The H3 Leader Podcast

Today we say goodbye to Cameron in our final installment from the fields of Yosemite and Half Dome (with original posts, anyway)... It has been a beautiful, bountiful conversation, and it has been an honor to share his wisdom with you. After a quick recap and a brief visit to the Mutual Appreciation Society, our conversation ends with some of the sweetest words one can hear after a long day of hik...

Do you have a vision for who you want to be? As leaders, we understand the importance of having a vision, but do we apply that logic and wisdom to our lives? As a leader, a professional, a spouse, a parent, a neighbor, a Christ-follower... Who do you want to be? And what are you (and I) doing to facilitate that process of "becoming"?

"You are what you eat!" An age-old adage, but do we believe it? Emotionally (relationally), spiritually, mentally, physically... Are we stewarding well the inputs we are allowing in these four key arenas of life? These four (heart, soul, mind, and strength) ultimately define our identity - who we are becoming. Are we conscious of how the digital world is helping...or hindering that proce...

Is that thing you're hot on right now, whatever it may be, sustainable? Are you able to keep a focus in it for a prolonged period of time? Because most change, real change, change that impacts others and matters for a lifetime (maybe even for eternity), comes through sustained effort...over time. This is the process of "becoming." If it cannot be sustained, maybe it should be shelved...

JP refers to it as an "ever-expanding horizon." This is the dilemma we face when pursuing our potential. We never fully arrive because somewhere along the way our vision evolves. Our horizon expands. Our potential increases. We have more work to do. This is the process of "Becoming" - and in my worldview, the life-long pursuit of our redemptive potential is what our trips aroun...

One of the greatest gifts we have as humans is the ability to shift our perspective - to reframe a situation - to find meaning and purpose in the midst of circumstances that, without such a gift, could be devastating. We can work to consistently remind ourselves - God has got you right where he wants you to be...

Is it possible that there are seasons where we just can't "see" it? Conversely, are there seasons where circumstances and situations open our eyes and allow us to see things that, though always there, seem to now be ripe for the picking? Our senses tend to be amplified in the absence of affluence. Thats where scarcity becomes a blessing. Desert vision tends to be more acute.

Who knew? Seriously. Who knew COVID was going to hit the fan when it did? Who knew just how far and wide the impact would be? (I believe we are still discovering the depth and breadth of its devastation.) Who knows what significant life event might be next - for good or for bad? That's why today's message with Cam is so important. Who do you have around you? How are you shaping your mind?...

As developing leaders, we need to become masters at navigating the tightrope that is Tension. Our decisions are rarely black-and-white. As an example...deep down in our spirit, we should be aware enough to know the difference between "agency" and "justification" - though they exist in a constant state of tension. Every situation is unique. However, in general terms, our growing...

If you want to give yourself an out, viable excuses are not hard to find. As a culture, we seem to have been able to refine our sense of justification into a veritable art form. If we want to be a leader, this is not an option. In fact, I believe we should take a combative position against it. And it takes both awareness and hyper-vigilance to battle justification's enticing lure.

What excuses are you allowing into your narrative that are keeping you from becoming the leader you want to be? Have you taken the time to analyze and unpack the stories you are telling yourself? Are you willing to take ownership of them? Maybe even rewrite them in an intentional effort to improve your outcome(s)? These are the conversations I love to have with leaders. Because quite often, in the...

Lest we are tempted to take the credit... Cam does a smashing job of putting our disciplined life in perspective. Yes, it's necessary. But it's, at the same time, powerless... Wha???

In today's short Cam briefly unpacks his core learnings from Richard Foster's book "Celebration of Discipline." Do the thing. Check the box. And see what happens! For sure, there is more to growth and development than this, particularly in the spiritual realm. However, the link between cause and effect cannot be denied. Do the thing. Check the box. And see what happens!

This is a pull from the middle of a conversation that identifies a turning point in Cam's journey - a brief glimpse at his intersection with a mentor, a plan, and the often missing ingredient... ...a deep awareness of need. How about you? Are you intentionally growing in your sense of awareness - to the point of more fully understanding your need(s)?

Cameron and I shared a laugh that can only come through experience as we reflected on the early days of interviewing. Do you concur? 🤣

We transition slightly today into a brief conversation around how these tough times - failure in particular - bring humility to bear...

If you knew ahead of time the price you would have to pay to become the person you are today... Every hurt. Every betrayal. Every stupid mistake. Every major fail... If you could see it before you like an ugly meal on a plate, and you knew you couldn't ask for it to be different... Would you do it all again? Would you eat that mess? Is the steep price of significant human development worth it?...

Comparing ourselves to others. Nothing good can come of it. In today's short, Cam speaks into the perils of legalism and its negative effect on our lives.

Healthy perspective can be a powerful aid in times of struggle. When it starts to feel like your world is crashing down, do you have a foundational perspective that can appreciate the fact that everything shapes us? Everything we experience in life, whether good or bad, is preparing us for whatever God may have in store for us tomorrow. Hat tip to the idea that "Every Day Is Training Day!&quo...

This one is like a 2.5 minute roller coaster that, instead of coming into the brakes safely, crashes hard into the ground below. Has something similar ever happened to you? (Sorry, rhetorical at best. I am confident it has because the crash of our youthful exuberance is practically ubiquitous to the human condition.) Cam, however, did it with some unique flair. We continue his story in today's...

What - that wasn't the conversation you expected? After a highly successful run through med school, this wasn't the career advice Cam wanted or anticipated. Most of us would have called it a "gut punch." Cam, in hindsight, calls it a "trajectory shift". Either way you slice it, life is hard. But it all becomes a part of your unique story. Today we begin to dive into his...

"When I was your age... "We are all on unique journeys. And though comparison is not the way of The H3 Leader, learning from the experiences of others certainly is. Even if they are 25 years younger than you! Cam's journey has been pretty amazing already. Today is another layer of brief intro before we get into the meat of it all. I look forward to sharing more of his story with you...

In my full-length episode intros (found on YouTube, Spotify, and other podcast sites), I emphasize the fact that I am intentionally excusing The H3 Leader Podcast from the "A-list guest" hamster wheel. In other words, the masses are not going to recognize my guests - likely ever. And that's OK. I don't like running after "the next best thing" because I think I can still...

What are the chances that you, or anyone other than close family and friends, would watch the full conversation Cameron Gilliam and I had in front of Half Dome? Likely pretty close to zilch. I like to keep my expectations realistic. After all, who are we to you? That's why I take the time and energy to chop the longer conversations into shorts - because I believe a steady diet of insights like...

In Episode 8 I interview the proverbial "young eagle" Cameron Gilliam - Director of Ministry at Pepperdine University. Cam is an amazingly talented leader who, at age 32, has already lived quite the storied life. I am so very thankful for his friendship, his transparency, and his willingness to share his story for the benefit of others. Enjoy the conversation. I know we did!