"Ask me and I will tell you remarkable secrets you do not know about things to come."
It was only a matter of time before predictive search became the topic of the day. Yesterday the New York Times ran an article on what Google Now is doing and how getting technology to think one step ahead of us is going to be the next big thing. If technology is about solving a problem, then I think they are right. I for one am inundated with so many inputs from multiple sources that I can't keep up with the things I want to do that really make a difference. When we get to the point that we want to shut it all off to find time to think, then we should know that we are in need of better ways to manage all of the data and information that is flowing towards us. If predictive search works and through anticipation and pattern recognition, technology can create prediction streams to lessen the burdens and relieve the hiccups that might occur, then I think we will forgo concerns of privacy and tech companies knowing too much about us. I stand ready for whatever this next wave will be in this area and we'd be smart to all watch the trends here. It might seem silly to us now, but give it a few years and our consumers and customers will be expecting us to comply and fit into their prediction streams, not ours.
We were long ago given the greatest predictive stream and that is the knowledge that God sees ahead of us, will show us that path, and lead us to a final destination of glory and being with Him. Faith and trust in God is the best predictive search we could ever want or need. Of course, we should enjoy the technology that man has created from the talents that God gave us, but we need not worry about the future or feel as though our lives in totality are ever out of control. All we need to do is truly give over to God our future, our careers, our jobs, our worries and concerns and He will do the rest. Knowing that God runs our predicitive search engine and fills our predictive streams with His waters is pretty cool!
Reference: Jeremiah 33:3 (New Living Translation)
Wednesday, July 31, 2013
Tuesday, July 30, 2013
day 1189: Production Values
"Now may the Lord value my life, even as I have valued yours today. May he rescue me from all my troubles.”
While sports analogies can be overused and leaned on too easily, we can also learn sometimes from the sports world and bring that learning into our businesses. What sports does better than most is measure the production value of players and teams very predicatively towards an ultimate outcome, a well-defined, win or lose. Right now baseball is buzzing about the "long-term deals". These are the 10-year contracts at the time when a player's production values can fall because of age. Alex Rodriguez and Albert Pujols are exhibits one and two right now. As we age in the business world, we might want to say a thank you that there are not such tangible and easy to see measurements as baseball. We might be very surprised at how we decline with age. But we should measure ourselves and be sure that we are still keeping up, fitting in and staying current. If we are not measuring and watching carefully, we need to know that others are and will make their own decisions for us, without us. Consider what playwright and Nobel Laureate George Bernard Shaw had to say about the subject:
God does not grade us on a curve, nor does He every consider discarding us because of what happens to us with age. But, He does expect that we continue to grow in our faith, regardless of age and circumstance. Some of the most faithful people I know are the oldest and most mature, chronologically and in experience. God meets us where we are. Are we seeing this today as a gift and not taking that gift for granted? Let's do a self-assessment today and be sure that we take a step forward in our faith and dependence on Him. Our faith and sharing of His love and grace adds value to the Kingdom. We can bring glory to God in whatever we do today! Let's do it!
Reference: 1 Samuel 26:24 (New Living Translation)
While sports analogies can be overused and leaned on too easily, we can also learn sometimes from the sports world and bring that learning into our businesses. What sports does better than most is measure the production value of players and teams very predicatively towards an ultimate outcome, a well-defined, win or lose. Right now baseball is buzzing about the "long-term deals". These are the 10-year contracts at the time when a player's production values can fall because of age. Alex Rodriguez and Albert Pujols are exhibits one and two right now. As we age in the business world, we might want to say a thank you that there are not such tangible and easy to see measurements as baseball. We might be very surprised at how we decline with age. But we should measure ourselves and be sure that we are still keeping up, fitting in and staying current. If we are not measuring and watching carefully, we need to know that others are and will make their own decisions for us, without us. Consider what playwright and Nobel Laureate George Bernard Shaw had to say about the subject:
“The only man who behaves sensibly
is my tailor; he takes my measure anew each time he sees me, while all
the rest go on with their old measurements and expect them to fit me.”
God does not grade us on a curve, nor does He every consider discarding us because of what happens to us with age. But, He does expect that we continue to grow in our faith, regardless of age and circumstance. Some of the most faithful people I know are the oldest and most mature, chronologically and in experience. God meets us where we are. Are we seeing this today as a gift and not taking that gift for granted? Let's do a self-assessment today and be sure that we take a step forward in our faith and dependence on Him. Our faith and sharing of His love and grace adds value to the Kingdom. We can bring glory to God in whatever we do today! Let's do it!
Reference: 1 Samuel 26:24 (New Living Translation)
Monday, July 29, 2013
day 1188: One Thing
“You must not have any other god but me."
I watch the smartphone category with much interest and intrigue. What I find most fascinating is that the market remains bifurcated along the lines of work and personal interactions and no one has figured out how to blend those two so that the working person actually isn't caught in between. RIM (makers of the Blackberry) owned the working market. They had, and have, the support of the security people inside of corporations and government. The President of the U.S. carries a Blackberry, so it's proven that they have the security advantage. Unfortunately, they don't have an application economy and marketplace, so that means that a business person can't access those fun apps that others can, and really, just because we are at work doesn't mean that we can't and don't need a little fun at the same time. They have tried to blend the two together by allowing us to have two firewalls but that still isn't enough to make them unique above all others. The one thing that Blackberry has going for it, that all other other smartphones have abandoned is, the raised tile qwerty keyboard. Business is about speed and accuracy. As we all know who are sitting in front of a keyboard right now, a raised tile keyboard is the only way to ensure both. Yet, I never see RIM featuring this, what is now their unique feature. In each of out businesses we have one thing that the other doesn't. Do we know what it is? Are we bold and courageous enough to bring it forward and market, sell and stand behind it? That one thing may be the one thing that takes you to number one!
It is clear what our one thing must be and that is our full belief and following of God. As early as it gets God laid out that commandment to us and told us to not put any other god before Him. No, of course we don't walk around talking about our other gods that we worship, but as we all know it is easier than we like for other gods to find their way into our lives and move up in our priorities. We have to be careful and always on the watch that we keep our focus and commitment to God first and all else second. Work, our jobs, our careers can become our god if we are not careful. Let's start this week with ensuring that we have our one thing clear and firmly in the forefront of our lives.
Reference: Exodus 20:3 (New Living Translation)
I watch the smartphone category with much interest and intrigue. What I find most fascinating is that the market remains bifurcated along the lines of work and personal interactions and no one has figured out how to blend those two so that the working person actually isn't caught in between. RIM (makers of the Blackberry) owned the working market. They had, and have, the support of the security people inside of corporations and government. The President of the U.S. carries a Blackberry, so it's proven that they have the security advantage. Unfortunately, they don't have an application economy and marketplace, so that means that a business person can't access those fun apps that others can, and really, just because we are at work doesn't mean that we can't and don't need a little fun at the same time. They have tried to blend the two together by allowing us to have two firewalls but that still isn't enough to make them unique above all others. The one thing that Blackberry has going for it, that all other other smartphones have abandoned is, the raised tile qwerty keyboard. Business is about speed and accuracy. As we all know who are sitting in front of a keyboard right now, a raised tile keyboard is the only way to ensure both. Yet, I never see RIM featuring this, what is now their unique feature. In each of out businesses we have one thing that the other doesn't. Do we know what it is? Are we bold and courageous enough to bring it forward and market, sell and stand behind it? That one thing may be the one thing that takes you to number one!
It is clear what our one thing must be and that is our full belief and following of God. As early as it gets God laid out that commandment to us and told us to not put any other god before Him. No, of course we don't walk around talking about our other gods that we worship, but as we all know it is easier than we like for other gods to find their way into our lives and move up in our priorities. We have to be careful and always on the watch that we keep our focus and commitment to God first and all else second. Work, our jobs, our careers can become our god if we are not careful. Let's start this week with ensuring that we have our one thing clear and firmly in the forefront of our lives.
Reference: Exodus 20:3 (New Living Translation)
Friday, July 26, 2013
day 1187: The Three Boxes
“Get rid of all the bitterness, rage,
anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of malicious
behavior.”
About once every 18 months or so, I would have to ask my assistant to come in on a Saturday with me and help me clean out my office. I was a pack rat. I just felt like I needed to hang on to “stuff”, just in case I needed it for the future. Most of it, I never needed ever again. When Sarbanes-Oxley came along and record retention went from ensuring that the right records were retained, to making sure everything was gone that wasn’t absolutely necessary, I had to get even more aggressive about keeping my files clean. I took a course once on how to best clean out your office. You start with three labeled boxes in the middle of your floor. The first one is labeled; "trash/shred". The second one is labeled; "file somewhere else other than in my office". The third one is labeled; "refile in my office". Every file and drawer in the office is emptied and is to be put in one of the three boxes (or piles) before anything goes back in a drawer or a file. If you are disciplined, what happens is that only the essential stays and all the rest gets trashed or moved out to be determined over time if it is needed (like clothes in our closets, if we haven’t worn them in a year…they can go) or not.
We need to clean out our office regularly just as we need to clean out ourselves too. What should we throw out now to make room for the new stuff? Paul tells us in Ephesians 4:31 what to put in the trash and shred box. He says; “Get rid of all the bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of malicious behavior.” At first reading, we might be saying, that is not me. “I am not bitter or have rage, anger towards others and for sure I don’t slander or am I malicious to others”. Most of us are not the prime suspects for these things so pointedly, but we each have a little of these that can creep up when we least expect it. I’m always surprised when I see the nicest looking people yelling something not nice on the highway behind their car windows at someone else. It seems everyone has a little road rage down deep inside of them. We all have the makings of not being nice and allowing our emotions to get the best of us. Work seems to egg it on in most of us too. Now is the time to put the three boxes in your office and evaluate what stays and what goes. A little housecleaning in the middle of the year could be a good thing for all of us.
Reference: Ephesians 4:31 (New Living Testament)
About once every 18 months or so, I would have to ask my assistant to come in on a Saturday with me and help me clean out my office. I was a pack rat. I just felt like I needed to hang on to “stuff”, just in case I needed it for the future. Most of it, I never needed ever again. When Sarbanes-Oxley came along and record retention went from ensuring that the right records were retained, to making sure everything was gone that wasn’t absolutely necessary, I had to get even more aggressive about keeping my files clean. I took a course once on how to best clean out your office. You start with three labeled boxes in the middle of your floor. The first one is labeled; "trash/shred". The second one is labeled; "file somewhere else other than in my office". The third one is labeled; "refile in my office". Every file and drawer in the office is emptied and is to be put in one of the three boxes (or piles) before anything goes back in a drawer or a file. If you are disciplined, what happens is that only the essential stays and all the rest gets trashed or moved out to be determined over time if it is needed (like clothes in our closets, if we haven’t worn them in a year…they can go) or not.
We need to clean out our office regularly just as we need to clean out ourselves too. What should we throw out now to make room for the new stuff? Paul tells us in Ephesians 4:31 what to put in the trash and shred box. He says; “Get rid of all the bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of malicious behavior.” At first reading, we might be saying, that is not me. “I am not bitter or have rage, anger towards others and for sure I don’t slander or am I malicious to others”. Most of us are not the prime suspects for these things so pointedly, but we each have a little of these that can creep up when we least expect it. I’m always surprised when I see the nicest looking people yelling something not nice on the highway behind their car windows at someone else. It seems everyone has a little road rage down deep inside of them. We all have the makings of not being nice and allowing our emotions to get the best of us. Work seems to egg it on in most of us too. Now is the time to put the three boxes in your office and evaluate what stays and what goes. A little housecleaning in the middle of the year could be a good thing for all of us.
Reference: Ephesians 4:31 (New Living Testament)
Thursday, July 25, 2013
day 1186: Immigration to the Future
Your word is a lamp to guide my feet and a light for my path.
There is lots of talk about U.S. immigration and whether or not we will figure this thing out and rewrite the laws to make sense for where America is today. I didn't grow up with first generation immigrants, but Patti did and she saw firsthand what it was like to have the courage and drive to immigrate from one country to another, to make a better life for oneself and family. Living in Texas in the 90's and California today, we have met many immigrants and they are no less ambitious, hardworking and courageous than those who came through Ellis Island. Which brings me to a point to consider. We are all immigrants when it comes to moving from the past to the future. We come from a place of yesterday (as the Facebook posts like to remind us that we in my generation grew up without cell phones, Twitter, without flat screens, ipods, etc.) and walk into the future as unprepared and bare of belongings as the immigrant who goes to another country with nothing but the clothes on their back. And yes, this takes no less courage to not get stuck where we are, but instead to move forward into the future with optimism, hope and an open mind. The same is true with our businesses and our careers. If we are not willing to immigrate to the future with all that comes with it, then we are, and will literally be, stuck in the past.
As we live in the world around us, we also must think about what it means to immigrate to the future in how we work and live purposefully to bring glory to God in all that we do. What we have is God's Word to be the guide for us and His Holy Spirit to move us along the right paths into the future. As believers and followers of Jesus, we should have no fear of the future and we should daily be standing on its threshold embracing and bounding forward with what can come. As I consider what we will miss when it is our time to go see God, it is that we will miss the future. So, what are we doing to immigrate ahead of the rest to influence and create a future that is bright and positive to others? We can have that influence in our lives, in our jobs, and in the interactions around us daily.
Reference: Psalm 119:105 (New Living Translation)
There is lots of talk about U.S. immigration and whether or not we will figure this thing out and rewrite the laws to make sense for where America is today. I didn't grow up with first generation immigrants, but Patti did and she saw firsthand what it was like to have the courage and drive to immigrate from one country to another, to make a better life for oneself and family. Living in Texas in the 90's and California today, we have met many immigrants and they are no less ambitious, hardworking and courageous than those who came through Ellis Island. Which brings me to a point to consider. We are all immigrants when it comes to moving from the past to the future. We come from a place of yesterday (as the Facebook posts like to remind us that we in my generation grew up without cell phones, Twitter, without flat screens, ipods, etc.) and walk into the future as unprepared and bare of belongings as the immigrant who goes to another country with nothing but the clothes on their back. And yes, this takes no less courage to not get stuck where we are, but instead to move forward into the future with optimism, hope and an open mind. The same is true with our businesses and our careers. If we are not willing to immigrate to the future with all that comes with it, then we are, and will literally be, stuck in the past.
As we live in the world around us, we also must think about what it means to immigrate to the future in how we work and live purposefully to bring glory to God in all that we do. What we have is God's Word to be the guide for us and His Holy Spirit to move us along the right paths into the future. As believers and followers of Jesus, we should have no fear of the future and we should daily be standing on its threshold embracing and bounding forward with what can come. As I consider what we will miss when it is our time to go see God, it is that we will miss the future. So, what are we doing to immigrate ahead of the rest to influence and create a future that is bright and positive to others? We can have that influence in our lives, in our jobs, and in the interactions around us daily.
Reference: Psalm 119:105 (New Living Translation)
Wednesday, July 24, 2013
day 1185: Bye Bye Anonymity, Part 2 - The Amplifiers!
May God give you more and more grace and peace as you grow in your knowledge of God and Jesus our Lord.
I just finished Marina Gorbis' book; "The Nature of the Future". It is a great read and lays out a very plausible path to the future and how our social structures, influenced by technology will make the future a very exciting place to be. She brings forward the idea of "Socialstructing", which means that we need to consider that the transparency and openness of data and who we are by both passive and active deposits into the large data scheme collection of the internet, changes everything going forward. Gorbis unpacks the power of access of information about others (friends, influencers, and aggregated unknowns) into buying transactions, reputation interactions, recommendation engines, advice, and even lending and investment practices. She says, "We are moving away from the dominance of the depersonalized world of institutional production and creating a new economy around social connections and social rewards." To her, this is "socialstructing". She goes on to say that this shift leads us away from anonymous participants to active "amplified individuals" who will make the difference. Do we know who the amplifiers are of our business? They are armed with technology, their social network, and an audience of curious minds who with a nudge of momentum jump onto the bandwagon. Now is the time to take heed and understand the buttons of our business amplifiers.
And here we sit with the gifts of technology and an openness to the world like never before, with the world now telling us to become what God has asked us to be from the beginning, His "Amplified Individuals". We received the Great Commission. We are to be the spreaders of His Word! We are to amplify His love, grace and message to others. Are we His amplifiers or are we still thinking that being anonymous in the Kingdom is good enough? It's time to start exploring how God wants us to use our tools, talents and resources to become His army of amplifiers!
Reference: 2 Peter 1:2 (New Living Translation)
I just finished Marina Gorbis' book; "The Nature of the Future". It is a great read and lays out a very plausible path to the future and how our social structures, influenced by technology will make the future a very exciting place to be. She brings forward the idea of "Socialstructing", which means that we need to consider that the transparency and openness of data and who we are by both passive and active deposits into the large data scheme collection of the internet, changes everything going forward. Gorbis unpacks the power of access of information about others (friends, influencers, and aggregated unknowns) into buying transactions, reputation interactions, recommendation engines, advice, and even lending and investment practices. She says, "We are moving away from the dominance of the depersonalized world of institutional production and creating a new economy around social connections and social rewards." To her, this is "socialstructing". She goes on to say that this shift leads us away from anonymous participants to active "amplified individuals" who will make the difference. Do we know who the amplifiers are of our business? They are armed with technology, their social network, and an audience of curious minds who with a nudge of momentum jump onto the bandwagon. Now is the time to take heed and understand the buttons of our business amplifiers.
And here we sit with the gifts of technology and an openness to the world like never before, with the world now telling us to become what God has asked us to be from the beginning, His "Amplified Individuals". We received the Great Commission. We are to be the spreaders of His Word! We are to amplify His love, grace and message to others. Are we His amplifiers or are we still thinking that being anonymous in the Kingdom is good enough? It's time to start exploring how God wants us to use our tools, talents and resources to become His army of amplifiers!
Reference: 2 Peter 1:2 (New Living Translation)
Tuesday, July 23, 2013
day 1184: Bye Bye Anonymity, Part 1
"May God give you more and more grace and peace as you grow in your knowledge of God and Jesus our Lord."
It wasn't that long ago that we didn't have a clue who bought and used our products and services. Think about it for a second; in walks a person to a convenience store. She buys a single serve diet Pepsi and a bag of Lay's Baked potato chips. And then she is gone. PepsiCo has no idea who she is and neither did the 7-11, where she bought both of them. She had come and gone and both PepsiCo and 7-11 counted her as a positive sale. All good, right? Well, maybe not so good because while driving away from the store she opened the diet Pepsi only to find that it was flat and date expired. She had already opened the chips and started to eat them, which were fine, but she was so upset with the Pepsi being flat that recognizing that Frito-Lay and Pepsi are the same company, she started finding problems with the chips to support her anger. They were too salty, broken and the bag was not filled, or so she had made up in her mind. A few minutes later when she gets to her house, she takes a picture of both the bottle and the bag (in an unflattering pose) and posts the pictures with some not so kind of words about both of them and about 7-11 as the retailer. This young woman happens to be a good and creative writer so her Facebook, Twitter and Instagram posts blow up and within the next 12 hours over a hundred thousand people are piling on with their complaints with the two companies. And to think, Pepsi, Frito-Lay, 7-11 never even knew her. This is not a farfetched scenario. It happens every day, all day long. If the first time we are going to get to know a customer is through a complaint, the shoe is already on the wrong foot. Consider that we can get ahead of this type of introduction by finding ways to engage and lose the anonymity by inviting our customers into a relationship earlier and then keeping it alive with positive dialogue. More tomorrow on this...
Are we not blessed that our God is not one of anonymity or secrets of who He is? Sure, there are a lot of unexplainable aspects to the Holy Trinity and how Jesus is God and Son at the same time, but those are different mysteries than being able to know and have a personal relationship with Jesus, which we can do. God sent Jesus to the earth to be like us, so we could know Him as both God and man. Man like us. He gave us His Word so that we can gain more and more knowledge about who He is. And, as we know, He knows us beyond intimately. He knows each thought, intention and action. There is no anonymity with God. So, why do we try to act like there is? We somehow think that He and others don't see our failings and that we can "get away with it." As we do our best to bring glory to God in our purposed worKING, we must consider that nothing we do allows us to be anonymous in the eyes of God. Let's today consider and be sure that we are aligning all aspects of who we are so to always be ready to be known for our Lord.
Reference: 2 Peter 1:2 (New Living Translation)
It wasn't that long ago that we didn't have a clue who bought and used our products and services. Think about it for a second; in walks a person to a convenience store. She buys a single serve diet Pepsi and a bag of Lay's Baked potato chips. And then she is gone. PepsiCo has no idea who she is and neither did the 7-11, where she bought both of them. She had come and gone and both PepsiCo and 7-11 counted her as a positive sale. All good, right? Well, maybe not so good because while driving away from the store she opened the diet Pepsi only to find that it was flat and date expired. She had already opened the chips and started to eat them, which were fine, but she was so upset with the Pepsi being flat that recognizing that Frito-Lay and Pepsi are the same company, she started finding problems with the chips to support her anger. They were too salty, broken and the bag was not filled, or so she had made up in her mind. A few minutes later when she gets to her house, she takes a picture of both the bottle and the bag (in an unflattering pose) and posts the pictures with some not so kind of words about both of them and about 7-11 as the retailer. This young woman happens to be a good and creative writer so her Facebook, Twitter and Instagram posts blow up and within the next 12 hours over a hundred thousand people are piling on with their complaints with the two companies. And to think, Pepsi, Frito-Lay, 7-11 never even knew her. This is not a farfetched scenario. It happens every day, all day long. If the first time we are going to get to know a customer is through a complaint, the shoe is already on the wrong foot. Consider that we can get ahead of this type of introduction by finding ways to engage and lose the anonymity by inviting our customers into a relationship earlier and then keeping it alive with positive dialogue. More tomorrow on this...
Are we not blessed that our God is not one of anonymity or secrets of who He is? Sure, there are a lot of unexplainable aspects to the Holy Trinity and how Jesus is God and Son at the same time, but those are different mysteries than being able to know and have a personal relationship with Jesus, which we can do. God sent Jesus to the earth to be like us, so we could know Him as both God and man. Man like us. He gave us His Word so that we can gain more and more knowledge about who He is. And, as we know, He knows us beyond intimately. He knows each thought, intention and action. There is no anonymity with God. So, why do we try to act like there is? We somehow think that He and others don't see our failings and that we can "get away with it." As we do our best to bring glory to God in our purposed worKING, we must consider that nothing we do allows us to be anonymous in the eyes of God. Let's today consider and be sure that we are aligning all aspects of who we are so to always be ready to be known for our Lord.
Reference: 2 Peter 1:2 (New Living Translation)
Monday, July 22, 2013
day 1183: Sabbath Time!
The way work is set up for most of us is that we work a bunch of hours
over a five to six day period and the seventh day is off, unless there
is a real problem, overload, or huge deadline that we might miss. We,
in most cases, can get our day of rest, that is if we choose to take it.
Many of us, myself included, find some time all seven days to "do some
"catch up" or take a few minutes to "get ahead of the week". This is not
all bad, but when analyzed it means that our brains are tuning into our
work seven days a week and we never really give ourselves the chance to
bring our minds down to a more peaceful state, if even for a day.
After all of these years of working closely with others on their work
and careers, I can almost smell burnout on someone. I can see it in
their eyes, their mannerisms and even sometimes in the wrinkles of
stress on their face. This may be because it is also so obvious to
others when I personally reach that point. I can even see it in the
mirror on me. The shape of my eyes change when I am tired and/or
stressed. As you can imagine, it is no fun to know that you are
stressed, but then to see it, and still not be able to do much about it,
well that just adds to the stress doesn't it?
God modeled a day of rest of all of us, and then established that day of rest as a day of sabbath for us to turn our attention away from the world around us and turn our mind to Him. He even laid out in Leviticus 25 a "Sabbath Year" every seven years. For those who enjoy a "sabbatical" period in their jobs, they can thank God, Moses and the Israelites for this. God asks us to rest in our lives and to put some time for Him in between the daily work that He has given us to do. He wants us to be refreshed and ready for the next challenges ahead of us. If we are exhausted, stressed, beaten down, we cannot be ready for the next obstacle we will face. It may be that God is calling you to be thinking about how much rest you are getting. Is He telling you in other ways that you are reaching a "redline" on your life tachometer? If you sense it, feel it, hear a voice inside you or from a friend, loved one, or co-worker, that it may be time to get some rest, take heed of those words. God needs you refreshed, strong and ready for the work that He wants to do through you in your job. Maybe this week is the week to start planning towards using this coming Sunday as a true Sabbath day of rest.
Reference: Leviticus 25 (New Living Testament)
God modeled a day of rest of all of us, and then established that day of rest as a day of sabbath for us to turn our attention away from the world around us and turn our mind to Him. He even laid out in Leviticus 25 a "Sabbath Year" every seven years. For those who enjoy a "sabbatical" period in their jobs, they can thank God, Moses and the Israelites for this. God asks us to rest in our lives and to put some time for Him in between the daily work that He has given us to do. He wants us to be refreshed and ready for the next challenges ahead of us. If we are exhausted, stressed, beaten down, we cannot be ready for the next obstacle we will face. It may be that God is calling you to be thinking about how much rest you are getting. Is He telling you in other ways that you are reaching a "redline" on your life tachometer? If you sense it, feel it, hear a voice inside you or from a friend, loved one, or co-worker, that it may be time to get some rest, take heed of those words. God needs you refreshed, strong and ready for the work that He wants to do through you in your job. Maybe this week is the week to start planning towards using this coming Sunday as a true Sabbath day of rest.
Reference: Leviticus 25 (New Living Testament)
Friday, July 19, 2013
day 1182: Delegate!
"Both you and these people who
are with you will surely wear yourselves out. For this thing is too much
for you; you are not able to perform it by yourself."
There are lots of reasons to delegate and many times we will use the argument of growing and developing others as an incentive to get someone to take things off of their plate and to give to others. It is a great reason and maybe the most important one, but there is even a more baseline reason. This is that if we try to do it all ourselves we are setting ourselves up for burnout, overload and ultimately failure. No one can take it all on their own shoulders and succeed. The underlying reason we don't delegate is our own insecurities around the work not getting done and reflecting poorly on us or the fear that if we have others do the work then we won't be valued as much. In this day and age that translates into a fear for job security. This is a real fear but if we are prioritizing correctly then we can offload the little stuff, or the less strategic and then get back on track in getting the bigger work and projects completed. Believe me, if we show that we can multiply ourselves we will have more work than we know what to do with.
If none of this is enough to make us think that we need to get better at even simple delegation, read what Moses' Father-in-law said to him when he saw Moses being overworked and failing; "Both you and these people who are with you will surely wear yourselves out. For this thing is too much for you; you are not able to perform it by yourself." That is straight talk with no punches pulled. Fortunately, Moses recognized the wisdom in this and went about making very strategic changes and ended up setting up a work system that endured well beyond him. If today you feel and see the signs of burn-out coming, try first doing some simple delegation. It will work more than you might imagine and with a little more imagination and delegation, you may well find yourself back on even footing and working on the right things again.
Reference: Exodus 18:18 (New King James Version)
There are lots of reasons to delegate and many times we will use the argument of growing and developing others as an incentive to get someone to take things off of their plate and to give to others. It is a great reason and maybe the most important one, but there is even a more baseline reason. This is that if we try to do it all ourselves we are setting ourselves up for burnout, overload and ultimately failure. No one can take it all on their own shoulders and succeed. The underlying reason we don't delegate is our own insecurities around the work not getting done and reflecting poorly on us or the fear that if we have others do the work then we won't be valued as much. In this day and age that translates into a fear for job security. This is a real fear but if we are prioritizing correctly then we can offload the little stuff, or the less strategic and then get back on track in getting the bigger work and projects completed. Believe me, if we show that we can multiply ourselves we will have more work than we know what to do with.
If none of this is enough to make us think that we need to get better at even simple delegation, read what Moses' Father-in-law said to him when he saw Moses being overworked and failing; "Both you and these people who are with you will surely wear yourselves out. For this thing is too much for you; you are not able to perform it by yourself." That is straight talk with no punches pulled. Fortunately, Moses recognized the wisdom in this and went about making very strategic changes and ended up setting up a work system that endured well beyond him. If today you feel and see the signs of burn-out coming, try first doing some simple delegation. It will work more than you might imagine and with a little more imagination and delegation, you may well find yourself back on even footing and working on the right things again.
Reference: Exodus 18:18 (New King James Version)
Thursday, July 18, 2013
day 1181: Story Layering
For I will speak to you in a parable. I will teach you hidden lessons from our past—stories we have heard and known, stories our ancestors handed down to us.
It was once unheard of that someone could/would be able to take a piece of fiction and be able to manipulate the story or add their own layers. It would be considered somehow disrespectful to add on or have an idea that is different than what the creator intended. And the, copyright laws would be the enforcer of this sacred ground. But, the world has changed. Not only has the internet opened up the possibilities, but even creators and artists realized that having other collaborators, including fans, get engaged had a positive multiplying effect. My best friend from college went to work for Disney in the early 90's. He was given a Disney character bible that detailed what characters could do and not do and as you can imagine, it was strict. No one messed with Mickey Mouse. By the early 2000's Disney had licensed their characters to the makers of the Final Fantasy video game for a successful videogame called Kingdom Hearts. This week Disney promoted their Story Theater apps where kids can now manipulate the characters and story lines to create their own stories for others to experience. The same is happening in the book industry as Amazon Singles now give a place for these types of layered stories to live. This all points back to the desire and advantage of engaged consumers and fans. I can also make the argument that Mark Twain understood this better than anyone when he created the character Tom Sawyer who knew that getting others to paint the fence for him was the best way to go.
Isn't Story Layering exactly what God expects of us? Each time we get the opportunity to make the accounts of Jesus and add on our own story to tell others, God's message come alive. We should read God's Word and hide it in our heart, but we also are commanded to spread that Word to others. We have many conversations and opportunities each day to layer our stories on the blessings, grace, mercy and love that we experience from God. When we tell our stories in authentic and genuine ways to others, they will listen. Before this week is completed, will you find one opportunity to tell your story?
Reference: Psalm 78:2-4 (New Living Translation)
It was once unheard of that someone could/would be able to take a piece of fiction and be able to manipulate the story or add their own layers. It would be considered somehow disrespectful to add on or have an idea that is different than what the creator intended. And the, copyright laws would be the enforcer of this sacred ground. But, the world has changed. Not only has the internet opened up the possibilities, but even creators and artists realized that having other collaborators, including fans, get engaged had a positive multiplying effect. My best friend from college went to work for Disney in the early 90's. He was given a Disney character bible that detailed what characters could do and not do and as you can imagine, it was strict. No one messed with Mickey Mouse. By the early 2000's Disney had licensed their characters to the makers of the Final Fantasy video game for a successful videogame called Kingdom Hearts. This week Disney promoted their Story Theater apps where kids can now manipulate the characters and story lines to create their own stories for others to experience. The same is happening in the book industry as Amazon Singles now give a place for these types of layered stories to live. This all points back to the desire and advantage of engaged consumers and fans. I can also make the argument that Mark Twain understood this better than anyone when he created the character Tom Sawyer who knew that getting others to paint the fence for him was the best way to go.
Isn't Story Layering exactly what God expects of us? Each time we get the opportunity to make the accounts of Jesus and add on our own story to tell others, God's message come alive. We should read God's Word and hide it in our heart, but we also are commanded to spread that Word to others. We have many conversations and opportunities each day to layer our stories on the blessings, grace, mercy and love that we experience from God. When we tell our stories in authentic and genuine ways to others, they will listen. Before this week is completed, will you find one opportunity to tell your story?
Reference: Psalm 78:2-4 (New Living Translation)
Wednesday, July 17, 2013
day 1180: Personality Power
For God is working in you, giving you the desire and power to do what pleases Him.
In April, a random book hit the bookshelves in the U.S. titled, "The Cuckoo's Calling". Since its' publishing date and through this last week it had sold a whopping 500 copies. The author Robert Galbraith had received some good reviews but the sales were like most first novels, weak and uninspiring. With only 500 copies or so sold, there wasn't much opportunity for social buzz to get it going. So, like most other books, the author wouldn't recoup his advance and the book would be out of print before it got started and Mr. Galbraith would be able to call himself a published author and get on with his next novel, or back to his day job. That is until this past weekend when the world found out that Robert Galbraith was actually someone named J.K. Rowling. Since that discovery, "The Cuckoo's Calling" has run through it's print run, the publisher is scrambling to meet demand, and I predict in a few weeks time Robert Galbraith will be a New York Times best-selling author, if not a #1 spot holder. Lest we think that there isn't power in personality? This is a great reminder that we need to use all we have when launching new products or services. We so want to idealistically think that the great idea we have will take off on its' own, but in truth to make it through the clutter, it does not hurt to have personality behind it to give it the power to get off the launch pad. This is why considering partnerships, strategic alliances, or even letting others take the spotlight in the promotion or branding may be the better way to success.
I shy away from promoting myself or thinking that my personality/brand makes a difference for God and the expansion of the Kingdom. I feel like it is having too much pride. But, each time I hear about or meet someone who's personality and brand proceed them, only to find out later that they are believers, I think, "How wonderful it would be if more people knew of their faith and what an example they could be." Remember the Sunday School song verse: "Hide it under a bushel basket? NO!...I'm gonna let it shine!" In Philippians, we are told that God works in and through us and He gives us power to bring Him pleasure and glory. It well could be that part of that power is our personality, our brand, our presence, that we are supposed to be bringing into the world to be the example of His power. The question we have to ask ourselves is this; "Are we leaving God's message in an unknown state for those around us or are we putting our full personality behind Him to bring His love into the mainstream of our lives for others to see lived out and through us"?
Reference: Philippians 2:13 (New Living Translation)
In April, a random book hit the bookshelves in the U.S. titled, "The Cuckoo's Calling". Since its' publishing date and through this last week it had sold a whopping 500 copies. The author Robert Galbraith had received some good reviews but the sales were like most first novels, weak and uninspiring. With only 500 copies or so sold, there wasn't much opportunity for social buzz to get it going. So, like most other books, the author wouldn't recoup his advance and the book would be out of print before it got started and Mr. Galbraith would be able to call himself a published author and get on with his next novel, or back to his day job. That is until this past weekend when the world found out that Robert Galbraith was actually someone named J.K. Rowling. Since that discovery, "The Cuckoo's Calling" has run through it's print run, the publisher is scrambling to meet demand, and I predict in a few weeks time Robert Galbraith will be a New York Times best-selling author, if not a #1 spot holder. Lest we think that there isn't power in personality? This is a great reminder that we need to use all we have when launching new products or services. We so want to idealistically think that the great idea we have will take off on its' own, but in truth to make it through the clutter, it does not hurt to have personality behind it to give it the power to get off the launch pad. This is why considering partnerships, strategic alliances, or even letting others take the spotlight in the promotion or branding may be the better way to success.
I shy away from promoting myself or thinking that my personality/brand makes a difference for God and the expansion of the Kingdom. I feel like it is having too much pride. But, each time I hear about or meet someone who's personality and brand proceed them, only to find out later that they are believers, I think, "How wonderful it would be if more people knew of their faith and what an example they could be." Remember the Sunday School song verse: "Hide it under a bushel basket? NO!...I'm gonna let it shine!" In Philippians, we are told that God works in and through us and He gives us power to bring Him pleasure and glory. It well could be that part of that power is our personality, our brand, our presence, that we are supposed to be bringing into the world to be the example of His power. The question we have to ask ourselves is this; "Are we leaving God's message in an unknown state for those around us or are we putting our full personality behind Him to bring His love into the mainstream of our lives for others to see lived out and through us"?
Reference: Philippians 2:13 (New Living Translation)
Tuesday, July 16, 2013
day 1179: Turnarounds
"So he
returned home to his father. And while he was still a long way off, his
father saw him coming. Filled with love and compassion, he ran to his
son, embraced him, and kissed him."
Every business, at some point in its life cycle will go through a turnaround. Yes, even the companies that we think have unlimited growth potential and we could never imagine stumbling will face a turnaround situation. Some are big turnarounds, others are less visible publicly but can certainly be felt internally. Look no further than Apple for the cycle to be born out. It is hard to imagine now that they once were the Apple that was teetering on not making it and now we can imagine that someday it will need another turnaround. Inevitably, it will. . The same happens in our careers. We hit points where we have to rethink where we are and what we are doing and we either make a significant shift, turnaround or we go through enough soul-searching that we double down on the path that we know is right and then we don't look back. Turnarounds are good things because when done seriously and well, we end up where we are supposed to be and doing what we supposed to be doing.
We can see this example in the story of the Prodigal Son. The son of the loving father had to make a turnaround to come back to where he belonged. He hit rock bottom before he saw it but when he, repented made the 180-degree turn and headed home he was welcomed with loving and open arms. We all know that this is the story of God's love over our life. God watches over us in our lives and in the sometimes overwhelming part of our life called our jobs. If we are on a wrong path and we need to be turned around, He will be there for us to figure it out if we will just bring Him into the office with us. Rather than wait for the bottom to fall out, before the turnaround, receive the constant invitation that is given to us to look to Him for the guidance and direction that we need.
Reference: Luke 15:12-20 (New Living Testament)
Every business, at some point in its life cycle will go through a turnaround. Yes, even the companies that we think have unlimited growth potential and we could never imagine stumbling will face a turnaround situation. Some are big turnarounds, others are less visible publicly but can certainly be felt internally. Look no further than Apple for the cycle to be born out. It is hard to imagine now that they once were the Apple that was teetering on not making it and now we can imagine that someday it will need another turnaround. Inevitably, it will. . The same happens in our careers. We hit points where we have to rethink where we are and what we are doing and we either make a significant shift, turnaround or we go through enough soul-searching that we double down on the path that we know is right and then we don't look back. Turnarounds are good things because when done seriously and well, we end up where we are supposed to be and doing what we supposed to be doing.
We can see this example in the story of the Prodigal Son. The son of the loving father had to make a turnaround to come back to where he belonged. He hit rock bottom before he saw it but when he, repented made the 180-degree turn and headed home he was welcomed with loving and open arms. We all know that this is the story of God's love over our life. God watches over us in our lives and in the sometimes overwhelming part of our life called our jobs. If we are on a wrong path and we need to be turned around, He will be there for us to figure it out if we will just bring Him into the office with us. Rather than wait for the bottom to fall out, before the turnaround, receive the constant invitation that is given to us to look to Him for the guidance and direction that we need.
Reference: Luke 15:12-20 (New Living Testament)
Monday, July 15, 2013
day 1178: Distilling It Down To "Be Kind"
"But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!"
This past weekend Patti and I attended the Memorial Service of Bill Mahoney. Bill was the first sales and marketing leader for Bridgewater Capital. He died earlier this year of pancreatic cancer at the age of 55. Among his many accomplishments and achievements in life, what stood out for everyone at the event, was not "what" he had done in his professional and personal life, but "how" he went about conducting his life and business. After all was said about him and the love and accolades expressed, it all came down to two words that Bill lived by and was the memorial's focus; "Be Kind". Kindness is a great word that we don't use enough of in business. Sometimes we pass over those who are too kind, as in, "He's a kind person, but maybe not tough enough". The antonyms of kind are: cutting, edged, stinging, harsh, rough, hurtful, unkindly, and unsympathetic. There is nothing in these that are positive traits to successful people. Kindness is a trait we can adopt and establish as a part of our corporate cultures, if we so choose. Bill Mahoney was not short on kindness and beyond being remembered, he will be long admired for keeping this front and center in his attitude and actions.
As followers of Jesus we know that kindness is a fruit of the Holy Spirit. Today, the question is as simple as this; "Are we showing kindness to others in our work?". What ways can we do so? In all ways. In every conversation, in every negotiation, in every interaction, we can, if we choose, demonstrate the fruit of Kindness.
Reference: Galatians 5:22 (New Living Translation)
This past weekend Patti and I attended the Memorial Service of Bill Mahoney. Bill was the first sales and marketing leader for Bridgewater Capital. He died earlier this year of pancreatic cancer at the age of 55. Among his many accomplishments and achievements in life, what stood out for everyone at the event, was not "what" he had done in his professional and personal life, but "how" he went about conducting his life and business. After all was said about him and the love and accolades expressed, it all came down to two words that Bill lived by and was the memorial's focus; "Be Kind". Kindness is a great word that we don't use enough of in business. Sometimes we pass over those who are too kind, as in, "He's a kind person, but maybe not tough enough". The antonyms of kind are: cutting, edged, stinging, harsh, rough, hurtful, unkindly, and unsympathetic. There is nothing in these that are positive traits to successful people. Kindness is a trait we can adopt and establish as a part of our corporate cultures, if we so choose. Bill Mahoney was not short on kindness and beyond being remembered, he will be long admired for keeping this front and center in his attitude and actions.
As followers of Jesus we know that kindness is a fruit of the Holy Spirit. Today, the question is as simple as this; "Are we showing kindness to others in our work?". What ways can we do so? In all ways. In every conversation, in every negotiation, in every interaction, we can, if we choose, demonstrate the fruit of Kindness.
Reference: Galatians 5:22 (New Living Translation)
Friday, July 12, 2013
day 1177: Ephemeral Messaging
“As surely as my new heavens and earth will remain, so will you always be my people, with a name that will never disappear,” says the Lord."
Communication that is here today and gone tomorrow seems to be the rage. Ephemeral messaging like SnapChat and now the newest entry Secret.li are finding their way into the mainstream. For those not familiar, ephemeral messaging are texts or pictures that once sent and read/viewed disappear forever. At first glance we might think that those who use these apps have something to hide, but too many people are using these applications for that to be all there is to it. It might well be that ephemeral messaging is just the ticket for those who are more carefree than the rest of us. I'm on the opposite extreme having been taught and trained to always be able to point to a "paper trail". Although, in these litigious days there is more emphasis on not retaining than retaining for retrieval. Ephemeral messaging skews young right now, but we should count on it aging with the rest of us. We don't keep track of text messages and we are texting more today than ever. What implications can we foresee from this? Sharpen our memories? Expect that there might be more, "He said, she said" going on? Likely, but might we see also a return to more face-face-face communication? As we know, for every action there is a reaction and while it seems that we might be heading one way, the reaction might, and will likely take us somewhere else. As I write this I just finished a chat session with a customer service agent that would have taken many emails back and forth with maybe days in between. Ephemeral speed messaging.
There is nothing ephemeral about our God and His love for us. He is not here today and gone tomorrow. His Word and Spirit does not disappear. All around us the world is ephemeral. In the larger scheme and history of the world, we are each ephemeral and once day we will be gone. In the meantime, the more that we do to reinforce the everlasting nature of who it is that we serve, the more we are bringing glory to God in our work and calling. As we head out the door this afternoon for a summer weekend, let's consider who is counting on us to be lasting in their life and job and what it is that we can do to give them assurance and security that we can be counted on to be there for them.
Reference: Isaiah 66:22 (New Living Translation)
Communication that is here today and gone tomorrow seems to be the rage. Ephemeral messaging like SnapChat and now the newest entry Secret.li are finding their way into the mainstream. For those not familiar, ephemeral messaging are texts or pictures that once sent and read/viewed disappear forever. At first glance we might think that those who use these apps have something to hide, but too many people are using these applications for that to be all there is to it. It might well be that ephemeral messaging is just the ticket for those who are more carefree than the rest of us. I'm on the opposite extreme having been taught and trained to always be able to point to a "paper trail". Although, in these litigious days there is more emphasis on not retaining than retaining for retrieval. Ephemeral messaging skews young right now, but we should count on it aging with the rest of us. We don't keep track of text messages and we are texting more today than ever. What implications can we foresee from this? Sharpen our memories? Expect that there might be more, "He said, she said" going on? Likely, but might we see also a return to more face-face-face communication? As we know, for every action there is a reaction and while it seems that we might be heading one way, the reaction might, and will likely take us somewhere else. As I write this I just finished a chat session with a customer service agent that would have taken many emails back and forth with maybe days in between. Ephemeral speed messaging.
There is nothing ephemeral about our God and His love for us. He is not here today and gone tomorrow. His Word and Spirit does not disappear. All around us the world is ephemeral. In the larger scheme and history of the world, we are each ephemeral and once day we will be gone. In the meantime, the more that we do to reinforce the everlasting nature of who it is that we serve, the more we are bringing glory to God in our work and calling. As we head out the door this afternoon for a summer weekend, let's consider who is counting on us to be lasting in their life and job and what it is that we can do to give them assurance and security that we can be counted on to be there for them.
Reference: Isaiah 66:22 (New Living Translation)
Thursday, July 11, 2013
day 1176: Social Better Than Solo
"Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit."
We've all known it and sometimes it just takes time to get it and figure out how best to apply it to our businesses; social is better than solo, at at least when it comes to advertising. This week New Balance running shoes releases a new advertising campaign called "Runnovation". In their ads they break away from the traditional focus on one athlete (typically a celebrated runner) and instead start to show running going social with ads that show women running together in the "Redefining the new Girls Night Out". There is also an online profile of a Running Club in Boston where we can get a little of the reality TV feel. The point that New Balance is trying to make is that showing social activity will inspire us more to want to participate because we will see ourselves there and imagine that we too can truly participate. Aspirational ideals to be the like the best in the world (if Roger Federer wears a Rolex, so should I, right?) aren't going to go away, but when we try to reach the everyday, what feels like the ordinary, we might well stand a better chance by taking the position social.
Out faith, while built upon a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, was never meant to be a faith of the solo. We are commanded to spread the Good News. We are told that the presence of Christ increases with more than one gathered in His name. He chose and taught many disciples to carry on the message of Christ throughout the world and through the ages. Today, at our fingertips, within key strokes, we can make the message of God's Love always social. Let's ask ourselves today, what are we doing, with what we know and have available to us to make God's message more than just solo?
Reference: Matthew 28:19
Reference:
We've all known it and sometimes it just takes time to get it and figure out how best to apply it to our businesses; social is better than solo, at at least when it comes to advertising. This week New Balance running shoes releases a new advertising campaign called "Runnovation". In their ads they break away from the traditional focus on one athlete (typically a celebrated runner) and instead start to show running going social with ads that show women running together in the "Redefining the new Girls Night Out". There is also an online profile of a Running Club in Boston where we can get a little of the reality TV feel. The point that New Balance is trying to make is that showing social activity will inspire us more to want to participate because we will see ourselves there and imagine that we too can truly participate. Aspirational ideals to be the like the best in the world (if Roger Federer wears a Rolex, so should I, right?) aren't going to go away, but when we try to reach the everyday, what feels like the ordinary, we might well stand a better chance by taking the position social.
Out faith, while built upon a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, was never meant to be a faith of the solo. We are commanded to spread the Good News. We are told that the presence of Christ increases with more than one gathered in His name. He chose and taught many disciples to carry on the message of Christ throughout the world and through the ages. Today, at our fingertips, within key strokes, we can make the message of God's Love always social. Let's ask ourselves today, what are we doing, with what we know and have available to us to make God's message more than just solo?
Reference: Matthew 28:19
Reference:
Wednesday, July 10, 2013
day 1175: Taking It To The Streets
"Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart."
Benjamin Moore paints came up with this very cool marketing program where they committed to repaint 20 Main Streets in America through a crowd-sourced voting process. They pushed out the marketing of the program on TV and print and then executed a great local ground program to get people in local towns to vote. The program caught my interest because the our closest Main Street to our home here in Rhode Island is Main Street, Westerly, RI. So, both Patti and I voted online at their "paint what matters" website. On Monday, Benjamin Moore released the 20 towns, and Westerly was one of them. You can only imagine what this does for a little town. You might say, it puts them on the map. Benjamin Moore nailed this campaign. They went big and broad and then got me and tens of thousands of others to take it to the streets for them. When we think broadly and locally at the same time and put a program together that allows for both the air and ground game to work together, amazing things can happen. It's worth thinking about what programs we have that could follow the same pattern and be very effective for our businesses.
I am struck by the lessons that we as believers can learn from something as simple as a business marketing campaign. God tells us to not pay attention the outward appearances but to what is in our heart. On the surface (pun intended) the Paint What Matters campaign is all about the outward appearance of a town and won't fundamentally change how the town functions effectively, or not. Yet, there is a part of the outward appearance that Samuel recognizes that man does pay attention and if we are to win over the hearts of man for the Lord then that is part of the way into their hearts. What I know is that if we think that others will be attracted and curious to what God is doing in our lives if our outward appearance is about laziness, unkempt, disrepair, inconsistent, or just plain not caring, then we will have a harder time in convincing others that the control of our lives is by a God who can do restorative work in them. This is a hard one to balance, but it is worth exploring more, which we will do tomorrow in the next post.
Reference: 1 Samuel 16:7
Benjamin Moore paints came up with this very cool marketing program where they committed to repaint 20 Main Streets in America through a crowd-sourced voting process. They pushed out the marketing of the program on TV and print and then executed a great local ground program to get people in local towns to vote. The program caught my interest because the our closest Main Street to our home here in Rhode Island is Main Street, Westerly, RI. So, both Patti and I voted online at their "paint what matters" website. On Monday, Benjamin Moore released the 20 towns, and Westerly was one of them. You can only imagine what this does for a little town. You might say, it puts them on the map. Benjamin Moore nailed this campaign. They went big and broad and then got me and tens of thousands of others to take it to the streets for them. When we think broadly and locally at the same time and put a program together that allows for both the air and ground game to work together, amazing things can happen. It's worth thinking about what programs we have that could follow the same pattern and be very effective for our businesses.
I am struck by the lessons that we as believers can learn from something as simple as a business marketing campaign. God tells us to not pay attention the outward appearances but to what is in our heart. On the surface (pun intended) the Paint What Matters campaign is all about the outward appearance of a town and won't fundamentally change how the town functions effectively, or not. Yet, there is a part of the outward appearance that Samuel recognizes that man does pay attention and if we are to win over the hearts of man for the Lord then that is part of the way into their hearts. What I know is that if we think that others will be attracted and curious to what God is doing in our lives if our outward appearance is about laziness, unkempt, disrepair, inconsistent, or just plain not caring, then we will have a harder time in convincing others that the control of our lives is by a God who can do restorative work in them. This is a hard one to balance, but it is worth exploring more, which we will do tomorrow in the next post.
Reference: 1 Samuel 16:7
Tuesday, July 9, 2013
day 1174: Two-Way Links
"Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me."
The recent and ongoing learning of government knowledge and data gathering using digital technology continues to increase the apprehension of many people across the world. A conversation has been created about the role and use of technology as it relates to the knowledge of what each of us do, who we converse with, where we go (both physically and online), and what we are interested in (as evidenced by our online searches). It's above my pay-grade to understand and comment on whether or not these efforts are making us safer or putting us at greater risk, but I do know that technology continues to invade and redefine what is considered personal and proprietary information. What is that information? Jaron Lanier, in a recent interview in San Francisco Magazine with reporter Scott Lucas said this, "I'm building on the very first idea for a network, which is based on two-way links; that is if your data is being used by somebody else, there is always a link back to you so that you know if and how it is being used. You could set your own price for it - and if you didn't get paid, you could shut off access." I find his idea fascinating. Two-way links would make each of our life patterns, interests and activities all pieces of intellectual property. What a new definition of supply and demand this "marketplace" might create.
We can live and work assured in that Jesus gave each of us a two-way link with Him. He gave His all for us and all we must do is believe and follow Him and the link is complete. We make our world so complicated but all He wants us to do is to keep it all simple and childlike for Him. Today, we are going to be faced with a bunch of stuff that will have to do with who we are, what we said, what are we thinking, what's our position on an issue or a decision, etc. While we must remain resolute and precise, we can also walk into this day feeling buoyant in the knowledge that in the largest scheme what really matters is that two-way link with Jesus that is both unbreakable and always reliable.
Reference: John 14:6 (New Living Translation)
The recent and ongoing learning of government knowledge and data gathering using digital technology continues to increase the apprehension of many people across the world. A conversation has been created about the role and use of technology as it relates to the knowledge of what each of us do, who we converse with, where we go (both physically and online), and what we are interested in (as evidenced by our online searches). It's above my pay-grade to understand and comment on whether or not these efforts are making us safer or putting us at greater risk, but I do know that technology continues to invade and redefine what is considered personal and proprietary information. What is that information? Jaron Lanier, in a recent interview in San Francisco Magazine with reporter Scott Lucas said this, "I'm building on the very first idea for a network, which is based on two-way links; that is if your data is being used by somebody else, there is always a link back to you so that you know if and how it is being used. You could set your own price for it - and if you didn't get paid, you could shut off access." I find his idea fascinating. Two-way links would make each of our life patterns, interests and activities all pieces of intellectual property. What a new definition of supply and demand this "marketplace" might create.
We can live and work assured in that Jesus gave each of us a two-way link with Him. He gave His all for us and all we must do is believe and follow Him and the link is complete. We make our world so complicated but all He wants us to do is to keep it all simple and childlike for Him. Today, we are going to be faced with a bunch of stuff that will have to do with who we are, what we said, what are we thinking, what's our position on an issue or a decision, etc. While we must remain resolute and precise, we can also walk into this day feeling buoyant in the knowledge that in the largest scheme what really matters is that two-way link with Jesus that is both unbreakable and always reliable.
Reference: John 14:6 (New Living Translation)
Monday, July 8, 2013
day 1173: Storytelling
"This fulfilled what God had spoken through the prophet: “I will speak to you in parables. I will explain things hidden since the creation of the world.”"
Storytelling is an art. We know a great story when we hear, read, or see one and we recognize a bad one even more quickly. It's hard to put a finger on what makes a great story, but the power of the story in advertising and getting the message across of out companies, products and services is measurable and should not be ignored. A question for all of us is if we continue to live in the world of shortening media forms and truncated communication, who and how will the storytellers of tomorrow develop their craft? I've recently taken to exploring the middle ground of "long form journalism" and have been looking at companies and people who are interested in this space. (if you are interested you can check out byliner.com, http://www.tellingreads.com, or deliberateLIFEmag.com) Telling a story that engage the heart and minds of others might well be a resident skill that we want to develop and keep current within our organizations.
Jesus may have been one of the world's greatest storytellers. He could hold the imagination and attention of 5000 plus at a time. He would tell stories that everyday people like farmers and fishermen would relate to and find themselves within the story. He did not use His stories lightly. He instead placed them strategically to bring about action and decisions to those he spoke. If we are to bring glory to God in our work, we must always be ready to tell our own story and stories of how we have seen God work in ours and the lives of others. Stories are best, when they have been told more than once. So, today, begin to tell your story. Practice it and tell it over and over. We can trust in God that the stories of Him will not fall on deaf ears.
Reference: Matthew 13:35 (New Living Translation)
Storytelling is an art. We know a great story when we hear, read, or see one and we recognize a bad one even more quickly. It's hard to put a finger on what makes a great story, but the power of the story in advertising and getting the message across of out companies, products and services is measurable and should not be ignored. A question for all of us is if we continue to live in the world of shortening media forms and truncated communication, who and how will the storytellers of tomorrow develop their craft? I've recently taken to exploring the middle ground of "long form journalism" and have been looking at companies and people who are interested in this space. (if you are interested you can check out byliner.com, http://www.tellingreads.com, or deliberateLIFEmag.com) Telling a story that engage the heart and minds of others might well be a resident skill that we want to develop and keep current within our organizations.
Jesus may have been one of the world's greatest storytellers. He could hold the imagination and attention of 5000 plus at a time. He would tell stories that everyday people like farmers and fishermen would relate to and find themselves within the story. He did not use His stories lightly. He instead placed them strategically to bring about action and decisions to those he spoke. If we are to bring glory to God in our work, we must always be ready to tell our own story and stories of how we have seen God work in ours and the lives of others. Stories are best, when they have been told more than once. So, today, begin to tell your story. Practice it and tell it over and over. We can trust in God that the stories of Him will not fall on deaf ears.
Reference: Matthew 13:35 (New Living Translation)
Wednesday, July 3, 2013
day 1172: True Freedom
"And you will know the truth and the truth will set you free"
"We are going to get to the bottom of this!", said the CEO with a raised voice and emphatic tone. The room emptied in a scramble and everyone was in search of one thing and one thing only; what was the truth? This is not an unfamiliar scene. It happens everyday in companies across America. It's not always the CEO who is in search of the truth, it can be anyone who feels like something has been hidden, a corner cut, a shortcut taken, a little white lie told, a misrepresentation made, a pointed finger position held. If we calculated the cost of searching and finding the truth in corporate America, I believe we would be staggered with the number we would find. So, why does the truth matter? Because the truth is what truly sets us free. Tomorrow we celebrate our county's independence and ultimately our freedom. That freedom, which brings certainty and security, is based on a set of truths that we are to always pursue. Finding the truth is not always easy and it is frustrating to think that we must spend as much time as we do on retrieving it, understanding why the truth was compromised and bringing to justice and accountability those who broke the truth, but that is what we must do. Any organization, whether a business, a club, or a community must adhere and pay attention and also share a commitment to the truth if they want to truly experience what freedom can be.
As believers we bow to the throne of truth and in Him we are set free. If we pursue His truths with all our heart, we can experience the fullest of freedoms. And in turn, we must pass this truth on to others. It is in this area that we can be so influential and uplifting to others in our work. What better way to be known than to be known to be the person who, regardless of circumstances, can be counted on to tell the truth? The truth comes from our Lord. Let's not miss the opportunity to allow others to see and wonder at the freedom we have in the truth that is Jesus.
Happy Independence Day and don't forget to give thanks tomorrow for all of the freedoms that we do have in this great country! Enjoy the couple of days away from the office. See you Monday!
Reference: John 8:32 (New Living Translation)
"We are going to get to the bottom of this!", said the CEO with a raised voice and emphatic tone. The room emptied in a scramble and everyone was in search of one thing and one thing only; what was the truth? This is not an unfamiliar scene. It happens everyday in companies across America. It's not always the CEO who is in search of the truth, it can be anyone who feels like something has been hidden, a corner cut, a shortcut taken, a little white lie told, a misrepresentation made, a pointed finger position held. If we calculated the cost of searching and finding the truth in corporate America, I believe we would be staggered with the number we would find. So, why does the truth matter? Because the truth is what truly sets us free. Tomorrow we celebrate our county's independence and ultimately our freedom. That freedom, which brings certainty and security, is based on a set of truths that we are to always pursue. Finding the truth is not always easy and it is frustrating to think that we must spend as much time as we do on retrieving it, understanding why the truth was compromised and bringing to justice and accountability those who broke the truth, but that is what we must do. Any organization, whether a business, a club, or a community must adhere and pay attention and also share a commitment to the truth if they want to truly experience what freedom can be.
As believers we bow to the throne of truth and in Him we are set free. If we pursue His truths with all our heart, we can experience the fullest of freedoms. And in turn, we must pass this truth on to others. It is in this area that we can be so influential and uplifting to others in our work. What better way to be known than to be known to be the person who, regardless of circumstances, can be counted on to tell the truth? The truth comes from our Lord. Let's not miss the opportunity to allow others to see and wonder at the freedom we have in the truth that is Jesus.
Happy Independence Day and don't forget to give thanks tomorrow for all of the freedoms that we do have in this great country! Enjoy the couple of days away from the office. See you Monday!
Reference: John 8:32 (New Living Translation)
Tuesday, July 2, 2013
day 1171: When Innovation Is Just Too Good!
So you see, faith by itself isn’t enough. Unless it produces good deeds, it is dead and useless.
The conversation probably went something like this, "If we extend the current capability of our best product so that the user can experience greater benefits, then we will also be able to bring this new product to the market to broaden our offerings. It won't be easy to get acceptance, but if we get the right people using the product with some success then we can market them for greater consumer adoption". Sound familiar? This is the conversation of innovation. When the details behind the words are real, then innovation becomes a reality. And sometimes, that innovation can be too good. This week the PGA Tour and the PGA of America sided with the United States Golf Association to reaffirm then "Anchored-Stroke Ban". Dead is the long putter. Innovation that was just too good! Seldom does this happen to us that what we invent and gain acceptance with is rejected in the marketplace (unless it is something of danger like drugs, foods, chemicals, etc.). The long putter wasn't about causing harm, it was about causing a threat to making the average player too good. The lesson here is to not look at the result from this ruling and extend it into our thinking on innovation. Let's not stop testing the boundaries and extending our thinking because someone might shoot us down. Instead, let's continue to innovate and think "new" and not worry about those who will want to stop innovation.
God is a creator. He is the founder of innovation. He looks to us to also bring innovation to how we can bring glory to Him in our work. When was the last time that thought occurred to us? We can all be innovative in our example and how we spread His message. These are the good deeds that we can do to demonstrate our faith! Let's consider today how we can innovate for Him!
Reference: James 2:17 (New Living Translation)
The conversation probably went something like this, "If we extend the current capability of our best product so that the user can experience greater benefits, then we will also be able to bring this new product to the market to broaden our offerings. It won't be easy to get acceptance, but if we get the right people using the product with some success then we can market them for greater consumer adoption". Sound familiar? This is the conversation of innovation. When the details behind the words are real, then innovation becomes a reality. And sometimes, that innovation can be too good. This week the PGA Tour and the PGA of America sided with the United States Golf Association to reaffirm then "Anchored-Stroke Ban". Dead is the long putter. Innovation that was just too good! Seldom does this happen to us that what we invent and gain acceptance with is rejected in the marketplace (unless it is something of danger like drugs, foods, chemicals, etc.). The long putter wasn't about causing harm, it was about causing a threat to making the average player too good. The lesson here is to not look at the result from this ruling and extend it into our thinking on innovation. Let's not stop testing the boundaries and extending our thinking because someone might shoot us down. Instead, let's continue to innovate and think "new" and not worry about those who will want to stop innovation.
God is a creator. He is the founder of innovation. He looks to us to also bring innovation to how we can bring glory to Him in our work. When was the last time that thought occurred to us? We can all be innovative in our example and how we spread His message. These are the good deeds that we can do to demonstrate our faith! Let's consider today how we can innovate for Him!
Reference: James 2:17 (New Living Translation)
Monday, July 1, 2013
day 1170: One Divided By Two Equals Freedom For More
"So Christ has truly set us free. Now make sure that you stay free, and don’t get tied up again in slavery to the law."
Today, one entity becomes two. NewsCorp has split into the new Newscorp and the new 21st Century Fox. Newscorp keeps all of the print and digital media and Fox gets the broadcast and cable media. Their theory being that dividing the company, the two entities will be more focused and therefore stronger than the one put together. We will find out later today how the shareholders respond. There is nothing new with the spinout or the splitting of a corporation, but with each of these moves what is truly desired is that the freedom from the other creates new opportunities for creativity and leverage. In my experience what I have seen is that one of the entities will immediately flourish and one one will stay somewhat the same. In this case, we will also have to wait and see. What we can predict is that the one that feels the greatest amount of freedom will be the one that exceeds the expectations.
When we accept and follow Jesus He frees us from the worldly being that we were before and allows us to live and flourish in His grace and love, not bound up by those laws and rules that we could never achieve or uphold anyway. Yes, in order to flourish and grow spiritually we also have to shed parts of us that are holding us back. What we know for sure, that no one can predict in the business world, is that when we couple ourselves with Jesus we are on the right side of the growth equation. As we start this week where we as a country celebrate our freedoms we can also focus on how Christ frees us from those things that hold us back. Split and shed for freedom. In Christ, this makes perfect, predictable and reliable sense.
Reference: Galatians 5:1 (New Living Translation)
Today, one entity becomes two. NewsCorp has split into the new Newscorp and the new 21st Century Fox. Newscorp keeps all of the print and digital media and Fox gets the broadcast and cable media. Their theory being that dividing the company, the two entities will be more focused and therefore stronger than the one put together. We will find out later today how the shareholders respond. There is nothing new with the spinout or the splitting of a corporation, but with each of these moves what is truly desired is that the freedom from the other creates new opportunities for creativity and leverage. In my experience what I have seen is that one of the entities will immediately flourish and one one will stay somewhat the same. In this case, we will also have to wait and see. What we can predict is that the one that feels the greatest amount of freedom will be the one that exceeds the expectations.
When we accept and follow Jesus He frees us from the worldly being that we were before and allows us to live and flourish in His grace and love, not bound up by those laws and rules that we could never achieve or uphold anyway. Yes, in order to flourish and grow spiritually we also have to shed parts of us that are holding us back. What we know for sure, that no one can predict in the business world, is that when we couple ourselves with Jesus we are on the right side of the growth equation. As we start this week where we as a country celebrate our freedoms we can also focus on how Christ frees us from those things that hold us back. Split and shed for freedom. In Christ, this makes perfect, predictable and reliable sense.
Reference: Galatians 5:1 (New Living Translation)
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