S.O.P.  Many of us live by it.  Certainly our work operates by it.  We trust that those police, fire safety and ambulatory service individuals among us will follow this for our good.  S.O.P. is a terrific was to engage in work.  What is S.O.P.?  Our standard operating procedure. 

I was challenged recently by a quick update from the Kansas Leadership Center which encouraged us to make experimentation your standard operating procedure.   The reasoning?  “Over time, ‘acting experimentally’ will become a way of being in situations that demand leadership.  It’s somewhat difficult at times to see experimentation as relating to leadership, though.  Here’s another quote: “Exercising leadership requires a resilient spirit and willingness to fail for the purpose of learning.  Test your assumptions by actively experimenting.  Imagine several possible approaches, then pick one and see what you learn.  Take smart risks to reveal the best path forward.” 

Another reason this is such important activity is because one of our main contentions is that we aren’t making the progress we’d like to see because we are doing the same old things in the same old ways.  The gap (between our reality and dreams) isn’t necessarily shrinking, in some cases it’s expanding.  So, it will require us act in different ways. 

About a month ago, I wrote about how there is a huge gap between our current reality and our expectations.  Part of my contention, as reflected in recent weeks was that bridging the gap between those challenges we face and where we’d like them to be takes us acting different.  It requires us to engage in an act of leadership, which will help move people to difficult work.  We talked a bit about authority and how anyone can lead, anytime, anywhere, it’s not just the most gifted people at the table that can bridge the gaps you see in your reality.

Today, one further point I want to hold up is how working to bridge this gap starts with you and must engage others.  There’s way too much (of the wrong kinds of) action in two extremes, methinks.  On the one hand, many of us sit around and make excuses as to why we can’t make progress.  Maybe we’re not the authority or the decision maker or how it may be costly and we don’t have time.  On the other hand, it’s easy to slip into “expert mode” and give a million reasons why those working for progress aren’t effective.  One is kind of a passive critique (I’d do it this way) and one is an active one (what could little ol’ me do).  And, our principle today is that making progress in these areas starts with you.  You.  Not the other person or someone who’s going after it “wrong” but you.  And, your engagement is with others.  It’s working in collaboration with others for the common good.

So, today, revisit that area that you’d give yourself for.  What progress would you like to see made?  What are you waiting for?  Acts of leadership start with you and must engage others.  Let’s move in, then, for the common good and progress of our community. 

Been racing through the KLC’s Leadership Principles the past few weeks offering a review/reminder of the important things that define our activities of leadership.  Specifically, we’ve spoken of the gap that exists between our reality and where we’d like to be and seen how it’s not so much authority (which can be helpful/necessary at times in providing protection, direction and order) but engaging in the activity of leadership that will help us make progress.  Today, is the simple reminder that anyone can lead anytime, anywhere. 

You see when it comes to the gaps of our current reality and where progress needs to be made, we tend to default, I think, in letting the experts handle things.  We like to offer up all kinds of solutions on Facebook, coffee meetings and a host of other venues, but rarely do we get our skin in the game.  And, yet, this is what is necessary for progress to be made in the gaps of your world.  Anyone.  Anytime.  Anywhere. 

Today, what steps can you take to make progress?  What conversations, diagnoses, interventions or considerations could you pursue to help make progress on the matters of life that you face?  You can engage in an act of leadership today where you are.  This is a core defining principle that we believe.  So, why not engage in something in someway at sometime and see if it doesn’t help us make progress in those areas we care about deeply. 

Last week, I wrote about the gap that exists and suggested that to bridge the gap (between our current reality and where we’d like to make progress) we would have to act differently; we would have to engage in different behaviors.  At its most basic level, then, what I’m proposing is that you, yes you, engage in an activity.  Really that’s what leadership is: an activity, not merely position.

Sure, position can be helpful and is definitely needed at times to give protection, direction and order.  But, position or authority may or may not be engaging in acts of leadership.  And, when we think about the gap that exists in our world today on some of our most pressing questions, we need activity, not simply more positions of authority. 

Today, my simple challenge is this: what can you do to make progress in the gap?  How can you engage?  What activities can you pursue?  Rather than slipping into expert mode and complaining about all the problems that exist in the gap, why not engage in an activity of leadership and see if progress isn’t made on those issues you care about deeply.

I know I’ve been on a managing self kick in recent emails, but I thought it was good to come back to the idea of taking care of yourselftoday.  One reason is that I’m rather drained after the amazing month I’ve been privileged to live recently.  Another is that as I visit with others, I get inspired by those who have the wherewithal and insight to pull back.

In 2012, the KLC did a conference call “On the Balcony” and thought about what it means to take care of yourself that I highlighted in some emails.  The big point: “Leadership is risky.  You stand a better chance of succeeding when you’re at your best.”  Caring for yourself means recognizing when you need to take care of yourself, finding what balances you, and having kindness and compassion for yourself and the work you’re doing.  Some warning signs that you need to take care of yourself were: you become restless, irritable, and discontent, you can no longer meet people where they are, you start forgetting things, you become physically sick and/or you take things personally that were meant as constructive criticism.  The remedy came in three ways: 1) Take quiet time for yourself: prayer, reflection, meditation.  2) Care for your physical needs: get enough sleep and exercise regularly. 3) Ask for what you want or need.

So, today, this is as much for me as anyone, but if I know anything about hard-working, nose-to-the-grindstone Kansans, it’s that we easily forget to manage ourselves by taking care of ourselves.  So, today, I free you take care of yourself, so that you can engage in more effective acts of leadership, helping our community make progress on the issues we care about deeply.

With you in this… 

I was thinking this morning about using words and the inherent power they have.  A popular workout regimen was claimed to have “terrorist” tendencies, people that disagree with us are labeled as “intolerant” and there’s a host of other uses of language that come out in print or from our mouths that may or may not be helpful.  There’s a tension here, isn’t there?  On the one hand, at times we’re compelled to raise the heat through our words.  On the other hand, we can manage ourselves to such a degree that we would never use our words to raise heat (although there’s quite a good bit of talking happening between our ears which may or may not raise the heat internally for us).  And, both of these tensions intersect in managing self.  So, for those who tend to be heat-raisers with words, is there a degree of intentionality in what you write or say?  Or do you tend to fly off the handle?  Maybe you need to manage self for more effective interventions.  And, if you tend to be one who talks more to yourself rather than others, maybe you need to manage self by intentionally intervening and asking that conflictual question or pushing back on that prevalent interpretation.

Today, let managing self be seen in the words you use and see if that doesn’t help us make progress toward the things we really care about…