Leadership is like a parade. I have been in a few parades myself, playing the bass drum in my high school marching band. I thought about parades as long strings of people following each other. The leaders were the ones at the front; everyone else was a follower. I have come to understand parades differently. There will be a parade tomorrow morning here in Southern California, but the leadership for this parade began more than a year ago. Parade leadership... Read more
It is the final weekend of the year. Whether this year has filled you with joy or with sorrow, been very profitable or a financial struggle, it will soon be over. While there may be actions you can still take to affect the outcome of your year, there are only a few days left. Each of us has had a year filled with experiences. We have had times we hope we remember forever, and times we wish we could forget.... Read more
Leadership is like Christmas morning. A great deal depends on what happens in a short time on Christmas morning. Tremendous anticipation and speculation build for months, until the seals are broken and everything is revealed. I understand that Christmas is about much more than just giving and receiving presents. We give each other gifts to show our love and celebrate the holiday’s deeper truths. There is still something very important about that moment when the wrappings come off and the... Read more
I belong to a liturgical church. When we get together, we remember part of our story and we share a meal. Our liturgical year begins with a season called Advent that grows and gains momentum during the days before Christmas. Advent is a season of anticipation and preparation. Advent is finding the Sacred in the Everyday. Advent is finding the Time. Advent is finding Light in the Darkness. The shiny lights and joyful sounds, flavors and aromas, of Christmas can distract us. It is... Read more
Scott Mabry is my friend. Scott has been a teacher and a business leader; he has taught me a great deal about leadership. I know Scott through the online conversations we have shared. Scott is a good listener and a reflective, insightful thinker. He has a deep understanding of himself, and shares his true self with other people. I appreciate his sense of humor and perspective. I enjoy talking with Scott, and always look forward to what he has to... Read more
1. Is it possible to go to the Rose Bowl game in person three years in a row and still not see the Wisconsin Badgers win? Does that seem fair to you? 2. Is getting my first tattoo a worthwhile incentive for meeting my annual goals? What tattoo would I get? 3. Who are the best guest posters I know who will trade guest posts with me? 4. How is leadership like being on a flying trapeze? 5. What secrets do monks... Read more
I belong to a liturgical church. Each time we get together, we remember part of our story and we share a meal. Our liturgical year begins with a season called Advent. Advent is a season of anticipation and preparation. Advent is about finding the Sacred in the Everyday. Advent is about finding the time. Advent grows and gains momentum during the weeks before Christmas. The story we share begins in darkness, before Light comes into the world. Our whole story is filled... Read more
Could I ask you a question: What stops you from finding and maintaining balance in the holiday season? Recently I surveyed a group of people and asked them this question. Maybe you can relate to some of their answers. They are different ages, from different backgrounds, living in different parts of the world. The only thing they really have in common is that I know them. Their responses are varied. Some said finding balance during the holiday chaos is not... Read more
I know people in positions of responsibility who are breathless. They are busy. They buzz from task to task, responsibility to responsibility, meeting to meeting, without taking time even to breathe. Their lives are filled with demands that require their attention. They need people, and more than one calendar, to keep them focused on what they need to do. They are so busy because they are so important. They are crucial to how their organizations operate. Without them, business would grind... Read more
I belong to a liturgical church. The first season of our liturgical year is called Advent. Advent is a season of anticipation and preparation. Advent is about finding the Sacred in the Everyday. One of the great challenges of Advent is finding the time to anticipate, prepare, and celebrate the deep sacredness all around us. Advent is countercultural. Advent calls our attention to reflection at exactly the time everyone is rushing headlong into the “holidays,” the time when profit margins... Read more
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