Leadership is Both Simple and Complex

Last updated on: August 2, 2011 at 5:23 am By Greg Richardson

Leadership is both simple and complex. It is simple because it is focused on establishing a clear vision. It is complex because so many various elements are included in establishing that clarity and in empowering others to lead with them. True leaders are on an ongoing journey, seeking their own true selves and the true selves of those around them. A leader’s ability to lead depends on the quality of their relationships with others, as well as their relationship to... Read more

Argument v. Persuasion: Winning or Winning Over?

Last updated on: July 28, 2011 at 5:29 am By Greg Richardson

I went to a party last weekend, and the conversation turned to one of the most deeply-held core values that defines us as civilized people: pizza. Native-born Midwesterner that I am, I summoned my analytical and forensic skills in support of the innovation and achievement of deep-dish pizza, also known as “Chicago-style.” There were others in attendance who hailed from points further east and extolled the virtues of thinner, less fulfilling fare. Hard words about which was more “authentically Italian,” and... Read more

Learning to Fly From Within

Last updated on: July 26, 2011 at 5:20 am By Greg Richardson

I have a friend who I have never actually met. We live on opposite coasts of the United States, and we can still make each other laugh out loud. We follow each other on twitter, we retweet each other, and we have co-hosted her tweet chat together. More important is that I think my friend, Lolly Daskal, has helped me deepen and trust the wisdom of my own leadership more than anyone else I know. I have posted before about... Read more

Making a Difference or Making a Living?

Last updated on: July 21, 2011 at 6:12 am By Greg Richardson

Why is it so challenging to be both meaningful and effective at the same time? Why do some people think it is impossible to both commit your life to something about which you are passionate and make a practical difference, to “do good and do well?” Can I be both strategic and monastic at the same time? There can be a tension. I saw this tension more clearly because of one the cases I handled as a criminal prosecutor. The case,... Read more

Constant Change is Here to Stay

Last updated on: July 19, 2011 at 5:29 am By Greg Richardson

Change is one of the few constants in our lives. Growing, learning, aging, forgetting; to be alive is to change. Change is especially fast, and growing faster, for us. People are changing jobs and careers, changing addresses and relationships, changing spiritual traditions at an ever faster rate. As we change our lives, those changes affect the organizations in which we participate. We fear change. We mourn what we have lost. We regret changes we have made. We recognize some changes... Read more

Tell Me Your Story

Last updated on: July 14, 2011 at 5:19 am By Greg Richardson

There is something about stories; something primal, something essential. Stories attract our attention; we are able to enter into them, and remember them. We often do not remember lectures, or sermons, or arguments. Children want someone to tell them a story, they do not want someone to lecture them. We do not master stories; they master us. Some stories entertain, some educate, some enlighten; some stories confuse us, some challenge our perceptions, some make us frustrated, and some nurture us.... Read more

Benedict in the Boardroom

Last updated on: July 12, 2011 at 5:22 am By Greg Richardson

Benedict was born around 480 in central Italy and educated in Rome. He disapproved of the manners and morals of Rome, which was in a period of political instability and societal breakdown. Benedict chose a life of monastic seclusion and contemplation. He was invited to lead several different monastic communities, and composed his monastic rule in about 540. He died sometime before the year 550. Benedict’s Rule, in addition to its spiritual insights, demonstrates insightful psychological understanding and practical management... Read more

Book Review: Approaching God

Last updated on: July 7, 2011 at 6:01 am By Greg Richardson

Approaching God by Lisa Borden is not a collection of intricately constructed theological arguments, nor a book of cosmic metaphysical concepts. On pages filled with color and poetry, Lisa gives us deep truths about approaching God that are based in the most important relationships of her life. These relationships give us valuable insights into how we can approach God in our everyday lives. Lisa has a dramatic life, lived on three continents, that provides the canvas and background for the... Read more

12 Reasons Why Baseball is Not our True National Pastime

Last updated on: July 5, 2011 at 6:35 am By Greg Richardson

1. The best possible result is to end up exactly where you started. 2. The field only has boundaries on two sides. 3. The managers wear the same uniforms as the players. 4. The only time anything interesting ever happens is while I am out getting something to eat or drink. 5. Football is more in line with the history of the United States: long meetings interrupted by periods of intense violence. 6. There is no regulation length to a... Read more

Crafting a Movement

Last updated on: June 30, 2011 at 5:52 am By Greg Richardson

Something exciting is happening in Southern California! It began with an interview on Epicurious about the Craft Brewery Pilgrimage. That interview describes the tour, and includes suggestions of meals to pair with excellent craft brews. Then, the Los Angeles Times ran a story on June 2 about the growing number of local craft breweries, and home brewers who are putting their craft to work. The article recognizes Eagle Rock Brewery as the first brewery to open within the City of Los... Read more

What does "Rabbi" mean in Hebrew?