Leadership Garden Coach

Bullying Prevention Begins With Each of Us

As a woman who knows first-hand the pain and anger of losing a loved one to suicide, I was very saddened and a bit outraged to learn of yet another eleven-year-old boy who died by suicide within a week of another.

Jaheem Herrera and Carl Joseph Walker-Hoover were mere boys. My heart aches for their loss, and for their mothers, families, and communities. Healing from losing someone to suicide is a long journey for all involved. It is one of those loses that makes no sense to those left behind.

However, the actions that Carl and Jaheem took to stop their pain sent a strong message about the society we live in today.

What was the message, what can we learn, and what can we change? These are the questions to ask - not just who is to blame.

HOPE for a common sense stimulus package

In keeping with my acronym theme, I have HOPE that we will harness the opportunity before us, reclaim our power, and emerge stronger as a nation because of the current economic crisis.

I began this post in January. Looking at my last post, “Where have all the leaders gone?” it appears I was missing for a time. However, I was not gone. I was on hiatus gathering HOPE and finishing the online infrastructure for a worldwide Leadership Garden Legacy.

During this time, I continued to follow the news about the stimulus package and worsening economy. Each night I shook my head. In my mind, the economic crisis is a symptom of a much larger issue; the erosion of moral ground in our human garden. Yet, I am an eternal optimistic.

Where Have all the Leaders Gone?

This title reminds of the song of my youth, “Where have all the flowers gone - long time passing . . .” 

My thoughts today are inspired from a recent Larry King Live segment on the Bush Years. Ari Fleischer, former White House press secretary under President Bush commented, “The fact that made America so great was that the private sector is and should be bigger than the government. . . Business and labor have got to get together and figure out how to thrive. The government plays a moderate role, but if it is the preemptive role America’s on the wrong track.”

The moral obligation for business and government to act with integrity, responsibility, and in good faith has withered away and led us straight into the current economic and environmental crisis of today. How did this happen? Who is to blame?

Grandparent Leadership Garden® Legacy

I was saddened to hear the news that Senator Obama’s grandmother, Madelyn Dunham died after a long battle with cancer on the eve of the election. The article Obama's grandmother, family 'rock', dies on election eve warmed my heart and was a wonderful tribute to the power and strength of grandparent leadership everywhere. Madelyn Dunham’s leadership legacy lives on in her grandson and the American people.

I doubt Ms. Dunham thought when Barack came to live with her and her husband that they were nurturing "history making" leadership greatness. In the article, Obama called his grandmother a Hero. I would call her an extraordinary leader who through her own strength and power nurtured those around her.

True leadership in my book U.N.I.Q.U.E.: Growing the Leader Within is intended to re-sow the seed of greatness around you. We have Obama’s grandparents to thank for changing the conversation of hope and change in this country.

Inspired by my grandaughter, I have been working on a Grandparent workshop that I will unveil in January. I'll to give you a taste of the essence.

Grandparent Leadership Garden® Legacy

Every grandchild is a unique seed in the world’s garden.
Each seed grows a leader from which greatness can blossom.
Imagine the future of our planet, if 11 million grandparents unite to nurture each grandchild to sprout leadership greatness.

The purpose of the workshop is to empower you to discover, articulate, and write your leadership legacy story, or re-write your story if what you see is not what you desire.

It takes courage to look at yourself through the eyes of your grandchild. They are the mirror to your true self and the future. You are one step removed from parenting and can see things a more clearly now.

What kind of leadership legacy do you see when you gaze into the eyes of your grandchildren?

Is it love for nature and humanity?
Is it inner strength and power?
Is it inspiration and peace?
Is it acceptance and forgiveness?
Is it joy and appreciation for the favor, grace, and beauty of life?

Or

Is it mean spirited gossip and blame?
Is it martyrdom and shame?
Is it fear and uncertainty?
Is it frustration and anger?
Is it prejudice and exclusion?
Is it resignation and cynicism that life is not worth living after all?

We are on the verge of a new time in our history. The conversation for change in leadership during the campaign will forever alter our history. But it’s not leadership change at the top, but change from each and every one. The time has come to reclaim our power, refocus our energy, and ignite our passion to make the difference we desire for future generations.

Comedian, D.L. Hughley on his "Break the News" CNN show last Saturday said it best. While interviewing the Rev. Al Sharpton, Hughley comedically expressed nervousness that if Obama wins we will have to deal with things like responsibility and accountability. Though in jest, his point was valid. He addressed the notion that we know children rise to the level of expectation we place on them, what will Obama’s call for change mean for the rest of us?

I believe regardless of who wins the election, the time has come for grandparents of our generation to lead the way and acknowledge our leadership legacy place in history. 
 
My free eBook: A Unique Path to Greatness: Eight Principles and Practices for Growing Your Thriving Leadership Garden will introduce you to the leadership legacy I am talking about -- no strings attached.

Download free_ebook_a_unique_path_to_greatness.pdf

I hope you'll hop on over to www.leadergardenpress.com and sign-up for our email list to be notified about our Grandparent's Leadership Garden Legacy efforts in 2009.

Leadership Training Myths

I recently read an Internet article by Kate Mercer, "Why Doesn’t Leadership Training Produce Leaders?" Her article title peaked my interest. I agreed with most of the the article except the question Ms. Mercer posed, “How Can You Learn to 'Do' Great Leadership?”

Myth One: Great leadership means "doing" great things.

A different overall question I would like to ask, “Why doesn't the traditional definition of 'doing' leadership and leadership training produce thriving leadership in everyone?” Given the state of the economy and world today, we can no longer afford to financially, emotionally, environmentally, and spiritually look outside ourselves for great leadership.

Mercer's answer to the question she posed about learning to "do" great leadership was this, “You need to be coached in leadership skills, over time, in real situations - ones that matter to you and where there is a chance of meaningful success or failure - by coaches who themselves demonstrate the skills.”

I agree with her response and offer this expanded view. Skill building is an essential Leadership Garden® tool, just like a hoe, shovel, and rake are to a physical garden. Yet, the greatest leadership in the world is rooted in a way of "being" a leader that expresses your unique imagination, purpose, and aim. 

Their are two benefits of Leadership Gardening for groups and individuals:

1. You weed the thoughts, feelings, and behaviors that stem your goals and dreams.

2. You plant seeds that inform, engage, and empower you to achieve your goals and dreams.

The Big WHY? Fear and Desire

Do you “wonder how you” let fear and desire influence you?

Every day media headlines are laced with stories of sensationalism that evoke fear. Politicians use fear tactics to garner support. Simply put, fear is a tool used to manipulate and influence people. Why? It plays into our human survival instinct.

On the other hand, advertisers use tactics that prey on desire. You want to feel better, be richer, smell better, or drive a car that makes you feel good and turns the neighbors green with envy. That is also part of human survival tool kit.

Humans are wired to seek pleasure and avoid pain. So what do you and plants have in common?

The Big Why? Lie & Integrity

Do you “wonder how you” lie? If you have a negative reaction to this statement, you are denying the basic connection to language, identity, and your own humanity. Everyone lies at one time or another, but it is not who you are on the inside.

According to my Random House Webster’s College Dictionary, 1991, a lie as a noun is defined:

1. a false statement made with deliberate intent to deceive: a falsehood.
2. something intended or serving to convey a false impression; imposture.
3. the charge or accusation of lying.

As a intransitive verb:
4. to speak falsely or utter untruth knowingly, as with intent to deceive.
5. to express what is false; convey a false impression.

A liar is defined as a person who tells lies. So are you a liar?

The Big WHY? Political Reality: Fact or Fiction

Do you “wonder how you” create reality or how reality is created for you?

According to my Random House Webster’s College Dictionary, 1991, reality is a noun that is:

1. the state or quality of being real
2. resemblance of being real
3. a real thing or fact
4. real things, facts, or events taken as a whole

In my world, reality has to do with two things: interpretation and agreement.

The Big WHY? – Panning for Gold in all the Wrong Places

Do you “wonder how you” benefit as the one and onlytrue leader of your life? Today I’ll focus on three benefits of growing a Leadership Garden®, especially when it comes to Internet Marketing. I’ll share the lessons I learned while studying and practicing how to market to you on-line:

1. No one can truly know my pain, solve my problems, make me rich, or hold the key to my happiness and success - but me. Given what I stand for and wrote in my book, this wasn't a revelation as much as an embarrassing kind of a "duh" moment.

2. I began to choose what I learned, who I followed, and how I would grow my career and business with integrity to my unique purpose and aim.

3. I regained my power to create what I desire by taking full responsibility for my thoughts, feelings, and actions and the results that I produced - good, bad, or indifferent.

We are now in the “information age” and sellers are making big money marketing information products on the Internet. For every problem you have, there are hundreds of experts eager to draw you into a sales funnel with free offers. I call this the “expert guru" sales funnel trap.

So what’s the problem? Nothing - unless you are unaware of the techniques used and manage yourself and pocketbook accordingly.

The Big WHY! - REAL Change

I watched Barack Obama’s acceptance speech at the Democratic National Convention. His campaign rhetoric “change” and “yes we can” interests me a great deal, but maybe not for the same reason as others. There is no question he has the ability to inspire masses and spark hope in the heart, mind, or spirit of the American people.

I observed closely as he eloquently referred to America’s Promise and laid out his plan. When he emphatically stated, “Enough!" I couldn’t agree more, but enough of what?

Now my passion was evoked and I wondered how long we will go on thinking real change will occur by electing a new leader? What needs to change is not the leader in power, though that is a very good idea in the moment, but to change the world view of leadership that abdicates power and responsibilty for your life to the circumstances or a person in a particular position. Worse yet, that great leadership is the innate ability of only a chosen few.

When Senator Obama said, “This campaign is not about me, it’s about you.” I nodded my head. The door opened to ask the "Big WHY - REAL Change" questions.