Leadership lessons can come from the oddest places. Tonight I read an article through NPR about a run-away cow in Germany. Yvonne, the cow's name, escaped just prior to being shipped to a slaughterhouse. Not only was Yvonne wily enough to "jump bail" but she has also managed to avoid being caught for 100 days! She has avoided helicopters with heat-seeking radar, orders of "shoot to kill", search parties, and a $14,000+ reward for her capture.
Yvonne has a strong urge to be free. What I see in her is a dream to roam free, eat what she wants and LIVE. There is definitely a lesson here. How often do you let your dreams take a back seat to the demands of others? Students or others on campus who seem to have heat-seeking radar - they find you, wherever you are to ask questions, put demands on your time, etc. You get handed a new project that is not a priority for you but is for someone above you. Sometimes you just need to break free and escape to pursue your dreams and goals. Or at the very least to just live and enjoy your life.
Looking for a hole in the fence.
Brenda
Monday, August 29, 2011
Sunday, August 21, 2011
Inconvenient Commitments
Have you ever made a commitment only to realize weeks or months later that you have a conflicting demand on your time? What choice did you make?
Recently, I was reminded of how challenging this decision can be to make - while at the same time being impressed with the learning curve of a young student leader. Our Greek Retreat planning team had been meeting for several months. Two weeks before the facilitator training session, one of the planning team emailed me to say she had to move in to her sorority house the day after the retreat so that Saturday would be her last day at home with family. She felt bad about not being able to facilitate and wanted to know what to do.
In true educator fashion, I asked her to come in and talk without giving her any direct answer. By the time of our next planning meeting, she had already worked out her solution - making Friday her last family day and fulfilling her commitment to the retreat. She came up with a solution that met her need for time with family while still living up to what she said she would do!
Her dilemma reminded me of times I faced similar conflicts. Did I always make the "mature" decision this young leader made? I don't think so, but seeing her struggle and growth put looking for ways to meet both commitments back at the forefront of my thinking. Sometimes it is not possible to make compromises and a decision needs to be made. But I can at least make the effort to look at all possible solutions and still fulfill my commitments.
Brenda
Recently, I was reminded of how challenging this decision can be to make - while at the same time being impressed with the learning curve of a young student leader. Our Greek Retreat planning team had been meeting for several months. Two weeks before the facilitator training session, one of the planning team emailed me to say she had to move in to her sorority house the day after the retreat so that Saturday would be her last day at home with family. She felt bad about not being able to facilitate and wanted to know what to do.
In true educator fashion, I asked her to come in and talk without giving her any direct answer. By the time of our next planning meeting, she had already worked out her solution - making Friday her last family day and fulfilling her commitment to the retreat. She came up with a solution that met her need for time with family while still living up to what she said she would do!
Her dilemma reminded me of times I faced similar conflicts. Did I always make the "mature" decision this young leader made? I don't think so, but seeing her struggle and growth put looking for ways to meet both commitments back at the forefront of my thinking. Sometimes it is not possible to make compromises and a decision needs to be made. But I can at least make the effort to look at all possible solutions and still fulfill my commitments.
Brenda
Saturday, August 13, 2011
Walking in Someone Else's Shoes
We have all heard the saying about walking a mile in another's moccasins. I never appreciated how true it was until recently. I've had to balance the responsibilities of two positions before, but this time around is different. I'm humbled to realize how little I do know about what a Greek advisor does every day.
How many of us complain about the number of emails we get in a given day? In the past week, my email load has definitely increased. And the messages are all over the place - never the same question, information request, etc.
How often do you sit in your office and think, "What does that person really do? It seems like they just sit around all day. I clearly do more than they do."? I have to admit to having those same thoughts. But, again, walking in another position's shoes can really open your eyes. Lesson learned that I can't just assume that someone is just "wasting time" when they could be extremely busy. Lesson also learned that I need to look at myself and what others might be saying about me and how I spend my time.
Want to be humbled and really see what happens in someone else's day? Spend a day, a week, or longer in their shoes.
Walking in humility.
Brenda
How many of us complain about the number of emails we get in a given day? In the past week, my email load has definitely increased. And the messages are all over the place - never the same question, information request, etc.
How often do you sit in your office and think, "What does that person really do? It seems like they just sit around all day. I clearly do more than they do."? I have to admit to having those same thoughts. But, again, walking in another position's shoes can really open your eyes. Lesson learned that I can't just assume that someone is just "wasting time" when they could be extremely busy. Lesson also learned that I need to look at myself and what others might be saying about me and how I spend my time.
Want to be humbled and really see what happens in someone else's day? Spend a day, a week, or longer in their shoes.
Walking in humility.
Brenda
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