Playing the Long Game
Playing the long game is a good leadership strategy. My entire adult life has been spent coaching youth sports. Over those twenty-two years, I have learned that it’s not about winning early, it’s about winning later. I coach my son Grant’s 12U recreation baseball team. We just wrapped up our spring baseball season this past Saturday by winning the Acworth Baseball League Championship. We made an impressive run in the end of season tournament outscoring our opponents 46 to 11. Here is the deal though, the winning didn’t start Saturday, it started four months ago. The coaches and myself put measures in place early, to make sure we
Fear Less
Throughout our lives we are told to be fearless, but isn’t it more attainable to fear less? When I think of fearless, I think of the complete absence of fear. That just doesn’t exist. Regardless of how strong we may think we are, we will never be absent of it. When I think of fear less, I think of minimizing it in our lives. The same eight letters form each of these concepts, but one has a gap. A gap that pauses just enough to acknowledge fear, but shows the healthier quantity of it in our lives, less. Where is Fear Found? Webster’s Dictionary defines fear as,
Aim or Fire?
Aim or fire? Which one is it? Back in 2010, I served as the President of the Acworth Business Association. As President, you are responsible for the recruitment of board members to serve during your presidency. Networking is a critical piece to the success of any local business association or chamber of commerce. So, during the process of recruitment I reached out to a friend of mine, Parnick Jennings. He is a master networker. Parnick developed a program called, “Lagniappe.” The word Lagniappe in the Cajun world means, “a little something extra.” The program was basically our organization’s 101 program that acclimated new members. The event was always
Our Initial Investors
People who are the initial investors in something new are always positioned for a higher rate of return. Imagine what it would have been like to be an initial investor in Coca-Cola, Amazon, Google, Tesla, or any other company that has done extremely well in the stock market. You would probably be reading this post from your own island somewhere and not preparing to go to work! I think I would be a professional beach fisherman. Those that invested in these companies early, were paid out huge dividends later. The valuation of their initial investment is significantly higher than it was in the beginning. They invested a
Sustainable, Competitive Advantage
What is your sustainable, competitive advantage? That is a question I have been wrestling with for the last several days. Last Tuesday, we had the privilege of hosting Chick-fil-A Chairman Dan Cathy in Acworth, Georgia. He was gracious enough to come speak to our community as a part of a “Lunch and Learn” to raise funds for our Expanding Horizons Program. Thanks to the efforts of some community leaders in Ira and Kim Blumenthal, our local Chick-fil-A Owner/Operator Andy Duncan, and our amazing team at the Acworth Parks, Recreation, and Community Resource Department, all in attendance were able to walk away from the event better than we walked
Playing Catch
Playing catch can tell us more about leadership than one could ever imagine. There really isn’t anything in sports like a good old-fashioned game of catch. I have had the opportunity to experience the process as a player, coach, and now a father. Out of the three, the position of father is by far the best vantage point. Yesterday, our family wrapped up our spring break vacation in St. George Island, Florida. I believe whole heartedly that loading a vehicle for a trip is a craft. Everything is carefully placed, and every bit of space is accounted for. Whether we ended the trip with more or less stuff
Building Leaders
Building leaders is what I will be doing this week. Lots and lots of them. Leaders of fluorocarbon complete with floats, beads, swivels, and circle hooks. Fishing leaders! My family and I will be visiting our favorite vacation spot, St. George Island, Florida. Direct subscribers to the blog received this post in their inbox at 7:15 a.m. Monday morning. About that time, I will be watching the sun rise over the Gulf of Mexico with my fishing poles sitting in the rod holders waiting for the first fish to bite! In light of this, I intend to somehow translate my experience as a beach fisherman to leadership
The Vantage Points of Mountains
The vantage points of mountains are comparable to those along our leadership journeys. Here in Georgia, we are experiencing the transition from winter to spring. That transition signifies warmer weather and the ability to get outdoors more often I tend to be a creature of habit. The same person, Katianne White, has cut my hair for around fourteen years. I prefer to schedule my haircuts early on Saturday mornings. Floyd’s Barber Shop is conveniently located between my home in Acworth and Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield. When the weather and my schedule cooperate, I like to head over for a hike after my haircut. Kennesaw Mountain is a nearly
What if Leadership
What if leadership leads to endless possibilities. A sentence beginning with these two simple words, “what if,” can change the trajectory of a leader and an organization. There are many great questions that can guide a discussion, but this may be the greatest of all. You do not need me to explain how divided we are in the political world. Watching the news or hanging out on social media for a few minutes can provide all the affirmation you need. There is a video circulating on YouTube of leadership communicator and Pastor Andy Stanley addressing the Georgia General Assembly (Link to video provided below). Each day, they invite
A Seat at the Table
All people desire a seat at the table. When I think about this concept, I cannot help but think about a conference room table and the seats surrounding it. There can be deep meanings behind the seats and characteristics of those that occupy them. First Things First Start with earning a seat, any seat. I firmly believe that if you want a seat at the table, you must position yourself to be essential to the organization. It may be a literal business boardroom, or it may be a school, government, church, or a non-profit board you serve. Here is the greatest question to determine your essentialness, “If I