Yank The Diseased Tooth (A Leadership Principle)....

If you know me, you know that I am a bit of a reader. One of the best books on leadership I have ever read is "9 Things A Leader Must Do" by Dr. Henry Cloud. His words are overly practical and incredibly applicable regardless where you fall on the leadership ladder.

I am going back through his book reading the notes that I made the first go around and wanted to share the second thing that a leader must do....THEY HAVE TO YANK THE DISEASED TOOTH. Not literally (unless they really have one), but figuratively. A leader has to learn how to not allow negative people, emotions, and thoughts to take up space in their lives.

When it comes to people a leader has to understand that the team he/she has with her will either propel them to levels they have never been before or they will chain them down, keeping them anchored in places they should have grown out of long ago. Jim Collins in his book "Good to Great" does a great job discussing the importance in assembling the right team. So, when a leader has a person who is a negative force for the team either one of two things has to happen, either the leader needs to fill the cavity (alter the team members attitude) or pull the diseased tooth. One bad tooth has the potential to infect the entire mouth.

When it comes to negative thoughts and emotions a leader needs to guard their hearts because there will be days that are very difficult and if the leader is not careful then they will allow those days to have an effect much longer than is necessary. Being aware of times when you are stressed is a great indicator of how you will be able to grow through difficult situations. For instance, most leaders will stress out the most the minutes before they fall asleep. They will either be thinking about the previous day, looking ahead to the next day or will be trying to fix a situation that is un-fixable at 12:00 at night. A leader needs to be wise enough to know that there are certain times throughout the day when to confront stressful situations and when to allow it to roll off.

A leader has much more on the line than the bottom line. There is opportunities, employees, dreams and revolutions to consider. That is why life is to short to go around with a bad tooth in your mouth.

Heart and Soul,
BAG
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Locations...

I am spending a few days in Bandera, TX at my aunts house. No, Misty didn't kick me out! No, I am not trying to "lay low" so the heat can die down! No, I am not avoiding an attack from Swine's mom for making light of his birthday!

This is one of those trips that you always said you would make at Christmas and Thanksgiving but never actually made the effort to get anything done. So, with 2 reschedules and a bite the bullet and do it attitude I got here yesterday. I have decided that the pictures I have on my iphone does not do the place justice. When I come back in September for a wedding I will be sure to bring my good camera.

What I am writing about is the importance at times to make a temporary change of location. There is a great Mark Batterson equation that has stuck with me over the past 3-4 years:

Change of PLACE + Change of PACE = Change of PERSPECTIVE

So often in our everyday lives the routines and the mundanes have a way of giving us tunnel vision. Things that serve as warning signs get lost in the mix of signs for both movement and inaction. For lack of better words, we can get lost in speed of our own lives.

I am hoping to make this place a pretty regular part of my life routine. If for not other reason than just having a deck where in the morning I feel the freedom to see God's creation they way He made me....butt naked!!!!

Heart and Soul,
BAG
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Words To Chew On...

"A leader is best when people barely know he exists...
when his work is done, his aim is fulfilled,
they will say, "We did this ourselves".

----Lao-tzu

Words To Chew On...

"Have patience with all things, but chiefly have patience with yourself. Do not lose courage in considering your own imperfections, but instantly set about remedying them.
Everyday begin the task anew."

---Saint Francis de Sales

Am I Stronger Than A Four Year Old...

I believe my son is secretly trying to get me out of the picture. Tonight I came home from taking in a Ranger game with Mark only to find him on my side of the bed.

After getting cleaned up I tried to sneak in. Right now as I type this we are in the middle of round 3 of his feet in my side. I move them, he brings them back with greater force.

Either he is just a fighter in his sleep or he is the worlds greatest faker. I'm thinking of sleeping with my feet in his face just to see how he likes it.

If I die in my sleep, please investigate and see if it was possible for a four year old to get the job done.

Here is to hoping I make it through the night.

BAG