Thank you.

Lovely comments, Jerome, that really nail the points well. Thank you.

True, very true.

Don't we all?

This is a joke right? Everyone is pranking me with "Thanks for sharing" comments since I didn't want them! LOL! :))

:((

Do you have any other thoughts, Louisa?

Hey Dave,
Now this is what I am talking about. That is one very meaningful comment to a post.

I love all those thoughts and inner expressions. Love how you are sipping on a good coffee, enjoying the awe of nature. and sharing this experience with all of us.

Being in the presence of great leaders can inspire you to greater success. I have had your experience, Dave. I worked with a man 20 years my senior and I learned so much from him in my management role. This was back in the 90s and some of the skills he taught me still resonate now.

Thanks so much for your input. Hope you are doing well.

Duncan

You are forgiven for the "thank you for sharing" comment. :))

It is true, awe is often connected with a belief in a Creator. But the spirit of what this word means can be applied in many areas of life. Using it in the right context in no way diminishes the awe you feel for your God.

But when I see the impact my wife's wisdom has on someone, how she has made a difference in that person's life, then I am in awe of her. I don't worship her in that religious sense, but I respect her more, honor her more and lover her more. Awe in the workplace can unite a team as each person learns to respect the gifts each team member brings to the table.

Worth a thought.

Duncan

Interesting point Duncan, and I understand the analogy you made about your wife, and I can see how it can be applied in the workplace or anything we do for that matter. I'm just questioning the heart or motive behind companies wanting to tap into this awe-like feeling of employees.

Hi, Veronica...

Over the years I had chances to work with many different sets of people under one umbrella organization, the US Army...I started as a young lad and continued over 25 years seeing many places under what were often less than ideal circumstances...

Additionally, I was fortunate enough to meet a finite set of folks that could naturally inspire awe in you. Their mannerisms, characteristics, behaviors, decisions, speaking abilities, and other actions manifested awe in those around them....

I also worked with folks that were quite the opposite...They abused people, positions, and authority for all the wrong reasons...Generally, they were narcissists, had low self-esteem, and other personality disorders...

From such people, I also learned a lot...Unfortunately, the things I picked up were what not to do hehe...You do not have a choice in the military, you deal with the hand that is dealt you....

What kept me going when this was the situation were a number of tools I kept in my mental 'tool chest.' One of these was reminiscing on the awe moments...They could be related to people, family, travel, scenery, events, or even meals that stood out (that perfect evening with that perfect food)...

Some would say using such a tool is a crutch, a coping mechanism, a sign of weakness, etc.

Here is what I think...

Life is like a mountain for me....You are generally at some altitude all the time, can expect not to remain at the top if and when you get there, but the journey with the highs and lows of climbing and descending makes it all worth it...

If there were no low points, you would not have anything to compare the high points with... You would perhaps miss out on some aspect of the high points, and have lived without really appreciating the few moments of the high points...

By nature I am a positive person, I am a bit talkative and wordy, and opinionated, but open to new ideas and ways of doing anything.

Some would call that Minnesota Nice (smile)...It is how I was raised...

This is also something I was born with to a degree, but I practiced and worked and learned and practiced more to hone whatever innate/rudimentary skills I may have had...

Also, some of the lows came at a very young age (19) when I was in a car accident where I should have died....To this day I think back on that period and know it was something that resulted in unintended consequences...

It scarred me literally and figuratively...The driver died, I was in the 'dead man's' seat - no seat belt, under the influence of alcohol, and certainly had no inkling of what was to happen...

The mind plays tricks on you...Something as horrific as this will often result in amnesia, which is what happened to me...

I have no recollection of the moment my head went through the windshield, no recollection of the emergency aid and operations that followed in the aftermath...

Later I was shown pictures in gory detail of the accident, and because there were a number of fatalities that Christmas season (it was my second year in Germany shortly before the holiday season when this happened) the cars involved were all put on public display with warnings about drinking and driving (again I was not driving)...

My friend and work colleague Greg was the one driving that car, but I was with him...I was also drunk...We were young, foolish, crazy, and having fun...What could happen?

Here's what happened...

He did not survive, he died on the operating table. He too was not wearing a seat belt and the steering wheel was pushed through his chest...

But...

I did not die...I not only chose to live (I was speaking with God, believe me), but to live in a manner that I would make a positive difference in people's lives...

To the best of my ability, I have done that, and I think my efforts have truly helped people over the years in one way or another...

The second thing that incident gave me was the ability to appreciate the things many take for granted...

Whether it is the orderliness of a street without bomb craters, houses that are not booby-trapped, or windows that are not broken and are clean, or the knowledge you can step off a road into the woods without worrying about an IED...

I could go on, but I think you get the idea...

I savor the moments, the memories, and the relationships...Every day...I am truly in awe of life in general, no matter my circumstance at any particular moment...

One memory that will stick to me until the day I die is coming back home to Germany after deployment to a war zone for a year...

Your perception is sharper after this period, and what I was taking in just walking down a street near my house was the orderliness that was all around me...

People have no idea how blessed they are sometimes...They complain about the little things that really do mean cr#p...

In the companies that I have run, or worked in, or been a part of, I work(ed) always very hard to instill in all the people the wonder of life around them, awe is what they are calling it now...

So I do think that awe can be effective in leadership and companies, and I do realize what a powerful tool it is, having been fortunate enough reach the top of that mountain once or twice already in my ever longer lifetime (not sure how many more trips I will get a chance to make hehe)...

These thoughts and $5 will get you a good cup of coffee, something else I am in awe of hehe!!

Cheers!
Dave : )

OK Dave, if you wanted me to follow you, you could have just asked, lol. No need to leave a very thought-provoking response (this would have made for a great post).

But in all seriousness, I appreciate your response and sharing a part of your life with me. Believe me when I say, there have been many times, walking through my neighborhood, that I've been on the verge of tears, because I'm in awe of the beauty of a bumble bee sitting on a flower; or the smile from a baby; a question from a child, so much.....

I'm all for anything that can spiritually, physically, mentally, emotionally, and financially enhance people's lives. Again, I'm just questioning the motives of companies that want to "manufacture" awe.

I'm genuinely a positive and upbeat kind of gal, and really don't like to walk hand-in-hand with pessimism. The sad reality, though, is that many companies operate with making a profit as their main objective, without a real concern for their employees. If their objective really is to enhance people's lives, I'm all for it! Butebif the root of wanting to create all these awe-inspiring moments is just about company profit, I would be adamantly against such a practice.

So, you won me over, Dave. Excpect a "follow" from me soon!

Nice chatting with you!!!

I love a good conversation... I also agree with you on the objective thingy...It is hard not to be a bit cynical these days...My cynicism has been there for awhile when it comes to what you are talking about...I could tell you some stories, for a number of years I continued to work in an ancillary role for the military in various parts of the world...Anyhoo...Nice to meet you...Cheers! : )