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What’s In a Name?

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Never throughout history has a man who lived a life of ease left a name worth remembering. – Theodore Roosevelt

I read a story of a local sportscaster doing radio coverage of an Indiana high school football game from the stands, who used a chart listing the names, numbers, and positions of the players to help him describe the action.

Then it began to rain, and the ink on the chart ran, and the numbers on the backs of the players were covered with mud. Identifying the home team was easy, but the only familiar name on the lineup of the visiting Chicago team was that of Blansky, a linebacker who was up for All-State.

As local listeners were unfamiliar with the Chicago players, and his station’s signal wasn’t strong enough to reach Chicago, the sportscaster invented the names of the Chicago players, except for Blansky. And since he was the only legitimate name, he played by play with Blansky, making most of the tackles.

The next day, the Chicago coach called him to say he had done a really nice job covering the game – except for one thing. Blansky had broken his leg in the first half and spent the second half in the hospital, listening to himself playing one heck of a game. 

Dale Carnegie stated, “A person’s name is to that person the sweetest and most important sound in any language”. Nothing could be truer. 

A few years back, I was on a tour at Harvard University. I learned that before new students moved into the dorms, the resident assistants were required to study the information packets about them and memorize their names and faces, so when a new student walked in, they would be able to greet them by name.

Over the years, I haven’t always been good with names, but I do make a conscious effort to learn and remember names. As a leader, I recognize that this is an important area that requires my attention and improvement.  Since it hasn’t always been my strong suit, I find ways to associate names with the individuals I meet in order to remember it.

In your leadership, nothing means more to your people than the mention of their name. Here are a couple of reasons why it matters.

It demonstrates value

If a person’s name spoken is truly the sweetest and most important sound to another person, then why now honor them by greeting them by name? I also try to make it a practice not just to greet them by name, but to do so by saying “There you are!” with a degree of enthusiasm that lets them know that I am genuinely delighted to see them. 

The most valuable possession another person has is their name. When you treat it as such, you are perhaps honoring a family name with a story you need to get to know. You are honoring the memory of a loved one or family heritage. So much lies beneath the surface of a name. Be intentional about using a person’s name. It matters more than you realize. Click To Tweet

It breaks down barriers

In my business, I make it a practice to know and remember the names of everyone I come in contact with. As the owner and administrator of a microschool with 70 students and staff, I begin my day by working the car line each morning and greeting each student. I learn their names, give high-fives, pats on the back, and make each student feel special. Each staff member, of course, is greeted by name, and I insist they address me by my name without the formalities.

I have discovered that this breaks down barriers and makes everyone around me know that I am approachable. When I am approachable, it breaks down barriers to good communication. Try it.

Whose name are you dropping today?

 

©2025 Doug Dickerson

What Suits Your Giving?

Credit: Google Images

Real generosity is doing something nice for someone who will never find out. – Frank A. Clark

The story goes that one day, a beggar by the roadside asked Alexander the Great for alms as he passed by. The man was poor and wretched and had no claim upon the ruler, no right even to lift a solicitous hand.

Yet the Emperor threw in several gold coins. A courtier was astonished at his generosity and commented, “Sir, copper coins would adequately meet the beggar’s need. Why give him gold?” Alexander responded in royal fashion, “Copper coins would suit the beggar’s need, but gold coins suit Alexander’s giving.” 

This story is a simple yet powerful lesson in generosity, and it also serves as a valuable reminder for leaders to take to heart. 

I read recently that for the first time, we have five generations in the workforce. This means that needs, priorities, and sources of meaning vary. Generosity becomes even more important because you cannot achieve everything on your own. We must acknowledge that generosity is essential as we work with and empower others.

How different might things look in your organization if generosity became the norm, and the desire to see others succeed was the key source of motivation? Is this even attainable? 

Call me naive, but when leaders embrace an attitude of generosity, it can and it will create shifts within the culture. Are you ready to embrace it? What approach should leaders take? Here are a few suggestions.

Raise expectations

Often, it’s not a question of resources that leads to selfishness in the workplace, thus resulting in a lack of generosity; instead, it’s a lack of defined expectations. When generosity becomes the expectation, it frees people up to be more generous.

Raised expectations throughout the organization set the standard for your people individually and collectively. With generous expectations, generous results will follow.

Clarify the mission

Raising expectations is just the beginning of the shift that is necessary in your organization if you are going to be generous. Righting the ship away from a stingy, silo-driven culture toward a generous and compelling one will require clarity of task and mission.

As a leader, the shift begins with you. You must know the direction the team needs to move toward and what it will take to get there. 

Lead by example

Leading the way as a generous leader is not just about shallow platitudes. It’s more than just a kind word at the start of the day.

Generosity is a cultural mindset that:

  • Gives more than what’s expected
  • Understands that the success of the organization matters more than my individual success
  • Will share whatever resources I have freely 
  • Holds myself to a higher standard
  • Will empower others to do what they do best without my interference
  • Realizes that it’s not about me

When these attitudes become the driving force of your generosity, it will be the catalyst for the type of change you desire. 

When considering what suits your giving, are you giving to others according to what you think your team needs, or out of a higher standard of giving that is abundantly generous?

©2025 Doug Dickerson

In a Well With a Bull Moose: A Lesson in Why We Need Each Other

Credit: AP News

How do you identify someone who needs encouragement? That person is breathing. – S. Truett Cathy

The other week, a bull moose somehow managed to fall into an abandoned well in a forested area of Maine. A team worked for about five hours to free the animal, as initially the landowners thought it may have been a turkey or some other type animal. Upon further inspection, it turned out to be much larger.

The land owners were not even aware of the abandoned well until the discovery of the bull moose. With the animal in distress, they summoned the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, which sent a biologist to assist the family in the rescue.

Using an excavator provided by the family, the animal was freed from the well, much to the relief of everyone. The family stated that the well has now been capped, preventing any more animals or humans from falling into it. As for the bull moose? Once it was free, it took off running and perhaps had a bruised ego. 

If you hang around in leadership long enough, it’s not too far-fetched to know that sometimes we can end up in situations like the bull moose, or we know someone who is. And when those times come, what is a leader to do? 

Consider these statistics:

  • 56% of leaders experienced burnout in 2024, an increase from 52% in 2023, according to a report by Staffing Industry Analysts
  • 41% of senior leaders are stressed, and 36% are exhausted, per a 2022 Deloitte report
  • 42% of senior leaders attribute the top cause of their stress to their own self-imposed pressure
  • In a Spring Health study, 41% of employees expressed having little confidence in their leaders’ ability to support mental health, leading to a ‘leadership gap”.

Here are some practical considerations and reminders to keep in mind when you find yourself feeling trapped in the proverbial leadership well, along with some steps you can take for yourself or for those around you.

No one is immune to falling into the well

You know as well as I do that no one is immune to falling into the proverbial well from time to time. I have been there many times myself. Seasoned leaders and new ones alike today find themselves challenged like never before, and stress can be a constant friend. The well is a simple reminder that we are on a shared journey.

You are not alone

One of the greatest lies you can believe as a leader is that you are all alone. You may feel like you are stuck or have fallen into a well, feeling alone and unseen. Your struggle may be hard, you may feel overwhelmed, and you may even feel like giving up. But take heart, you are seen, your voice is heard, and you are not alone. You will emerge from this stronger and better equipped than before.

Everyone needs encouragement

We need each other. And everyone needs encouragement. I am thankful for the times when I was in the well, that I had friends who were there to lift me up and out. And I am grateful and humbled by the times I have been there for others in similar situations. 

I am reminded of the words of Stephen Covey, who said, “Through years of study, teaching, and working with people all over the world, from all walks of life, I have determined that leadership is communicating to people their worth and potential in a way that is so clear that they come to see it in themselves.” 

This is one of the clearest mandates for how we ought to communicate with the people and leaders around us. By our words and actions, people should know that we, too, are familiar with life in the well, that they are not alone, they are seen and not judged, and we have their backs.

The late Robin Williams once said, “Everyone is fighting a battle you know nothing about. Be kind. Always”. This is our commission as leaders.

©2025 Doug Dickerson

Never Too Late

Returned Library Book. Credit: AP News

It is never too late to be what you might have been. – George Eliot

In case you missed it, a San Antonio, Texas library had an overdue book returned – 82 years late.

The book came with a note stating, “Grandma won’t be able to pay for it anymore.” The book, “Your Child, His Family, and Friends,” was checked out in July 1943. The book was a guide for parents on helping their children navigate personal relationships. 

The library said in a news release that it eliminated overdue fines in 2021. The inside cover of the book was stamped with the warning that the fine for overdue books was three cents a day. Not counting for inflation, the penalty would amount to nearly $900 today.

The book was found inside a box filled with other books that had been inherited by the person who sent it back. While it’s a great human interest story of returning the book 82 years past due, it also serves as another reminder for us: it’s never too late to do the right thing, become the person you were created to be, and dream new dreams.

Just in case you need to hear this, allow me to remind you that as long as you have breath in your lungs, God is not finished with you yet. It’s not too late. Here are a few examples of people who dared to believe that it was not too late for them or us.

“Grandma” Moses

Anna Moses loved to embroider, but when her fingers started to fail at the age of 78, she took up painting. Today, she is remembered as one of America’s great folk artists, who painted scene after scene of American rural life. 

“Colonel” Harland Sanders

Harland Sanders worked a variety of odd jobs throughout his life, and watched his first attempt at a fried chicken restaurant fail at the age of 65. However, Sanders used his Social Security checks to start franchising Kentucky Fried Chicken, which has become the success it is today.

Henry Ford

In his youth, Ford worked for Thomas Edison, where he developed methods to improve the then-new automobile. It was not until he was 40 that he founded the Ford Motor Company, where he introduced the Model T five years later. 

Richard Adams

While he worked as a British civil servant, Adams told his two daughters a story about a rabbit, who insisted that he write it down. After writing it down two years later, he published Watership Down, which instantly became a children’s literary classic.

Sam Walton

Sam Walton ran several stores and failed many times in the process. However, he learned from his failures and applied the lessons to open the first Walmart at 44, becoming one of the wealthiest men in the world. 

The examples above are but a small sampling of well-known people who refused to believe that their story was over, given their age. Countless others have similar stories. What are some of the common denominators that these people share, and what takeaways can you apply? Here is what I see.

It’s never too late to dream

No matter your age, as long as there is a dream in you, you can attain it if you don’t give up. Dreams don’t come with expiration dates, just people who give up too soon. Dare to dream and dare to believe you can achieve it. 

It’s never too late to fail and try again

The examples of these inspiring people remind us that success doesn’t come without a price and that price often is a string of failures on the road to success. It’s not about whether you will fail, but whether or not you will fail forward.

It’s never too late to believe that age is just a number

Would anyone have really blamed  “Grandma” Moses at 78 for not taking up painting when her fingers were giving out? I don’t think so. But she believed in herself, as did countless others who saw their greatest contributions come later in life. The world needs your inspiration and example, and your greatest achievements are yet to come.

It’s never too late to start

As you read this, I simply don’t want you to be inspired. I want you to be challenged to believe that your story isn’t finished. I want you to be inspired to believe that the setbacks, failures, and challenges you have faced have not defeated you; they have helped define you. Your best and most productive days are not behind you; you’re just getting warmed up. Do you believe this?


It’s never too late!

©2025 Doug Dickerson

Stop Throwing Your Leader Under The Bus

Credit: Google Images

A leader is best when people barely know he exists, when his work is done, his aim fulfilled, they will say: we did it ourselves. – Lao Tzu

I read the story of a young man who applied for a farmhand position. When asked for his qualifications, he told the farmer about his previous experience, then said, “I can sleep when the wind blows.” This puzzled the farmer, but he took a liking to the young man and hired him.

A few months later, the farmer was awakened in the night by a violent storm. He ran outside to ensure that everything was secure. He found the barn doors tightly shut and the shutters closed. The storage shed and machinery were already properly maintained. That was when the farmer realized the significance of the statement, “I can sleep when the wind blows.”

Just as the farmer found the type of worker he needed in the young farmhand, so too do employers need those dependable people within their organizations. They need those who know what to do when the winds blow and the storms rage.

The measure of your value to your organization is in how you treat those in positions ahead of you.

Thriving and successful organizations are so because those in leadership and all within it place a premium value on relationships, communication, trust, clearly defined values and goals, and collaboration, to name a few.

However, when people within the organization undermine the leader, the organization’s health is at stake. And for the sake of context here, I am not talking about incompetent bosses, bullies, and jerks, which is a topic for another day. I am addressing the issue of a leader who, despite being otherwise good, performs poorly.

So what are some of the more common ways leaders are thrown under the bus, and what are the consequences? Let’s explore these four ways.

You throw your leader under the bus when you elevate your agenda ahead of the organization’s agenda.

When you prioritize your personal agenda over the organization’s agenda, you are undermining those in leadership. If you prioritize what’s best for you over what’s best for everyone, then you are only serving your interests. The way to get ahead is not by undermining those in leadership, but by elevating them. When you help your leader succeed, you will succeed.

Leadership Truth: No matter what our circumstances, our greatest limitation isn’t the leader above us-it’s the spirit within us. – John Maxwell

You throw your leader under the bus with whisper campaigns.

It usually sounds something like, “If I were the one in charge…”, or “She’s in way over her head”, and of course, this one, “He’s always playing favorites”.  And from there it takes on a life of its own. Instead of adding value to your leader by “leading up”, many find it easier to throw them under the bus. However, when you realize that your success is tied to your leader’s success, you will begin to view things in a new light. Maybe instead of water cooler whispers, you can try having their back.

Leadership Truth: If you want to get ahead, leading up is much better than kissing up. – Dan Rieland

You throw your leader under the bus when you withhold your best and don’t offer solutions.

When you withhold your best from your leader and don’t offer solutions, you are making the work of your leader harder. You are denying your organization the leverage it needs to move forward. Solutions withheld are progress denied. By not giving your best, offering your best, and being your best, you are more of an obstacle to progress than you are a help. Those in leadership need you at the top of your game, not holding back. They need to see that you are a strong team player.

Leadership Truth: The team with the best players wins. – Jack Welch

You throw your leader under the bus when you are unable to adapt

Flexibility is essential to a thriving workplace culture. So long as you have a “this is the way we’ve always done it” attitude and are unable to make adjustments, then you are throwing your leaders under the bus. When the wind blows and the storms come, you should be able to demonstrate to your leadership that you can sleep in the wind. Let your leadership see that you can adjust your sails and not only adapt to change, but you can lead it.

Leadership Truth: Growth is painful. Change is painful. But nothing is as painful as staying stuck where you do not belong. – N.R. Narrayana

I know this to be true – no one likes being thrown under the bus. We need more people on the bus, and no one left behind.  It’s time to find a better way and lead by example.

©2025 Doug Dickerson

Are You Blocking Progress?

Bull Moose blocking the trail in the Adirondacks.
Courtesy: AP News

Progress is impossible without change, and those who cannot change their minds cannot change anything. – George Bernard Shaw

In case you missed it, there’s a story about a bull moose that has spent the better part of the summer lingering around a popular Adirondack mountain hiking trail, prompting New York state wildlife officials to close the path as they monitor the potentially ailing animal.

The moose is staying on or around the trail near the summit, sometimes sitting and sometimes foraging in a small area, according to the Department of Environmental Services.

Attempts to coax the moose from the trail have failed. The agency has said an “underlying illness influencing behavior” was suspected. Wildlife staff were recently able to get close enough to observe the moose’s behavior, but did not find any obvious signs of disease.

Hopefully, the moose will make a recovery, but its location on the trail is a mystery for officials and a disappointment to those who would like to complete the hike up to the summit of the Goodman Mountain Trail.

The moose is representative of those in your organization who stand (or sit) in the way of progress. Others are attempting to move forward, but there is a hurdle that is impeding progress. So, what does that look like in your workplace? Let’s examine a few possibilities.

Progress is blocked by those with the settlers’ mentality

Within your organization, there may be those with a settlers’ mentality. Chances are, these are people who have been around in your organization for a good number of years. Perhaps they’ve enjoyed a fair amount of success and have risen through the ranks. But now they are settling. Maybe they simply want to run out the clock until they retire.

The settlers’ mentality is hard to overcome because they are set in their ways, and the change they once embraced is now the change they resist. 

While their contributions and service need to be honored, a settlers’ mentality will only block present and future progress. Others can’t proceed and climb to new heights so long as the settler is blocking the path.

Progress is blocked by silos and territorial disputes

For the leader, navigating silos and territorial disputes is a major headache. According to The Workplace Institute, 32% of conflicts occur between management levels, and conflicts among senior leadership and executives account for 20% of all reported incidents. Approximately 22% of conflicts occur between line managers and their direct reports. 88% of respondents in the survey report observing poor morale among employees affected by conflict.

While it should go without saying that everyone strives for the same goals and outcomes, conflict within organizations blocks the path to success. When leaders in management have to devote more time to conflict resolution, it hinders the team's ability to succeed. Click To TweetSilos and territorial disputes are the proverbial bull moose on the trail, and they’re harming everyone.

Progress is blocked by negative attitudes and apathy

Nothing will poison the culture of your organization quicker than negative attitudes coupled with apathy. When you combine a negative attitude with a lack of buy-in or pride in one’s work, it blocks progress until it’s dealt with.

For whatever reason, the bull moose has blocked the trail all summer. Perhaps it’s due to a sickness or disease, and that’s what the officials are committed to learning.

As a leader, you must root out negative attitudes within your ranks. It’s sucking the life out of your organization. And what you tolerate, you promote. Apathy, stemming from a lack of commitment or work ethic, must also be addressed. Progress is best made not when you are carrying team members with negative attitudes with you to the summit, but when you decide you can climb higher and faster without them.

Many other factors can contribute to progress being blocked in your organization. Facing up to them is just the first step to overcoming them. Commit yourself to being a leader who empowers those around you and does not stand in the way of progress.

 

©2025 Doug Dickerson

What’s Under the Surface: Raising the Leaders Around You

Fossil discovery at Denver museum. Credit: AP News

Leaders develop daily, not in a day. – John C. Maxwell

In a rare turn of events, a dinosaur museum has made a fascinating discovery under its parking lot. The museum is popular with dinosaur enthusiasts of all ages, with an array of dinosaur displays and skeletons. But what was unearthed in the museum’s own parking lot has left many captivated by the discovery.

It originated from a hole drilled more than 750 feet deep to investigate the geothermal heating potential for the Denver Museum of Nature and Science. The result? A fossil bone discovery.

With a bore of only a couple of inches wide, museum officials struggled to describe just how unlikely it was to hit a dinosaur, even in a region with a fair number of such fossils. 

“Finding a dinosaur bone is like hitting a hole in one from the moon. It’s like winning the Willy Wonka factory. It’s incredible, it’s super rare,” said James Hagadorn, the museum’s curator of geology. Only two other similar finds have been noted in bore hole samples anywhere in the world, not to mention the grounds of a dinosaur museum, according to museum officials.

The discovery of this rare dinosaur bone serves as a poignant reminder of what lies beneath the surface around you daily. As a leader, you have untapped potential all around you, leaders waiting to be developed. You have diamonds in the rough waiting for their chance to shine. 

Identifying and raising up leaders is an important process. Let’s take a look at a few steps for your consideration.

See the potential, not just the present.

When mentoring and raising up leaders, it’s essential not to evaluate a person solely based on what you see today, but also on where you envision them in a year, or five years. While there may be some noticeable areas of improvement you can identify, see that as your starting point to build upon; don’t prejudge too quickly.

Potential can be measured in various ways, including current work ethic, dependability, curiosity, instincts, and the individual’s teachability. When you have these basics as starting points to work with, the possibilities for growth are there; they just need to be steered in the right direction. 

Give them the reins, not just the manual.

Empowerment is a crucial component of developing emerging leaders. What these leaders need is not a memorization of the manual or rulebook, but rather a playbook to guide their leadership. Click To TweetA leader will shine, produce, and grow in their potential not because they memorized the policy manual, but because they were empowered to create, take risks, fail, and re-emerge wiser and stronger on the other side. 

The goal here is not to create leaders in your image, but to help them discover their leadership identity and find their voice. This can only happen when they are empowered to take the reins.

Be an open book, not a closed door.

When it comes to leading down and developing the emerging leaders around you, you must be an open book to them, not a closed door. You want to facilitate their growth and development, not impede it. You want to be a positive influence through your engagement, vulnerability, and example.

You can’t expect to develop and lead those around you without demonstrating that you, too, are coachable, that you are committed to a growth plan and not just coasting, and that you are a leader worth emulating. 

I would like to encourage you to look beneath the surface of those around you. Where are the hidden gems in your organization that are just waiting for their opportunity to shine? It’s time to raise them up.

 

©2025 Doug Dickerson

Lessons From the Beetle: Why Protecting Your Culture Matters

The Pannonhalma Archabbey
Photo Credit: Google Images

Every day, everyone in your organization creates your culture by what they value, believe, think, say, and do. – Jon Gordon

There’s a story coming out of Pannonhalma, Hungary, about tens of thousands of old books being pulled from the shelves of a medieval abbey in an effort to save them from a beetle infestation that could wipe out centuries of history.

The 1,000-year-old Pannonhalma Archabbey is a Benedictine monastery, one of Hungary’s oldest and most renowned centers of learning.

The drugstore beetle, also known as the bread beetle, is often found among dried foodstuffs like grains, flour, and spices. But they are also attracted to the gelatin and starch-based adhesives found in books. They have been found in a section of the library housing around a quarter of the abbey’s 400,000 volumes.

The beetle invasion was first detected during a routine library cleaning. Employees noticed unusual layers of dust on the shelves and then saw that holes had been burrowed into some of the book spines. Upon opening the volumes, burrow holes could be seen in the paper where the beetles had chewed through.

The abbey, which hopes to reopen the library next year, believes that the effects of climate change played a role in the spurring of the beetle infestation, as average temperatures in Hungary have risen rapidly.

Thankfully, the books will be salvaged and eventually returned to the shelves once the process is complete.

What transpired in the library serves as a poignant reminder of the importance of preserving one’s culture. The historic Pannonhalma Archabbey serves as a great example of why protecting your culture is so important. The small beetle has a few things to teach us.

No culture is immune to challenges.

One might think that a world-renowned historic library like Pannonhalma would be immune to a beetle infestation. But there they are working diligently to preserve their infested volumes of books.

Protecting your workplace culture should begin with the understanding that it is not immune to compromises or attacks that would leave it vulnerable. As a leader, you must be vigilant against harmful attitudes and mindsets that could compromise your values and mission. The earlier you identify these challenges, the better, before they spread throughout the organization.

Lesson from the beetles: Don’t take your workplace culture for granted. Work it, maintain it, and protect it at all costs.

Big problems start small.

The beetles were discovered during routine cleaning. Thankfully, they were, but not before 100,00 books were infected. Cultural awareness within your organization should be top of mind for all who have a stake in it. 

When leaders turn a blind eye to what is happening in their organization, it festers over time until eventually what could have been contained as a minor matter has now become a much larger issue that is impacting more people. Timid leaders create vacuums that will be filled with beetles eating away at the very thing you prize the most. Click To Tweet

Lesson from the beetles: Identify problems early and address them promptly. Never allow minor issues to escalate into major ones due to inaction.

A worker is helping preserve the books at the library.
Credit: Google Images

Be mindful of the ‘routine’

It was reported that the beetle infestation was discovered during a routine library cleaning. Within your organization, however, not everything should be treated as routine. Many of the issues you deal with as a leader are far from routine. However, having a routine mindset can lead to complacency if you are not careful.

When your culture is on autopilot, it’s challenging to discern what’s truly happening beneath the surface. Where is mediocrity taking place? What toxic chemistry is being overlooked and left unaddressed? What negative behaviors are being ignored? A settled routine can be detrimental to knowing where the beetles are.

Lesson from the beetle: Be intentional about your culture, growth, and values. They do not exist by accident and must be a priority.

How are you dealing with the beetles?

 

©2025 Doug Dickerson

What Lid is Hindering You?

Credit: Google Images
Michigan wildlife officials are tending to the bear.

Success is not to be measured not so much by the position that one has reached in life as by the obstacles which he has overcome. – Booker T. Washington

In case you missed it, wildlife experts in Michigan successfully trapped a black bear and removed a large lid that had been stuck around its neck for two years.

State bear specialist, Cody Norton, said, “It’s pretty incredible that the bear survived and was able to feed itself. The neck was scarred and missing hair, but the bear was in much better condition than we expected it to be.”

Norton said it’s not precisely known how the lid got stuck on the bear’s neck, but added, “We were pleasantly surprised it was still able to make a living like a pretty typical bear.” 

Thankfully, the bear survived despite having a lid around its neck for two years. Now, it can return to a normal way of life that a typical bear would enjoy.

While the bear did not purposefully set out to be burdened by a large lid around its neck, it does metaphorically serve as a reminder of what happens when we live our lives burdened by things that hold us back.

From a leadership perspective, it reminds me of John Maxwell’s Law of the Lid, which states, “Leadership ability is the lid that determines a person’s level of effectiveness.” Maxwell explains this way: “The higher the individual’s ability to lead, the higher the lid on his potential. To give you an example, if your leadership rates an 8, then your effectiveness can never be greater than a 7. If your leadership is only a 4, then your effectiveness will be no greater than a 3. Your leadership ability- for better or for worse-always determines your  effectiveness and the potential impact of your organization.” 

Over time, with a commitment to growth and development, you can lift that lid as well as your potential. Your level of effectiveness is merely a starting point, not a final destination. 

While wildlife officials were about to spot the bear, rescue it, and remove the lid, you too must identify the lids in your life that hold you back. 

So let me ask you, what are the lids hindering your leadership? What are the disciplines you need to work on in order to raise your level of effectiveness?

Perhaps a few questions can help you find the answers you need to become a more effective leader. To start, why not explore the answers to the following questions?

Are you relying too heavily on your title?

You can have a title, but that doesn’t make you a leader. Specifically, in what ways do you value your title more than your growth as a leader? So long as you think it’s about your title, you will always have a lid on your leadership.

Are you holding yourself accountable?

Those who lift the lid on their effectiveness as leaders are those who hold themselves accountable. Accountable leaders are growing leaders. When you have someone whom you know and trust who can hold you accountable, they can help you see blind spots or other areas where you can improve. 

Are you serving with humility?

Arrogance coupled with a sense of entitlement is a hindrance that can hinder your leadership effectiveness. The underlying principle you have to remember in leadership is that it’s not about you. When you set out to serve others and add value to them, it will come back on you many times over.

Are you guarding your attitude?

Your attitude and disposition as a leader will make you or break you. No one wants to be around arrogant or haughty leaders. However, be aware that your attitude will serve as the thermostat for the rest of your team. Is your attitude worth emulating? 

Do you see the value in those you lead?

You can’t bring value to those around you if you see no value in them? And if that is your approach toward them, not only is it detrimental to them, but it clamps the lid on your effectiveness as a leader. 

Are you on a personal growth plan?

Your personal growth as a leader doesn’t happen by accident. It’s intentional. Unless a growth plan is a part of your daily routine as a leader, then whatever level of effectiveness you are at today is where you will be next year. And the year after. Commit yourself to a growth plan and raise the lid on your effectiveness.

 

©2025 Doug Dickerson

 

Turning Disappointments Into Celebrations

Credit: Google Images
Annual Pencil Sharpening Celebration

Anytime you suffer a setback or disappointment, put your head down and plow ahead. – Les Brown

In case you missed it, more than a thousand people in Minneapolis recently attended what has become an annual celebration – the sharpening of a giant number 2 pencil. Yes, a pencil.

The 20–foot–tall pencil was sculpted out of a giant oak tree that was damaged by a storm a few years ago. Neighbors and friends mourned the damage of the beloved tree. Yet, the owners of the tree had a plan. According to the story, the owners saw it not so much as a loss, but as a chance to give the tree new life.

The sharpening ceremony on the front lawn has evolved into a community-wide event that draws hundreds and is filled with music and pageantry. Some people come dressed as pencils and erasers.

In the wake of the storm, the owners knew they wanted to create a sculpture out of their tree. Given the shape and circumference of the log, they conceived the idea of an oversized pencil.

When asked why they chose a pencil, the owner replied, “Everybody uses a pencil. You see it in school, you see it in people’s work, or drawings, everything. So, it’s just accessible to everybody.” They also stated that they wanted to do something that would bring the community together.

The owners said, “We tell a story about the dull tip, and we’re gonna get sharp. There’s renewal. We can write a love letter, a thank you note, we can write a math problem, a to-do list. And that’s a chance for renewal, that promise, people really seem to buy into and understand”. 

Now, each year they sharpen the pencil. It’s a community celebration, and its inspiration came out of something that was initially very disappointing.

Life has a way of throwing us curveballs. Things happen in life that we didn’t see coming, and we feel the sting of disappointment. And while we can’t choose what we go through in life, we can decide how to respond to it.

When John and Amy Higgins lost that tree, they were disappointed. But out of that disappointment came a joyous celebration that now draws people by the hundreds. It all comes down to your choice.

John and Amy chose not to make it about them or their grief, but instead, they saw an opportunity to do something more meaningful. 

Here are a few lessons we can learn from John and Amy about turning disappointments into celebrations.

Your attitude is a game-changer.

John and Amy could have simply mourned the loss of the tree and moved on with their lives. But instead, they chose to do something positive that would have far-reaching outcomes.

This is emblematic of individuals seeking the greater good and those with a positive attitude. And this is what will set you apart in life when bad things happen to good people. John and Amy chose a positive attitude, and now many come annually to celebrate something good that came out of a loss.

Additional Resource: Attitude Checkup: Three Questions You Need to Answer Now

Credit: Google Images Celebration at the pencil sharpening.

Your focus sets your course.

John and Amy didn’t make the loss of the tree about them. They decided on a plan to create a giant number 2 pencil, and it evolved into an annual community celebration.

When disappointments come your way, as they surely will, your focus will determine where and how it will end. As you guard your attitude and chart the course, good things can come from the things that brought you pain.

Additional Resource: It’s a Matter of Focus

You can choose pity or a party.

John and Amy could have chosen a pity party. But as it turns out, they chose a party. From the log of a fallen tree now stands a 20-foot number 2 pencil that serves as a reminder that good can come from adversity, and sometimes we need a good sharpening to be more productive.

I encourage you today to reflect on your attitude, think carefully about what you choose to focus on, and opt for the party over the pity. 

 

©2025  Doug Dickerson