Tidal Waves in a Black Hole of Leadership

03 Friday May 2019

Posted by The Book Chamber in Actions, Facade, Leader, Leadership, Servant, Transformational, Value

It is always good to get the mind working, so let’s start with a question…

Do you believe that everybody who is talking about leadership is leading? Better yet, is everyone in a leadership position a leader? By answering these two questions, we describe almost everyone associated with leadership.

Outwardly, people identify themselves with leadership, but inwardly who are they? Are they genuine? Many, because they cling to a false façade of leadership, fool themselves into thinking they are on the right path of leadership when they are stuck in the mud of their own mindset. This leads to destructive leadership. It might not be visible immediately, but over this course of time, the ripple effects of bad leadership become tidal waves drowning others who follow.

To make matters worse, their self-deception is often reinforced by what is seen and heard as “well-meaning” leadership by those who are naïve. This creates surface confusion that leads to a deep, black hole of leadership that naïve followers are never able to escape. What happens to them you might ask? They end up being clones and those waves we discussed earlier, hit everyone else in the face.

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Much of today’s leadership does not model the servant-leadership, transformational mindset. It usually is some water-downed concoction, subject to an emotional thought process of “If I get to where I need to be, then why does it matter how I got here, or even if I did it the right way?” This way of thinking has devastating effects. As a result, almost any leader who has gained leadership this way is seen as genuine. Why, because we attribute leadership to a position and title. It is seen more as a noun than a verb.

Leadership is so easy, and leadership is hard – Both statements beg different opinions. Leadership is not some shallow response, or quick conversations saying the “right” words. Leadership must be measured and valued with depth and meaning. Compromising the trueness of leadership is where we can see the great divide among leaders.

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Robbing Others of Their Leadership…

26 Friday Apr 2019

Posted by The Book Chamber in Decisions, Leader, Leadership, Relationships

≈ 4 Comments

How well do you acknowledge the leadership of others? Or do we just rob them of it?

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Well, this is an interesting question… and one I have thought about much for some time now. From a leadership position, we often want people who act, look, and think as we do; more of a “one size fits all” thought process. Now that does not mean we go against our core values and accept radical ideas and changes. I do believe leadership needs to be “reading” in the same book, but maybe not always on the same page.

What is at issue here is that notion that many have exceptional leadership capabilities and they are either not given a chance (for whatever reason) or looked over because they do not pass the “eyeball” test of our own seeing.

I have often heard that if you only allow people in leadership positions that lead as you do, then why do you need them? There are some bright, novel, ambitious people who need a chance to lead. However, society and leadership, in general, is so caught up in the “quota,” the “look,” the “think like me,” mindset, that we miss out on what could be a whole new opportunity for everyone to move forward. Bottom line… more often than not the “right” person for leadership is not given a chance.

The mainstay of “status quo” is – it is “status quo.” Nothing changes. You get what you have, and you stay where you are. It is compared to a dusty, smelling room. Nobody I know is a fan of mold. Sometimes, you just have to spray air freshener.

Do we say we want others to believe in themselves? Well, it might help if others know that we believe in them. Why is there fear in giving others a chance? Is it because we have some internal thought of our own self-serving and self-protection? I am a big fan of surrounding yourself with others who can make everyone look good instead of me trying to look good by myself. It really is too expensive – if you know what I mean. It will cost you down the road.

No one wants to limit their own leadership growth, but when we fail to acknowledge that others have great leadership ideas and thoughts, that is what we do precisely. In essence, we do one thing: we rob the future of someone who could/can make a difference!

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Remember… THINK LEADERSHIP!

The Cross I See…

18 Thursday Apr 2019

Posted by The Book Chamber in Easter, Jesus

≈ 4 Comments

If you would like a printed copy of this, click here: The Cross I See…

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The Cross I See…

The cross I see is heavy, rugged, ugly…
It holds death, to the last breath.

The weight of the cross – unbearable…
The weight of humanity’s sin – unimaginable!

Bystanders – watching, spitting, mocking, shouting,…
“Prove thyself,” they say – “Save yourself if the King be.”

The silence of Jesus speaks louder.

Jesus, breathing His last breath…
Head bowed, tired with pain and grief…
Sour wine drink offered for His thirst…
Shadows of darkness overhang.

…Then…

The cry of “It is finished!”
Sacrifices needed no more.

His body – beaten, disfigured…
Now glistens, Holy as once before.

Torn rags now robed white…
Crown of thorns now made gold.

The temple curtain – torn in two…
Access gained forevermore.

Three dark days…
Buried in another’s tomb.

Sunday morning – Silence is broken…
The earth shook, and the stone rolled away!

Christ is risen from the dead!
Now He lives and reigns – Behold!

Death… You have no sting…
Christ, Lord and Savior – Is our Eternal King!

The Cross I see…
Forgiveness, salvation, hope, life.

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Remember… THINK LEADERSHIP!

Stop and Smell The Azaleas…

12 Friday Apr 2019

Posted by The Book Chamber in Adventure, Company, Deciding, Encouragement, Family, Leader, Leadership, The Masters, Value

≈ 2 Comments

Yes, the slogan of The Masters… “A Tradition Unlike Any Other”

The wait… Year after year. Name submitted, name not drawn in the lottery for Masters tickets… year after year. Then, BAM!… my brother’s name is drawn for four practice round tickets and on Wednesday, the best of all days.

Thanks to my brother’s name getting drawn, and him inviting me, along with his son and our dad… to Augusta we went. Forty-eight hours, barely any sleep, but wide awake the entire time. Bucket list item, you bet, even better when its with family.

I’ll tell you this, and it is a running joke with my wife’s side of the family. Two things we feel strongly about… Who do you want to eat meals with and with whom do you want to travel? You better enjoy your company when those two things are happening.

Too many times in leadership we have to be around others that are not of our same mindset, and that is ok for we grind through it. However, when it comes to the point of having to be around others because of the “have to case,” no one really profits.

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I say all of that to say this… I am at the point in my life where I want to enjoy who I am around. Are you?

With life, it really is short. The older I get, the quicker the days start and end. More importantly, is the fact that we sometimes realize too late, that we wished we would have done “so and so.” Many people are too “wound tight” to enjoy life. They are worried about satisfying what others think; they stay fearful of upsetting the apple cart and open up the can of “moody spray” with everyone they are around. They cannot have peace with others, because they cannot have peace within themselves. The funny thing is, many want and choose those types of people to keep company with – why?

They say you need to stop and take time to smell the roses. Well, for a few hours this past Wednesday, I stopped and took time to smell the azaleas of Augusta National and take in its beauty that television cannot do justice. Two things were for certain… I enjoyed who I had my meals with and who I traveled with, and that made all the difference. My brother and his son, and our dad for sure made a memory for that one moment that was “A Tradition Unlike Any Other.”

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Remember… THINK LEADERSHIP!

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