7 Years

Beingaleader has now been published every Tuesday morning for the past seven years. It has been a journey to provide my contemporaneous thoughts on leadership. Below is that first blog from January 1, 2019 that outlines what I've tried to do and I feel like I've stayed on point during this whole time. Read the … Continue reading 7 Years →

Modern Leadership – Conflict

Beingaleader means you have to deal with conflict. And in today's modern workplace, conflict can take on a whole new meaning requiring a whole new approach. Conflict is usually best dealt with face to face. That's a new problem for this remote world. At best, face to face is via a screen. That creates new … Continue reading Modern Leadership – Conflict →

Modern Leadership #2 – Vulnerable

Beingaleader means you need to change and adapt to the modern leadership landscape. We touched on checking on your employees last week. This week it's the opposite angle to the same thing: showing your vulnerability to your team. Vulnerability you say? Not me. Never. That's the same thing as weakness. And leadership is about strength … Continue reading Modern Leadership #2 – Vulnerable →

Modern Leadership #1 – Employee Burnout

Beingaleader means you need to adapt and change to not just the culture in general but to the culture and characteristics of the modern employee. We will start a small series on topics that might not have been important or as important 30 years ago but are critically important in today's marketplace leadership. We will … Continue reading Modern Leadership #1 – Employee Burnout →

Fuzzy

#Beingaleader oftentimes means that you are leading while your head and eyes and vision are fuzzy. You don't quite know where to go. What to do or what's going to happen. Your site is fuzzy. But you still have to get up in the morning. You still have to lead others. You still have things … Continue reading Fuzzy →

Blind

#Beingaleader means you cannot be blind to what is going on. Blind to who is doing what. Who excels. Who is dragging your team down. Personal loyalty aside, you have to keep your eyes open to what is going on and who is doing what. We probably can all relate stories of people in leadership … Continue reading Blind →

Lies

#Beingaleader means you have to deal with lies. Lies from others. Lies from within. We hear so many lies every day. Intentional ones. Unintentional ones. Cultural ones. Things we thought were true but aren't. People lie to you all the time. Sometimes with malice. Sometimes with ignorance. They often just can't help themselves. So you … Continue reading Lies →

Restraint

#Beingaleader means that sometimes it's best not to say anything.

Promote

#Beingaleader means you need to promote yourself. But you ask, that doesn't sound like me. It sounds arrogant. Or you're putting yourself above others. All of my writings on this blog have been under the guise of servant leadership with one specific blog on that very topic directly https://beingaleader.blog/2022/12/13/1557/. However, there comes a time when … Continue reading Promote →

Composed

#Beingaleader means you have to be composed. Composed in the face of change. Composed in the face of difficulty. Composed for those around you. You set the tone. You set the team atmosphere. Better for you to be composed. Look, life is full of curveballs. They happen to all of us and they can happen … Continue reading Composed →

Storm

#Beingaleader means you are often in the storm. You need to know how to handle them because they won't be a one time occurrence. They will keep on coming. Storms bring chaos. They bring stress. They bring uncertainty. How you respond to the storm will define your leadership. Storms are inevitable. Often unavoidable. And yet … Continue reading Storm →

Money – Giving

#Beingaleader means you need to understand about giving. Generosity. Doing something for others without the expectation of return. First, you earn. Then you save and invest. And along the way you need to learn to give. Not out of pressure. But as a way of life. To show gratitude for what you have. Acknowledging the … Continue reading Money – Giving →

Vulnerable

#Beingaleader means you need to embrace vulnerability. Be who you really are and not some fake personality that blusters over every one. Leadership is often associated with strength, confidence, and decisiveness. But true leadership isn’t about projecting perfection—it’s about being real. It means being willing to admit that you don’t have all the answers, that … Continue reading Vulnerable →

Appreciate

#Beingaleader means you need to be the head appreciator for your team. Appreciate what your team is doing. Appreciate the business you are in. The position you have and the opportunities given for the next position. What does it mean to appreciate your team and their efforts? It means to recognize their true or whole … Continue reading Appreciate →

Downside

#Beingaleader will come with a downside. Your energy will go. You will need to put others first. You will be disappointed at times. You may be alone. And you may have to do things you don't want to do. How's that for encouraging people into #Beingaleader? But it is true. It's not all about being … Continue reading Downside →

Bridges

#Beingaleader means you need to build bridges. To others. For others. To build bridges means to help you or your team or someone you are working with to see an opposing point of view or a different way of doing things. Sometimes it's a communication style. Sometimes it's a different way of prioritizing. Sometimes you … Continue reading Bridges →

Timid

#Beingaleader means you sometimes have to fight being timid. Even if it's in your nature to be timid. You can't always allow yourself to be so. Or to remain timid too long. Being timid is when you lack confidence. You're afraid of what might happen depending on what decision you make. Or you're lacking the … Continue reading Timid →

Humility

#Beingaleader means that you need humility. Not humiliation. Humility. One happens to you. The other is something you have. It's who you are. Humiliation is when you do something stupid and it turns out into a situation that embarrasses you or your team. This should be avoided as much as possible. It is something that … Continue reading Humility →

Lost

#Beingaleader means that sometimes you feel lost. Unable to find your way. Or having misplaced the path of the direction you felt you were headed in. That pit in your stomach feeling that things just aren't going the way they are supposed to. Being lost is not a good feeling. It's disorienting. It might even … Continue reading Lost →

Waiting Room

#Beingaleader means you are often in the waiting room. Now, I've touched on waiting before (https://beingaleader.blog/2021/02/02/waiting/), but the waiting room can be even deeper than simply waiting for something to happen. What does it mean to be in the waiting room? It means you feel like you have a dream or a promise or desire … Continue reading Waiting Room →

Accountability

#Beingaleader means you need accountability. To others. For your actions, activities, schedule. I know. I know. You're a leader. But we're not perfect. We make mistakes and need someone to help us own them. Mistakes in time management or in priorities. Accountable. But wait, you say. I'm the top dog. The person in charge. Others … Continue reading Accountability →

Answers

#Beingaleader does not mean you have all the answers. The sooner you come to that realization, the better leader you will be. You will need to seek after them, however. It is your job to find the source of the answers you are seeking because at the end of the day, it is you that … Continue reading Answers →

Uncertain

#Beingaleader means you are often uncertain. Uncertain about what to do. Uncertain about next steps. Uncertain about your leadership.Every leader has found themselves in a place where they are uncertain about what to do. They are facing a conflict they've never faced before. They are facing uncertain markets that they have never experienced before. They … Continue reading Uncertain →

Dignified

#Beingaleader means you need to be dignified. Not crass. Not vulgar. Not boorish. Not overbearing. Dignified. Calm, impressive and deserving of respect. So how do you react to stress, bad things happening or difficult people? Are you calm, impressive and deserving of respect? Or do people cower and resent your involvement? Too many people equate … Continue reading Dignified →

Fair

#Beingaleader means you need to be fair. Even keeled. Fair-minded. And equal in your treatment of people and situations. Fair means to be just and impartial. Not showing favoritism to anyone. Unbiased. And it's really hard to do. When dealing with people, it is inevitable that you have favorites. That doesn't necessarily mean you like … Continue reading Fair →

Curveball

#Beingaleader means you're sometimes thrown a curveball. Something unexpected. Something life altering. How will you react? Don't try to hide. Don't try to deny it happened. Embrace the suck as they say. Allow yourself time to grieve whatever loss you experienced with that curveball. Maybe it's a relationship lost. A position lost. A change in … Continue reading Curveball →

Alert

#Beingaleader means you need to be alert. Alert to dangers. Alert to your people's needs. Alert to new trends. Failure to be alert could spell disaster. #Beingaleader means you need to be alert to dangers. Dangers to your team. Dangers to your product or process. Dangers that might stop you from achieving your goals. Keep … Continue reading Alert →

You

#Beingaleader means you need to check on yourself now and again. So how are you doing? Not just the leader you, but the you, you? How are you, doing? Are you in any pain? Are you reacting out of that pain onto your team? Do you have someone safe to talk to about that pain? … Continue reading You →

Merit

#Beingaleader means you need to have merit. Merit means to be worthy of. Possessing good and worthwhile qualities. When something has merit, it is considered valuable. People view it will positivity. Something to seek after. To grow for sure. But you have it to begin with. What qualities do you have? Since you are a … Continue reading Merit →

Teachable

#Beingaleader means you need to be teachable. You need to learn to learn from others. Be willing. Be intentional. Let's face it. You have much to learn. We all do. Usually the things stopping you from learning are either arrogance or complacency. Arrogance must be acknowledged before you can proceed. For complacency, you just have … Continue reading Teachable →

Unity

#Beingaleader means you need to seek unity. Unity of purpose. Unity of destination. Unity of winning. Seek it. Meaning you go after the unity you want and need. It doesn't just happen. In fact, left to our own devices, we will have the opposite of unity. You don't have to try for chaos and disunity. … Continue reading Unity →

Weaknesses

#Beingaleader means you need to work with your weaknesses. Identify them. Use them. Grow them into something. Share your growth with others. We too often focus only on our strengths. We should not forget to work on our weaknesses so we accomplish even more than what we set out to do.So, are you able to … Continue reading Weaknesses →

Pause

#Beingaleader means you sometimes need to take a pause. Halt the process to reassess. Regroup even. Allow time to go by before moving forward. Pause.Things seem to be going well so why pause now? Well, perhaps on the surface things are going well. But how is everyone really doing? Have they been pushing too hard, … Continue reading Pause →

Chores

#Beingaleader means you have to do a lot of chores. Chores that need to be done. Chores you see the value in. Chores you don't want to do. But they still need to be done and you are the person to do them. Just like being a parent requires you to do things that you … Continue reading Chores →

Bitterness

#Beingaleader means you have to deal with your bitterness. Towards others. Towards yourself. Towards the circumstances that you find yourself in today. Bitterness can be defined as "anger and disappointment at being treated unfairly." How you deal with bitterness will have a huge impact on your success as a leader. How do you react when … Continue reading Bitterness →

Opposite

#Beingaleader means you have to act the opposite of others many times. Counterintuitive. Against the grain. Often without explanation. Lead. Is someone being mean? Be nice. Is someone angry? Be calming. Is someone rushing ahead and making mistakes? Slow down and have a conversation. You will find that often people are reactive. You need to … Continue reading Opposite →

Heat

#Beingaleader means you have to learn to take the heat. Live in the heat. Embrace the heat. Heat can come from decisions you made. Good or bad. Or it might come from decisions others made over which you had no control. Either way you need to learn to take the heat. Live in the heat. … Continue reading Heat →

Unnoticed

#Beingaleader means you often have to do things unnoticed. This may seem contrary to your concept of leadership which is often portrayed as being upfront. In the center of attention. Noticed. That's the overall, outsider perception. And if that's what you're seeking then you need to rethink what leadership is. It's like looking at the … Continue reading Unnoticed →

Honesty

#Beingaleader means you need to lead with honesty. Honesty can be defined as having fairness and frankness. Fairness is the way we want to be treated and frankness is when you are clear in your communication. Honesty means you need to be fair. Fair to your team. Fair to your clients. Fair to yourself. To … Continue reading Honesty →

The Point

#Beingaleader means you have to get to the point. Be direct. Say what you mean. Your expectations. Your evaluation of them or their progress. Clearly. Concisely. Using examples when needed but not telling a story without getting to the punchline. You are not helping others by beating around the bush. It is not kindness to … Continue reading The Point →

Alone

#Beingaleader means you often have to stand alone. At least at first. Your job is often to inspire others to join you but it presupposes that you are alone at the beginning. The idea is yours. The stance is yours. The product or service is yours. Alone. Are you willing to stand alone? To press … Continue reading Alone →

Building

#Beingaleader means you need to always be building. Building on the past. Building for the future. Building on what you have to work with. Skills. People. Experiences. Continuing to grow your building blocks. Building on your past includes all of the things you've experienced this past year: the good and the bad. The easy and … Continue reading Building →

Patience

#Beingaleader means you have to exhibit patience. Patience is defined as more than waiting (https://beingaleader.blog/2021/02/02/waiting/). Patience is more what you do with the waiting. It is defined as 'the capacity to accept or tolerate delay, trouble, or suffering without getting angry or upset.' So, while many people might be okay with waiting, they aren't very … Continue reading Patience →

“Good” Leader

#Beingaleader means you should want to be a "good" leader. But how is "good" defined and how do you achieve it? So and so is a "good" leader. What do you mean by that? Is it their character? Personality? How they treat others? Skill set? Compassion? Attitude? Yes to all. Someone can be an effective … Continue reading “Good” Leader →

Power

Whether you like it or not, #Beingaleader means you wield some power. From your position. From your followers. From your experience. Even from your presence. How you use that power will determine what kind of leader you will be and how worthy you are of those followers. Power is an interesting thing. There is an … Continue reading Power →

Goodbyes

#Beingaleader means your life can be full of goodbyes. To people. To projects. Nothing seems to last forever. This week was full of goodbyes. A belated goodbye to a father who's life we could not previously celebrate together as a family due to borders being closed. A goodbye to a mother who we might never … Continue reading Goodbyes →

Frustration

#Beingaleader means you can feel a lot of frustration. At yourself. At others. At circumstances. At the inability to do things better or change an outcome. It's just frustrating how some people act or don't learn or don't care. Frustration. So how do you deal with frustration? Do you let it consume you? Do you … Continue reading Frustration →

Baggage

#Beingaleader means you have to deal with baggage. Sometimes your own. Sometimes others'. Either way you need to know how to deal with it or get rid of it before it drags you down. What does your baggage look like? Is it emotional? Bad experiences? Each one of us is a compilation of experiences, good … Continue reading Baggage →

Title

#Beingaleader does not mean you will always have a title. Nor should you think that having such a title means that you are a leader. Nor should it be your goal. A title is bestowed. Leadership is learned and earned. Being named CEO doesn't make you a leader. Nor does Group Leader, Doctor, Colonel, Pastor, … Continue reading Title →

Bully

#Beingaleader means you are not a bully. You cannot be a bully and still be a true leader. A bully is defined as someone who uses fear and intimidation to get their way. Whether through shouting or threats or other forms. I'm less interested in whether you've experienced this (I have) but rather whether you … Continue reading Bully →