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Just recently I had a pastor friend call me about a problem with a staff member. It had all the normal ingredients of a typical staff “situation”… poor chemistry, philosophy of ministry difference, and colliding expectations. The bottom line is that “it just wasn’t working” and everybody knew it. As we talked, it was clear…

Every great leader must master the art of the “hard conversation.” Whether it is talking with an underperforming staff member, addressing a problem with your staff team, firing an employee or discussing a rift in a friendship, hard conversations are inevitable. None of us like having the “hard conversation," and if you do enjoy them…

One of the most common questions I get asked regarding the health of a team or an organization is this one: “what if I’m not in charge?” If you are not leading the team or running the organization, how much can you really influence it’s health? It’s a fair question. And, if you are not…

As we get older we tend to mellow. There are many things that I used to get so uptight about that just don’t matter that much any more. But there is one area where I am not more mellow. In fact, the truth is I am less mellow and tolerant about this than I used…

Tonight I am sitting in 12A. We are soaring 35,000 feet above the earth. I am surrounded by people, all who are pre-occupied with their own world. There’s nothing special about 12A except that tonight it has become my own little sanctuary. At least for these minutes, this is “holy ground”. I’ve got my headphones…