“The root cause of our leadership crisis is that we often choose the wrong leaders for the wrong reasons. We choose them for: Charisma instead of character, style instead of substance, and image instead of integrity. Why, then, are we surprised when they lack character, substance, and integrity? In a climate of public impressions and short-term performance, many good leaders lose sight of their calling, or their ‘True North,’ and are pulled off course by pressures and seductions. They are not well-grounded in their faith and beliefs. They get caught up in their egos and external gratifications. But, as Peter Drucker once wrote, ‘Leadership is not about money, fame and power; leadership is responsibility.’ ”

—Bill George
Leadership Excellence, October 2008

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• Leadership Series
• Management Series
• Personal Growth Series
• Classic Series

“George Washington is my current favorite. I love him. He’s a guy who didn’t want to serve politics. God bless him! You’ve all heard the story of Valley Forge. You already know that they were cold and starving and without enough shoes, pants, shirts, and blankets. But do you know that George Washington would have his wife, Martha, come in every winter to make shirts and pants? The capital at the time was Philadelphia. It’s just a 20-minute drive by car from Valley Forge to Philadelphia—in traffic. Yet the government, the congress, did little then to support the troops (not much has changed). It was because of the fierce determination of one man, who was just a man. He wasn’t a politician. He was just serving his people by serving God. That’s why he did it.”

—Glenn Beck
Personal Excellence, October 2008

“We like to believe that people can change; but the reality is that past accomplishment is the leading indicator of future success. And while the libraries of detailed training methodologies, skill-development techniques, and innovative inspirational leadership ideas are crucial tools to developing salespeople, they can’t account for why teams and individuals are successful. If you select the right people for the right roles and let their natural talents intersect with a supportive, results driven, team-first environment, success will follow. Training, skill development, and leadership will be mostly irrelevant with the wrong team members. With the right people in the right roles—combined with training, development and inspiration—amazing things occur.”

—Matt Sharrers, consultant
Sales & Service Excellence, October 2008