Don’t you just love those “clean slate” moments in life?
I think back to my first day in a new town or at a new school. I didn’t know anyone. I didn’t have any obligations. No one was waiting for me to work or to play with them. I was really free.
And each time I learned how very rare, fleeting and limited those moments are.
Imagine waking up every day to a world of “same.” A world where coffee and soda taste the same. A world where the sun, grass, ocean and sky are all the same color. All flowers look alike; there are no differences among animals. It would certainly make car buying easier; but, that is not the world God envisioned.
Every day we wake up, reborn, into a world filled with diversity.
No matter how much we think we shouldn’t judge others, we are conditioned to do it. Making quick judgments can lead to regrets. We narrate and share stories about others – usually without most of the facts. We know that caution should be used when making judgments about someone’s character or choices. Largely these are based on surface information leading to skewed impressions and outright mistakes. The result? Damage – personally and relationally!
I was tired but energized by the response of the audience. I had completed my ninth day of teaching business and leadership skills in several remote villages on a mission trip to Kenya. And now, we weren't quite sure how many would attend our business women's conference at this location. We knew God would honor our efforts, even if only 20 people showed up.
Some time ago I was reading a book titled The Solomon Secrets when I came across a chapter called “Listen to the Jerks in Your Life.”
My initial reaction was: Why would I want to do that? What good could come out of me listening to fools that cross my path?
They say that opposites attract – and that’s certainly been true for me.
If our Myers-Briggs types were geographical locations, my ENFP self would be partying with the elves at the North Pole, while my ISTJ husband would be quietly reading amongst the penguins at the South.
He’s the toast to my jelly. The brake petal to my accelerator. The Milli to my Vanilli. I need him, and he needs me.
But here’s what “they” don’t always say.
Warning signs are important: a light on your car’s dashboard; the sound of a siren behind you when you are driving; distant thunder before a storm hits. Doctors take your temperature and blood pressure to look for warning signs about the state of your health. We also must check for signs to alert us that our hearts may be out of alignment with God.
What are the warning signs that we may be falling into the trap of pride or fear? And what safeguards can we leaders put in place to prevent this from happening?
Collaboration. It seems like a brilliant approach to life and business … until you realize it entails working with other people.
If you’re anything like me – and I like to assume that everyone is – life would be so much simpler if you could just get your work done without having to navigate all the scheduling, political and relational complexities of functioning within a team. Because collaboration is hard. Really hard.
Yes, “they” say collaboration is a good thing, but is it really worth all the headaches?
Effective collaboration is not something that “just happens.” It must be cultivated. This is true in business, sports, and even marriage.
When things are going well, it’s easy to collaborate. Everyone is focused, filled with passion, and having fun. But not so much when there is chaos, and you’re under pressure to produce results.
So, what is the main barrier to effective collaboration?
A recent homily by Pope Francis about a danger that leaders face revived vivid memories of my days teaching junior high students in our parish’s religious education program. As is typical of newly emerging teens in our culture, they were inclined to see the Bible as just one more pious artifact that had little or no relevance to their hip interests and cool lifestyles.
