By Michelle Cummings
One of the biggest challenges leaders face is knowing how to move a team forward when momentum stalls. In our Eyes of a Leader module, we help leaders develop a clear, compelling vision—and just as importantly, identify what might be pulling their team off course. This is where the Drain Model, developed by Dr. Carl Larson and Frank LaFasto, becomes such a powerful leadership tool. Based on over a decade of research with thousands of teams, their model doesn’t just explain what slows teams down—it reveals why.
At the heart of the Drain Model is this idea of energy and focus. Larson and LaFasto describe three types of energy that a team needs to reach its goals: Mental, Physical, and Spiritual. Mental energy is your team’s collective knowledge and problem-solving ability. Physical energy is the stamina to do the work. But spiritual energy? That’s the one we overlook most often. It’s the emotional drive, the passion, and the shared commitment that keeps people connected to the goal—and to each other.
(more…)by Michelle Cummings
We all want to believe that good intentions make good leaders. And intention does matter—it’s where leadership begins. In our Heart of a Leader module, we focus on leading from a place of care, connection, and integrity. But intention alone doesn’t always shape the experience others have of us. That’s where the gap begins—the space between what we meant and what actually happened. That’s the intention–behavior gap, and we’ve all felt it on both sides.
Research by Rhodes, Pfaeffli Dale, and Mansell explores this very gap, showing that the strength of an intention plays a key role. Strong intentions are more likely to predict consistent behavior, and they tend to hold steady over time. But they also come with a risk: when an intention becomes too rigid, it can close us off to feedback or new perspectives. A leader may be so focused on achieving a goal that they stop noticing how their behavior is landing—or whether it still reflects their original values.
(more…)People often take their cues from the leader in the room. Whether you realize it or not, your mood, body language, and energy set the tone for how others respond. If you want your team to show focus, optimism, or determination, the most effective way to inspire it is to model it yourself.
Energy is contagious. When leaders bring a calm, steady presence to a stressful moment, it helps others stay grounded. When they bring enthusiasm and engagement to a new project, it makes the work feel exciting and worth the effort. The opposite is also true; negativity or anxiety from a leader can quickly ripple through the team.
(more…)Setting goals is only the first step. The real progress happens when you track how you are doing and make changes when needed. Without regular measurement, even the clearest goals can drift off course. Leaders who measure consistently stay aware of what is working and what is not, which allows them to adjust before small problems become big ones.
Measurement is more than just checking numbers. It is about comparing your current results to where you want to be. This could be as simple as weekly check-ins or as detailed as reviewing specific performance metrics. The key is consistency. Sporadic tracking makes it too easy to miss trends or lose momentum.
(more…)by Michelle Cummings
Leadership isn’t just about what you say. It’s about how you show up – every day, in every interaction. Your body language, tone, and energy send signals long before your words land.
Think about it: Have you ever walked into a room and felt tension, even before anyone spoke? Or trusted someone more simply because they looked calm, open, and engaged? These are leadership signals. And people are reading them, whether you mean to send them or not.
Your team is constantly asking themselves:
(more…)by Paul Cummings
“People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.” – John C. Maxwell
Great leadership isn’t just about strategy, goals, or results. It’s about people.
When you lead from the heart, you create a culture where trust, passion, and purpose thrive—and that’s where real success happens. Have you given much thought to what bad leadership costs organizations?
The Heart of a Leader: The ROI of Authentic Leadership
(more…)Every leader knows the importance of listening, yet distractions are a constant challenge. A phone vibrates. A notification pops up. Someone walks by your office. Even your own thoughts about the next meeting or unfinished work can pull you away from the person in front of you. These moments matter more than we think.
The first step toward being fully present is noticing when your focus slips. Distraction often starts small. Your eyes flicker toward an email alert, or your mind wanders to a pending decision. These tiny moments may seem harmless, but they interrupt the connection and reduce your ability to truly hear the other person.
(more…)Honesty is easy when the message is good. Praise, progress, and success roll off the tongue. But when the truth gets uncomfortable, many leaders hesitate. Will it hurt the relationship? Damage trust? Backfire completely? In those moments, the temptation to soften the truth or avoid it altogether is real.
But avoiding hard conversations rarely solves the problem. In fact, it usually makes things worse. Issues fester. Misunderstandings grow. Team members feel the tension, even when nothing is said. And worst of all, trust starts to erode, not because of what was said, but because of what was withheld.
(more…)Leadership is a constant balancing act. Every day brings competing demands, unexpected challenges, and opportunities that can pull you in multiple directions. Without regular reflection, it is easy to spend time and energy on things that feel urgent but do little to move you toward your real goals.
Evaluating where your time and energy go is not just about productivity. It is about alignment. The most effective leaders know that effort without direction leads to exhaustion, not achievement. They make it a habit to step back, assess their priorities, and adjust their focus as needed.
(more…)
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Tag: Intentional leadership
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