Tag Archives: leadership secrets

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LYH72: How to be a High Impact Leader Everywhere that Matters

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How to be a high impact leader

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Show Agenda

Featured Presentation

Five Steps to Being a High Impact Leader

  1. Find your place of rest (think noun not verb)
  2. Always be truthful
  3. Embrace the unseen (renounce the seen)
  4. Prioritize people (impact) over payoff (look 360 degrees)
  5. Take a multigenerational perspective (it’s about legacy)

I’d love to hear your thoughts on these five steps. Which one most resonates with you?

Get your FREE copy of the “10 Proven Steps to Extraordinary Influence” at haroldarnold.com

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3 Keys to Unlock Your Wealth in the New Economy

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In the 21st century, wealth is no longer measured in money—not really. Rather, wealth today is measured by Influence. It is the currency of our age. Arguably, that has been the case in every century. But, now things are different. Today, extraordinary influence is no longer reserved for a privileged few—no longer the exclusive domain of the rich or well-connected. Thank God. Their monopolistic reign is over. Now, it’s your time.

influence economy

Influence is no longer dictated by media moguls, political pundits, and exclusive societies. Today, influence is available to everyone who wants to positively impact lives at home, work, church, and across the global community. Your influence depends on the vitality of your message, the force of your personality, and the boldness of your imagination. But, the incalculable wealth of extraordinary influence is reserved for those with three additional masteries—the ability to listen, to love, and to lead.

Influence is Wealth

Financially wealthy individuals are different than those of us with more modest means. They think differently. The wealthiest individuals pedal influence not money. They understand that it isn’t the money that creates the power. It is the power and influence that create the money.

Those among the upper financial echelon know that true power lies in the breadth of one’s influence. For them, money is simply a byproduct of such influence. This is an important distinction because it determines one’s starting point. The wealthy focus on solidifying their base of influence—often taking on substantial “risks” to do so. The rest of us attempt to first establish a solid financial footing—only to be frustrated by the way expenses always seem to outpace the revenue.

Because influence is their starting point, the wealthiest individuals don’t think about risk like the rest of us. Rather than thinking of money as a finite resource to be conserved, the wealthiest individuals believe there is an almost inexhaustible supply. Money can be created—not with a printing press but with access to influential people, places, and things.

This quid pro quo exchange among the traditional influencers left the rest of us outside of the gate looking in—wishing, waiting, and wondering when, if ever, our time would come. When would the gatekeepers give us a shot?

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Why Does Everyone Need a Paul (Role Model)?

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If you are like me and ready to elevate your life to a higher level then there is one move you absolutely must make.  Follow people who are at a higher level.  It seems pretty obvious. But, the reality is that most people who desire to be an elite spouse, parent, minister, athlete, or businessperson don’t achieve it because they don’t follow the right people. They don’t have mentors. Yet, mentors are so hard to find. The answer may be in finding your model rather than your mentor. Yet, too often, we fail to identify either.

The problem is understandable.

We associate with our peers because they are likeminded. We can relate to them on many levels. We have many ideologies and behaviors in common. It is important to have a strong peer network for accountability and encouragement.

We reach out to those in need because we have experience and ideas that we believe can help them. Our compassion to make a difference compels us to reach out to those who can benefit from our gifts. It is imperative to reach those in need for perspective and humility.

I really like the oft-used ministry-development rubric that we all should “Be a Barnabas. Train a Timothy. Pursue a Paul.”

Barnabas was an encourager. He worked alongside others including Paul and Timothy encouraging their success. He was a staunch advocate. When others doubt Paul and Timothy’s veracity, Barnabas believed in them. In addition to his physical presence, scripture (Acts 4:36) shows that he also put his money where his mouth is in selling his own possessions to support the work of the Early church.

Many of us understand and walk in a Barnabas anointing. Others achieve success because we advocate for them.

In my own life, I have many Barnabas relationships—other marriage and family educators, coaches, ministers, business leaders with whom I share ideas and dreams. I value these relationships.

Timothy represents another key type of relationship—traininee or mentee. Timothy, a younger and less experienced believer, was mentored by Paul (despite Paul’s initial reluctance). Paul’s extensive missiological experience served as a deep reservoir from which Timothy drew. Paul ultimately referred to Timothy as “a son in the faith”, connoting the deep bond that he felt as his mentor.

Again, many of us educate and mentor others—empowering them to be all that God has for them to be. I have many Timothy relationships in my life as well as I proactively reach out to train others on leadership and relationship well-being.

I believe that many of us effectively emulate Barnabas’ encouragement. Many of us train and assist the Timothy figures that God places in our path. While these relationships are vital, they can also be draining—pulling energy from us.

But, there is one type of relationship that seems too often missing—Paul relationships.

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How To Elevate Your Life with a “Smarter Yes”

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We live in a noisy world. Everywhere you turn there it is. Noise vying for your attention. Noise at home as the spouse and children place demands on you. Noise at work as the co-workers and supervisors push you to the brink. Noise at church as ministry commitments progressively encroach on your discretionary time. You want to be great at home, work, church, and in your community commitments. But, it feels overwhelming. You thought it was just going to be for a season. But, one season just rolls into another one. Now, you’re burning out physically and emotionally. You feel depleted—not sure how much longer you can keep going. People think you’re superhuman. But, you know you need better boundaries. It’s hard though because it’s hard to say ‘No’ out of a visceral fear of what might be lost. Your answer may simply lie in learning a smarter yes.

The noise is a direct outgrowth of our busyness. Busyness has been, in fact, the status symbol of the 21st century—particularly among the baby boom generation. We wear it like a badge of honor. We behave as if the person with the busiest calendar must be the most important—the most valued. My calendar is fuller than yours—with each engagement feeling like an affirmation to our ego or bank account.

You can see it even in our standard greetings as we add ‘…just crazy busy’ to whatever status we report. Despite the fatigue we may feel physically, our minds tell us that to be busy is to be needed and important. We feel like our life is counting for something. So, we live in this ironic conundrum—pursuing busyness while seeking shelter from the noise.

Yes, I’m guilty!

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My Vegetarian Breakthrough: 12 Months, 12 Lessons, 1 Answer (Part I)

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I never wanted to be a vegetarian. After all, I wore my love for meat as a badge of honor—like most Southern boys do. But, desperation causes one to do uncommon things. For several years, I had wanted more clarity of direction, more reach for my voice, and more open doors for my passions. I read. I prayed. I cried. Yes, there were some successes. But, my breakthrough always felt just out of reach. I was getting desperate. It’s cliche but “desperate times do call for desperate measures”. Challenged by a message I heard at a retreat, I went back to God once more. But, this time with a passionate plea—reminiscent of the biblical account of Jacob. I prayed, “God, I will not eat meat again until I receive my breakthrough.” And, so with both desperation and resolution my journey began.

It was the last day of a marriage retreat in Montego Bay, Jamaica at which my wife Dalia and I were one of several presenters. The final presenter, Pastor Jamal Bernard, issued an impassioned challenge to all of us, “How desperate are you?”

Though this question was a challenge to examine our marriages more deeply. It also evoked a strong, visceral response within me about my passion portfolio—my purpose for being in this world. Tired of feeling as if my options were limited, I internalized this challenge as a personal call to action.

For years, I felt dissatisfied with the trajectory of pursuing what I was built to do. But, now I felt I was at a psychological and emotional impasse. The time for change was now. But, only if God would show me the way. During my trip back home from Jamaica, I began to sense my response. A way for me to lean in to God and focus on hearing his voice. I felt called to a what is called a “fast”—a biblical tradition of consecrating oneself by sacrificing elements of one’s regular diet. For me, the message felt clear. Give up what you like most—meat. All of it. Yes, even fish/seafood. So, on August 19, 2013 it began with a simple prayer to God, “Please show me my breakthrough“.

It is hard to believe that it has been twelve months. But, here I am. Just as a knew it was time to begin the fast, I knew it was time to end it. My simple prayer was answered—though not in the way that I had expected. Over these twelve months as a vegetarian, I learned twelve seminal lessons about my vision, my voice, and my value.

I believe, in fact, that these twelve lessons are, in many ways, critical for anyone wanting their life to reach that next level of influence.  Is that you?

Over the next two blog posts, I will be sharing these twelve lessons with you—six lessons at a time. The first six lessons for breakthrough influence focus on my personal development  while the final six lessons hone in on my practices to embrace.