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Leaders need to get lost sometimes.  Nothing that requires a search and rescue mission…just temporarily lost!  Getting lost means having no plan, no direction, and no structure. If you have led for any period of time, I’m sure you may have been told to “get lost.”  Just not in a good way!  That is not the kind of getting lost I’m talking about.  Fort Payne, Alabama Last Friday I had the opportunity to get lost.  I ventured up to the Fort Payne, Alabama area.  The city is the home to the Country Music Hall of Fame Band Alabama and is the “Sock Capital of the World.”  There are

Catching eggs…an unexpected concept that I read about today.  We are on vacation this week for spring break.  When at the beach, I always try to pick a book to start reading.  This week’s selection, Outlive by Dr. Peter Attia.  I’m just getting into the book, but he leads off with an interesting story about a reoccurring dream that he has.  In the dream, he is on a sidewalk in a big city.  He is attempting to use a padded basket to catch eggs that are falling from above.  Frantically running back and forth, he catches some and watches others splatter on the ground.  He gets so overwhelmed

You can count on critics all day, every day. They can be counted on to be consistent and relentless in their efforts. You always know where they stand…on the other side of whatever you do.  Critics are simply Haters. Critics can be found everywhere.  They can be found on the living room couches during college football season, the bleachers of any youth sports activity, in board rooms, in hallways, the backseats of vehicles, the editorial section of newspapers, and especially in the comments thread on a social media post.  Sometimes they can even lie withing oneself.        John Maxwell says that, “When you get kicked in the rear, you know

“I am a winner, he’s a loser” are the words I heard from the opposing team’s dugout this weekend.  In taking my stroll from the third base dugout to position myself in the first base coach’s box, I heard the opposing coach in a heated conversation on his phone.  Up until that point, I had heard him conversing with his assistant coach in the dugout.  The conversation was regarding another team they were responsible for in their program that was playing at the same time.  They were tracking that team’s progress on a live game feed. I’m not quite certain who he was talking to, but he wasn’t

There are moments in life in which the process of counting down can redirect our thoughts and emotions.  Countdowns always start with bigger numbers and work downward.  By the time the countdown is over, not much is left. Counting Down Every once in a while, I have moments that hit me like a ton of bricks.  Where I come to the realization that I have only so much of something left.  This weekend, it was while coaching first base in a 14U baseball game.  It was late Friday night, it was drizzling rain, and it was forty degrees.  Not exactly ideal baseball weather.  After a long day’s work,

There is a window to the world for each of us.  A small opening to a bigger picture.  A viewing pane from what things ARE into what COULD be. Creating Experiences Prior to Christmas, it hit me.  Our daughter Ashtyn is a junior in high school, she is more than halfway through this school year.  That means in less than a year and a half, she graduates. I decided that instead of a bunch of stuff for Christmas that I would surprise her and Shannon with a trip to New York City, New York.  The time in which we have to create experiences is dwindling. Window to the

Wrestling with questions is a productive use of time for a leader.  Questions lead us in the direction of answers.  Towards a better place to make good decisions.   Wrestling Several of the last few blog posts have been anchored in the sport of wrestling.  As my son Grant wrapped up his freshman season, it created a lot of connections between the sport and leadership.  While wrestling is in the title this week, this one has nothing to do with the sport. Women’s Leadership Summit I had the unique experience this week to speak at the Georgia Recreation and Parks Association’s Women’s Leadership Summit in Kennesaw, Georgia.     Two

End of seasons are inevitable.  In life and leadership, all seasons come to an end.  Someday, somehow, all seasons are certain to end. End of Seasons My son, Grant, wrapped up his freshman high school wrestling season this weekend.  He and seven of his Allatoona High School teammates placed at their regional championships which earned them an opportunity to compete at the Georgia High School Association’s sectional tournament this past weekend.  To advance to the state tournament, they would have to place in the top six at sectionals.  Those that didn’t, would experience their end of season.  For four of them, more was on the line.  They were