Simon's reflections

Subject:
[Simon's Reflections] Contemplations on the Essence of Leadership
Date:
Tue, 18 Mar 2008 09:22:44 -0700
From:
Simon Goland
Reply-To:
SimonsReflectionsList-owner@yahoogroups.com
To:
list-SimonsReflections
: Today’s Reflection contains some thoughts about leadership. In a : couple of months, I am teaching a course at the Justice Institute: of BC, titled "The Art of Creative Leadership" and was asked to write: an article for their newsletter. I might as well share it here too.The Art of Creative Leadership“Platoon, be ready to leave at 21:00 sharp. This is our first mission, and I will be making sure everybody is fully ready and prepared,” were my words. This was the first platoon of soldiers I had direct responsibility over, and I was eager to make sure we complete the operation, and come back alive. It was the Israeli army, and I was just over eighteen years of age, sergeant and a platoon commander, leading them to our first mission. I was excited and nervous at the same time, looking forward to prove myself with the responsibility that was given to me. In retrospect, this was probably also the first moment I learned that “leadership is a serious and responsible business.” After all, we were dealing with people’s lives.Many years have gone by, and many other leadership roles with them. Just like many others around me, I took my leadership responsibilities and roles very seriously. We must meet the budget. Deliver the product on time. Manage the project properly and according to the latest standards. Prepare the new course outline according to the requirements of the review committee. All important and serious leadership (and management) tasks, that have to be approached with the utmost level of responsibility.While it is certainly true, and I don’t want to minimize the importance of responsibility in the role of any leader, this is only a partial picture. There is a lot more to leadership than that.If we ask people of all levels of many organizations to define leadership, there will rarely be much agreement in the room. The understanding of leadership is highly fragmented, with hundreds of definitions, ideas, theories, models, competencies, and skills. Some will say leaders are born. Others will say leaders are made. Perhaps leadership is a calling that simply lands in your lap one day. Quite a few will equate leadership with the leader, focusing on a person, while others think leadership is potentially everywhere. Many will see leadership as a lonely role and task, whereby one carries all the accountability and responsibility on their shoulders.Despite the countless theories and definitions of leadership, there are also some core similarities that are emerging in the leadership trends in this 21st century. The keys to the leadership (and management) kingdom are changing hands, and we are beginning to look more and more for leaders who focus not only on the task, but also on the people behind the task. We are beginning to look for leaders who can engage the human body, mind, and soul – theirs and those of their followers – despite the seriousness of the tasks at hand. We are looking for leaders who can tap into our creativity, imagination, intuition, and humour, and create the environment where we can unleash our best skills and talents. We want to bring our whole self to work, without checking parts of ourselves at the door. We want to be inspired and engaged. Great leadership is about human experiences, not processes. It is a human-based, human-centered, and human-focused activity, which comes from the heart and considers the hearts of others. While there is a need to remember the responsibilities and the tasks, there is at least as much need to remember the human behind them. It is not about neglecting the responsibilities and the “serious business” at hand; it is about remembering to lighten up while taking care of business.With such leaders, we become energized, excited, productive, and full of joyful and creative energy. Whether in the workplace, our community, or the army, people will follow the leader who engages and inspires their spirit and soul.:: "If you want to build a ship, don't drum up people together to:: collect wood and don't assign them tasks and work, but rather:: teach them to long for the endless immensity of the sea.”:: - Antoine de Saint-ExuperyA sunny week to you all, inside and out.:: From The Four Corners:: This is a new section of the newsletter, featuring news, ideas,:: moments of inspiration of something someone somewhere is doing:: that is making a difference in the world.About a week ago, in a First Nation store and gallery, a little book jumped into my hand and told me I needed to get it. I did. "The Best of Chief Dan George" is a collection of writings by Chief Dan George, who writes about Canada, about his people, and about the environment. It is touching, beautiful, inspiring, and sad at the same time. Chief Dan George was a performer (remember "Little Big Man" with Dustin Hoffman?), a poet, a philosopher, and a teacher.If you talk to the animals they will talk with youand you will know each other.If you do not talk to them you will not know them,and what you do not know you will fear.What one fears one destroys.:: Simon’s Reflections newsletter is published on a:: bi-weekly basis and contains writings that touch:: the heart, provoke the mind, and inspire action.:: And I do welcome your thoughts and comments.SimonArchives: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/SimonsReflectionsListAbout Simon: http://www.SimonGoland.com-- “Kiva lets you lend to a specific entrepreneur in the developing world - empowering them to lift themselves out of poverty.”http://www.kiva.org/app.php__._,_.___
Messages in this topic (1) Reply (via web post) Start a new topic
Messages
Change settings via the Web (Yahoo! ID required) Change settings via email: Switch delivery to Daily Digest Switch format to Traditional Visit Your Group Yahoo! Groups Terms of Use Unsubscribe
Visit Your Group
New web site?
Drive traffic now.
Get your business
on Yahoo! search.
Dog Fanatics
on Yahoo! Groups
Find people who are
crazy about dogs.
Y! Groups blog
the best source
for the latest
scoop on Groups.

Simon's Reflection on Integrity

I actually went to the Wikipedia dictionary to look up the meaning of the word, "integrity." What I saw is that "integrity" is

(1) Steadfast adherence to a strict moral or ethical code,
(2) The state of being wholesome; unimpaired, and
(3) The quality or condition of being complete; pure.

I was faced with a challenging situation last week, with one of the universities I teach in. There was an assignment due Sunday a week ago. By about the following Friday, 5 days later, a good 40% of the students have not yet submitted the assignment. This is when we (the other faculty person and myself) have posted - in our online learning environment for the course - a notice saying that by now it is too late, the situation is quite unacceptable, and we are planning to fail the students who have not submitted the required assignment. Mind you, these are students who have been in the program for about a year and a half, both in our course, as well as other courses as well; as such, they are not novices to the environment and to the learning guidelines and standards we have. We have also expressed our disappointment in the lack of students' commitment and responsibility about communicating with us about being late; there were a few students who did let us know they are going to be late (which is fine, when the reasons are valid). Interestingly, I also had a bit of an emotional reaction when posting the note on the late submissions - feeling a bit like being ignored, dismissed, and discounted.This opened up a very rich, authentic, and engaging dialogue with (at least some of the) students in our course. A couple of students also contacted me directly, completing the assignment (and several other pending tasks of several weeks) in less than a weekend, asking for a passing grade. By this point, I was faced with a challenge, as I really don't like giving a failing grade, while seeing the effort and knowing how much pressure there is in other courses as well. Not to mention the rest of life.Now what do I do?:: "If you walk towards the sun you leave the shadows behind." - from India

I spent a big part of the weekend agonizing over the upcoming decision. To fail or not to fail. I know the students, I could see their efforts, I know how stressful the program is overall. I could hear the whispers of my Jewish Mother heart, "Be nice, be gentle, let them pass." It would have been so easy to do.Yet, I couldn't. There was something that I couldn't even articulate clearly, until later. Something that didn't feel right in doing so. That something was the state of being complete, wholesome, feeling good about my own integrity. Once I understood, I explained it clearly to the students who were asking me to reconsider - my dilemma, my contemplations (more like "agonies"), and my decision. The reply of one of them made it all worthwhile:
"I appreciate your stance in making and keeping your personal and professional commitments to your integrity and expectations of standards. I 100% support that. I would be surprised if you caved in to any professional standards as you seem to me a man of your word, a man of honor."What a relief! And a whole new understanding of what integrity is for me.

What a relief! And a whole new understanding of what integrity is for me.A sunny week to you all, inside and out.:

: From The Four Corners:: This is a new section of the newsletter, featuring news, ideas,:: moments of inspiration of something someone somewhere is doing:: that is making a difference in the world.Nothing specific crossed my eyes as of recent... though I am open to suggestions...:: Simon’s Reflections newsletter is published on a:: bi-weekly basis and contains writings that touch:: the heart, provoke the mind, and inspire action.:: And I do welcome your thoughts and comments.SimonArchives: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/SimonsReflectionsListAbout Simon: http://www.simongoland.com/-- “Kiva lets you lend to a specific entrepreneur in the developing world - empowering them to lift themselves out of poverty.”http://www.kiva.org/app.php__._,_.___
Messages in this topic (1) Reply (via web post) Start a new topic
Messages
Change settings via the Web (Yahoo! ID required) Change settings via email: Switch delivery to Daily Digest Switch format to Traditional Visit Your Group Yahoo! Groups Terms of Use Unsubscribe
Visit Your Group
Need traffic?
Drive customers
With search ads
on Yahoo!
Dog Zone
on Yahoo! Groups
Join a Group
all about dogs.
Yahoo! Groups
Home Improvement
Learn and share
do-it-yourself tips.
.

"I had to share this from Simon's reflections (which he e-mails me monthly).......it means sooooo much to me to finally see, hear and feel integrity.

diabetes

By Shelly


Hi I’M Shelly and I have type 2 diabetes I just finished 1 year as I diabetic so I thought I write something for the coast post on what it like to have diabetes. To have diabetes is to have to test your blood sugars everyday and take pills or insulin but that not all as a diabetic you have to watch what you eat and make sure to do some exercise everyday. Having diabetes put you at risk for many other conditions like eye disease and heart disease but if you look after your self you may not have any of problems. The next thing you have to do as a diabetic is have a ac1 test this is a blood test done every three months to see how sugar in your blood you want the sugar to be around 7 but you need to ask your doctor what number they want you at. To know it your diabetic you will a blood test and if your blood sugars come back over 7 or higher you maybe diabetic. November is diabetes month and on November 14 it is world diabetes day. There is the Canadian Diabetes Assoc ion and there website is http://www.diabetes.ca/ this is a good site as it for Canadians and you can get some some great information. I just had my ac1 test done and it was 7.5 so it good but I want it at 7 so I will keep working at it. This has been a great first year as a diabetic but I still got a ways to go. I just hope one day a cure is found. Thank you Shelly

write

Hi Everyone it's lilly better to some as shelly. I hope some of have been reading our blog and We hope you enjoy it and keep on reading. We would love to hear from you?

Connecting dots

This one is really weird. It all started with bits and pieces of pictures (thought pictures)thrown in a basket (that is my head) and tossed about until I didn't know what day it nor month or anything that was going on from one moment to another.

My reality was seeing my husband....he seemed to be the one constant (on going item thing or place) that saved me!So ....from the time he left for work to the time he got home I was in termoil....of course I couldn't tell him that!

I started to believe that I this is what "insane!" feels like? I was believing in my own thoughts....and staying in my thoughts not really knowing what was reality.....(even my husband was not making any sense to me anymore). or was I dreaming it all? Obviously I wasn't dreaming !

The mind is very complex. I coudn't find my way around and I couldn't make heads or tails of my life and I was sooooo scared finally I just wanted to die....to be at rest with self is all I wanted...I yes......... I did the worst thing ever..... I ....

Yes I am alive and getting much better. My therapist is guiding me through the termoil that is my mind.

How did it happen?...I was so sane?...I had it all together? I thought I knew what I was doing? Where did I go wrong?

I lost my constant. I call it my constant because I found out that my mind needs something to touch base with. I need this to make sense of what I am doing or what I am going to do next?.

I changed my constant to a place rather then a person. Ihad to learn to take responcibility for my own actions....there also has be a lot of trust and I have very little trust in myself.

(a peculiar eye)

St. Patrick's Day
We all know that when three-leaf clovers come out, it's St. Patrick's Day. This Irish holiday is always celebrated on March 17th, which is the day that Saint Patrick died. He was a missionary way back in the 4th century who converted the Irish to Christianity.
St. Patrick's Day - The History
Saint Patrick was born around 385 AD in the United Kingdom. His real name is believed to be Maewyn Succat (he took on Patrick, or Patricus, after he became a priest). When he was 16, he was kidnapped by a group of Irish raiders and sold into slavery in Ireland. During his six-year captivity as a shepherd, he began to have religious visions and found strength in his faith. He finally escaped to France and became a priest - and later a bishop. When he was about 60 years old, Saint Patrick returned to Ireland to spread the Christian word. He used the shamrock, which resembles a three-leafed clover, as a metaphor to explain the Christian concept of God (Father, Son and Holy Spirit).

St. Patrick's Day - An Irish Holiday?
The first St. Patrick's Day parade didn't take place in Ireland, but actually in New York City on March 17, 1762. Now, over 100 US cities have St. Patrick's Day parades. New York should be called the Big Shamrock instead of the Big Apple because their parade usually puts the rest of them to shame.
St. Patrick's Day - Did U Know?
· Green is associated with St. Patrick's Day because it is the color of spring, Ireland and the shamrock.
· Leprechauns are also associated with St. Patrick's Day, although the only reason they are is because they're Irish. Leprechauns are usually mean little creatures - with the exception of the Lucky Charms guy.
· People give Saint Patrick credit for chasing all the snakes out of Ireland. The truth is that snakes are not indigenous to Ireland.