Thought Leaders

My lovely bride of 45 years and I are farmers. We gently and lovingly care for the land, the plants, and the animals (domestic and wild) in our little corner of the planet. We are stewards. We think/act/farm with an eye on the sustainable “health” of the land and all...

Good questions stimulate deep reflection, often unexpected insights, and occasionally, transformational breakthroughs. Not-so-good questions do none of that. What’s the difference? Not-so-good questions… Offend others Diminish others Feel judgmental Seem...

Most of us tip the server when we visit a restaurant. That gratuity is a simple expression of appreciation for service rendered. Gratuity is a powerful force multiplier, and it need not be limited in its scope. We can acknowledge and honor the effort and commitment of...

Some folks just give in, give up, choose the myopic and self-centric view, opt for pessimistic inertia. Being but one person on a planet populated by 8 billion humans, they take the view that we are but one grain of sand on a very large beach. How can/could we matter?...

I engaged an 84-year old cowboy (Ben) in conversation during a luncheon not long ago. Ben was an interesting character, with bright eyes and a quick wit. He had been a working cowboy his entire adult life and a ranch manager for over 40 years. Ben told me that he had...

According to leadership guru Dan Rockwell, “Wisdom is practical know-how. (Nothing more, nothing less, nothing else.)” From observing others over the years it appears to me that wisdom gatherers fall into three categories: Happenstancers – With this group, little...

Those in leadership roles frequently feel the burden of that responsibility. It is real! To whom much is given, much is required. Being the best leaders we can be requires us to spend some of our personal resources on self-care. If WE are not healthy and...

I recently read Future Driven: Will Your Students Thrive In An Unpredictable World? by David Geurin (2017). This book was as much about pedagogy and engagement as it was about affecting future- and life-ready students. But, of course! Are those not inextricable...

Getting better. On purpose. Every day. Easier said than done. But it always starts with reflection. It’s hard to purposefully move toward improvement (either personal or collective) until/unless we turn the mirror on ourselves. That mirror-gazing is both a look at...