Leaders influence others by what they do and how they do it.  The what of leadership requires technical, human and conceptual competencies.  The how one goes about leading is a reflection of leadership style, one's values and organizational culture.  At Cotton Sail Consulting, we help leaders assess their strengths and weaknesses and we are available to design a personal improvement plan. 

Chris Holdorf is the Founder and CEO of Cotton Sail Consulting.  Chris has extensive experience in leadership roles in corporate America as well as non-profit organizations.  His diverse career began as a CPA specializing in mergers and acquisitions at Arthur Andersen & Co.  He later served as a corporate vice president of the nation’s largest independent telephone company and held executive positions overseeing international development and acquisitions in the telecom and power generation industries.  

Since 1995 Chris has followed God’s calling as a minister of the gospel and he currently serves as the Senior Pastor of the 1,500-member Oak Hill Baptist Church in Williamson, Georgia.  Chris currently hosts a monthly business luncheon called Power Lunch which is dedicated to sharing leadership principles from a Biblical perspective.  Chris is also a frequent speaker to business groups and is the co-founder and editior of headlineviews.com, a web site dedicated to strengthening leaders' Biblical worldview.  

Chris holds a Bachelor of Business Administration and a Masters of Accountancy from the University of Georgia.  He also earned a Masters of Theology from Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary.  Chris holds an honorary Doctor of Divinity from Emmanuel Theological Seminary in Kota, India, and is pursuing a Doctor of Strategic Leadership from Regent University in Virginia Beach, Va.  

It Begins With Leadership

Leadership Is Influence

Credibility is the foundation of leadership

If leadership is influence, then leaders must have credibility with followers in order to be effective.  Credibility is the foundation of leadership because people have to believe in their leaders before they will willingly follow.

Defining leadership is much like defining the word "good."  Ask ten people for a definition and you will get eleven different answers.  We describe leadership as the process of influencing others to accomplish common goals.  Robert Greenleaf, the recognized father of servant leadership, stated that "leadership by persuasion has the virtue of change by convincement rather than by coercion."  Ultimately, one's credibility with followers will determine how strong one's influence (leadership) is.  

The What & How of Leadership

About Chris holdorf

Trust 

"I must tell you what I know, but you won't tell me what you know.  That is hardly equitable, sir.  I don't think we can do business along those lines."  Kasper Gutman, The Maltese Falcon