Investment powerhouse Warren G. Bennis once said, "The first job of a leader is to define a vision for the organization." John F. Kennedy knew the power of vision. His goal set in 1960, to place a man on the moon within a decade, ignited the imagination of an...

Many a business empire has been built on attention to detail. It's the discipline to do the little things right that separates the winners from the losers. The Bible has a word for it—it's diligence. In the book of Proverbs, Solomon says, "See a man diligent in his...

They seem to be the unwritten rules of modern office politics. "Never admit a mistake. Always blame someone else." No one likes to have to admit they were wrong. But a major key to finding happiness on the job is the willingness to say, "Hey, I made a mistake."...

The French writer, Voltaire, once declared, "Another century and there will not be a Bible on earth." That was more than 250 years ago. Voltaire's prediction fell a little short of the mark. In fact, around the world today, the Bible is more widely distributed than...

In a satirical article called, "How to Keep New Leaders from Emerging," CEO Fred Smith listed these keys to making sure potential leaders in your company never help you accomplish your vision. He suggested: Create a threat environment — let people know that if they...

How many times have you heard, "Timing is everything." Clearly, when it comes to organizational planning, "timing" should always be a consideration. Wise King Solomon tells us in Ecclesiastes that there is an appropriate time for everything in life. Timing was key...

A study by the Sperry Corporation uncovered some interesting keys to being a good listener. They found that the good listeners listen, not just for "facts," but for "ideas." They wrote, "When you listen only for facts, you may not grasp the ideas or themes of the...

The old English proverb says, "He who makes no mistakes, never makes anything." If you want to build an organization in which leaders can develop, it's vital to create an atmosphere where people aren't afraid to make a mistake. Fear creates paralysis. But when...

The most successful leaders are skilled at identifying new leaders around them. What do they look for? Trammell Crow, a successful real estate broker, said that he looks for people whose associates want them to succeed. He says, "It's tough enough to succeed when...

Does every child deserve a father? Increasingly, our society's answer to that question is "no." Or at least "not necessarily." In a short space of time, we, as a culture, have come to view fatherlessness as "normal." It's no accident that God chose to describe...

The best leaders aren't merely experts at exercising authority. They've also trained themselves to be "under" authority, as well. You can't have it both ways. You can't expect those you lead to be responsive to your authority if you consistently show a rebellious...