Week 21.35 Love Made Visible

This past weekend I went to the wedding of the son of a friend who I have known my whole life. The young couple is smart, driven, and in love, an amazing pair. They also come from two loving families and have a strong group of loving friends. My friend's father, was one of the most singularly joyous and loving people I have ever met and though he is no longer with us, his presence was felt through each of the family members, their friends, and now the newly formed couple. It reminded me of the impact a single individual can have on a group, and how the values of a leader reverberate throughout an organization.

One of the guests I met at the wedding was a chief pilot for Delta. I admitted that I am a Delta loyalist and he told me he had come to Delta through the acquisition of Northwest airlines. He recounted how when he was at Northwest, the culture was of profit maximization. The leadership philosophy was to take care of the shareholders first, customers second, and employees last. The shift from Northwest to Delta was about putting employees first. As my new friend explained, employees were told and then shown that if Delta takes care of employees, employees will take care of customers and the stock price will rise. As CEO of Delta, Richard Anderson wrote in HBR in 2014 "From the C-suite down, we approach every challenge and opportunity as a group in which each member feels valued, and that ability to work together gives us the freedom and clarity of thought to do business in a different way. This culture—the Delta culture—has allowed us to bring innovation back to an industry that was once known for it."

In The Extended Mind, Annie Paul writes that efforts made on behalf of a group are powerful intrinsic motivations. When we feel an authentic sense of belonging, when our identity is tied to the success of the group, the power of the reward of acting as a group is stronger than the power of individual rewards such as money and individual recognition. I b elieve that while the individual who seeks personal power and wealth often makes a better story, successful groups make better outcomes. According to Paul "the intrinsic motivation is more powerful, more enduring and more easily maintained the extrinsic sort. It leads us to experience the work as more enjoyable to perform it more capably. Experiencing ourselves as part of a collective week rather than as a singular it changes the way we direct our focus, and the way we allocate our energies."

I have had the good fortune to know Alan Mullaly and Frances Hesselbein two of the greatest leaders of all time. Regardless of the circumstance, during fiscally or socially trying times they always lead with the principle that work is love made visible. Their favorites stories are always about what their teams accomplished, how their teams performed feats of greatness that others thought were unimaginable. And observations of high performing teams verify the truth of this wisdom. Extra credit: read Work is Love Made Visible by Frances, Marshall, and Sarah MacArthur. As Alan is often heard saying, the key to leadership is to "love 'em up."

Greg and Mackenzie (the wedding couple) met because they were both coxswains of their college rowing teams. For four years, they worked with their respective teams of rowers, forming a unit that could drive the shell through the water with spectacular grace and power. Though they never stroked an oar, they were leaders of their teams, setting the vision of a singular group pulling towards a common goal. At the wedding, the bonds they formed with their families, their teams, and now at their wedding with each other made love visible the entire weekend.

Week 35 of 52 Weeks of Giving: Hurricane Ida Direct Relief made Visible

Direct Relief has a long history of responding to hurricanes along the U.S. Gulf Coast, including Hurricane Katrina 16 years ago. Medical aid is already in New Orleans and the greater region, and the organization has prepositioned 17 Hurricane Preparedness Packs with partner facilities in areas that may experience impacts from Hurricane Ida.?The caches include medications and medical supplies commonly requested after disasters, including prescription medications for diabetes and hypertension. Shipments for health centers in New Orleans, Shreveport, Baton Rouge, and other communities are being prepared or en route, and include emergency medications and supplies, Tdap vaccines, and other resources. Hurricane Ida | Direct Relief

BUY THIS BOOK it is love made visible: FREEDOM OF CONTRAINTS by Darcy Verhun

16 months ago when many were still hoping the pandemic would be a passing event, Darcy has the foresight to use the challenges presented as an opportunity to pull together the collective wisdom of many of the 100 Coaches. Today that vision is made tangible with The Freedom of Constraints, a ground-breaking book that shows how freedom and success can be found within the challenges you face. Through insights and stories from some of the top business leaders and executive coaches in the world, you will learn how: Personal challenges can be converted into personal purpose. Pain can be parlayed into an advantage. Barriers can inspire courage, which can unlock unbelievable innovation. Health obstacles can be turned into great personal power.

Full of practical steps and guiding principles,?The Freedom of Constraints?will change the way you look at challenges and open your mind to a new set of possibilities. Buy it here now! Amazon.com: The Freedom of Constraints: Turn Obstacles Into Opportunity eBook : Verhun, Darcy, Goldsmith, Marshall, Birsel, Ayse, Eurich, Tasha, Elton, Chester, Gostick, Adrian, Lindstrom, Martin, Dhawan, Erica, Helgesen, Sally, Norton, Richie: Kindle Store

Made from Scratch. Remembering Kent Taylor

Kent Taylor?(1955–2021) was the founder, CEO, and chairman of the board of?Texas Roadhouse ?restaurants. John Baldoni talks with?Adrian Gostick ?and?Chester Elton ?and remembers Kent and tells the story of his memoir, “Made from Scratch.” Made From Scratch: The Legendary Success Story of Texas Roadhouse: Taylor, Kent: 9781982185701: Amazon.com: Books Innovative as well as generous, Kent was one of a kind and Adrian and Chester do him proudly. One hundred percent of the profits from this book are donated to the company’s employee assistance program, Andy’s Outreach.??GRACE under pressure: John Baldoni in Memory of Kent Taylor - YouTube

Are You Ready for the "September Shuffle"?

Whether you call it the "September Shuffle," the "September Scramble," the "September Scuffle," the "Big Quit," the "Great Resignation," the "Great Reset," or the "Big Reboot," as Bob Dylan sang, "the times, they are a changin'." Regardless of what you are calling it, the question is: How ready are you for the chaos, confusion, and conflict that is about to ensue? With summer quickly winding down, thinking about the "September Shuffle," here is the musical playlist that Todd offers to make sense of it all. Are You Ready for the "September Shuffle"? | Inc.com

HAPPY BIRTHDAY Deanne Kissinger Sept 2

?And, as always, thank you, Marshall, for making all of this possible.

?With love and gratitude

Scott