I have been an admirer of Vince Lombardi since I read the book, Instant Replay, by Jerry Kramer. Jerry Kramer played Offensive Guard for the Green Bay Packers in their late 1960’s Championship Years. He had a front row seat to the transformation that Vince Lombardi brought to the Packers when he became head coach in 1959.
John Maxwell has a five-day-a-week short leadership challenge. It is called Minute with Maxwell. A typical quip revolves around a word, or a phrase, submitted by either one of his team members, or a listener.
He will often use this phrase, “Here’s what I know.” I appreciate when he does this. At that moment he will be providing an insight from his many years of leadership experience.
Leaders often downplay the influence they have. There is a tendency to believe that what is said, how it is said, and when it is, said has little impact. There are some leaders who have fooled themselves into believing they can hold a double standard, and expect those being led to roll with such inconsistency.
In First Kings Chapter 18 we read a slice of the Prophet Elijah’s story. Two significant things happen in this chapter. He confronts the false prophets of Baal (I Kings 18:1-40). It was the biblical version of the ‘OK Corral,’ (you may be too young to grasp this analogy…google it). Elijah and the prophets of Baal met to decide who was going to run this town? Baal? Or the true God of the Universe? Elijah wins this shootout.
My good friend, Art Roxby, wrote, “The first rule of fishing…fish where the fish are.” I’m not a fisherman. Art is a very engaged fisherman. I have to believe he is correct on this. It does make perfect sense. If it’s fish you are after, then it seems quite logical, and understandable, you’d go where they are.
Job is a book of both despair and delight. Job has fallen on difficult times. Some of his friends gather around to offer insights into his current reality of having lost all he had. Frankly, much of their advice is couched with a judgmental spirit along with a sense of superiority. In all of this, his “advice-givers” drop a genuine nugget of insight every now and then.
Joni, my wife, and I were flying out to celebrate one of our long-time pastor’s retirement. At the airport we were looking for a parking place. We made a turn to head down a parking aisle and came to a quick stop. There was a man, all by himself, attempting to navigate 6 roller bags and a toddler car seat. Once he cleared the center of the aisle, and we were able to drive slowly by, I rolled down my window and said, “You can use some friends.”
When are able, Joni and I enjoy taking our two local youngest grandkids, Myles (7), and Chloe (10), to school. One of the games we all enjoy is, prior to heading to school, each of us will pre-select a color and make of a vehicle. We will then watch for them. The individual who gets the most spotted wins.
Robert Steven Kaplan in his book, What to Ask the Person in the Mirror, identifies seven areas leaders need to address to be more effective. The areas are: Vision and Priorities; Managing Your Time; Giving and Getting Feedback; Succession Planning and Delegation; Evaluation and Alignment; The Leader as Role Model; Reaching Your Potential.
The Prophet Samuel had just anointed Saul as the first King of the Nation of Israel. You can follow this story in the First Book of Samuel Chapter Ten found in the Old Testament. Samuel introduces Saul to the people (24). He then outlines the role of the King (25). After these two actions, he sends the folks home.
What do you think? Does success make you happy? Or are you happy without success? I would assume your answer to this question would be based a great deal on how you define either of these two. To look at it differently, you might wonder: Does success make you happy, or does happiness make you more likely to succeed?
