whew...

Leadership is hard work.  I realize that is a "no-duh" statement, but I was reminded of it again this week as I ran from place to place...from meal to meal...from room to room...from person to person...from meeting to meeting.  Let me state that I loved every minute of it - and I also realize the importance of being on the go so much.  The hard work of leadership is dealing with people - and you can't be with people if you are not at places, meals, rooms, and meetings.  As you read through the following highlights of my week, consider the following thoughts:

• did you spend time this past week moving the mission of your institution forward?
• who did you meet - especially who did you meet for the first time - that will assist you in helping move the mission of your institution forward?
• what events did you attend in which people got to know you a little better - and therefore got to know your institution a little better?
• who should you have not spent time with - in other words, who did you spend time with that did NOT help you move the mission of the institution forward?
• what does your schedule look like for next week/month?
• who do you need to have coffee/breakfast/lunch with that you believe might help you move the mission of the institution forward?  Have you set up a meeting with that person yet?

So here is a quick recap of my week and the really cool people I met and the really fun things I did...

MONDAY

• coffee with Rebecca Powers (founder of Impact Austin)
• leadership coaching session with Marchelle Scarnier of Concordia University Texas
• Thrivent Scholars meeting with Amber Fogarty of SOS Leadership
• Lunch with Amber Fogarty and Kristen Cantu of Thrivent Financial for Lutherans

TUESDAY

• Introduction to Business class with Tom Lucas from National Instruments
• Lunch with Concordia MBA alums Jim Weeks and Charlotte Spencer to discuss alum association
• discussion on COB vision with Lauren Riemer, CTX grant writer
• observed Conspirare rehearsal at St. Martin's Lutheran Church with friend Doug Bain of Bain Consulting

WEDNESDAY

• Breakfast at Headliner's Club with Concordia Foundation members
• meeting with the College of Business Program Directors
• Lunch with MBA alumnus Daniel Urrea
• leadership coaching session with Carrie Leising form Concordia University Texas
• Dinner with Brad Hewitt (Thrivent CEO), Dick Moeller (Water to Thrive Exec Dir), Kurt Senske (LSSS CEO) and Pete Mueller (Pastor ACTS Church)

THURSDAY

• Thrivent Scholars meeting with Brad Hewitt from Thrivent
• Thrivent Scholars Alumni meeting with Brad Hewitt from Thrivent
• Concordia Speaker Series with Brad Hewitt, Dick Moeller, and Kurt Senske
• provost Council Meeting
• meeting with Concordia MBA leadership faculty
• dinner with my good friend Mark Anderson who was in town from Houston

Great week...amazing week...intense week...full week...satisfying week...long week...energizing week... exhausting week.  Leadership is hard work - AND leadership is fulfilling work.  Looking forward to what next week brings. Are you?