Tag Archives: challenges

A Voice in the Wind, Calling to be Free

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A Voice in the Wind Calling to be Free

A Voice in the Wind Calling to Be Free is the title of a poem that took decades to complete. The inspiration surfaced when I was in high school. The title summoned me to speak and tell its story. Initially, the idea had numerous possibilities. Its profound potential for simplicity filled me with enthusiasm. I wanted to craft a powerful declaration about freedom. I visualized a story that could connect with people all over the world. However, I was unsuccessful and never seriously finished a paragraph.

Weeks of frustration forced me to abandon my pursuit. I set the title aside for another day, unfortunately postponement was a routine act. Life took the lead, and the poem became out of sight, out of mind. Periodically I would return to the title to see if it provided inspiration and information.

During the dormant years, I made many attempts to complete the poem. But there was significant writer’s block. I could complete many blogs, articles, and books, but not this poem.  I was frustrated. I felt like Captain Ahab chasing the elusive Moby Dick in Herman Melville’s novel. I wondered if I would ever achieve success. The title was an unfulfilled obsession.

More than 30 years passed. One day, the title arrived for another visitation. A Voice in the Wind Calling to Be Free. There was nothing special about this occasion. However, I meditated on the title, changed my thinking, and finally, a breakthrough.

A Voice in the Wind Calling to Be Free became a reality. It emerged with three perspectives. The perspectives were as follows;

  1. People confined to destructive and nonproductive relationships
  2. People trapped in dead-end jobs and unfulfilling careers
  3. People in dangerous countries/surroundings with oppressive circumstances

These multiple voices were in turbulent situations, environments, or circumstances. Their emotions were in turmoil and shrouded in fear. They were examples of desperate people seeking freedom. Neighbors who were near and far, with similar circumstances, vying for their freedom. Individual and collective voices formed a chorus. The voices were captured and were in solidarity with freedom seekers from all corners of the earth.

A Voice in the Wind Calling to Be Free is a poem about perseverance, stamina, and persistence. It urges individuals to have hope, grit, commitment, consistency, and empathy.

The poem took over 30 years from concept to completion. I was anxious to share the story with others. I chuckled when I imagined a potential response; “It took 30 years, and this is the best you could do? “

I humbly submit, A Voice in the Wind Calling to be Free. I am hopeful that you can identify with the scenarios presented.

Copyright © 2024 Orlando Cease7

A Voice in the Wind Calling to Be Free

Solitary confinement
In a relationship going nowhere,
Out of touch,
No alignment
Or gentle words to share;
Addicted to nostalgia
To lift you from despair,
It is replacement therapy
When intimacy is not there,

There’s a voice in the wind
Calling to be free,
To release you and put an end
To misery.
A voice in the wind
Falling on history,
A voice in the wind
Calling to be free.

Every day in a dead-end job
Where talent is inconsequential,
Frustrated by scenes that rob
Your skills and your credentials,
Confounded by the rhetoric
Of those who are influential,
Restricted by the politics
That tries to nullify your potential,

So, there’s a voice in the wind
Calling to be free,
A choice to transcend
The misery.
A voice enthralling
As a whispered plea.
A voice in the wind
Calling to be free.

On the outskirts of hamlets burn
The unquenchable desire
Of villagers who seek their turn
To join the liberation choir.
The countries learn that tyranny
Can not extinguish the fire,
The cries of freedom and liberty
That instigate and inspire,

Through voices in the wind
Calling to be free;
To honorably defend
Expressing autonomy;
A voice in the wind
Installing the victory;
A voice in the wind
Calling to be free.

There are voices in the wind
Calling to be free,
A choice to put an end
To bigotry.
They would rejoice
And cheer triumphantly,
Celebrate independence,
Celebrate being free.

Copyright © 2004 Orlando Ceaser

Reprinted from the book FREE which can be ordered at OrlandoCeaser.com


http://www.watchwellinc.com

OrlandoCeaser.com




We Ran

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Running was a significant part of my survival and development. I grew up in the city and running was an integral part of my being chased. People would see me and my survial instinct would kick into match their predator desire to bully me. We run for various reasons and in many situations. I wrote this poem which Char McAllister set to music with other creative elements.
https://youtu.be/AnZ8LF8qfVg?si=8E96zHPJYgz7JYou

We Ran



Long years ago,

We ran as children as a part of play,

In games of tag and keep-away;

On the bases and on the field,

We ran to win and never yield.



We ran for safety, to escape a stranger;

Across the street at the sight of danger;

We ran to let off steam,

For the space to scream,

To a place to dream,

As we release the anger.



We ran for advancement and achievement;

Into and away from trouble and bereavement.

We ran as a metaphor for being alive,

To express the drive,

So, we could survive.



We ran when chased with a weapon or gun;

When threatened by the gang of more than one;

From the jukebox to the club

As the singers sang;

Into the night and into the streets,

We ran to victory and from defeat.

We ran as we ached at our core;

We ran in fright, 

When we could fight no more.



We ran to hope 

And to separate from others;

We ran to discover and to recover.

We ran from the jowls of hate

And those who wanted to incarcerate.

We ran in sport, on the court, in the alley;

Ran from behind as we staged a rally.

We ran for recognition,

As if on a mission;

To run up the score on the competition;

We ran for it was in us to run;

For it was how, we got things done.



We ran to distance ourselves 

From the trader’s whip;

The ruthless profit minded invaders ships

We ran when they severed our relationships.

And took our loved ones to another plantation.

We ran from miscegenation

Without representation,

And segregation

Without explanation.



We ran with Harriet in the Underground.

We ran low, quick, and softly,

So, we could not be found;

When staying was costly.

We ran from the stories being told;

When we were tortured, beaten, and sold.

We ran from the fear of retribution;

From racist biases and institutions.

We run because the evil had begun

And wickedness preceded the setting sun.

We ran as being chased by the men in blue;

With the swiftness of a runaway

Being viewed as revenue;



We ran as a symbol of being safe;

To have the independence,

A chance to escape;

To bring a gold medal to our nation;

To be prominent and dominant

In professional sports;

We ran for office and to avoid the courts.



We ran as Barack and Brandon ran.

We ran as Shirley and Kamala ran.

We ran like Jesse to protect home; 

It was the GPS in our chromosomes.

We ran to greet our families;

To love and embrace,

Where home was a comfort place,

Surrounded by God’s living 

And saving grace.



We ran to and during our time on Earth. 

We ran when mobile after a blessed birth;

We ran to and from our comfort zones;

We ran in groups and ran alone.

We ran into and during the war;

When we did not know what we were fighting for.



We ran, reflecting on moments,

From the recent past.

We ran to clear our minds;

When we were outcasts.

To face the evil in front

And monsters behind,

Toward an unknown future;

Hoping that we would find

An opportunity,  

To be as neighbors in community,

Pursuing something,

Not from something,

But forward and toward

Not running away,

And seeking the bounty 

Of a brighter day. 





Copyright © 2023 Orlando Ceaser

My Prayers to Families when Death Arrives, Unexpectantly

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My prayers go out to the family,
For they must adjust to the fact
That he is not gone on vacation
Or a business trip;
That he will not be coming home
To equip them for tomorrow,
To replay his day and listen to their stories.

My prayers go out to the family,
For reality has rhythm, and the mechanisms
Sometimes strikes
And chimes for intermission,
But this time it struck
To announce the finality of
An earthly session;
His initial experience above ground.

My prayers go out to the family.
There will be repercussions and complications
That will pull at the strength
That challenges and encourages them
To show that they have found
Energy from his memory.

My prayers go out to the family
As they struggle with the shock;
The cruel truth of the matter,
The interrupted dreams;
The world that was shattered
And must be reassembled
Until it resembles a vision off center;
A hampered vision that must reach 20/20,
For he would have wanted it that way.

Although their bodies shake
And their wills tremble,
Each step will not be taken alone.
He is the shadow in evening,
The blanket on cold nights,
The beacon of hope,
The nourishment for their souls.

He walks beside them
Apologizing for his early departure;
Despondent over not saying good-bye,
As he caught the early train to heaven.
He sits in heaven immersed in tears cried
With those who have gone ahead,
For those who are still on the journey.

My heart goes out to the family;
The hearts opened wide
From the surgical incision of death,
As life absorbs the essence of love,
They walk around in fear as they reach
For hope in the darkness of uncertainty.

My prayers go out to the family
As they search for explanations
And signs of the inevitable, the “if only’s”,
As they doubt the fairness of life,
Scoff at justice, but rationalize that the Master's plan
Is written in a text we cannot decipher.
They vacillate between the stages of mourning,
Crying, how could this happen without warning,
As they ponder lessons from his demise.
They recreate the clues, retrospective revelations
To open their eyes
To things they could have done differently,
In an effort to embrace blame
They evaluate doing or not doing, knowing, or not knowing;
Things they should have added or things to replace.
They seek memories to live by and nightmares to erase.

My heart goes out to the family.
How would he want them to act?
How would he want them to handle the fact
That he is not coming home to them,
But waits for the day when they will come
To their new residence and live without fear
Of separation.

Each life teaches us,
Each life reaches us
And grabs us at the core of our being,
Each life touches us
And it clutches us
By our souls and begs us to pay attention.
For through seeing the greatness in others
And sharing their special gifts,
We are inspired to reach our potential.
We run as fast and far as our gifts will take us;
Soar as high as wings of talent differentiates us.
As we study excellence and the pursuit
Of standards that validate,
We justify our rung on the ladder.
The harsh reality is that we must prove ourselves.
We enforce discipline.
We can't succumb to the sadder side
Of issues for they makes us angry and madder inside
Which can breach our concentration.
Time is valuable
As each minute marks our place in line.

My heart goes out to the family.
Life places them on the journey
Afloat, adrift in a raft
Surrounded by loved ones
As they perfect their craft,
They watch others as they play out
Their love ethic and work ethic,
Knowing he is watching.
They study God
As He teaches them to row.
They consciously and innately
Take notes on their position
And how they manage the climate
And the changes in the tide.

My heart goes out to the family.
May they find comfort in his memory,
Instruction from his life
And faith from his source of inspiration.

Copyright © 2003 Orlando Ceaser  

This poem was written to the family of Mike Toupè, a friend and product manager for a major pharmaceutical company. He died suddenly of leukemia in his early forties, leaving behind a wife and young children. I thought of it when another young man Rev. Jared Wilkins, nearly twenty years later, died as he reached forty, leaving behind a wife and young children.

Pandemic Inspirations – I want You to Know This

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You

I Want You to Know This

I want you to know this.

As dire as it may appear,

Your Higher Power casts out fear.

I want you to know you are just

God’s Spirit breathed into Stardust.

I want you to know this.

A plague may be single or in a swarm.

You may emerge battered out of this storm;

And go from transfixed to being transformed,

From a new natural to a new norm.

 

I want you to know this.

You are a component of something grand,

That’s too miraculous to understand,

You are a part of the universe and

Metaphorically stationed in God’s hand.

I want you to notice,

The wonder in the evening skies,

The innocence in children’s eyes,

The evidence that God has created

A universe where we are related.

I want you to notice

The pruning and fine tuning undergone;

That thing in you that God is working on.

Let us underscore and not undersell

God’s grace that makes us infinitely well.

I want you to know this

Is an incantation and not a curse;

A blessing of love from the universe.

You must know that God’s creation,

Was scripted from His imagination.

I want you to notice

The sunsets and the sunrises;

Internal beauty and surprises;

The good among a range of bad;

The happy standing next to sad.

I want you to know this to be true;

A purpose is planted inside of you,

I want you to notice, as you pursue

The promise, that God will provide for you.

The image of God is your GPS.

He knows and notices,

And He will bless.

Copyright © 2020 Orlando Ceaser

 

More leadership information at OrlandoCeaser.com

The ‘O’ Zone Blog: myozonelayer.com

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=orlando+ceaser

31 Day Leadership Gauntlet – Day 29 – Burnout

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Scrolls Burnout

 Burnout occurs when we try to do all things and be all things to all people. When we bite off more than we can chew and much more than we can digest. When we are running 100 miles an hour and need to reduce speed and take a rest, but we ignore the warning sign and keep going. Burnout occurs when we fail to acquire the skill to shape our lips and say No.

Burnout has three definitions that I would like for us to consider. The first two are from the Oxford dictionary.

  1. the reduction of a fuel or substance to nothing through use or combustion.

  2. the failure of an electrical device or component through overheating.

The third is from http://www.helpguide.org which defines burnout as “a state of emotional, physical, and mental exhaustion caused by excessive and prolonged stress. It occurs when you feel overwhelmed, emotionally drained, and unable to meet constant demands. … Eventually, you may feel like you have nothing more to give.”

Together these definitions describe a situation where an individual is physically and psychologically drained. This is not a desirable state in high performance individuals or organizations. We are more productive and more valuable to our company and families if we develop strategies to preserve our overall health.

I coined the phrase, “we will kill you if you let us.” This was spoken because I saw people with good intentions, deny their families, allow the workplace to encroach into their living rooms by failing to structure their time and priorities properly. They refused to delegate or ask for help when the workload was too high.

When the burden is great and before it is too late, we must slow down. Review the poem, Slow Down and make a list of tactics you will use to improve work/ life effectiveness. This is a phrase that many organizations use instead of work life balance, because they realize that balance may not be possible.

 

Slow down

How many signals do you need?
A mind is tired,
A body fatigued;
A heart is idling
At high speeds;
As you push harder
To succeed.

You’ve seen examples
Of careers,
That crashed and burned
In overdrive.
You’ve seen the sorrow
In your peers,
Who lived each day,
But never alive.

You better slow down
Before you go down
For the count.
You’re running red lights
And go to bed nights
With what amounts
To a weary heart.

How long have you seen
Warning signs?
How long have you been
Scorning signs?
You awake and
The morning lines,
Are unkind,
For you can’t unwind.

You better slow down
And get the low down
On your soul.
Don’t let the red zone
Lead to a headstone
On the goal.

How many signals do you need?
A mind is tired,
A body fatigued;
A heart is idling
At high speeds;
Create the balance
And succeed.

Copyright © 2001 Orlando Ceaser

Reprinted from Leadership Above The Rim

By Orlando Ceaser

Personal Reflections

  1. What can you do today to slow down?

  2. What activities can you remove from your plate as you delegate?

  3. Who do you know that has a reputation for being well organized?

  4. What books or other resources can you on time management?

  5. How do you prioritize what’s important to accomplish?

  6. How can you need more of your work at work?

  7. Do you schedule time with your family?

  8. Do you schedule time with your spouse to decompress and relax?

Working Weekend

More leadership information at OrlandoCeaser.com.

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31 Day Leadership Gauntlet – Day 28 – Courage

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Onyourside

Courage is not the absence of fear but proceeding in its presence. Courage is not necessarily acts of bravery against a life-threatening adversary. Courage can be defined as a situation where you are prompted to rise, step forward and risk something, to benefit yourself or others. You must be willing to go to the front of the line to demonstrate bravery. Therefore, Courage is not always about us. It is performed as a practice, a template, a role model to benefit others.

There are instances during a day or a season when you are being watched by your family, group, team, peers and community. How will you respond in difficult situations? When a fear generating dilemma appears, there is a courage stimulating response that is required. How will you respond? Will you be brave?

When an intimidating moment appears in the leadership gauntlet, it is a perfect opportunity to stand up, show courage and be on the front line and take the lead with your people. What does courage look like? It varies with the demand and the scale of the crisis. Courage could mean standing up for them when they are bullied by peers, strangers or management. It could be when unfair assaults on their skills, reputation and performance occurs during a meeting or performance review. Courage could occur during periods of uncertainty when patience and guidance are needed to help someone make it through a frightening predicament.

Courage could also manifest itself in the ability to show weakness, vulnerability, empathy and compassion. Courage provides the opportunity to let down your guard and connect with people. Look for opportunities to show people that you are on their side, that you can identify with them and fight with them. You can roll up your sleeves, join the fight and work with them.

Front-line Leadership

https://youtu.be/bhB6r02clVk

 

When in the clenches or against the ropes

Or in the trenches where it’s hard to cope;

When in the battle to succeed,

On the front line is where you lead.

To make decisions cowards fear to broach,

You’re on the field as player and coach;

To give followers what they need,

On the front line is where you lead.

You are the traction on a slippery slope.

Your plans and action are symbols of hope.

Momentum grows by word and deed,

On the front line is where you lead.

So, by example you show them the way.

You’ve rolled up your sleeves and joined in the fray.

For in the battle to succeed,

On the front line is where you lead.

Reprinted with permission from Teach the Children to Dance

Copyright © 2001 Orlando Ceaser

Personal Reflections

  1. How have you taken the lead to show someone that you are on their side?

  2. How can you demonstrate to someone that you have them back?

  3. Describe a situation when you weren’t there when someone needed you?

  4. Where do you need to show courage more consistently?

  5. Describe a time when you went to bat for someone.

  6. What situations are more difficult for you to show courage?

  7. What is the worst thing that can happen in most situations?

  8. Does the worst thing that can happen, consistently happen?

More leadership information at OrlandoCeaser.com

The ‘O’ Zone Blog: myozonelayer.com

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=orlando+ceaser    

31 Day Leadership Gauntlet – Day 26 – Arrogance

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CreamRises (2)

Pharmaceutical sales representatives are familiar with the customer referred to as the “Know-it-all doctor.” The connotation was not just a physician who knew everything, but an individual who was arrogant and spoke to people in a condescending manner. There was a feeling of superiority which made it difficult to deal with others. The air of arrogance made it hard to be effective as a leader. The person who knows everything and feels no one can teach them anything, is difficult to talk to and may not be open to receiving important information.

Many times, we use arrogance to cover-up for an insecurity. We don’t want people to recognize a deficiency in some aspect of our behavior and we do not wish to be challenged. On other occasions we do not wish to be questioned because we feel we are better than everyone. Humility is not a skill that makes them comfortable.

When you make the commitment to move beyond arrogance, it must be done with authenticity. Here is an example of what not to do. A manager received feedback that addressed his arrogance of feeling he was always right. It revealed that he did not listen to his direct reports, did not solicit their comments, but when they were given, he would not value or use them. It was described as follows.

He would adopt the stance of a good listener, someone concerned about his staff’s point of view. He would lean forward, establish direct eye contact and use transitional phrases such as, go on, is that so, I did not know that and tell me more. At the conclusion, he would thank them for their courage and valuable input. He would close by saying, he was glad to have the opportunity to know how they felt, but he would continue with his idea and the original plan. His subordinates were confused and wondered why ask for their opinions and bother going through such a pointless exercise. His actions curtailed their ideas and reduced trust. Why give comments if they did not matter?

Personalize your actions to prevent arrogant behavior by focusing on these areas.

  1. Beware of arrogant tendencies.

  2. Listen to others.

  3. Involve others in your decision making

  4. Include their ideas to show you value their suggestions

  5. Do not respond in a threatening manner when you don’t like what you hear

People do not wish to support the arrogant person. They may withhold information. They may watch someone go down the wrong path and remain silent. They will surely not give them their best effort. They will do just enough to keep their jobs. They will engage in OMDB (Over My Dead Body) behavior and thinking. Review the poem below and reflect on it and discuss with others.

Many of us may be blind to our arrogant ways. In order to change we must be open to critical remarks without taking them personally. Act as if people may feel you are arrogant, and request insight. A manager read the poem below and was offended, for it struck a nerve. He was offended by the content because he thought I was speaking to him. However, members of his staff contacted me and confirmed that it was an accurate depiction of his arrogant leadership style. Let’s act as if this might be the case. Remove personal anxiety and allow people the opportunity to give you comments that are good for everyone.

You Might Not Be A Leader

You may have been a superstar in sales;

An individual who never fails,

But, if you can’t ensure the group prevails,

You might not be a leader.

If vision is absent and no one cares,

If knowledge is power, you will not share;

If you look behind you and no one’s there;

You might not be a leader.

If you did not earn stripes or pay your dues;

If faced with decisions, you fail to choose;

If people ask for help and you refuse,

You might not be a leader.

A passive aggressive management style,

If your deficiencies are in denial;

Too selfish to journey the extra mile,

You might not be a leader.

When seen as a puppet of management,

To throw teammates under the bus is meant,

As a symbol of brewing discontent,

You might not be a leader.

If you lack trust and thought to be lying

And giving feedback is terrifying,

Here is a fact that’s not worth denying,

You might not be a leader.

You feel emotional intelligence

Are soft skills without any relevance,

And being vulnerable makes no sense,

You might not be a leader.

If given a job that’s over your head;

If you cannot reach them, the word will spread,

If you cannot teach them, it will be said,

You might not be a leader.

Copyright © 2019 Orlando Ceaser

Personal Reflections

  1. Do you solicit input from others?

  2. Do you use ideas presented by your staff?

  3. Do you speak down to others when they state their opinions?

  4. Do you involve others in your decision making?

  5. Review stanzas and lines that relate to arrogance in self and others.

  6. Do people come to you for advice on a frequent basis?

  7. How do you receive feedback on your impact?

  8. Does your impact match your intent?

More leadership information at OrlandoCeaser.com

The ‘O’ Zone Blog: myozonelayer.com

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=orlando+ceaser    

 

 

31 Day Leadership Gauntlet – Day 24 – Curiosity

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As children we were told that curiosity killed the cat, but our response was always, but satisfaction brought them back. On one hand we accused curious people of being nosy. However, curiosity was a good thing when you were called precocious. Curiosity is a critical characteristic to possess. Cultivating the habit of being curious is a precursor to creativity and innovation. Employees who constantly approach products and practices with a curiosity lens, are an asset to you, for they will develop ideas to improve your organization.

A corporate culture saturated with curiosity is vibrant and expanding. These individuals examine the status quo to understand its origins, as they look for ways to improve design and execution to increase overall quality. One of the tools of the curious is an enhanced ability to ask questions. They know that the right question will provide them with the information they need to understand and improve overall performance. Why have we always done process, this way? Many professions depend on the ability to ask questions; lawyers, salespeople, counselors, coaches, teachers, parents, years, psychiatrists and lawyers.

Curiosity paired with questioning skills will uncover information needed in an environment of continuous improvement. Think of ways that you could be more curious and set up a process to establish a curiosity infused workplace. Have fun with it because it will be exhilarating.

 

A.S.K.

(Acquire Selling Knowledge)

 

We ask for trouble;

To be there on the double;

For affection, for directions,

For a dime.

We ask for the weather;

The shoes are they leather?

Was I blatant?

What’s your statement?

What’s the time?

Yet this three-letter word

Is forgotten, deferred,

By the greatest inquisitors of all.

We speak from our chair

With articulate flair,

But with rarely a question in the call.

In eloquent fashion

We probe with a passion,

For a date,

For a dollar,

For our due.

We ask for a dance,

A third second chance,

For advice,

For a price,

For a clue.

But we won’t inquire

To learn what inspires,

A customer to buy;

Their need, reason,

The why.

They are willing to share,

Who, what, when, how and where,

If we ask and listen to their reply.

Copyright © 2001 Orlando Ceaser

Reprinted from Teach the Children to Dance

Personal Reflections

  1. Are you creative?

  2. How do you cultivate a climate of curiosity?

  3. Since curiosity and creativity are often linked, what are you doing to grow either skill, personally or professionally?

  4. Are there certain people in your organization who are naturally curious?

  5. Have you developed the art of asking questions to seek information?

  6. Can you identify with the sentiment stated in the Ask poem above?

  7. What can you do to ensure that more questions are asked in presentations and conversations?

  8. Have you informed your people about the importance of asking the right questions?

  9. What kind of training or resources do you provide in the area of curiosity and asking questions?

More leadership information at OrlandoCeaser.com.

The ‘O’ Zone Blog: myozonelayer.com

YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=orlando+ceaser    

 

31 Day Leadership Gauntlet – Day 22 – Relapse

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i believe-001

Developing new skills requires a change management mentality. New skills must be practiced and reinforced over time, with continuous application. The more powerful and experiential the training with total immersion in the new skills, will result in new behaviors that are sustainable.

However, you must deal with inertia, which is resistance to change. Secondly you must contend with the temptation to resort to previous behaviors in the face of difficulty. Observation and experience reveal that in a crisis, if the new skills are not firmly embedded in the subconscious, we revert to previous behavior. We retreat to what is known, comfortable and firmly established. We may discard the new information, new practices for the comfortable behaviors of the past.

If change is not fully incorporated into your rote memory or natural rhythms, you may easily relapse. Therefore, it is important to have powerful implementation procedures that are rapidly reinforced repetition to replace the memorized subconscious behaviors.

Additionally, you must firmly believe in your people and adhere to your leadership pledge to their success. In the heat of battle, turmoil or a crisis, remember that your long-term effectiveness as a leader may hinge upon the following. Your ability to be steady, call while refusing to relapse and abandoning new programs and practices for the old way of doing things.

 

Leadership Pledge

To value and respect you

For your accomplishments each year;

Reward your focus on the bottom line,

Elicit feedback and design

Improvements to work conditions

And ways to fight the competition.

To give clear goals, not good intentions;

Form tactics that defy convention

And set a course for the clients needs,

Sometimes at warp or breakneck speeds;

But always mindful as we advance

To keep egos intact and skills enhanced.

To value and respect you

For loyalty and candor,

For personal leadership modeled

When understaffed and at full throttle,

To praise you when change is prominent,

Receptive when stress is dominant;

And listen actively to your voice,

For you have freedoms,

You’re here by choice.

Copyright © 2013 Orlando Ceaser

Reprinted from Leadership Above the Rim

Personal Reflections

  1. How do you demonstrate to others that you believe and trust them?

  2. What new programs have you put in place to improve the climate in your workplace?

  3. Think of behavior changes successfully implemented and what you did to make them work.

  4. Give examples of old habits that you have successfully replaced.

  5. What do you do to prevent yourself from relapsing into old habits? Give an example, personal or professional.

  6. Review information on change management to strengthen the intellectual and logical justification for your new practices.

  7. The element of surprise is a strong reason for reflex behavior. When you are caught off guard you may tend to relapse into old ways of thinking.

  8. Anticipation will help you stay with your new skills and let the old habits stay in the past.

More leadership information at OrlandoCeaser.com.

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31 Day Leadership Gauntlet – Day 21 – Acting Authentically

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Acting Classes

We appreciate those who perform for us, especially actors and actresses. In a world where authenticity and transparency are encouraged, we honor those, who make a living, assuming another identity and playing different roles. William Shakespeare wrote, in the play As you like it,

“All the world’s a stage,

And all the men and women merely players;

They have their exits and their entrances;

And one man in his time plays many parts,”

There are instances, where we assume certain traits and behaviors that initially feel awkward. They are not a natural part of who we are. We may be in the early stages of development. Therefore, we must fake it until we make it or act as if we have the skills, until they become a part of us.

When someone consistently plays a role, we can anticipate their actions and this predictability draws us into their character. This reminds me of us. We are vulnerable and share our personalities, so others can anticipate our actions. This predictability builds comfort, awareness and trust.

I was a part of a drama team at church, where we were trained by degreed professionals and practitioners, in the art of the theater. My manager questioned my hobby. I remember thinking, “you are asking me to act day at work, and least I can get some training to do it better.”

We are asked to act and play a role or different roles every day. We should at least play them with authenticity and transparency, until they are natural, realistic and believable.

In our role as leaders, there instances where we must act as a leader, until we put on the full mantle of the mindset and the role.

Act as A Leader

You Tube Narration: https://youtu.be/eLzlbmTPhCA

 

Act as a leader,

Roll up your sleeves and get involved;

Create the vision and the culture

Where people are consulted,

Before issues are resolved.

Act as a leader,

Form strategies on how to compete,

Discuss when to advance and retreat,

Review the options selected,

And plan for the unexpected.

Act as a leader,

Be prudent in talent selection,

Precise giving directions

And when they share your vision,

Their passion will seek perfection

And their results will pass inspection.

Act as a leader,

Develop and nourish your group,

For everyone’s expedient,

Each roles a key ingredient,

To add their texture to the soup.

Act as a leader,

Reward and recognize your team,

Spotlight talent, feed their esteem,

Through public and private ovations,

Show that you value their motivation.

Act as a leader,

As a mandate, model fairness,

Distribute justice when you speak,

Grow your skills and self-awareness

By being open to critique.

Act as a leader,

And the growth will be exponential.

Act as a leader,

And they will reach their potential.

As a leader;

Take individual seeds

And cultivate a team

That challenges you to lead.

Copyright © 2000 Orlando Ceaser

Personal Reflections

  1. Through the practice of mental rehearsal, visualize an upcoming important conversation. Anticipate the worst possible outcome and how you will handle it.

  2. Repeat step one several time to become comfortable with a range of response.

  3. Role-play your goals with someone and give them permission to ask questions.

  4. Conduct a mock interview and take turns being the applicant and the interviewer.

  5. Read Michael Shurtleff’s book Audition to learn how actors prepare.

  6. Read information on storytelling, public speaking and acting principles to improve your speaking and conversational skills.

More leadership information at OrlandoCeaser.com.   

The ‘O’ Zone Blog: myozonelayer.com

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