When I think of key leadership qualities, decisiveness is always high on the list. The ability to quickly size up a situation and act is essential. But sometimes we can be too fast. And that’s especially true when it comes to criticism.

Our words can be powerful tools to accomplish our goals. But sometimes the things we say can sabotage our success. I have led, counseled, and mentored people for decades now. One thing I’ve noticed time and again is how much power our words possess. Whether we’re speaking, blogging, selling, or debating, we rely on our […]

Donald Miller’s newest book, Scary Close: Dropping the Act and Finding True Intimacy, is out and off to a great start. I can see why. It’s his best book so far. I’ve known Don for over a decade. He was one of our bestselling authors at Thomas Nelson, during the time I was publisher, president, […]

We often look at successful people, hearing their stories of failure, and think they succeeded in spite of the fact that they failed. But that’s not true. Successful people and organizations don’t succeed despite failure. They succeed because of it.

Everyone knows I geek out when it comes to new technology. But sometimes old tech is the best tech, and that goes for taking notes. Last fall information guru Clay Shirky banned the use of laptops and other digital devices in his NYU classroom. It remains a controversial move. Not only students, but even other […]

It’s about that time. Based on the statistics, a large percentage of people who made New Year’s resolutions are thinking about throwing in the towel. Some already have. According to research from the University of Scranton, nearly 4 out of 10 people quit their resolutions before reaching the month of February. Even more will fall […]

When Martin Luther King Jr. accepted the ministerial call from Dexter Avenue Baptist Church in Montgomery, Alabama, he was just twenty-five years old. That was 1954. What King accomplished over the next decade would radically reshape American society and provide an example and inspiration for us today. So what was his secret?

People often look at my success and assume I haven’t had any failures. Excuse me while I laugh. Have you seen my recent blooper reel? The truth is I have experienced plenty of failure. And many are a lot worse than a flubbed line. I just don’t usually publicize them.

I have been in and around the publishing business my entire professional life. So I understand the potential impact of a great book. In business, the right book at the right moment can tilt the playing field and give you a crucial advantage. These thirty-seven business books have personally made a huge difference for me. […]

As I talk about setting goals for the New Year, I get a lot of questions like these: “How do I know if I’m being too aggressive with my goals? How do I know if my goals are realistic?” If you’re asking these questions, you’re already on the right track. Why? Because you’re already talking […]