I can't pretend otherwise, sometimes being the leader isn't much fun. When that happens to you, it's important you don't isolate or silo. You need to talk to the right people. Let's talk about preparing for such a need.Help me spread the word of this Podcast by rating it on Apple Podcast, Spotify, or wherever you listen to your podcast content. Consider writing a review. And feel free to share this with others you think might benefit!  Have suggestions for future Leadership Podcast episodes? Let me know. Email ideas to JimS@nowlcms.org.

You will never be able to please everyone when you are making decisions. However, there is wisdom in anticipating what problems might result from your choices. Let's consider this, particularly with the help of a true story.Help me spread the word of this Podcast by rating it on Apple Podcast or wherever you listen to your podcast content. Consider writing a review. And feel free to share this with others you think might benefit!  Have suggestions for future Leadership Podcast episodes? Let me know. Email ideas to JimS@nowlcms.org.

No one goes into leadership because it's the simpler, easier path. Leadership is hard, and sometimes downright scary. Today we talk about the way courage is truly needed from a leader to help their school ministries move through challenging times so that they may thrive.Help me spread the word of this Podcast by rating it on Apple Podcast or wherever you listen to your podcast content. Consider writing a review. And feel free to share this with others you think might benefit!  Have suggestions for future Leadership Podcast episodes? Let me know. Email ideas to JimS@nowlcms.org.

We all enjoy feeling needed. However, as a leader, there is definitely such a thing as being TOO needed. Let's talk about the traps leaders should avoid, and what to do to empower those we lead.Help me spread the word of this Podcast by rating it on Apple Podcast or wherever you listen to your podcast content. Consider writing a review. And feel free to share this with others you think might benefit!  Have suggestions for future Leadership Podcast episodes? Let me know. Email ideas to JimS@nowlcms.org.

Leaders often undervalue their own importance. I know, I know - we are warned more often about being overconfident or slipping towards arrogance, the the push against that swings easily the other direction. We take servant leadership to an extreme, and do far more than we should, easily using up our reserves and burning out. That's criminal, as leaders are too rare to waste. Here's some thoughts regarding sustainability for leadership, changes you may want to consider. Help me spread the word of this Podcast by rating it on Apple Podcast or wherever you listen to your podcast content. Consider writing a review. And feel free to share this with others you think might benefit!  Have suggestions for future Leadership Podcast episodes? Let me know. Email ideas to JimS@nowlcms.org.

Doesn't matter how skillfully you lead, communicate, and interact with others, sometimes things don't work out. It takes TWO for relationships to be successful. This episode reminds leaders to recognize that you should always do what you can, but not beat yourself up when things fail. Sometimes, it's truly NOT your fault. Be sure to honestly evaluate circumstances, so that you recognize when you need to change vs. when it's just how it's going be because of the other person.Help me spread the word of this Podcast by rating it on Apple Podcast or wherever you listen to your podcast content. Consider writing a review. And feel free to share this with others you think might benefit!  Have suggestions for future Leadership Podcast episodes? Let me know. Email ideas to JimS@nowlcms.org.

Yes, leaders need to be confident in their decisions, and giving off an air of indecisiveness can damage people's opinion of your leadership. But so will bad decisions, and a stubbornness about shifting your direction when new data comes to light. Let's give this some consideration in this episode. Help me spread the word of this Podcast by rating it on Apple Podcast or wherever you listen to your podcast content. Consider writing a review. And feel free to share this with others you think might benefit!  Have suggestions for future Leadership Podcast episodes? Let me know. Email ideas to JimS@nowlcms.org.

There are risks you take, and risks you shouldn't. As a leader, you need to pay attention to the changing landscape around you, to best determine when to move forward, and when to stop and adjust. Here's another example of such consideration.Help me spread the word of this Podcast by rating it on Apple Podcast or wherever you listen to your podcast content. Consider writing a review. And feel free to share this with others you think might benefit!  Have suggestions for future Leadership Podcast episodes? Let me know. Email ideas to JimS@nowlcms.org.

Leaders help keep the team on mission, and watch for pitfalls that could derail them. At least, that how it's supposed to work, but leaders are human too, and can fall prey to "ostrich disease." Let's talk about this.Help me spread the word of this Podcast by rating it on Apple Podcast or wherever you listen to your podcast content. Consider writing a review. And feel free to share this with others you think might benefit!  Have suggestions for future Leadership Podcast episodes? Let me know. Email ideas to JimS@nowlcms.org.

Two different terms, somewhat related but not quite the same. In this episode I discuss their relation, and how each impacts your leadership effectiveness, as well as what you should be sensitive to in this regard.Help me spread the word of this Podcast by rating it on Apple Podcast or wherever you listen to your podcast content. Consider writing a review. And feel free to share this with others you think might benefit!  Have suggestions for future Leadership Podcast episodes? Let me know. Email ideas to JimS@nowlcms.org.

Documentation has a negative connotation, but honestly, that's simply because most leaders are using it wrongly. I'll give you a fresh perspective and a suggestion to add to your leadership practices here in this episode.Help me spread the word of this Podcast by rating it on Apple Podcast or wherever you listen to your podcast content. Consider writing a review. And feel free to share this with others you think might benefit!  Have suggestions for future Leadership Podcast episodes? Let me know. Email ideas to JimS@nowlcms.org.

Leaders need to be confident, ready to defend their positions. But what about when your position is wrong?Help me spread the word of this Podcast by rating it on Apple Podcast or wherever you listen to your podcast content. Consider writing a review. And feel free to share this with others you think might benefit!  Have suggestions for future Leadership Podcast episodes? Let me know. Email ideas to JimS@nowlcms.org.

Having an "open door policy" is important, right? Oh, the trouble that phrase has caused. Let's explore this a bit today.Help me spread the word of this Podcast by rating it on Apple Podcast or wherever you listen to your podcast content. Consider writing a review. And feel free to share this with others you think might benefit!  Have suggestions for future Leadership Podcast episodes? Let me know. Email ideas to JimS@nowlcms.org.

It's been a busy couple of months, including time filled by running and then attending professional development - so that's the topic I'm turning to here. Professional development is critical!Help me spread the word of this Podcast by rating it on Apple Podcast or wherever you listen to your podcast content. Consider writing a review. And feel free to share this with others you think might benefit!  Have suggestions for future Leadership Podcast episodes? Let me know. Email ideas to JimS@nowlcms.org.

Continuing with the analogy and theme of our previous episode, this time we explore how to help people gracefully "exit the bus" when it turns out that, despite your efforts, they aren't proving to be a good fit for the team and the needs of your school ministry.Help me spread the word of this Podcast by rating it on Apple Podcast or wherever you listen to your podcast content. Consider writing a review. And feel free to share this with others you think might benefit!  Have suggestions for future Leadership Podcast episodes? Let me know. Email ideas to JimS@nowlcms.org.

In his book Good to Great, Jim Collins introduced me to the the concept of viewing your professional team as the people riding your bus. To be effective in proceeding in the direction you're headed, you need the right people on the bus. That's not always what you have when you move into a leadership position. Here, we start talking about ways leaders can work through this sort of circumstance to arrive at a better arrangement.Help me spread the word of this Podcast by rating it on Apple Podcast or wherever you listen to your podcast content. Consider writing a review. And feel free to share this with others you think might benefit!  Have suggestions for future Leadership Podcast episodes? Let me know. Email ideas to JimS@nowlcms.org.

Providing effective feedback is a critical aspect of leadership. Providing feedback is a leadership aspect about which many leaders lack ease, some because they've truly botched it in the past. Let's explore how to be effective with feedback in this episode.Help me spread the word of this Podcast by rating it on Apple Podcast or wherever you listen to your podcast content. Consider writing a review. And feel free to share this with others you think might benefit!  Have suggestions for future Leadership Podcast episodes? Let me know. Email ideas to JimS@nowlcms.org.

Leadership is hard work. That's a given. Yet some leaders regularly make decisions that make the job even more difficult and time consuming, and at the same time less effective. In this episode, we'll discuss pitfalls to avoid, and behaviors you should stop if you truly want to thrive long-term as a leader.Help me spread the word of this Podcast by rating it on Apple Podcast or wherever you listen to your podcast content. Consider writing a review. And feel free to share this with others you think might benefit!  Have suggestions for future Leadership Podcast episodes? Let me know. Email ideas to JimS@nowlcms.org.

Working with people can be complex. Adults can have just as much difficulty playing nice together as preschoolers. It's a leader's responsibility to remain sensitive to the climate, and to step in and help when things turn towards the toxic. Let's discuss.Help me spread the word of this Podcast by rating it on Apple Podcast or wherever you listen to your podcast content. Consider writing a review. And feel free to share this with others you think might benefit!  Have suggestions for future Leadership Podcast episodes? Let me know. Email ideas to JimS@nowlcms.org.

Sure, you are a capable, effective individual. That's part of how you ended up in leadership. But producing as an island, needing no one else, is NOT what leadership is about. Let's explore.Help me spread the word of this Podcast by rating it on Apple Podcast or wherever you listen to your podcast content. Consider writing a review. And feel free to share this with others you think might benefit!  Have suggestions for future Leadership Podcast episodes? Let me know. Email ideas to JimS@nowlcms.org.