Today we’re sharing insight from guest blogger Justin Maust, entrepreneur, keynote speaker, Certified EOS Implementer and certified speaker, trainer and coach for the John Maxwell Team. We hope you enjoy Justin’s wisdom and perspective.

We have an enemy.

Habitual mediocrity.

It’s a sleeper. We often don’t realize how nasty it is. In the end, we are not satisfied with our organization's results.

How do we overcome these frustrations?

Today we’re sharing insight from guest blogger Erin Cressy, President of Cressy Consulting. We hope you enjoy Erin’s wisdom and perspective.

In Gibson’s blog last week, CEO Tim Leman discussed “readiness” in terms of what comes next for us. He noted we weren’t prepared for the pandemic, but we can push ourselves to become increasingly ready for the unknowns that lie ahead, “What’s done is done… but you and I can do the work now to be among the ready for what comes next.”

As restrictions slowly lift and we reconnect with the way our lives used to be, I encourage you to not be content with “returning to normal,” but to want an even “better normal” to return to.  

So, what does returning to a “better normal” look like?

Today we’re sharing insight from guest blogger Kimberli Mock, SPHR, SHRM-SCP, Forum Leader for Renaissance Executive Forum’s Emerging Leaders Program, and owner and CEO of TalentEvolutions. We hope you enjoy Kim’s wisdom and perspective.

So, business is great and you realize your growing organization needs to develop some new leaders. Excellent problem to have, right?  Many organizations work hard to identify upcoming leaders, often focusing primarily on individuals who have been successful in their current individual contributor role. Unfortunately, that may not be the best approach.

While leaders need to have business expertise and company knowledge, when we think about leaders we've admired in the past, we often focus on the characteristics they displayed that set them apart from those who simply “managed” others. One of these key characteristics is being an effective communicator.

Effective communication is an important trait for leaders in any organization, department, or group. It’s how we know what others want, what they need, and how they feel about things in their work and home lives, which often blend together these days. Unfortunately, sometimes communications are not as effective because we are so focused on the end goal that we forget what's needed to get there - good, clear communication and direction.

As a young man, I was very skeptical about the corporate mission statement and values each company I worked for put out. There were several reasons for that, but along the way a few things changed my mind. The current pandemic situation has really emphasized this for me.

Today we’re sharing insight from guest blogger Chad Peterman, President and Co-Owner of Peterman Heating, Cooling & Plumbing. We hope you enjoy Chad’s wisdom and perspective.

Blind spots are, by their nature, very frustrating. The main reason is because we cannot see a blind spot. We are oblivious to them. In leadership everything compounds. The impact we have multiplies by affecting those we are leading. Unfortunately, blind spots can compound our impact in a negative way.

Oftentimes our blind spots come in the form of our strengths. We may be great at getting things done. We may find fault in others who cannot get things done like we can. This creates a blind spot and inability to connect with that person. John Maxwell says, “We often see people as we are, not as they are.” This is the root of all blind spots.

If blind spots are so detrimental, how do we overcome them so that they don’t have a negative effect of our leadership ability? We must first understand that we need to be humble, coachable, and patient.

Today we’re sharing insight from guest blogger Mike Kemple, Director of Missional Chaplains. We hope you enjoy Mike’s wisdom and perspective.

Gaining an understanding of people, their unique giftedness, strengths, and flaws, is the starting point for empathetic leadership. 

When you examine an individual’s personality, you may find them soft, gentle, defensive, overt, indignant, manipulative, demanding, reserved, guarded, or cautious. We are also genuinely inquisitive and interested in who they are, and we enter into the essence of a redemptive sort of mystery.

This discovery brings you face-to-face with the self-centeredness that creates an environment of distrust, paranoia, and shame. You know that much of the human interaction is shaping and pushing us away from a place of hope, restoration, and peace.

So if you’re in a role of leadership or in a helping relationship, how do you make a meaningful connection?

At Gibson, giving back to the community isn’t just a transaction. It’s part of the fabric that makes up the core of our company. Gibson is always looking for ways to empower all team members to participate in a giving experience, whether that is through direct giving, input on corporate giving, group projects, through volunteer service, or board leadership.

By now, we're all well acquainted with news of the coronavirus (COVID-19), which, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the World Health Organization (WHO), has now been confirmed in over 70 countries and has affected well over 90,000 individuals globally, resulting in over 3,000 deaths. While the vast majority of cases remain outside the U.S. at this time, it's never too ambitious to begin implementing prevention techniques in our homes and places of work. Below is a list of simple prevention techniques and travel best-practices in order to limit the possibility of COVID-19 spread and exposure:

Today we’re sharing insight from guest blogger Ron Kitchens, Chief Executive Officer at Southwest Michigan First. We hope you enjoy Ron’s wisdom and perspective.

Leaders push boundaries. They’re the first to try out big ideas. But doing what has never been done is not without risks. All leaders will eventually experience obstacles and setbacks—it comes with the territory. One of the things that separate great leaders from the rest is their ability to adapt and navigate adversities.

Here are a few tips you can use the next time you’re down:

According to the American Heart Association, someone dies of Cardiovascular Disease (CVD) every 37 seconds in the U.S. This accounts for 2,353 deaths from CVD each day, based on 2017 data, making it the leading cause of death for both men and women in the U.S. As is evident from these figures, it is extremely important that prevention becomes a part of your company culture by ensuring that your wellness program includes education and challenges centered on heart health and how to keep risk factors under control. This provides employees with a benchmark in order to begin working towards heart-healthier lifestyles. Living a heart-healthy lifestyle does take some effort because it involves changing daily habits, so it should be encouraged and exemplified within the workplace.