Truth or Dare

We all hate being lied to, but we don’t always want the truth. One of my colleagues said that the other day, and it struck me that this is often a problem with leadership. Leaders ask for the truth all the time, but then we do several things that keep people from telling us. We…

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Trust Issues

My son borrowed his friend’s dad’s Mercedes AMG convertible for prom. When he told me he might borrow the car and asked me what I thought, I tried to be careful how I responded. Growing up, we didn’t have friends with cars that nice. I went to prom in my ’65 Chevelle Malibu (no, it…

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Sum It Up

Résumé comes from the French, résumer, meaning “to sum up.” Curriculum Vitae, more commonly referred to by its shorthand abbreviation CV, is a Latin term meaning “course of life.” A résumé lists work history and experiences along with a brief summary of skills and education; the CV is a far more comprehensive document listing—in thoughtful…

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Trust Gives You Wings

During a luncheon at Wings Special Needs Community, the presenter made a statement that stuck in my mind. Wings is a day program in OKC for adults with developmental disabilities. They provide carefully curated programs designed to enhance independence, grow life skills, and allow members to live vibrantly. The speaker said that when working with the…

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Arts And Crafts

More than one person around me lately has said that something was part art and part science. Many examples of art intersecting with science exist around us. Art is crucial in helping us understand our scientific legacy, and science is well served by applying an artistic lens. Together, art and science help us interpret, study,…

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Scratch It Off

A dear friend of mine lost her twin brother recently in a tragic accident. At the funeral, they told a story about when the two of them were young and got a spanking, they would vigorously scratch their legs to make the pain go away. They would “scratch it off” they said. This got me…

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Enough

I was part of a CEO panel recently and was asked to answer the question, “What is the most important trait for a leader to possess?” My answer was humility, but if I could go back, I would change my answer to gratefulness. As we prepare for Thanksgiving this week, I find myself revisiting the…

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The Substance of Life

Most of us are familiar with suffering. If you have been in a relationship, been a parent, been an employee, lost someone or something you love, had dreams or even goals, you have had ample opportunity to suffer. Suffering is the substance of life and the root of personality, for it is only suffering that…

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Passion Tamed

Have you ever been hurried or bullied into making a decision? Had your hand forced by someone who called your ability or authority into question in front of others? Made a snap judgement under pressure that you later regretted? Unfortunately, this is not uncommon among leaders. We often find ourselves in situations where everyone is…

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Purpose Built

The Mercedes W12 race car is arguably the best Formula 1 car ever built. On an F1 track against other F1 cars, it has proven to be nearly unbeatable. However, you could not drive the W12 to your local grocery and back without severe difficulty, if at all. My Mercedes is exceptional at running to…

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