Communication is a core leadership function and is closely aligned with effective leadership. There is no escape from growing your communication skills. Every relationship requires skilled communicators, whether in casual groups, formal organizations or within communities.

Leaders are expected to express ideas and share information with various audiences; bosses, peers, employees, customers, partners, stakeholders and influencers.

Communication is giving, receiving or exchanging ideas, information, signals or messages through appropriate media, enabling individuals or groups to persuade, to seek information, to give information or to express emotions.

The Shannon and Weaver Model of Communication is a mathematical theory of communication that argues that human communication can be broken down into 6 key concepts: sender, encoder, channel, noise, decoder, and receiver. A later version of the theory by Norbert Weiner added a 7th concept (‘feedback’)...

Want more committed and invested team members? Walk it like you talk it or in other words, lead by example. The fact that you may have a well deserved and well earned title does not equate to effective results or an extraordinary level of commitment or investment from your team members. 

“The three most important ways to lead people are:… by example… by example… by example.” Albert Schweitzer

Ideally you are self-aware and understand that its not your impressive title that earns you respect, its your behavior. Think about it. Your team members are working in their current compacity for a myriad of reasons. Their reasons may be as simple as putting food on the table for their family. Your fancy title, although impressive and important to you and your esteem, does not inspire some of your team members to produce quality work or to invest in your vision. 

People who say one thing but do another eventually lose credibility.

A few insights

A mindset refers to whether you believe qualities such as intelligence and talent are fixed or changeable traits. ... People with a fixed mindset believe that these qualities are inborn, fixed, and unchangeable.

Mindset is defined as the established set of assumptions, methods, or notions held by someone. 

What we believe impacts how we think about our abilities and potential, therefore fueling our behavior and predicting our success. 

Fixed Mindset and Growth Mindset describes our relationship with failure. Whether we avoid it at all costs or we understand that we’re all capable of evolving and learning from situations and circumstances.

The “growth mindset” creates a passion for learning rather than a hunger for approval.

Three Mindset Hacks women leaders should consider as we move into 2021 are: 

1. Gratitude
2. Determining what you’ll Stop, Start and Keep
3. Identify your big audacious goal

Write or document six things for...

"Adulting" is a term I've heard over the past few years. I really never gave it much thought until sitting with my my son a few days before his 15th birthday.  

I noticed how much he eats now compared to a year ago. Geez.

I also noticed the hair above his lip, the way he conveyed his thoughts, the bass in his voice and his overall confidence. I stopped for a second to realize that some folks will seek to devalue him because of his smooth silky light brown skin.

He's a good kid. He's healthy, happy, and laughs out loud. He has a personal relationship with the one true God.

I didn't sleep at all that night.  I prayed and cussed all through the day. I feel like I'm running out of time. In a matter of 36 months he will be 18 years old. It dawned on me that in the blink of an eye he will be a high school graduate and on his way to his next big adventure.

There are so many skills I lack. Not because i'm a...

Three days ago my everything friend, Lorie Fanning asked me to send her my reading list. An acquaintance of hers reached out to her to get resources for a young lady in his organization. 

I was stumped.

Although I read often, listen to podcasts, host a weekly leadership themed video show, have published my military memoir, I was stumped. 

The experiences that shaped my view of leading teams has been overshadowed by the global pandemic. The wave of uncertainty is causing some people in positions of power to shrink, while others are rising to the occasion of our new normal. 

I meditated, prayed, then I took a deep dive into books I've read or need to read that are relevant and will add value to men and women who are preparing to lead teams through these unprecedented times.  

 Reading builds confidence. I created a top 10 reading list for people committed to leading teams confidently.

My intent is for each reader to approach each...

Yesssss! My Interview on Rebelpreneur Radio is live!

Ralph Brogden really did a good job of digging in to how I help my clients. I'm grateful to share the S.O.A.R success system with a broader audience. This was great!

Feels good to know that I am making a difference!

 Click below to listen to the radio interview

Listen to the Interview HERE

RALPH BROGDEN 

Ralph Brogden, MASC is a best-selling author, publisher, and radio host. He is a specialist in strategic communications with a professional and educational background in marketing, psychology and publishing. His work has been featured on CBS, NBC, ABC, FOX, USA Today, The Huffington Post and hundreds of nationally-syndicated television, newspaper, and magazine outlets.

ANGELA M. ODOM

As a personal development coach and leadership mentor, Angela specializes in helping emerging women leaders move past undervaluing themselves into achieving the SMART goals they envision and have prayed for.

Angela is the host of the...

Watching a movie that depicts the life of a brave, heroic American is interesting. However, watching this same movie with my favorite teenager is enriching. It gave us an opportunity to have a discussion about a woman who demonstrated resilience and clarity of mission.

‘Harriet’ is a biopic; a film that dramatizes the life of a non-fictional or historically-based person or people. Such films show the life of a historical person and the central character's real name is used.

This movie although not perfect, was perfect as a catalyst for an engaging conversation about Harriet Tubman with my son.  

The movie begins on a Maryland plantation in 1849 where Harriet Tubman played by Cynthia Erivo, a slave in her early twenties and her newlywed husband John are blissfully enjoying one another's company.  

 Cynthia Erivo's tiny frame fills up the screen with her tenacious depiction of Harriet Tubman upholding the idea that God...

In this anthology titled, "Camouflaged Sisters: Leadership Through the Eyes of Senior Military Women Leaders", I'm fortunate to contribute my chapter, "Beyond Competence".  The book is really a leadership toolkit which examines the grit, perseverance, and determination it takes to rise through military ranks as a woman in uniform.

An anthology is a collection of short stories. This leadership anthology provides an opportunity for the potential reader to gain insights on various aspects of leadership as they move from chapter to chapter. Each of the twelve contributing authors served at least 20 years in one of the military branches. I served 27 years in the greatest Army on the planet and was fortunate to retire in the rank of colonel.  

My chapter is titled, 'Beyond Competence'. The reader gets a birds eye view of the profound impact my battalion commander and mentor had on my professional career when I was a brand new lieutenant. While serving at...

Folks are looking at you right now.  They're considering you for great and small opportunities.  You may have a blind spot and not realize you have what it takes to lead small teams and large organizations.  OR you may think you have it all together and are wondering when the opportunities will start. 

As a person who has completed thousands of tasks, mission, and projects, I decided to share the Top 10 Qualities Decision Makers Consider When Choosing a Project Manager with you.  My prayer is that you will assess your current skills and move to improve your gaps. 

Before we get started, let's first ensure we're not talking past one another.

Who are the decision makers?

Men, women, boys and girls who work with you, serve with you in community organizations, in your church, on nonprofit boards, in your family, and in every aspect of your life.  Take a minute and identify three decision makers before you move on. 

Who are project managers?

...