When most of us hear the word leadership, we usually think of political officials, CEOs, military commanders, or even athletes. While it's true that you need good leadership skills to excel at these occupations, leadership is a valuable skill that everyone from any vocation or background can use for their benefit and the benefit of others.

 Effective leadership doesn't come naturally for most of us. Luckily, there are several methods that you can use to build and refine your leadership skills.

Discover the leader in you! Try these techniques to boost your leadership skills: 

1. Strive for excellence. Part of being a successful leader is your ability to set the bar for others. You can be a good role model by constantly seeking...

5 Steps to Clarity: The Master Key to Success

We all dream of more success. Not one leader I spend time with lacks the desire for more success in some area of their leadership and goal achievement. The desire for success is wired into us like a beacon calling out or name. I guess that is what makes us a leader. This desire to make things better and achieve more for ourselves and our companies.

So, why are we so discontent? Why do we lack the success we are seeking? Why are we always seeking “our” more?

A few years ago, Diana Nyad completed a swim from Cuba to Florida. I am sure you heard a little about the story. If not, here is a link to the story: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I9J48SoMV7E

This accomplishment took Diana...

In the dictionary, comfort is defined as a sense of physical or psychological ease and a lack of hardship while uncomfortable are people lacking in comfort.  I disagree!  I am hung up in the word “lacking”.  I think people who are comfortable are lacking.  Let me explain. 

When you go along in life and stay within the lines, always on the safe side of the street, not taking risks and staying under the radar, you think you are comfortable.  You don’t ruffle feathers, you don’t cause problems, you avoid drama… Ha!

That is not the life I want to live. Not that I desire to ruffle feathers and be that obnoxious guy no one wants around. Far from it.  I want to be the person that...

 3 Keys to Creating 2020 Vision

 Setting goals is one thing. Attaining them is a different story. And vision is a defining factor.

There is a principle: “Where there is no vision, the people perish.” Vision is so important; it can actually be life-sustaining.  How can you have this kind of life-sustaining vision?

 Here are three keys:

 Have a CLEAR Vision

Having only a vague idea of where you want to go is like taking off in heavy fog in an unfamiliar area. The trip will take longer, add unnecessary risk, and cost more. It can be a dangerous thing to wander through life with no clear vision. Zig Ziglar cautioned against being a “wandering generality”.

 I was traveling once on a...

If the facts don’t fit the theory, change the facts. ~ Albert Einstein

I love that quote!  Change is that scary word that most people shy away from.  I don’t want to change.  Why should I change?  Why doesn’t everyone else change to accommodate me?  If I change, then I will be out of my comfort zone.  Why change something that isn’t broken?

Change.  Asking someone to change is like expecting the sun to not rise.  Isn’t it a pointless request?  Change comes from within.  Change is something we do with ourselves.  Only we can control us, no one else.  So why ask, expect, anticipate, anything from someone else? 

Let’s focus on how to change...

So many people wish life was easier, with less challenges and obstacles but without challenges, life becomes stagnant and we stop growing. Challenges help us uncover who we are, and it allows us to become better people.

Let’s examine a very simple 4-step method to overcoming challenges.

First, GET REAL and state the problem clearly. When we are faced with challenges, we tend to avoid the issue and run the other way burying our heads in the sand hoping it goes away. Or we may say – ok, there is an obstacle, instead of heading right to it and plowing through, I am going to look for another path and even though that is not the way I want to go – it looks easier… less headache… but rarely does that work...

Behavior defined can be a physical thing one does such as a morning routine and it can be non-physical such as replaying negative thoughts all day long. A few behaviors are instinctual and built in while the rest are learned through meeting needs. What this means is that our behaviors are motivated by our needs and therefore we can be manipulated as well as manipulate to have our needs met.

So, when we have negative behaviors and we want to change them, we find it isn’t always so easy because these learned behavior that we exhibit are actually rather complex.

There are two types of motivation – the motivation to approach something and the motivation to avoid something. When we desire something, we are motivated to approach it...

Attitude is the one thing all human beings have complete control of and yet many unknowingly choose a negative attitude. If we understood the power of our own attitude in our lives, most of us would change it immediately. How many times have you been told to change your attitude? That is a common order from most parents and teachers!

Attitude is created by your thoughts, feelings and actions. Your mind controls feelings and decides whether these feelings will be positive or negative through your thoughts. Your body then follows these thoughts through actions and behaviors. It sounds simplistic because it is.

Do you feel stressed out from leadership sometimes? It is natural. Leadership is tough. 

I know I have had to develop skills not natural for me,, but they have completely changed my leadership and influence with others.

"Everything rises and falls on leadership." Make sure your leadership creates the right direction.