Movember

My experience with prostrate cancer is close to home. My father was diagnosed with prostrate cancer at the young age of 58. He never smoked, took care of himself and was conscious of good health. Just a year after my sister passed away from meningococcal meningitis.I recall my mother saying surely God would not take him too.

We went through radiation, operations and my Dad confidently telling my 5 year old son he wasn't going to die. My son sitting at the side of his hospital bed said "Grandad are you going to die?" to which my Dad replied "no". And all that time my Dad suffered. He suffered through the operations, the radiation and the burden of not being weak or failing anyone in his life.

He suffered the radiation when he couldn't go to the bathroom because his insides were burning, he suffered the embarrassment of a catheter, he suffered the sadness of an inability to be intimate with my mother. And most importantly he faced the seriousness of the cancer- that he could die....

As fate would have it - he beat those odds...he beat the 10% chance he'd live a normal sort of life- because his cancer was so progressed. He beat the odds of being catheterized forever, and he beat the odds of a surgery not working. 

With that- my Dad continues to live life to the fullest. Is he cancer free? No...is he living life and making the best of it...Yes....My Dad just spent a weekend on a road trip with his grandsons ( 22 and 19) and son heading to a Notre Dame football game...He has spent his life being involved...with his wife, his kids,and his grandsons.

If you ask my sons to describe him or talk about him...here are the soundbites...He loves me no matter what, He is always there, He is fun, He has never let me down, He's my Grandad....

Please support Movember...and know that it means something...my children still have their Grandad because we know more and more about treating prostrate cancer and we have doctors who are willing to do the best they can to make a difference.

Donate what you can....and share your story....

Theory U and Otto Scharmer

Several years ago I picked up a book called Theory U by Otto Scharmer...I have recently re read it and see some amazing applications for it in the field of leadership development...I am looking for input from others particularly around seeing it in action...or individual /organizational experiences with the theory...I will post responses from my linked-in colleagues as well..but hope you can add your comments and thoughts...If you have not read Theory U...you could have a look at this website for an overview..

http://www.presencing.com/presencing-theoryu/

Looking forward to you thoughts...

Organizational support of Leaders in times of Change

In your experience, what are the best practices of organizations in supporting leaders during times of impactful organizational change?

What do you see as the most important support needs?

Look forward to your thoughts!

Shelagh

Transformational Events You Experienced- As a Leader or With a Leader

Great leaders hold great responsibility-they maintain the balance of the needs of the individual team members and the needs of the organization. They inspire passion in their teams and provide the motivation to move toward that sometimes fuzzy goals.

In your experience as a leader how have you managed this balance and what kind of transformation has this provided you?

In your experience with other leaders- how have they inspired a tranformation in you?

Happy posting- looking forward to some great sharing.

Shelagh

Leadership Development Programs and Recommendations

To meet future and current leadership needs, programs that develop leaders are critical...we have watched programs evolve, designs become more complex and the metrics more clearly articulated not only at the individual level but to the organizational and results level- we see more mix of action/practical based learning, creative learning...reviewing the quote below- what are your thoughts on the eefectiveness of using the "apprentice" model in your organizations? What benefits does it provide? What challenges? "Use the apprenticeship model including the following components: education, applications through experience, opportunities for self discovery, support mechanisms and access to a community of practice. Integrating these five components into a tightly knit, seamless infrastucture requires extensive monitoring and coordination." (Henien, Morissette, 2007)

The Leadership Metaphor

If we think of Leadership in terms of the metaphor of a garden- and we look at the immanence of leadership as seeding, the emergence of leadership as growing and the trancendence of leadership as blooming and legacy...How would you define the characteristics of a leader in each phase?

What types of learning would be most effective in each phase?

What types of learning and support is effective for those on the cusp of each phase?

Discussion of Organizational Culture and Leadership Development

In your experience with organizations you have worked with, or researched what interesting variations have you noted in the application of Leadership Development as it relates to culture? Did the organization have a firm and clear definition and understanding of its culture?
Have you had an experience where you had bring cultural challenges to light and work with resistance to change at the senior level? How did you remain authentic and how were you successful?