Speaking Of Leadership

Mistake or Gift?
Mistake or Gift?

Speaking of leadership with it’s titles, status, perks, benefits, bonuses, responsibility, accountability, opportunities…

This “bonus” (today’s second post) jungle jeff blog post shares my response to a faithful jungle jeff reader.

We are all leaders.  Every last one of us. Even if it doesn’t seem so.

We all travel through life with the exact same “currency” – time.

Mistakes are gifts.

Past mistakes become worse when we don’t open them up as the gifts they are, and reflect on the reason they happened, and the opportunity they represent.

To me, failure is never opening the gift.

The gift-giver is actually ourselves. If we cannot thank ourselves for our mistakes – our opportunities – we lose.

Stay strong, dig deep, find quiet space, and open your gift.

Then send yourself a thank you note

Are You Forgettable?

What Are You?
What Are You?

What are you, if you are anything but unforgettable?

  • Forgettable
  • Average
  • Ordinary
  • Plain Vanilla
  • Doomed

These things make a strong case for one target.  Unforgettable.

Biggest Disney Fan?

Annual Passes for 26 Years
Annual Passes for 26 Years

Who’s the biggest Disney fan you know?

Maybe it’s yourself.  Maybe a neighbor.  Or a colleague, friend or family member.

For me, it’s me. My younger sister is right up there too.  Maybe it was growing up in small town America watching Walt Disney on Sunday nights in our living room.

Or maybe it was listening to the Disney vinyl albums – the Disney Classic stories, brought to life through the stereo speakers and our own vivid imaginations.

There were no VHS Disney movies.  There were no Disney DVD’s.  No Blue Ray. Only albums and imagination. And Walt Disney, the man, on Sunday nights.

Here are several Orlando Sentinel Links to recent breaking Disney News:

  1. 3D Model Shows Fantasyland expansion at Magic Kingdom
  2. Pictures of new Fantasyland at Walt Disney World
  3. Compare Current with Future Fantasyland
  4. Pictures of Fantasyland and Mickey’s Toontown Fair

Walt Disney inspires people every single day.  Some people, like my sister and me, are even inspired daily.

Thought you might enjoy these.  On a scale of 1-10, with ten the biggest, how big of a Disney fan are you?

John Maxwell Quote

Time Waits For No One
Time Waits For No One

Quote from John Maxwell, courtesy of Bob Stewart.

“Law of the Niche: People are most valuable where they add the most value.”

Duh, right?  No brainer.  Obvious. Get a clue. You can’t be serious.

In the hectic pace with which we travel through our days (weeks, months), we often miss the most basic of life’s truths.

This happens to me with our son.  I’ll get caught up in my work, and the next thing you know, the week has flown by and our son has done amazing things, but guess who hasn’t noticed?  Guess who wasn’t there to add a little coaching, a little fun, a little encouragement?

Guess what else?

Life is like this.  Always was, is now, and always will be. Whatever your level in your organization, you must find your own ways to stay engaged, to stay passionate.

I see so many people who are stuck.  Many of them leaders, responsible for inspiring and developing others, the way a parent does with children.

They get stuck managing their to-do list instead of inspiring and developing their people.  Just like a Parent.  Just like me.

But the days (weeks, months) fly by.

Our son can not wait for me to find the time.  His life marches on at an incredible pace. He will not slow down for me. I must find the way(s) to keep up with him.

Same is true as a leader, and as an employee who follows orders. Same as you. You must figure this out yourself and not wait.

Because if you don’t, what are you stuck with?

Bet You Have It Too

Far Away?
Far Away?

Passion.  Bet you have a ton of passion.

Maybe you’re in a job where your passion thrives. Maybe you’re not.

Does passion make for a better worker?

Do you do your best work around something you’re passionate about?

How many leaders are in positions that got them a better title, a better paycheck, better meetings, and better perks, but took them further from their passion?

And then there are people who have found their passion, their dream job, but over the years they have allowed things beyond their control to poison themselves.

Imagine your own situation.