Leaders lead.It’s a simple truth, but one that can be hard to pin down pragmatically. When your business is growing, what’s the best way to execute your objectives as a leader in a way that ensures all your employees’ benefit?Fortunately, we recently got to sit down with James Frank—the CEO of Sharp Iron and Transland, as well as a representative in the Texas House of Representatives—on (Continue)
Leadership
The Characteristics of Great Leadership in the Workplace
What makes a good leader?A delegator?An inspirer?A strong force on the front lines?It can be argued that a good leader consists of all of those things.But how should leadership in the workplace be encouraged and developed?In a recent conversation with Bob Payton, President and CEO of Dental Planet, Bob gives insight into what good leadership in the workplace looks like. Bob (Continue)
Here’s How to Grow Your Business
Many years ago, a friend told me about a seminar that he had attended. Each seminar participant received a cap with the word ON on the front of the cap and the word IN on the back of the cap. They were asked at the start of the seminar to wear the cap backward - showing the IN above his or her face. Each person could not turn around the cap with the ON above his or her face until they (Continue)
The Leadership Parallels Between Nonprofit & For-Profit Organizations
Leadership is not one size fits all.In fact, many people have their unique style.Whether you are leading a nonprofit or for-profit organization, under it all, the same parallels remain.I had a chance to sit down with an old friend Ray Klinginsmith, and chat about the leadership parallels that are experienced whether you are in a nonprofit or for-profit organization. Universal (Continue)
Five Habits of Personal Growth
A few years ago, I took my oldest grandson to a traditional circus show passing through our hometown. We had such a great time. It reminded me when I was a little boy, and my dad would take me to the circus. I have such fond memories of those days that when our three boys were young, I took them as well. I have always been amazed by the overwhelming size and raw power of the elephants. How (Continue)
Serve First, Lead Second
Recently, I ate breakfast at Chick-fil-A. The food was delicious, and their uncommon and consistent customer service was excellent as usual. I bet you've eaten at a Chick-fil-A, and can almost guarantee you have had the same experience that exceeds expectations. In my company, we called this a Triple-EEE experience. Did you know that the company generates more revenue per restaurant than (Continue)
A Simple Way to Measure Your Leadership Effectiveness
As the years went by, I learned to hire people who complimented and completed me and who were better than I was at driving for results and managing the things of the business. My strength was enhancing relationships and leading the people. I knew our leadership team was better at the technical job skills training than I was. And I began to understand that I was stronger at developing our (Continue)
A Sure-fire Way to Stand Out From Your Competition
As our business kept growing, I had less and less time to help around the house. And I’m so thankful that my wife agreed to become the plumber, the electrician, the person to take care of the yard, a whole host of trees, and the swimming pool. She paid all our personal bills along with chauffeuring our three boys and their friends. I could not have done all that I accomplished without (Continue)
Should Leaders Focus on Training or Development?
Some things that happen in life hit you like a tidal wave and my dad’s unexpected death was like that for me. The year was 1973. I was 20 years old and a recent university graduate when my dad died. That is when I was thrust to become the new leader of our small family business of five employees. The second wave of surprise and disbelief hit me when I discovered that our business was carrying (Continue)
The Six-Figure Productivity Technique
Recently, I read a famous story told by James Clear: “By 1918, Charles M. Schwab was one of the richest men in the world. Schwab was the president of the Bethlehem Steel Corporation, the largest shipbuilder and the second-largest steel producer in America at the time. The famous inventor Thomas Edison once referred to Schwab as the ‘master hustler.’ He was constantly seeking an edge over (Continue)