When it comes to the business or church world, as leaders we should not make fairness a priority. That sounds harsh, doesn’t it? In an age of political correctness and tolerance, it seems wrong to admit that some things aren’t fair. But fairness is overrated.

A healthy culture is built with some flexibility in the system. That doesn’t mean it is a free-for-all structure or schedule. There are still expectations and responsibilities, and each department supervisor is responsible for how flexibly his or her team can function.

Have you ever asked the question, “How many hours should I require my staff to work?” or, “Should I make everyone work the same hours?” Hopefully I can provide some food for thought...

Your leaders want influence. They usually have a lot of responsibility over a specific area. They typically feel very trusted to lead, as long as they stay in their lane. They may even get paid well for what they do. But what they desire is an opportunity to influence the entire organization.

Most of us will work most of our lives for someone else. And sometimes we do this in very tough environments. The truth is everyone, at every level, can help build and sustain a healthy culture. Much of this has to do with modeling how to be a great follower.

You don’t get to spike the ball on culture. You can never proclaim your culture a success or stop working on it. If you have human beings working with and for you, then this will be something you work on ad infinitum.

I think the best marriages are made when two people understand what fills the tank of their spouse, and when they each do everything they can to make sure it stays filled. And I think the best leaders know what gives them energy, and they know what drains it away.

Have you ever been in a job where it felt like no one wanted you to think or contribute, where you were just supposed to get your work done? You were wired to change the world, to make a difference, to influence the people around you—but you were stuck in a position where you were assembling widgets?

When every moment of my life is scheduled, I don’t have the margin to stop and listen to someone who needs an ear; I don’t have the time to jump in and help a neighbor fix their sprinkler; or don’t have the flexibility to go to my kids sporting event that was scheduled at the last minute.

You should never e-mail when you are in any type of relational conflict with another individual. What is the alternative? Talk with him or her in person so that you can see their eyes, watch their body language, and discern their mood or disposition.

With any big change, you need a plan for communication. Who should you tell first? Who should you tell next? Who would be hurt if they found out about it from someone else in your organization?

Anytime you want to start something new, make a change, add a program, or expand the budget, make sure you don’t skip the meeting before the meeting. Be sure to meet with every key influencer ahead of time.

The right coaching environment is personal and transformative for no more than 20 people. Everyone has a chance to be heard. Every story can be told and unpacked. Coaching happens over a period of weeks or months, so there is enough time between gatherings that life has a chance to happen.

Millennials get a lot of grief about how much time they spend on their phones. I hear people say, "They never put their phones down!" or "I bet she couldn't live a day without her phone" or “He doesn’t even know how to communicate in person.” But in truth I see adults of all ages every day who belittle others because of bad phone habits.

As leaders, it’s crucial that the people we bring on our team do not have huge flaws in their integrity that could cripple their ability to lead.

It’s not easy, but change is good. Change may be hard for those ingrained in the institution, but change attracts new people.

Whether you want to change the color of the carpet in the office or you want to change the color of the carpet in the office or you want to see your church begin to leverage pop culture, here are a few things I have picked up along the way that will help you lead from the middle.

Perhaps you’ve also been at your organization 20 years - or maybe only two or three years. The question remains the same: How do you know when it’s time to say goodbye and move on?