The challenge of execution is not a new problem.  In fact it is probably one of the most documented and enduring problems that organizations face. For decades Leaders & Managers have lamented that one of their most frustrating issue is the inability to successfully execute their most important initiatives. Click here to subscribe to my mailing list & receive my free Common Sense Leadership Guide! When we don't reach our goals we usually attribute the failure to a lack of detailed...

For years my focus on leadership development & growth was centered around the idea of attracting & influencing followers.  I think most leaders believe the pinnacle of successful leadership is having a dedicated and devoted team of followers who look to you for guidance. But focusing your leadership ambitions on creating loyal followers is short-sighted; you can certainly grow and be an effective leader by leading followers.  But if you really want to maximize your leadership and...

Leadership demands an inquisitive mindset; we must be curious if we are going to be leaders.  Leadership growth is stimulated by asking "Why?". Many people will never ask why enough in their lifetime; they feel that it is not their place or obligation.  I believe that we are all born to be naturally curious, but somewhere along the way we are taught not ask too many questions. Click here to subscribe to my mailing list & receive my free Common Sense Leadership Guide! This is a shame...

Time management is a true oxymoron; none of us can truly manage time.  Time continues whether we attempt to manage it or not. Time comes at us in the same exact increments no matter how fast you think, act, or plan. Click here to subscribe to my mailing list & receive my free Common Sense Leadership Guide! But as Henry David Thoreau said: "It is not enough to be busy.  The question is, 'What are we busy about?'" Being busy does NOT mean you're achieving; instead we need to ask ourselves...

The best way to crush mediocrity in our personal & professional lives is having the ability & courage to make sound and timely decisions. To make sound decisions you certainly know your mission, what you're capable of doing to accomplish it, & what possible traps or obstacles that could get in your way. Click here to subscribe to my mailing list & receive my free Common Sense Leadership Guide! I would argue that timeliness, however, is more important that soundness.  It is...

In 1920 there was a major change of attitude in the officer Corps with the U.S. Marines. General John Lejeune, the Commandant of the Marine Corps at the time, wrote the following on the heels of World War I: The World War wrought a great change in the relations between officers & enlisted men in the military services.  A spirit of comradeship & brotherhood in arms came into being in the training camps and on the battlefields.  This spirit is too fine a thing to be allowed to die.  It...

Pain & loss are inevitable facts of life; how you choose to deal with them is what can turn your failures into your greatest successes. Click here to subscribe to my mailing list & receive my free Common Sense Leadership Guide! The encouraging reality of dealing with pain & loss is that good management of bad experiences leads to great growth. I love the quote from John McDonnell where he said, "Every problem introduces a person to himself."  Pain can stop us dead in our...

Setting the Example is such a basic leadership fundamental; I usually lead off with this tenant in all of my leadership talks. Click here to subscribe to my mailing list & receive my free Common Sense Leadership Guide! It's one of those basic, common sense, leadership principles that when we hear it we say to ourselves, "of course, I understand that".  But successful leaders realize that you have to be intentional about setting the example.  It's easy to get complacent and forget that...

One requirement of leadership is to "know yourself & seek self-improvement".  To understand your true potential you must get comfortable and be honest with the person you see in the mirror. Click here to subscribe to my mailing list & receive my free Common Sense Leadership Guide! It's astonishing to realize how many of us deal with low self-image and low self-esteem.  Self esteem is the one of the most important key's to a person's behavior.  Having low self esteem puts a ceiling...

I absolutely hate mediocrity; I cannot stand the idea of settling and not stretching to our full potential.  I think as leaders we are obligated to shoot for better than average or mediocre. Creating an environment of initiative, assertiveness, and aggressive enthusiasm is a leadership requirement. As a leader if you have ever settled for the status quo and then wondered why our organizations or lives aren't going where we want, then we have to be willing to recognize that the only way to...

When I look back and replay the tape on some of my leadership failures, the failures often stemmed from me taking my eye off of the simple and obvious.  The times I have failed as a leader were those times I was focused on myself. As leaders we have to realize the basic essential hunger that rests in all of us; the desire to be appreciated, approved, valued, and accepted. It’s so basic and ripe with “common sense”, but if we as leaders could learn to focus all of our energy on serving...

Personal Growth is not a natural process in most people’s lives. In this podcast I discuss how being intentional is the first step in your personal & leadership growth; and I highlight John Maxwell's "Growth Gap Traps": The Assumption Gap – “I assume that I will automatically grow.” The Knowledge Gap – “I don’t know how to grow” The Timing Gap – “It’s not the right time to begin.” The Mistake Gap – “I am afraid of making mistakes” The Perfection Gap – “I have to find the best way...

Confidence is a cornerstone of authentic leadership; it's also at the "core" of a natural charismatic leadership style. Intuitively we all know that we need to be confident to be leaders; we naturally follow and are drawn to confident leaders. So the question becomes how do we gain confidence? It certainly comes with knowledge and experience.  But the unfortunate reality is that we are often thrust into positions and situations which we have little knowledge or experience in; yet the...

One of the greatest leadership challenges is the actual act of leading ourselves. Some things to consider/some brutal facts to face when we deal with self-leadership: Activity does not necessarily equal accomplishment. Leaders who aren’t focused aren’t as effective as they could be. Human nature seems to endow us with the ability to size up everybody in the world except ourselves. In this podcast episode I discuss the Keys to Leading Yourself Learn follower-ship. What does it truly...

When I think of the concept of courage I’m often drawn towards those larger than life, uncommon examples of valor that are held in reverence and awe. For example, Medal of Honor recipient Sgt John Basilone on Guadalcanal repelling 3,000 Japanese for three days and nights without sleep, rest, or food; or Neil Armstrong taking control away from the computer and manually flying the Lunar Module to a safer landing spot on the moon with only 40 seconds of fuel to spare. It’s easy to understand...

It’s inevitable that at some point in your life you will face a situation that will require you to remain calm under pressure. Your child is choking, a customer is irate and irrational, a team member is not pulling his weight, you come upon a car accident, you fly your aircraft through a flock of birds on take-off and lose all of your engines… How you respond to stressful situations will make or break you as a leader. As leaders you have no choice but to remain calm, regardless of the...

Rules can be a good thing.  We need them in our society for order, civility, and safety. In the aviation community, pilots literally live and die by them.  It’s been said that a pilot’s Flight Manual (rule book) is written in blood; you don’t follow what’s in the rule book, bad things can and will happen. In Navy/Marine Corps aviation, the rule book for all aircraft is the NATOPS flight manual.  In the opening paragraph of this manual is this blunt statement: “This manual contains vital and...

The reality is that all of us are dealing with ever increasing levels of chaos in all aspects of our lives.  The question becomes how do we effectively deal with the chaos and uncertainty that surrounds us. Though I’m not an advocate of bringing gasoline to a fire and adding to the chaos, I’ve resigned my thinking and mindset that uncertainty and chaos are inevitable. Therefore I focus on how to become comfortable operating and excelling within an unpredictable chaotic environment. In this...

Knowing your place as a leader has little, if anything, to do with where you reside in an organizational chart. Instead it has everything to do with fully understanding what you can affect in your current situation as a leader; and consequently putting all of your energy and focus on where you can be the most effective. In this episode I highlight: That as a leaders we like to focus on big solutions and the big ideas. But we can't lose sight of what we truly can affect. Even in the most...

Accountability & Responsibility. People often use these terms interchangeably; often believing that they mean the same thing. If you are interested in dipping your foot into the leadership pool, you must understand that there is a subtle but very powerful difference between accountability and responsibility. As a leader you must understand that you can delegate responsibility to numerous individuals all day long; but only one person can be held accountable. In this episode of the...

Welcome to the very first episode of the Courageous Leadership Podcast.  This is episode introduces the purpose of the podcast: To help all of us develop an authentic leadership presence, crush limiting beliefs, and overcome mediocrity in our lives. Other highlights from this episode: The podcast will release five episodes a week. Each episode will be 10-15 minutes in length; perfect for your daily commute or exercise routine. The importance of leadership. My leadership philosophy and...