On the road again! A.I.M.'s 10th shot.

The Birksfam just returned from a road trip to SoCal for a few days of training on how to be good mentors.  The kids weren't involved in the training, they went to see their star-cousins @ Crestmont one day, and walk the stars in Hollywood the next.  On the way down, one of our kids asked something about the different routes from S.F to L.A.  I'm sure there are more, but the first three that came to mind were; I-5, Hwy 1, & Hwy 99, (for you fact-checkers - Yes, I'm aware that getting to both the 99 & the 5 from San Francisco requires one to travel other highways first, and that the 99 merges with the 5 a bit North of the Grapevine).  The more I thought about these routes, I began to draw some parallels between them and different leadership styles.  Here are a few notes.

I-5 is the route you take from S.F. if you want to get to L.A. as fast as possible. It has a higher speed limit, and the most lanes.  WARNING:  There aren't too many good places to stop, or beautiful sights to see if you travel this route.  Unless, of course, you consider a million cows with no elbow room (do cows have elbows?) hanging out near Harris Ranch a beautiful sight.  But if you're looking to get to your destination as quickly as possible, Interstate 5 is for you.



Another way to go is Hwy 99.  As I already mentioned, this merges with I-5, just North of the Grapevine.  But for approx. 4 hours before that happens, Hwy 99 takes you through some of California's classic towns; Modesto, Fresno, Bakersfield, etc.  The Hwy 99 pace is a bit slower than I-5, but there are more rest areas & points of interest. Also,  on a hot day, a lot more shade.  Perhaps more important than shade and scenery, Hwy 99 boasts way more In & Out Burgers than I-5.  Aslo, Hwy 99 has a cooler sign.
 
Finally, (for the purposes of this shot of A.I.M.) there is Hwy 1.  If I wanted to, I could pull onto Hwy 1 just outside my neighborhood, and head to L.A.  On the way, I would pass through Half Moon Bay, Santa Cruz, Monterey, Carmel, Big Sur, Morro Bay, Pismo Beach, Santa Barbara, & Malibu (from there you can walk to L.A., but I wouldn't recommend it).  For most if the journey, the Pacific Ocean would be visible on my right.  WARNING:  Only travel this route if you are okay with "long and winding roads", and if you have all the time in the world.  This route is by far the slowest and most enjoyable route from S.F. to L.A.

Later, while preparing for this blog post, I remembered Hwy 101.  I think I had psychologically blocked it out of my mind, due to a $300 speeding ticket I received driving through Santa Maria in the 80's.  So I will just give it an honorable mention here.

As a leader, you have choices available to you everyday.  In every opportunity that presents itself to you, you will need to choose how you will respond.  It won't do too many people too much good if the "path" you choose is always the same, because you see yourself as an I-5, "get 'er done" leader, or a Hwy 99 "slow, but sure" leader, or a Hwy 1 "take it easy" leader.  Different situations call for different kinds of leadership, often from the same leader. Of course, I'm not advocating an ever-changing, chameleon style of leadership -just the discerning, flexible, situation-sensitive kind.  After all, Jesus hardly ever responded or reacted the same way twice to those with whom he interacted.  NEEDED:  Leaders who know that many roads can lead to a good decision or action, but only one at a time.  Pick a route & go with it.  I'll see you on the road.

1 Corinthians 9:20-22 (The Message)

 

Even though I am free of the demands and expectations of everyone, I have voluntarily become a servant to any and all in order to reach a wide range of people: religious, nonreligious, meticulous moralists, loose-living immoralists, the defeated, the demoralized—whoever. I didn't take on their way of life. I kept my bearings in Christ—but I entered their world and tried to experience things from their point of view. I've become just about every sort of servant there is in my attempts to lead those I meet into a God-saved life. I did all this because of the Message. I didn't just want to talk about it; I wanted to be in on it!