The Boomer Grind - "No One Ever Told Me"

At times, life can be a grind. Grind is defined by Encarta Dictionary - as to push something down firmly or crush something on a surface with a twisting or rotating motion (like grinding dirt into the carpet).

The life of a Boomer has become a grind. The early days of this grind began when I heard this statement, for the first time, forty years ago... "No one ever told me!" (and, think about the song, American Pie, "the day the music died...")

• "No one ever told me about inflation and high interest rates!" ,,,

Entrepreneurial Leaders Do What Matters

"Do all the good you can. By all the means you can. In all the ways you can. In all the places you can. At all the times you can. To all the people you can. As long as ever you can." ~ John Wesley

These are times of rapid change, uncertainty and opportunity that call forth leaders with a deep desire to make a difference and leave a lasting legacy in business, community, church and government. People want to be part of something that matters. Yet, the challenges of getting others willing to confront the issues at hand and execute workable solutions require leaders who have the adaptive capacity to get others on the same page and moving in the same direction, at the same time. Leaders must have a deep understanding of what it takes to be highly effective and influential leaders. 

Leadership is no longer about declaring the vision or direction and then looking to see who is following and then focus on those who follow. This is a time for leaders to embrace the heart of a servant and spirit of the warrior. Authentic servant leaders observe all that exists around them and apply what they learn to develop a deep understanding of the art and science of leadership. Each must put forth the required time and effort to make themselves authentic servant leaders with a clear focus on others and set the course for things to come. Great leaders throughout history maintain a sense of providence as to who they are, where they are and what they are called to do. The opportunity, like no other time in history, is the possibility to create a world great leaders throughout history have desired to make reality.

Those who choose to pursue this leadership opportunity quickly realize the process to become an authentic servant leader involves reconciling immense personal and professional challenges. Change becomes a way of life. Leadership is a self-development process that requires daily attention as society requires leaders to have a servant-focus, be of solid character and maintain high standards in leadership practices and principles. Leaders are expected to continually learn and with a trusted mentor become a highly capable leader who knows themselves, cares about people and has a deep understanding of the business or organization they steward. 

For those leaders who answer this call into servant leadership, the Servant Leader Framework serves as a highly effective methodology for thinking and processing through all the situations, possibilities, challenges, changes and complexities of leadership.

This xy graph or ZMap becomes a ‘one page book’ for those who desire to know and understand who they are as an entrepreneur and servant leader. This simple xy graph provides clarity and focus on what to do to get to where you want to be. The challenge for entrepreneurs is reconciling their desires for success with doing good to make a difference. For those entrepreneurs who can stay focused on both success and doing good at the same time will know what it means to go from success to significance. It is possible to have it all. Just look at all the entrepreneurial leaders who have proven this is true. This is one of the ZMaps in my upcoming book The Servant Leader Framework.

~ Alan Goldsberry, Author and CEO of ZFactor Group Publishing