Denny is pushing the envelop

LeaderShape colleagues - I'm sorry our remote reading program didn't work out quite as effectively as we might have wanted. However, it was great to try. With school starting up, having the time to dedicate to it now is probably impossible for most of us.

In the meantime, I have a bit of news. When we were together in June, I had no clue what would hit me at the end of the month and as the summer unfolded. I was called in late June and asked if I would consider another position. I had thought that I'd stay with Miami to complete my career but, when I heard of the new possibility, I couldn't help myself. The irony of this was that Carla (with her great perceptiveness and candor) asked me on one of our walks at Allerton, "Denny, what's next for you? I really think you should take all of these ideas of yours and put them to work on a bigger scale." I never imagined that something was working in my soul at that very moment...

Last Monday, August 13, I accepted a new position in Doha, Qatar, with the Qatar Foundation. The position works primarily with the Education City campus. Yes, Education City is the umbrella organization with which Carnegie Mellon's branch campus is affiliated - the one for which my daughter, Darbi, now works. It's unbelievable that this opportunity came down the road for me. I look back at the last six years and probably longer to realize that the desire and preparation to do this were inside me all along - just waiting to emerge. Letting myself explore new ideas shaped who I am and placed me in the path of this extraordinary opportunity to engage with others in profound and transformative change.

I've been blogging for a long time and my latest entries on Pursing Leadership by Denny are about the Qatar Foundation decision. Rather than duplicate the information and reflections just check it out on the other blog. Please browse Darbi's blog entries as well, which are linked off my profile.

I want to thank each of you again for our experience this June. I'm convinced that we were placed together for very important and purposeful reasons. You helped prepare me for the decisions that have unfolded since then.

My best to you always, Denny