I recently read an interview with Stephen Covey (7 Habits of Highly Effective People etc.) and I loved two of the things he said about leadership. First he said, "Leadership is basically moral authority and influence, and comes from communicating people's worth and potential so clearly they come to see it in themselves." I think this is brilliant! I love that this statement is about people and not about getting things done. Sure leaders are working towards something, but doing it by working with and for people is so much better than doing it despite people. In fact, some people who are in the role of leadership are actually useless as leaders! Covey addresses this point well too, saying "People are too focused on leadership being a position, and this nurtures a spirit of ambition and achievement rather than a spirit of service and contribution." Talk about nail on the head. All the best leaders I know are fantastic leaders regardless of position, and they realise that if they don't serve and look after their followers they won't truly be effective as a leader. Well done Mr. Covey!!
So who would've thought that you could buy eco friendly running shoes...but I did last night. My new Brookes are made with the globe in mind. Firstly, instead of running a sheet of rubber and stamping out the mid-soles, they have special moulds which they fill with rubber pellets (grown in their own sustainable plantations) which they heat till they melt together...and this sole is also biodegradable in under 20 years! Awesome. Then the laces are made from 100% recycled material, as are their boxes, and some outsole sections are made using sand in the process rather than oil. They will no doubt not be perfect as a company, but awesome to have a company like this moving with the times and thinking about our environment (even if the cynical side of me wonders if it is just to make money from an ever increasing eco-conscious public!?) You can read more at
http://www.brooksrunning.com/About+Brooks/Green+Room/
Now I might actually look forward to running!?!
I've been thinking that it was about time to start blogging...so here it is...my random thoughts on an internet page for all to see. I was thinking, though, that it is ironic that thinking 'out loud' can be done so quietly these days...people used to have to talk when they were thinking out loud, but now we just have to type...and then our thoughts can be heard by so many...you in fact if you are reading this blog...I just hope that thinking out loud in this format leads to more real life communication, and not less...I don't want to stop being a real person with a real voice just to have my say in cyberspace...so feel free to read and comment, and be encouraged to go find someone to share your thoughts with, where the sound will be your voice and not just the tap tap tappings of a keyboard. So I'm off to do just that...happy thinking
