Unavailing Logic

Tom Petty sang a song called, "The Waiting". In today's instant gratification society, waiting has become unacceptable. Everyone wants it now. No one wants to pay the price to get it. And many are jealous of the ones who have attained success.  [Chorus] The waiting is the hardest part Every day you get one more yard You take it on faith, you take it to the heart The waiting is the hardest part F rom the age of 10, I knew what I wanted to do with my life. I loved computers and technology. My dad owned a business, and when I was 15, I began working for him. I installed the company’s first-ever computer. Eventually, I built networks, taught myself desktop publishing, and learned the printing business so I could produce all of the company’s marketing materials. I also learned what it was like to run a business. During the summers when I wasn’t in school, I’d travel with my dad on sales calls. I was giving presentations to hundreds of people at 15 years old—dressed in a coat a...

  My Dad was a salesman. He could sell anything to anyone. But sales is a rough game. When times are good they are really good. But when times are bad, they are really bad. Dad constantly listened to motivational tapes (remember tapes?). One of his favorite motivational speakers was Dr. Norman Vincent Peale. Dr. Peale had a gravely voice and an excellent understanding of how to use his powerful voice to convey a message. One of the things Dr. Peale preached was "Positive Mental Attitude" or what he abbreviated as "PMA". My Dad adopted this mindset, and constantly reminded me that my attitude dictated my altitude. That whatever I thought, that's what I would become.  Recently I was informed that my job was being eliminated and as I type this, I am jobless. It's scary. Sure, I have some money set back, but it won't last long and starting all over again is a tough pill to swallow. I have a kid in college. I have a wife. A house. Cars. You get the picture. B...

Robert K. Greenleaf is credited as the father of Servant Leadership. While Greenleaf certainly brought the concept of servant leadership to the forefront with his 1970 essay The Servant as Leader , he did not create the concept of servant leadership. There have been several historically significant servant leaders over the years. Two that come to mind are Abraham Lincoln and Martin Luther King, Jr. To understand what made them servant leaders, let's take a look at the traits of a servant leader: Listening Empathy Healing Awareness Persuasion Conceptualization Foresight Stewardship Commitment to the growth of people Building community If you have even a modest knowledge of history, you can see how the two men were servant leaders. While this blog does not have a religious focus, my Christian faith is built on servant leadership. Jesus was the epitome of a servant leader. So concerned with the well being of others that he allowed himself to be crucified for them. I suspect some of yo...

I've studied leadership and leaders for years. My dad was insistent that I read books such as "Think and Grow Rich" by Napoleon Hill, "Success Is a Choice" by Rick Pitino, and "Iacocca" by Lee Iacocca. I'd spend hours in his car on trips listening to audio tapes of Brian Tracy, Charlie "Tremendous" Jones, and the great Dr. Norman Vincent Peale. When I graduated college, my Dad said he wanted to provide one last piece of education to me, something that changed his life and helped him build a successful business. He always spoke with high regard for the writings of Dale Carnegie and the completion of the well known Dale Carnegie Course. Dad proudly displayed his certificate of completion from the course in his office and often pointed out how valuable the experience was to him. I graduated college in May 1995, and enrolled in the 12 week Dale Carnegie Course in August 1995. Each week Dad would ask me about the class and he would share exper...