Posts Tagged ‘Inspire’
Leaving the Station
Thursday, July 13th, 2017
Next stop – the Bronx. I often wait a long time at the Pelham Bay station for my train to leave the station. How long have I sat scrolling social media or reading or meditating or listening to a Podcast while waiting to leave the station? Over the years, I have left many stations behind – some that I have not returned to in years and some ever again. Leaving the station of people and places often means letting go and moving on.
Leaving and arriving are daily practices. It’s when I am stuck in the station that negative emotions arise. Leaving the station can mean a good-bye, a travel away, a travel towards, a moving on, a welcoming, a grieving, a homecoming, a shift in perspective. I have learned that we all leave the station at some point and each time is different. What are we really leaving?
Everything changes. And in the end, I have learned that everyone leaves in some form. It’s the inhale and exhale of life. Breathing in and breathing out. We meet each other in the in-between breath.
We all leave the station at our own pace. Welcome the leaving.
Soon the conductor will shout, “Leaving the station.”
Next stop…
This is dedicated to my mom who passed away 17 years ago. Glad we had time together to share the in-between breath.
This essay was inspired from the Prompt a Day Program with Cynthia Morris.
Lead With Passion
Tuesday, June 26th, 2012
Great leadership demands passion.
Passion is a quality that projects vitality, joy, and enthusiasm for all the tasks at hand. If leaders can show their passion in an authentic way, then the effect will show to the rest of the team and the result can be profound.
Passion is the way you show what you think of your job, and your role. If you are passionate, your team will know that you care about your job, and that gives them high hope that they can care about their jobs too.
I discovered a long time ago that I loved being a leader. And so, showing passion was never a problem. I went into my workdays full of positive energy and feeling like I had the best job on earth.
Did it make a difference? Yes, it did.
When I received feedback about my leadership, the most fulfilling comments were the ones along the lines of “you really inspired me with your energy and enthusiasm“.
Great leadership demands passion.
It’s also a very personal thing to put yourself “out there” like that – it can put you in a vulnerable position. That’s why passion isn’t a trait you see in every leader.
It takes some fortitude to bring emotions to the surface like that, but the benefits are well worth the risk.
And besides, passion brings something else into play that goes beyond leadership – an enjoyment of life.
Great leadership demands passion.