To Serve well

Serving with Excellence for a Life of Excellence

Bold

Mentor someone you may learn something.

blog_682060_2730030_1435427500I love learning from young professionals!

One of the advantages of mentoring is that you are often the one who learns a thing or two. I know I have. I have had the opportunity to connect with several professionals over the years, but these young professionals are special.

Jacob Wayman
Boldness- Step out of your comfort zone and create your path.  TAKE ACTION.

Diana Chaloux
WOW- Passion- You are NOT too young to publish, to create, to inspire-SHARE your STORY early and often. 

Take some time today to dial up one of those you mentor. If you don’t mentor someone, stop what you are doing and create that opportunity.  It will change your life. 

Sparklers, Picnics, & Independence! GO USA!

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I LOVE THIS WEEK!  Today starts the long weekend for many and I hope everyone loves this opportunity as much as I do… that we get to celebrate our nation’s Independence.

A little background for those of you who, like me, didn’t listen well in history 101… In 1776 the Declaration of Independence was adopted by the Continental Congress… declaring Independence from Great Britain.

Here’s also an excerpt from Wikipedia I thought was especially cool and worth sharing…

John Adams one of the 5 “drafters” wrote this to his wife the night before the signing:

“The second day of July, 1776, will be the most memorable epoch in the history of America.  I am apt to believe that it will be celebrated by succeeding generations as the great anniversary festival.  It out to be commemorated as the day of deliverance, by solemn acts of devotion to God Almighty.  It ought to be solemnized with pomp and parade, with shows, games, sports, guns, bells, bonfires and illuminations, from one end of this continent to the other, for this time forward forever more.”

Seriously, how cool is that- At 47 I have never read that- So, thanks John Adams and Wikipedia!  I absolutely loved reading this- Here’s why:

  1. He claimed it a FESTIVAL!  Who doesn’t love a grand celebration. Celebrations UNIFY us with others around a common cause and give us great JOY.
  2. He includes God = Our country was  based on strong guiding principles and this is so needed today.
  3. He defined the FESTIVAL activities- I especially love bonfires and ILLUMINATIONS!

As you and your friends and family CELEBRATE AMERICA this week, I am praying BOLDLY that as a country we will get out the SPARKLERS and ILLUMINATE OUR SKIES, have some crazy good BBQ-be it an amazing burger or some KC STYLE RIBS, and TOGETHER UNIFY AROUND AMERICA and GIVE GLORY TO GOD for our GREAT COUNTRY!

Linchpin – a blog book review

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Seth Godin, starts with this as a subtitle. PERFECT PLAY SETH!  I will often do these book reviews because I like to read.    When I read I check mark, underline, and dog-ear the corners of really great concepts… I figured, why not share a bit of this with my readers.  After all, more of my friends would not look at me strangely when I ask them if they would read a book if I gave them one…

So here you go, ENJOY and if you like what you read, go out to Amazon or your local book store and grabthis read –  it is truly a gem.

Random thoughts/extracts/comments and in no particular order:

  1. “You are a Genius” – Seth started with this, I like to think God created us all to be a genius at something!
  2. “I couldn’t have written this book ten years ago, our economy wanted you to fit it, it paid you well to fit in, and it took care of you if you fit in.  Now, like it or not, the world wants something different from you.”  How true is this… we all have to be shaken out of a routine and into new ways of thinking and delivering results to stand out.
  3.  “Stop asking what’s in it for you and start giving gifts that change people.  Then and only then, will you have achieved your potential.”
  4.  “Becoming a LINCHPIN is a stepwise process, a path in which you develop the attributes that make you INDESPINSABLE.”  “Linchpins are the essential building blocks of tomorrow’s high value organizations.”   I like that thought! In my home life, community and workplace!
  5. “We need original thinkers, provocateurs, and people who care.”
  6. “Indispensable businesses race to the top instead.”   On Trader Joe’s…. But Trader Joe’s keeps growing, because the combination of engaged employees, cutting-edge products, and fun brings people back.”
  7. “The web has made kicking ass easier to achieve, and mediocrity harder to sustain. Mediocrity now howls in protest.”    Mediocrity to me is annoying.  Why do it!
  8. “Create something worth talking about.”
  9. “You can see the marketplace as being limited, a zero-sum game”…. Or you can see it as unlimited.  A place where talent creates growth and market increases in space.
  10. “The new American Dream…the one that markets around the world are embracing as fast as they can, is this: Be remarkable, Be Generous, Create Art, Make Judgement calls, CONNECT people and ideas.”
  11. “The competitive advantage the marketplace demands is someone more human, connected and mature.”
  12. “In the space of two generations, we created a consumer culture. There wasn’t one, and then there was…”
  13. “The distinction between cogs and LINCHPINS is largely one of ATTITUDE, not learning.”
  14. What they should teach in school:  “Only two things:
    1.)   Solve interesting problems.  2.)  Lead.”
  15. “An artist is someone who uses bravery, insight, creativity and boldness to challenge the status quo.”
  16. “The combination of passion and art is what makes someone a LINCHPIN.”
  17. “The ultimate gift you can give, the one that will repay you today and tomorrow and heal our world, is that gift.  The gift of CONNECTION, of ART OF LOVE OF DIGNITY.”
  18. “Real artists ship” is the entire focus of the chapter titled RESISTANCE- This chapter is awesome- It is all about getting something done and out the door…i.e. SHIPPING.    This chapter is worth the entire book-
  19. “The LINCHPIN is able to invent a future, fall in love with it, live in it, and then abandon it on a moment’s notice.”
  20. The SEVEN ABILITIES OF A LINCHPIN:
    1) Providing a unique interface between members of an org.
    2) Delivering UNIQUE creativity
    3) Managing a situation or organization of great complexity
    4) Leading customers
    5) Inspiring Staff
    6) Providing deep domain knowledge
    7) Possessing a unique talent