Leadership Ezra

Have you ever struggled with trying to figure out whether or not a leadership principle was good? I have, and on today's episode, that's the question we are going to explore.  In fact, early in my leadership experience, I noticed that some leadership principles and practices seemed to ring true to me, or seemed to particularly resonate with me, but at that time, I wasn’t thinking about w...

Have you ever struggled with balancing your work aspirations and family obligations? I have, and on today's episode, that's the question we are going to explore.  I think most of us want to grow and excel in our work, which requires a level of commitment.  At the same time, we want to invest in our families. It’s been said that no one says on their deathbed, “I wish I would have spent mo...

Have you ever struggled with uncertainty and regret? I have, and on today's episode, that's the question we are going to explore.  What we are really going to be talking about is a mindset.  Specifically, your mindset when you face an unknown future and wish you knew tomorrow’s answers today, or when you reflect on your past experiences and wish that things could have been different.  In...

Have you ever struggled with understanding how you are supposed to lead? I have, and on today's episode, that's the question we are going to explore.  Every leader must lead for the first time sometime, and regardless of bravado, charisma, or confidence, you don’t know everything that you are going to know in 10 years.  Leadership is a learning process, and therefore, in that process, yo...

Have you ever been guilty of jumping to a conclusion before having all the information, and then regretting your response?  I have, and on today's episode, that's the question we are going to explore.  There’s a verse in Proverbs, chapter 18 and verse 13, that speaks to this topic when it says, “He who answers a matter before he hears it, it is folly and shame to him.”  Therefore, I want...

Have you ever worn yourself out doing something by yourself because no one else will do it, or because they will not do it as well as you know it needs to be done?  I have, and on today's episode, that's the question we are going to explore.  It’s really the question of control, of whether or not we are willing to relinquish control and to ask, assign, or allow someone else to do somethi...

:  Have you ever thought, “If only someone would give me a chance”?  I have, and on today's episode, that's the question we are going to explore. Whether it’s fear of failure or of how it might make you look, unrealistic expectations or perfectionism, or for some other reason, often we are looking for a chance but don’t take the opportunity when it presents itself. So today, we are going...

Have you ever made a mistake or messed up and wished you could undo what you had done? On today's episode, that's the question we are going to explore. We are going to talk about mistakes and failure.  Even though mistakes are unavoidable, they can be used for good, so we need to talk about how to make it safe to learn from failure. Thank you, everybody. This is Jeff McMaster, and you ha...

Just like a good story that captures your attention, or a story that helps you remember something important, people’s lives and experiences are stories that have meaning. Their stories are important, and your story is important. Thank you, everybody. This is Jeff McMaster, and you have been listening to the Leadership Ezra podcast, where we connect biblical truth with wisdom, and apply it to the p...

Have you ever been overwhelmed with too many important things to do at once? On today's episode, that's the question we are going to explore.  Sometimes, we get caught up in the tyranny of the urgent, sometimes, there are just too many necessary things we have to do.  So, how do you determine where to put your energy first? That’s a difficult challenge that I think every leader struggles...

Have you ever been greatly inspired or greatly wounded simply by words? On today's episode, that's the question we are going to explore.  The children's adage says, "Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me," but I think we know that it's really not true; words can hurt tremendously (but they can also do great good).  So today we are talking...

Do you ever feel like you’re lost in the middle of the forest, overwhelmed, and have no idea which direction to go? On today's episode, that's the question we are going to explore.  We are going to talk about the idea and importance of being able to see the big picture, of stepping back to understand context, and then focusing in on where you are. Thank you, everybody. This is Jeff McMas...

Do you ever feel like people get in the way of the job you are trying to do? On today's episode, that's the question we are going to explore. It’s really an exploration of the dichotomy between two sides of leadership responsibility:  tasks and people.  This is a constant tension that leaders are navigating, and most of us tend to gravitate one way or the other, which means it’s easy to...

Have you ever wondered if you can truly have an impact without even saying a word? On today's episode, that's the question we are going to explore. We are going to talk about one of my favorite topics, which I call “Quote Your Dad." These are wise and profound statements that my dad was known for saying. The one we are specifically talking about today is, “Your walk talks, and your...