My “Christmas Vacation” Tree Good Intentions…

13 Friday Dec 2019

Posted by The Book Chamber in Character, Christmas, Expectations, Intentions, Know Your Why, Leader, Leadership

In keeping with the theme of Christmas for December’s blogs, let’s think of the topic of good intentions with a story from my Christmas past.

Have you ever started out thinking something would be a really great idea? Yep, me too. Stay with me, there is leadership in this…

The first year of our marriage, Heather and I did the Christmas Vacation thing. On the first weekend of December, we loaded up in my truck and went to get a real Christmas tree, even singing Christmas carols (“Deck the Halls” in my best Clark Griswold impression) on the way there. We went to a Christmas tree farm out in the country somewhere and actually cut a tree down. We walked up and down row after row until we said, “There it is, the ‘Norton family’ Christmas tree.” The tree farm even gave us a saw, so I did not have to pull the tree out by the roots. We were proud of our accomplishment. We were going to do our first Christmas right, real tree and all the trimmings. It was going to be the “Hap, happiest Christmas of all.”

Remember how we started this story? Good intentions…

When we got back home (one-bedroom apartment), we lugged our tree upstairs. Now… this is the part where the good intentions come in. Someone had told Heather that if you put sugar-water in the tree stand, it would make your tree stay green and fresh longer. So, we did. What we did not know is that with full sun, sugar-water will begin to ferment. And guess what, we had our tree placed in front of the double full-length french doors that provided full sun most of the day. Needless to say, after a few days, we would begin to ask, “You smell something?”

About two weeks before Christmas, I was putting a present under the tree and actually got a whiff of what was going on down there in the bowls of the tree-stand. What I found was what cousin Eddie told Clark, “Just a real nice surprise.” The sugar-water had fermented and almost turned to a solid. The smell was so bad, I nearly knocked myself out trying to get up from under the tree. If fumes had color, our tree would have been emitting something green like the disposable waste of cousin Eddie’s RV in the sewer or the Grinch’s bad breath.

That same weekend, we undecorated our tree, threw it out over the balcony to haul it off later. The tree’s “bad breath” had even contaminated the wrapping paper of the presents. We had to unwrap and rewrap all the gifts (I needed a HazMat suit), and spray a massive amount of air freshener. Fortunately, we did not have to file an insurance claim to fumigate.

Good intentions are what they are, good intentions. As leaders, we should show up and provide good intentions every day. However, we must make sure that they are on the right side and can make a positive impact on the greater good. Intentions should be based on the test of time and values.

As leaders, we also need to be conscious of our intent. With every intent, there is always a motive. We just wanted a tree that would stay fresh and green longer. In the end, our “why” was on the good side. The “why” of intentions will always show a leader’s true character.

As I look back, we really had good intentions for our first Christmas tree. Now, we just laugh and ask, “Remember when?” However, it just did not work out. What I learned, though, is never to have a live tree again. By the way, we did not get another tree that first year.

Hoping each and every one of you and your families has a great Christmas season…

Remember… Think Leadership and Be For Others

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Be Amazed…

30 Friday Aug 2019

Posted by The Book Chamber in Actions, Amazing, Desire, Effective, Expectations, Leader, Leadership, Purpose, Useful, Value

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When was the last time you were amazed at someone’s leadership? Now, I realize that is a loaded question. You might ask, “What type of leadership, good or bad?” That is a question that is definitely worth asking. Let’s focus on being amazed at good leadership for today’s blog.

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Do you ever stop, pause, and think to consider why good leaders are good? Do you look at the details of what, why, and how they lead? Better question… do you experience joy when good leadership takes place? I would say that we all do unless we are wrapped up in an agenda of self. I would also say that we experience sadness when bad leadership takes place and sometimes even regret.

We live in a culture that continually pulls away from recognizing and responding to what and where leadership is. It seems that we are so amazed at good, quality leadership when it takes place because there is so much lousy leadership. In every event, leaders produce leadership. The goal of producing amazing leadership is to highlight the wonders and inspire others. Why? Because that is what good leadership does.

A few thoughts we should consider…

Let’s discover how valuable amazing leadership really is and to find a way to obtain it for our lives for the areas we lead.
Let’s find a passion for participating in amazing leadership and let it be servant-based and intentional.
Let’s use amazing leadership as a means that enables us to cultivate a productive leadership life toward others.

Knowing about amazing leadership does little good if we do not take the time to actually recognize its worth and significance. The gift of amazing leadership includes the desire and energy to go and do likewise. Unknowingly, it starts as a small ripple in a still stream that eventually rushes forth to an immense waterfall that people will stand, watch, and be in awe. They will be amazed!

Remember… Think Leadership and Be For Others

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Crushing Your Leadership?

16 Friday Aug 2019

Posted by The Book Chamber in Expectations, Importance, Leader, Leadership, Purpose, Reflection, Servant

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Well, here we are again with the start of another school year and for many of us, the first full week with students. As we look toward the end of May, the 36 weeks ahead of us does seem long. However, you are in a position to control the magnitude of your attitude and spread your leadership most positively.

A few weeks ago, I was playing golf one Saturday morning with our group. It was my turn on the tee box, and hit a drive that CBS Golf would have loved to put the shot-tracer on. As I got back into the cart, I told my partner, “That was crushed.” You might want to know that our group does “trash talk” each other out of jest, and we have a lot of fun with it. Norm, who is a great friend and mentor in my life, said, “It didn’t go as far as you think it did.” In response (ego inflated), I said, “That had to carry at least 260.” When we got to my ball, Norm just patted me on the back and said, “about 230.” Now, with my ego deflated, I said, “Well, the wind must have picked up while my ball was in the air.” Norm, in his mentor voice, made a profound statement, “They never go as far as we think they do.” (I still think it flew farther… Maybe his SkyCaddie was broken?)

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As I look back on that conversation, I immediately thought about leadership and the notion that a lot of times, we believe our leadership carries a lot further than it actually does. “Profoundess” and good intentions are needed, but what of lasting ripple effects?

Do you see your leadership as a “hit or miss” idea? Is it like a new clothing style, a fad that you will hope it comes back in style one day? Or, is it something more than like a one-hit song? What we are looking for is that all-time greatest hit, styles that transcend time, and leadership that hits the target.

Measuring your leadership takes time, but how long? I am not sure what the answer must be or is, but I do believe if you lead with a servant-heart, the lasting effects will carry the actual distance it should. Strong leadership is seen over time, whereas weak leadership is almost recognized immediately.

A few thoughts to make sure our leadership carries the distance it should over the course of your endeavors for the foreseeable future…

No matter how small, how routine, or how insignificant your leadership may seem, someone is always watching, and you never know what effects it will bring.
Your call to pursue quality leadership is built on the foundation of being for others that rests on servant hood. Any pursuit of leadership apart from this is futile and only for yourself.
It must be recognized, however, that to have the right view of your leadership, you must hear what others say.

Providing leadership that carries as far as we think is often tricky. Societal “feelings” change with the drop of a handkerchief. Sometimes, there actually may be a strong wind in our face. However, others always see the results. Our challenge is to find a way that measures the true distance our leadership carries, and eliminate the self-inflated ego that gets in the way.

Remember… Think Leadership and Be For Others

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Do You Have “Drop Anchor” Leadership?

01 Friday Mar 2019

Posted by The Book Chamber in Anchored, Decisions, Effective, Expectations, Leader, Leadership

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For the boater’s out there… Why do you ever drop anchor? I suppose you can come up with many reasons…

I do not own a boat but have been in a few over time. The times I have been on a boat, and heard the classic “anchors away” or “drop anchor,” I knew something was about to happen. A few thoughts I have never wondered were: is the anchor large enough to take hold, or is the chain or rope long enough to reach the bottom. If either one of these two is not what they are supposed to be, then dropping an anchor does not carry the value of its words.

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Now the only two reasons why I can think an anchor would need to be dropped is either to keep the boat in one place because you want to stop, or a storm is coming and you need to hold fast. Regardless of which reason, dropping an anchor has its effects on many around. Let’s look at a few implications (assuming the above premise is correct)…

Leaders whose leadership is anchored…

Creates a safe environment for others

When an anchor is dropped, everyone goes on about their business. Nothing is amiss and everyone feels safe. People need to know that they can be themselves. Confident in performing their work and the freedom to know they can speak their mind. Their perspectives and point of view have value. Now that does not always mean that it will be accepted, but at least they are acknowledged.

Make decisions

To “drop anchor” you must decide. Anchored leaders make decisions. I can see it now, “Do you think we should drop here?” If this question keeps being asked, before you know it, you will be way off course. I am not promoting that there should not be some due diligence, but once there is, make a decision.

Know the lay of the land

A great leader does not “drop anchor” anywhere. They know their anchor weight and chain length. Their expectations are precisely what they need to be to succeed. Better yet, they communicate their expectations. Leaders are the ones who say, “Drop anchor.” To communicate effectively, a leader must know what is going on and where they are.

Anchored leadership is about sustaining success safely for all involved. Too many times we find leaders whose anchor is large enough but not enough chain or not large enough and too much chain. Either way, their “anchored leadership” never becomes “grounded,” and their leadership either drifts or is tossed.

Let your leadership be anchored. Everyone around will be better for it.

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