Parting Words

I went to my wife’s graduation banquet on Tuesday night at Colonial Country Club. As we arrived, I kept thinking of ways to sneak on the back nine and get in a few holes before they caught me and politely asked me never to come back.

What I remembered from the night was an older doctor and his parting words to his students and peers. He had retired a few months ago from 40 years of teaching doctors how to be surgeons. In fact, his first student was sitting at our table and his last student was there as well. He called it his Alpha and Omega of his teaching.

He said something significant about leadership:

“Leadership is absolute humility tethered to an iron-clad will”

If you don’t know any surgeons, then you should know that they are the rock stars (or at least they think) of the medical world. But that’s not this surgeon. His point was wherever you go, you will have the opportunity to be a leader, and this is the attitude that has guided his career.

That kind of leadership is rare, and a good reminder to me of the values of being a servant-leader. Also an encouragement to be tenacious in defending what I believe and value. I hope to reach the end of my career and have been that kind of leader.

He mentioned the Mayo Clinic is where he learned about that kind of leadership. “Leadership Lessons from Mayo Clinic” from Dr. Leonard Berry (click to download the pdf): http://tinyurl.com/qtx8e3 gives some insight into the values and vision behind the Mayo Clinic. Even if you aren’t in the medicine, the lessons apply in other areas of business.

So the question for you is, what would be your parting words about leadership?

If you liked the article, take a look at Management Lessons from Mayo Clinic by Leonard L. Berry and Kent D. Seltman. I think this will be on my list now!

Special thanks to Dr. Berry for the permission to link to the article.

Bookcase Project

I know it’s been a while since I updated, but here is my attempt to update. I finished the bookcase back in February and it is now in my sister’s house! Here is a picture:

The Bookcase is finished!

The plan was from the Spring 2005 issue of Woodworking Magazine. It is made out of quatersawn white oak, the traditional arts and crafts wood. It took a bit longer than I originally planned, it was supposed to be a Christmas present.  I used mostly hand tools, and had to resharpen my plane every day or so due to the tough nature of the wood. What I really like about the project is the finish that went on it outlined in the same issue of the magazine. You can see it a bit better here:

The bottom shelf

The finish really brought out the grain of the Quartersawn White Oak. I found an excellent supplier, Sweeny Hardwoods near Fort Worth. They usually deal with the bigger customers, but they were great to work with.

Game Weekend

It was beautiful weather. There were 82000 fans yelling. Alas it was not meant to be for the Aggies.

I was thinking good things as the 1st play ran 30 yard run, then 60 yard run for a TD. That was the last TD till the end of the third. It was all Miami after that.

It was our backup QBs first start. He made some good, some bad plays. We have 1 or 2 guys look like they could be stars. Overall I think we just aren’t that good this year. New coach, new system, bad Oline. We might win 3 games this year.

Half time was cool though the Prarie View A&M band performed. They are a step band and were in the movie Drumline. Very enertaining.

We left in the 3rd after Miami scored 14 points off turnovers to make it 41-10.

It was a good day. I got to see the game with my wife. It was a beautiful day, and a good road trip.

FMSS

-This weather is so amazing! I might have to end up at the golf course this afternoon.

-Random info: I found out about a connection between Mormons and green Jello. Google it, it’s true.

-Ive got my team polo on and headed down for the A&M vs Miami game tomorrow. Very excited. My wife is also going with me ( did I mention she is wonderful?)

- I am teaching over 2 timothy on Sunday. Still not entirely done but almost there. Any good books on teaching/ speaking?

Friday Mornin’ Scatter Shootin’

-Hole In The Wall lost its entertainment value after 5 minutes. It was pretty funny to watch though.

- We started “The Pursuit of God” in our Friday morning group. I am excited about it and everyone else seems to be as well.

-Seeing FATAL ERROR in AutoCAD is not the way to start the day especially if you have a deadline.

- Ike has been fascinating to watch and I am going to start to use “cone of uncertainty” in everyday conversation.

Update

So , things are starting to settle down. I am back from Louisiana. I can’t really talk about exactly what I was doing there, but it was fun. That’s the tricky part about a blog is how much info is TOO much to post. Definitely don’t want to get close to that line.

I got to have a lunch date with my wife today, we went to Great Outdoors. The unexpected date is fun and it was a treat to get out of the office. Too much gray weather lately has given me cabin fever.

I am also ending the fundraising I have been organizing for the past 2 months. I have been in competition with the floor below to raise money for the American Heart Association. I might win and it’s going to come down to the wire.

I am teaching on 2 Tiimothy in a few weeks and so far the prep is going great. I’ll post some ideas I have.

So, there we go that’s all I got right now.

LA

I am in Louisiana for work. No, I am not discussing any events of football this past weekend. Let’s just hope we can handle the Lobos of NM this weekend. Maybe more updates soon on what’s going on here.

Lunch Sounds

This is my view for lunch today. The Fort Worth Classical Guitar Society is putting on a concert. It is a mix of classical and jazz guitar. The guy on the left is Fred Hamilton, a professor of jazz guitar at UNT. That’s right, he teaches people how to be awesome on the 6 string. So gonna take my time for lunch and sit back and enjoy the music. It comes at a much needed time in the week!

Friday Mornin Scatter Shootin

Special Olympic Edition:
Does Team Handball seem like the wackiest and yet fun to play sport at the same time? It seems like a bunch of guys were sitting around bored with a really small basketball and invented a game.

My father-in-law and I think our best chance at a medal is in curling.

I am a bit tired from staying up watching the Olympics. But I am glued to the screen.

Favorites: swimming, track, beach volleyball

Least favorites: diving, womens BMX, table tennis

Good Blog?

Merlin Mann over at 43folders has made a list of what he considers a good blog. I wholeheartedly agree. Here is the link:

http://www.43folders.com/2008/08/19/good-blogs

Yeah, mine has a ways to go. I especially like “Blog posts are written, not defecated.”