James T. Kirk, Indiana Jones, Dr Who and Aragorn have two things in common. They are all fictitious heroes with courage. intelligence, and incredible adventures. And they all possessed the special ability to learn from the past, analyze the present and apply integrated solutions to amazing problems. These bigger than life examples solved life threatening problems that effected history, the world and even the universe.
Warren Bennis, author of Geeks and Geezers, pens many thoughts regarding the effectiveness of leaders. In this posting I want to explore one of the insights I harvested from his book - the leader's response to new experiences. Bennis puts it this way, “The ability to process new experiences, to find their meaning and to integrate them into one’s life, is the signature skill of leaders.”
The new territory.... the "never before experienced" adventure.... the outside the current sphere of best practices.... the novel idea that will stretch the mind and the wallet - all of these have the potential to cause a person to shrink back with hesitation or curl up with a good book until the danger passes. But the new and different can be the path to higher ground. Some have a natural tendency for the status quo, the putting down of established roots, the maintaining of the traditional course of action, and the stability of the proven. Others have a yearning for the new frontier, a quest to be a pioneer in a wave of creative thinking, a desire to stretch the boarders and challenge the limits, and a passion for risk-taking/high-yielding adventures.
Not every cloud has a silver lining - some have lightning and thunder. Not every idea leads to a stream of success - some flow to dangerous rapids and deadly waterfalls. But to stay still too long leads to stagnation. To "stay put" can leave you with 8-track players & cassettes that no one wants. Effective leadership has the ability to see .... knowing when to pass and when to move, sensing when to stay put and when to advance, understanding the roots and the rooftops, incorporating the new into the old and integrating the beauty of possibilities on the canvass of stability.
Interpreting scripture is much like interpreting life. The accurate interpretation of the Bible is the key link to the appropriate application of absolute truth to human experience. Likewise, the interpretation of life experiences is the cornerstone to making sense out of the changes that occur day by day. In Bible study the prerequisite to effective interpretation is keen observation. The better we see what the text says and get a proper view of the message, the more accurate our interpretation will be. In the same way, the more clear our perspective on a given experience, the better our interpretation and application for life. I have found that the truth of scripture gives a godly and heavenly view of earthly experiences that leads to clear vision.
Johnny Nash (1972) wrote a song about clear thinking and the ability to see the obstacles that face us on a day to day basis. Bennis seems to agree that the leader has the ability to see the new experiences of like and translate them into a positive, sunny day.
"I can see clearly now the rain is gone;
I can see all obstacles in my way;
Gone are the dark clouds that had me down;
It's gonna be a bright bright bright bright sun shiny day.
Oh yes, I can make it now the pain is gone;
All of the bad feelings have disappeared;
Here is that rainbow I've been praying for;
It's gonna be a bright bright bright bright sun shiny day. "
Another great example of seeing clearly and accurately through the eyes of faith in the a sovereign God is found in the popular chorus written by Helen H. Lemmel in 1922:
“Turn your eyes upon Jesus;
Look full in his wonderful face;
And the things of earth will grow strangely dim;
In the light of his glory and grace."
New ideas: embrace them or reject them? Am I a Pioneer or a Gatekeeper? Is it best to resist or integrate the new experience? Shall we swim with or against the current? Where do I "turn" for the proper eyes to see?
Just some thoughts from Bennis and me.
Bennis, W.G. & Thomas, R.J. (2002) Geeks & geezers: How era, values, and defining moments shape leaders. Boston: Harvard Business School Press.
Photo of Aragorn retrieved from www.lord-of-the-rings.org/books/aragorn.html
Warren Bennis, author of Geeks and Geezers, pens many thoughts regarding the effectiveness of leaders. In this posting I want to explore one of the insights I harvested from his book - the leader's response to new experiences. Bennis puts it this way, “The ability to process new experiences, to find their meaning and to integrate them into one’s life, is the signature skill of leaders.”
The new territory.... the "never before experienced" adventure.... the outside the current sphere of best practices.... the novel idea that will stretch the mind and the wallet - all of these have the potential to cause a person to shrink back with hesitation or curl up with a good book until the danger passes. But the new and different can be the path to higher ground. Some have a natural tendency for the status quo, the putting down of established roots, the maintaining of the traditional course of action, and the stability of the proven. Others have a yearning for the new frontier, a quest to be a pioneer in a wave of creative thinking, a desire to stretch the boarders and challenge the limits, and a passion for risk-taking/high-yielding adventures.
Not every cloud has a silver lining - some have lightning and thunder. Not every idea leads to a stream of success - some flow to dangerous rapids and deadly waterfalls. But to stay still too long leads to stagnation. To "stay put" can leave you with 8-track players & cassettes that no one wants. Effective leadership has the ability to see .... knowing when to pass and when to move, sensing when to stay put and when to advance, understanding the roots and the rooftops, incorporating the new into the old and integrating the beauty of possibilities on the canvass of stability.
Interpreting scripture is much like interpreting life. The accurate interpretation of the Bible is the key link to the appropriate application of absolute truth to human experience. Likewise, the interpretation of life experiences is the cornerstone to making sense out of the changes that occur day by day. In Bible study the prerequisite to effective interpretation is keen observation. The better we see what the text says and get a proper view of the message, the more accurate our interpretation will be. In the same way, the more clear our perspective on a given experience, the better our interpretation and application for life. I have found that the truth of scripture gives a godly and heavenly view of earthly experiences that leads to clear vision.
Johnny Nash (1972) wrote a song about clear thinking and the ability to see the obstacles that face us on a day to day basis. Bennis seems to agree that the leader has the ability to see the new experiences of like and translate them into a positive, sunny day.
"I can see clearly now the rain is gone;
I can see all obstacles in my way;
Gone are the dark clouds that had me down;
It's gonna be a bright bright bright bright sun shiny day.
Oh yes, I can make it now the pain is gone;
All of the bad feelings have disappeared;
Here is that rainbow I've been praying for;
It's gonna be a bright bright bright bright sun shiny day. "
Another great example of seeing clearly and accurately through the eyes of faith in the a sovereign God is found in the popular chorus written by Helen H. Lemmel in 1922:
“Turn your eyes upon Jesus;
Look full in his wonderful face;
And the things of earth will grow strangely dim;
In the light of his glory and grace."
New ideas: embrace them or reject them? Am I a Pioneer or a Gatekeeper? Is it best to resist or integrate the new experience? Shall we swim with or against the current? Where do I "turn" for the proper eyes to see?
Just some thoughts from Bennis and me.
Bennis, W.G. & Thomas, R.J. (2002) Geeks & geezers: How era, values, and defining moments shape leaders. Boston: Harvard Business School Press.
Photo of Aragorn retrieved from www.lord-of-the-rings.org/books/aragorn.html
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