Where Do We Go From Here

I let a milestone slip by quietly a month or so ago. It was the tenth anniversary of this blog (900 posts strong.) I know, not a big deal in the grand scheme of things. The world has gone absolutely crazy...pandemics have become politicized...and the United States is sadly divided to extremes.

Back to that milestone. I decided to step back from writing for a while. My last two posts about Black Lives Matter and Seeing Color seemed a fitting set of messages that represent how I feel. It didn't seem right to jump back into "the 3 best actions to take to be the leader of the year" type of posts.

Something felt different, and quite honestly I didn't want to say anything more, about any topic, at the time.

Now Things are Different

Historic change has since occurred. The impact on employers, regardless of your political leanings, will be dramatic at the very least. And, the need for leadership that does not include fake news, hoaxes, or outright lies is more important than ever.

Will we get that type of leadership from Washington? I highly doubt it. It's rarely been there before, and the last few years have shown that it has all but evaporated.

So, where do we go from here?

There are of course, several options to fill the massive leadership void. 

Families are a very important part of our communities, and hopefully create a safe place to share our fears, opinions, and outlook going forward.

Our faith also plays a massively important role, for those that have a faith perspective. For me, it brings a level of awareness, teaching, support, guidance, a
strong community, and bigger picture view that rises above the politicization of society.

A third group, and one I feel needs to play an ever more critical role is that of the employer. Providing information, sharing resources and creating opportunities for employees to have real dialogue, and ensure that open lines of communication are well utilized and understood by everyone is more important than ever before.

How About You

It's been ten years since I started my blogging journey. Candidly, if we ever needed leadership that held itself accountable, it is right now. Let's move forward with a fresh spirit of opportunity, excitement about the future, and support for one another. We're all going to need it, right?

I'd love to hear from you.

No excuses.

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Kindness, Grace...and Work?

"It's not personal, it's business."

I've said this a thousand times...and I'm quite sure I'll say it a thousand times more before I call it a career and delete my email accounts forever.

Faith and Leadership in the Workplace
I've been writing about faith for many years here. Faith is the horsepower behind the two words that I'm focusing on in 2020: kindness and grace.

Sometimes the three words in today's title seem incompatible. 

How exactly does one demonstrate grace while making difficult decisions and driving hard on what needs to be done in the workplace? 

How do we create that sense of urgency, that "good" pressure to keep things moving and to achieve results, all while being kind to those around us?

Overthinking It
I would offer that it may not be nearly as difficult as we might think. The old school leadership style of being mean or forceful as a way to earn respect is now an embarrassing moment for everyone...at the very least...and is candidly career-limiting in the world of work today.

The opportunity to integrate both kindness and grace comes through the delivery of our messages. Yes, accountability is critical to execution. But so is buy-in, respect for the team, and a willingness to hear other voices to ensure the best path is taken.

Consider when a leader has shown you kindness and grace in your career. I bet you already pictured them in your mind before you got to this sentence, right?

Be that leader.

How About You
What are your leadership priorities this year? I have a long list of business outcomes that must be achieved; however, I plan on achieving them in a way that perhaps I hadn't fully incorporated into my leadership style in the past.

Kindness.
Grace.
Work.

I'd love to hear from you.

No Excuses.

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Bigger Than Me

I recently had the privilege of going on a mission trip to Kenya. Specifically as part of a team that actively supports the Inua Partners in Hope program that helps orphaned young people gain vocational skills to...somehow, amongst the most devastating of circumstances and poverty...provide for themselves.

The whole experience was overwhelming...and hopeless...and incredible...and inspiring.

In short, it was bigger than me.

Perspective
As you might suspect, my view on the 'problems' in my life quickly melted away as I witnessed the power of the human spirit in such extreme circumstances. I returned to my work with colleagues and clients and prospects armed with a fresh perspective. 

Suddenly, the crisis of the moment, or complicated work relationship wasn't really all that complicated..let alone a crisis. 

Here's the rub...how sustainable will my 'new outlook' be? Is this the natural after-effect of something as powerful as my trip; or, have I opened the door to not only how I view my work going forward, but how I will invest my time and resources as well?

Hopefully, it sticks. I'm counting on it.

How About You
When was the last time you experienced a profound event in your life? Did it carry over to your professional life? Did those powerful emotions and newly found clear lens stay with you?

I'd love to hear from you.

No Excuses.

Outlive the Hand

"What's the most important contribution that you've made to your organization?"

Let that sink in for a minute.

Now take that question a step further. "What will your most important contribution to your organization be after you've left?"

Whoa.

Trains Running
As you start replaying the various initiatives you've been a part of let's clear something up right away. Keeping operations running smoothly is not the answer to either of my questions. While important, no one has a legacy that starts with "she always kept the trains running on time."

That is an expectation, not a legacy.

Courage
The most important, and candidly impactful, things I've accomplished in my career required a fair amount of risk and courage. Trying new approaches in very public ways (which means failure would also be very public); and, tackling unpopular issues were always at the top of my list. 

Was I a glutton for punishment? Of course not. Did I see opportunities to make a real difference in the life of my organizations? I sure did. The cold reality of pushing issues that are risky is that it is often a lonely path forward. The support often comes after breakthroughs and success. 

But that's not what legacies are built around. It's all about the difference we make. Not the slaps on the back, or praise in front of the masses. Not chasing glory to pump up our fragile ego. It is simply about knowing we did the right thing in a big way. 

How About You
What will your legacy be long after you've written the last verse? What about the other aspects of your life: family, faith, relationships or volunteering? True legacy means that what we've created outlives the hand that created it.

I'd love to hear from you.

No Excuses.

inspiration
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The Power of Community in Your Success

I've been thinking a lot about the role "community" plays in my life. It's a term that gets thrown around so much that I wonder if anyone has internalized a definition for themselves and embraced it?

The deeper I've gone into my own communities, the more I see the profound role they play in my life. In fact, I can quickly identify six distinct communities that I actively participate in on a daily basis. Whoa!

Professional
This seems obvious, yet my focus isn't that I have a cool job and am able to do interesting things. It's all about the relationships and trust I've built that makes the difference.

Social
All hail the power of social media. Yes, I'm serious. Some of my most important social relationships (and my Personal Board of Directors) were born out of my connections on various social media channels.

Faith
This is a huge part of my daily life, and I am absolutely grateful for it. Whether I'm leading small groups, or prepping for a big mission trip later this summer, my faith community has been tremendous.

Fitness
Staying healthy and reasonably fit has been an important part of my life for a long time. Investing in a professional trainer last Fall has helped me take my game to the next level. Now, a new facebook accountability group around fitness and motivation helps keep me on track as well.

Music
When my friend Michael Carty asked me to write about how I feel about "my" music, I was both humbled and a bit intimidated. But alas, my music is not only one of my greatest passions, it has also brought me to one of the most welcoming, nonjudgmental communities I have ever experienced. Here's the post if you're curious.

Family
Last here...but certainly not on my list of priorities, is my amazing family and those close personal relationships that make all the noise of the world seem insignificant. To say I feel blessed would be a massive understatement.

How About You
What are the communities that mean the most to you? How do they make a difference in your life?

I'd love to hear from you.

No Excuses.

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Hear the Silence So Loud

I'm taking a different look at leadership today...in a very personal way. I am grateful to have such a supportive community to share my perspectives. Thank you friends.

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I am a proud member of Hyde Park United Methodist Church (an open, loving community of faith that welcomes every person) and lifelong member of the larger United Methodist Church (UMC.) My father spent his career as a Pastor in the UMC serving high profile large churches that made an impact in their communities. He was deeply committed to his faith, and I am forever grateful that the passion he and my Mother shared for Jesus was instilled in my sister and me.

Earlier this year, as many of you are aware, the larger UMC held a special session of General Conference to decide if we as a denomination were going to be an inclusive faith community or not. 

Specifically, to decide whether or not we were going to fully embrace our LGBTQ brothers and sisters as full and equal members of our denomination. Sadly, for a variety of reasons, the vote to follow Jesus’ message of love and inclusion failed.

Friends, I am struggling with this outcome. I am struggling more than I ever have as a United Methodist.

Struggling almost sounds too meek…too soft to fully explain how embarrassed I am about our larger church. Consider the message to the outside world…we proclaim to have open hearts, minds and doors, and continue to push this message across multiple platforms. 

Yet, we’ve in effect slammed those same hearts, minds and doors shut in the face of people who simply want to worship God just like we do.

How is this possible in 2019?

I recognize that not everyone shares my beliefs; however, I cannot reconcile in my mind that people can proclaim to have the power to make decisions about ordination, love and inclusion as if they were equal to God. 

People do not have the authority to make such decisions, only our God can do that. Do these men and women believe they actually speak for God?

Such hubris!

"The inaction from General Conference…

...the silence… has become the loudest noise 

in the history of our denomination."

As I continue to struggle with the shame I feel that this vote has brought upon the larger UMC, I have considered several options…the most important of which is to remain a United Methodist and fight for the justice that I know one day will come.

I want to be part of the solution.

I want to be a voice that refuses to be silent.

I want to be a part of our UMC family when ALL people will know God’s love.

I'd love to hear from you.

No Excuses.

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Faith, Values and HR

Wait, what?

I know what you are thinking. We can not talk about our faith in the workplace! That's crazy talk! We are going to get complaints, the employees will be in an uproar, and we might even get sued!

Um, let's just slow down here for a minute.

Leave Your Personal Life at the Door
Have you ever heard this phrase? Have you ever said it to an employee? When was the last time you walked into work and shut off every single part of your life outside of work?

I know the answer. Never, that's when.

Regardless of your faith perspective (if you have one) this seems like one of the most absurd (and candidly embarrassing) management messages to send..."leave your personal life at the door."

Our lives are not broken into convenient little pieces.
There is no work/life balance.
There is only life balance, and our faith is
a big part of that journey.

Live the Values
If we pause for a moment to consider what most of our corporate values say (and let's be honest, most are very similar) they focus on treating people well, doing good work, living with integrity, etc.

Hmmm, those sound curiously similar to the core tenets of most world religions. 

So, as we ask our employees, our leaders, and ourselves to 'live the values' of our organizations in everything we do; are we also asking everyone to shut off their faith that implores us to 'live that faith in all we do' at the same time?

I'm no longer buying that premise. How does one pray each day, participate in the life of their faith community, and then walk into work and turn their back on all of that because "it's just business?"

That simply does not make any sense.

How About You
Will I now be preaching the gospel during team meetings? Of course not. 

But will I pretend that I don't have faith, or act as if I'm such a "good man of business" that faith and values don't really matter? Absolutely not.

What is your take? I know this is a complicated and important issue.

I'd love to hear from you.

No Excuses.

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Rising

Some candid stuff today...and a quick 'cut to the chase.' 

I've been doing a lot of introspective work lately. As in a L O T.

Old Habits Don't Help
Turns out my world-class skill of compartmentalizing every facet of my life turned out to be a flawed strategy. Oddly enough, as I was writing this post an incredible thread blew up on twitter discussing...well...men struggling with being human vs. some sort of fake persona that is completely unrealistic and unhealthy. Whoa! That hit close to home!

So, my personal deep dive is in full swing. 

Doing the Work
It's hard work.
At times it's humiliating work.
In the end, I hope it will represent a meaningful change on many levels.

No, I'm not hitting the bottle or having a mid-life crisis. I am simply pushing to be my best self, so that I can be the best person possible for those around me.

How About You
What challenges are you facing (or perhaps hiding from?) Are you hoping to find the courage to push yourself to a whole new level..to a new quality of life? 

As for me so far...it's been totally worth it.

I'd love to hear from you.

No Excuses.

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Finding My Way

I'm not exactly sure when it happened, but I've found myself in somewhat of an awkward place. 

Professionally, I have a terrific job with a company that is being recognized in the industry and growing fast. I love human resources work...it just matches everything that I believe is important about the life and success of an organization. 

That all sounds pretty good, right?

But...
Somehow, though, a cynical view has snuck up on me. 

I don't like that. 

I don't want to be someone who complains about the complainers. I don't want to sound like the angry guy who is just another know-it-all. I don't want to be someone who isn't living the way he truly wants to live.

So...I'm doing something about it. A huge part of my personality is based (often times as the brunt of jokes) on being overly positive. Sometimes even missing the reality of a situation because I refuse to see anything but the positive side!

That personality trait...that I have relied on to carry me through for so many years...has become a bit more elusive lately. 

I don't like that either.

Getting Focused
I'm going to dial-in more than ever to what used to be my default reaction, to an intentional, thoughtful response to the world around me. 

Staying positive has to be the starting place. 
Staying positive has to be my go-to style. 
Ending positively has to be the way.

Maybe this all sounds hokey. Probably true. But for me, taking a proactive approach to how I live my life versus my "life living me" is essential. I've taken big steps in my health, faith, nutrition and fitness. Now it's time to lock down the last and most challenging part...

...my mindset.

How About You
What has become elusive in your life? What behaviors have crept in that you want to lock down? Don't be afraid of confronting them...you can do it!

I'd love to hear from you.

No Excuses.

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Standing In the Middle of a Time of Worry

Long title, I know. It's a line from a song that is pretty cool. But it speaks to something so pervasive in the workplace (and outside the workplace too.)

The weight of...everything.

So much to accomplish. 
So many projects. 
So many needs for the right talent doing the right things at the right time.

...and so much extra anxiety because we're always in CYA mode.

Friends, this is simply exhausting.

A New Way
I think a lot about pressure. The pressure that executive leadership brings. The pressure to deliver results for the companies that hire us. The pressure to grow my company. Oh, and also to stay on top of every facet of my personal life as well.

No big deal, right?

If we're constantly thinking about being the best we can be, and trying to follow the arcane school of thought that we should just "pull ourselves up by our bootstraps and handle everything alone" we're way off-base.

Life is not an individual journey.

So, what options do we have?

Finding Center
For me, it's been a long process. Finding my way back to a set of values and beliefs that provides a completely new sense of who am I, the power I have to make a difference, and the support that is all around me has been nothing short of profound.

It's been a return to my core values, if you will. A renewed sense of something larger than me, all around me, that fills me with peace and strength...confidence and optimism.

When you find that "center" in your life, it means that you...
- trust it
- value it
- believe in it
- have faith in it

...and thrive.

How About You
Have you lost your "center?" It's easy to do. With our frenetic pace, it's no wonder we lose sight of it from time to time. Perhaps today is good day to pause, reflect, and reconnect with what is most important?

I'd love to hear from you.

No Excuses.

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The Best Form of Self Interest

Now that's an odd title, don't you think? Of all things to be discussing on a human resources leadership blog...self interest?

Them, and Me
One of the challenges I face in my leadership practice is balancing my nonstop desire to push harder, faster, and better than my competition; and, understanding that the risks involved with my leadership personality can create casualties.

Casualties, on my team.

Understanding my role when mistakes are made, as well as the others involved, is more complicated than it sounds...at least for me. You see, I have this fairly large ego that continues to get in my way. My intentions are good, and often the results are rock solid, but it's the occasional collateral damage along the way that is unacceptable.

Is every miss my fault? Of course not. But every one of my reactions is completely on me. No one "forces me" to react too strongly. No one requires that I have a quick response that sometimes could be perceived as harsh. I am the only one who has the power over my responses.

Finding Forgiveness
When I find myself moving too quickly (which happens a lot) I need to build a new step into that frenetic pace. A step that allows me to ensure my words match the situation. And when I miss the mark, or realize that even though the "other person" made mistakes, I still need to lead the way.

I need to lead the way, every time.

If we think about forgiving those around us that make mistakes vs. running them over with our frustration and disappointment in their performance, a couple of interesting things happen.

First, forgiveness is not about the two people involved exclusively. Forgiveness is about resetting how the world is supposed to work, far beyond individual relationships.

Second, forgiveness, through that re-alignment, creates opportunities for individual forgiveness to be effective and long-lasting.

How About You
Is forgiveness a sign of weakness, or an attempt to simply 'forgive and forget?' We actually never forget; but when we focus on a more global reset, along with the individual healing that goes along with it, we demonstrate for our teams that forgiveness is actually a powerful leadership tool.

What do you think?

I'd love to hear from you.

No Excuses.

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Just Like Me

Why can't everyone look like me, sound like me, think like me, act like me, dream like me, talk like me, work like me, lead like me, worship like me, celebrate like me, argue like me, agree like me, and just be like me?

Simple. Because the world isn't made up of a bunch of people named "me." The world is made up of billions of different people, but they all have one thing in common.

They're all people. Just like you and me.

How About You

Try embracing the differences in people. It's a lot easier than hating.

I'd love to hear from you.

No Excuses.



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