If you've missed the news lately or don't have a
child in elementary school as I do, you may have to
think back to your elementary school days
to remember that Earth Day takes place in
April. Yep, the official date this year is
April 22, 2010.
Back when I was in elementary school, I
remember creating a time capsule and burying
things into the ground to be unearthed at a later
time. Upon reflection, this exercise seems
to be more related to the study of archeological
history and preserving artifacts than it does about
Mother Earth. However, the same exercise today
may teach us about the concerns of
landfills and the impact they have on the
"green," global warming debate. This was not the
case several decades ago.
But, regardless of whether you are on the "global
warming" side of the debate today or not, this much is
clear; we still have much to appreciate and learn from
our planetary parent.
And it isn't all green either.
That's right Mother Earth can host a
class on leadership that can hold a candle to any
MBA course out there. Her leadership lessons
are so abundant and available to us right in our very
back door. So, put on your walking shoes and join
me for a walk in the park.
I was doing just that the other day when I realized
that only in nature can we really experience what it
means to transform. After all, the ability to
transform requires a great deal of
leadership.
In nature, life transforms. It
transforms without any questions, hesitations or
thoughts.
In nature, there are no judgments for what may
appear to be an end or a beginning. There is no
bias for what has been or what will be.
Transformation simply happens because it
must. To thwart it would be to destroy life
And yet, as individuals, organizations and
businesses, transformation is often what we seek, but we
have the darnedest time achieving it.
Because we thwart it every step of the way (present
company certainly not excluded!)
Unlike nature, we hold on to those dead leaves on
our branches. The dead job, the dead relationship,
the dead issue. We want to resuscitate rather than
to let go what is no longer working for us.
Unlike nature, we resist destruction. We
build onto old ways of doing things instead of clearing
the slate. We convince ourselves that it's better
to build up than it is to tear down.
Unlike nature, we hang on even when we aren't being
fed. We resist change rather than face our fears
and we hang on even if it means we are starved.
Mother Earth teaches us and reminds us that
in order to transform and grow in your life, you need to
become a better leader at home and at work. Start
this process by:
- Letting go of what is no longer working for you
- Cleaning the slate and tearing down rather than
building on shaky ground
- Being courageous and facing your fears and finding
a place to be fed
I have always enjoyed the idea of Earth
day. Who better to honor than Mother
Earth?
And after all, we now have more to thank her
for.
Happy Earth
Day!
