Most speakers think they are better speakers than they actually are. Most leaders think they are better leaders than reality says they are. And most professional football players, according to John Madden, think they are better than they actually are. John Madden played, coached, and commentated professional football, but he is perhaps most known for…
Pride
10 Differences between Cockiness and Confidence
You have heard it said that there is a thin line between confidence and cockiness, but the truth is they are miles apart. A cocky leader is not a leader with simply too much confidence; confidence and cockiness are very different traits all together. Here are ten differences between cockiness and confidence. 1. Confidence can…
Links for Leaders 4/28/17
“I don’t know a single person, even a seasoned professional speaker, who doesn’t get at least a few nervous butterflies before they speak.” Professional speaker Jill Schiefelbein shares seven delivery skills for public speaking, an important skill for many if not all leaders. “If you want to change your life, it requires intentionality. Changing your…
10 Signs You Are More Prideful Than You Realize
Though all of us struggle with pride, we often don’t recognize pride in our own lives and leadership. C. S. Lewis called pride the great sin and the sin we see in others much more easily than we see in ourselves. Following are ten signs leaders are more prideful than they realize. I wrote the list…
The NBA Championship and How the Mighty Fall
In his business book, How the Mighty Fall, Jim Collins chronicles what causes great companies to crumble. The first stage is hubris. The dictionary defines hubris as excessive pride. When the Cleveland Cavaliers beat the Golden State Warriors last night to win their first NBA championship behind monster performances from LeBron James and Kyrie Irving,…
Links for Leaders 4/1/16
Leaders don’t stay in their positions forever. In today’s workplace, people are changing jobs more frequently than ever. However, if a new opportunity has come your way and you plan to leave your current role, here are three things to do before you go. “Emotional intelligence is the extent to which someone is able to…
You’re Not a Leader If You Never Say You’re Sorry
You are not a good leader if you never tell people you are sorry. There are a myriad of issues in the heart of a leader who never apologizes. If you never apologize, at least one of the following is also true: You reveal you think you are infallible. If you never apologize, if you…
The Harm of Leadership Leapfrogging
New leaders are always in great demand. New opportunities and growth keeps the demand high, and sadly the supply is often low. We have, in many places, a leadership development problem. New opportunities and growth confront leaders with the constant need for more leaders. A new opportunity arises for your ministry and you look for…
Links for Leaders 3/6/15
“Jesus was a friend of sinners. This is clearly established throughout the gospels. Jesus was among them, in relationship with them, respected by them and evidently they enjoyed his company enough that they continued to seek him out.” -Micah Fries sharing three ways to be a friend of sinners. Pride is insidious, isn’t it? Leaders…
3 Ways to Implode as a Leader
We shouldn’t be surprised when great leaders implode, when their inner lives cave in dramatic fashion. We should grieve, pray, and love, but we shouldn’t think ourselves better and we shouldn’t be caught off guard. David, a man after God’s own heart, imploded spiritually, and this adversely impacted lots of lives in the process. Sadly,…