Being vs. Appearance by M.J. Clark

In the book The Shack by William Paul Young, there is a passage I find very instructive. It says: “It is quite simple really. Being always transcends appearance – that which only seems to be. Once you begin to know the being behind the very pretty or very ugly face, as determined by your bias, the surface appearances fade away until they simply no longer matter.”

How many times do we, as leaders, allow appearances to get in the way? Are we role models to each person on our team, or do we choose favorites? If we interviewed potential employees with a blindfold over our eyes, would we choose the same people? If you have a story to share of a time when you let appearances get in the way of your leadership, I encourage you to share it.

Balance by Steve Anderson

A lot of people say that their family is the most important thing to them, but then they spend all of their time at the office. When asked why, they often reply, "My job is to provide for them." But if you asked their family what they wanted them to provide, it would be more time and more love. Why do people so often act in ways inconsistent with their values that creates imbalance and unsustainability?

I would argue that most people who struggle with balance do so for two reasons:

1. They haven't taken the time to sit down and determine their priorities and compare their behavior with their values.
2. In the absence of a plan they react to the fear of losing their job.

We can never create the life we dream about unless we build it around a plan we can get excited about. I urge you to take the time to decide the things that really matter to you and regularly commit yourself to building your life around those values.