One of our favorite poems says it best: Yesterday is history,Tomorrow is a mystery,Today is a gift,That’s why we call it the Present. —Alice Morse Earle There’s an adage in rock climbing called the “three-foot world” in which climbers focus not on the massive rock wall they’re attempting to climb, but the problems that are…
Use your experiences of adversity as learning moments to pinpoint opportunities to improve, reflect, grow, rebuild, or test your own character or faith. Instead of, “Why is this happening to me?” ask yourself, “What is the situation trying to teach me?” The pathway to healthy leadership is not always smooth. Sometimes struggles are exactly what…
Ebby Halliday was the first lady of real estate and a sweet friend to our family. She died in 2015 at 104 years young. Ebby had been selling homes (after selling hats!) for over 60 years, and her namesake company is still going strong as an affiliate of Berkshire Hathaway. Of course, this company is run…
Trees grow up through their branches, down through their roots and grow wider with each passing year. As growth occurs, trees eventually shed their protective bark to make way for growth. Humans are the same way. Just as trees need bark as a protective shield while growth occurs, you need boundaries to defend your vulnerabilities…
Today’s world has plenty of things to be afraid of. Fear can have two meanings: Forget Everything And RunorFace Everything And Rise. You choose.
Even in the worst situations—a victim of a natural disaster, prisoner of war, the target of abuse, or when hit by a string of unfortunate circumstances—it is easier and natural to focus on what is lost. It could be a home, a relationship, security, freedom, or good health. When we experience adversity, and we all…
We can only improve what we observe and are aware of. So, knowledge of yourself is the most important type of knowledge—and provides the most fertile ground for self-growth. Knowing your own tendencies, preferences, natural gifts, and weaknesses helps you be more personally effective and, as a result, a more insightful and effective leader. You…
An exercise that encourages you and others is to share “strength stories.” During strength stories, team members share a verbal narrative about a time when they were at their very best. Have them conjure details of that time: what they were doing, who they were interacting with, what they accomplished, and how they felt. As…
Here are five truths about growth that we have identified during our many years of work: Change is inevitable, but growth is a choice. Change is omnipresent, but if we resist it, we may not grow from it. Real and sustained growth happens when we choose it. What gets watered grows. When we reinforce ourselves…
Before you show your team members compassion, you must first show them the most basic form of respect: acknowledging them and their perspectives. Simply acknowledging someone and their challenges can make things better even if it cannot make things right. Many well-intentioned leaders often fall short in this area. It’s not that they don’t want…
