View allAll Photos Tagged Humility
Photos by Miller Taylor.
April 2015 CreativeMornings/Raleigh event (global theme: Humility) with guest speakers Mike and Megan Gilger, husband and wife creative team behind Wild Measure studio and The Fresh Exchange blog.
In 2009, Megan and Mike began their lifestyle and design blog, The Fresh Exchange Today, the blog reaches over a half million people everyday, inspiring creators of all kinds to pursue their dreams and live a beautiful and intentional life. The creative couple works together to create original content through photo, video, editorial writing, aesthetic curation, and social media. With a simple, natural, and organic nature to their content, Megan and Mike have had the opportunity to work with brands such as Smartwater, Bing, Gap, Madewell, Bota Box, Levi’s, Feedly, Kinfolk Magazine, Over, Warby Parker, Tuft & Needle, Shinola, and many others.
Special thanks to our host CAM Raleigh and sponsors CompostNow, Counter Culture Coffee, who generously provided us with complimentary coffee, Yellow Dog Bread Company, who provided the tasty breakfast snacks, and Raleigh Raw , who provided the healthy, cold-pressed juice.
'Humility is the foundation of all the other virtues hence, in the soul that this virtue does not exist there cannot be any other virtue except mere appearance. ' -- St. Augustine
***7th Simbang Gabi, homily takeaway: Humility serves. Mary, after hearing the blessing she has received, even in her delicate state, set off to the hills of Judea to help her cousin Elizabeth who is also with child even in her old age. And Elizabeth, knowing full well the blessing that Mary shared with her, humbly accepts her help. Both women show acts of humility though differently. No doubts, no fears. One was humble enough to give, the other humble enough to accept. Both emptied themselves and received God's blessings in full. Let us pray to be more like them.
O God, a loving couple is already a family in the Eyes of God.
For their Love for each other already becomes One Heart.
May they learn to grow more Spiritually with one another.
That as a loving couple, may they do good deeds to those in need.
That as a loving couple, may they learn the path of Holy Virtues of Humility, Love and Peace.
That as a loving couple, may they enjoy the Beauty of Spiritual Life of God’s Love.
That as a loving couple, may they treat Humanity as their own family.
That in everything they do, be done to extend their Love to others.
Amen.
John 13
1 Now before the Feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew that his hour had come to depart out of this world to the Father, having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end. 2 During supper, when the devil had already put it into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, to betray him, 3 Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he had come from God and was going back to God, 4 rose from supper. He laid aside his outer garments, and taking a towel, tied it around his waist. 5 Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet and to wipe them with the towel that was wrapped around him. 6 He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, "Lord, do you wash my feet?" 7 Jesus answered him, "What I am doing you do not understand now, but afterward you will understand." 8 Peter said to him, "You shall never wash my feet." Jesus answered him, "If I do not wash you, you have no share with me." 9 Simon Peter said to him, "Lord, not my feet only but also my hands and my head!" 10 Jesus said to him, "The one who has bathed does not need to wash, except for his feet,[a] but is completely clean. And you are clean, but not every one of you." 11 For he knew who was to betray him; that was why he said, "Not all of you are clean."
12 When he had washed their feet and put on his outer garments and resumed his place, he said to them, "Do you understand what I have done to you? 13 You call me Teacher and Lord, and you are right, for so I am. 14 If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. 15 For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you.
WAH: Vices and Virtues
Tempera on panel
61.9 x 48.9 cm (24 3/8 x 19 1/4 in.)
Madonna of Humility - Giovanni di Paolo 1442
Museum of Fine Arts, Boston
Boston, Massachusetts
If there is any advice Col. Kirk Gibbs can give to his successor, it is this: Lead with honor and humility.
As Gibbs, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Los Angeles District’s 61st commander, prepares to relinquish command of the LA District July 19 to Col. Aaron Barta, he offered up some advice and reflected on the past three years as the leader of one of the largest Corps districts in the country.
There are many things Gibbs said he is proud of when it comes to the LA District, but three things stand out: the District being recognized two years in a row as a "Best Place to Work" in the Corps; completing Weed Army Hospital at Fort Irwin, California – the Department of Defense’s only Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design-Platinum, carbon-neutral, net-zero certifiable hospital – on time and within budget; and the one-on-one time he was able to spend with employees in the District.
It is the people Gibbs said he will miss the most – the employees and the District’s close partners across the four-state area.
“I have never focused on relationships like I have here in this District, and I sincerely believe it is part of the District's culture,” he said. “When projects are tough, the close relationships get us through those challenges and ultimately deliver the program.”
During his time with the LA District, Gibbs has overseen a multimillion-dollar program that provides engineering, construction, planning, contracting, real estate, emergency operations, environmental and regulatory services to military, federal, state and local governments across a 226,000-square-mile area of Southern California, Nevada, Arizona and Utah. That also includes leading about 750 military and civilian personnel with a wide array of expertise.
But leading people is nothing new to Gibbs, who has served for more than 24 years as an active-duty Soldier, leading both military and civilian personnel.
“Each person is different, and I have learned that good leaders get to know each person individually and then lead them in a way that brings out the best in that employee,” he said.
Providing priorities and a solid intent on the District’s missions, particularly disaster response operations, helps employees stay focused on what’s really important, he said.
Gibbs will now serve as the chief of staff at the Corps’ headquarters in Washington, D.C. There, he said, he hopes to be an advocate for all of the Corps’ districts nationwide.
“I feel that this District and the great people are responsible for giving me the incredible opportunity of being the Corps’ chief of staff,” he said. “The people have taught me so much, and I will take that with me to make a positive impact on the Corps’ enterprise and help our Districts deliver our programs in civil works, military, Interagency and International Services, real estate and regulatory.”
Gibbs knows how the importance of mentors and having a good support system have played in shaping his career, and he credits his parents with instilling in him respect for others; his wife, Kim, who taught him to endure all challenges, no matter how great, with grace and dignity; and his former chief of staff – Col. Steve Hill – for giving him tough jobs to prepare him for success.
“(Hill) gave me tough jobs that I thought he could have done at the time, but as I look back, the toughest assignments he gave me in that civilian organization at the Corps headquarters prepared me for District command and enabled me to achieve the goal of commanding at the battalion, brigade and District levels,” he said. “I also remember he told me I would be a chief of staff for the Corps one day. He was preparing me for that. I didn't believe him, but that is my next job.”
And, as for additional advice he can share with Barta, Gibbs provided these words of wisdom:
- Be prepared to change leadership style when leading a District of professional civilians. Don't lead them in the same way as Soldiers;
- Engage with people and get around to see them across the District's entire area of operation. Don't sit behind a desk;
- Study hard initially and learn the policies, processes and programs. “You will never be the expert, but you must prepare yourself to make effective decisions as quickly as possible”;
- Always provide a commander's intent and an end state. The civilian workforce appreciates that; and, lastly,
- Lead with honor and humility. “It isn't about you. It is about the District's people and our vital mission.”
As for the future of the LA District, Gibbs said he hopes future leaders continue to change the culture to an organization that is more risk tolerant in streamlining processes and moving projects forward; deliver the Department of Veterans Affairs and Customs and Border Protection programs phenomenally – on time, within budget and to the highest quality; and to remain a "Best Place to Work" in order to retain and recruit talent to the high-cost living area of Southern California.
“I want the District to do what it always does and ‘knock those programs out of the park,’” he said.
Photos by Miller Taylor.
April 2015 CreativeMornings/Raleigh event (global theme: Humility) with guest speakers Mike and Megan Gilger, husband and wife creative team behind Wild Measure studio and The Fresh Exchange blog.
In 2009, Megan and Mike began their lifestyle and design blog, The Fresh Exchange Today, the blog reaches over a half million people everyday, inspiring creators of all kinds to pursue their dreams and live a beautiful and intentional life. The creative couple works together to create original content through photo, video, editorial writing, aesthetic curation, and social media. With a simple, natural, and organic nature to their content, Megan and Mike have had the opportunity to work with brands such as Smartwater, Bing, Gap, Madewell, Bota Box, Levi’s, Feedly, Kinfolk Magazine, Over, Warby Parker, Tuft & Needle, Shinola, and many others.
Special thanks to our host CAM Raleigh and sponsors CompostNow, Counter Culture Coffee, who generously provided us with complimentary coffee, Yellow Dog Bread Company, who provided the tasty breakfast snacks, and Raleigh Raw , who provided the healthy, cold-pressed juice.
If there is any advice Col. Kirk Gibbs can give to his successor, it is this: Lead with honor and humility.
As Gibbs, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Los Angeles District’s 61st commander, prepares to relinquish command of the LA District July 19 to Col. Aaron Barta, he offered up some advice and reflected on the past three years as the leader of one of the largest Corps districts in the country.
There are many things Gibbs said he is proud of when it comes to the LA District, but three things stand out: the District being recognized two years in a row as a "Best Place to Work" in the Corps; completing Weed Army Hospital at Fort Irwin, California – the Department of Defense’s only Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design-Platinum, carbon-neutral, net-zero certifiable hospital – on time and within budget; and the one-on-one time he was able to spend with employees in the District.
It is the people Gibbs said he will miss the most – the employees and the District’s close partners across the four-state area.
“I have never focused on relationships like I have here in this District, and I sincerely believe it is part of the District's culture,” he said. “When projects are tough, the close relationships get us through those challenges and ultimately deliver the program.”
During his time with the LA District, Gibbs has overseen a multimillion-dollar program that provides engineering, construction, planning, contracting, real estate, emergency operations, environmental and regulatory services to military, federal, state and local governments across a 226,000-square-mile area of Southern California, Nevada, Arizona and Utah. That also includes leading about 750 military and civilian personnel with a wide array of expertise.
But leading people is nothing new to Gibbs, who has served for more than 24 years as an active-duty Soldier, leading both military and civilian personnel.
“Each person is different, and I have learned that good leaders get to know each person individually and then lead them in a way that brings out the best in that employee,” he said.
Providing priorities and a solid intent on the District’s missions, particularly disaster response operations, helps employees stay focused on what’s really important, he said.
Gibbs will now serve as the chief of staff at the Corps’ headquarters in Washington, D.C. There, he said, he hopes to be an advocate for all of the Corps’ districts nationwide.
“I feel that this District and the great people are responsible for giving me the incredible opportunity of being the Corps’ chief of staff,” he said. “The people have taught me so much, and I will take that with me to make a positive impact on the Corps’ enterprise and help our Districts deliver our programs in civil works, military, Interagency and International Services, real estate and regulatory.”
Gibbs knows how the importance of mentors and having a good support system have played in shaping his career, and he credits his parents with instilling in him respect for others; his wife, Kim, who taught him to endure all challenges, no matter how great, with grace and dignity; and his former chief of staff – Col. Steve Hill – for giving him tough jobs to prepare him for success.
“(Hill) gave me tough jobs that I thought he could have done at the time, but as I look back, the toughest assignments he gave me in that civilian organization at the Corps headquarters prepared me for District command and enabled me to achieve the goal of commanding at the battalion, brigade and District levels,” he said. “I also remember he told me I would be a chief of staff for the Corps one day. He was preparing me for that. I didn't believe him, but that is my next job.”
And, as for additional advice he can share with Barta, Gibbs provided these words of wisdom:
- Be prepared to change leadership style when leading a District of professional civilians. Don't lead them in the same way as Soldiers;
- Engage with people and get around to see them across the District's entire area of operation. Don't sit behind a desk;
- Study hard initially and learn the policies, processes and programs. “You will never be the expert, but you must prepare yourself to make effective decisions as quickly as possible”;
- Always provide a commander's intent and an end state. The civilian workforce appreciates that; and, lastly,
- Lead with honor and humility. “It isn't about you. It is about the District's people and our vital mission.”
As for the future of the LA District, Gibbs said he hopes future leaders continue to change the culture to an organization that is more risk tolerant in streamlining processes and moving projects forward; deliver the Department of Veterans Affairs and Customs and Border Protection programs phenomenally – on time, within budget and to the highest quality; and to remain a "Best Place to Work" in order to retain and recruit talent to the high-cost living area of Southern California.
“I want the District to do what it always does and ‘knock those programs out of the park,’” he said.
True humility and fear of the Lord
lead to riches, honor, and long life.
-----
Post your prayer intentions and personal requests in our Jerusalem Prayer Team Prayer Wall. You can also encourage others to pray by sharing this verse.
President of the International Conference for the Detection of Nuclear Explosions
Honorable President, Distinguished Delegates,
I take upon myself in complete humility, but also in full conscience of an artist, to present a proposition to the board of directors of your Conference with regard to atomic and thermonuclear explosions. This proposition is quite simple: to paint A- and H-bombs blue in such a manner that their eventual explosions should not be recognized by only those who have vested interests in concealing their existence or (which amounts to the same thing) revealing it for purely political purposes but by all who have the greatest interest in being the first to be informed of this type of disturbance, which I deem to say is all of my contemporaries. All I need is the position and the number of A-bombs and H-bombs and a remuneration, to be discussed, that ought, in any case, to cover:
—The price of colorants.
—My own artistic contribution (I will be responsible for the coloring—in blue—of all future nuclear explosions).
It is quite clear that we shall exclude cobalt blue as being notoriously radioactive and that we shall use only Klein Blue, which has earned me the celebrity of which you are undoubtedly aware.
Although I am fully occupied with my current work, notable with creating the ambiance of the great Gelsenkirchen Opera House, the humanitarian aspect of my proposal seems to me to have priority over any other considerations. Do not think, however, that I am among those who place art after matter. Quite to the contrary, its disintegration allows for the most spectacular monochrome realizations that humanity, and I dare say, the cosmos itself will have known.
In this double effect, I remain, distinguished sirs, your very devoted,
K.
Cc: His Holiness the Dalai Lama; His Holiness the Pope Pius XII; President of the League of the Rights of Man; Director of the International Committee of Peace; Secretary General of the United Nations; Secretary General of UNESCO; President of the International Federal of Judo; Editor-in-Chief of the Christian Science Monitor; Bertrand Russell; Dr. Albert Schweitzer.
P.S. It is clear that not only the explosions but also the “fallouts” ought to be inalterably tinted in blue by my IKB procedure.
[Translation by Klaus Ottmann]
Photos by Miller Taylor.
April 2015 CreativeMornings/Raleigh event (global theme: Humility) with guest speakers Mike and Megan Gilger, husband and wife creative team behind Wild Measure studio and The Fresh Exchange blog.
In 2009, Megan and Mike began their lifestyle and design blog, The Fresh Exchange Today, the blog reaches over a half million people everyday, inspiring creators of all kinds to pursue their dreams and live a beautiful and intentional life. The creative couple works together to create original content through photo, video, editorial writing, aesthetic curation, and social media. With a simple, natural, and organic nature to their content, Megan and Mike have had the opportunity to work with brands such as Smartwater, Bing, Gap, Madewell, Bota Box, Levi’s, Feedly, Kinfolk Magazine, Over, Warby Parker, Tuft & Needle, Shinola, and many others.
Special thanks to our host CAM Raleigh and sponsors CompostNow, Counter Culture Coffee, who generously provided us with complimentary coffee, Yellow Dog Bread Company, who provided the tasty breakfast snacks, and Raleigh Raw , who provided the healthy, cold-pressed juice.
O God, we offer to You all the marriages in Humanity.
That loving couples may pledge their vow of commitment for each other.
To love each other all for Your greatest glory.
That in both times of happiness and sadness, they may be faithful to each other.
May they grow together Spiritually –
Through Virtues of Humility, Love, Kindness, Generosity and Forgiveness.
As a loving couple, may they share their love in helping their community and Humanity.
Amen.
Photos by Miller Taylor.
April 2015 CreativeMornings/Raleigh event (global theme: Humility) with guest speakers Mike and Megan Gilger, husband and wife creative team behind Wild Measure studio and The Fresh Exchange blog.
In 2009, Megan and Mike began their lifestyle and design blog, The Fresh Exchange Today, the blog reaches over a half million people everyday, inspiring creators of all kinds to pursue their dreams and live a beautiful and intentional life. The creative couple works together to create original content through photo, video, editorial writing, aesthetic curation, and social media. With a simple, natural, and organic nature to their content, Megan and Mike have had the opportunity to work with brands such as Smartwater, Bing, Gap, Madewell, Bota Box, Levi’s, Feedly, Kinfolk Magazine, Over, Warby Parker, Tuft & Needle, Shinola, and many others.
Special thanks to our host CAM Raleigh and sponsors CompostNow, Counter Culture Coffee, who generously provided us with complimentary coffee, Yellow Dog Bread Company, who provided the tasty breakfast snacks, and Raleigh Raw , who provided the healthy, cold-pressed juice.
Photos by Miller Taylor.
April 2015 CreativeMornings/Raleigh event (global theme: Humility) with guest speakers Mike and Megan Gilger, husband and wife creative team behind Wild Measure studio and The Fresh Exchange blog.
In 2009, Megan and Mike began their lifestyle and design blog, The Fresh Exchange Today, the blog reaches over a half million people everyday, inspiring creators of all kinds to pursue their dreams and live a beautiful and intentional life. The creative couple works together to create original content through photo, video, editorial writing, aesthetic curation, and social media. With a simple, natural, and organic nature to their content, Megan and Mike have had the opportunity to work with brands such as Smartwater, Bing, Gap, Madewell, Bota Box, Levi’s, Feedly, Kinfolk Magazine, Over, Warby Parker, Tuft & Needle, Shinola, and many others.
Special thanks to our host CAM Raleigh and sponsors CompostNow, Counter Culture Coffee, who generously provided us with complimentary coffee, Yellow Dog Bread Company, who provided the tasty breakfast snacks, and Raleigh Raw , who provided the healthy, cold-pressed juice.
Photos by Miller Taylor.
April 2015 CreativeMornings/Raleigh event (global theme: Humility) with guest speakers Mike and Megan Gilger, husband and wife creative team behind Wild Measure studio and The Fresh Exchange blog.
In 2009, Megan and Mike began their lifestyle and design blog, The Fresh Exchange Today, the blog reaches over a half million people everyday, inspiring creators of all kinds to pursue their dreams and live a beautiful and intentional life. The creative couple works together to create original content through photo, video, editorial writing, aesthetic curation, and social media. With a simple, natural, and organic nature to their content, Megan and Mike have had the opportunity to work with brands such as Smartwater, Bing, Gap, Madewell, Bota Box, Levi’s, Feedly, Kinfolk Magazine, Over, Warby Parker, Tuft & Needle, Shinola, and many others.
Special thanks to our host CAM Raleigh and sponsors CompostNow, Counter Culture Coffee, who generously provided us with complimentary coffee, Yellow Dog Bread Company, who provided the tasty breakfast snacks, and Raleigh Raw , who provided the healthy, cold-pressed juice.
Tempera on panel
61.9 x 48.9 cm (24 3/8 x 19 1/4 in.)
Madonna of Humility - Giovanni di Paolo 1442
Museum of Fine Arts, Boston
Boston, Massachusetts
If there is any advice Col. Kirk Gibbs can give to his successor, it is this: Lead with honor and humility.
As Gibbs, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Los Angeles District’s 61st commander, prepares to relinquish command of the LA District July 19 to Col. Aaron Barta, he offered up some advice and reflected on the past three years as the leader of one of the largest Corps districts in the country.
There are many things Gibbs said he is proud of when it comes to the LA District, but three things stand out: the District being recognized two years in a row as a "Best Place to Work" in the Corps; completing Weed Army Hospital at Fort Irwin, California – the Department of Defense’s only Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design-Platinum, carbon-neutral, net-zero certifiable hospital – on time and within budget; and the one-on-one time he was able to spend with employees in the District.
It is the people Gibbs said he will miss the most – the employees and the District’s close partners across the four-state area.
“I have never focused on relationships like I have here in this District, and I sincerely believe it is part of the District's culture,” he said. “When projects are tough, the close relationships get us through those challenges and ultimately deliver the program.”
During his time with the LA District, Gibbs has overseen a multimillion-dollar program that provides engineering, construction, planning, contracting, real estate, emergency operations, environmental and regulatory services to military, federal, state and local governments across a 226,000-square-mile area of Southern California, Nevada, Arizona and Utah. That also includes leading about 750 military and civilian personnel with a wide array of expertise.
But leading people is nothing new to Gibbs, who has served for more than 24 years as an active-duty Soldier, leading both military and civilian personnel.
“Each person is different, and I have learned that good leaders get to know each person individually and then lead them in a way that brings out the best in that employee,” he said.
Providing priorities and a solid intent on the District’s missions, particularly disaster response operations, helps employees stay focused on what’s really important, he said.
Gibbs will now serve as the chief of staff at the Corps’ headquarters in Washington, D.C. There, he said, he hopes to be an advocate for all of the Corps’ districts nationwide.
“I feel that this District and the great people are responsible for giving me the incredible opportunity of being the Corps’ chief of staff,” he said. “The people have taught me so much, and I will take that with me to make a positive impact on the Corps’ enterprise and help our Districts deliver our programs in civil works, military, Interagency and International Services, real estate and regulatory.”
Gibbs knows how the importance of mentors and having a good support system have played in shaping his career, and he credits his parents with instilling in him respect for others; his wife, Kim, who taught him to endure all challenges, no matter how great, with grace and dignity; and his former chief of staff – Col. Steve Hill – for giving him tough jobs to prepare him for success.
“(Hill) gave me tough jobs that I thought he could have done at the time, but as I look back, the toughest assignments he gave me in that civilian organization at the Corps headquarters prepared me for District command and enabled me to achieve the goal of commanding at the battalion, brigade and District levels,” he said. “I also remember he told me I would be a chief of staff for the Corps one day. He was preparing me for that. I didn't believe him, but that is my next job.”
And, as for additional advice he can share with Barta, Gibbs provided these words of wisdom:
- Be prepared to change leadership style when leading a District of professional civilians. Don't lead them in the same way as Soldiers;
- Engage with people and get around to see them across the District's entire area of operation. Don't sit behind a desk;
- Study hard initially and learn the policies, processes and programs. “You will never be the expert, but you must prepare yourself to make effective decisions as quickly as possible”;
- Always provide a commander's intent and an end state. The civilian workforce appreciates that; and, lastly,
- Lead with honor and humility. “It isn't about you. It is about the District's people and our vital mission.”
As for the future of the LA District, Gibbs said he hopes future leaders continue to change the culture to an organization that is more risk tolerant in streamlining processes and moving projects forward; deliver the Department of Veterans Affairs and Customs and Border Protection programs phenomenally – on time, within budget and to the highest quality; and to remain a "Best Place to Work" in order to retain and recruit talent to the high-cost living area of Southern California.
“I want the District to do what it always does and ‘knock those programs out of the park,’” he said.
If there is any advice Col. Kirk Gibbs can give to his successor, it is this: Lead with honor and humility.
As Gibbs, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Los Angeles District’s 61st commander, prepares to relinquish command of the LA District July 19 to Col. Aaron Barta, he offered up some advice and reflected on the past three years as the leader of one of the largest Corps districts in the country.
There are many things Gibbs said he is proud of when it comes to the LA District, but three things stand out: the District being recognized two years in a row as a "Best Place to Work" in the Corps; completing Weed Army Hospital at Fort Irwin, California – the Department of Defense’s only Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design-Platinum, carbon-neutral, net-zero certifiable hospital – on time and within budget; and the one-on-one time he was able to spend with employees in the District.
It is the people Gibbs said he will miss the most – the employees and the District’s close partners across the four-state area.
“I have never focused on relationships like I have here in this District, and I sincerely believe it is part of the District's culture,” he said. “When projects are tough, the close relationships get us through those challenges and ultimately deliver the program.”
During his time with the LA District, Gibbs has overseen a multimillion-dollar program that provides engineering, construction, planning, contracting, real estate, emergency operations, environmental and regulatory services to military, federal, state and local governments across a 226,000-square-mile area of Southern California, Nevada, Arizona and Utah. That also includes leading about 750 military and civilian personnel with a wide array of expertise.
But leading people is nothing new to Gibbs, who has served for more than 24 years as an active-duty Soldier, leading both military and civilian personnel.
“Each person is different, and I have learned that good leaders get to know each person individually and then lead them in a way that brings out the best in that employee,” he said.
Providing priorities and a solid intent on the District’s missions, particularly disaster response operations, helps employees stay focused on what’s really important, he said.
Gibbs will now serve as the chief of staff at the Corps’ headquarters in Washington, D.C. There, he said, he hopes to be an advocate for all of the Corps’ districts nationwide.
“I feel that this District and the great people are responsible for giving me the incredible opportunity of being the Corps’ chief of staff,” he said. “The people have taught me so much, and I will take that with me to make a positive impact on the Corps’ enterprise and help our Districts deliver our programs in civil works, military, Interagency and International Services, real estate and regulatory.”
Gibbs knows how the importance of mentors and having a good support system have played in shaping his career, and he credits his parents with instilling in him respect for others; his wife, Kim, who taught him to endure all challenges, no matter how great, with grace and dignity; and his former chief of staff – Col. Steve Hill – for giving him tough jobs to prepare him for success.
“(Hill) gave me tough jobs that I thought he could have done at the time, but as I look back, the toughest assignments he gave me in that civilian organization at the Corps headquarters prepared me for District command and enabled me to achieve the goal of commanding at the battalion, brigade and District levels,” he said. “I also remember he told me I would be a chief of staff for the Corps one day. He was preparing me for that. I didn't believe him, but that is my next job.”
And, as for additional advice he can share with Barta, Gibbs provided these words of wisdom:
- Be prepared to change leadership style when leading a District of professional civilians. Don't lead them in the same way as Soldiers;
- Engage with people and get around to see them across the District's entire area of operation. Don't sit behind a desk;
- Study hard initially and learn the policies, processes and programs. “You will never be the expert, but you must prepare yourself to make effective decisions as quickly as possible”;
- Always provide a commander's intent and an end state. The civilian workforce appreciates that; and, lastly,
- Lead with honor and humility. “It isn't about you. It is about the District's people and our vital mission.”
As for the future of the LA District, Gibbs said he hopes future leaders continue to change the culture to an organization that is more risk tolerant in streamlining processes and moving projects forward; deliver the Department of Veterans Affairs and Customs and Border Protection programs phenomenally – on time, within budget and to the highest quality; and to remain a "Best Place to Work" in order to retain and recruit talent to the high-cost living area of Southern California.
“I want the District to do what it always does and ‘knock those programs out of the park,’” he said.
Photos by Miller Taylor.
April 2015 CreativeMornings/Raleigh event (global theme: Humility) with guest speakers Mike and Megan Gilger, husband and wife creative team behind Wild Measure studio and The Fresh Exchange blog.
In 2009, Megan and Mike began their lifestyle and design blog, The Fresh Exchange Today, the blog reaches over a half million people everyday, inspiring creators of all kinds to pursue their dreams and live a beautiful and intentional life. The creative couple works together to create original content through photo, video, editorial writing, aesthetic curation, and social media. With a simple, natural, and organic nature to their content, Megan and Mike have had the opportunity to work with brands such as Smartwater, Bing, Gap, Madewell, Bota Box, Levi’s, Feedly, Kinfolk Magazine, Over, Warby Parker, Tuft & Needle, Shinola, and many others.
Special thanks to our host CAM Raleigh and sponsors CompostNow, Counter Culture Coffee, who generously provided us with complimentary coffee, Yellow Dog Bread Company, who provided the tasty breakfast snacks, and Raleigh Raw , who provided the healthy, cold-pressed juice.
These hands help and give.
They are gentle, loving hands with a little flavor and spice.
They belong to a woman whose heart is wide open for you.
A woman whose strength and independence shows in her kindness and humility. Which is the ultimate example.
They are the hands of my best friend. I love her like my own blood.
Photos by Miller Taylor.
April 2015 CreativeMornings/Raleigh event (global theme: Humility) with guest speakers Mike and Megan Gilger, husband and wife creative team behind Wild Measure studio and The Fresh Exchange blog.
In 2009, Megan and Mike began their lifestyle and design blog, The Fresh Exchange Today, the blog reaches over a half million people everyday, inspiring creators of all kinds to pursue their dreams and live a beautiful and intentional life. The creative couple works together to create original content through photo, video, editorial writing, aesthetic curation, and social media. With a simple, natural, and organic nature to their content, Megan and Mike have had the opportunity to work with brands such as Smartwater, Bing, Gap, Madewell, Bota Box, Levi’s, Feedly, Kinfolk Magazine, Over, Warby Parker, Tuft & Needle, Shinola, and many others.
Special thanks to our host CAM Raleigh and sponsors CompostNow, Counter Culture Coffee, who generously provided us with complimentary coffee, Yellow Dog Bread Company, who provided the tasty breakfast snacks, and Raleigh Raw , who provided the healthy, cold-pressed juice.
Ha a szíved kószál és szenved,
óvatosan vidd vissza a helyére
és helyezd gyengéden a te Istened jelenlétébe.
És ha soha semmi mást nem
csináltál egész életedben,
csak a szívedet hoztad vissza
és helyezted Isten jelenlétébe,
habár újra és újra elfutott miután visszahoztad,
akkor nem éltél hiába.
Szalézi Szent Ferenc
the church of the nativity has two sides - one side belongs to the Franciscans and the other to the Greek Orthodox church. this is the entrances to the Greek Orthodox side.
but i might be remembering this all wrong, we visited this place when i was on my 2nd day with no sleep and having come straight from the airport in Tel Aviv, so i was kind of dizzy. i did look things up on wikipedia tho and apparently this is the Doorway of Humility seeing as how you have to stoop to enter.
Photos by Miller Taylor.
April 2015 CreativeMornings/Raleigh event (global theme: Humility) with guest speakers Mike and Megan Gilger, husband and wife creative team behind Wild Measure studio and The Fresh Exchange blog.
In 2009, Megan and Mike began their lifestyle and design blog, The Fresh Exchange Today, the blog reaches over a half million people everyday, inspiring creators of all kinds to pursue their dreams and live a beautiful and intentional life. The creative couple works together to create original content through photo, video, editorial writing, aesthetic curation, and social media. With a simple, natural, and organic nature to their content, Megan and Mike have had the opportunity to work with brands such as Smartwater, Bing, Gap, Madewell, Bota Box, Levi’s, Feedly, Kinfolk Magazine, Over, Warby Parker, Tuft & Needle, Shinola, and many others.
Special thanks to our host CAM Raleigh and sponsors CompostNow, Counter Culture Coffee, who generously provided us with complimentary coffee, Yellow Dog Bread Company, who provided the tasty breakfast snacks, and Raleigh Raw , who provided the healthy, cold-pressed juice.
If there is any advice Col. Kirk Gibbs can give to his successor, it is this: Lead with honor and humility.
As Gibbs, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Los Angeles District’s 61st commander, prepares to relinquish command of the LA District July 19 to Col. Aaron Barta, he offered up some advice and reflected on the past three years as the leader of one of the largest Corps districts in the country.
There are many things Gibbs said he is proud of when it comes to the LA District, but three things stand out: the District being recognized two years in a row as a "Best Place to Work" in the Corps; completing Weed Army Hospital at Fort Irwin, California – the Department of Defense’s only Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design-Platinum, carbon-neutral, net-zero certifiable hospital – on time and within budget; and the one-on-one time he was able to spend with employees in the District.
It is the people Gibbs said he will miss the most – the employees and the District’s close partners across the four-state area.
“I have never focused on relationships like I have here in this District, and I sincerely believe it is part of the District's culture,” he said. “When projects are tough, the close relationships get us through those challenges and ultimately deliver the program.”
During his time with the LA District, Gibbs has overseen a multimillion-dollar program that provides engineering, construction, planning, contracting, real estate, emergency operations, environmental and regulatory services to military, federal, state and local governments across a 226,000-square-mile area of Southern California, Nevada, Arizona and Utah. That also includes leading about 750 military and civilian personnel with a wide array of expertise.
But leading people is nothing new to Gibbs, who has served for more than 24 years as an active-duty Soldier, leading both military and civilian personnel.
“Each person is different, and I have learned that good leaders get to know each person individually and then lead them in a way that brings out the best in that employee,” he said.
Providing priorities and a solid intent on the District’s missions, particularly disaster response operations, helps employees stay focused on what’s really important, he said.
Gibbs will now serve as the chief of staff at the Corps’ headquarters in Washington, D.C. There, he said, he hopes to be an advocate for all of the Corps’ districts nationwide.
“I feel that this District and the great people are responsible for giving me the incredible opportunity of being the Corps’ chief of staff,” he said. “The people have taught me so much, and I will take that with me to make a positive impact on the Corps’ enterprise and help our Districts deliver our programs in civil works, military, Interagency and International Services, real estate and regulatory.”
Gibbs knows how the importance of mentors and having a good support system have played in shaping his career, and he credits his parents with instilling in him respect for others; his wife, Kim, who taught him to endure all challenges, no matter how great, with grace and dignity; and his former chief of staff – Col. Steve Hill – for giving him tough jobs to prepare him for success.
“(Hill) gave me tough jobs that I thought he could have done at the time, but as I look back, the toughest assignments he gave me in that civilian organization at the Corps headquarters prepared me for District command and enabled me to achieve the goal of commanding at the battalion, brigade and District levels,” he said. “I also remember he told me I would be a chief of staff for the Corps one day. He was preparing me for that. I didn't believe him, but that is my next job.”
And, as for additional advice he can share with Barta, Gibbs provided these words of wisdom:
- Be prepared to change leadership style when leading a District of professional civilians. Don't lead them in the same way as Soldiers;
- Engage with people and get around to see them across the District's entire area of operation. Don't sit behind a desk;
- Study hard initially and learn the policies, processes and programs. “You will never be the expert, but you must prepare yourself to make effective decisions as quickly as possible”;
- Always provide a commander's intent and an end state. The civilian workforce appreciates that; and, lastly,
- Lead with honor and humility. “It isn't about you. It is about the District's people and our vital mission.”
As for the future of the LA District, Gibbs said he hopes future leaders continue to change the culture to an organization that is more risk tolerant in streamlining processes and moving projects forward; deliver the Department of Veterans Affairs and Customs and Border Protection programs phenomenally – on time, within budget and to the highest quality; and to remain a "Best Place to Work" in order to retain and recruit talent to the high-cost living area of Southern California.
“I want the District to do what it always does and ‘knock those programs out of the park,’” he said.
Photos by Miller Taylor.
April 2015 CreativeMornings/Raleigh event (global theme: Humility) with guest speakers Mike and Megan Gilger, husband and wife creative team behind Wild Measure studio and The Fresh Exchange blog.
In 2009, Megan and Mike began their lifestyle and design blog, The Fresh Exchange Today, the blog reaches over a half million people everyday, inspiring creators of all kinds to pursue their dreams and live a beautiful and intentional life. The creative couple works together to create original content through photo, video, editorial writing, aesthetic curation, and social media. With a simple, natural, and organic nature to their content, Megan and Mike have had the opportunity to work with brands such as Smartwater, Bing, Gap, Madewell, Bota Box, Levi’s, Feedly, Kinfolk Magazine, Over, Warby Parker, Tuft & Needle, Shinola, and many others.
Special thanks to our host CAM Raleigh and sponsors CompostNow, Counter Culture Coffee, who generously provided us with complimentary coffee, Yellow Dog Bread Company, who provided the tasty breakfast snacks, and Raleigh Raw , who provided the healthy, cold-pressed juice.
In diplomatic career, one comes across many distinguished and accomplished personalities. One such individual who impressed me greatly with his intellect, humility and passion for Islam and Muslims was Muhammad Asad, the celebrated author of “The Road to Mecca” and “The Message of the Qur’an.” I had the pleasure to meet him in 1987 when he visited Pakistan Embassy in Spain. When I offered him coffee he asked for Pakistani “chai,” a taste he had acquired during his long and eventful stay in Pakistan decades ago. Though he was 87 years old at the time, I could sense from his demeanor that he had had a glorious past.
In our conversation, he recalled fondly his time spent with the Bedouins in Saudi Arabia and his long years in Pakistan. I was an admirer of his writings and we talked about his books. He had absorbed the Muslim tradition of hospitality and magnanimity. I was pleasantly surprised when he returned the next day to present me signed copies of his books as a token of appreciation.
Few people know that apart from being an inspired writer, a distinguished scholar of Islam, an expert of Semitic languages and a perceptive traveler in the Islamic world, Asad also acted as an envoy for Saudi Arabia in 1920s and then went on to become a formal diplomat for Pakistan in its formative years.
Asad was born as Leopold Weiss to a Jewish family on July 12, 1900, in the town of Lvov (Lemberg), today in Ukraine, but then part of the Habsburg Empire. In 1922, he became a correspondent in the Middle East for the “Frankfurter Zeitung,” a prestigious German newspaper. Impressed with his writing, the paper soon commissioned him to travel more widely to collect information for a book. Asad traveled for two years through Syria, Iraq, Kurdistan, Iran, Afghanistan and Central Asia, getting closer to Islam in the process.
Upon concluding his travels, Asad returned to Germany to write his book but differences with the editor of the “Frankfurter Zeitung” led him to resign. He took up Islamic studies and wrote as a stringer for other newspapers. Ironically, it was here, in the heart of Europe, that he was inspired to convert. Asad writes that while traveling in the Berlin subway, noticed that the people around him on the train had no smiles on their faces despite their worldly attainments. Returning to his flat, a surah in the Quran he had been reading caught his eye: “You are obsessed by greed for more and more / Until you go down to your graves.” And then later, in the same verse: “Nay, if you but knew it with the knowledge of certainty, / You would indeed see the hell you are in.” Asad wrote that any doubt he had that the Qur’an was a revealed book vanished. He went to the leader of the Berlin Islamic Society and converted to Islam, taking the name Muhammad Asad.
Thus began Asad’s love affair with Islam which would take him to the heart of Islam in Arabia. During his pilgrimage to Makkah, he had a chance to meet with Prince Faisal in the Grand Mosque’s library who invited him to meet with his father, the legendary King Abdulaziz Al-Saud. The king was a perceptive judge of character and soon Asad had almost daily audiences with the king and became part of his inner circle. During the next few years, the king employed Asad on certain foreign missions.
At this time in British-ruled South Asia, Muslims had begun to struggle for a separate homeland for themselves, which they would later name “Pakistan.” Asad arrived in Karachi in 1932 by ship and left for Lahore. In 1933, Asad landed in the capital of Kashmir where another freedom struggle had started. The pre-dominantly Muslim population of Kashmir had begun to revolt against the Hindu prince ruling the state. Asad’s activities in Kashmir alarmed the British intelligence. The prince’s government also wanted to expel him.
On return from Kashmir to Lahore, Asad met the poet-philosopher Muhammad Iqbal. It was Iqbal who had proposed for the first time the formation of a separate state for South Asian Muslims in 1930. Iqbal asked Asad to remain in India and work “to elucidate the intellectual premises of the future Islamic state.” Iqbal, 24 years senior to Asad, shared a German connection with Asad as he had obtained his Ph.D. from Germany. He must have inspired Asad with his towering intellect, political acumen and intimate knowledge of Islamic and Western philosophy and literature. For Iqbal’s fervent criticism of materialism, excessive individualism and Godless democracy would find echoes in the pamphlet “Islam at the Crossroads” written by Asad in 1934. This text resonated with Muslims everywhere, going through repeated printings and editions in India and Pakistan. It also appeared in an Arabic translation in Beirut in 1946 under the title “Al-Islam ‘ala muftariq al-turuq” which was published in numerous editions through the 1940s and 1950s.
The ruler of Hyderabad, the Nizam, had established a journal “Islamic Culture” which was edited by Mohammed Marmaduke Pickthall (1875-1936), a British convert to Islam well known for his English translation of the Qur’an. When Pickthall died in 1936, the Nizam chose Asad for the editorship of the journal. In October 1938, Asad resigned from the editorship of Islamic Culture, and then left India. He returned to Europe in 1939 with the intention of saving his Jewish parents from Nazis. But his efforts ended fruitlessly as Germany invaded Poland and Britain declared war against Germany in September 1939. Back in India, Asad was detained by the British rulers immediately as an enemy national and spent the next six years in internment camps with Germans, Austrians and Italians.
The scholar Martin Kramer writes that upon Asad’s release, he “wholly identified with the cause of Pakistan, which he saw not simply as a refuge, but as the framework for an ideal Islamic polity.” He understood that a new state for Muslims of India was “an historical necessity” to preserve their separate identity. After Pakistan came into being in 1947, Asad became director of the Department of Islamic Reconstruction and began formulating proposals for its constitution.
Asad’s purpose was to portray an Islamic state as a liberal, multiparty parliamentary democracy. He cited evidence in the Islamic sources for elections, parliamentary legislation and political parties. His proposals, published in March 1948 as Islamic Constitution-Making, were reflected in the Preamble to the first Constitution of Pakistan, adopted by the Constituent Assembly in 1949. That year, Asad joined Pakistan’s foreign service, eventually rising to the position of head of the Middle East Division of the Foreign Ministry. According to Kramer, “his transformation was now complete, down to his Pakistani achkan (formal Pakistani dress) and black fur cap.” In 1952, he went to New York, as Pakistan’s minister plenipotentiary to the United Nations.
Like Kashmir, Asad was also drawn to the Palestinian struggle for freedom. Early in 1922, an uncle had invited Asad to visit Jerusalem where another uncle was an ardent Zionist. But Asad was anti-Zionist even before his conversion. He wrote, “I conceived from the outset a strong objection to Zionism. I considered it immoral that immigrants should come from abroad with the avowed intention of attaining to majority in the country and thus to dispossess the people whose country it had been since time immemorial.”
At the end of 1952, Asad resigned from Pakistan Foreign Service to focus attention on what would be his masterpiece, “The Road to Mecca” which won accolades in East and West alike. Asad also planned to write a new English translation of the Qur’an and began work on it in 1960. He was not satisfied with the existing English translations of Qur’an since he believed that “familiarity with the Bedouin speech of Central and Eastern Arabia—in addition to academic knowledge of classical Arabic” was the only way for a non-Arab of his time to achieve the required understanding of the diction of the Qur’an. He admired Prince Faisal immensely and had reestablished a link with him in 1951. In 1963, Prince Faisal financed the translation project through Muslim World League. Asad published a limited edition of the first nine surahs in 1964. In 1980, he published the full translation and commentary, called “The Message of the Qur’an.”
Asad died on Feb. 20, 1992. He was buried in the small Muslim cemetery in Granada, Spain. He was, like Iqbal, deeply aware of the issues of the 20th century Islamic world. He foresaw its problems and suggested solutions which can be found all over his writings. He wanted Muslims to be aware of the glorious standards of knowledge, morality and spiritual progress set by Islam. In the modern Muslim’s struggle to attain those standards, Asad’s writings will remain a bright beacon for generations.
The author is Ambassador of Pakistan to Saudi Arabia.
Thursday 24 May 2012
Arabi News
If there is any advice Col. Kirk Gibbs can give to his successor, it is this: Lead with honor and humility.
As Gibbs, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Los Angeles District’s 61st commander, prepares to relinquish command of the LA District July 19 to Col. Aaron Barta, he offered up some advice and reflected on the past three years as the leader of one of the largest Corps districts in the country.
There are many things Gibbs said he is proud of when it comes to the LA District, but three things stand out: the District being recognized two years in a row as a "Best Place to Work" in the Corps; completing Weed Army Hospital at Fort Irwin, California – the Department of Defense’s only Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design-Platinum, carbon-neutral, net-zero certifiable hospital – on time and within budget; and the one-on-one time he was able to spend with employees in the District.
It is the people Gibbs said he will miss the most – the employees and the District’s close partners across the four-state area.
“I have never focused on relationships like I have here in this District, and I sincerely believe it is part of the District's culture,” he said. “When projects are tough, the close relationships get us through those challenges and ultimately deliver the program.”
During his time with the LA District, Gibbs has overseen a multimillion-dollar program that provides engineering, construction, planning, contracting, real estate, emergency operations, environmental and regulatory services to military, federal, state and local governments across a 226,000-square-mile area of Southern California, Nevada, Arizona and Utah. That also includes leading about 750 military and civilian personnel with a wide array of expertise.
But leading people is nothing new to Gibbs, who has served for more than 24 years as an active-duty Soldier, leading both military and civilian personnel.
“Each person is different, and I have learned that good leaders get to know each person individually and then lead them in a way that brings out the best in that employee,” he said.
Providing priorities and a solid intent on the District’s missions, particularly disaster response operations, helps employees stay focused on what’s really important, he said.
Gibbs will now serve as the chief of staff at the Corps’ headquarters in Washington, D.C. There, he said, he hopes to be an advocate for all of the Corps’ districts nationwide.
“I feel that this District and the great people are responsible for giving me the incredible opportunity of being the Corps’ chief of staff,” he said. “The people have taught me so much, and I will take that with me to make a positive impact on the Corps’ enterprise and help our Districts deliver our programs in civil works, military, Interagency and International Services, real estate and regulatory.”
Gibbs knows how the importance of mentors and having a good support system have played in shaping his career, and he credits his parents with instilling in him respect for others; his wife, Kim, who taught him to endure all challenges, no matter how great, with grace and dignity; and his former chief of staff – Col. Steve Hill – for giving him tough jobs to prepare him for success.
“(Hill) gave me tough jobs that I thought he could have done at the time, but as I look back, the toughest assignments he gave me in that civilian organization at the Corps headquarters prepared me for District command and enabled me to achieve the goal of commanding at the battalion, brigade and District levels,” he said. “I also remember he told me I would be a chief of staff for the Corps one day. He was preparing me for that. I didn't believe him, but that is my next job.”
And, as for additional advice he can share with Barta, Gibbs provided these words of wisdom:
- Be prepared to change leadership style when leading a District of professional civilians. Don't lead them in the same way as Soldiers;
- Engage with people and get around to see them across the District's entire area of operation. Don't sit behind a desk;
- Study hard initially and learn the policies, processes and programs. “You will never be the expert, but you must prepare yourself to make effective decisions as quickly as possible”;
- Always provide a commander's intent and an end state. The civilian workforce appreciates that; and, lastly,
- Lead with honor and humility. “It isn't about you. It is about the District's people and our vital mission.”
As for the future of the LA District, Gibbs said he hopes future leaders continue to change the culture to an organization that is more risk tolerant in streamlining processes and moving projects forward; deliver the Department of Veterans Affairs and Customs and Border Protection programs phenomenally – on time, within budget and to the highest quality; and to remain a "Best Place to Work" in order to retain and recruit talent to the high-cost living area of Southern California.
“I want the District to do what it always does and ‘knock those programs out of the park,’” he said.
If there is any advice Col. Kirk Gibbs can give to his successor, it is this: Lead with honor and humility.
As Gibbs, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Los Angeles District’s 61st commander, prepares to relinquish command of the LA District July 19 to Col. Aaron Barta, he offered up some advice and reflected on the past three years as the leader of one of the largest Corps districts in the country.
There are many things Gibbs said he is proud of when it comes to the LA District, but three things stand out: the District being recognized two years in a row as a "Best Place to Work" in the Corps; completing Weed Army Hospital at Fort Irwin, California – the Department of Defense’s only Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design-Platinum, carbon-neutral, net-zero certifiable hospital – on time and within budget; and the one-on-one time he was able to spend with employees in the District.
It is the people Gibbs said he will miss the most – the employees and the District’s close partners across the four-state area.
“I have never focused on relationships like I have here in this District, and I sincerely believe it is part of the District's culture,” he said. “When projects are tough, the close relationships get us through those challenges and ultimately deliver the program.”
During his time with the LA District, Gibbs has overseen a multimillion-dollar program that provides engineering, construction, planning, contracting, real estate, emergency operations, environmental and regulatory services to military, federal, state and local governments across a 226,000-square-mile area of Southern California, Nevada, Arizona and Utah. That also includes leading about 750 military and civilian personnel with a wide array of expertise.
But leading people is nothing new to Gibbs, who has served for more than 24 years as an active-duty Soldier, leading both military and civilian personnel.
“Each person is different, and I have learned that good leaders get to know each person individually and then lead them in a way that brings out the best in that employee,” he said.
Providing priorities and a solid intent on the District’s missions, particularly disaster response operations, helps employees stay focused on what’s really important, he said.
Gibbs will now serve as the chief of staff at the Corps’ headquarters in Washington, D.C. There, he said, he hopes to be an advocate for all of the Corps’ districts nationwide.
“I feel that this District and the great people are responsible for giving me the incredible opportunity of being the Corps’ chief of staff,” he said. “The people have taught me so much, and I will take that with me to make a positive impact on the Corps’ enterprise and help our Districts deliver our programs in civil works, military, Interagency and International Services, real estate and regulatory.”
Gibbs knows how the importance of mentors and having a good support system have played in shaping his career, and he credits his parents with instilling in him respect for others; his wife, Kim, who taught him to endure all challenges, no matter how great, with grace and dignity; and his former chief of staff – Col. Steve Hill – for giving him tough jobs to prepare him for success.
“(Hill) gave me tough jobs that I thought he could have done at the time, but as I look back, the toughest assignments he gave me in that civilian organization at the Corps headquarters prepared me for District command and enabled me to achieve the goal of commanding at the battalion, brigade and District levels,” he said. “I also remember he told me I would be a chief of staff for the Corps one day. He was preparing me for that. I didn't believe him, but that is my next job.”
And, as for additional advice he can share with Barta, Gibbs provided these words of wisdom:
- Be prepared to change leadership style when leading a District of professional civilians. Don't lead them in the same way as Soldiers;
- Engage with people and get around to see them across the District's entire area of operation. Don't sit behind a desk;
- Study hard initially and learn the policies, processes and programs. “You will never be the expert, but you must prepare yourself to make effective decisions as quickly as possible”;
- Always provide a commander's intent and an end state. The civilian workforce appreciates that; and, lastly,
- Lead with honor and humility. “It isn't about you. It is about the District's people and our vital mission.”
As for the future of the LA District, Gibbs said he hopes future leaders continue to change the culture to an organization that is more risk tolerant in streamlining processes and moving projects forward; deliver the Department of Veterans Affairs and Customs and Border Protection programs phenomenally – on time, within budget and to the highest quality; and to remain a "Best Place to Work" in order to retain and recruit talent to the high-cost living area of Southern California.
“I want the District to do what it always does and ‘knock those programs out of the park,’” he said.
© 2012 PKG Photography, all rights reserved
Significance of peacock feather
Hinduism is the fusion of various cultures, traditions and symbols. Each and every culture, tradition and symbol in Hinduism has its own importance. Everything is connected deeply to roots and has a unique way of its origin. There is nothing without meaning. We all know about the national bird of India- Peacock and adore its beauty. Its head, neck, feathers, in fact almost every feature captures one's eye.
Peacock feathers have great significance in Hinduism. Many people even keep peacock feathers in their houses. Do you know why? Do you know what the connection of peacock with the Hinduism is? Do you know what the significance of peacock feathers in Hinduism is?According to the Hindu mythology, the peacock was created from one of the feathers of the bird Garuda (a mythical creature) which is the carrier of Lord Vishnu. Many Hindu sculptures use peacocks as a symbol of the cycle of time. The Peacock is also associated with Goddess Saraswati, a deity representing benevolence, patience, kindness, compassion and knowledge. It has a special relation with Lord Krishna too. Lord Krishna wears peacock feathers on his head and also ties them with his flute. These feathers are given to him by the peacocks themselves.
It is believed that once Lord Krishna was playing his flute, the sweet melody that poured out made the peacocks dance in joy and excitement. At the end of a long dance, they spread their feathers and the king Peacock offered with great humility its feathers as an offering. The Lord accepted it and adorned himself with it. Goddess Kaumari, another form of Shakti also rides a peacock. Peacock is also the mount of Hindu God of war Murugan, also called Kartikeya, the brother of Ganesha.The beautiful feathers of the peacock which we all adore today once were very dull. It is believed in a battle between Ravana and Lord Indra, the bird opened its feathers for Lord Indra to hide behind and wage a war. Lord Indra was saved and in gratitude, he made peacock long feathers iridescent. That is why Lord Indra is often depicted as seated on a peacock throne.
The peacock's feather in all ages has been considered as a sign of beauty and knowledge, beauty because it is beautiful, knowledge because it is in the form of an eye. People keep the peacock feathers in their houses because it is believed that keeping peacock feather at home brings good luck and prosperity in the house.
The feather of the peacock has extraordinary powers, They give hypnotizing powers to the wearer. They stand for beauty, richness in life, Felicity and joy. The dark colours in it stand for sorrow, sadness and the bright colours for happiness. The eyes in the feathers are seen on both the sides, which commonly do not occur. It is very rare in nature. It represents the divine wisdom or the third eye of Krishna.
One is blessed with auspiciousness, wealth, health and transcendent knowledge when one worships Krishna with the feathers on his crown. It helps one attain the supreme knowledge of the self. It symbolically states that wisdom of the mind and love of the heart makes one existence whole and for this blessed state. It represents divine love that enters the human heart and fills one's entire being in ecstasy. It also reminds us of the romantic love shared between Krishna and Radha. It is said Lord Krishna cleansed the holy feet of Radha with Peacock feathers, during their playtimes in Vrindavan.
The peacock is also considered to be a bird of protection and safe guarding. The feather protects one from evil eye and destroys all negativity like anger, greed, and jealousy. They also have the power to away from the bad influences of the planets. This bird is also valued as a protection for the psychic self. It brings harmony and joy to our mind. The peacock bird is majestic and proud, with much dramatic expression - the male bird dances for the sake of the female during courting, reminding us of the celebration in life.
Peacock feather is vastly used in the Vastu Shastra too. It is said that the South direction represents Lord Kuber and if the feather of the peacock is kept on the southern side of the locker room where you keep your wealth, it increases in leaps and bounds. The peacock is also connected to rain. It is said to be able to foretell rain, by dancing before it pours. And, if a peacock cries more than usual, it is said to foretell the death of someone in the family.
Not only in Hinduism, In Christianity too, the peacock is a symbol of eternal life. The Peacock symbolism represents the "all-seeing" church, along with the holiness and sanctity associated with it. Additionally, the Peacock represents resurrection, renewal and immortality within the spiritual teachings of Christianity.
If there is any advice Col. Kirk Gibbs can give to his successor, it is this: Lead with honor and humility.
As Gibbs, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Los Angeles District’s 61st commander, prepares to relinquish command of the LA District July 19 to Col. Aaron Barta, he offered up some advice and reflected on the past three years as the leader of one of the largest Corps districts in the country.
There are many things Gibbs said he is proud of when it comes to the LA District, but three things stand out: the District being recognized two years in a row as a "Best Place to Work" in the Corps; completing Weed Army Hospital at Fort Irwin, California – the Department of Defense’s only Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design-Platinum, carbon-neutral, net-zero certifiable hospital – on time and within budget; and the one-on-one time he was able to spend with employees in the District.
It is the people Gibbs said he will miss the most – the employees and the District’s close partners across the four-state area.
“I have never focused on relationships like I have here in this District, and I sincerely believe it is part of the District's culture,” he said. “When projects are tough, the close relationships get us through those challenges and ultimately deliver the program.”
During his time with the LA District, Gibbs has overseen a multimillion-dollar program that provides engineering, construction, planning, contracting, real estate, emergency operations, environmental and regulatory services to military, federal, state and local governments across a 226,000-square-mile area of Southern California, Nevada, Arizona and Utah. That also includes leading about 750 military and civilian personnel with a wide array of expertise.
But leading people is nothing new to Gibbs, who has served for more than 24 years as an active-duty Soldier, leading both military and civilian personnel.
“Each person is different, and I have learned that good leaders get to know each person individually and then lead them in a way that brings out the best in that employee,” he said.
Providing priorities and a solid intent on the District’s missions, particularly disaster response operations, helps employees stay focused on what’s really important, he said.
Gibbs will now serve as the chief of staff at the Corps’ headquarters in Washington, D.C. There, he said, he hopes to be an advocate for all of the Corps’ districts nationwide.
“I feel that this District and the great people are responsible for giving me the incredible opportunity of being the Corps’ chief of staff,” he said. “The people have taught me so much, and I will take that with me to make a positive impact on the Corps’ enterprise and help our Districts deliver our programs in civil works, military, Interagency and International Services, real estate and regulatory.”
Gibbs knows how the importance of mentors and having a good support system have played in shaping his career, and he credits his parents with instilling in him respect for others; his wife, Kim, who taught him to endure all challenges, no matter how great, with grace and dignity; and his former chief of staff – Col. Steve Hill – for giving him tough jobs to prepare him for success.
“(Hill) gave me tough jobs that I thought he could have done at the time, but as I look back, the toughest assignments he gave me in that civilian organization at the Corps headquarters prepared me for District command and enabled me to achieve the goal of commanding at the battalion, brigade and District levels,” he said. “I also remember he told me I would be a chief of staff for the Corps one day. He was preparing me for that. I didn't believe him, but that is my next job.”
And, as for additional advice he can share with Barta, Gibbs provided these words of wisdom:
- Be prepared to change leadership style when leading a District of professional civilians. Don't lead them in the same way as Soldiers;
- Engage with people and get around to see them across the District's entire area of operation. Don't sit behind a desk;
- Study hard initially and learn the policies, processes and programs. “You will never be the expert, but you must prepare yourself to make effective decisions as quickly as possible”;
- Always provide a commander's intent and an end state. The civilian workforce appreciates that; and, lastly,
- Lead with honor and humility. “It isn't about you. It is about the District's people and our vital mission.”
As for the future of the LA District, Gibbs said he hopes future leaders continue to change the culture to an organization that is more risk tolerant in streamlining processes and moving projects forward; deliver the Department of Veterans Affairs and Customs and Border Protection programs phenomenally – on time, within budget and to the highest quality; and to remain a "Best Place to Work" in order to retain and recruit talent to the high-cost living area of Southern California.
“I want the District to do what it always does and ‘knock those programs out of the park,’” he said.
If there is any advice Col. Kirk Gibbs can give to his successor, it is this: Lead with honor and humility.
As Gibbs, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Los Angeles District’s 61st commander, prepares to relinquish command of the LA District July 19 to Col. Aaron Barta, he offered up some advice and reflected on the past three years as the leader of one of the largest Corps districts in the country.
There are many things Gibbs said he is proud of when it comes to the LA District, but three things stand out: the District being recognized two years in a row as a "Best Place to Work" in the Corps; completing Weed Army Hospital at Fort Irwin, California – the Department of Defense’s only Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design-Platinum, carbon-neutral, net-zero certifiable hospital – on time and within budget; and the one-on-one time he was able to spend with employees in the District.
It is the people Gibbs said he will miss the most – the employees and the District’s close partners across the four-state area.
“I have never focused on relationships like I have here in this District, and I sincerely believe it is part of the District's culture,” he said. “When projects are tough, the close relationships get us through those challenges and ultimately deliver the program.”
During his time with the LA District, Gibbs has overseen a multimillion-dollar program that provides engineering, construction, planning, contracting, real estate, emergency operations, environmental and regulatory services to military, federal, state and local governments across a 226,000-square-mile area of Southern California, Nevada, Arizona and Utah. That also includes leading about 750 military and civilian personnel with a wide array of expertise.
But leading people is nothing new to Gibbs, who has served for more than 24 years as an active-duty Soldier, leading both military and civilian personnel.
“Each person is different, and I have learned that good leaders get to know each person individually and then lead them in a way that brings out the best in that employee,” he said.
Providing priorities and a solid intent on the District’s missions, particularly disaster response operations, helps employees stay focused on what’s really important, he said.
Gibbs will now serve as the chief of staff at the Corps’ headquarters in Washington, D.C. There, he said, he hopes to be an advocate for all of the Corps’ districts nationwide.
“I feel that this District and the great people are responsible for giving me the incredible opportunity of being the Corps’ chief of staff,” he said. “The people have taught me so much, and I will take that with me to make a positive impact on the Corps’ enterprise and help our Districts deliver our programs in civil works, military, Interagency and International Services, real estate and regulatory.”
Gibbs knows how the importance of mentors and having a good support system have played in shaping his career, and he credits his parents with instilling in him respect for others; his wife, Kim, who taught him to endure all challenges, no matter how great, with grace and dignity; and his former chief of staff – Col. Steve Hill – for giving him tough jobs to prepare him for success.
“(Hill) gave me tough jobs that I thought he could have done at the time, but as I look back, the toughest assignments he gave me in that civilian organization at the Corps headquarters prepared me for District command and enabled me to achieve the goal of commanding at the battalion, brigade and District levels,” he said. “I also remember he told me I would be a chief of staff for the Corps one day. He was preparing me for that. I didn't believe him, but that is my next job.”
And, as for additional advice he can share with Barta, Gibbs provided these words of wisdom:
- Be prepared to change leadership style when leading a District of professional civilians. Don't lead them in the same way as Soldiers;
- Engage with people and get around to see them across the District's entire area of operation. Don't sit behind a desk;
- Study hard initially and learn the policies, processes and programs. “You will never be the expert, but you must prepare yourself to make effective decisions as quickly as possible”;
- Always provide a commander's intent and an end state. The civilian workforce appreciates that; and, lastly,
- Lead with honor and humility. “It isn't about you. It is about the District's people and our vital mission.”
As for the future of the LA District, Gibbs said he hopes future leaders continue to change the culture to an organization that is more risk tolerant in streamlining processes and moving projects forward; deliver the Department of Veterans Affairs and Customs and Border Protection programs phenomenally – on time, within budget and to the highest quality; and to remain a "Best Place to Work" in order to retain and recruit talent to the high-cost living area of Southern California.
“I want the District to do what it always does and ‘knock those programs out of the park,’” he said.