Tell Me I'm Adored

As you probably know by now, my son Robbie and I went to see the Broadway show, The Lion King this past weekend. It was chock-full of leadership nuggets.

The last one I am going to share occurred when Scar took over the leadership role of the pride land after he killed the former king, his brother Mufasa.

Things were not going well, and Scar knew it. Yet, he didn’t understand why nobody loved or respected him. During the production, he sang a song titled, “Tell Me I’m Adored!”

He thought simply by being king, everyone would revere him. But that is not how leadership works.

People don’t follow and respect a leader because of his or her title, at least not willingly. They follow because of the people we are, who we are deep down.

Integrity, humility, a servant’s heart, unselfishness and compassion are the types of traits others desire in a leader. If you truly want to be respected as a leader and be able to be in a position to make a difference in others, these are things you need to have.

Everything rises and falls on leadership, and we are ALL leaders! I encourage you to be a student, to commit to continuously learning—read books, attend seminars and hang out with other leaders. Becoming a good leader is a process, not an event. Keep working at it!

By the way, to see a really cool trailer of the Broadway production of Lion King, click here.

The Past Doesn't Equal The Future

This week, I have been sharing stuff that came to me while my son and I were enjoying the Broadway show, The Lion King on Sunday night. In the show, Simba leaves his home, the pride land because of some guilt he was hanging on to. Later, a baboon named Rafiki finds him and asks him to come back to rule over the kingdom, as he is desperately needed.

Simba tells Rafiki that he was heir to the throne in the past but the past does not matter—it is too painful for him to go back and resume his duties. Rafiki proceeds to swat him over the head with his large stick.

Simba says, “Ouch, what did you do that for?!”

Rafiki answers, “It doesn’t matter, it is in the past.”

“Yeah, but it hurt!” Simba replies.

Rafiki then swings his stick again and Simba ducks. Rafiki says, “Ah, but you learned from your past!”

When you look back over your life and cringe at your mistakes, don’t worry. Remember Rafiki’s lesson above. Even though the past can hurt, we can learn from it and we all can improve on it.

The bottom line is that we are all less than perfect. Even the greatest of leaders in the Bible, other than Jesus, were far from perfect. So don’t beat yourself up if you have not been a model leader in the past. Someone once said that the difference between a winner and a loser is that the winner has failed more often.

The past does not have to equal the future. God created each of us to succeed. Today truly is the first day of the rest of your life.

Hakuna Matata

One of my favorite parts of The Lion King is when Timon and Pumba introduce themselves to Simba after he had run away. To cheer him up and help him to take his mind off his problems, they taught him their motto, Hakuna Matata, which means "no worries."

Simba embraces this philosophy and goes about happily living life.

I am one who has done his fair share of worrying in my life. I am much better than I used to be but I still have a ways to go.

A very wise man once said, "Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?" (Jesus quoted in Matthew 6:27). In other words, worrying does absolutely NO good!

I have heard it said that when you are facing some challenges you can worry or you can pray. Phillipians 4:6-7 says, "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, whith thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which trnscends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

Lion King Leadership Lessons

As I reflected on The Lion King performance that Robbie and I saw Sunday night, I was struck by how the story reflects what I believe about leadership. I strongly believe that everything rises and falls on leadership. In other words, how the leader goes, so goes the organization.

In the story, Scar kills his brother Mufasa who was the king. He then encourages Simba (Mufasa's son) who is heir to the throne to run away, which he does. Scar assumes the throne and unlike his brother, he is a very ineffective leader. He is looking at his leadership as a reason for him to be served, where everything is all about him.

Years pass and the pride land (which Scar is the king of) becomes bleak and desolate. Nothing is thriving. It has become a very unhealthy organization. All because of poor leadership.

As most of you know, Simba is eventually talked into returning to the pride land and he takes over as king. Because he leads in the proper way, everything once again begins to thrive.

This is obviously over-simplified, but the fact remains, everything rises and falls on leadership. And remember, we are ALL leaders!

Lion King

My family and I have had the opportunity in the past to see the Broadway production The Lion King a couple of times, once in Toronto and another time in Cleveland. It is truly fantastic.

When I heard it was coming to Toledo, I asked my family if they wanted to go again. The only one who said yes was my son, Robbie. So, the two of us went last night.

Once again, it was incredible. Though I have seen this twice before, I was still amazed at the incredible talent that was on display. Several times I was so in awe that I had tears in my eyes.

I think I am so moved by displays like this because it shows the incredible power of God. It also speaks of His great love for us, that he would provide talent like this to entertain us.

The other interesting thing that struck me was how there are so many different parts to play in this production. Some were musicians tucked under the stage out of sight, some acted as grass, some had to walk on 4 stilts to play a giraffe, while others played the lead roles, like Scar, Simba and Rafiki.

Regardless of what each person did, everyone had a key part to play. Just like life. Each of us has an important part to play. You may be in the spot light or you may be performing in the shadows. But no matter what, your part is critical.

47 - 4

As I mentioned a couple of days ago, I coach my son's 5th & 6th grade basketball team. We played a game this afternoon against a team that is loaded with talent. We played hard but they were able to squeek out a win against us, 47 - 4.

That sounds pretty bad, but when you compare it to our first game against them when they beat us 54 - 8, it doesn't look quite so bad.

When I was watching the game from the sidelines, I was watching the skill level of the players on the other team versus ours. There was not even a comparison. The coaching on our team was probably lacking too! But when you are on the sidelines helplessly watching your team get thrashed, it is very humbling and very difficult. I know I need that from time to time (unfortunately more often than not), but it is very difficult to watch our kids get discouraged.

Nevertheless, our kids played hard and did manage to have fun. I am proud of them. They are all great kids! I am also happy for the other team, as they seem like great kids also--very talented, great kids.

One interesting thing happened after the game. I talked with one of the other two coaches and congratulated him. He sheepishly accepted it and said something like, "I'm sorry." He felt bad that we had to go through that. He said, "We just got the luck of the draw on players." Classy comment.

Then on my way out, I was talking with their other coach. I said, "Great game coach! You have some really good players on your team!"

He said, "Well, I like to think it has a little to do with coaching too."

Unfortunately, that comment left a bitter taste in my mouth. However, it was a great reminder to me about the importance of being humble.

Leadership With Integrity

Last night I led a session at our church on "Leadership With Integrity" among other topics. At the close of our time together we broke up into small groups to discuss the impact of leading with integrity and without.

One of the groups made an interesting observation. They said that in each of the situations they had experienced where a boss led with integrity, good people were attracted to their organization. In the cases where the leader did not have integrity, good people left.

It reminded me of a comment I heard at a leadership conference I attended last year. The speaker said something like this, "Healthy organizations will attract healthy people and unhealthy people will want to leave. Unhealthy organizations will attract unhealthy people and healthy people will want to leave."

How true this is.

As the group mentioned last night, one of the best ways to have a healthy organization, whether it be a family, business or church group, is to lead with integrity and by example!

Herding Cats

Click here to watch video.

I coach my son's 5th and 6th grade basketball team at our local YMCA. Last night was one of our practices and it was one I would like to forget.

Normally practices and games are fun, but ocassionally it is like herding cats. Last night was one of those nights.

Our team is not very good. We have a lot of good kids, but not a lot of basketball experience. All I ask of them is that they support and respect one another, listen and play as hard as they can. Unfortunately last night, not one of those things happened. Kids were bickering with each other, pushing each other, complaining that teammates won't pass them the ball...and most of this was going on when I was trying to teach them something.

I admit it, I was frustrated. There is a verse in the Bible which instructs fathers not to exasperate their children (Ephesians 6:4). I was wondering why there isn't a verse about teams not exasperating your coach.

I suppose God knows that we as parents or coaches (or leaders of any kind) are adults and need to set the example for our kids (or those we lead). We need to let the peace of God show in our lives. We need to lead by example. I failed last night but hopefully I learned something.

How Is Your Atmosphere?

I am a big believer that each of us can have a positive impact on others, regardless of the circumstances. As a result of that belief, I really liked what Chip Lutz of Fun Squad wrote:

Each team member impacts the culture of an organization (positively or negatively) because emotions pass from person to person. Fifteen years ago, I was working for a particularly mean-spirited manager. He would spend his days yelling, stomping and publicly chastising me (and I was a work horse!). Although he looked at this as a type of training, I looked at it as his way of unfairly wielding his power. We had worked together a little over a year and, as I was moving to a different job, he said, "Chip, I'm really going to miss you - you're more than a worker, you're an atmosphere." Obviously, his words took me by surprise. Not only did I think this manager despised me, I also thought he spent his evenings devising new ways to humiliate me. As time passed, I reflected on his words and came to the conclusion that, "He's right, I am an atmosphere!" I tried to impact the people around me in a positive manner, find a way to smile or find the "funny thing" in a difficult situation, and give a positive spin on what looked like negative circumstances - which lifted the spirits of my co-workers (even the negative manager). But there are two kinds of atmospheres - carriers and converters. Which kind of atmosphere are you?

Carriers

Carriers clutch onto their negativity and infect, just like the plague, each person they meet in the organization. If they are having a bad day, they are not happy unless they infect you with their problems (in an effort to ensure your day goes as badly as theirs). This transfer of negativity by the carrier must be satisfying to the carrier. So satisfying, in fact, that they are not content until they have contaminated everyone in their workspace. I am sure you are familiar with this person (or people). Everything can be absolutely fabulous in their life, but they take the one negative and spend 20 minutes telling you how awful they feel because of it. When they are done, you are drained and feel terrible! Yes, you have been infected! This disease is highly contagious and has the potential to spread from person to person quickly. It affects workplace productivity, creativity, teamwork, and morale. What's the vaccination for the disease? Being a converter!

Converters

Converters are organizational "rays of sunshine" and they do just that! They illuminate the workspace! Converters are skilled in the transformation of negatives into positives. You may think that nothing ever goes wrong for the converter because you rarely hear about it. If they do speak of it, it is quickly spun into something positive that can be learned from or built upon for the greater good. Unlike carriers, converters help to boost morale, productivity, creativity and teamwork. Do you want the best news? Even if you don't "naturally" have a converter attitude, it's something that can be developed. Here are several approaches to help you convert to being a converter:

Smile - it's amazing how something so simple can help to change your disposition.

Laugh - get a "humor buddy," that person that makes you laugh when there's nothing to laugh about. This person already knows the secret to being a converter. If converters are in short supply, subscribe to a daily joke email list or call me (I'll be happy to help).

Contribute - take the focus off yourself and do something nice for someone else.

Play - do something that you liked doing as a child (sledding, biking, building with Legos).

Have fun!

No matter what your vocation, being a converter will catapult you to the forefront. If your current environment at work is change resistant, negative, unproductive, and you dread going to work, YOU can make the difference. Renovate the atmosphere with your converter attitude. There are no tools required. All that's necessary are the words "can" and "will." Your attitude indicates that you "can" and your actions indicate that you "will." Be a converter! The light you shine will illuminate the darkest organization!

"In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see

your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven."

Matthew 5:16

The Power of Habits

Here is something interesting I came across regarding habits:

I am your constant companion.
I am your greatest asset or heaviest burden.
I will push you up to success or down to disappointment.
I am at your command.
Half the things you do might just as well be turned over to me,
For I can do them quickly, correctly, and profitably.
I am easily managed; just be firm with me.
Those who are great, I have made great.
Those who are failures, I have made failures.
I am not a machine, though I work with the precision of a machine
and the intelligence of a person.
You can run me for profit, or you can run me for ruin.
Show me how you want it done. Educate me. Train me.
Lead me. Reward me.
And I will then...do it automatically.
I am your servant.
Who am I?
I am a habit.

What do you think of when it comes to habit? If you are like me you immediately get a twinge in your gut and think about the bad habits you have. But as the above text says, habits can be good as well.

Sometimes when we get bogged down in the details of life we can think that making a small change here and there won't amount to much. But developing good habits can be very powerful and can lead to great things.

If you have a bad habit you would like to change into a good habit, remember what English novelist, Charles Reade once said: “Sow a thought, and you reap an act; Sow an act, and you reap a habit; sow a habit, and you reap a character; sow a character, and you reap a destiny.”

The Bucket List

Yesterday afternoon I did something out of character for me. I laid down my work and took my wife to a movie for Valentines Day. Nothing major for most people, yet it made a positive impression on my bride.

We saw The Bucket List which we thought was very good. There were some things we wished were not in the movie, yet they did get a good part of it right, even a discussion about faith.

But what stands out to me is what Connie said to me on the way home. She said, "Thanks for the date! It's not the movie that matters, it's that you gave up your time to be with me. Thank you."

Wow. That made me realize that I have not been treating her as the most important person on this earth to me. I have let my task list get in the way far too often.

I have just created my own bucket list. At the top is "Spend time with those who are most important to me and make that a priority." I probably will not always succeed at this, yet I am going to truly work on it. Perhaps I won't wait until next Valentines Day to kidnap my wife on a workday!

Love

I had something really cool happen to me earlier this week. Many will think the phone call I received isn't that big of a deal but it really made an impact on me.

One of my next door neighbors called and said, "Jim, this is Nancy. Are you OK?"

I told her I was fine and I inquired why she was asking.

She said, "Well Mike was mentioning just the other day that he hadn't seen you outside for a while and he said he was concerned. And the more I thought about it I got concerned too."

I told her I was fine and that I truly appreciated their concern for me.

After we hung up, I sat there and I really felt cared for and loved. I have some awesome neighbors but I don't know any of them really well. Yet, this couple thought enough of me to call me to make sure everything was OK. That is love. I didn't feel I deserved it, but I sure appreciated it!

And that is something each of us can do regularly. We don't have to know others well. Yet we can show them love by simply showing them we care about them.

I have heard it said that the Bible can be summarized in four words: Love God, love people. On this Valentines day, let's remember that!

Jesus replied: "'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and ith all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'" Matthew 22:37-39

Patience

So how is your patience?

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Galatians 5:22-23

Communication

I recently read something from John Maxwell regarding communication. I thought it was so good, I thought I'd share it here:

COMMUNICATION – A LEADER’S KEY TO SUCCESS
By Dr. John C. Maxwell

For my whole life, I have opened my car door by inserting a metal key into a physical lock. Now, I can unlock the doors and start the car at the push of a button. It seems like magic to me, but it’s actually a simple application of science.

Keyless entry and keyless ignition are made possible when a transmitter within your key fob communicates with a radio receiver inside the car. Two conditions are necessary for this communication to take place: 1) the transmitter must be set to the same frequency as the receiver, and 2) the transmitter must send a uniquely coded message which the receiver has been programmed in advance to recognize.

Communication acts as a leader’s “keyless entry” into relationships. It can open the mind of an employer, the wallet of investors, and the hearts of loved ones. Talented communicators seem magical when they weave their words together. However, much like the concept of keyless entry, great communication depends on two simple skills—context and delivery. Context attunes a leader to the same frequency as his or her audience. Delivery allows a leader to phrase messages in a language the audience can understand.

As we explore context and delivery, we’ll draw upon Steven K. Scott’s book, The Richest Man Who Ever Lived. In the book, Scott offers commentary on the words of King Solomon, the wealthiest man in history. Renowned for his wisdom, Solomon writings are filled with advice about effective communication.

CONTEXT

Listen before Speaking
“He that answers a matter before he hears it, it is folly and shame unto him.” ~ Proverbs 18:13

Earn the right to be heard by listening to others. Seek to understand a situation before making judgments about it. As the Greek philosopher, Epictetus, observed, “We have two ears and one mouth so that we can listen twice as much as we speak.”

Understand Human Nature
“Reckless words pierce like a sword, but the tongue of the wise brings healing.” ~ Proverbs 12:18
Words are powerful, and they can build up or tear down those who hear them. Regardless of your audience or avenue of communication, the following principles enable you to communicate constructively.

People are insecure. Leaders can bestow confidence by demonstrating their trust and belief in a person’s abilities. People want to feel special. Leaders win a loyal following when they are generous with compliments and acts of appreciation. People are looking for a better future. Leaders inspire through an optimistic outlook and words of hope. People are selfish. Leaders learn to motivate when they begin speaking to the needs of their people.

Be Emotionally Aware
“Like one who takes away a garment on a cold day…is one who sings songs to a heavy heart.” ~ Proverbs 25:20

Communicating within context involves taking the emotional temperature of others. Pay attention to facial expressions, voice inflection, and posture. They give clues to a person’s mood and attitude.

DELIVERY

Adopt an Appropriate Tone
“A soft answer turns away wrath but grievous words stir up anger.” ~ Proverbs 15:1

When you’re emotionally aware, you’re halfway to effective communication, but you still have to deliver your words appropriately. Many times it’s not what you say, but how you say it. Adopt a fitting tone to address the emotional state of those around you, and your words will have their desired effect.

Speak Persuasively
“The heart of the wise teaches his mouth and adds persuasiveness to his lips.” ~ Proverbs 16:23

The National Storytelling Festival, held in Jonesborough, Tennessee features some of America’s most captivating communicators. Listen for awhile, and you’ll discover traits that allow them to persuade listeners to take interest in the stories they tell.

Enthusiasm. The storytellers obviously enjoy what they are doing, expressing themselves with joy and vitality. Animation. The presentations are marked by lively facial expressions and gestures. Audience Participation. Almost every storyteller involves the audience in some way, asking listeners to sing, clap, repeat phrases, or do sign language. Spontaneity. None of the storytellers have notes. The festival is truly an oral event. Storytellers didn’t read their stories; they tell them, which allowed for eye contact.

Be Honest
“He who conceals his hatred has lying lips, and whoever spreads slander is a fool.” ~ Proverbs 10:18

In an effort to persuade, leaders may be tempted to cross the line into manipulation. When doing so, facts may be fabricated or spun deceptively. Lies add complexity to life since the liar has to operate under the guise of falsehood. Eventually, lies are brought to light and undermine credibility. Leaders protect their character by using discretion in their language. They speak truthfully—even when honesty is costly.

SUMMARY

Poor communication is the number one culprit of failed relationships—in business and at home. Since relationships are the foundation of success, leaders would be wise to invest in the communication skills of context and delivery. Master them, and you’ll more easily gain favor, more readily make friends, and more effectively motivate others.

Wheelchair Flips

ESPN aired an amazing story this morning about a boy named Aaron Fotheringham who was born with spina bifida and is now confined to a wheelchair. The story told of Aaron's amazing attitude, one which has turned him into an amazing athlete and person.

He competes with skateboarders on their courses and has even done a flip in his wheelchair! To see this click here to access the full story and click the video that is located there.

While that is amazing, the part that touched me was how he has used his situation to help others and how he is thankful for his situation. Incredible.

Now 16, with the broad shoulders of a football player and the scraped knuckles from his own sport, Fotheringham straddles railings, flies off ramps, does stationary spins and, of course, lands the backflip.

He also continues to touch others.

On this late January day, he is pushing 4-year-old Zachary Puddy Siggens around a skate park in Las Vegas. They carve around the macadam, up onto a ramp, and then down the other side, their helmets shining below the morning sky. The laughter coming from Zach's voice, the thrill lighting his face, suggest a joy so deep, this seems like it's one of the greatest moments of his life so far.

And it is.

After suffering a stroke at just 18 months old, Zach has made an extraordinary recovery, according to his mother, Linda. Still, he is a little boy in a wheelchair, who wants to run and play and explore. He wants, as Aaron once did, to be included. When Linda saw the video of Aaron on the Internet, she traveled from her home in Seattle so her son could meet the teenager he has come to idolize in the span of just a few days.

They call him 'Wheels,' and he keeps on rolling . . . and flipping.Their connection is immediate and real, as Zach's laughter echoes across the contours of the park, his eyes never leaving Aaron's dashing chair.

Watching it all in front of her, Linda Puddy wipes away her tears.

"I didn't know what to do until I saw Aaron, and then I knew," she says. "It gives Zachary a direction to go."

"He's a hero," she says, watching the teenager pushing her son down a small slope. "Zach thinks that Aaron flies."

I've often heard that God never wastes a hurt. This is a great reminder of that.

Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!

Philippians 4:4

National Signing Day

It is called by many the biggest holiday on the calendar of a college football fan. Yes, it's national signing day, when talented high school recruits can sign on the dotted line for the first time, cementing their spot on the roster of the college team of their choosing.

I am embarrassed to say that I pay attention to this stuff. I follow it probably too closely. But it's fun for me. I like to see who the next Buckeyes are going to be and how the staff is working to fill positions of need. I especially like the way that Ohio State coach Jim Tressel goes about it. No promises of playing time. No special favors. He just tells it like it is. I think a lot of players respect that.

Even though this can be fun, I believe it has gotten way out of hand. Certain web sites were inaccessible yesterday due to the large amount of traffic trying to access them. Just to see what player is going where.

There are these mythical rankings of the classes each year which is rediculous. ESPN's can be found here. How can you possibly rank high school players who haven't played a down of college football with any degree of acuracy? There is no way to measure their potential--how much they will grow physically, mentally, spiritually. There is no way to predict what kind of a teammate they will be. There is no way to measure their heart.

Year after year we are shown instances of highly rated players who ended up hardly making an impact on their team. We are also shown players who were never even mentioned during the recruiting days who became key players on their teams. Yet, we don't learn--we still pay way too much attention to these future "stars."

All this foolishness of paying attention to and ranking these players reminded me of a verse from James:

Now listen, you who say, "Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city spend a year there, carry on business and make money." Why, you don't even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little hile and then vanishes. James 4:13-14

One Bite at a Time

Do you ever get overwhelmed by projects that seem too big? I know I do.

I once heard someone ask, "How do you eat an elephant?" He then responded, "One bite at a time!" Obviously that is a great metaphor for life, especially when it seems overwhelming.

I recently received this tidbit in an email from Zig Ziglar on this subject:

There's an old saying that "by the mile it's a trial, and by the inch it's a cinch." The reason the saying is old is because it's good, it's valid. If it were not, it would be dead and buried. For 24 years of my adult life, by choice I weighed well over 200 pounds. I say "by choice" because I have never "accidentally" eaten anything, so when I choose to eat too much, I have chosen to weigh too much. Every choice has an end result.

Twenty-two years ago I decided to do something about my weight and physical condition, so I got on an exercise and sensible eating program. Until then my idea of exercise was to fill the tub, take a bath, pull the plug and fight the current - and I know you'll agree that's not much of an exercise program! It took me 10 months to lose the 37 pounds I needed to lose. During that period of time I also wrote my first book, See You At The Top. It is 384 pages long and was the eighth best-selling hardback of the '80s.

Let's explore what I just said. Losing 37 pounds in 10 months meant that I lost an average of 1.9 ounces per day. Writing a 384-page book in 10 months meant that I wrote an average of 1 1/4 pages per day. You raise positive kids in a negative world, build a beautiful relationship with your mate, become a top-performing student, a world-class salesperson, or a top executive or educator not by a few mammoth leaps but by the daily, disciplined application of doing something every day to reach your objectives in life.

Standing Up Under Pressure

I think one of the toughest things to do as a leader is stand behind a decision while everyone else is criticizing you for it. That is why I wanted to share this article which appeared in Business Week about Griffin Hospital in Derby, Connecticut:

In my interview with Griffin Vice-President Bill Powanda, he told me a memorable story of how the hospital's communications policy was put to the test. In November, 2001, an elderly woman was admitted to the hospital and died several days later. Ninety-four-year-old Ottilie Lundgren had become the nation's fifth victim of anthrax inhalation. Although the hospital's lab had confirmed the results through multiple tests, the FBI had yet to come to its own conclusions. Griffin CEO Patrick Charmel had called a meeting to inform the 400 day-shift employees of the situation. The FBI was adamant about delaying the announcement until after it had completed its own tests, a full six days after Lundgren had been admitted. Even then-Governor John Rowland got involved, requesting that the hospital cancel its staff meeting.

With all this pressure bearing down, Charmel and Powanda were beginning to wonder if holding the meeting was the right decision. They called a representative from the American Hospital Assn., who said that if their situation had been taking place in any other hospital, he would have also recommended that the meeting be delayed. But Griffin was different: "If you do not follow the open and honest culture you have created at Griffin, you will destroy in one day what has taken you 10 years to build." Charmel held a staff meeting as scheduled to communicate the facts of the case, the results of the tests, and how anthrax is spread.

Griffin went on to win an award from a local newspaper for its boldness and commitment to the public's right to know. Charmel's actions were "nothing short of heroic," according to the New London Day. A front-page story told readers what his colleagues already knew: Charmel had become a hero to his staff long before the anthrax crisis because he committed himself to making them all feel as if they played key roles in the hospital's success, which they most certainly do.

Griffin leaders like Charmel have set a precedent with staff and provide a model for behavior that all employees—managers, doctors, nurses, and administrators alike—strive to emulate. Every employee is considered a "caregiver"—even the security guards, parking lot valets, and chefs—and they all feel comfortable addressing Charmel directly with praise, concerns, or suggestions. If an employee believes the hospital is failing to put the patient first in any area of care, Charmel is the first to know; he makes himself as available as possible. He keeps the lines of communication open with the following practices:

A long day's walk. Charmel spends most of the working day in the hospital, but out of his office. He typically starts office work after 5 p.m. because he meets with people in their own departments all day; they do not come to him. This is the ultimate open-door policy.
A monthly orientation. Charmel welcomes new employees with a two-hour presentation every month. This orientation is mandatory for all new employees and volunteers, and Charmel does not miss it. First impressions count.

A biannual meeting for everyone. Twice a year Charmel hosts a "State of the Hospital" meeting for all employees and volunteers, where everyone hears exactly the same information as the board of directors: strategic information, market-share data, financial statistics, and plans for the future. Everything.

Regular updates. Charmel contributes to a daily newsletter, Griffin Today, which is distributed to 700 hospital workstations accessible to both employees and patients. The daily is supplemented by an electronic newsletter.

Old-fashioned correspondence. Charmel sends letters directly to the homes of employees and volunteers, about hospital, community, or medical issues as they directly affect them.

Thankfulness

Yesterday at CrossRoads, Pastor Mark told us we are rich. He said that a family who earns $50,000 or more per year is in the top 1% of all people worldwide in terms of wage earners.

He went on to say that being rich is not a bad thing, although becoming materialistic is not good. He then told us that we should all be very thankful. We get so caught up in chasing "stuff" that we oftentimes lose our sense of appreciation.

That afternoon at home, we smelled something burning in our house. It smelled electrical in nature. It seemed like it was coming from one of our bathrooms upstairs. We took swithchplates off and removed light fixtures but could find nothing. So we called 911.

The fire department came with a special camera which can detect heat, even behind walls. Although they could smell what we smelled, they couldn't find anything either. We even went to the basement to check the furnace.

We apprehensively went to bed last night not knowing how our evening would go. When I woke up at 5 this morning, it was freezing. Our furnace was not working!

But, I am so thankful--I truly am! I am thankful that we are all safe and our house is still standing. I'm thankful that the outside temperature isn't in the single digits like last week. And I am very thankful for our hot water heater working this morning!

We just spoke with the plumbing and heating company and they told us they believe it is the blower on our furnace. So I'm also thankful that we think we know the problem and it is fix-able.

Thank you for protecting and providing for us Lord!

Leading By Example

I am a big believer that those who follow a leader do so because of the example he or she sets not because of their words. The old saying, "I can't hear what you're saying because your actions are speaking too loudly" is true.

If you are able to lead by example, you will be able to take your team (which can also be your family) to a much higher level.

Brian Tracy backs this up in a recent article (click on this because it is worth reading):

One of the marks of excellent people is that they never compare themselves with others. They only compare themselves with themselves and with their past accomplishments and future potential. You can become an even more excellent person by constantly setting higher and higher standards for yourself and then by doing everything possible to live up to those standards. The more proficient you become at getting the results for which you were hired, the more opportunities you will have to get results through others. And your ability to put together a team and then to lead that team to high performance will enable you to accelerate your business and fulfill your goals faster than ever before.