Today Counts: What Makes Someone Truly Influential?
TODAY COUNTS
Lead better. Live with purpose. Make every day count.
Today Counts is a free weekly leadership newsletter for professionals, entrepreneurs, managers, and aspiring leaders who want to grow in character, effectiveness, and influence. Every week, you'll receive practical leadership insights, personal growth strategies, and actionable tools to help you lead with confidence at work, at home, and in your community.
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Hey, Reader! β βA great speaker doesn't just capture attention. They know what to do with it.
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There's more to influential communication than being confident or knowing how to deliver a good presentation. It takes understanding the people listening, knowing what you want to say, and being intentional about what you want them to take away.
This week, Winston and I are talking about what separates a good public speaker from an influential one. We're exploring five principles that can help us communicate more effectively and become better leaders, whether we're speaking to a room full of people, leading a team, or sharing an idea.
Ultimately, influence isn't about how well you speak. It's about what happens because you did. I hope you'll give this week's episode a listen!
We're proud to celebrate Winston Harris, recipient of the 2026 Lion Leadership Award, in recognition of his courage and strength!
Many of you know Winston as the co-host of The Today Counts Show, but he's also a husband, father, pastor, and chaplain of the San Antonio Spurs. He leads and serves in so many different areas, and we're grateful for the perspective and heart he brings to each of them.
We're especially thankful for the conversations we get to have with Winston each week and the wisdom he shares with our community. It's a privilege to learn alongside him and share those conversations with you.
Congratulations, Winston! We're grateful to work alongside you and excited to celebrate this recognition. Well deserved!
A FEW THINGS WE'RE THINKING ABOUT
πΉClarity is a gift to your audience. The more clearly you can communicate an idea, the easier it is for someone else to understand it, remember it, and put it into practice.
πΉ Information alone doesn't create influence. The stories we share, the connections we make, and the way we bring an idea to life can determine whether it truly resonates.
THOUGHT FOR THE WEEK: Before your next important conversation or presentation, ask yourself: What's the one thing I want people to remember? And what do I want them to do with it?
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Re-Imagining Leadership: From the Inside Out
What if the most important work you do as a leader happens when no one is watching? The decisions you make, the character you develop, and the health you cultivate all shape the way you lead others. In Re-Imagining Leadership: From the Inside Out, I challenge leaders to look beyond performance and pay attention to what's happening beneath the surface. Because healthy leadership doesn't happen by accident. Take a sneak peek and grab your copy.
God is in charge. You are not. For some, that's a tough pill to swallow. For others, it becomes an excuse. I've found that healthy leadership requires both humility and courage: the humility to recognize we don't have all the answers and the courage to do what's right, even when it comes at a cost. The two together are an important part of becoming a wise leader. Click here to read the full reflection.β
Lead better. Live with purpose. Make every day count.
Today Counts is a free weekly leadership newsletter for professionals, entrepreneurs, managers, and aspiring leaders who want to grow in character, effectiveness, and influence. Every week, you'll receive practical leadership insights, personal growth strategies, and actionable tools to help you lead with confidence at work, at home, and in your community.
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