I was there. The
times were interesting and frankly quite exciting. (Some of us expatriate,
nomadic leaders find volatility and unpredictability to be a bit of a ‘high’).
We lived under curfew for a while due to a volatile new government and the reality
of continued Khmer Rouge incursions around the country. Frequently we experienced
this new government at odds with itself, often displayed via gun battles played
out in the streets between opposing forces within the new ‘democracy’. We were living in a culture that was rapidly
and often haphazardly emerging from the shadows. Further, I was there as the first pastor of an
International church comprised mainly of expatriate NGO workers who were flooding
the country. My role was to help this church get established organizationally & serve the spiritual needs of the expat community. I also had a family of 5 to care for in all
of this.
Though in my element, something was off…
In those days it was all about getting the job done. We all faced so many issues to help develop
this country that personal & leader-development took a back seat. One day though I decided to receive rather
than give and pulled out a "cassette tape" (Google it) and listened to a lecture from a
leader whose style I did not much care for,
but I needed some input. He would have
to do.
I was arrested.
Arrested by one phrase: “ARE YOU
IN DANGER OF BECOMING A MUNDANE MAN?”
That was an AHA moment.
I was in my mid 30’s and by that time had lived in 3 countries and had a
fairly impressive record (to me at least!!) of starting new ventures and
demonstrating leadership in a cross cultural context. A perspective had developed in me that
without any further education or development, I could ride this career train
for decades to come – perhaps all the way to retirement.
His series of questions perhaps apply to you today:
-“How content are you with where you are in your
development as a person and as a leader?”
-“Are you seeking to go deeper, farther, longer?”
-“To what extent is there a desire in you to be a better
leader, father and friend?”
-“Do you feel content with your status quo?”
-“Are you OK saying ‘this is enough’…I can make it
without any further effort?”
He nailed it. He
nailed me. I had allowed a measure of
self-satisfaction to not only creep in, but take over the drive and energy that
had brought me to this opportunity in the first place. As a younger emerging leader I knew I had to
work diligently to train and develop my abilities. It seemed obvious at the time. However now that I was well into the game and
the system, I realized I could just ride the rails like some hobo-leader and
continue to secure positions based on my record. My PAST record.
Then and there I saw that I WAS a mundane man – a man who
was feeding off his past and who would bring nothing new to the world’s table. Merriam Webster describes ‘mundane best: “dull
and ordinary”. Ouch.
Preventing the mundane from taking over your psyche and
habits takes some intention. Here are 4
suggestions to help kick start you into an intentional ‘anti-mundane’ campaign
for your life:
1. Surround
yourself with peers who will push you.
We all suffer from myopia and worse, self-delusion. Create a cadre of
peers who all make a commitment to help each other be better.
2. Take
inventory of inputs. When was the
last time you:
a. Read
a challenging book
b. Learned
a new skill
c. Took
a course that pushed your limits
d. Dreamed
about something greater that you could be or do
3. Do
something that is beyond you. No stretch, no chance for growth. Don’t keep
on doing the things you know you can do.
Take on a project or assignment within
your current role that is beyond what you feel you have capacity to accomplish. In Cambodia I remember starting a forum for
the many NGO leaders based in Phnom Penh.
I observed they were leading in isolation from each other yet facing so
many of the same personal & leadership issues. I felt quite insignificant among that crowd
but new it was a need. I launched out
and not only did it become of value to them but I gained so much in my understanding
of leadership by just being among them.
4. Learn
ANYTHING new. Age is not an excuse. Old
dogs do learn new tricks. The science of
the brain reveals just how ‘plastic’ our brains are if we just keep exercising
them via learning. Furthermore learning
new information/skills in one area benefits other capacities due to the
intricate, integrated and holistic nature of our wonderful brains. Yes, woodworking has a neural connection to
strategic planning!
Finally, 2 questions I hope will push you beyond: ‘hey that was an interesting blog’ and
into action:
IF NOT YOU, THEN WHO?
IF NOT NOW, THEN WHEN?
Harv
Visiontracks Facilitation & Coaching Services
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