Conversation, Part 2: The Cancer in the System
On organizations, fear, leadership, and the loss of human presence Part 2 of my conversation with Vern Ho on Life, Leadership, and the Courage to Be Human As our conversation continued, Vern began speaking less about his illness directly and more about the deeper patterns he believed were affecting organizations, communities, and society itself. Again […]
Conversations, Part One: The Gift of a Shortened Future
Conversations with Vern Ho on Life, Leadership, and the Courage to Be Human On illness, family, congruence, and learning to live before it is too late In October of 1995, I sat down with my friend and mentor, Vern Ho, for a long conversation about life, leadership, illness, and the state of our society. Three […]
The Bullets: A Reflection on Courage, Commitment, and Dignity
At nineteen years old, I was stationed in Okinawa, Japan, serving in the U.S. Army (1975-1977). I didn’t know it then, but a decision to encourage a friend to coach a youth basketball team would grow into one of the most meaningful leadership experiences of my life. What began as an innocent suggestion evolved into […]
How Do You Create and Sustain Hope in the Face of Adversity?
How do you create and sustain hope in the face of distressing circumstances? The world is woven of interconnected threads–we are each linked together. These links are not limited to the human world; they extend to the natural world and all existence. You exist in relationship. In the most challenging times, you have an opportunity […]
Taking the path less traveled
During a bike ride to the office, I paused to share an experience that seems relevant during this time of uncertainty.
Being the Master of our Mind
Early this morning, I was lying in bed with thoughts of the current crisis in this county. These are simply some wandering thoughts that came to me long before sunrise. It truly is a crisis in the sense that the impact of the coronavirus will likely have a devastating effect on our economy nationally and […]
Stepping into a New Future
When I awoke this morning I was reflecting on the current occupation of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge in Oregon by a group of out of state militants. I was reminded of something I wrote some time ago. Most of us greet the New Year with at least some degree of uncertainty. Predicting where we […]
The Three Questions
The Three Questions is a story by Tolstoy concerning an emperor who, in the course of ruling his realm, confronts three questions. The first question is: “What is the best time to start a task? How does on avoid missing the appropriate time, so that one may have no regret?” The second question is: “What […]
It Really Takes Courage
We begin to grow old from the moment we lose hope and the spirit of challenge, when we become self-satisfied or grow resigned to our present circumstances. ~ Daisaku Ikeda When I awoke this morning my thoughts where of the many good things happening in our community. Yes, we have many challenges before us. And […]
Moldova: Creating hope (video)
This video is part of my graduate school thesis project in Community Counseling at Northwest Christian University. The question guiding my thesis work was, “How do we create hope in the face of distressing circumstances?” Moldova was the focus of this thesis. Our team to Moldova consisted of two professors and seven graduate students from […]