2014 Cammy Awards

This is something that everyone waits 11 1/2 months for each year and that is the highly prestigious Cammy Awards.

These are my favorite things from the past year and they are completely random and pretty much useless. So I want keep you waiting any longer, cue the music....

Top Movies of  2014...I don't go see movies so I will list the Top 5 Movies I will always stop and watch if I see them while changing channels.

1. Pale Rider

2. Forrest Gump

3. The Magnificent Seven

4. Saving Private Ryan

5. Anchorman (Added by Brooks)

Top TV Shows of 2014

1. The Goldbergs 

2. Modern Family

3. Diners, Drive Ins and Dives (Again added by Brooks)

4. Newsroom (We don't have HBO but I got Season 1 as a Fathers Day gift...Hint, Hint for you late shoppers)

Best Music of 2014

1. Taylor Swift (Don't Hate - Shake it off!!! and Added By Brooks)

Famous People I’d Like to Hang Out With

1. Kelly Rippa

2. Brad Paisley

3. Peyton Manning  (Added by Brooks)

4. Coach K (I know I know, but I find Rat Face really intriguing and I love to talk basketball. I'd probably flip a booger in his coffee though)

Favorite 2014 Sports Moments

1. Running the Holy Half Marathon with Ryanne in March

2. Brooks Sr Football season

3. Notre Dame beating Duke in basketball

4.Winning my fantasy football league championship yesterday

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2014 Favorite Restaurants

1. Giardini Trattoria – Columbus, NC

2. Purple Onion - Saluda, NC

3. Don Ramons – Shelby, NC

2014 Best Beers

1. Stella Artois

2. Miller Genuine Draft

3. Miller Beer (Cheap is good, also a hint for you late shoppers!)

2014 Best NPR Shows

1. Wait, Wait Don't Tell

2. Ask Me Another

3. Ted Talks in Review (I am a Nerd and Old! Help Me Please)

FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS

There is a certain energy on Friday nights when the high school football team plays. A nice cool crisp evening; the mass of school colors; the rhythm of the music; the cadence of the cheerleaders and the anxiety that this could be the last time your son ever plays the game. I try not to over dramatize high school football but for a group of 14-18 year olds, they are “the Band of Brothers.”

My son’s high school team lost last weekend in the 3^rd round of the state playoffs. When the final horn sounded and I walked down to the field to get my post game hug, I felt a lump in my throat. Many of the players tried to hide their tear filled eyes as they knelt during the post-game prayer. It was hard not to feel proud of these young guys for what they accomplished. Because the remarkable part of their season was not the 10-4 record it was the fact that when they were freshmen they went 0-11.

It was agonizing four years ago watching them lose every Friday night but something was happening. They were getting better. I could see it, they could see it, their coaches could see it and the opposition could see it. Hope sprang for the group of 14 year olds that season. 0-11 turned into 6-6 and then 8-4 and finally this year’s phenomenal season.

I learned 4 LEADERSHIP LESSONS from these “Band of Brothers.”

LEADERSHIP LESSON #1: Love and Trust is the cornerstone to any successful team. The truly successful teams love and trust each other unconditionally. Leadership creates the trust that each person will play their assigned roles, will be mentally and physically ready to play every day, and that 

coaches, captains and the seniors are taking you in the right direction.

LEADERSHIP LESSON #2: Serving is greater than being served. A few of the players crying after the loss were young kids that hardly saw the field this year. Yet, even though they didn’t play, they were part of the brotherhood. They stood in the huddle every day and they were practicing every day for something greater than self.

LEADERSHIP LESSON #3: Incremental growth can lead to exponential growth. The saying that a rising tide raises all boats is so true. When one player improves just a little it helps the team but it also helps improve another teammate and then another, and then another. Summer workouts become less of a chore and more just second nature. Eventually the exponential growth has multiplied across the team as 14 year olds become 18 year olds.

As I stood around the group of coaches and players huddled in prayer it was hard knowing this was the last football huddle for Brooks. Even though there was mostly silence across the group, you could feel everything. You could feel the frustration of losing a close game. You could feel the steam and sweat floating up over the huddle and you could feel the tears of so many wonderful young men.

It was in the midst of one of the saddest moments in their young lives that I realized LEADERSHIP LESSON #4: Greatness comes when we all become one. In that final huddle, thanking God for blessing us more than we deserve, we had one heart-beat. Parents, Brothers, Sisters, Coaches, Players, Cheerleaders, Managers…we were all just a small part of something really cool!

CLEAR EYES, FULL HEARTS, CAN’T LOSE….On to basketball season!! 

Turkey Day Traditions

The Turkey Trot in Boiling Springs began with just 30 runners. For the past three years we have surpassed 1500 runners. For almost 20 years it has been a wonderful tradition for our family. Hustle over and run the 5k, and then hustle home to shower and head off to the in-laws or out-laws.

This year will be a little different since Brooks’ football team is still alive in the state football playoffs, he will be at practice. We are hosting my parents so April will stay at home and put the finishing touches on Turkey Day. This year will just be me and Ryanne. Maybe she will take pity on me and run beside me.

It is an awesome way to start the day. I enjoy the Crisp cool air. It is wonderful to see so many families enjoy the event running and walking. The crowd surrounds the finish line and cheers you on as you finish. I absolutely love watching the 200 Girls on the Run participants skip across the finish line in their painted hair, tu-tu’s, and smiles.

Running the Turkey Trot makes the afternoon so much better. You can be assured that I will find the recliner, a football game and a Bloody Mary.

Transform - Love - Serve

October 1st is the kickoff to the best three days of my year. Not only do I get to hang out with some of my best friends in the world, but we will spend the next three days talking about how we can become better leaders. The big takeaway I hope, is that we all leave with the theme of one of our event sponsors, The Redwoods Group: Transform - Love - Serve.

Got to love the SWAG

Our guest speakers will be Journey Johnson, the retired YMCA CEO from Nashville, TN. He will talk about leadership challenges. We will also spend time with Pam Davies, the President of Queens University, and  have discussions around creating big visions. We will close our sessions around creating an entrepreneurial spirit in our teams with Scott Cochran, VP of the Mungo Center at Wofford College.

YMCA CEO's from NC, SC, VA, TN and even two from PA will be in Shelby to play golf, hear speakers, eat great, and most importantly, help each other.

VALUES BASED LEADERSHIP

If you want to have a better day at work tomorrow click on the link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LK-CFptMnS4

Helpless and Hopeless

I spent most of last night and early this morning praying for a young family going through the tragedy of the loss of their young daughter. Some things are just hard to comprehend and something like this can just leave you almost helpless and hopeless.

While reading the paper this morning, I read of the passing of Chick Fil-A Founder, Truett Cathy. I smiled when the image came in to my mind of Mr. Cathy holding this little girls hand as they walked into heaven together. Maybe for a quick stop of nuggets and waffle fries!

I know My Redeemer Lives!

Sometimes I Just Ramble

·         One bucket list item for me would be to visit where the American forces invaded Normandy.

·         In my career, I have seen a lot of kids get out of a car for summer camp with a Mountain Dew and a Snicker Bar for breakfast. We should exhaust all resources to get our kids healthy.

·         20 years ago, people said soccer would take over. I think soccer is on the decline and lacrosse is climbing.

·         Alice from the Brady Bunch was like part of my family.

·         I challenged my son to not watch any stupid movies for a year – Hangover, 22 Jump Street, etc. Watch movies with an actual story line. He just laughed.

·         I wonder what history will say about Edward Snowden and Bowe Bergdahl in 50 years?

·         I am not sure that today’s NBA players could play if referees truly called walking and carrying the ball.

·         As crazy as I think my dad and father in law are, I have a great appreciation for them on father’s day!

·         I like bourbon, and I would love to taste the ultra-expensive Pappy Van Winkles, but I am not sure my palate is good enough to taste the dollar difference. I’ll just stick with Makers Mark. (I do want to taste the $40 bottle of Defiant Whiskey made in Rutherford County.)

·         The Spurs are proving that TEAM BALL wins. When they pass 5 times they always get an open shot.

·         Dwayne Wade =Tonto or Robin

·         Our country has some serious mental health issues that we need to address. I have no earthly idea how to start, but I do know putting our head in the sand is not the answer.

·         I miss Maya Angelou.

·         Are you a Mentor or a Mentee?

·         There is never an easy way to deliver the bad news.

·         If you are young and you want to be successful, spend time around successful people and find out where they made mistakes.

·         Technology is supposed to help us, but it still takes too long to join the Y or sign up for a program!

·         Do you ever feel that things are going so good that something bad is about to happen just too even things out?

·         I can’t remember how long ago it was but I said I would never pay for bottled water. Pppsssshh.

·         I love a quiet and clear night, small fire and just looking at airplanes and stars.

·         In order to be a better father, we need to understand that we are sons first.

Leadership is Hard

I heard a group of people talking about their boss this week and this is what they said:

“He is a caring and compassionate man.”

“He loves his family, he loves his staff and he thinks of his staff like they are family.”

“He wakes up every day wanting to inspire people and do great things”

“His people are so loyal. They would do anything to protect him.”

“He provides the right balance of idealism and reality.”

“He personally takes on all of the weight of problems”

“He has a great sense of humor and keeps the work place upbeat.”

“He is a consummate professional and seems to always be prepared”

“He doesn’t want to disappoint people and his people really don’t want to disappoint him.”

These comments almost sounds too good to be true. It is hard being the leader. It is especially hard balancing the role of being a cheerleader while also stoking the flames of excellence. Balancing the needs of millennials and also the Gen X’ers can drive a leader “bonkers.”

I really like the first three comments – If you are a caring and compassionate leader, who loves and treats his staff like family and you wake up every day wanting to inspire and do great work…then I think the rest falls into place.

What are the positive attributes about the person that leads you?

MARCH MADNESS LEADERSHIP LESSONS

So many great leadership lessons come from sports. This is why I am such a huge advocate for keeping our kids active in team sports. Team sports provide such a wonderful opportunity for parents to lean in a little closer to the kids and whisper something profound on the car ride home. That whisper can impact a life time!

During the course of the last 3 to 4 weeks, which are the best 4 weeks in sports, I noticed there became a few obvious leadership qualities to high light.

1. Bad calls are part of life. It felt like the refs missed every block / charge call. And in almost every game a key player got into early foul trouble. The media has had a field day replaying not only the missed calls from this year but dredging up most of the significantly bad calls from the last 25 years.

What I didn't see the great coaches doing was letting the negative emotion of a bad call to affect their team much past the next play. Oh, I saw a few coaches get their point across to a referee but for the most part they went to the next play. And at the end of the game, they made no excuses.

Referees, coaches, teachers, parents, bosses, friends and almost everyone else we come in contact with will make a mistake. Great coaches tell their players to "forget it and play on." Sometimes players can use that emotion as fuel to overcome. Brooks and Ryanne Corder have heard 1000 times, "Bad Calls are Part of Life!"

2. Believe in your team and give them something to believe in: We had a recent discussion in a bible study, did Peter start sinking after walking on the water because he doubted Jesus or because he doubted himself? What amazing power we have on our children, our staff teams, our classrooms, our sports teams, etc when we can say with conviction, "I know you can do it! I believe in you."

Kevin Ollie has noted 100 times how he has told his team, even after the losses that he believed in them. The powerful message that is flowing in and around today's leadership research is that people want to work for something they believe in. The key for the coach - boss - leader is helping the player - employee draw a line between the work they are doing and the mission/goal.

The big outcome of this leadership style is I have noticed unwavering devotion and loyalty to the coach. The players seem to all be motivated to win for the coach!

3. Great things come out of a culture that combines experience with youth and enthusiasm: Of course unbelievable athleticism doesn't hurt. I must admit I am not a fan of the Freshman led teams. I like the fact that many of the early upsets came from experienced mid major programs.

Our YMCA staff team has gotten younger in the last year. Early on that gave me some angst, but the outcome has created some new energy. Especially since the younger staff are such high performers. Maybe it's the excitement around developing new leaders, I am not sure. I hear coaches talk about freshman being a blank canvas and molding them into greater players.

Increased talent, regardless of age or experience raises the productivity bar. Competition is good and sometimes that wakes up and rejuvenates some of the veterans. I think it also creates a dynamic where youth and enthusiasm meets mature and experienced role models and mentors.

You can't consistently win with an all young team and maybe a team of all veterans gets stuck in complacency and a jaded reality of success. A good combination is the recipe for wins!

New Year's Resolutions

I have laughed this week at the many videos on Facebook about crazy members. Click to see video. January and New Years Resolutions bring them out! The long term members of the Y always grumble this time of year about all the new members that join in January but drop by March. They have a name for them, “Tourists.” 

I think we need to stop making fun of the “Tourists” and take a different approach with them : 

We need to INSPIRE THEM.

One of the top issues facing our country, our states and our communities is the health of our citizens. It’s hard to pick up a magazine or newspaper today and not read about childhood obesity, diabetes, or cancer. It truly is an epidemic for our country.

So the next time you’re at the Y or where ever you choose to exercise, when you see a new face on the treadmill next to you, here are some things you can do:

1.       Smile

2.       Introduce yourself

3.       Introduce them to other members

4.       Encourage them

5.       Compliment them

6.       Let them know you miss them if they miss a few days

7.       Invite them to a class they may be too intimidated to take

      My hope is that you can be relational enough, to engage the new members about living a healthier lifestyle. Invest yourself for the sake of a healthy life. This could have an impact on the health of our communities in monumental proportions. It may also impact your life with a new relationship!

“Don’t wait until you care to start investing in someone’s life. You invest in someone’s life in order to care.”