Life Is Hard

When I hear somebody say that life is hard, I am always tempted to ask, "Compared to what?" 
       --Sydney J. Harris

This is a very thought provoking quote.  Life may be hard.  I don’t think we have any real right to complain about that.  We are not promised otherwise, but it is not always hard.  Actually, most of us are incredibly blessed.  When we think life is too hard what exactly would we like it to be?  I know, there a lot of easy answers to that... trouble free, healthy, stable, happy, comfortable, and less challenging.  But that is not life is it?   

Beginnings

The Monday Morning Minute was born eleven years ago this week.  It began as an encouraging internal communication at Fleetwood Retail Corp., a former employer that that is long since gone.  Since then it has grown to a more widely distributed communication where I try to start the week with a challenging or encouraging thought.  People need a jump start on Monday morning to get back into a work mode.  We all need some reminder about our leadership roles in life as we begin each week.  More importantly, we must continuously learn and grow.  Some of you have been along for the ride from the very beginning, others have joined more recently.  Many of you I know, some of you I do not.  Whatever the case, I hope you get a little something from my shared thoughts each Monday morning.  I hope that you gain at least a slightly different perspective for your week.  I look forward to many Monday Morning Minutes to come…

Have a blessed Thanksgiving!    

Integrity

The MMM has on more than one occasion focused on the importance of integrity.  Reputations and relationships rise and fall based on integrity or the absence of it.  I try to live a life where integrity is not only important to me, but also clearly visible to others.  Integrity is one of the greatest keys to leadership, not to mention one of the finest qualities we can pass on as parents.  People recognize it when you operate with a foundation of integrity.

In looking for people to hire, you look for three qualities:
integrity, intelligence, and energy. And if they don't have
the first, the other two will kill you.
--Warren Buffet

Warren Buffet sums it up nicely.  But don’t limit seeking those qualities to just when you are hiring.  Look for integrity in people that you develop relationships with in all aspects of life.  So many great qualities are found where there is a solid base of integrity.

 

Perspective

Two weeks ago I sat through an entire Longhorn football game in the rain.  Call me crazy, but it was fun.  My wife wisely chose this particular game to miss, and she watched from the dry warmth of our home.  We both witnessed the same game, but our perspectives were very different.  Perspective is a powerful thing.  The viewpoint from which you experience life has a significant impact on how you feel about it and react to it.  Foreign tragedies don’t impact us the same way as those that take place on US soil.  Even locally, crimes across town just don’t seem as real as those in our neighborhood.  The same can be said for the struggles and victories we face daily.  A good balanced perspective can keep you from going too far to one extreme.  All you have to do is put your situation into a broader perspective.  It is probably not near as bad, or near as good, as you might think!

 Have you ever sat on the porch of a beach house and watched a storm roll in over the horizon?  It can actually be a beautiful sight.  But if you are in a small boat well offshore seeing the same storm, beautiful is probably not be the adjective that would come to mind.  The power of perspective...

Leadership Balance

The challenge of being a leader is walking a fine line that requires incredible balance and sensitivity.  Great leadership qualities can’t be taken to extremes, they have to be balanced.  The challenge is to be…

·       strong, but not rude

·       kind, but not weak

·       bold, but not overbearing

·       humble, but not timid

·       proud, but not arrogant

 

Successful leaders are good at balancing these qualities.  How about you?