Leadership 1 Corinthians 10:31 Way

Amarillo College is offering a 9 month Ethical Leadership Institute bringing together some of the best local authorities on the subject in the Texas Panhandle. This morning we invited 3 respected leaders in our community to come and speak as a panel on Ethics in Leadership. The 3 were comprised of a sheriff, an attorney, and a professor. Without fail each referenced their faith in helping to form their ethics and the sheriff told the class of 31 that at each staff meeting he tries to influence his department to practice ethical leadership by practicing 1 Corinthians 10:31: "...whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God." How amazing and bold that a sheriff would not only believe and practice this Biblical principle, but that he would encourage his department to do the same. Leadership really is that simple, that profound, and that powerful. Simply, do what is right and do what is right all the time.

Lead Strong,

Shawn

Life with a newborn!!

On September 9th, 2009 at 6:18 PM (18:18 military time; notice all the 9's in this?) life as Rochelle and I know it all changed. Hmm, life as Rochelle and I as well as Cori, Megan, Emily, and everyone in our daily sphere of relationships changed as we know it. Even Coal Miner, our dog, life changed. Jackson Cooper changed our world's forever, and non of us would have it any other way. And with Jack's entrance into our world and our lives new responsibilities immediately entered our world as well, responsibilities that I take very seriously as a new (old) father.

As I have watched 3 beautiful daughters develop into reflections of God and impact their worlds, now I have a tremendous opportunity to help Jack develop into a reflection of God to his world. My timeless advice to the girls "don't grow up to be stupid" has worked so far and I hope to pass that same advice on to their little brother. But more importantly I hope to pass on to Jack to "love the Lord with all your heart, mind, soul, and strength" as well. As I hope that I helped the girls to understand what it is to be a daughter of God and what to look for in a real man, now I hope to teach Jack what a real man is, versus what society has made men out to be.

It has always been a goal as a father to not only teach but to model the way. Not that I am finished with Cori, Megan, and Emily by any means. But now I have another opportunity to improve as I do the same for Jack. As a student of leadership, I am convinced that the greatest lab for leadership development is in our own homes. And while Jack is not a specimen to be experimented on, he is my son with whom to pass on my values, believes, and passions as he develops his own.

Ok Jack, I'm ready if you are. With your mom and sisters by my side we welcome you into as non-normal a family as you'll find, but a family that welcomes God's gift of new life into it with as much joy and love as anyone can imagine.

Lead Strong...

Shawn

Pregnancy Sympathy Pains (Pangs)?

Ok, Rochelle is a bundle of energy! She is due in less than 2 weeks and she has been a crazed Energizer Bunny for a month or more now! It is sickening I tell you! Me on the other hand? I don't have an ounce of energy, and the meager amount I do have lately seems to dissipate faster than I can replenish it with the pot of espresso I'm downing every morning, ugh! (Yes, espresso, that regular java stuff has no effect any more!).

I'm taking my vitamins, eating well, exercising, sleeping, you know, living right. Hmmm, I wonder if I could start taking Rochelle's prenatal vitamins? They seem to be doing phenomenal things for her. I don't remember all this going on with my 3 daughters, is this normal? Of course I wasn't 44 with them either, but I have always been the energetic one, up at 5:30 AM ready to charge into the day. Now I drag out of bed ready to down a pot of coffee.

I'm chalking it all up to sympathy pains or pangs, lol. The fatigue, leg cramps, back aches (that's all me, not Rochelle) will surely go away once Jack gets here, right? Please tell me it's so! I'm not complaining mind you, I simply don't have the energy to complain. I'm just sharing my journey, you know, that whole misery loves company thing. I just hope I have enough energy to be awake when Jack does get here.

If any of you have some energy boosts please let me know. I not only need it now but I know I'm going to need it in a couple weeks!

Lead strong, whether fatigued or not.
Shawn

Practicing the Leadership Equation

Our pastor asked me to fill the pulpit next Sunday (August 16 at First Nazarene Church - Amarillo. If you're not doing anything that morning come join us, I could use the moral support) and Rochelle and the girls asked me if I knew what I was going to preach on? I told them "of course I did." Not believing me that asked for Scripture texts, a short snippet, etc. Not ever being the one to share my sermon too early (hey, if I did they wouldn't come, lol) I respectfully declined to share anything with them. So, not believing I had given it any thought they pressed me further so I told them I was preaching on the power of relationships. "Big surprise" they all said! But isn't that a good thing? They know me and they know my life message. Leadership=Relationships+Influence. I am glad they weren't surprised and that they know me that well. But since then it has ramped up to where I am having to put into practice my life philosophy of leadership (did I tell you it is Leadership=Relationships+Influence? Just checking).

At Amarillo College Dr. Matney has asked me to help facilitate a project that seems to have come to an impasse. It's had really good people involved until now and the project has been asked for by area business and industry, so the need is there. From all appearances it has become a people issue... you guessed it, relationships. Not that the relationships are bad, but when you get several strong willed personalities together sometimes personalities can overshadow the task at hand. I enjoy working with all the people at the table and I love facilitating projects, so of course I am ramped up about the task! More exciting to me is practicing and proving (at least to myself) that the philosophy of Leadership=Relationships+Influence really works.

Everybody has their own unique personalities and qualities, and seeing them lived out in relationships is exhilarating and a little intimidating at times. But out of these relationships come great opportunities for growth, productivity, collaboration, and new friendships. Appreciating our differences, building on our commonalities, and using our strengths to overcome our weaknesses allows for incredible things to happen.

I'm looking forward to the task at hand. Take every opportunity to engage in relationships. Yes they can be intimidating (you can use whatever adjective you want), but the rewards are so much greater. Prove the equation wrong if you can, but I firmly believe that true leadership at all levels and in all situations stems from relationships and the influence you bring to those relationships. Of course, you can't remove yourself from relationships and you have to choose the kind of influence you want to bring to those relationships as well.

Leadership=Relationships+Influence...

Lead Strong,
Shawn

Lessons From the Road

It's no secret, I love to ride. I've owned Yamaha's, Kawasaki's, Honda's, 2 Harley's, and now I'm on a Suzuki Volusia (love this bike!). I've never really ridden with a group before, more of that "Lone Wolf" mentality that seems to fit my personality. But recently I've started riding with my pastor and friend John Donnerberg, and our church has formed a rider's group that meets often to, well you know, ride. This has been good for me as I now pay more attention to others around me on their bikes, what they're doing on their bikes, and how we all interact with each other at 70 miles an hour. But the greater benefit is how riding with a group is causing me to be more concerned about others and how my actions, or lack of appropriate action, affects the other rider(s). Hmmm, there is a leadership lesson in there and it accentuates my basic leadership equation that Leadership=Relationships+Influence. It really is that simple. All relationships (whether on a bike or not) impact each other, even if for a brief moment. Once I recognize that I pay more attention to how I may be influencing those relationships. Every relationship, no matter how brief the interaction, allows me an opportunity to be a positive influence, and thus be a leader. What about you? Are you fully recognizing the relationships in your life? Are you taking the opportunity to be a positive influence? We really are all leaders.

Hmmm, I think I need another ride...

Lead Strong,

Shawn

Time is Short

Wow, approximately 54 days and counting till little Jackson Cooper enters the world. I have to say approximately because after 3 daughters I have realized that the due date is really the doctors best guesstimation. I wonder if being an older dad will make me a better dad? As I look at 3 great daughters, all unique in themselves, I wonder what kind of influence I have ultimately been? Have I lead them closer to Christ? Have I taught them the value of relationships? Have I showed them how to make their journey through life joyful and thus successful? Have I instilled a sense of responsibility in them to take the initiative and be leaders in all of their interactions (remember, my philosophy of leadership is Leadership = Relationships + Influence? One thing I do know is that I have created 3 biker dudets! That is worth something, right? And, I already have Jack's first leather motorcycle jacket picked out. Since Rochelle travels the ear ring and tat will come when she's out of town (jk Rochelle, but it would send a shock wave through your family that would be felt several states away, lol).

I can be a leader at work, in my role in the church, and other areas, but if I am not first a leader in the home I am no leader at all. Rochelle needs me to be, Cori, Megan, and Emily need me to be, and in less than 2 months Jack will need me to be. Christian, husband, father, leader have to come in that order.

Wow, so much responsibility - but greater privilege. Hmmm, I think I need a motorcycle ride to let it all sink in. I wonder if I could find a car seat to fit my bike?

Lead Strong,
Shawn

Lessons from a tomato plant...

First, let me tell you right up front that I never claimed, nor do I pretend to be a gardener, or for that matter know anything about gardening (hey, I grew up in Flint, MI. We make cars, not vegetables). Now, with that disclaimer out of the way, my wife Rochelle (who by the way grew up on a ranch in Booker, TX, so you would think should have a working knowledge of this gardening stuff) decided to plant some tomato plants this year. Humoring her I went along with the idea. After all, I may not know how to grow them but I like to eat them non-the-less. It’s now been about 6 weeks since those plants have gone into the ground and the plants themselves are huge, measuring over 4 foot tall and about the same size in diameter. They look good and have a lot of “green” tomatoes on them, so in my impatience I keep asking, “when are they going to be ready to eat?” Rochelle just laughs and tells me that it takes time (although in reality she is just as impatient as I am, if not more so). What we're learning is that the fruit has to have time to grow, be nourished, and ripen. When the fruit is ready we’ll have all the tomatoes we can eat.

As I keep thinking about the lessons I am learning from our tomato plants I realize just how relevant they are to what each of us do everyday. Regardless of what we do each day, our lives are filled with relationships, and each of those relationships needs time, attention, and nourishment. As Rochelle and I are learning, “when the tomatoes are ready we’ll have more than we can eat.”

Some of relationships in our lives need a little special care and attention today. Keep nurturing each of them. And when they’re ready they’ll produce more than we can eat. That’s really what leadership on all levels; personal and professional, secular and spiritual are all about, nurturing relationships with people, being patient, and reaping the harvest of our labors. We are half way through another year. Now is a good time to stop and think about each and every relationship in our lives. Do any need a little special attention today? There's no time like the present, let’s keep building those relationships, nurturing them, and reaping the harvest.

You’ll never look at a tomato plant the same…

Lead Strong...

Shawn