Coach Tommy Bowden developed a system to help shape the character of his football players called CARDS. The final letter, and my favorite, is the S for Sacrifice. For a football team to become a high performing team, there are times when an individual player may need to sacrifice their personal desires for the good of the team. In business, ...
In the 1990s, I competed with banks that were violating banking laws to secure more loan customers. Many borrowers were being threatened, or even blackmailed, into doing business with these other banks. As a competitor, it was frustrating to lose deals because of illegal or immoral practices of other banks. Eventually, bank examiners shut down these banks for unsafe lending ...
When my youngest daughter was a teenager, I remember one day giving her some advice, I was stunned by her response. She said, “Dad, I suspect what you are telling me may be correct, but I’m the kind of person that needs to experience it on my own.” Sure enough, she ignored my advice and it cost her significantly. Being ...
If you’ve managed people for long, you will eventually have someone who is not meeting your expectations. Determining the next steps can be challenging. When someone is confronted with poor performance, some will get defensive and immediately assume that the problem is yours, not theirs. Their arrogance or overconfidence can prevent them from being willing to correct their issues, making ...
In a book called “Founding Fathers,” Alexander Hamilton and George Washington reportedly had a volatile relationship. Hamilton was known for his brash ambition and his hot-headed ways. On one occasion, Hamilton and George Washington had an argument over something petty that resulted in Hamilton resigning angrily. But, within an hour, Washington “sent an aide to tell Hamilton how highly he ...
For the last couple of years, everywhere you turn in Kansas City you see Patrick Mahomes’ face and hear his praises. As the star quarterback for the Kansas City Chiefs, Mahomes has led the team to the Super Bowl, broken many football records and received the largest contract in football history. For a 25-year-old with only three seasons as a ...
When I started my first commercial banking position, my boss challenged me by saying, “Your top priority is to land some business accounts with the hospital next door. We don’t have a single account with them.” It took two years, but we finally obtained a $20 million trust account and a $3 million loan opportunity. My pride swelled as I ...
According to the Wall Street Journal, the Kansas City Royals pulled off an incredible accomplishment this year. They signed five top draft picks and they did it for only $100,000. The reason these new players selected the Kansas City Royals is due to Dayton Moore’s commitment and concern for his minor league players. During the pandemic, most baseball teams cut ...
As many celebrate Maundy Thursday, it’s a great time to remember that part of this celebration relates to Jesus’ washing His disciple’s feet. This humble act has been the cornerstone for many for a business approach called servant leadership. During Jesus’ time on earth, a humbling act was to wash the feet of others after they had been out on ...
The Bible speaks often about shepherds as a model for leadership, but few people have experienced being a shepherd. As I’ve studied the Bible, I’ve discovered that good shepherd qualities are similar to six qualities identified as a Level 5 Leader in Jim Collins’ classic book, “Good to Great.” The first quality Mr. Collins mentioned is humility. Collins discovered that ...
Equipping Others to Do Work Differently
