Is the universe friendly? I was asked this question during my interview for the Johnson Intern Program. It was one of the first hints that the environment I was entering was unique. I had no idea that this question would be a cornerstone of servant leadership and that the answer would strongly shape the...
Servant Leadership: An Identity Crisis
Who you are does not depend on what you do. This sounded at once obvious and impossible to me when I first heard it in servant leadership class. “Of course I don’t define my identity by what I do,” I thought, only to think a little harder and realize that the college I went...
The Secrets of Servant Leadership
“How can a leader also be a servant?” That was the first question I had when I started reading Hermann Hesse’s book, Journey to the East, the story of a pilgrimage which falls apart and fails to reach its destination when a servant leaves the group. Although there were official leaders in the group...
Commemorating Dr. King
Martin Luther King Jr. Day is an occasion for service and inspiration, but it is also a day for reflection. It is a reminder to examine our past deeply, our present honestly, and each other openly. These were our hopes last week, when we held an event to raise awareness of and celebrate diversity...
No Bedbugs Allowed!
Bedbugs. Just the word can make you shiver with anxiety and paranoia. The instances of these trespassing critters have skyrocketed in number in the past few years, going from nursery rhymes to an itchy reality. The resurgence of bedbugs is most likely due to their resistance to pesticides and increased overseas travel, but...
Cyber Bullies Feeling Fine
Image used with permission from Flickr.com Traditional bullying. A shove. A nasty rumor on a bathroom stall. Sarah publicly inviting all the girls in her class to her 12th birthday party sleepover extravaganza except for Jane-Who-Picks-Her-Nose. In cases like these, both the bully and the victim have increased risk for depression, meaning Sarah may not...
Chlorine is No Laughing Gas
Preparing for obvious dangers is easy. It’s common sense to steer clear of an oncoming truck, or put up cones around a wet floor. The dangers from various chemical products, namely those that involve chlorine, are not as obvious. Many chemicals, like chlorine, come with attached warnings and usage guidance, called MSDS (Medical Safety Data...
How To’s Gone Wrong
How to fix your car. How to de-bone a chicken. How to use toilet paper rolls to make “gifts” instead of throwing them away. How to molest a child and get away with it. A 170-page, step-by-step manual on everything you need to know about how to molest a child is currently under investigation by...