Passionate about leadership development to help others realize their full potential and on a journey to learn and grow more every day
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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By Stephen T. Messenger May 18, 2021 I often ask myself, “How full is my cup of leadership?” Some days I have lots to give, and others I find myself running low. I know that I owe it to those I lead to keep my cup not just full but running over and pouring intoContinue reading “The Five Cups of Leadership”
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By Joshua Messenger May 11, 2021 Frantically, I scanned his text and drafted a response. He couldn’t back out from speaking tonight–not at the last minute! Sure, I could have swooped in and pulled out my emergency lesson I’d prepared a while back, but that would have defeated the entire purpose. I had to respondContinue reading “Responding with Intention”
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By Stephen T. Messenger May 4, 2021 Great leaders influence others to do more they can possibly dream or imagine. We see this throughout history with great leaders such as George Washington, Martin Luther King, Jr., Nelson Mandela, and Mahatma Gandhi, to name a few. While these public figures all changed nations, there are privateContinue reading “The Science of Influence”
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by Stephen T. Messenger April 12, 2021 Every Sunday morning at 11:00 we clean the house for an hour right after church. This has been going on ever since we moved into our new home, and while the kids don’t like it all that much, they diligently comply. But not this week. A scheduling changeContinue reading “Vacuum Grief: Leading through Change”
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by Stephen T. Messenger March 22, 2021 Throughout my career, I’ve moved thirteen times, had twenty different job positions, and occupied as many desks or workspaces. After multiple transitions, I’ve developed a theory: Move the Desk! On the first day of owning my new area, the first thing I do is grab the corner ofContinue reading “Move the Desk!”
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by Stephen T. Messenger March 15, 2021 While I always strive my hardest to place first in anything I do, rarely do I actually finish there. In fact, I can only think of two times when I was first in any school, competition, or evaluation. Even though I don’t take home the trophy often, IContinue reading “Increasing Competitive Capacity”
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by Stephen T. Messenger March 2, 2021 We finally got a dog. After many years of deflecting the pressure from our kids, my wife and I allowed a four-legged tornado into our house. Puppies, no matter how innocent they look, are a lot of work. They require constant attention, aren’t potty trained, eat everything inContinue reading “Expect the Greater Reward (4 of 5)”
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by Stephen T. Messenger February 16, 2021 All new Army officers take the oath of enlistment to begin their career. In this oath, they raise their right hand and swear to “well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office upon which [they are] about to enter.” In effect, they are taking accountability for theirContinue reading “Accept Responsibility (2 of 5)”
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Stephen T. Messenger February 3, 2021 Leadership is hard to define. Thousands of scholars and practitioners have placed their unique spin on this topic and tried to describe what leaders are and how they act. But wading through these definitions, its often hard to communicate leadership to others from a simple and practical perspective. TheContinue reading “RALE+1 Leadership”
by Stephen T. Messenger January 27, 2021 I always get motivated about a new leadership opportunity. It’s exciting to know that I’ll be at the tip of the spear and leading innovative men and women to tackle a challenging project or assignment. I was once newly assigned at a Fortune 500 distribution center to leadContinue reading “Overcoming Leadership Fog”
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Stephen T. Messenger 1 January 2021 “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 Every year in January, much to my wife’s chagrin, I outline a list of twenty personal, audacious goals thatContinue reading “2021 – Setting Audacious Goals”
The Maximum Standard