Leadership Can Be Painful

Last updated on: July 23, 2013 at 3:27 am By Greg Richardson

Some people experience leadership as a real pain. I know women and men who are painfully afraid of doing the things that leaders do. They may be extremely uncomfortable speaking in public, or motivating people, or making difficult decisions. I know people who have been pushed into exhaustion, heart attacks, high blood pressure by leadership responsibilities. I also know those who feel pain caused by the leadership of others. Some of them are frustrated, others are stressed. I have heard... Read more

Guest Post: Finding Ourselves in the Depth

Last updated on: July 20, 2013 at 3:27 am By Greg Richardson

Samantha Hall is a strong, honest, courageous woman. She works hard and tells the truth, no matter difficult that might become. I value Samantha’s willingness to be vulnerable. I am proud to say that Samantha Hall is my friend. Step by step, layer after layer, she is one of those people who works through the challenges and pain that life can bring. If anyone can help us find our true selves in the Depth that is all around us, she can.... Read more

Focus on Listening

Last updated on: July 18, 2013 at 3:27 am By Greg Richardson

I pay attention to listening. It is not my natural inclination to be a very good listener. I tend to be too extroverted, too confident that I have something to contribute. I am motivated to get the right answer, to be the first one with my hand in the air. Some people tell me that what I do now is practice being an introvert. I am on the path of learning how not to cross-examine people, getting them to say... Read more

Leadership Goes Beyond Inspiration

Last updated on: July 16, 2013 at 3:27 am By Greg Richardson

I talk often about the leaders who inspire me. Their examples encourage me and motivate me to keep going. There are times, though, when I am not particularly inspired. I am tired, and cannot find the words to express what I mean. Things are not working. I do not know whether I can explain it all again. I am not sure I can listen to even one more person. There are times when the flames in my heart and soul sparked... Read more

Depth of Potential

Last updated on: July 13, 2013 at 3:27 am By Greg Richardson

There have been times when I was content to skim along the surface. It is not that I wanted to give up the Depth and all it offers, now and forever. It is more that the Depth can be so overwhelming, so all encompassing. The Depth is always with us, everywhere, all around us and within us. There was a long time when skimming along the surface was all I knew. Analyzing, thinking, intellectual effort was all I could see.... Read more

Focused on Taking the Next Step

Last updated on: July 11, 2013 at 3:27 am By Greg Richardson

I tend to be a fairly focused person. My focus is often on taking the next step. There are times, though, when I work with people who tend to get caught up in the grandeur and romance of the big picture. They paint with broad strokes. There is great deal of drama in how they see their big picture. They tend to look beyond the far horizon and set a course of visionary exploration. They recognize that bold action has the... Read more

Leadership is Seeking a Way Through

Last updated on: July 9, 2013 at 3:27 am By Greg Richardson

Leaders face obstacles. There are challenging personality differences, time constraints, limited financial resources. There are blind corners, unforeseen twists and turns, rapid changes. Some obstacles block us from seeing the larger picture, some are precipices where the ground disappears under your feet. There are people in leadership positions who are very good at avoiding obstacles. Some people try to avoid obstacles by going over them. They are visionary, and their words lift the people around them to new heights. Some... Read more

Deep Disturbances

Last updated on: July 6, 2013 at 3:27 am By Greg Richardson

We live in a time of deep disturbance. There are wars and rumors of wars. Governments rise and fall. Natural disasters shake our well-organized lives with storms and droughts, snow and waves. The ground shakes beneath our feet. Our connection to the Depth in our lives comes loose from its moorings. We struggle to put our deepest values into practice. We can lose touch with what is most important to us, and we can lose our way. We can feel... Read more

Focusing on Independence

Last updated on: July 3, 2013 at 3:27 am By Greg Richardson

I came by my independent streak honestly. I grew up in Wisconsin. I was brought up in a time and place that valued being independent. Independent women and men stood on their own two feet, and nobody could tell them what to do or think. We each took the time to make up our own mind, and were not reluctant to give someone else a piece of it. We listened, spoke plainly, and stood up for what we decided was... Read more

Leadership Uses All the Colors

Last updated on: July 2, 2013 at 3:27 am By Greg Richardson

Some people, and some organizations, believe that leadership is monochromatic. They act as though leadership comes in one size, one color, one version. There is a right way to lead, and there are no other acceptable options. For me, this “one size fits all” approach may be the opposite of leadership. Our world is in constant motion. Boundaries are being pushed back every day. We are ever more connected to each other. Innovation continues to accelerate. Challenges continue to become more... Read more