Can You Imagine Your Way Into Better Relationships?

I’ll never forget reaching out, timid but hopeful, to take what I thought would be a significant step forward for my career.

Shortly thereafter I received a crushing bit of feedback.

I tried something new, and although I knew it wasn’t perfect, I was hoping for insight into how I could improve. Instead, the person I talked to wanted to shut me down altogether. The suggestion was simple—maybe I ought to just stick to the old thing.

It still stings all these years later.

One of the worst feelings in the world is to discover that someone in your life has boxed you in, has put a lid on your potential, has sketched out a ceiling on what you can become.

I appreciate that sting, though, because it has shaped my desire to treat the people I care about in a way that propels them forward, not holds them in place.

On my best days I want to be the kind of leader, father, and friend that partners with people as they grow more and more into who God made them to be.

But to do that, I have to constantly remind myself of the difference between information and imagination.

Information is incredibly valuable.

Leaders need comprehensive and reliable information in order to see what has happened, what’s happening now, where someone has been, and who they are now.

But that’s just it. Information is oriented toward documenting the past and providing a more comprehensive picture of the present.

Information can only take a leader so far. Storyline Blog