The Unraveling Journey

Troublemakers, Instigators and Innovators...

2011-08-29T11:50:00.000-04:00

"The job isn't to catch up to the status quo; the job is to invent the status quo." - Seth Godin

A church friend and I have ongoing banter about having spent our fair share of time in "detention". It seems both of us did our fair share of coloring outside the lines, at least behaviorally. I was reminded of this recently while reading the following passage from Seth Godin's book, Poke the Box:

"Kids initiate. They create situations. They start ruckuses. All of them.

Left to his own devices, the ruckus-causing initiator will continue to do so, forever. He won't stop at five or ten or twenty years old. The essence of being human is to initiate.

But we're not left to our own devices. We are smothered by parents, snubbed by peers, scolded by teachers, organized by authorities, hired by factories, and brainwashed, relentlessly brainwashed to cease any troublesome behavior.

So we do (most of us)...Except for those who don't. The ones who don't - the troublemakers, starters, instigators, questioners, and innovators - are still busy starting things big and small.

And just in time...As the economy shifts, large (and small) organizations are discovering that this brainwashing thing was a huge error. You can't snooze your way to greatness. You can't optimize your way to surprising growth. You can't organize your way into blamelessness.

We can unbrainwash ourselves while there's still time."

The point of Godin's book is that life teaches us to play it safe, avoid risk and fear failure. As a result, we lack initiative. The secret to success, according to Godin, is to start stuff! As the ad line says, "Just do it." Be ready to fail and keep on starting until you finish. In the lean thinking/continuous improvement world we call this learn-apply-reflect.

Godin takes this whole idea one step further with the following words:

"I wonder if there's also a moral obligation to start.

I believe there is. I believe that if you've got the platform to make a difference, then this goes beyond 'should' and reaches a level of 'must.' You must make a difference or you squander the opportunity. Wasting the opportunity both degrades your own ability to contribute and, more urgently, takes something away from the rest of us."

God has created each of us with unique talents that are useful for serving others and making the world a better place. You may be the head of an organization or department. You may be "just a worker." You may be searching for work. It doesn't matter. We all have the same opportunity and responsibility. Let's initiate something, raise a ruckus and go start some stuff. As Godin says, "Someone, perhaps indirectly, hired you, funded you, trained you, encouraged you - all so that you would see something that needed to be done and do it...It's not hubris. It's essential."

Enjoy the journey!

"Imagine that the world had no middlemen, no publishers, no bosses, no HR folks, no one telling you what you couldn't do. If you lived in that world, what would you do? Go. Do that." - Seth Godin

If Not Excellence, What? If Not Excellence Now, When?

2011-08-16T13:05:00.002-04:00

"You achieve Excellence (in one minute) by promising yourself right now that you'll never again knowingly do anything that's not Excellent - regardless of any pressure to do otherwise by any boss or situation." - Tom Watson, IBM

I love people who are enthusiastic and passionate about life and work. I'm also a fan of all things excellent. Management guru Tom Peters is obviously a person of like mind. He co-wrote In Search of Excellence: Lessons from America's Best-Run Companies in 1982 and has been speaking and writing about passion, work and excellence ever since. His latest book, The Little Big Things: 163 Ways to Pursue EXCELLENCE, contains 163 entries which simplify the essence of passion and excellence in a manner that only Tom Peters can. Each page speaks, sometimes shouts, and sometimes screams about the need for and importance of excellence in our daily work.

I'm a sucker for quotations and their ability to convey a significant message in just a few words. Here are a few of Tom's favorites:

"Do one thing every day that scares you." - Eleanor Roosevelt. What are you up to today? Are you stretching yourself or your organization? Are you scared that something may not work? Or, scared that maybe it will work??
"The deepest human need is the need to be appreciated." - William James. Do you practice the art of appreciating? Who's on your list today for intentional appreciation?
"If you don't listen, you don't sell anything." - Carolyn Marland, MD, Guardian Group. Peters claims listening should be the core value of every organization and the #1 skill we look for when making hiring and promotional decisions. What will you do today to be a better listener?
"A leader is a dealer in hope." - Napoleon. Do people get an increased sense of hope when they are around you? Do you help encourage and develop others to their maximum potential?
"Life is either a daring adventure, or nothing." - Helen Keller. This one reminds me of the line from the movie, Shawshank Redemption: "It comes down to a simple choice, really. Get busy living, or get busy dying." I know what I'm gonna' do today.
"Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?" - Mary Oliver. Ask yourself this question anew each morning!
"A year from now you may wish you had started today." - Karen Lamb

In life and work, we all get infected with the "I need to's" and "someday I'm gonna's". I need to do x (more exercise). Someday I'm gonna' do y (learn to play the piano). To borrow from The Little Big Things, WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO ABOUT IT?!...this year?...in the next 30 days?...by the end of the day?...in the next 30 minutes? Ponder these questions as you enjoy life's unraveling journey!

"Excellence, I repeat, is not a 'goal' - it's the way we live, who we are." - Tom Peters

Customers - Serve Them or Lose Them...

2011-06-01T23:50:00.007-04:00

If we don’t take care of our customers, someone else will. - UNKNOWN

In the 80's, I heard an auto executive utter the following words while discussing a quality issue: "That's not our problem; that's a dealer problem." I remember thinking to myself how bleak the situation was. The customer doesn't care where the problem lies. He just knows there's a problem. A bad experience is a bad experience. Sad to say, it's now 30 years later and evidence suggests things haven't changed much. The experience below, documented by my daughter Katie, a 30-something professional, will sound all too familiar to anyone who's visited an auto dealership for service. Feel free to change the brand names to suit your situation.

Why I Love My Car...... But Can't Stand Going to the Toyota Dealership

(or How Does an Oil Change Influence Your Next Car Purchase?)

"I am in love with my car for one reason. It works. Simply, every time I turn it on, it works. It vary rarely needs fixing and aside from periodic preventive maintenance, I spend very little time in the Toyota dealership. This is of utmost value to me because I hate getting work done on my car. Every time I take my car in for maintenance the same scenario unfolds...they try to up-sell me.

I think I must have an obvious target on my forehead. Do they look at me and see a young single female who can barely program her television? Do they notice that I almost unlock the gas tank when they ask me to pop the hood? Do they notice that my eyes glaze over the moment they start using words like transmission, high mileage oil, and engine friction? The salesman always paints a picture of inevitable doom if I don't agree to whatever they recommend. But for all I know, they could be trying to sell me an ocean villa in Iowa. This always leads to the phone call to my father where I ask him to talk to the sales guy.

But I digress, because this didn't happen at the Toyota dealership today. I imagine the same scenario would have played out at the Toyota dealership... they just didn't get the chance. When I needed my oil changed, I went to the Toyota dealership. As I pulled up, both bays where you drop off your car were occupied. At first, I patiently waited my turn. As I waited and waited and waited, I noticed that neither of the cars in front of me were occupied. Their owners were already waiting inside. At least 4 of the employees (with no obvious purpose or urgency) made eye contact with me but didn't make any effort to help me or move the process forward. Finally, when I began to wonder if I just didn't understand the system for getting help, I pulled my car right up behind one of the other cars. Eventually, one of the guys pulled the other car forward a few feet so my car could fit in the bay. When I finally told one of the men that I was interested in an oil change, he asked me if I had an appointment. When I said no, he told me there were 5 oil changes in front of me. I told him thanks but that I'd just go elsewhere to get my oil changed. He responded with nothing but an, "okay".

It was not the fact that I should have made an appointment that irritated me (despite that when I'd previously called to make an appointment they told me I didn't need one). It was not the fact that they were busy that made me irritated (despite that on every corner there is an oil change business that promises an oil change in 30 minutes or less). It wasn't even the fact that I spent precious time waiting to get served and then had to drive somewhere else to get it done.

It was what he didn't say that irritated me. He didn't say, "I'm really sorry, we've been busy this morning and have 5 oil changes in front of you, it will take us about _____ minutes to get your oil change done." He didn't say, "I'm sorry the wait is so long this morning, can I make an appointment for you to come back later today or tomorrow when we can get you right in or out?" He didn't say, "I'm sorry that you are going to go somewhere else to get your service done today, please come back to see us the next time you need service."

And so, I went to a quick oil change place that was on the way to the rest of my errands, where I paid 3 times as much as I would have at the Toyota dealership. As I finally waited for my oil to get changed, I already began to dread the next time I have to get work done on my car. And as I thought about purchasing my next car, I wondered, "Would the Honda dealership be any better?"...and that is how a simple oil change can influence your next car purchase."

How would you define good customer service? It doesn't seem complicated or difficult...but it is rare. We all have customers. Success demands we spend time figuring out who our customers are and how we can best serve them. If we don't take care of our customers, someone else will. Enjoy the journey.

"A customer is the most important visitor on our premises. He is not dependent on us; we are dependent on him. He is not an interruption in our work; he is the purpose of it. He is not an outsider in our business; he is part of it. We are not doing him a favor by serving him. He is doing us a favor by giving us an opportunity to do so." - Mahatma Gandhi

Caution: Tough Sledding Ahead

2011-05-27T23:54:00.000-04:00

"Some debts are fun when you are acquiring them, but none are fun when you set about retiring them." - Ogden Nash

"Our grandchildren will not thank us for having made them citizens of what will seem a Third World country, backward and nonindustrial...The United States now owes more money than any other country on earth. As a nation, the United States has been badly in debt before, but it spent the borrowed money then to build railroads and harbors and bridges; the country invested in ways that would help it prosper, and it prospered. This time the United States is in debt because people, companies, and the government all decided that they wanted what they wanted, they wanted it yesterday, and they borrowed to get it. They didn't invest a dime; they consumed it all in an orgy of borrowing and spending. As a result, the United States has a $3 trillion-plus national debt., a figure that makes no sense because no one can comprehend a trillion...In 1990 the federal government spent not quite $265 billion in interest - not to pay off the debt, just to pay that year's interest - and that's more than $1,000 for every man, woman, and child in the country in just one year."

The words above were penned 20 years ago in a book called Quality or Else by Lloyd Dobyns and Clare Crawford-Mason. The words were (and are) sobering. Today's numbers are even more shocking.

Our national debt now exceeds $14 trillion - $46,231 per citizen, $129,125 per taxpayer. The interest on our national in 2010 was around $400 billion, more than $1 billion for every day of the year. By 2020, it is expected that half of all income tax revenues will go towards paying interest on the national debt. In total, we spend $3.6 trillion per year while taking in only $2.2 trillion, an annual deficit of $1.4 trillion. The numbers are changing so quickly that the numbers on this page are already outdated. If you're not yet moved, watch the dials spin at http://www.usdebtclock.org/. You'll note that the dials are spinning fast and in the wrong direction.

I don't know about you but I dislike being $129,000 in debt. Since my house includes 2 taxpayers, this house alone owes more than a quarter of a million dollars. Given my age, I will be passing this debt along to my children and, likely, their children, something I also find distasteful. It seems to me, it's never a good idea to live beyond your means.

In Quality or Else it was noted that, "W. Edwards Deming believes that the basic problem for the United States is that most of its leaders, political and business, have not yet figured out that the country is in an economic crisis, which means there's no concerted national effort to overcome that crisis." Deming talked about this in the 80's. (Here's a classic Deming speech on Management's 5 Deadly Diseases.)

It appears that we may be in the early stages of recognition at the personal, local, state and national levels. How are you doing at your house? In your town? At your company? What actions are you taking to cope with this crisis? Here's hoping we have the staying power to see ourselves through to better times. One thing for sure - it won't be easy. The ride will be bumpy. There's tough sledding ahead. Enjoy the journey.

"A democracy cannot exist as a permanent form of government. It can only exist until the voters discover that they can vote themselves largesse from the public treasury. From that moment on, the majority always votes for the candidates promising the most benefits from the public treasury, with the result that a democracy always collapses over loose fiscal policy, always followed by a dictatorship." - Alexander Tyler 1787

Keep Your Eye on the Ought...

2011-04-19T17:13:00.001-04:00

It's not that I'm so smart, it's just that I stay with problems longer. ~Albert Einstein

Max Kampelman was a very unusual person. Born in 1920, he grew up in the Bronx, the child of Jewish immigrants from Romania. During World War II, Max fulfilled his draft obligation by serving as a conscientious objector. One of the programs for which he volunteered was the Minnesota Starvation Experiment at the University of Minnesota. During the 11-month study, Max's body weight dwindled from 160 to 100 pounds. Instead of letting his mental capacity fade during this very demanding time, Max used the time to finish his law degree. He later went on to serve in various capacities under Hubert Humphrey, Jimmy Carter and Ronald Reagan, ultimately serving as the chief negotiator in the arms reduction talks with the Soviet Union.

At the age of 88, Max was bold enough to suggest a world free of nuclear weapons. In making his argument, he uttered words that resonate yet today:

"We must recognize the power of the 'ought.' It's the power to change the world! We can't just see the world in terms of how it is today, or we will always feel defeated. But when we see the world in terms of how things ought to be, we can dream for the impossible - and work to see it become reality."

These are great words to consider as we think about our organizations and workplaces. We need to see our workplaces as they ought to be, dream about the impossible and then work to see it become reality. Where you are is sometimes called the current state. The dreaming part helps you develop a desired, ideal or future state. Bridging the gap between the current state and the future state, often referred to as the lean journey, requires dedication and hard work. Enjoy the journey!

For a righteous man falls seven times, and rises again. [Proverbs 24:16]

It's All In the Eyes...

2011-04-01T23:29:00.001-04:00

You can tell a lot by looking into someone's eyes. Some have described them as "a window to the soul." Lovers' eyes have a certain look. Angry eyes are uniquely recognizable. Through the eyes you can spot excitement and engagement. When someone enjoys their work, their eyes sparkle. A skillful observer can spot a migraine in the eyes. Often we see sad eyes or happy eyes. The Eagles once published a song call Lyin' Eyes that contained the following lyrics:

You can't hide your lyin' eyes

And your smile is a thin disguise

I thought by now you'd realize

There ain't no way to hide your lyin' eyes

It's been said that if you want to know about someone's character, then look into the eyes of their spouse. Whatever has been invested in or withheld from that person will be reflected in their countenance. Feel free to try this at home. When you look into the eyes of your spouse, what do you see?

I recently attended a Dave Ramsey event called EntreLeadership. I came away with a number of key takeaways. During the conference, we talked about the character qualities of a leader and entrepreneur. It was noted that if you want people to follow you, you need to cast vision in such a way that people feel inspired and motivated. A good leader is a servant and awakens possibilities in other people. Ramsey noted that if you want to see how you're doing, look into the eyes of those you lead. "Their eyes must be shining. If their eyes aren't shining, ask yourself, "Who are you being that their eyes are not shining?" Feel free to try this one at work. When you look into the eyes of those you lead, what do you see? Enjoy the journey.

A View from the Fencepost...

2011-03-13T20:29:00.007-04:00

" And even though it's bittersweet and brings us to our knees, it makes us who we are in times like these." - Kid Rock, "Times Like These"

After eighteen months of finding no work, life could not have been sweeter. I received a call on Thursday evening and started work the following Monday. The work was in Mexico, which served to heighten the adventure. The employer wanted "feet on the ground." I was available. It felt great to be back in the game. My senses were heightened each morning as the sights and sounds of manufacturing were in the air. Two weeks went by in the blink of an eye. And then, just as quickly, everything changed.

Bruised and Broken

While walking to dinner in sunny San Diego, I stepped on the edge of a sidewalk, rolled my ankle, and heard it pop as I went down. My first thought was, "This can't be good." As it turned out, it wasn't. The bone was broken, the ankle is sprained, and I'm now the proud owner of a walking boot. In another week or so, I will begin walking on the boot. In 8 to 12 weeks, I hope to lose the boot. Meanwhile, I'm sidelined again, missing the action along with the energizing sights, sounds, and sometimes smells of manufacturing. When someone invented the word "bummer" they must have had this in mind for me. Many have called to empathize. The recurring question is, "What now?"

I don't have an exact answer for that question but I do have a few thoughts. I think we can face the day with confidence knowing that we can be ready for whatever God sends our way. So be ready, one day at a time. It may be a doctor's office being fitted for an air boot. It may be a neighbor, a friend, a co-worker, an employer, an enemy (gasp) who needs some help. With an eye to serve, we can no doubt help from wherever we are, be it a place of business or a living room, a parking lot or a driveway.

Hey Buddy! Can you help?

Alex Haley, the author of Roots, was known for having a picture on his office wall of a turtle sitting on the top of a fence post. Whenever someone asked him about it, Haley would say, "If you see a turtle on a fence post, you know that he had some help. Anytime I start thinking, 'Wow, isn't this marvelous what I've done?' I look at that picture and remember how this turtle, me, got up on that post." It occurs to me the turtle is also not likely to get down without some help.

This is an important perspective. Be ready, one day at a time, for whatever comes your way. It may be help to get on the post or off the post; or you may be called to help someone on the post or off the post. God's blessing on you as you continue YOUR unraveling journey!

In their hearts humans plan their course, but the Lord establishes their steps. - Proverbs 16:9

This Is What We Do...

2011-02-07T13:32:00.003-05:00

"I won't tell you what it's about, but it will be worth watching."

Sergio Marchionne, Chrysler CEO

There is a buzz in the air following the recent Super Bowl commercial for the Chrysler 200. The ad ran for two minutes and is reported to be one the most expensive ads in history, costing upwards of $9 million. Some have said this commercial resembles a short film highlighting city scenes from Detroit. It does indeed. Maybe that's one of the reasons I like the ad. A favorite scene for me in life is the view from the top of Detroit's Rouge River Bridge. While my family contemplates the scene with something other than admiration, I can always be heard to utter, "Wow, look at that. Awesome!"

Few commercials rock me. This one did. It's worth watching, away from the distractions of Super Bowl Sunday, because it raises some great questions. Find a quiet place and be inspired. See how many questions are posed as you think about your work, your company, your life:

This is powerful stuff: "What does a town that's been to hell and back know about... It's the hottest fires that make the hardest steel... Add hard work and conviction and the know-how that runs generations deep in every last one of us - that's who we are, that's our story... It's as much about where it's from as who it's for... Now we're from America but this isn't NY City, or the Windy City, or Sin City, and we're certainly no one's Emerald City. This is the motor city and this is what we do."

Every time I see this commercial now I say, "Wow!" The commercial reminds me that experience matters. It shapes us as individuals and as entities. "This is the motor city and this is what we do." What is it that you do? What's your story? Have you been "hardened by the fire"? It's useful to reflect on where you've been as a backdrop to where you are now and where you may be going in the future. Inspiration comes from knowing who and whose you are, as well as who and whose you are not. So...who are you? Enjoy the journey.

"Every life is a story. Whether it's worth telling and talking about, though, is up to you."

Donald Miller, A Million Miles in a Thousand Years

Born to Work...

2011-02-01T14:08:00.001-05:00

For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. - Ephesians 2:10

Most people have never even heard of Lou Merlo. I knew him only as an acquaintance. Lou managed maintenance and facilities at my wife's place of employment, so occasionally I had the opportunity to observe him at work. Lou's example was an inspiration for me.

Here was a man that was born to work. Lou "retired" after spending 30 years as the owner of Larry's Hardware in Utica, Michigan. Retirement, however, was something quite different than what most of us might envision. In Lou's case, it meant going to work as the head of maintenance for The OPC in Rochester, Michigan. Lou was convinced that he could use his background to help a non-profit, publicly funded organization like OPC make the most of its maintenance dollars. For 17 years, in spite of various health issues, Lou did exactly that. He got up every morning with a determination to serve his employer. Why? I think he had to...

Mark Batterson, in his book Soulprint: Discovering Your Divine Destiny, tells the story of Korczak Ziolkowski who spent thirty years of his life carving granite rock in South Dakota to look like Crazy Horse. Ziolkowski died in 1982 but his family intends to see the project to completion. The projected completion date is 2050. Why would anyone spend their lifetime doing something with no hope of ever seeing its completion? Like Lou, Ziolkowski had to. He had no other choice. This is perhaps best summed up in Ziolkowski's own words: "When your life is over, the world will ask you only one question: Did you do what you were supposed to do?"

In the introduction to his book, Batterson asks, "Why do composers write music? Why do athletes compete? Why do politicians run for office? Why do entrepreneurs start businesses? Why do doctors practice medicine? Why do teachers teach? There are certainly lots of answers to those questions, but the right answer is this: they do it to give expression to something that is deep within their souls. That something is their soulprint."

Why do you do what you do? What is it that is deep within your soul? Are you doing what you are "supposed to do?" Is there something you feel you must do that you are not currently doing? Today would be a great day to begin. Enjoy your journey!

"What a person can become, he or she must become, or be miserable. It's the only way to be true to ourselves and, more important, true to God." - Mark Batterson, Soulprint

Waiting for a Train...

2011-01-24T15:21:00.001-05:00

"Our aim is to consistently deliver a high-quality, safe, on-time rail passenger service that exceeds customer expectations." - Amtrak Webpage

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gbzc77Tz6PA

You could sense the excitement in her voice as she prepared for her first train trip. My daughter was scheduled to attend a conference in Chicago with a colleague and the train held considerable allure as a way of avoiding the hassle of driving. I was anxious to hear about her experience upon her return. After we chatted, I laughed and I cried. I think you will too. Here is a portion of our Google Chat:

me: how was the train ride?

10:33 PM i figured you'd be in bed by now

kathrynnnelson: hahaha.... well, Amtrak could definitely use your lean help. in short, they seemed incompetent.

10:34 PM me: there's nothing like a government run agency or business

kathrynnnelson: we were supposed to get in at 11:30 but didnt get in until 2am.

me: wow...not sure how you explain that big of a difference.

kathrynnnelson: excellence and efficiency dont seem to be priorities.

oh, i can tell you how..... first, we sat on the tracks for maybe 45 minutes in kalamazoo while the "copied some paperwork". Then when we were in Battle Creek the conductor got off the train and went home. It took over an hour for the next conductor to come. Then there was the power that kept going out....... overall it wasn't terrible but the delays seemed pretty crazy.

10:37 PM me: wow...beyond believability. any explanations?

10:38 PM kathrynnnelson: those were the explanations. the paperwork needed to be copied because we needed to take a different parallel track because there was some construction on the other one.

10:39 PM When the conductor left I think it was just the end of his shift.

They told us these routines were all very routine.

And thank you for traveling with Amtrak. We hope to see you again soon.

10:40 PM me: now you're making me laugh...who knew the end of a shift might be coming?:-)

everyone on board took it in stride?

10:41 PM kathrynnnelson: And who knew we would be traveling east from Chicago through K-zoo. Perhaps the paper could have been "copied" prior to our arrival. Or, maybe they could computerize it.

10:42 PM me: Customer service is obviously not a high value

kathrynnnelson: it didn't seem to be.

me: what was the mood on board?

10:43 PM experienced train riders used to it?

10:44 PM kathrynnnelson: It was okay. People were just really tired. The overhead announcements (we are going to go copy some paperwork) were so ridiculous, then the crew just walked off the train (while we blocked an intersection) that you couldn't help but laugh.

10:45 PM When the power went out the first time one of the seasoned riders assured everyone it was routine.

10:46 PM me: I think that's what contributed to rail failure in the first place

kathrynnnelson: the much deserved rail failure in my opinion.

Organizational vision and values are useful and necessary things. It's obvious from studying the Amtrak website that someone spent a lot of time developing a vision of what they'd like the organization to be. On paper, the organization is committed to exceeding customer expectations. "At Amtrak, we are proud of the service we offer our customers." Oh really? In this case, we need no fancy measuring system to determine whether the organizational objectives are being met. The customer comments say it all. I wonder if she'll take the train the next time she needs to go to Chicago...

Whether you already work for an organization or have one targeted as your place of employment, the "Amtrak Experience" is useful for generating a series of revealing questions. Do you know your customer? Have you taken the time to document your organizational vision and values? Are the vision and values known by all? Are you aware of any gap between expectations and actual results? If so, what are you doing about it? Do your words match your actions? Enjoy the journey.

"We believe the customer is at the center of everything we do. Every employee has a role in delivering customer service. Consistent and reliable service is essential. There is a great railroad tradition to build on." - Amtrak Website

The Days Dwindle Down

2010-10-18T11:34:00.001-04:00

"The tragedy of life is not that it ends so soon, but that we wait so long to begin it."

I have a friend who recently moved to Michigan after having lived in Southern California and Florida. I asked him how he liked his new location. He said, "I love it! The changing seasons are a great reminder of the passing of time. It helps keep life in perspective." If you're lucky enough to live where the colors come alive this time of year, fall is a great time to reflect. Here are a couple of exercises that may be useful in helping to begin the reflection process.

A boss once asked me, "How long do you expect to live?" I said, "I have no idea." Pulling a tape measure out of his pocket, he said, "Lets assume 75." Extending the tape measure to 75 inches, he then asked, "How old are you now?" I told him and we then had an excellent visual representation of life expended and life that might be yet to come. In my case, the "expended" portion far outweighed the "yet to come" portion.

Here's another one. A clinical research surgeon at the University of Michigan was being interviewed and made this comment about age and life's work: "I'm minus 14. I should teach this because this will do you a lot of good 30 years from now when you pass about 60...but I started counting my age down to 80 so I'm now minus 14. That's the number of years I have left to do all the things that I want to do, and that's been very helpful (in setting life's priorities). I've got a lot of work to do and I've only got 14 years to figure it out, and next year it will be 13."

I'm reminded of an American pop standard recorded by a number of performers called "September Song":

Oh, it's a long, long while from May to December
But the days grow short when you reach September
When the autumn weather turns the leaves to flame
One hasn't got time for the waiting game

The days are growing short. I'm minus 20 and I have a lot of work to do in order to be all that God has called me to be. What does your clock look like? Are your days focused on life's important priorities? One hasn't got time for the waiting game. Thanks for listening. Comments are appreciated. Meanwhile, let's get busy and enjoy the journey!

"Seventy years are given to us! Some even live to eighty. Teach us to realize the brevity of life, so that we may grow in wisdom." - Psalm 90:10 and 12 (New Living Translation)

Is Your Life Accidental or Intentional?

2010-10-04T22:20:00.001-04:00

"Our studies indicate that people who do have the opportunity to focus on their strengths every day are six times as likely to be engaged in their jobs and more than three times as likely to report having an excellent quality of life in general." - Tom Rath, Strengths Finder 2.0

Did you ever notice how television paints the life and work of a surgeon as something quite glamorous? It occurred to me recently, while talking to my daughter who works with heart surgeons, that it is really something quite different. It's hard work! You get to invest years in education and training before earning any significant income. In return, you'll be faced with an unpredictable schedule filled with long hours, often working 6 or 7 days a week. You'll find yourself on call around the clock. You'll get to spend long days bent over a patient in the operating room, putting hunger and nature's call at bay. Some days, things won't go as planned and you'll be left with the job of delivering some of life's most painful news. Why would someone want to dedicate their life to this kind of work? I was reminded of the answer to this question recently as I listened to a couple of podcasts.

The short answer, of course, is that these people can't help themselves. Surgery is what they were created to do and they can't imagine doing anything else. They have identified their talents and invested time to turn their talents into strengths. They are energized by the thought of work and can't wait to get started. Work has become almost like play and helps bring meaning to their life.

Others of us are not as fortunate. We get a job, get busy making a living, and quickly lose our sense of mission and purpose. Life becomes a drag, more accidental than intentional. Time passes and we end up wondering what we're doing and why. But it doesn't have to be that way.We each have a unique DNA and were created by God to do what only we can do. Whether you're working or not, the following questions are useful for reflection:

Am I doing what I was created to do?
Is there something that I do effortlessly that seems like a daunting task to others?
Is there something that I do that, when I do it, I feel energized and lose all track of time?
Is there work that I would do for free if money were no object?
Am I doing what I was created to do in the way I was created to do it?
Am I focusing on changing my talents into strengths by developing my skills to be the best that I can be?
What do I need to begin doing today that only I can do?

Does your work make you energized, or tired and exhausted? Tom Rath, in Strengths Finder 2.0 says, "You cannot be anything you want to be - but you can be a lot more of who you already are." Discover your talents, invest time to turn those talents into strengths, and watch what God can do in this moment right where you are. For more of what you've just read, check out the following podcasts: "When Less is More - Part 2" by Andy Stanley, and "Reality Check: Maximizing Your Strength" by Erwin McManus. Find your sweet spot and turn your journey into an amazing adventure!

"To build your life around your strengths, you don't need to wait for the perfect job, the perfect boss, or the perfect situation. Instead, learn how to take stock of your strengths, how to take control of your time, and how to make the two gradually, inexorably, and deliberately converge." - Marcus Buckingham, Go Put Your Strengths to Work

Reflection for the Future...

2010-08-22T15:17:00.001-04:00

57 Chevy Waiting to be Discovered

A Forgotten Detroit Mansion

A Ballpark Before It Was A Ballpark

I am often intrigued by "old stuff." I like old cars, old houses, old towns, old factories, old stuff in general. I can't help but look at some of this old stuff and wonder where it's been and how, at one time, it was full of life and excitement. Sometimes we do the same thing with people. We look at them and think of their past - where they've been, who they used to be, what they used to do. Our pasts, indeed, form an integral and important part of who and what we are.

Where we've been is important; where we're going and what we're becoming are even more important. Life gets richer and sweeter as we reflect to consider questions of greater significance. How can we use the richness of our past to shape a more promising future for ourselves and others?

What do you think of when you see "old stuff?" I think of potential and imagine the possibilities. Enjoy the journey!

57 Chevy Discovered!

Detroit Mansion Reclaimed!

This is a Ballpark!

Note: For some great pictures of Detroit, check out http://detroityes.com/home.htm

"Just as you conclude one portion of your journey, another opportunity will emerge to take your learning from previous experiences and apply it to a new situation. If you embrace your story, your leadership journey never ends." - Bill George, True North

Hard Times Come Again No More...

2010-06-22T10:42:00.013-04:00

"Let me tell you something you already know. The world ain't all sunshine and rainbows. It is a very mean and nasty place and it will beat you to your knees and keep you there permanently if you let it. You, me, or nobody is gonna hit as hard as life. But it ain't how hard you hit; it's about how hard you can get hit, and keep moving forward. How much you can take, and keep moving forward. That's how winning is done. Now, if you know what you're worth, then go out and get what you're worth. But you gotta be willing to take the hit, and not pointing fingers saying you ain't where you are because of him, or her, or anybody. Cowards do that and that ain't you. You're better than that!" -- Movie quote from 'Rocky Balboa'

We live in challenging times. Everywhere you go, it seems stress is on the increase. People are tired. Those with jobs are experiencing the stress of a challenging economy. Longer hours. More work. Ever-changing duties. Job seekers are discouraged by the lack of response to countless resumes. The human condition promises each of us times of challenge, hardship, discouragement and heartache. Stephen Foster addressed this in "Hard Times Come Again No More" published in 1854. My favorite rendition of the song was done by Mavis Staples. Check it out here. The song includes the lyric "Tis the song, the sigh of the weary." Sounds like our song doesn't it? We all feel weary at times. Our wish to avoid such times is timeless.

Sometimes, we need to hear someone else's story to put our own troubles in perspective. Nick Vujicic's story is just such a story. Born with no arms and no legs, by age 25 he had already accomplished more than most of us will accomplish in a lifetime. Hearing him and watching him lifts me up. If you need a lift, want to be inspired, need a laugh or are in need of new perspective, check out his story here.

Life is all about the unraveling journey. Enjoy the journey in the midst of your circumstances. As Nick said, "You can't afford to give in. Never, ever, ever give up."

"But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint." - Isaiah 40:31 (King James Version)

It's Time to Saddle Up and Ride...

2010-05-18T09:15:00.011-04:00

"Some day, I hope you get the chance,to live like you were dyin'." - Tim McGraw

A few years ago, the media was a buzz with stories of Randy Pausch, a professor of computer science at Carnegie Mellon University. Randy exhibited a positive, can-do attitude while dying of pancreatic cancer. He is best known for delivering his "Last Lecture" at CMU entitled "Really Achieving Your Childhood Dreams". The YouTube video of his lecture has been viewed more than 11 million times. I watched the video recently and was so taken I bought the book, The Last Lecture.

Randy's last words contain some great lessons. Here are a few that struck me as I thought about life and work:

No job is beneath you. My advice has always been, "You ought to be thrilled you got a job in the mail room. And when you get there, here's what you do: Be really great at sorting mail."

A lot of people want a shortcut. I find the best shortcut is the long way, which is basically two words: work hard. As I see it, if you work more hours than somebody else, during those hours you learn more about your craft. That can make you more efficient, more able, even happier.

Don't complain, just work harder. Complaining does not work as a strategy. We all have finite time and energy. Any time we spend whining is unlikely to help us achieve our goals. And it won't make us happier.

Brick walls are there for a reason. They give us a chance to show how badly we want something.

Experience is what you get when you didn't get what you wanted. It's a phrase worth considering at every brick wall we encounter, and at every disappointment. It's also a reminder that failure is not just acceptable, it's often essential.

I don't know how not to have fun. I'm dying and I'm having fun.

Through the whole ordeal, I don't think we ever said to each other, "This isn't fair." We just kept going. We recognized that there were things we could do that might help the outcome in positive ways...and we did them. Without saying it in words, out attitude was, "Let's saddle up and ride."

God gave Randy the gifts of teaching and communication. Randy used those gifts to make a difference in this world. We should do no less. It's time to saddle up and ride!

"The desire to be a world-changer is planted in the heart of every human being, and that desire comes directly from the heart of God. We can suffocate that desire in selfishness, silence it with the chatter of competing demands, or bypass it on the fast track to personal achievement. But it's till there" - Bill Hybels, The Volunteer Revolution

Choosing to Make a Difference...

2010-04-30T19:54:00.010-04:00

"Because we spend so much time there, work has become a place where we seek a sense of meaning and identity. When work becomes a cause, our lives take on meaning and significance." - Nuts! Southwest Airlines' Crazy Recipe for Business and Personal Success

Bob Lutz was interviewed at the New York auto show recently. Having worked, at various points in his career, for each of the Big 3 as well as BMW, he had this to say about his most recent retirement, at the age of 78, from General Motors: "I would want to be remembered as a person who made a difference..."

Interesting! We all have this universal desire to make a difference. The thing is, each of us can make a difference wherever we find ourselves, whatever our station, working or not working. I was reminded of this recently when I read a letter, written by Ora Hirsch Pescovitz, C.E.O. of The University of Michigan Health System to all employees. The letter included a story about Candice Billups, a custodian with more than 30 years of service. Candice had apparently gone above and beyond and befriended a patient in the Cancer Center. When asked why she chooses to work where she does, Candice had the following to say: "I work here because I love helping sick people. My job is to make them comfortable and happy, to create and maintain a clean and safe atmosphere where patients can concentrate on getting better. When you help patients recover in any way, you give them hope. That’s why I call our hospitals the House of Hope.” She went on to say “This is what I’m supposed to do. I don’t provide medical care, but when people see my joy and my happiness, they feel better. This is my building, these are my patients, this is my family. This is the most rewarding experience of my life.”

Dr. Pescovitz ended her letter to all employees with the following words: "Every action, every gesture, every word is an opportunity to remind our patients and families that we deserve and appreciate their trust, and to show colleagues that we are here to accomplish extraordinary things together. Every day you have a choice. Choose to be extraordinary."

I don't work for The University of Michigan but, still, I was inspired by Dr. Pescovitz's words. How about you? What is it that you are supposed to do? Are you making a difference right where you are? Every day you have a choice. Choose to be extraordinary and enjoy the journey!

"People want to make a difference. They want to know how they contribute to the success of an organization. When we know that our work is meaningful, we still have energy at the end of the day because the sanctity of our labor has been affirmed." - Nuts! Southwest Airlines' Crazy Recipe for Business and Personal Success

Passionless Work Misses the Mark...

2010-04-24T23:20:00.006-04:00

"Passion for our work is not usually a subterranean volcano waiting to erupt. It is a plant that needs to be cultivated. It is a muscle that gets strengthened a little each day as we show up - as we do what is expected of us, and then some." - John Ortberg - The Me I Want to Be: Becoming God's Best Version of You

Scheduling household repairs, or deliveries for that matter, can be trying for the working person. I sensed the frustration in my daughter's voice recently as she relayed her experience with furnace repair in the midst of a cold snap: "I told them I was working. If we could schedule a time, I would make arrangements to be there. They couldn't do that, but told me they could call me when they were 20 minutes away. This isn't really enough time for me to get home from work, but it was the best they could do. When they notified me that the service man was on his way, I literally ran to my car and drove home. The man was sitting in my driveway when I arrived home and was irritated that he had to wait (less than 5 minutes) for me to arrive. If only they had listened. I told them I couldn't make it home in 20 minutes."

Customer Katie continued to be underwhelmed by the experience as the repairman did his work: "There wasn't much discussion. He knew what the problem was immediately. It took him about 10 minutes to slowly walk to his truck to get the part and complete the installation. Either God forgot to give this guy a personality or he is engaged in passionless work he hates."

Not a pretty picture is it? "Either God forgot to give this guy a personality or he is engaged in passionless work he hates." Ouch! These kinds of stories bother me each time I hear them. I wrote this blog a while ago and had trouble coming up with a close. After thinking about it for a few days, it hit me. Everyone in this story wanted a different result. The scheduler wanted to serve the customer. The repairman wanted to serve the customer. With her house less than 50 degrees warm, the customer was anxious for service and hoping to be delighted. In spite of all the good intentions, the experience fell short of expectation.

Albert Einstein said, "Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results." The reason for the discrepancy in this case is simple. As a friend of mind reminded me: "Bad systems beat good people every time." If you find yourself getting something other than the intended result, focus on the system not the people. Everyone's journey will be the better for it!

If you always do what you've always done you'll always get what you've always got. - Henry Ford

Stop, Look and Listen...

2010-04-21T17:54:00.005-04:00

It can happen anywhere, anytime, for anyone. Whatever your age or season of life or temperament or job - these are no obstacles at all. All you have to do is lift a finger. God is closer than you think. - John Ortberg, God Is Closer Than You Think

The outdoor temperature was approaching 70 degrees. It was bright and sunny outside. Sitting in front of "the box" feeling fatigued, the drudgery of job-hunting was getting the best of me. Needing a change of pace, I decided to take a walk and headed for my favorite trail.

What I found on the trail was astounding. I found new life and energy. Taking a break turned out to be the best decision I made all week. Nature was in full bloom. The sweet smell of spring was in the air. The birds were singing. The creek was running. Squirrels, chipmunks and ducks were doing whatever it is they do. A pair of cardinals paid me a visit. I knew I was in good hands. After two miles of exploration, I was reenergized and ready to resume my work.

Perhaps you've been busy looking for a job or trying to keep the wheels on the job you already have. Focus and intensity are critical ingredients for success. There comes a time, however, when rest and renewal are equally as important. When fatigue and weariness set in, it may be time to take a break to do whatever it is that recharges and reenergizes you. Stop, look and listen to find new life and new energy. If you listen carefully, you may even hear, feel or see God speak. Enjoy the journey wherever it takes you.

Behold, I make all things new. - Rev 21:5

This Ain't No Place for the Weary Kind...

2010-03-23T18:33:00.009-04:00

"The harder the life, the sweeter the song."

Bad Blake finds himself down on his luck, at the age of 57, struggling to make it as a musician. Alcohol is his constant companion. All of his possessions fit in the back of a rusty old 1978 Chevy Suburban. Instead of playing to screaming fans at large venues, he plays to yesterday's fans in small-town, smoky barrooms and bowling alleys. Nights are spent in dingy motel rooms. Life is difficult and unpleasant. So goes the story of Bad Blake in Crazy Heart , starring Jeff Bridges.

In the midst of his discouragement, Blake refuses to give up. He just keeps using his talent to do what God calls him to do. He knows he was created to make music and that's all he can do. At one point, someone asks him, "Where'd all those songs come from?" His response: "Life." Crazy Heart is a story of redemption. Blake conquers his alcohol problem and eventually regains control of his life and his career. He trades his Chevy Suburban for the coveted celebrity coach. Life returns to "normal" and all is well. It's a story we all long for and can relate to. We want life to be OK again.

Yesterday was Monday; I hope you had a good day. As Drew Carey said, "Oh, you hate your job? Why didn't you say so? There's a support group for that. It's called everybody, and they meet at the bar." I trust Drew was joking and certainly not talking about you! Dan Miller talked of Mondays in No More Dreaded Mondays: Ignite Your Passion - and Other Revolutionary Ways to Discover Your True Calling at Work: "But here comes another Monday. Maybe feeling trapped is just the reality of the way things are. Doesn't everyone dread Mondays? Don't all responsible people just bury their dreams and passions in exchange for getting a paycheck?" As Bad Blake teaches us, the answer to that question is an emphatic no! Miller points out that, "Those whose work is not an authentic fit frequently struggle to maintain financial solvency and are plagued with unhappiness." We need work that uses our skills, personality, dreams and passions. Frederick Buechner once said, "The place God calls you to is the place where your deep gladness and the world's deep hunger meet." It is there we will find fulfillment and success in our work! We'll have "no more Mondays."

The movie ends with a performance of this year's Best Original Song, "The Weary Kind". The song contains lyrics that resonate with anyone, but especially with those of us who find ourselves out of work and looking for a job in the midst of this tough job market:

"This ain't no place for the weary kind...

Pick up your crazy heart and give it one more try."

It's easy to grow weary in the midst of a job search, especially in these times. Internet search after internet search and application after application, life sometimes seems unpleasant, boring and difficult. But no one ever said it would be easy. In the Bible we are told, "In the world you have tribulation and trials and distress and frustration; but be of good cheer [take courage; be confident, certain, undaunted]!" (John 16:33). God calls us to move forward just as he did Bad Blake. This ain't no place for the weary kind. Take courage. Be confident, certain, undaunted. Pick up your crazy heart and give it one more try and, as you do, enjoy the journey!

"What matters is not how often you have been on the canvas, but whether you get up, how you get up, what you learn from it." - True North: Discover Your Authentic Leadership

Olympic Gold...

2010-03-04T16:14:00.005-05:00

"Success comes when we wake up every day in that never-ending pursuit of WHY we do WHAT we do." - Simon Sinek, Start with Why: How Great Leaders Inspire Everyone to Take Action

It's hard to pick up the newspaper or turn on the TV these days without reading or hearing something about Apolo Ohno. With the recent completion of the winter games, he became the most decorated American Winter Olympic athlete of all time.

Prior to the games, Ohno was quoted as saying, "I've never prepared like this in my life - for anything. I want to leave nothing on the table." During an interview on a morning news program, Apolo said, "Others go to the Olympic games to win a gold medal. I'm living my dream every day. The journey is what I truly enjoy." He told Jay Leno, "I want to go all out. I have no regrets about my career." Apolo Ohno has known the "thrill of victory and the agony of defeat" and yet, he persevered.

In How The Mighty Fall: And Why Some Companies Never Give In, Lou Gerstner, ex-CEO of IBM, was quoted: "Good leaders feel a sense of urgency in good times and bad, whether facing threat or opportunity, no matter what. They're obsessed, afflicted with a creative compulsion and inner drive for progress - burning hot coals in their stomach - that remain constant whether facing a threat or not." In that same book, the author, Jim Collins, points out that, "The signature of the truly great versus the merely successful is not the absence of difficulty, but the ability to come back from setbacks, even cataclysmic catastrophes, stronger than before. Great nations can decline and recover. Great companies can fall and recover. Great social institutions can fall and recover. And great individuals can fall and recover. As long as you never get entirely knocked out of the game, there remains always hope...Failure is not so much a physical state as a state of the mind; success is falling down, and getting up one more time without end."

It's been said that a career is what you're paid for, but a calling is what you're made for. Apolo Ohno was made for skating. We can learn from his example: "Prepare. Go all out and leave nothing on the table. Live your dream. Enjoy the journey. Have no regrets." Not a bad recipe for success and fulfillment. You may be unsure of your calling. If so, take a lesson from Rebecca St. James, an award-winning recording artist who, at the age of twelve, prayed this prayer: "God, I don't know what I have to give to you, but here's me."

Here's to "falling down and getting up one more time without end." Enjoy the journey!

So then, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you may do, do all for the honor and glory of God. - 1 Corinthians 10:31

More Than a Job or a Title...

2010-02-24T10:22:00.006-05:00

Live in such a way that you would not be ashamed to sell your parrot to the town gossip. - Will Rogers

Gus (not his real name) had worked for the company for 25 years when he heard there was going to be a meeting about the need to reduce cost. The next thing Gus knew, his entire department had been eliminated with little or no explanation given as to cause. Shockingly, he and his comrades were unemployed, on the outside looking in, devastated by the experience and wondering what to do next. It's now been many months since Gus was separated from his old employer.

Hope reappeared for Gus recently but was quickly extinguished. You can hear the emotion in his email: "I don't know what (the company) has in mind for the future, but it apparently does not include me. I sent in my resume a month ago, after my old job was posted online and in the paper, and have not heard a single word. I can't even say for certain that they received it. I also left a voice mail with each of the two HR people after at least a dozen phone calls to each went unanswered. Same result: no reply. I guess I am not as bothered by the likelihood of not getting re-hired as I am of being ignored. It is just rude." Let's see, a department eliminated with little or no explanation? A dozen unanswered calls? I would call that rude indeed!

In Life at Work, Marketplace Success for People of Faith, John Maxwell notes that, "Every single day of our work lives, we take hundreds of actions. We make behavior choices scores of times. When we sum up all those individual behaviors over an hour, then a day, then a week, then a month, then a decade, we have patterns of behavior. Those patterns of behavior make up our character." Did you know that if you Google the word character, you'll get 1.2 billion hits? The character issue must be important and significant.

Individual character and integrity are important ingredients of corporate culture. Still, it's always been interesting to me how organizations can sometimes do things corporately that they would never consider doing as individuals. According to I Should Be Burnt Out By Now... So How Come I'm Not: How You Can Survive and Thrive in Today's Uncertain World, "A work culture is the way things really get done in an organization. Like any societal culture, a work culture has its own values, habits of behavior, way of thinking, beliefs, and stories...Work cultures change over time because of leadership changes, mergers, reorganizations, or turnover of a substantial number of colleagues. It can get worse or better...But you have to take responsibility for understanding the personality of your company, knowing whether you are comfortable there, and thinking through your choices. I think business happens among friends. If you don't have any friends in the company then you probably don't fit."

The bookoffers great advice for those who already have a job: "Determine whether there is a fit or mismatch between you and your work culture. The best indicator of a good fit is your comfort level. If you're ill at ease on a regular basis with the people, attitudes, or habits of your organization, you may not fit. No matter how great the place is for other people, it can burn you out if it's a mismatch for you." If you're looking for a job: "Pay attention to your intuition when interviewing for a new job. Be careful if the atmosphere doesn't feel right to you. Ask current employees to tell you stories about life in the organization and meet as many people as possible. Ask them what they like about working for the company. Vague answers or answers that don't match your work preferences are warning signs."

Best of luck on your unraveling journey as you struggle with how to use the gifts, talents and passions God has given you in this hour, this day, this week, this month, this decade. Work is more than a job or a title. It's gotta' fit!

I never did, or countenanced, in public life, a single act inconsistent with the strictest good faith; having never believed there was one code of morality for a public, and another for a private man. - Thomas Jefferson, 1809

Reflect or You'll Be Gone...

2010-02-15T16:34:00.015-05:00

"Whether you prevail or fail, endure or die, depends more on what you do to yourself than on what the world does to you." - Jim Collins, How The Mighty Fall: And Why Some Companies Never Give In

Herman Doehler started a whole new industry in the early 1900s when he invented the die casting process. I worked for his company in the late 70s and early 80s. At the time we had plants in Ohio, New York, Pennsylvania and Tennessee. Radio ads used the following tag line: "Doehler-Jarvis - the largest custom die caster in the world, and there isn't even a close second!" It was a different time. My office, at company headquarters, was on "mahogany row"; I ate lunch in the executive dining room and had a parking space with my name in the carport.

Business was good. At one point, we landed business that was beyond our facility's capabiltiy to produce. We would need larger machines requiring significantly more headroom than our outdated facility could provide. To meet the needs of our customer, we demolished a part of the factory and rebuilt it with state-of-the-art machinery. The fast-track project was to be one of the more fulfilling exercises of my entire career. We created new hope and a brighter future for an entire work force.

Things can quickly change, however. I left the company in 1985 as it fell on hard times. Organizations, just like people, can lose their way. An on-line article had this to say about the Toledo plants: "Following an 80,000 sq. ft. expansion of the Detroit Avenue plant and an expansion of the Smead Avenue Technical Center in 1988, the company was acquired by LaSalle Capital Group, which closed the Smead Avenue plant (No. 1) in 1991. The Detroit Avenue plant (No. 2) was closed in 1998. After years of neglect and several revitalization proposals, the Smead Avenue buildings were torn down in the late 2000s." Oof! Gone?! How's that for taking the wind out of your sails?

This is the sad story of another industry leader that lost its way and simply ceased to exist. The photo of the razed factory site stopped me in my tracks. The site of renewed hopes and dreams had been reduced to a vacant lot with nothing visible except the white remnants of concrete pads and a bit of rubble! Sometimes you wonder, "How can this happen?" The shocking truth is that it happens every day for a variety of reasons.

Think about Kodak, General Motors, Sears and IBM. Do you remember A&P, Atari, Commodore and Polaroid? What do you remember about Eddie Bauer or Bill Knapps? While it remains to be seen, the latest example may be Toyota. The list goes on and on. Some lose their focus on customers. Some lose focus on their employees. Some get over-extended financially. Some lose focus on their core competencies. Some get enamored with cost reduction. Most, if not all, fail to reflect.

Reflection is critical to learning and course correction, no matter our role. What are you doing to spur learning and maintain hope for a brighter future? Do you take time for personal reflection? Is reflection a planned and intentional part of your professional life? As leaders of ourselves, our families, and our organizations, reflection may be THE most important thing we can do on our unraveling journey. Enjoy the ride.

"The biggest problem that most any company in the western world has is not its competitors, not the Japanese. The biggest problems are self-inflicted, created right at home by management that are off course in the competitive world of today." - W. Edwards Deming

Ready, ready, ready, ready, ready...

2010-02-09T15:22:00.004-05:00

“I am convinced that nothing we do is more important than hiring and developing people. At the end of the day you bet on people, not on strategies.” - Larry Bossidy

I still remember the day I picked up my belongings from my previous employer. In a previous post I noted that, "It was the roughest day since "d-day". The question hung in the air like a fog that refuses to lift: Now what?"  Many weeks were invested to answer that now-what question.  Personal strengths and interests were identified; close associates were asked for input. Recommended pursuits included speaker, writer, teacher, minister, consultant, quality auditor, and change agent, among others. I used the input to develop a personal brand indicating that I was "focused on quality and lean thinking." Having spent significant time in self assessment, I was eager and ready to get back to work.

I took my new-found sense of personal identity and headed for the on-line job boards. Daily surfing quickly uncovered the perfect job! I submitted the necessary materials and sat back to await the almost-certain response. I waited and waited and waited. The response never came. It's now been months and the job in question is still posted. This scenario was to repeat itself numerous times in the ensuing months. It seems some companies have a hard time "finding the right person" or otherwise coming to a decision.

I was reminded of this recently while reading Master Leaders: Revealing Conversations with 30 Leadership Greats by George Barna. In a chapter called "Hiring the Right People", Henry Cloud is quoted: "An important phrase to me in leadership development is ready, aim, fire.  You have some leaders who are 'fire, ready, aim,' and they do things impulsively. You have others who are 'ready, ready, ready, ready, ready, ready,' and they can't ever pull the trigger."

As job seekers, we find hiring delays extremely frustrating. It's good to remember, however, that the hiring decision is THE most important decision a company can make.  Sometimes sluggishness may be a good sign. Jim Collins gave the following hiring advice in Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap... and Others Don't:"When in doubt, don't hire - keep looking."  The best we can do when seeking employment is to stick with the process, wait for the right opportunity, and enjoy the journey!

For everything there is a season, a time for every activity under heaven. - Ecclesiates3:1 (NLT)

You're Not a Horse...

2010-01-25T16:34:00.004-05:00

"You are not here merely to make a living...You are here to enrich the world, and you impoverish yourself if you forget the errand." - Woodrow Wilson

Last summer, my wife and I spent a few days at a lovely bed and breakfast in Indiana's Amish country. There's nothing like sitting on the porch, watching the sun set, and listening to the clip-clop of horse-drawn buggies going down the road as they plod along in no particular hurry. One evening as we sat there, we heard a loud ruckus. In the adjacent field, a donkey was advancing on the front fence line, hee-hawing up a storm as he looked at a herd of horses in the pasture on the other side of the road. (Translation (?): "I'm a horse; I'm a horse!") As the donkey continued his display of hubris, the horses came to their fence line to offer a noisy reply. (Translation (?): "You're not a horse. Get out of here!") In obvious rejection, the donkey lowered his head and slinked away.

Minutes later, the scene repeated itself. This reminds me of a recent job interview. Over a number of weeks, I had a series of phone interviews, followed by the completion of an online assessment, and culminating with an on-site interview. The on-site experience included time on the factory floor and a "gang interview" involving ten or so people. The entire experience was engaging and invigorating! I thought it was a GREAT interview...but I didn't get the job.

Contrary to the story above however, I didn't "lower my head and slink away." I walked away with my head held high, knowing that I had been successful in being me. I'm focused on quality and lean thinking, passionate about continuous improvement, and enjoy helping organizations become more successful, productive and profitable by increasing their focus on employee involvement and excellence. As Popeye said, "I am what I am and that's all I am."

It's important to know who you are and periodically take stock to ensure you're living the life that God intended. Max Lucado, in Cure for the Common Life, said "The cure for commonness begins with strength extraction. No one else has your skill makeup. Disregard it at your peril...God never called you to be anyone other than you. But he does call on you to be the best you you can be. The big question is, at your best, who are you?"

Carly Fiorina in Tough Choices: A Memoir points out the need for taking stock: "Ever since reading Antigone, I have taken the time, once a year, to deeply examine my own behavior and motivation. It's sort of a year-in-review exercise that happens around New Year's. Each year, alone and in private, I ask myself whether I am at peace with the choices I've made. Is my soul still my own?" So...how about you? Do you know who you are? Is your soul still your own? Great unraveling questions for all of us. Enjoy the journey.

"As a crucial part of your calling, you were given certain gifts, talents, longings, and desires. To identify these with clarity, to develop them with skill, and to use them joyfully and humbly to serve God and his creation is central to why you were created." - John Ortberg

Can You Say Party?

2010-01-13T15:04:00.003-05:00

Breaking news...the sun is shining in Southeast Michigan. A January thaw is forecast for later in the week. Halleluiah! After weeks of snow and arctic temperatures, even the birds are celebrating!

Celebration is an important part of life, and an important ingredient for business success, regardless of our circumstances. People who have traveled to the poorest places on earth have noted how universal the act of celebration is. Nuts! Southwest Airlines' Crazy Recipe for Business and Personal Success includes the following commentary: "Whether we are talking about people in Africa, Australia, Asia, Europe, or the Americas, there is no culture in the world that doesn't embrace some sort of festivity. To deny our need to celebrate is to deny a part of what it means to be human. When we work in an environment where we are not encouraged to express this festive nature, part of our humanity is repressed and life becomes dull and spiritless."

My friend Bob, out of work for some time, spends one day a week volunteering for Habitat for Humanity. He was recently presented with a "Golden Hammer Award". The award is proudly displayed on his office wall along with numerous patents. Bob has no idea what he did to earn this award. What he does know is that someone took the time to value him as a person and celebrate his contribution!

What will you do today to celebrate? If you're working, celebrate an accomplishment. Better yet, celebrate someone else's accomplishment. If you're not working, celebrate the sunshine, celebrate the internet, celebrate your next job application, celebrate your next phone call, celebrate your next interview, but celebrate something! It's good for the soul. Party on...and enjoy your unraveling journey!

"Without celebration, we are robbed of the life and vitality that energizes the human spirit."
Kevin & Jackie Freiberg, Nuts

Time to Reflect and Learn...

2010-01-04T13:06:00.004-05:00

The new year is a great time to reflect and see what can be learned from our experiences. Some people express their learning in way of New Year's Resolutions. Did you make any this year? The local paper published a sampling from various people recently. Here's what one restaurant owner had to say: "I'm going to be kinder to the help and smile at all my customers." Imagine that! Something tells me this guy is already in trouble.

If you want some great advice, check out this link from a lean blogger and guru: Forget the New Year's Resolution. In this blog, Jamie Flinchbaugh cautions about what I call the "wishin' and hopin' / I'll do better next time" approach to change. The link includes a free goal setting template and instructional video illustrating the point that effective change requires more than resolve; it takes planning and action to actually move forward.

Learning is a critical ingredient for success. In Nuts! Southwest Airlines' Crazy Recipe for Business and Personal Success, Kevin and Jackie Freiberg point out that, "In the early days, learning was the key to Southwest's survival. If the people of Southwest Airlines hadn't been willing to learn, they would not have come up with the innovative strategies they used to compete with carriers that had more money and more resources. Today the company still believes that learning is essential to keeping its competitive advantage. Employees who embrace learning as a lifelong pursuit are more alert, better informed, and more creative." Southwest Airlines is one of the world’s most profitable airlines. In January 2009 they posted a profit for the 36th consecutive year in an industry where bankruptcies have become commonplace.

Let's resolve this for 2010 - to become lifelong learners, to spend time in reflection, and to document our learnings not by wishing and hoping but by planning and action. Enjoy the journey!

"The illiterate of the future will not be the person who cannot read. It will be the person who does not know how to learn." - Alvin Toffler

Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes...

2009-12-08T16:35:00.007-05:00

Snow is beginning to fall in southern Michigan. The walking trails look much different than they did when I began this journey a number of months ago. Change is in the air. The trails are still a thing of beauty; but they're different.

I was reminded of change recently…The dental assistant escorted me to the examining room, got me situated, and took a preliminary x-ray. She said, “The doctor will be right with you,” and then left the room. As I waited, I took in my surroundings. Have you ever noticed how a dentist’s office is decorated with things to help you think about anything except the sound of the drill? I spotted the distraction hanging on the wall. A thing of beauty, a peaceful sight to behold, it was a picture of a very large tree dressed in the splendor of fall. I love trees, especially the mature and majestically shaped ones. It was then I noticed the caption; in one simple word it communicated a message for each of us. The word was…

CHANGE

How do you react when you hear of change? Do you get uncomfortable, anxious or nervous? Or are you one who gets excited with the promise of change? Sam Cooke said, "A Change Is Gonna Come." Bob Dylan said, "The Times They Are A-Changin'" Change is a necessary and useful part of life. We've always had change, always will. Growth is often a result of change. To live is to experience change. The only question is how we choose to react...

Upon hearing of impending change, our reaction is usually immediate, personal and emotional. Depending on our view, we 'll either embrace the change and make the best of it, or we'll resist. The choice we make can sometimes make all the difference. Enjoy the journey!

"The most effective way to manage change successfully is to create it." - Peter Drucker, Management Challenges for the 21st Century

Expect the Unexpected...

2009-11-17T13:35:00.000-05:00

It was the last thing we expected to see as we drove down a dark Michigan road. In fact, the thought had never even occurred to us…

You sometimes expect the unexpected when traveling at night but this, this was different. As we approached the scene, we could see the commotion…lots of flashing lights, people, including children, standing on the side of the dark road. A sheriff’s deputy pulled up beside us and said, “If you’d just pull up and let us pass, that would be great.” And then we saw them…

Elephants! It seems the circus was coming to town. The Ringling Bros. and Barnum and Bailey “Over the Top” show was coming to the Palace in Auburn Hills. It was a great reminder that stuff happens and we need to expect the unexpected!

Promotional materials describe “Over the Top” as a “wacky and whimsical circus spectacular where audiences will experience maniacal mayhem.” Other descriptors include “silliness” and “stupendous spectacle.” Sounds like our places of work at times doesn’t it? The maniacal mayhem or stupendous spectacle may occur when you unexpectedly get a new boss, someone buys the company, your company files for bankruptcy, or you lose your job.

Peter Drucker, in Managing in the Next Society, says, “You must also ask yourself if these transitions, these changes, are an opportunity or a threat. If you start out looking at change as threat, you will never innovate. Don’t dismiss something because this is not what you had planned. The unexpected is often the best source of innovation.” Never in my wildest dreams did I expect to take a picture of an elephant on the side of a dark Michigan road and then write about it in a blog. Occassionally, we just need to "pull up and let it pass." Most of the time, we need to expect the unexpected, look on it as a potential opportunity, and enjoy the journey!

For the Fun of It...

2009-11-09T22:57:00.005-05:00

This past weekend, I saw the movie Amelia, starring Hillary Swank and Richard Gere. It was everything I expected it to be. Before seeing the movie, having only seen the trailer, I knew it would be the subject of a blogpost…

Amelia Earhart was born on July 24, 1897. More than 20 years later, on December 28, 1920, an airplane ride changed her life: “By the time I had got two or three hundred feet off the ground, I knew I had to fly!” She took her first flying lesson, and six months later had saved enough money to buy her first airplane. After a life of accomplishment, Ms. Earhart died on July 2, 1937, just shy of her 40th birthday, while attempting to be the first woman to fly around the world.

I find “Lady Lindy’s” achievements, in 16 short years of flying, impressive and inspiring. Among other things, she set a women’s altitude record of 14,000 feet, and was the first woman to fly solo across the Atlantic, as well as being the first person to fly solo across the Pacific from Hawaii to California. Earhart set numerous speed records including the women’s record for the fastest non-stop transcontinental flight twice. In addition, she received the U.S. Distinguished Flying Cross, the National Geographic Society’s gold medal, and the French Cross of the Legion of Honor.

Amelia Earhart just had to fly. The movie does a fine job of portraying her inner drive and passion. She said, “There’s more to life than being a passenger… I’m a flyer pursuing my passion for the fun of it… Everyone has oceans to fly as long as you have the heart to do it…” She gave the following advice to a fellow flyer trying to find success: “You’ll be fine. Just hold on to yourself.” When someone asked her if she would give up flying, she answered, “Not while there’s life in me. I fly for the fun of it.”

The Bible, in Jeremiah 1:5 (NCV), says, “Before I made you in your mother’s womb, I chose you. Before you were born, I set you apart for special work.” The challenge for each of us is to find that “special work”. Max Lucado, in Cure for the Common Life, points out that, “God shaped you according to yours. How else can you explain yourself? Your ability to diagnose an engine problem by the noise it makes, to bake a cake without a recipe. You knew the Civil War better than your American history teacher. You know the name of every child in the orphanage. How do you explain such quirks of skill?” How indeed?!

I talked with someone recently who goes to work early each and every day because she just can't wait to do what she's called to do. What is it that you can't wait to do, and just have to do for the fun of it? As life unravels, we all need to ask ourselves what we do best, what we love to do, where we find success and satisfaction. If we pursue those things, we’ll find ourselves living in the sweet spot God intended for us...and doing it for the fun of it!

The Stuff of Dreams...

2009-10-28T12:37:00.006-04:00

"Don't ask what the world needs. Ask what makes you come alive, and go for it. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive." - Howard Thurman

The Paint Creek Cider Mill is located along the Paint Creek Trail in Oakland County, Michigan. It used to be a great restaurant. When dining, it was not unusual to see the owner working the crowd, smiling and, seemingly, living his dream. Every time I bike past this building, I wonder what happened…

Life doesn’t always turn out the way we envisioned, but that doesn’t mean we should ignore our dreams. Dreams give us life and energy. Dreams allow us to channel our talents and passions. Dreams bring a sense of purpose. Andy Stanley in Visioneering: God's Blueprint for Developing and Maintaining Vision says, “Life is a journey. Everybody ends up somewhere in life. A few people end up somewhere on purpose. Those are the ones with vision. A clear vision, along with the courage to follow through, dramatically increases your chances of coming to the end of your life, looking back with a deep abiding satisfaction, and thinking, I did it. I succeeded. I finished well. My life counted.”

Sometimes, we have dreams but choose not to act on them. The great philosopher, Erma Bombeck, was quoted in One Month to Live:Thirty Days to a No-Regrets Life:“There are people out there who put their dreams in a little box and say, ‘Yes, I’ve got dreams, of course I’ve got dreams.’ Then they put the box away and bring it out once in awhile to look in it, and yep, they’re still there.”

Ignoring our dreams comes with a price. According to Erwin McManus in Chasing Daylight: Seize the Power of Every Moment,“It is rarely a conscious action to choose to exist rather than to live. For most of us we are simply lulled to sleep. But there is no rest in this condition. To sleep through your dreams is to choose a life of restless nights and unfulfilled days.” That, folks, is not a pretty picture. McManus goes on to say, “To avoid the pain of fear, doubt, and disappointment we have numbed ourselves from the exhilaration of a life fully lived. We are all haunted with the fear of living lives of insignificance, and we all hear the voice that tells us we can live the dream. Somehow we all know that to play it safe is to lose the game.”

Whether you’re in a job, or looking for a job, dreams matter. We’ve got some living to do. Keep unraveling and enjoy the journey!

“Edison is remembered for the light bulb. Ford is remembered for the car. Martin Luther is remembered for the Reformation. For what will you be remembered?” – Bruce Bugbee, What You Do Best

A Quickening Pulse...

2009-10-19T13:15:00.006-04:00

This plaque used to hang on my office wall. It's taken on even more meaning now that I've had some time for reflection and learning...

A few weeks ago I attended a world-class seminar on lean. We spent the week discussing "an integrated approach to designing and improving work towards a customer-focused ideal state through the engagement of all people aligned by common principles and practices". Toyota was a frequent topic of discussion. One of the secrets to Toyota's success, and the success of any organization for that matter, has to do with all employees sharing a common vision of what constitutes the ideal state.

"Inspiring a shared vision" is noted as one of five practices of exemplary leadership in one of the best selling leadership books of all time, The Leadership Challenge by Kouzes and Posner. The authors note that exemplary leaders care about making a difference in the world. "Exemplary leaders don't impose their visions of the future on people...they liberate the vision that's already in their constituents. They awaken dreams, breathe life into them, and arouse the belief that we can achieve something grand... What truly pulls people forward, especially in more difficult times, is the exciting possibility that what they are doing can make a profound difference to the future of their family, friends, colleagues, customers, and communities. They want to know that what they do matters." Magic begins to happen when people share a common vision!

I want to make a difference, don't you? I want to know that what I do matters. As I search for employment, I'd better be concerned about vision. How's your situation? Does your pulse quicken, and do you become animated, when you think about the shared vision you have with your place of employment or supervisor? If not, it may be time for reflection. According to Kouzes and Posner, "You just never know when someone might ask you, 'Tell me about your dreams for this organization.' When that opportunity knocks, you want to be ready to answer the door." Enjoy the journey!

We All Write Stories...

2009-10-07T16:28:00.008-04:00

In the book, A Million Miles in a Thousand Years: What I Learned While Editing My Life, Donald Miller tells the story of a team of screenwriters rewriting his life story in order to make it “meaningful and memorable.” During the year-long process, Miller is transformed from a person who views life as a series of random experiences to one who can’t wait to get up in the morning to be actively engaged in a life of epic proportions.

The basic premise of the book is summarized on its jacket: “Every life is a story. Whether it is a story worth telling and talking about, though, is up to you. People set out with grand dreams of changing the world, falling in love, doing something amazing. But the drift toward the merely acceptable happens without notice.”

Our work lives form an important and integral part of our story. My wife is writing her story as she serves the seniors of Oakland County, Michigan. My daughter is writing her story in a pediatric heart surgery unit in Ann Arbor. My son’s story takes place as he mentors disadvantaged youth in Portland. My own story is in the process of being rewritten.

What’s up with your story? Is it a random set of experiences? Or is it something that’s planned on purpose, for a purpose, using the gifts God has given you? Miller’s book points out that, “In a pure story, there is a purpose in every scene, in every line of dialogue. A movie is going somewhere.” Enjoy the journey!

“Most of us live the first half of our lives as if we had walked into a movie theater twenty minutes after the film started rolling; we are not 100 percent sure what the story is all about, but it seems pretty interesting. By the time we figure out what’s going on, it’s over.” – Bob Buford, Game Plan

Feeling God's Pleasure...

2009-09-29T18:32:00.001-04:00

Picture this: Lean transformation experts in Michigan teaching lean principles with as much passion as they did when they first walked into the classroom eight years ago... Street fair entertainers in Portland performing their hearts out for a few dollars in donations... Hotel servers and lobby people focused on customer service as if they themselves owned the business. How does this happen?

I saw a movie recently that helped explain this mystery. In "Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian", Amelia Earhart remarks, "Do you know why I became a pilot? For the fun of it. Why else would anyone do anything?" Why indeed?!

Ben Stiller plays a night security guard in the movie who becomes a successful entrepreneur. Described as being "all gussied up but dead inside," he returns to his true passion and calling when someone asks, "What are you?" Stiller proudly responds, "I am the night guard," and his supervisor comments, "Well, you're back where you belong!" When people find their sweet spot, it shows and people notice.

This theme is perhaps best summarized in an often-quoted line from the movie "Chariots of Fire" in which Eric Liddell, an Olympic runner, states, "I believe God made me for a purpose, but he also made me fast. And when I run, I feel his pleasure." Are you feeling God's pleasure these days? If not, you may have some unraveling to do. Enjoy the journey.

It's Time...

2009-09-16T13:19:00.005-04:00

How many timekeeping devices do you have in your house? I lost count after 20. Some of ours are big; some are small. Some are digital; some are analog. I have one in my pocket; I have one on my wrist. Some hang on the wall; some sit on a shelf. I used to have one on my office wall. This “time thing” must be pretty important to us.

My daughter was visiting recently. She asked, “Dad, how can you get anything done around here with all this ticking going on?” As I thought about that question, I decided I really like the sight and sound of a clock. As the clock ticks, it reminds me that life has a certain rhythm and that each second is precious.

In the movie The Bucket List, Morgan Freeman says, “Forty-five years goes by pretty fast.” To which Jack Nicholson replies, “Like smoke through a keyhole.” In One Month to Live: Thirty Days to a No-Regrets Life, by Kerry and Chris Shook, we are reminded, “Your time on earth is limited. No matter how much this idea makes you squirm, it’s a fact. No matter who you are, how young or old, what measure of success you’ve attained, or where you live, mortality remains the great equalizer. With each tick of the clock, a moment of your life is behind you. Your days are numbered, and each one that passes is gone forever.”

While seasons come and seasons go, all we really have, with any certainty, is this moment and the gifts God has given us. Erwin McManus, in Chasing Daylight: Seize the Power of Every Moment, puts it this way: “We are created in time, and our most important work is time-critical. There are things that must be done today, things that you and you alone were created to accomplish. Some of us are wasting our time burning daylight when what we need to be doing is seizing the power of every moment. The moment you must seize right now is the one in front of you. This is your moment. The biblical imagery for a moment is the wink of an eye. In other words, don’t blink or you’ll miss it.”

Right here, right now, life happens. I must go. I’ve got things that must be done today. How about you?

“It’s never too late to be what you might have been.” – George Eliot

I Almost Missed It...

2009-09-09T16:37:00.003-04:00

The date was August 20, 2009. It was a picture-perfect day in Michigan. Temperature: in the low 70’s. Relative humidity: low. Cloud cover: none. Nothing but clean air and clear blue skies! My daughter and I drove north to the picturesque town of Port Austin on the shore of Lake Huron.

We had lunch, rented kayaks and enjoyed the sunshine and shoreline together. For a guy who had never been in a kayak before, but always wanted to, it was a day to treasure and remember! And to think, I almost missed it…

When my daughter asked, “Hey Dad, what are you doing next Thursday? How about if we go kayaking?” my first thoughts were: “I don’t have time. I’m too busy. I’ve got things to do. I’ve got to figure out who I am so I can find a job!” You see, I’m a task-oriented person. When left to my own devices, I will always choose task over people. I was fortunate in this case. I set tasks aside because I knew relationships matter.

In Beyond Halftime®: Practical Wisdom for Your Second Half, Bob Buford tells the story of a high-level executive, seriously ill, who makes a list of the 50 things he wanted to do before he died. Forty-five of them were relational in nature! No one ever died wishing they’d done another deal, scored another promotion, made more money, accumulated more possessions or accomplished another task. Many have died regretting their lack of investment in the things that matter.

How about you? Are you investing in the things that matter? If you’re a task-oriented-make-it-happen kind of person, that’s worth celebrating. We all need people motivated to “get it done.” We can’t forget, however, what matters most. In Mathew 22:37-39, Jesus says we are to love God and love others. We need to make this a priority at all times, or we may find ourselves “missing it.” Enjoy your unraveling journey!

We All Have Some Unraveling To Do...

2009-09-04T16:48:00.007-04:00

“If you are like everybody else who shares space with you on the planet, bad things happen to you. I am neither a prophet nor the son of a prophet, but I know this with absolute certainty. At one time or another you will break up, break down, lose out, go broke, give in, get sick, be sad. Life happens.”
from the blog “The High Calling of our Daily Work”

When I lost my job, I felt my life unraveling. Life is like that sometimes. All kinds of people experience unraveling:

Thomas Edison was labeled as “too stupid to learn anything” by his teacher.
Henry Ford went broke five times before he became a success.
Michael Jordan was cut from his high school basketball team.
Jerry Seinfeld was booed off the stage in his first appearance at a comedy club.
Steven Jobs was fired by his board of directors ten years after starting Apple.
Elvis Presley was told to “go back to driving a truck” by the manager of the Grand Ole Opry.
Walt Disney was fired by a newspaper editor because he “lacked imagination and had no good ideas.”

Fortunately, these notables were not deterred from their callings and each went on to make their mark on the world.

There’s a great scene in the movie City Slickers where Jack Palance (cowpoke) and Billy Crystal (tenderfoot) are riding across the range on horseback discussing life:
PALANCE: You all come out here about the same age. Same problems. Spend fifty weeks a year getting knots in your rope then - then you think two weeks up here will untie them for you. None of you get it. Do you know what the secret of life is?
CRYSTAL: No, what?
PALANCE: This. (Holds up his index finger)
CRYSTAL: Your finger?
PALANCE: One thing. Just one thing. You stick to that and everything else don’t mean s----
CRYSTAL: That’s great, but what’s the one thing?
PALANCE: That’s what you’ve got to figure out.

In Halftime: Changing Your Game Plan from Success to Significance, Bob Buford says, “I would like to be more helpful than Jack Palance was for Billy Crystal, but finding your one thing really is your task. All I can tell you with any degree of certainty is that you will not find an abiding sense of purpose and direction by rushing from business appointment to church meeting to your son’s soccer game to dinner with friends and then to bed. If you cannot afford to take the time and solitude before God that finding your “one thing” requires, then you are not ready to find it.”

Rick Warren, author of The Purpose Driven® Life: What on Earth Am I Here For?, often says we were created on purpose for a purpose. The Bible says, “For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” (Eph 2:10 NIV) Richard Bolles, in The Job-Hunter's Survival Guide: How to Find a Rewarding Job Even When "There Are No Jobs", says knowing yourself (discovering your calling) is the most important step in the job-hunting process. It seems we all have some unraveling to do. Happy unraveling!

Advice From Forrest Gump...

2009-08-31T12:09:00.008-04:00

There’s a scene in the movie Forrest Gump where Jenny asks Forrest, “What are you gonna be when you grow up?” and Forrest answers, "Why can't I be me?" I get a kick out of seeing people just "be me," no matter the circumstance and no matter their role. It's often inspiring.

I had the opportunity of seeing people do exactly that recently. My wife works as a program manager at a walk-in activity center for seniors. One of her evening programs is an activity night where people come, have something to eat, choose from various activities, and then reconvene as a large group for a musical show by the “Rusty Musicians” who spent the evening preparing for the show. Yesterday, we attended the “Rusty Musicians” picnic. There were keyboardists, string players, a flute player, harmonica players and vocalists. It was awesome!

I had lunch with Ellie. She’s a sweet gal, in her 80's and full of life. Ellie sang “Some of These Days” and “Hoop Dee Doo”, songs best delivered with an attitude. Ellie had the attitude and carried it off with spirit and in style! She later stood up and told a couple of jokes (good ones!) with perfect timing. Ellie's performances moved me to near-tears. Afterwards, I found myself wondering, “What was so moving about that experience?” I concluded that it was just seeing people willing to enrich the lives of others by joyfully sharing their God-given gifts. Ellie couldn't help herself; she just had to perform. To Ellie and all the Rusty Musicians - thanks for being you!

In 48 Days To The Work You Love, Dan Miller notes that, “When you get to heaven, God is not going to ask you why you weren’t more like Mother Teresa. He’s likely to ask you why you weren’t more like you.” What do you want to be when you grow up? How about just being you? Enjoy the day!

Time to Refocus...

2009-08-17T12:35:00.006-04:00

A wise speaker recently reminded me of life’s priorities – God first, family second, job third. We know that’s the proper order, and yet we often lose focus. We get an inflated sense of self-importance. We end up placing our jobs above all else – above our spouses, above our children, above everything. After all, we think, “The organization needs us. Much is at stake. Things will let up / get better when (fill in the blank).” Then the next crisis arises, and the cycle starts all over again. My tendency has always been to put my job first. How about you? Where do you place your priorities?

I was pondering this question as I biked the Clinton River Trail this morning. I went out wondering what God might have to say to me through the sights and sounds along the trail. I was about 2/3 of the way through the ride when I had just about given up on seeing anything of interest – no wildlife, just a few bikers and joggers. I was riding along absentmindedly, intent on finishing the ride so I could “get on with business”. That's when I spotted the deer. Standing perfectly still on high ground, about 5 feet off the trail, she looked right at me as I rode by. Once again, I was reminded of the phrase: “Be still and know.” Sometimes we need a reminder. When we least expect it something happens that awakens us. Somebody reaches out and does something nice. We receive an unexpected call from a friend. God shows up in unexpected ways. It's time to refocus, prioritize and "get back to business." Have a great day.

Excited About Mondays...

2009-08-12T13:22:00.010-04:00

These days, I'm trying to be as intentional as I can, doing self assessment, to properly answer the question, "Now what?" Everything in me says this is the most critical part of the job-search journey. Why? Get this from Cure for the Common Lifeby Max Lucado:

Unhappiness on the job affects one-fourth of the American work force.
One-fourth of employees view their jobs as the number one stressor in their lives.
Seven out of ten people are neither motivated nor competent to perform their job.
Forty-three percent of employees feel anger toward their employers.
One-third of Americans say, "I hate my job."
Most suicides occur on Sunday nights; most heart attacks occur on Monday mornings.

Lucado goes on to say, "Such numbers qualify as an epidemic. An epidemic of commonness. Someone sucked the sparkle out of our days. A stale fog has settled over our society. Week after week of energy-sapping sameness. Walls painted gray with routine. Commuters dragging their dread to the office. Buildings packed with people working to live rather than living to work. Boredom. Mediocre performance.” It's not a pretty picture is it? It almost makes you yawn.

Here's a better picture: "It's Monday morning. You've just awakened. You bound out of bed. You can't wait to get to work to do what God has called you to do." Can you imagine?! Galatians 6:4 (MSG) says, "Make a careful exploration of who you are and the work you have been given, and then sink yourself into that." How are your Mondays these days? It may be time to ask yourself some questions.

The Locker Room...

2009-08-08T23:07:00.010-04:00

Maybe you've found yourself asking questions of significance and wondered what to do with those questions. Here are some words from Halftime: Changing Your Game Plan from Success to Significanceby Bob Buford:

"It is not unnatural, nor should it overly concern you that you feel the need for a change. The mistake most people make when they begin to feel this way is to ignore the voice that is telling them to stop and listen. And there are many ways to ignore it. Some simply bear down, reasoning that they need more discipline, more focus. Some turn to diversions, both healthy and reckless. Most, I am convinced, enter a sort of sleepwalking stage where they force themselves to hold on until retirement. None of these approaches will make your second half better than the first, and may, in fact, make it worse.

If you are hearing a voice speak softly to you, it is time to head for the locker room, catch your breath, and get ready for the second half - a better second half than the first. For a football coach and his team, this is the time to take stock, to look back on what was accomplished. What worked? What didn't? Plays that didn't work will either be adjusted or dropped for the second half; new plays will be drawn up and inserted. Many times, a good second half depends on what is done during halftime."

See you in the locker room.

Halftime...

2009-08-07T13:12:00.012-04:00

It's Friday and it's been a difficult week. I picked up my stuff from my old place of employment on Tuesday - 18 years jammed into 14 boxes. It was the roughest day since "d-day". The question hung in the air like a fog that refuses to lift: Now what?

I took a very long bike ride this morning. About halfway through the scenic ride, my untrained body started sending signals to my brain: "It's time to take a shortcut and head for home." Isn't that just like life? Sometimes we get tired and begin to think it may be time to change our plans. This morning, I kept on riding. As it turns out, the last half of the journey was every bit as rich as, and perhaps richer than, the first half.

A few years ago, I got enamored by a concept called halftime - a time in life when we review our first half successes and begin to think about how we want to finish the game during the second half (Halftime: Changing Your Game Plan from Success to Significance). I read books, did some introspection and talked about halftime to anyone who would listen. Then life got busy and my halftime work went on the back shelf. I want to be all that God has called me to be. I want to finish well. Ater reading and talking about halftime concepts for years, this may be God's way of convincing me to act on those principles! Have you ever wondered, "Might there be more to life than this? What special gifts has God given me? How can I use those gifts to be all that He has called me to be? " Great questions whether you're in the first half, stuck in halftime, or well into the second half. Have a great weekend wherever your journey takes you.

More Than a Job Search...

2009-08-03T11:42:00.011-04:00

Richard Bolles, author of What Color Is Your Parachute?, was asked "What do you tell Christians struggling with the effects of the recession?" His answer? "...God is in the midst of it, working to help us discern and discover, maybe for the first time, our mission and purpose in life. That’s where God is most present to us – and it’s the basis not just for finding another job, but for getting a clearer idea of what we’re really meant to do and what we really love to do. It’s more than a job search; it’s a life search..." (Christianity Today, August 2009) Mission, purpose, life search...how's that for perspective?

Sometimes life gets out of focus, doesn't it? Max Lucado, in When God Whispers Your Name, summed it up this way: "Changing direction in life is not tragic. Losing passion in life is. Something happens to us along the way. Convictions to change the world downgrade to commitments to pay the bills. Rather than make a difference, we make a salary. Rather than look forward, we look back. Rather than look outward, we look inward. And we don't like what we see." I want to make a difference. Don't you?

I'm off to resume the journey as the unraveling process continues. Enjoy the journey!

Impressions, Events, and Thoughts...

2009-07-31T12:41:00.006-04:00

I rode my bike this morning. I saw someone walking their dog. I saw someone working in their yard. I saw signs of life in an awakening world. But I didn’t seem to hear from God. Or did I? After awhile, I just started concentrating on the ride. It was a great ride. I think sometimes God is silent to allow us time to think about what He’s already told us and to decide for ourselves what our next step will be.

When I got home, I Googled, “Does God always speak?” One source indicated that “God speaks to us through impressions, events, and thoughts…God allows events to occur in our lives to direct us, change us and help us grow spiritually.” No kidding!

I had an interesting conversation with my daughter Katie the other day. When I told her about losing my job she said, “I was talking to a friend about you. I told her you were an engineer by day but anything but at night. I also told her that given the economy, if anything ever happened to your job, you could end up doing something ENTIRELY different.” Huh.

It’s hard to believe I lost my job only three days ago. I told someone this morning that “I'm taking this one day at a time at this point but remain anxious and in a hurry to see where it leads. Stay tuned!” Stay tuned indeed. My next steps remain: financial review, self assessment, resume prep, job search. Wish me luck as the journey continues!

Learning to Listen...

2009-07-30T10:42:00.004-04:00

In his book, God Is Closer Than You Think, John Ortberg talks about spiritual pathways as the ways we naturally sense God’s presence. In the list are the intellectual, relational, serving, worship, activist, contemplative, and creation pathways. These days, the creation pathway is working for me. I’m finding the morning walk to be of great value. What can you do when you’re walking, except to observe the beauty of your surroundings and think about whatever God places in your mind?

We tend to lead very busy lives. We get so busy living life that we just don’t take time to listen for what God has to say to us. It occurred to me, during this morning’s walk, that I should have started this practice years ago. I’m learning to slow down and listen. As I walked this morning, I was struck by the phrase “Be still and know”. Be still and know that I am God. Everything’s gonna’ be all right. How about that?

What about you? How and when do you connect with God? Is there one spiritual pathway that works better that the others for you at this stage in life? Are you listening? If you are, what are you hearing?

Well, gotta’ go. Lots to do today as the journey continues. It’s still kind of foggy but each day the fog is lifting. As a next step, I hope to do some financial planning.

Enjoy the journey!

The Journey Begins...

2009-07-29T23:02:00.005-04:00

I lost my job yesterday. It hurt…a lot. Intellectually, I know it’s the result of ongoing reductions in force in the midst of bankruptcy but, emotionally, it still hurts. When I first heard the news, I was in shock. It’s like being in a car accident and everything turns into a fog. I’m surprised by the emotional and physical toll one simple event can have on your being. It’s hard to think. I can feel my body tensing. Almost immediately, I could feel by back acting up. I’m terrified about being out of work at 59 in the worst economy in decades.

God may be saying, “Do you trust me?”

Since today was my first day out of work, I decided that a walk would be a good way to start the day. It rained last night and as I walked, I was enjoying the beauty of God’s creation. I live in a neighborhood with beautiful yards and lots of trees. I was thinking how lush and indescribably beautiful things were when I saw her. Perfectly centered in the upstairs window of a saltbox house, a little girl was waving. I waved back. God spoke to me through that little girl. I sensed him saying, “You’re OK.” Lord, I believe; help my unbelief.

I’ve never journaled before but I’m thinking it may be therapeutic. We’ll see how it goes. Gotta’ go. Lots to do today as the journey begins!