The Courage To Lead
The Courage to Lead
Many people seek leadership roles, but few understand the full weight of those roles until they sit in them and come face to face with the hard choices they must make every day. These decisions arise where the so-called “best” solution is debatable, where the leader takes an unpopular stance against supporters, or where a strategic pivot causes disruption and fear. They are decisions where long-term gains require short-term pain, where stakeholder needs can never be fully reconciled, and where those who advocate for opposing options are openly clashing. (more…)
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News and business headlines continuously report on organizational crisis like downsizing, layoffs, overleveraged balance sheets, undercapitalized businesses, and bankruptcy. These are technical terms for the simple and traumatic reality of crises threatening an organization’s very existence. It hits all sizes of businesses, non-profits, higher education and municipalities.
As leaders navigate the uncharted waters of today’s volatile business landscape, teams are looking for more than just directives. They are looking for perspective, insight, and meaning.
Decades ago, as a teenager, I completed my final driver’s training class, eager to put my new skills to use. This rite of passage marked my readiness to navigate the open roads with my permit and a parent by my side. My father met me outside the building in his Ford Pinto wagon (yes, I’m dating myself). He moved to the passenger seat and told me to drive us home. My excitement quickly faded when I realized the car was a stick shift, while I had only learned on an automatic. Undeterred, my father explained how to use the clutch and coached me through every jerky, stalled moment on our way home. 
I recently had the opportunity to be interviewed for the Christian Business Leaders’ Summit about my book, The Call to Faith Centered Leadership: Transformational Lessons for Leaders in Challenging Times. You can get a copy 
As a leader approaching the end of the year, you’re likely focused on packing as much as you can into the few weeks that are left. This includes completing important work that was likely pushed aside months ago for more urgent priorities, wondering how much vacation time you’ll have to leave on the table, and preparing for the holidays. 
Earlier this year I signed up to complete my third half-marathon which is scheduled in October. I consider myself more of a finisher than a runner, but here I am again. I keep doing it because it represents a goal that stretches my physical and mental abilities, and because I’m simultaneously raising money with a group called Love Runs to fight human trafficking. (Our goal is $150,000 and your donation of any size at this 
One of the most important roles leaders find themselves in is setting or changing direction for their team. Whatever happened in the past, there is a need to clarify a future that is different or distinct. The operating environment or fundamentals may have shifted. New threats or opportunities may have changed the pathways for progress. And the metrics for success may require modifications. 
I live in the metro Detroit area, and for anyone who has a heartbeat here, we know that the Detroit Pistons are in the National Basketball Association playoffs. After last year’s poor 14-68 season, they’ve rebounded to 44-38 with a new coach and a physical style of play reminiscent of the 1989 and 1990 “Bad Boys” era when they won back-to-back championships.
These are the words of singer Tina Turner’s biggest selling single.1 And since I typically write about leadership, you may be wondering right now, what’s love got to do with leadership?