Be Innovative. I went to church in Des Moines this last weekend, and the sermon was on giving. He talked about a mission trip to Jamaica, and one of the older mission trip members wasn’t comfortable with a couple of the projects (one with handicapped people … he preferred the...
This week I am writing on one our themes, being humble. So, the questions are: what does that mean and what does it look like? Well, the definition as given by Merriam Webster, describes it as something ranked low by others. So, does that mean we should rank ourselves low?...
Always be humble. Humble is a special word to me. Twenty years ago, when we were working on our leader standards of behavior, we included the sentence “I will be humble” to the document. We were hearing a lot of “I” statements and selfish behavior regarding how people were doing...
Anyone who knows me knows that I hate/despise/detest February. In my book, it’s the longest, most cruel month of the year. BUT - this year I’m changing my tune. I have decided that every moment is special (except during a blizzard). February is not so bad … February 12th, 2023,...
I am looking forward to the Super Bowl this weekend not necessarily because I follow either of the teams, but because I enjoy the commercials, the halftime show, and planning the food for our family. These are traditions just like holiday traditions, and ones I remember from my childhood. My...
Be Generous. I told someone last week that when I die, I want people to owe me more than I owe. Basically, I want to be as generous as possible all my life so a) I can call on people for favors if necessary, and b) it’s the right way...
Be Focused. Aging is not for the weak. If I don’t focus my mind on pretty much everything I do -- I’ll forget something. Lately I’ve been making sure I’m whistling a tune or humming something when I lock the door … I’ll remember a tune more than I’ll remember...
Well, we made it through the month of January. Bring on February, which thankfully is a short month. After February, we go right into March, and the first day of Spring (March 20th) is just around the corner. March is a month where we usually have some warm days which...
I find myself trying to be more diligent about being engaged in the conversations at home. It is easy to try to multitask or get caught up in surfing on your phone. I have learned over the years that when a teenager wants to talk to you, it is best...
Be Engaged. Years ago, when we started our organizational excellence journey, it was all about satisfaction. “Make them happy!” I’d say. But the state of happiness is abstract and fleeting. Success isn’t about being gleeful all the time - it’s about being present in both the good and bad times,...
