scottrodgers.tv

This morning Ed McMahon, 86, passed away.  Ed McMahon was a great number two.  Every leader craves a great number two.  Someone who measures their success by how they help their leader be a success.  Someone who stands with their leader no matter what.  Someone who is loyal.  Someone who understands their leaders humanity and loves them anyway.  Someone who compliments their leaders effectiveness by being strong where their leader may be weak.  I wrote on this from a different angle a few months ago.

May Ed McMahon be an inspiration to every number two, and three, and four, and …..

Last night, my eleven year old daughter, Morgan, and I, were laying down snuggling.  She said, ‘Dad, if you had just one wish what would it be?’ I was perplexed.  My mind went everywhere.  Selfishly I thought more money, the easy road, and the fountain of youth.  Then, reaching for nobility, I thought safety and blessing for my family, to end world hunger, to eradicate disease.

This morning I was reading John 14 & 15.  Jesus says in 15:7, ‘If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you.’ I’m certain Jesus wasn’t trying to set himself up as some holy genie.  Is it possible that Jesus is saying that if we center everything we are around Him, pursue Him through His Word, and live to glorify Him, that we can actually ask whatever we ‘wish’ and it will be given to us?  I think so.

Then what’s the catch? I’m not sure there is one.  If there is a catch, it may be that when our lives become completely Christ centered then His desires will become our desires.  When that happens our selfishness fades and we begin to ask Him for the things He is already desiring to do anyway.

After telling Morgan what I would wish for, I asked her the same question.  What was her answer?  More wishes.

For a motorboat to stay its course the propeller needs to keep turning.  Or, to stay in position, the anchor has to drop.  In life we go adrift when we stop purposely propelling into the future.  Even during seasons of rest we can go adrift if we don’t drop the anchor when we intentionally recharge.

In addition to the mission I pursue and the relationships I keep, the other thing that keeps me from going adrift is the books I read.

I generally read four types of books; those that challenge me spiritually, challenge me as a leader, challenge my understanding of the world around us,  and those that are entertaining – such as fiction.  Other than being entertained, do the books you read challenge you? Is it time to start reading something more challenging?  Is it time to start reading period?

Chart the course, stay the course, don’t go adrift.

Scott is the guest blogger today on swerve.  Join in on the conversation.

Mountains are majestic. Mole hills are a nuisance. Mountains inspire.  Mole hills discourage.  Scaling a mountain requires determination and commitment.  Ridding of a mole hill requires murdering the mole.  Getting to the top of a mountain is a victory.  Eliminating a mole hill is a relief.

Leaders need mountains to climb. Leaders of leaders need to make sure there is a mountain to climb. When the work shifts from scaling mountains to cutting down mole hills the work of leadership actually gets harder.

The Law of Inertia says that a body at rest stays at rest, and a body in motion stays in motion, unless it is acted on by an external force.  After focusing on mole hills for too long the energy required to start climbing mountains has its own challenges.

What to do when there’s only a mole hill. Embrace it (I know that sounds hypocritical).  Strengthen team relationships.  Strengthen competencies through added training.  Strengthen families and people by allowing extra rest.  Then, find a mountain as fast as you can.  If we don’t find mountains for our leaders to climb, they eventually find mountains of their own.  That’s because they’re mountain climbers.

Climb the mountains.  Murder the moles.

‘Non-words’.  I use them.  Most of you do to.  And, it’s killing me.

Let’s have some Monday fun.  Which ‘non-words’ do you use?  Which ‘non-words’ drive you crazy?

‘Um’ – Is not a conjunction. ‘Have you, um, thought about bringing your, um, iPhone in to get fixed?’  STOP IT. Um is not a conjunction.

‘Uh’ – Is not a dramatic pause. ‘Well, uh, the way I see it, uh, is that uh, we should do that first.’  STOP IT. Quit taking benadryl before coming to work.

‘Man’ – Woodstock is over. It just is.  ‘Man, let’s go there for lunch.’  Is ‘man’ an affirmation that we are no longer Cro-Magnon or a reminder that maybe we still are?  STOP IT.

‘So’ – Is not a period on the end of a sentence. ‘I think the best approach would be to look at all the options so.’  STOP IT. . ! ? - That’s how to end a sentence. 

Let him who is without sin cast the first stone.  Maybe I should be the first to read UM.  Then, I’ll send everyone else a copy.  Man, that’s my Monday fun rant.  What do you, um, think?  Post your thoughts, uh, and let me know.  Love you guys, so….