The Gift of Balance

The Gift of Balance

There’s a bluebird house on an oak tree six feet from our bedroom window. The same pair of bluebirds comes each spring to build, populate, and empty a nest in it. This past spring, their parenting process caused me to reflect on how instructive bluebird flying lessons...
The Magic of Service Pollination

The Magic of Service Pollination

The flowering of spring can be a wakeup call from the dreariness of winter.  As we watch blossoms emerge from plants and grass turn from brown to green, we are reminded of the miracle of life.  Innovative service is the unexpected wakeup call from the dullness of...
Innovation Leadership is Made of Spears, Not Sand

Innovation Leadership is Made of Spears, Not Sand

“What do great innovation leaders do that other leaders fail to do?”  It was a pointed question from a way-too-obvious skeptic during the Q&A following my keynote.  I prefaced my answer with a line often spoken by my good friend, Bruce Fritch, “True leadership is...
The Mentor as Diversitist

The Mentor as Diversitist

Bet you have not seen that “d” word before. But, think about it. A segregationist supports all vegetables served separately—no tossed salad. An abolitionist negatively argues for doing away with any type of separation—no vegetable section in the grocery store. But, a...