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Wednesday, July 22, 2009

There's really nothing new to be said...

Is there? Is there anything new to be said about any of the topics I like to talk about: Leadership, Coaching, Service?

There have been brilliant minds throughout history that have thought and written and spoken about all these topics. True, the ideas have probably been refined and realigned as civilization has done the same. Still, have any new revelations surfaced recently, at least in our lifetime?

I don't think so.

So, how come we spend SO MUCH time on these subjects? We still write books, and give lectures and have workshops. Why?

Is it because, except for a few very rare people, leadership, coaching, and service are learned skills? Is it that with every new generation of humans coming into the world, we have to start them at the beginning?

Maybe it's that leadership and coaching and service have to be taught just like a child learning to tie his shoes, or a little kid learning how to ride her bike.

I guess we just rebadge and repackage based on current reality, on current society, on current culture. Because, deep down, we humans may be basically decent, but we're inherently self-centered and leadership, coaching, and service, if performed properly, are each about others, about advancing other people.

Advanced as we've become as a human race, we still have to start over with every generation, with every new person.

A new generation is coming and we need to get back at it.