Tag Archives: coaching

Coach as a role model

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Will Lukang, PMP, CLDC, CSM

Coaching

It has been few months since I last coached the SES 4th grade girls’ basketball team.  I look back to this experience of being a head coach as a gift.   I was not supposed to be the head coach, but since no one volunteered to be the head coach I was asked to volunteer.   I’m glad that I did it and will remember it for a long time.

In recent months, there were a couple incidents that occurred that make me wonder what is going on in amateur sports, not to mention professional sports.  As I read the news on May 6th, 2 (two) news items caught my attention.  The first one was that a Florida water polo sore loser used a handshake line to push his opponent into the water.  The second was a goalie at a recreational league that sucker punched the referee for issuing him a yellow card.   What’s going in the amateur sports world?  What went wrong?  As I examine this issue, I can’t help but rest some of the responsibilities on the shoulders of the coaches.   Some of the coaches do not show enough respect for the referees.  Therefore the athletes see that behavior and do the same thing.  I’ve often seen coaches yelling and arguing with the referees.   Another aspect of this is the parents; sometimes they end up in a shouting match with other parents from the opposing team or worse yet against the coaches.

In my opinion, the buck stops with the coach. Here are some of the things that a coach can do:

1)    Coaches should conduct themselves accordingly.  Whether they like it or not, they are role models.  Therefore they should also hold themselves to the same standard.   As a coach, you need to lead by example and conduct yourself with integrity at all times.

2)    Coaches should engage the parents early on and set the ground rules on how you want them to conduct themselves.   Advise parents to not interfere with the game, however, they should cheer and encourage the players for their effort.

3)    Parents play an important role in development of the athletes, so try to involve the parents throughout the season.  Parents must show good sportsmanship and respect to the coaches, players and referees.

4)    Meet with the players and establish ground rules.   Emphasize that respecting coaches, referees and parents is mandatory and by no means should they answer back or yell back at them.

5)    Hold players accountable for their actions.  If they violated the code of conduct, the coach must meet with the player and parent concerned to discuss the matter and address it accordingly.

Coaches play an important role in shaping the behavior of their players.  Therefore if we want to address the issue of violence and lack of sportsmanship, it has to start from the coaching staff.    Holding the parents and players accountable for their actions will only help improve the current state of the game.

As a coach myself, my philosophy is all about the love of the game and teaching the players how the lessons in sports can be applied to their lives.  Win or lose, I expect their best effort in each practice and in each game.   I want them to always respect the coaches, parents and referees at all times.  I want them to learn from their mistakes, take responsibility for their actions, and take pride in their part in the success of the team.

 

A journey to remember

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Will Lukang, PMP, CSM, CLDC

Believing in my team

In the fall of 2012, my nine year old daughter decided that she wants to join St. Elizabeth 4th grade girls basketball team.    I recognized that this would give me an opportunity to be part of her activity so I volunteered as an assistant coach.

A few weeks before the season started, I received a phone call from the commissioner of our school that our team did not have a coach.   He suggested that I think about volunteering as the head coach.   I was not sure I was up for the challenge.   I spoke to my daughter and asked her if she really wanted to play basketball.   My thought process was, if I can convince her not to join, then I’m off the hook.  But she insisted that she wanted to play and urged me to coach the team.    That night I pondered on the responsibility as a head coach and its demand.   As it is, my work demand is high, but then I still want to be part of my daughter’s activity.     In my mind, I did not want to miss out on the opportunity.

During the next two weeks, I worked on my schedule and tried to move things around so I could be available.  I gave the commissioner a call and informed him of my decision to coach my daughter’s team.    That night I was left wondering if I have what it takes to coach the 4th grade girls basketball team.   I used to play basketball, but the last time I played was about 15 years ago.   The last time I coached a team was back when I was a senior in high school coaching the freshman team.

Over the next few weeks, I prepared for the upcoming season by reading books, practicing and watching videos.   I realized that I was putting in a lot of time and effort.   As always, I never do things halfway.  If I decide to do something, I often put in 100% effort and try my best.  That’s how my father taught me growing up.  You need to always try your best.  The outcome might not be what you expected, but as long as you tried your very best and put in your best effort, that was good enough for him.   It is the same values that I passed along to my daughters.   A great addition to my team was the daughter of my former co-worker, who offered to help me coach my team.

I was anxious about our first practice.   I started the session by asking the girls why they wanted to play basketball.   Each of them gave me their reason and I gave them my objective for coaching the team.   My focus for the practice was learning the fundamentals, teamwork, sportsmanship, trusting one another and having fun playing the game.

Our first game was against St. Anthony.  When we walked in the gym, I was surprised to see the girls on the other team were a lot taller than the girls on my team.    I kept my composure and focused on our game.  I knew, if we played our game and focused our defense, we had a chance to win the game.  The first game went really well and we won the game.   We also taught the girls sportsmanship by stopping from scoring once our lead was over a dozen points.  It was a hard concept for them to understand, but in the end they understood why it is important for us to respect our opponent.

Over the next few games, the team learned to work through adversity and won a couple of close games.   Before we knew it, we had won five games in a row.    Some folks approached me and congratulated me for a job well done, but I kept on saying that it was the team that did all the work.  I often attributed our success to the team’s commitment to teamwork.    I also found out that there were some reservations that this team might not do well this season.    From my perspective, there was no doubt that my team was capable of winning games, because of their commitment to learn and work hard at all times.

We closed the season with a loss, but that loss taught us a valuable lesson, that we need to play the entire game and we cannot just show up the second half.  We lost by a point.  I told the team that I was proud of them for coming out and playing well the second half.     The team remained hungry and eager to prove themselves.

We won our semi-final game and went on to play in the championship.   In the championship game, we faced the same team that we played three close games during the season.   We won all three games, but I emphasized to my team that we could not take them lightly.  Before the start of the game, I told the girls that I was so proud of them for working hard all year and they should enjoy this game.   I told them that I believed in them and that we needed to leave everything on the court and be aggressive. I stressed that we needed to come out strong and played our game.   We led the first half, but then they came back and led by 4 points with less than 3 minutes to go.   We were out of sync.   I called a couple of timeouts and during each one of the timeouts I told them that I believed in them that we could come back from the deficit.    I reiterated that I believed in them and did they believe in themselves.   They responded “YES.”  We proceeded to score a three-point play, then another basket that gave us the lead.    We won the game by a point.   The girls were so happy and everyone came running onto the court.

I was so happy for the girls.  They played hard and came back to win the game.   This win demonstrated that with hard work, dedication and commitment we can overcome all obstacles.   I told them that I’m really proud of them.     During the awarding ceremony, I thanked the host of the event, our opponent, AOL, who played four great games, the parents for their commitment, my assistant coaches for their contributions, and my players for working hard all season.   We completed a magical season in which we compiled an 11-1 record.

Here is my lesson learned:

  • Be patient – Patience is the most important virtue.   By stepping back and learning to listen to them, I was able to help them learn the fundamentals of basketball and enjoy it in the process.
  • Believe in them – I never doubted my team’s capabilities.  From day one, I knew that with proper coaching and support my team’s capability was unlimited.    I saw the joy in their eyes whenever they came to practice and played the game.
  • Work hard – There were days in which I felt like I was working two jobs.  I put in 100% at work then came home and worked on the lessons and plays for my team.
  • Never give up – My personal approach applies to my team.  I never gave up on them and continued to encourage them to try their best until the time runs out.  This resulted in winning 6 close games, five of which we came from behind to win.   Affirming that I believed in them was the first step in accomplishing our goal.
  • Keeping my composure – Throughout the season I kept my composure and never showed that I was worried.   I kept on encouraging my team to work through it and never waver.
  • Apply effective feedback – Whenever they made a mistake, I often encouraged them to reset and forget the mistake and focus on the next play or shot.    When a player was not playing well, I provided encouragement and engaged them in a one-on-one dialogue.

I’m truly thankful for the coaching opportunity.  I’m so glad that I took this opportunity.  I spent time with my daughter and formed a bond and shared an experience that we will share for a lifetime.    I will always remember this experience.    It reinforced my belief that I always have to seize the moment and make the most of the opportunity.   Go Crusaders!

 

 

 

Year In Review – Explore …Dream…Discover

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I’m starting my post by reflecting on Mark Twain quotes, “Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn’t do than by the ones you did do.  So throw off the bowlines.  Sail away from the safe harbor.  Catch the trade winds in your sails.  Explore. Dream. Discover.”     Just like most folks, at times I do feel the comfort of the current state and am hesitant to test the water.   Why risk it?  Why make a move and end up at the bottom of the pool?  Why change things at work?  Too many questions, but I don’t have any answers, as I have not put much thought into it.

To summarize my year, it has been a great year for me because of the following reasons:

  • Participated in the St. Elizabeth Men’s Cornerstone program – for years, I hesitated attending this retreat, but in the end I’m glad I did because I have a profound sense of appreciation for what I have and gained 18 good friends along the way.
  • Promotion at work – after years of waiting for my turn, I never waver and continue to work hard. I evolved by learning new skills and doing my very best at all times.  I never give up and believe in chasing my dream and making it happen.  It helps that I stayed positive during the numerous years of not getting my promotions.  All throughout this journey, I continued to put my people ahead of my personal agenda and make sure that I show my appreciation for their commitment and contributions.   It is my belief that people are the most important assets.
  • Participated as an assistant coach for my daughter’s recreational soccer team – soccer is not my best sport, but I figured that I’m a quick learner.  I enjoyed being there for my daughter and helping out the coach.  I truly enjoyed this experience and bonded with my daughter.
  • Caddied for my daughter’s golf lesson and tournaments – I value the time I spent with my daughter and the test of my patience.   We’ve spent a lot of hours playing together that made me look forward to next season with much enthusiasm.    The highlight was when she played at the Twin Willow shootout and placed second.  I’m so proud of her.  I’ll forever remember this experience.
  • The-Character-Based-LeaderBook launch of the Lead Change Book project on Character-Based Leader – writing a book has been on my checklist for many years.  I’m honored to work with 20 other authors that I never met until the book was launched.  This is pure collaboration using social media to its full extent.  We met through Twitter and collaborated until we completed this book.   The icing on the cake was when I met Tara at the Danbury book signing.   What an experience!  A true test of pushing the limit and working outside of my comfort zone.
  • Presenting the Recipe to the 2012 Year Up at UBS – I prepared this material in the middle of the year and was excited to share it with folks who are starting their careers and learning the ropes.  The goal of the presentation was to impart knowledge on what it takes to be successful.
  • Hosted a picnic for my group – I believe that, as a leader of my group, I’m serving my people first and making sure that I show them my appreciation for their hard work and commitment.   I took over a new group in June and was given the challenging tasks of building out a new platform while continuing to roll out the existing application. By helping the team to focus on our goals, we were able to complete our initial deliverables and then build out the new platform.  It is an amazing accomplishment considering we were behind the eight ball by 5 months.  The picnic was the highlight that people on my team still talk about to this date.
  • Learning a lot about myself – Hurricane Sandy tested my ability to help the firm recover its critical infrastructure.  I worked through adversity and led the team through our recovery and restoration efforts.    With 9 days of no electricity and working through almost 30 hours and, all in all, two weeks of continued work,  I learned that I’m capable to lead in tough situations when called upon.
  • Coaching my daughter’s basketball team – being an assistant coach is one thing, but coaching is taking the challenge to the next level.    I look at this opportunity to teach the girls leadership and teamwork.  At the same time, I’m there for my daughter and making the most of my opportunity to be part of her activities.   Like anything that I get myself involved in, I do it 100% as I spend time planning, reviewing and organizing sessions.  So far we have a great season and the girls are having fun learning how to play basketball.
  • Celebrated three years of blogging – this is an important milestone in my aspiration to spread the word and share my knowledge and experiences.   This is one of the most important missions I have—to help raise awareness on issues or challenges that people are encountering.

By all standards, this is one of the best years I ever had.   As I look back to the year that went by so fast, I feel blessed that I created a plan and tracked my progress throughout the year.   The lesson that I want to impart to everyone is that you need to create a plan.  Because without a plan, you’ll be working on other people’s plans.   Without a plan, it is like walking blindfolded as you go down the stairs.  Please start your year by creating a plan, then track your progress.   I urge you to dream, explore and discover new things and challenge yourself.

As I look forward to next year, I challenge myself to think about Mark Twain’s quote as I start updating my plan.   I want to make sure I challenge myself and avoid playing the what-if scenario.   In the next two weeks, I’ll be reviewing my plan and plotting my next steps.   Mark Twain’s quote will be a constant reminder not to play it safe.    As your take away, I hope you’ll prepare your plan and track your progress throughout the year.    I encourage you to share your story and let me know how I can be of help.  Best wishes to you on the coming year.

Box “ME” Not

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Will Lukang, CLDC, CSM, PMP

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sometimes we go through life and come up with things that we think we could do and things that we should not do.   It could be a byproduct of our experiences, upbringing or relationships we had through the various stages of our life.

Each situation provides us with experience that creates filters that become the way we see the world around us.   Over time we create our own belief system that becomes our guide on how we conduct ourselves.

Here are some examples

  • You work in a company and one of your managers told you that you cannot approach a certain person or speak to them because you’re not the same level.    If you take one person’s opinion as truth, then you’ll avoid interacting with any managers because you’re not at their level.
  • You’re told that you’re not allowed to make certain decisions because it is not your pay grade to do so. It could be true depending on the issue on hand,  but by taking such a response at face value, from your perspective it becomes your reality.
  • When we were young, we were told not to talk to strangers.  While it was true when we were young, that stays as fact and it becomes a filter that prevents us from networking or approaching people when we are adults.   It is not because we are afraid something will happen to us, but rather we are not used to approaching and introducing ourselves.

What’s my point?  When you’re not in a box, don’t create a virtual box and box yourself in.  Sometimes all our preconceived notions create this virtual boundary that limits our ability to do things effectively.  There are times that we are paralyzed by over thinking, thereby failing to make the necessary progress needed, then eventually we are marked down as ineffective on our performance review.   As one of my managers used to say, “Don’t take the pill before you have a headache.”     I would say, “Don’t box yourself in when there is no box.  You’ll stifle your progress by doing so.”

Here is some simple advice:

  • Perception could be your reality, but it does not have to be.  Asking clarifying questions allows you to assess the situation and make an objective decision.
  • Past experience is a good reference point, but does not have to be a matter of fact, unless it is a mistake made and lesson learned from it must be retained forever.    As time goes by things change; what does not work before might work now—like being comfortable in introducing yourself when networking.  When you’re a child, it is right not to speak to strangers, but when you’re an adult and are attending a networking event, you need to introduce yourself and connect with other people in the same field.
  • Ask questions; the worst people could say is no and it does not cost you anything to know the answer.

Next time, don’t put yourself in a box.  Start fresh and step back and find out the answer before you decide your next step.  A box is only good for putting things in it, but definitely not good for a human being.

Be Positive

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Will Lukang, CLDC, CSM, PMP

Every day we are faced with challenges that sometimes affect the way we interact with others.   Decisions are made based on that state of mind that have lasting impact.   Sometimes we lose our nerve and let the situation get the best of us.  After the fact, we regret having acted the way we did, but then it is too late.  We said things that hurt people’s feelings, and worse yet, we made bad decisions because of it.

So, what do we do?  We certainly are humans who are bound to make mistakes.   What’s the best way to preempt such a situation?   When you’re getting overwhelmed or feel like your emotion is getting the best of you, do the following:

1)      Take a deep breath — really slowly, a deep breath to help calm you down.

2)      Try your best to see things in perspective – imagine stepping back to allow you to see the big picture.

3)      Look at the positive side of the situation – as a result of stepping back, you’ll see things differently.

4)      Decide the importance of the situation – determine how important the situation is to you. Think of it in terms of value and long-term repercussion of your subsequent actions.

5)      Be positive – when we try to be positive, we’ll see the situation in a different light.  We also can see the opportunities amid the chaos.   Things get clearer when we try to be positive.

6)      Control your emotion — by letting it flow, it could take control and get the best of you.

7)      Audit what you will say – think through what you will say.  Make sure you’re are not saying things that you will later regret

Here is an example why staying positive is important.  After the Knicks lost game two (2) on April 30 to the Miami Heat, one of their star players, Amare Stoudemire, punched the case surrounding a fire extinguisher out of frustration.   It resulted in a cut in his left hand that required that a small muscle be repaired.    I understand his frustration, but by acting without thinking through the consequences of his action, he puts the team at risk of losing the series as he will not be able to return the next game.

He later apologized, but I believe it was a bit too late.   The owner of the team and fans are the ones paying the price for his bad decision.   We all at some point will experience situations that will frustrate us, but we need to take a deep breath and think through the consequences of our actions.   By being positive, Stoudemire could have channeled the negative energy to motivate himself to work harder and perhaps play better the next game.   At this point, the team is on their own.   At this point, his season is over and so may be his team and the loyal fans.

It is helpful to stay positive and assess the situation before we react to the incident.  It is easier said than done, but if we start by asking the question: How important is it to me? Then the subsequent action will be clear.  As part of this blog, I’d like to start a Be Positive movement, where someone states something that they can be positive about. Feel free to share this post and spread the word.   It takes a community to change the world.   We can do this one person at a time.

Adapting to the Situation

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Will Lukang, CLDC, CSM, PMP

Many times in our lives we trained or studied for something for months at time and it all came down to the moment of truth and something happened that threw us off track.   You can either throw you arms in the air and give up or adjust accordingly and see if you can make the most of the situation.

Our ability to adapt to the situation depends on our behavior.  By staying positive, we can come up with ways to address the challenge we’re facing.  However, if you get frustrated, you’re most likely to fail at it.  It all comes down to how much you really want it and if your sacrifices can be thrown out the window.

The term “choke” in my observation is really an unfair assessment.  Some people take more time to adapt, while others can easily adjust and move forward.  However, there are many situations in which time is of the essence, where if you hold back a little, you’ll miss out on the opportunity.     But at the end of the day the outcome is less important than the fact that you did your very best to adapt to the situation.  The experience you gain goes a long way.

Here are a couple of stories that exhibit that staying positive helps the person adapt to the situation:

1)      The son of a friend of mine recently tried out for a swim team.   During his butterfly event, I noticed that he slowed down significantly and was left behind by almost a lap.  I was puzzled but was not sure what happened.  He did not quit and kept on swimming.  At the end of the tryout, I asked him what happened. He said that his goggle was loose then eventually fell into the water.  He decided to keep on swimming and not worry about it.   Such an act demonstrates his commitment to getting it done no matter the situation.  He did not make any excuses and kept on swimming.  It must be hard to finish last, but the way he did it made me so proud of him.  I told him that no matter what the outcome, he should be proud of his effort.

2)      Nathan Adrian competed at the 100-meter freestyle at the Indianapolis Grand Prix.  While crouching on the block, he felt a tear on his rear.   This left him with an exposed buttock.  In spite of that he went on to swim and ended up beating Michael Phelps at that event.   He did not let the incident affect him, because months of practice all came down to that moment and he did his best and was rewarded nicely.

3)      Last year, I was hoping to have my promotion.  When the day arrived, my manager was surprised that I did not get my promotion.  To say the least, I was disappointed. But I did not let it stop me from doing a great job and continued to coach and mentor people around me.   Although I was affected, I channeled my energy to working with the new management and continued to help affect change in our organization.  I never wavered and believe that one or two setbacks should not stop me from trying.   The year went by and I was surprised that I got promoted to Executive Director.  It goes to show that we need to try your best at all times and do not let some setback hold you back.  You should continue to strive to achieve your goal.  The lessons learned is that we cannot give up easily for we will never know the outcome if we quit too early.

There are more stories that I can share, but the above three stories did standout and are most relevant since they all happened recently.    When something does not go as planned, do the following:

  • Step back and try to take a deep breath.  Go out for a walk and allow yourself to mourn and deal with the situation.
  • Accept the situation and acknowledge it and move on.
  • Try to see the positive side of the situation.  This often includes controlling your emotion and focusing on the task on hand.
  • Find alternative solutions and weigh the feasibility of getting it done.
  • Proceed with your decision and act on it.

For the above swimming situation, you cannot obviously apply some of the steps defined above, but you get the point.  Act on the situation based on how important it is to you.   Make a commitment and make it happen.  When you commit, it makes going forward easier.

Are you happy?

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Will Lukang, CLDC, CSM, PMP

Sometimes I find myself getting caught in life’s conundrum.    At that point, I spend time worrying about things that matter to me and things that are happening around me.    While it is not intentional, it affects my ability to be effective and productive.  Akin to a cloud that is hovering on your head, it affects the way you deal with people and impacts your productivity.

As I look around and talk to people around me, I realize that everyone at some point will be doing the same thing, and it can become infectious.    I compare worrying to carrying a bag of rocks.  During the first five minutes, I would be all right, but as time goes by I would have some difficulty carrying, and over a period of time I could have trouble keeping it up.    After a while, couldn’t carry it anymore and would be really tired and have to put it down.

The question I asked myself: Is it necessary for me to worry?   It is not easy to decide not to worry. However over the years I learned to ask myself these two questions:  Can I change it? Can I influence the outcome? If my answers to these questions are “NO” then I would remind myself that I have to stop worrying about it.  I would let nature takes its course and face the outcome and react accordingly.

I believe in the saying “It is not the load that breaks you down, but the way you carry it” by Lou Holtz.  Everyone in this world carries some sort of load.  However, the way you carry the load is what matters.    Life is short; therefore by worrying you’ll miss out on enjoying the present.     Your happiness is defined by how you deal with life’s challenges.   If you put things in perspective, it can help you enjoy your life a little bit more.

The next time you fall in the trap of worrying, ask yourself the two questions, and if your answers are NO, stop and take a deep breath and let it go.   Life filled with worries is not going to do you any good, because it will affect the way you deal with your family, who has nothing to do with what’s going with you.   You’ll miss out on the opportunity to create a lasting experience with your loved ones if you worry too much.  It could also affect your work and cause you to underperform.

Don’t take the medicine before you have the headache.   Sometimes by going with the flow you can see things better and come up with ways to address it.   Learn to smell the roses, enjoy the gift of a brand new day, and appreciate the blue sky.

Book Review: Get It On by Keni Thomas

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By Will Lukang, PMP, CSM, CLDC

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Keni  served as a Ranger in the 75th Ranger Regiment.  He was a member of Task Force Ranger as part of Operation Restore Hope in Somalia.  He was involved in the Battle of Mogadishu and is now the author of Get It On.   Through Get It On, he shares his experiences in Somalia as a Ranger.

While I was reading Keni’s book, it felt like I was in virtual reality, seeing things unfold as it happens. That is how vivid the description is of each scene.    The play-by-play account kept me engaged.   Because of my busy schedule, I was able to read the book at night.    As I ended each night of reading, I was looking forward to the next opportunity to continue reading the book.    Each chapter contains nuggets of information on leadership, teamwork and the Ranger creed.

Why the title Get it On?  It means being able to do what you went to mission for.  It is a chance to use what they were trained on and apply the skills that enable them be  Rangers.    As a civilian, I have enormous respect for people who sign up to be soldiers.   Without them, no one will fight for our country and what is right and the world will be ruled by wicked people.

“Don’t forget nothing” by Captain Robert Rogers is a saying that reminds us that even when something becomes a routine, we shouldn’t take things for granted.   We need to always do our best and put 100% percent effort in everything we do.   If the mechanic of the plane ignored one of the standard operating procedures in the airplane maintenance, such action could cause a catastrophic result.  That is why it is imperative that we don’t lose track of what’s going on and focus on giving our 100% effort.

This book is great in that it is packed with lessons on leadership and teamwork.   Here are a few that I would like to share:

1)      When you heed a lesson it is a good thing. When you find yourself relearning a lesson that’s not a good thing.  You need to learn from your past mistakes and make sure not to repeat them.

2)      A team is only as good as its weakest link. In order for a team to succeed everyone must pull their weight.  It is like a jigsaw puzzle, when one member of the team fails to pull in their share of work, the team will fail.

3)      Lead by example. To gain people’s respect you need to be there with them in getting things done.  Leading by example has been a very important lesson in developing leaders.

4)      Do the hard work in advance. If you want to be the best, you’ll do the hard work needed to be successful.  As a Ranger, your teammates expect you to be your best at all times.  Therefore you need to be prepared at all times – be prepared.

5)      Customer service – the Black Hawk pilot guarantees to put their customer on target, on time, plus or minus 30 seconds.      That is amazing that they could guarantee delivery.     That’s customer service at its best.

6)      Doing the right thing – as a leader you do the right thing because it is the right thing to do.  As leader, you have a burden to make difficult decisions, but you do it because people depend on you.

7)      Encouraging and building each other up – the Rangers are there to carry each other’s burden and lift each other’s spirit and support one another.

Keni’s started the book by telling the story that he was writing to his mom.    That initial attempt was interrupted by a call to mission, which resulted in some of his comrades being killed.    Get It On highlights the story and experience of young soldiers who fought for our freedom and what’s right.  

Reading this book affected me in two ways. First, it reminded me that no matter how hard things are around me, it is little sacrifice compared to the people who fight for our country everyday around the world.  Secondly, there are many ways to learn leadership and teamwork, but the military is still one of the best sources of knowledge in this area.    I recommend this book to everyone who wants to learn about history and pickup nuggets on leadership and teamwork along the way.  

As always, I’ll be tweeting about this book review.  Three (3) lucky winners will be selected from the retweets.  If you wish to purchase the book, use this link  http://bit.ly/kenithomas

Bond shown by leaders

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By Will Lukang, PMP, CSM, CLDC

I often wonder how does a group of people, most of whom have not had a chance of meeting one another, find a common goal and set out to educate others of the value of character based leadership?

I’ve always thought of sharing my knowledge in leadership development, coaching and mentoring.  In 2009 I was looking for the best way of sharing and collaborating with others outside the confines of face-to-face meetings.   My exploration brought me to try blogging and Twitter.

Back then I expected to use Twitter to share my knowledge.   But as soon as I used Twitter and followed people that shared the common interest in leadership, I met a lot of people who shared character-based leadership.   Through Mike Henry’s leadership, he formed the lead change group.   In March of this year, I joined the group and officially contributed as contributing author.   The objective of the group is to teach people the principle of character-based leadership.

From Tweeting to collaborating on a book project, the lead change group embarked on a book project, which I jumped on the opportunity to be a part of.  We have since completed the copy editing and the graphic and marketing team is working on the book.

The last 13 months has been great as my blog has been generating a lot of traffic.   This, coupled with my contribution to the lead change group has provided me with a great opportunity to reach a larger audience.    Some of my plans next year are to try video blogging and co-hosting a web show with a friend.

Going back to the subject of bond shown by leaders, recently one of our peers at lead change had an unfortunate situation of losing her fiancée.   The person had a financial challenge and one of the members of the group sent out an email to ask the group for help.  In minutes, multiple email exchanges and members were figuring out ways to help and send the person financial help.    I was surprise by the compassion that the group showed toward our fellow.   I recently reach out to her to find out how she is doing, but I’ll forever remember the bond that our group has and the demonstration of support for one another.

In closing, I’m thankful that I took the chance of using Twitter and blogging.   My hope is that if one person in this world learns a thing from me, then I’ve done my job in spreading my knowledge and experience.