“One of the most frustrating aspects of human relationships rest in feeling like you have not been heard. No one enjoys the position of voicelessness. Leaders know that one of the wisest, if not the most humbling action they can take is taking the time to have a simple conversation with those they lead.” J Loren Norris

“Your best thought could be a better thought. Your best idea could be a better idea. The greatest thing on your mind could be improved by a mastermind. When you bathe your ideas in the thoughts and opinions of others you take a great risk. However, allowing others to apply friction to your ideas is like putting a gem stone in a tumbler. The rough edges are rubbed off and what comes out is a whole different quality of stone. That’s what a genuine mastermind accomplishes.” J Loren Norris

“Mutually assured destruction is sometimes the only deterrent to tyranny. However, a leader willing to metaphorically apply the death star approach should be cautioned about the natural reaction of the poison pill, sabotage and revolt. Some team members will feel betrayed by authority and will inflict as much damage as possible before moving on. Good leaders are aware of this tension and the team members most likely to act.” J Loren Norris

“It is cruel and unscrupulous to manipulate the meaning of a persons words when translating or repeating them. It is vile to do so with ill-intent. To interfere in communication by altering the facial expressions, intonation and emotional state is IMHO down right evil. But we have tools which many see as a game which does exactly that. Leaders must become masters of reality to deal with this new world of AR.” J Loren Norris

”Contributing to society in a meaningful way delivers a sense of purpose to every human alive. The need to be a part of something bigger, grander, more significant than ourselves is a natural part of our existence. IMHO The cultural shift away from meaningful work, hard work and self sufficiency has marred the fabric of our American ethos…” J Loren Norris

“Blind spots, obstacles and blinders may have similar effect, but in the life of a leader they are significantly different. Blinders help us to focus by directing attention and minimizing distractions. Blind spots ...” J Loren Norris

“Instructions not properly translated are instructions not properly given. Not amount of emphatic articulation, passion or conviction in verbal delivery or instructions makes up the difference. SHOUTING via text or email will not more clearly convey unclear instructions. Leaders who fail to insure their expectations and instructions are clear, will be leaders who are just as frustrated as the people they lead.” J Loren Norris ​

”The immeasurable worth of deeply held and strongly rooted values is undeniable. Unfortunately such values and those who hold to them are becoming more rare every day. Leaders know their values are essential to leading with legacy. They also know their values are priced out of the market. They are worth more than any pay raise, vacation, career promotion, other social incentives or political pressure. In short, leaders who know their values cannot be bought.” J Loren Norris

”Life is too short to miss the moments which define us. Moments will come and go naturally. We will engage in most of them intuitively. To get the most of life, however, we must engage in every moment intentionally. Look for moments and even opportunities to create a moment. Make note, take photos, start a journal entry, but never let a moment slip by without savoring and recording it.” J Loren Norris

”Call it shading, facets, partial representation or any other name you like. Nuance is another word for conveying something other than the whole truth. Employees do it. Politicians do it. Toddlers do it. Attorneys do it. You have likely done it, I know I have. Good leaders understand the power and purpose of nuance all the while aware of its dangers. Be alert. Look closely, listen closer and always ask, what’s the whole, entire, complete truth.” J Loren Norris

“If your ego as a leader is too fragile to encourage the dreamers you lead, then its time to reevaluate your ego and self worth. If you are concerned about promoting a dreamer into their own dreams of entrepreneurship and not being able to replace them, consider this: your leadership thus far has empowered them to become who they are. You can repeat the process to cultivate another superstar and you must. The world needs all of the confident dreamers we can muster. If your leader is squelching your dreams, holding you back and not allowing you to imagine, to soar, to succeed, they have disqualified themselves from leading you.” J loren Norris

”You are free to say whatever you feel compelled to say. You are not free from the consequences of the reactions your words inspire. As a leader, you must allow your team the right to speak freely. You must also help them to understand the consequences not only of what was actually said, but the thoughts, feelings and ideas which leads to such speech.” J Loren Norris

“Study the genuine article and not the litany of fakes if you want to get past the deception and get closer to the truth. Leaders who live and thrive on the glitz and glamor of the spotlight and not the transformation of their people, those are the counterfeit. Leaders who do the right thing when no one is looking and nothing is to be gained, those are the genuine article, study them, follow them.” J Loren Norris

“To be confused by language is nothing new. To misunderstand, misinterpret, misconstrue are all human reactions to complicated or emotionally charged conversations. Those who artfully misuse language are doing so with ill intent to confuse and manipulate. Leaders love language and the artful application of it to produce connection, clarity and consensus.” J Loren Norris

“Sometimes the action you see is not what you should be cautious about. It’s not the struggle getting the most attention, the fight turning all the heads, the chaos stopping traffic which is reshaping society. Like a good ‘fight promoter’ the real game is happening in the back room between the power players and power brokers and they really don’t care who survives the scuffle… as long as they remain in power by provoking the scuffle. If you only deal in power, you are a tyrant and not a leader.” J Loren Norris

“Most bullies are bullied themselves. Most people who are bullied live in fear, intimidation, frustration and often humiliation. Bullying behavior doesn’t stop in middle school or high school. The attitude of bullying is pervasive in big business, politics, world leaders and the modern versions of town square as carried out by mob rule. The antidote to bullying at every level is the same. Humility. Humility is generally discovered behind ample reply. Leadership demands that ample reply.” J Loren Norris

“Too many people waste time, talent, treasure and attention when they truly believe they are investing. If your investment turns on you and begins to decay in every area you thought it would return increase - it’s time to stop investing. If every $10 you spent with a specific organization gave $5 to someone preparing to do you harm how long would you keep giving them $10?” J Loren Norris

“Living what you say you believe versus living what you actually believe might appear to be a distinction without a difference. It is not. Most people live by deeply held beliefs which are not consistent with their spoken beliefs. They act in ways which defy their expressed values. Because their subconscious beliefs drive their actions, who they demonstrate they are is not who they say they are.” J Loren Norris

“If you find that people only want to hear your ideas when you scream them or force people to listen by ‘pulling rank’ as a leader, you need to reconsider both your ideas and your approach. Conversation should be a two way street of idea sharing and sharpening. One good test for good ideas would be to ask someone else to present them in your place. If the ideas are better accepted it’s not your ideas that are rejected it’s your communication style. Now you know what you need to fix.” J Loren Norris

​“If your scope of leadership influence does not extend beyond your four walls, you are wasting the tools you have worked so hard to acquire. Rendering help everywhere you can is an unwritten expectation of good humans. I don’t mean inserting yourself where you’re not wanted  or unwelcome but I do mean if you can help DO IT.” J Loren Norris

“My mentor John Maxwell says often ‘You’ve got to give up to go up!’ There is no level of leadership which does not demand sacrifice on the part of the leader. If you want more income, you’ll have to sacrifice time. If you want new strategic relationships, you must sacrifice long term unfruitful relationships. If you want to leave a legacy worthy of your successors you may well sacrifice your own happiness. A great leader must know the limits and be strong enough to resist the temptation to sacrifice core values for wealth and fame.” J Loren Norris

“Work ethic, professionalism, customer service, individual responsibility are all core values the American society was built upon. Sadly, these are not the driving values of today’s work force. These values are not just about earning a living, building a strong culture and the fabric of society. They are also the foundations of a healthy family and the freedom needed to sustain it. We need diligent leaders who are determined to pass these values like a baton to the next generation.” J Loren Norris

“Leaders who are leading the charge are often out in front the of crowd, taking all the hits of rejection, facing all the obstacle and resistance. These leaders need your moral support, encouragement and assistance. Synergy is a tremendous form of encouragement and we all ways get more of what we reward or incentivize.” J Loren Norris

​“The power of a story or collection of stories (aka narrative) possess incredible value in the war for cultural understanding. From revisionist history, to future casting, from vision drafting to social engineering - stories are the wind which direct the sails in the journey through time. Leaders who are not effective storytellers may be great managers or administrators but they will not be legacy influencers.” J Loren Norris