Making a Difference: Teachers, the epitome of making differences

Making a Difference: Teachers, the epitome of making differences
June 13, 2026

High school students at a stem day working on an experiment,
compliments of Sue Ellen Tomlinson

Teachers are the quintessential epitome of making a difference in the lives of their students. Everyone interviewed and asked about teachers would be able to name at least one, and maybe two or more, who made a difference in their lives.

Many of us can probably name all our grade school teachers without having to think much about it. For me, that’s an easy one: Mrs. Williams, Mrs. Poole, Miss Bowman, Mrs. Jeppsen, Mrs. Parks, and the sixth-grade combination of Mrs. Eames, Mrs. Frew and Mr. Baldwin at Menan Elementary.

Through interview surveys with several teachers from a variety of schools, I gained a deeper understanding of why and how teachers truly make a difference in the lives of so many.

Take Stacy Pugh, an award-winning fifth-grade teacher in Cache County who has been teaching in a formal education setting for 17 years. She also provides civic education professional development to other Utah educators through Utah Valley University. She grew up in a home where education was valued.

“Although my mother never completed a college degree, she consistently worked hard to learn about a wealth of subjects and encouraged us to do the same,” explained Stacy. “As a result, I love learning and teaching others. I always wanted to be a teacher and would play ‘school’ with my siblings when I was young. When I married and started having children, I formed a preschool with other mothers in the neighborhood. I also have encouraged my six children to learn something new each day just as my mother encouraged me to do. I have a son with an auditory processing disorder and that inspired me to want to help others in a more formal setting.”

One of my own ninth-grade English students, Amber English, currently teaches sixth grade at Taft Elementary in Lincoln City, Oregon.

“I don’t think becoming a teacher was a conscious decision or something I sought. I just AM a teacher. I have tried over the years to get away for a variety of reasons and in different circumstances and I simply cannot NOT teach. Knowing I am literally shaping the future of this planet’s citizens is no small honor, and I am really grateful to get such an important role,” English said.

Shelby Urban from American Fork has been teaching for three years — two years as a grades K-9 PE teacher and the last year as a PE, health and nutrition teacher at Salt Lake Academy High School. For Shelby, she just wanted to teach PE because she loved exercising, playing sports and staying active. But after studying the subject, she changed her thought process.

“I ultimately wanted to change the narrative in PE, especially girls PE, away from fearing calories and needing to be skinny to being strong and powerful. I adore the opportunity to be a mentor in students’ lives. I love teaching them to enjoy physical activity and understand the importance of staying healthy. Also, I recognized that teaching PE is one of the only ways I could keep playing/running sports games in my adulthood,” Urban said.

Emily Kennedy has lived in Utah County most of her life. She has been in education for 10 years and just finished her third-year teaching special education at the Dan W. Peterson School in American Fork. She didn’t expect to become a teacher, but at one point she lost her job and became a substitute teacher until she could figure out her next steps.

“As I substituted, I found a school and environment I wanted to be in all the time. Initially, I was hired as a paraeducator, and then my amazing boss took a chance on me and hired me to be a teacher,” Kennedy said.

Megan Beddes grew up in St. George but later followed her husband to the University of Wyoming. She currently lives in Omaha, Nebraska, where her husband just graduated from the Creighton School of Dentistry. She currently teaches sixth-grade math at Gretna Middle School outside of Omaha and just finished her fourth year in education. For Megan, teaching was always something she felt drawn to because of the examples around her.

“I was inspired by my mom, who loved working in education, and by my college professors who brought so much enthusiasm to their subjects. Their passion made a lasting impression on me,” she said.

A teacher for the past 29 years, Sue-Ellen Tomlinson lives in Idaho Falls, Idaho, has been married for almost 29 years and is the mother of four children. She currently teaches 11th- and 12th-grade forensic science, 10th-grade biology and 7th-grade health at Ririe Junior-Senior High School in Ririe, Idaho. She has also taught 11th and 12th grade anatomy and physiology, high school health, ecology, environmental science and career exploration. She decided to become a teacher for a few different reasons.

“One was some of the teachers that I had were inspiring. Another is that I love learning and want to share that with others. A third reason is that I love the aha moments that come with learning,” Tomlinson said.

Making a difference in teaching is commonplace in teachers’ lives. For Emily Kennedy, she had a student in her class who came with intense aggressive behaviors and psychological trauma.

“By the time her family moved and she left my class, she was a calm, happy teenager, and we hadn’t had a single incident of aggression all year. I know I was only part of that equation, and her family and care team outside of school worked really hard to get her to that place. She was a different person at the end of that two and a half years. It was incredible to watch. I am so proud of her,” Kennedy said.

Shelby Urban has had several experiences where girls opened up to her about difficulties in their life.

“Often, they just need to vent or seek advice,” she explained. “It’s those times that I feel like I’m making a difference for students. Many don’t have adults at home they can trust, so it’s a privilege to help them when they need it.”

During Megan Beddes’s first year of teaching, she worked with a group of students known throughout the district for having significant behavioral challenges. For her, it required much patience and consistency to build trust with them, and she spent a great deal of time supporting a few specific students who needed extra attention and encouragement.

“It took nearly the entire year to build a fragile relationship with these students,” Beddes explained. “I left my first year of teaching feeling drained and a bit defeated. Over the next two years, though, those students returned to visit me while they were in seventh and eighth grade. They shared their math test scores, what books they were reading, and how their weekends were. To this day, my most challenging student will still come and visit me when he has a day off from the high school. It was very rewarding to see that I had made an impact on these students and that all my effort was worth it in the long run.”

Sue-Ellen Tomlinson said making a difference can happen in so many different ways.

“I think the thing that has made me feel like I’ve made a difference was when I was teaching at the adult male prison and I had a parent approach me at graduation and tell me that she had been waiting for years for this moment when her son graduated,” Tomlinson said.

High school anatomy and physiology class certifying in basic life
support and first aid, compliments of Sue Ellen Tomlinson

Stacy Pugh wrote that she seldom knows exactly what impact she makes in the lives of her students, although she hopes it is a positive one.

“I have had students write me later to share how grateful they were for my support and encouragement,” she said. “It has been rewarding to help students through divorce situations, cancer, learning disabilities, anxiety issues, loss of a parent and many more situations. I also cheered them on when they finally understood a concept they struggled with. In all cases, having someone who cared meant more than secular gains. Teachers often do make a difference, and I enjoy being a part of that. Currently, I teach with one of my former students. It is a joy to have her as a coworker and see that she loves her students just as I did and still do.”

Many teachers feel that much of their transition to teaching came from having amazing teachers and mentors throughout their lives.

“I had so many amazing teachers throughout my life,” Kennedy said. “They always believed in me and saw my potential, even when I couldn’t, especially Mrs. Snow, my high school chemistry teacher. I am also very grateful to the mentors and teachers that I work with now who have continued to see the best in me. I would not be here today without each and every one of them.”

Shelby Urban’s push came from a college professor who was the most intimidating person she had ever met in her life.

“She was incredibly strict. She even made us do pushups if we were late to class!” Urban said. “At the end of the semester, I had incredible respect for her and had learned more than any other class. She pushed me and taught me that sometimes being nice isn’t what students need. It’s a push to help them reach their potential.”

Sue-Ellen Tomlinson’s biggest inspiration in her life was Shirley Hunter, her health occupations teacher at Bonneville High School. She helped Tomlinson to love learning about healthcare professions and learning how to help others. Her goal was to become a teacher like Mrs. Hunter.

All of us can remember what good teachers have done in our lives and in the lives of our siblings and children and can align with what Stacy Pugh said: “I’ve gained an appreciation for those teachers who cared for my children as if they were their own and those teachers who pushed my children to reach their potential, even when that was hard. I think most teachers are in it to make the world a better place.”

Amber English said, “I’m sure I have never expressed my gratitude to you for being there for me when I needed someone to see and hear me. Thank you. When anyone is ever reminiscing about teachers they feel mattered to their life, your face is always one that comes to mind.”

If you had a teacher who made a difference in your life, please reach out and thank them!

*You can also find the article here:

https://www.heraldextra.com/news/community/2026/jun/12/making-a-difference-teachers-the-epitome-of-making-differences/

20 things you should be doing for your Valentine on a daily basis!

For this Valentine's Day, I know that many of you are scrambling to find the right Valentine's Day gift--maybe flowers, a beautiful card, clothes, a new car, perhaps even new shutters for your house. One of the gifts you could give to your Valentine is doing just simple things every day, not just on Valentine's Day. In fact, Valentine's Day can be a daily occurrence. 

Valentine hearts 

This year why not commit to 20 things you should be doing for your Valentine every single day!

Life is full of lists we need to do, from shopping to what to buy to homework assignments. No list is more important for men than the 20 things you should be doing for your true Valentine on a daily basis. Once you figure that out, you may be home free.

#1: Tell her you love her—You must tell her you love her more than once per day, including when you leave and when you come home. Because texting is so popular, you can even text her although telling her face-to-face is the most important and intimate.

#2: Show her you love her—Of all of the things you need to do every single day is this one: Show her you love her. You can tell her all you want, but showing her is the sauna of everyday living. Show not telling is the writer’s mantra and should be a husband’s. Thousands of ways exist on how to show your wife you love her. Be creative. Every. Single. Day.

#3: Pick up after yourself—Nothing is less sexy or even unsanitary than heaps of clothes, shoes, socks, candy wrappers, etc. lying everywhere. Surely you can spend the few minutes to put away your shoes, place your socks in the dirty clothes, or even hang up your pants. It’s just plain laziness to just flop stuff on the floor or pile a zillion T-shirts on the chair next to your bed.

 #4: Clean around your sink—Yuck! One of the most unsanitary places in America today, aside from your computer keyboard, is your sink. Clean it every day and reach over and clean your spouse’s. She will be pleasantly surprised and grateful. Promise!

 #5: Iron your own clothes—Perhaps, all of your clothes are the no iron kind. Congrats! But there are some husbands whose dress shirts need to be iron, pants to be touched up, or even suit jackets to be steamed. Try doing it yourself. You would be surprised how relaxing—and even therapeutic—it really is.

#6: Write a note—This could be the easiest one you do. Your note doesn’t have to be on the cutest paper in the world. You could easily write on any piece of paper, including toilet paper, and put it in her pocket or out where she can see it. You could even put a sticky note on the mirror in the bathroom.

#7: Make the bed—Or at least help make the bed. It’s always easier when two make the bed, and it takes just a few moments of your time. There is just something about completeness when the bed is made.

#8: Don’t complain—Surely, you can refrain from complaining once per day. Make it twice tomorrow. Complaining is a sign of morbid pessimism.

#9: Read to her—Now, you may not be a reader, but reading to her something every day shows a bit savvy about things. It could be one of the comics from the daily paper, a scripture or two, or an incredible passage from the novel you are reading.

 #10: Brush your teeth—Okay, this one should be done more than once per day, but brushing your teeth the moment you get up and then after you breakfast will definitely reap benefits. Freshness is always the key to happiness.

 #11: Don't ask about what needs to be done—Having to ask definitely shows you are non-observant and not dialed in to what is happening around your house. She probably has hinted and maybe even come right out and said, “Dear, would you do this?” Be observant; look around; listen to her.

 #12: Put the dishes in the dish washer—Mega-easy task! Climb off your stool/chair, grab your utensils and cereal bowl, and walk the three feet to the dish washer. There is no reason to leave them in the sink or on the table.

 #13: Pull in the garage straight—Garage space is sacred space; so, make sure you pull in straight and on your own side. Encroaching on her spot is not cool. If her car is outside, go ahead and put hers away, too. It’s one of those showing-you-love-her things.

#14: Take care of the garbage—It’s always your turn to take out the garbage. No questions asked.  

#15: Lock the doors and turn out the lights—At night, walk around the house, lock the doors, and turn out the lights. Your spouse will feel much safer if you have done due diligence.

#16: Give her a hug or two—This is a no-brainer. Hugs in the morning. Hugs when you come home. Hugs when you go to bed. Make sure they aren’t just a mere squeeze. Give her bear hugs.

#17: Complement her how nice she looks—Complimenting your lovely bride once a day—or even more would be a good thing—reaps huge benefits.

#18: Help with the dishes without being asked—This one is different than putting your dishes into the dish washer. If you or your spouse cooks, which they normally do, jump right in and help with the dishes, either washing or drying.

#19: Make one of the meals—What? Make one of the meals? That may mean you have to learn how to cook something, learn how to heat up leftovers, or even create a salad. You will be totally surprised how she reacts if you arrive home first and have a delicious meal prepared for her.

#20: Have an incredible conversation each day—In today’s society with all the technology, streaming video, long work days, too many distractions, etc., we seldom have time for real conversation. Your marriage and your relationship with your wife will endure even longer and become stronger when you take the time to have an incredible conversation with her. It’s almost a reconnection each day.

Memorize the list, add to it, and, oh, and always remember two important words: “Yes, Dear.”

Happy Valentine's Day!

*From https://www.eastidahonews.com/2015/06/20-things-wife-every-day/

Louise ZoBell: Miracles and Shining Moments

Louise ZoBell: Miracles and Shining Moments

Louise at the 2024 Gala

With a heavy heart, I pay tribute to my eternal friend and colleague, Louise ZoBell who passed away following hip surgery in her beloved Dominican Republic!

I met Louise over the phone in 2012 when Joanne and I were serving as Welfare Specialists in the Caribbean Area Welfare Office for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. She had a request to help one of her friends to obtain a prosthetic leg, which happened through the Church's humanitarian program. That was the beginning a wonderful friendship over the past 14 years.

I discovered quickly that Louise is a goer, an influencer, someone constantly in motion, and a friend to all! Once she puts her mind to something, she does not let up until it is done. Perhaps, more importantly, Louise is an inspirational leader who constantly exudes humility and gratitude for everyone who has helped the Dominican Starfish Foundation.

Anyone who has been around her knows that she gushes thankfulness and gratefulness for many, many things. Both her humility and boldness are in her DNA. Her wonderful boldness was effusive and heartwarming simultaneously.

People flocked to her, and she flocked to people. It seemed like a melodic and harmonious dance all the time with her and her desire to make the Dominican Starfish Foundation an organization encompassing and inclusive. We all had to hustle to even keep up with her.

Amarilis and Louise

I know that thousands and thousands of people from all over the world, particularly her Dominican friends who she loved dearly and served effortlessly, are mourning her death here on earth, and thousands and thousands of others are clapping for joy because of her arrival on the other side.

Her vision was forthright and comprehensive! She once said: “As more get involved with our vision, the little grass-roots foundation we started from our home in Stirling, Alberta, Canada, will make an amazing difference, one family at a time, one community at a time, and more.”

And that’s exactly what she did: made a difference, one individual, one family, and one community at a time, binding and connecting hearts, minds, and souls.

As she said to me many years ago, ““I am thankful to be the hands of the Lord in this project….I am thankful that I have the drive to continue. I am so thankful for those who have donated…. I am so grateful for all these people who have shared our dream and mission.”

Louise, we are eternally grateful to you for allowing us to participate in some way to help you with your dream and mission.

Louise, Joanne, and Darrel at the Gala

May we all continue to remember Louise’s goodness, kindness, love, compassion, sweetness, and hundreds of other descriptors of a woman destined for eternity with her Heavenly Father and Mother.

We love you, Louise!

Sunrise in Puerto Plata

"Finding Peace Amid the Chaos: Five Pillars to Find Tranquility and Comfort in Challenging Times"

Also, you can read it here:

https://www.transformationmag.com/tcm-december-2025/

Recently, my wife and I took an afternoon drive through Provo Canyon along the Provo River to Bridal Veil Falls and then onto Sundance Resort, one of the many ski resorts in Utah (Best snow on earth, and it’s a mere 30 minutes from our home!). Just above Sundance on a windy road, we stopped a few times to take pictures of the majestic fall with all its stunning arrays of fall colors—oranges, reds, and yellows. While in a grove of quaking aspens (I call them “quakies”) and enjoying the rustling of their yellow leaves, I felt an overwhelming sense of peace and comfort; it was what my entire being needed to experience.

Finding peace amid the chaos of today’s ever-changing society may cause many people—including your clients, peers, and even yourself—consternation and sense of despondency that they do not want to feel. Here in Utah, we have experienced a variety of very unsettling events that many of you probably have read about. Amazingly, while standing in the grove of quakies, that sense of peace distilled over me and was profoundly therapeutic.

If I could transport people who are suffering to this very spot just to have them experience this wonderful feeling of tranquility, I would in a moment, but I cannot. So, I pondered: What else can I do to help people feel a sense of internal peace and comfort during these continuing challenging times?

Hence, five pillars to help find peace in today’s chaos:

1. Seek peace within yourself

One of the primary pillars is first seeking and finding peace within yourself. Perhaps, you are asking yourself “How can I truly become a peacemaker when my own life is in commotion? One of Jesus’ teachings comes from the Beatitudes: “Blessed are the peacemakers” (See Matthew 5:9).

In a recent Church conference, religious leader Gary E. Stevenson, a cofounder and former president and chief operating officer of ICON Health & Fitness, Inc., an exercise equipment manufacturing company, said, “We are all born with divine inclinations toward kindness and compassion…and that peacemaking begins in the most basic place: in our hearts.”

It is from our hearts that all blood flows, from the tip of your head to your toes. Once the heart accepts and feels peace, we become the peacemakers we need to be. It all starts with us as individuals!

2. Find places of peace

Often it is a challenge to find places of peace, especially if you live in highly populated areas. Fortunately, I grew up in the country and could easily find places of peace, including the haystack out by our barn or out in the potato or alfalfa field somewhere. Even now, though, I find places of peace in my backyard, in my computer room, my bedroom, up the canyon, in parks, in my Church or other religious facilities, or even in my car. You will have to determine where your places of peace might be. Find them and use them wisely. You may have to be creative and innovative in finding and nurturing your places of peace and comfort.

Kronenberg County Park, Oregon Coast

3. Practice peacemaking in your homes and families

In my opinion, the roots of peace are planted in the home and family and emanates from there. I realize that many homes and families are not peaceful haves; yet I feel that we all can strive to nurture this area of our lives. Maybe there can be what Gary Stevenson calls, a “contention free home zone where, when contention starts, people can pause and reboot, with kind words and deeds.”

One suggestion would be to having a family council where you have conversations about peacemaking—and other pressing topics—with family members, determine a few ways to practice peace, maybe even role play on how to keep the peace, and then continue forward. Will it be successful the very first time? The second or even third? I doubt it, but if you keep trying and practicing, you will be pleasantly surprised with the short-and long-term results.

4. Practice peace in your communities and schools

Communities should be the next place to find peace. I suspect this will be one of the most challenging places. Remember, you can foster peace in your communities when everyone is willing. Unfortunately, convincing every member of your community to climb onboard will be an uphill battle but one that can happen, especially if you start with one group or organization at a time.

It’s like playing it forward. If your group practices peace, and people see that everywhere you go, you exude peace, it will catch on—slowly, very slowly, but it will gain momentum over time. Even schools can practice peace because they are also communities.

5. Fill your life with positive thoughts

I am a firm believer in trying to be a positive person and having positive thoughts. Throughout my life, I feel I have been mostly successful. Granted, there have been times when a challenge emerged that disrupted my positivity, but I always remember—and truly believe—that it will pass—and it does.

To fill your life and thoughts with peace and positive intentions, you must consider your friends, colleagues, acquaintances, and even environments. For years, I have used a specific phrase on a variety of occasions: “You are the product of the company you keep.” Sometimes our friends or environments do not generate peace or allow positive thoughts, but we can help by being positive. I have seen negative situations and friendships change because positive people create environments because positive people create environments where people gravitate.

Along the Provo River, Utah

Conclusion

For many, experiencing peace may seem so far away. We have to remember that gaining complete peace in our lives can be a lifelong process. The key, however, is to begin with yourself. Change the way you see yourself, the way you think and act, the environment you choose to be in, and the company you keep.

Take time for peaceful moments through reading, studying, contemplation, meditation, writing, or whatever helps you through those challenging, unsettling moments. Sometimes you will have to choose quiet over conversation, maybe even sing songs of peace since music can provide the power of peace and healing or even change the way you live and think.

May you become the peacemaker that creates a difference in your life and the lives of the people around you.

Aspen Grove, Utah

"Step Up Your Change Game: Five principles to achieve positive transformation"

Step Up Your Change Game: Five principles to achieve positive transformation
By Darrel L. Hammon

Over the last several years, the word “transformation” has become more commonplace (ubiquitous) in our vernacular, although its etymology in the English language emerged around 1400 A.D. It comes from Old French transformation, transformacion, and directly from Church Latin transformationem (nominate transforatio). (Also see Etymology of "transformation" by etymonline).

Many of us become overwhelmed by the notion that we must do things that transform us. So, what are those processes, practices and activities that can help us transform and step up our change game? I would like to share five principles that have helped many people I know on this journey—including me.

1. Seek the best information possible and implement it.

Often, we do not engage in enough research to make the best and most appropriate decisions. I have seen people make rash decisions who are ultimately disappointed with their outcomes. I’ve watched others make decisions based on sound data and information and still experience disappointment; however, they often ultimately enjoy great successes. The difference between these two scenarios is: Those who makes rash decisions do not circle back and put in the time to discover the best way to achieve a better outcome. On the other hand, when those committed to doing the research are not satisfied with results, they typically say to themselves: “I need to put in more time in researching and coming up with a better conclusion.” They do not rush on; rather, they elevate their efforts to determine a different way around obstacles to success.

2. Develop an appropriate plan.

We are all planners at some level—although some of us do not plan well or our plans don’t encompass all the parameters needed. A good plan is always comprised of appropriate goals, and, most importantly, solid strategies that define exactly how to get there. Plus, we need to include “the resources” it will take to get there. Resources can come from many sources, while strategies may change along the way because we hit a dead end or a fork in the road that leads to a better strategy. Moreover, resources should include the right people who can help us along the way.

One of the final ingredients here is clean and encompassing “assessments” that can propel us to rethink goals/strategies/resources to produce better outcomes. This rethinking is called “next steps.”

3. Associate with people who embrace transformation.

In undergraduate school, I heard the phrase: “You are the product of the company you keep.” I liked it so much that it became one the quotes I shared at the bottom of my email signature—and I still use it today in coaching and leadership consulting. It’s important to choose friends who make good choices; move along their paths in successful ways; elevate how they see things in the real world; and practice being generous, gracious, and genuine. Our friends and colleagues should help us evolve and grow—not hold us back from where we want to go.

4. Make choices that lead to transformation.

If there is one principle that must be followed, it is choosing the appropriate paths that lead to transformation. Often, these choices may not be the most popular ones. They may be 180 degrees different than the way we have been going. As a result, these decisions will be challenging—but making the difficult choices will help us with our transformation journey. Strategic choices will always help us move forward, elevate us to where we can more clearly see the path before us, and propel us to make even better decisions.

5. Leave behind that which does not serve.

As already mentioned, “You are the product of the company you keep.” The way we act or perform, the choices we make, the habits we have formed in life, etc., may not elevate us to the next level of success.

Some time ago, I heard a story about two people walking along the beach who saw a man separating crabs into two groups. One group of crabs went into a bucket without a lid and the other group was placed in a bucket with a lid. The couple watched for a moment, and they asked the man: “What is the difference between the two types of crabs in the buckets? They look the same to us.”

The man stopped what he was doing, looked at them, and said: “The bucket without a lid is full of crabs that don’t like to see their pals climb out of the bucket to freedom. If one of them tries to crawl out, the others just reach up and pull it back in. The other bucket has a lid because they all want to crawl out, and they literally will help each other.”

The “open bucket crabs” in our lives can be habits, choices, friends, and other distractions that will not allow us to break free of limitations; they will pull us back into the abyss from which there is no escape. We must leave behind all that does not elevate us to the heights we want to go. We must find those who will help us out and then continue to help and support us along the way.

The Bottom Line

In essence, transformation is not a single act; instead, it is a series of intentional actions—choices—that propel us forward down a path of constant and consistent advancement in our lives, thoughts, and actions. Yes, it takes time. Yes, it requires us to make difficult choices and life-altering changes. Yes, it necessitates eliminating habits and distractions. But ultimately, we transform into better and healthier human beings in all aspects of life.

Transformation Coaching Magazine, September 2025

Leadership Lessons: Twenty ways to stand out as an exceptional leader in challenging times.

From https://transformationmag.com/tcm-may-2025, pp. 8-11.

Over the years, I have had plenty of opportunities to observe all kinds of leaders—good ones, not so good ones, emerging leaders, ones who have forgotten what it means to be leaders, and exceptional ones. You can usually tell the difference within a short period of time when a leader falls as you work with them.

Amazingly, we all possess some level of leadership. Some try not to be leaders because it often carries with it a burden of responsibility that many do not want to carry. Others shy away from it completely and hide the talents. Some dabble with leadership, thinking that in time they can become leaders while many are leaders because they support other leaders. Some strive diligently to be leaders in everything that they do.

Whatever leadership category you align with—or wish to align with—the following 20 summaries of leadership qualities in challenging times may help you with you enhance your leadership, propel you to become more effective leaders, and motivate you to become trailblazer no matter where you are.

1. Make leadership a priority—For me, I chose to make leadership a priority, and you have that choice, too. It seemed, though, that throughout my life, beginning in first grade, I leaned into leadership; I became the captain of our play army on the school grounds. I even read all of the biographies of US presidents in 4th grade. Although I don’t think I knew much about what a leader was, I paddled along in the current flowing downstream, picking up speed and dexterity as I maneuvered along the way. It was when I started my college life at age 23 did I make leadership a priority.

2. Be a forward thinker, a visionary that allows you to see “afar off”—Exceptional leaders are always forward-thinking beings—yes, even visionaries! You must be looking at both the past, present, and future when working to become a leader.

3. Develop a mindset of willingness and improvement improve—True leaders are always willing to evolve. Improvement does not necessarily mean enrolled in college courses or degrees. Rather, it means growing through learning, reading, serving, teaching, facilitating, meditating, and helping others.

4. Be present in all that you do—What does “being present” actually mean? It means “being engaged” in the moment. I have been to many community functions, including political events, where people greet you and attempt to have a conversation, but their eyes wander around the room, looking for someone else to talk to. The “being present” people look you in the eye and are engaged with you and your conversation. They listen and pay attention.

5. Always look at the whole picture and become holistic—Just looking beyond the end of your nose will not cut it in the leadership movement forward. You must see the holistic picture, so you see the whole and then break it down in pieces. It is a challenge, but if you do, you will see things you may never have seen before and do things you didn’t think you could ever do.

6. Share what you know with others, particularly your vision and mission—As a leader, you are more prone to be successful if you understand your personal vision and your organization’s vision. You understand the goals and strategies of the mission and strive to make them happen by helping others to also see the big picture and help them put all the pieces together, so you move along as a great team.

7. Develop an agile mind and a propensity to change—You must be ready to change even before the change happens, meaning you must prepare yourself and understand that change will happen, with you or without you. Leaders are change agents, ready and willing to lead the way forward and participate in the process.

8. Have a hunger and a motivation to learn—Learning is a beautiful thing, especially if you use it appropriately to help others and yourself to become better and achieve great things. Having a hunger and a motivation to learn demonstrates to others that you are an emerging leader who seeks learning to enhance the way you do business in positive and robust ways.

9. Populate your mind with positive ideas and thoughts—This world wrecks negativity, contention, and anger. It is easy to get caught up in the negative debris and lose your way. Thus, populating your mind with positive outlooks will propel you out of the darkness of negativity into the light of positivity. You will be happier, feel less burdened, and be more willing to reach out and help others through their challenges.

10. Join the right team—For those who have played sports, played in bands, sung in choirs, or been a part of any team effort understand that to be on the right team and, especially play as a team, will reap more benefits than you can imagine. Being on the right team means that you are a team player. Sometimes you are the leader; other times you are the supporter; other times you are the motivator; and often you are all three.

11. Set your course, focus on your goals, and work to achieve them—Plan, get into action, and move forward. You can help clients and yourself by setting a course and goals and then implementing strategies to achieve them. Continue to lean forward and develop plans to overcome the obstacles and then do what needs to be done to accomplish them.

12. Communicate effectively—Perhaps nothing is more important than communicating with others within an organization and your family. Lack of communication is one of the major causes of divorce, break ups, and ineffective teams. Learn how to communicate effectively and harmony will prevail.

13. Have a sense of urgency—Leaders have a bit of engrained hustle and urgency in their steps. It doesn’t mean that you are in a hurry. Having a sense of urgency gives you the momentum to move forward in judicious ways.

14. Practice responsibility and accountability—Sometimes the “me” in all of us prohibits us to from taking responsibility and being accountable for our actions. There are so many people, things, or events that you can blame and offload responsibility. The key is to become responsible and accountable for your own choices and actions and understand that each choice has a consequence.

15. Gain a diversified knowledge—Gaining a working knowledge of many things and how they align with each other is important. A diverse knowledge allows you more flexibility in the workplace and any community in which you live and/or work.

16. Become an excellent listener—In today’s society of so much chaos and confusion about so many things, it is imperative to be a good, active listener, one who pays attention in a conversation, not trying to dominate any exchange of ideas. Listen and learn.

17. Use the resources and gifts that you have been given—I am a firm believer that we have been given gifts that we must utilize and improve upon. For example, I served a mission for my Church in southern Chile. I learned Spanish and felt it was a gift. Thus, I made it a goal in my life that I would keep up my Spanish. I read books in Spanish. I tried to speak Spanish wherever I went. I learned vocabulary in other areas. While I may not be a true native speaker, I do well in most settings.

18. Be committed—One of the biggest challenges I see today is the sway towards being non-committal. It seems that many people feel that if they do not commit to something or even someone, they will not have to be disappointed. Yet, being committed to something only enhances one’s ability to move forward with courage and hope.

19. Be trustworthy and trusted—There are few leadership qualities that are more important than being trustworthy and trusted. Back in my father’s day, a handshake was good enough for anything. My father was trustworthy, and people trusted him to do so many things. It is one of those qualities that he often talked about. You should strive to be trusted at your word.

20. Love, lift, lead, inspire, and invite—Exceptional leaders love, lift, lead, inspire, and invite others in and out of the organization to be better. They just exude goodness and create opportunities for people to want to be better in everything that they do. Do you embody this energy?

While leadership is an art form, it also lies fallow within us until we realize that we already possess leadership skills and qualities that can be nurtured and enhanced. Be intentional in learning and teaching these skills to others. If so, your own leadership skills will be enriched.

 

“Six ways to expand your horizons in life and continually move forward”

How to Climb Out of Your Shell

I grew up in a small Idaho farming community, population 596, where pretty much everyone knew everyone. In my youth, I visited Utah, Yellowstone National Park, Oklahoma and Glacier National Park, and that’s pretty much it. I had chores; milked a cow; fed chickens, pigs and horses; worked on my Uncle’s and friend’s farms; moved sprinkler pipe; mowed lawns; and sold nightcrawlers to fishermen.

In reality, I didn’t get out much. I wasn’t necessarily shy, per se. Perhaps, the better word was a bit naïve about life in general. Then, something tremendous happened: I served a two-year mission for my Church in southern Chile, about 6,000-plus miles away from my home. It propelled me to climb out of my shell and “be up and doing!”

Since then, I have lived, worked and served in a variety of states and the Caribbean (Dominican Republic). I have had to be up and doing to survive and thrive in all these situations.

So, what helped me climb out of my shell? Here are six approaches that helped me:

1. First, I changed my mindset.

The question is: “How do I move from where I am to where I need to be?” For me, moving from a small community to a country like Chile with a different culture and language was absolutely mind-boggling. I really didn’t know the language, although I spent two months full time in a very intensive Spanish program. It was a shock when we landed to hear people speak so quickly. I turned to my companion and said, “Are you sure we are in the right country?” From that day, I was determined to learn the language, the culture, love the people, and do my very best. My mindset changed to focus on what I was asked to do, and I just did it. Consequently, I elevated my thoughts to where I need to be, and I continue to elevate them—all because I changed my mindset at the beginning of the experience.

2. I was willing to learn new things.

To improve yourself, no matter what the situation, you must be willing to learn new things. I am a proponent of “lifelong learning” because that’s what I have done over the years. In essence, I believe you are either progressing or retrogressing. There is no such thing as stagnation. You are either improving or taking a step back. Being a lifelong learner does not necessarily mean that you are working on degrees your entire life; rather, it means that you learn something new each day, week, month or even year. You can learn a new language, a new software program, how to write well, how to become a better coach/mentor, how to watercolor, and even how to make your bed each morning before you leave the house. Be willing to learn. Seek learning opportunities. Most progressive companies offer great training and educational benefits to enhance your skills. If you work for a business, take advantage!

3. I did things I had never done before.

I think of everything I had to do when I lived in Chile I had never done before—ride a bus, walk everywhere I went, learn a new language and culture, talk to everyone I met, use an umbrella, eat food that was definitely foreign (delicious, though!). Since I decided to change my mindset and to learn new things, it was easier for me to move forward and try things I had never done. I did my best not to worry about it. I just did them, and it became part of my DNA. Yes, there were some things I never ate again. I learned how to read a bus map. I just did what I needed to do, knowing that I would become a better person for doing it.

4. I learned from my not-so-good choices.

I confess: All choices I have made over time were not good, although most were. One major faux paus happened when I first began driving a truck during potato harvest. Being from Idaho, that’s what you did during potato harvest: pick potatoes, work on a potato combine, work in the cellar, or drive a truck once you had your driver’s license, which I obtained during my freshman year of high school. I was going up to gas up—in this case diesel up. I was not paying close enough attention and took the turn that led to the diesel pump, which was a big barrel on stilts, a little closer than I should have and clipped the pump’s nozzle, spinning diesel fuel all over the truck and ground. By the time we got it stopped, I was soaked in diesel and filled with remorse and guilt because of my stupidity. Thankfully, the owner of the farm was tolerant and kinder than he should have been. The result was I was much more careful and have tried to be a very astute and conscientious driver ever since then—no matter what I am driving.

5. I used mentors along the way to help me through the challenging times.

Mentors are life savers. My first companion in the mission field was exceptional! He had been a standout athlete at his school, spoke Spanish really well, walked amazingly fast, and taught me how to study and learn in ways I never thought imaginable. Despite a mere 1.5-year age difference, he was a giant in my eyes. The rest of my mission was patterned after how he taught me. Other mentors along the way helped me see things differently, asked tough questions, guided me through some challenging times, and offered counsel and advice that ultimately motivated me to do even better. I have taken what they have taught me and applied it in my own tutoring, mentoring and coaching. It has just aligned with me.

6. Finally, and most importantly, I relied on my family, particularly my wife.

To be honest, I married way up! My wife Joanne has been a saint. I am not the easiest person to live with, but her patience and kindness have helped me in all aspects of my life. During every degree program, she constantly supported me and reviewed every essay/article I ever wrote. During my dissertation writing, I wrote for hours every day for weeks. She would stop in to see how I was doing, reviewed and commented on what I had written, made delicious meals, and went on weekly dates with me just to make sure I saw the light of day and forgot about the challenges with writing and doing research for a dissertation. For that, I owe my all to her and my family.

Overall, the key to climbing out of your shell is to “be up and doing.” Changing your mindset, learning to do new and sometimes challenging things you have never done before, and utilizing great mentors along the way, particularly your family, are keys to success. It definitely will take great patience, persistence and diligence to continually move forward, with a few steps backwards here and there. But just keep moving in the direction where you want to go, and you will make it—eventually!

Read the entire March 2025 Transformation Coaching Magazine here: https://transformationmag.com/tcm-march-2025. My article is on pp. 24-27.