We aren’t teaching boys what it means to be a man. They lack not only the knowledge of manhood, but any concept of the responsibilities of a man. In short, males do not know how to live and act as men.
The reason we called a leadership transition “succession” is that it is a forward-looking process. Every generation of leader will face new and different obstacles, challenges and goals. Looking back to recreate past success will fail.
George Herman “Babe” Ruth (1895 – 1948) was a professional baseball player whose career spanned 22 seasons. He’s one of the greatest heroes in American culture and considered the greatest baseball player of all time.
How do you look at the world? Some see the problems first, while others see the opportunities. Scripture instructs that Christ-followers are to go through life as optimists.
What will you do of significance with the 80-or-so years you have? When we’re young we have all the time in the world. And once we realize that isn’t true, we never have enough left to do anything with it.
For clarity, consider each message in light of the question, “Is what I am about to say of benefit to the listener?” Even difficult statements are beneficial if they truly help the receiver, and are delivered with proper tone and context.
Some people are energized when they have interesting news about someone else. They can’t wait to share “inside information”, especially if it paints someone else in a negative or surprising light.
Undoubtedly we are more connected than ever before through electronic means. Yet our collective ability to navigate difficult conversations, especially conflict, is terrible. Perhaps our connections have become echo-chambers for groupthink.
Skip past the weather, sports talk and thoughts on the day’s salacious news headline. What you ask will communicate that you value the other person, and what they have to say. The information you gather can have a marked impact on your leadership.