leaders – CainEllsworth

protect your yes

“No is a complete sentence…I found developing the ability to say No expanded my ability to say Yes and really mean it.” – Susan Gregg One of my recurring frustrations with the world we live in is the idea that the busier you are, the better your life is (or will be). We’re supposed to … Read more

Only you

“If you don’t see the book you want on the shelves, write it.” – Beverly Cleary Sometimes, even for leaders, it’s really difficult to think for ourselves. We get bombarded with books and podcasts and self-help ideas and articles and a million other things telling us what we should be and do. We think that … Read more

Say must = do

“What we do is more important than what we say or what we say we believe.” – Bell Hooks I’ve heard a lot of great speeches. Maybe you have too. The kind of speeches with leaders saying things that sound fantastic in meetings, or at conferences, or in interviews, or wherever else. The kinds of … Read more

Rest doesn’t fix it

“The cure for exhaustion is not rest, but wholeheartedness.” – Unknown The world is challenging, and some of those challenges can take a lot out of us. Of all the things I see leaders struggle with, maybe nothing is more common than just being tired. There are a lot of leaders who simply don’t have … Read more

Liked vs right

“Some people don’t like you because your strength reminds them of their weakness. Don’t let the hate slow you down.” – Dr. Thema Bryant There is nothing wrong with wanting other people to like you. Wanting to be part of the tribe is a natural part of being human. It’s perfectly normal to think about … Read more

It’s Your move

“The best years of your life are the ones in which you decide your problems are your own. You do not blame them on your mother, the ecology, or the president. You realize that you control your own destiny.” – Albert Ellis Everyone faces challenges and barriers in their lives, both personally and professionally. Life … Read more

impact

“If your vision is for a year, plant wheat. If your vision is for ten years, plant trees. If your vision is for a lifetime, plant people.” – Old Chinese Proverb One of the things I appreciate about most of the leaders I get to work with is that, for the most part, they’re in … Read more

Stop putting off great

“I always wanted to be a procrastinator but never got around to it.” – Anonymous A week ago in this space, the topic was avoidance. That topic was framed around the idea that leaders have a tendency to avoid things that are unpleasant. Maybe it’s a difficult conversation, maybe it’s a difficult decision, whatever. Today’s … Read more

Face it

“You cannot find peace by avoiding life.” – Michael Cunningham Last week in this space the topic was leading with the knowledge that, no matter what happens, you can’t make everyone happy, so do what you think is best and deal with what happens. Based on the feedback we received, that touched a nerve. Apparently, … Read more

You’re the leader – now lead

“I cannot give you the formula for success, but I can give you the formula for failure. It is: Try to please everybody.” – Herbert Bayard Swope The world is always changing, and as it changes, leaders are continually faced with new opportunities and challenges. Sometimes the opportunities and challenges are two sides of the … Read more

GPS Blog

It's time to go "Beyond the Numbers".