The Champion Leader

People Come First

I was speaking with a retired US Marine Corps colonel a few years ago about his experience serving in the military and all that he'd learned along the way. This man proudly served his country in Iraq and Afghanistan and, by all accounts, is a true American hero. He saw a lot of action during his combat tours. Now, as a civilian, he found himself pondering what leadership meant to him: how it helped him forge ahead during some of the most challenging days of his life.

He smiled, with a reflective gaze as he carefully chose his words. I could practically feel the playback of the memories in his mind. He turned to me and said, “Christopher, the wheel of leadership was first chiseled centuries ago. And yet, we always need to adjust and adapt as leaders. Times change. People change. The constant we must always remember is: in leadership, people come first.”

I find myself thinking of the wisdom he shared each day. It's the secret to building high‐performing teams and thriving organizations.

As we look ahead at the modern business landscape, a people‐first approach now takes center stage. How we communicate and connect with our employees and customers will define our future success. The rules of engagement in the workplace have changed. Technology is evolving at warp speed. So is where and how we work. The need to collaborate effectively is essential for championing the success of high‐performing teams. But with the only certainty in the future being uncertainty, ...