Being Authentic in an Unauthentic World

Does it make sense, as a leader, to put yourself out there in an honest way in hopes that people will do the same? That’s a tough question many leaders may be finding themselves asking. An older version of leadership has the leader sitting in a corner office with all of the answers and very little input from anyone else. They lead in an authoritative way, which is probably not very effective. But are people drawn to that? Maybe at first, but over the long haul, I’m not sure.

Authentic leadership means you are willing to be REAL with people. You want to hear from them and are willing to let your guard down as well. Actually, you want to have some type of relationship with them. It may not be attending each other’s wedding for your kids, but you are trying. For religious leaders or teachers, this can be tough … aren’t they supposed to have all of the answers. We’ve been conditioned to think and believe the leader has no failures, faults or mistakes. The problem with that unreal ideal is that few people will be able to relate to the leader. I believe people are drawn to authenticity, especially in leadership. If you find your leader, your school principal, picking up trash in the hallway it might motivate you to do the same.

Can there be issues with this new found transparency? You bet. (President Obama seems to be trying, but the criticism seems to come even faster.) But the overall result may produce an environment where people can be real with each other and be more effective in accomplishing their goals. Do our schools need to improve? YES. But let’s shine a light, an appropriate size light on our school leaders. Allow them to be authentic and real — then we might see some real change.

A Historic Trip to Washington, D.C.

Going to Washington, D.C. for a school group isn’t really anything new. A lot of schools make this journey on an annual basis. Some do it for the 8th grade class as a final middle school rite of passage. Some schools wait until the junior and seniors have had a chance to tie in the trip to a civics or government class. A trip to D.C. isn’t unusual for a school, but this one for Oakland Christian School, might be a little different.

Several months ago, Dawn Lichty, one of our secondary math teachers and D.C. trip leader, approached me about my thoughts of changing the date of the Washington trip from it’s normal time of early April (Cherry Blossom time) to the weekend of the Presidential Inauguration. It took me all of about two seconds to say, “That’s a great idea.” I had had the priviledge of attending the last inuaguration and was even fortunate to sit on the platform nineteen rows behind the President. After that moment, I always thought, if I ever have a chance to attend an inauguration again, no matter the party elected, I want to come. Little did I know the historic significance of the swearing in ceremony that next Tuesday, January 20, will bring.

OCS will be taking 71 Juniors and Seniors along with 17 adults to Washington, D.C., leaving late Friday night, January 16 and returning early Wednesday morning, January 21. The trip will include our normal visits to the National Cathedral, Washington Monument, the new Capitol Visitors Center, Arlington National Cementary and more. Every day is packed full from morning to evening. But this trip is different. History surrounds you when you are in our nation’s capital, but the historic moment of a Presidential inuaguration is something special.

I realize that this event is even more historic. President-elect Obama will be standing at the opposite end of the area where some 45 years earlier, Dr. King spoke of a dream for this country. Next Tuesday will be historic, no question about it.

But I think every inauguration is historic. Political parties battle it out for months (way too long, by the way) and when the election is over, a peaceful transition occurs for everyone to see. Take a look around the world; that’s not always the case.

So it is my prayer that our students (and adults) have the ability to grasp the moment and soak in the surroundings. Keep checking back to this site as every day I will post what we have done and seen. Next Tuesday, I will try and have more frequent updates as we wake up early, travel into the city and witness history once again.

2009 Possibilities

Don’t worry, I’m not going to list 2009 reasons that I believe the year 2009 is going to be great for OCS. However, I am pretty excited. In fact, it doesn’t take many vacation days for me to get rested up and begin the anticipation of the first school day in January. There’s something exciting about coming back, seeing all of your friends and trudging through the Michigan winter together.

For the next few months, the pace at Oakland Christian School will be fast and continuous. There are so many wonderful things happening. Eighty-eight students and parents will be leaving Friday night, January 16 to travel to Washington, D.C. during the time of the Presidential Inauguration. It will be a historic time for these students to witness an event of such magnitude.

The OCS Early Education through fifth grade teachers will receive professional development training in the Orton-Gillingham reading method. This instructional method will provide an even stronger foundation to the reading program OCS offers.

Our middle schoolers will be planning for their middle school retreat, a special Euchre night in February, atheltics, drama, fine arts, spelling bee, and on and on…

It’s an exciting time to be apart of OCS. I will continue to use this space to share with you special stories of what is happening with our students.

No Leadership again…now from Tennessee

Ok…I have to admit, I never thought I would be living in Michigan.  I mean, it’s cold up here.  snow almost every day for the last three weeks.  but after being a Michigan transplant for ten years, I have to say I love it.  The summers are amazing and the northern parts of Michigan are breathtaking.  But, at the same point, I have a love from my home state of Tennessee.  The Big Orange, Rocky Top…I love it.  but Senator Corker, what in the world are you doing.

I have from time to time used this blog to talk about leadership.  I have praised good leadership and railed against bad…it’s time to do some screaming.

I’m not an auto industry buff…I grew up in Nashville with Country music in my backyard, but I have learned a little in the last ten years.  Senator Corker, here’s a question…if the Country Music industry was getting ready to go under and affect the lives of songwriters (the autoworkers) and publishers (auto suppliers), would you be ok if Senator Levin and Senator Stabenow from Michigan humiliated people from your state.  I doubt it.  I was embarrassed when I saw you take the lead in this ridiculous charade that has been going on.  You, as a so-called business-man know the real details.  Now let’s be clear, there is failed leadership to go around.  It is in management, it is within the unions and it is certainly in the hallways that you, Senator Corker, inhabit in Washington, D.C. 

I guess I would have expected better leadership from you Senator Corker.  Taking time to grandstand and tell Chrysler and GM how easy it is and what it is they should do…why don’t you come up to Michigan and give it a try.  This isn’t Chattanooga city politics or real-estate.  This is something much bigger than you…it is for a real leader.

The conventions are over…and I’m tired.

Two weeks of back to back to conventions have taken it out on me.  To be honest, I love this stuff and am really looking forward to the next two months.  I hope…no, I pray that a real leader will be chosen by the American people.  I know that to a degree, we do our best in the voting booth and hope we get it right.  But earlier today in Detroit, MI, which is close to where I live, the mayor of Detroit, Kwame Kilpatrick resigned in disgrace after pleading guilty to two felonies.

Elections matter, there is no question about it.  And I believe there is a young generation of leaders looking for models in which to pattern their leadership after.  We need leaders, en and women alike. Let’s pray real and authentic leaders will rise up and inspire a new generations.

What an election we are going to get!!

The next several weeks are going to be something else.  I am watching the Sarah Palin speech and I have to say, I like it alot.  She’s good..she’s solid and after the beating she and her family have taken over the last few days, I think it only a little fair she fights back.  

But what we will see after the red meat conventions of the last two weeks?  Will we see real authenticity…real leadership?  For the future of this country, I hope so.

A lot of stones being thrown

Wow!!  It’s worse than I thought. 

My recent post asked the Christian community to lift up Bristol Palin in prayer as she, her fiance and family plan for her pregnancy.  I pleaded for all people, left and right to not join in and pile on…especially Christians, but instead to love her no matter the circumstances as an example of what Jesus would do.  I write this not as a conservative (please, no Bill Clinton comparisons to Bristol Palin), but as a sinner who has been saved by grace.  But THREE front page stories in the New York Times about Bristol Palin’s pregnancy!!  Now that Hurricane Gustav has moved on and it will be two to three more days until Hurricane Hannah makes news, this has taken over the media.

I said before this isn’t a political blog, but it is going to become one for the moment.  I try to be open minded, hear all sides and sincerely want to learn from life’s experiences.  But the stones these people are throwing at both Gov. Palin (I can’t believe she went back to work three days after having her baby) and her daughter (must be rebelling against her mother for never being at home) is absolutely ridiculous.  I don’t know Gov. Palin, her daughter or any of these people screaming about their situation, but I do know Jesus. 

John, chapter 8…a young lady is brought out into the street (let’s call her Bristol Palin) and is getting ready to be stoned for an adulterous affair (Bristol is a teenager, now pregnant).  The religious leaders of the time, the people that everyone listened to (the news media) are ready to stone her…kill her (kill this family’s reputation).  Jesus looks at them, looks at the woman, sends them a message and they leave, with the scripture saying they left oldest to the youngest.  Wouldn’t it be great if some of the older generation of journalist would leave this alone and move on?  Probably would be great, but I don’t think it is going happen.

Bristol and Gov. Palin, hang in there.  There are people who are praying for you and sincerely mean it.

Being a parent, being VP nominee and loving your daughter

This blog has never meant to be about politics.  It’s purpose has been to discuss leadership and their ability or inability to be authentic in leadership.  But with today’s earlier confirmation about Gov. Sarah Palin’s daughter being pregnant, I thought I might make some comments while also pleading with my Christian friends.

The media hasn’t started the true swarm around this 17 year old yet…they are occupied with Hurricane Gustav, but give them time…it’s coming and probably pretty hard.  The news report mentioned that Senator McCain knew about this and that this didn’t disqualify Gov. Palin from joining the ticket.  Finally, someone makes the right decision and doesn’t worry about what the media, James Dobson and anyone else thinks or says.  As I have written before, this is what makes it so difficult to want to run for office.  Politicians certainly aren’t perfect and neither are their families.  I will make the assumption that when the swarm of bees comes around (the media), that it is going to be brutal on this young lady and her family.  I pray that the Christian community doesn”t join in…instead, let’s practice Jesus’ teachings of loving people no matter where they find themselves and what has happened.

Think about it, this family’s world was drastically changed 72 hours ago when Gov. Palin was announced as VP nominee.  Now this news has been confirmed.  Come on Christian community, let’s lift Bristol Palin up in prayer; pray for the health of the baby she carries; for the father making the commitment to being a dad and ost of all, let’s all be thankful for our Heavenly Father who loves us no matter what.

Adams to King: Lack of leadership led to 200 years of struggle

I have to confess…I love watching television.  It doesn’t take much for me to sit down and watch most anything…with or without a plot or storyline.  But over the past few weeks, there has been some interesting shows on that although completely set in in different times, they actually link together and illustrate what happens when leaders do not make important decisions. 

A few years ago, I became fascinated with the perod leading up to and then through the Revolutionary War.  The fact that men and women competely broke free from another government to start a brand new concept is pretty amazing (I mean it’s not like it was a start-up or something like that). The founding fathers, Washington, Adams, Jefferson, Hamilton, Madison (and their wives plus a dozen others) created a new way of living expressing the importance of freedom.  HBO is dramatizing this with their series, John Adams.  It takes an in-depth look at Adams, his wife Abigail, their travels and the integral part he played in establishing the United States.  But with everything he accomplished (he once served on 20 something committees making himself sick), the one area he and the other fathers wouldn’t touch was slavery.  They all knew it was wrong and in complete conflict with the Declaration of Indepedence they had each worked so hard on.  But they felt, it was easier to just leave it alone and let another generation deal with it.  That, essentially led to the Civil War, 100 years later.

One hundred years after the War between the States, another leader was in the middle of a violent struggle (although he wanted it to be peaceful).  On this the 40th anniversary of Martin Luther King’s assassination, taking a look at how these two American leaders intersect may be a fair exercise. 

Adams was a strong leader, focused on the details.  But he and his patriots did not have the ability to exercise leadership all of the way.  Can you imagine what the last 200 years could have been if Adams, Washington and the boys would have gone all of the way?  Who knows…maybe there still would have been a Civil War, just earlier.  Maybe, the Civil Rights movement would have happened 50 years earlier.  That’s the problem with not making decisions, you never get to know.

 

Authentically Easter…it’s not about the bunny

This past Thursday evening, the family had gone to bed and I decided to watch the “garden” scene from Mel Gibson’s “The Passion of the Christ.”  For Christians, this is the Thursday night event that goes into the the betrayal of Jesus, the mock trial, then the crucifixion.  I know the story, I’ve heard it all of my life, but I just needed a visual reminder as we enter this special weekend.

As I began to watch, I heard the small footsteps of my five year old coming down the steps.  He said he couldn’t sleep and could he watch the movie with me.  I told him it was a little too old for him to watch, but could he tell me the story.  I reminded him that this Sunday was Easter and that the bunny comes and all that stuff but…he interrupted and said, “I know, but it’s not about the bunny.”  He went on to tell me about how Jesus was betrayed, beaten up and then crucified.  But then on Sunday “he came back to life.”

I’m sure I will have moments of excitement as I watch my kids grow.  I’m sure there will also be moments that I am a little perplexed as to decisions made.  But hearing him say, “It’s not about the bunny,” will certainly go down as a moment I will remember. Out of the mouths of children, we hear what we can and in many ways, should be.