xpeditionleadership

Leading with Their Needs, the Contributors Way.

Fri, 13 Feb 2026 04:55:05 GMT

...Creating momentum for growth in everyone around them...

Do you as a leader and as an organization have a destination that you desire to arrive at? If so, stop leading with your "wants" and start leading with their "needs."

Need new tools and resources to do your job more effectively? Done!
Need to leave early for that Dr. appointment? Done!
Need a little more autonomy? Done!
Need to feel safe and supported? Done!
Need to be empowered? Done!
Need to step away for a few minutes to clear your head? Done!
Need some direction or guidance? Done!
Need somebody to just listen? Done!
Need to know you are doing a good job? Done!

When you obsess over clearing the path for your team, they’ll naturally want to help you reach the desired destination.

You don't have to demand respect when you've already commanded it through service.

This approach screams servant leadership , the sacrifice of personal needs and wants for the needs, wants of others. In fact, at the heart of it all, a servant leader desires to elevate others thus making the organization better, culture stronger and in a sense his or her leadership life easier, purposeful and much more fulfilling. When others feel validated, heard, and trusted the natural byproduct is a revitalized work ethic, deeper commitment to the company mission, a rise in profits, and an unfeigned loyalty to you as the leader. Who amongst us leaders doesn't want these kinds of results?

In the Master Class course, Leadership and Decision Making Under Pressure by the Navy Seals Foundation, they speak of the servant leaders as somebody who operates with a "contributor mindset." This mindset is noticeable shift away from what can I get, to what can I give! They go deeper, and line out the differences between what they identify as a Consumer Mindset vs. the Contributor Mindset:

A Consumer Mindset looks like this:

What's in it for me? - Greed rules the roost.
Creates Scarcity - Everyone starves.
Keeps Score - but he or she always "wins" or has the upper hand.
Protects his/her position - Leads from a position of selfishness and fear.

The Contributor Mindset looks like this:

What do they need from me? - Sacrifice equates to success.
Creates Abundance. - Opportunity and energy abound.
Gives without keeping score - Loosens up and opens the doors of connection.
Builds through others. - Sees the infinite possibilities in "we."

What type of leader are you, and what type of leader would you like to work with? I believe we all know the answer to the latter. Working with a consumer is mind-numbing, draining and defeating. It sprouts seeds of doubt, engenders frustration and diminishes the purpose of others. Productivity slows and may even halt, and the desire to move the needle for the team and organization feels unbearable and unexciting. A consumer will place barriers in the way and seeks to hold you back in fear that they are not the most powerful and knowledgeable person in the room.

Now flip the leadership coin over. The contributor drives both productivity and accountability. He or she sprouts seeds of creativity and engenders tenets of empowerment. Moving the needle becomes effortless and almost becomes a game to see how quickly individuals and teams can net results and outdo one another. The contributor finds ways to elevate other’s skills as well as creates momentum for growth. A contributor provides a pathway around or through barriers and will often times be standing in the front lowering their shoulder and leading that effort

Much more to unpack on this subject in future . Now's the time for you to pause and reflect. What type of leader am I? What type of leader do I want to become? Is my leadership style setting the next person up for success?

To sum it all up - Organizations who plead for innovation, fight for a competitive edge, desire loyal employees, want healthy employees (mentally and physically), who need ethical leaders at the center of the wheel, and hope for longevity in their industry, need to promote and protect the tenets of servant leadership and the contributor mindset.

Wilderness Leadership: Lessons From the Outdoors That Transform

Tue, 16 Dec 2025 13:30:38 GMT

It may be time to rethink everything you've ever learned about how to succeed in your professional life.

The Wilderness as a Leadership Classroom

If you want to truly understand leadership, step outside; far outside. Into the rugged, raw, untouched spaces where distractions fall away, comfort disappears, and only what matters most remains. The wilderness has a way of revealing leaders to themselves in ways boardrooms never will.

Out here, there are no titles, no emails, no deadlines buzzing your pocket. The terrain does not care about your résumé. What it does care about is your ability to adapt, to respond, and to keep moving when the path becomes steep, unclear, or painfully slow. In this way, the wilderness becomes the ultimate leadership classroom.

Nature Strips Away Distractions

In the backcountry, silence becomes your mentor. Without the constant hum of responsibility and pressure, leaders begin to see more clearly. Thoughts settle. Priorities reorder. What once felt urgent suddenly looks small. And what truly matters rises to the surface.

Silence clarifies priorities by removing artificial urgency and exposing what truly matters
Distance from noise restores perspective , allowing leaders to see beyond daily pressure

Physical Challenge Mirrors Organizational Challenge

Climbing a ridge in the heat, crossing a creek, navigating a rocky descent; these moments parallel the challenges leaders face daily. The body struggles, the mind pushes back, and doubt creeps in. But just like leading teams, the answer is found in persistence, problem-solving, and choosing action over hesitation.

Discomfort reveals decision patterns under stress, uncertainty, and fatigue
Progress demands persistence , adaptability, and action despite doubt

Leaders Gain Clarity in Silence

In a world where noise is the default, silence becomes a radical teacher. The wilderness gives leaders space to think; not surface-level thought, but deep, strategic, visionary thought that only emerges when the volume of life is turned down. Leaders leave the trail with ideas, clarity, and direction that wouldn’t surface anywhere else.

Quiet enables strategic thinking that cannot surface in constant motion
Stillness sharpens direction , producing insight that lasts beyond the trail

Terrain Teaches Flexibility, Patience, and Strategy

The wilderness is unpredictable. Weather shifts. Trails wash out. Elevation surprises you. This kind of variability teaches strategic adaptability. Leaders must pivot, slow down, speed up, or reroute entirely. The terrain becomes a metaphor for business: success belongs to those willing to adjust, recalculate, and keep moving.

In every rocky climb and quiet overlook, the wilderness invites leaders to examine who they are; and who they want to become.

Out here, transformation isn’t theoretical. It’s physical, mental, and undeniably real.

Why Leadership Growth Can’t Be Self-Directed

Leadership development isn’t a DIY project. While books and workshops provide tools, the wilderness provides application. Real-time stress tests, genuine resilience-building, and deep clarity require environments that stretch leaders beyond their comfort zones. Without guided challenge and reflection, growth remains limited.

What Meaningful Leadership Experiences Have in Common

Leaders should look for moments where discomfort becomes opportunity; where silence sparks insight, where shifting terrain forces adaptability, and where challenge reveals character. These are the signs you’re not just surviving the wilderness; you’re learning from it.

What Mile Forty-One Teaches Us About Grit, Leadership, and the Choice to Keep Going

Tue, 16 Dec 2025 12:40:02 GMT

In May of 2025, I ran another ultramarathon—a 50-mile race (50.89 to be exact) in and around the Smith Rock area of Oregon. It’s a different kind of crazy, something I’ll explain another time.

This race followed a tune-up event—a 40K in Arizona back in January—and then roughly three months of training at home. That training block totaled 330 miles of running and 53,276 feet of climbing, or elevation gain.

Race week arrived, and I was ready. Despite a few shortened training runs and a slight calf injury going into race day, I had done everything I could. It was go time.

Adrenaline flowing and confidence locked in, I started strong. In fact, I was ahead of my goal by 10 minutes and 46 seconds—feeling good, feeling unstoppable—through mile 38.

Then came mile 39. The low of lows hit, as it often does in these races. The key is working through it: problem-solving and assessing in real time. The ability to do this successfully is one major factor that separates the finishers from the DNF’s (Did Not Finish). At that point, I was tired, nauseated, dehydrated, and questioning why I was even doing this.

By mile 41, the proverbial wheels had fallen off. Scorched by the relentless sun, I had slowed dramatically. My body and my mind were failing, and it was time to decide:

Sharpen the shovel and dig, or wave the flag and call for relief?

I sharpened my shovel.

My training had prepared more than my legs—it had prepared my mind. It trained me to go somewhere else mentally when the path ahead seemed too punishing, too impossible; to push forward when every part of me wanted shade, silence, and rest.

Weaving, winding, climbing, and descending toward the finish, I couldn’t accept not completing what I had set out to do. I refused to negotiate with any alternative.

Miles 41–50.89 became a physical and mental war unlike anything I had ever waged before—and it changed me. It made for a grueling, exhilarating, and incredibly rewarding finish. The best, hardest decision I made that day.

And just like that, the M41 Project was born.

The moral of the story is this: Miles 1–40 are the easiest miles. It’s what you choose at mile 41—when things get truly hard—that defines you.

That moment when fatigue, pain, doubt, and frustration try to kick the door down and take over.

If you’re at your own mile 41—wondering what to do or where to go next in leadership, in life, or even in the gym—I have a solution. Let’s connect. Let me help you discover just how capable you really are.

Why Mile 41 Is Not Meant to Be Faced Alone

True resilience isn’t something you develop alone. When challenges push you to your own mile 41, outside guidance, structure, and accountability help you push beyond the limits of your mind and into the potential you haven’t yet tapped.

How to Recognize a True Mile 41 Moment

Look for the moments where discomfort signals growth, where doubt challenges your resolve, and where choosing to “sharpen the shovel” propels you forward. These are the markers of real leadership and the signs that transformation is close.

A Powerful Reminder of What Truly Elevates Leaders and Teams

Tue, 16 Dec 2025 10:27:58 GMT

A reflective look at the lessons that shape authentic leadership, personal growth, and the way we treat the people around us.

This article explores the reminders we all need as leaders and humans—embracing imperfection, listening with empathy, seeking forgiveness, and valuing vulnerability. It challenges us to look deeper, lead with humility, and prioritize people over process. These lessons shape the leaders we become and the cultures we build.

Not long ago, I was reminded that as humans, we are endowed with frailties that make us all perfectly—well—imperfect. This imperfection is a magnificent gift, one that enables us to learn and grow continuously.

I was reminded that perception is a powerful tool—one that we can wield for good, lifting individuals or teams to astounding heights, or, if misused, bringing those same people crashing to the ground.

I was reminded that acknowledging and understanding perspective is pivotal. Too often we fail to listen, taking a situation and making it about me , instead of giving the person in front of us the space, attention, and empathy they need in that moment.

I was reminded that most people are genuine and good—trying to do the best they can in a world that is frequently unforgiving and unrelenting. They want the best for themselves and for those around them. We can easily scan the surface, but we often fail to dive deeper and explore the heart.

I was reminded that sometimes we must become very uncomfortable before we can truly be comfortable—before we can actually change. What is this discomfort? It is the honest evaluation of our character and the intent of our heart. Then, it becomes taking ownership and accountability for behaviors or actions that diminished others, created conflict, or moved us further away from completing our mission.

I was reminded of how empowering the act of seeking true forgiveness can be. When a person embraces what they have done—and any harm it may have caused—it swings wide the floodgates of humility, dissolving lingering tension and potential contempt. It allows the offended or hurt party to let their guard down, accept the offering, forgive, and begin a path of healing.

I was reminded that allowing others—as well as ourselves—to be vulnerable is what permits true mending and greater strength. When vulnerability has a safe place to dwell and thrive, we begin to see each other as humans rather than merely coworkers: not just somebody in finance, or the guy in HR, or the person who drops those annoying mailers on our desk twice a week.

I was reminded, as a leader, that being human should never be ignored. It must be factored into the daily people equation—even in moments of extreme frustration or disappointment. Ownership, accountability, and corrective measures may be necessary, but through all of that, we cannot lose sight of the things often overlooked in the hustle of running a meaningful, efficient operation.

Let’s do better. Let’s run organizations that are profitable financially—yes—but also profitable in how we treat people.

Take care of your people.

Love your people.

Why Growth Requires Honest Reflection

Leading people is not a DIY task—it requires emotional intelligence, accountability, and the willingness to seek outside perspective. Growth often happens when we invite challenge, feedback, and reflective leadership practices. Without intentional development, leaders may miss blind spots that impact culture and performance.

What Human-Centered Leadership Looks Like in Practice

Effective leaders look for signs of genuine connection, emotional safety, accountability, and humility within their teams. They watch for moments where discomfort signals growth, and where forgiveness or perspective-taking could repair relationships. Above all, they seek to build a workplace where people feel valued, heard, and human.