Great Leaders are Great Listeners

This week we dive into the concept of learning to listen well and effectively as a leader. What are you learning about the practice of listening in your leadership?

Great Leaders ask Great Questions

I'm going to experiment with a series of 90 second videos of different topics in the realm of leadership that are making me think. Today, it's all about questions. How are you utilizing the art of asking great questions to help shape those around you?

The Challenge

Selfish or Selfless


The older I get, the more self absorbed I become. I'm focused on the next phase of development, opportunity or challenge that I can overcome. The desire to leave a legacy that impacts those around me drives me forward...but at what cost?

I'm a parent of 5 children. Can I really afford to be so self-absorbed that I miss the opportunity to shape the future leadership generation of the world in which I will grow old and more reliant in?

I believe one of the foundational challenges that every leader faces is the choice to remain selfless or the choice to embrace the growing desire to be selfish.

So I'm asking myself today, in what I choose to do, will this benefit only me, or will this serve those around me?

Leaders that are selfless are leaders who leave a legacy worth imitating.

Sent

Thankful to have had the opportunity to share about something I've been thinking about for quite awhile. The concept of being sent.

I like to think, and combining this passion along with one of my favourite books to read and to study (the Bible), well...there is no shortage of inspiring discoveries.

Have a listen -

Can I Make an Observation?

I like to observe. It's one of my favourite things, and no, I don't believe that makes me a creeper.

I like to take notice of patterns, habits, tendencies and systems. I like to attempt to identify what changes I can make to something in order to get a better result. I enjoy watching, strategizing, planning and activating in learning.

That doesn't make me weird, it just makes me, me.

2016 has been an incredibly interesting year so far. I've had the opportunity of witnessing my youngest daughter continue to grow and morph before my eyes, all while learning to wait for and get to what this next longer term season looks like for our family. If you want to know what's up with us, take a look at this video:

I sometimes wonder if I am too busy to notice all that is happening around me. I've heard people say that you need to "stop and smell the roses" from time to time, and well, those people are right.

Being busy gets in the way from actually being productive.

A flurry of activity doesn't always equal greater results. I can finally say that I'm learning to stop, listen, create and learn so that I can move forward.

Maybe it's time for you to make the same observation?

The Future is Closer than You Think

As a leader, husband and father I've always been drawn to think more about what's coming than what is right now. It's both a blessing and a curse. It's a blessing in that I'm constantly planning for what might be around the next corner. But it's also a curse because at times I lose sight of what is right in front of me. I need the people around me (family, teammates and friends) to keep me grounded.

Working in the present while being mindful of the future is a skill I'm learning to develop.

The truth about the future is that it is in constant motion, and what we do today, shapes what will be tomorrow. The other truth about the future is that it is a lot closer than we sometimes think.

I've heard many grandparents share with me over the years that it "only seems like yesterday" when they were holding their first child, and now as grandparents they find themselves in a completely different stage of life.

Time is always moving forward. It never moves backward. Every second that ticks away brings what is coming closer to what is already.

The future cannot be avoided. The future may not be televised, but the future is now more than ever.

Plan for tomorrow by leading well today. The future is much closer than we think.

Being Shaped by Rhythm

Every season has a purpose.

Winter is meant to shape new life.

Spring brings new life to fruition.

Fall is the transition of life to death.

And summer...well summer is all about rest & fun.

For the better part of the last 5 years I've been captivated by the idea of rhythm. 

Creation

People

Life cycles

Business

All of these elements have one thing in common...rhythm.

It's in understanding the rhythms that are at play, those that are self-imposed and those that are systemically imposed that you can find a way to create a life rhythm for yourself (and your family) that is not only sustainable, but one that is also life-giving.

For some, it's a desire to be surrounded by everything familiar in order to foster a rhythm that is life-giving and sustainable. For others, it may be the complete opposite.

One thing is absolute in either setting, rhythm cannot be avoided or ignored. 

If you're in a space where you are questioning whether or not your pace of life (also known as rhythm) is sustainable, perhaps it's time to discover what elements you can adjust to shape a reality moving forward.

What do you think? How does the rhythm of your life impact you story and your legacy?