Deployed for the Holidays

During my 31 years in the Navy, I was deployed or stationed overseas during the holidays nine times. And I loved every minute of it!! Now, some of you may wonder why I loved being far from loved ones during the one time of the year when family is highlighted, and the...
The Courage to Trust Your Team

The Courage to Trust Your Team

The only way to make a man trustworthy is to trust him.- Henry Stimson Leadership is commonly associated with action – trying, doing, achieving. However, there is another side to leadership that focuses on the followers: trust. As leaders, we need to actively trust...
Give Permission to Be Courageous

Give Permission to Be Courageous

Often the most powerful action you can take to provoke courageous behavior is to give people permission to be courageous. Before starting my own company, I worked for Accenture, one of the world’s largest and most respected management and technology consulting...
Be Real: Lead From Your HEART

Be Real: Lead From Your HEART

As a practical matter, it’s a good idea to care about your people. When they know you care about them, they will care about you—and your success. In fact, you’ll know that you’re truly a leader who cares when the people you lead start seeking and valuing your input,...

The Courage To Make Mistakes

Sara Blakely, founder of Spanx, shares a story from her childhood – a perspective that helped her build a company with just $5000 and turn it into an international retail powerhouse. Each weekend, her dad would sit down and ask Sara and her brother one question,...