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Do you work for a "manic" leader?  No offense meant for those that suffer from any manic diseases.  But I’m speaking of leaders that influence through manic types of behavior.  I know a friend who is suffering through this, and he’s not happy.  The story he tells is one of erratic and irrational proportions.  Sadly, it appears (as far as he can tell) that his organization is hiding.  Avoiding may be the better term.

Organizations that allow the manic leaders to continue their abusive ways, invite the doom of extinction.

With so many past examples of the damage, you’d think we’d learn.  But it appears the dysfunction goes on.

I hope my friend will go live his dreams.

Checkout Seth Godin’s weblog (www.sethgodin.com).  You’ll need to click on his head to get there, but he has a post titled "Clueless."  The post nails why being average is dangerous.

Wanted to update you all on some progress with the book:

1. Query letters are going out this week and next.
2. Book proposal, outlines and sample chapters have been edited and are ready.
3. First Epic Living seminar will happen sometime in late September or early October.

This has been a week of reminders.  Life is brief.  If any of you think you have time, I’ve got news for you…you don’t.  This is not my attempt at being morbid, but a plea that you make the most of your time (opportunities).  We’re living out a story already written.  We must be urgent about discovering, innovating and loving.  The latter is the most important.

In any pursuit, the first question to ask is "what do I want?"  Sounds obvious, but so many people (inside and outside of Corporate America) don’t ask this fundamental question.  Do you believe your worth what you want to be?  Sadly, a number of individuals don’t.  Tragic! 

What if I told you that what you want to do is quite possibly the thing you were "meant" to do or be? 

When we’re defined by so many different voices (Mom, Teachers, Managers, Friends, etc.) we get pulled into a maze that is very difficult to get out of.  These influences can’t know truly what’s best for you.  In my life, God is the only one who can define me authentically.  I don’t believe anyone else should…they were never intended to have that much influence.

If you are willing to face yourself with honesty, then you’ll know you were supposed to have what you want.

Today a wonderful friend was laid to rest.  She impacted numerous lives and leaves a void not to be filled.

Thank you Sandra for the mark you left.  May our lives honor the love you gave.

Go live an Epic Life!

Does your organization embrace politics?  If the answer is yes, then it places them on a crowded field. I’ve spent many years evaluating why organizations fall into the trap of "going political."  I would also note that there is a world of difference between politics and strategy.  Strategy implies honest intent and open negotiations.  Best in class organizations know this art.  Here is a short (not all-inclusive) list of some of the reasons for going political:

1. The organization is full of managers.  Managers have a difficult time seeing anything but those things directly in front of themselves.  This lack of vision produces expedient thinking.  When left with expedient decisions, we usually go political.
2. The organization fails to understand the power of culture (beliefs, norms., behaviors).
3. The organization fears the unknown.  Going political gives individuals the feeling of "certainty."  Ironically, the unknown is a certainty.
4. The organization is content with average.  To be great you must embrace risk and the unknown.
5. The organization is old by time and mental standards.  We have no control of the former, but we do over the latter.

It appears that the board of Morgan Stanley realized very late in the game that William Purcell needed to go (see the article in Friday’s Wall Street Journal www.wsj.com, subscription required).  I’ve read before that Mr. Purcell wasn’t the most like CEO on Wall Street, but I find it ironic that the word "Director" is used for some of these folks.  Can they look in the mirror (after so many talented people were leaving, the stock price under performing and business lines faltering) and say they didn’t know.  It was well documented that the board of Morgan Stanley had it’s head in the sand for some time.

There is hope, John Mack is a pretty remarkable leader from what I understand.  When he took over and Morgan, I was pleased about the decision.  Let’s hope Morgan’s board doesn’t wait til its too late to discover Mack’s knack for turning things around.

Humans are normally apprehensive about the unknown.  Most want to know what’s behind the door, or where the next step will lead.  One danger in this approach is that we miss the moments in front of us.  We should always remember that there will always be an "unknown" as we travel through life.  It is not a question of if, but of when.

The key in life is in understanding creation and it’s creator.  If you wanted to know how Blue Tooth technology works you’d consult the manual, and better yet the designer of the system.  I won’t go into a commentary on religion, but as a follower of Jesus Christ, I have found a model that comes to me where I’m at. 

Unknowns are solved by faith, whether you believe in Jesus or Buddha.  Faith gives you the steam to move even though everything hasn’t been spelled out.  Think about the times you’ve made decisions around career, love and other life directions.  More than likely you had to "step out."

If you’re in the group that struggles with the unknown take note of the following:

1. See my second paragraph from above.
2. Get on purpose and take more risks!  Start with small ones and build up.
3. Get a mentor who can help you along the path.
4. Embrace and don’t fear (False Evidence Appearing Real) the unknown.  The unknown is where our greatest opportunities exist.
5. Stop walking blind and stupid.  We’ve all made stupid decisions, but the more we minimize those types of decisions the better we’ll be.

If you’ve lived long enough, you know that your personal value is vital.  To understand that and trust it is even more important.  I should also mention that it can be challenging as well.  Remember something, the U.S. Census Bureau www.census.gov notes that there’s about 6.9 billion people in the world today, and none of them have your DNA makeup.  That’s a compelling reason to trust!  Not to mention that it implies design and purpose.

One of the saddest realities today is that most people will die without uncovering their true value.  The grave yard is full of riches.  Dreams of new businesses, love affairs, adventures and much more.  I believe God wants to use me to "wake the working dead" before its too late.  A daunting task I know…