Have you changed in fundamental ways because of crucial moments which mattered in your life? How have you adjusted to those crucial moments? We spoke with Don Janssen about his most recent Servant Leadership Institute blog: "Moments that Matter: Sinking in Defeat or Rising to Lead.”
Read MoreLeaders watch for opportunities to bring hope and change things for the better. But what do we do when, in a moment, troublesome circumstances intervene?
Read MoreWhen I hear myself say about another person, “What is wrong with them?” or “Why can’t they stop being so judgmental?” or any number of complaints about fellow human beings, I stop to think about my tapir dialog. Do I know that person for who he is, not some made-up image of who I assume he is? Am I assuming he’s an anteater or pig, when he’s really a magnificent tapir? Am I reducing a person who has hopes, dreams and problems just like me to an object I can justify criticizing?
Read MoreThere it was, completely helpless except for its piercing cry. In 1999, Bai Yun, a seven-year-old giant panda, gave birth to the first panda cub born in the U.S. through artificial insemination. But would the cub survive? As I watched on the closed-circuit monitor with the keeper and a researcher that night, I wondered: How could a mother panda ever sleep and not roll over on her cub?
Read More“I like working with animals better than people.” I heard this admission from my coworkers many times during my career as a zoo veterinarian. These animal people would often say it with a measure of pride and conviction. In fact, that is exactly what I did early on as a college freshman.
Read MoreAs a young veterinary manager at the San Diego Zoo, I had an opportunity to rebuild a department from the ground up. In my youthful exuberance, I thought I knew what I needed to do. So, I hired the best and the brightest professionals I could find. I wanted people with diverse talents. But I also knew many who were the best technically did not have the skills to build trusting relationships with people.
Read MoreOur hospital manager knocked on my open office door. I looked up as she entered for our weekly meeting. Of all my activities and responsibilities overseeing the health of the animals at San Diego Zoo Global, few were more enjoyable and valuable than my one-on-one meetings with my managers. Each week, I would discover something of crucial importance. Our managers took to heart their huge job responsibilities; as a result, doing my job was much less demanding than it could have been.
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