Never underestimate the impact you can have on someone's day!

Life is made up of a lot of opportunities.  Many of those opportunities come in the form of our interactions with other people.  They may be obvious and significant or subtle. Often, we react quickly, without much consideration for the viewpoint of the other person(s).  Remember that you never know what another person may be dealing with in their life.  You never know what pressure they may be under at work, what struggles they may have at home or what illness someone in their family may be fighting.  A kind word, an out of the way effort, a smile, a compliment, or a thank you can make a world of difference in a person's day.  It is amazing how big the little things can be...

Make a positive impact in someone’s life today!

Recognition

Great leaders recognize the efforts and successes of those that work with them. Sincere recognition and appreciation develops deep loyalty and spurs motivation. But, when it comes to our own motives, we need not be concerned about recognition.  Great leaders do not worry about accolades coming their way.  They are focused on the direction, goals, and accomplishments of their team. Recognition comes naturally to quality leaders; they need not worry.  The satisfaction of leadership comes in recognizing others and developing them as people and as leaders.  Consider this quote from a somewhat well know President. Happy Presidents’ Day!

“Don't worry when you are not recognized,

but strive to be worthy of recognition.”

--Abraham Lincoln

Listening, now more than ever…

Real conversations about uncomfortable topics cannot be held without genuinely listening.  If you follow the MMM, you know my thoughts on the importance of listening.  It is a critical skill that is needed now more than ever!  As an additional follow up to the Special Edition MMM from June 3^rd, consider the following…

·       Make the effort, it takes effort, to listen and understand the perspective of others

We typically seek first to be understood. Most people do not listen with the intent to understand, they listen with the intent to reply.  Often, we are either speaking or preparing to speak.  Think about what it means to listen with the intent to understand.  I mean seeking first to understand, to really understand.  To understand someone does not imply that you agree with them.  It means that you honor them with attentively listening and you truly care about their viewpoint. 

The issues we are facing in this country require conversations, which requires listening, which requires effort.  Take the time.  Make the effort.  Listen!

Special Edition

As if we did not have our hands already full with a pandemic, our society is now engulfed in a fragile state of racial division and violent protests.  This divisiveness is not new, but that does not make it acceptable.  The senseless killing of George Floyd is certainly not acceptable, but neither are the violence-oriented protests in response.

I am a 61-year-old white male with no idea what it feels like to be a man of color in this country.  However, I am pained by the stories of the fear felt by black men walking in their own neighborhoods and driving in their own communities. If this is not unsettling to you, it should be.  Simple answers and clarity do not come easily, but we cannot sit idly by.

A few responses seem clear to me…

• Pray
• Give grace and be slow to judge
• Speak out loudly against racism and all forms of hatred
• Make the effort, it takes effort, to listen and understand the perspective of others
• Be inclusive and blind to ethnicity
• Support elected officials, communities and organizations that are inclusive
• Be thoughtful and intentional with social media posts, and be careful about what you believe on those forums
• Educate yourself with facts from a variety of sources
• Spread love by your actions in our communities and neighborhoods
• Start conversations with your friends and families, with people of different races, and with people of different opinions
• Pray

The MMM is not a current events or political blog, but a person I respect made a statement that tugged at my heart, “silence is seen as indifference”.  I am not indifferent and the MMM is not about indifference. 

Emphasizing the Negative?

As a society it seems like we tend to focus on the negative and not the positive.  We seek and point out flaws and failures way more actively than we do accomplishments and successes.  I know that I am guilty of this.  It is something that I have recently made a decision to try and change.  A conscious effort is required to be positive and look for the good things in life all the time.  Some people are better at it than others.  But for some reason the world around us seems to make it harder.  The media is certainly no help.  So much of the news is driven by negativity, failure, fraud and corruption.  Even the weatherman is working against us.  Why is it that a 70% chance of sunshine is communicated as a 30% chance of rain?  We might find ourselves a little more pleasant to be around if we sought out the positive more often than the negative.   

Be positive.  Be blessed…