Leading from the front (Outpost)

Nine Pax, took the Daily Red Pill (DRP) this morning and got better.

The Pax: Napalm, Scout, Barry, Neo, Aruba, Striker, CPT D and Chitwood (Q: Squirrel)

The Scene: An amazing morning to be out in the Gloom!

Warm-O-Rama:  Arm circles, Grass getters, Right-over left / left over right bendy stretch, and presencing Scout we groaned through some Abe Vigoda’s

The Thang:  Split into three groups

Group 1 – Playground – Abs

• 20 Swing knee tuck
• 1 min Plank saw
• 20 Swing Fall Out
• 40 sec (L) Side Plank w/ knee tuck ….or whatever T-Bone’s group was doing.
• 40 sec (R) Side Plank w/ knee tuck

Group 2 – Wall – Legs

• 20 Squats
• 20 Lunges..10 each leg
• 20 Bulgarian Split squats
• 20 Lateral Step Up/Downs, ea side

Group 3 – Water park – Chest

• Mucho Chesto
• 30 sec Rest
• Mini Chesto 
• 30 sec Rest
• 30 LBDs

ALL – move to tennis courts for some:  Seal Clap Merkin ladder to 7 (Why only to 7? In the Bible the number seven often symbolizes completion or perfection)

• 30 Cat walk
• 30 Heels to Heaven
• 30 Forearm Circles (180 degrees)
• 30 LBCs
• 30 Peter Parkers

AROD!!  So pair up.

Partner 1                                                  Partner 2

300 Side Straddle Hops                         Bearcrawl to half court

Ran outta time so we didn’t get to:

200 Monkey Humpers                             Jog to other end & back

100 Hand Release-Release Merkins     Crawlbear

 

Announcements/Prayer requests:

1. Praises for T-Bone’s son in California who was accepted into a Fellowship program!
2. Praises for Chitwood’s eldest daughter who was recognized for her leadership
3. Praises for Sasquatch who brought God’s word into people’s soul on Easter
4. Praises to see FroYo out in the Gloom again…such a ray of sunshine!
5. Praises for Playstation as he and his daughter heal.  Every day we wake we get another chance!!
6. Prayers for Flying Tomato as he dons the suit to help people as many in (a friends?) office packed it in

 

    A. Clown Car to The Crypt (Albermarle) on 13 April

 

T-Bone lead us out in prayer

                                 

Moleskine: Leading from the front…

Every year, authors come up with “new” leadership books.  Yet, here we see leadership challenges and failures on the news, in our workspaces, our communities and, sometimes, even in our homes.

                                                     

Privacy breaches, harassment suits, scandals, judges & county clerks – the list goes on.  A recent poll[i] found that 86% of Americans are “largely disappointed” by leaders in society.  Of that share, 47% are strongly disappointed.  These numbers demonstrate a failure in leadership, on par with John ‘Bluto’ Blutarsky’s failing grades in Animal Houseii.

“Zero Point Zero”

The meat and potatoes of the above listed are not about politics or Animal House, yet they each demonstrate an absence of leaders showing up, asking the right questions and making principled decisions.

 

What does an active leader look like?  History is replete with examples, but Shakespeare captures this type of leader’s unique qualities. In his play, Henry V, Shakespeare describes how French troops greatly outnumbered English Soldiers in the Battle of Agincourt in 1415.  Victory for the English drew similarities to David, from the famous Hebrew scripture story of David and Goliath.  The night before the battle, the King wandered around the English camp in disguise to understand how their demeanor, hopes, fears, and general mood.  The next morning, Henry leads his troops into battle and ultimate victory. He demonstrated leadership at the front of his troops formation, not in the back or middle.  The King recognized that his presence out front would motivate his troops to fight with valor, distinction, tenacity, and courage in the face of overwhelming odds.

 

Many “leaders” today are “leading” remotely. Not just via email or Zoom either…they’re checked out.

 

The best leaders are willing to get their hands dirty in order to understand what it is like to be on the front-line serving customers or working on the shop-floor.  What’s that?  You say you’ve been in the “trenches” before?  How long ago?  Reflect on how long it has been and admit, even if it is just to yourself if you have lost touch with your workforce or not. 

 

Don’t be that leader.  

 

Leading from the front involves:

• Actively leading the change you seek to make by acting as a first adopter in immersing yourself in the new ways of working.  Another way of putting it? 
• Maintaining the same set of rules, ethics, code of conduct, and manner of operation across the entire team, including its leaders.
• Do not ask team members to execute tasks you would not want to do.
• An atmosphere, where your teammates view you as approachable, where you listen and remain open to new ideas with the potential for implementation. 

 

Let’s be honest – leading from the front requires a level of competence, a heaping helping of humility, courage and vulnerability.  It can feel much safer and less risky to stay cocooned away from the action.

 

So, are you leading from the front or not? 

 

 

Aye!

———————————–

[i] US News and World Reports Poll: Americans Are Down on Society’s Leaders,  Author – Elliott Davis Jr., 2023

ii Universal Pictures ; produced by Ivan Reitman & Matty Simmons ; written by Harold Ramis, Douglas Kenney & Chris Miller ; directed by John Landis. National Lampoon’s Animal House. Universal City, CA :Universal, 2003.