Equipping Leaders To Multiply

Modeling Imperfection

Entering into a leadership development relationship with someone is both a high honor and a weighty responsibility. In essence, you’re saying to them “follow me; I’ll be your model.” The first thought that comes to mind when I read this phrase is “who am I?” I’m far from being a perfect leader. What qualifies me to say, “follow me”? Yet leadership development is most powerful when it’s carried out in a modeling relationship. I have…Continue Reading

Five Tips for Soliciting a Mentor

Each year I get several guys who email or call and ask if I would consider mentoring them.  The fact that they took the initiative to even ask always makes me want to say “Yes”, however I can only commit to so many people at one time so I frequently have to decline their request.  Because I’ve experienced the impact of mentoring on my own life I believe deeply that every young leader needs someone…Continue Reading

Ground Rules for Establishing a Mentoring Relationship

Starting a mentoring relationship is exciting but can soon turn awkward if you don’t get it started the right way.  Here area few ground rules to get off to a good start. Confidentiality– Part of mentoring is sharing the fears, sins and scars of your soul. Some lessons of life are born out of deep pain. I will share things with a protege privately that I won’t share publicly. So it’s important that you establish a relationship of trust…Continue Reading

Emotionally Engaged Mentoring

How close are you to those you’re developing?  It’s easy to look at those under our leadership development efforts as a project rather than a person.  Sometimes leaders feel like training or mentoring others is a burdensome responsibility rather than a privileged relationship. When this is the case the leader fails to fully engage himself in the development process. Development efforts are hurried, made a low priority or given half-hearted effort. But leadership development has…Continue Reading

The Leadership Development Magic Bullet

It seems that everyone is struggling with the challenge of developing leaders and in the process they’re desperately looking for “what works”.  So the questions abound:  What’s the best curriculum, best delivery system or best tool for leadership development?  Despite the fact leadership development is getting more and more attention  few are making progress with this challenge.  So what’s the magic bullet? While there is nothing wrong with those questions, we’re still overlooking the core…Continue Reading