Recently, I heard a story about a police officer working in a difficult environment — a poverty-stricken, inner-city area.  Someone approached him and said, “I bet you have to work with some really challenging people.”

The police officer’s response surprised me. He said, “Most of the time, I deal with good people on their worst day.”

His response challenged me and caused me to consider the way I view the people around me. This police officer believes that he is working with good people that have bad days and that make poor decisions. The fact that he views them as good people affects the way he does his job and affects the way he thinks about his responsibility to protect this community.

Once you create a narrative about a person, it changes the way you treat them and the things you think about them. She’s always negative. He’s naive. She’s selfish. He’s arrogant. It’s easy to put people in boxes, and once you’ve placed them in a box, it feels impossible to pull them out. Personally, it’s difficult for me to change my expectations for a person after they are established, and often, I don’t treat them the way I should.

We all have this problem, don’t we? So, how do we fix it? How do we change the way we think about the people around us? Let’s take a moment to open our eyes and consider that every life has a story.

The woman who called you at work to complain about the product you sold her finalized her divorce today.

Your employee was late to work three days this week because he is getting his little brother ready for school. His mom is gone again.  

Your child’s teacher seems less than excited about your phone call, but you don’t know that her husband just told her that he lost his job.

It feels like your coworker can’t get any of his projects done this week, giving you extra work to do.

His wife just had a baby, and he’s running on little to no sleep.

Your pastor’s wife never seems available to help serve in the church nursery or cook meals for weekly dinners anymore.

She just found out her mom is sick and travels three days a week to care for her.

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The actions of these individuals can seem frustrating, but now that we know their stories, they make sense. They give us sympathy and force us to look beyond ourselves and our needs to the needs of others.

Zig Ziglar said it best: “The way you see people is the way you treat them.”

The way you see people is the way you treat them. - Zig Ziglar

It’s that simple.

How you do see the people around you? Ask yourself this question this week and see if it changes the way you treat the people in your community.

Leading is a challenge in and of itself. Having to lead in the face of opposition; that seems almost impossible. In this shifting cultural climate, we must be prepared to lead with boldness and humility even when it feels like everyone is fighting against us and our principles. Although this tension seems new, it is present throughout human history, and we can learn how to face these obstacles from leaders before us.

In the Old Testament, we find a story where Moses sent twelve men to spy out a piece of land that God had promised to the Israelite people. They immediately notice the land is amazing, but they are fearful of the obstacles that stand in their way (Numbers 13:27). Ten of the twelve men are so afraid of the people living there that they don’t see any way they could overcome them. However, the other two men, Joshua and Caleb, trusted God’s promise and believed that they could, and should, occupy the land.

“But Caleb quieted the people before Moses and said, ‘Let us go up at once and occupy it, for we are well able to overcome it.’ Then the men who had gone up with him said, ‘We are not able to go up against the people, for they are stronger than we are.’”

Numbers 13:30-31 ESV

If you know what happens at the end of the story, it’s easy to applaud Joshua and Caleb for their boldness and leadership. However, in this story, they represent just 16 percent of the spies that entered the land. Their opinion was wildly unpopular among their peers, but they knew that they were right.  Last year, Amazon launched a new smartphone, their Fire Phone. Experts raved about the technology, the price point, and Amazon’s ability to influence a market. The majority of industry insiders believed the phone would be a big success and eat into the market share of iPhone and Galaxy customers. Those “industry insiders” were, of course, wrong. In fact, two months after Amazon’s Fire Phone launched, AT&T cut its price from $200 to 99 cents with a contract.

Have you ever had to lead when the majority was wrong? If you haven’t yet, at some point you will. The first question you have to ask yourself is, “Is the majority ever wrong?” From the story of Caleb and Joshua to the Amazon Fire Phone expectations, it’s obvious to see there are many times when the majority has been wrong.

The second question to ask is, “How do I know when the majority is wrong?”

Here’s one really good way to know:

If doubt and fear are the main motivators, you can just about bet that the majority is wrong.

Consider the ten other spies in the story, the 84 percent that were in the majority. Their motivation for not trying to conquer the land was fear of its inhabitants and doubt in God’s promises. The majority was wrong. Joshua and Caleb led rightly as they chose to believe God’s promises and trusted Him for strength against their enemies.

Take some time today to consider ways you might be a part of a misled majority. It could even be as simple as getting sucked into a workout fad or spending too much time absorbing social media. Think about what motivates your actions and decisions as a leader. Once you’ve identified when the majority is wrong, you’ve taken the first big step. Next week, we’ll discuss how to lead when the majority is wrong. See you then.

Lately, I have been thinking about the following two quotes from men I respect. On the surface the two statements seem contradictory; however, I believe that both are true.

“If you don’t like change, you’re going to like irrelevance even less.”

- General Eric Shinseki, Retired United States Army General who also served as the seventh United States Secretary of Veterans Affairs

“In changing times, hold to unchanging principles.”

- Vince Dooley, Legendary University of Georgia Coach, former Athletic Director, and member of the College Football Hall of Fame

Reading these statements raises an important question for me: How do I remain relevant without compromising my principles? If you are someone who holds deep convictions but are also committed to being relevant, you understand this dilemma. This is not a simple question to answer, but I think considering how to engage a shifting culture without wavering on our beliefs is important to individuals and businesses today.

When the culture shifts around us, we have to decide the best way to respond to change. First, we must define this change as either a matter of principle or a matter of preference.

If it’s simply a matter of preference, making this change will not influence the core of who you are and what you do. Especially in the business world, you must be willing to mix things up if your customers desire something different. In fact, in matters of preference, you should be on the front end of change if it will benefit your business. Even if you don’t like the change personally, you should be flexible if the market demands it.

If it’s a matter of principle, making this change with the culture will threaten the core of who you are and what you do. If the trends of today fly in the face of your core beliefs, you should be willing to stand firm even if it costs you something.

In order to hold fast to your values in the face of opposition, you must be willing to sacrifice profits, prestige, and popularity.

After seven people died in Chicago from taking cyanide-laced capsules of Tylenol in September of 1982, Johnson & Johnson took 31 million bottles of its best-selling product off the shelves. Although the capsules were poisoned by an outside party after the product had reached stores, Johnson & Johnson took responsibility and placed their customers first. They chose principle over profit, spending over $100 million to recall Tylenol and relaunch a safer product for their customers.

This week, perform an audit of all the activities your organization is doing and ask this question: Is this a preference or a matter of principle?  This simple exercise will provide clarity for you and your colleagues, help reaffirm your values, and highlight areas where you can grow in relevance.

Think you don’t need a great mentor? Think again. The most successful and influential people of our time had mentors who challenged their thinking and pushed them to grow. Steve Jobs had Robert Friedland and Warren Buffet had, and Mark Zuckerburg had

Many books have been written about the importance of mentors and the art of mentoring. With all of the varying wisdom shared in those pages, there is one common quality of all mentors; they are not born, they are made. And great mentors are made in the laboratory of life, not buried in the pages of a textbook.

I love books– so much so that I decided to write my own! However, I’m convinced that all the book knowledge in the world can’t come close to the road-tested wisdom offered by one who’s walked the road before.

A great mentor not only lives to tell their story, but can successfully guide others along the same path and teach the mentee to avoid similar pit-falls & mistakes.

I’ve been so blessed to have mentors like that in my life. I wouldn’t be where I am today without having men like Vince Dooley and Mark Richt invested their time and wisdom into me. I’ve had other’s like Ike Reighard and John Hull who have encouraged me along the way. Their input was invaluable, revolutionized my thinking and pushed me beyond the boundaries of my own perceived limitations.

So, what makes a great mentor? Here’s what I think the top 3 characteristics of a great mentor are:

‍1. Great Mentors Are Reputable

‍First and foremost, your mentor should have integrity that is above reproach.  After you’ve covered that base, your chosen mentor should have success in the areas where you most need support, have a great reputation for being an expert in their chosen field, and have the ability to guide you in the right direction.

‍2. Great Mentors Ask Great Questions

‍Experienced mentors will ask probing, open-ended questions. Their goal isn’t always to produce knee-jerk answers, but to make you think more deeply and explore your own sense of purpose, value and deeper meaning within the discovery process.

‍3. Great Mentors Challenge Your Perspective

‍I love it when a mentor uses their wisdom and insight to remove roadblocks and unlock the potential in any given situation. Great mentors draw on past experiences and have the ability to see what you may not be able to see because you’re too close to it. A mentors input can help change your perspective and shift your way of thinking, helping you achieve greater success.

There’s plenty more I could add to this list, but those are my top 3.

Do you agree? What would you say are the most important characteristics of a great mentor?

Typically, we don’t talk about feelings in the business world. We like to talk about the hard things like the bottom line, profits, and procedures. However, I believe that there is a specific correlation between positive feelings and actual profit. The way that a person feels about what they are buying or the company they work for matters to the bottom line. In fact, most millennials choose to do business with companies the way previous generations chose charities. Think about the implications of this fact. Young people want their workplace and the products they buy to say something about who they are and what they believe.

This is why TOMS shoes are so popular. In my opinion, TOMS shoes are ugly, but they succeed because they explain their values through their product. Every time you buy a pair of TOMS shoes, another pair of shoes is sent to someone in need. The mission is simple but impactful. Buying a pair of TOMS isn’t just shoe shopping. It’s placing shoes on the bare feet of someone in need. This one for one model is clear and compelling to customers, but not all companies can and should pursue this practice. In other words, not everyone can have a “sexy” cause. If you don’t have a product or service that’s naturally compelling, how can you explain your values to your customers?

Let’s take a look at the popular retailer Nordstrom. In November of 2014, Nordstrom announced that they would be closed on Thanksgiving Day, standing out amongst other retail stores that planned to get a head-start on Black Friday. Their reasoning was simple: one holiday at a time. They wanted their employees to enjoy Thanksgiving with their families before jumping into the Black Friday rush.

Here’s the interesting part–not only did they choose to stay closed on Thanksgiving Day, but they actively advertised that fact as a way to communicate their values to their customers. Think about it. Nordstrom actually put up signs specifically to remind you that they would not be open.

Whether they are selling tablets or toilet paper, the companies that communicate their values well are the ones that win.

The companies that communicate their values well are the ones that win.

‍Before communicating your values, take some time this week to discuss what they are. Ask yourself and your colleagues this question: If tomorrow this company failed to exist, what gap would we leave in the world? If you can answer that question, you’re well on your way to identifying and understanding why your organization exists.

Last month, I read one chapter of Proverbs every single day. I find this practice invaluable, as I learn something new each time I read through these passages. Two weeks into reading, I came across Proverbs 14:4.  

“Where there are no oxen, the manger is clean,

but abundant crops come by the strength of the ox.”

- Proverbs 14:4 ESV

At first glance, this verse seemed irrelevant–one I would typically skim over, thinking it could only be helpful to people in a different time in history. However, after thinking deeply about this verse, I realized that it is relevant to me and all of us today.

This verse paints a picture of two different farms. The first farm has no oxen; therefore, the stable (or manger) is clean. It’s uninhabited, so there is no filth and no maintenance. The second farm reaps the harvest of a hard-working ox. However, the passage implies that the stable is dirty. If there is an ox working, there will be filth to clean up. (Okay, let’s be honest. Poop. There will be poop to clean up.) Yes, it’s an animal, working hard to bring forth crops, but it’s still an animal.

There are moments in my life when I get a sense of nostalgia for the times that were easy and less complicated. I may not have felt accomplished, but there were much fewer things to do.

The reality is this: There will be plenty of junk on the journey to success.

It’s worth it to invest in more people and more projects, but understand that these people and projects will bring their own kinds of filth and challenges to the table. Whether you are a part of a business, nonprofit, or ministry, you must be willing to face challenges to grow and thrive as an individual and as a company.

When you don’t like a challenge, choose to see it as an opportunity to grow personally. Facing challenges is worth it.

Now, instead of groaning at the sight of your to-do list this week, see it as a challenge, an opportunity to grow, and an indication of the personal and professional harvest you are working to reap.

Earlier this week I read a New York Times article called The Leadership Revival.

In short, the article chronicled the current ineffectiveness of government and articulated some solutions to improve the situation and actually create positive change. In the end it really comes down to action.

When you think about it, isn’t that really what leadership is all about, anyway?

In our Chick-fil-A Leader Academy program, we teach high-school students that true impact is made through action. The same is true for each of us, regardless of our age.

Leadership is not simply something you learn, it’s something you do.

As Benjamin Franklin said, “Well done is better than well said.”

So… Get out there and do.

One of the most vital functions of the corporate DNA is the ability to make strategic decisions. I’m not talking about your run-of-the-mill, standard operating decisions- I’m talking about the big decisions that are difficult unless you understand the importance of risk-taking and making exchanges.

What do I mean by that? Let's take a moment to compare The Great Depression of the 1930s to The Great Recession of the last few years.

Even during the most devastating times of the depression, most business leaders never lost their resolve to push forward.  These entrepreneurs and executives not only focused on survival, but found ways to become even more profitable. This required some tough decisions– some exchanges, if you will. They made choices to move away from something stable to take a chance on something even better.

But why take a risk and try a new business model or method of doing things? Why not just stay put until the storm blows over? If these questions would have pervaded the psyche of business leaders in the 1930s we most certainly would not have companies like Walt Disney Pictures, General Foods, or the Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company; all of which were started during The Great Depression.

In contrast, take a look at the last six years of the American business climate since the economic down turn. The resolve that many business leaders once had seems to have waned in the face of economic hardship. We find many businesses making decisions based on the fear of losing their corner of the market versus finding and seizing opportunities to expand and grow their profitability.

We could argue the reasons behind this shift all day long, but one thing is certain; if we ever hope to regain the resolve that our forefathers once had we must move past the allure of stability and boldly step towards greater significance.

Simply put,  stability promises.  But one of the key exchanges, for businesses and for individuals, is one of stability for significance.

We must be willing to get out there and push the envelope once again. Yes, it will require taking some risks, but if history gives us any indication the results will be more than worth it.

Let’s face it, traveling solo is great, but traveling with your dog? That’s a whole new level of fun! For those of you who don’t know, I’m a proud dog mom to Francis, my curly ball of fluff who’s been with me through countless adventures. Whether it’s hiking through the mountains or exploring hidden city gems, Francis is always by my side, tail wagging and ready for the next adventure. Traveling with him has taught me so much about patience, planning, and, most importantly, how to enjoy the little things.

Preparation is Everything

Traveling with a dog requires a bit more planning, but it’s totally worth it! Before heading out on any trip, I make sure Francis has everything he needs. This includes packing his essentials:

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• A portable water bowl
• His favorite treats
• A comfy travel bed
• Extra leash and harness
• Poop bags (lots of them!)

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I also always check in advance to see if the places we’re visiting are dog-friendly. Whether it’s a hotel, café, or hiking trail, knowing where your dog is welcome makes the journey stress-free for both of you.

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Keep Them Comfortable

One of the biggest challenges can be the actual journey — whether it’s a road trip or a flight. Francis isn’t the biggest fan of long car rides, but I’ve found a few tricks to keep him comfortable. First, I make sure he’s had a good walk before we set off to help burn off some of his energy. Then, I make plenty of pit stops to let him stretch his legs, and I keep his favorite blanket or toy in the car to give him a sense of home.

If we’re flying, I opt for pet-friendly airlines that allow Francis to travel in the cabin with me. A little prep goes a long way in making sure your dog is happy and calm during transit!

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Of course, being a photographer, I can’t resist capturing the cutest shots of Francis during our travels.

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Stay in Dog-Friendly Accommodations

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Not all hotels and Airbnbs are dog-friendly, so I always make sure to double-check before booking. Over the years, I’ve found some fantastic dog-friendly stays, from cozy cabins in the woods to beachside bungalows where Francis could roam freely. Some places even offer special amenities for pets, like dog beds, toys, and treats — talk about living the good life!

When staying in a new place, I give Francis time to get used to the new environment. I bring along familiar items, like his blanket and toys, so he feels right at home. After all, happy dog, happy trip!