Hi Reader,

Friday is when I share a few leadership ideas, interesting discoveries and questions that caught my attention during the week.

In case you missed the earlier Newsletters this week, you can find them here:

• On Monday, I emphasized the value of individual coaching — whether it comes from a professional coach or someone you believe can help you Become a More Effective Leader — in I made a mistake last week.
• On Wednesday, in Is Your Leadership Team at the Top of Its Game? | Take This Challenge, I turned the tables to focus on the coaching YOU must do to build a great team.

Don't be afraid of the answer you might get when you score your team using the free Leadership Team Challenge worksheet.

If you lead a team of any size and are committed to a successful career as a leader, knowing the capability and strengths of your team is the only way to jumpstart the process of making your team better.

Are You Wearing a Gold Earring?

Would you believe me if I told you that wearing a gold earring would help your eyesight?

Yeah, probably not — but sailors and pirates used to believe that precious metals like gold possessed magical or healing properties.

The practice stems from early folk-medicine ideas which believed that stimulating specific pressure points on the earlobe could influence vision. Because spotting land, hazards, or other ships was vital for survival, lookouts grasped onto any superstition or method thought to sharpen their sight.

They also considered it a portable form of currency, so when they died, the earrings could be redeemed to cover the cost of their burial. Many of them also had their home port engraved on the earring so people would know where to send their bodies when they washed ashore.

He “Walked” Around the World?

In 1974, American Dave Kunst completed the first round-the-world journey on foot, taking four years and 21 pairs of shoes to complete the 14,500-mile journey across the land masses of four continents.

Near the end of his journey in 1974 he explained the reasons for his epic trek:

Bummer! It’s something I planned to do, but now that it’s already been done, I think I’ll find another record to break.

Haphephobia?

I was unaware that this was a specific phobia classified under anxiety disorders.

In short, it is an intense, irrational and persistent fear of being touched by others or touching someone else.

I looked it up when this phobia was featured in Neagley (Prime Video, 94 🍅 and 83🍿). It's a new and successful offshoot of Reacher, the popular TV series based on the character of Jack Reacher, created by author Lee Child.

The show stars Maria Sten, a badass P.I who was an associate of Jack Reacher in Season 1 of Reacher, also on Prime Video. She had also been featured in several of the Jack Reacher novels. Neagley debuted in September and has already been renewed for Season 2.

No spoilers here, but early on you discover that the curse of haphephobia has affected Neagley since she was a child — and yes, you eventually learn why.

You‘ll recall that we recently spent some time examining the standards of conduct and behavior that should apply to organizations.

In Do the Same Rules Apply to the Person at the Top?, I referenced the embarrassing situation involving Jed York, owner of the San Francisco 49ers. He had been arrested on August 24th in Ohio following an undercover prostitution sting. Ultimately, he pleaded no contest to misdemeanor charges of disorderly conduct and possessing criminal tools.

In that context, we also discussed how inescapable these events are and how social media fallout takes over and drives the conversation, forcing all parties to take a stand — including the NFL.

Last week, the NFL suspended York for six regular-season games and fined him $500,000 for violating the personal-conduct policy, stemming from his August arrest.

The larger point remains the same: when the person at the top crosses the line, the consequences rarely stop there.

British humor thrives in a world of its own — and while it can often be risqué, it’s hard not to laugh.

Watch this skit, Phrases You May Hear in the Kitchen or in the Bedroom.

If you don’t laugh out loud at some of these constructions, check your pulse.

Here’s a hilarious twist on the famous Frank Sinatra ballad, I Did It My Way. (It may appear like it will be in Spanish, but it's in English.)

If you’re like me, you may have difficulty understanding the words in popular songs — a trend that seems to be growing as I get older.

Here is a hilarious example of the words you may be hearing.

Look! We Can, Like, Agree on this, Right? Okay?

When did these lazy words — linguists call them Floor Holders — arise? They are super-annoying, too often "begging" for a response when none is needed.

"Right?" … used when people are seeking confirmation that they ARE right. It's a classic. My response? Nothing. Let it hang out there.

"Okay?" an aging precursor to "Right?".

I think the teens, and many others, are still preceding many words and phrases with something like "Like" ...

No. 1 annoying word these days?

"Look" when people really … really … really want you to listen to them.

No. Not LOOK at them … just pay attention to what they’re saying … but there’s nothing to look at.

Too many newscasters and talking heads use it constantly. Look where? I thought I was supposed to be listening?

How about this response? Shut Up!!

Can we at least agree on this?

From a line in Dan Brown’s book, Origin (Book #5 in his Robert Langdon series), which became a worldwide phenomenon with The DaVinci Code.

“Yes, which is why Edmond hoped science could one day unify us,” Langdon said. In his own words ...

Don't Stop Leading!