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Written by Rex M. Rogers

Published: 20 January 2011

There was a time when one might say, “Steve Jobs’s Apple.” He co-founded Apple, Inc. April 1, 1976, with Steve Wojniak and Ronald Wayne, owned it, and operated it. Now, after he and others who joined him built a g lobal computer behemoth one might say, “Apple’s Steve Jobs.” He successfully built a company bigger than himself. Or did he?

In the wake of Jobs’s recent announcement that he’ll once again step away from Apple for an indeterminate time on medical leave, industry analysts are wondering aloud if Apple can withstand a long term or permanent Jobs departure. In other words, how important is Steve Jobs the persona to Apple’s success?

I don't know Steve Jobs but wish I did. I don't know his personality or character, but I'll root for him on his medical leave. His business, leadership, and marketing acumen are, if not unique, truly rare, and the impact his technological vision has made on America, mostly for the good, is phenomenal. I pray his cancer issues can be vanquished.

Other business leaders evidence exceptional talent for innovation, leadership, and marketing. Think Microsoft’s Bill Gates, Googles’ Sergey Brin and Larry Page, even Martha Stewart. But there’s not as many leaders like this as people think. Jobs stands apart from nearly all of them.

For Apple to continue to do well it will need to continue to develop creative new products like the iPhone, and iPad. But the real test of Steve Jobs’s legacy, which is to say if Apple thrives for years after he steps down permanently (and as I said, I hope that’s not now), will be his leadership skills. The question yet unanswered is how well will people he’s recruited and developed do in leadership after he’s gone?

In Jobs’s earlier medical absence, COO Tim Cook became the interim company top executive and company voice. He apparently handled this task with aplomb and was richly rewarded for it. He now steps in again.

A lot of leaders lead well, even exceptionally, during their run. But they fail to develop leaders around them for the time to come after their run. For the organization this can be a fatal mistake.

Preachers, I might add, are especially inclined to do this, too often leaving their church floundering once they move on—and everyone, eventually, moves on. Reassignment, Retirement, Illness, Death…every leader moves on.

So I will pray Steve Jobs returns to health and I’ll watch the company. The latter will offer many lessons in leadership.

© Rex M. Rogers – All Rights Reserved, 2011

*This blog may be reproduced in whole or in part with a full attribution statement. Contact Rex or read more commentary on current issues and events at www.rexmrogers.com or follow him at www.twitter.com/RexMRogers.

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Written by Rex M. Rogers

Published: 15 January 2011

Susan Boyle is the overnight international sensation from “Britain’s Got Talent.” On April 11, 2009, she was greeted by an audience who dismissed her as odd and unworthy from the moment she walked onto the stage. Even judges Simon Cowell, Amanda Holden, and Piers Morgan clearly looked upon her with bemusement. Then she sang “I Dreamed a Dream” from Les Miserables.

Susan Boyle’s voice was so powerful and poignant, so utterly beautiful, the only thing that rivaled it was her own fairy tale story. Within seconds members of the audience were in tears, judges’ eyes widened and jaws dropped, and in the end she was given a much-deserved standing ovation. The YouTube video of this event, along with a couple of other song videos quickly made available, attracted over 100 million hits within 9 days of her coming-out performance. At age 47, Susan Boyles attracted worldwide attention, affirmation, and adoration.

The embarrassing part of the tale is the arrogance and presumption evidenced by the audience and judges before Susan sang, all based upon her appearance. She clearly did not present herself well. She’d traveled by train for a couple of days, had not changed her dress or fixed her hair, was awkward in her social interaction, is heavy set and otherwise not an especially attractive woman. But still, the audience’s quick put-down attitude is a shame to us all because if we’d been there we’d likely have reacted right alongside them.

Susan Boyle’s story is a long-deferred dream come true. She was born with a slight learning disability, had a father who treated her harshly and didn’t have much use for her, is the youngest of 4 brothers and 6 sisters, was unemployed, and cared for her Mother until 2007 when Mrs. Boyle passed away at age 91. The lyrics of “I Dreamed a Dream” fit her desire to use her extraordinary talent to become a professional singer, something only a local voice teacher and her Mother encouraged.

Susan Boyle isn’t perfect. She’s known to be feisty, has a temper, and can be less than socially adept. But reading her story and hearing her sing can bring tears to anyone’s eyes.

Two kinds of lessons abound, first for us about us:

--Aspire; dream dreams.

--Never give up on your dreams.

--Keep trying no matter what others say.

--Don’t always listen to experts.

--Everyone has talent(s); focus on your best.

Second, lessons for us about others:

--Never judge a book by its cover or a person by appearance.

--Treat people with respect no matter who they are.

--Give people the benefit of the doubt.

--Encourage others in the use of their talent(s).

--Always suppress arrogance.

There are many other lessons and much inspiration in Susan Boyle’s journey. People worldwide respond to her because she’s authentic. There’s no hype, no celebrity narcissism, no spin. So long ignored and so long without opportunity her triumph is a tale that uplifts the human spirit. It encourages us all because it suggests our dreams can also be fulfilled.

What arc Susan Boyle’s life takes hereon no one knows. But she’ll forever be a symbol of strength of spirit and resolve, the moral of her story being every human being is both valuable and significant.

© Rex M. Rogers – All Rights Reserved, 2011

*This blog may be reproduced in whole or in part with a full attribution statement. Contact Rex or read more commentary on current issues

and events at www.rexmrogers.com or follow him at www.twitter.com/RexMRogers.

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Written by Rex M. Rogers

Published: 15 January 2011

Writing a book is like dieting; you don’t do it until you really want to. Then, and only then, you’ll sacrifice, stay committed, and willingly suffer the pain for the gain.

People ask me “How did you find time to write a book?” My standard answer: “I gave up TV.” Which is actually true, I substituted writing for a lot of what typically had been television time. Was this a sacrifice? Not really, because I’d made the decision I really wanted to write the book. So what seemed to be a sacrifice before the decision was made turned out to be enjoyment.

Turning perceived sacrifice into enjoyment gets back to transforming desire into drive, no matter what you aspire to do. This is why I say “Dreamers dream; writers write.” Writers, real writers, don’t sit around thinking about writing. They write.

“If wishes were horses beggars would ride,” so sayeth the old English proverb. Wishing isn’t enough.

I find that people sometimes struggle with turning a dream into decision into drive. There’s something there, that bridge between dreaming and decision, that’s getting in the way. It could be laziness but that’s a bit harsh for most people.

Or to stick with the metaphor, there’s something not there between dreaming and decision. The bridge is missing or in disrepair or disuse.

It could be there’s no bridge because the desire isn’t yet strong enough. Or there’s no bridge even with compelling desire because a capacity to forge ahead is simply missing.

To build a bridge to decision-making, taking us to a drive capable of fulfilling our dream, we must sometimes delve deep within our moral fiber, search our very soul. Who are we? How strong is the skinny person hidden within the obese and does he or she really want to be revealed? Do we have the strength of character to decide?

Taking “One small step for man; one giant leap for mankind” can be the most consequential step in our lives. It starts us on the path to authorship, to healthy weight loss, to becoming a better me, to crafting a brighter future. Deciding to take the step encourages the drive that enables you to accomplish your goal. Once you’re on the path, what earlier appeared to be sacrifice turns into satisfaction.

There’s no magic potion. Doing begins with Drive, which begins with Decision, which begins with Desire, which begins with a sense of yourself treasured by God.

You matter, and because you matter what you do matters to an infinitely loving and creative Sovereign God. You build the bridge from desire to decision out of your understanding of your eternal worth as a creative human being. You do as unto the Lord as part of your reasonable service to him. He will empower, he will never leave or forsake you.

Writing a book, dieting, or any other worthy goal depends upon the first step, desire building a bridge to decision. The rest of the journey begins here. Build the bridge, take the step, do.

© Rex M. Rogers – All Rights Reserved, 2011

*This blog may be reproduced in whole or in part with a full attribution statement. Contact Rex or read more commentary on current issues and events at www.rexmrogers.com or follow him at www.twitter.com/RexMRogers.

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Written by Rex M. Rogers

Published: 15 January 2011

We all have them, things we’d like to do but don’t do because, well, we don’t do. Why we don’t do is too often rooted in what I call self-imposed limitations.

Sure, there are things we wish we could do that we can’t do—I’ll never play golf like my firstborn son, let alone Phil Mickelson. I’ll never sing like Josh Groban. I’ll never snowboard like red-haired Olympic Gold Medalist Shaun White. All of these talents are, though developed, God-given. I don’t have the physical athleticism or vocal cords, no matter how much I’d work to develop skill with the physical coordination or “pipes” I have, to play sports or sing at a world-class level. And by the way, I’ll never look like Tom Selleck in his prime.

When I talk about self-imposed limitations I’m not referring to an infinite list of different talents rooted in our DNA. Nor am I referring to legitimate obstacles all of us face from time to time in our lives, e.g. finances, health, work commitments, etc. When I say self-imposed limitations I mean choices we make that keep us from accomplishing things to which we aspire, all the while simply using the talent, time, and mental/physical capacity God gave us.

On a fairly regular basis I hear someone say something like this: “I’d love to go to New York City.” Me, “Why don’t you go?” Them, “Oh, I can’t.” Me, “Why?” Them, “I don’t know; I just can’t.” When I dig deeper I discover they can’t because they won’t meaning there’s nothing really stopping them other than their own ability to turn desire into action.

Sometimes I hear, “I’d really like to travel to the Holy Land.” Me, “Hey, come and go with us.” Them, “Well I’d like to, but you know, I’m not able to go.” Now it’s possible some factor, like those I mentioned earlier, does indeed prevent them from going. But usually this isn’t the case, at least not in the long run in terms of a plan that could be developed for a future trip. Usually the “not able to go” gets back to their sense that somehow this dream is just a dream and they don’t really want to take the steps or make the sacrifices to fulfill it.

Or it could be something as simple as “I don’t like Chinese food.” Me, “OK, have you ever tried it?” Them, “No, maybe once.” Me, “Oh, well then why don’t you try it and see if you can find a dish that you like?” Them, “Not me.” So they never push the envelope of their assumptions, thus never experiencing anything new that might turn out to be at least a one-time-fun if not a lifetime enjoyment.

I’m not being critical of these folks, but I’m chagrined for them. Because I think they’re willingly denying themselves access to the incredible world God gave us. I know it’s a free country, so more power to ‘em. But I still think they’re missing out due to self-imposed limitations. Why?

--Insecurity or low self esteem. --Inability to make a decision. --Risk aversion. --Fear or perhaps anxiety. --Discomfort with change, uncertainty. --Lack of confidence. --Feelings. --Laziness. –Other?

Overcoming self-imposed limitations isn’t impossible. It may be difficult. It may take sacrifice. It may be challenging. But it isn’t impossible.

Overcoming self-imposed limitations is more a matter of transforming attitudes than actions. Change your attitude and the action will follow. How do you change your attitude?

First, I believe there’s nothing within me that’s beyond the reach of the Spirit of God. There’s no attitude I can develop through learned behavior, or even sprung from my own evil nature, that the Spirit cannot enable and empower me to change, or that he can change. Submit your attitudes to the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart (Proverbs 37:4).

Second, I believe “feelings” can get in the way of attitude change. We don’t “feel” like we can do this or that. But feelings, it seems to me, are ways we lie to ourselves, or ways the Father of Lies, Satan, lies to us. One thing I learned years ago from a pastor’s sermon, actually the pastor who conducted Sarah’s and my wedding: “Behavior changes feelings.” In other words, do something about cleaning the garage and you’ll begin to feel better about the garage. This sounds contradictory to the idea that action follows attitude, but I don’t think it is. You have to change your attitude about your feelings, take action, and your feelings change too.

Third, aspire, dream, develop your vision. If you don’t dream dreams you’ll never accomplish anything special. Once you dream, do.

With so much in the world beyond or seemingly beyond our control, it seems a shame we allow things to control us via self-imposed limitations. Here’s to unbridling our freedom.

© Rex M. Rogers – All Rights Reserved, 2011

*This blog may be reproduced in whole or in part with a full attribution statement. Contact Rex or read more commentary on current issues and events at www.rexmrogers.com or follow him at www.twitter.com/RexMRogers.

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Written by Rex M. Rogers

Published: 13 January 2011

Tragedy demands a response, especially when it occurs at home. This is the case in the aftermath of gun violence in Tucson last Saturday that took the lives of six and harmed others including Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords.

The persons we look to for response are our leaders, particularly the President of the United States. Tonight, President Barack Obama spoke to 14,000 at a “Together We Thrive: Tucson and America” memorial service in Tucson at the University of Arizona’s Mckale Center. The speech was an opportunity to grieve and console, remember, honor, and express emotions-in-community.

On these occasions, the President acts as national Pastor-in-Chief. In tonight’s address, President Obama’s pulpit skills helped him lead the nation toward healing. He said Scripture tells us there is evil in the world and he quoted the book of Job. He urged Americans to guard against simple explanations for the violence and reminded us that we “cannot turn on each other.” In his speech-turned-sermon, the President said we should show kindness, generosity, and compassion. We should do right by our children. In pastoral cadence he said that what matters is not wealth or status or fame or power but how well we have loved and make the lives of others better.

President Obama called upon the nation to make sure our reflections about the reasons for the tragedy and our debate is worthy of those we lost. He called for civility and honesty in public discourse as we seek to form a more perfect union.

President Obama’s sermon was good but did not plow new ground. Other presidents before him have offered the nation similar leadership in the wake of tragedy.

Following the 1986 Challenger space shuttle disaster, President Ronald Reagan sat in the Oval Office and gave a brief, powerful eulogy that is remembered today for its simplicity and eloquence. He summarized by saying the last time we had seen the astronauts they waved goodbye and then "They slipped the surly bonds of earth to touch the face of God."

April 19, 1995, a bomber exploded the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City. Four days later President Bill Clinton spoke to the city’s citizens and to the nation, saying, “You have lost too much, but you have not lost everything. And you have certainly not lost America, for we will stand with you for as many tomorrows as it takes.”

Three days after 9/11, September 14, 2001, President George W. Bush grabbed a megaphone and gave an impromptu response to workers at Ground Zero that became one of his most memorable and uplifting statements: “I can hear you. I can hear you. The rest of the world can hear you. And the people who knocked these buildings down will hear all of us soon.”

February 1, 2003, President Bush addressed another space shuttle disaster, this time the Columbia. In a White House speech he said, “The same Creator who names the stars also knows the names of the seven souls we mourn today. The crew of the shuttle Columbia did not return safely to Earth; yet we can pray that all are safely home. May God bless the grieving families, and may God continue to bless America.”

President Obama struck a balanced respectful tone, honored those lost and comforted their families, reminded us we should strive to be better for our children’s sake, and called for unity and strength in the face of loss. All good.

The President is not a pastor. But in times of tragedy he has to play one on TV. Tonight, President Obama used the bully pulpit in a meaningful if not memorable manner.

© Rex M. Rogers – All Rights Reserved, 2011

*This blog may be reproduced in whole or in part with a full attribution statement. Contact Rex or read more commentary on current issues and events at www.rexmrogers.com or follow him at www.twitter.com/RexMRogers.