW NOTES: Sinkholes aren’t confined to land. They also find their way into our character as leaders. When our souls become dry, the rains of pressure and problems cause subtle character cracks to become giant sinkholes. And in the end, not only does our life collapse, but our family, team, and organization pay a heavy price. Author Lance Witt once said, “When leaders neglect their interior life, they run the risk of prostituting the sacred gift of leadership. And they run the risk of being destructive instead of productive.” So, how do we lead with character? There are actually five layers to leading with character. Layer #1: Identify Your Values Values are the character compass that point you in the right direction. And values are formed at the intersection of three things: beliefs, principles, and priorities. Beliefs are the core set of creeds and convictions that anchor our lives. For followers of Jesus, beliefs are grounded in the truth of Scripture. Principles are wisdom and guardrails that guide us down the right path. Finally, priorities define the areas where we invest our time, talent, and treasure. Simply put, beliefs ground us. Principles guide us. And priorities order us. Together, they form the values on which we build our lives. So, Layer #1 to leading with character is to identify your values. Layer #2: Grow Your Character Author Bob Goff once said, “We plant sod where God wants us to plant seed. He's more interested in growing our character than having us look finished.” Character growth is important, but it doesn’t happen by accident. It requires several practices to maximize growth. Practice number one is to Cultivate Disciplines of Spirituality. We talked about those disciplines in the last session, and how they draw us into God’s presence where he can transform us. Practice number two is to Create Boundaries of Accountability. Boundaries of accountability gives us the external structure we need to outsmart our weaknesses. And practice number three is to Build Circles of Community. Community give us the wisdom and encouragement from others to help us play the long game. These three practices provide the nutrient rich soil to grow our character. And working together, these practices prevent sinkholes from forming below the surface of our hearts. Layer #3: Model Your Behavior Modeling behavior happens when you do what you say you will do, even under pressure. For example, modeling behavior is asking for forgiveness when you step out of line. It’s telling the truth when it’s inconvenient. It’s receiving feedback with grace and humility. It’s showing compassion when others are hurting. These are all examples of what it looks like to model your behavior. In fact, in 1 Timothy 4:12, the apostle Paul said, “Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity.” Paul understood that character grows inwardly, but its influence is felt outwardly. Layer #4: Debrief Your Wisdom In 2 Timothy 3:10-11, Paul said, “But you, Timothy, certainly know what I teach, and how I live, and what my purpose in life is. You know my faith, my patience, my love, and my endurance. You know how much persecution and suffering I have endured. You know all about how I was persecuted in Antioch, Iconium,

In this Leader Fluent Podcast Series, I'm sharing a snippet from each chapter of my book, Insanely Practical Leadership: 12 No-Nonsense Keys to Master the Art of Leading Yourself and Others. The book addresses a host of insanely practical skills, and it provides you and your team with the tools to apply the insights to your life. Enjoy this taste of what’s in the book, and learn more about Insanely Practical Leadership and the bonus content that goes with the book HERE. Leadership is immensely challenging. In fact, as I coach leaders, I hear stories of bold visions, heart-breaking pain, board members gone rogue, difficult leadership transitions, and situations with intense spiritual warfare. The truth is, there is no shortage of stress and struggle in leadership. But as the external pressures of leadership increase, we need a more powerful presence within us. That’s why the Apostle Paul said in Ephesians 3:16, “I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit.” So, where do we start? Well, to become a spiritually grounded leader, we need four spiritual keys. 1. Spiritual Priority Author Greg Mckeown made an interesting observation about the word priority. McKeown notes that when the word priority came into the English language in the 1400s, it was originally a singular word that meant “the prior or very first thing.” It remained a “singular” word for the next 500 years, until the 1900s when we made the term plural: priorities. Well, McKeown poses a powerful question about the word “priorities.” He said, can there be multiple very first things? Unfortunately, many people think there can be, but Jesus makes it clear only one thing can be first. In Matthew 6:33 Jesus said, “But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” This is the starting place to become a spiritually grounded leader. Seeking God must be our very first thing. 2. Spiritual Practices Author Richard Foster once said, “We do indeed engage in practices—disciplines, if you will—but remember these practices earn us nothing in the economy of God. Nothing. Their only purpose is to place us before God. That is all…God then steps into our actions and, over time and experience, produces in us the formation of heart and mind and soul for which we long.” Notice, the spiritual practices don’t change us—God does. The practices are merely the way we place ourselves before God so He can do His transforming work in us. So, whether it’s prayer, Bible study, worship, fasting, serving, generosity, or community, what are the spiritual practices you need to develop to bring you before God so He can transform you in His presence? 3. Spiritual Pace After performing a miracle where He fed 5,000 people, Jesus told His disciples to get into a boat and cross the lake. Then, Jesus went up into the hills to pray by himself. And the Bible tells us, “Night fell while he was there alone.” But the disciples didn’t immediately get in the boat and cross the lake. Instead, John 6:16 says, “That evening Jesus’ disciples went down to the shore to wait for him.” And eventually, darkness fell but Jesus still hadn’t come back. That passage sounds simple enough, but when I read it, I’m convicted with this thought: Has anyone ever had to wait on me to finish praying? You see, Jesus modeled the unrushed way by not rushing His time with the Father. Despite the demands Jesus faced, His leadership pace didn’t exceed His spiritual pace. I know, unrushed time with God sounds impossible, especially when speed is the name of the game for so many leaders. But if we’re not careful, we’ll begin measuring intimacy with God by our efficiency with God. Efficiency sounds like a good leadership tactic, but intimacy is the fuel to help you finish well. You can’t microwave maturity. And when we combine spiritual practices with a healthy spiritu...

Welcome to a Leader Fluent Podcast Series based on my book, Insanely Practical Leadership: 12 No-Nonsense Keys to Master the Art of Leading Yourself and Others. For the next few podcast episodes, I'll be sharing teaching from the Masterclass for the book. It's a great way to get a taste of what's in the book, and the insanely practical skills you'll develop. You can learn more about Insanely Practical Leadership and the bonus content that goes with the book HERE. Personal and professional growth help you become the person, and the leader, God intended for you to become. As a leader, you are responsible to own your growth. You can’t delegate it or negotiate it. You can’t relegate it or vacate it. In fact, authors Ken Blanchard and Mark Miller said it like this: “Growth for leaders is the treasure that funds the future journey. Stop finding the treasure along the way and the journey ends.” As a leader, you have a dream burning in your gut. But between you and your dream is a gap—a growth gap. And the only way to close that gap is to fund the journey toward your dream with the treasure of your growth. That happens when you get insanely practical about three keys: a growth mindset, a growth plan, and a growth team. 1. Adopt a Growth Mindset In the Gospel of Luke chapter 2 verse 52, it says, “Jesus grew in wisdom and in stature and in favor with God and all the people.” Notice, Jesus’ growth was intentional and continual. He didn’t think about growing—He grew. And He wasn’t haphazard about growing—He grew mentally, physically, spiritually, and socially. Without an intentional and continual growth mindset, we’ll view growth as nothing more than a one-time event. Events such as conferences and seminars are great at inspiring change, but the change doesn’t actually happen at the event. A process of growth must follow the event which then produces long-term habits of transformation. Simply put, events inspire change, process creates change, and habits sustain change. And it all starts with a growth mindset. 2. Create a Growth Plan I’ve developed a growth planning model that I call “Growth TRAC”—T-R-A-C. A Growth TRAC is a specific, measurable, and accountable plan for personal and professional growth. Each letter in the word “TRAC” stands for a word, and each word is accompanied by a question to help you create your own Growth TRAC. Let’s unpack it. The letter “T” in “TRAC” stands for Target, and the question is, “What are My Growth Goals?” Your growth goal is the target you’re aiming to hit. The letter “R” stands for Roadmap, and the question is, “How Do I Plan to Grow?” Your roadmap to reach your target is typically made up of things like training, resources, coaching, and experiences. The letter “A” stands for Accountability, and the question is, “Who Will Hold Me Accountable for My Growth?” None of us are good enough to reach our growth goals alone. That’s why we need friends and mentors in our lives to ask us questions and hold us accountable to grow. And finally, the letter “C” stands for Check-Up. The question is, “When and How Will I Evaluate My Growth Progress?” When you conduct regular check-ups on your growth progress, you’re able to make mid-course corrections to help you reach your growth goals. A Growth TRAC includes a Target, a Roadmap, Accountability, and Check-Ups. And when you follow your TRAC, it helps you intentionally grow. 3. Assemble a Growth Team Several years ago, Scott Wilson introduced me to the idea of a growth team. A growth team is a group of people who help you grow in the most important areas of your life. For example, if you’re married, your spouse will help you grow in your relationship with your family. But your growth team doesn’t end there. Prayer partners help us grow spiritually. Counselors help us grow emotionally. Coaches help us grow professionally, and financial advisors help us steward money wisely.

In today’s episode of the Leader Fluent Podcast, I’m talking about “Four Ways to Handle Criticism in Leadership.” Criticism is an increasing problem in the leadership landscape. It might be a problem, but how we handle it can become a bigger problem. If you're not already a subscriber, I'd love for you to subscribe to Leader Fluent today on iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher, Android, Pandora, or your favorite podcasting platform. And as always, your RATINGS and REVIEWS are deeply appreciated. SHOW NOTES: You don’t have to be in leadership for long to realize that criticism comes with the territory. People have opinions, and they’re not afraid to share them. That was certainly the case for Nehemiah when he began rebuilding the wall around Jerusalem. Nehemiah 4:1-3 says, “When Sanballat heard that we were rebuilding the wall, he became angry and was greatly incensed. He ridiculed the Jews, and in the presence of his associates and the army of Samaria, he said, ‘What are those feeble Jews doing? Will they restore their wall? Will they offer sacrifices? Will they finish in a day? Can they bring the stones back to life from those heaps of rubble—burned as they are?’ Tobiah the Ammonite, who was at his side, said, ‘What they are building—even a fox climbing up on it would break down their wall of stones!’” These weren’t subtle grumblings under their breath. These were blatant criticisms meant to dissuade Nehemiah and the people of Jerusalem from completing the way. But they didn’t Nehemiah or the people of Jerusalem. They doubled down on their efforts until the wall was finally finished in only 52 days. What about you? What critiques are your critics lobbing onto your leadership and the ministry God has entrusted to you? More importantly, how are you responding? Here are four ways to respond appropriately. 1. Consider the Source Everybody has an opinion, but that doesn’t mean you need to give every opinion equal weight. Sanballat and Tobiah were neither trustworthy nor interested in Nehemiah’s success. Quite the opposite. They schemed to harm Nehemiah (6:2), were relentless in their efforts to distract him (6:3-4), told lies to him and about him (6:5-9), and repeatedly tried to intimidate him (6:10-14, 19). Their critiques were born out of fear and intimidation rather than genuine care for Nehemiah and Jerusalem. You will encounter criticism, but when it comes, consider the source. Disagreement doesn’t mean disloyalty. We must ask, is the source credible and caring? Are they trustworthy people who genuinely want what’s best for you AND for the organization? If they only want what’s best for you, your leadership will become self-serving. And if they only want what’s best for the organization, they may be fine bulldozing you in the process. The source needs be both CREDIBLE AND CARING. Being credible gives them permission to speak into the good of the organization. And being caring sets the tone in how they treat you in the process. 2. Look for the Truth There was no truth in the criticisms coming from Sanballat and Tobiah. Again, they lied to and about Nehemiah (6:5-9), and Nehemiah had the discernment to know they were lying. However, that’s not always the case. Even in hard criticisms, sometimes there’s a kernel of truth. Several years ago, I heard Carey Nieuwhof interview Scott Sauls, a pastor from Nashville who once worked with author and pastor Tim Keller. In the interview, Scott Sauls shared a powerful response Keller had toward criticism. Sauls said, “In a dozen false things said about him, he would search for a kernel of truth that he could repent of, because every opportunity for repentance is an opportunity to draw closer to Jesus.” What a powerful practice. When Keller found the kernel of truth, he would humbly admit it and pray over it. Notice, Sauls didn’t say, “He searched for a kernel of truth he could agree with.” Truth sets us free,

In today’s episode of the Leader Fluent Podcast, I’m talking about “How to Prepare for a One-On-One with Your Leader.” If you’re a team member, I’ll share four questions you can ask to prepare or your one-on-one. And if you’re a leader, you can use these four questions to train your team how to come prepared for their meeting. If you're not already a subscriber, I'd love for you to subscribe to Leader Fluent today on iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher, Android, Pandora, or your favorite podcasting platform. And as always, your RATINGS and REVIEWS are deeply appreciated. SHOW NOTES: One-on-one meetings with your boss, supervisor, or leader are an important part of organizational life. In some environments, one-on-ones are a consistent part of the workflow. In other environments, they are erratic or even non-existent. What’s the key to a successful one-on-one meeting? Preparation. So, how can you prepare for a one-on-one meeting with your leader. I recommend four simple questions that can have a powerful impact: 1. Communication: What updates do I need to provide? This part of the meeting is primarily designed to keep your supervisor in the know. Generally, this is a quick summary of the things you want your leader to be aware of. Bosses hate surprises, and the communication part of the meeting is your opportunity to keep them aware of updates on projects, decisions you’ve made, or issues that might affect them, the department, the team, or the organization. 2. Clarification: What questions do I need to ask? If you don’t understand something, it’s your job to ask for clarification. You might seek clarification about unclear expectations, timelines, next steps, or other important items. Don’t leave it to chance. Ask quickly and kindly and be sure to take notes. One-on-one meetings help leaders cultivate healthy people, teams, and organizations. In this insanely practical guide, you'll learn the why and how of leading one-on-one's, and how to introduce the idea to your team. Plus, you'll get two tools: 1) A meeting planner to help team members prepare for a one-on-one; 2) A One-On-One Supervisor Meeting MAPP to help you guide the meeting. Download this 21-page guide today. BUY NOW 3. Challenges: What problems, challenges, or ideas do I want to discuss? Every team member experiences problems or challenges in their work. You might be hitting a wall with a new strategy, struggling to resolve a conflict with another team member, or dealing with a crisis or looming problem. Do your best to come to the meeting with solutions to problems, and then seek your leader’s perspective and advice. On the other hand, you might have a new idea you’d like to pitch to your leader. It might be a new product, an improved service, a more effective strategy, or an innovative solution to an organizational challenge. The key is to pitch your idea without expecting an immediate response. Give your leader time to think about it without being pushy or demanding. 4. Coaching: In what areas do I want to learn or grow? This final part of the meeting is an opportunity to learn new insights, sharpen your skills, and enlarge your leadership capacity. This doesn’t need to be complicated. Instead, come with one or two questions you’d like to ask your leader that would help you get better. Again, don’t expect your leader to read your mind. If you desire to grow in an area, share that with your supervisor and ask for their help. Your leader likely has a ton of wisdom to offer. Rather than waiting for them to share their insights, learn to ask thoughtful questions coupled with a posture to listen, learn, and grow. Next time you meet with your leader, come prepared with answers to these four questions. Not only will the meeting be far more productive, but your leader is more likely to be appreciative of your initiative and willingness to learn. RATING OR REVIEW

In today’s episode of the Leader Fluent Podcast, I’m talking about “Seven Keys to Resolve Conflict.”Conflict is a part of life and leadership, and how we resolve it matters. If you're not already a subscriber, I'd love for you to subscribe to Leader Fluent today on iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher, Android, Pandora, or your favorite podcasting platform. And as always, your RATINGS and REVIEWS are deeply appreciated. SHOW NOTES: Every leader encounters conflict. In fact, conflict is a part of life, whether it’s at work, at school, or at home. And one of the biggest reasons for conflict is when there’s a gap between expectations and reality. So, how do you resolve the conflict in an effective and healthy manner? We find a really practical strategy on conflict resolution in the book of Acts chapter 15. In this passage, a conflict arises between Paul and Barnabas and some men from Judea. The conflict is over a Jewish religious practice that existed under the Old Covenant that was abolished when, through Jesus, a New Covenant was established. But these men from Judea are trying to impose this old religious practice onto the Gentiles. Needless to say, this difference of opinion became a point of conflict in the early church. So, Paul and Barnabas head to Jerusalem to meet with the apostles and elders of the church to resolve this issue. And from this meeting, we discover seven keys to resolve conflict. 1. Seek Understanding Acts 15:7a says, “At the meeting, after a long discussion…” Why did these leaders have a long discussion? Because they needed to create space to hear both sides of the issue. In other words, a long discussion made room to gain understanding. Author Stephen Covey said, “Seek first to understand, then to be understood.” But what do we like to do? We like to seek first to make our point, so then they’ll understand. But that rarely works. You don’t gain understanding with answers. You gain understanding with questions. 2. Begin with Common Ground Acts 15:7 says, “At the meeting, after a long discussion, Peter stood and addressed them as follows: “Brothers, you all know that God chose me from among you some time ago to preach to the Gentiles so that they could hear the Good News and believe.” Peter established common ground. He said, “You all know.” But again, we like to begin with what I know rather than what we know. But that approach burns the very bridges that would allow us to resolve the conflict. John Maxwell calls it The 101% Principle. He says, “Find the 1% that you agree on, and give it 100% of your effort.” In other words, start with common ground. Start with what you both know to be true. 3. Articulate the Facts Without Emotion Acts 15:8 says, “God knows people’s hearts, and he confirmed that he accepts Gentiles by giving them the Holy Spirit, just as he did to us.” Peter begins by sharing some basic facts, but he does so without emotion. Again, how we handle conflict reveals our level of maturity. If you handle conflict wisely, calmly, and with self-control, then you are being mature in how you handle it. But if you handle conflict in a harsh, demeaning, or uncontrolled manner, then you are only revealing your immaturity. Proverbs 15:1 says, “A gentle answer deflects anger, but harsh words make tempers flare.” Articulate the facts without emotion. 4. Acknowledge One Another’s Value Acts 15:9 says, “He made no distinction between us and them, for he cleansed their hearts through faith.” Jews in Jesus’ day had issues with the Gentiles because they wouldn’t conform to Jewish rules. So, what does Peter—who was a Jew—do in this situation? He acknowledges the gentiles’ value, because God acknowledged their value. If you want the other person to value your opinion more than you value them as a person, you will only escalate the conflict. Every person on planet earth was made in the image of God, including the person you’re having the most conflic...

In today’s episode of the Leader Fluent Podcast, I’m talking about “Five Keys to Build a High-Performance Team.” Today’s episode gives you a very small taste of a brand new coaching cohort I’m launching that’s focused on building highly effective teams. You can learn more HERE. If you're not already a subscriber, I'd love for you to subscribe to Leader Fluent today on iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher, Android, Pandora, or your favorite podcasting platform. And as always, your RATINGS and REVIEWS are deeply appreciated. SHOW NOTES: Every leader wants his or her team to excel at the highest level possible. But building a high-performance team doesn’t happen just because we want it to. It requires a lot of work and intentionality with five foundational keys. 1. Create an Effective Hiring Process Author Jim Collins once said, “If I were running a company today, I would have one priority above all others: to acquire as many of the best people as I could [because] the single biggest constraint on the success of my organization is the ability to get and to hang on to enough of the right people.” According to a study released by Leadership IQ, the reason for 89% of job failures is due to Attitude Issues, and 46% of them failed within the first 18 months. But here’s the kicker: 82% of managers in the study said that, in hindsight, the failed hires elicited subtle cues DURING the interview process that they would fail. So, how do you pick up on those subtle cues that indicate whether a candidate is or isn’t a good fit? You have to create an effective hiring process. Here are three tips to start with: Multiple Candidates – Do everything you can to secure multiple candidates to interview. In my experience, only two out ten resumes are actually worth looking at. Multiple Interviews – Your interview process cannot be one interview. We use five different interviews including a screening interview, experience interview, deep dive, candidate and spouse interview, and team interview. Multiple Interviewers – If possible, involve other members of your team in the interview process. This will help you see the candidate from different perspectives and catch any potential red flags. Again, there are multiple stages to an effective hiring process, but these three keys will help you get started. 2. Maximize Your Onboarding System Onboarding is how you set new team members up for success, and that’s the job of the leader. A good onboarding system should answer several questions including: What basic steps does the new team member need to take to be employed here? What equipment, software, technology, and training does the team member need to successfully do their job? What does the team member need to know about their role, expectations, and areas of responsibility? What do we need to share with the team member about the organization’s DNA to help them successfully acclimate to our culture (things such as vision, values, culture, history, and common questions asked by new employees) What does the team member need to know to successfully work with their supervisor? Who do we need to introduce the team member to (including staff, key leaders, and key volunteers)? What does the team member need to know about our facility and their budget? What demographics and data would help the team member better understand who we’re reaching, the community we’re located in, and the growth trends of the organization? What training, resources, and coaching does the team member need during their first 3-6 months to help them successfully integrate into our culture and maximize their performance on the job? 3. Invest in Your Team's Growth John Maxwell often says, “The only thing worse than training staff and having them leave, is not training them and having them stay.” So, as leaders, it’s our job to invest in our team’s growth regularly and systematically. By regularly,

In today’s episode of the Leader Fluent Podcast, I’m talking about “How to Equip Your Team to Set Great Goals.” We’re going to look at five questions to ask to give you the green light on your goals. Not only are these great questions to ask yourself, but they’re great questions to help you equip your team to set great goals. If you're not already a subscriber, I'd love for you to subscribe to Leader Fluent today on iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher, Android, Pandora, or your favorite podcasting platform. And as always, your RATINGS and REVIEWS are deeply appreciated. SHOW NOTES: Goal-setting is designed to help us and our team make forward progress, both personally and organizationally. To help our team at 7 City Church set goals, I have a pretty particular goal-setting system. That system includes a one-page goal-setting worksheet that helps them set a clear, specific, measurable, and time-bound goal, as well as a specific action plan to reach the goal. But in addition to these common, goal-setting components, I also include five questions that help each staff member determine if they’re ready to START their goal. When we can answer “YES” to all five questions, then we know they're ready to pursue the goal. I use the word START as an acronym to remember the five questions: STRETCH: Will this goal stretch you? Author Dave Anderson once said, “We are not at our best when life is too safe. In fact, too much certainty is cause for depression. Uncertainty keeps you alert, interested, and engaged.” That’s what “Stretch” is all about. It’s about setting goals that stretch you outside of your safe and secure comfort zone. By stretch, I’m not suggesting that team members should set “completely unrealistic” goals. What I do mean is that the goal should be something beyond what they’re currently doing. TASK: Is this goal within your job responsibilities? In general, a team member’s goals should focus on the tasks you hired them to do. That’s why I include a section on our goal worksheet that lists their job responsibilities. This isn’t a detailed job description, but it’s a brief bullet point list of their six primary job responsibilities. Again, those six responsibilities don’t get into the nitty gritty…they are more like broad categories. ALIGNED: Is this goal aligned with our vision and priorities? It’s not enough for goals to be in a team member’s job responsibilities. The goal must also be aligned with the overall vision, strategic priorities, and key result areas of the organization. Why? Because if it’s not, you’ll create sideways energy. With those three things in focus—vision, strategic priorities, and key result areas—team members write a brief description of how their goal contributes to at least one of them. This ensures the goal is aligned with the overall direction of the organization. REACHABLE: Do the action steps for this goal make it reachable? Without a clear action plan, team members risk setting goals that they cannot reach. Our goal worksheet provides a space for team members to list 5-7 action steps they would take to actually reach their goal. Then, when I review the action steps, one of the questions I’m thinking about is this: “How are these actions steps different than what they’re already doing?” If what they’re planning to do to reach their goal is no different than what they’re already doing, then they’re not going to get an outcome that’s any different than the outcome they’re already getting. It’s the old saying, “If you always do what you’ve always done, you’ll always get what you’ve always gotten.” TIMING: Is this the right time to pursue this goal? Sometimes a team member can set a goal that will stretch them, it’s a task within their job responsibilities, it’s aligned with the organization’s vision and priorities, and their action plan is rock solid. The problem is, it’s just not the right time to pursue the goal. Sometimes,

In today’s episode of the Leader Fluent Podcast, I’m talking about “The 5 Stages of Vision Casting.” Vision is an important part of leadership, which means the ability to cast vision is an essential leadership skill. In this episode of Leader Fluent, we’re going to look at the five stages to casting vision, and how to maximize each stage in your leadership environment. If you're not already a subscriber, I'd love for you to subscribe to Leader Fluent today on iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher, Android, Pandora, or your favorite podcasting platform. And as always, your RATINGS and REVIEWS are deeply appreciated. SHOW NOTES: Author Michael Hyatt said, “Vision, as I see it, is a clear, inspiring, practical, and attractive picture of your organization’s future.” But for that vision to have its greatest impact, the leader must communicate it in a clear and compelling way. It’s not enough to simply have a vision; you also need to create buy-in so the vision can be fulfilled. As author Ray Pritchard once said, “Good leaders have a vision; better leaders share a vision; the best leaders invite others to join them in spreading this vision.” The question is, how do you get others to understand the vision, embrace the vision, and rally around the vision? In other words, how do you effectively cast inspiring vision in such a way that people want to join you in the journey to a better future? I believe there are five stages in effective vision casting. 1. CELEBRATION Vision casting doesn’t start by looking at the future; it starts by celebrating the past. This lets people who have “paid the price” for yesterday’s vision know how much they are appreciated. It’s a simple way of showing honor and respect to the people who paved the way for the church or organization to get to where it is today. Celebration sets the tone. It focuses on the wins, and it reinforces the organization’s ability to influence positive change. So, what should you celebrate? Celebrate growth, impact, testimonies, and life change. 2. THE PROBLEM So often leaders share a vision before they’ve ever defined a problem. And yet, every vision is the answer to a problem. In this stage of vision casting, you’re introduce the problem you hope to solve. To make the transition from “celebration” to “problem,” use a phrase like this: “We celebrate the impact we’ve made over the last 12 months, but our mission is not done.” Or you might get very specific and say, “We celebrate what God has done in the last five years…but there’s a problem.” Use statistics, research, demographics, photos, and stories to raise awareness of the need you’re trying to meet or the problem you’re trying to solve. Then, once people feel the weight of the problem, transition to the next stage of vision casting. 3. THE SOLUTION The solution is the part you’ve been wanting to get to all along. It’s the exciting picture of the future that you want people to see. And now that you’ve honored the past and helped people feel the weight of the need, their hearts are ready to hear the solution. Begin to unfold the vision in a clear, compelling, and specific way; the key is to connect the dots between the problem and the solution. That’s when your vision carries the most weight because people see the vision as something we must do not just something we could do. Every leader has to create and cast compelling vision. In "The Insanely Practical Guide to Create, Communicate, & Capture Vision," I take the guesswork out of vision to help you see, share, seize, and safeguard your vision. Get this downloadable 36-page guide today HERE. 4. THE PRICE Every vision comes with a price tag, and the bigger the vision, the bigger the price. And the bigger the price, the more intentional you have to be about layering your vision-casting. In other words, you must cast the vision to different groups of people at different times. At each vision gathering, celebrate the impact,

In today’s episode of the Leader Fluent Podcast, I’m talking about “The 5 Faces of Pride in Leadership.” Humility is often the forgotten ingredient in effective leaders, but it is essential to the health of our soul and the health of our leadership. If you're not already a subscriber, I'd love for you to subscribe to Leader Fluent today on iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher, Android, Pandora, or your favorite podcasting platform. And as always, your RATINGS and REVIEWS are deeply appreciated. SHOW NOTES: Proverbs 16:18 says, “Pride goes before destruction, and haughtiness before a fall.” Pride is destructive to our souls, but the destruction doesn’t end there. Pride is also destructive to our leadership. In other words, when we’re prideful, we not only undermine our own lives, but we undermine those we influence. So, what does pride look like in leadership? A closer look at the Pharisees in Matthew 23 reveals five faces of pride in leadership. 1. Pretending In Matthew 23:1-3 Jesus said, “The teachers of religious law and the Pharisees are the official interpreters of the law of Moses. So practice and obey whatever they tell you, but don’t follow their example. For they don’t practice what they teach.” And in the remainder of this chapter, Jesus calls the Pharisees as hypocrites six times. Pretending says, “Do as I say not as I do.” 2. Power Matthew 23:4 says, “They crush people with unbearable religious demands and never lift a finger to ease the burden.” What were these “unbearable religious demands” that Jesus was referring to? It wasn’t God’s Law. It was the 613 laws the Pharisees added to God’s Law. So, you can only imagine how the Pharisees felt when Jesus came along and simplified everything down to only two Laws: Love God and Love People. But that wasn’t good enough for the Pharisees because their pride had blinded them. And as a result, their pride was causing them to abuse their power to get people to obey all of their man-made laws. Whereas the “Pretender” face of pride says, “Do as I say not as I do,” the “Power” face of pride says, “Do as I say, or else…” The “Power” face of pride is based on self-serving, fear-based demands. But that’s not what a spirit of humility does. 3. Perception Perception is all about how I see myself, and, how I think others see me. So, how does a prideful person see themselves? They see themselves as better than everyone else. Matthew 23:5 says, “Everything they do is for show. On their arms they wear extra wide prayer boxes with Scripture verses inside, and they wear robes with extra long tassels.” Perception says, “Look at me. Aren’t I great?” The reason perception is such a deceptive face of pride is because it’s not based on reality. Instead, it’s based on a version of ourselves that only exists in our heads. And in our heads, we think we’re bigger and better than we really are. 4. Perks We love perks, don’t we? We love to be escorted to the seat of honor. We love to show our friends our awards, prizes, and possessions. We love to casually mention in conversation that our office is in the C-Suite. Perks and privileges make us feel important. But the moment perks make us feel important, is also the moment our identity has been stolen from us. Because if who you are is based on what you have, then your life has become a hollow shell of deception. Jesus said, “And they love to sit at the head table at banquets and in the seats of honor in the synagogues” (Matthew 25:6). Perks says, “I deserve it, and I’m entitled to it.” Now, does that mean that all perks are wrong? No. But, because perks have a way of making us feel like we deserve them and we’re entitled to them, we need a filter for our perks. My friend Steve Moore developed a great filter for perks when he developed these five questions. Do I need—fill in the blank—for example, bigger office, special parking space, or private bathroom—to do my job more effectively?

In today’s episode of the Leader Fluent Podcast, I’m talking about “Seven Words of Wisdom for Graduates.” The graduation season is a great time of celebration, but as you enter into a new chapter of your life, I’d love to share seven practical insights that will help you succeed in the future. If you're not already a subscriber, I'd love for you to subscribe to Leader Fluent today on iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher, Android, Pandora, or your favorite podcasting platform. And as always, your RATINGS and REVIEWS are deeply appreciated. SHOW NOTES: After celebrating your graduation, let me encourage you to take to heart seven practical and helpful words of wisdom. 1. Put Character at the Top of Your List Be careful not to sacrifice your character on the altar of achievement and results. In other words, don’t take shortcuts that ding your character. Ruth Haley Barton once said, “We set young leaders up for a fall if we encourage them to envision what they can do before they consider the kind of person they should be.” So, what kind of person do you want to be? Work hard to cultivate character so that your success doesn’t outpace who you are. 2. Graduate School but Don’t Graduate Learning Authors James Kouzes and Barry Posner call learning the “Master Skill.” In other words, it’s the skill that makes all other skills possible. Learning is the skill that opens the door to future opportunities, future growth, and ultimately the person you want to become. Today might be the day you graduate school, but the day you graduate learning should be the day you draw your last breath. Do your future a favor and be a lifelong learner. 3. Pursue the Boredom of Success Success is usually perceived as a glamorous, adventure-filled road of glory, but it’s easy to forget that most overnight successes are actually twenty years in the making. Unfortunately, we tend to see the beauty of success but never the boredom of success. So, what’s my point? Behind the glitz and glamour of successful people is usually a very routine, even at times very boring, set of disciplines. Let me say it another way: riveting success is always preceded by routine boredom. In other words, before success ever shows up, there are days, weeks, months, and even years of disciplined, step-by-step, methodical, vanilla, bland routines. Think about it—professional golfers spend hours every day on the golf course…when the cameras aren’trolling. Musicians spend countless hours practicing…before a single concert ticket is ever sold. CEO’s spend untold hours in long meetings making tough decisions…before the bottom line ever shows a profit. And authors agonize over every chapter and go through endless rounds of edits…before a single copy of their book hits the shelves. That’s the boredom of success. But it’s worth it. It makes the success sweeter, and it helps us develop the character necessary to sustain the success. Boredom is part of the journey. So, rather than getting caught up in looking successful, pursue the boredom of success by establishing daily disciplines that will produce long-term health in key areas of your life. 4. Avoid Bad Attitudes While there are all kinds of bad attitudes, let me mention just three of them that can be particularly disruptive to your future. An attitude of negativity An attitude of arrogance An attitude of entitlement. If you avoid these bad attitudes, you will go farther, faster. If you have a positive attitude, you’ll connect better with people and you’ll be positioned with the mindset to see and seize the opportunities before you. 5. Develop a Healthy Perspective of Success and Failure All of us will have both successes and failures in life. Nobody is all success and zero failure or all failure and zero success. So, here’s the truth you must keep in mind: Don’t let success go to your head, and don’t let failure go to your heart. Don’t’ let success inflate your ego,