Woof! Woof!

The factory of the future will have only two employees, a man and a dog.  The man will be there to feed the dog.  The dog will be there to keep the man from touching the equipment.
—    Warren Bennis
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On This Day In:
2022	Is Normal Just Routine?
2021	The Rush Is On
	Another Rerun
2020	It Is Still About Sharing And Cheering
2019	Sounds Like #LyingDonald
2018	Start Building
2017	Woof! Woof!
2016	Cast Out
2015	Small Pieces
	Happy Father’s Day!
2014	Uncertain Work
2013	Unpatriotic And Servile
2012	What Price Freedom?
2011	Particular Importance
	Three From Bette…

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Filling Gaps

One of the marvelous things about life is that any gaps in your education can be filled, whatever your age or situation, by reading, and thinking about what you read.
—    Warren Bennis
From his book:  “On Becoming A Leader“
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On This Day In:
2022	But Stick To A Warm-Boot (For You)
2021	The Fork Less Taken
	My Mama Used To Say (Treat Her Like A Lady)
2020	Paradoxical Conclusion
	Just Once (Just Once In My Life)
	I Still Believe Doing What’s Right Matters
2019	Never Used Up
2018	The Stumbling Block, Too
	Day 5: Breezin’
2017	Duty
2016	Still Gaining
2015	Filling Gaps
2014	Even In Our Sleep
2013	Passion Is Always Personal
2012	And You Are?
2011	Innate Talent

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Tripping On Treasure

To be an effective leader, you not only have to get the group of followers on the right path, but you must be able to convince them that whatever obstacle stands in the way ahead, whether it’s a tree or a building that blocks the view, you’re going to get around it.  You’re not going to be put off by the apparent barriers to your goal.  All journeys are filled with potholes and mines, but the only way we can move beyond them is to approach them, and recognize them for what they are.  You have to see that it’s only a tree, or whatever, and it’s not insurmountable.  Everywhere you trip is where the treasure lies.
—    Norman Lear
Quoted by:  Warren Bennis
From his book:  “On Becoming A Leader“
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On This Day In:
2022	I Resemble That Remark… (8! – LoL)
	We’ve Lost The GOAT*
2021	A Democratic Republic Should Promote The Majority While Defending The Minority
	Lost In My Soul (Emotion)
2020	In Business And In Politics
	A Free Show (Up On The Roof)
2019	What Is True For War Is Also True For Elections
2018	Start By Trying
	Day 4: Difficult Day
2017	Outlasting Division
2016	Said The Man Who Trained To Fight For A Living
2015	Tripping On Treasure
2014	The Flower Of Light
2013	Eye Catching
2012	The Holstee Manifesto
2011	Three Crooners For The Shower
	The Soldier’s Faith
	Vacation, Books And Lots Of Movies

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Cyclical Attitudes

As ugly as the recent headlines have been, I think it is important to remember that our attitudes toward leaders are cyclical.  We tend to lavish disproportionate attention and praise on them for a time, to treat them like royalty, only to turn on them at some point and treat them like devils.  Neither extreme is true.
—    Warren Bennis
From the updated Introduction to his book:  “On Becoming A Leader“
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On This Day In:
2023	You Get What You Pay For
2022	Historians, Not Librarians
2021	Inshallah
	Leave No Doubt (God Only Knows)
2020	A Choice
2019	Fill It Up
2018	Can We Talk About Me? (I Wanna Talk About Me)
2017	About Change
	Gordian
2016	Are Your Prayers Functioning?
2015	Expressing Love
2014	Cyclical Attitudes
2013	Footprints
2012	Broken Resolutions
	Bin It

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Related Parts

A lot of leadership is based on the ability to see how all humanity is related, how all parts of society are related, and how things move in the same direction.
—    Warren Bennis
From his book:  “On Becoming A Leader“
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On This Day In:
2023	Your Children Are Watching You
2022	Like Smiles, Flowers And Rainbows
2021	On Your Marks, Get Set…
	Absolutely Nothing (War)
	Roses And Chores
2020	Which Is Which
2019	Were You Saying Something?
2018	Ethics Lesson
2017	May I Have Some More, Please?
2016	A Little Lost
2015	This High Place
2014	Elected Madness
2013	Well Written
2012	Related Parts
2011	The King Is Oscar
	Better Reputation?

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I’m Not Afraid

It’s okay to make mistakes, as long as you make them in good conscience and you’re doing the best you can at that moment.  …I’m not afraid to make a mistake, and I’m not afraid to say afterward, ‘Boy, that was a mistake.  Let’s try something else.’  I think that wins people over.  Now, I don’t make mistakes purposely to win people over, but when I make one, I admit it.  I can also say, ‘You have a better idea than I have.  Let’s do your idea.’  I don’t second-guess people.  If I hire you to do something, I let you do it.
—    Barbara Corday
American television executive, writer and producer with CBS Television mainly known for co-creating the television series “Cagney & Lacey“
As quoted in his book:  “On Becoming A Leader” by Warren Bennis
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On This Day In:
2023	And / Or Complex
2022	Don’t Pretend
2021	I Like Curves More, Too
	I Don’t Know What I’d Do (I’ll Never Find Another You)
2020	Pay It Forward
2019	From My Sullied Prison (I Am A Rock)
2018	In My Room (2)
2017	Pretending
2016	And Songs Too…
2015	On The Road To Failure
2014	Each Moment
2013	Conversation
2012	4 Down, 11 Done (At Last)
	I’m Not Afraid
2011	Who’s Risk Is It, Anyway?

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Escape

Experiences aren’t truly yours until you think about them, analyze them, examine them, question them, reflect on them, and finally understand them.  The point, once again, is to use your experiences rather than being used by them, to be the designer, not the design, so that experiences empower rather than imprison.
—  Warren Bennis
From his book:  “On Becoming A Leader“
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On This Day In:
2023	Memories Of The Road Once Taken…
	Except When More Than A Little Is Required
2022	Full Of It
2021	I’m Still Learning To Play
	What Are You Looking For? (Whatcha See Is Whatcha Get)
2020	All You Can
2019	No Wall And Not One Dollar
	‘Cause It Makes Me Scratch (Happier)
2018	Mirror, Mirror
2017	Keep On Keeping On
2016	Reflections
2015	Is It Time Yet?
2014	Ask Any Follower
2013	Cornered Or Surrounded?
2012	Escape
2011	Achievement
	Not Unreasonable Enough

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A Tale Of Two Books

This week I completed two books – one very good and one not very good.
The very good book is titled:  “On Becoming A Leader” (2003©) and was written by Warren Bennis  – updated version from the original published in 1989.  Bennis is considered to be the “father” of the developed leader school.  His mantra is that leaders are not born, they are made.  Some are made by history, but Bennis goes farther in that he believes many (if not most) make themselves.  They (leaders in process) have various ways of “making” themselves, but ultimately they follow similar paths to becoming a leader.  The book is meant to lend framework to the path – partly to define the framework, but mostly to lay out the map for readers (leaders in process).
Shakespeare states:  “Be not afraid of greatness;  some are born great, some achieve greatness, and others have greatness thrust upon them.”  This is a quote often seen when discussing how great leaders come to be.  I believe all three are true for “historic” leaders and am not convinced that any one is more prevalent than the other two.  I do feel that history and luck play the biggest role in “greatness”, though.
Bennis is firmly in the “achieving” camp.  It should be pointed out there is a difference between “greatness” and “leadership” and Bennis is concerned with the latter and not the former.  This book is his version of “how” to become a leader – the personal traits you need to develop, how you should lead, and how you must form your organization or how it will form you.  There is a statement that great leaders understand themselves and “express” their nature fully.  This is the part where I start to fall away from Bennis.  While I can understand “warm-fuzzy psycho-babble”, it’s not my cup of tea.  It simply doesn’t “resonate” with me.  This may simply be because I’m not a “great” leader and I’m therefore not  able to feel the “expressive” nature of great leadership hidden away in me.  (But, I doubt it…)
Anyway, as negative as the preceding paragraphs sound, this is actually a VERY good book and I highly recommend it – not because I believe everything Bennis says, but rather because I love his use of language.  I probably hope that being “fully expressive” is all it takes to be a great leader, because this implies I may still develop into a great leader myself.  (But, I doubt it…)
By the way, this was another $2 clearance book at Half-Price Books (and worth ten times as much), and you’ll be seeing frequent quotes from the book in future posts.
The second book is titled:  “Marathoning A-Z” and was written by Hal Higdon (2002©).  The book is sub-titled: “500 Ways to Run Better, Faster,and Smarter“.  The book is a series of alphabetically sorted snippets from his question and answer columns and emails about running.  The book is a very fast read.  This is partly because each offering truly is a snippet and partly because there is almost nothing stated which makes one pause to think.  As such, I could not recommend this book to any but the most rank beginner of a runner.  Even then I’d qualify the book to them by stating at least 20 to 30 of the items are repeated in a different alphabet letter.  I’m not sure if this was meant to introduce humor or simply filler because you’ve promised the publisher 500 items.  (I have a feeling it’s the latter…)  Sadly, this was NOT a $2 book for me.  It was $4.95 and I was over-charged about $4 in value vs cost.  Save your money and check this out of a library.  Better yet, just go out and start jogging.  You’ll get more from jogging yourself than you will ever get from this book.
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On This Day In:
2023	Who Was That Masked Man?
2022	In My Defense…
2021	Mike Could Have Saved Us A Bundle On Border Walls
	Is It Too Late? (I’ll Have To Say I Love You)
2020	And Then There Was Yellow
	At This Moment
2019	Sin Less Every Day
2018	Probably Only A Little Easier
2017	Stars Above
2016	Where Do You Stand?
	Health Update
2015	Leaving On A Mid-Night Train
2014	Questioned Faith
2013	At Home In Fire
2012	A Tale Of Two Books
	More Meaning
2011	Back At The Millstone
	To Learn, Teach

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