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Best Wishes For 2009!

My this be a great year for you and all of your leadership endeavors. Your best year is still in front of you. Your best idea is yet to be discovered. Your best accomplishments haven't happened yet.

Happy New Year!

2009 is the year to SHINE!

Don't Make A New Year's Resolution!

WARNING! If you're going to make a new goal or change something that needs changing - don't do it on January 1. Start on December 31 or January 2 or any other day except for January 1.

Here's why...

Most of the resolutions that I've made on January 1 have been BECAUSE it's January 1. If there is something that you really need to work on, some decision to be made, some radical change in your life...don't let a date on your calendar be your ultimate motivation.

A Leadership Letter From My Kid's Coach

/NOTE: I received this letter in an email from Mitch's ski coach. Mitch is my third child and currently skis in the J3 class for the McCall Ski Racing Team. I was impressed by Pete Petry's challenge to equip my son mentally and physically for this year's racing season./

It takes a combination of things to become a successful athlete. If you look at any top professional athlete, Ted Ligety, Lindsey Vonn, Kerry Walsh, Kobe Bryant etc you will notice a certain swagger in addition to their outstanding athletic abilities. They seem to radiate with confidence and inner-belief no matter how good or bad the event is going. These athletes are physically strong but more importantly mentally stronger. We have all watched anyone of these athletes get behind in a competition, make a mistake and put themselves in an unfavorable position; in addition we have all watched countless heroic comebacks by such athletes; Ted’s gold medal performance at the ’06 Olympics is a great example … behind after the downhill portion of the combined event Ted let it all hang out in the slalom and look what happened …America’s newest ski racing sensation!!! Ted battled the odds and came out on top.

Quotable Leadership

Study the quotes of great leaders. Learn from them. There are nuggets of wisdom that will help you grow in your own leadership capacities.

Don't tell people how to do things, tell them what to do and let them surprise you with their results.
George S. Patton

A leader is a dealer in hope.
Napoleon Bonaparte

The very essence of leadership is that you have to have vision. You can't blow an uncertain trumpet.
Theodore M. Hesburgh

Go to the people. Learn from them. Live with them. Start with what they know. Build with what they have. The best of leaders when the job is done, when the task is accomplished, the people will say we have done it ourselves.
Lao Tzu

A Failure To Communicate

A couple of weeks ago I went to my first deposition. I was asked to be there because some people in my neighborhood were filing a protest against a new development that was being built nearby. I don't know all of the details (which will become more apparent as you read on) but I was asked by "our" lawyer to come in and answer some questions.

I walked into a room full of lawyers, specialists, and a bona fide court reporter. We all sat down and the grilling began. I replied to many of the questions with "I don't know...I'm not sure...I can't recall." I clearly wasn't prepared for this thing.

At one point, the lawyer asking most of the questions asked me if I had spoken to William personally, the man who was heading up our protest. I didn't recall speaking to anyone named William and responded "no." Time and again, he asked if I had spoken to "William." Time and again I gave the same response, "I have never spoken to William."

Leadership Revealed In Good And Bad

The economy looks bleak.
The future is uncertain.
The situation at hand doesn't need another quick fix.

Sounds like there's a need for leadership.

But there is always a need for leadership.

What kind of leader is needed during the difficulties?
The same kind of leader that was needed during the good times, the prosperous times, and the times when everything seemed to flow smoothly.

How To Put The "STUD" In Student Leader E-Book

The path to greatness in student leadership is often paved with a lot of little things.

That's what I hoped to communicate in this ebook, STUDENT LEADER: 35 Ways To Put The STUD In Student Leader. [1.3mb PDF]

These are not difficult or time-consuming ideas. They are simple ideas that, when implemented, go a long way in establishing a student as a student leader.

Are there things that you find yourself repeating over and over to your student leaders? That's what this list is. It's the lessons and skills that I recite on a regular basis to those student leaders in my care. Sometimes you need another way to communicate. That's why I put this ebook together.

It's Free. Free to download. Free to pass out. Free to send to others. Free to use.

I would love to hear your comments about this resource. Let me know how you're using it and whom you have passed it on to.

How To BE A H.E.R.O.

Ever want to be a superhero?
Ever want to do something heroic?

Here's the audio for a talk I recently gave to the students on my campus.

How To Be A H.E.R.O. (24 minutes)

Don't Make Mistakes During Finals

Cal Newport, at the Study Hacks blog has provided five ways to "mistake-proof" your Finals Week preparation. The list includes mistakes that students should watch out for like...

• Not having a clear schedule.
• Not purging your obligations.
• Studying (in a generic way)
• Social Working
• Calculating your final grade

Are you curious what these things mean?
Jump over to the article: Five Mistakes To Avoid During Finals

The Temptation Is Greater...

You have an opportunity to lead everyday. Even in the little things.

Especially in the little things.

A recent article in the New York Times notes a disturbing trend among High School students. Cheating is on the rise.

NEW YORK (AP) -- In the past year, 30 percent of U.S. high school students have stolen from a store and 64 percent have cheated on a test, according to a new, large-scale survey suggesting that Americans are too apathetic about ethical standards.

Educators reacting to the findings questioned any suggestion that today's young people are less honest than previous generations, but several agreed that intensified pressures are prompting many students to cut corners.

''The competition is greater, the pressures on kids have increased dramatically,'' said Mel Riddle of the National Association of Secondary School Principals. ''They have opportunities their predecessors didn't have (to cheat). The temptation is greater.''

Did you see that? The temptation is greater...

That means the need for students who will stand up and be student leaders is greater.

That means the cry for students who keep their promises is greater.

That means you have an opportunity to do the right thing and set an example for those around you.

You know the temptation to cheat is there. Everyday you are faced with the question: Will I? (Will I cheat? Will I steal? Will I damage my integrity and character?)

Two choices: I will or I won't.

Just because you're tempted doesn't mean you have to give in to it.

Finals week is right around the corner. Which side of the statistics will you be on?

Flickr Photo Credit: Mr Stein