Good morning, Leaders! It’s Friday!

Webster defines redemption as: The act of making something better or more acceptable.

While in college, I took a class more than once if my achieved letter grade was below an acceptable level. I had to demonstrate that I reached a certain mastery of the concepts taught in order to move forward. If you never went through this yourself, Congratulations!

If you are familiar with this process, you likely pushed your preconceived capabilities or you sloughed off, maybe drank too much, worked your way through to pay for school, started a family before you could afford them or some derivation of the common events listed above. Congratulations for having gone through it!

I never envisioned going through this life-lesson route once, let alone again. Academics and life having some direct relationship? Hmmmm.

Is it possible that even after reaching the executive leadership level in an organization, that a new opportunity be presented offering reconciliation of scorched earth created by former decisions required to perpetuate a previous business? If that is God’s plan, it is. As if he is saying, “Do it again. This time, be better.”
-to your family
-to the people you influence
-to ALL of the stakeholders involved, regardless of their predisposition…

Everything happens for a reason. Your life is a set of experiences that prepares you for what’s next. As they say in Dale Carnegie training, “practice makes permanent”.

Reflecting back on my time on earth, specifically while holding leadership roles…
I didn’t shake every hand every time every day. (Not a politician)
I didn’t make everyone feel they were special (Not Oprah Winfrey)
I didn’t convert every brilliant idea into billions of dollars (Not Elon Musk)

But,
I did commit to a series of challenges that most sane people would have walked away from, and most did.
I did commit to finishing what I started.
I did point out the true potential of the people and organizations I encountered and refused to buy in to the same excuses they used themselves to take an easier route and concede before the race was over.

This time, I’ll do it with noticeable compassion and demonstrated empathy.  Do you need a hug?

Save yourself the trouble and show how much you care before you try to change the world. Otherwise, you’ll be destined to repeat it … until you get it “right”.

Have a blessed weekend!