The last several years have been times of unprecedented challenges for all of us. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, we could not have imagined how our lives would change, how our work lives would be impacted and the toll it would exact on so many families. It’s not surprising, then, that hope is often in short supply these days. Recent research supports this observation. In one study, at least 50% of participants had feelings of hopelessness within the past month. That’s not a go

I had the privilege of being interviewed by Phil Gerbyshak on his podcast program. We had a great time discussing my new co-authored book, The LEADERS Model, sharing insights with Phil and his audience about leadership and how to become a LEADERS Leader. Here’s the link to the podcast: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t9Sgu3otOtw I hope you find our conversation helpful. Take care. Jim James Dittmar is the Founder, President, and CEO of the 3Rivers Leadership Institute, thro

We’ve now reached the final letter in the L.E.A.D.E.R.S Model: S for Stewardship.  In my previous blogs I’ve shared the meaning of L for Leadership; E for Ethics; A for Alignment; D for Decision Making; E for Engagement; and R for Resilience.  I trust you have found each component of my model helpful and that you have applied these in your work and life. I’ll be discussing another important dimension of the L.E.A.D.E.R.S. Model in future blogs: The elements of S.I.C.  S.I.C.

E stands for engagement. Leaders do not motivate, but they create an environment where people are motivated (and not demotivated) to do their best work. Money is not the only motivator, and sometimes not the main motivator for people to produce excellence, especially for long term performance. Leaders must assume that not everyone is motivated by the same factors that motivate them. Rather, they get to know each team member to understand what motivates him or her. Peter Druck

The next letter in the L.E.A.D.E.R.S. Development Model is A. A stands for alignment. When people clearly understand the vision, mission and strategy of the organization, there is alignment. When employees understand how their job contributes to the fulfillment of the vision and mission, there is alignment. When employees’ personal values are in agreement with the organization’s values, there is alignment. Fundamentally, the word alignment indicates that all are pulling in th

Change is the new normal. Gaining and maintaining a competitive advantage requires the ability to respond and adapt to market pressures with agility and speed. Yet most companies fail to achieve successful, sustained change 70 percent of the time. When leaders attend to the relationship between trust and engagement, they increase the success of their change initiatives and secure competitive advantage. Engaged employees are committed to and passionate about the vision, missio