As any farmer knows, the growth of a crop only happens when the right ingredients are present. To harvest plentiful fields, the farmer has to begin by planting the right seed in rich topsoil where sunlight and water can help the seed to sprout, mature, and bear fruit. If any of the ingredients (seeds, topsoil,…

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Good leaders deliberately seek out and find potential leaders. Great leaders not only find them, but also equip them to be great leaders. Three Stages of Equipping Stage One: Position Gives You a Platform Adding value is the essence of equipping others, and you can add value in any direction: to your superiors, peers, or…

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The Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C. houses the personal belongings Abraham Lincoln was carrying the night he was assassinated. Among them is a well-worn newspaper clipping lauding Lincoln’s achievements as president and describing him as, “One of the greatest statesmen of all time.” Now, President Lincoln was by no means an egomaniac. In fact, he…

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For 13 seasons, Tony Dungy spent Sunday mornings giving pregame pep talks to star football players in the NFL. Two years into retirement, he still gives motivational speeches regularly, but his audience has morphed dramatically. Instead of addressing locker rooms full of millionaire  athletes,  Dungy  now  speaks  at  cafeterias  packed  with  felons  at  correctional facilities…

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Who Finishes Strong? Leaders with Visions to Fulfill In 2005, 97-year old Joseph Rotblat penned an op-ed to the New York Times pleading with readers to oppose the use of nuclear weapons. His words carried weight since, as a young man, Rotblat had helped the U.S. Government to build the first atomic bomb. In the…

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Summer vacation has slipped away and yellow buses are back on the streets, carrying children to schools. Some of the kids will endure classes disinterestedly, longing to hear the bell ring at day’s end. Others will get wrapped up in the excitement of studying new subjects, learning with joyful fascination. Perhaps more than anything else,…

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I once heard that 91 million Americans make New Year’s Resolutions, but that 70 million Americans break those commitments within a week! Going to a health club seems to confirm the stats. During the first week of January, gyms are packed. All of the treadmills are in use, people are lining up for a turn…

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It’s hard to imagine a time when Samuel L. Jackson wasn’t an A -List celebrity, but twenty years  ago  he  was  a  frustrated,  little-known  actor  who  couldn’t  seem  to breakthrough. Despite his prodigious talents, as of his 41st birthday Jackson could claim nothing more notable than a few minor cameos. Intensely discouraged, he turned to…

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Recently, I was asked a question that I hear pretty often. Usually the questioner is young, perhaps newly-graduated from school. They’re almost always new to their current job. And I can often hear their frustration when they ask: Please tell me, how can someone just entering the workforce create change? Maybe you’re familiar with this…

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