Category: Vision

When the glory comes

It came for this song at the Academy Awards. Hearing this for the first time at the movie Selma I thought that this was one special song, in word and in tune. Others thought so too.

If the day feels mundane this should help.

Stephen

Ridiculous leadership

Pastor Jack Edward from the Shema Evangelism Ministry in Papua New Guinea along with a group of fellow church ministers requested that the then acting prime minister Sam Abal approve a new public holiday to be known as Repentance Day.  Mr Abal apparently went along with this and gazetted this new public holiday so the citizens of PNG could have a day to ask for repentance of sins.  Pastor Jack meanwhile, is the co-ordinator for the day, presumably co-ordinating the various transgressions to be repented on the day.

No this is not a Monty Python skit, it’s true. A country where most of the population live in poverty, a country who’s unique flora and fauna is under serious threat from mining interests, a country where crime is rampant and this is the (acting) leader’s priority. Was he drunk or what?

Maybe Mr Abal want’s repentence for his son’s transgressions (allegedly killed a waitress in July).  But wait there’s more – Port Moresby was ranked near the bottom of a most liveable cities in the world survey. The top ten cities are in Australia, Austria, Canada and New Zealand (Auckland #10).

I checked and as far as I can see none of these four countries concerns itself with a Repentance day. These are generally prosperous, safe and educated countries – not perfect of course – but countries whose leadership concerns itself with things that hopefully make a difference. 

I ran a workshop this evening for a group of partners at a professional services firm. We talked about leadership. I talked about the components of authentic leadership and focussed the group’s mind on vision. A vision will separate a leader from a manager.

In the end I feel sorry for the people of PNG. Struggling with so many problems which won’t change without a vision and leadership. I don’t know how Mr Abal got to be selected for the acting role, but I can imagine why he will only ever be acting.

No vision, grasping at superstition from silly old men in a pathetic attempt to do what?  PNG people should say stick it and ignore such ridiculous leadership (and the stupidity of the day off) for what it is. The power of the people sometimes need to show leaders that more is demanded.

Stephen

Should we get a subway?

I picked up a Subway at Papatoetoe by the Caltex the other day.  I joked to what I now know is the franchise owner, that I could repeat the whole conversation almost word for word:  What meat Sir? Extra Cheese? Any extra bacon or avocado? This time I did get extra cheese and he challenged me that it might sound repetitive but, he’ll get more business that way. Well he did! Good on him. As I was getting into my car, he came running out with a voucher for another customer who had won a free cookie. “That’s what you call service, I remarked”.  “He shouldn’t have forgotten it in the first place” said she. Right.

There’s a pretty interesting idea promoted by the new Auckland Council for an underground train link through central Auckland. My son Tim finished school yesterday for good. That’s 16 years of schooling with both Tim and Tom now finished and off to tertiary study. Tim has low vision and although he’ll be having surgery again soon which is very promising, he’s someone who is dependent (as many are) on a good public transport system. Leadership is not just about getting things done, but having the vision that will get others going.

I notice that slowly, but surely, the new Auckland Council is stamping its name and branding across the city – from roadwork upgrade signs, to rubbish trucks and the public library in Parnell. It’s Auckland Council. Someone has that detail worked out.

Like the guy in the Subway at Papatoetoe – he knows the details that will make the business grow and goes the extra mile for even the most ungrateful customer.  I reckon he probably has a vision that his Subway will be a big success in this part of the world. He deserves it.

And I hope that a vision for a big subway up the road will come to make life for my boys and their families a better one in the years to come. A vision for a subway. Yes, I like it.

Stephen