Leadership Development

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Leadership Lessons from Mongolia: 7 Ways to Sail Toward Substance

8 min read

Is success the same as substance? Can you have one without the other? If you could choose only one, what would you go with?

Many have climbed to the top of the ladder of success but have been disappointed by the view. Others have given their best years to a company, only to have their loyalty repaid with dismissal.

Success can fill a calendar, a bank account, or even a trophy shelf. But substance leaves something meaningful behind. It shapes how we serve others, endure hardship, and live with purpose when comfort, recognition, or achievement are no longer enough.

Moments like these force you to a crossroads.

Recently, on a mission trip to Mongolia, I was inspired by a community of faith to reset my sails.

Christians working with Muslims in Mongolia face shocking challenges to their faith. Some have been disowned by their families. Others are exiled from their communities. I even met people who have received death threats because of their faith.

These challenges, though, haven’t forced them into hiding. Instead, those challenges fortified their faith and strengthened their resolve to love their neighbors in substantial ways that are making the world a better place.

The leadership lessons I witnessed in Mongolia challenged the way I think about success, purpose, and people. I have to share it with you. Along with them, we can sail towards lives of substance.

7 Leadership Lessons from Mongolia That Changed My Perspective

Ready to climb aboard? Let’s consider seven ways we can pursue a more substantial life tomorrow by changing how we lead today.

1. Embrace Uncompromising Purpose

The Mongolian mission team I traveled with and the people we served literally put their lives on the line for this mission.

They aren’t chasing pennies or platforms. They believe their work is worth their very lives. The team doesn’t need pep talks or external rewards.

Does your company’s mission captivate your heart like this? Perhaps a better question might be, does your life’s mission align with your company’s?

If not, you won’t sail toward substance even if you experience success. What’s more, you’ll contribute to one of the greatest challenges facing businesses in the US: employee disengagement.

Your team will hear what you say, but they feel what you mean. This is the difference between success and substance.

If your life’s mission doesn’t connect to your company’s, you might successfully motivate your team. For a minute. But you won’t be able to transfer depth, meaning, or purpose to their responsibilities.

It’s like trying to move a boat with a sail full of holes. Consider the facts from the 2025 Gallup Poll. The disconnect between mission and meaning is already showing up in workplaces across the country:

64% of employees are not engaged
16% of workers are actively disengaged
Employee disengagement costs US companies $1.9 trillion in lost productivity annually

Connecting company vision with employee passion patches those holes. When you believe, with the core of your being, that your company’s mission is worthy of your best energy, you will lead your team to sail toward substance.

2. Prioritize Human Connection

The cultural pace in Mongolia is noticeably slower than in the US. Sharing meals, stories, and struggles is a normal part of life. Perhaps the nomadic nature of their work creates a deeper connection.

Many move their flocks from one pasture to the next. Some shepherds travel together. It’s not uncommon for extended families to journey as a unit, moving flocks to graze in different land.

Time is always a commodity. Everyone gets the same amount every day. In Mongolia, I experienced time being used to prioritize human connection. People wanted to hear each other’s stories and understand the impact relationally, emotionally, and spiritually.

There is a massive difference between hearing about facts of accomplishment and understanding the deep, broad impact a day’s work has on a person.

Bob Chapman’s words ring with substance:

“The person you supervise is someone’s precious child.”

People have a life outside of work. What happens to them at work affects how they show up at home, parent-teacher conferences, little league games, and more.

When we’re driven by success, we can miss the substance of each person’s holistic world. If we can get beneath the waterline of our team’s lives, we can partner with them to build something bigger than ourselves.

This requires at least a sacrifice, if not a re-prioritization of time. Most people won’t share deeply unless they feel safe, respected, and valued.

That kind of healthy environment does not grow quickly or by accident. But you can cultivate a healthy culture where your team thrives. You must prioritize human connection. When you do, you will sail with substance.

3. Live in Contentment

Have you ever heard someone say, “If you work hard enough and believe in yourself, anything is possible?”

From Disney movies to TED talks, this message rings out across the globe.

But it sounds like a foreign language in Mongolia.

Christians in Mongolia know they depend on forces beyond their control. Farmers depend on favorable weather patterns. Herdsmen depend on healthy pastures. People depend on each other.

My friends in Mongolia didn’t spend energy asking why they didn’t have this or that. Even though they have access to far fewer resources than we do, they complain far less about what they don’t have.

In fact, I can’t recall anyone saying, “If we only had reliable workers, then we could accomplish more outreach.”

Instead, they used the resources they had to accomplish what they could. And they were content with the results.

Now that’s substance.

How much pressure would be relieved from your company culture if you, as a leader, were content with your resources? What might change if you were content with results instead of competing for more?

“Hang on a second,” I can almost hear you say. “Doesn’t contentment breed complacency?”

It can. But if you embrace uncompromising purpose and prioritize human connection, it won’t. Anyone whose life mission connects with the company’s vision will not need to be pushed harder. They already care.

Further, if you model a posture that requires everything to be perfect before making a decision or taking a risk, you’ll create a culture of paralysis. Nothing is ever perfect. We can only sail toward where we’re going by starting where we are.

It’s like President Franklin Roosevelt said, “A smooth sea never made a skilled sailor.”

Give people the permission to be content with their resources and achievements, and you will sail toward substance.

4. Prepare to Pivot

We are sailing in turbulent waters. Wars. Inflation. Civil unrest. Don’t let the storm on the horizon keep your ship in the harbor.

Since my friends in Mongolia know they depend on forces beyond themselves, they aren’t thrown off course when things change.

And things change. All the time. We experience the same number of surprises as they do. They just expect it and adapt.

When obstacles block their path, they see them as opportunities to explore alternative routes.

Not everyone is wired for adaptability. This might be you. The StrengthsFinder (now known as CliftonStrengths) even identified adaptability as a theme.

If that doesn’t describe you, I bet there’s someone on your team who it does. Lean on their strengths in times of surprising change and unforeseen challenges.

Some people stay calm when plans fall apart. They instinctively troubleshoot problems, adjust course, and move forward. This positive energy can generate excitement in your company culture during periods of change, rather than fear or negativity.

Unexpected challenges are part of leadership. Prepare to pivot. And if that’s not your strength, lean on the people around you who are wired that way. Don’t be afraid to delegate responsibility or share leadership.

5. Scale for a Substantial Future

Developing leaders, especially those with a different skill set from yours, is essential for your company’s future. The Christians in Mongolia regularly have the next generation at the forefront of their thinking.

They are deeply committed to planting a community of faith, love, and service in Mongolia. They know that the only way their church community can exist twenty years from now is by developing leaders today.

Substance trumps success. You can be successful without serving the next generation. But when you and your team have a life mission that connects with your company’s vision, you won’t be able to settle for success. You must sacrifice for substance.

This means devoting resources and energy to developing leaders. And that demands sacrifice. Are you willing to designate limited resources to invest in people who may not benefit you or contribute to your success?

If so, you’ll chart a course for your entire organization – now and in the future – toward substance.

6. Cultivate Humility and Gentleness

I was awestruck by the faith, courage, reliance, and joy of my Mongolian friends. They did not know why. They didn’t talk about how amazing they are.

They just are amazing. And that’s humility.

Humble leaders don’t need to constantly draw attention to themselves. They don’t need a cheering section. They simply enjoy their work and the people they work with.

From their humble posture, they engage their adversaries with respect and gentleness. I don’t say “adversary” lightly. Remember, they receive death threats for their faith.

Humility and gentleness are essential, yet counterintuitive. In her book, “Poisonous People,” Leanne ten Brinke found that bully-like leaders cost companies $24 billion annually.

Bravado and machismo may achieve a degree of success. But at what cost? Humility and gentleness set sail toward a culture of substance that everyone wants to be a part of.

7. Make Space for Self-Care

Do you know what it’s like to be on the other side of you? Jeremie Kubicek and Steve Cockram from GiANT Worldwide ask this helpful question.

They posit that it’s more important for leaders to ask, “What’s it like to experience me,” than “Am I effective?”

Don’t you agree?

Asking and answering probing questions like this requires space, reflection, self-awareness, and maybe even counseling.

The Christians in Mongolia did not have access to the sheer number of podcasts or therapists we do. Still, they found deep ways to nurture themselves and others.

Their cultural lifestyle doesn’t allow for calling in sick. So they prioritize their health.

They don’t always have the luxury of vacations. So they build rhythms of rest into everyday life.

They can’t buy the next shiny thing to make them happy. So they find happiness in what they already have.

If you’re not healthy emotionally, spiritually, relationally, you won’t be able to cultivate a healthy culture. Of course, you may succeed. At business. But that won’t produce success in life.

You can make space for self-care. If you do, you’ll set your sails toward substance. And when you get there, you may just find success has taken on a new definition in your life.

Let’s Sail Towards Substance Together

Some of the most meaningful leadership lessons I learned in Mongolia had nothing to do with titles, influence, or achievement. They came from watching people serve others with courage, humility, sacrifice, and conviction.

Are you ready to join the journey of sailing toward substance? Let’s work together to make the world a better place by making your workplace better.

Reach out today to get a free consultation on Full Sail Leader Development services.

June 11, 2026/by Justin Staples

Leadership Begins and Ends with Respect: 4 Ways My Dojo Teaches Civility at Work

Leadership Development

5 min read

Incivility has become a daily reality at work. SHRM estimates that people in the U.S. experience more than 220 million acts of incivility each day, with 40% occurring in the workplace. The impact shows up quickly as burnout rises, trust erodes, and companies pay the price through absenteeism and lost productivity.

Facts like these are important, but what they point to is even more critical.

Our workplaces do not just need more training or technique. They need more respect.

Over the years, I have learned many lessons about leadership on the water. But one of the most meaningful came not from a trip on the water. It came from a simple phrase on the wall of the dojo where I study Shorin Ryu karate:

“Karate begins and ends with respect.”

This idea is brought to life every time I train with my instructor, Sensei Morganne McDonald, at Midwest Shorin Ryu and Wellness. Her emphasis on discipline and humility reflects the heart of karate itself, captured in the words:

“The ultimate aim of karate lies not in victory or defeat, but in the perfection of the character of its participants.” – Gichin Funakoshi.

This focus on character continues to shape how I think about civility and leadership at work. It invites a deeper look at what respect truly means and why it belongs at the center of how we lead.

The Meaning of Rei: Respect in Action

In karate, the word rei is often translated as “respect,” but it carries a deeper meaning.

Rei is not just a bow at the beginning or end of class.

It is a posture of humility, discipline, and awareness. It is the expectation that you will carry yourself with self-control and treat others with dignity, even in moments of conflict or pressure.

The lessons of Bushido describe rei this way: true warriors have no reason to be cruel.

They do not need to prove their strength. They show courtesy even to their opponents, and they are remembered not only for their skill but for how they carry themselves.

Rei is not only about how we treat others. It is also about the respect we show ourselves.

This inner respect creates steadiness, transparency, and authenticity. It is what allows a leader to respond rather than react, to listen before speaking, and to set a tone that others will follow.

In both karate and leadership, the absence of rei creates disorder.

Without respect, even the most talented teams struggle. Work becomes tense, communication breaks down, and people begin to protect themselves rather than support each other.

Rei brings the opposite effect. It establishes a foundation where trust can grow and where people feel safe enough to contribute, speak honestly, and do their best work.

Turning Discipline Into Leadership

Respect is not a single action in the dojo or the workplace. It is something practiced over time and becomes a steadying force when challenges arise.

In leadership, this kind of discipline shows up in the way we listen, communicate, and handle conflict. It shapes how we carry ourselves when pressure rises and how we treat the people who rely on us.

This closely aligns with the SEAsoning framework we use at Full Sail Leadership Academy. Every strong leader develops three things over time:

Skills: Respect strengthens everyday leadership skills, including clear communication, attentive listening, and healthy conflict management. These skills are simple in concept, but they require discipline and steady practice.
Experience: Growth often comes through real moments where a leader must choose patience over reaction, clarity over assumption, and accountability over blame. These experiences shape how leaders respond when the next challenge appears.
Authentic Attitudes: Respect influences a leader’s character. When leaders value humility and honesty, they create an environment where trust can take root. Teams feel seen, supported, and encouraged to contribute more fully.

When respect shapes a leader’s skills, experience, and attitude, it gives them a sense of steadiness. It allows them to guide their teams without relying on force or control.

4 Ways Leaders Can Practice Rei and Strengthen Civility at Work

Civility at work does not happen by accident. It grows from the small, intentional choices leaders make every day. Rei offers a simple framework for those choices. These four practices help leaders bring respect into ordinary interactions and create a culture where people feel valued and steady.

1. Begin Interactions With Awareness

Respect starts before a single word is spoken. When a leader pauses and considers their tone, body language, and intention, it sets the stage for a more civil and productive conversation. This simple moment of awareness helps prevent reactions driven by stress or frustration.

Starting from a place of calm attention allows leaders to listen more fully and respond with clarity. It also communicates something meaningful to the other person.

It shows that their perspective matters and that the conversation is worth approaching with care.

2. Lead With Calm Authority

Authority does not require force. In both the dojo and the workplace, the most trusted leaders are those who remain steady when circumstances become tense. Calm authority shows confidence without aggression and direction without pressure.

When leaders speak clearly and stay grounded, they create space for others to do the same. People feel safer sharing ideas, asking questions, and admitting when something is unclear.

Calm leadership encourages cooperation rather than fear, strengthening civility at work and keeping teams focused on solutions rather than stress.

3. Model Humility Under Pressure

Humility is one of the clearest expressions of respect.

When leaders are willing to admit mistakes, ask questions, or seek clarification, they show their teams that honesty is more valuable than perfection.

This kind of humility encourages others to be open as well.

Pressure often reveals a leader’s true habits. Choosing humility in difficult moments communicates steadiness and self-control. It also reduces defensiveness within the team.

People feel less afraid of blame and more willing to work together to solve the problem. Over time, this mindset strengthens civility at work and builds trust across the team.

4. End With Gratitude

Gratitude reinforces respect and reminds people that their efforts matter.

When leaders close a conversation, meeting, or project with a sincere acknowledgment of someone’s contribution, it strengthens connection and encourages ongoing civility at work.

This does not require grand statements. A simple thank you, paired with a specific observation about what someone did well, can shift the tone of an entire team.

Over time, gratitude helps people feel seen and valued, motivating them to bring their best to their work and to each other.

Lead With Respect. Build With Character.

Every class in the dojo begins and ends with a bow. It is a simple reminder that humility and gratitude are part of every stage of growth.

Leadership follows the same pattern.

When we start and finish with respect, we create the conditions where people can thrive, and teams can work with steadiness and trust.

At Full Sail Leadership Academy, we help leaders practice this discipline in meaningful, hands-on ways. Through experiential learning on land and on the water, teams learn how respect and connection strengthen both individuals and the organization as a whole.

If you want to strengthen respect and connection on your team, reach out to learn more about our leadership workshops and programs.

May 20, 2026/by Tim Dittloff

Self-Care For Leaders: Why You Must Prioritize Yourself to Lead Effectively

Leadership Development

5 min read

Bruce Lee once said, “Empty your cup so that it may be filled.”

A cup that’s already full can’t take in anything new.

Leadership works much the same way.

Many leaders keep pouring into projects, people, and priorities without ever stopping to refill their own reserves. The result is not heroism; it’s exhaustion. Over time, the constant output drains focus, patience, and clarity.

We see it often: talented, high-capacity leaders running on empty. They care deeply for their teams but forget that self-care is part of stewardship. You cannot guide a crew safely through rough waters if the waves wear down the captain.

Self-care is not self-indulgence. It is a mark of humble, mature leadership. The discipline of stepping back to repair your ship so you can keep sailing with strength, purpose, and clarity.

Leadership Under Strain

Even the strongest leaders feel the weight of responsibility. When every decision affects people, performance, and purpose, the pressure can quietly build until it becomes unsustainable.

Recent research shows how widespread this strain is:

71% of leaders report significantly higher stress since stepping into their current role.
More than half experience burnout, whether they lead in person or remotely.
4 out of 10 leaders have considered leaving their role for well-being reasons.

These numbers are more than statistics. They are reminders that leadership demands endurance, not constant exertion. A burned-out captain cannot navigate clearly, and the entire crew feels it when direction fades or morale dips.

Everything rises and falls on leadership, but effective leadership begins with self-awareness. Recognizing the signs of strain is the first step toward steering yourself and your team back into calmer waters.

The Ripple Effect

Most leaders do not set out to neglect themselves. It happens quietly, often disguised as commitment.

Thoughts like “If I slow down, everything will fall apart” or “My people come first” can feel noble in the moment.

But over time, that mindset leaves little space for recovery or reflection.

The problem is not busyness—it is awareness. I often remind leaders that ego edges God out.

When pride or pressure convinces us that we can outwork exhaustion, the result is rarely strength. It is a strain that spreads.

When a leader’s energy runs low, the entire crew feels it.

Stress becomes contagious.

Engagement drops.

Communication breaks down.

In fact, global workplace engagement has fallen to just 21%, with managers feeling the sharpest decline.

Burned-out leaders are 34% less effective and more likely to lose their top performers.

On the other hand, teams that work in mentally healthy environments see about 12% higher productivity, a reminder that how we care for ourselves directly shapes how our people perform.

What begins as personal fatigue can easily drift into organizational dysfunction. The leader’s health determines the crew’s health.

SEAsoning the Self: Skills, Experience, Authentic Attitudes

When I talk about leadership, I often describe it as a process of “SEAsoning.”

Just like sailors who grow steadier with every voyage, leaders develop depth and resilience through practice, reflection, and time on the water.

True growth does not come from calm seas but from learning to adjust the sails when conditions change.

This kind of leadership development can be understood through three essential elements: Skills, Experience, and Authentic Attitudes. Each requires consistent attention and a willingness to learn.

Skills are the habits that keep a leader steady, setting boundaries, managing time wisely, and knowing when to pause before reacting. These daily disciplines help leaders respond with clarity instead of emotion.
Experience comes from applying those skills under pressure. Every difficult conversation, decision, or storm becomes an opportunity to strengthen composure and confidence.
Authentic Attitudes are what give leadership heart. Humility, gratitude, and genuine care shape a team’s culture. People follow leaders who are real, not perfect.

Seasoned leaders understand that caring for the crew begins with caring for the captain. Growth starts with the willingness to learn and the courage to lead from within.

5 Practical Self-Care Habits for Leaders

Self-care does not need to be complicated.

It simply means choosing consistency over chaos and preparation over exhaustion. The best leaders make space for simple, sustainable practices that strengthen focus, calm, and connection.

1. Practice Daily Reflection or Journaling

A leader’s schedule can fill quickly, but without time for reflection, it becomes impossible to see the bigger picture. Setting aside even five quiet minutes each day helps clarify priorities, process emotions, and strengthen decision-making.

Journaling or still reflection turns experience into insight.

It allows space to ask, “What went well today? What can I adjust tomorrow?”

Over time, these small pauses form a record of growth and lessons learned, like a captain’s log that keeps the ship on course.

2. Use Box Breathing or Mindfulness Before Meetings

A leader sets the tone of the room long before words are spoken. Simple breathing techniques can transform how a meeting begins.

Box breathing — counting four in, four hold, four out, and four hold — slows the body’s stress response and clears the mind.

Taking even a few slow breaths before a difficult conversation can lower tension and increase empathy.

When a leader is calm, others feel it. Presence and steadiness under pressure invite better dialogue, clearer thinking, and stronger collaboration.

3. Set Healthy Boundaries

Leadership is service, but it should not come at the expense of health or relationships. Without boundaries, commitment can turn into depletion.

Learning to say “not now” or “not yet” helps preserve the focus on what matters most.

Boundaries also communicate value. They tell your team that rest is not a reward; it is part of the rhythm of effective work. When leaders model this rhythm, others feel permission to protect their own energy and creativity.

A rested team is a resilient one.

Photo courtesy: Midwest Shorin-Ryu

4. Stay Active and Nurture Spiritual Rest

Leadership demands endurance.

Physical movement and spiritual renewal help maintain it. Regular exercise boosts mood and energy, while moments of stillness, whether through prayer, meditation, or time in nature, anchor a leader’s perspective.

The most effective leaders make space for both motion and rest. They recognize that strength is not only physical but also emotional and spiritual.

These moments of renewal remind us that leadership is not about constant output; it is about leading from wholeness.

5. Seek Honest Feedback

Even the most seasoned leaders cannot see every angle of their impact.

Feedback offers a mirror that keeps awareness sharp and ego in check. Inviting candid input from colleagues or team members builds trust and strengthens culture.

Feedback is not a threat to authority; it is a tool for growth. When leaders receive input with humility, they show their teams that learning never stops. That openness reinforces a culture of respect, safety, and continuous improvement.

Small habits practiced faithfully have a compounding effect. Over time, they build steadier leaders and healthier teams, crews that trust their captain because the captain takes time to stay strong.

Stewardship Begins with Self

Healthy leadership begins with humility and the awareness that strength requires renewal.

Leaders who take time to rest and reflect lead steadier teams. Their clarity becomes direction, and their calm becomes confidence for those who follow.

Self-care is not self-centered; it is stewardship. A leader who maintains their own well-being can better guide others through uncertain waters.

At Full Sail Leadership Academy, our programs give leaders space to practice this kind of renewal through hands-on experiences that build awareness, resilience, and connection.

Join us to learn how caring for yourself can strengthen your leadership.

November 2, 2025/by Tim Dittloff

The SEAsoning Effect: Team Leadership Strategies for Developing Stronger, More Resilient Teams

Leadership Development

seasoning effect team leadership strategy

6 min read

On a calm afternoon with a moderate breeze, sailing feels effortless.

The sun glints off the water, the sails fill gently with wind, and the boat glides forward with little more than a touch on the helm. In these moments, anyone can feel like a capable sailor.

The sea changes quickly. Clouds gather on the horizon, and the easy rhythm of the waves begins to shift.

The first gusts of wind strain the sails, and the once-stable deck lurches underfoot. The crew scrambles to adjust lines and trim canvas, their voices raised to be heard over the growing noise of wind and water.

Every movement matters. A knot tied poorly, a command delayed by even a few seconds, or a hand that hesitates on a line can turn order into chaos.

This is where the sea does its real teaching.

A storm strips away the illusion of control and reveals what calm waters never could. It shows whether the crew has practiced the skills that keep the boat steady, whether they have the experience to remain calm under pressure, and whether their attitudes toward one another hold firm when trust matters most.

That balance of skills, experience, and authentic attitudes is what we call The SEAsoning Effect.

Just as a crew is seasoned by weathering storms together, leaders are seasoned by the challenges that test and shape them.

Calm waters do not create resilience.

Pressure does.

It is in this process of seasoning, through skill, experience, and attitude, that ordinary workers turn into leaders who can guide a team through any conditions.

Effective Team Leadership Strategies: Breaking Down the SEAsoning Framework

Calm seas never reveal weakness. A boat may glide easily when the wind is steady and the water is smooth, but those conditions do not test the crew. Strength shows itself in the storm.

Leadership follows the same pattern. It is easy to look capable when business is steady. The real measure comes when pressure builds, whether through a sudden resignation, a shift in the market, or rising conflict within a team.

The SEAsoning Effect highlights why some teams struggle while others thrive. Workers who lack seasoning are easily shaken, but those who have developed skills, gained real experience, and cultivated authentic attitudes become the steady hands their teams can trust.

S: Skills

On the water, fundamentals matter most. The Navy SEALs know they cannot wait for a battle to arrive before practicing the basics.

My coach and mentor, Thom Shea, put it this way: “You don’t rise to the occasion, you sink to the level of training.”

That’s why we drill trimming sails, tying knots, and handling the boat until every action is instinctive.

Slow is smooth, smooth is fast is more than a saying.

It is the outcome of relentless practice with simple tasks that create steadiness when conditions turn chaotic.

In the workplace, leaders and their teams face their own storms.

A customer issue can escalate from a minor frustration to a major conflict in minutes.

A disagreement between two team members can spill over and affect the entire group.

A sudden budget cut can force hard decisions that ripple across the organization.

These moments reveal whether the fundamentals are in place. Those who have practiced clear communication know how to de-escalate a heated exchange before it damages trust.

Those with conflict management skills can steer a tense conversation toward resolution rather than resentment.

Teams that stay steady in their decision-making offer clarity when others feel uncertain. Those who master the basics in calm conditions are the ones who keep their teams moving forward when the pressure increases.

E: Experience

For the Navy SEALs, Sailors, and the best teams, experience is built one hour at a time. The grind of drills, long passages at sea, and the strain of working in all conditions season them for the challenges ahead.

Books and simulations may explain what to do, but real understanding only comes from doing it again and again until instincts take over.

Teams are shaped by the responsibilities and challenges they encounter every day, not just by training sessions or coursework. Think about how experience gradually shapes teams in the workplace.

Managers grow by leading meetings, coaching staff, and handling small conflicts before larger ones arise.
Project leads build judgment by guiding teams through both smooth launches and stressful deadlines.
Executives sharpen vision by steering strategy in times of growth as well as in downturns.

Experience not only tests teams; it shapes them. Each success confirms what works. Each challenge reveals what must change.

Together, they season teams to stay steady, make better decisions, and guide one another with confidence when it matters most.

A: Authentic Attitudes

Among the Navy SEALs, attitude is as critical as skill or experience.

At sea, no one can afford ego, blame, or drama when the mission depends on unity. SEAL culture emphasizes humility, discipline, and service to the team.

They are taught to keep their emotions in check, focus on the mission, and adopt the mindset that leadership is not about being in charge, but about taking care of the people in their charge.

In the workplace, attitude shapes culture just as powerfully. A manager who loses their temper in a tough meeting spreads tension through the entire team. A leader who blames others when goals are missed teaches everyone to deflect responsibility.

In contrast, those who remain calm under stress, listen without judgment, and own their mistakes create trust that lasts.

Authentic attitudes season leaders because they make resilience contagious. When a leader models humility, steadiness, and accountability, the team tends to mirror those same behaviors.

Over time, that culture becomes a crew that can weather pressure together and emerge stronger on the other side.

The Cost of an Unseasoned Team

A crew without seasoning may look fine when the seas are calm, but the first storm exposes every weakness.

Teams that have not developed their skills, gained enough experience, or cultivated the right attitudes often falter when pressure rises.

In the workplace, those weaknesses carry real costs. Only 31% of U.S. employees say they feel engaged at work, the lowest level in a decade. Teams led by unseasoned leaders often suffer from higher turnover, lower morale, and missed opportunities.

Turnover is not only expensive but also preventable.

Gallup estimates that 42% of voluntary turnover could have been avoided if organizations had addressed engagement issues sooner.

Disengagement shows up in many small ways. Productivity slips, customer relationships suffer, accountability is replaced with blame, and trust begins to erode. An unseasoned leader does more than struggle personally. They can pull the whole team off course.

4 Practical Ways to SEAson Your Team

Creating a well-seasoned team doesn’t happen by accident. It requires intentional steps that build skills, stretch experience, and shape authentic attitudes. Here are four ways to start:

1. Push Leaders Outside Their Comfort Zones

On the water, growth happens when sailors take the helm in unfamiliar conditions.

For leaders, growth happens when they are given assignments that stretch their abilities.

Rotate team members into roles where they must make decisions, lead a project, or present to senior leaders.

These challenges may feel uncomfortable at first, but they build the confidence and adaptability necessary for more challenging situations later.

2. Develop a Shared Language

A crew cannot work together if each sailor uses different words for the same line or sail.

The same is true in the workplace. Shared language reduces confusion and fosters trust.

Agree on what terms like “urgent,” “done,” or “success” mean within your organization. Build a culture where expectations are clear and communication is consistent across teams.

3. Model Healthy Attitudes

Sailors watch their captain’s composure in a storm. If the leader panics, the crew follows.

In the workplace, leaders set the tone in the same way.

A manager who listens without judgment, takes responsibility for mistakes, and stays calm under stress creates a culture where others do the same.

Seasoning starts with leaders modeling the steady attitudes they want to see in their teams.

4. Invest in Experiential Training

Leadership cannot be learned from slides alone.

Sailors learn by handling dock lines, trimming sails, steering through waves, and working as a team in real conditions. Organizations should mirror that by offering hands-on leadership development.

Workshops, simulations, or on-the-water training provide leaders with the opportunity to practice skills, gain experience, and shape attitudes in a lasting way.

Equip Your Crew with the SEAsoning Effect at Full Sail Leadership Academy

Only the right amount of seasoning prepares leaders and their teams to cope in challenging times. Skills, experience, and authentic attitudes are what steady a team when pressure rises.

Full Sail Leadership Academy provides teams with the opportunity to gain that seasoning in real-world conditions.

Our workshops combine proven leadership strategies with the lessons of the sea to help teams build resilience, clarity, and trust.

Is your team ready for the next storm? Test them on the water. Contact us today!

September 22, 2025/by Tim Dittloff

Steering Toward Civility: How Empathetic Listening Can Anchor Workplace Culture

Employee Engagement, Leadership Development

6 min read

The sky was clear when they left the harbor. Calm waters, steady winds, and a confident crew.

The captain scanned the radar. Everything looked ‘normal’. But a few hours in, something shifted. The wind picked up just enough to raise concern. One of the seasoned crew members mentioned the pressure drop and the dark line forming on the horizon.

“Storm building off the port side,” the crew member said quietly.

The captain hesitated. Stormy weather wasn’t on the forecast.

However, the Captain learned over time that technology doesn’t catch everything, and neither does one person, no matter how experienced they may be. He glanced around. The crew looked tense. Subtle cues: silence, shorter replies, eyes on the clouds.

He made the call. A slight course correction, just enough to ease the tension and avoid the worst of the coming squall.

Leadership, he knew, was not just about knowing where to go. It was about listening to the environment, to the crew, and to the subtle signs of trouble before it became a problem.

The same is true in the workplace. Listening with empathy to the winds around you, the tension in meetings, the quiet disengagement, and the honest warnings from your team can reveal storms of incivility before they capsize culture.

And those storms are growing. Workplace incivility is on the rise, and it is costing U.S. organizations billions of dollars each day.

Authority alone will not steady the ship. Empathetic listening can be the anchor that holds your team through rough waters.

When the Crew Feels Ignored Amid Workplace Incivility

A ship can only sail when everyone on board works together.

Yet, we are seeing an alarming number of businesses where incivility is wreaking havoc in the workplace.

Discord can arise from political differences, economic uncertainties, and a lack of managerial intervention.

According to the SHRM Q2 index from 2025, the average workplace scored only 38.8 out of 100 on the Workplace Civility Index.

These disagreements and unrest resulted in over $2 billion in lost daily productivity and absenteeism due to incivility.

Source: Image from SHRM 2025 Civility Index Abstract

Incivility negatively impacts your workers, with 53% reporting that incivility was the cause of several mental health challenges that ultimately hurt their professional and personal lives.

A change in those rates begins at the top. Leadership is responsible not only for intervening in uncivil situations but also for setting a positive tone.

When managers model disrespect or, worse, ignore it, turnover rises, engagement drops, and psychological safety sinks like an anchor.

You can turn those trends around by becoming an empathetic leader who is grounded in empathetic listening. Your steady presence will keep the ship on course and morale afloat.

What Is Empathetic Listening?

Listening is far more complex than processing words.

You can use active listening, critical listening, and empathetic listening.

All three forms of listening are crucial, but empathetic listening will be your strongest tool for resolving incivility.

Here’s a closer look at the three types of listening and what role empathetic listening plays:

Active listening: Actively participate in the conversation by giving visual cues that you are engaged and repeating phrases back to ensure you understand. Use this form of listening to encourage your team to continue discussing the issues at hand.
Critical listening: Listen while analyzing the subtleties in their words to understand the full depth of the situation and find a resolution.
Empathetic listening: Put yourself in the speaker’s shoes to not only understand, but also feel what they are feeling, by trying to grasp the profound emotional implications of the situation for that person.

Empathetic listening means putting yourself in the speaker’s shoes, not just to understand their words but to feel the emotional weight of their experience.

This kind of listening allows you to move beyond observation and into connection. It bridges the gap between hearing and truly feeling what someone else is going through.

During one of our sails, a helmsman became terrified in the middle of a storm. The situation escalated unnecessarily because the crew didn’t take the time to truly understand his fear or respond with compassion.

A more empathetic approach could have calmed the tension and offered the support he needed in that vulnerable moment. Practicing this level of presence takes time and intention.

Hurry and care rarely coexist. You cannot offer genuine empathy at full speed. You have to slow down, drop anchor, and be fully present while someone works through their emotions and regains stability.

That kind of steady presence fosters psychological safety, helps prevent emotional breakdowns, and protects your team from the burnout that drives top talent away.

5 Practical Steps for Civil Conversations

Fostering an environment that supports civil conversations starts with five crucial steps, based on recommendations from SHRM.

1. Education

Before setting sail, you gather information about the sailboat, crew, weather, and route so you aren’t sailing blindly forward. Take the same time to thoroughly educate yourself on any unrest or situations in the workplace before attempting to resolve them.

The following chart outlines some of the main points of incivility in the workplace, providing a starting point for addressing issues that may arise.

Source: Image from SHRM 2025 Civility Index Abstract

2. Understanding

Once you have the whole picture, your goal is to ensure everyone has all the correct information and that your team is aligned.

Using shared language around a topic can help foster mutual understanding and prepare groups for more productive conversations.

3. Respect

Before bringing groups together to resolve incivility, lay the groundwork for respect. Discuss the rules that everyone should follow, such as what constitutes a civil conversation.

Tip: A civil discussion does not include interruptions, raised voices, or name-calling.

Try to encourage each party to use “I” statements rather than accusatory “you” statements.

4. Culture

Civility should be an integral part of your company culture, which begins with leadership and how you model conflict resolution.

Develop a culture that actively addresses issues before they escalate into unrest, rather than letting incivility fester like wood rot, which can take over a ship’s structure if left unaddressed until it causes irreparable damage.

5. Consistency

Even with a strong culture of civility in place, differences and tensions will still arise. That’s normal in any workplace.

What matters is how consistently you tend to the culture. Take time to check in with your teams, listen for early signs of strain, and address issues before they escalate. These small, regular efforts help maintain a healthy culture and prevent larger disruptions down the line.

As steward leaders, we chart the course for workplace culture. When we model respect and empathetic listening, we create strong currents that guide the entire team toward civility and trust.

The Power of Listening

When you build a workplace around empathetic listening, you will see trust deepen, stress drop, and retention rise. You will learn to listen without judging and speak to build others up.

Your teams will feel safer, closer, and more willing to take risks together. They will no longer brace for conflict and will begin to relax into collaboration. As workers feel seen and heard, they will be more likely to stay longer and increase their workplace effort.

According to SHRM findings, 45% of workers said their manager helped them move past incivility when they felt truly supported. Nearly half your workforce could shift from disengaged to re-engaged through one act of empathy.

A simple way to start is through a five-minute daily check-in with each team member. Put aside technology and agendas. Just ask how it’s going and be prepared to listen.

Also, schedule a walk and talk where conversation flows more naturally as you go about your day.

Whatever the method you use, just keep the conversation flowing.

Navigating Toward Civility with Full Sail Leadership

Civility doesn’t begin with policies. It starts with how leaders listen when no one’s watching.

When tension rises or tempers flare, that’s when leaders need to take the wheel and guide everyone back to calm waters.

Empathetic listening will be your guide to calmer waters, helping you steer clear of storms that could capsize your ship. While you can’t control the wind, you can control how well the team works together to navigate out of those storms.

Keep listening for what’s unsaid, respond with steadiness, and set a respectful course that others can follow.

Want to learn how to practice Full Sail Leadership and bring civility to your team? Join us at the next Full Sail Leadership Workshop and let’s chart a new course together.

July 30, 2025/by Tim Dittloff

How to Promote Employee Well-Being in the Workplace and Reduce Burnout

Leadership Development, Team Building

5 min read

Stress and burnout don’t show favoritism in the workplace and can strike anyone from the highest-ranking company employee to the entry-level intern. One of the most memorable times I felt those two enemies of productivity was when I was the VP of marketing and sales in a direct marketing firm in the 1990s.

The cycle of stress started after I, along with four other key executives, took a pay cut due to the company’s financial struggles. Concurrently, my dad was facing serious health problems, from which he eventually passed away.

My boss approached me in the office one day while I was working over my vacation and asked if I was okay. He mentioned how my depressed mood was bringing the entire organization down. He did nothing to support me despite knowing what I was going through. Instead, he told me to decide whether the job was for me.

I decided it wasn’t and left—just as the other executives had before me, unable to endure the leader’s toxic behavior.

This narrative echoes the experiences of many employees—the struggle to feel overworked and undervalued, both as professionals and as individuals.

Just as a ship must navigate turbulent waters through the strength and cooperation of the crew, organizations must steer their crew toward a safe and thriving environment.

It’s Time for the Weather Report

When sailing, you must take the weather seriously, as a severe storm can overwhelm a poorly prepared crew.

Are the current stressors in our economic climate and workforce a passing storm? Or is more serious weather brewing requiring companies to change their work environments completely?

According to recent data, a large storm of burnout and dissatisfaction has been hitting workplaces hard for years. Employees continue to feel increasingly more disengaged and dissatisfied at work despite current efforts by employers. These feelings ultimately lead to burnout, which results in:

Poor performance
Costly errors
Low productivity
High turnover

Image from Gallup

Understanding Employee Well-Being – Keeping the Ship Afloat

Imagine using a bucket to haul water from a ship with a hole in the side.

It’s useless unless you first address the root cause of the problem by patching the hole.

Burnout is a symptom of poor employee well-being. What holes might be causing employee well-being leaks in your organization?

What Is Employee Well-Being?

Employee well-being encompasses a person’s psychological safety, engagement, and fulfillment beyond mere perks.

You can measure well-being using five golden standards:

Career well-being: Employees enjoy their jobs and most of their assigned tasks.
Social well-being: A person has built strong relationships.
Financial well-being: A person is financially secure through healthy money habits.
Physical well-being: A person has the health and strength to accomplish their daily tasks.
Community well-being: A person has a safe and comfortable home they enjoy.

Image from Gallup

A person needs to thrive in all five to be fully satisfied. Foundational to all of these elements is career well-being. After all, the average person spends nearly a third of their life at work.

When well-being isn’t prioritized, companies face overwhelming burnout costs, including:

75% of medical expenses from preventable illnesses
$20 million lost for every 10,000 dissatisfied employee
$322 billion lost globally due to turnover and reduced productivity directly resulting from burnout

However, you can boost productivity by supporting an employee’s well-being through career, social, financial, physical, and community support systems.

4 Key Strategies for Promoting Employee Well-Being in the Workplace

Use these four strategies to help you prepare your sailboat for whatever storm may come your way.

1. The SEAsoning Effect: Developing Leaders Who Guide the Ship

One surefire way to cause a sailing disaster is to appoint a brand-new sailor as ship captain without prior training. Before captaining, a person must complete hundreds of hours of hands-on and classroom training.

To prevent your employees from sinking into burnout, adequately prepare them for the job through leadership development and mentorship. They will feel fully prepared and are much less likely to become overwhelmed by tasks and a deluge of unknowns.

Training requires a customized approach.

Understand your team dynamics and provide appropriate guidance based on your team’s needs through coaching, first-hand experience, classroom training, or mentorship.

2. Shared Language and Clear Communication: Navigating the Voyage Together

For a crew to work together well, they must use the same language. A sailor must understand the difference between the bow and stern or hoisting an anchor or dropping anchor. These are shared language terms among sailors.

Your workplace will also have a shared language that connects you and allows you to work effectively as a team.

Leaders set the tone for shared communication by modeling how teams should interact. They also encourage open dialogue and empathetic listening to achieve the same level of coordination in the workplace.

Empathetic listening involves listening with a purpose rather than simply listening to respond. When you listen with a purpose, you truly understand the underlying issues and meaning, so your response is speaker-focused.

3. Conflict Management: Steering Through the Storms

A skilled captain doesn’t panic when navigating rough seas. He adjusts the course to keep the ship steady.

When navigating rough work situations, keep calm and lead the way to a quiet resolution.

For instance, if you see the signs of employee burnout, use these six steps to identify and address the issues:

Keep mental health a top priority in your company and build systems by regularly checking how your employees are feeling through open communication.
Don’t wait for performance reviews to give feedback. Performance reviews should be a continuation of ongoing feedback, which helps reduce employees’ stress about the topic.
Offer programs to support employees, such as remote work options, flexible work, and special leave.
Encourage employees to provide feedback on their workload and tasks so they can catch issues early.
Find mentors for leaders. We never stop learning!
Continue your training as a leader through leadership development courses.

4. Self-Care for Leaders: You Can’t Captain a Ship Running on Empty

You can’t pour from an empty cup into other empty cups. You are just left in a drought.

Before leading others, you must ensure you aren’t at the edge of burnout.

Take all the advice on supporting your employees and apply it to yourself to better care for yourself as a leader. Are you regularly checking in with yourself to see how you are feeling and whether your current schedule and workload are working? Do you use your vacation time to refresh your mind?

If you feel close to burnout (or are running on fumes), joining a leadership development course is a great place to start. You can spend several days stepping away from the mentor role and into the mentee role as others fill your energy back to overflowing.

Anchoring Employee Well-Being as a Leadership Priority

A strong leader guides and supports himself and his team. When you invest in your well-being alongside your team, you set yourself up for long-term success. Your turnover rate will drop, and your productivity will soar.

The first step to building a resilient team is ensuring you have the right tools and mental health to guide it so you aren’t an empty vessel pouring into other empty vessels.

We can help set you up for success through our Full Sail’s Team Building Workshop.

Navigate your way to a productive and engaged workplace today. Learn more about our team building workshop.

February 25, 2025/by Tim Dittloff

How Leadership’s Words Shape a Workplace’s Culture

Leadership Development

4 min read

“Hoist the sails and weigh the anchors!” calls the captain – at least in the films.

While you probably won’t hear similar phrases from a modern captain, communication between the captain and crew remains paramount to a safe voyage.

Words do more than help a team work well together. Words shape your culture.

Learning the subtle art of communication helps each team member speak with empathy and a listening ear, improving company productivity, employee engagement, and company culture.

Learn five strategies to enhance company communication and build a stronger business culture.

5 Ways to Use Words to Shape Your Culture

Here are five essentials of team leadership to build a healthy company culture through powerful words in the workplace.

1. Build a Shared Language

According to 86% of employees and executives, they can trace most workplace failures back to ineffective communication.

Creating shared language in your workplace opens the door to clearer communication. Shared language keeps everyone on the same page about word meanings and communication expectations.

Below is a screenshot from a video where one team member assumed EOD meant the end of December. Hopefully, your employees know EOD does not refer to December. However, do they know what time and time zone EOD refers to? Miscommunications can start that small and then spiral into much larger issues.

Misunderstandings can occur across ages, cultures, and departments.

Image from TikTok

Alt-Text: Employee misinterprets EOD as the end of December.

Shared language goes beyond simply unifying your definitions. It extends to the core of communication and who you are as a company. You want everyone to share those values and attitudes when interacting with one another so they can help move the company toward the same goals.

2. Prioritize Empathetic Listening

One of the most powerful replies you can give is attentive silence.

Taking time to listen before speaking makes all the difference in your communication’s effectiveness.

As you listen, monitor what you do in those silences. Only 7% of communication comes from the words you say. The other 38% comes from how you say it, and 55% of communication is nonverbal.

You would think twice before boarding a ship with a captain who wrapped his arms tightly around his body, chewed his lip nervously, avoided eye contact, and shuffled his feet. He could say he’s a confident captain, but everything about him screams otherwise.

Use your face, inflection, and body to convey a confident leader who is also ready to listen, learn, and respect the other person.

Then, use your ears to listen to what others say, asking questions to understand their viewpoints fully.

3. Unify Speech Around Your Value, Vision, and Mission

Your values, vision, and mission outline what culture you strive for. Pattern your words to that culture.

Find words that reflect the type of business you want to be. Are you a people-first business that cares about making it right with your customers? Start by being a people-first business that cares about making it right with your employees.

A business that prides itself on excellence should also prioritize excellent communication. The leadership should validate those who do well and encourage those struggling to improve. Every word they say should transform excellence into more than a plaque on the wall.

Clearly communicate those values, visions, and missions to everyone within your organization so you can have accountability and reach for the same goals in communication and beyond.

4. Encourage Shared Strengths and Voice

When a large group talks together, they can easily overlook a quiet person in the crowd. However, that silent voice quickly gains confidence if they find just one person who makes eye contact and is willing to listen to them despite the noise.

Some people have a strong voice and words that will boost your company. They simply do not feel like they have a platform to speak on.

Encouraging people to share their strengths and ideas encourages more communication and creative flow. It gives everyone on the team a voice, building a stronger culture that everyone is part of. You can enable this by asking each person for feedback and validating their ideas when they speak up.

5. Employ Empathetic Speech

Empathy enables you to see beyond someone’s actions and understand their motives, which can then help you discover more significant issues.

When you see mold on a sail, your first thought is most likely how you stored it, and you think back to whether you let it fully dry rather than simply deciding how to clean it. Identifying the reason behind the problem allows you to fix and prevent it from happening in the future.

When someone comes to you with a problem, listening and asking questions to understand the root cause and emotions behind the issue will improve overall communication. The response should be the same, whether your employee comes to you with a seemingly benign issue or a disrespectful attitude. Start by understanding before passing judgment.

You will see something incredible occur afterward. Your employees will begin to trust you and come to you more often with their questions and concerns because you listen to their voices, empathize with them, and validate their concerns. Deloitte Digital found Gen Zers agree empathy is the second most important quality in a boss. However, most bosses only rate empathy fifth on their list, creating a divide. It’s time to close that divide and engage your new talent.

Build a Motivated Workforce with Culture-Driven Words

If you want to understand how healthy your company is, look no further than the conversations floating around the workspace. Are they spewing toxicity and negativity? Or are they reflecting your company’s vision, mission, and values?

If you’re ready to see a change in your workplace culture through culture-driven words, begin by working on how you speak to others to demonstrate what type of culture you want.

We can help you craft those powerful culture-shaping words in our Full Sail Leadership Academy. Discover your company culture and learn new ways to share it with your team so you can sail full speed ahead with the winds of success.

Learn more about our upcoming leadership workshops.

November 18, 2024/by Tim Dittloff

5 Reasons to Attend the Annual Leadership Summit in Salem

Employee Engagement, Leadership Development, Team Building

4 min read

Sailing looks glamorous from the outside. You see a crew rushing around the dock for a few minutes before casting off and gliding to sea. In reality, that was no small feat. Preparation for sailing takes DAYS.

Even casting off requires hours of preparation. Yet, that behind-the-scenes prep that often doesn’t make it to the big screen or in adventure novels is what makes for a successful voyage.

When you want to create a successful business, it starts with the proper preparation for you and your crew. Most importantly, it’s about building trust and strong ties with those teammates who will be with you along the journey.

During the annual Leadership Development & Team Building Summit in Salem, you will lay the groundwork for smooth waters later, saving you hours and avoiding problems arising from a disorganized or burnt-out crew.

The knowledge you gain won’t come from textbooks or generic YouTube tutorials. You’ll learn through hands-on training and dive deeper into your leadership style to bring out the most effective leader.

Are you ready to set sail?

Then hoist your anchors and cast off!

What Is Salem’s Leadership Summit About?

Just over three-quarters of employees experience burnout.

Burnout leads to decreased productivity, high turnover rates, low engagement, and poor health.

Have you seen those signs around your workplace? You might even be feeling those effects yourself.

It’s time to steer your boat away from the choppy waters of burnout. You can become the type of captain who encourages the crew to keep their eyes on new horizons rather than keeping one foot on land.

The annual leadership summit in Salem is a 3-day excursion by Full Sail Leadership Academy that teaches team engagement and transformative leadership. We take learning seriously and understand that most of what people take home won’t be general content they read in books. It’s about the experiences and personalized learning.

That’s why we create an experiential learning environment that combines our popular Full Sail workshops and lectures with hands-on learning aboard a sailboat. You have options between full and half-day sessions that help fit your busy schedules.

Through our unique approach, you will learn how to:

Lead using your strengths (and what those strengths are)
Be a Steward Leader
Use the power of shared language in leadership
Build a high-functioning team through motivation and engagement

5 Reasons You Won’t Want to Miss Full Sail’s Leadership Summit

Let’s prepare your business for your next adventure with a fully prepared ship and crew. Here are the five benefits of preparing yourself and your crew at Full Sail’s leadership summit.

1. Learn the Latest Team Engagement and Leadership Insights

When your team is fully engaged, you benefit from:

59% less turnover
21% higher profitability
20% higher sales
41% lower absenteeism

What produces that level of engagement?

You don’t have to discover that through trial and error. At the leadership summit, certified experts will teach you the best leader development techniques based on personal experience and the latest research.

These lessons are taught both in the classroom and integrated into every aspect of your weekend, from leisurely networking opportunities on a cruise to hands-on workshops with experienced coaches.

2. Benefit from Transformational, Immersive Learning

How often have you read a book and walked away, not remembering a single word you read?

When navigating the seas of the business world, you want your leadership skills to become second nature. That type of learning comes from experiences beyond what you might learn in a virtual webinar or industry magazine.

We create a memorable learning environment using several different techniques and learning styles. We offer lectures, workshops, and even excursions out on the water. Each piece leads to a transformational learning experience that will stick with you even in the toughest leadership situations.

3. Receive a Personalized Action Plan

You won’t walk away empty-handed with nothing but fond memories, though we hope you do create lifetime memories here.

We want everyone to come away knowing what comes next.

Each person will not just learn how to become a better leader and improve team engagement. You will also create a personalized action plan that gives you the next steps you need to take to reach your leadership goals.

We use the CliftonStrengths leadership approach to help you discover your unique strengths. Then, work with a personal coach to learn how best to use those strengths to build your team and become a more effective leader.

4. Challenge Your Comfort Zones

The most significant storms are where a sailor’s true talents show. You don’t need to be an expert to navigate calm waters. However, you must understand every corner of your ship to work through a storm safely.

We want to test each leader in the course through training and workshops to bring out the best version of themselves. You will be pushed beyond your comfort zone of learning to grow as an individual and, in turn, as a leader.

5. Feel Reenergized as a Leader

You have been out sailing for a while. It’s time to return to shore and dock for a weekend as you recharge and re-supply your sailboat.

We aren’t just talking about the recharge you get after a vacation to Maui, though a little beach and sun can also be highly beneficial. We are talking about recharging you as a leader.

This type of recharge comes from connecting with friends and mentors.

You will have the unique opportunity to network with leaders from around the country, sharing insights and building each other up. You will also have the chance to connect personally with coaches and mentors who pour into you after you’ve spent so long pouring into others.

After the summit, you will leave with renewed energy and motivation to reach new heights as a leader, both personally and with your team.

Sign Up for the Full Sail Leadership Summit Today

We now accept reservations for our 2024 Full Sail Leadership Summit in Salem, Massachusetts. We would love to see you September 18-20 and support you as you discover the best leader you can be.

It’s time to set aside work stress and embark on an adventure that refreshes the soul while sharpening the mind in a fully immersive learning experience.

Visit the event page for more details and to RSVP. We can’t wait to see you there!

August 26, 2024/by Justin Staples

Encouragement in the Workplace During an Unpredictable Economy

Employee Engagement, Leadership Development, Team Building

6 min read

What can make a person’s palms sweat? Knees knock? Mouth run dry?

There are many answers, of course. But let me press you to be introspective for a moment. What have been some of the most nerve-racking moments in your life?

When facing an imposing obstacle? When you’re down to your last dollar?

When you must honestly, vulnerably express how you feel?

Putting your heart on the line can be terrifying. Maybe that’s why many wedding proposals are so elaborate! Even when you know they will “say yes,” it can still feel unnerving to put your heart in the hands of another.

This dynamic is also at play when you humbly encourage others. You open yourself up and become vulnerable. For a moment, you put yourself at their mercy.

You drop your guard, put your cards on the table, and expose a part of your heart. This puts the other in a position of power – to receive, reject, dismiss, or try to take advantage of your openness.

To encourage is to be vulnerable.

That vulnerability holds the power to galvanize your team so that you can sail through the stormiest seas. It can give your business an edge over the competition.

Encouragement in the workplace is essential. It can be the difference between surviving an unstable economy and closing up shop.

Creating a culture of encouragement in the workplace starts at the top. If you dare to encourage your team vulnerably, you will make an impact that stretches much further than a dollar.

You’ll make the world a better place.

The Current State of Encouragement in the Workplace

The American Psychological Association recently found that nearly 20% of employees feel they are enduring a very or somewhat toxic workplace environment.

What are the repercussions of a toxic workplace culture? According to research done by MIT, a toxic workplace culture is ten times more likely to cause employees to leave.

Don’t overlook the ripple effects of this.

If a parent is discouraged at work, how engaged will they be at home?
If a workplace is toxic, how much energy will a person have to help their neighbors?

There is a silver lining, though, for quality leaders who care about their employees. Jeff Bezos once said, “Your margin is my opportunity.”

Well, their toxicity and discouragement are YOUR opportunity!

Patrick Lencioni hits the nail on the head when he says that “health trumps everything else” in business.

People want to be valued and treated with dignity. Most employees don’t mind working hard. They, like you, want their work to be fulfilling and make a difference in the world.

Cultivating a culture of encouragement in the workplace can accomplish this. And this may be the best part for leaders – it’s free!

What Encouragement in the Workplace is Not

Before we can process how to encourage others at work, we must clarify what encouragement is not.

Encouragement is not:

Flattery
Manipulation
Praising Evaluatively
Cheerleading

If you mistake encouragement for any of these categories, you’ll create either a shallow or skeptical environment.

Flattery, praise, and cheerleading can be shallow when they are superficial in focus. And they allow you to keep your guard up.

“Encouraging” employees for the primary purpose of productivity or change – is manipulative. Of course, there is nothing wrong with encouraging an employee to complete their tasks.

Like people cheering others on at the end of a marathon.

But that’s different from coercive positive affirmation to influence others to make decisions they wouldn’t intrinsically desire.

It’s like a kid who talks their sibling into doing their chores because of “how good they are at taking out the garbage.”

Eventually, people will see through this. When that happens, it will create a culture of skepticism. People deserve better. You can give them better. You must.

Genuine encouragement in the workplace is currently a rare commodity. Lack of encouragement in the workplace is driving good employees away from many companies.

4 Steps to Cultivate a Culture of Encouragement in the Workplace

Several dictionaries offer the following definition for encouragement:

“To inspire with courage, spirit, or confidence. To stimulate by assistance, approval, etc.”

This is more than positive affirmation, though that is included. It’s vulnerably approving who people are and appreciating the skills they bring to the table.

Genuine encouragement is taking the risk to vulnerably express how you feel about your team.

Here are four steps you can take – for free – to cultivate a culture of encouragement in your company.

1: Being an Encouraging Leader Starts by Encouraging Yourself

GiANT Co-Founder Jeremie Kubicek encourages leaders to identify how they talk to themselves.

How do you encourage yourself?

How you encourage you is likely how you will encourage others. Consider the following questions.

How do you talk to yourself when you make a mistake?
What thoughts run through your head when work gets overwhelming?
What do you think when you achieve success?
When you’re ready to quit – what do you say to you?
Why?

Do you find that you beat yourself up? Blame others? Take responsibility, try to learn from mistakes, and move forward.

Knowing how you encourage yourself will help you – and your team – understand how you lead others. And why you lead them that way.

2: Be Honest About How You View Your Employees

You’re not going to be best friends with every employee. You’ll enjoy some more than others. Some will have higher competency, better availability, or greater EQ.

That’s not in question. It’s just reality.

The question you must ask yourself is – how do you view your employees? Do you see them as holistic human beings with a life outside the office?

Do you understand that they may have hopes and fears that have nothing to do with work?

Are you willing to listen to them without judgment to understand where they may come from?

Even if difficult conversations or decisions are needed – you can still do so in an encouraging way. Every person adds value to this world beyond what they produce at work.

Embrace the inherent value of each employee’s humanity – and your heart will open up to offer more substantial encouragement.

3: Invite Feedback From Your Team

“Being boss doesn’t mean you have all the answers, just the brains to recognize the right one when you hear it.”

Just like Jack Kelly did in the Newsies, we all need someone like Katherine Plumber to give it to us straight!

Inviting feedback from your team amplifies encouragement. Asking your employees for their perspective demonstrates how much you value them.

That’s encouraging!

When people are invited to the table, something powerful happens. You gain insight. They feel empowered. Comradery grows. Momentum builds.

One of the critical factors in employee engagement is whether they feel heard. 95% of highly engaged employees report feeling heard, while 55% of the actively disengaged report not feeling heard.

When you hear how your employees would feel encouraged, you’ll find they may desire something other than what you naturally offer.

That’s ok! Having clarifying conversations builds trust and provides an opportunity for everyone to grow – together.

Whether it’s a survey, conversation, retreat – just be intentional. Once you gain the feedback you need to offer meaningful encouragement, the next step is implementing what’s reasonable and achievable.

4: Take Practical Steps to Cultivate a Culture of Encouragement in the Workplace

Begin by reflecting on the previous three steps.

How do you encourage you?
How do you view your employees?
How can you invite feedback?

Learn how you encourage yourself – and how you want to be encouraged. Change starts with the person in the mirror.

Put in the work necessary to view the individuals on your team as holistic human beings.

Determine the forms of feedback you want to pursue and schedule a time to engage in that process.

Once you have this information, then you’ll be able to develop an implementation plan. That requires personalization beyond the scope of this article.

But not beyond the scope of Full Sail Leadership Academy!

Start Your Journey of Leadership with Encouragement Today!

You don’t have to go it alone. We’re here for you. Our workshops provide a tailor-made experience to reveal the information you need and provide the support required to catalyze positive change.

We’ll get your whole team on the sea for a teambuilding experience they’ll never forget!

But first, we start in the classroom. During this time, we ensure everyone understands their role on the vessel, gains shared language and can contribute safely.

Then, we hit the water! Few experiences require unified teamwork more than sailing. The lessons learned on the sea will have a lasting impact on your organization.

Our debriefing time will make sure of it! Once we’re on the land, we’ll process major learning points – not just of sailing, but of your team culture, the strengths you can build from, and areas that may need to be strengthened.

You’ll leave with an actionable plan and have access to our consultants to help you stay on course.

The time is now. This is your opportunity. Together, we can make the world a better place by making your workplace better.

Reach out today!

November 24, 2023/by Tim Dittloff

How to Handle Disrespect in the Workplace in a Healthy and Productive Manner

Employee Engagement, Leadership Development

6 min read

Wildfires consumed massive acreage of Canadian land in the summer of 2023. The smoke from the fires was so pervasive that it spread throughout much of the United States.

Air quality alerts warned folks to stay inside for days at a time. The air was poisonous to breathe. Taking a hike without a respirator was like smoking packs of cigarettes as you went.

Ash covered vehicles and spread throughout cities, creating a post-apocalyptic scene worthy of an Oscar in cinematography.

Source: Instagram/eeppiursinofficial

The smoke consumed everything.

Weddings. Funerals. Vacations. Getting the mail.

It did not matter how lovely, meaningful, or mundane the event – the poisonous, ash-filled air dominated everyone’s attention.

Disrespect has a similar impact on people in the workplace. It dominates. An atmosphere of disrespect clouds everything, regardless of how wonderful it may be.

Ron McMillian says it well in the book Crucial Conversations.

“Respect is like air. As long as it’s present, nobody thinks about it. But if you take it away, it’s all that people can think about. The instant people perceive disrespect in a conversation, the interaction is no longer about the original purpose—it is now about defending dignity.”

Disrespect cannot be ignored.

You must know how to handle disrespect in the workplace, or your business – and the people within it – will be poisoned.

Disrespectful Behavior in the Workplace is Poisonous

Did your caregivers tell you how to deal with bullies? Perhaps you were told to “just ignore them.”

That may work in some cases. It may even be necessary. Confronting an abuser requires tremendous courage.

The challenge with ignoring disrespectful or bully-like behavior is that it just kicks the can down the road for someone else to deal with.

Leaders must know how to handle disrespect in the workplace, or they will lose the best workers in that place.

“A new Pew Research Center survey finds that low pay, a lack of opportunities for advancement, and feeling disrespected at work are the top reasons Americans quit their jobs…”

One way workers have learned to cope with a disrespectful atmosphere at work is through quiet quitting. They just disengage.

And it costs trillions.

“The global economy is losing almost $9 trillion, according to analytics firm Gallup, equivalent to as much as 9% of the world’s GDP” due to quiet quitting.

The financial cost is just the tip of the iceberg, though. The toll disrespect takes on a person’s mental health is significant. It impacts their relationships outside of the workplace.

Like the smoke and ash from the fires that started in Canada – disrespect in the workplace creates a toxic cloud that spreads.

And you must do something about it.

Knowing How to Handle Disrespect in the Workplace Can Set You Apart

President Franklin Roosevelt said, “a smooth sea never made a skilled sailor.”

As a business leader, you may already feel overwhelmed by the task in front of you. You must balance the budget, increase market share, navigate overhead, and more.

It can feel like you are sailing against the wind already – and then the waves crash against your vessel, threatening your crew and voyage.

Now you have to deal with disrespectful employees on top of everything else?

Yes.

Creating a culture of respect is well within your wheelhouse. It doesn’t require an MBA. And it may give your company a competitive edge that no budget can compete with.

Think about it.

What would happen if employees were respected?

If people are jumping ship because of being disrespected, how many quality team members could be retained – or attracted – by a culture of dignity and respect?

You may not have the biggest budget, the best equipment, or a prime location. But if you treat your team respectfully, you will have more to offer than money can buy.

Seven Steps to Handle Disrespectful Behavior in the Workplace

The smoke and ash of disrespect won’t dissipate on its own. These seven simple, courageous steps will help clear the smog and get your team sailing on smooth waters again.

1: Determine if the Behavior is Disrespectful

Victims should always get the benefit of the doubt. It requires massive courage to come forward and address bully-like behavior.

Accusations of disrespect and abuse must be addressed with the utmost urgency and integrity.

To handle disrespect in the workplace appropriately, you must ensure that what you are addressing is truly disrespect.

Some people have more sensitive temperaments than others. Everyone makes mistakes. Life outside of work impacts morale.

To cultivate a culture of respect, you must not confuse an employee having a bad day for being disrespectful.

Consider the following. Look at how these values overlap but are still distinct.

Respect
Humility
Compassion
Empathy
Kindness
Excellence

One employee may not have compassion for another’s life circumstances. That does not mean they are being disrespectful.

This is not to excuse or justify any negative behaviors. It’s establishing a level of emotional intelligence that will allow you to address real issues accurately.

2: Recognize That Disrespectful Behavior is About Them, Not You

No one needs to earn respect. Every human being is worthy of dignity and respect.

Employees who act disrespectfully in the workplace reveal more about their character than those they disrespect.

Take a step back and recognize that as personal as the attack may feel, it’s ultimately not about the one being disrespected.

Something inside the aggressor is causing them to act out in disrespectful ways. That’s on them.

3: Turn the Other Cheek

This is one of the most common and misunderstood sayings of Jesus.

“You have heard that it was said, ‘Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.’ But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to them the other cheek also.”

Turning the other cheek is not enabling abusers nor silencing the abused. It’s empowering people to live up to the level of health and maturity they have attained.

Counselors Henry Could and John Townsand address this in their book “How People Grow.”

They rightly say that if we retaliate whenever someone wrongs us, we consign ourselves to the emotional maturity of the least mature person around us.

We can do better. We can even respectfully address disrespectful behavior.

4: Address Disrespectful Behavior in the Workplace Head On

Believing the best about others is essential in cultivating a healthy workplace. You can address disrespectful behavior in a respectful and caring way. Here’s how.

Clarify that disrespectful behavior will not be tolerated.
Ask open-ended questions
Acknowledge their life outside of work
Get below the waterline
Offer support needed to address any deeper issues

It’s only respectful to believe the best about people and call them up to a higher standard of character.

5: Document Incidents of Disrespectful Behavior in the Workplace

Skilled leaders will do the work necessary to differentiate between a disrespectful event and a pattern. An employee who behaves disrespectfully because they are having a lousy day requires a different approach than one who demonstrates a disrespectful disposition.

Documenting the incidents will help clarify the approach – and consequences – required.

6: Care for the One(s) Being Disrespected

No victim shaming allowed. Acknowledge that, just like the smoke from the Canadian wildfires made it hard for people to breathe, disrespectful behavior in the workplace makes it hard to perform.

And may have had negative repercussions on their life outside of the workplace.

Don’t be afraid to apologize. Empathize. Even if you were not the offender. You can still acknowledge that you understand how the victim(s) may feel and that you care about that.

In some cases, that may be enough.

When it’s not, offer the support needed to empower people to repair any mental health damage that may have been caused.

7: Encourage Reconciliation

Forgiveness is a gift to the forgiver. It releases them from the retraumatizing burden of falsely believing they must act as their offenders’ judge, jury, and executioner.

The old saying rings true:

“Bitterness is like drinking poison and expecting the other person to die.”

Forgiveness is not sweeping offenses under the rug. That’s dismissal.

To forgive someone, you must first name and condemn the offense – and then release the offender.

Now, that does not mean that the offender should be fully trusted. Trust must be earned. But forgiveness can be granted freely.

Make the World a Better Place by Making Your Workplace Better

The opportunity before you, leader, is astounding. You can make the world a better place by making your workplace better.

If you address disrespectful behavior in the workplace:

Productivity will increase
Top talent will be attracted
Emotional health will improve
The world will become a better place

No one should live with an impending sense of dread, filled with anxiety, because they anticipate spending their day in a disrespectful work environment.

Implementing the seven steps discussed here will blow away the smoke and ash caused by disrespectful behavior in the workplace. It will allow your team to see clearly, breathe deeply, and work productively.

We’re here to help you put this into motion. Our team building workshops will uncover issues and equip you to resolve them.

We’ll train your team in the classroom, get you out on the water, and dedicate time to providing you with an actionable plan to guide you toward the progress you desire.

Reach out today for a free consultation!

October 3, 2023/by Tim Dittloff