September Kickoff: Ordinary Moments, Extraordinary Impact

Fall is here, and ordinary moments might be your biggest leadership reset. Here’s what’s new.

Hey friend,

September always gives me an extra boost of energy.

Summer winds down, school picks back up, college football kicks off (go Penn State!), and many of us take a breath and say, “Alright, let’s get back to it” as we finish off the back third of the year.

But what if the path forward wasn’t about doing more?

What if it was about noticing more?

This month, I’m reflecting on the power of the ordinary; the small, daily moments that make the biggest leadership impact. A quiet hallway chat. A word of encouragement. Showing up when it would’ve been easier not to.

So in this edition, you’ll find:

  • A new article on why ordinary matters more than we think

  • A powerful book that helped me sharpen my leadership lens

  • The latest podcast episodes (we’ve had some incredible guests!)

  • A full fall speaking lineup

  • And a quick challenge to help you reset for the season

Let’s dive in.

Leadership Insight of the Month

The Power of the Ordinary

Leadership isn’t always about spotlight moments. It’s not just the keynote speeches, the corner office decisions, or viral wins.

Sometimes, it’s about faithfully showing up in the margins by encouraging a colleague who’s discouraged, quietly celebrating someone else’s success, or simply doing the “unseen” work with excellence.

This month, I found myself reflecting on a passage from Paul’s letter to some friends in Rome. Whether or not you are a person of faith, this often-overlooked section really impacted me in a profound way when I dug into the long list of “ordinary” people he calls out. 

Paul mentioned a couple dozen individuals largely lost to history, but who had a profound impact on his journey. They weren’t formal leaders. They weren’t the ones writing letters or giving keynote messages. But Paul singles out these individuals while recognizing their tireless service to others, their encouragement in the community, and their unwavering commitment to show up, do the work, try new things, and build relationships to ensure they accomplished their mission.

That hit me.

It is so easy to overlook the vital importance and impact of the ordinary, daily actions when we’re constantly chasing the extraordinary.

The truth is, many of the most influential leaders in our lives aren’t the loudest or the most visible. They’re the people who show up, stay steady, and serve others without needing credit.

So whether you're handling admin tasks, cheering on a teammate behind the scenes, solving problems that are not within your job description, or staying present when it would be easier to check out, your leadership matters. In the ordinary, mundane actions of each day that compound into significant and extraordinary results.

Here are three questions I’m asking myself this fall, and I’d love to challenge you to do the same:

  • Who can I encourage today?

  • What mundane task is on my plate today that I can I do with excellence?

  • How can I lift someone’s spirit just by being present and listening?

In a world chasing “extra,” don’t overlook the power of ordinary.

Because it’s in the quiet consistency of ordinary moments that trust is built, culture is shaped, and lives are impacted.

📚 Book Review: The 7 Commitments of a Great Team by Jon Gordon

This month, I picked up Jon Gordon’s newest book, The 7 Commitments of a Great Team, and it couldn’t have come at a better time.

During my incredibly busy summer of travel, I have to admit feeling a bit overwhelmed, distracted, and a bit complacent. In this book, Jon lays out a powerful roadmap for creating connection, commitment, and long-term success that helped re-energize and refocused my vision and energy to hit the Fall with fervor and tenacity. 

Gordon’s ideas aren’t just feel-good concepts, rather they’re actionable behaviors that transform culture (and can help transform your own mindset).

Here are the seven commitments he outlines:

  1. Love – The foundation of great teams. Not sentimentality, but the choice to care deeply and consistently.

  2. Serve – Show up for each other. Be willing to put team needs above individual ego.

  3. Care – Take interest in your teammates as people, not just colleagues.

  4. Connect – Relationships drive results. Build trust, share struggles, and celebrate wins.

  5. Encourage – Every team faces adversity. Leaders who inspire through it make the difference.

  6. Grow – Get better together. Embrace feedback, challenge, and growth.

  7. Commit – Fully engage. Don’t dip a toe, jump all in for the team.

What struck me most was Jon’s reminder that “a great team is not something you join; it’s something you build.” 

That resonates deeply with the heart of Everybody Leads, that leadership starts with ownership, and everyone plays a part in creating a thriving culture.

This book is practical, readable, and packed with heart. Whether you lead a big organization, a nonprofit, a project team, or want to grow your leadership influence and impact in a tangible way, The 7 Commitments is worth your time this fall.

🎤 Fall Speaking Schedule

I’m grateful for the chance to share the Everybody Leads message in similar and new places this fall. 

If you're nearby or attending, I’d love to connect:

  • September 18 – ACC Central Florida: The Executive Edge, Rollins College - Winter Park, FL

  • September 27 – Mackrell International Americas Meeting, Boston, MA

  • October 2 – AL Risk Management EAP Conference - Montgomery, AL

  • October 14 – DRI Leadership Conference - Chicago, IL

  • October 16 – Memphis Bar Leadership Forum - Memphis, TN

🎧 New Podcast Episodes

Whether I’m in the guest seat or hosting on Everybody Leads, these recent convos are full of leadership gold:

🎙️ Everybody Leads Podcast

  • Aug 6 – Misty Miller, SVP, Organizational Development, Boys & Girls Clubs of America

  • Aug 20 – Lara Nichols, SVP & Federal Legal Support, Duke Energy

  • Sept 3 – Andrea Shelton, Founder and Executive Director, HeartBound Ministries

  • Sept 17 – Judge Rubén Castillo (ret.), U.S. District Court, Northern District of Illinois

🎧 Guest Appearances

If you're driving, working out, or want a dose of inspiration between meetings, check out one of these episodes.

LinkedIn Post of the Month 

📉 2019: We hit our worst fiscal year ever.

📈 Today: Record growth.

Here’s what changed, and how it started with a decision I almost didn’t make.

I never set out to be a CEO.

I loved my clients, loved the work, and felt like I was right where I needed to be.

But when the opportunity came to lead Baker Donelson, something in me wouldn’t let it go.

That little voice, the leadership spark, kept saying: “You’re not done growing.”

On the my episode of The Big Table Podcast with Coach Micheal Burt, we talked about the power of stepping into discomfort, how to turn around a legacy organization, and why leadership isn’t taught in law school, but it can be lived every day.

In this episode:

• Why I asked my team for written commitments to drive accountability

• What “best-run business” thinking looks like in a 100+ year-old law firm

• How culture isn’t posters on the wall, it’s what you do when nobody’s watching

• And the real secret to doubling impact (hint: it’s not about revenue)

If you're leading through change, questioning your next move, or just trying to get better every day, this conversation is for you.

Thanks, Coach, for a seat at the big table, and for calling greatness out of people.

📘 Have You Ordered the Book Yet? 

Everybody Leads is now available in hardcover on Amazon.

Grab your copy, and if you’ve already read it, an honest review goes a long way in spreading the message. It takes just 20 seconds and means the world.

Fall Reset Challenge

September is a great time to hit the reset button.

Here’s a simple prompt:

What one small habit could you recommit to this fall to lead with more presence, clarity, or intention?

Write it down. Revisit it daily. Let the ordinary shape your extraordinary.

Thanks for reading, and for leading!

Here’s to a fall filled with clarity, impact, and just enough discomfort to keep growing.

Let’s lead well,

Tim