Search Results for: consistent

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Discouraged that the change you seek hasn’t happened yet?

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I was recently on a call with a friend that is dealing with at situation that is impacting her family and needs to change. She’s done everything she can think of to communicate their needs, to ask for consideration, and to influence that change but nothing seems to be happening.

As we visited I thought of a story I heard years ago about two children that were teased every day at school by a bully. In spite of their pain, their families encouraged them to be courageous, to speak truth and to be kind and loving in in their responses.

After an especially challenging day at school the two children were hurting, frustrated and discouraged.

So the little girl’s father took them on a trip to a construction site. They sat at a distance and watched as a man hammered on a large boulder. Repeatedly he hit the massive stone with no apparent results.

…And then in one sudden blow the boulder crumbled into hundreds of pieces!

The children were amazed, and wondered why that one blow broke the rock and the others didn’t.

The father explained that with each blow the rock was breaking inside – even though the exterior showed no evidence of what was happening inside.

 

Martin Luther King JrToday we honor the life of a man who consistently modeled that change can be obtained with persistence, thought, discipline and love.  

Martin Luther King Jr. spoke these words AFTER his home was bombed…

We are not advocating violence. We want to love our enemies. I want you to love our enemies. Be good to them. Love them and let them know that you love them.

As we honor his life I can’t help but to think about…

No matter who you are, or where you sit…  

[Tweet “Change won’t happen by wishing for it.”]

Or by waiting for someone else to do it.

[Tweet “The change you want to see is waiting for YOU to act.”]

Below are links to tools to help you be that change and prepare for the boulders you will face:

Image credits:  iStock, Historical Stock Photos

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Executives: Do you not know? OR …Do you not care?

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Years ago I read a wonderful post by Ted Coine titled, Dear CEO:  Who tells you when your baby is ugly?

The post resonated loudly, because as an employee and as a customer I have wondered…  [Tweet “Do they not know, or do they not care?”]

Over the past 41 days, I’ve asked that question at an increasingly high level…

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Healing the Racial Gap between The Dream & The Reality

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Have you ever tried hard to change a situation?
Have you ever gotten frustrated when change doesn’t seem to be happening?
And in the midst of that frustration…  Have you ever had anyone slap a victim label on your forehead?

Years ago I was dealing with a situation like that at work.  When I shared that frustration with an executive…  He told me that I needed to stop being a victim.

beating your head against the wallI was shocked.

I thought I had spent the past three years doing everything in my power to take ownership of a reporting process that was a potential risk to the company – a risk that was growing as the organization grew.

I had involved several key-stakeholders, I had shared concerns, I had collaborated on how to handle the present situation.  

…And I consistently believed that one of them would take the necessary steps to create change before this process had to be repeated again.

 How was it possible that my efforts to be an owner were perceived as being a victim?

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Integrity Matters Because…

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Today I visited with a neighbor that was emphasizing how much the company her husband works for values integrity.

As she shared her thoughts I imagined the difference between the list of core values that hang on walls and collect dust, and those that are used to guide decisions.

She went on to share a story about a compound that the company had decided they would not continue to use for their expat’s housing because of extraordinary cost.

The first thing the company did was to decide that anyone that was already living there could stay.

  • (A choice that will cost the company a few extra dollars but prevents unnecessary stress on families. And keeps their workers more focused on their jobs.)

The second decision came when a new executive moved to the area and insisted on living in that compound.

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11 Tips for Dealing with Manipulators

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Last week’s post:  Together You Stand, Divided You Fall is the first part of this “mini series.”  If you missed it, click here.

When I was a teenager I watched daytime soap operas. In each of them there was always a manipulative character that consistently pressed invisible buttons, somehow always getting what they wanted.

I remember wondering if anyone could actually be that conniving.

This weekend a news article and a video that covered different stories, were shared on social media.

Both were shared to stir hate and both effectively stirred up some of their intended audience.

  • The article made me angry
  • The video shocked me