The Past is the Past…

 

There is value in reflection. The past holds lessons for us. It can remind us of how far we’ve come. It gives us moments to celebrate and be grateful. But it is still the past. We cannot rewrite it. We cannot relive it. We cannot change it. What we can do is write what comes next.

Each day is a blank page. Every hour is an opportunity. The future is not something that simply happens to us, but is something we shape with the decisions we make today. While yesterday is written in ink, today is still being drafted in pencil. The days, minutes, and moments ahead of you are unwritten pages in your book of life. Choose your words carefully. Act intentionally. Lead purposefully.

Make it a great week by creating it. Happy Presidents Day, enjoy the quote below…

“The best way to predict the future is to create it.”

-       Abraham Lincoln

Crisis

Last week we talked about true leaders emerging during a crisis. There can, and should, be other positive outcomes from times of crisis. Our challenges should always lead to lessons learned, changes made, and improvements in our lives.

If we are not growing through what we are going through, we are missing huge opportunities. This is true of both business and personal challenges. Think about this…

A good crisis is a terrible thing to waste!

Experiences

 

I completed my 40^th year in the post-college workplace this month.  Spare me the “old” jokes.  As a good friend suggested, I prefer “seasoned”.  My first job in June 1982 was at  InterFirst Bank in Conroe, Texas. I thought I would spend my career in banking.  Little did I know… 

Your path of life experiences makes you who you are.  They may be good, bad, or indifferent, but you are the culmination of those life experiences.  Yes, we can influence the direction of our lives.  We can certainly change course, grow, and improve.  However, what we experience and learn along the way plays a huge part in who we become.  I never would have guessed that after 15 years in banking I would end up in the manufactured housing industry.  I also would not have thought I would become an entrepreneur after age 50.  Along the way I went through a divorce, had a bought with cancer, lost my dad, a mother-in-law, and one of our adult children. There are too many lessons and experiences to count.  Many of them have provided the subject matter of the MMM over the years. All summed up these lessons and experiences have made me who I am today.

Embrace who your life has made you.  Make all of your life lessons positive ones even if the experience associated with them was difficult.  Don’t let failures, disappointments, losses and missed opportunities get the best of you.  Make it a point to create positive experiences and do the same for those that you lead!

What a year…

Last Thursday, March 11^th, marked the one-year anniversary of our lives changing in this country. Here in Houston our beloved Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo was canceled.  It seemed unfathomable at the time. Latter that day the NBA season was suspended. The pandemic was in full gear. Kids were on spring break and they never returned to the classroom.  Within two weeks the entire country was virtually shut down.  We learned how to Zoom and discovered a new meaning for the word pivot. Bicycles and home gym equipment sold out within days. We became closer to our family we live with, but farther from those we could not visit.

We have faced and survived a huge challenge. Our country will not be the same. There is good to come from this and hopefully we have learned some lessons. Lessons learned are the fruit of challenging times.

How has the last year changed you as a leader? How have you and your teams adapted? Are you stronger, more flexible? Are you more understanding and patient? Has your business model changed for the better? Do you operate more efficiently?

Seek positive change. Come out of this in a better place and prepared to move forward.

Why do we wait?

Why do we wait until people grow old, or even die, before acknowledging and praising them?  Why do we let those who have positively impacted our lives walk around without knowing what they mean to us?  What don’t we tell people when they play a role in making us who we are?  We may not all get that chance, and we should not wait.  Obituaries are a great place for tributes, but they come too late.  No time is better than the present to share with others how they have impacted your life. 

Thank people who have given you good advice.  Praise those who teach you life lessons.  Tell people you appreciate their honesty and integrity.   Let friends and family know what makes them special to you.  Share your appreciation with people who listen and mentor you.  Verbalize your love for others.  Don’t wait another day…let people know the impact that they have had on your life. 

Holiday Season Leadership

The holidays represent a great opportunity for each of us as leaders.  Not as a political leadership occasion or a chance to excel in a leadership role at work, but the holidays are full of “lead by example” opportunities at home. 

·         Christ like love can be shown for our family and others

·         Materialism can be de-emphasized (not the normal thought at Christmas)

·         Tithing and charitable giving can be taught

·         Patience can be exemplified (long checkout lines, full parking lots and traffic)

·         Understanding and flexibility can be displayed in family gatherings

·         Giving can be emphasized

·         Good sportsmanship can be demonstrated during football and card games

·         Prayer can be a focus

·         Lessons can be learned from those less fortunate

Our families and those around us during the holidays can learn so much by watching our behavior as leaders.  Embrace your leadership opportunities this holiday season!

The MMM will take a brief holiday break. Watch for our return on Monday January 8^th, 2018.  Wow, I cannot believe how this year has flown by!  Be a blessing this Christmas!