Ever over hear someone sharing their dream just to have someone else snuff it out before it even gets started? This happened to me and it got me to thinking, what would I do if someone stole my thunder and rained on my parade before the floats and balloons made it to the street.  I overheard a conversation between someone who I greatly respect and consider a mentor and a complete stranger.  She was pleading her case and what caught my attention was when she said “it just takes one spark, I am not sure why everyone is so quick to snuff it out.” Songs have been sung, books written, movies produced, even in my own city there is a now annual event 

As iron sharpens iron, so a friend sharpens a friend. – Proverbs 27:17 Iron sharpens iron is a common phrase when looked at in the natural sense can be misleading.  Iron as it exists cannot truly sharpen other iron as they are of the same consistency and strength. Before you all stop reading and run me out on a rail let me continue… When iron is of the same density, just like any other substance it will not wear down or sharpen its counterpart.  Therefore, and as is intended in the scripture, there would need to be differing levels of density,strength and texture for iron to sharpen iron. The same is in the case of men, we can sharpen each other in these ways: Mentoring Spiritual guidance Sharing experience Learning from mistakes Being a sounding board Trust confidant All of these and more can be accomplished without diminishing our character or causing one to be superior or inferior to the other.  As men, if we are strong enough to admit our own shortcomings, we provide ourselves with the opportunity to learn and grow with others. The challenges we face today is that many men were raised with the idea of asking for help is just not what we do.  The men that gave us this advice however were of a different generation. This generation was already unknowingly sharpening each others character in the form of things like the military, all boys schools, discipline in the home and at school, church communities, rotary and other men […]

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We all hear the term “servant leader” being tossed around in both the business world as well as within our local communities.  What exactly is a servant leader ? How do we become one or better yet, why should we want to be one? Leading by serving is a practice that dates back many years before the new lingo came along.  I am sure you can think of a couple of people in history as well as your own lives that lived to serve others.  By serving others they intentionally or not share their influence in their business, community or family effortlessly and without expectation. Let’ take a look at some of the component that I believe to make-up a servant leader LEAD – Goes without saying that a leader must live and lead by example. Respecting others and working just as hard if not harder than those that you lead. INSPIRATION – It does not matter if they work for you, or you for them or maybe they are your peer; everyone deserves to be treated with the same level of respect and courtesy. Give the people around you honest and true respect and generously love them for the blessing they are and they will naturally follow your lead. TEACHING – Share your knowledge and experiences in a benevolent manner that will be remembered. Everyone knows that the student one day will become the teacher so share and share alike. EMPATHY– As leaders it is easy to dismiss or disregard the feelings and heart […]

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