Ken Blanchard Archives - Tricia Goyer

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | RSS

In today’s episode we’re chatting with Dr. Ken Blanchard.

Few people have influenced the day-to-day management of people and companies more than Ken Blanchard. A prominent, sought-after author, speaker, and business consultant, Dr. Blanchard is universally characterized by his friends, colleagues, and clients as one of the most insightful, powerful, and compassionate individuals in business today. Ken is one of the most influential leadership experts in the world and is respected for his years of groundbreaking work in the fields of leadership and management.

Dr. Ken Blanchard is the cofounder and Chief Spiritual Officer of The Ken Blanchard Companies, an international management training and consulting firm that he and his wife, Margie Blanchard, began in 1979 in San Diego, California. In addition to being a renowned speaker and consultant, Ken also spends time as a visiting lecturer at his alma mater, Cornell University, where he is a trustee emeritus of the Board of Trustees.

Ken has received many awards and honors for his contributions in the fields of management, leadership, and speaking. The National Speakers Association awarded him its highest honor, the “Council of Peers Award of Excellence.” He was inducted into the HRD Hall of Fame by Training magazine and Lakewood Conferences, and he received the Golden Gavel Award from Toastmasters International. Ken also received The Thought Leadership Award for continued support of work-related learning and performance by ISA–The Association of Learning Providers. Ken has been inducted into Amazon’s Hall of Fame as one of the top 25 best-selling authors of all time. The business school at Grand Canyon University bears his name. In addition, Ken teaches students in the Master of Science in Executive Leadership Program at the University of San Diego.

Born in New Jersey and raised in New York, Ken received a master’s degree from Colgate University, and a bachelor’s and PhD from Cornell University. An avid golfer, Ken belongs to the Loch Lomond Golf Club in Scotland.

I hope you enjoys today’s show. You can listen above or on iTunes! I’d love it if you shared with your friends!

Links from the show

Lead Your Family Like Jesus
DVD Study
Lead Like Jesus
Lead Your Family Like Jesus Excerpt
Servant Leader
The One Minute Manager
Twitter for Good
One Minute Mentoring
When the Game is Over, It All Goes Back in the Box
UnGame
Proverbs 3:5-6
The Mulligan
The Red Letters of Jesus

This Week’s Walk It Out Scripture
Luke 2:11-14

For today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a [b]manger.” And suddenly there appeared with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying,

“Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace among men with whom He is pleased.”

Connect with Ken
Website | Facebook | Twitter | YouTube

Connect with Tricia
Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

Sponsors
Walk It Out

A special thanks to Life Worship for the use of their songWide Open Space for my theme song!

On a recent trip to California I was blessed to go out to dinner with my friend and co-author Ken Blanchard, his wife Margie, Phyllis Hendry (the CEO of Lead Like Jesus Ministries), and two other couples. One of the thing I love about Ken is that he’s intentional about everything, even dinner conversation.

I’ve been to many dinners, and I find that I usually spend time talking to the person next to me, and I don’t really getting to know the rest of the people. Yet, this dinner was different. As soon as our drinks were ordered Ken asked Margie to get out the discussion cards.

The rules were that we’d go around the table and everyone would pull a card and answer it. There were questions like:

What two political subjects are you most passionate about? and What is your greatest weakness?

I was amazed how deeply and passionately the questions were answered. I clearly remember one of the men—a very successful CEO—sharing about his struggle with turning over control to God. I was touched.

We answered a few rounds of questions as dinner was being served, and then just when I thought things were winding down, Ken asked one last, great question that everyone had to answer:

What are you most excited at this point in your life?

It was fun to hear what everyone was excited about. One woman was excited because some international students she’d been mentoring had recently graduated. Another woman (in her seventies) was excited about the French lessons and art classes she was taking.

I walked away from that dinner party feeling refreshed and inspired. I felt as if I’d made new friends, and I saw my own life in a new way. I realized I could be more intentional about connecting with others, and I’d be given great gifts of understanding others’ hearts.

Next time you invite friends over, consider being more intentional about sharing insightful conversation, rather than just making small talk <click to tweet>. People love to open up and share what really excites them. They are often happy to share what how God is working in their lives. It’s up to us to let them know we do want to hear it, we do care. And when you taken time to listen, you never know how you’ll be changed.

Discussion Starters for Dinner Parties <click to tweet>

Do you have a life calling?
What’s your best organizational tip?
How do you decide what your priorities are?
What is something unexpected that has happened to you in the last year?
What are you most excited about today?

Going Deeper
I also found these cards that I recently ordered. I can’t wait to use them!

Finally, what is your favorite dinnertime discussion question?

#WALKITOUT 006: Ken Blanchard

Conversation Starters for Dinner Parties