Next time you're searching for computer desktop/background/wallpaper images, promise me you'll try here.

Trey Ratcliff, an SMU graduate and Austin resident, creates the most glorious artwork from already amazing photos.  They run the gamut, from Icelandic meadows and Texas biker rallies to international airport terminals and shots of his family at Christmas. 

You'll enjoy them, others will enjoy them, and they'll transport you into what feels like an alternate universe.

But I must forewarn you: if you think you'll be spending "only 10 minutes" in his site, you're deluded.  Most of my friends pop-out 1+ hours later, wondering what they've been missing all these years.  Put on a pot of coffee and fall into a deep, cozy chair--cuz I predict you're gonna be a while. 

I just love announcing people with talent, and this fella's got it in spades.  Fortunately for him, Getty and the Smithsonian discovered Trey long ago, and the kid seems to be doing all right for himself.    ;-)

God bless the supra-talented who find their callings and thrive living them.  Way to go, everyone.  Keep up the great work.

This is way off-topic, but it's so funny...I just have to share.  And after my prior post, perhaps we're all in need of a good laugh.

Our 8-year-old daughter begins 3rd grade on Monday.  As part of her summer conclusion, my wife (as usual) has planned many excursions and outings for her.  You know the drill: the ice cream store, the American Girl store, the skating rink, the water park, etc.

Last night was "dinner and late-nite TV plus sleepover" with one of her sweet friends from 2nd grade.

I found myself puttering around the house very late, as usual. 

And I was wearing an undershirt, a long sleeve button-down oxford, boxers and black knee-high socks.  A real finger-poke to the eyes, no doubt.  (I resembled that proverbial old man down the street--the one who wears the same--plus suspenders and straw hat and who waters the grass with a roaring hose while smoking a cigar, swigging a beer and periodically blotting at his boundaryless forehead with a bright red handkerchief.)

So here I am padding around the house in my thin socks at midnight.

And my daughter and her girlfriend see me down the hallway.  My daughter squeals and implores, "WHAT ARE YOU WEARING, DADDY?" 

I say nothing.

She then says, "You     are     a     mess.     It's a miracle I'm normal."

I say nothing.

And then, as if on cue, her 8-year-old friend chirps, "Well at least he doesn't walk around in a bra and high heels like my dad."

End of story.

Game over.

Man, did I inadvertently trip and fall into a gold mine, or what?

Needless to say, when I see her father (who's a real stitch...a practical joker...a card...and whom I can entirely visualize playing "funny dress-up" with the family), I'll probably grin so big that my face will tear in half.

I can't wait to see you, Mr. You-Know-Who.  It's on.

Don't worry, this isn't a Hemingway book review.  (Though surely it would be better if it was.)

My wife and I just returned from a funeral for a precious 2-year-old girl.  The church was packed; there must have been 300 people there.

What an absolute gut-wrenching tragedy.  It's the sort of day when everyone files solemnly out of the building...a long procession of shaking heads and swollen eyes.  For believers, a reminder of the promises of eternity, though nothing assuages the loss of a child or the promise of years unlived. 

We are each constantly reminded that growing old is a privilege promised to no one, are we not?

When I was a boy I yearned to be a man: to have car keys and a place of my own.  The irony is, I am once again a subject outnumbered and surrounded by girls...my wife and daughter have a profound capacity for turning our home into a sorority house within hours of walking in the door.  Pots, pans and dishes everywhere, clothes strewn all over the floor, curling irons and hair dryers and make-up all over the place.

I am privileged, indeed, and count my blessings.

Though 'all grown up' (chronologically, at least), it's clear to me now how simple and naive my understanding of 'adulthood' was.  I had no idea what I was getting myself into.

Several weeks ago, I drove to pick my daughter up from a sewing lesson.  As I stood in the lobby of the 'arthouse,' a dozen eight-year-old girls were squealing and screaming about some apparently super-exciting item of doll clothing they had just completed.  But here's the funny part: one of the girls looked at me, then turned her head to another girl and asked, "Is that your dad?"

"No," replied the 2nd girl, "My dad doesn't have white hair."

Ouch.

Apparently, I am becoming my father.  (That, however, would undoubtedly be both an improvement and a high compliment.)

If you are reading this blog, God/the universe/fate/karma/destiny/luck/fortune/chance (whatever you believe or do not) has been inarguably kind to you--gracing you with yet another hour to squeeze your kiddos or hug your spouse or, even more special, to thank one or more of your parents (yet again) for bringing you into this world.

You might not enjoy being known as the parent with white hair, but take it from me--it's a blessing to be a parent at all, and it's an unpromised privilege to live so long that everything aches, creaks, pops or burns upon use.

We should only be so fortunate.

For any of you who, tragically, are the parents of a child who has passed--for whatever reason--I understand fully that there are zero words of consolation.  Such a loss, like our dear friends', is a hole that never stops seeping hurt. 

Time may pass, sediment or scar tissue may build up around the wound, but the nerve endings throb forever.

There is nothing so unnatural as outliving a child.

Had things gone differently, our precious daughter would have a 4 1/2 year-old brother by now.  His name was Will.pdf (827.78 kb), and he didn't quite make it.

Not a day goes by that we don't hurt, pray for his soul, or see a 4-5 year-old boy and wonder, "What if only?"  These ruminations are natural, and I know they never go away, especially for parents who lost children they came to fully know...children whose smells and smiles are emblazoned in parents' memories as if sensed or shared this very morning.

May we cherish however much time we have on this earth, brief or long.

And where it's brief, and you feel suffocated in the darkness, remember that you are not alone.  Our losses--and they are incalculable across all humankind--remind us that, if nothing else, matters which have nothing to do with life, death or eternity are virtually trivial.  The speeding ticket, the bosshole at work, the neighbor with his rock music and the tone-deaf blowhard politician: these are each simply part of the scenery, trivialities of the ninth order.

Sniff and snort and huff and puff if you must, but remember: (1)you cannot step into the same river twice and (2)the world will continue spinning.  Don't waste any more time on distractions that keep you from living your life to the fullest for as long as you've got or that keep you from holding those who know you (and love you nonetheless!) close to your bosom.

This past week I spent some time with a company renowned for being a "high tech systems integrator."

It got me thinking just a couple degrees differently, so I thought I'd pay the perspective forward.

So often, an organization focuses on increasing trust, improving performance, incorporating best practices, etc.  Yet generally, these efforts occur within isolation, in silos.

It reminds me of Dr. Frankenstein's efforts: try as he might to 'create life,' he inadvertently created a monster.  "The law of unintended consequences," to be sure.

My advice?

A rising tide lifts all boats, so step back--take some time--and work, as Michael Gerber wrote so eloquently, "on your business, not just in or for your business."  (Do the latter two and your business is master.)

Ask yourself, "If I were to start anew, from a blank slate, how would I design my organization?" rather than, as Frankenstein did, "If I stitch this onto here and attach that to the other thing...I wonder if I can 'create life?'"

Gerber articulated so thoroughly that it's rarely about what we use on hand...the 'additive' nature of mashing things together.  This rarely proves successful and frequently convolutes.

Far better to reconceive your company as if you were the unbiased systems integrator: "What do I need?  What do I have?  What do I lack?"  And then, come to terms with scrapping anything and everything in order to design, sequence and overlay most efficiently.

I know it's hard, because we all love our binkies.  But as a wise man once shouted, "You can't expect me to revolutionize transportation and insist that I keep the horse!"

"My friendship with the Hitch has always been perfectly cloudless.  It is a love whose month is ever May."  —Martin Amis, The Independent, January 15, 2007.

What gorgeous phrasing, no?

I just stumbled across it last night and thought you might enjoy.  (Amis is describing his dear friend and the oft-irascible author, Christopher Hitchens, who was recently diagnosed with esophageal cancer.)

It is a great reminder that, even for those of us who otherwise hide within our introverted caves, a friendship to survive the decades is precious as platinum. 

Whether you postulate 3 people would attend your funeral--or 3,000--may however many tomorrows stretch out before you be bathed in deep, rich, abiding friendships with those who know you entirely and love you nonetheless.

"Life without a friend is death without a witness."  —Spanish Proverb

In ancient Greece (469-399 BC), Socrates was widely lauded for his wisdom. 

One day the great philosopher came upon an acquaintance who approached him excitedly and implored, "Socrates, Socrates, do you know what I just heard about one of your students?"
 
"Wait a moment," Socrates replied, "before you tell me, I'd like you to pass a test, the Test of Three."
 
"Test of Three?"
 
"That's correct," Socrates continued, "before you talk to me about one of my students, let's take a moment to test what you're going to say, shall we?  The first test involves Truth.  Have you made absolutely sure that what you are about to tell me is true?"
 
"No," the man replied, "actually, I just heard about it."
 
"All right," said Socrates, "so you don't really know whether it's true or not.  Then let's try the second test, involving Goodness.  Is what you are about to tell me regarding my student something good?"
 
"No, on the contrary...."
 
"So," Socrates continued, "you want to tell me something bad about him even though you're not certain it's true."
 
The man shrugged, a little embarrassed.
 
Socrates continued, "Hope remains, though, because there is a third test, the test of Usefulness.  Is what you desire to tell me regarding my student useful?"
 
"No, not really...."
 
"Well then," concluded Socrates, "if what you seek to tell me is not True nor Good nor Useful, why share it with me at all?"
 
Defeated and ashamed, the man said no more.
 
This is one of the many reasons why Socrates was such a great philosopher and held in high esteem.
 
It also explains why Socrates never learned that Plato was cavorting with his wife.    

(Sorry, some web-crumbs are simply too hilarious to keep to oneself.  Come back tomorrow; maybe I'll be serious then.)

Not quite true, perhaps -- but certainly a "different" life.

I had my own personal Zen & the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance and Shop Class as Soulcraft moment today, as I collected my 'ol bucket-of-bolts from my mechanic, Allen.

Allen is equal parts eccentric, intellectual, fatalist, believer and martyr.  (If only he were chubby, he'd be the perfect little Buddha.  Even without rubbing his tummy, existential wisdom emanates as from a fortune cookie.)

Today, on his shop whiteboard, were 2 images that caught my eye.  This being a Friday, my gift to you are these photos, each worth well over 1,000 words.

             and            

The first, a timeless reminder that we must generally choose two (not three) from among Speed (fast), Quality (good) and Cost (cheap).

And the second, a reminder that -- yes -- there is light at the end of the tunnel.     :-)

But meanwhile, there are really nifty toys and treats to anesthetize us along our journey.

Several days ago while differentiating Good vs. Poor Leaders, I committed to write a bit more about leadership. 

In keeping that commitment, allow me to share the following model which has proven helpful for several groups over the years.

Beyond 'arguably,' there are certainly a number of key leadership competencies unaccounted for here (like systems thinking and change), but we can dive into those another time.

What the model here does do, and simply, is capture 2 key axes, 4 diverse endpoints...and all this while reminding the leader the importance of stability.

Let's start with the 2 axes, Results and Relationships. 

Notionally, the premise of Results and Relationships (like Yin and Yang) alerts leaders to mind these two very unique yet interrelated dimensions. 

On the one hand, great leaders have got to be adequate (or, more ideally, exceptional) relationship-builders.  For those leaders who like to think programmatically, linearly or via 'building blocks,' understanding that he or she can build relationships in two ways often proves constructive. 

For example, on the one hand, a leader can build and improve relationships by focusing on how he or she Collaborates with others.  Collaborate is a straightforward word -- it means to "co-labor" or "work together."  Two practical ways to think about this include: (1)People do not resist their own ideas and (2)People like to see their photo...or 'DNA' in the scrapbook.  In short, to be a better leader, co-labor with others in ways that allow them to contribute and see their contributions.  It's as simple as that, and yet a huge portion of the 'leadership population' does not operate this way.  Instead, they place themselves at the center of everything, marginalizing those around them as grunts and missing tremendous opportunities to facilitate dialogue, contribution, better solutions and support.

A second way for a leader to build and improve relationships is through Communication.  Here's a neat way to think about communication: (1)Awareness occurs through the senses, (2)Understanding occurs in the mind, (3)Belief occurs in the heart and (4)Behavior occurs through the hands.  Pragmatically, this means more than time permits us to unpack today...but imagine a company that seeks to 'communicate' through posters in the cafeteria, name badges, mouse pads or screen savers.  Will people be 'aware' of the company's direction?  Perhaps.  But will they integratively understand, believe and demonstrate that direction daily?  It's doubtful.  To improve the odds, the organization should learn to communicate in ways that involve people and breathe life into the ideologies by animating and modeling beliefs and behaviors.  The Confucius maxim, "I hear and I forget; I see and I remember; I do and I understand" holds water.

But communication is about a lot more than 'spewing or sensing.'  I believe that, as is the case our entire lives, we learn more by doing than seeing or hearing.  Said more plainly, if you want to communicate effectively, involve another person in the decision-making or delegation of a task.  (Like mathematics, you don't really know whether I understand the problem's nuances until I show my work.)  And while I have you here, let me add one more morsel: Deciding and Delegating are two of our strongest methodologies for Developing people.  Lots of leaders 'miss' this, making too many decisions themselves or seeing delegation as a way to clear their plate.  This is a huge mistake.  Instead, approach each task and ask yourself, "How can this serve as a developmental opportunity for someone else, too?"  Then, draw others into the decision-making process or delegation loop purposefully.  (The sign of a great leader is increasing irrelevance.  The sign of a poor leader is unending dependence.  Great parents teach this, starting with removing the training wheels.) 

Continuing now, any leader must accomplish results.  I have often viewed results as occurring across two common categories of activities, distinguishable along a scale of management and leadership.  The teeter-totter image below should prove a helpful tool for your further consideration of this idea. 

At the core of the first model, though, are values & ethics.  These alone are an entire field of inquiry that Aristotle himself didn't finish pondering.  One's own values and ethics warrant a lifetime of exploration and commitment.  They unquestionably serve as our compass' True North position, without which we wander, wonder and succumb to all manner of mirages and temptations.

I know it's not true in the purest sense, but I have always been predisposed to believe that if it's easy or convenient, it's probably wrong.  Those things in life which prove virtuous or right generally seem to be more difficult or inconvenient.  Diet, exercise, discipline, meaningful communication, giving others the benefit of the doubt, turning the other cheek, being selfless, meeting others' expectations, checking one's work, proofreading, going slowly now to go faster later, saving money, finishing one's homework proactively rather than procrastinating, loving thine enemy, living a whole and undivided life (walking the talk), dying unto oneself, checking one's ego at the door, truly listening (vs. reloading), being creative rather than a revisionist....  These are difficult things, and right.

In summary then, if you aspire to be a better leader, don't forget these 'minima:' Create better relationships through more purposeful collaboration and communication.  Achieve results through a proper mixture of management and leadership.  And all the while, drop your anchor deep into a stable, unchanging bedrock of consistent values and ethics.

Do these and you'll be more consciously-competent than half the leaders on the field.