Not everyone wants to lead – but everyone gets to decide who they want to follow. Think of a leader that you admire. What is it about their leadership style that resonates with you? If you had to describe it, what words would come to mind? Words like patience, open-mindedness, honesty, empathy, or trustworthiness.

Worth Remembering – The time it takes to master something depends on the intensity of your focus. – B. Smith.

We are not born knowing how to manage or lead others. It’s an acquired skill. But we can learn how. Almost everything in managing and leading others boils down to relationships. Let’s get FOCUSED on leadership.

F – Friendly. Get to know everyone on your team beyond their work. Take the time to build those all-important relationships with those you work with and interact with. People like to work with and do business with people they like. Are you likable?

O – Organized. Time is not a renewable resource. Manage your time and your team’s time so you accomplish your goals on time and on budget.

C – Consistent. Treat everyone on your team the same. Do not play favourites. What’s good for someone has to be good for everyone.

U – Understanding. Be empathetic. Try to see things from another person\s point of view. There may be things going on that you aren’t aware of.

S – Sincere. People can usually spot a fake or phony from miles away. Successful managers or leaders are genuine and sincere and want their people to succeed. If you want those around you to be successful in what they do, it will show in how you treat them.

E – Energized. Act like you want to be there. Be their biggest cheerleader. Be enthusiastic, it’s contagious.

D – Dependable. Whatever you say you’re going to do – do it. People need to trust your word. If they can’t trust what you say, they won’t trust you at all. Establishing trust is everything.

Worth Remembering – What you stay focused on will grow. – Roy T. Bennett.

The workforce is changing. The old ‘Jump and I will tell you how high.’ style of managing or leading others no longer works. To manage and lead today’s diverse, multigenerational workforce, you need to take a more collaborative approach. We are emotional beings. If you can’t make an emotional connection with those you work with and interact with, regardless of gender or generation, you’ll have difficulty managing or leading them. Let’s get FOCUSED on leadership.

Copyright 2026. Brian Smith – Power Link Dynamics. Not to be reproduced without permission. Are you, or someone you know, searching for a keynote speaker for your next event, or planning an in-person training session at your location? Brian works with those who want to learn to communicate and interact more effectively, build collaborative teams, resolve conflicts or motivate others to perform at their best. To learn more about Brian and what he can do for you, visit – https;//briansmithpld.com or email him at – briansmithpld.com

Have you ever asked yourself where common sense comes from? Are we born with it? If we aren’t born with it, how do we get it? Why do some people seem to have more of it than others? If something makes perfect sense to you, shouldn’t it make perfect sense to everyone else? According to Merriam-Webster, common sense is sound, prudent judgment based on a simple perception of the situation or facts. Common sense suggests an average degree of ability without sophistication or special knowledge.

Common sense is the most widely shared commodity in the world, for everyone is convinced that they are well supplied with it. – R. Descartes.

The amount of common sense we have seems to be proportionate to the amount of life experiences we’ve had. We’ve been there, done that, and have the t-shirt to prove it. I think we should call it ‘Life sense’. It seems the older we get, the smarter we get. I believe we start off life with a blank slate. From the moment we’re born until the day that we die, we increase our level of common sense through the people we meet, the books we read, and the things we see and do.

The art of common sense is applying the best wisdom we know today, based on all our yesteryears. – Wilfred Peterson.

For the most part, adults tend to learn as they go along. We learn what to do, and most importantly, what not to do, based on our past experiences. However, some people are slow learners and have to experience the same thing several times before they finally catch on. Other people learn by trial and error, learning by doing, refining what they’ve done, and then they do it again until they are satisfied with the results.

We seldom attribute common sense except to those who agree with us. – F. La Rochefoucauld.

A shout-out to all the managers and leaders. Your employees don’t learn by osmosis, the process by which information or concepts come to a person without conscious effort. Don’t rely on common sense as part of your training programs. If you haven’t taught someone how you want the task performed, don’t assume they know how. Too many managers and leaders are guilty of using the common-sense rationale to cover up the fact that they failed to give proper instructions and guidance. Common sense is an acquired skill. Through observation, proper instruction and practice, people can become competent over time. It’s time to revisit common sense.

Copyright 2026. Brian Smith – Power Link Dynamics. Not to be reproduced without permission. Are you searching for a keynote speaker for your next event, or planning a training session at your location? Brian works with people who want to learn to communicate and interact more effectively with others, regardless of gender or generation, build collaborative teams, resolve conflicts and motivate others to perform at their best.