Perplexing Perspective
I came across what I would call a “perplexing perspective” this weekend. Sometimes I need mindless activities, which may include scrolling through reels, shorts, and other video sources. As the algorithms have learned me, they produce a lot of content filled with thought provocation, emotion, and laughter. Three things I need. In the face of terminal cancer, Coach Jimmy Valvano delivered one the most inspirational messages I have ever heard at the 1993 ESPY Awards. His acceptance of the Arthur Ashe Courage Award was sobering. In challenging the audience, he said, “If you laugh, you think, and you cry, that’s a full day. That’s a heck of a
The Molding of a Leader
The molding of a leader parallels to the process of making pottery. I am far from artistic, but do understand and can appreciate that a piece of pottery doesn’t just end up that way. It starts off in its raw form as a block of clay, placed on a spinning wheel, where it is shaped and molded. In this week’s post, we look at the three correlations between making pottery and the molding of a leader: Time and Effort Pottery requires time. It is a process, one that does not happen quickly. The shaping and molding of the clay can take hours, even days of effort to arrive
The Silent Killer of Organizational Culture
Cultural Monoxide is the silent killer of organizational culture. This is not a scientific phenomenon, just a looming threat to our abilities to build quality culture in the workplace. It will suffocate and interrupt the heartbeat of who we are as an organization. What is Carbon Monoxide? The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) defines its counterpart in the science world as carbon monoxide, “an odorless gas that can kill you.” Pretty straightforward…right? Science isn’t my strong suit, but I do know that it is a dangerous fume generated from burning gas. If the toxic fumes are not ventilated properly, the results can be deadly. What is Cultural Monoxide? The
The Five Elements of Intentionality
Understanding the five elements of intentionality can drastically impact the potential influence that we have on others. Intentionality is an art, one that can easily differentiate between ordinary and extraordinary leaders. It allows leaders to be different, counteracting what the world expects of us. I will share this confession with you, I strongly desire to be an intentional person. In all aspects of my work life, volunteer life, and personal life, I want to be seen as intentional by those I love and care for. My life has been shaped and molded by people who were intentional in their investment in me: mentors, coaches, teachers, pastors, family, and
Counting Down Time
Counting Down Time Counting down time can cause deep reflection in oneself. Countdowns are meaningful because they let us know how much of something we have left. They never increase numerically, they always decrease. Countdowns always end. The Bridge For me, the concept of counting down time came in a moment on a bridge. A moment that drastically changed my perception of time. My family and I enjoy vacationing in St. George Island, Florida. It is an incredible place to visit located on the Florida panhandle. There is a scenic, 4.1 mile bridge that connects the mainland to the island. When traveling long distances, I prefer driving
Mean and Nasty People
There are mean and nasty people in this world. These individuals are impatient, harsh, rude, and cruel. Their objective is to impart their misery on everyone they come in contact with. The Big Game Let me set the stage for you. It’s late on a Saturday night, a trip to the championship game is on the line. Two undefeated teams clash, vying for one of two spots in the final game. The score remains scoreless as the game enters the fourth quarter. The fans are restless, they expect better from the coaches. Jeers exceed the cheers. Every play call is second guessed. Their frustration builds as the coach
If A Mirror Could Talk
If a mirror could talk, what would it say? Each and every day we roll out of bed and face the reality of what the mirror possesses. It stares right back at us and through us. One of my favorite songs of all time is Man in the Mirror by Michael Jackson. The song can generate emotions and stir souls. Its lyrics challenge us to start with us, change our ways, and make the world a better place. The chorus says: I’m starting with the man in the mirror,I’m asking him to change his ways,And no message could have been any clearer,If you want to make the world a
Surrounded by Better
Great leaders are surrounded by better. Early in my career I was told by many others, “hire people smarter than me.” Like most advice I received at the time, I heard it…but didn’t always put it into action. As I have grown in my leadership journey, this concept become one of the greatest pieces of advice I have ever received. The college football season just came to an end. The Georgia Bulldogs won their second consecutive College Football Playoff National Championship. They won both championships with a quarterback, Stetson Bennett, who in most people’s eyes was not capable of leading the Bulldogs to one, much less two. The
Redirect Journeys
There are people and moments in life that redirect journeys. Good, bad, or indifferent the person or the experience meets you at a critical intersection of your life. I call these people and moments Interceders…someone or something that has redirected our journeys. Intersections I operate in the world of government for a career. Roads are a critical piece to the public infrastructure system that gets people from one place to another. There are critical junctures in these transportation systems well known as intersections. Intersections are a point where paths of travel cross. If you live in a community that has a Downtown or City Center, most likely
The Whole Staircase
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. famously said, “Faith is taking the first step, even when you don’t see the whole staircase.” As humans, we tend to want to know what awaits us at the end of a long, dark staircase. The unknown of what awaits us creates uncertainty in our worlds’ leading to impatience and impulsivity. Both can lead to a costly stumble and fall. This week, we draw four observations between a staircase and our leadership journeys: Handrails An easily forgotten component of a staircase are the handrails. Most of us get pretty used to traveling up and down staircases without even utilizing them. We can be