Leadership Objectives

I enjoy inviting people to be guest writers on my blog. I may be attracted to something they are have already written, or something they say, a story they tell, and more often than not, I enjoy who they are as people.  

Today, I bring you a guest that meets all these criteria and more, Marty Desmond. I met Marty through Twitter by enjoying his tweets then reading his blog, Corps Values in Business, in which Marty writes about leadership values he learned in the Marine Corps. I have never served in the military, but I was particularly impressed with an article Marty had written on Marine traits and principles.  

Marty wrote the following especially for The Intersection of Purpose and Now. Through reading it, I hope you come to appreciate and learn from Marty as I have.

What are your leadership objectives? Do you stop and think about that as you strategize?

As a young Corporal in the U.S. Marine Security Guard Detachment at the American Embassy, Moscow, USSR, I was a nominee for the Marine of the Month board. I got near the end of my session in front of the board, when I was asked to name the leadership objectives of the Marine Corps. Without hesitation, I responded "accomplish the mission and welfare of the troops". As soon as I said that, I began to think about the 96-hour pass I was about to receive and my plans to spend it in Copenhagen, Denmark.

Maybe it was the glint in my eye or a natural reaction of our detachment commander, but before he dismissed me, he told me he had one more question. He asked me which one was more important, "accomplish the mission and welfare of the troops". Totally thinking of my 4-day pass, I said welfare of the troops was most important. He told me I was wrong, to which I replied that if I took care of the troops, they would accomplish the mission. He shook his head no and told me that, although I had missed that, I had won the award.

I often think about that story, as I weigh the needs of a team while working on a project. There are times that, as a leader, I must ask people to make sacrifices to get a job done. Perhaps it’s working late or coming in on off days. It may be asking to forgo vacation, or put off training. Whatever the reason, it is my job to motivate them to make that sacrifice.

Going back to my original story, what I have learned is that the more I look out for the welfare of my team, the more likely they are to make those sacrifices. They are more likely to do so because they want to, and not because they must. When they do, they will do better work.

So, how is this accomplished? Five ways I learned as a young Marine are:

1. Know your people and look out for their needs
2. Utilize your people according to their abilities
3. Train your people as a team
4. Keep your people informed
5. Communicate directives and make sure that tasks are understood, supervised, and carried out.

There are many tools that we have available for managing groups. However, these principles will build a foundation upon which the groups will be effective.

Farmers, Zoologists, Shoemakers, and Poets

"A great man man is different than an eminent one in that he is ready to be the servant of society." ~B.R. Ambedkar

Today's post is courtesy of just such a great man, Dr. Jack King. Dr. King is a wonderful fellow who understands how The Intersection of Purpose and Now is about being a servant leader who others will want to emulate. Following is an article that comes directly from his blog, with his permission of course, and as a gift of his generosity.
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Paul Hawken, in his book, Blessed Unrest, writes, “an older quiescent history is reemerging, what poet Gary Snyder calls the great underground, a current of humanity that dates back to the Paleolithic. Its lineage can be traced back to healers, priestesses, philosophers, monks, rabbis, poets, and artists ‘who speak for the planet, for other species, for interdependence, a life that courses under and through and around empires.’” What stands out for me among this reemerging history is the quiet nature of her leaders.

Have you ever wondered why we insist on thinking power, position, and privilege equate to leadership? Or thinking the owner, the boss, the CEO, the President, the Pope, the senior pastor, the chairman of the board, or the Secretary General is THE leader? Is it because a quiet grace struggles to coexist?

We want strength in our leaders, failing, of course, to recognize meekness and gentleness—the essence of a quiet grace—are among the most reliable indicators of strength.

It’s generally pretty easy to see what happens when leadership rests upon power, position, or privilege. There is much history can tell us. But what, exactly, doesn’t happen? After all, it’s usually the leader’s vision we are asked to adopt. In so many ways, it’s also THEIR, game, THEIR toys, and probably THEIR rules too. About the only thing left to captivate, inspire, motivate, and encourage us is THEIR personality. As such, a great many of us — some enthusiastically, others reluctantly — merely saddle up for the ride, hoping against hope the scenery has something of interest to offer along the way.

Now let us compare THEIR reality with the hope of the unseen. You know the crowd. Or, do you? Hawken’s helps us out here with shout outs to “a coalescence comprising hundreds of thousands of organizations” giving “support and meaning” to billions of people, largely unnoticed, around the globe: “families in India, students in Australia, farmers in France, the landless in Brazil, the Bananeras of Honduras, the ‘poors’ of Durban, villagers in Irian Jaya, indigenous tribes of Bolivia, and housewives in Japan.” Ever wonder who is leading THEM? Great question, isn’t it? Hawkens knows. Their leaders, he tells us, “are farmers, zoologists, shoemakers, and poets.”

Farmers, zoologists, shoemakers, and poets? Are you kidding? What, no CEOs? Are you certain? No President or Chairman of the Board? Surely there must be some mistake. No members of Parliament either? What about the Congress? Or, maybe the Senate? Nope. Ever wondered why self-proclaimed leaders might relinquish control of this vast underground? It’s quite simple to explain really. Dr B.R. Ambedkar, a 20th century philosopher, thinker, anthropologist, historian, crusader for social justice, champion of human rights, and the chief architect of the Indian Constitution, tells us why:

“A great man is different from an eminent one in that he is ready to be the servant of the society.”

Pretty much sums it up, doesn’t it?

Do you know leaders like the great man Ambedkar describes, leaders who consistently — indeed, relentlessly — place others before self? Leaders who possess a servant’s heart? Leaders who perfectly understand the vision was never theirs to give; instead, it always belongs to the people, it always represents our common bond?

Thomas Carlyle argued “the history of the world is but a biography of great men.” But it seems to me his focus on the leader may have failed to consider ‘greatness’ originates in the hearts of those who choose to follow. Martin Luther King, Jr, helps us come to terms with greatness: “Everyone can be great, because everyone can serve.”

Seems to me we could use a few million more ‘great’ leaders! Indeed, a new GENERATION of leaders stepping out to transmogrify OUR collective vision, taking it from a distant dream to create the present reality, a reality founded on love. In the end, love is what we need. Leadership—true leadership—IS love.

In closing, my wonderful friend, Letty, says it this way: Only those who have the power to reach the hearts of others are great leaders. Isn’t that beautiful? Such is the leader I long to follow, an other-centered leader who demonstrates time and time again leadership is not positional; it’s relative. It’s also relevant, and it’s real. Such is the leader who turns Western society’s autocratic, hierarchical command and control on its head, recognizing power, position, and privilege never were important; PEOPLE are!

Thank you, Dr. King. You certainly have the power to reach the hearts of others - a leader I am pleased to follow.

Finding Your Character in Your Five Favorite Movies: Mr. Holland's Opus

"Good work enriches the world and also enriches the worker." - Scott Russell Sanders

"What is your favorite movie?"  This is a fairly common question and a good conversation starter as well, because we can learn so much about a person from the answer. Yet I always resist answering. I don't like being tied down to "one favorite" regarding anything subjective or derived from artistic preference.  I love nuance, which cannot be compared, let alone ranked.

However, on occasion I might make an exception if asked about naming my favorite movie. And my answer would be Mr. Holland's Opus. Mr. Holland's story affects me in countless ways, as does The Razor's Edge.  Both movies are well steeped in nuance and the meaning of life.  Richard Dreyfuss was nominated for an Oscar for Best Actor in Opus, and for good reason; it's a great screenplay also, and is simply an enjoyable movie on all accounts. Mr. Holland's Opus is among my favorites (obviously, my top 5) for these reasons, but is perhaps my favorite movie overall for three distinct reasons.

First, out of "temporary" financial necessity Mr. Holland finds himself agreeing to a take a slight detour from dedicating all his time to composing the symphony that would make him famous.  His "fallback plan" is to teach music for four years and compose during the summer.  When I made a similar necessary and "short-term" career move early in my career, I found myself on a completely new path of life, love, vocation and purpose that lead me on a wonderful nine-year journey of discovery while adding value through my role and relationships. 

I can relate to a guy who dreams of creating a personal masterpiece and brilliant career, but as he tends to immediate needs of his own and others he finds himself 30 years older with the same dream deferred, yet not without purpose fulfilled. I can relate to a guy who will never be famous yet lives a remarkable life measured in his valuable influence in the lives of others. (note the description of my blog at the top of this page)

Second, Glenn Holland's story is a story of flaws, failures and a series of "crises of character",  yet his "opus" is the score for deep positive impact that his life creates in the lives of others, including family, peers and especially his students.

Third, I relate to Mr. Holland's relationships, two in particular. The first relationship involves Principal Jacobs (played by Olympia Dukakis) and the particular scene when she notices Holland's lack of engagement (resentment, really) in his role as band teacher. She calls him on it, and it works effectively as his wake-up call.

"A teacher has two jobs. Fill young minds with knowledge, yes, but more important, give those minds a compass so that knowledge doesn't go to waste. Now I don't know what you're doing with the knowledge, Mr. Holland, but as a compass you're stuck." Principal Jacobs.

We see the effects of Mr. Holland's epiphany, which he apparently has after the wake-up call his principal so sternly provides, in what I'll venture to say is my favorite scene in this movie: "Gertrude and her clarinet" (click the text link or watch in viewer below).  

Holland doesn't give inspiring sermons; he asks Great Questions, and I am in the business of asking Great Questions, so I love this scene.  It makes Holland.  I appreciate the scenes from my own life that made me. 

"Is it any fun?" Mr. Holland asks his meek student named Gertrude, perhaps reflecting the question he must ask himself about his current "lot in life".  And he asks, "What do you like best about yourself?" knowing that self-love is the beginning of all things meaningful. 

This scene is the turning point for two lives: Gertrude, who gains confidence in her own uniqueness that will make her's a truly great life in the end; and Holland who recognizes that, despite his dreams, there is purpose and power is the ability to love and teach others to be their best.


If one day I might have etched on my tombstone anything similar to the tag lines from his movie, it will have been a life well-lived:

We are your symphony Mr. Holland. We are the melodies and the notes of your opus. We are the music of your life.

It's not about the direction you take. It's about the direction you give.

A symphony of life.

Of all the lives he changed, the one that changed the most was his own.

Life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans.

I hope this short series of brief introductions to the movies that reflect my character will inform you, inspire you and cause you to consider Great Questions that help determine your purpose, your values and your character as well. As a result, I hope you will watch these movies again or for the very first time and enjoy them as I have, over and over.

This blog is my constant invitation for you to place a higher value on being remarkable in the lives of others, rather than seeking fame or fortune. You have a great story, too. Allow yourself time to make sense of serendipity and the common things in your daily life that make your life extraordinary. If I can help, email me at askthecoach@pdncoach.com or call me at 217.362.0500.

Finding Your Character in Your Five Favorite Movies: Apollo 13

Successful Failure: Knowing What is Most Important Now
Today's post is number four of my series on Movies That Teach - Finding Your Character in Your Five Favorite Movies.  I have covered three movies to date: Groundhog Day, Elizabeth, and The Razor's Edge.  Today, I write about Apollo 13, which at times I have dubbed as the "greatest training film ever made".

I have used many scenes from Apollo 13 in various training programs over the years. It lends powerful lessons as far-reaching as leadership, vision and character, to communication, innovation and effective meetings.  (As a reminder, if you show movies or movie clips in a public context, first purchase an umbrella license from the Motion Picture Licensing Corporation.)  

"You don't say how slim they are but rather how you can improve the odds." 

These are the words of Gene Kranz, NASA's legendary flight director made famous by actor Ed Harris in "Apollo 13", the 1995 movie depicting the ill-fated 1970 space flight of the same name. He was referring to his incredibly positive "we're bringing them home" attitude during the entire life-and-death ordeal. Kranz was being interviewed on April 12, 2010, when he joined other surviving Apollo 13 astronauts and flight directors to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the space mission.

The dramatic Apollo 13 mission took a dramatic turn for everyone, of course, with the now famous unsettling words of flight commander James Lovell when he realized his mission had suddenly changed from landing on the moon to getting home alive:

"OK Houston, we've had a problem here."

Of course, today Lovell's famous phrase is popularly recited as "Houston, we have a problem," slightly different than Lovell actually spoke on April 13, 1970.  This is just one way in which Apollo 13 has taken on legendary qualities and become a symbol of American "against all odds" heroism.

When you see the world in a new way, suddenly possibilities for action exist that were inconceivable a moment earlier.
With so many great characters and lessons to illustrate from a single movie, it is difficult to choose favorites. One of my favorite "scenes" is actually a combination of two scenes: First, when Tom Hanks, playing commander Lovell, is with his son soon after Lovell learns he would be mission commander of the historical flight.  Second, when Lovell is on a crippled ship thousands of miles into space realizing his mission has changed.  Each man depicts a man on a mission - a mission that would change dramatically between the two scenes.

The first scene takes place in the Lovell's back yard; father and son are talking when Lovell holds his thumb up into his line of sight and completely blanks out his view of the moon.  This brief scene depicts the clear sense of purpose that Lovell now has - to walk on the moon.

The second part of my two-part favorite is when the Apollo team, both in space and on the ground, are devising solutions to abort the original mission and return 13 and its crew safely back to earth.  This is the stuff of which Kranz spoke when he said the ground crew was not focused on how unlikely the odds were for survival of the flight crew. They were focused on improving the odds.

In this second scene, Tom Hanks has just visualized himself making his moon; then he once again holds his thumb into his line of sight, this time blocking any view of the Earth - his home and family. His mission and purpose changes absolutely with this small gesture.

"Gentlemen, what are your intentions? I'd like to go home," he says, and in that instant establishes a new mission for his team.  His purpose has changed in a moment's thought, yet he and his crew will pursue this new purpose with the same resolve, focus and dedication as the first.  Ten words in a matter of seconds, yet a truly great moment of leadership... And what a wonderful illustration of The Intersection of Purpose and Now.  I have delivered entire workshops on leadership, vision and strategy using this single scene as a launching pad (pun intended).

Readers of this blog may be familiar with my views on "work-life balance", a concept that I dismiss as misguided. Recognizing the stresses and conflict behind the desire for "balance", I encourage people to replace it with a clear sense of focus on "what is most important to me now."  What is most important to me now can change in any moment. Values and priorities may not change, but they may shift from day to day and yes, new purpose can evolve even from moment to moment.

"I am doing exactly what I want to be doing with my life right now." These are words I utter often when speaking to a new group of people. They are not words I use lightly.  The most important goal of the Apollo 13 mission team on April 12, 1970, was to land on the moon. In one brief moment on April 13, 1970, that mission changed dramatically.  "What is important now" changed. Same people - different mission.

Ultimately, our most important values always rise to the top.

Finding Your Character in Your Five Favorite Movies: The Razor's Edge

"Arise, awake, and learn by approaching the exalted ones, for that path is sharp as a razor’s edge, impassable, and hard to go by, say the wise." Katha Upanishad 

What might you learn about your own character by identifying with your favorite characters from the movies? If you are a reader of the Great Books, you have likely discovered pathways to character there as well. The Great Books certainly had an impact on my enlightenment and on the movie character I discuss today.

I must admit some irony in the fact that two of the five character-building movies I am writing about this week have comedian Bill Murray in the starring role. Perhaps it's not ironic at all, at least if I admit that this fact alone may say as much about my character as anything else about these movies!

1984's The Razor's Edge has had a profound and lasting effect on me like few other movies. In fact, I can say it has had an effect that very few other movies, books, people or experiences can match. This prolonged effect is so deep, I often find it difficult to put in words; but that's why movies are so powerful. Of the five movies I am writing about, and the many more that I could have included in this series (Secondhand Lions, Simon Birch, August Rush, Ratatouille...don't get me started), The Razor's Edge is special, defining, liberating and divine among my movie experiences.

"He had everything and wanted nothing. He learned that he had nothing and wanted everything. He saved the world and then it shattered. The path to enlightenment is as sharp and narrow as a razor's edge."

It is the gestalt of this story and the protagonist Larry Darrel (Murray's character), rather than any one scene or aspect of the movie, that affects me so. However, there is one scene I will focus on today.

First, the setup. 

If there was ever a man in search for meaning, it is Larry Darrell, a great personification of what I call the "crisis of character" in the original 1944 novel by W. Somerset Maugham, and a very good personification in this movie.  Darrel is an adult modern Siddhartha, the title character in Hermann Hesse's great book. [The word Siddhartha is derived from two Sanskrit words, siddha (achieved) + artha (meaning or wealth). The two words together mean "he who has found meaning (of existence)" or "he who has attained his goals".]

Larry sees it a matter of duty as much as adventure to volunteer for the Red Cross during World War I. But when his partner is killed in the fog of war, the war-weary Darrell sets out on an isolated quest to learn, to understand, to be enlightened through the human experience.  He gives up romance, career, and what seems like a certain path to good fortune and societal esteem for the sharp, often dirty, lonely and always narrow path to salvation.  He reads the Great Books and meets the Great People, who he discovers in the most humbling of circumstances much as I believe we do in life.

The Scene - The Awakening
One of my favorite movie scenes (watch below) is the turning point in Larry Darrell's life journey when he is alone in the bitter cold night atop a Tibetan mountain (India in the book), reading and meditating in his search for enlightenment. His fire goes out and he grows cold. Realizing his book now has more value as physical fuel than it does as spiritual nourishment, he begins to tear it apart to stoke his life-preserving fire. The next scene shows him looking toward the horizon at "the top of the world."

"The man I am writing about is not famous. It may be that he never will be. It may be that when his life at last comes to an end he will leave no more trace of his sojourn on earth than a stone thrown into a river leaves on the surface of the water. But it may be that the way of life that he has chosen for himself and the peculiar strength and sweetness of his character may have an ever-growing influence over his fellow men so that, long after his death perhaps, it may be realized that there lived in this age a very remarkable creature." - W. Somerset Maugham, introduction to The Razor's Edge (1944) and inspiration for The Intersection of Purpose

Tomorrow, I continue my list of five movies with Mr. Holland's Opus.

Finding Your Character in Your Five Favorite Movies: Elizabeth

How do you evaluate the motives of those who would give you their counsel?

A story of a person developing discernment, potential, transformation, keen purpose, and, of course, an existential crisis of character - these are all reasons I love the movie Elizabeth, one of my favorite stories of leadership and leadership development. 

Sickly Queen Mary of England could not bring herself to execute her imprisoned half-sister Elizabeth, who ascends to the throne upon Mary's death due to the queen's lack of an heir. (Why had she been imprisoned with a death penalty by her sister? Elizabeth was a Protestant; Mary was Catholic.) Thus begins the reign of Queen Elizabeth, who begins her long years on the throne with plenty of decisions to make and plenty of advisors to help - if, in fact, she can trust their advice at all.

I love Elizabeth for great acting, its political intrigue, and as a terrific portraiture with many lessons on leadership. It makes my list of Movies That Teach for those leadership lessons you will find in Cate Blanchett's characterization of the "Virgin Queen" who ushers in England's "Golden Age".

In 1558, England is divided by faith, Catholic vs. Protestant. Elizabeth's first few years are shaky on religious terms, she is hardly politically astute and she "rules from the heart instead of the mind".  England is weak and also on shaky ground facing many barely covert enemies.  Elizabeth must strengthen the position of her kingdom and face her own threats, including many who seek to execute her as a "heretic".  

To ensure her security on the throne, Elizabeth has to establish leadership, which includes, according to some of her many advisors, establishment of a single Protestant Church of England, marriage to a suitable husband and the production of an heir. However, she remains unmarried since her only suitor is not worthy of marrying a queen; thus, she can bear no heir, which would mean the throne could fall back into Catholic hands should she meet with her own tragedy.

Elizabeth, the movie, is a story of the early years of the great queen's reign when she was learning to be great. She must face threats both foreign, including Pope Pius V, and domestic, especially within her own court. The movie dramatizes her transformation into the most powerful, and sometimes ruthless, woman in the world.

I love a story of potential. I love a story of transformation from a person trying to survive into a leader with a crystal-clear sense of purpose, a deep sense of value and service to a Great Cause.

Notice a pattern developing here with this "crisis of character", which you might say is a matter of destiny for those of us who seek to live at The Intersection of Purpose and now.  Next up in my "Finding Your Character in Your Five Favorite Movies" series: The Razor's Edge.

Finding Your Character in Your Five Favorite Movies: Groundhog Day

"What would you do if you were stuck in one place and every day was exactly the same, and nothing that you did mattered?" Phil Connors (Bill Murray), Groundhog Day, 1993.

Groundhog Day is one of the top 100 inspirational movies of all time and, in 2006, the film was added to the United States National Film Registry as being deemed "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant."  Plus, it's just plain fun. I love this movie; I at once pity and envy the main character who finds himself living the same dreadful day again and again.

Today and for the next several days I am exploring my own answers to the question posed in yesterday's post: What might you learn about your own character from the characters in your favorite movies? This question as well as the movie character theme were inspired directly from Brainzooming, a blog by Mike Brown.

Phil Connors is a TV weatherman on a road trip to report on the famous groundhog encountering its shadow - once again - when Phil and his crew are stranded by a winter storm.  The character, played brilliantly by one of my favorites, Bill Murray, finds himself living the same strange day over and over again, until he gets it right.

My graduate studies were in Speech Communications, but the emphasis was on social psychology and the philosophy of communication from the discipline of existential phenomenology. So perhaps it is no surprise that I love movies that depict existential crises of character, such as this.

As much as I appreciate the "Ah-ha" moments of life in which we find special meaning, I also simply love the search for meaning.  Phil Connors is pitiful, at first, an egotistical man trapped by his own lack of purpose and values.  Yet I envy his opportunity to learn, improve and get it right, all in one day! I relate to his journey of discovering that there is something much more meaningful and powerful than Self. I can only imagine what happens after the movie ends, but we suspect it is a life full of joy because he has learned how to bring love and joy to others. The Egotist has become The Servant.

At the risk of sounding trite, life is a journey from being The Egotist to becoming The Servant. I am most certainly imperfect (wink), and I do not have the opportunity to repeat the same day over and over again until I get it right.  In fact, there have been nights in my life when I awake at 3 a.m. because my dreams reminded me of how wrong I got something the previous day. But I live for another day...

I have enjoyed the mercy of many days and, by the grace of God, more days to come with which I can examine my life, my values, my priorities and my actions to "get it right". I have the opportunity daily to become less Egotist and more Servant. I have the opportunity to add value through my relationships. I have the opportunity to continue my search "to be remarkable and be a valuable influence in the lives of others... To re-connect [my] thoughts and actions with [my] deepest values and purpose, and engender the same in others." Of course, these are words I use to describe the blog you are now reading.

I relish this opportunity with the same great joy as Phil Connors did when he finally woke up to a new day of love, joy and servanthood.

Please join me again tomorrow and for the next few days at The Intersection of Purpose and Now. Together we'll explore a few more movies and characters. Continue to join me as we explore personal character, values, purpose and all that goes into Personal Leadership. I hope you'll take time to share your own favorite movie characters and their meaning for you as well.

Movies That Teach - Finding Your Character in Your Five Favorite Movies

What do your favorite movies say about your creative perspective? What might they say about your innovative character? What might you learn about your own purpose and values by identifying with the characters from your favorite movies?

These are questions first posed by Mike Brown, in his Brainzooming blog. Both Mike's article and the follow-up article by one of his readers, Leslie Heizman, inspired me to consider my favorite movies and their characters, as well as the subject of how powerfully movies teach, and what we might learn from them.  

I will list five of my favorite movies below, then discuss each of them in the coming days. I plan to particularly discuss why and how the story and characters affect me, and how each helps define my character and values. 

These are not listed in priority order, but in the order in which I plan to write about them.

My 5 Favorite Movies:

Groundhog Day - A weatherman finds himself living the worst day of his life over and over again. What if your actions had no long term effect?  Would you change them? How might they change you? Wouldn't it be nice to have the opportunity, but not an eternity, to "get it right"?

Elizabeth - A film of the early years of the reign of Elizabeth I of England and her difficult task of learning what is necessary to be a monarch. She has many advisors, but which ones should she trust? Will she make the right decisions?

The Razor's Edge - The story of one man's search for himself. This modern movie version is derived from the W. Somerset Maugham classic novel, whose epigraph inspired The Intersection of Purpose and Now. The main character had everything and wanted nothing. He learned that he had nothing and wanted everything. He saved the world and then it shattered. The path to enlightenment is as sharp and narrow as a razor's edge.

Apollo 13 - Houston, we have a problem. True story of the moon-bound mission that developed severe trouble and the men that rescued it with skill and dedication. Rich with characters, I could write volumes about this movie.

Mr. Holland's Opus - A frustrated composer finds fulfillment as a high school music teacher. "We are your symphony Mr. Holland. We are the melodies and the notes of your opus. We are the music of your life."  Perhaps my favorite character and plot; again, I could write volumes.

I have used movie clips in my training and development programs and keynote presentations over the years.  I will also include links to my favorite books on the subject through Amazon.com, starting with the all-time best, "Movies to Manage By".  Please keep in mind, if you use movies or movie clips, to do so properly, legally and ethically.  To do so properly, contact me directly for assistance. As for legally and ethically, purchase a license from the Motion Picture Licensing Company.

So let's enjoy some movies together. Come back and join me over the next several days, here at The Intersection of Purpose and Now. 

Maybe It's Time to Move to a Bigger Pond

"In a pond, koi can reach lengths of up to eighteen inches. Amazingly, when placed in a lake, koi can grow to over three feet in length. The metaphor is obvious. Growth is limited only by the environment you occupy." ~Vince Poscente

If you're not still growing, then maybe it's time for you to move into a bigger pond?

(this quick thought was inspired by http://twitter.com/psychdigest)

What Quality or Virtue Do You Most Want to Develop This Year?

How will you grow and develop yourself this year? What quality or characteristic of personal leadership development will you focus on? 

I suggest you begin with the fertile ground of Virtue. As for me, I begin with Courage.  Courage begins things: it is a precursor for Faith, Love, Change, Persistence, Authenticity, Trust, Service and every other value.

"Courage is not simply one of the virtues, but the form of every virtue at the testing point." -- C.S. Lewis

In other words, one is virtuous only when virtue has a cost - a price we are fearful to pay. In order to address my fears virtuously, I must seek courage daily. To help me, my core value and daily affirmation is:

I have the Courage to take action on the things that are most important to me now.

Without courage I do not get started on what is important; I do not take right action; I live in fear of the consequences of virtue. Every day I face decisions that begin, interrupt or sustain my courage-life pattern. Courage is my cupid's arrow for everything I really want to have, to do, to create, or to become, no matter how mundane or how wonderful the rewards. So in 2010, I must continue to develop and sustain my courage. What about you? What quality or virtue do you most want to develop this year?

Please, feel free to offer your response in the comments section to this blog. As an additional step, just ask and I will be glad to serve as your accountability partner.

Have a virtuous remainder of the year.

Yo-Yos and Leadership Are Not The Same (Part 3 in a Series)

What makes training valuable to both the individual learner and the organization in which the learner performs?

Consider the boy who brings his first yo-yo home from school.  You show him a few tricks that you learned as a child. With no priming on your part, no post training activities planned to insure learning, and no change in the environment from the training setting, the boy steadily increases his proficiency, builds on his training and continues to show improvement.

Now suppose the boy forgets about the yo-yo in the next year or two. Could he pick it up again after decades of inattention and resume yo-yoing with no loss of skill?  Most likely, or at least he would likely regain lost skill quickly since he developed it as a boy. In fact, he may even be able to show a leap in proficiency due to physical, mental, and emotional development that is unrelated to training directly to the task. 

Why is this so?

[NOTE: this is the third article in a series that ran on March 29 and March 30, entitled "Why is Training Such a Lousy Investment", parts 1 and 2.]

I know at least two reasons a person of any age can learn a new skill quickly and retain that skill even through years of non-use.  First, the skill is learned quickly due to desire. The boy wants to yo-yo so he practices, over and over again. This leads to the second reason - repetition. You don't pick up a yo-yo one time and become a master. A breakthrough to mastery requires desire, repetitive use and application.

If only developing the habits of effective leadership were as simple as learning to yo-yo!
The same rules still apply. DESIRE to learn or change or "become a more effective leader" is the necessary precursor to doing so. Desire is always self-motivated but can be stimulated by an external requirement or need, such as belonging, survival, recognition or fulfillment. Unfortunately, leadership classes are often full of "prisoners", people "sent" to training by a higher authority, or "sophisticates", people who believe they already know more than anyone could teach them. Unless the participant  is on his or her own quest for meaning, little will change.

REPETITION is necessary with leadership, too. One cannot learn about active listening skills one day and demonstrate mastery of the skill the next. A person has to want to (desire) improve active listening skills to master listening. Mastery, even simple proficiency takes practice, over and over, situation to situation, context to context.

You must experience being the kind of leader you want to be over and over until you are that leader and others say so.

WIIFM?
So much training is focused mainly on skills and knowledge, with little sophisticated attention to attitudes, habits and goals. Most trainers consider the WIIFM factor (What's in it for me?) of learners, but few really incorporate it into learning design. Attitudes, habits and goals put the hands and feet on desire and repetition, and therefore mastery.  

Skills and knowledge create potential for improvement, but attitudes, habits and goals will make or break successful transition, transformation and mastery. These are the things that shape desire. 

Attitudes are habits of thinking. We develop them over a lifetime, and they can be extremely difficult to change, even when we have the desire. We have to want to change an attitude to make the change - we have to have the right attitude about our attitudes. And we have to practice new attitudes repeatedly for them to supersede bad habits and ones that have outlived their utility.  Attitudes either take us closer to our goals or further away - there are no neutral attitudes.

So my attitude about learning to yo-yo may be pretty black-and-white: I do or I don't practice and repeat, which determines whether I will or I won't learn to yo-yo (and to what level of proficiency). But with a habit that affects how I lead in my organization or family - that is so much more personal, complicated, sensitive, and requires a great deal more courage, among other things.

One of those other things is the depth of my desire for change. Another is repetition of the new habit over time.

A Leader's Prayer

Powerful, truly God-inspired and something you will want to keep, from my good friend, coach Julie Poland.  Julie is the author of the game-changing book on leadership and organizational development, Changing Results by Changing Behavior: The Process Every Leader Needs to Know to Create Sustainable Improvement.

Pray The Leader's Prayer again and again that it may be your Truth and Guiding Light.  A prayer such as this takes you to The Intersection of Purpose and Now.

Let me stand
Supported firmly by the foundation of my values
And in the greater purpose that calls me forth
Let me stand for the uncompromising truth
That compels me to stretch beyond
My prior expectations for myself and my contribution

Let me see
The distant hills that are my destination, our destination
The lessons of the tall old pines that grow fruitful even after fire
Let me see the effect of the river that, over time,
Can cut and mold a landscape
Even while flowing softly and serenely through a verdant valley.

Let me speak
In words that cascade like diamonds
Onto someone's shoulders, enriching them
Let me speak in tones that wrap
Like fur, warming and soothing
On skin that has been scarred and roughened by conflict.

Let me serve
With head bowed in humility
Because I know my gifts are truly not my own
Let me serve especially in times
When I am not yet ready
And in places that call for skills I have yet to discover.

Let me shake hands
With brothers and sisters everywhere
Knowing that we share our humanity if not our opinions
Let me shake hands
And look the other directly in the eye
And see the dignity and the noble intent within them.

Let me celebrate
The abundance that is already before me
That I did not create, but that has been given to me
Let me celebrate
The glimmers that light the next steps on the path
And show me that the impossible just might not be so.

Let me step out, step up
And shake the clots of mud off of my shoes
To respond to the call of the world
Let me step out, step up
And in my own way, by whatever means I can
To make a mark, a signpost for the ones who come after me.

SPECIAL NOTE: I chose the Bonsai tree as art for this post for a special reason I hope you might recognize on your own. Here's a bit more explanation from http://www.bonsaisite.com/: 

"In Japanese, bonsai can be literally translated as 'tray planting' but since originating in Asia, so many centuries ago - it has developed into a whole new form. To begin with, the tree and the pot form a single harmonious unit where the shape, texture and colour of one, compliments the other. Then the tree must be shaped. It is not enough just to plant a tree in a pot and allow nature to take its course - the result would look nothing like a tree and would look very short-lived. Every branch and twig of a bonsai is shaped or eliminated until the chosen image is achieved. From then on, the image is maintained and improved by a constant regime of pruning and trimming."

Get your copy of Julie's book at Amazon.com using the link below:

The Perilous Journey of Becoming Someone [re-post]

I thought that if you liked the Nic Askew short film in last Thursday's post, you might appreciate a re-post of one of his first films, and one of my favorites. Here it is. Enjoy. (from my March 19, 2009 blog)



EVERYTHING could be pointing the way...

Perhaps my favorite Nic Askew film ever. Enjoy! Watch it over and over. Thanks for tuning in.

When you need a nudge

Today I am sharing a 2006 film that Nic Askew recently re-screened and released, featuring his interview with success coach Michael Neill.  This short film is full of nice little nuggets for you to build on. One I particularly like comes early in the film, when Michael recalls the childhood meanders of floating sticks in a stream. Sooner or later, a stick gets hung up in debris along the water's edge.

"The stick doesn't need therapy. It's just stuck; it needs a nudge."

We all get hung up on things in our lives.  We get stuck by jobs, relationships, challenges and opportunities, our next move... We get confused between having been and being more, as this film wonderfully illustrates.

We all get stuck. Getting stuck doesn't mean you need therapy.  But it's important to recognize when you need a nudge.

Do yourself a huge favor. When you get stuck, have the courage to find someone in the "nudge" business to help you get past the debris in which you're hung up. It will be one of the best decisions you've ever made.

Enjoy the short film.

'god & the chocolate ice cream' from Nic Askew on Vimeo.

I love Nic Askew short films. I have been following him since he started Monday9am.tv, which is now called Soul Biographies.  Use any one of these links to find Nic and subscribe to his wonderful, inspiring, light-shining, creative and informative films. I highly recommend it as a "5-Star Bookmark". Now how's that for an endorsement!

CAN THE SPIRITUAL LIVE ALONGSIDE THE MATERIAL | nic askew

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