A friend recently told me about a survey taken by senior citizens. They were asked about the most important things in their lives and their order of importance.
The first priority on the list was no surprise: It was health.
I believe the second characteristic is something for leaders to consider. Many athletic coaches have picked up on this concept. They do add some fun into their practices, especially at the end of practice. We often ended a practice with a shooting drill we learned from a great coach, the late Rick Majerus. We pitted the big men against the perimeter players in the drill. After making five baskets at each end of the floor, the teams came to midcourt and the winning team had to score on a half-court shot. Balls would be flying all over the gym and the players would be wildly cheering for their team. This fun drill ended the practice on a high note.
Leaders and coaches have to be demanding, or nothing will be accomplished. However, work and practices can become long and tedious. Interspersing some fun into them can pick up the spirit of those whom we are leading.
The elderly continue to teach us.