Should Old Acquaintance Be Forgot?

• Author: Wewe, Keith N.
• Position: FROM THE PRESIDENT

Auld lang syne. I sing it at the beginning of every New Year with friends and family. We stand around, with cups in hand, pounding out at the top of our lungs a song that is fun to sing, but whose meaning has always been lost on me. What does this song mean? My entire life, I always wondered what it was telling me. Does it mean I should leave behind cherished friends? Does it mean I should give up on the things that I've worked so hard to achieve? Or does it mean I should give up on the ideals I hold sacred? If it means any of these things--forget it. I'm not comfortable with the concept. I want to keep these things close. Period.

And then, it occurred to me--the song is completely about these things, and that's okay, because it's also about moving forward. It's about embracing new concepts, new relationships, new ways of doing business and new ways of adding value, all while letting go of the way it has "always been done." It's about shedding.

So, what is shedding? Shedding, in leadership, is about creating truly transformational change by breaking down barriers and letting go of the "sacred cows" of the past to create the exciting opportunities of tomorrow. It's about being open-minded about new ideas and concepts and working together to craft strategies that work.

As I apply this to LMA and our members, I think of all the shedding that has occurred, or needs to occur...