Tag: leadership development

Have You Stopped To Smell The Roses?

Photo Credit: Doug Dickerson

As you walk down the fairway of life, you must smell the roses, for you only get to play one round. – Ben Hogan

Part of my morning routine before heading to work each morning is to stop and look at the roses in the flower bed at the front of my house. I do this every morning. It’s a ritual.

My fascination with roses began decades ago, when, as a teenager, I worked at a garden center. Each winter, we built a large greenhouse on the property, and we spent those months preparing for spring. In the greenhouse, we potted roses by the thousands. Come spring, we were ready, and our customers would come from far and near to purchase our roses. As did I. It was then that my affection for roses began, and I’ve always maintained an abundance of them in our flower beds.

It seems like I have known the phrase “stop and smell the roses” for as long as I can remember. But I’ve never given much thought to the origin of the phrase.

It seems to be a fairly modern phrase. The core idea of stopping to appreciate life’s pleasures dates back centuries. The Latin phrase carpe diem, “seize the day”, or as the 17th-century poet Robert Herrick wrote: “Gather ye rosebuds while ye may…” conveys the idea of pausing on life’s journey.

The exact phrasing “stop and smell the roses” seems to have originated in the early to mid-twentieth century. Ironically enough, the phrase became popular in golf culture when professional golfer Walter Hagen was often associated with sentiments encouraging people to enjoy life beyond work.

Speaking of enjoying life beyond work, I don’t have to be the one to tell you how hectic life can be. It seems life is busier now for most than ever before. Which brings me back to my title question: Have you stopped to smell the roses? There’s nothing magical about my morning routine to observe the roses in the flower bed. But here are a few things I’ve learned.

Set the tone for your day with intentionality

The first decision of my day, walking out the door, is to take in something positive and beautiful. It’s an intentional act that focuses me on something I really admire and appreciate that brings me a small degree of happiness.

Regardless of what the day brings, I begin it with something no one can take from me. What about you? What are you intentional about that guards your peace of mind and sets the tone for your day? Or do you just take it as it comes? 

Leadership Tip: The first decisions of your day will often set the tone for the rest of it. Choose wisely.

Don’t get distracted by the thorns

While working in the garden center, it was just part of the job to get cut by the thorns while potting the roses. Call it an occupational hazard.

In your daily leadership, you will deal with thorny situations from time to time. It comes with the territory. There may be times when you feel overwhelmed by the pressures of running your business and a myriad of other issues that cross your desk. But my pause each morning is not to admire the thorns, it’s to admire and appreciate what I see all around them. 

Leadership Tip: We can’t choose what happens to us, but we can choose our response. 

Pause with purpose

My morning routine works for me. It’s a deliberate pause. It forces me to hold off on the temptation to get in the car, fight the traffic, think about ten things on my mind that I need to do when I get there, etc. It’s a strategic pause.

As a leader, when you take time in your day to pause and take a few deep breaths, you can feel a reset. Regardless of how busy it can be, a pause with purpose can be refreshing.

Leadership Tip: When you embrace pausing during your day, you can gain fresh perspectives you might otherwise miss.

Have you stopped to smell the roses?

©2026 Doug Dickerson

Who Are You Cheering For?

 

Scottie Scheffeler on the practice range.
Photo Courtesy: Doug Dickerson

We rise by lifting others. – Robert Ingersoll

Not long ago, I was in Hilton Head Island, South Carolina (not far from where I live) for the Pro-Am event at The Heritage golf tournament. It was the day before the actual competition began. I have been a golf fan all my life, and seeing many of the world’s top players up close was a lot of fun, including world #1 Scottie Scheffler.

What was also enjoyable to watch was the camaraderie among the players during a non-competitive day. Watching the players on the large putting green, talking and joking with one another, was entertaining. 

While I do have my favorite golfer that I cheer for most weeks, having those brief, friendly encounters with many of them has softened my perspective on them as I watch them on television going forward.

In far too many workplaces, we see cultures of unhealthy competition instead of healthy collaboration. Getting ahead is more important to some than getting along.

However, it will come as no surprise that productivity and workplace culture significantly improve with recognition and with seeing each other as colleagues rather than competitors.

In a Nectar State of the Workplace survey, respondents weighed in by affirming the following:

  • 83.6% of employees surveyed said that recognition drives their motivation to succeed at work
  • 77.9% of employees surveyed said they would be more productive if their employer recognized them more frequently
  • 81.9 % of employees said that recognition for contributions improves employee engagement

These statistics should not surprise any leader who sees, recognizes, and values their team members. Good leaders understand this and make it a practice.

Let me ask you, who are you cheering for? Can you celebrate the successes and wins of those around you, even when not experiencing one yourself? 

As a leader, your ability to cheer on those around you happens when these three things happen.

You can cheer others when you set aside your ego

The leadership lesson here is simple – it’s not about you. You will be a more secure leader when you acknowledge and embrace this fundamental premise of leadership. When you can check your ego at the door, you win and are now positioned to cheer those around you with no hidden agenda or motive. 

You can cheer others when you value the team over yourself

Your team will succeed when they see what they do as something greater than themselves. While roles, responsibilities, and contributions will vary, the team wins when each person values the team over self. When you work against a colleague, you work against your team, and ultimately, against yourself.

You can cheer others when you don’t care who gets the credit

Lao Tzu said, “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.” And this is the beauty of your role as a leader- to shine the light on others as the wins are celebrated. When you come together as a team and work together, you can accomplish so much more when you are not concerned about who gets the credit. 

Who are you cheering for today?

©2026 Doug Dickerson

Stay in Your Lane

The “Miralce Mile” race between Roger Banister and John Landy

Successful people maintain a positive focus in life no matter what is going on around them. – Jack Canfield

I came across an interesting story about Roger Bannister not long ago. He was the first man in the world to run a mile in under 4 minutes. That was in May 1954. The next month, Australian John Landy broke that record by 1.4 seconds.

In August 1954, the two fastest runners in the world met for a historic race at the British Empire Games in Vancouver, Canada. The race was dubbed “The Miracle Mile,”  the “Race of the Century” and the “Dream Race.”

As Bannister and Landy turned for the last lap, Landy was ahead and looked certain to win, but as he neared the finish line, he lost focus and allowed his mind to wander about Bannister’s position. Unable to stand the strain, he finally looked back over his shoulder, and as he did, his stride faltered, and Bannister passed him to break the tape and win the race.

How that race ended is an example of what happens when we lose our focus. As leaders, it’s not how you start the race that matters, but it’s how you finish. 

 How you navigate the ins and outs of your leadership is important. In many respects, it’s about learning how to stay in your lane. Why is this important? Why should we be mindful of staying in our own lane? Here are a few tips that I think will help.

Staying in your lane keeps you focused

Staying in your lane keeps you focused on your priorities and responsibilities. As a leader, you have certain duties and things that fall under your purview that require your attention. But not everyone’s business is your business. Understanding what needs your expertise and work and what needs your opinion, is something you need to learn as a leader. Click To Tweet

When you drift out of your lane, you tend to be in places where you don’t belong and end up meddling in ways that are unhealthy. It can lead to resentment and cause more damage than good, and when the crash happens, it will be your fault. Stay in your lane!

Staying in your lane protects boundaries

Staying in your lane protects boundaries that must be respected. Just because you have an opinion on what’s happening two lanes over from you doesn’t mean that you need to swerve over and weigh in on it – unless you’re asked. Nothing will break down morale and hurt the culture in your organization faster than when someone gets out of their lane to barge in on someone else. And consider this: When you leave your lane of responsibility, what’s not getting done in yours that should be?  

Staying in your lane accelerates progress

The logical outcome of staying in your lane is that everyone is moving forward at optimal speed. When you stay in your lane, focused on being your best where you are, doing what you do, means everyone else has the time, space, and energy to do the same. When you resist the temptation to change lanes or drift across drawn lines, it gives you and those around you the opportunity to move forward faster.

Final Thoughts

Staying in your lane can be hard. It’s too easy to get distracted and to lose focus. It doesn’t mean you walk around with blinders on and are oblivious to what’s going on around you. There may be times when a lane change is necessary to help in the moment, but then you get back in yours. There has to be a degree of flexibility here, but by and large, when you stay in your lane, crashes are avoided, and everyone moves forward together.

 

©2026 Doug Dickerson

Strong At The Broken Places

 

Credit: Google Images

The world breaks everyone, and afterward, many are strong at the broken places. – Ernest Hemingway, 

As one of our most popular and most consequential presidents, Abraham Lincoln led the United States through one of the darkest times in American History. The Civil War weighed heavily upon Lincoln as he carried the burden of preserving the Union and ending slavery.

Lincoln struggled deeply with depression. Friends described seasons where he could barely function. He openly wept. After the death of his son Willie in 1862, he was shattered. Witnesses said he sobbed uncontrollably and would visit the crypt alone.

Unlike many leaders who hide their brokenness, Lincoln didn’t pretend invincibility. He spoke openly about his sadness, told stories that revealed his inner turmoil, and led with humility rather than bravado. In one letter, he confessed, “I am now the most miserable man living.” 

Craig Groeschel said, “ You can’t heal from a wound you ignore. It may feel hard, but don’t be afraid to be transparent and vulnerable. Asking for help isn’t a sign of weakness. It’s a sign of wisdom.” And this is the challenge we find ourselves in at our broken places. 

Research published on Calm.com (https://tinyurl.com/4cnmbbzf ) offers telling insights into the state of mind of American executives. Here are some key findings:

  • While nearly nine in 10 executives (87%) report their mental/emotional health as “good” or better, almost half (48%) acknowledge feeling overwhelmed, and about a quarter (24%) report leadership stress showing up as anxiety or depression.
  • 50% say they have considered stepping down from their leadership role, while two-in-three have considered a career change and taking a sabbatical.
  • Only one in four reports their “mental battery” is fully charged.
  • 42% say they actively shield their teams from their stresses.
  • Executives identify two unique leadership pressures as the predominant stress drivers: responsibility for others’ livelihoods (63%) and a sense of having “no off switch” (54%).

While many leaders actively shield their teams from their stresses, what else could they be shielding? The broken places will never heal so long as they remain cloaked in a false sense of bravery and duty to the detriment of one’s own mental health and well-being.

Circling back to Lincoln, here are a few observations that you might find useful as you consider your own broken places in your leadership. 

His emotional honesty deepened his moral clarity

Coming to terms with the struggles and challenges you face in your leadership is not a sign of weakness, but, as Craig Groeschel said, a sign of wisdom. Being vulnerable and honest opens the door for a new level of your leadership to emerge. 

For Lincoln, moral clarity was heightened not in covering up his struggles but by embracing them. Moral clarity was forged in heartache and tears. This type of vulnerability doesn’t diminish your leadership; it solidifies it. 

Think about your broken places. In what ways are you allowing those vulnerable places to forge the leader in you and give you a greater sense of moral clarity?

His vulnerability did not weaken his authority- it strengthened it

Many leaders make the mistake of believing that their vulnerability will cause them to lose credibility and standing among their peers or team. They simply do not see how the risk could be worth it.

For Lincoln, who endured unimaginable responsibilities of national importance alongside great personal loss, it was his pathway to his own healing and that of the nation. Neither came easily, and both with great cost. But his leadership authority was defined by both.

Here is what I know: leaders today are overwhelmed and stressed like never before. Many are suffering in silence, smiling as they go about their days. Some are ready to throw in the towel and call it quits. 

Here is my message to you: You are not alone. It’s OKAY to not be OKAY. Your broken places are stepping stones to take your leadership to the next level. And, it’s OKAY to ask for help. We are not meant to do this alone. We are stronger together.

 

©2026 Doug Dickerson

Putting Down Milemarkers

Ancient Roman Milemarker. Credit: Google Images

Anyone can steer the ship, but it takes a leader to chart the course. – John Maxwell

If you have ever driven along any highway or interstate system, then you are a beneficiary of an ancient marking system for roads and travel. 

The idea of mile markers dates back to the Roman Empire. The Romans built an enormous road system and placed stone pillars called “milestones” every Roman mile. The primary reason for the markers was straightforward: to let travellers know how far they were from Rome.

The Romans often listed the name of the emperor who built or repaired the road. This was less about convenience and more about imperial power and control. Rome wanted everyone to know who owned the roads.

During the Middle Ages, after Rome fell, the roads remained, but the markers and distances faded. “A day’s walk”, or “half a league,” were terms used in its place. As trade picked up, some regions reintroduced distance stones, but there was no universal system. 

In the 1600s and 1700s, Britain standardized the statute mile (5,280 ft). Turnpike roads began installing mileposts. These helped travelers, mail coaches, and toll collection. This system heavily influenced our system in the U.S. 

In the early 18th and 19th centuries, milestones became highly functional and uniform. Today, they are essential for navigation, maintenance, and emergencies (for example, an accident at mile marker 135).

John Maxwell said, “A leader is one who knows the way, goes the way, and shows the way.” And this is one of the guiding principles in leadership. Here are a few key ideas for your consideration as a leader. 

Leaders make progress measurable

Just as a traveler knows their location on the highway by mile markers, good leaders set measurable standards for progress. They help turn vision into clear benchmarks so that individuals or teams are not left guessing whether they are winning or losing. 

Progress needs to be measured, and milestones or benchmarks provide leaders and teams with the information they need to move forward.

Execution improves when everyone can answer two simple questions

Your responsibility as a leader is to chart the course in such a way that the people on your team can answer these two basic questions: 1) “Where are we?” and 2) “What’s next?” Clarity is the pathway to execution; without it, the team drifts.

Here’s what you need to know as a leader: High-performing teams don’t just share a goal, they share a scoreboard. This doesn’t require complexity; it requires simplicity. When you chart the course and lay down markers, you provide much-needed guidance and direction. Click To Tweet

A milemarker doesn’t move the car; it keeps the driver from losing the road

Just as it’s critical that a driver not lose the road, it’s also important that the team you lead not lose its sense of direction. On the road, conditions can change; fog can set in, darkness can impair the driver, and detours can alter progress. But the leader keeps a steady hand and gives assurances that all is well.

As a leader, the markers you lay for your team make the difference. A proven leader can help navigate all types of terrain and keep the team on course.

Questions for the leader:

  1. What milemarkers have I clearly set for my team? Which ones are still implied?
  2. If someone asked you, “Where are we right now?” Could I answer in one sentence with evidence?
  3. What systems would keep progress moving even if I were not in the room?

©2026 Doug Dickerson

Watch Your Tone

Credit: Google Images

Leadership means setting a moral tone. – J. B. Pritzker

I am not sure about you, but I can vividly recall the days of my childhood when my mother would correct me concerning the tone of my language. I had just enough smarts not to use bad language in her presence, but I often fell short on my tone. 

I read a story about a young single mom with two children, ages five and three, who were constantly battling their bad language. She tried everything to get them to stop swearing. After many attempts with various methods, nothing worked. 

The frustrated mother ultimately decided to treat her boys the way her mom treated her. The next morning, the five-year-old got up, and he went into the kitchen. The mom said, “Honey, what would you like for breakfast this morning?”

He looked up and said, “Just give me some of those @#*&! Old wheaties.”

With that, she swatted the kid, and across the table he flew. His three-year-old brother, who was watching, was amazed. He had never seen anything like it. Then his mother looked at him and said, “And what do you want for breakfast?”

He looked at her with wide eyes and said, “Well, you can bet your #%@* I don’t want any of those %$*#@ Wheaties!”

Here’s a simple leadership principle worth noting: People often respond to our attitudes and actions more than to our words.

As a leader, your life revolves around people. How you interact with, relate to, inspire, and challenge people will always be a leadership skill you must develop. It’s not an option.

Alexander MacLearn said, “If you would win the world, melt it, do not hammer it.” And this is our leadership commission. 

Over the years, I have learned that my tone, more than my words, has changed outcomes in many situations for the better. But it hasn’t always been easy. I tend to be impatient, which leads to frustration and, in turn, a tone that can be detrimental. 

Here’s what I have come to embrace in my leadership. It’s what I call the H.A.L.T. method. Give it a try and see how it works for you. 

Hush Up

The best deterrent to using words that I know will later come back to bite me is to listen to my mother’s voice in my head when she would tell me to hush up. It’s an exercise in self-preservation.

In leadership, it’s about timing – it’s knowing when to talk and when to hush up and listen. You will never regret the things you didn’t say in the heat of the moment, and it will buy you more time to thoughtfully think through the situation you are dealing with.

Ask questions

It’s safe to say that the times when my tone has been most unpleasant have been when I’ve let my emotions get the best of me and sounded off without all the facts. Chances are, that’s been your experience as well. 

But when I take the time to first understand and ask questions, my tone can be what it should be and what the other party deserves from me. There’s no substitute for being informed as a leader. It happens when you ask questions.

Listen

It should go without saying, but it works hand in hand with asking questions. You can master your tone with good information. This happens when you slow down and listen. By listening, you empower the other person and stay in control of your tone. 

Simply put, listen more, talk less. 

Take control

Here’s what I know: I am responsible for my tone. And as a leader, so are you. And yes, there will be times when your tone needs to be firm, when you offer corrections, and when you set high expectations, but it must always be done with the right attitude.

Coupled with the right words, your tone sets the standard for your leadership. Be wise with your words, be smart with your tone. Both matter, and both can raise or lower your level of leadership. Choose wisely.

©2026 Doug Dickerson

 

What I Heard is Not What She Said

Credit: Google Images

There is a difference between listening and waiting for your turn to speak. – Simon Sinek

Years ago, when our firstborn daughter was just a few months old, my wife called me at work one day to ask if I would stop by the store on my way home to pick up some rice cereal for our daughter’s bottle.

Our pediatrician had suggested this to my wife, and I was more than happy as a proud new father to help out. After all, how hard could it be to pick up some rice cereal?

When I arrived at the grocery store, I dutifully made my way to the cereal aisle. After a few minutes of comparing brands and prices, I settled on a choice I thought would not only please my wife but, more importantly, our new daughter. 

The only problem was that not only did I not pick out the right cereal, but I was not even on the right aisle in the store. When I arrived home with Popeye’s Puffed Rice cereal, not Gerber’s Rice cereal, she was less than pleased that I had made such a bone-headed mistake. 

The cereal that I was supposed to buy!

While my heart was in the right place, the choice was not. She put the cereal up in the pantry as a visual reminder for me going forward, that when I was sent to the store for something, I should be sure to understand what I was going for and how important it is that I listen to her. 

I can’t say that over the years I have always returned from the store with exactly what she wanted, and at times I tried to explain that I had no idea how certain items just happened to “fall into the cart” and end up bringing them home. 

I’ve learned that there is, at times, a vast difference between what she said, what I heard, and the outcome. When it comes to listening, connecting the dots doesn’t always come easy in marriage, in your leadership, in your workplace, or in how you lead the people around you.

In leadership, listening is your relational equity. It’s what will separate you from those who just want to talk and be heard. 

John Maxwell framed it this way when he said, “ Earn the right to be heard by listening to others. Seek to understand a situation before making judgments about it.” And this is such a powerful thought. Most leaders are working hard to earn the right to speak when they should be working hard to earn the right to be heard by listening. 

Because it’s an essential tool in your leadership arsenal, here are a few of my suggestions for listening. See how these resonate with you.

Lean in and make eye contact

When in conversation with those you lead, make a point of leaning in and making eye contact. This intentional act signals that nothing is more important to you in that moment than what that person has to say. You can learn more about your people — and learn more from them—when you lean in and listen. 

There is a time and place for you to speak to your people. But you are earning the right to be heard when you listen. Click To Tweet

Practice mirroring and clarifying questions

When in conversation with another person, not only should you practice the art of leaning in, but, when appropriate, also mirror and ask clarifying questions. 

By mirroring what the other person has said, you demonstrate that you are fully engaged and truly listening. By asking clarifying questions, you are preventing potential misunderstandings. These two simple practices can dramatically remove potential pitfalls between what was said and what was heard. 

By practicing these two simple techniques, you can improve your listening skills and reduce misunderstandings that lead to unnecessary conflict. It will improve workplace culture, and it will keep you off the cereal aisle.

 

©2025 Doug Dickerson

Be Present in The Moment

Credit: Google Images

If you’re going through something, just know that you’re gonna come out on the other side. You’re going through it-you’re not stuck there forever. – Tina Knowles

I read somewhere that in the early days of the Alaska Highway, tractor-trailer trucks would make deep ruts in the gravel as they carried construction equipment to boomtowns up north.

Someone posted this sign at the beginning of the road: “Choose Your Rut Carefully, You’ll Be In It For The Next 200 Miles.”  Talk about your ominous warning!

It’s not an uncommon experience at times as a leader to find yourself in a place where you feel stuck. Being in that season as a leader can be awkward. You know that you’re there, but you’re not quite sure why, and what’s worse, you’re not quite sure what to do about it. 

R. Narayana Murthy said, “Growth is painful. Change is painful. But nothing is as painful as staying stuck where you do not belong.” And this is an essential part of understanding why you are stuck and how to turn it around.

So what does being stuck look like? For each leader, it’s different. Perhaps you’ve reached a plateau and you feel you have gone as far as you can in your current position. For another, it might have the characteristics of discouragement or frustration. Perhaps you feel overwhelmed with no relief in sight, with no direction on how to move forward. Does any of this sound familiar?

Being stuck at times as a leader is nothing new. How you get unstuck will make all the difference. The key is to be present in the moment. Click To Tweet

Being stuck at times in leadership is normal. And chances are, you’ve been stuck before. One of the worst things you can do is panic. It only makes matters worse. In times when you feel like you are stuck, why not embrace the moment, appreciate the new pace you now find yourself in, and use the time to reflect on where you are and what brought you to this point?

Years ago, I was snorkeling in the Bahamas. I had been out in the water much longer than I realized, and my body was tired. I got caught in the wake of a passing boat, and I was just too exhausted to continue. I began to panic. In doing so, I would go underwater, come up for air, and sink back down again, until a friend spotted me and realized what was happening. He wrapped his arms around me and told me not to panic and safely brought me to a place where I could stand on my own.

And this is why being stuck with so many leaders is dangerous. Not because you’re stuck but because you panic and you feel the need to do something about it. 

Here’s a thought for you – maybe you are right where you are meant to be. Perhaps you feel stuck because God is trying to get your attention and speak to you, and this is the only way it’s going to happen. Instead of trying to get out of it, why not see what you can learn from it? 

Margaret Storm Jameson, the English author, once wrote that when our minds turn toward the future, we spend an inordinate amount of time longing for it or dreading it. “The only way to live,” she said, “is to accept each minute as an unrepeatable miracle.” 

Right now, you may feel stuck. You may feel frustrated and tempted to panic and make matters worse. Why not embrace the unrepeatable miracle you have by being present in the moment? 

©2025 Doug Dickerson

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