John Stahl-Wert - Serving leaders

But Mike wants his life to be about more than success. He’s searching for the deeper significance of his leadership and for the satisfaction of living a life of real purpose. In this deeper search, however, Mike often feels very unsuccessful; sometimes, he feels completely lost.

As we’ve shared this story with our friends, these questions usually arise: “Is Mike’s story real? And if it is, where can I find him?” Here’s the best answer we have: Mike’s story is real. And the chances are reasonable that you’ll find someone like him occupying the office next to yours. She rides on the train with you each morning. You pass him in the hallway every day. Glance up from your reading and look around; she might be sitting right there in the room with you now.

Perhaps it would be helpful to say a brief word here about the friendship out of which this story was born. We two at first glance appear to have little in common. Ken is a business consultant who resides in the flight matrix that connects the great urban centers of America, Europe, and Asia. John is a community leader who resides and works in one great city. By strategic design, he leaves that city and his citywide colleagues as infrequently as possible. Ken works with bottom-line business leaders, John with frontline community leaders. Ken’s work focuses on the corporate sector, John’s on the faith-based sector. In terms of space and time, Ken’s work is space expansive and more time limited; John’s is the other way around.

These differences aside, our lives are much the same. We both work with men and women like Mike Wilson every day. In whatever airport Ken lands and on whatever street John walks, Mike is there, trying to close the painful gap between his hard-working day and his persistent sense of unfulfilled purpose.

Since we’re making introductions here, we may as well go one step further. We, too, are Mike Wilson. While the details may be fictional, at its deepest level Mike’s story is real – and very true.

Perhaps you will recognize yourself in parts of this story, too. If so, then you are already on your way. We hope these pages will offer you some guidance as well as encouragement as you continue on the journey of both professional and personal growth that great leadership requires.

Why am I sitting on this train? If I had taken a flight, I’d already be there. Instead, I’ve got four more hours to sit here and fume about what I’ve gotten myself into.

I feel like I’m eight years old again. Dad says, “Why don’t you ride down on the train, Son! It’ll give you a chance to think.” And so I just do it. Like I’ve got time to sit for hours, thinking. Like I actually enjoy trains.

The thing about trains is this: trains only show you what you’re passing, not where you’re headed. Whatever you can see out the window is already old news. Been there. Regularly, the track bends enough that you can catch a glimpse of the journey ahead, but as soon as the train straightens its aim for the goal, you’re left sitting in the back just watching stuff go past. An hour into this trip, I’m way past bored.

Scratch that last sentence. I’m not bored. And, truthfully, being stuck on this train is not what I’m really troubled about. What upsets me is the fact that I don’t know what’s waiting for me at the end of this track. And I’m afraid to find out. I’m deeply worried about Dad. I don’t know how I’m going to pass so much time sitting here just with myself.

And more truth: I used to like trains. A lot. It’s one of the memories I do have with Dad. One of the too-few memories. And that’s what this is really about. Sitting here reminds me of so much that I’ve lost. So much!

There you have it, boss: a journal entry. I’d say I’m well on my way!

All right, Mike, enough time on the therapist’s couch. Here’s a thought: scratch it all out. I doubt Charlie wants to read the sorry ramblings of a lost son.

Please let my dad be okay!

Okay, new start. Official sounding.

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