The Genius of One

There is nothing more serious than the sacrilege of schism because there is no just cause for severing the unity of the Church. - Saint Augustine

Jesus said, “Blessed are the peacemakers…”, so it made sense with this month’s focus to take a look at Greg Holder’s book The Genius of One: God’s Answer for Our Fractured World.

Holder quotes Harvard professor Dean Williams who observes, “What we repeatedly see are systems breaking down—be they institutional systems, economic systems, political systems, or environmental systems, to name but a few—and we all frustratingly ask, ‘Where is the leadership?’”

Holder points out that it is time for the followers of Jesus to lead. With humility and courage, we must enter the chaos.  We have to admit the sad truth: we have forgotten how to get along.

We Christians are certainly a part of the problem, but we also have a unique opportunity to be a radical part of the answer—an answer that bridges the gaps of generation, denomination, race, economics, culture, and even politics.

Holder aims to encourage partnerships between people and organizations, who by the grace of God and of his Spirit working through them could still change the world!

Click here to learn more.

Leadership Secrets of Attila the Hun

Everybody has value; even if to serve as a bad example. - Attila the Hun
When you consider, “Blessed are the peacemakers,” who is the last name that comes to mind?  Perhaps it’s Attila the Hun.

During his reign, Attila the Hun was one of the most feared enemies of the Western and Eastern Roman Empires.  In a second-hand description, Jordanes describes Attila this way, “He was a man born into the world to shake the nations, the scourge of all lands, who in some way terrified all mankind by the dreadful rumors noised abroad concerning him. He was haughty in his walk, rolling his eyes hither and thither, so that the power of his proud spirit appeared in the movement of his body.  He was indeed a lover of war…”

Interestingly, Dr. Jose Bolton—a retired Air Force Colonel, who was a key advisor and mentor of mine in the Johnson Space Center’s HR Development Office—offered me a book along with this advice, as he returned to the Defense Equal Opportunity Management Institute, “My best for you as you lead the team.”

I had just been named the HR Director for NASA’s Johnson Space Center, and Dr. Bolton gave me a copy of Dr. Wess Roberts’ Leadership Secrets of Attila the Hun.

Over the years, I learned to heed Dr. Bolton’s advice, so I quickly read the book.  Here, I’ve distilled a summary for you.

Click here to continue