383_56931_CMRFeb05.Fleming

							     The Young and the Restless
                                                                                              Leadership & Management




                  Would Words Like Adventure, Experience and
                       Destiny Describe Your Workplace?
                                                         By Dave Fleming


                                                                                                         A Crisis of
                                                                                                         Character
I  hate to admit it, but I’m a “rut eater.”
   What’s that, you ask? It’s a person who
gravitates back to the same foods over and
                                                   you’ll find the young and restless having a
                                                   really good time taking over the Internet
                                                   search world.
over again.                                           How are they doing in your organization?
    I’m not sure how this happened, but I get      Here’s a hint: if you’re serving them the same
stuck in food ruts. Bagels and cream cheese        food every day, you’re going to lose them.            By R. Bruce Bickel
are a good example. For years, I’ve had main-         Here’s a test. Would words like adven-
ly bagels and cream cheese for breakfast.          ture, experience and destiny describe your            THE GREAT THREAT TO OUR
Chicken and rice was another phase. I knew         workplace? If not, the young and restless             CULTURE is a crisis of charac-
                                                                                                         ter. Organizations of character


  The world is changing.
rice had become a rut food when I received a       will not be interested. They’re not going to
                                                                  eat the same food for 40 years         are created by leaders of char-
                                                                  just because Mom and Dad               acter. If our nation is to return


  A wave of rebellion has
                                                                  did.                                   to being a nation of character,
                                                                      The 21st century work-             we must have leaders and man-


 hit the American worker.
                                                                  place will find a way to do            agers whose performance is
                                                                  what needs to done, yes. But           guided as much by their char-
                                                                  far more important, it will            acter as by their skills. (For the
                                                                  appeal to human longings for           complete article, go to
rice cooker as a Christmas present. My fami-       significance and community.                           CMAonline.org/mrc and click on
ly never wanted to see another bowl of rice.                                                             Leadership &
Chips and salsa would be another of my             Dave Fleming is an organiza-                          Management/Articles.)
favorite rut foods. Actually salsa on just about   tional “midwife” and leader-
                                                   ship coach, and author of                             R. Bruce Bickel is president of
anything does it for me.                           Leadership Wisdom from                                Transformational Leadership Group.
   Occasionally I’ll be sitting with one of        Unlikely Voices. He’s also a                          He’s a member of CMA’s Leadership
my rut foods and a wave of rebellion wash-         member of CMA’s Leadership                            & Management Resource
es over me. “Dave,” I ponder, “what are you        & Management Resource                                 Commission and a faculty member
                                                   Commission and a faculty                              at CMA Long Beach 2005. You may
doing? There’s a whole world of food out           member at CMA Long Beach 2005. You may email          email him at usna1966@verizon.net.
there. Aren’t you getting sick of bagels and       him at dave@davefleming.org or visit his website at
                                                                                                         © 2005, Christian Management
salsa?” My eyes begin to wander and so do          www.davefleming.org.




                                                      On the Verge
                                                                                                         Association. All rights reserved.
my taste buds. I need more.
   A similar plight has overtaken the work-
place. We are “rut workers.” The mindset of
the modern worker was that work was the
place to perform the same basic routines              At this year’s CMA conference, Dave Fleming wants to invite you to
over and over again. This isn’t all bad, of           join a mini-conference that will occur the first two days: “On the
course. Some routines are necessary, even             Verge: New Leadership for New Realities.” Joe Myers, Tim Edris and
essential, to sustain a society. However, the         Dave Fleming will take you on a two-day tour of some of the new real-
world is changing. A wave of rebellion has            ities facing the young and restless, and show you how to lead them
hit the American worker. She thinks,                  (and yourself) in the days ahead.
“There’s a great big world out there, why                 So, if you’re young and restless, or you want to be a better leader to
am I settling for this ‘rut job?’” And off she        the young and restless, join us on Monday and Tuesday of the confer-
goes to find a more stimulating one. She’s            ence for “On The Verge” (ITI #11). You can check out more about this
young and restless.                                   mini-conference in your CMA Long Beach 2005 program brochure or
   The world has changed and the work-                online at www.CMAonline.org (click on Annual Conference and then
place has figured it out. Have you? Google            ITIs).
figured it out. Actually it is the new work-
place. Take a look at its workforce and

                                           CHRISTIAN MANAGEMENT REPORT     FEBRUARY 2005 • 1