BOO-HUMBUG!!!!

If there were a “Scrooge” to Halloween, I’d be the poster child. I have a hard time embracing the idea of giving credence allowing individuals the opportunity to transform into their alter-ego. More often than not, their character resembles a violent, gory, blood sucking, half dead zombie.  Without question, Halloween is my very least favorite “holiday.”

Trying desperately to follow my own advice and look at “both sides of the coin” I offer the following as possible positive correlations between Halloween and leadership…consider…

Identity IS Important – Although fun to put on a mask and pretend to be something/someone else for a brief time IS rather appealing, leaders are expected to be transparent, honest and real.

Engagement IS Important – While counting the minutes to the end of the neighbor’s Halloween party, I can’t help but to watch how the group is fearless in engaging one another…the same neighbor who hasn’t said a word to me all year is now babbling on and on to me and others in the room making connections, feeling a part of something, feeling heard…valued. Are there those in my organization who are quiet all day who simply need a suitable vehicle to express themselves in the workplace? 

Creativity IS Important – I have to admit, that when given the opportunity, these rather dull neighbors have come up with some pretty creative costumes…some rather simple, others rather elaborate. Do we inadvertently squash creativity in the workplace as we dictate policy, procedures, and protocols?  Do we become boring and predictable?

FUN IS IMPROTANT – There is something intoxicating when laughter fills the air and no one is walking on eggshells fearful of saying the wrong thing to the wrong person.  No one’s guard is up, simply enjoying the company of other creatures, ghouls, and zombies…

Hmm…OK, maybe Halloween can offer some positive points to ponder…ahhhh BOO-HUMBUG!

Be good to yourself…

How Do You Handle FEAR???

FEAR…it’s something that each of us has encountered, endured, and hopefully conquered. It’s something that can debilitate, leaving us curled in a fetal position, or something that can stimulate us to experience something new. It rarely leaves us from where it was we started, as it has a way of moving us back…or moving us forward.

Since fear will continue to be a part of our lives and part of the lives of those we serve, it is important to reflect how we approach it. Consider these acronyms:

Forget Everything And Run                               

OR

Face Everything And Rise

The choice is really up to YOU!...Be good to yourself…

Divine or Personal Intervention?

Like most of you, I have found myself looking to the skies, on more than one occasion, asking for Divine intervention when situations arise with which I need support, direction, and encouragement to move forward. Recently, I came across “The Knot Prayer” and in all places, on Facebook. I thought I would share with you with the hope of giving you pause to ponder...

The Knot Prayer – Author Unknown 

Dear God,  

Please untie the knots that are in my mind, my heart, and my life. 

Remove the have nots, cannots, and the do nots. 

Erase the will nots, may nots, might nots that may find a home in my heart. 

Release me from the could nots, the would nots, and should nots that obstruct my life. 

And most of all, I ask that you remove from my mind, my heart, and my life all of the “am nots” that I have allowed to hold me back. Especially the thoughts that I am not good enough. 

Amen 

Funny thing…sometimes we don’t need Divine intervention to answer our own prayers… 

Be good to yourself...

When You Stumble, Make It Part Of Your Dance!

I was pretty clumsy as a kid. My mother would make me put my hands in my pocket as we walked through a department store out of fear that I would knock something over. She swore that I could trip over the pattern of the rug…which my wife would attest that I still do on occasion. I learned early in life that when you stumble, it’s better to make it part of your dance.

As leaders, there are times that we trip, when things don’t go as smoothly as we had hoped, or we simply missed the crack in the path which threw us off balance.  As humans, we’re not expected to be perfect. Everyone stumbles, or even falls on occasion. What’s important, and what our followers really watch with intent, isn’t so much the fall, but how we REACT TO IT. Do we blame others? Do we pretend it never happened? Do we get angry? OR do we simply “make it part of our dance” learning as we go?

As one who has stumbled often, literally and figuratively, I can attest to the joys of making up a new dance…sometimes others join in and you find yourself and your organization moving forward instead of blaming others, pretending it didn’t happen, or simply getting angry. The choice is yours…

Be good to yourself

Follow Your Moral "GPS"

I’m reluctant to admit it, but over the past few years I have become rather reliant on my GPS versus using my memory, gut instincts and “good common sense” to set my course. Truth be known, it’s when I ignore this electronic compass that I find myself off course, in unfamiliar territories, lost, and in areas I don’t belong.

My wife read me a passage today about the word compass and its origins. Interestingly enough its roots revolve around the relationship between points. As leaders, we each have our moral compass which guides us when facing those ethical dilemmas which have no answers, yet demand that answers be given.  

Our moral compass has been developed and honed over the years and should be trusted, adhered too, and valued when we reach those crossroads in life that forces us to pause and ponder the right path to take.  LISTEN to your moral compass as you would your GPS or you may find yourself off course, in unfamiliar territories, lost, and in areas you don’t belong…

Be good to yourself…