Hello!
It has been a while, but I have felt some divine pushings to get going on Vanguard business once again. The world needs this approach to education and I must do my part!
I will be looking at the current Vanguard resources and blogs and try and reconfigure it based upon feedback I have been getting over the years. If anyone has more suggestions or is willing to try and help me set up a more user-friendly system, I would love to have your suggestions and help!
For now, I would like to start a monthly dialogue on this website on a particular theme from our seven that we focus on in Vanguard. I will also be extending this to an official Vanguard Facebook Group.
This month is Service-Oriented Leadership and I am excited to explore what it is, what it has looked like historically (as well as it's counterparts), scientific and mathematical evidence and symbolism that supports it, and then bring in artistic examples to help transform us into service-oriented leaders in our hearts.
Let us first do a compare and contrast between two men of the bible: Samson and Joseph of Egypt. Consider what made them great, what were their characteristics, what were their failings, what were their decisions?
We need to be morally strong and not selfish in our desires for power in order to be effective and world-changing leaders:
If we diligently seek to do what is right, even in small ways, we shall have great influence!
What makes a good leader? Question of the month.
Question of our lives: how will we be a good leader?
It has been a while, but I have felt some divine pushings to get going on Vanguard business once again. The world needs this approach to education and I must do my part!
I will be looking at the current Vanguard resources and blogs and try and reconfigure it based upon feedback I have been getting over the years. If anyone has more suggestions or is willing to try and help me set up a more user-friendly system, I would love to have your suggestions and help!
For now, I would like to start a monthly dialogue on this website on a particular theme from our seven that we focus on in Vanguard. I will also be extending this to an official Vanguard Facebook Group.
This month is Service-Oriented Leadership and I am excited to explore what it is, what it has looked like historically (as well as it's counterparts), scientific and mathematical evidence and symbolism that supports it, and then bring in artistic examples to help transform us into service-oriented leaders in our hearts.
Let us first do a compare and contrast between two men of the bible: Samson and Joseph of Egypt. Consider what made them great, what were their characteristics, what were their failings, what were their decisions?
We need to be morally strong and not selfish in our desires for power in order to be effective and world-changing leaders:
So often, our acts of service consist of simple encouragement or of giving mundane help with mundane tasks, but what glorious consequences can flow from mundane acts and from small but deliberate deeds! (video link)Drew Dudley captures this concept of the power of small and simple service and ties it to the definition of leadership:
Question of our lives: how will we be a good leader?
Maybe I'll just comment lots of different times as I think of things, because I have lots of comments on this subject. :)
ReplyDeleteRecently it has hit me with severe irritation when people focus so much of the money value of leadership. They teach great information, then suddenly it's about money. My recent last straw - I was reading through a great blog on a subject of teaching children a couple weeks ago (I'm going to be very vague), when suddenly I hit a post talking about a this amazing "get everything you ever dreamed of" tool I keep hearing about all the time and how they got $10,000 by doing this, and let me teach you how too!! Again, the blog focus is teaching children. They would have caught me if they said they used this amazing tool to help their family in whatever beautiful way, but as it is, I haven't been back to their site. (I've seen this special tool referenced many places before, and money always seems to be referenced somehow, to the point I mentally roll my eyes when I hear it.)
Off that rant and back to the final straw - I'd been seeing it over and over, do this and be successful with lots of MONEY!, but again, the blog context killed me and it was in the back of my mind stewing for a few days. Why don't people get it?!?
I think I was low enough about the trend that when a friend I met through goodreads (it's possible!) posted a review of a book so completely on the other side, I can't wait to get my hands on it (coming in the mail!), and it better not fail me. It's a new Stephen Covey book called "Primary Greatness," which apparently talks about without primary greatness (strong core values) all that secondary greatness doesn't matter. When I ordered it I got the intro and I think the first chapter electronically, so I started reading it. His son wrote the intro, and early on he shares Covey's definition of leadership, which I LOVE.
"Leadership is communicating to another person their worth and potential so clearly they are inspired to see it in themselves." -- Stephen R. Covey
Think about it. A lot.
But back to Primary Greatness. The idea reminds me of John Wooden's pyramid, and how he was such a successful basketball coach because he expected his players to not just be great players, but great men. And scouting - if a boy can tie knots, light fires, and has every merit badge, it means nothing if he doesn't have the Scout Oath and Law in his heart.
This subject is deep in my heart. Service-oriented leadership isn't about self and what you can gain. It's about being the best you so you can give your best to others.
(And thank you, Mary, for being a huge example of that to me. I could write about that too.)
In complete agreement with Marni- on so many levels!!!
ReplyDeleteGlad to hear I'm not the only one on a rant lately!!!
And now I'm going to have to look up that book, thanks!!