You might think a term like Thought Leadership is decades old. Not really, it is more like years old. It is about 15 years old. The first recorded use of it or the first real use of it in a big setting came from this seller right here – Joel Kurtzman. He is the editor of a couple of magazines most notably Harvard Business Review. But this was his job – to be a Thought Leader, to interview Thought Leaders in its in depth capacity when he interviewed people who are very thoughtful about different ways to innovate around the way business is done that caused him to coin this term – Thought Leadership and a Thought Leader. He said this is somebody who contributes new thoughts to business.

According to leadership expert Dr. John Maxwell, “The most critical problem facing the church today is the leadership vacuum that grew during the Twentieth Century. He says “the American church is dying due to lack of strong leadership.” Dr. Maxwell further asserts that “leadership is influcence, nothing more, nothing less.” This morning as I was lying in bed thinking about a private school I am helping, “The Law of the Lid” came to my mind. Later while journaling, I was prompted to find and post “The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership” by John Maxwell. Here they are. May these bless you as they have blessed me.

Dear friend,
At the end of your life, there are 3 important questions to answer
Did I live (my life with passion)?
Did I love?
Did I matter?
I’m passionate about empowering you to make a BIG SPLASH in the dash of your life. And what I’ve discovered is that the more you SHARE the blessings God has bestowed upon you, the more blessings He will pour through you into other people’s lives.
So in that context, let me share these special opportunities to empower YOU
1) Sunday Inspiration: Keep the fire lit
On a …

Let’s start with a short thinking exercise … Think of every new leader speech you have ever heard. They will all include “I have an open door policy.” Does every leader truly practice that policy? If you made a list of leadership clichés, the “open door policy” would likely make the top ten. Clichés exist because truth exists within them, and clichés often beg further examination beyond the nugget of truth. Such is the case with the “open door policy”. The intention of course is about availability, access and openness. When someone says their door is always open, they are implying that when you need help, advice or information, they will be available. The problem here is twofold:

Sometimes hardened criminals can teach us a lesson or two about leadership. Are you the next Snake Plissken? Do you bet on yourself? How do you stay focused on your goals? Do you make bold moves? Do you really care about the people who are taking those risks alongside you? Take some quiet time today and reflect on these questions.