Hey Leaders, How do the best leaders unlock extraordinary results in their teams? In this week’s Wisdom Wednesday episode, John Maxwell reveals how empowering others not only helps them reach their potential but also equips them to pass on that growth beyond themselves! After his lesson, Mark Cole and Chris Robinson dive into practical strategies and real-world examples to help you apply empowerment in your own leadership journey right away. Key takeaways: - The strongest teams thrive when leaders actively demonstrate that they need their people and invite them to contribute. - Empowerment is more than delegation; it’s giving team members authority, resources, and trust to lead. “You can choose control or growth, but not both.” — Craig Groeschel Click here to listen and watch: https://youtu.be/G0Xb9BYBM38?si=DxmcmFdABFzo_Dhj Download the BONUS resource for this episode, 'How Empowerment Fuels Team Success' Worksheet, which includes fill-in-the-blank notes from John’s teaching. - Dr. Joe

Date: Wednesday, February 11, 2026 Time: 11:00 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. CST | 12:00 p.m. - 1:30 p.m. EST Organizer: Natalie Rhodes | Email: [email protected] | Office: (662) 325-4990 Host organization: Veterans Business Outreach Center (VBOC) at Mississippi State University (MSU) To attend you must register via the link below: Introduction to Government Contracting | U.S. Small Business Administration: https://sba.gov/event/77709 Event description: For Veterans or Spouses interested in Government Contracting, the VBOC at MSU will host a session on "Introduction to Government Contracting." This session is related to the Customer Relationship block of the Business Model Canvas because it can help you in understanding how you “Get, Keep, Grow” customers when you do business in the federal procurement marketplace. The format will be about an hour of briefing information and 30 minutes of demos and Q&A. The class will include information on: 1. Small business preference programs (VOSB & SDVOSB) 2. How to register to do business with the government 3. Resources to find contracting opportunities – Prime and Subcontracting 4. Demo on using SAMs 5. Demo of ways to use DSBS – SBA’s Dynamic Small Business Search engine 6. Veteran Certification - VetCert Process. Additional Resources that can help you.

Hey Leaders, This week’s TED Talk Tuesday hits at the core of real leadership. Simon Sinek Shared that people don’t follow you because of your title, your strategy, or your authority. They follow you because they believe what you believe. That’s the power of WHY. Most leaders start with what they do and how they do it. Great leaders start with why — their purpose, their belief, their cause — and everything else flows from there. When people understand the WHY: - They stop complying and start committing - They take ownership - They stay engaged when things get hard That’s not motivation. That’s alignment. 🎥 Watch the talk here: https://www.ted.com/talks/simon_sinek_how_great_leaders_inspire_action So here’s the question I want you to sit with: 👉 Why do you lead — and would your team say the same answer? Let’s talk below. — Dr. Joe

Hi Leaders, Good morning, and welcome to another episode of Leadership Latte with Dr. Joe, where we pour, sip, and reflect as we continue our journey of personal leadership and growth. Today’s brew focuses on the importance of punctuality—a leadership habit that communicates respect, reliability, and intentionality. In leadership, being on time is more than a schedule commitment; it’s a trust-building action that signals to others that people, priorities, and mission matter. As you listen and reflect on today’s audio message, I encourage you to consider how punctuality shows up in your leadership and how it shapes the culture around you. I’m grateful you’re on this journey with me. Have a wonderful Monday! Dr. Joe

Feedback systems create steady input on performance, behavior, and outcomes so teams learn and improve without waiting for annual reviews. Leaders set regular cadences for feedback, define what “good” looks like, and train people to give specific, behavior-based input tied to impact. Strong systems include upward feedback, peer feedback, customer feedback, and operational data, all routed into action plans with owners and deadlines. Leaders also track whether changes worked, so feedback becomes a closed loop instead of repeated complaints. Effective feedback systems improve quality, speed, and accountability over time. Question: What feedback source is missing or underused in your improvement process?