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Summer is the time of year when we most connect with nature and wildlife. The warm weather encourages us to get outdoors and enjoy all that the environment has to offer. For students of leadership, there is much to be learned from the great outdoors and in this post I will focus on what we can learn from animals, both in terms of what to do and what to avoid doing.

Three to emulate

1.       Lions – Lions are known as kings of the jungle and fierce predators. But lions are also extremely caring animals within their pride. For example, lions are among the more equitable species. They tend to breed cooperatively and assist each other in rearing offspring. They also are more equitable in sharing their food. Lesson: Despite their power and rank, true leaders know that caring for others within their organization is a true mark of their success.

2.       Leopard – The leopard is a highly agile animal that adjusts its efforts to suit its needs. Sometimes it relies on stealth, at other times speed, and at other times agility. For example, it can track its prey on the ground and also climb trees to hunt. It can move silently though the forest and at the same time marshal a burst of speed to close in. Lesson: Leaders and organizations that are adaptable can be assured greater opportunities to achieve success than those that rely on a more limited mindset and skillset.

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According to LinkedIn, today represents the fourth anniversary of my coaching practice. In truth, today is simply the day that, back in 2013, I updated my LI profile to reflect my new work (I had officially been at this two weeks prior to that). Nor does it factor in all of the planning that led up to my “launch” (such as discussing, debating, pondering options, networking, branding, etc.) or the many weeks of relative radio silence that followed (the only noise at times was that of crickets and the wind blowing my shingle back and forth).

Nonetheless, I look back at this four-year journey I have so much to be excited about and proud of. For starters, I have had an awesome ride that I could have never predicted. All I knew when I first started out was that I was trying to transition into the coaching space in a brand new market where I was a relative newbie. Who and how I would serve were complete unknowns to me, as was the very survival of this ambitious (some called it “gutsy” or even “reckless”) endeavor. But I did know that I would give it my all and make every effort for this to be a success.

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A parable is told about a pencil-maker who was preparing to put an important pencil in a box. Before doing so, though, he took the pencil aside. “There are five things you need to know,” he said. “If you can remember these five things, you will become the best pencil you can be.”

You will be able to do many great things, but only if you allow yourself to in someone else’s hand.

1. Sharpening is painful, but it is critical if you want to write sharply.
2. Since you have an eraser, you can correct most mistakes you make, though some may be harder to erase than others.
3. Remember, it’s what’s inside that’s most important.
4. Whatever surface you on, make sure you leave your mark. No matter how hard, rough, or easy, you must continue to write.

This parable shares powerful lessons for every leader.

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Much has been written about leadership lessons that can be learned from flying flocks of geese. Their formations, how they support each other in takeoff, the way that they rotate leaders and communicate (as in honk) have all been well documented. But this gaggle demonstrated their form of leadership from the ground level.

The following were my takeaways:

1. Maintain priorities – As all of this was going on, the adult geese made sure to keep everyone in line and care for their young. Sometimes leaders can get so caught up in their projects or problems that they fail to keep their ship in order, keep folks informed, and consider everyone’s needs. Steady leadership demands that even in the most difficult situations leaders remember those that are most vulnerable and also critical to their success, namely their people.
2. Stay the course – It would have been most logical and obvious (at least from my perspective) for the geese to simply fly off in the face of danger. Perhaps they didn’t because their young wouldn’t have been able to keep up (see #1 above). Either way, they showed a sense of calm commitment to the course and were able to get where they wanted despite the obvious threats that surrounded them.

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Check out this video to learn more and remember to leave comments below!

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One of the most powerful tools that a motivational speaker can have in his or her arsenal is a “setback to comeback” story. In essence, this is a story in which the individual experienced a powerful, potentially debilitating setback or set of circumstances and yet managed to turn that perceived deficit into the basis of their future success.

Whether it’s Jim Rohn speaking of life as a penniless husband and father who was inspired by a mentor to set goals and create a plan for success, Les Brown describing his adoption by a domestic servant and adolescent diagnosis as “educable mentally retarded” while still finding success in music, politics and inspirational speaking, or Tony Robbins recounting his rocky childhood without a father (who had walked out on the family) or enough food to eat and how that motivated him to want to help and feed others, audiences rally around and connect deeply with messages of individuals who overcame hardship and pain and used that to achieve great things.

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After years of commuting to work with an old minivan (it was really nice when I first bought it), I recently leased a midsize sedan. To say that it drives better than my old hunk of junk is an understatement. It handles well, doesn’t guzzle nearly as much gas, and is far more enjoyable to drive.

Despite all of these benefits, I am much more mindful about accidents than I used to be. The van, to be polite, is not in the best of shape anymore. It has its nicks and bruises, not to mention substantial underbelly rust from 15 combined Chicago/New Jersey winters. Any further damage at this point is not much of a big deal.

In contrast, when I drive the sedan I tend to tense up more quickly, grip the wheel with both hands more often and more firmly than before, while also pulling in my shoulders as if I can somehow make the car narrower that way. Though I took out a damage waiver on the car, I still want to preserve its pristine condition and have been driving much more defensively to avoid contact.

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