Random Thoughts

Since attending Cisco Live 2015 I have been on a journey to define what Guillermo Diaz called “Authentic Leadership”.  Talking with friends, colleagues and reading books I am starting to get a feel for what this really means.

Leading Authentically seems to come from a deep understanding of who you are and finding a way to remain true to yourself.  We are all shaped by our experiences… good, bad or indifferent, but the important part is how we define these experiences.

The good times in our lives are generally easy, reshaping seems appropriate and it is welcomed.  When you have a child, or get a promotion there are a new set of expectations placed on you, both internal and external.  Typically we don’t buck at these defining moments in our lives and we greet them with open arms.

No one’s life however is without struggle, pain and frustration.  In these instances it can be more difficult to see the good that comes from a bad situation.  I have been blessed to have such great friends a...

So often I hear people say, “I don’t have the time”.  They could be referring to completing a deadline, taking a vacation, or reaching some life goal they set 10 years ago.  This is a trap that I fall into on occasion and is very frustrating as it makes me feel powerless.  But therein lies the key, it's not that I am actually powerless to change my situation but that I let myself be controlled by other people or forces.

In our lives, the worst excuse we can give for not getting something done is a lack of time.  All we have in life is time and what I choose to do with it is 100% up to me.  I attended a leadership workshop at First American and it was mentioned that a lack of time is not a hurdle to completing your goals.  The reason for this is that we make time for things we care about.  The speaker went on to explain that if you are not doing the things you want to do, you must not want to do them more than the things you ARE doing.

As an example, I have been wanting to start readi...

This morning while reading Creating Your Own Destiny, by Patrick Snow, he discussed the importance of remembering those who molded you.  This is such an important lesson and one which has in many ways shaped my life.  Fathers from the Boy Scouts, my Sergeants in the Air Force, and leaders and friends in my personal/professional life.  I never take for granted that without these people, I would not be who I am today.

One of the most influential people in my life was Sergeant Eaton from the Air Force.  It was at a pivotal moment in my life, when I could have gone down many different paths that he took me under his wing.  This man taught me the importance of taking the good with the bad, my role as a leader in standing up for my team, and what the Air Force core values really mean (Integrity, Service Before Self, Excellence in all you do).

One specific instance stands out in my mind as it was so practical and relevant to myself and so many other people I have spoken to.  While in the Ai...