Bruce -
My email is lou@russellmartin.com. If you'd like, email me your contact info and I will give you a shout should I wander into your locale.
Lou Russell
Meeting would be wonderful.
I have been privileged to serve for 20 years at my campus in several capacities (Associate Dean/Adjunct Instructor/Program Director/Career Services Director) and I found teaching and counseling to be the most rewarding. Having the "history" that time provides can make everyone in education a kind of "Mr. Chips", able to see and enjoy the successes of those upon whom we have had an influence. That experience will provide the sense of privilege that many "newbies" haven't had the time to learn and enjoy.
Students and reports...we can make a difference in other's lives.
Bruce,
I hope we meet at some point... you and I share very similar leadership philosophies. I like your holiday example as well. A quote I like is "Leadership is a serious meddling in people's life". Robert Greenleaf has also written a great deal about the Servant Leader (more recently, Ken Blanchard has written a book with this title also). He believes that as leaders, we are servants of the people we lead and we hold their development 'in trust'. We are not superior to them or 'over' them. That doesn't mean we are buddies - also a problem. As a leader, we help a person grow (for the needs of the business we are part of) from where they are to where they can and need to be.
Lou Russell
Leadership is a privilege. And, it is a privilege that comes with much responsibility because a leader is responsible for the lives of other people. People are the richest resources of any company. Those people also have families who are affected by their work lives. Leading in a way that enriches the lives of others spreads success and happiness to many more people.
A corny but good example (excuse me, but this is the Holiday season) can be seen in the movie "It's a Wonderful Life". A leader's influence can spread out like a coin tossed into a lake - going way beyond the point we would usually assume.
So, yes, having that kind of influence is a privilege. Many of us have worked for or with a "bad" leader, and we have seen the professional and personal damage that can cause.
