With last year having been such an adventure, it has been a little difficult getting in the spirit of Christmas. A year ago tonight we were in Florence and would be on our way to Rome and then to Venice for Christmas eve. It's a little hard to beat the glamour of that kind of Christmas. On the other hand, we really missed not seeing Devin, Steve, and Gram at Christmas and this year we'll all be together for a full week. Darbi is already here, Devin and Steve come tomorrow, and then we'll all go shopping and playing together on Saturday. We very much look forward to a wonderful celebration together.
I also have something to celebrate today that will make the holidays even more fun. The editor for Deeper Learning in Leadership made some recommendations for changes in November and I promised to turn them around with a new draft ready by January 15, 2007. To my utter shock, I finished the revisions today - almost a month ahead of time. I probably won't turn it in until January but it feels so great being able to look forward to time with the family with nothing hanging over my head. I also intend to return to practicing piano during the holiday and I can hardly wait. Darib has been taking piano lessons at Carnegie Mellon and I need to brush up so I can stay ahead of her.
I feel a deep sense of satisfaction tonight. I'm home, with loved-ones, preparing my mind and heart for the coming of Christmas - an absolutely wonderful time of year. I pray for the happiness and peace of all our family and friends. We have many treasures to be thankful for!
Thursday, December 21, 2006
Wednesday, December 13, 2006
December 13 - one year later
A year ago I was finalizing grades for my MUDEC class, doing laundry, packing, and temporarily closing down my blog. Tomorrow, December 14, Diane and Darbi would start their trek to Frankfurt, and December 15, we reunited and began our European extravaganza. It hardly seems possible!
So much has happened over the last year that has cemented my MUDEC and European experience in my memory. First of all, I'm so pleased that I started this "Pursuing Leadership" blog so that I could get back to all the ideas I've had and so that I could chart the journey of my discovery of Europe and leadership.
This experience brought to fruition a decade-long dream just last week. I keynoted the Leadership Educators' Institute in Arizona with the title of my remarks being Deeper Learning in Leadership. It was an incredible honor and opportunity to roll out the core ideas that will eventually be in print with the book. The participants' responses were very good and the ideas seemed to stimulate considerable dialogue through the rest of the conference. Preparation for the conference also helped me refine how some ideas were presented, which will help in completing the final revisions of the text by January 15, 2007.
I'm finishing up grading for the semester and then will dig into writing. I also hope to kick back a bit for the holidays. Last year was so incredible that only the deep warmth of being with my family could even begin to compare!
So much has happened over the last year that has cemented my MUDEC and European experience in my memory. First of all, I'm so pleased that I started this "Pursuing Leadership" blog so that I could get back to all the ideas I've had and so that I could chart the journey of my discovery of Europe and leadership.
This experience brought to fruition a decade-long dream just last week. I keynoted the Leadership Educators' Institute in Arizona with the title of my remarks being Deeper Learning in Leadership. It was an incredible honor and opportunity to roll out the core ideas that will eventually be in print with the book. The participants' responses were very good and the ideas seemed to stimulate considerable dialogue through the rest of the conference. Preparation for the conference also helped me refine how some ideas were presented, which will help in completing the final revisions of the text by January 15, 2007.
I'm finishing up grading for the semester and then will dig into writing. I also hope to kick back a bit for the holidays. Last year was so incredible that only the deep warmth of being with my family could even begin to compare!
Sunday, December 03, 2006
Vienna - one year later
I've been reliving my weekend in Vienna throughout the current weekend. Clearly, Vienna was one of my favorite European cities and it's hard to forget what an amazing visit I had. With adjustments for time zones, by now I was back in Differdange, moving into the final days of teaching, writing, and solitude.
Vienna was amazing because of the overwhelming history that took place there and the art which stands as a testament to Vienna's importance throughout Europe for 700 years - up to the dawn of the 21st century. I keep thinking back about when Diane and I can return. I loved Vienna in the winter, with its very short days, snow floating through the air, streets filled with fur-clad shoppers, and musicians in concerts halls and the streets. I want to go back in the summer as well to see its lush gardens, the Danube, and the outdoor environs made for all to enjoy.
Shifting to another of my favorite cities, I noticed a piece in the paper this morning about JFK's 1963 visit to Berlin. The piece informed of the opening of a new exhibit just at the threshold of the Brandenburg gates that is dedicated to JFK's visit. His visit was intended as a statement of support to Berlin after the USSR erected the Berlin Wall in 1961. Free Germans were fearful of being overtaken by Soviet power but JFK had the courage to go there and to proclaim, "Ich ben eine Berliner." His statement reflected that free citizens everywhere are connected to each other. This event still ranks as the top historical event of the past one hundred years for most Germans.
JFK and RFK's times were different - the cold war, civil rights, economic disparity... Or were they? Having seen "Bobby" this last week with my first-year leadership seminar students, I was deeply reminded of the turmoil of the 1960s. My belief is that we have reached another pinnacle time of turmoil in human history. The cold war, where outright military confrontation was avoided but unknown enemies lurked behind every headline, is strangely reminiscent of the war on terrorism. Gains acheived in the Civil Rights Act of 1954 are being challenged in a Supreme Court case moving to the national center stage tomorrow, 12-4-06. Economic disparity is at an all-time high in the U.S.A. Corporate CEO conpensation has risen at outrageous rates while downsizing requires layoffs and flat compensation for the working class.
There is a strange symetry among the random thoughts in this post this morning. The dynasty of the Habsburg family in Austria, the legacy of the Kennedy family as advocates for change while they occupied places of privilege, and the present struggle before us in finding politicians who are capable of the leadership we need to advance the human condition. These times may stir fear in our souls but they also enliven the quest for more adequate and, indeed, effective ways of understanding leadership. What kind of "leadership" do we need to engage citiznes in the complex negotiations of the modern day?
Vienna was amazing because of the overwhelming history that took place there and the art which stands as a testament to Vienna's importance throughout Europe for 700 years - up to the dawn of the 21st century. I keep thinking back about when Diane and I can return. I loved Vienna in the winter, with its very short days, snow floating through the air, streets filled with fur-clad shoppers, and musicians in concerts halls and the streets. I want to go back in the summer as well to see its lush gardens, the Danube, and the outdoor environs made for all to enjoy.
Shifting to another of my favorite cities, I noticed a piece in the paper this morning about JFK's 1963 visit to Berlin. The piece informed of the opening of a new exhibit just at the threshold of the Brandenburg gates that is dedicated to JFK's visit. His visit was intended as a statement of support to Berlin after the USSR erected the Berlin Wall in 1961. Free Germans were fearful of being overtaken by Soviet power but JFK had the courage to go there and to proclaim, "Ich ben eine Berliner." His statement reflected that free citizens everywhere are connected to each other. This event still ranks as the top historical event of the past one hundred years for most Germans.
JFK and RFK's times were different - the cold war, civil rights, economic disparity... Or were they? Having seen "Bobby" this last week with my first-year leadership seminar students, I was deeply reminded of the turmoil of the 1960s. My belief is that we have reached another pinnacle time of turmoil in human history. The cold war, where outright military confrontation was avoided but unknown enemies lurked behind every headline, is strangely reminiscent of the war on terrorism. Gains acheived in the Civil Rights Act of 1954 are being challenged in a Supreme Court case moving to the national center stage tomorrow, 12-4-06. Economic disparity is at an all-time high in the U.S.A. Corporate CEO conpensation has risen at outrageous rates while downsizing requires layoffs and flat compensation for the working class.
There is a strange symetry among the random thoughts in this post this morning. The dynasty of the Habsburg family in Austria, the legacy of the Kennedy family as advocates for change while they occupied places of privilege, and the present struggle before us in finding politicians who are capable of the leadership we need to advance the human condition. These times may stir fear in our souls but they also enliven the quest for more adequate and, indeed, effective ways of understanding leadership. What kind of "leadership" do we need to engage citiznes in the complex negotiations of the modern day?
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)