The leader is the one who provides the team direction.
And when others are pointing fingers, the leader provides protection.
A leader is like an archaeologist, digging for what’s true,
opening people’s eyes to things they never knew. Continue reading
I am the oldest child, and I remember having my brothers and sisters follow me around, and we sang, “Following the leader, the leader, the leader, we’re following the leader wherever (s)he may go.” If you remember, in Disney’s Peter Pan the kids would do whatever the leader did.
This is true within our companies as well. While it might not be a one-for-one monkey see, monkey do, leaders have a profound impact on their employees. I’d like to address just a few. Continue reading
Research is proving what King Solomon knew centuries ago; there is value in teamwork. Teams allow you to harness the diversity of strengths. As a leader, you should be watching for individuals who complement each others’ weaknesses. Continue reading
Chris Mortenson is a leadership consultant for a Canadian oil and gas company, a retired Air Force officer, and an experienced Toastmaster who lives in Colorado Springs and is pursuing a PhD in Education.
“In times of change, learners inherit the earth, while the learned find themselves beautifully equipped to deal with a world that no longer exists.”
Author Eric Hoffer is credited with this quote, and although he passed away in 1983, this statement is probably more true today than it was in his lifetime. It wasn’t so long ago that people would get a job and could expect to do basically the same work using only those skiils for the rest of their working lives. Although it still happens occasionally (my father has worked for the same government agency doing basically the same kind of job for well over 40 years), it is very rare and is getting rarer. Even if we stay in the same job, most of us (including my Dad) will need to learn new skills, adapting to the latest software upgrades for word processing, email, and other functions. In our personal lives we are being offered new service capabilities to figure out, from banking to television to how to make the next phone you buy do at least of few of those “bells and whistles” features you’re paying for. Continue reading
Keeping the momentum going when pursuing long-term goals can be tough. When faced with lack of progress, you can easily begin to focus on activities other than the ones which will help you obtain your goals. ‘Tis the season to talk about the Olympics, and I can’t help but think that each and every one of them had a 
cheerleader encouraging them to stick with it and grab their dream.
I am blessed to have a few of those people in my life. They aren’t the people you would naturally think would be my champions. But there are those who tell me that I am good enough to reach my dream and that if anyone could do it, it’s me.
Today was a great day of encouragement. I had the opportunity to chat with one of my speaking role models, Ed Tate, and I gained insights on my new venture. I also got encouragement from a leader in my company who told me I had skills which make me uniquely qualified to do what I want to do.
Find these people in your life, the ones who will tell you that you’re great and who won’t let you give up on your dreams! Find the people who see you for who you are becoming, not just the person you are. And when you find them, don’t forget to tell them how much you appreciate them! We all need a little help from our friends.
Today I attended an educational conference for Toastmasters. As I sat there, I recollected why I joined the organizations I’ve joined. I started Toastmasters when a boss suggested it for my development. I stayed because it gave me the chance to practice my leadership skills. Continue reading
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