This week, we celebrate the birthday of Martin Luther King Jr., the most visible leader of the Civil Rights movement of the 1950s and 1960s. Growing up in Atlanta during that same period gave me a front-row seat on the non-violent protest strategy used by Dr. King. I must confess to not always understanding, much … Continue reading Respecting the Opposition – A Lesson from Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
I believe in absolute truths. When my oldest son was nine years old, he thought he would play Superman and jump off the roof of our garden shed. Halfway way down, he suddenly realized he was about to give a personal, painful demonstration of the law of gravity. Just as there are physical principles that … Continue reading Quenching the Flames of Resentment
“The first responsibility of a leader is to define reality. The last is to say thank you. In between, the leader is a servant.” Max DePree, American Businessman. “The number one factor in job satisfaction is not the amount of pay but whether or not the individual feels appreciated and valued for the work they … Continue reading The Dignity of Work – Part III The Power of Appreciation
Mark Twain is said to have quipped, “Find a job you enjoy doing and you’ll never have to work a day in your life.” Few would argue with the premise of that statement. Most of us would also agree that finding a job you love to do is not always easy. What about those jobs … Continue reading The Dignity of Work – Part II Finding Joy in Work or Why My Wife Wanted to Be a Garbage Man
Every time I hear any discussion about the dignity of work, I think of the movie “The Legend of Bagger Vance.” Set in Depression-era Georgia, the story is about a Savannah man named Hardy reflecting on his love of golf, as he flashes back to a game of golf played in his youth between Bobby … Continue reading The Dignity of Work and the Indignity of Job-Shaming
Navy Seals have this well-deserved aura about them. Hearing one speak always makes me glad they are on our side. I recall watching a video a few years ago featuring Seal Commander Rorke Denver, who shared a fundamental principle by which Seals work, that to “Constantly Improve Your Position.” Rorke reminded listeners that there is … Continue reading Constantly Improve Your Position
Years ago I learned a valuable lesson about jumping to conclusions and the inevitable embarrassment that comes when speculation confidently wears a veneer of certainty. It is like diving off a cliff into a lake only to discover the water is just three feet deep. Oops. The new Millennium had just dawned and with it … Continue reading Leadership Lessons: Jumping Off the Conclusion Cliff
I am a son of the South. Growing up in Georgia in the 1950s and 1960s, I became fascinated with the Civil War and all its history, so much of it having occurred in my home state. With the carving on nearby Stone Mountain displaying images of Robert E.Lee, Stonewall Jackson, and Jefferson Davis, Southern … Continue reading 18 Things I Learned About Our 18th President – Ulysses S. Grant
