Jen Olney is a friend of mine. We have plenty to talk about; Jen is passionate about leadership and organizational design. Jen is a mentor who works with people to develop their leadership, and the host of the #BeALeader tweetchat on Thursdays at 4:00 PM Pacific Time. I interviewed Jen several months ago, and am guest hosting this week’s chat. I enjoy talking with Jen. She combines depth and clarity, and asks great questions. Jen is good at getting me... Read more
Someone asked a question about reflection on one of the retreats I facilitated recently. I try to give people on a retreat a taste of what it is like to visit a monastery. My schedule and structure are as relaxed as they can be. A retreat is an opportunity to pause, to breathe deeply, to let go of constraints and demands and be open to the sacred in the everyday. People often ask me questions about how to fit contemplative, monastic... Read more
I am part of a liturgical church. Advent, the weeks before Christmas, is a time of new beginnings and getting ready. Each week, we remind ourselves of our story and we share a meal. During Advent, we light one new candle each week as we anticipate and prepare ourselves. Our pilgrimage has been through a long, quiet stretch of ordinary time. We continue on, hoping without much tangible evidence that there is more to our story. Our year has ground... Read more
I like to go fast. I enjoy speed. I appreciate driving a little faster than I should. I get ahead of myself in my own thinking and feeling. I am driven to keep moving ahead, meeting challenges, finding answers, going forward. Stopping would be boring. Stopping feels irresponsible. Stopping becomes just one more thing in my way, one more obstacle to overcome. Even when I recognize that I need to stop, I have many ways of distracting myself. I can... Read more
Leadership is seeing in new ways, taking new approaches, doing things differently. There are things I have done many times. I have plenty of experience doing them, and do them well. I am comfortable and confident doing things my way, because that is the way I have always done them. I find ways that work for me. My ways of doing things become part of the way I see myself. When I cook, for example, I tend to cook my... Read more
There are very few things in life that I appreciate more than great books and great craft brews. Books have shaped my entire life. Great books have inspired me and shown me new ways of experiencing the world. Books have taken me amazing places I have never visited and introduced me to fascinating people I have never met. I revel in how books are written; well-chosen words, carefully crafted paragraphs, insightful sentence structure. I enjoy reading, and sharing what I... Read more
I believe in the power of gratefulness. There are still times when I do not feel very grateful. I believe that the world around us is filled with possibility, filled with opportunity. There are still times when life is difficult, when I feel discouraged, when I am tired of trying. I believe that the Sacred surrounds us and pours love into our hearts every day. There are still times when I get frustrated, when things take too long for me,... Read more
Martina McGowan is a friend of mine who thinks deeply about leadership. Martina is a physician, business woman, mother, grandmother, coach, licensed minister, blogger, writer, and speaker. She has practiced medicine for over 30 years, including solo private practice and in the mission field of Haiti. Martina is a life-long student of human behavior, and has a particular interest in the care of sexually assaulted children. Martina is passionate about leaders, and how deep leaders strengthen themselves and the people around... Read more
My 2012 Craft Brewery Pilgrimage arrived at its destination in October. One Saturday each month from February through October, carrying only the apps on our phones, we braved the highways and byways of Southern California seeking out the best craft brews and brewers. Taking courage from the monks who contributed so much to our knowledge of brewing, inspired by the rapidly growing craft brewing community, we visited nine excellent examples of Southern California craft brewing. In February, we began our... Read more
I belong to a liturgical church. We practice ways of doing things that we call sacraments. Sacraments are actions that are physical, visible ways to remind us of deeper spiritual truths. For example, we do things that demonstrate outwardly the ways we inwardly receive each other in love, are dependent on the sacred and on each other, and draw life from the world around us. One sacrament that we practice every week in our church is called Eucharist. We gather... Read more
Strategic Monk
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