7 Ways to Build Trust with the Next Generation Trust is at the heart of every meaningful relationship. Parent and child. Teacher and student. Coach and athlete. Mentor and emerging leader. And after more than 32 years of working with young people, I believe one thing has become increasingly clear: We cannot lead the next generation effectively until we earn their trust. Generation Alpha, the generation following Gen Z, has grown up in a world very different from the one many

This past week, I stood in front of hundreds of dance studio owners and leaders at the More Than Just Great Dancing Member Rally and asked them one simple question: "What is it like to be on the other side of you as a leader?" You could feel the room get quiet and then started chuckling! It's a question that requires courage because it asks us to look beyond our intentions and consider how others actually experience us. As I reflected on that conversation after the conferenc

One of the most important choices we make in life is how we view growth. Some people believe their abilities, intelligence, and talents are fixed. They see success as something you either have or you don't. Challenges feel threatening because failure feels personal. When things become difficult, they often give up, believing they simply aren't good at it. Others see life differently. They believe that skills can be developed, intelligence can grow, and success is built throug

For many young people, the fear of public speaking has very little to do with the stage itself. It has everything to do with their peers. Recently, I asked my Star Leadership students why they believed public speaking is considered one of the greatest fears in the world-often ranked just behind death. Their answer came quickly: “Because we don’t want to fail in front of our friends.” And honestly, they’re right. For this generation, the fear isn’t always the microphone or the

Most people want to grow. But if we’re honest… most people also want to stay comfortable. And that’s where the tension lives. Because growth and comfort don’t exist in the same space for very long. If you’re leading students, raising kids, running a business, or simply trying to become better-you’ve felt this. That moment where you know you should push forward… but everything in you wants to stay where it’s safe. That’s why it helps to understand the four zones we all operate

I know it can look that way. The unfinished task. The short attention span. The hesitation to push harder. To older generations, it may feel like this next generation is simply “lazy.” Many of us were raised with a different standard. You showed up. You worked hard. You didn’t question it. Effort was expected, not praised. But what if what we’re seeing isn’t laziness? What if it’s a leadership gap? In a fast, distracted, instant-gratification world, work ethic doesn’t just de