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Journaling is one of those tools that I wish I had known about early in my leadership journey. As a young man, the idea of journaling conjured images of teenagers with diaries hidden under their beds. Later I began to associate the act of journaling as a practice used by mental health therapists. Though both are probably accurate, I recently started to understand the benefit of journaling for leaders, specifically those looking to increase their self-awareness and emotional intelligence. Table of Contents What is journalingThe benefit of journaling How to get started journalingJournaling FAQaTop leadership journalsMy top journaling tips for leadersFinal Thoughts What is Journaling? Though I don’t think about the teenager with the diary hidden under the bed anymore, the concept of journaling isn’t that different. The act of journaling allows a person to transfer their thoughts, feelings, and experiences onto paper. Journaling is a great way to keep…

I often discuss the importance of leaders utilizing all tools at their disposal to increase their effectiveness. In my recent blog, I discuss holistic health and the benefits of adding a holistic approach to the leader’s lifestyle. I want to provide another hidden gem for leaders, business owners, entrepreneurs, etc., leader mindfulness for this article. What is leader mindfulness? The term “mindfulness” refers to the practice of being completely aware and in the moment. A mindful person pays attention to what is happening around them both mentally and physically in a nonjudgmental way. Now apply this concept to your role as a leader; you will be more effective if you can focus your mind and slow down the million and one things going on around you to genuinely see and understand what is happening around you. When I envision mastering mindfulness, I envision Neo when he was finally able to…

Great leaders are usually moved up the promotion ladder rather quickly. With these promotions come the expectation that the now experienced leader is responsible for choosing their replacement. There’s only one you, and unfortunately, we can’t make copies of ourselves. Therefore we have to work with the options available and make the right choice for the organization. Here are a few tips to ensure you choose the next great leaders for the team. I’m a Warrant Officer in the U.S. Army. In most military services, warrant officers are highly respected due to their ability to strike a balance between technical expertise and leadership. As you can imagine, they make up a tiny population of our military. In the active-duty U.S. Army, we make up less than 3% of the entire service. As a result, we have an unspoken responsibility to mentor, recruit actively, and eventually choose our replacements and progress…

For those leaders who have teenage kids or big kids themselves, you probably remember the 2005 cartoon series, “The Avatar: The Last Airbender.” The cartoon’s main character was a young boy named Aang, who was destined to be the Avatar. The Avatar was to maintain harmony among the four nations and act as a mediator between humans and spirits. However, to succeed in this mission, he had first to master the ability to bend the elements from each of the four nations; fire, water, air, and earth. Like the Avatar, leaders must learn to master multiple leadership styles to effectively lead a diverse team of individuals. Diverse groups are not limited to race, gender, age, etc., but also personality types, education level, beliefs, and values. Therefore, successful leaders require a mastery of different leadership styles to maximize the workforce’s skills and potential toward accomplishing organizational goals. “Diversity: the art of…

Leadership transparency – should leaders ever avoid it? We as leaders understand that open and honest communication leads to better relationships within the workplace. This type of communication, of course, leads to a more efficient and productive workplace. However, there are times when openness and transparency can be a detriment to the working environment. Introduction As experienced leaders, we understand that communication is one of the essential traits a leader should possess. In his article, 10 Communication Secrets of Great Leaders, Mr. Mike Myatt states that it is simply impossible to become a great leader without being a great communicator. I wholeheartedly agree with the statement. Leadership transparency and the ability to communicate across the organization, both up and down, are essential to a great leader’s success. There are several traits or skills that leaders need to communicate with subordinates properly. Among the most important of these traits is being…

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