Traveling with a group.

Day befor travel thoughts...

I am trying to come to grips with traveling with a group.  Well maybe not so much that I am traveling with a group so much as I am simply a part of the group.  Most of my life and in most of my activities I am the person who is either the leader of the group or one of the leadership team.  In my District position, when I am working with the team and not the leader, I see myself as the go-to person who has attempted to anticipate the needs of the group ahead of time and meet those needs.  It allows me to lead in my own way while not needing to be the up front guy, and leading while supporting the leadership of the main leader.  That has worked well for these last eight years.

But tomorrow I am part of a group where I have no leadership responsibilities, no real knowledge of the places we are going to or the people we will meet any more than any one else in the group and for sure a whole lot less than the group's leader, Charles.

So, at least for the next thirty two days I am not a leader.  I am not sure how to handle that.  I do know that my natural tendencies to step up and lead will need to be curbed.  And I know that the best role I can serve in this context will be to be quick to comply to directions and directives, be on time, listen carefully, and then see if there is anyone else that may in some way need my help or support - without in any way hindering the real leaders of the group.  Oh yes, and take pictures, lots and lots of pictures.  THAT I can do!!

As you see, I still have a lot to learn about this leadership thing.  this trip, that learning will be once again learning that good leaders know how to be good followers.  And I eagerly look forward to learning all I can in that process.

Thinking about Sabbatical - day one

Today is the first full day of the first of what would have been a work day if I was not on a Sabbatical.  (That sentence is much easier to read than to say out loud!!)  Admittedly I am both a bit timid and at the same time excited about this whole prospect.

Dictionary.com defines a Sabbatical as "any extended period of leave from one's customary work, especially for rest, to acquire new skills or training."   For me, this extended period is about a total of 16 weeks (the last two being vacation time added on.)

In my Sabbatical proposal to the Western Canadian District (Which so graciously accepted my proposal and granted this 'period of leave from one's customary work'!!) I said that I wanted to grow in my education, get connected to some of my international friends, and spend some uninterrupted time with my wife.

I am failing the last goal right off the bat by leaving her for the first 33 days to participate in a "Summer School in the 'Greater' Holy Land" with Ambrose University and the Down Ancient Paths.  But she has given me her blessings and I go with but a minimal amount of guilt! :-)

I will be writing here about my learning during this part of the Sabbatical.

I must admit that this is a fairly new experience for me.  I did take a 'Sabbatical' about 10 years ago to spend three months writing and completing my Doctoral Dissertation, and while I am glad I did that, there was very little of the rest and rejuvenation factor in that process.

Feel free to join me as I walk over some most interesting "Ancient Paths" (or as my teammate Doug puts it, "Lots of old Rocks!").  I will try to include the more interesting items and will try not to brag too much.

Welcome to the journey.

Ken