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  Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays.  I’m glad a special day was established to thank God for his blessings. We are a blessed people. God’s goodness and grace is poured out daily for our benefit. He is worthy of our appreciation on Thanksgiving and all 364 days of the year. All to often [...]

  Have you ever wondered what it takes to produce excellence?  Excellence is the result of giving our best for the benefit of others. There is a huge difference between “getting by” and “giving our best.” These two approaches bring about very different results. Those who do just enough to “get by” go through life [...]

  We are wired to think our ideas are great ideas. Children are no different. They naturally gravitate toward thinking they know best even when they have no idea what really is best. Parents have the benefit of more life experience that usually helps to identify impending disappointment more clearly. Call them “older and wiser” [...]

  Everyone benefits when people know that open and honest input is valued. Where there is candor, there is no fear of retribution. Team members who can freely share what they think and feel, enjoy the benefit of a deep trust relationship. They do not hold back for fear of receiving disapproving glares from other [...]

Article first published as Four Questions Your Kids Should Ask on Technorati.   Have you ever been asked a life-changing question? The right question can lead to meaningful change. From the first moment we hold our newborns to when they graduate college, children are continually changing. Whether a child changes from helpless to helpful largely depends on [...]

  If you are looking for a great book, I recommend Tempted and Tried: Temptation and the Triumph of Christ, by Russell Moore. To learn more about this book check out this video review: Purchase: Amazon – $9.95 | Crossway – $11.25 | CBD – $9.99

  Leaders understand the value of asking questions. Insightful leaders ask the right questions at the right time. What questions are you asking those you lead? Here are five questions that strengthen relationships between team members and invite healthy conversations. 1. How is your family? I am not sure who coined this phrase.  Its been [...]

  One moment I was relaxing on the bed, reading a book to my son. The next thing I knew, I was talking to a paramedic while lying in the back of an ambulance hooked up to an EKG. My arms were numb. My heart was thumping in my head. I felt dizzy as a [...]

  I recently received a book from a Twitter friend, Dave Schroeder, called Daddy Dates.  He had seen some of my tweets about my daughter and kindly offered to send a copy my way. Dates with my daughter have been a regular event in our home from the time she was clinging to my pant [...]

  Recently had a meeting with the department heads of the team I lead and our discussion centered on how to invest in those we lead. That discussion led to a list of eleven ideas: 11 Ways to Invest in those you lead: Take them to a conference that will help equip them and then [...]

  We climbed across slippery boulders as we worked our way through falling mist. Every step demanded careful attention, but the climb was worth it. It’s hard to miss the power of Yosemite’s Bridalveil Falls when standing beneath it. My wife and I could have looked on for hours. Roaring water drowned out our words as we stood there [...]

Everyday we are faced with setting priorities. We will either manage and choose our priorities or they will control us. When priorities control us, we live life by the moment reacting to whatever is going wrong in that moment. On the flip side, managing our priorities intentionally place energy into what is most important instead [...]

Candor: Speaking the truth openly. Displaying a willingness to say it like it is. All leaders need team members who are willing to say it like it is. People who honestly share what they see and feel bring candor to the team. It’s not uncommon for a leader to find they are surrounded by people [...]

Leaders must be able to make decisions if progress is to be experienced. Handling decision-making effectively is essential to building momentum and enjoying success. Decisions are the fuel that propels the team toward the goal. A leaders role in the decision-making should be approached thoughtfully. If most decisions have the leaders fingerprints on it, a [...]