Good afternoon to one and all. The sun has come back after a bit of shock this morning as Vancouver had 5 cm of snow! How to deal with change, eh?!

One of the recipients of this Leadership Notes, Richard Leggett responded to the mention of anger as necessary for change, in last week's email this way:

"In Bertold Brecht's play, 'Mother Courage', set during the Thirty Years'
War in the German states, the lead character, Mother Courage,
distinguishes between two kinds of anger using images taken from forging
iron.  'Red' anger is the anger of youth, an anger that quickly flares
up and, in the end, accomplishes very little.  'White' anger, an anger
that comes from considering the injustices of life, is far more
powerful, able to heat iron to the point of being able to change its
shape and constitution.  When she speaks to a young soldier who is weary
with all the fighting, Mother Courage, who has lost children, goods and
home, tells him that his anger has not yet become 'white' and will pass.
Her anger is 'white' and will not pass, even if peace comes.  'White'
anger is perhaps the anger that contributes to change."

Thank you Richard! And honouring my commitment to you that Leadership Notes always be short, I'll use Richard's comments as a starting place for us. I wonder, what parts of your life as a leader are driven by white hot anger, what injustices move you to action? And, what barriers are there that block your way to act?

Anti Vietnam War activist and Presbyterian Minister Bill Coffin used a benediction that went in part, "for the world is now to small for anything but truth and to dangerous for anything but love."  I wonder if white hot anger tempered with truth and love, might in fact change your world.

Have a wonder-filled and profound week!