First Serve Strategies

Archive for July, 2009

Meet John

After spending a lifetime toiling to build a nest-egg for retirement, with hopes of traveling to visit grandchildren and great grandchildren, John never imagined that he would be forced to spend his “golden” years tending to his wife with Alzheimer’s. Every day promises the same routine. The burdens of day-to-day life, once shared, now fall entirely on his arthritic shoulders. Life sure can be cruel.

Meet W.E.

Even though his arthritis “gets close” to him some days, W.E. has trouble hiding his enthusiasm about being able to climb onto his John Deere to give his grandchildren a short demonstration on how, and where, he would like them to use the Bush Hog on the farm. He is also pretty proud of the fact that, even though he didn’t learn how to do “ladies work” until he was in his eighties, he now knows how to cook, clean and even bake for his bride of 65 years. He just spent the day with children and grandchildren, working on his farm, buying a shiny new/used truck, and celebrating his wife’s 90^th birthday. The way he is grinning ear-to-ear, you would think it was his birthday. He can’t believe any man could be so blessed. W.E. prays that God will not take him before his wife with Alzheimer’s, because nobody can care for her quite like he.

Same man. Same life. Different perspectives. Is your glass half full?

©Mark P. Loschiavo

Sitting on the deck of the Tree House in Three Rivers California at sunrise, I have an amazing view of the Sierra Nevada Mountains. It is not really a tree house. That is just the name given by the owners of the vacation home we are visiting just outside the southern entrance of Sequoia National Park. At this hour of the morning I seem to share God and God’s creation mostly with the plants and animals. Most humans prefer sleep at this hour. Although I have never understood that preference, I am thankful for it, because it is the one time of day when I don’t feel like I have to share this amazing gift with others—at least for a little while. It is my time.

Growing up with three siblings, we shared everything, including my parents’ attention—except in the early hours of the morning. It was then, while my siblings slept, that I would have my parents all to myself, usually accompanied by a bodacious breakfast. Maybe that is where I first fell in love with the mornings.

The morning is a time to contemplate. A time to reflect on yesterday and ask, “what do I want to do differently today?” Morning provides the playbook for do-overs. Strong leadership requires desire, commitment, reflection and forgiveness: the desire to lead effectively, the commitment to build the necessary skills, the time to reflect on your effectiveness, and the ability to forgive yourself for failures. What better time than the morning to reflect and plan your do-overs.

©Mark P. Loschiavo

Driving the twenty-five mile trek through hairpin turns and beautiful vistas from the southern entrance of Sequoia National Park, my mind is flooded with metaphor. It is a good thing my family is not aware of my reverie. They are confident I am concentrating on maneuvering each twist and turn, keeping them safe.

Immediately I am struck by the beauty and majesty of what I see. In the presence of the greatness that envelops me, I experience dual emotions—insignificance and motivation. Surrounded by a beauty too big to be captured through the lens of a camera, I realize just how transitory and small I am. At the same time, surrounded by such greatness, I feel the need to achieve—to make a difference in the world. If you want to be an effective leader, and make a positive difference in the world, surround yourself with greatness.

If you have never experience the beauty of the Giant Sequoia, there is nothing quite like it. As I drove into the Park I expected to see 404,051 acres of Giant Sequoias. Instead, we traveled roughly 15 miles without seeing even a hint of the big boys. Just as I was becoming convinced I was in the wrong Park, we rounded a bend and were confronted by the most amazing sight—clusters of Giant Sequoias that towered over us like something from a JRR Tolkien novel. As it turns out, the Giant Sequoia is quite rare, growing only under very specific condition.

While I was treated to hundreds of these majestic trees that grow up to 300 feet in height, 30 feet in diameter, and have a lifespan that can reach 3,000 years, they are rare. In the midst of 404,051 acres of awesome beauty and greatness, the Giant Sequoia stands out among all others. Humanity is much the same. While only a few leaders stand as tall or have as lasting a legacy as the Giant Sequoia, great leadership comes in many shapes and sizes.

©Mark P. Loschiavo