Category: Leadership
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Self righteousness
Though I like to reflect on my life in writing, I catch myself sounding self righteous and I don’t like it. My positive outlook, my self reassurance, it is rooted in struggle. I think at times, the more self righteous I sound, the more insecure I am and I talk myself up through my introspection. …
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Balance without apology
I don’t take initiative out of a great sense of ability, I do it because of my realization of how inadequate I feel. In the same breath I am convinced that if I feel so inadequate, then others must feel the same. So I take a step forward. While doing this unaware, and using a…
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Reflecting on Church after Gmunden
I grew up in a broad community that adhered to a set of values and beliefs, and though my neighborhood was at the edge of the city, limited in many ways (economically and politically), we transcended our boundaries of space and time. Early on in my life I traveled all over the country, meeting new…
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Recognition
In my formative years I did not witness healthy balanced and consistent words of appreciation. I learned to make do without. I even insulate my heart from desiring such encouragement. But I do enjoy it in small doses when it’s not premeditated. After the hike, when two people were particularly recognized and appreciated for their…
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Back to reality
Though the comfort is luxurious, and the conversations thrilling, the company enjoyable, I miss the simplicity of my life, of my home, of my home cooked meals. Brian went from steady determination to do a difficult hike, many days in a row, to a wild let loose have fun, be silly, tired but exuberant. Ken…
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Resourcefulness
I didn’t know I poses a certain creativity when it comes to solving problems. Asking questions was frowned upon when I was a kid. So I learned to find out answers and solutions. I did it out of necessity. But I think I also like it. I loved the success. The independence. I got good…
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Preparation in just the right amount
In 6th grade I over-prepared for my biology lesson. We had to memorize all the terms by heart. I still remember all the bone names, or what the cells are made of, or the plants, or the digestive system, hearing, brain everything. It was fascinating. I never considered being a doctor but I loved learning…
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Leadership and parenting
Leaders are people who have influence. Whatever your personality type you probably have More influence than you think. In order to grow purposefully, it is best to be aware of the influence you DO have. Accept it. Embrace it. But before you ever lead anyone, you need to follow someone, and that first someone is…
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Three women in their thirties discussing burnout
It is not an exhaustive presentation. We all shared from what we learned as we traveled through the valley of burnout, camping there for a while, reaching the valley from different directions. Some having started the climb up a while ago. Awareness of where we are is a great starting point. And you don’t have…
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Integrity in the story of Joseph
At ROM, Marko Stupar shared about Integrity in the context of the story of Joseph. He posed a few questions that we had to sit with. Two are still stuck in my mind. Who are you when nobody is looking? Who are you when you have power? Indeed, the question of integrity applies to all…
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Design by committee
There is a phrase that rings in my head as a reminder: “take up space”. As a tall person I wished myself to be smaller, to not take up space. Because I did not like how some people spread unnecessarily beyond their boundaries, be that on seats and benches, on the plane, or in a…
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On belonging
“Fitting in is about assessing a situation and becoming who you need to be to be accepted. Belonging, on the other hand, doesn’t require us to change who we are; it requires us to be who we are.” Brene Brown Something or Someone brought us together, even though we are from all walks of life, with…