Good conversationalists have great influence. In this post, I share five strategies I have learned for having better conversations.

Leading others starts with leading ourselves. That means leaders must be be committed to personal development if we’re going to have long-term success. But some paths to personal development are more direct than others. My friend Ian Cron is both a priest and a therapist. He’s also an expert in the Enneagram, an ancient personal-development […]

Trust is to an organization what oil is to a car engine. It keeps the moving parts from seizing and stopping forward motion. But trust is not something you can take for granted. It takes months—sometimes years—to build. Unfortunately, you can lose it overnight.

I’m an assessment geek. I’m always looking to improve my own performance as well as my team’s. And I find measurement essential for upping our game. I first started using personality tests over a decade ago when I became the publisher of Nelson Books. It was a way for me to peek under the hood […]

As leaders, we spend an enormous amount of time, energy, and money trying to recruit top talent. I know I do. That’s why it’s critical that each hire is the right one. But what’s the secret to guarantee success? We’re in the midst of a season of intense hiring here at Michael Hyatt & Co. […]

Leaders face a lot of problems, but poor communication is one they often create for themselves. In fact, nine in ten employees say it sabotages the success of executives, according to one study. The same study found the second biggest problem area for leaders was a lack of clear directions. I think this probably applies […]

You may be old. You may be sick. You may be divorced. You may be out of work. You may be broke. You are still here for a reason.

Self-starters who take action and get things done are essential to any effective organization. But what are you supposed to do if your teammates don’t show initiative? I was recently talking with a friend. He was frustrated his employees didn’t take enough initiative. The lack was really affecting his business. The problem was he blamed […]

Last week I took my entire team on a Caribbean cruise to mark a major accomplishment. Celebrating success is something I really believe in. Family is also something I really believe in—and that’s why we included not only our employees and key contractors, but also their spouses on the trip. That meant accommodating more than […]

When you think about leadership, what’s one word that matters more than almost any others? In his new book, H3 Leadership: Be Humble, Stay Hungry, Always Hustle, Brad Lomenick says “habit” is the key. More than 40 percent of the things we do throughout the day aren’t the result of decisions, he says. They’re habits. […]

If you’re an entrepreneur at heart like me, it’s tempting to wear every hat in the business. This is especially true if you’re cursed with being halfway good at all those jobs. That’s not a compliment, by the way. I should emphasize the word cursed. Think of it this way: Would you intentionally hire someone […]

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, […]

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. […]

Michael and I have been friends for well over a decade. When we met, he was already a good leader. But over the years I’ve watched him grow and become an even better one. And one of the things I love about Michael is that whatever he’s learning, he’s continually passing along to you. If […]

Guest Post by Joel J. Miller: Whether it was riding express or printing money or casting cannons or even figuring out how to construct a gunpowder mill, Revere was tapped time and again because patriot higher-ups could count on him to get the job done, whatever it was and even if he’d never done it before, which oftentimes he had not.

The desire to create lasting transformation in the world is what really drives us as leaders, right? Since the news of her death, I’ve been thinking a lot about Maya Angelou. Her legacy offers several valuable insights for living a life of true significance. The odds were against Angelou in her early years. Her parents […]

There’s more to coaching than sharing your expertise. The way you communicate that expertise is as important as the knowledge itself. Years ago I went golfing with my friend and colleague, Dr. Victor Oliver. I had played quite a bit as a teenager, but had set aside my clubs when I became an adult. At […]

Do you have a long-term delegation strategy? This is the secret to moving more into “the zone” and getting out of those activities you don’t enjoy or don’t do well. Recently, I recorded two podcasts on the subject of delegation. The first dealt with the principles of delegation. The second suggested how you might delegate […]

Courage is not the absence of fear. It is the willingness to act in spite of my fear. Here’s how I learned this invaluable lesson.

One of your primary roles as a leader is to inspire your people. This won’t happen by accident. You must be intentional. Here are four ways you can keep it alive.

The ability to sell an idea or project to your boss is critical to your success. In this three-part series I share six steps for doing it more effectively.

The ability to sell an idea or project to your boss is critical to your success. In this three-part series I share six steps for doing it more effectively.

The ability to sell an idea or project to your boss is critical to your success. In this three-part series I share six steps for doing it more effectively.

We live in turbulent times. If we are to overcome the obstacles in our way, we must develop mental toughness. Former FBI agent LaRae Quy shares five ways.