The Leader's Journal
Integrating Head & Heart
by
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PURPOSE KNOW YOUR HISTORY “When I want to understand what is happening today or try to decide what will happen tomorrow I look back. A page of history is worth a volume of logic.” Oliver Wendell Holmes Before moving ahead, it can be helpful to reflect back. A good way to begin the process of understanding your purpose is to know from where you’ve come – to know your own anthropology. Most basically, know your heritage: your parents and grandparents and as far back as you are able to reach. If you were to trace your roots, what would you find? What languages, professions and faith traditions would you uncover? From your upbringing, what cultural and educational influences have stuck with you? The proverb that proclaims “the purposes of a man’s heart are deep waters” 5 asks you to look carefully into your background for clues and guidance as to your make-up. For example, your values and beliefs are the building blocks of your leadership approach and being clear about what is supremely important to you is central to setting meaningful direction. You don’t have to look back very far, but it can pay dividends. Today’s Journal Over the years, who has most deeply influenced you? And why? *** Action Step – What will you do about this?
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About the Book
What do you stand for? What is the foundation of your leadership approach? And what’s really important to you?
Many leaders know the answers to these questions at an intellectual level, but interestingly, they don’t talk about them very often, and most have never expressed themselves in writing on these important leadership underpinnings.
The Leaders Journal provides leaders the opportunity to take their thinking to a deeper level. Organized around twelve time-honored principles essential to effective, ethical leadership, this book introduces these keys in a week-to-week format. By quoting respected exemplars and posing important questions each day, you are asked to express your thoughts on integrity, commitment, purpose and other fundamental leadership principles. The exercise of writing your deepest thoughts can be clarifying, therapeutic and often eye-opening. Writing can help you think through ideas or problems where answers may not be readily apparent. The more diligent you are in journaling, the more you’ll learn about yourself and about your capacity to lead others. In this sense, this book is interactive and engaging. It’s about both what other great leaders have said, and more importantly, it’s about what you have to say !
Just be aware that what you record in this journal may be transformative!
About the Author
John Horan-Kates has over 40 years of leadership experience in business and community organizations. He received an undergraduate degree in business from Wayne State University in Detroit in 1967 and subsequently became a Distinguished Naval Graduate of the U.S. Navy’s Officer Candidate School. Following this training, he served aboard the USS Jennings County in Vietnam.
After departing the Navy in 1972, he served as Controller for the Kirkwood Resort in the California High Sierra. Several years later he came to Vail and served as Vice-President of Marketing for Vail Resorts, founded the Vail Valley Foundation, helped build the Vilar Center for the Arts and then helped start Vail Christian High School. In 1997, he helped launched the Vail Leadership Institute where he continues to serve as President. In 1994, John was named Vail Valley Citizen of the Year.
In 1998, he received a Master Coaching Certificate from the Hudson Institute of Santa Barbara. He is the author of several leadership essays and has published two leadership guidebooks. His second book, The Making of a Community, will be issued at the 50th anniversary of founding of Vail in 2012. He has lived in the Vail Valley with his wife Pam since 1974. They have two children living and working in Colorado.