TheBoomerang

It seems one of the foundational components of my faith upbringing -- tithing -- may be solidly grounded in psychology. And it may go beyond the tangible. 

What if our expectations behave like a boomerang?

When we express and expect...

• The worst of people, that's what we get.....or see.
• Failure and deficiency, that's what we get.....or see.
• Problems to predominate, that's what we get.....or see.
• The best of and from others, that's what we get.....or see.
• Forgiveness and good will, that's what we get.....or see.
• Generosity and service, that's what we get.....or see.
• Love and kindness, that's what we get....or see.

Perhaps Dawson Church and Caroline Leaf and Jesus are correct in pointing us to a powerful truth: Our minds have tremendous power to shape our realities. 

What we expect boomerangs back at us. 

Note to self: The boomerang doesn't come back unless I launch it in the first place. 

UnderstandingConnection

To serve and serve well requires us to first understand. Only when we understand as fully as possible the situation, the circumstance, the milieu, the problem, the other....can we hope to serve in the most meaningful and impactful ways.

How, then, can we understand better? Some tried and true acts that enhance understanding...

• LISTEN - deeply, thoroughly, with our eyes, our ears, and our hearts.
• OBSERVE - closely, intently, both the obvious and that not so.
• DISCERN - to test veracity against first blushes and diversions.
• LEARN - about the antecedents, the history, the "chemistry," the relationships.
• CONNECT - to match the giving with the getting, as it runs both ways.

Serving well is more like an investment than it is a donation. Understanding is the best first step.

HumblePie

Humility is an expression of strength, not a badge of indignity.

The wisest leaders I've observed express humility in numerous ways:

• They look for and highlight the good in, and done by, others. 
• They show respect and honor toward others freely.
• They listen, and lisTEN, and LISTEN.
• They refuse to engage in petty one-upmanship.
• They honestly look in the mirror and assess and reassess themselves daily.
• They unashamedly admit incompetence while steadily displaying quiet competence.

We can all be like that. No entry fee required. 

LearningIgnitioneer

Working in a LEARNING organization is an enriching experience........by design.

Organizations built for, around, and about LEARNING necessarily call for both individual and collective learning, as well as cross pollination of that learning. No one works in a silo.

The very best LEARNING organizations I've observed have some clear commonalities:

• Change is assumed, and is the expected constant. 
• The Boss(es) are viewed as the lead learners. 
• Taking risks is encouraged, even rewarded.
• EVERYONE is expected to LEARN.
• EVERYONE is expected to share their learning.
• Learning what doesn't work is valued as highly as learning what does.

Yep, we can start today. No permission required. 

MyopicProgress

We all live in a myopic world. Our contexts, our situations, our relationships, our problems run on a continuous loop in our minds.

The only chance we have of achieving something big, bold, and important together is to understand each other as much as possible, without being judgmental and critical. We call that empathy.

Empathy is a super power, a tremendous bridge builder, and an amazing healer. It starts with us putting our "stuff" on the back burner and focusing on the other.

Genuine empathy is extremely difficult to muster. But each time we manifest it, we ALL win.

We can start now...  

GooseJuice

The tendency of many well-performing organizations, and people, is to hunker and protect. Why mess with a good thing? they say. Why shake up what's working? they think.

Because nothing is stagnant. More specifically, contexts are ever changing, at a higher speed now than ever before in human existence. And, the competitors in, and newcomers to, our genre are moving at warp speed to kick our patootie.

How should we respond when things are going well and smoothly? Get better!

Some proven steps to bettergetting ... 

• Convene and converse regularly with innovators and creative types, both the ones on the team and those external. Forecasting is the first step in innovative improvement.
• Allocate resources DISproportionately toward the teams and functions that are knocking it out of the park. Time, money, effort, and energy is best spent on those producing optimal outcomes.
• LISTEN to everyone, but give scant attention to the whiny, the low performers, the satisficers. 

Getting better. Every day. On purpose. 

Not just a cute saying or tattoo, but a daily and renewable commitment. 

Service1st

A life of service is one of distinction. Putting service ahead of self-interest is challenging but a most worthy endeavor. Some thoughts to guide us toward impactful service... 

WHY? Our purpose in life is what drives us toward service. Knowing our purpose is the starting point. 

WHO? Focused service is the most impactful service. To whom do/should we direct our time, effort, and resources?

HOW? What gifts and talents have we been blessed with that we can, in turn, use to bless others?

WHAT? Choosing wisely the available mechanisms, methodologies, and tools amplifies the service we render. Paying attention and doing our homework helps us magnify the effects of our service.

To whom much is given much is required. 

Serve well this day, my Friends. 

ModelDemand

"If we can't model it, we can't demand it." 

That is one of my most strongly held beliefs about leadership. Perhaps it should be my next tattoo.

What should we model?

• Caring.
• Humility.
• Voracious learning.
• World class listening.
• Conversations galore, up and down the food chain.
• Respectfulness, all the time, everywhere, toward everyone.

How much better will our world be if we model those things?