As dynamic leaders, we love to move fast and get things done! But BEFORE you move too quickly onto the next big mountain, it’s important to take some time to EVALUATE where you’re at & how you’re doing. These honest moments come from the desire to always get better. Whether it’s with your team, family, or even self-reflection, taking time to evaluate is essential to success.

Sometimes leaders are faced with situations that they can lead through by drawing on past experiences. But what about the times when something in completely NEW, and you find yourself in uncharted waters? Everyone is looking to you to lead, but there are is no precedent and no map for where to go or how to get there. Even in uncertainty, we believe you can take steps in the right direction. With a clear vision, you can prepare your team for the choppy waters ahead. This ain't no cruise ship,...

If your team lacks trust, it’s quite possible that you haven’t gone first in vulnerability. Believe it or not, vulnerability is a leader’s sign of strength, not weakness. When done appropriately, vulnerability can be a huge asset to foster collaboration, trust, and bonding on an otherwise splintered team. But as always, it means WE as leaders must go first. Vulnerability with stability leads to healthy, growing teams.

President Harry Truman was famous for the sign on his desk, “The buck stops here.” In other words, the final decision rests with the leader. But how do you know what the right decision is? Or even more importantly, WHEN to make it? The answers to these questions usually lead to a wide range of outcomes --- from raving success to utter disaster! There are best practices to making timely decisions & they can be learned with discipline and courage. LEAN IN!

Olympic gold medalist Michael Phelps said, “I believe the only difference between gold and silver medal winners is their attitude, not their ability.” Simply put, nothing affects an outcome quite like your attitude. Your circle of influence & every room you walk into will be affected by your attitude - positive or negative. And when we feel like SOMETHING needs to change in our life - our careers, our relationships, our broken situations - our attitude must change FIRST! Your attitude is...

Currently in the United States, anxiety affects more than 40 million adults and that number is only increasing and often highly under-reported. Even when everything in life may say that we’re successful, our anxiety will tell us that something is wrong, that something is just off. And what about those everyday stressors that just drive us crazy? Why are we so stressed and what do we do about it?

Currently in the United States, anxiety affects more than 40 million adults and that number is only increasing and often highly under-reported. Even when everything in life may say that we’re successful, our anxiety will tell us that something is wrong, that something is just off. And what about those everyday stressors that just drive us crazy? Why are we so stressed and what do we do about it?

One of the common themes we’ve explored is the concept of pursuing people who are further along than you in their leadership journey. As you grow, others will look to you to mentor them on their journey — whether it’s their career, family, finances, or personal influence. It’s an honor that anyone would ask, but it’s important to use wisdom in how you approach mentoring others. You only have so much bandwidth and so much time, so you must steward it well! So what should you be looking for...

Maturity isn’t defined by age, personality, or even experience. It’s marked by traits that a leader of any age can begin to adopt and walk out in their everyday life. The best part is that none of these come with a certain set of talent or charisma, but are made up of daily choices that will set you apart if you decide follow it. To say it explicitly, well…JUST LEAD!

Great leaders aren't focused on how many followers they have, but on how many leaders they are developing. This takes an extra stretch of leadership capacity, but it's key to going to the next level in your leadership. And let's be honest! Leading other leaders is hard. Sometimes it can feel like you've got a tiger by the tail! But trust us; it's so worth it. When you let go of the need for control & recognition, and instead invest your time into the potential of future leaders, your life...

Here's the deal, appreciation is not just a nice idea - it's a winning formula! Genuine appreciation inspires like nothing else and has a multiplying effect. A rising tide lifts all boats. And when you RAISE UP the unique contributions of others, it LIFTS up their attitude, spirit, morale, and spurs them along to excellence. But for appreciation to work, you have to develop a keen eye & position yourself to catch people doing something RIGHT, before correcting them and telling them what...

What happens when your team under-achieves, under-performs, and at times miss the most important values? It's far too easy to play the blame game, throw your hands up in frustration and say, "THEY just aren't cutting it!" But healthy leaders take a different approach. Rather than pointing fingers, they look in the mirror and find ways to improve their own leadership.

“WE NEED TO TALK!” Does that phrase trigger something inside of you? Why or why not? The reality is, confrontation is NOT negative, but necessary in our life, family, or organization! The only reason we have a negative reaction to it, is because we’ve seen it done so poorly. However, when done in the most healthy way, confrontation can be a catalyst to a better relationship. Once you understand your approach to confrontation, you can better pursue healthy next steps to growth.

As leaders, we love to get things done, crush it, conquer, and advance! But we can’t look past the blinking light on the dashboard, no matter how fast we’re moving. The truth is, the conversation around mental health has been ignored for far too long. We receive messages and hear stories of leaders who are struggling with thoughts, insecurities, fear, stress, and anxiety on a regular basis. So how do we take action? When you make the decision to take care of your mind and emotions, healthy...

Any time there’s a major issue in culture whether it be current events, politics, trending topics, or maybe something specific to your niche – people inevitably ask YOU as a leader, “what are your thoughts?” We live in an increasing soapbox culture where we hear many leaders say they feel a certain pressure to “post thoughts” or weigh in on current events. Social media has amplified this more than ever and it raises the question — when is the right time to comment on something, and when...

What happens when ego gets in the way of moving things forward? Whether it’s your life, family, or organization — our own ego can be a major roadblock to progress. And if we’re not careful, we can start making decisions that feed our ego, but cause harm to where we’re leading. How do we take a healthy approach. One that has the confidence needed to know your worth, but also willing to set aside personal preferences for the sake of progress.

Vision may very well be the most important responsibility of any leader. Without it, life grows mundane. People become frustrated or unmotivated. Organizations decline. But vision is more than hype, and more than just dreaming. It's about helping people see a better future and compelling them to come along for the ride. Vision is about calling people to action, one step at a time.

Leaders are learners. Period, end of story. No debate! They are always looking for ways to improve, get better, and lean into whatever it takes to grow. And it doesn't stop with a degree in organizational leadership or getting the dream sales job! The best leaders are LIFELONG learners, and they adopt the teachable attitude that everyone and everything can teach me something. So how do you develop teachability and the hunger to learn in your own life, as well as your team? Let's lean in and...

Can we be honest? Your family may be the most challenging organization you'll ever lead. Sure, all the leadership podcasts, motivational YouTube videos, and the next guy selling their masterclass might equip you with "leadership knowledge." But all of the hype often goes out the window when we stop teaching what we know, and reproducing who we are. The family is a crucible of leadership where we really find out if we believe all this stuff. And truthfully, it's the simple common-sense...

It's not uncommon over time to build close relationships with your co-workers. However, in a rapidly changing marketplace, how do you handle it when a trusted co-worker and even confidant, becomes your boss? YIKES! Now, the relationship is different. You used to always catch lunch on Friday, talk about the game from the weekend, and maybe even hang out after work from time to time. But now, the power dynamic has shifted and you're not quite sure to handle it when one of your peers is now in...

The reality is, Millennials are no longer the “new kids on the block” in the workforce. They are the majority, and even mid-career. Millennial are ages 27-43, prime ages to take on new managerial and leadership roles. It’s the “earning years” if you will. However, over the past decade, the conversation of Millennials in the workplace has been rife with misunderstanding. Stereotypes like entitlement, lack of commitment, resistance to adversity, etc. are all too easy to apply to an age...

Just a quick update on our release schedule moving forward. As leaders, we know that consistency matters & it’s important to know exactly WHEN episodes will drop here on the podcast. That way you can build it into your schedule and never be left guessing if there’s something new on the way. So here it is, ready?!? Every 1st & 3rd Wednesday, so twice a month — a NEW episode of the Just Lead Podcast will be release right here on your favorite podcast platform. So we’ll be back next week...

The branding of “dream college” is a lucrative one. Many students are sold grand ideas of campus life with vast social life, student perks, world-class dorms, football teams, and the messaging that says if you wear these colors, you are somebody. This is all propelled by a very competitive academic environment, and a social pressure that students feel to be accepted and belong. In many cases, college is the price of admission for many careers. But that doesn't mean you can't approach it with...

This week's episode features special guest, Todd Hopkins. Todd Hopkins is the founder and Chief Visionary Officer of Office Pride Commercial Cleaning Services, an award-winning janitorial franchising company and one of the most respected brands in its industry. Office Pride, with headquarters in Palm Harbor, has 140+ franchise locations in 24 states and growing. Todd is an international best-selling author or co-author of four books, including his most recent Stop Using the "B" Word: Overcome...

In all our years developing leaders, one of the biggest misconceptions is that leadership is reserved for the extroverts. You get it --- loud, boisterous, large and in-charge. And many introverts who would make PHENOMENAL leaders disqualify themselves. Some of our introvert friends have even reported being overlooked or passed up for leadership opportunities. But if you look closer, introverts actually possess valuable leadership traits that are full of potential. It's time to bust some myths...