Tag: Lessons

Handling Adversity

Leadership will always suffer times when adversity creates discouragement. How do leaders survive these times and grow stronger? Consider:

To be forewarned is to be forearmed. Knowing adversity will come helps in preparing beforehand.

Focus on an area of expertise. Discouragement is usually the result of feeling overwhelmed. Focus on one area at a time.

Learn the value of walking away. Sometimes taking a break from the situation and clearing your mind helps.

Seek counsel with other survivors. We can often better handle adversity in life through the encouragement of others.

Remember to seek the good in all situations.
Never forget the lessons learned that benefit you as a leader.

Past, Present, and Future Lessons

Several years ago, I came across a quote that I loved. It simply said, “The past is where you learned the lesson. The future is where you apply the lesson. Don’t give up in the middle.”

Based on the lessons learned, the wisdom gained directs the decisions, attitudes, and actions of our future. Here, we apply the lessons gained from past experiences.

The challenge is learning to never give up in between learning the lessons which are connected to our past and recovering enough to make the proper application of those lessons in the future.

Leaders do well to learn and apply accordingly.

A Lesson in Leadership

Some of the greatest thoughts on leadership have come from some of the most amazing people in my life.

Our oldest son, Rob, once said, “When we don’t understand the LESSON at the right time, life makes us understand the same LESSONS at the wrong time.”

The thought holds such merit when it comes to leadership. When we do not understand the lesson at the right time, we find ourselves dealing with them at the wrong time.

To be sure, the lesson here is to pay attention and learn it right the first time around. When we do, our leadership influence grows.

Lessons from a Sticky Note Pad…

On most desks is a small “sticky note” pad.

However, the nature of the sticky note provides several good lessons for leadership.

They are reminders of something important. If it is important, it is worth writing down.

They can be placed in any location. Leadership is not limited to the building. 

Once they stick, they are still there the next day. Good leaders hold on even when the road is difficult. 

They come in a variety of sizes and colors. No cookie cutter approach exists for finding leaders.

Lessons from a sticky note pad – our leadership might still be around tomorrow as a reminder of something important.