Send us a text

Julie Jenkins and Dr. Thomas Anderson II explore how leaders can navigate complex change by embracing curiosity as a way of being rather than seeking stability or rushing to solutions.

• Complex change differs from linear change—there's no step-by-step process, only sense-making and educated guesses
• Leaders create the "weather" for their teams—their approach to uncertainty directly affects how others respond
• Moving from a controlling leadership style to a curious one requires sitting with the discomfort of not knowing
• Breaking out of leadership defaults requires self-awareness and intentionally designing new responses
• Creating spaciousness, asking one more question, and mapping out knowns versus unknowns are practical leadership tools
• Resistance and readiness are two sides of the same coin—resistance signals important information
• Embracing paradox ("two things can be true") helps teams move forward despite uncertainty
• Approaching change as experiments allows for learning without judgment about right or wrong
• Being vulnerable with your team builds trust that sustains through uncertainty

Remember that leadership during complex change doesn't require having all the answers. Be kind to yourself, extend compassion to others, and trust the process of learning as you go.

Connect with our experts on LinkedIn:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/julie-jenkins/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/thomasandersonii/

BelemLeaders–Your organization's trusted partner for leader and team development. Visit our website to connect: belemleaders.org or book a discovery call today! belem.as.me/discovery

Until next time, keep doing great things!

Send us a text

The digital revolution promised connection but delivered something more complicated. Social media now intertwines with our daily existence, and emerging research reveals disturbing patterns about its impact on developing minds.

During our conversation with Kerri Carswell, content creator for the Carolina Journal, we explore the neurological reality behind social media addiction. Those seemingly innocuous features—infinite scrolling, like buttons, notifications—trigger powerful neurochemical responses, releasing dopamine and oxytocin in ways that mirror substance dependencies.

For adults, this creates problematic usage patterns, but for children with developing brains, the consequences can be devastating. The documented harms—disrupted sleep cycles, shortened attention spans, increased anxiety and depression—demand action.

"It's actually the second leading cause of death in North Carolina between the ages of 10 to 18," Carswell reveals when discussing youth suicide rates.

North Carolina legislators are responding with groundbreaking proposals.

Parents face unprecedented challenges navigating this landscape. When should children receive smartphones? How can we monitor usage without overreaching? What conversations should families have about digital wellness? Carswell shares both personal experience and professional insights to help listeners find balance in an increasingly unbalanced digital world.

Listen to understand what's happening behind the screen and how we can protect the next generation from digital harms while preserving technology's benefits.

Check out more on this and other topics from Kerri @ https://www.carolinajournal.com/people/kerri-carswell/

BelemLeaders–Your organization's trusted partner for leader and team development. Visit our website to connect: belemleaders.org or book a discovery call today! belem.as.me/discovery

Until next time, keep doing great things!

Send us a text

What happens to your organization when you leave? Dr. David Ashcraft, President and CEO of the Global Leadership Network, tackles the critical yet often neglected topic of succession planning with remarkable transparency and practical wisdom.

Ashcraft's leadership journey took an unexpected turn after a pivotal conversation with Jim Collins, who challenged him with a provocative insight: "You'll never be a level five leader until you've actually left your organization and it's better with you gone than with you there." This single statement transformed Ashcraft's approach to leadership at LCBC Church, where he served as senior pastor for 32 years, growing the congregation from 150 to over 25,000 people across multiple locations.

The conversation reveals succession planning as both a strategic process and a deeply personal journey. Ashcraft details how he developed a comprehensive 10-year succession plan focused on organizational health rather than personal timing, identified and systematically developed his successor, and navigated the unexpected emotional challenges of letting go. His candid reflections on battling pride after stepping away provide a rare glimpse into the psychological dimensions of leadership transition.

Perhaps most valuable are the practical insights Ashcraft offers: the importance of documentation, creating a special succession subcommittee, implementing a careful transition period, and remaining physically absent after departure to allow new leadership to flourish. Throughout the discussion, he emphasizes that true succession isn't about managing your exit but ensuring your organization thrives long after you've gone.

Whether you lead a church, nonprofit, or business, this conversation offers a masterclass in planning for your organization's future beyond your tenure. It challenges leaders to shift focus from "what's next for me" to "what's best for the organization I'm leading"—a perspective that ultimately defines leadership legacy.

BelemLeaders–Your organization's trusted partner for leader and team development. Visit our website to connect: belemleaders.org or book a discovery call today! belem.as.me/discovery

Until next time, keep doing great things!