What happensWhen a professionEvolves entirely in the private sector?When its all for oneBut not one for all?When each oneCares only for their ownStorefrontWith little much to spareFor the thoroughfaresAnd public squares?A nation of shopkeepersWith limited roomFor those without the coin,And a stronger sense of competitionWith fellow shopkeepersThan any sense of community with them.A hundred thousand […]
Read more "A nation of shopkeepers"The trouble with boiling all our troubles Down to personal responsibility Is that sometimes Our best intentions just aren’t enough. Sometimes The odds are too unbalanced The winds of adversity At gale force. For those of us who grew up Under the shadows of failed leadership It was often pressed upon us To not complain […]
Read more "Systems Failure"Was probably yesterday.Don’t let the factThat you didn’tHit the road beforeKeep you fromGoing out today.Don’t convince yourselfThat you are not the kind of personWho runsBecause you’ve been on aBad streak lately.Your legs still work don’t they?You owe it toThe people counting on youThe people who believe in youTo yourself.Get out.Run.
Read more "The best time to go for a run"It seems in order to succeed In a less than perfect world A certain amount of Disregard Is necessary. For the leader to let go of Her perfectionism And find ways to accept the members of her team For who they actually are While inspiring them to be better. For the follower to abandon His […]
Read more "Disregard"Are endless. Ubiquitous. Almost inevitable. Where we leave our heart At the door And occupy the least demanding seat In the room. No raising of hands No attempts to do better- Nothing too costly. Plenty rolling of eyes Plenty defence of the status quo Especially if it’s convenient For ourselves. For now. The chance to […]
Read more "Opportunities for mediocrity"Are there not limits to how muchSaving of ourselvesWe can do?If ‘God helps those who helps themselves‘Where does that leave the helpless?If ‘we are the ones we’ve been waiting for‘Where do we goWhen we don’t know where to go?How can we leadWhen we haven’t been led?Show grace when we’ve never beenAfforded the benefit of the […]
Read more "Unto Ourselves"Ready for a leadership position? Ready to ask her out? Ready to quit your job? Ready to start your business? Ready to get married? When do you know you’re ready? You can only read so many books Or have long conversations Or attend prayer meetings. In the end There will always be a gap left […]
Read more "When do you know you’re ready?"There’s a limit To the amount of salt You can put in food and still enjoy it. Past a certain point If you add more salt Your tongue will curl and Your stomach churn. Some things should not Be done in excess. Excess salt doesn’t make up for A meal poorly prepared And excess words […]
Read more "More Salt"Why volunteer? Some of us raise our hands Because we believe in a cause, Having stumbled across something noble We decide, despite the odds, To throw ourselves into it Headlong. Others of us raise our hands Because the alternatives Are so hard to sit with, So hard to reconcile, So hard to untangle the knots […]
Read more "Why we raise our hands"Serves no one.Not the leaderNot the people.Whether it’s because ofFeelings of inadequacy,Fear of being misunderstood,Offence at being snubbedOr slavery to your own ego-Wtholding your leadershipCreates a vaccumThat blocks the flowOf human flurishing.Much of the best workDone by leaders that actually careIs uncelebrated.But it matters.We all have good excusesFor not showing up-Join the club.Leadership is always […]
Read more "Reluctant Leadership"