Answers and Questions

Many of you know that one of my leadership lessons over the years has been learning to ask the right questions. Or should I say working to learn to ask the right questions since it is an on-going practice. And learning to ask good questions, let alone the ‘right’ ones is challenging. Years ago, when…

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Touchstones and Wayfinding

There’s a scene in the movie “Terms of Endearment” when Patsy says to her best friend who is dying of cancer, “You’re my touchstone, Emma.” It’s an interesting moment because to the outward world, Patsy is the one who looks like she has it all and has it all together. Emma on the other hand…

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Choice vs. Control

At various points in my life, I’ve had a, well-deserved, reputation for being a bit klutzy. In my first three months in a new job at McMurry University, I slid down a short flight of cement stairs on my shins in front of my new boss. Then I came back from a waterskiing trip with the…

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Six Summer Savories

August is such an interesting month, isn’t it? Here in central Texas it’s bakey-hot. Regularly breaking the 100º mark and still 80-something at midnight. And yet it’s the beginning of Fall for those of us in higher education or with school-age children. And of course, this is a particularly *interesting* August. For all I don’t like…

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Plus Ça Change

If I met someone new while I was still working on campus, when they learned my title was either Dean of Students or VPSA, a response I often got was “Oh, you’re the one who’s in charge of the students.” My reply? “No, I’m not.” It often seemed to leave them feeling a bit perplexed. If I…

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The Practice of Gratitude

One of my top five Strengths is Learner which probably doesn’t surprise anyone who knows me well. I get fascinated by a variety of topics and fall down rabbit holes learning about them. After I read Margaret J. Wheatley’s book, Leadership and the New Science, I spent the summer reading books about physics. (Notice I…

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Twists and Turns

My heartfelt thanks to each of you for your support over the past year. Here on July first, we sit between two anniversaries. Gage Paine Consulting became real on June 1 of last year and I sent out the first version of Gage’s Notes on July 31st. This truly has been an incredible year and I…

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Creating Space

You might be wondering what creating space has to do with this week’s topic of energy. The Quote of the Day is the stimulus for today’s topic. Eckhart Tolle suggests we find thirty seconds of space in our day and I think he’s exactly right. Creating even that tiny amount of space in our day, giving…

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The Practice of Intention

One of the elements of many, maybe most, yoga classes is the practice of setting an intention at the beginning of class. An intention may be something you want to learn in the class such as a new asana. It may be an attitude you want to maintain – openness to new experiences or keeping…

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