Self-confidence and goal setting go hand in hand, empowering you to harness your ambitions and achieve remarkable success. Believe it or not, self-confidence is a superpower that plays a crucial role in success. Appropriate self-confidence in an unwavering belief in our abilities and worth that allows us to take risks, overcome obstacles, and achieve our goals. Self-confidence is a deep-rooted belief in one’s abilities, worth, and potential, allowing individuals to trust them

Prioritizing personal development in 2024 can be a game-changing experience for you or your organization. We know that Olympic athletes don’t get to the Olympics on their own. They train with the guidance of coaches who help them reach their peak potential. But Olympic athletes are not the only ones. Coaching can help a person get to where he or she wants to be, faster and more efficiently. Oprah Winfrey, Hugh Jackman, Leonardo DiCaprio, Serena Williams, Tiger Woods, Michael

written by Dwight Mason   Prioritizing personal development in 2024 can be a game-changing experience for you or your organization. We know that Olympic athletes don’t get to the Olympics on their own. They train with the guidance of coaches that help them reach their peak potential. But Olympic athletes are not the only ones. Coaching can help a person get to where he or she wants to be faster and more efficiently. Oprah Winfrey, Hugh Jackman, Leonardo DiCaprio, Serena Willi

The first, most vital ingredient for consistent personal growth and development is a growth mindset. Let’s think about that a little more. What is a growth mindset?   A growth mindset is a belief that you can develop your skills and talents through challenging work, the right strategies, and guidance from others. The term was coined by American psychologist Professor Carol Dweck in her 2006 book,  Mindset: The New Psychology of Success . Her work explored how an individual’s

A YEAR OF PERSONAL GROWTH   It doesn’t seem that long ago that we were embarking on 2023. It seemed to fly by, didn’t it? Did you accomplish everything you hoped to? Likely not. Forward motion is the goal, and we won’t get everything done, but focusing on the most significant is vital. During this first month of the new year, we are going to focus on personal growth. Personal growth explores the barriers that prevent you from living the life you want to live and leading the w

One word summarizes the 2023 workplace landscape: change. Artificial intelligence making its way into life, ever-changing return-to-office requirements, growing political tensions – the year has been marked by unpredictability.   The year 2024 won’t slow down the pace of change, so leaders will need to keep changing to stay on top of it all. Career Coach Val Olson says, “There is one overriding force that is shaping what leadership skills will be needed next year and beyond.

One of the best decisions you can make for the new year (IF you follow through and do the work) is to effectively handle insecurity so it doesn’t derail you or your team in 2024.   One of the difficulties of handling our insecurities is owning that we have them. We masquerade and dress them up as something different. For instance, an insecure leader typically expresses their lack of confidence as mistrust – for their employees, for their employers, and even for the workplace

The saying is, “The moment you stop learning – you stop leading.” A key to lifelong learning is to view everyone you meet as a potential teacher. This is a learning mindset, an attitude that predisposes you to be open to new experiences, to believe you can and will learn, and to intentionally grow and develop from your experiences .   When you are meeting new people – enlarging your circle or maybe even changing your circle – each interaction is an opportunity to re-evaluate

The expectations of leadership in today’s world are unrealistic in many cases. A most recent example experiencing this is Ryan Day, coach of the Ohio State Buckeyes. Legendary OSU Coach Woody Hayes is said to have hated Michigan so much that he coined the term TTUN (the team up north) for Michigan because he couldn’t stand to say their name. Well, I’m not that intense about it, but I am disappointed that my Buckeyes lost to the TTUN last week – not to mention for the last thr

The famous song recorded countless times by crooners of multiple generations idealizes the one who “did it my way.” But great leaders know that truly significant and exceptional leadership means not always getting your own way. Now the truth is that leaders act. In the face of ambiguity or uncertainty, they step up to the plate and take charge when needed. If no one else is directing or planning how to accomplish the goal, real leaders do whatever is necessary to move things

I am sure we can all agree that to be fully healthy we need to be socially and emotionally healthy, which means health in our relationships. Stephen Covey, author of the bestselling 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, used the phrase “emotional bank account ” to describe the level of closeness and trust, or “richness” in our relationships. A large balance in the “bank” means lots of positive connection, trust, and closeness in the relationship. To have this large balance req

Mental health includes our emotional, psychological, and social well-being. It affects how we think, feel, and act. It also helps determine how we handle stress, relate to others, and make healthy choices. Strong mental health is important at every stage of life, from birth to our final days. Caring for the mental health of the team is necessary for the long-term success of any organization. As a leader, it is critical that you have an intimate understanding of your team and

When was the last time someone asked you, “How is your soul?” I am sure your doctor hasn’t. Yet we are more spiritual than physical. Leadership is all about relationships. People with healthy souls are capable of forming meaningful relationships, but people with unhealthy souls find it almost impossible. Soul care is linked to finding help to overcome temptations, fight addictions, and have peace with God with yourself and others. It is caring for the whole person because ev

Writing of Dwight Mason Our recent Leader’s Edge Conference was a success. We focused on becoming the best version of you. We learned that by sharpening the saw in the four dimensions of who you are affects every area of your life. These areas are Spiritual, Physical, Relational, and Mental. It was a powerful time of learning and growing. Sharpen the Saw is the principle of renewal. It is necessary to make everything else possible that we are called to do as a leader. It is P

In recent years, many have claimed that old-style command-and-control leadership is out and a new way of leading is in. Instead of telling people what to do, leaders should ask them open-ended questions. Instead of sticking exactly to plans, they should be flexible and adjust goals as new information emerges. Instead of working from internal feelings and gut instinct, a leader should rely on data to make decisions—and many more similar comparisons. Some call command-and-contr

It’s possible that inflexibility may be hindering your leadership and learning to be flexible could change it. Why does flexibility matter for a leader? Simply said, even the greatest leader can’t control everything. Things happen that are completely out of our power to control, and our thriving—even simply staying afloat—depends on our capacity for flexibility. Workplace flexibility is all about adapting to changing circumstances and expectations on the job. It requires the

Ever wish you could be a fly on the wall when people who fascinate you, challenge you, inspire you, get together? When true leaders who have succeeded get together for conversation, what is it that they talk about? No matter the arena in which they lead, the topics are certain to be similar. Why? Because successful leaders cross-pollinate and are open to wisdom and strategy that comes from diverse and varied places. Perhaps the first area of commonality for discussion is BIG

What is the power of trust in leadership? When trust is present, it creates a positive environment where people feel safe to take risks, share ideas, and be authentic. This fosters innovation, collaboration, and growth, making trust a powerful multiplier that accelerates processes, reduces costs, and increases efficiency. Trust building helps teams step into ambiguity, stay committed to managing the unknown with confidence, and embrace change as an opportunity to learn, grow

Simplicity. In a complex world, simplicity is more important than ever. With so many things continually competing for people's attention, the more basic and more straightforward you can make something become, the better. Here's the thing: simple is more complicated. You must think about and plan what you want to say or do. Sometimes, simplicity requires more thinking and planning than just shooting from the hip. You have to understand why you're saying or doing it. Then, whe

As a leader, you are faced with many difficult decisions, and they are presented to you every day. Experienced leaders tell us those tough decisions are often characterized by three key elements: clarity, context, and choice. · Clarity: Tough decisions often require a clear understanding of the issue, including the facts and relevant information. Clarity is essential to make an informed decision. · Context: Tough decisions are often made in the context of complex and