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The Innkeeper’s Wisdom

A second look at the first Christmas For many people this most wonderful time of year may not feel so wonderful. You may be struggling with a personal challenge or just be in a funk at the state of the world in general. I hope this little poem , pinned 17  years ago, will be an encouragement for you to step outside your worry for just a moment and consider the miracle of Christ’s grace and mercy in every situation. To be open to the possibility that God’s common purpose for each of us is to know the miracle of

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How to Hold ’em And Fold ’em

How to Hold ’em And Fold ’em You can conduct your career transition to either spoil or strengthen your team, your organization and, most of all, your good name. There are two succession transition mistakes a few leaders make at the end of their career – being too aggressive or too passive. Both are about the need for control.   Aggressively – Holdin’ on too long There is a story in the Bible’s Old Testament about a king named Saul and his successor apparent named David. King Saul was very old, and it would have been wise for him to

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Getting Your Career Off the Ground

Getting Your Career Off the Ground   You need not see what someone is doing to know if it is his/her vocation, you have only to watch their eyes: a cook mixing a sauce, a surgeon making a primary incision, a clerk completing a bill of lading, wear the same rapt expression, forgetting themselves in a function. How beautiful it is, that eye-on-the-object look.  —W. H. Auden Do you feel stuck in a job that’s going nowhere? Do you often imagine moving in a new career  direction but don’t know how to begin? Sometimes people seeking change will try to

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One Thing We Have in Common

One Thing We Have in Common When I was a teenager, I was going to my first job interview, and my Daddy told me not to be afraid to speak up because “Everybody puts their pants on the same way – one leg a time.” He said that people, no matter their age or status, are just people. We all have a lot in common. Respect others’ opinions, stand by yours, but never forget that relationships are all that matter. I landed the job back then, but the world feels very different now.    Don’t Have Things we don’t have

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Deciding It’s Time Again

Deciding It’s Time Again Uncertainty about the future or unhappiness about the present is the reason to plan, not an excuse for inaction. It’s hard think long-term when the bullets are flying around your head is a favorite quote by an old Army Ranger and paratrooper friend of mine.  It obvious  he was good at his job  because he is still alive to share great quotes like this. He told me that when he jumped out of perfectly good planes there were often bullets flying around him as he glided, he into a battlefield and landed. When he hit the

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The Elephant in the Zoom

Almost 75 percent of employees in the United States, and close to a third in the Asia–Pacific region, reported symptoms of burnout. All nations reported rising levels of pandemic fatigue. Worldwide – organization wide – employees are tired. McKinsey Quarterly Report January 2021 Recently I was facilitating some virtual leadership conversations with three groups of high potential managers who worked in different organizations. All the groups had an engaging conversation about the McKinsey report quote, which they tagged the elephant in the Zoom.   Workplace Boundaries “Covid has taken workplace boundaries away” turned out to be the common thread of

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Fence Post Mentors

“I’m just a turtle on a fence post. And if you ever see a turtle sitting on the fence post, you know it had a lot of help getting up there.” Sunday, January 17, was the official International Mentoring Day. It happens the same day every year.  I hope you aren’t as surprised as I am to learn about this day, which is a keen reminder that none of us get to where we are alone. Learning about this day made me think about those larger-than-life advisors in my life who took time to share a bit of themselves and

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Planting a Strategy

Planting a Strategy I have helped a few non-profit organizations develop plans over the years. The ones that minister to homeless people, Gospel Rescue Missions, have been my favorites for over a decade. In December 2020, I  was asked to write an article about strategic planning for a national association of these missions, who rescue people to recover from addictions to find a new life in Christ. Over time,  I adapted my traditional planning approach to fit the needs of these purpose-driven places, which deal with more uncertainties,  struggle with more complex “friendly” competitors, and have fewer resources than any

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Christmas Light

Christmas Light With a past life filled with fear, depression and loneliness, the Grinch sat with his dog in a cave for years and years – a victim of circumstances. He believed there was no light at the end of his tunnel. Then one day he had a vision and decided to take a bold action, a horribly mean action, to get back at those who he believed had destroyed his life. In the dark of night, he stole all the Christmas gifts, gadgets and groceries in Whoville and piled them in his cave. Then that next morning, the Grinch

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It’s how you look at it

This week I drove to The Tutwiler Barber Shop, where I get a monthly cut with my barber Mimi, is located in the historic Tutwiler Hotel in downtown Birmingham, Alabama. When I walked into the shop, I could see that Mimi had blade in hand and was just about the finish another client’s hot shave. Since I had a few minutes, I walked through the back door and down the hall to get a cup of coffee. That quick detour took me past the hotel janitors’ storage area and locker room. The door was wide open, so I peeked in.

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Thanking Who

Today many of us will sit around a food-filled table with a few friends or family.  Some of us will stop before the meal and acknowledge people and other things we are thankful for in our life.  We also can be grateful to Who made us and continues to faithfully bless those who honor Him in their Leadership and Life. For the Lord is good and his love endures forever;    his faithfulness continues through all generations Psalm 100 NIV A psalm. For giving grateful praise. 1 Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth.2     Worship the Lord with gladness;    come before him with joyful songs.3 Know that the Lord is God.    It is he who made

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Lost and Found

He swooped into Dodge City driving a six-horse wagon and totin’ a full pocket of cash. His aim, and only aim,  was to win Miss Kitty’s heart. He worked all days and nights with all his might and with all his money, but to no avail. The more he pushed, the more she pulled away. Her heart was and always would be in the Long Branch Saloon and with her man, Marshall Matt Dillon. Finally, fully exhausted and broke, this once-rich man leaves town walking alongside an old donkey with a half-empty knapsack thrown over his sagging shoulder. This episode

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This or That?

This or that?   “It is those who concentrate on but one thing at a time who advance in this world. The great man or woman is the one who never steps outside his or her specialty or foolishly dissipates his or her individuality.” ― Og Mandino, author  For the first few years their stage name was The Four Aims. That changed in 1956 when they became The Four Tops, a dancing group that sang. Over those beginning years, they waffled from singing to dancing but, even then, were leaning toward dance. They focused on choreographing their rhythm and swag stage

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Unseen Battles

Unseen Battles When I was in my mid-50s, I went through several unexpected life and work changes. They didn’t seem significant, but at some vague point afterward, I slowly disconnected from life and disengaged from my friends and my family. I sat alone, with no energy, feeling like I was walking in a fog. I even recall being so despondent that I hoped the phone would not ring because it might be a client, who was going to pay me to help, and I didn’t want to talk. With my wife’s encouragement, I got some professional help to work through

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