Leadership Through History: From Autocracy to Collaboration

I am a student of history. I love learning about the events and people that came before us, and often think about how the past has influenced the present. Who we are now can be attributed mainly to who we’ve been, how we were raised, who our parents were, and how...

How Setbacks Can Actually Propel You Forward

You would be hard-pressed to find someone in life who has only had an upward trajectory. Most of us have had times when we’ve been up, times when we’ve been down, and times when we weren’t quite sure if we were up or down, we just knew we were uncomfortable. But...

The Silent Impact of Fear in Leadership

If you’ve been a leader—in any capacity—whether it’s in a business or sports setting, at home with children, or in your group of friends, you have probably encountered the ankle-biting doubt demon known as fear. Are you enough? Can you get the job done? Will you make...
The Silent Impact of Fear in Leadership

The Silent Impact of Fear in Leadership

If you’ve been a leader—in any capacity—whether it’s in a business or sports setting, at home with children, or in your group of friends, you have probably encountered the ankle-biting doubt demon known as fear. Are you enough? Can you get the job done? Will you make...

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How Setbacks Can Actually Propel You Forward

How Setbacks Can Actually Propel You Forward

You would be hard-pressed to find someone in life who has only had an upward trajectory. Most of us have had times when we’ve been up, times when we’ve been down, and times when we weren’t quite sure if we were up or down, we just knew we were uncomfortable. But...

read more

CULTIVATING LEADERSHIP

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stories of the greats

stories of the greats

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ABOUT ME

How to Take Responsibility in a Crisis

How to Take Responsibility in a Crisis

If you’re a leader, it isn’t enough to take responsibility for your own mistakes. You’ve got to step up and be the spokesperson for your people when things go wrong, too. And it’s true—the blame might belong to one person. But if they’re on your team, you have to take ownership.

Instead of assigning blame, focus on fixing the problem at hand. It takes real leadership to take the focus off one individual and choose to move forward for the good of everyone around you.

There’s one particular story that will inspires me to take responsibility no matter what. Read on to learn how even Johnson & Johnson, one of the most visible companies out there, took control when their Tylenol was laced with harmful chemicals.

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3 Ways for Leaders to Be a Calming Force

3 Ways for Leaders to Be a Calming Force

In times of crisis, your job as a leader is to be a calm strength to others. You’ll likely be surrounded by a wave of different emotions when chaos arrives, and that’s when you have to be at your best.

But sometimes there is truly no crisis at all. Someone might come to you with a problem that can easily be solved, but his or her panicked state might tell another story. Easing their worries and getting things back on track takes dedicated practice.

When situations like these come up, try using these three tips to solve their problems and bring back the calm.

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The 9 People You Need to Be Successful

The 9 People You Need to Be Successful

Every successful person needs strong human connections, and not just the professional kind. There are so many people—nurturers, thinkers, mentors—who can help you get to where you want to be in life.

Over time, I’ve come across nine types of people that have helped shaped the man I am today. It helps to have a few good people on your side, but if you can get all nine of these characters, your support system will grow stronger and stronger.

Keep reading to see if you recognize any of these personalities in your social circle.

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5 Traits of Naturally Resilient People

5 Traits of Naturally Resilient People

Personal challenges can be difficult to handle. We don’t always face them alone, but no matter who’s beside us, we still have to find a way to deal with setbacks. In other words, you’re the one that has to pick up the pieces—and no one else.

When things get tough, be resilient. Have a certain mental strength, and take control of the situation. Don’t let it take control of you.

Try using these five tips to make it happen.

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How to Think Like the Person You Want to Become

How to Think Like the Person You Want to Become

One of the biggest challenges we face today is keeping a positive mind. There will always be some kind of challenge to face, but that’s just life―no matter what comes your way, your self-belief should be stronger than anything you’re up against.

Being a big thinker is all about how you see yourself. People who think big anticipate the best for their future. They believe that those big thoughts and ideas can actually play out in reality.

The mind is a powerful tool, so use this piece of motivation to think like the person you want to become.

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5 Positive Ways to Build Your Belief in Yourself

5 Positive Ways to Build Your Belief in Yourself

The quickest way to give up on your dreams is to doubt your ability to live them out.

Here’s the truth: You won’t get very far in life if you don’t believe in yourself. But at the same time, you need to have a natural confidence that inspires people to be on your side.

So are you over or under confident? It’s a tricky scale to balance. To be successful, you’ll have to position yourself somewhere in the middle. A person who is boldly humble has just the right amount of self-belief to go for everything they want—without an inflated ego.

Here are five ways to master the balance.

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How to Stop Making Excuses (and Start Making Things Happen)

How to Stop Making Excuses (and Start Making Things Happen)

If you want to make big things happen in your life, you’ve got to convince yourself that quitting isn’t an option. In your mind, you should be so committed to your goals that when an obstacle shows up, you immediately start looking for a way around it. I like to think of it like this: When a door closes, sometimes you have to go through a window.

But if things don’t pan out, don’t make excuses—make a new plan. Lay it all on the line. Give your best effort so that you’ll never have to wonder whether you had a real shot at your dreams.

Before you make an excuse, use this piece of wisdom to refocus.

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ABOUT ME

“The scarcest resource in the world is not oil, it’s leadership.”

As Co-CEO of the largest independent financal services company in North America, John Addison’s skill as a leader was tested and honed daily. He retired in 2015 after taking the company and it’s people to massive heights. He’s just not done helping people get to the top. Today, he’s at the helm of Addison Leadership Group, INC working daily to mentor and educate new leaders.

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8 Fictional Quotes That Inspire Real Leadership

8 Fictional Quotes That Inspire Real Leadership

Take a moment to imagine: You’re sippin’ sweet tea on the porch, a gentle breeze rustling the pages of a worn book. As the sun sets, you embark on an adventure alongside characters who might be figments of someone’s imagination, but they sure do teach some real-life...

Leadership Growth: Nurturing Your True Potential (Part 1 of 2)

Leadership Growth: Nurturing Your True Potential (Part 1 of 2)

Each spring, I take time to look around the farm and see how things are starting to come back to life. Some things will have died off completely and need to be replanted, while others will have gone dormant during the winter months, but will be ready to bud again as...

Become an Authentic Team Leader through Self-Awareness

Become an Authentic Team Leader through Self-Awareness

I have always said, leadership is about more than position or title; it's about guiding and inspiring others towards a common goal. It takes work and self-awareness to do this well. We cannot become authentic, effective leaders without acknowledging the significant...