Passionate about leadership development to help others realize their full potential and on a journey to learn and grow more every day
RJ Johnson returns today with an incredible narrative on trust. He compares trust in an organization to a bucket that is filled and emptied. This metaphor is incredibly appropriate for any workplace.
My favorite line: “Here is the uncomfortable truth. Most organizations say they value trust but operate on fear.” He then goes on to help us improve.
Thanks, RJ!
Be great today!
Steve
I have a new rallying cry at work: Never eat lunch at your desk.
This past month, I’ve been inviting people to the common area to break bread, and we found that it builds relationships, increases happiness, and makes us more productive.
If you’re looking for a simple work hack to improve your day, this article is for you!
Be great today!
Steve
So what?
These two words are a powerful enabler that allows us to explore issues more deeply. When used right, it professionally challenges those around us to solve problems more effectively.
This morning, Alex Le joins us as a guest author to explain the question we all need to ask more. This exceptional leader with a background of military and educational experience delivers a strong narrative to use “So what” in a useful way.
Be great today!
Steve
Have you heard of Schrodinger’s Cat? I haven’t until this week. But what it taught me was profound!
I learned that we can live in a state of being both right and wrong, and not even know it. Often, it’s a communication problem. We explore some simple remedies in this article to help mitigate our issues.
If you haven’t yet, try the podcast version of this message in the car next time. Audio is at the top of the article.
Be great today!
Steve
How do we transform individual people with all their different backgrounds and biases into one cohesive team? Today, Sean Elwin and Jacob Pattison address this challenge.
Through the lens of basic training, recruitment techniques, and the Heterogeneity Dilemma, these two excellent authors help us all build teams by focusing on culture.
This is Sean’s third article and Jacob’s second. Send us a note if you want to write one as well – we have editors standing by.
Be great today!
Steve
Humans have a tendency to make snap judgments about others based on initial impressions. How do I know? Because I do it all the time.
There’s a scientific name for this: the halo and the horn effect. We assign halos to people based on perceived positive appearances, and devilish horns to those we judge as having negative appearances.
This is dangerous as a story from my initial military training will demonstrate. We all do this, and you won’t want to miss this article.
Be great today!
Steve
This week, guest author Mitch Watson joins us to talk about multiplying growth.
Leveraging Hermann Hesse’s short story, Journey to the East, Mitch takes us on a trip from Marine Corps Basic training to mountain goat trails where a traveling party seeks to understand where true leadership lies: in the guide or the servants?
His message of serving others and multiplying leadership is a key component of successful human beings.
This is one you don’t want to miss!
Be great today!
Steve
Have you ever been in the wrong conversation? I have.
I thought we were talking about one thing, but the other person was expecting something completely different out of our engagement.
This happens to people more than they care to admit. So, this week we look at the three types of conversations and make sure we’re in the right one!
Be great today!
Steve
This week, we have first-time guest author RJ Johnson joining The Maximum Standard. He brings an outstanding narrative on how leadership is comparable to a blacksmith forging a sword.
The five-step forging process mirrors leaders developing their organizations. Trust me, you will think about leading differently after this insightful article.
Be great today!
Steve
Have you ever noticed that on a failed project, some people immediately deflect blame while others take responsibility for their actions?
There’s a theory about this called the Accountability Ladder. This week, we dig into the eight rungs of the ladder and the different levels of accountability each person may admit to owning.
This theory will help us understand why some people make excuses and others find solutions. It’s a great way to assess our team… and ourselves.
Be great today!
Steve
In today’s texting culture, phone calls have become annoying to many. But when that phone rings, we have an opportunity to truly assist the person on the other end.
Tom Console is back with his eighth article on this platform. Today, he articulates the importance of capitalizing on the small moments in life, such as a ringing phone, to have big impact.
Be great today!
Steve
I’d like to think there is a back room where people are ready to swoop in and solve all my work problems. But the reality is, no one is coming to save us.
This week, we unpack the mindset that we are accountable to our lives and must make decisions with the assumption that our bosses or co-workers won’t rescue us. At the same time, we should always be on the lookout for opportunities to help others.
These two mindsets are powerful.
Be great today!
Steve
We can’t ever forget that leadership is more than transactional. Guest author Mike Posey is back writing for The Maximum Standard with his fourth article on the site.
This time, he looks into how trust, purpose, and endurance are all requirements for leading others. You do not want to miss his exceptional narrative!
Be great today!
Steve
Welcome to 2026 where many people are focused on their New Year’s goals.
This year, I went a different route. Instead of trying to accomplish “things,” I want to try to “become” a better person. This article is about “doing” less things and becoming more.
We hope this puts a new spin on future goals without having to abandon them.
Be great today!
Steve
As we wind down 2025, this last article of the year is about recharging over the holidays while setting conditions for a successful 2026.
These two things may seem opposite, but they actually go hand-in-hand. We have a great opportunity in the next few weeks to be postured on January 1st in a great position.
We hope you’ll take the advice in the article and get ready to rock 2026!
Be great today!
Steve
Have you heard the story about the art teacher who assigned his students into two groups? One to make a perfect vase. The other to make as many vases as they can.
The lesson is clear: when we obsess over perfection, we spend all our energy trying to be flawless. When we focus on repeated attempts, failure, and iteration, we learn through every cycle, and our skills improve naturally.
If you want to learn how to improve at anything, this article is for you!
Be great today!
Steve
This week, we dig into six key lessons from the ancient Spartans in Greece. They earned a reputation as a team to stand against any threat and complete their goals.
Here, we look at their mindset and preparation and dissect lessons that make us all better when we tackle any project.
Be great today!
Steve
Happy Thanksgiving!
Sometimes I (mistakenly) act like this time of year is an internal chance to give thanks.
While that’s one part of the equation, external gratitude is so critical to our success in working with teams at work and home.
Be thankful today!
Steve
Leaders talk often about resilience. But we rarely talk about limitations, those dark, scary weaknesses we like to keep hidden.
But what happens when the world narrows and something we’ve always relied upon disappears overnight?
A shoulder surgery last week and my temporary one-handed life led me to Nicholas James Vujicic and a lesson in overcoming.
If you don’t know this man’s story, you have to read this one!
Be great today!
Steve
One of my most admired attributes in other leaders is character. It often manifests itself in the quiet confidence of knowing that person is acting with utmost propriety.
This week, three-time guest author Alexander Limber writes about the strength of character shown by the great Norman Schwarzkopf we should all strive for: professionalism, self-discipline, and compassion.
Be great today!
Steve
Happy Birthday, United States Marine Corps!
I know many Marines, and today’s author, Sean Elwin, embodies the Corps. He wrote this warfighting love letter to celebrate 250 years of our Devil Dogs service to the Nation.
I encourage you to sing the Marine Corps Hymn today and read this combat narrative on the legacy and character of our Marines.
From basic training to the shores of Tripoli… be great today!
Steve
Communication is only effective when we truly understand our audience. From ancient philosophy to modern crises, the most skilled communicators succeed by tailoring their messaging to who is listening, the emotional context, and the purpose behind their words. When this alignment fails, even well-intentioned messages can backfire dramatically.
This week, we look at the 2010 Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill and how we can all learn to communicate better by planning our words.
Be great today!
Steve
Have you ever heard someone use the word “VUCA”? It’s often tossed around as shorthand for, “Things are crazy out there!”
But VUCA isn’t just a buzzword. It stands for volatility, uncertainty, complexity, and ambiguity, four distinct conditions that challenge every leader.
This week, we’ll break down each one through both military and parenting examples, and explore how strong leaders can steady themselves and their teams when the world turns VUCA.
Be great today!
Steve
“I know what I like, and I like what I know.” While this is a great marriage mantra, it’s terrible for organizations who must constantly make changes to be competitive.
This week we look at John Kotter’s Eight-Step Change Model through the lens of one of my failures… and learn how to do it better.
If you have to drive organizational change, this one is for you.
Be great today!
Steve
In the moment, a major failure seems catastrophic. But hidden inside that collapse is the foundation for something stronger, if we choose to rebuild it.
Today, we’ll discuss how failure is similar to the five stages of grief and argue there’s a sixth phase to processing failure and that is improvement.
Fail up and be great today!
Steve
What is your superpower?
We all have one, but not everyone can readily identify what it is. This week we look at superpowers through the eyes of the Philadelphia Eagles and explore how we can find our own.
When we learn to drive our superpower forward, like the Eagles’ unstoppable push, there truly is no limit to how far we can move our teams.
Be great today!
Steve
What is the identity of your group? If you can’t answer this simple question, it’s one you need to think about.
This week we explore why a shared corporate identity is so important and how to develop one, all through the eyes of the Iron Brigade, one of many heroes at Gettysburg.
Establish your organizational identity and be great today.
Steve
September 23, 2025 by Stephen T. Messenger There truly is only one finite resource we have and that’s time. There are ways to gain more money, knowledge, relationships, information, and more, but we can’t gain or lose time. It simply marches on. That’s why we need to harness the power of the clock to ourContinue reading “The Pomodoro Technique: Managing Time Like a Pro”
September 16, 2025 by Stephen T. Messenger In the bloodiest battle of the Civil War at Gettysburg, Confederate General Robert E. Lee had to make a decision that would change the course of the war. It was a paralyzing choice, one where there was no right answer, and a decision which would have a significantContinue reading “Dealing with Paralyzing Decisions: Pickett’s Charge”
There are few impulses that are more powerful than the urge to criticize someone else’s work. I say that tongue-in-cheek, but leaders who are continuously seeking to complete the mission and make the organization better want to provide advice to help us. When we’re on the receiving end, however, we frequently struggle to view feedback through the right lens and process it effectively…
When someone gives us feedback, it’s a gift. In this present, there’s an art to receiving and using it to advance our personal and professional growth.
Read More at the Link
Be great today!
Steve
September 2, 2025 by Stephen T. Messenger Most of us aren’t taught to say no, yet it may be the most powerful skill we have. Last month, we talked about saying no to things. There was such a positive response, I wanted to dig a little deeper. There are only a limited number of hoursContinue reading “Saying No is Saying Yes to More Important Things”
This week we dropped off my daughter for her last year of college. It made me reflect about the advice we gave her on her first year.
These three pieces of wisdom came from all of us: me, my wife, and my daughter. Usually, the best advice is not what we give, but what we get… and applicable well outside of college…
Be great today!
Steve
Sometimes, we face problems that are brutal to solve. I did last week when I was face-to-face with a swarm of yellow jackets.
Archimedes created a solution. Instead of trying harder to face a problem head-on, leverage the tools around us to make problem-solving easier.
This week we look at four ways how using a lever makes us more efficient.
Be great today!
Steve
Time is the most valuable commodity we have, yet it’s constantly under attack. The real challenge isn’t just managing our time, it’s defending it. And the best defense is simple: say “no” more often.
This week we dig into time vampires, things that drain hours from our lives without a return on investment.
We all have them. We all need to fight them.
Be great today!
Steve
We all have a voice in our heads that keeps a running commentary of our lives. Like a sports commentator, although far less objective or professional, it quickly interprets events around us and makes judgments that feed our story. The problem is, the inner narrator is not always reliable, therefore we need to control the story, so it doesn’t control us.
Read more below and be great today!
Steve
We all experience failure. What matters is not that we failed, but how we recover and learn from our experiences. We must learn to treat failure not as a defining moment, but as one step in a long arc of growth.
Join us this week as we explore one of my personal failures along with a few of our heroes and how we can all grow through them.
Be great today!
Steve
“But did you do your best?” That question was posed to Jimmy Carter during an interview from a Navy Admiral. These six words changed the trajectory of Carter’s path.
This week we use this story paired with another great president, Teddy Roosevelt, to understand why… and when… to do our best.
Be great today!
Steve
This week, we look at one of my favorite stories of Hercules deciding to choose either the easy or hard life.
We all have this choice — to take the shortcuts or put in the effort. Ultimately, this choice is tempting, yet obvious, and Hercules shows us the right answer.
If you haven’t heard this story before, it’s an eye opener.
Be great today!
Steve
There is something uniquely American about the concept of failure. While our nation has seen unparalleled greatness and influence on the world’s stage throughout its history, upon closer examination, we can see that this success is forged in failure.
This week, join Mike Posey walking us through the failures of our foremost founding father, Westward expanders, and space-bound explorers to show how we also achieve greatness even after catastrophe.
We’ve all gotten vague directions from a boss. With the good ones, it’s easy. We ask, clarify, and move out. But with others, we hesitate. Let’s be honest. Sometimes, we’re scared to ask.
Leaders need to cultivate an environment of approachability with their people. Those who are personable, open to questions, and team players create an environment where others feel free to question their boss’s intent without fear of repercussion. Those who aren’t can cripple an organization…
Be great today!
Steve
We are in positions of leadership to plan appropriately and solve problems. This charge is often easy to forget when the volume of small questions becomes overwhelming and all land in our lap. Multiple people asking the same questions can get frustrating, but it’s important to welcome those questions instead of expecting others to know every detail of what we’re thinking.
By listening to and answering these questions as they arise, we can both build confidence in our leadership and show people they’re valued. That lesson hit home for me just last week when I found myself navigating this very issue on two fronts: one leading an event at work and one volunteering at church.
In a follow up to last week’s article, this week we ask, “How many times in our career have we not felt psychologically safe?” Was I ever afraid to question my boss? My answer is uncomfortably high.
This week we dig into psychological safety and how it affects the culture of our organization. This is a must share this with our teams to have an open discussion on where we’re at.
Be great today!
Steve
Have you ever asked the boss this question: What do you need me to do?
If so, it’s time to rethink that ask. What our boss needs us to do is know what needs to be done… without us asking.
This week, with a little help from General Buford at Gettysburg, we explore why that’s the case and how to be an enabler to the boss without asking
Be great today!
Steve
Mike Posey joins us for the second time with an exceptional narrative of generating exponential organizational growth.
Using a “coaching tree” analogy, Mike walks us through sports, military, and educational mentors and encourages us to be the next one to develop others.
You do not want to miss this one!
Be great today!
Steve
True leadership involves embracing challenges rather than avoiding them.
This week, we draw on historical figures and stoic philosophy to highlight the importance of grit, determination, and optimism in overcoming obstacles. Leaders who are eager to confront difficulties underscore that adversity reveals their greatest qualities.
Be great today!
Steve
There’s a reason for the phrase “Patience is a virtue.” Because it’s hard!
This week we discuss the importances and challenges of trusting the process. Real growth takes time, and we need to be all in to make it work.
Be great today!
Steve
Success isn’t just about talent, practice, or luck—it’s about envisioning success.
Join Tom Console in helping us understand how elite performers like the U.S. Navy Blue Angels use visualization to achieve excellence. Today, he walks us through key principles to reach our highest levels.
Be great today!
Steve
This week, we wanted to pause and honor our fallen service members on Memorial Day.
I hope we can find 10 minutes to listen to this podcast, perhaps in the car, to remind ourselves of those paid the ultimate price so we could live in freedom.
Thank you to those who dies so we may live.
Steve
Are you a pacesetter?
Pacesetting leadership involves setting high standards and expecting team members to match the leader’s pace. While it can drive efficiency and attract ambitious individuals, it may also lead to burnout, low morale, and a lack of trust.
This week we investigate the time and place to use this style.
Be great today!
Steve
Do you have a personal leadership philosophy? You should!
The week, guest author Chad Maynard argues the importance of developing our leadership narrative and outlines his.
If you haven’t thought about how to communicate your leadership, this article is for you!
Be great today!
Steve
I’m teaching a class on leadership ethics, and this week we jumped into Stoicism. Marcus Aurelius, Emperor of Rome, attempted to live out the four virtues of this practice to improve every day.
This week we talk about the stoic framework on how to become a better leader and person.
Check out more at the link below
Be great today!
Steve
This week we reflect on the complexity of making significant life decisions and argue on the importance of betting on ourselves.
We see this in historical figures like Hamlet, Dwight Eisenhower, and Robert E. Lee that courage, clarity, and action are vital when faced with uncertainty.
Ultimately, we must use personal values and informed choices to guide us through difficult decisions.
Read more in the article and be great today!
Steve
In a world of constant demands and distractions, being organized is often the key differentiator between success and failure. As a leader, the ability to juggle multiple responsibilities without losing focus is a skill that can make or break both us and our organization.
This week guest author Aiden Sullivan brings a powerful message and suggestions for finding order in the chaos.
Read more at the link below
Giving encouragement is a lot like qualifying on a military rifle range. Targets pop up quickly, and we have only seconds to hit them.
Every day, people around us do great things. This week we look at learning how to spot opportunities, take aim, and lift others up in a way that truly matters.
Be great today!
Steve
Discipline. A term we throw around a lot but one hard to define.
This Thursday guest author Benji Patton expertly explains discipline and how two Medal of Honor recipients embody the word and how we can too.
An incredible narrative from another young, up-and-coming future Army officer!
Be great today!
Steve
A key quality is project completion. We all need people around us who are going to close out a task and move to the next one, not leave uncompleted projects in their wake.
This week, we look at closing from the perspective of a Major League pitcher, and work through the four pitfalls of incompleteness.
Be great today!
Steve
Does your team “get it?” Do they truly understand the organizational vision and values?
This was a problem two-time Maximum Standard author Jon Hodgin struggled with. But with a great plan centered around process of repetition, he and his boss turned it around.
If you want to improve your culture, this article is for you!
Be great today!
Steve
Ever managed a team during chaos—or calm? From toasting hamburger buns to leading high-stakes missions, this piece explores how leadership styles shift with the environment.
Learn how the Managerial Grid can help us balance care for people with mission success—and why knowing when to flex our style truly matters.
Be great today!
Steve
This week we welcome guest author Michael Posey with an exceptional narrative on life prioritization:
We all feel stressed at times. Often, this comes from the pressure we impose on ourselves, wishing to conquer the world by taking on multiple tasks and showcasing our talents.
When I feel overwhelmed, I remember the straightforward advice given to me by Retired Vice Admiral Barry Costello…
Read more below.
According to a 2024 Gallup poll, only 21% of employees feel passionate about their work.
This week we look at a theory called the Passion Pyramid and ways to unlock motivation in employees as they go through five stages of engagement.
Be great today!
Steve
Leadership is a lifelong journey that transcends our profession’s environments and borders. No longer confined solely to work life, we need leadership skills in our families, communities, and relationships. It must be cultivated from the time we leave our childhood homes and passed on to the next generation as we practice it for decades. While this concept applies across many professions…
Keep reading about the blending of profession and life below from guest Author Evan Corman, first time writer to The Maximum Standard.
It’s one thing to read about something—it’s another thing to do it. How often do we study up on a topic but never actually experience it? In contrast, the concept of experiential learning uses studying and doing to develop increased understanding, knowledge, and skills. We learn best by performing an activity, reflecting on it, analyzing the results, and doing it again.
Last weekend, I went on a 12-mile hike. It made me realize the difference between studying something and doing something
Read more at the link below.
Have you ever messed up at work? I have. Interestingly, the question is never if we messed up, but how we recover from it.
In another new author to The Maximum Standard, Jon Hodgin addresses this very issue from a point of leadership vulnerability to organizational success.
If you’ve ever erred at work like me, this one is for you.
Be great today!
Steve
Why do we want to quit things? I asked myself this as I climbed through the Appalachian Mountains on a bike, thinking about turning around before the top.
It turns out there are three competing components of our decision to quit or continue. Check it out in this week’s article.
Be great today!
Steve
Guest author Alexander Limber is back with a needed narrative on the importance of credibility. If we say we’re going to do something, trust levels are affected by whether we do it or not.
Another great read, this time from a lens of Douglas MacArthur and broken trust.
Be great today!
Steve
During times of uncertainty, we need leaders who will inspire us to do our best. This week we look at Manfred Kets de Vries 4-H Leadership Model to understand how humor, humility, humanity, and hope are crucial to leading others.
Be great today!
Steve
What soundtrack plays in other people’s minds when you walk into a room? Is the music inspiring? Scary? Depressing?
This morning guest author Alex Licia takes us on a soundtrack tour of different styles of Walk-Up Music and how it sets the stage for our leadership. You don’t want to miss this one!
Be great today!
Steve
I got beat down in ping pong the other week by a bunch of pros — and it was the best thing that could have happened to me!
Join us this week as we explore why hanging out with people better than us ups our game.
Be great today!
Steve
Have you ever faced an intractable problem that everyone else has given up on, but a solution was still needed? You’re in good company with Alexander the Great and everyone who’s ever lived…
This week we look at the Gordian Knot, Play-Doh, and ways to solve hard problems.
Be great today!
Steve
We all have blind spots that will one day humble us, if they haven’t already. Today, new author Tanner Harless joins us to talk about how forced humility can benefit us on our leadership journey.
Tanner uses personal experience and lessons from Tiger Woods to deliver another great message from a young leader in many different areas soon to become a U.S. Army Officer.
Be great today!
Steve
This week, first time contributor Jacob Pattison and I coauthor to discuss the challenge of matching leadership styles to individual employee tasks.
Great article by another new contributor. I’m telling you, we all struggle with this one!
Be great today!
Steve
In a special guest article, first time author Alexander Limber dives into the importance of servant leadership in the Army and any organization.
Servant leaders are more than just nice. They get results, improve performance, and build trust. Don’t miss his exceptional view of leading others.
Be great today!
Steve
Why does our brain fixate on the negative rather than the positive? This week we explore the science of how negative feedback lives in our head rent free while we forget all the positive things said to us – and how to handle it.
Be great today!
Steve
The Sweet Spot of life is where our talents, passions, and opportunities converge. This week’s whiteboard fable looks at how to identify and articulate a place in life we all should be seeking and helping others reach.
Oh, and we included a terrible joke at the end you can use…
Be great today!
Steve
On a special Thursday edition, first time guest author Sean Elwin takes us through his experience at Marine Corps Basic Training.
His narrative on discipline helps us reflect on the importance of doing the right thing for our personal well-being, families, organizations, and Nation.
Do not miss this aggressive Marine narrative to inspire us all to get better.
Be great today!
Steve
If you don’t have a stakeholder analysis for your team, you’re missing out! This week’s Whiteboard Fable explores a simple way how to create one and prioritize, then engage more effectively with your most important relationships.
Every organization needs one of these!
Be great today!
Steve
My apologies – two mornings ago I sent out this article with a broken link. Well, it’s back, and it’s working!
Please check out Tom Console fantastic article about seeing life through our dog’s eyes. There is much to learn from our best friends, and today Tom helps us understand how to be better versions of ourselves through the lens of our pets.
Another home run, Tom!
Be great today.
Steve
This week we continue Whiteboard Fables with the Five Levels of Leadership. Just because we have position does not mean people are following.
I encourage you this week to reflect on where you are on the leadership pyramid and where you may need to go.
Be great today!
Steve
In our second week of Whiteboard Fables, we talk about the challenge of change. Hey, we all want to improve, but it’s tough.
The J Curve is a simple method to explain change to other and anticipate and mitigate challenges that come with it.
Be great today!
Steve
We are really excited to begin a series called Whiteboard Fables, a series of simple drawings we can use to coach others told in a short story format.
The first one we tackle is the Johari Window – a way of understanding how other people perceive us. Hope you not just read this but use it with others.
Be great today!
Steve
Happy New Year! After a short two-week break, we are back!
The first article of the year is about goal setting but with a twist. This year’s theme is to lift others up. I hope you’ll join me in a year of being the hype man or woman to those around us.
As a reminder, there’s always a podcast option to the article for a 10-minute car ride.
Be great this year!
Steve
As we look to the new year, I always think about what I want to accomplish in the next 12 months.
One thing is clear, sustained commitment to goals requires establishing habits. This week we explore the importance of small habits and incremental gains to do something amazing by next December.
Be great today!
Steve
This week we end the BRAG+1 Leadership series that started back in January. It has been an amazing year fleshing this theory out!
I encourage you to continue using the five characteristics of leadership that our people need from us to lead them well.
Be great today!
Steve
In our final leader case study, we examine the exceptional warrior-scholar General Stanley McChrystal. His mastery of the changing character of war led to great success.
Sadly, his career ended when he became a little too loose with his words leading to his resignation. This is a fascinating tale of success and struggle, and how even in failure, it’s not over.
Be great today!
Steve
This week we dig into the exceptional leadership of General Douglas MacArthur. This guy was amazing, but like our other case studies the last few weeks, he had one fatal flaw.
So much to learn through emulating these individuals and some things to avoid — in this case, hubris.
Be great today!
Steve
This week we dive into another exceptional military leader albeit flawed — this time through a massive ego.
General George Patton was an incredible BRAG+1 leaders except he bragged too much about himself and not enough about his team. We can all learn a lot through his great qualities while understanding the cautionary tale of Patton’s ego.
Be great today!
Steve
Teddy Roosevelt, one of my favorite presidents, embodied leadership qualities to “get it done!”
But is it possible to be too aggressive? This week we look at where he excelled at leading and where he may have crossed the line, and we use his stories to help us on our journey.
Be great today!
Steve
This week we continue with our second of six case studies on great military leaders with Civil War General William Sherman.
An exceptional leader, we investigate how a career of greatness can be erased with one negatively perceived act, and what we can learn by this.
Be great today!
Steve
This week we bring together all five leadership qualities that we’ve been talking about since January 16th and observe them through great military leaders.
Join us as we start with Ulysses S. Grant and his incredible military leadership at a young age clouded by an alcoholic haze.
Be great today!
Steve
The past 42 weeks we’ve been talking about the BRAG+1 leadership framework and five characteristics to lead well.
This week we set the stage to examine six great military leaders and their application of leadership through the lens of our framework.
Be great today!
Steve
It is so important to never quit communicating the ethical narrative. We must be the ones out front of the moral message to remind everyone that it’s expected to hold the moral high ground.
This week is about holding the line – we can do it! We also talk a little about firebombing campaigns.
Be great today!
Steve
This week, we investigate a case of missing sunglasses and George Washington’s Continental Army to understand that others may not look through the same ethical lens that we do.
Something to ponder and understand as we deal with moral incidents in our teams.
Be great today!
Steve
We all make mistakes. But it’s what we do after we make an ethical error that demonstrates the true character of a leader.
This week we investigate a stolen pen, the David Petraeus Scandal, and the art of an apology.
Be great today!
Steve
Twenty-one years ago, I made a poor lapse in judgment, and someone directly and immediately confronted me with what I did wrong. I have not forgotten it to this day.
Let me tell you my story.
Steve
If you haven’t stood in front of a group of people and laid out your value system, you’re missing out.
It’s important, impactful, and… a little scary. This week we investigate a framework for developing our “Leadership Constitution” and pitching it to our teams.
Be great today!
Steve
If you’ve been following along since January, you know that we’re on our BRAG+1 leadership framework and today starts the fifth leadership quality: Do not have a hint, sniff, or whiff of impropriety about us.
We explore stop sign ethics, broken window theory, and five things to do to reflect positive values.
Be great today!
Steve
Welcome back from Labor Day Weekend!
Today we’re digging into the good and bad of running too far ahead of our team. We’ll discuss my runaway dog, the Battle of Ia Drang, and Space-X, and the lessons we can learn from each.
Be far enough ahead to motivate, but not so far as to discourage others.
Be great today!
Steve
Last month I found myself working alone… and I needed help.
Organizational success is predicated on using teams to accomplish missions. We must all ensure we’re leading the charge, not running up the hill by ourselves.
This week we look at not fighting battles alone and why.
Be great today!
Steve
On a special Thursday edition, Tom Console is back dealing with the mountains and valleys of life.
We all have high highs and low lows, but the best versions of ourselves know how to deal with them.
Tom takes us through his personal journey and leads us all to manage our emotions during tough times.
Be great today!
Steve
Today we’re talking about a challenge we all have – ignoring problems.
I mean, who doesn’t want to hope a problem we don’t want to deal with goes away. But it’s so important we fix bayonets and charge the issue.
I also encourage you to check out the podcast version embedded in the top of the article – a great way to listen in the car!
Be great today!
Steve
This week, we continue our BRAG+1 series with the “G” or gun, and the importance of gaining victories for our team.
Through the lens of a household moving day and the Army’s Battle Drill 2 for platoon attacks, we explore our role in celebrating wins, understanding what that means, and taking more ground.
Be great today!
Steve
Winning is important. Just take the Olympics going on right now. The difference between gold and silver is immense.
This week we continue our BRAG+1 series with the importance of leading a winning team. Our case study with retired Marine Corps General James Mattis dives into three focus areas of strategic thinking, allies and partners, and having the right equipment to continue our winning trend.
Be great today!
Steve
This week we continue our BRAG+1 Leadership Series starting on the fourth quality of leadership close with and destroy the enemy.
Leaders must generate results. Period.
In this article, we look at the importance of establishing clear goals for our people to accomplish with the help of 1800s theorist Antoine Jomini and the 1991 Desert Storm campaign.
Be great today!
Steve
This week’s article is near and dear to my heart: Don’t shoot the messenger.
While I’ve mostly heard it in jest, this concept is so important for us to receive bad news with grace and not rip the messenger’s head off.
This week we look at Genghis Khan and his experience with messengers… and how to do better.
Be great today!
Steve
When in charge, our emotions must be like a great wall made of stone or brick,
It’s so easy to react poorly to bad news. But we need leaders like you who can calmly react to crises with rational response.
This week, we look at Civil War General Stonewall Jackson and his inability to keep emotions in check – and how we can do better!
Be great today!
Steve
How often do we carry baggage from one meeting to the next?
It’s hard to leave problems behind, but so important to be resilient in one area of our lives so it doesn’t affect others.
This week we look at NCAA Coach Bobby Knight and his inability to leave it on the court and how we can do better.
Be great today!
Steve
This week we tackle the storms of life — they’re going to come so it’s best to be prepared.
Muhammad Ali knew this well in his fight with George Foreman in the Rumble in the Jungle. We look at this boxing war and find lessons in the Rope-a-Dope.
Be great today!
Steve
Life is going to attack us. Period.
Do not miss this week as we put on the armor of leadership looking at Admiral James Stockdale and his eight years in a Vietnamize prison camp.
We learn how he survived life’s attacks, and how to use his techniques to weather our challenges.
Short on time – check out the podcast version embedded with some extra commentary.
Be great today!
Steve
Good morning!
Today we start our six-week series on the Armor of Leadership – being resilient to life’s attacks.
We start with my dog who struggles with it and then transition to the best at bouncing back from hardships – General George Washington.
Be resilient today… and be great!
Steve
Good morning! It’s a great day to lead.
This week we dig into leaders ensuring we use our position for the reason it was intended, to complete the mission and improve the organization – not for personal gain.
We’ll look at a traffic stop, a fired commander, and Band of Brothers to understand it better.
Be great today!
Steve
Today we publish Gerald Eady’s second Maximum Standard article. He recently was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel in the U.S. Army, and I asked if I could share his promotion speech.
Promotion speeches are incredibly meaningful, and Gerald’s was so good, we had to get it out there as an example to others.
Enjoy!
Two days from today is the 80th anniversary of D-Day, the greatest amphibious assault in military history.
But the decision to invade or not happened 80 years ago, today!
This week we look at D-Day and pull out some lessons for our own life.
Be great today!
Steve
Humility: A quality we all desire to have yet rarely talk about. This week we’re back from Memorial Day in our BRAG+1 Leadership Series talking about the second “Don’t” of placing service over self.
Today, we dive into Maverick from Top Gun and George Patton to learn what not to do.
Be great today – and be humble!
Steve
This week, we wanted to pause and honor our fallen service members on Memorial Day.
I hope we can find 10 minutes to listen to this podcast, perhaps in the car, to remind ourselves of those paid the ultimate price so we could live in freedom.
Happy Memorial Day Weekend!
Steve
Be Great Today!
It’s so easy to make life about us, after all, we’re the only ones with us every second of the day. But the best leaders know that it’s about other people.
This week, Horatio Gates and Stephen Covey help us understand that life is about others.
Be great today!
Steve
We’re all very comfortable in our own leadership style, but is that always the most effective?
This week we look at how the American military had to completely revamp it’s fighting to gain results in 2007 Iraq, and how we may have to shift our leadership style to be most effective at work.
Be great today!
Steve
The best organizations stand on legacy and heritage. Their people know the history and are proud of their tribe.
This week we look at Ford, Google, NASCAR, and the 82d Airborne Division to understand why it’s so important we teach the history and heritage of our units to generate future success.
Be great today!
Steve
Next time you’re at work, listen for this — are people using the word “we” or “I”?
The best leaders us inclusive language (except when things go poorly–then they take the blame) and highlight “our” organization, not “my” organization.
This week we look at Winston Churchill’s Fight on the Beaches Speech and how he used “we” to save a nation.
Be great today!
Steve
In our final deep dive into putting boots on the ground, this week we discuss the art of never walking by our valued people while still using our time effectively.
It’s so important to stop and engage everyone. But it takes deliberate planning to do it right.
Be great today!
Steve
I fall into this trap.
Often, we subconsciously select “trusted advisors” and gravitate towards their counsel and advice. Yet there’s a danger in solely relying on their counsel.
This week we dive into groupthink, the Bay of Pigs, and how to expand our trusted circle a little wider.
Be great today!
Steve
Leaders,
It’s too easy to hang out in the office all day. Yet by spending all our time behind the desk, we lose the pulse on the ground.
This week we look at the importance of boots on the ground through the lens of the Abu Ghraib crisis in Iraq.
Let’s get out there this week!
Be great today!
Steve
In our third installment of putting boots on the ground, this week we explore the importance of acknowledging others.
Everyone wants to be noticed, and it really is as simple as just stopping and talking to others. Join us as we remember President G.W. Bush setting the example on Thanksgiving Day in Iraq, 2003.
Be great today!
Steve
Battles are won and lost in the trenches. On your team, if you don’t know what’s happening in your trench lines, you’re making decisions in the blind.
This week we dive into organizational trenches framed from World War I, Undercover Boss, and a waste water treatment plant.
Leaders are in the trenches!
Be great today!
Steve
Leaders,
Putting boots on the ground is one of the most important things you can do. This week we dive into U.S. Army General Matthew Ridgeway in the Korean War and how he used battlefield circulation to lead effectively. We talk about him and three essential tools from leading experts in order to do this effectively.
Be great today!
Steve
Leaders,
This week we wrap up our series on BRAG+1 and the five essential leadership qualities to don every day.
In doing so and much like a professional athlete in a post-game interview, we have to highlight others’ accomplishments ahead of our own.
Be great today!
Steve
One of the most important things you can do for your team is to be consistent.
This week we explore how consistency in our behaviors increases psychological safety, trust, communication, and stability.
How consistent are you?
Be great today!
Steve
This week we close out our month-long series on the five characteristics of leadership that we should put on before going into our position every day.
In one of my favorite sayings, a leader cannot have a hint, a sniff, or a whiff of impropriety about them. It’s that simple.
Anything less damages your leadership credibility.
Be great today — and lead above reproach!
Steve
This week we continue our five-week BRAG series with the fourth essential quality of leadership – close with and destroy the enemy.
Leaders are designed to solve problems. Much like we’ll discover at Gettysburg, we all must be the leaders who pick up our proverbial rifle and attack those problems head-on!
You’re not going to want to miss this week – and check out the podcast version in the link!
Be great today!
Steve
In our third of this five-week series on how to BRAG about our team, we put on the Armor of Leadership – Be resilient to life’s attacks.
We have to be the tennis ball and not the egg. Not always easy.
Don’t forget the new podcast version embedded in the article for those who want to listen instead of read.
Be great today!
Steve
Welcome to Week Two of our five-week series on the five essential qualities of leadership.
This week we explore the “R” is BRAG+1: Regimentals and the importance of placing service over self.
Also, check out our audio version at the top of the article if you want to listen on the go.
Be great today!
Steve
One of the first things I was ever taught about leadership was to be present.
This week we explore that concept — “Put boots on the ground.” Be where your people are!
And be great today!
Steve
On a special Thursday edition, Tom Console takes us into the pages of an open book. We’ve all heard that our lives are waiting to be written, but do we really believe this?
This is a great message that we all need to hear!
Be great today!
Steve
We are incredibly excited to start a new series entitled BRAG+1 – five essential qualities of leadership.
In this first week, we explain the concept of putting on the armor of leadership each of us need every day, modelled after a soldier’s combat equipment.
So, let’s suit up and be great today!
Steve
At the beginning of the year, it’s easy to ask ourselves where to focus our time — on our people or the mission.
This year, I encourage you to do both. While many schools of thought force you to choose, the correct one is that you don’t have to.
Join us as we dissect the People-Mission Paradox, with again this week the option to listen via podcast.
Be great today!
Steve
Welcome to 2024!
I’m especially excited this year as we added the option to listen to our articles via audio embedded into the website.
The beginning of the year is my favorite time — because it gives me an excuse to challenge myself with Big Hairy Audacious Goals (BHAGs) and then go out and hunt them!
As we discuss in the article, this year I hope you set BHAGs for yourself and allow your team the opportunity to establish their own and achieve your Maximum Standard in 2024!
Fulfill your potential, and be great this year!
Steve
Happy holidays!
In our last article before the New Year, we wanted to thank you for making a difference in others’ lives.
I know it may not always feel like it, but your leadership matters!
This week we talk about the importance of recharging our body battery, and in December is no better time to do so.
Be great today and see you next year!
Steve
Last week my daughter came home from college and her dog greeted her with a heartwarming reunion. It was incredibly sweet.
It made me think about the value of greeting another person. This week we explore how daily greetings can add significant value to your leadership.
Be great today – and greet great today!
Steve
A colleague at work recently shared this with me. She saw it at her former place of employment, and I found it too good not to share.
Upon doing some research, it was written by a gentleman Chris Spencer from Bill Gossling Outsourcing. It’s good!
Be great today!
Steve
Happy Thanksgiving Week!
We all know recognition is a positive leadership attribute. There’s no better time to remember this than as we enter Thursday’s holiday dedicated to thanking others.
This week we discuss how one additional sentence changes the game when giving praise.
Be great today and eat lots of turkey this week!
Steve
Leaders,
This week, Eddie Jenkins joins the conversation with an exceptional article on his leadership journey shaped through one man’s quotes.
His story highlights the amazing the impact you have on those around you every day, and you may not even know it.
Be great today!
Steve
Happy Early Veteran’s Day!
My hope this year is that we all go out of our way to thank individual Veterans for more than just leading in the military, but for taking their skills and using them to forward our Nation after departing service.
I am deeply grateful for our Veterans.
God bless them, and God bless America!
Steve
Happy Halloween!
I love how creative everyone gets on October 31st. But why doesn’t this creativity extend into the workplace on November 1st?
This week we look at the importance of creative leadership and how to foster it in your life and those you work with.
Be great today!
Steve
Don’t worry, this article is not about the NFL. But watching Taylor Swift crash onto the Sunday football scene highlights her ability to strategically influence countless followers while simultaneously connecting with individual fans.
Leadership is all about influence, and she’s got it.
This week we look at what it’s like to lead like a Swiftie.
Be great today!
Steve
You are the biggest advocate for your people. Period.
Often, we get wrapped up in our work being all about us. Our careers. Our successes. Our promotions.
Leading truly has nothing to do with that. It has everything to do with celebrating organizational success and lifting others up.
This week we look at two baseball all-stars, the shirts they wore to press conferences, and why it matters.
Be great today!
Steve
Last week in baseball playoffs, Philadelphia Phillies MVP Bryce Harper blew the stop sign.
Lots of well-meaning people in life are going to recommend to you to stop striving for greatness. This week we explore when it’s a good idea to go with your gut and blow the stop sign.
Be great today!
Steve
Have you ever had to make a decision where it feels like there’s just no right answer? We all have.
This week we dive into Dr. Jack Kem’s Ethical Triangle as a framework to make decisions when it seems we have to choose between two right answers.
Be great today!
Steve
Leaders,
You know those people who act one way to their bosses and completely different with peers or employees? Me too.
This week we look at why it’s the inside of a leader that truly matters – how they treat everyone, not just the people in charge.
Be great today!
Steve
For many of us, our identity and our success are closely intertwined. When things are great at work, they’re great everywhere else. When things go bad at work, our professional, home, and social lives can suffer.
While this mindset shows you care, it can also be very dangerous if your highs and lows at work determine your highs and lows of life.
This week we dive into a broken arm, professional football, and mood swings as we examine leadership identity.
Be great today!
Steve
One of my favorite parts of this current assignment can be summed up in four words: Mike Rowe’s Dirty Jobs.
I get to go do what people do and am so amazed at their professionalism every time. Just as important, it helps me make better decisions later on and value them at the same time.
When was the last time you walked in their shoes?
Be great today!
Steve
In his book Creativity Inc., Ed Catmull, President of Pixar and Disney Animation, talks about how our mental models often box us into a singular way of thinking and doing.
When we’ve worked or lived with the same people for a while, our mental models often merge, and we become stuck in performing our tasks the same way over and over.
He argues we should look at how we’re performing tasks and see if there may be a better way.
Last week, a dog attack while running helped me see this.
Be great today!
Steve
It’s official. We dropped our second child at college this week, and she’s off on her own adventure 1,000 miles away from home.
Right before we drove away, we imparted our last shot of wisdom upon her. In the end, my wife and I each gave her one, and she surprised us by giving herself one too.
Read about those three pieces of advice here that applies to us all.
Be great today!
Steve
It’s the busy season for visitors at my work, and we’ve had a lot. After giving my eighth tour of the installation, I got back to the office and sarcastically said, “No more VIPs.”
“Actually,” one of my co-workers chided me, “I feel like you would say everyone you talk to is an important person, whether they’re here for the day or work here all the time.”
He got me! This week we talk about how VIPs and our own people should be treated more the same than different.
Be great today!
Steve
Coaching is about asking questions. This week, we dig into the six components of Army leadership and how to use them to ask questions to draw leadership growth out of others.
More importantly, ask yourself these six questions.
Be great today!
Steve
This week, I celebrated my birthday. Now, I’m not a big birthday guy at home—in fact, it comes and goes with little fanfare—but I strongly believe birthdays provide leaders a tremendous opportunity in the workplace to recognize their people. Many fail to take advantage of this.
This week’s article is about tangible ways to recognize people through their birthdays at work – and maybe get some extra cake at the same time…
Be great today!
Steve
Leaders,
This week is a message from legendary baseball coach John Scolinos. He preaches that there is a standard in life, and we must all live up to and enforce that standard.
I encourage you to think about how you communicate your standards and coach people to living up to them.
Be great today!
Steve
I asked myself, “How many times in my 23-year career have I not felt psychologically safe?” The answer was uncomfortably high.
And yet, here I am running an organization, which makes me wonder how safe people feel in the culture I’m creating.
This week we explore psychological safety and how it affects the culture of your organization. I encourage you to share this with your team and see where you’re at.
Be great today!
Steve
This week we explore new leaders coming into our organization. That’s always a little scary because of the unknown. Yet, at the same time it’s wonderful because these new leaders bring fresh ideas and initiatives that we haven’t thought of before.
I encourage you to embrace new people in your organization as we’re in the summer transition phase and harness the incredible potential they bring.
Be great today!
Steve
This week our first regular contributor, Tom Console, is back with his thoughts on being a Dragon Warrior.
Combining three philosophers from as many different centuries–Epictetus, James Stockdale, and Po, the animated Kung Fu Panda–Tom takes us through surviving as leaders through the hard times in life.
In both the good times and bad, our people are watching our every move. We have to act like it.
Be great today!
Steve
Happy Independence Day! Today on our Nation’s birthday, we look at some foundational documents of America and relate them into building culture within our workforce.
Much like those who founded this great country, to lead you simply need to care about other people and then do something about it.
Be great today!
Steve
This week we take a deep dive into adversity. We all want our path to be straight and narrow, but invariably, hardships are lurking around each corner.
Join us in exploring a three-step model to keep driving towards your goals. More importantly, use this to teach everyone around you how to deal with problems when they arise.
Lead well!
Steve
I recently came across one of the most important, simplest, easiest, and hardest pieces of advice I’ve ever received: The best way for others to increase their opinion of you is to ask for their advice.
This week we explore an experiment that proves this and practical ways to make it happen.
Lead well!
Steve
This week, first time TMS author Bryan Cheney dives into servant leadership. Knowing Bryan for over two years, this is one leader who truly gets it.
He tackles how to build cohesive teams and our role in making that happen. Specifically, he bridges the dichotomy of servant leadership simultaneously being not about you while being all about you.
Thanks, Bryan, for helping us lead well!
June 6th, 1944. D-Day.
There is no event in history that better personifies the concept of baptism by fire.
While our personal experiences can never compare to D-Day, we all encounter baptisms by fire on a much smaller scale.
This week Tom Console is back to share his story on being thrown into an uncertain situation and how to not just survive, but thrive during uncertainty.
Moreover, the week The Maximum Standard officially welcomes Tom to the team as our first regular contributor! Awesome!
Lead well!
Steve
Memorial Day.
The importance of remembering those that have gone before us cannot be overstated.
Whether it was a person who gave their life in military service to protect our freedom, or one who gave their time so we would improve, sacrifice matters.
This week we look at a combination of the ultimate sacrifice in solemn reflection and those that have shaped our lives so that we may lead better.
Thank you to those who allow us to be a better version of ourselves.
Steve
Leaders,
My daughter and I just recently watched the musical Hamilton and in it were some incredible lessons on how to lead.
This week, we discuss one of the core themes in the musical where Hamilton refused to “throw away his shot” and go all in on his goals and aspirations–sometimes with good results and sometimes not so good…
We imagine you’ll see this same theme in your life just like we see it in ours.
Lead well!
Steve
Guest author Tom Console is back with his third article on another personal leadership lesson. This time, he pulls Teddy Roosevelt’s Man in the Arena quote and relates it to leading today.
He is so right that, “The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena.” Are you?
Great lesson from a young leader! Don’t miss this one!
Lead well!
Steve
May 9, 2023 by Stephen T. Messenger Retired Four-Star General Paul Funk frequently spoke on his fundamentals of leadership with one of them being “Good units do routine things routinely.” This phrase could not be more accurate when it comes to large organizations. There are hundreds of tasks that must be accomplished every day, andContinue reading “Good Units Do Routine Things Routinely”
After over 20 years of studying leadership, it is abundantly clear to me that my actions matter in every situation.
Whether at work or home, all eyes are watching my words and deeds. This week we explore the concept that you, as the leader, are the decisive element in your team.
Embrace that role and lead well!
Steve
This week, we watch a humorous clip from How I Met Your Mother. In it, Barney theorizes that, “Doing things at work gets you fired.”
Is this true? Do leaders who play it safe and maintain the status quo do better than those with bold initiatives?
Lead well this week!
Steve
Albert Einstein said, ““Anyone can be a genius, if they pick just one specific subject and study it diligently just 15 minutes each day.”
This week we study why consistency in any craft, especially leadership, is critical to see rapid improvements.
Lead well!
Steve
My family went to our first escape room. Afterwards, I ask the gamemaster how many teams successfully escape the room. She said only about 25%.
I was shocked seeing as how she fed us clues the whole time to help us out. Her reason for the low percentage: Most people just don’t want to listen.
This week we explore why people refuse help and how to ensure we’re leveraging our intellectual resources to escape the room and be successful.
Lead well!
Steve
Leaders,
A few weeks ago, we discussed the importance of having goals and working towards them, but is there such a thing as being too obsessed with meeting objectives?
This week we learn from leadership expert Marshall Goldsmith and a Princeton University experiment replicating the Good Samaritan. Can ruthlessly focusing on our goals actually cause us to miss our purpose? And how can we do both?
Quite the paradox!
Lead well!
Steve
Leaders,
I’m not a big basketball fan, but this has been the best March Madness Tournament I can remember.
It’s because the higher seeded teams are knocking off the favorites at an unprecedented rate. This week we listen to some of the winning coaches after their Sweet Sixteen victories and see what makes a champion out of an underdog.
Lead well!
Steve
This winter I joined a new group — the snowboarding club. I learned two things from hanging out with them.
1. Beginner snowboarders spend a lot of time on their backsides.
2. The importance of inclusivity, challenge, and celebration.
Click below to read on how to lead like a snowboarder.
Steve
This week Josh authors a great article about communication strategy. In it, he argues that while your message is important, the way you communicate that message matters just as much.
Written by someone who is studying communication theory, I took many practical applications on how to get my message out effectively.
Well done, Josh! And thanks for encouraging others to publish their ideas!
Lead well
Steve
This week we visit a Walt Disney World ride, “The Carousel of Progress.” Through this lens, we seek to find the logic behind innovation entering our lives and how to lead through it.
We are the champions of progress with our team. I encourage you to think about how you’re championing and leading through innovation for the better of your people.
Lead Well!
Steve
Are we leveraging our subconscious to solve current challenges?
When your brain is focused on something, it makes subconscious connections with everything around it… if you let it.
This week we look at Ford Flexes, basketball passes, and the GPS to help our mind solve problems on its own.
Lead well this week!
Steve
Good morning!
This week we discuss the importance of earning credibility. Leaders have the ability to receive, give, and sometimes take this important commodity.
A former commander of mine used to say, “Beware the Test.” Every task is an opportunity to gain credibility and more autonomy in your life.
How do you manage your credibility levels on both the giving and receiving end?
Lead well!
Steve
It’s Valentine’s Day, and I hope you’ve done something special for your significant other. They’re the ones we spend much time with, love, and cherish. It’s our job as half of the relationship to work on improving it every day.
Your work team is also a group that you spend much time with. You love and cherish them, albeit in a slightly different way. Just like in a relationship, you have half—if not more—of the responsibility to help them love their work.
This week, we look at a few ways to make your team feel loved.
Lead well!
Steve
Leaders,
If you’re like me, I like to see quick wins. Last snowfall, my kids and I learned the hard lesson of how quick wins can lead to future challenges.
While shoveling the driveway for the third straight day and seeing snow pile up, the kids pointed out this great leadership lesson.
Don’t just focus on what needs to be done today, but deliberately set conditions for future success. This week we do this through snow clearing and the Desert Storm Air Campaign of 1991.
Lead well!
Steve
Leaders,
Are you looking to increase the camaraderie in your organization? We all are! But sometimes I think we try too hard.
A simple way is with the Jeep Wave. It’s not the scheduled interactions with a large group that enable leaders to build teams. It’s the daily activities they do to connect with their people.
Today, we look at the Jeep Wave and how it can bring people together on your team.
Lead well!
Steve
Leaders,
This week we dive into a leader on the grid iron who has hustled his way to the top.
Success is way more than talent and passion. It requires relentless effort to be achieve uncommon results. We can all learn from Josh Allen of the Buffalo Bills, even after their playoff loss, who does not take this for granted.
Keep hustling and lead well!
Steve
This week two-time guest author Tom Console takes us into the operating room. Here he explores how detailed planning, decisive action, and teamwork are required whether in the hospital, school, boardroom, or battlefield.
Every time this young leader writes I learn something. Great lessons from a great leader!
We are always looking for new authors. Let us help you share your best practices.
Lead well!
Steve
This week we have guest author Ty McNeely who explores the inner specialist in all of us.
When I first heard him pitch this original concept in a graduation speech, it really got me reflecting. He is spot on with the little voice inside us that is constantly talking.
Great article from a great leader – thanks for sharing, Ty!
Lead well!
Steve
Happy New Year!
“The size of your dreams must always exceed your current capacity to achieve them. If your dreams do not scare you, they are not big enough.” — Ellen Johnson Sirleaf
I’m honored to continue this leadership journey with everyone in 2023! It’s up to us to make big things happen for our family, our work, and ourselves.
Hope you had a chance to recharge. This leadership stuff is not easy which is why we work at it.
Lead well!
Steve
Happy holidays!
This is our last article until the New Year, because we’re going to recharge through the end of December.
I say this with some trepidation. If you were to hang out with me, you’d know that I don’t do “recharge” very well.
I say this not to boast, but to identify a weakness. All of us, especially in leadership positions, need to make time to refresh, reflect, and give our bodies and brains a rest to prepare for whatever’s next.
Lead, and recharge, well!
Steve
A few years ago, my wife gave some half-joking advice to our teenage daughter. She said, “Don’t marry a jock. Marry a nerd.”
Now, the reasoning behind this comment none of us can remember. But it sparked a follow-up question that remains purposefully unanswered to this day: “Mom, did you marry a jock or a nerd?”
This week through the lens of marriage advice, jock and nerd stereotypes, and George Patton, we look at why leaders must be a little bit of a jock, a little bit of a nerd, and a whole lot of a leader.
Lead well!
Steve
I like to think I’m a good listener. But then I think about all the times someone else is talking, and my mind is wandering to what I’m going to say, not what they are saying.
We all don’t listen the same. This week we explore different styles of listening and how to use that to improve two-way communication.
I hope this makes you think differently in your next conversation.
Lead well!
Steve
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Happy Thanksgiving!
This holiday always makes me reflect on if I’m doing enough to give thanks in my workplace and at home.
No matter the position we’re in, we owe a great deal of gratitude to those around us.
This week we explore thankfulness through the lens of one of my failures in recognizing others, and we seek to continue to grow on our leadership journey.
Lead well, and Happy Thanksgiving!
Steve
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Leaders are not owed, they owe.
We can all think of a person who felt they were entitled to special privileges because of their position. The best leaders understand their role is not to be owed, but to owe.
This week, we talk about breaking entitlement culture and earning our leadership position.
Lead well!
Steve
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Happy Veteran’s Day!
One of my favorite Federal holidays is this one – where we have the honor to thank those who have served for their incredible selflessness and sacrifice. Being a Veteran is being a leader!
I hope you’ll get this leadership message out to any Veteran you know. They are the reason our Nation remains strong and secure today.
Lead well and thank you Veterans!
Steve
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Leaders,
Watching the World Series this week, there are some BIG swings. And some BIG misses.
As I reflect on my leadership journey, I can easily recall times I’ve swung for the fence and missed. These failures in life were very painful but at the same time taught me invaluable lessons I needed for the future.
We need leaders who aren’t afraid to prepare well, swing big, miss, and try again. Those leaders allow others to do the same.
This week we walk through a number of swings resulting in both passed balls and home runs.
Keep swinging and lead well!
Steve
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This week, guest author, Tom Console, defensive football coach at University of Pennsylvania, leads us into “The Great Leadership Academy” on the field.
His five lessons of leadership provide a way to continuously improve as a leader and an athlete. Tom has a great theory on how to increase confidence on and off the field through his acronym KCAC. Great article from a great leader!
If you want to guest author, drop us an email and we’ll help you publish.
Thanks, Tom, for helping us all lead well.
Steve
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Good morning, Leaders!
This week I visited the Wisconsin National Guard Challenge Academy, an alternate high school program for 16- to 18-year-old students who have dropped out or are not progressing in a traditional setting.
I found that in this environment, they exemplify the Easy-Hard Principle: doing hard things today leads to an easier future.
It was inspiring watching them build a better life, and this week we look at how to apply those principles in our own leadership.
Lead well!
Steve
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October 11, 2022 by Stephen T. Messenger I’m the assistant coach of a 13 year-old soccer team, and the first things we do every practice are stretch and run a lap around the field. I noticed an interesting phenomenon on day one. The players didn’t run the full field and cut the corners by aContinue reading “Don’t Cut Corners: In Soccer… Or in Life”
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Good morning, Leaders!
As I look across my—or any—organization, there are so many talented, hard-working individuals. One of our jobs is to understand what talents each person brings to the team, and how to engage and interact with them appropriately.
This week we explore the Nine-Box Matrix. This tool allows leaders to assess talent based on current performance and future potential and engage employees appropriately.
I hope this helps you think deeply about workforce development and how to develop and retain our talented workforces.
Lead well!
Steve
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The Maximum Standard