One Tough Job!

August 11th, 2004 - I was 24 years old.  This was the day my life changed.  This is the day it became real.  This was the day I found out the true meaning of the word love.  This is the day I became a father.

I received an email today from an organization I signed up to get emails from called http://www.fathers.com/.  In the email was a blog quote - this quote gave me my inspiration to write this week's Friday Focus.  Here is the quote:  To a girl, a father is her first love.  To a boy, a father is his first hero.  Here is a link to the blog:  First Hero, First Love

The main point I want to get across in this blog today is simply this:  parenting is a tough job!  :-)  It also is the best job I have ever had.  I feel blessed to be in the profession I am in because it has presented me with the opportunity to not only be around my own kids during the day, but also to have influence on all kids in our school district.  In a John Maxwell book I was reading yesterday he put it this way:  As a leader much is provided, but also much is required in return.  As a parent we are provided with children but also much is required in return.

The last couple of weeks have been a true test of patience for me.  This is in all areas of my life.  What is the key to get through times like this?  A different way of thinking.  When a situation comes up don't think of it as a problem, or a burden, or an issue.....think of it as an opportunity.  An opportunity to guide people, to listen, to discuss, to give advise, to show you care, to place yourself in their shoes.....or as a father - to be her first love and his first hero.

Power

Right now I'm out in Bismarck at a conference. So far it has been great. The theme of the conference is "The power of education".

This morning the keynote speaker, Dr. Adam Saenz, did an excellent job with this topic. His main point was that we as individuals need to make a point to CONNECT with our students each and every day. This got my gears turning. How often do I connect with kids?  Do I make them feel important?  Do our students feel connection outside of school?

I really enjoy the opportunity to engage with students in our small community. I look at bigger school districts and think about the many kids that do not have engagement or connection with a caring adult. Always remember we, or adults, have the power and opportunity to connect with children to change a life....today.

It's Not About Me

I absolutely love the book by Tony Dungy called "The Mentor Leader".  In his book a main focus is the concept of "It's Not About Me".  A team, a family, an organization - all of these things have individuals involved and as a leader you need to make it about the "we"...not the "me".

According to coach Dungy - great teams have this kind of chemistry:
**It's not about me.
**It's not about you.
**It's about others.

So here is the question - the tough question that is hard for people to grasp in this society - "Am I prepared to have great success and not get any credit for it?"

For me - leadership has always been about service.

So today - evaluate yourself, your team.  What type of people do you have in your organization or on your team.  A quote I heard one time that still sticks with me is this "All great empires are destroyed from within".

Happy Friday Focus!

Praise

A leader is an individual that has influence.  Praise from a leader can benefit your family or organization in so many ways.  If you are a teacher, parent, brother, sister - any type of leader - focus on praise today.

Are you loyal?

For my Friday Focus this week I'm going to cheat somewhat and talk about the discussion I had on Wednesday night during my Men's Bible Study.  The topic we had was Loyalty.  The book we are using for the study begins with former head football coach Tom Osborne out of Nebraska.  Coach Osborne supported a former athlete by the name of Lawrence Phillips.  Lawrence Phillips was a running back for the Huskers and was drafted by the St. Louis Rams.  Lawrence had some trouble with the law but during his rough patches, Coach Osborne still supported Lawrence Phillips - he was still loyal to him.  Coach Osborne took a big risk supporting such a public figure.  The relationship between these two individuals was at a level that loyalty and trust was automatic.  Have you had that type of relationship?  Have you been loyal to somebody?  Had faith in them?  Many times in our lives we are going to have situations when we need to make a decision...do we remain loyal and seize the opportunity to help someone or will we turn the other cheek and possibly lose a relationship...So....are you loyal???

Pursue Your Dreams!

With Martin Luther King, Jr. day on Monday of this week, I felt it would be appropriate to touch on the subject of dreams.  Plus, I was requested by a certain legendary individual to talk on this topic. As I was brainstorming how to approach the beginning of this Friday Focus, I couldn't help but think about both my son and daughter.  Each night before they go to sleep they always ask the same question..."What should I dream about"?  My wife and I have to think quickly on a topic or subject for them to "dream about".  It might involve for my son playing on the Denver Broncos football team and scoring the game winning touchdown...or for my daughter being in a dance competition and her team winning first place.  Kids need our support.  Bad.  As adults or parents we lack in this area.  As an adult if I wasn't able to do something, that doesn't mean my son or daughter won't be able to do that.  We need to put aside our failures, learn from them, and help our youth accomplish their dreams as best we can.  Let kids dream.  Let them beat the odds.  Help.  Comfort.  Guide them.  In time you will help their dream become a reality.

Opportunity

Looks like I'm going to try to continue my Friday Focus using a blog.  This is new to me so we will see how it goes.  My hope is to keep it updated as much as possible every Friday.

This week I've read a lot about the word "opportunity".  I found a little section on one of my Don Meyer handouts that I found very useful.  I cut it out and now I have it hanging in my office.  Here is the message:

I shall pass through this world but once,
Any good therefore that I can do or any
kindness that I can show to any human
being, let me do it now.
Let me not defer or neglect it,
for I shall not pass this way again.

The concept behind this is that we all have an opportunity to make a difference in the lives of others.  On the handout it has a eye opening diagram.  If you positively influence 4 people in one year that influence over 17 years will or can create a chain reaction to influence 17,179,869,184 people.

My main point with this first Friday Focus Blog is this.  Seize the opportunity you have each day to make a positive influence in the lives of EVERY individual you interact with.  You have the ability to change the lives of many people.

Take care and God Bless,

Mr. Townsend