“Anyone, anywhere, can make a positive difference.” Mark Sanborn
There are enduring practices of leadership which survive the times as leader use influence to inspire people and teams to do things they otherwise might not do. I always return to the U.S. Army’s concept of Be, Know, and Do. In summary, ‘Be’ relates to the things a leader is and the beliefs they have. ‘Know’ is the knowledge a leader must possess to be effective. ‘Do’ are the acts leaders are required to perform such as training their people. You can read more about these in a previous blog. Be, Know and Do notwithstanding, leaders must tailor their leadership for the times they are in. Leading people in 2026 is a bit different than leading them in 1980.
Again, I don’t want to junk the recipes of yesterday. A leader ought to heed the lessons and practices of the past. However, they should lead people as they desire to be led today. Political environments, technology, and generational differences drive this. As a student of leadership and an owner of a small business, I’m watching, learning, and applying new concepts of leading to influence my people and teams effectively. The contemporary leader I am, I’ve discovered or rediscovered three verbs to help me lead today’s leaders and teams. They are invite, validate, and listen.
Indeed, these verbs are as old as the English language begging the question, “what is really new?” I’ve found that they are being used more or emphasized greater by leaders in today’s environment. Let’s unpack each of them…
Read more here.
