Testing. Testing. Is this thing on? Anyone out there? (tap, tap)

Thank you guys for showing up and really 'showing up' on Monday. My intention was to open the spigot of ideas around leadership, management and the responsibilities that go along with each. Plus, we considered the value of creating quality space in our lives. Next time, we'll kick off with the 9 Responsibilities of Leadership and also the 6 Core Competencies that the ELI Program is built around.  We are laying a foundation these first few weeks that we can build on throughout the year.

One thing I have been personally reflecting on is Amy expressing how difficult it can be to reflect on the deep things (what it is that matters, what leadership is, what do we want, what do we want to become, and what kind of leader we are or are becoming, etc.) Don't let me put words in your mouth, Amy, this is just my interpretation of what you said. I agree with you, it is hard! Who has times to 'go deep' when so much is demanded at the surface of life.

For those that asked, I am posting John's Philosophy of Leadership statement here and I'll also email it. Mandy, I really appreciated the story that you shared about how John is authentically living out his leadership beliefs and assertions. That is where the rubber hits the road. Does anyone else have a comment on the things that John is saying here?

ELI – My Philosophy on Leadership  (John Egger)                                                                             August 31, 2015

"I believe that leadership is a lifelong process of growing in wisdom and maturity.  It involves:

             Discovering who I am and what I care about and value.

Finding the commitment for self-development and self-control.  Shaping my expression of     myself.

Developing the self-confidence to have my own ideas about what it means to be a high-performing leader – having awareness and faith in my own personal power.

Being willing to truly serve those that I lead.

I believe that my ability to inspiration as a leader is directly related to the depth of my cause.

People always say companies fail because – 1)They are under-capitalized, 2) They don't have the right people, 3) There is a bad Market.  How did the Wright Brothers (who had none of these things) ever fly a plane??  Because they had a cause.  They gave blood, sweat, and tears.  They had a deep cause. They were inspired.

There are leaders and there are those that lead.  Leaders hold positions of power and authority. Those who lead inspire us.  People don’t buy what I do.  They buy because of the why I am doing it (inspire).  They buy because they believe what I believe (inspire).  If I talk about what I believe, I will attract others that believe.

So Leadership is influence and thus it is an awesome responsibility.  I am touching and moving real people.  I always need to be a breath of encouragement.  I need to call people up.  Everything I do needs to be elevating the humanity (much more than justice but acts of love, selflessness, and social intelligence) within the organization.  Then I need to challenge people and be there to insure their success.

I must feed myself daily doses of courage.  I will be vulnerable.  I will be exposed, open to ridicule and often defenseless to the economist, engineer, and the judge.  It will almost always be the way less traveled.  As Mary Anne Radmacher said – “Courage doesn’t always roar.  Sometimes courage is the little voice at the end of the day that says I will try again tomorrow.”

As leadership is a continuing and sometimes arduous process of acquiring wisdom and maturity, I will develop processes to manage energy more skillfully so I can continue the process of becoming a high performance leader." - End of John's statement

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