Leader Growth

Dreams – Are you living yours?

We all have dreams. And most of us believe that we have a special gift. That we can somehow touch the lives of people in a meaningful way. That we can make the world a better place.

At some point in our lives, we’ve all had a vision for what our life and work could become.

What happened to that vision? Has it taken a back seat to the busyness of life? Did it get lost somewhere along your journey through a cluttered and noisy world?

BONUS: I’ve created a NEW Guide that will walk you step-by-step through writing your own Personal Life Plan. You can find out how to get a copy of this life-changing tool at the end of this post.

If you’re not growing, you’re dying…really?

You’ve heard it a hundred times – if you’re not growing, you’re dying. And if this statement ever was true, it is simply no longer reality. Life IS about growth, but it’s not ALL about growth.

This post is part of the series – What Ever Happened to Personal Responsibility?
Would You Return to Your Organization?
If You’re Not Growing, You’re Dying…Really?
Leaders are the Most Creative People on the Planet
Great Leaders Serve
Is Fear Taking Over?

I’m passionate about growth. I’ve written much about planning, vision, and growth. For much of my life, anything that isn’t growing I considered failure…until few weeks ago.

Prioritizing Important Relationships

Think about this for a moment – All relationships are not important. If all relationships are important, no relationship will be important.

Developing and maintaining key relationships is a critical discipline if we are going to genuinely care for people, live out vision, and help others achieve their full potential.

Relationship development (especially with those closest to us) is not something you or I can simply check off of the to-do list. And it’s certainly not an exercise in convenience. Effective leaders genuinely value key relationships and make them top priority.

The Importance of My Weekly Review – Template Download

The number one problem in life planning is that people stop reviewing their life plan. And those things that have been identified as most important fade into the noise of life and work.

Your life and work are not something that you plan once and then put away. They are far too important for that! To have maximum impact, your life plan and business vision should be reviewed regularly.

When I first wrote my life plan – and when I first drafted my business vision – I reviewed them every day for 90 days. Yes, this was time-consuming, but eventually I could review them quickly in 10-15 minutes. This practice solidified the purpose and the practice of reviewing them regularly.

After 90 days, I began reviewing them weekly. I found that monthly wasn’t often enough for me.

I noticed that I had some margin on Sunday during the early morning hours when the family is still sleeping. So I scheduled a weekly review of my life plan and business vision.

Over the years my weekly review has come to include more items which each help me 1) retain margin in my schedule, 2) maintain healthy relationships and connections, 3) be fulfilled in my work, and 4) be more productive and effective.

Today, I’m giving you access to my Weekly Review Template. I’ll share it with you in a moment, but first, here are four ways that my weekly review has helped me find greater fulfillment and effectiveness in my life and work…

Taking Responsibility for Handling Conflict

Conflict is the byproduct of irresponsibility. And I don’t have to tell you that you’ll never reach your full potential if you don’t take full responsibility for your actions.

In every life situation involving people – family, friends or co-workers – there is potential for conflict. So learning to successfully handle conflict should be a priority, especially for those who desire to lead teams and organizations.

And the only way to resolve conflict is to accept responsibility.

Think about it – what significant problem are you facing today?