Leadership

Artists for Grenfell – Bridge Over Troubled Water (Official Video)

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When you’re weary, feeling small
When tears are in your eyes, I’ll dry them all (all)
I’m on your side, oh, when times get rough
And friends just can’t be found
Like a bridge over troubled water
I will lay me down
Like a bridge over troubled water
I will lay me down

When you’re down and out
When you’re on the street
When evening falls so hard
I will comfort you (ooo)
I’ll take your part, oh, when darkness comes
And pain is all around
Like a bridge over troubled water
I will lay me down
Like a bridge over troubled water
I will lay me down

Sail on silver girl
Sail on by
Your time has come to shine
All your dreams are on their way
See how they shine
Oh, if you need a friend
I’m sailing right behind
Like a bridge over troubled water
I will ease your mind
Like a bridge over troubled water
I will ease your mind

Three Steps to Success: What one ‘has’, ‘does’ and ‘is’

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Related imageThe ladder of success seems to have three main steps:

(1) Initially, it’s what one “has” that counts-that is, status depends upon visible signs of material wealth; Continue reading →

Create the energy to act against cruelty

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To be hopeful in bad times is not just foolishly romantic. It is based on the fact that human history is a history not only of cruelty, but also of compassion, sacrifice, courage, kindness. What we choose to emphasize in this complex history will determine our lives. Continue reading →

We Were Made for These Times…..

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Image result for great ship is in harborMy friends, do not lose heart. We were made for these times. I have heard from so many recently who are deeply and properly bewildered. They are concerned about the state of affairs in our world now. Ours is a time of almost daily astonishment and often righteous rage over the latest degradations of what matters most to civilized, visionary people.

You are right in your assessments. The lustre and hubris some have aspired to while endorsing acts so heinous against children, elders, everyday people, the poor, the unguarded, the helpless, is breathtaking. Yet, I urge you, ask you, gentle you, to please not spend your spirit dry by bewailing these difficult times. Especially do not lose hope. Most particularly because, the fact is that we were made for these times. Yes. For years, we have been learning, practicing, been in training for and just waiting to meet on this exact plain of engagement…….

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What if we developed news media that were a laboratory for negotiation and dialogue?

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If you want more publicity today—in newspapers, on television talks shows, or on the radio—be sensational. Offend people. Talk fast. Spin the facts for maximum impact. Raise your voice. Interrupt other speakers. Dominate the conversation. Consume all the airtime. Exaggerate.  Stamp a label (“liberal” or “conservative,” “pro-life” or “pro-choice,” etc.) on your forehead. Once you have a label, it is easier for the producers of the program to plug you into their pro-and-con lineup.

Unfortunately, this is the way it works in the popular media in many cultures today. Verbal brawling is on the rise; debate is getting dirtier; and there is little room for anything else. Continue reading →

Interdependence is ten times more difficult than independence

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 It demands so much more mental and emotional independence to think win/win when another person is into win/lose, to seek to understand first when everything inside you cries out for understanding, and to search for a better third alternative when compromise is so much easier. Continue reading →

Integrity is a higher value than loyalty

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Or better put, integrity is the highest form of loyalty. Integrity means being integrated or centered on principles not on people, organizations, or even family. You will find that the root of most issues that people are dealing with is “is it popular (acceptable, political), or is it right?” When we prioritize being loyal to a person or group over doing what we feel to be right, we lose integrity. Continue reading →

Our challenge is to see the seed or opportunity buried in the soil of conflict – Lofty Thoughts?

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Image result for I am building a cathedralIn the well-known story about the three bricklayers, working side by side, each is asked what he is doing. The first replies, “I am laying bricks.” The second says, “I am constructing a wall.” But the third answers, “I am building a cathedral.” To lead through conflict, we face the challenge of holding a vision of the cathedral, a vision of what is possible. Our challenge is to see the seed or opportunity buried in the soil of conflict. Of course, sometimes the conflict is so entrenched and bitter that we feel helpless. Overwhelmed by grief, sorrow, or rage, we wonder if there will ever be any progress at all. But even in the most tragic circumstances, the seed of opportunity often lies just beneath the surface. 

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