Tag: Personal Growth

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

 

Born To Be Wild: Three Life Lessons From an Otter

Louie the Otter: Credit UPI

 

The miracle isn’t that I finished. The miracle is that I had the courage to start. – John Bingham

In case you missed it, a Wisconsin zoo has announced that it has called off the search for an otter on the loose since March, explaining that the animal “has made the decision to be a wild otter.” 

It all started when Louie, the now-declared “wild otter,” and his pal Ophelia decided to escape during a snowstorm back in March.

Ophelia was recaptured and returned to the zoo, but Louie proved to be more elusive. Zoo officials said Louie was born in the wild and is believed to possess all the skills and instincts necessary to live on his own.

I have to admire Louie. Rather than live his life in captivity on someone else’s terms, he decided to live the best life in the wild.

When choosing your path in life, why is it that so many settle for less than what their heart desires? Why do 95% of people never manage to break free and achieve their dreams? And what can you do to be in the 5% that do?  What obstacles do you need to overcome to make it happen? Here are three life lessons from Louie that can help you today.

Face your fears

Many people in life never pursue their dreams because fear has paralyzed them. Fear is by far the primary reason dreams go unfulfilled and why people settle for far less in life than what they’re otherwise capable of achieving.

Henry Ford observed, “One of the greatest discoveries a man makes, one of his great surprises, is to find he can do what he was afraid he couldn’t do.” What fear(s) are holding you back? What would your life look like if you overcame it? How long will you let fear prevail? If you truly believe that you were born for something greater than what you are experiencing, then it’s time to face your fears. Click To Tweet

Lesson from Louie: Don’t let fear prevent you from escaping from the things that would entrap you so that you can live your best life.

Additional Resource: How Our Fears Hold Us Back

Have a plan

Moving from the 95% who never realize their dreams, you will need a plan. Achieving your dreams and living your best life doesn’t happen otherwise. You may be reading this, and in your mind, you are recounting too many past failures and too few victories. You may think that your time will never come.

John Maxwell says, “Good management of bad experiences lead to great personal growth.” We’ve all had bad experiences. Your bad experiences can propel you to the next level of success when you learn from them; otherwise, they will keep you stuck. Are you committed to good management of bad experiences? You will succeed when you commit to your personal growth and have a plan for your success.

Lesson from Louie: You can break free from the things that would hold you back, but only with a plan to get there.

Additional Resource: Is Your Leadership Adrift?

Don’t look back

Breaking out of the pack of the 95% who go through life with unfulfilled dreams, you have to make some bold decisions. You have to face your fears, you have to have a plan, and once you commit, you can’t look back. You have to be laser-focused going forward.

I am reminded of the story of a man who was crabbing along the jetties on a beach. He had a basket full of crabs. A passerby noticed there was no lid on the basket. He asked the man if he was concerned about the crabs crawling out. The man replied, “If there were just one crab in the basket, he could crawl out,” he responded, “but when the basket is full, and one tries to crawl out, the others will reach up and pull him back down, not letting him escape.” 

And this is what happens when you try to make the move from the 95% to the 5%. You will have others try to pull you down. You must keep climbing, keep clawing your way to the top, you must not look back. Your growth, success, dreams, and aspirations come into focus and fruition when your focus is on what lies ahead, not what lies behind you.

Lesson from Louie – Once you break free, don’t look back.

Additional Resource: Stay in Your Lane: Why Focused Leadership Matters

 

©2025 Doug Dickerson

The Secret Sauce to Success is Not BS

Credit: Google Images

You can’t build a reputation on what you are going to do. – Henry Ford

A turkey was chatting with a bull. “I would love to get to the top of that tree,” the turkey sighed, “ but I haven’t got the energy.” 

“Well, why don’t you nibble on some of my droppings?” replied the bull. “They’re full of nutrients.” 

The turkey pecked at a lump of dung and found it gave him enough strength to reach the lowest branch of the tree. After eating more dung the next day, he reached the second branch.

Finally, after a fourth night, the turkey was proudly perched at the top of the tree. A farmer promptly spotted him and shot him out of the tree. 

The moral of the story: BS might get you to the top, but it won’t keep you there. 

As a leader and small business owner, I know firsthand the importance and challenges of getting ahead. And as the above story humorously illustrates, it’s not BS. 

An article in Business Dasher revealed the following:

  • About 79% of small businesses survive their first year, which means that 21% of small businesses fail in their first year
  • More than 50% of businesses fail within five years
  • 70% of businesses fail in their tenth year

With statistics like these, we know that 1) being a small business owner or entrepreneur is not for the faint of heart,  2) you can’t bluff your way to success, and 3) people in your office know BS when they see it, hear it, and smell it.

As a leader in your organization, regardless of your title or place in its organizational structure, you must prioritize knowing what sets you apart from your competitors and what gives you credibility within it. 

People in your organization don’t need another fast-talking BSer who is more concerned about making a name for themselves. Click To Tweet They need a servant-leader who puts the team’s good ahead of their own agenda.

Knowing what the secret sauce is, what it is not, and what it should be is crucial. Here are just a few of the necessary ingredients.

The secret sauce is your grit.

It’s not your fancy words or talk. It’s all about embracing your gifts and calling, and not allowing yourself to be distracted. Doing the hard and unglamorous things daily produces results compounded over time.

Leadership advice from John Maxwell:  “You’ll never change your life until you change something you do daily. The secret sauce is found in your daily routine.”

The secret sauce is your attitude.

Your attitude will make you or break you. You will face adversity from within and without. Each experience will be a test of your resolve, and those who endure are those who have mastered the discipline of a good and strong attitude.

Leadership advice from Zig Ziglar: “Your attitude, not your aptitude, determines your altitude.” 

The secret sauce is your integrity.

Getting ahead is not about your ability to out-B.S. the other guy. That person will eventually be exposed for who he is. The foundation for how high and far you will go is built on your integrity. How high and how far you go is dependent upon it.

Leadership advice from W. Clement Stone: “Have the courage to say no. Have the courage to face the truth. Do the right thing because it is right. These are the magic keys to living your life with integrity.” 

The secret sauce is your passion.

When it comes to succeeding as a business leader, it all comes down to what drives and motivates you. You will never develop grit and do the hard things required for success if you have no passion for it. A passionless leader will produce passionless followers, and the business will eventually die. But a leader with passion and drive will persevere through the storms and challenges that come their way.

Craig Groeschel offers this leadership advice: “Vision and values should inspire and move you. If they don’t, they are too dull and safe.”

What is your secret sauce?

 

©2025 Doug Dickerson

A Kangaroo Wasn’t On The Bingo Card

Photo Credit: CNN
Credit: CNN

The years have been just full of surprises for me, and a lot of fun. – Dick Van Dyke

Imagine driving along the interstate on your way to work, an important meeting, a ball game, or just trying to get home. Instead, you find yourself in a traffic jam. You are in this traffic jam, not because of a wreck, construction, or bad weather. The reason? A kangaroo! 

This was the predicament that motorists in Tuskegee, Alabama, found themselves in recently when traffic snarled on Interstate 85. The sight of the free-spirited kangaroo hopping along the side of the interstate was certainly a sight to behold. State Troopers had to stop traffic in both directions to help the owner capture the wayward animal. 

Being delayed in traffic on the interstate because of a kangaroo is not something any motorist in Alabama would have suspected they’d encounter when they got up that day. No doubt it would not have appeared on anyone’s bingo card.

In life, things will show up on your bingo card that you didn’t see coming or have any formal training on how to deal with. 

When I began my leadership journey in ministry over 40 years ago, I was wide-eyed and woefully naive. Rather quickly, “kangaroos” started showing up on my bingo card that I was not prepared for, things that I didn’t think I would see in that line of work, and I didn’t have a leadership foundation to fall back on. My heart was in the right place, and my head was full of theology. But in those early days, it simply wasn’t enough. The kangaroos were winning the day.

Chances are, you’re feeling overwhelmed, too. You are dealing with things you didn’t see coming, and you feel out of your league. What is a leader to do? Allow me to take you back to foundational principles. As you work through these, you will gain more and more confidence as a leader. These are a great starting place.

Develop your growth plan.

If you want to develop as a leader, you need a growth plan. As John Maxwell says, “Hope is not a strategy.” Additionally, he says, “You cannot change your life until you change something you do everyday.” This, my friend, is where you begin.

Without a growth plan, you are like a runner wearing ankle weights. You become your own worst enemy, making things much harder on yourself. Personal growth should revolve around daily improvement, with the expectation that you will be better tomorrow than you are today. Click To Tweet

Additional Resource: Five Signs That Your Leadership Has a Settlers Mentality

Find a mentor or coach.

No one is meant to do life alone. As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another, says the writer of Proverbs. My frustrations in those early days could have been nullified if I had had a mentor to take me under their wing and help me navigate that bingo card. 

With a mentor or coach, you have someone who is invested in your growth, who will hold you accountable, be your confidant, and your biggest cheerleader. Your mentor or coach will be a tremendous asset to you as a leader, and one day you can be the one passing along your wisdom to another.

Additional Resource: Leadership in a Word: Mentors

Humility and humor. 

In my years in leadership, there’s a straightforward thing I’ve come to learn, and it’s this – the more I learn, the more I realize how much I don’t know. That’s humbling. That is what propels me to keep learning, reading, listening to podcasts, attending conferences, and networking, because the learning never ends. 

Additionally, I’ve also come to appreciate having a good sense of humor. A sense of humor is what keeps you grounded and humble. Having the ability to laugh at yourself (might as well, others are), and realize that a perfect day can get interrupted by a kangaroo.

Additional Resource: Reclaiming Humility in Leadership

©2025 Doug Dickerson

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Getting Back Into The Swing of Things

Credit: Google Images

Quality is not an act, it is a habit. – Aristotle

Like a bear coming out of hibernation, spring has been full of physical challenges. I have been challenged on two fronts, so I thought I’d share with you what’s going on and the leadership lessons I am learning.

Not long ago, I dusted off my golf bag and headed to a local golf course and their driving range. As a lifelong golf fan, I’ve wanted to return to the links and enjoy the game I had grown so fond of over the years. Not wanting to embarrass myself before playing again, I took the clubs to the range to see if any form was still left. Thankfully, I did not have my expectations set too high. I had stayed away from the game for too long. It showed, and it was humbling.

The second challenge comes courtesy of my daughter: She challenged me to join her on a new regimen on an app called 75 Hard. Those familiar with the app probably smile because you know what it’s all about. The daily regimen with 75 Hard includes one 45-minute workout and one 45-minute outdoor workout, taking a progress picture every day, reading 10 pages, drinking one gallon of water, following a diet, and not cheating on meals or alcohol.

So far, I am sticking to it. There are days when it’s hard, and it takes some grit and determination to check the boxes daily, because if you don’t, you start back at day one and begin all over again.

Getting back into the swing of things with these physical challenges has been a challenge that I welcome. While I’m not the spring chicken anymore, staying active has always been a lifestyle. But getting back into the routine can be hard once you get out of it. 

John Maxwell says, “You’ll never change your life until you change something you do daily. The secret of your success is found in your daily routine.” Not only is he right in his observation, but it is simply a prescription for your desired accomplishments.

I don’t want to oversimplify what it means to get back into the swing of things and establish a daily regimen that works well for you. But in many respects, change begins with the basics you build upon. Here are a couple of observations from Maxwell’s quote to work with.

Change something

Your life will never change until you change something daily. With that being said, inventory the things in your life that are working, what you can improve, and what you need to discard. This is an essential first step toward making the changes that will benefit you the most.

When my daughter challenged me to join her on 75 Hard, it was not a hard decision. In terms of physical activity, I was not in a good place. I was sitting too much, not walking enough, and her challenge was the spark I needed.

In The 5 AM Club, Robin S. Sharma writes, “ The smallest of implementations is always worth more than the grandest of intentions.” And this is what you have to implement – small changes daily that will help improve your leadership. Have you identified what they are? Do you know what your next steps are? Are you ready to change something today? 

Additional Resource: Check These Boxes For Effective Change

Your daily routine

I have always been an early riser. My daily routine begins at 5 a.m. It starts with reading and meditation, followed by exercise, and the beginning of my daily water intake. This routine helps me be more focused and begin my day more clearly.

Your daily routine is critical to your success. As a leader, you can’t leave it to chance and good intentions. Your daily routine matters because if you don’t own the day, the day will own you. Click To Tweet

Gretchen Rubin said, “What I do everyday matters more than what I do once in a while.” How are your daily routines serving you?

In closing, reflect on what changes you must make, what daily routines you must establish, who can hold you accountable, and when you plan to start. Good intentions are not enough.

Additional Resource: The Priority of Time

 

©2025 Doug Dickerson

Why Composure Matters in Leadership

Credit: Google Images

Always keep your composure. You can’t score from the penalty box, and to win, you have to score. – Horace

I read a story about actress Carol Burnett some time ago. One day, she was getting out of a cab, and her coat was caught in the door. The driver was unaware of her plight and slowly began to merge into traffic. The actress had to run alongside down the block to keep from being pulled off her feet. 

A passerby noticed her predicament and quickly alerted the driver. He stopped, jumped out, and released Burnett’s coat. “Are you all right?” he asked anxiously. “Yes,” she gasped, but how much more do I owe you?”

Given our current circumstances, I can’t help but appreciate Burnett’s reaction. Given today’s litigation culture, it could have ended differently for the cab driver with a different passenger. How you and I keep our composure in the face of challenging times is a matter of good leadership. 

In a survey by Harvard Business Review, 85% of executives believe that composure is crucial for effective leadership during a crisis. This is important to you as a leader, whether in a crisis or not. 

Composure impacts decision-making, how your team functions under pressure, and how you lead your team through times of transition. But more importantly, it matters in your day-to-day leadership and the example you set. When your team members see that you can consistently respond no matter the situation, you are modeling leadership at a higher level.

How much thought have you given to composure as a vital part of your leadership DNA? What leaders have you been directly associated with who modeled composure well? How about those who were poor examples of leaders without it?

Every leader you have been around has modeled composure in some way, and you have learned from it. How are you modeling it yourself? What are the challenges? What are your struggles? Let’s explore a few ideas about keeping our composure as leaders.

Composure for the sake of your leadership

Before you can be a leader with composure for your team, you must be a leader of composure for yourself. It’s been noted repeatedly that the hardest person you will ever lead is yourself. Without discipline and maturity that drives composure, this area of your leadership will be a struggle.

For reflection: Do you know your strengths and weaknesses under pressure? Do you know your tipping points that put it all in jeopardy? Do you know how to manage your emotions under pressure best? Are you a reliable source of emotional stability for your team in times of crisis? Can your team members look to you with confidence that you are up for the challenge? You must come to grips with these types of questions as a leader to effectively lead others around you.

Additional Resource: How Leaders Keep Calm in a Crisis

Composure for the sake of morale

The late football coaching legend Tom Landry said, “Leadership is a matter of having people look at you and gain confidence, seeing how you react. If you’re in control, they’re in control.” And this is why composure matters in leadership.

It’s one thing for the leader to have composure, but modeling it instills confidence in the people around you. When you exemplify composure, you are acting as a thermostat for those around you – your level of composure will elevate those around you.

For reflection: Is your level of composure helping or hurting the morale of your team? Do those around you see a confident and composed leader in you? In what ways will your team benefit from a renewed sense of composure and confidence office-wide? 

Additional Resource: How Indecisive Leaders Hurt Morale

Composure for the sake of growth

You can weather any challenge as a leader with composure and a team with composure. Healthy leaders producing healthy teams and organizations lead to more substantial confidence and purpose in the future. Composure is essential to it all.

For reflection: In what ways are you developing composure as an essential leadership skill not only for yourself, but for the rest of your team? Do your team members understand the need to create this skill? How will your organization benefit from it?

For reflection: In what ways are you developing composure as an essential leadership skill not only for yourself, but for the rest of your team? Do your team members understand the need to create this skill? How will your organization benefit from it? 

Additional Resource: High Stakes Growth

 

©2025 Doug Dickerson

 

An Obstacle or Opportunity?

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If you can find a path with no obstacles, it probably doesn’t lead anywhere. – Frank A. Clark

A story tells of an ancient time when a king placed a boulder on a roadway as a test. After placing the boulder in the road, he hid and watched to see if anyone would remove the huge rock. 

Some of the king’s wealthiest merchants and couriers came by and simply walked around it. Many blamed the king for not keeping the roads clear, but none did anything about getting the boulder out of the way.

Then, a peasant came along carrying a load of vegetables. On approaching the boulder, the peasant laid down his burden and tried to move the stone to the side of the road. After pushing and straining, he finally succeeded. As the peasant picked up his load of vegetables, he noticed a purse lying in the road where he had been. The purse contained many gold coins and a note from the king indicating that the gold was for the person who removed the boulder from the roadway. The peasant learned what many never understood. Every obstacle presents an opportunity to improve one’s condition.

What do you do with the boulders and challenges you find on your road? How do you handle adversity? What are the consequences of your decisions? Let’s look at some examples from the story.

You can ignore them.

Some of the king’s wealthiest merchants and couriers first approached the boulder in the road. Being people of wealth and means, you would think that if they couldn’t move the boulder themselves, at the least, they could pay someone to do it for them. Wrong.

The first group left the boulder right where it was, a convenient representation of their desire not to get involved or be bothered.  Many complained and blamed the king for the poor road conditions.

From a leadership perspective, this was a terrible move, not just because they could have done something about it but also because they passed the burden of the boulder on to the next set of travelers to fix. The wealthy merchants represent self-absorbed leaders who only think of themselves. And now, because of their actions, they leave the problem to someone else.

Leaders, remember that your actions today bear consequences for others tomorrow. You can leave a clear path for others or leave obstacles you find for others to deal with later.

Leadership Insight: Small obstacles you ignore today can become boulders tomorrow. Clear the path not only for yourself but for those who follow you.

Additional Resource: Embracing The Hard Things in Leadership

You can do the heavy lifting and reap the reward.

The peasant comes down the road and finds the same boulder blocking his path. Unable to remove it himself, he recruits some help, and together, they move it.

The peasant in the story represents a servant leadership mindset. He knows that it is in his best interest to move the boulder for his own passage and for those coming behind him. 

In his book, High Road Leadership, John Maxwell writes, “When you do what’s right, you’re not only taking the high road with others. You are taking the high road with yourself.” And this is precisely what the peasant and his helpers did. They took the high road by clearing the road for others to travel.

The happy ending to the story is that the king left a note and a purse filled with gold coins – the reward for the person who moved the boulder from the road. 

While the servant leadership mindset is not about what you get in return for your actions, it demonstrates that good things come to those who put others first. When you take the high road, you make the road better for everyone. Click To Tweet

Leadership Insight: As a leader, be willing to do the heavy lifting – not for the sake of the reward, but because of the joy found in serving others.

On your leadership journey, you will encounter boulders. How you see them—as obstacles or opportunities—will make all the difference.

Additional Resource: The Power of Resistance in Leadership

 

©2025 Doug Dickerson

Are You The Answer Man or the Leader?

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The wise man doesn’t give the right answers; he poses the right questions. – Claude-Levi Strauss

I have always been a trivia fan. This would include board games and shows like Jeopardy. I got hooked when Trivial Pursuit came out in the early 1980s and have enjoyed all trivia-related games since.

Speaking of trivia, the following have been identified as among some of the hardest trivial pursuit questions:

  • Who was the official hair consultant to the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics?
  • What is the scientific name for a rabbit’s tail?
  • How many rings make up one arm of the Michelin man?
  • What was the name of the Douglas family dog on My Three Sons?
  • What was broken in Oxford, England, on May 6, 1954?
  • What eye-catching device was invented in the 17th century by Anton van Leeuwenhoek?
  • (Answers: Vidal Sassoon, Scut, Four, Tramp, The 4-minute mile, The microscope)

Having fun with trivia is great for family game nights and other occasions. But how does that play out in your day-to-day leadership? While being knowledgeable as a leader is imperative, when does it become a liability for your team instead of an advantage?

John Maxwell said, “The smartest person in the room is never as smart as all the people in the room.” In fact, on another occasion, Maxwell said, “If you’re the smartest person in the room, then you’re in the wrong room.” 

As leaders, how do we embrace the tension between what we know, the experiences we have gained, and the wisdom we can share without coming across as the proverbial “answer man” to everyone around us?

Marcus Kreth, the CEO of Asia Media Publishing Group, wrote an article titled “Why Leadership Isn’t About Knowing All The Answers—But Asking The Right Questions.” 

In it, Kreth writes, “As a leader, is my role to know the ins and outs of every single department? Should I be the one who excels at every technical skill? Or is my role to guide, set direction, to ask the right questions, and bring the right people together to execute the vision? That’s the moment I realized something fundamental about leadership: It’s not about being the best at everything. It’s about creating an environment where everyone can be their best”. 

Kreth’s first main point states, “Great Leaders Don’t Have All the Answers”. 

Over the decades in leadership, I have come to know and understand the weight and burden of providing answers. Early in my career, I felt a particular obligation to be ready with an answer. I figured that at best, it might be something solid and helpful, or at worst, I could wing it well enough that the other person wouldn’t notice. It could be exhausting.

Now, at this stage in my life, I fully embrace Kreth’s assertion that great leaders don’t have to have all the answers. It’s a refreshing posture in leadership. However, it does not absolve you from your leadership responsibility to constantly learn and improve. But now you are free from having to prove it. 

When thinking about whether you are the answer man or the leader, consider these thoughts.

Are you trying to impress people or make an impact?

John Maxwell said, “People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.” Ultimately, people will be more impressed by how well you cared for them than by how much you tried to impress them with how much you know. Don’t be confused about this as a leader.

Additional Resource: Elevating Your Leadership Influence

Are you empowering your team or hindering it?

If you are the answer man and your people constantly come to you for all the answers, you are stalling your team’s flow and progress. As Kreth said, you want to guide, set direction, and ask the right questions to empower your team. The most liberating day in your leadership is the day you realize that you don’t have to know everything!

The writer of Ecclesiastes said there is a time to be silent and a time to speak. As a leader, you have to know the difference.

Additional Resource: Building a Culture of Empowerment

 

©2025 Doug Dickerson

What’s In a Name?

Credit: Google Images

I yam what I yam an’ that’s all that I yam! – Popeye

Setting out from Hamburg, Germany, one day to give a concert in London, violinist Fritz Kreisler had an hour before his boat sailed. He wandered into a music shop, where the proprietor asked if he could look at the violin Kreisler was carrying. He then vanished and returned with two policemen, one of whom told the violinist, “You are under arrest.”

“What for?” asked Kreisler. “You have Fritz Kreisler’s violin,” replied the officer. “I am Fritz Kreisler,” he responded.

“You can’t pull that on us. Come along to the station.” As Kreisler’s boat was sailing soon, there was no time for prolonged explanations. Kreisler asked for the violin and played a piece he was well known for. “Now, are you satisfied?” he asked. They were!

Kreisler’s detainment and subsequent release from the questioning authorities are reminders of the importance of knowing one’s name and what it is known for.

If I were to give you a list of names, you could immediately identify them by what made them famous. For example:

  • Henry Ford – Inventor of the Model T Ford
  • Thomas Edison – Inventor of the light bulb, among other things
  • Walt Disney – A pioneer of the animation industry 
  • Michael Jordan – Arguably by many the greatest NBA player of all time
  • Steve Jobs – The co-founder of Apple
  • Billy Graham – The greatest evangelist of the last century
  • Babe Ruth – One of the all-time greats in Major League Baseball

Many people are fascinated by learning more about their names and ancestry. I read that Ancestry.com had a revenue of $1 billion in 2022. That amount indicates that people long to learn more about their ancestral roots and seek a sense of belonging that connects them to their past. 

While my name and yours may not be synonymous with a great inventor or a star NBA player, our names represent a life that matters. As leaders, this is significant.

My name and yours may not command worldwide attention or recognition, but it’s a name entrusted to us to represent well.

Leadership takes many forms and has many definitions. Some leaders command the spotlight with grace and dignity, while others serve with equal honor in obscurity. 

Sadly, some abuse their place of leadership by mishandling their authority and using others to get ahead and make a name for themselves at the expense of those around them. 

As you read this, the challenge is to reflect on what your name as a leader means and what you want to be known for. Here is some food for thought.

Be known as a servant leader, not self-serving.

When you believe your leadership is about your title or position, a self-serving leadership posture will define you. Rule one in leadership is that it’s not about you. 

Additional Resource: Get Off Your High Horse

Be known for adding value, not subtracting.

As leaders, you and I have a choice every day to add value to those around us or to subtract. This is an amazing privilege. Leadership is not about what others can do for you, but is found in what you can do for them.

Additional Resource: The Value of Adding Value

Be known for listening more and talking less.

As a leader, you don’t always have to be the “answer man” to everyone around you. Your influence increases as you listen and seek to understand those around you. The old saying rings as true today as ever: God gave us two ears and one mouth for a reason. Use accordingly.

Additional Resource: Are You Listening?

Be known for building bridges, not tearing them down

As a leader, you can be a unifier in a world of discord. Be known for bringing people together when the culture wants to divide. Division is ruled by fear; unity is defined by those who seek understanding. Good things can happen when people come around the table with open hearts and minds. That begins with you.

Additional Resource: Building Bridges and Tearing Down Walls

Be known for your humility, not your arrogance.

Leadership is not about your “rights” or the weight you want to throw around. Leadership is a privilege, and serving others is your mission. Arrogant and haughty leaders may command a room, but they don’t lead the hearts of those in it. That comes from genuinely understanding your role as a leader. Click To Tweet

Additional Resource: Recovering Humility in Leadership

As you consider the above list of ways you want to be known as a leader, I trust you will build on and add to it. Make your name and your leadership count!

 

©2025 Doug Dickerson