THE LEADERSHIP BLOG
Making Deep Connections, Restoring Trust, & Leading from the Bottom Up
Imposter Syndrome: Who am I to Do This?
https://youtu.be/QxAse1y2Jlg Who are you not to do it? What happens if you don't write your book? What happens if you don't put your music out there? Your art, your movie, your ideas. Who are you not to share the lessons you have learned? Who are you not to do...
Self-Sabotage: Do What Scares You
https://youtu.be/2lkJZ7UwTbQ Welcome to 2020! This year I am going to talk about pain points that leaders just like you who are playing a bigger game, who want to do something bigger than themselves, who are creating movements, who value connection and impact are...
Manage Your Anxiety: What if My Nerves Get in the Way?
https://youtu.be/7tEK-NB-Ua4 We all have to manage different kinds of rooms don't we? Some of us find ourselves on the stage. Some of us are in board rooms or meeting rooms. Some of us are asking donors to invest in our nonprofit to make a difference in the community...
Are Your Connections Crushing it or Are They Just Casual?
"So, where are you from?" Ever ask that question? All of us do when we meet somebody for the first time. Humans spend a ton of time in the initial conversations of life, whether we're talking to a banker or someone we just met at a party. Especially during the holiday...
How to Make a Bigger Impact as a Leader
Have you ever had a big idea and become frustrated that it didn't move quick enough? Or wanted to make a difference in a huge way only to feel discouraged when you didn't reach enough people? Are you simply struggling to find your purpose at all? If you want to have a...
3 Ways You Can Completely Change the Game for Veterans
Mad as hell. Just about two years ago, that’s how I felt as I started to type out a blog post on transitioning from the military. I had just had a conversation with a Senior Sergeant in Army Special Ops who was struggling heavily with leaving the service. He had said...
Where Will You Be During Military Transition Week?
Is there a torch you carry in your life? Something you're willing to sacrifice your time or money for? Something you can't help but tell others about?I bet there is. Here's mine: Helping our military warriors and their families transition from the military into...
The One Thing You Need to be a Better Leader
We were sitting around a crackling fire. As we intently listened to one man's story, the light of the flame showed everyone's faces. What was interesting about this guy was that he said, "I don't really have a story. What you see is what you get." And he proceeded to...
How to Find Your True North
Living intentionally is pretty tough if you don't know what you were put on this earth to do. It becomes nearly impossible to lead well and inspire others to follow you when you don't have your own compass aligned, first. But how do you find your truth north? How do...
Rooftop Leadership at TEDxSantaBarbara
I recently did my first TEDx Talk on Rooftop Leadership in Santa Barbara, California. It brought the house down with a standing ovation. Man, was it humbling to see people I’d never met crying and clapping for a better way that was forged in combat by men who died...
3 Steps to Lead a Successful Movement
What does it take to lead a successful movement? Lots of money? Friends in high places? Tons of influence? Or maybe just the ability to bridge trust and build relationships. Just maybe. Our country has an amazing commodity that allows all of us to pursue our dreams,...
If Relationships are the True Commodity of Leadership, Are You Losing Money?
“Of course we’ll work with you. You’ve been there for us every time.” – Barakzai Tribal Chief (Afghanistan) It’s funny, even in some of the roughest places in Afghanistan—where conflict occurred for years between tribes and Coalition Forces—time after time, I...
How Do Leaders Live Life Full Out?
I lost my father-in-law, Ben McLeod, on July 11, 2016. He was a great man and a great leader. He taught me a lot. He raised a beautiful and loving daughter who is the love of my life. He was also a devoted husband who treated his wife, Betty, like a princess for 52...