The Road to Leadership

“I have three precious things which I hold fast and prize. The first is gentleness; the second is frugality; the third is humility, which keeps me from putting myself before others. Be gentle and you can be bold; be frugal and you can be liberal; avoid putting yourself before others and you can become a …

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Gracious Living

One of the hallmarks of an effective parent, manager or leader is the attitude of graciousness. Gracious living is much more than a technique, in fact, it is a general approach to living that gives evidence of a refined relationship to life itself. What is life, anyway? Is it something that you have or something …

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An Open Mind

I've often been asked what it takes to keep an open mind and while I have no magic answer, I do feel that you can govern your heart and mind as a gracious host would his household. You've no doubt had the pleasure of visiting such a host whose penchant for hospitality made you feel …

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The Dividends of Graciousness

My uncle forwarded me a link to a delightful and inspiring CNN article that tells the tale of the graciousness of one of the U.S. Army's top officers, General Peter Chiarelli. Graciousness comes when you release self-concern, any sense of entitlement and sever any linkages that may exist in your heart and mind between position and …

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A Helping Hand

Whenever I travel with my sons (now aged 4 and 5), I have the unique pleasure of watching them assist the bell hop with the luggage cart. The spirit of service is strong with them as it is with most children of their age and I have yet to see a bell hop refuse their …

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On the importance of being detial-oriented.

I bumped into an old friend at the supermarket today and it occurred to me how important it is to answer when opportunity knocks. This particular friend was one that I had not seen in several years and while we were not particularly close, our shared sense of purpose unified us in ways that transcends …

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