Category Archive:
Leadership

Balancing Parenthood

listening and following the adult

Every now and then go away, Have a little relaxation, For when you come back to your work Your judgment will be surer; Since to remain constantly at work Will cause you to lose power of judgment. Go some distance away Because the work appears smaller And more of it Can be taken in at […]


The Power Of Family Stories

the power of family stories

Every family, every college, every corporation, every institution needs tribal storytellers. The penalty for failing to listen is to lose one’s history, one’s historical context, one’s binding values. Max De Pree, Leadership Is An Art  On Christmas Eve, the cousins chose to watch The Sound of Music. This surprised me, as the cousins’ ages range […]


Competition

competition

The thirtyish-year-old father stood next to me on the playing field. We were watching his four-year-old son’s soccer team. “I can’t wait until Josh is old enough to play catch with me,” he said. “Josh is old enough to play catch with you now. Matter of fact, if you don’t build that relationship now, when […]


TV Or Not TV, Is That The Question?

tv or not tv is that the question

All man’s miseries derive from not being able to sit quietly in a room alone. Blaise Pascal (1623 -1662) “I can tell you exactly the year that my students changed,” my college professor told our class in the 1970’s. “I’d ask a question and nobody made any attempt to answer it. They thought they were […]


Economics For Life

beginning a conversation

People are changed not by coercion or intimidation but by example. John C. Maxwell “After you graduate from college and get a job, you’ll have more money,” my grandmother told me, “but you won’t be any happier. You’ll just have a new set of problems.” The years validate the accuracy of my grandmother’s advice. I’m […]


Shoe Leather Is Cheap

shoe leather is cheap

How can we establish a habit of fitness for our children and ourselves? May I recommend a step at a time? Hugh Gailey from Stevenson, Washington walked 100 miles per week at ninety-four years young. Mr. Gailey said, “shoe leather is cheaper than medicine and doctor’s bills. Walking is the best exercise for any age.” […]


1969…1969…1969

1969...1969...1969

It was a bathroom mirror moment–one of those instants where you stand between two mirrors and see yourself patterned to infinity. Mindy, our neighborhood babysitter, sorted pennies by date, with my daughters, then three and five years old.   I walked in from the dentist office, minus two wisdom teeth. I’ll admit I wasn’t at the […]


Some Alternatives to Saying “No”

alternatives to saying no

There are some days in February that seem as if all we do as parents is say “no”. “No, Susan can’t spend the night. Your brother has the flu.” “No, you cannot go bike riding right now. It’s dark.” “No, we can’t go to the mall. It’s supposed to start snowing soon.” Bad weather, illnesses, […]


Removing Obstacles to Development

obstacles to development

If we wanted to raft the Grand Canyon, how would we prepare for the trip? Depending on our experience level, we might arrange for a guide to navigate us down the river. We’d want to learn about the nature and force of the river. We would want to be familiar with dangerous parts of the […]


Together

together

In my chiropractor’s examining room, there is a poster of two hands reaching for a handshake with the title “Together”. The poster reads: OUR JOB See you as an individual Respect your privacy and your time Provide a comfortable office Explain procedures Monitor and report progress Show you ways to get and stay well Offer […]