The people I know tend to be much more adept at recognizing divisions than at healing them. We study division and conflict, analyzing tensions and disagreement. We set out to tell the story of how divisions develop, specifying the reasons they happen. We tell ourselves we are being objective, that we are trying to understand. Knowing a great deal about division is not particularly helpful to us. We already know what creates conflict. We have a fantasy of what the... Read more
People have told me that I am a self-starter, but I am more motivated to finish than to start. I put off starting as long as I can. Even when I am excited about the possibilities of something, I need the spark of inspiration to get started. Starting takes effort. But I will make sacrifices I do not want to make, putting up with unpleasant circumstances or overcoming obstacles, to complete a project which is important only to me. I finish some tasks just... Read more
Some people see leadership as being out in front. Leaders are, after all, people who lead. They set an example for other people to follow. The leaders who inspire me do not necessarily maintain a high profile. While they recognize the value of communication, they do not need to be the center of attention. They are good at getting out of the way. The leaders who inspire me get out of their own way. The leaders whose examples I try... Read more
All around us the world is telling us it is time to rest. Daylight is shorter each day, and the nights grow longer. Temperatures are cooler, even here in southern California. It is as if all of life were encouraging us to slow down, take some time, rest and reflect. Wrap ourselves up, start a fire in the fireplace, take a well-earned nap. We respond to this natural call by entering into an extended time of busyness and activities demanding... Read more
We live the way we read a book, or watch a movie. There are times when we go back to check on something we might have missed; a word someone said, some object hiding in the background. There are times when we want to skip forward, either to find out the result or to check on how much more we have left. The stories that engage us, though, hold our attention. We do not want to go back or forward,... Read more
I have worked with people who had a strong vision of where they wanted to go. They lead by taking measurable steps to put their vision into practice. They wanted to work with people who could help make practical progress toward their vision of the future. I had a good working relationship with them as long as I agreed with their vision. Difficulties would begin when I started to ask questions, or try new ideas, or have my own vision.... Read more
I spent time with Nadia Bolz-Weber in person last week. We were not exactly alone. Nadia came to Pasadena to read from Pastrix: the Cranky, Beautiful Faith of a Sinner & Saint. We did, though, have the opportunity to compare tattoos. Nadia is the founding pastor of the House for All Sinners and Saints, a mission of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, in Denver, Colorado. Pastrix is a memoir of the journey that has brought her from where she... Read more
My friend Fran Held wants to make very sure that you pay more attention to her work on the Mitzvah Circle Foundation than to her. I know that she was born in New Jersey and raised there by a single mother, and that she now lives in the Philadelphia metropolitan area. Though I do not have much information about her, I know a great deal about Fran. I know that Fran is kind, insightful, and has integrity. I know that... Read more
Halloween is about remembering and seeking wisdom in what has gone before. Steeped in legends and ghost stories, Halloween is the day we face the specter of regrets and losses that continue to haunt us. The summer is past; there are only two months left in the year, each day is shorter than the last. It is the eve of All Hallows, the Day of the Dead, when we remember those who continue to influence and inspire us in spirit.... Read more
I love clear goals. Clear goals make it possible to measure progress, to know when we have achieved what we want. Clarity allows us to focus on a goal, to know when we are getting closer or when we are getting distracted. Clear goals help us know when we need to focus our efforts, or when we can celebrate an accomplishment. I am a focused person. Clear goals feed my tendency to fixate on the specific details of what we... Read more
Strategic Monk
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