Tag Archives: Blogging

Not Ready For Primetime

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It is time for me to review my draft posts and see if any are ready for publishing.  None of these posts are ready for primetime.  Yet … as a whole the list does make for an interesting read. 

For fun let me share the working title for a number of my draft posts.  It is an interesting collection.  Let me know if any catch your interest and I will finish the post. 

  • Why Yes, I Am a Gym Rat (A coworker called me a “gym rat for leadership”.  I like that.)
  • Acutely Aware of My Ignorance and Incompetence (My, that must have been a tough day at the office.)
  • Energy Holes (Huddle in close during meetings.  The empty chairs suck energy. Very new age of me.)
  • Do You Have a Manifesto?  (My Jerry McGuire moment to write my mission statement and share with my bosses.  I may need to pack my office first.)
  • Forming a More Perfect Union (Leadership and our current polarized political environment. WeMoveTogether for Washington DC)
  • Semper FI Alive in Berkeley (Military Officer Training at the home of Free Speech)
  • The Pain Cave (Olympic Rowers talking about the pain necessary to reach the top.  Ah, I miss rowing.)
  • Into the Bear Cave (The big boss may roar a lot, but sometimes the best approach is to walk directly into his cave … I mean office.)
  • Zero to Sixty in Record Speed (I am a nice guy except when I am not.)
  • I am Your Leader and I Love You (That must have been a good day at the office.)

A Thousand Voices in My Head

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I hear the voices yet words on paper escape me. 

I hit a wall of sorts with reaching 100 posts.  All at once I think about the next 1,000 posts and this has stopped me cold.  The voices get louder.   Yet the words on paper do not appear.

No worries.  When in doubt JUST WRITE and thus we get today’s post.   A post on writing and thus I continue a recent trend.  Hum, where is the leadership topic?   This is a leadership blog, right?  Again no worries and I will be back on track soon. 

My writing confidence though is stronger as I reach 100 posts.  I am now seriously moving forward on one of my Six Impossible Things Before Breakfast - to write a novel.  

The difference between the right word and the almost right word is the difference between lightning and a lightning bug. – Mark Twain

Indeed today’s post may be filled with lightning bugs crawling along the page, yet there are storm clouds coming this way.   Lightning is sure to follow.

We are all writers, declared or not.   For a bit of inspiration please watch this video clip, The Writing Spirit.

The Distance Between Us

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Here I am months later, writing two or three posts a week, reaching that milestone of 100 posts.  This is a journey of discovery and my excitement continues.  Thanks for stopping by and let’s continue our journey together.

I searched for the right quote to capture my thoughts for this post.  Nothing I read felt right.  Yet I know to stay aware and observe.  My youngest child is a senior in High School and last night was it – my last back-to-school night to meet his teachers.  In one class I noticed the teacher posted quotes all over the room.

I recognized most of the quotes, but I kept reading looking for the right one, a quote for this post that captures my feeling perfectly.

I found it.

It is easy to be brave from a safe distance.

Aesop

It is either a brave or crazy act to start a blog, especially one that shares so much of self.   To speak on leadership and related topics, I need to share who I am and what I find important.

A friend told me after I wrote several posts that I needed to go deeper.   If you are going to write a blog on leadership and essentially personal effectiveness, you need to share more of who you are and what is deep down important to you.   Close the distance.   This is not a game you play from the bleachers.   You are in the game or not.

Indeed I am following this advice.

Yet I will never meet most of the folks who read this blog.  How is that closing the distance?  For those of you who write your own blogs, you know the answer.    It is not a physical thing at all.  We draw closer to each other by sharing ourselves through our writing and chosen media.  We like, comment and build community.  We indeed draw closer as we share and discover we have much in common.  We learn from each other.

I go to work each day knowing that my staff and coworkers read my blog.   The feedback and discussions started from something I write is great.  The distance between us lessens just a bit and we are better for it.

Thanks again for stopping by and let’s see how the next 1,000 posts (think big) work out.   WeMoveTogether

I could not resist. Bo bold everyone. Be brave today.

What Came First … The Writer or The Leader

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As I approach 100 posts in my young blogging life, I wonder … am I a leader who writes or a writer who leads?

Maybe a silly question.   I am a business director with responsibility for important work partnering with many terrific employees.  I am a leader.

Yet …

That voice again.

I am a writer.  Indeed my topics are leadership inspired, a broad canvas indeed.   My experience and joy talking about leadership leads me to write.   Yet, I find now that my true joy is the writing itself.   How inspiring to find the right words to express my point on leadership.

Don’t tell me the moon is shining; show me the glint of light on broken glass.

~Anton Chekhov

I search for broken glass as I write this blog.  A creative means to shine light on important leadership topics.   It is the writing – the creative and sometimes clever writing, that drives me forward.   I started this blog to focus myself as a leader and to take others along for the ride.   We learn and grow together.

I now realize that I continue with this blog to write.

To write.

Thursday Thought – On Blogging

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Note: Each Thursday I will post a little something to inspire us to finish the week strong.  These posts will be either a quote, a piece of art, or short video.  Congratulations, you made it over the hump and let’s finish the week together.

For my first Thursday Thought I am drawn to the decision to create and continue with a blog.  I invite you to watch this short video by Seth Godin and Tom Peters discussing the power of the blog.  Let your voice be heard!

Tempus Fugit

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A look at the calendar shows that I just made it past my first 30 days writing a blog.  I believe I will violate a law of the universe if I do not write the obligatory “my first 30 days blogging.”  Count me as one to not want the wrath of the universe to come down on me … so here I go.

To start, an interesting blog needs a catchy title, so I went with Tempus Fugit for this big moment.  This means “Time Flies” in English as translated from Latin.  While I thought I was being clever, once I looked the term up on Wikipedia, I thought otherwise.  Here is how this term is generally used today,  ”Time’s a-wasting”. As such, it expresses concern that one’s limited time is being consumed by nothing in particular or by something which may have little intrinsic substance, importance, or urgency.

Ah, writing a blog consumes one’s limited time and leads to little intrinsic substance …

Well.  Here I stand at a crossroad.  Did I make a mistake and take time from other far more important pursuits?  My answer, without hesitation, is no.  Writing this blog has been a wonder.  I first write for myself to gather my thoughts and focus my energy on my leadership journey.  Second, I write to connect with others and I have started to make those connections.  From there I have gained access to so many great blogs and daily writing.  Finding this community is a blessing and aids my journey.

Each of us has the ability to create.  As a leader I once read it is important to give those you lead “The Gift of Authorship”.   Each of us needs to find a voice that can sing forth and express our true self.  I am impressed by the voice coming from other blogs as I start my journey, learn from others, and listen to the singing.

Indeed, time flees or tempus fugit, yet my time is well spent with my thoughts, words and your company.

Indeed, We Move Together.

Shame By Own Words

Aside

An aside … I found this quote today that speaks to me as someone starting a blog.  Maybe it will speak to other bloggers as well.

“If some are still dominated by their former bad habits, and yet can teach by mere words, let them teach … For perhaps, by being put to shame by their own words, they will eventually begin to practice what they teach.”

These words come from St. John of the Ladder who lived in the seventh century.  It is a reminder for me to remain authentic in my writing and follow my own words.  A reminder for us all.

Thank you for reading and let us all Move Forward Together.