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What does it truly mean to "take the high road" in today's fractured world? For Pastor Mark D Cummins, it's not a cliché but a revolutionary approach to leadership that transforms both leaders and followers.
In this compelling conversation, Mark shares his journey from angry teenager to Marine to pastor, revealing how each stage shaped his understanding of what leadership should be. Growing up in a broken home with a volatile relationship with his father, Mark learned the hard way about choosing between revenge and forgiveness. This personal struggle became the foundation for what he now calls "High Road Leadership" – an approach that begins with valuing people regardless of differences.
Mark makes a fascinating distinction between three leadership paths: the low road (seeking revenge), the middle road (transactional relationships), and the high road (value-based influence). "Middle of the road is transactional," he explains. "I'll do this for you if you do this for me. That's not healthy—it's still about me." By contrast, high road leaders invest in others without expectation of return, seeing potential in people before they see it themselves.
This distinction becomes crucial in today's divided landscape, where nearly every topic splits opinions down the middle. High road leadership isn't about proving who's right or wrong but recognizing that while disagreements are inevitable, disrespect should never be. As Mark puts it, "As a leader, we've got to engage people right where they are, and because we value people, then we're able to bring them up."
Whether you're leading a business, family, church, or community group, Mark's approach offers a refreshing alternative to manipulation-based or position-based leadership. With Ocala growing rapidly—adding approximately 260 new residents weekly—his message couldn't be more timely. "Life never gets easier," he shares. "What we need to do is learn how to do hard better."
Ready to transform your leadership approach? Join us at the Ocala-inspired live speaker leadership development event on July 25th to hear more from Pastor Mark and other local leaders who are making a difference.

https://www.wordsfromthewise.net/