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All of the Above
Authenticity seems to be a hot topic lately. Books and journal articles about being an authentic leader cite how constituencies have grown to value greater degrees of transparency in their leaders. The subtle inference is that whatever the potentate is thinking or feeling, it is both universal and discrete. And that in revealing their true feelings, we will be able to know what kind of person they truly are. Perhaps strong or stoic? Maybe harmony-driven or expressive? Could be self-centered or generous? It would be convenient if people could actually be captured so succinctly. At lunch recently with some friends, looking at us you might’ve assumed we were all “the same”. By some yardsticks, we are. Two…
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Helpfulness
When we give cheerfully and accept gratefully, everyone is blessed. –Maya Angelou, author, poet, and civil rights activist I was preparing for a major presentation. There were people from my team that gave their time and talent. Three different mentors provided guidance. On the day of the presentation, several people texted me notes of good will. Not only did I feel prepared, I felt supported. The second scenario was a simple exchange. I met a friend at the coffee shop. After a few minutes, I noticed she wasn’t having anything. I later learned that in her hurry to leave her flat, she had forgotten her wallet. She chose not to ask to borrow the three dollars she needed. What happens when…
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Eyes Wide Open
Both my parents were trained in the visual arts. As a child, my father would sit me down, set a mug or an apple in the center of the table, and entreat me to draw “what I saw, not what I knew”. He knew, of course, that the artistic efforts of children are based on simplified elements of the object we were trying to represent. All trees resemble lollipops. The sun is the yolk of an egg in a Lego blue sky. Fast forward 35 years, as an adult problem solver, the directive is still relevant. How do we, as adults and as leaders, “open our eyes” to address the issue actually…
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This Too Shall Pass
My friend hurt his back a couple of days ago. He had breezed through a tough workout at the gym and was doing some simple task at home when he “tweaked” his back. In the course of our conversation, I offered my sympathy and reminded him that the pain was “only temporary”. Everything is after all. Even good stuff. The temporary nature of everything is one of those proverbial good news/bad news things. Good news, it’s only temporary! Bad news…it’s only temporary. As a culture, we place considerable value on permanence. We prize owning over leasing…tenure over annually renewable contracts. We even prefer our best friends to be forever. We approach new or…
