Is the leadership crisis really about a lack of skill—or is it something deeper? In this powerful post, Dr. Rob McKenna makes the case that the true crisis in leadership is a crisis of trust. Drawing on insights from the WiLD Trust Index, he shows how many leaders are unknowingly surrounded by low-trust environments—and why trust can’t be built without doing the personal work first.
This isn’t about being perfect. It’s about being whole. Whole leaders lead with clarity, courage, and care—and it’s this kind of leadership that fuels real trust, high performance, and lasting impact.
If you care about growing as a leader or shaping the next generation of leadership in your organization, this is a must-read.
Every person you know has a story occurring at the center of their identity and their progress that is too often expressed as an unanswered question: How do I connect my driving purpose to what I am doing every day? We ask it in different ways, but at the core of who we are as human beings is the question that connects the invisible pieces of our hearts with the visible pieces of our actions.
True leadership requires the courage to let go of what’s good in order to receive what’s better. Whether it’s possessions, positions, or plans, holding loosely allows us to lead with open hands, ready for transformation, collaboration, and God’s greater purpose.
You did it! You started a business with nothing more than a dream and a willingness to roll up your sleeves. You worked hard, really hard, and the business grew. You didn’t know what you were doing half the time, but you figured it out. You made it up as you went, and now you’re leading your very own multi-million dollar business.
The fastest way to lose sight of your business is to stop listening to your customers. What you think is happening inside your company and what your customers are actually experiencing might be two completely different stories. Too often, leaders rely on assumptions instead of real feedback—and that gap can cost you growth, loyalty, and trust.
In this post, Convene Chair Mike Edwards shares how to check in with your customers in meaningful, non-intrusive ways—and how to turn their insights into quick, high-impact improvements.
Is finance the enemy of breakthrough innovation…
… because they misidentify who their customer is?
“Big-picture, finance interfaces with regulators/auditors but ultimately needs to see their customer as the one who buys the products/services. It puts finance on the same side as the business, a partner/collaborator that should challenge assumptions and think creatively within the finance space.”
Sam Winter, Director of Finance, Thrivent Financial
Leaders know how frustrating it can be when team members fail to follow what seem to be simple directions to complete a task. It’s tempting to attribute the glitch on the staff member, but wisdom instructs leaders to rethink this notion. Instead the leader should consider whether the source of the problem might be his/her leader’s failure to communicate their purpose. “Purpose” tells people how to interpret orders, execute procedures, solve problems, resolve conflicts, and overcome unexpected challenges; it informs their judgment and allows them to improvise. “Purpose” is also the power behind initiative, goal setting, and perseverance. So it is always wise to communicate the purpose of a task or project when you assign it.
