Care

Jan 11 2013

Trust – The One Decision You’ve Made For Every Person You’ve Ever Met

In our interactions with others, we begin every relationship by making a split-second choice between to trust them and and not to them – 100% of the time. There has never been exception!

We either trust a person or we don’t – it’s that simple. Then – every subsequent action (that they do to us or we do to them) is directly related to that one decision.

Our behavior will clearly demonstrate either our trust or mistrust.

So what are some simple ways to evaluate if we’ve made the decision to trust or mistrust?

Dec 26 2012

Gifts – 26 Reasons I Am Loved, What Are Yours?

Nearly two weeks ago small gifts started appearing at various places around our home – on my pillow, my bathroom vanity, my desk, in my closet, my briefcase.

It didn’t take me long to figure out that Sarah (my lovely wife) was celebrating the 12 days of Christmas by presenting me with a gift each day.

So I began looking forward to the gifts – expecting them. The only problem was – the gifts didn’t arrive at the same time each day. Some days I found a well-placed gift early in the morning – other days, just before bed.

Her gifts were not expensive – one gift included 7 apples, another a heartfelt note. Yet they were incredibly personal and creative – even the number of items increased each day to match the corresponding day!

The most treasured gift arrived on Day 12 – which is the way it should be, right?

On the twelfth day of Christmas my true love gave to me a note which read…

Dec 24 2012

Three Characteristics of Leaders Who Care

I don’t have to tell you that if you are going to effectively influence people you must care for them and they must know that you care.

I generally struggle demonstrating my care for others. It’s not that I don’t care about people – in fact, I’m a deeply compassionate person. I simply don’t always communicate in a way that adequately expresses my love and care.

I recently observed three key characteristics of leaders who genuinely care for their teams. Here they are:

Aug 27 2012

Broken Family – It doesn’t have to be this way

The most heart-breaking stories are those of broken homes and fractured relationships. There’s one reason – because in most instances they’re avoidable.

This post is part of the series – Non-Negotiables For a Healthy Family
Broken Family – It Doesn’t Have to be This Way
Family – Do You REALLY Care About Yours?

This past week I was told of two families who are navigating incredibly challenging circumstances. In one household, the father has a history of abuse and the family has had enough. In the other, one parent was convicted of embezzling funds in the workplace and is serving a long-term prison sentence leaving behind a spouse and 3 precious daughters.

Jul 02 2012

What does longevity have to do with leadership?

Longevity is not leadership. Leadership is leadership. And longevity is longevity.

Don’t get me wrong – I love hearing about leaders who launch organizations and serve them for 20, 30, or 40 years. But does tenure make great leaders?

One of my best friends is one of the most loyal people I know. He will likely serve his current organization for the rest of his life. I have learned much about consistency and contentment through our friendship.

My father has been serving the same organization for more than 25 years.

Organizations and teams can benefit significantly from a leader who communicates and implements bold, compelling vision through changing seasons over a long period of time. And Sarah and I are looking forward to investing the most fulfilling and productive years of our lives in a long-term role within an organization.

Yet I’ve learned that although some executives man the helm of an organization for a long period of time, they are not always leading.