LEADERS GO FIRST

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CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION 4 PEOPLE ALWAYS WATCH THE LEADER 6 COURAGE IS REQUIRED 8 IF YOU WANT TO LEAD WELL 12 HUNGER FOR WISDOM 16 5 IDEAS TO RECHARGE YOUR BATTERY 20 TAKE BACK YOUR LIFE 24 SIMPLIFY 28 YES YOU CAN BE CREATIVE! 32 LEADERSHIP IS STEWARDSHIP 36 ABOUT MARK MILLER 39
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INTRODUCTION

LEADERS GO

FIRST

Leadership is a fascinating and challenging topic. Its an arena millions participate in on a daily basis and yet, many leaders struggle to have the influence they desire. Why would that be the case? Arent the core practices of effective leadership widely known? They are. Arent the skills within reach of most adults? Yes, they are. So whats up? I think, in part, the root of the problem is close at hand.

When you and I look in the mirror, it is possible were looking at the number one stumbling block to greater leadership effectiveness more often than wed like to admit, we are the problem.

This is a complex and multi-faceted issue. I dont pretend to offer the complete solution in the few short pages that follow. However, I will make you a promise...

If youll set the example for your team, youll be on the path to more influence and impact.

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Youll still need to do all the other things leaders do including: set vision, recruit and select the right team, solve problems, drive performance, etc. But all of this will be easier IF you set the example for your team.

People always watch the leader. I believe they are looking for two things. They are looking to see if you and I are trustworthy do you and I walk the talk? The second thing they are trying to discern is whats important. They take their cues from us.

Certainly we can help the process along by telling them whats important. But thats almost never enough. We must show them. More of leadership is caught than taught. Thats why what we do matters. Thats why leaders go first. I work for a guy who picks up paper in parking lots. Ive seen him do this for decades! Guess what,

I pick up trash too. Why does this matter? If I was told to pick up trash, I would for a while. Im continues to pick up trash, I do too. Let me say it again: People always watch the leader.

guessing Id get distracted and soon enough, I wouldnt pick up trash anymore. But, because my leader

So, if you believe in the power of your example, how might it change your behavior? It could have a profound impact on how you lead. Leaders Go First is not just a cute title or an admonition to do front - The one who goes first! something novel; its what the word leader actually means - The one in the lead - The one who is out

On the following pages, youll find ten articles on behaviors we can influence through our example. find a few ideas here to help you be even more effective as you get out front. If youll go first, others will follow.

Youll find thoughts on stewardship, listening, creativity, work-life balance and more. I trust youll

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THE LEADER

PEOPLE ALWAYS WATCH

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People always watch the leader whether you want them to or not. What are they looking for? leader and clues to determine if the leader is trustworthy.

Fundamentally, people are watching the leader for clues clues regarding whats important to the

The good news is that a leader can take a quantum leap forward on both of these fronts simultaneously if he or she is willing to embrace the final practice of great leaders Embody the Values. When we do what we say were going to do, when we walk the talk, this builds trust and confidence in leaders, we must be adept at building trust. 3 Steps to Embody the Values Know your values. What are the beliefs that you want to drive the behavior of your organization? making and action in your organization. If the list is too long, it will be nothing more than the shortlived product of the last off-site leadership retreat.

our leadership. When we fail to Embody the Values, we erode or destroy our opportunity to lead. As

You need a short-list, 4 6 would be best. You want these values to be an active filter for decision

Share your values. People ask me if you can build a great organization without stated values. You people whats important, they will guess and they may guess wrong.

certainly can. But, why would you want to make leading harder than it already is? If you dont tell

Live your values. This is the part that matters most. If you are going to say something is important, youd better be ready to live like you mean it. If you dont, youd be better off keeping quiet about your values. People always watch the leader. If we are consistent in our attempts to live our values, we can build trust and confidence in our leadership. Nothing shapes a culture faster than a leader who is willing to tell people whats important and living like you mean it. What are your core values?

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REQUIRED

COURAGE IS

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Courage is the catalyst for great leadership. Without courage, our leadership is latent, unseen and

nothing more than unrealized potential. Leadership without courage is not leadership at all. It is quickly disqualifies us as someone people want to follow.

courage that puts leadership into play. Its presence in our lives empowers us as leaders; its absence

Courage is needed virtually every day in the life of a leader. Courage is needed to Establish a bold vision.

Confront big problems.

Allocate resources strategically. Deal with difficult people. Stay the course when things get hard. Challenge the status quo. Bust bureaucracy.

Make decisions without all the information.

Get out of your own comfort zone. Make unpopular decisions. Break with tradition. Tell the whole a truth. And the list goes on and on and on forever! One additional benefit of becoming a leader who responds with courage: our courage will be contagious. Our courageous response in challenging and difficult situations will embolden those we lead.

If we are going to lead well, courage will be required. The question you may be asking, What if Im not courageous? First, I dont think courage is a binary function meaning you either have it or you dont. I think it is much more complicated.

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For me, I find my courage is situational. As an example, I may be very courageous when facing questions of strategy. To say, Burn the boats and move into uncharted waters is usually not that difficult. However, I often have trouble finding the courage to make hard people decisions. The other complicating factor about courage is that its not a constant. Even in arenas where you are typically courageous, you may find, from time to time, your courage waning. The bottom line is simple you and I need courage to lead well. The more courageous we can become, the better well lead. If we cant muster significant courage in the day-to-day situations like the ones I mentioned earlier, well forever limit our influence, our impact and our leadership. Courage may seem like a good idea to you but you may be wondering, how to make it so in your life and leadership. For today, Ill offer one tip: be courageous in the little things. I know this may sound strange, but think of courage like a muscle. The more you use it, the more youll strengthen it. Look for opportunities throughout your day to respond with courage. Here are a few examples When youre in a meeting and you have a question, ask it. When you see a problem, confront it. When you hear of a new cross-functional team being formed that youd like to be a part of, volunteer. When you make a mistake, own it. When someone treats you poorly, forgive. Decide today that you will become a more courageous leader and begin talking small steps every day. When you do, youll be amazed at the effect.

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LEAD WELL...

IF YOU WANT TO

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Everything rises and falls on leadership EVERYTHING schools, businesses, churches, hospitals, nations and homes. Leaders are the architects of the future. However, before we can create the future, theres a significant hurdle all aspiring leaders must clear.

Followship yes, followship. Being a good follower is a prerequisite to leading well. Followship matters because it tests our motives. Are we really striving to serve? If so, well serve in any capacity we can. If were asked to serve through leadership, we will. If were asked to serve as a follower, we will. Besides, most of us will always be under someone elses authority and leadership. Even if were the CEO, we are still accountable to the board. I dont know many successful, unaccountable leaders.

How can we be better followers? Work diligently to make your leader successful. How many times have you thought about this? asked to do, but where can you demonstrate initiative that will benefit your leader?

This can take many forms, including challenge and feedback. Certainly we need to do the things were

Give 100% when executing their directives. Sometimes you will not agree with the decisions and

directives your leader makes. Thats okay. Your role is not to agree but to execute with excellence. Half-hearted execution will sabotage your leadership more than it will impede your leaders decision. Your followers are watching too.

Acknowledge their unique perspective. Accept the fact your leader has a different vantage point than you. Perhaps this is because of their experience, maybe its because of the meetings they attend, or their relationships with other leaders you dont associate with. This will be particularly useful when you disagree it may explain why.

Refuse to talk bad about them. I dont know why people seem to want to talk bad about leaders. Maybe its because people arent always happy with their leaders. Regardless of why this trash talking

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phenomena exists, dont do it. It will lower your standing in the eyes of others. Do the work they dont like to do. This may sound bizarre to you, but if you stop and think about it,

it makes sense. I received this advice from Jimmy Collins, former President of Chick-fil-A. The idea, simply stated, is to identify the activities your leader would rather have someone else do and find a way to make it happen. Brilliant.

Assume the best about them and their decisions. When you and I work with anyone, we get to make a fundamental choice: Do we believe their motives are pure or self-serving? Is their heart right or not? The way we answer will taint our actions. If we want to be better followers, assume the best where your leader is concerned. It will change your behavior.

Encourage them often. Do you work in an environment known for encouragement? Most people dont. Even if encouragement is part of the culture, it is often the leaders doing the encouraging. Who set you apart as a follower. encourages the leaders? Usually, no one. Genuine, appropriate appreciation and encouragement will

If we cant learn to submit to authority, well have a hard time earning the trust and respect of those we wish to lead. To lead well, we must follow well. Always lead always follow!

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WISDOM

HUNGER FOR

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I believe there are five core leadership character traits that set leaders apart from those they lead. Unlike more common character traits like integrity, honesty and loyalty, the traits Im referring to are actions. Lets go a little deeper on one of those traits - Hunger for Wisdom. what enable a leader to lead. They shape who the leader is as a person and also drive their day-to-day

The best leaders are wise some are wise beyond their years. Wisdom is the intangible ingredient that enables leaders to make good decisions in challenging or uncertain circumstances.

As you know, for a leader, the way forward is often unclear. Rarely do leaders have all the facts or

complete mastery of the subject when a decision needs to be made. In other situations, a leader must consistently make good choices.

choose between conflicting priorities or between multiple, good options. Wisdom allows a leader to

How can you and I grow in wisdom? Here are four ideas Embrace our Need for Wisdom. Arrogance and pride derail the career of many leaders. If we lose sight of our need for wisdom, we are doomed as a leader. As Toynbee discovered when studying the rise and fall of civilizations, one of the factors that repeatedly triggered demise was the application of by leaders who feel theyve already got all the wisdom they need.

yesterdays answers to todays questions. The same is true for organizations. This behavior is fueled

Seek Feedback and Counsel. When we seek feedback and the advice of others, we are on the path to counsel is about the future. Both are critical. When we seek counsel, we are borrowing the wisdom of someone else.

wisdom. However, we need to understand the difference between the two feedback is about the past;

Learn by Observing Others. Leaders pay attention. They are observant. We often see things others

dont. My theory is its because were looking for things others arent. One of those things leaders are constantly looking for is ideas that work or dont. Truett Cathy taught me this. He said We dont have to make all the mistakes ourselves, we can learn from the mistakes of others. Thats one way to grow in wisdom.

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Commit to Life-long Learning. The more I learn, the more I know how little I know. This is the ideal posture to grow in wisdom. The realization of our personal limits opens our hearts and minds to new possibilities. Possibilities fuel options. Options contribute to better decisions. A spirit of curiosity, combined with the humility required to learn, are the embers from which the fires of wisdom can ignite.

One of my favorite TV commercials these days is the Most Interesting Man in the World series from hungry my friendshungry for wisdom!

Dos Equis. I love the tag line: Stay thirsty, my friends. My encouragement to you is similar: Stay

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YOUR BATTERY

5 IDEAS TO RECHARGE

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Im writing this article from the lake. Yesterday, I had the privilege to spend the day with great friends and their families. Im trying to recharge my battery before a crazy short week coast to coast, multiple cities with one red-eye thrown in for extra fun. How do you recharge your battery?

This is no trivial question. You know how demanding leadership is. You throw in family responsibilities, community or church involvement and my battery can get drained quickly. Plus, if you have any additional stressors in your life health issues, financial concerns, aging parents, etc. the pressure increases.

At the base level, one of the first things youve got to know about yourself is your energy orientation. Do you tend to get energy from others or do you get energy from time alone? Thats a great place to sure. However, here are a few things that have helped me. start. My answer to this question seems to have changed over the years. Maybe thats normal Im not

Rest When I was younger, it didnt matter as much. However, today, Im not as fresh after pulling an all-nighter as I used to be. The folks Ill be with in my meeting Friday (after the red-eye) had better be ready Ill try not to be too grumpy.

Recreation My pastor told me 40 years ago that the word is ReCREATION. What recreates you? Is it long walks or softball, sailing or kickboxing? You need to know the answer often. to this question. If you dont, start experimenting, and put whatever works on your calendar

Solitude This is not everyones cup of tea. I understand. However, some time alone may help you re-focus, re-prioritize and re-charge. Even a few hours may work magic. If you havent tried it, give it a whirl.

Reflection Think about your purpose I hope you have a sense of why youre on earth. I your purpose. If that doesnt light your fire, your wood may be wet.

believe youre here for a reason. If you know why, think about what youre doing to fulfill

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People Who are the people in your life that give you energy? When you see them coming, your energy, enthusiasm and engagement go up spend time with THOSE PEOPLE on purpose. Put it on the calendar. By the way, you also have a list of people who drain you those people.

they have the opposite effect as those you energize you. Minimize or eliminate time with

Its natural for a leaders battery to drain what we do is extremely hard. But we can do the things necessary to recharge our lives and our leadership. We must own this. No one else can do it for us. Lets stay charged up, so we can serve those we lead. How do you recharge your battery?

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YOUR LIFE

TAKE BACK

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I seem to be busier than ever before how about you? Ive always been busy, but Ive got a check in my spirit that tells me Ive slipped from busy into hurry. Busy, hurry, whats the difference? Busy is about your calendar, hurry is about your heart. When were in a hurry we Dont fully appreciate the people around us. Miss opportunities to serve. Set unrealistic expectations for ourselves and others. Fail to see the contributions of others. Dont honor the people around us. Do not lead at our full potential.

Are unable to see beauty in the world.

How does this happen? I dont fully understand it, but I believe excessive, sustained busyness leads back your life

to a state of hurriedness. Following are four potential contributing factors and a few ideas to help take

1. We lose sight of our primary role/calling. How much of what you have on your calendar for excessive busyness and hurry, can be attributed to activities we shouldnt be doing in the first place.

the next 30 days is actually outside the scope of your current responsibilities? For many of us, our

activities, that are not aligned with your unique contribution and responsibility.

Action: Clarify your calling and affirm your role. Use this as a filter. Eliminate activities, even good

2. We dont have (or follow) a plan. Without goals and strategies, every tactic is of equal and hurry are predictable outcomes.

value. If you dont know what you really want to do, or need to do to be successful, unfocused busyness

Action: Create a personal plan and reference it often. For me, the more I read my plan the better I to get back on track with this one.

activate against it. It is a great daily discipline to cultivate. Ive been great at this in the past Ive got

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3. We let others set our agenda for us. Understandably, this will happen from time to time. However, it should not be the norm. If we dont own our time someone else will gladly commandeer it.

Action: Own your calendar. Schedule the most important things early. This includes down time. Set appropriate boundaries. Dont be a victim.

4. We are afraid to say no. For some people, this tendency has deep psychological roots. Perhaps its

an over-inflated ego or chronic self-esteem issues. Maybe were trying to prove something to someone,

maybe ourselves. In any of these instances, its not a good approach to allocating our time and energy. Action: Focus on saying yes to the right things. Once youve said yes to the right things, it will be to a request to do something else that week. Stay busy my friends, but dont hurry. What actions have you taken in the past to take back your life?

much easier to say no to other things If you say yes to a family vacation, its much easier to say no

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SIMPLIFY

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Leaders are called upon to do many things for their organizations were called on to articulate a However, theres one thing I constantly see the best leaders do that Ive never seen anything written about they are masterful at simplifying things.

vision for a better tomorrow, mobilize people, constantly drive improved outcomes, and on and on.

Here are some examples of how this happens in real life Leaders simplify the mission. Exactly what are we trying to accomplish? If your answer takes more than a sentence or two, you may not have simplified the mission enough. Drucker is quoted as saying, If you cant put it (the mission) on a t-shirt, you dont have it yet.

Leaders simplify the values. What are the beliefs that you want to drive the behavior in your organization? The longer the list of values, the less the impact theyll have on your organization. So, 10 Which values are CORE? how many should you have? I dont believe theres a RIGHT answer, but I do think its closer to 5 than

Leaders simplify the scorecard. What are the key metrics you use to drive your team and organization? Again, the watchword is simplify. Ive seen organizations with 20+ KEY metrics. You guessed it, it traction, no improvement. didnt work. Everyone picked the 3 4 they wanted to pursue. The result: no organizational focus, no

Leaders simplify problems. Admittedly, many of the problems we face as leaders are very complex. Dont let that stop you from breaking the problem down into smaller, more manageable chunks.

Leaders simplify processes. The best leaders I know dont like bureaucracy. These men and women easier, make it faster, reduce the number of steps? How can we simplify the process?

are always interested in streamlining the process. The questions they ask include: how can we make it

Leaders simplify the strategy. Can you write your core business strategy or strategies on the back of a napkin? Better yet, can you do it in a picture a 10-year-old could draw? If you want everyone implementing the strategy, they need to get it.

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Leaders simplify communications. The next time youre tempted to present a 40-slide PowerPoint audience agree on your core message? They should.

deck, try to reduce it to FOUR slides. Heres a sobering test: After you speak to a group, would the

Leaders simplify next steps. Leaders ensure clarity on who will do what by when. If next steps are his organization. Clear and simple next steps help.

not clear, next steps may not happen. I had a business leader tell me, this single practice revolutionized

Just recently, I was confronted with a statement that actually prompted this post. Someone said to me, Smart people make things complicated. My response, The smartest ones can make things simple.

If youre looking for a way to add instant value in your organization, look for something to simplify.

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BE CREATIVE!

YESYOU CAN

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Im amazed how many leaders I encounter who say, Im not creative. When I hear this, it actually energizes me, because EVERY human being on the planet has the seeds of creativity within them. realization of this untapped potential is only three steps away. After studying and practicing the disciplines of creativity for over 30 years, Ive concluded that the

Ill start with a clarification of terms. When some people say theyre not creative, what they are really saying is that they are not ARTISTIC. If this is what they mean, many of these people are correct. I believe there are billions of people who could legitimately say they are not artistic. But creativity is different.

Creativity is the ability to generate alternatives. This is a basic human capability hard-wired into each of our brains! Unfortunately, many of us have this feature of our brain disabled. There are three things we can do to enable this function and unleash the countless ideas.

Expand Your World We cannot create from nothing only God can do that. However, we can

create from our reservoir of knowledge and experiences. The example I often use to illustrate this is

the artists palette. An artist cannot paint with paint that is still in the tube it must first be placed on every experience, every relationship is paint on our palette. My fear is that too many leaders have chosen to live in a small world. I will not. I want to paint from a full palette!

the palette. Our lives are the palette, and our opportunity is to create a masterpiece. Every encounter,

Train Your Brain There are scores of techniques/skills that can be learned to help our brains generate ideas. These are neither complicated nor elaborate, but they must be learned. Examples include things as common as brainstorming and stimulating questions. The techniques are simple. The skilled at utilizing them. This is where step three comes in.

trick is to become proficient determining which ones will work best in which situation and to become

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Invest the Time To become more creative requires time. Its that simple. A time on task analysis would reveal that for most people, time is the key variable that determines their level of creativity. If you want to be more creative, how should you invest your time? Primarily in three ways:

Time expanding your world going places, reading widely, meeting people, etc. These type activities require time.

Time learning and practicing the skills like any skill, competency comes with practice and practice requires time.

Time actually generating ideas Most leaders really do want more and better ideas, but rarely do we invest the necessary time to discover the breakthrough ideas. The great ideas are most often like rare gems youve got to move a lot of dirt to find them.

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STEWARDSHIP

LEADERSHIP IS

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Stewardship is not a word you hear a lot in day-to-day conversations. However, I think its an important idea for leaders to keep in mind. If you look at what the word really means, it implies a relationship and an understanding. The core idea is that we dont really own what we think we own we are merely managers, or stewards, of these things. And, as a steward, we are accountable to someone else for how we manage that which has been entrusted to us.

As leaders, most of us would quickly acknowledge our role and agree with the premise that we dont own our job, and for most of us, we dont own the company either. Does this reality affect the way being a steward. you lead? It does for me. I believe we make better decisions when we firmly grasp the implications of

Have you ever thought about what you steward as a leader? We are stewards of Time How we invest our time is how we invest our lives. Good investments yield good returns.

Money This is often our default when we hear the term stewardship. It is certainly important, but only a small piece of our total stewardship opportunity.

Relationships The people we come in contact with on a daily basis are often overlooked in people?

a conversation about stewardship. How are we investing in others? How are we encouraging

Opportunities When opportunity knocks, do we answer the door? To squander an opportunity is as much an issue as wasting time or money.

Challenges If we dont learn and grow from pain and trial in our lives, we will have failed to steward it well. Stewardship is ultimately about what you and I do with what weve been given both good and bad.

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What do we need to do to be better stewards? Thats a question I ask myself constantly. Here are three ideas to consider: Stewards Take Action Passivity is not what you want from a steward. Think about the individual to do nothing for 40 years and see how things turn out.

money manager youve selected to steward your retirement account. You dont want that

Stewards Take Risks If a steward wants to maximize what has been entrusted to them, risk is inevitable. Wise, calculated risk, but risk none the less. No risk equals poor stewardship.

Stewards Expect Accountability If I want to be the best possible steward, I have to live with an understanding that the day will come when I will have to give an account for what I did with what I was given.

I think stewardship is one of lifes greatest privileges. Stewardship is one of my personal core values. I guess its one of the drivers behind my leadership journey. At the end of it all, I want to be found faithful regarding whats been entrusted to me. I see every day as a stewardship opportunity. I hope you do too.

How would your leadership be different today if you saw yourself as a steward?

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ABOUT MARK MILLER

I began writing about a decade ago when I was fortunate to team up with Ken Blanchard to write The Secret: What Great Leaders Know and Do. In 2011, The Secret of Teams outlining

the key principles that enable some teams to outperform all the rest was released. Great Leaders Grow: Becoming a was released in the fall of 2013. Leader for Life came next in 2011. The Heart of Leadership

With more than 600,000 books in print, the response has surprised and delighted me. Its an honor to serve leaders through my writing. In addition to writing, I really love speaking to leaders. Over the years, Ive traveled extensively around the world teaching for numerous international organizations. My theme is always the same: encouraging and equipping leaders. I also sell chicken. My Chick-fil-A career started as an hourly team member back in 1977. In 1978, I joined the corporate staff working in the warehouse and mailroom. Since then, Ive provided leadership for Corporate Communications, Field Operations, Quality and Effectiveness. During my time with Chick-fil-A, annual sales have grown to over $5 billion and the company now has more than 1,700 restaurants in 39 states and the District of Columbia. My high school sweetheart, Donna, and I have been married for more than 30 years and we have two

Customer Satisfaction, Training and Development. Today I serve as the Vice President for Organizational

sons, a daughter-in-law and a grand-dog named Jackson. I keep a full schedule and live an active life. I also love photography. Ive had the privilege to shoot in some of the worlds hardest-to-reach places, including Mount Kilimanjaro, Everest Base Camp, Antarctica and the jungles of Rwanda. I look forward to the opportunity to serve you and grow in leadership together.

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All articles originally published at

GREATLEADERSSERVE.ORG.

2013 Great Leaders Serve. All rights reserved.

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