The Leader's Podcast with Maxie Carpenter

Being either positive or negative is a habit. The research indicates that it takes much more energy to be negative. Somehow, that doesn't surprise me at all. If I'm not paying attention, I can get angry pretty fast for little reason depending on the situation. My whole life, I've had a low tolerance for negative, judgmental or bullying behavior. It wears on me so fast that the behavior in and of itself trips my trigger and blows my hair back. The one thing I've found that flips a negative from a positive very quickly is to create a habit of looking for someone to encourage at least once a day. The results are amazing.

People are often faced with natural tendencies that demand satisfaction. Giving in to such feelings is not always realistic, or even healthy. In order to deal with such challenges, people must exert self-control in order to regulate their actions. That kind of self-management takes a great deal of mental effort, both cognitive and emotional. Some of these efforts require less willpower, while others demand much more. Even relatively minor acts of self-control can take a toll. Ego depletion happens when people use up their available willpower on one specific task. As a result, they're unable to exert the same level of self-control on similar or unrelated tasks. Willpower is a limited resource. It's like a muscle that can be both strengthened and fatigued.

On this Independence Day, let's celebrate our freedom regardless of all the dysfunction taking place around us. This dysfunction is the result of many people seeing the world through only one lens, whether it be race, religion, gender, environmental, societal. Choosing to interpret the world in only one way limits the ability to talk, resolve and move forward. So, on this day, let's just celebrate our freedom!

Habits are ingrained, subconscious tendencies or manners of behavior in response to specific environmental events. In short, they’re acquired behaviors that have become nearly or completely involuntary. The challenge is to identify those unhealthy habits (behaviors) that need to be replaced for one to accelerate his/her growth and development.

Making a case for change requires a lot of courage, because the RC Factor (resistance to change) in our society right now is at an all-time high. There is, however, a difference between making a case for change and imposing one's will upon the majority without their consent and from behind closed doors. That's not courage; it's deception and ill intent. It certainly won't get anyone the Golden Buzzer they seek!

I'm not sure I've seen so many abdications of Leadership in my lifetime. It takes many shapes and forms from shifting blame and pointing fingers, all the way to just not showing up when it counts the most. I often ask my self, What did they think they were going to have to do??

When did it become so negatively received, so egregious, and such a violation to resist the pack mentality? I'm not sure when it happened or why, but it seems that to be elite (meaning to stand out from the rest) has such a negative connotation that it's just not acceptable anymore to have a different opinion than the rest. As a result, I become more convicted to resist the pack mentality and think for myself.

Human beings are hardwired to follow a dominant voice or influence. It's why there have been, and will always be, more followers than leaders. It's a difficult path to follow because you're always having to make the case for change. The hardest part of Leadership is managing your own personal biases, feelings, assumptions and perceptions, much less those of the people who look to you for guidance.

A paradox is a seemingly absurd or self-contradictory statement or proposition that when investigated or explained, may prove to be well founded or true. I've always felt that the idea of leadership was a paradox unto itself, meaning that it's been studied more as a science or methodology than an art form. In my view, leadership is an art to be learned just as painting, playing a piano, or learning a new language. When it comes down to it, it's the art of learning people more than anything else.

The reality of life Post-COVID-19 has not fully manifested itself, and its consequences for our families, businesses, organizations, economy, and society will play out over the rest of 2020 and beyond. Right now, we really need practical, values-driven, focused leadership like never before. Going forward, Personal Leadership Effectiveness will be at a premium!