Steve, my boss, opened four days of meetings with this question yesterday. When was the last time you heard of a president or CEO breaking the ice like this? The fifteen of us in the room invested an hour discussing acts of loving leadership. These included attentiveness, listening, taking action on what we know is right, doing what we said we would do, building trust by being worthy of it, and creating a safe environment. Steve and his wife Judy personify many, if not most, of these traits. They are easy to follow. Once again I am left with the conclusion that great leadership isn’t rocket science.
October is nearly gone and this will be my only entry for the month. It’s not that I haven’t been reflecting – I have. Just not here.
Today – Halloween – is my spiritual birthday. 34 years ago Ann Pugh shared the gospel with me during a backyard Bible club on a Wednesday afternoon. The felt board she used had a big red heart with a door in the middle. Jesus was willing to enter my heart if I would open the door, confess my need for him, and invite him in. Though only 10 years old, I can remember with astonishing clarity going upstairs that evening, kneeling beside my bed, confessing the crud in my life, and experiencing the flood of forgiveness that flows from the Cross.
Lessons for us: Never underestimate the power of love, or the ability of young people to understand profound, simple truths.
