The story is told of the young boy who returned from Sunday School during the Christmas season and was aked by his mother what his class was about.  He responded, "Oh it was about the three wise guys."  We smile at the story because the difference between wise men and wise guys is 180" .  In fact wise guys are anything but.

Lately in my work I have been asking organizations to seek out the what I call the wisdom voices in their orgnanization and related networks.  One organization has taken the challenge seriously and the identifying and listening to the wisdom voices has had some profound results.  Why don't you try it?

In our current Iraq mess where are the wisdom voices?  Much of the Democratic leadership has been fool-based and Bush-bashing based.  They have responded to their political power gut rather than by an examination of the world, the future, and the wisdom of the ages.

Right now where are the wisdom voices?  Let's start with Victor Davis Hanson, a man rooted in the classics, the work of his hands, and in a deep understanding of war and the world.  Who are the others, the wisdom voices and not the wise guys, that we should be listening to?

 I am indeed a White Rose optimist.  Courage and optimism make a big difference.  No they cannot overcome deep realities of defeat and a lack of how to and resources.  But they make a difference.  I fear that we might be losing the war against the bad guys in the war against Islamic Fascism jihadism.

That would be serious.  But right now our leadership is not serious.  As a coach to many businesses who are seeking to be more successful I find much of the same things.  Peter Drucker many years ago said that we did not have to take ourselves seriously but we needed to take our work seriously. 

There are lots of meetings, sessions, and plans but we do not take seriously the opportujities and the challenges before us.  We can get by by doing what we have done only a little bit better.  But being serious about energy, missing elements, deep strategy, and personal performance are often just not there ... because we are not serious.

Dear God give us grace and lack of seriousness about our own importance, but may we be serious about winning the war and building businesses that can change the world and the marketplace.

Jennifer Lovan, a notoriously biased reporter for The Associated Press now reports that President Bush is "as isolated as he can be" but will press on.  I believe little of what Loven reports and even less of what she thinks... The article is on "analysis."

Standing alone is what great men and women of history often do.  They seek to do what is right and not what is popular.  Bill Clinton could not stand to not be loved and appreciated and he missed greatness, not by a country mile ,but by a universe.  What happens in Iraq is now up to the courage of brave men and women, and of whether the people of Iraq care enough to turn in the killers so they can be killed?

iI we do not the Islamist Nazi's will hit us again and then do nit pick wars like this all over.  We have to decide what it means to win and win.  And standing alone may be what we do!   Right or wrong George Bush has the courage to do what he believes is right.  our vast left and right wing politicans have no such courage.

Blessings on those of courage.

I have broken the blog rule.  I have not been posting for almost a week.  Working hard for a living away from your home, in strange hotel places, and not getting back to your room till after 10PM can do that for you.  Long airplane rides through storms can also slow down your posting.  But there are no excuses only reasons.  I am glad that in my work as a performance coach that last week was a very powerful experience.  I spoke on the subject of how to keep your product or service from becoming a commodity.  It's the business challenge of the day and I have some of the answers.

Today I am grateful for a good night's rest because I have my weely radio experience to do this afternnon.  Monday it's back on the airplane and a three day stint ... "trying to change the world one client at a time" is what I say with a smile.  I might be tired.  But "tired" is a state of mind and spirit more than a state of physical well-being.  I went back to read an old book.  It is a little tome written by William Hocking in 1940 entitled , What Man Can Make of Man.  In that little essay Hocking previews our post-modern age and says with a sigh, "that modern man is tired of himself."  Just let that sit on your head for awhile!

Today in the international scene and much of business, our lack of a spiritual life force makes us tired.  Iraq is tough.  We have made mistakes and lost brave men and women.  Is this the same nation that gave 600,000 to preserve unity and to abolish slavery?  Is this the same nation that gave 400,000 to destroy tyranny? 

We are now called to do the right thing and that can be debated, but the right thing is never to give in to being tired, and the right thing is never to give up.

 I was preparing a radio program for New Years Eve.  I suggested that a picture vision, deep purpose, making and keeping promises, and prayer might be a good strategy for your business.  I heard of a business man whose business was kept alive week by week for over five years.  He often spent mornings in prayer, sometimes on his knees, sometimes just listening.

He often found courage, a good idea, and some very different action to take in his morning waiting.  Sometimes he just called for help.  The business is now very successful.  Maybe keeping promises, perseverance, and prayer is not a bad strategy for life, business, and now in war.

The future of the Middle East, Iraq, and our war effort against the forces of islamo-fascist terrorism, sectarianism, and darkness will be profoundly influenced by how we believe, pray, and act this year. 
May we do it all well.

 I have lived through many New Years Eve celebrations now that I have entered the seventh decade of my life. However, in recent years there are times when I was in bed and fast asleep as others welcomed the year to come.

It is hard to believe that it is now seven years since we all waited to see if the world as we knew it would stop and calamity might follow as the clock led us to 2000, Y2K. Remember? It turned out not to be very important.

But this year is different. I believe that this is a crucial year for our country. Saddam is dead, and the fate of the Middle East and much of our future may be at stake in the next twelve months.

Like every end of year/beginning of new year, I have done my reflection and my next year’s purpose and planning. But sometimes in doing your planning, you realize that you are truly at a crossroads in your life. It came to me that 007 will be that way for me personally. I have to make some major life decisions and achieve some major milestones this year. If I do not, things will not go as well as I want. Many people can stay the same, coast along, and do the next year pretty much the same as they did the last year. I cannot. And it may be, that you cannot either. If so, may it go well for both of us.

 It's a theological and philosophical word but a very practical concept.  The "kairos" is the crucial crisis moment.  It is what Christmas is all about.  God enters the human experience just at the right time, in the fullness of time, just when it was needed.

In World War  II, the kairos came at Christmas at Bastogne.  It is at the point of the kairos that much of our life destinies are created.  Yes little things mean a lot and small decisions have the cumulative effect and are the major force in our lives... but into every life there will be times of kairos.  Having the sensitivity to those moments when there is so much noise and chaos in our lives is one of the qualities that we must cultivate, and then respond with grace and courage.

Ding dong, the dictator is dead.  But it means more.  I believe it is now the perfect storm of kairos.  There is no question now the future of Iraq and the entire middle east has changed.  Let the word go out (in a paraphrase of JFK) that evil dictators who kill their own and threaten the US will meet a bad end.  That is good to know.  Let it be very clear to all.  Gaddafi decided, after seeing Iraq, that dying in bed and not by bullet or at the end of a rope, was better.

Now the President must decide to win the war by killing more bad guys, and yes in doing so more of the good guys (our warriors) will die.  Great men have always had to make those decisions at kairos time.  In 007 we win or we lose.  Losing will be very bad.

The American people will decide if we are serious about our political life.  Will we argue about minimum wage or will we decide whether our country will take the real challnges seriously. 

Indeed the three have come together and it is "kairos" time.

A Salem Radio talk show host begins her book with the statement, "They think you are stupid."  There are two things that bother me about that statement.  First of all that it is true, and second that it is true.  Let me explain.

They must think we are stupid.  Do the elites of media and politics and Washington really believe that we are so stupid to buy into the four day Baltimore party for Pelosi that portrays her as a working class gal from beaten down Baltimore?   Do they really believe that in the midst of war and terrorist danger that this is a significant historical event?  One of the richest most privileged persons in the world now has some extraordinary political power.  So what is new about that?   Should we care?  Only if we are stupid.

You see, either they are stupid or they think we are.  Both are probably true.

Second it is true.  A lot of Americans are stupid.  Why do they even listen to what Matt Damon thinks?  Why do we think that the people on The View have anything worth saying or worse yet, listening to. 

One of the things to be decided in 007 is if the American people will have a sense of priority and purpose about World War IV, or will they continue to be the latest actors in the favorite children's book, "The Stupid's Step Out."

 Let's face it, they are all crucial now.  But here are some next year decisions for sure.

First of all we have to decide on whether we will win World War IV.  George Bush will have to decide if he is a warrior as well as President. 

The Democrats will have to decide if they are serious about being a party that understands war, history, and destiny.

The auto industry in America will have to decide if they want to be great by making very tough decisions or if they want to give up on autos just as we gave up on consumer electronics.

We as a nation will have to come to grips with the problem of borders, immigration, and what is the American culture and country we want to have in the years ahead.

We all once again will have to decide whether we want to achieve personal and professional greatness or if we want to continue as above-average mediocre men and women.

Go for Greatness!

  The great closing line blessing by Tiny Tim in Charles Dickens’ immortal classic, A Christmas Carol rings through the ages! In our hearts, if not in our minds, we all do want to be blessed. And since we desire a blessing so deeply, we spend much of out time seeking it for ourselves. Unfortunately we do so in ways that are often destructive. We work too hard, eat and drink too much, and spend time in Las Vegas and doing the lottery in hopes that “luck will be a lady tonight.” Oh we so desire to be blessed.

But since trusting God to bless us is just that, trusting, we take it into our own hands. The heck with this trusting stuff; let’s do it our way. Remember that old definition of insanity!

On a related note. I was reminded over the holiday that we are all to be “Tiny Tim’s” to all we meet. We either bless or curse another in all our contacts with them. Their situation is better or worse, their self-worth is greater or less, their hopes stronger or weaker, all because of what we have brought into their life with our encounter. We bless or curse; there is no neutrality. I think that might be right. I will let it sit on my head for awhile. What if our 007 sales and service strategy for our business had a simple instruction?

We will be a blessing and not a curse to our clients, customers, and prospects. We will do the same to all vendors, suppliers and distributors. We will be the instruments of Tiny Tim’s heartfelt cry.

It’s back to work and getting ready for 007!

That is the feeling that so many of us have, and why from time to time we have a hard time with The President.  I was glad for the President's rousing press conference.  Again, words matter.  Every week Don Rumsfeld should have been giving a "war briefing."  Long ago the President should have adopted the term "World War IV".  Every day we should have rejected the term "Iraq War".  Every time it was used, the President should have said , "No, that is like calling D-Day, the Normandy War ... Stop it.  That is the difficult theater of war we are in now."  If every time the media midget minds would get hit with that, they might stop doing it. 

Again, why is that not being done?  Do the leadership people  know something I do not?  Why have the spokespeople for the war been so incompetent.?  Do they know something I do not?

I have heard that Syria has been warned repeatedly, and they continue to suuport the bad guys in Iraq.  Why were they not warned once and hit the second time?  Again, does the President know something I do not as to why we have not?  Why is Iran not told that every IED of Iranian origin that goes off against our soldiers in Iraq will be followed by a random airstrike against a Iranian target ... no invasion yet and no continued attack, but a random act of terror to match yours.   Again, why not. 

There may be a good reason why my thoughts are not the actions of our war leaders ... but it would be nice to know,  "What do they know?" ...that I do not!"

Dr. Bill Bennet and I have used the same expression for many years ... "Words matter."  It is also important to know that facing the truth matters.  The legendary entrepreneur W. Clement Stone popularized the expression, "PMA = positive mental attitude."  However Stone in later reflections would say that in addition to his PMA, he also "always had the courage to face the truth." 

Today let's put those together.  I have supported the efforts of World War IV since the beginning.  Within a week of 9-11 I was telling friends that we would have to go to Baghdad and Tehran because there was a whole string of Islamic terror creating states stretching from Syria down through Pakistan.  We were at war.  The war was not against terror, it was against a perfect storm of Militant Islam, cultural depravity in the Middle East , and hatred of Jews, Christians, and Americans.  That is the truth; face it and name it.

The President, who is not a student of history in a formal sense, was poorly counseled.  Much of that poor counsel came from Senators who thought they knew better.  They seldom do.  I said then that President Bush should go before a joint session of Congress, ala FDR, and repeat the same words, "A State of War exists..."  That is what should have been voted on.  The scholars will argue that legally a "use of force resolution" is the same thing.  Maybe constitutionally it is, but no it is not the same thing.  The words matter.   Then instead of going shopping we should have been asked to buy war bonds and send a gift to troopers going into danger.

Remember the song from World War II, "You're in the Army Mr Brown.... You and your baby went to town... She had you worried but this is war... and she won't worry you any more."  And the truth that must be faced is that when you are at war you must win and you win not by grand strategies and brilliant generalship.  You win by doing much more violence on the enemy than he can do to you.

Yesterday John Kerry blurped on about a political solution in Iraq. The man knows nothing.  That is why we are in the mess we are in.  There is no political solution until the bad guys are beaten, killed, and their base and supporters blown away.  You do not win wars by winning the hearts and minds of people.  Germany and Japan became our friends after we beat the snot out of them and let them know where history was going.  Post-war saboteurs were interrogated, sentenced quickly, given a Lucky Strike to smoke, and were shot.  In my introductory post I talked about the political illusion.  Politics solves nothing of importance when the issues of great importance and good and evil are before us.  It is blood and iron, it is force of will, it all comes down to courage.

I hope and  believe the President knows deeply what to do.  I believe he will seek to do the right thing and I hope that we all will have the courage to face the truth, free ourselves from the illusion of a political solution, and win World War IV.

The White Rose comes down to a simple archetype which pervades all aspects of life and business, and yet is seldom seen in politics.  It all comes down to courage.  Nothing of significance happens without courage.  I write White Rose in honor of the courage of the Society and in some ways to re-capture their story from the Marxists and other spiritual eunuchs who took their contribution, and turned it to their own often twisted political agenda.  How dare they!

The White Rose is a review on the passing scene and asking, "If it all comes down to spiritual courage?... where is the courage and how will it be expressed?"   We are at that point in many ways, in the war, in our national life, and how we will construct the business models of the future. 

So we see the passing parade, and we realize that politics is often everything, and yet with much craziness, and little courage, it is in the words of Jacques Ellul, "the political illusion."

In the 1940's a young student group in Germany, deeply drenched in things of the Spirit of God, began a leaflet resistance campaign against the Nazi regime.  They called themselves, "The White Rose Society."  Their story is well known in Europe, much less so here.  Their story is a story of faith, courage, and strength.  In their honor we often carry a white rose and speak to you in The White Rose Review

We begin these thoughts a week before Christmas in 2006.  We hope to speak of faith, courage, strength and being fully alive ... and making a difference in business, education, personal performance and happiness, and maybe even politics.