Shot w/ Rob

On leadership

Leadership is defined as having the ability to socially influence others in such a way to get something done. Of course there's a bit more to it, and in fact there's an entire cottage industry that has sprouted up to teach us all exactly what good leadership is. Now it all goes without saying, there's a vast difference between what a boss is, what a manager is and what a leader is and yet at heart, all three need to have a unique awareness of the other and what those differences are.

Of course you can't delve too far into what makes a good leader without understanding what our current school of thoughts are. The first has to do with inherent traits, as in you're born with certain traits that rise to the occasion when needed. The second is basically one of process, in which you learn how to lead through interaction with others. Truth is, you and I know it's probably a bit of both, a little of this and some of that.

Some years back, OK, a whole lotta years back, I worked for a person who was just an ass. Yep, you know the kind. He would from time to time, sneak out at 2 or 3 in the morning and peek in windows just to make sure people were not sleeping. As a young kid entering the worlds work force, I found this a bit frightening when I head from my co workers that our boss would do this and I resolved he'd never catch me sleeping.

He never did! The take away is that after a few months I quickly learned that those he was responsible for supervising, ridiculed him for his behavior. He might have been a boss, but he was certainly no leader.

On another occasion, I asked him a simple question and he basically brushed me off and said something stupid about it wasn't my job to question.

Point being, a leader is one who trusts, who teaches. The catch is all this is why would any manager take the time to trust his employees or bother to answer their questions?

And that answer is what differentiates a leader from a generic boss or manager.

That's right, he cares! The fact that a good leader cares, isn't all inclusive, but it's the starting block for good leadership. If you don't care about the goals that need to be obtained, if you don't care for your employees, you're probably in the wrong position.

Missing....

I'm missing summer sunsets, campfires, smores, beer, shots of tequilla, grilled burgers over coals, coffee with grounds, cool mornings, poision ivy, weed wacking, neighbors up and down the road, fire flies and of course, summer friends.

and it's been in the 80's all week!

Shot w/ Rob

Are you a common man?

There was a time when I thought I would change the world. Not could, but would, as in that was my sole purpose for being born. For a very long time, I believed in destiny, in fate, in God and in myself. So much so, I thought myself somewhat special. Not special in the sense that I was better, but special in that I had a specific job to do. Specific and special, assigned by God (or perhaps by aliens but that's a different story) to make the world a better place.

I've always had a personal view of how the world should be laid out, along political, social, cultural and religious veins and the relationship of each, to the other, and to the body. Always thought my ideas were somewhat solid, even if they were somewhat simplistic but I think it's a fair and substantive question to ask if a Nation should seek respect before power, if belief proceeds needs and determines ritual, if education enhances compassion, and in what way?

30 years ago, I really believed that by the time I was in my fifties, we'd have a moon base, moved on to Mars, beaten back poverty, experiance the beginnnings of a spiritual awakening as well making inroads into prejudice.

I guess I kind of figured the human race didn't need my input. That you'd all be allright, that you'd get to where you need to be with out my help. I kind of haven't worried about humanity for the last 30 years as I went about raising my kids, working and having fun but a funny thing happened the other day.

I woke up!

 I realized I really don't like the world we've made for ourselves simply because I know we can do better, a hell of a lot better. Thing is, I'm a dreamer, and I do happen to believe that dreams do come true, but I'm also smart enough to understand, that they don't come true without hard work, sweat, hard faith and diligence.

Maybe my destiny is still in play? May be, that I'm not a comman man?

And You?

Slowly, but surely

I'm home, I'm better,  and I can actually spend more than a few minutes at the PC before my leg swells to the size of a birthday balloon. In the past 10 days, I've watched more television, mostly westerns, more movies, more mindless crap, than I have in the last 40 years. Good lord! One of the funniest lines I actually laughed at, "I don't believe I told you to put watermellon on your feet". Lol, it's the context.

Is It Appropriate?

Is it appropriate that people, groups of people, organizations, and corporations can donate large sums of cash to political campaigns.
Is it appropriate that presidential campaigns cost in excess of a billion dollars?
Is it appropriate that for a civilized and industrial Nation, America has a horrible ranking on the world stage for poverty and infant mortality rates.
Is it appropriate that nearly 40 percent of a working persons paycheck goes into everyone’s else’s pocket, except the person who’s earning it.
Is it appropriate that an Athlete earns millions, a celebrity earns millions, a CEO earns millions, a politician earns millions while a police officer, a soldier, a fire fighter struggle to feed their family.
Is it appropriate that a corporation not only has legal status as a living breathing citizen, but that they actually have more legal rights than you?
Is it appropriate that education has taken a back seat to everything, as evidenced by the importance of athletics.
Is it appropriate that our prisons are filled to the brim.
Is it appropriate that there seems to be two different judicial systems, one for the wealthy, and one for you.
Is it appropriate that Banks, credit card companies and other financial institutions charge 20 plus percent interest along with assorted fees to nickel and dime us all to death, for using our own money.
Is it appropriate that you simply cannot afford to go to the dentist, much less a doctor, and god forbid, a major illness will wipe you out.
Is it appropriate that we can not hold our politicians accountable for their statements?
Is it appropriate that our media is driven by entertainment profit, in that stories that incite and inflame are common place as opposed to stories that inform
Is it appropriate that immigration is even a topic of discussion when current immigration laws are not being enforced at the federal, state and county levels