SML Consultive

What an honor to share an evening with the Greenville Chamber and the Greenville Chamber Young Professionals, last week! Thanks to Cheryl Garrison, EdD, Mattie L., and Stacey Roberson along with The Lazy Goat Restaurant for a fantastic evening! It was a privilege for SML Consultive to contribute! #leadership #investinthefuture #youngprofessionals #chamberofcommerce #workshop

When you wake up in the morning with a fever, the responsibilities of leadership do not go away. I'm not saying there's no room for some self-care. After all, if we don't take care of ourselves, we won't be able to care for our team(s). But, calling in sick as a leader is a lot like calling in sick as a mom. We might need a bit more rest and we might need to take things a little more slowly. But the responsibility we carry does not go away. This is the heart of Servant-Minded Leadership. We recognize the opportunity and responsibility of serving those we lead, of being present (even when we don't "feel" like it), and doing what needs to be done simply because it does. We do it without really even thinking about it. We do it without expecting anyone to notice. We do it with a pure heart to serve and then look at our team like they are crazy when they try to tell us to go home and get some rest ?? There's no glory in running ourselves ragged. But there IS value in selfless service that counts others as more important and spreads worth and dignity to every life we touch. To all the leaders who are standing up and continuing to serve while currently fighting a cold/flu (or who will this season): I see you! I celebrate you! I stand with you as we serve our teams and do our part to change the world! #insicknessandinhealth #pressingthrough #leadership #trueleaders #sml #servantmindedleadership

I want to hear from my network on this! What is your organization doing? #poll #professionaldevelopment #benefits #hr #feedback

Do you ever wake up thinking about work...possibly after going to bed thinking about the same? Despite efforts to maintain a sense of life-balance, I am human and, as a business-owner, I often find myself thinking through different aspects of business. In fact, just last night, my wife gently said, "If you can put work aside for a minute, how are YOU?" (This came after I had spent the previous 20 minutes of our date night talking about an aspect of SML Consultive.) Despite, the all-consuming nature of business, I am grateful to personally recognize (and also have great reminders of) the great value of balance. If we've ever shared a meal, you likely already know how much I enjoy hot green tea with honey. It's more than the taste... I appreciate in the experience. You see, hot tea is inherently centering and balanced. There is much that could be said on this topic, but I'll focus on only one aspect of tea. In order to make proper tea, one must... - bring water just to the brink of boiling. This requires #intentionality and #attentiveness. - steep the tea for 2-4 minutes. This requires #patience and #attentiveness. - wait for the tea to cool down. This requires delayed gratification. (adding ice both dilutes, and diminishes the tea, in my opinion.) - drink the tea slowly (due to temperature). This requires #presence. There are many benefits to drinking tea, but tea is not really the point of this post. Today, I want to invite my fellow leaders, business owners, and overall workaholics to take 5-10 minutes, today to center ourselves, be present and intentional, and to recognize that, while there is much to do, sometimes there is more value in simply #BEING. After all, it is in this place that we can lead well and do our part to change the world! Happy Wednesday. #changetheworld #bebalanced #becentered #wednesdaymotivation #SML #servantmindedleadership

Leadership without courage is a dictatorship. Churchill brings to our attention the value of listening. This implies more than simply letting others speak (though I could probably get better at that). It is a reminder for us to see people and hear their heart. Looking for actionable tips on vital leadership disciplines such as approachability and listening? Reach out to SML Consultive and ask about our Impact Workshop Series! #leadership #quoteoftheday #listening #courage #SML #servantmindedleadership