Jonathan Herron

6 Words You Need in Your Leadership Vocabulary

1. PATIENCE

• If you get too frustrated with the process, you’ll quit the mission God has given you.
• Just because you were patient one season, doesn’t mean you’ll be patient in the next.
• The patience you use for yourself should be the patience you use for others.

2. CONFRONTATION

• Confrontation is necessary for growth.
• When done well, it’s an opportunity to BUILD trust.
• If you tolerate things that are against your values, it says more about you than the other person.

3. RISK TAKING

• Anytime you step out to do something great, you have to count the cost.
• Great leaders are willing to take this risk rather than play it safe.

4. RECRUITING

• If you’re a good recruiter, you can SEE in others what they cannot see in THEMSELVES!
• Great leadership builds up great people without needing any of the credit.

5. ATTITUDE

• There are many things in leadership you can’t control, but what you CAN control is your attitude.
• A leader with a great attitude can lead through any situation. 

6. EMPOWERING

• You can recruit, but can you give away and delegate responsibilities?
• The day of the lone ranger is done, the superhero in leadership is the one that empowers others!

4 Great Side-Effects When You Deal With Conflict Correctly

Conflict is a good thing. Any time you work with people, you can expect there to be some level of conflict. Most of us shy away from it, but it can actually lead to great team chemistry and trust. The consequences of not resolving conflict will always be greater than the reward. I would rather live in the small reward of conflict resolution than the vast consequences of never coming to resolution. 

Here are 4 things that conflict creates when resolved in a healthy way: 

1. CONFLICT CREATES TRUST

• Avoiding conflict creates mistrust. 

• The pillars of a strong relationship are trust, communication, and respect. When I confront issues with people, it should build trust. We are choosing to not air out our grievances behind their back, but are willing to go straight to the source and provide constructive feedback. 

• Establish trust by being a leader that confronts issues. Commit to working through differences and being someone that builds them up. 

 

2. CONFLICT CREATES CLARITY

• Avoiding conflict creates questions. 

• Clarity eliminates confusion. Great leaders address the eggshells and clarify the ‘why’ and the expectations. Part of leadership is providing the guardrails that people live and lead within. Clarity brings safety. 

• Establish clarity by confronting issues when they happen and clarifying expectations or how their decision affected you.

 

3. CONFLICT CREATES CHEMISTRY

• Avoiding conflict creates awkwardness. 

• Conflict and resolution should lead to more trust which should lead to more chemistry. Any time I’ve had tough conversations with people, I leave feeling more connected. Remember this: You are one conversation away from solving the issue. Maybe your team lacks chemistry because there’s no confrontation.
  
  
• Establish chemistry by having tough conversations and holding others accountable. 

 

4. CONFLICT CREATES CREATIVITY

• Avoiding conflict limits our ability to find a solution. 

• Most of us get stuck because we’re unwilling to address the issue. But when you confront the issue - whether it be with a person, finances, family, etc. - you can inspect the reality of the situation so that you can get creative in how to address it and move forward. 

• Establish creativity by being open enough to address the issue and look at it from a different perspective. 

 

Ultimately, the better we become at conflict resolution, the healthier our lives will be. Make it a goal for yourself to close the gap between your conflict and solutions. When we address the small things, it gives us the confidence to address the big things.