From Strength to Vulnerability: The Path to Authentic Leadership - Your Champions Brew

Purposeful reflection produces purposeful action.

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Happy Friday, Brew Nation!

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Grab your favorite coffee cup and get ready to embark on a transformative journey. The Champions Brew Newsletter is here to invigorate your mornings and ignite your drive for personal growth and impact! ?Fuel your mornings with motivation and purpose. As you savor your first cup of the day, let the Champions Brew infuse you with the insights and strategies you need to make each day a stepping stone towards your aspirations. Let’s Go!

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·?????? Uncommon Leader Insights – In a recent interview on the Uncommon Leader Podcast with Tammy Klotz, she identified that effective leadership often boils down to a few foundational principles that can dramatically influence our ability to lead and connect. Here are three key takeaways from my enlightening interview with Tammy :

1.??????? Stay Empathetic - Tammy emphasized the necessity of authenticity and human connection in leadership. Drawing inspiration from Maya Angelou's wisdom, she explains, "people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel." (This is one of my favorite quotes!) Tammy sees empathy as a cornerstone to leadership so much that she included it in the title of her book, "Leading with Empathy and Grace ."

2.??????? Stay Transparent - In our fast-paced, technologically-driven world, Tammy highlights the importance of clear, honest communication. Transparency means sharing both known information and admitting when answers are unknown and/or unable to be communicated. It's about ensuring that everyone is on the same page and aware of their commitments and availability. As Tammy shared personal stories and experiences, she underscored how being open about priorities, especially when balancing personal and professional life, builds a culture of trust and mutual respect.

3.??????? Stay Consistent - Tammy also emphasized the critical role of consistency in leadership. Leading by example, she ensures regular, meaningful team meetings where contributions are valued and encouraged. This consistency helps establish a culture of accountability and shared responsibility, where team members support each other's success collectively. By adopting a "we" mentality, leaders can eliminate the blame game and focus on achieving goals together.

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As you reflect on these insights, consider how you can integrate these principles into your leadership practices. By staying empathetic, transparent and consistent, you'll create a foundation for an uncommon team.

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I encourage you all to watch & listen to the fantastic episode and consider how these takeaways can influence your own approach to leadership. ?

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Being successful as a leader requires intentional leadership habits. That's why I developed the Ideal Week template – a tool that helps me identify disciplines and habits needed for success and allocate the necessary time. It guides you through planning your ideal week, ensuring you dedicate time to the activities that bring you closer to your goals.

Want to give it a try? Email me at [email protected] ?with the wods ‘IDEAL WEEK’ in the subject line and I'll send you a copy of the Ideal Week template complete with a sample to get you started!?

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·?????? Think Positively – As a leader, I've discovered that reflection is an indispensable part of my development journey. It's a 3-step proactive practice that equips me with insights to continuously refine my leadership approach.

1.??????? The T diagram - This straightforward tool helps me visually map out what's going well and what's not. Whether I'm closing out a project or wrapping up my week month or year, this visual aid helps me crystallize my reflections, making it easier to pinpoint strengths and areas for improvement.

2.??????? Keep - ?Start - ?Stop - ?After the T diagram exercise, I address these three pivotal questions ?a. "What do I need to keep doing?" This helps me identify and reinforce effective strategies and behaviors. b. "What do I need to start doing?" By exploring this question, I can develop new approaches to tackle areas that need improvement. c. "What do I need to stop doing?" Recognizing and eliminating Integrating Reflection into Leadership Practices

3.??????? Schedule it – Reserve ?the time for the revised disciplines you identified in step 2. ?While you’re at it, reserve the time for this reflection practice into your weekly routine.? 15 minutes is all you need.

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Interested in a tool to help you document the process? Email me or comment "REFLECTION" and I'll send you a copy of the tool I've created.

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·??????? Read More & Build Faith– I am enjoying traveling through a new book I am reading, Jesus the High Road Leader , ?by John Maxwell and Chris Hodges. While faith plays a central role in this book, I believe that the leadership principles it explores are timeless and applicable to everyone. We are almost halfway through!

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Behavior #4 – Jesus Acknowledged His Humanness

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“To be a high road leader like Jesus, we must learn to drop our fear-based fa?ade and stand in sincerity. In ancient times, Greek artisans were known for making pottery that rarely cracked.? Roman pottery, however, would often crack and need to be covered up and sealed with wax.? Out of this practice came a familiar word highlighting the literal difference between two kinds of pottery – the word sincere meaning “without wax.”? Sincere means not only genuine, but without covering up flaws and imperfections, without hiding cracks and rough edges.”

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Biblical example: Perhaps one of the most powerful examples of Jesus displaying his humanness, occurred as he hung on the cross. While experiencing excruciating pain, Jesus made seven statements that teach us how to take the high road while acknowledging our humanness.

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1)?????? “Father forgive them, for they know not what they do.” Luke 23:34

2)?????? “Today you will be with me in paradise” – Luke 23:43

3)?????? “Woman behold your son! And behold your mother!” – John 19:26-27

4)?????? “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” – Matthew 27:46

5)?????? “I thirst” – John 19:28

6)?????? “It is finished.” – John 19:30

7)?????? “Into your hands I commit my spirit.” – Luke 23:46

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In the midst of immense suffering, Jesus displayed remarkable human qualities. His seven statements from the cross offer invaluable lessons for leaders:

·?????? Empathy and Forgiveness: Even in the face of immense pain, Jesus demonstrated empathy for his persecutors. This reminds leaders to approach challenges with compassion and understanding.

·?????? Hope and Assurance: Jesus offered hope to the dying thief, demonstrating the power of words to uplift and inspire. Leaders can use their words to offer hope and reassurance to their teams.

·?????? Care for Others: Jesus' concern for his mother and the beloved disciple highlights the importance of caring for others, even in the most difficult circumstances.

·?????? Honesty and Vulnerability: Jesus' cry of despair reveals his human vulnerability. Leaders should not be afraid to acknowledge their limitations and seek support when needed.

·?????? Acceptance: Jesus' final words reflect a sense of peace and acceptance of God's will. Leaders must learn to let go of control and trust in a higher power.

As leaders, people often respond more to the stories we tell of our failures and struggles than our victories and successes.? If Jesus was willing to acknowledge his humanness, why shouldn’t we? ?By embracing our humanity, leaders can connect with their teams on a deeper level, build trust, and inspire others to reach their full potential.

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·?????? Quote of the week: ??

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“If the Son of God requested help during his bad day, we would be wise to remember that we, too, will have tough times when we need to ask for help, when we must acknowledge our humanness and allow others to help us.” – Chris Hodges

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What You Need to Do:

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Call to Action: Are you ready to embrace your humanity as a leader? Consider these questions:

·??????? How can you show more empathy and compassion in your interactions with others?

·??????? How can you prioritize the practice of reflection?

·??????? Are you willing to be vulnerable and share your struggles with your team?

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It’s an honor to be your trusted “Friday Coffee Guy”.? Each week, I’m excited to provide yet another round of curated content that I’ve been reading, listening to, watching, or thinking over. The purpose of the Champions Brew is to inspire, equip and encourage you to become the uncommon leader you were designed to be. I am so grateful for your decision to invest a few moments with me! I hope you enjoyed this week’s edition of Champions Brew. If you did, I would appreciate it if you would share it with someone who might enjoy it as well and ask them to subscribe ! I will make sure they automatically get this email every week.

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Until next time, Go and Grow Champions!

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P.S. - Are you a podcast fan?? Maybe the Uncommon Leader podcast is for you.? ??Are you interested in being a guest on the Uncommon Leader Podcast?? Do you have a story to tell?? Email me [email protected] and let’s have a chat and set something up!!