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Showing posts with label Leaders. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Leaders. Show all posts

Friday, August 30, 2019

A Word Game


My words seem to have dashed away! 

Important or frivolous words gone! instead of jousting and playing with crossed swords of meaning and purpose. 

Importance too often wins over frivolity 

Frivolity smeared liberally between the heavy bricks of importance
builds something worth the time of day or week and month and year. 

Bricks of importance and privilege 
plus 
the mortar of frivolity with its own sort of privilege 
builds a whimsical house with 
a curvy sloped roof and a funny top hat chimney
puffing out smoke when the fire of passion is hot. 

There is only one leader of a country, 
one C.E.O. of an organization and 
    one famous author of each string of books
but 
a host of us ordinary folk 
living ordinary lives with 
little glitz or glamour
    make the world go ‘round 
        for the Really Important People 
    while doing frivolous things like 
     playing games with our children and going for ice cream.

We are :
Really Important Frivolous People

“The beginning of wisdom is the definition of terms.”
~ Socrates

Saturday, January 21, 2017

Women’s Rights March - Victoria, BC

I’ll be honest. I was not going to go to the March for Women today.  I’ve never been to a march. I’ve never had any desire to attend any march. Today was different. Today, I wanted - no, needed - to see and feel this march. As I walked downtown, I expected to see women and men streaming to Centennial Square. But there didn’t seem to be much action. And then I saw them. Pink placards - Rights for Women! And pink hats - ‘pussy’ hats, and just ordinary - but pink or purple - winter hats.

There were, apparently, about 4000 people gathered with some peering from the tops of buildings. This march was organized by five different groups, spearheaded by the Raging Grannies. There was music by local musicians and, in chorus, many of us sang along. Speakers included Elizabeth May, leader of the Green Party, Carole James, MLA for the Victoria-Beacon Hill electoral district and Lisa Helps, Mayor of Victoria.


I could see the hundreds of people around me, but the crowd spilled down Douglas Street to Pandora a distance of several blocks. When the march began, we edged slowly out onto the street, filling it, blocking traffic on the cross streets as we wound down to Store Street and back to Centennial Square. Workers and staff coming out of their places of employment clapped and cheered as we passed.

I'm uncomfortable in crowds, especially big noisy crowds. This big noisy crowd did not scare me. The big noisy crowd told me that women, men and children in Victoria, as everyone south of the border and around the world, are paying attention. Paying attention to the threat to not just women’s rights, but to human rights, from the new leadership in the United States. People willing to stand up for their principles and to the source of these threats. Another disclaimer - I have not been clear about how a march will provide the resistance needed for change, however today I saw a critical mass of power. Visible and tangible. The power of citizenry that translates into votes and continued challenge to those who believe they hold all the power.

“I raise up my voice - not so I can shout but so that those without a voice 
can be heardwe cannot succeed when half of us are held back.”
~ Malala Yousafzai

Author's note: Edited February 03, 2024

Sunday, January 15, 2017

Follow the Leader

Leadership sets the bar high
…….or low.  
Front and center
In sound bytes and photo shoots
The batons of ‘follow me’ flashing principled messages to all of us
Blinding us and getting our attention

On a quieter note
Leadership sets the bar high….or low
From behind the scenes
In principled memos and newsletters
No flash, no dash
Assuming the front line attention

Leadership sets the bar high…..or low
Each of us leads in our own sphere
From our own beliefs and integrity
In principled word and deed
With passion or apathy
While getting the work done.

“Leadership is not about titles, positions or flowcharts. 
It is about one life influencing another.”
~ John C. Maxwell


Monday, January 2, 2017

A Principle Design ~ PRINCIPLES ~ Theme for January 2017




At this beginning of 2017, and given all the changes and losses of 2016, principles have come to mind - the principles of those that we have lost, and the principles of those of us that remain on this earth.




Progress comes at great expense
Respect changes attitudes and behaviour
Intuition whispers goals and dreams
Natural resources are deep within
Conscience settles in each moment
Integrity challenges the status quo
Possiblities are filled with honesty
Leadership sets the bar high…..or low
Ethics shapes decisions
Standards, based in belief, create direction

“A people that values its privileges above its principles soon loses both.”
~ Dwight D. Eisenhower

Tuesday, October 16, 2012

Reposted from October 16, 2012: Debating over Territory



Territorial Debate 
(new name for this post!)

Ideas and ideals
bantering back and forth
orchestrated discussion
over territory and who is right.

Leaders of free world parties
reduced and elevated to singularities
speaking for personal, party and national beliefs

Men who aspire to
lead a nation with as many 
rules and laws,
guidelines and regulations,
statutes and mission statements as there are 
personalities
families
races
religions
cultures 
that make up the nation.

Who or what wins?
Dollars and cents or
Values and sense?

Or are they all intertwined?

“In all debates, let truth be thy aim,
not victory, or an unjust interest.”
~ William Penn

Wednesday, September 12, 2012

Leadership Review

Where does leadership begin?

Who demonstrates leadership?

To learn the things 
a leader should do, 
there are
books
courses
classes
seminars
workshops
degrees

There may be a 
designated
elected
appointed leader within 
    family
    community group
    workplace
    service organization

however, it is at the grassroots 
of these groups of humanity that 
leadership is demonstrated.

Leadership has
humility
ethics
morality and
a core belief in oneself and 
ones personal values.

Leadership lives
outside of an office with 
no title
no name 
no credentials

Learning about being a leader begins in 
the roots of childhood, and 
anywhere along the journey we each travel.
The life we lead will show a direction for someone........

“A great leader’s courage to fulfill his vision
comes from passion, not position.”
~ John Maxwell