Learning and Re-learning

A few years ago (who knows since time flies when you’re having fun), James Kouzes presented on his book, A Leader’s Legacy, at AAHSA. I was taken with the book. It opened my eyes to new ideas on leadership and confirmed some of my partially developed thinking. After AAHSA, we studied the book as the LSA leadership as part of our internal and personal education process. Today I am headed to a Lutheran Services in America conference where one of the sessions is on A Leader’s Legacy.

When I saw the topic and received another copy of the book, I was not particularly thrilled, since we have already plowed that ground. I brought my old copy of the book as I had already marked it up, circling and underlining my favorite parts. On the plane this morning, I started re-reviewing. The book has so many good points. It was a great refresher. It also reminded me of at least in part why we moved it some directions as an organization and why I moved it some directions. Por exampla: In the corner of one page talking about how we have to progress even when we are so comfortable with the old way, I had written Electronic Medical Records. Today, EMR is one of our most important and successful initiatives for the future. The book encourages a lifelong commitment to education. I just completed a Masters program. Hmmmm…..

Here is a laundry list of some of the concepts discussed in the book that at least influenced our/my behavior: servanthood, passion, education, feedback, collaboration, 100% responsibility, want to be liked, constructive insubordination, Crucial Confrontations, empowerment, honesty, followership, courage, trust, RPMs (Rosa Parks Moments), grace, ok to fail, baby steps in the right direction. This book is packed!

Now, I have heard the author, read the book with our team, and am heading out to hear it again. But now I’m looking forward to hearing the presenter’s view, and hearing the perspective of the 49 other CEOs attending this meeting have to share. To a good meeting…!