“A rock pile ceases to be a rock pile the moment a single man
contemplates it, bearing within him the image of a cathedral.”
~ Antoine de Saint-Exupery
Have you ever walked by a building under construction and been curious about what was being built? Perhaps there were people working diligently, each focusing on their own specific task. Maybe there were steel girders, half constructed walls, and unidentifiable objects at some stage of completion.
At first glance, it may appear chaotic and messy. But amidst the sawdust and cement blocks there is a structure and an order that pulls it all together. Though we may not know exactly what is being built, over time the construction begins to take shape and we start to recognize a room here, and another there. And then we may begin to surmise the purpose and function of each room.
As the walls are plastered and the paint is applied, the appearance becomes neater. And suddenly, it is completed in all its glory – a stunning compilation of raw materials, sweat, and focused action.
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October 9, 2007
“The key thing to remember is not
that we need to be fast but that
we are running a race that has no finish line. So the fuel that
drives usneeds to be made of something substantial –
something for the heart that the head can also follow.”
~ Vincent Kralyevich, President, Videoschoolhouse
There seem to be two very distinct forms of motivation that propel people to do the things that they do. One of them is sort of a pull, and the other is more of a push.
I believe that those things that are most aligned with our own unique blueprint – that which we were put on this earth to achieve – are endeavors that we tend to be passionate about and often inexplicably drawn to. When we work toward a vision to create something for the greater good and to utilize our God given talents to bring it into the world, we experience immense satisfaction, gratification, and joy. And, we tend to attract others who are motivated to partner with us in some way.
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October 11, 2007
When was the last time you stretched yourself? I mean literally, physically stretched yourself?
It wasn’t that long ago that I had trouble touching my toes. I started doing yoga, and in one of the classes I attended we were asked to bend our bodies in a somewhat unusual way. The instructor effortlessly folded herself in half while I leaned slightly forward and came to an abrupt halt. It wasn’t really pain that I experienced as much as plain old discomfort. I wanted this part of the class to be over.
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October 13, 2007
“Chaos often breeds life, when order breeds habit.”
~ Henry B. Adams
Like many, I was brought up to think that things happened in a linear way - first this, then that, one building block upon another in a specific order, cause and effect. I have since realized that when one has a larger vision and experiences this vision as though it has already happened, a chain of events is triggered that results in what may appear to be a disjointed series of events that is in reality very connected.
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October 16, 2007
Can you recall a time when you were in your zone?
Things seemed to come together seamlessly – you knew exactly what needed to be said and done in any given moment, and found yourself able to perform smoothly and skillfully. Perhaps in this zone you experienced a flow where successes seemed to follow each other and even pave the way for future experiences with similar outcomes. The right people lined up to help you. Resources became available –even where obtaining them previously seemed unrealistic. And the results you were able to achieve surpassed everyone’s greatest expectations, including your own.
If you have had this kind of experience, you may find yourself wondering how to duplicate it regularly. If you haven’t, you may question whether such a “zone” is even possible.
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October 18, 2007
“Insist on yourself. Never imitate. Every great man is unique.”
~ Ralph Waldo Emerson
I came across an article in the Harvard Business Review reporting results of a study they did that confirmed something over thousands of studies that came before it had also suggested: research has failed to produce the profile of an ideal leader. This means that there is no seven step process. It also suggests that while one person’s path of leadership was ideal for him or her, it does not logically follow that the same path would be good for another.
The debate rages on over whether leaders are born or made. I believe the answer to that question is yes. They are both. I think we are all brought into this world with the makings of something extraordinary in us. What we choose to do to develop and apply that potential is up to each of us.
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October 20, 2007
“As a man’s real power grows and his knowledge widens,
ever the way he can follow grows narrower: until at last he
chooses nothing, but does only and wholly what he must do.”
~ Ursula le Guin
The call to lead is often ushered in by a period of discomfort, where one slowly begins to realize the outer world does not match the inner one. We may begin to feel a sort of incongruence which ushers in a time of increased awareness about the course of events and what it is all for. A greater purpose looms in the background, but the way things are set up doesn’t quite allow that vision to live. And so it is time for a change.
Some call this an awakening. Others call it a crisis. It is a doorway to greater meaning and contribution, and the beginning of a transformation that happens from the inside out.
Continue reading "The Call to Lead: Beginning an Examined Life" »
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October 23, 2007
“Words are chameleons which reflect the color of their environment.”
~ Learned Hand
Early in my career, I taught many classes and workshops designed to give people a step by step process for having difficult conversations, whether that be to provide feedback, resolve a conflict, or simply raise a point. It was not uncommon to have people in my classes (myself included) who despite already knowing the steps I was teaching, still had difficulty applying them.
Over the years, I have realized that to make any kind of lasting change, we need to go deeper than simply knowing the sequence of behaviors necessary to achieve success. First of all, the scripts I used to advocate sounded canned and flat when they were words that my participants wouldn’t normally say in the course of their everyday conversations. Those words were also very easily forgotten, especially since they did not really belong to the person speaking them.
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October 25, 2007
“Whatever you do in this life,
take time to sit quietly and let
the world tell you what it needs from you. Take a moment
to honestly understand what your gifts are – you all have them.
The way you choose to live your life brings meaning to your life.
~ Ann Reed
It is amazing to me the number of people in this world who stay in jobs that they are miserable doing. They often rationalize that they must make the best of it, but in refusing to consider the options right before them, they may not even realize what the “best” is.
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October 27, 2007
“Do not attempt to do a thing
unless
you are sure of yourself; but do not relinquish it
simply because someone else is not sure of you.”
~ Steward E. White
Why is it that most people tend to put far greater weight on the negative feedback they receive than they do the positive? Others may compliment us throughout the day or week and their words often never really penetrate. They are easily dismissed or downplayed. But when there is criticism, it’s as though our very pores open up and little hands come out of them eagerly gripping the words as they fall off another’s tongue.
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October 30, 2007
All our dreams can come true, if we have the courage to pursue them.
~ Walt Disney
Last week, I had the enchanting experience of going to Disneyland with my kids for their fall break. It was like stepping into a different world, one where the stresses and anxieties of the previous week simply melted away and the child in me emerged. I was swept away by every intricate detail that was so carefully attended to by the myriad of people that make Disneyland what it is – from the towering castles and belly dropping rides to the placement of each flowering plant and the energy and appearance of every cast member.
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