Never Stop Learning

 

Never Stop Learning

Do you think people really mean it when they say that they learn something new every day? They should. Too often we treat the learning process as something with a specific end. We tend to say we "went to school" or "received an education". That sounds like we think we are done learning! Often in fact we hardly begin learning about life until after we are finished with our formal education. Perhaps we need to think of our education as an ongoing process not something that we have completed in the past. We really can learn something new every day and we should.

Never Stop Learning

 

Do you think people really mean it when they say we learn something new every day?  They should.  Too often we treat the learning process as something with a specific end to it.  We tend to say we "went to school" or "received our education".  That sounds like we are done learning!  Often in fact we hardly begin learning about life until we are finished with our formal education.  Perhaps we need to think of our education as an ongoing process not something that we have completed in the past.  We really can learn something new every day, and, we should.  Think about what you will learn today!

Relationships (Part Two)

 

“A relationship is like a house. When a light bulb burns out, you don’t go and buy a new house, you fix the light bulb.”

-          Anonymous

I came across this quote after writing last weeks’ MMM on relationships. It struck me as the perfect follow-up. We don’t throw relationships away; we invest in them. We work on them. (Unless they are toxic.) Just another reminder of the power and importance of relationships.

How are the light bulbs in your relationship houses?

’22 and You

 

Happy New Year! Welcome to the first Monday of 2022. Are you excited for the new year? I like this time of the year, not necessarily for making resolutions, but for refocusing. It is a great time to assess where you are professionally and personally and, to set new goals accordingly (call them resolutions if you like).

What will you change, accomplish or improve in 2022? Nothing changes if nothing changes, and it all starts with a plan. Start by choosing one or two things, not thirteen or thirty. Make them realistic, reasonable and significant. Focus on them and plan on how to accomplish them. Everyone sets goals and plans differently, but those with no plan at all never seem to change or accomplish anything.

What will you do for you in 2022?

Leadership Doesn't Change

A lot has happened over the last four years, especially in just the last 12 months, but what has really changed? In some regards what is really important has not changed much at all. The below MMM could have been written today. It was actually published four years ago on February 6, 2017. The ingredients for great leadership have not changed and are even more important today.

Leadership Today

 

After just one month of 2017 and two weeks into the term of a new President, we find our country to be in interesting and challenging times.  Our political and social landscape is changing, seems incredibly delicate, and is actually very contentious.  The world of social media has forever changed how information is disseminated and opinions are formed.  That is not necessarily a change for the better.  We are quick to make judgments; we fail to research facts; we condemn too quickly.  It is way too easy to be extremist and hateful from the safety of an iPhone or keyboard.  We also think it takes too much time to truly listen, educate ourselves and fully understand issues.  The issues are passionate, significant ones.  The extremely divided opinions on many of these topics is both surprising and totally understandable.  But remember, varying viewpoints, backgrounds and beliefs are what makes this country great.      

 What does all of this mean for those striving to be great leaders?  Let me suggest…

·         Be bold but thoughtful

·         Ensure that passions and convictions are well supported by facts

·         Drawing lines in the sand and jumping to conclusions are short sighted behaviors

·         There is power in being positive even in debate

·         Every thought or opinion, political or otherwise, that crosses one’s mind does not have to be posted to social media

·         Don’t believe, nor become enraged by, everything you read on the internet or social media

·         Be careful of the momentum of the bandwagon; groups with common beliefs often feed off themselves without considering differing viewpoints

·         Most importantly…  Listen, truly listen with the intent to understand.

A Time to Lead

What happened last week at the capital of the United States of America was appalling and disheartening.   The violent and lawless acts that took place there do not represent the values on which this country was built.  I felt like I was watching news coverage of a foreign country, much like I felt during the violent riots last summer.  We are all are entitled to our own opinion about the causes and political aspects of this incident.  We are also entitled to voice those opinions and peacefully demonstrate in support of them. 

As leaders, how do we respond to this?  It is critical that we lead against the divisions that are being perpetrated in this country. The national media feeds upon us being a divided people. It makes great news to depict drastically different viewpoints, develop momentum behind both sides, and exaggerate our divisions.  It is too easy to get caught up in the spin!  This just results in people jumping on one side of a polarizing topic and spewing hatred and accusations.  It is so easy to hide behind the keyboard and ride a wave created by media.  Social media content that serves no purpose other than expanding the divide is all too common.  We can control the breadth and depth of our divisions. 

As a people we are reluctant to take the time necessary to learn all sides of an issue, much less the facts.  I know that facts can be hard to find and I am not suggesting that we all sing Kumbaya together anytime soon.  I am merely suggesting that we need to be careful of letting the media drive the narrative. It is possible to maintain your own viewpoint while still respecting another’s opinion.  It is also possible to formulate an opinion without referring to, or posting on, social media.  Disagreement does not have to lead to expansive divides, accusations, or hateful behavior. As leaders we must encourage education, objectivity, and the understanding of all sides of issues.

I have a great friend whose beliefs about national politics vary greatly from my own. We respect each other’s opinions, listen to one another’s thoughts, and take the time to learn why we feel differently about political topics.  Our first response is not hatred. It is not a verbal attack via social media, and it is not a line in the sand that defines our relationship.  Our friendship has grown because of our ability to respectfully discuss our viewpoints without divisiveness, even though neither of us has changed our position. Differing opinions do not have to lead to hatred.  Listening to others’ beliefs does not have to result in name calling, accusations, and ridicule.

Leaders are purveyors of hope. I have said it before, a responsibility of leaders is to provide hope. That could not be truer than it is today.  Those we work with, those we lead and those we love, all need to be hopeful.  There are plenty of reasons for hope, but that hope must look past our media driven divisions.  That hope requires objectivity and open mindedness.  It needs great leaders.  America is still the greatest country in the world.

Wherever you are today and wherever you lead tomorrow, lead with hope, lead with objectivity, lead against divisiveness, and lead with love.

Hello 2021!

What a year was that? Unfortunately, January 1^st was not like a like switch on 2020. We are still in the midst of a pandemic, but there is hope on the horizon. The vaccine distribution is well underway, and I feel like we can see a light at the end of the tunnel (You know what they say about that).

What does the new year have in store for you? What have you learned from the craziness of 2020?  How will you and your business emerge stronger?

Happy New Year! Bring it on…

Right Under Your Nose…

How many of you have discovered something new over the last six weeks that was right under your nose?  Maybe it was a new friend in the neighborhood or a re-kindled relationship far away?  Did you discover a new author, love for a card game or a new board game?  Have you taken up a new hobby?  Was that five-year-old puzzle finally put together?  Possibly, you have learned something totally new about a loved one under your roof.

I will share mine…  My wife and some friends in the neighborhood have turned me on to this incredible green space right down the street.  I knew it was there, but I had never been back there in 20 years!  It is not just your normal greenbelt; it is a huge, natural, open space that stretches from one end of the neighborhood all way to the other and down to a golf course.  Parts of it follow a man-made drainage way, but part follows a natural creek.  It is like a nature preserve filled with a variety of plants and wildlife.  It has a great trail that has become almost a daily walk route for me.  I also have added part of it to a run route.  It is a great way to get back to nature and experience God’s handiwork.  Often, my days begin and end with walks through my newfound nature sanctuary.  It was right there under my nose all this time…

Welcome to 2020!

Can you believe another year has flown by? This is the first full week of the new year. For that matter, it is the first full week of a new decade.  How will this year be better or different for you?  How will this decade change your life?

Have you made New Year resolutions? Do you have personal or professional goals? Maybe you have a theme or a word for the year.  What about a 2020 Bible verse? It does not matter the tool you use to motivate yourself, or the system you use to change or improve.  Sticking with it is the important thing.  If you want to make progress this year, you will need to be as interested in April and September as you are this week.  Continuous and ongoing improvement is the key.  There is nothing magical about beginning a new year.  It is, however, a great opportunity for a new outlook and some fresh thinking.  Choose what works best for you, just don’t miss the chance to make this year a great one.

How will you grow in 2020?

You miss every shot you do not take.

It is an interesting thought and really quite simple.  If you do not take a shot, you will not score.  You must make an attempt in order to give yourself a shot at winning.  Said differently, we cannot be afraid to try.  We shouldn’t be so conservative that we never give ourselves a real chance to accomplish something.  Oftentimes, I fall prey to this myself and tend to be somewhat cautious and conservative.  In order to grow, I need to learn to take more shots.  I am not just referring to the big decisions in life such as spouses and careers.  This certainly applies to those decisions, but this analogy also applies to little things throughout the day.  Maybe you need to take a shot at meeting someone new, at changing something at work, at becoming more involved in your community.

Take a shot.  Give yourself a chance to score in the game of life!