Showing posts with label david. Show all posts
Showing posts with label david. Show all posts
Thursday, July 3, 2014
day 1416: Learnings From The Camino (part 4): It Is Your Own Camino
"I will walk in freedom, for I have devoted myself to your commandments."
This is part 4 of a 6 part series on my learning and takeaways from my Camino de Santiago pilgrimage. It just so happens that this post about the freedom of the Camino falls on the day before our American Independence Day celebration. As the Camino Pilgrims meet each other with the traditional greeting of "Buen Camino", it is also often common to hear, "It is your own Camino". What this means is that you are to walk the Camino at your own pace, not at another's pace, unless you so choose. So, you don't slow down or speed up for someone else. It is your own Camino. This becomes beneficial when you are covering 20 plus miles in a day. There is a freedom in determining and being able to choose your own pace. There are few things in life that allow us to do so and certainly in business the pace is usually determined from those at the top who have made the decision on how fast or slow the organization must move. When pace is dictated to us and then measured it becomes very personal, very fast. When we ask someone, "When do you think you can get it done?", do we accept that answer or do we then try and modify their pace by asking for it earlier? We might find that if we keep the overall goal in front of everyone that we can allow some freedom in individual pacing and for the employee this can be liberating.
David covers so many great areas within the Psalms. As he drew from his life experiences he made his words real to us. When he wrote of "walking in freedom" he likely was not only thinking metaphorically but as a former shepherd, he may have been thinking of literally how he walked. To physically walk in freedom is great but to spiritually walk in freedom is awesome. God promises us that if we devote ourselves to Him that we will experience the freedom that can only come from Him. Today, you might feel shackled by all sorts of things. It might be deadlines, or pressures, or loss, or sadness, or just frustration of too much to to get done and not enough help. Whatever those areas are that are holding you back, turn those over to Him and he will free you and let you walk forward with joy and hope.
I wish each of you a Happy Independence Day and a great long weekend of freedom!
Reference: Psalm 119:45 (New Living Translation)
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Thursday, August 1, 2013
day 1191: Shifting Sand
"And
so, Lord, where do I put my hope? My
only hope is in you."
I sit on a number of corporate Boards and am asked to work with management teams and to speak on how to navigate and manage through uncertain times, shaky ground and what can feel like standing on shifting sand. In these sessions or talks I tend to spend a fair amount of time trying to address what has to be a conscious disconnection of self-worth and one’s job. It is too easy to have the two be tangled together. We get used to describing ourselves and what we do by our job, title and company. And when, for any reason, that rug is pulled out from under us; we have a hard time finding our self-worth and ego footing. Yesterday, I heard from someone about how after almost ten years of success, his company decided to change strategic direction and are eliminating his division. He's okay, but many people just can’t accept the unpredicted and fearful change. They go into denial, anger and sometimes hiding. There is a reason that people will go an indefinite time before they tell their family that they have lost their jobs. In today’s world it is reality that we are all standing on shifting sand. Industries and products, etc. that were stable and always there before are now gone and jobs that when lost become hard, if not what feels impossible, to replace. And so we find that we can’t put our hope of our future with the company we love, the boss we respect and want to work for forever, or the paycheck that we are counting on for the fueling of our financial future.
It is in times like these that we must remember that we cannot put our hope anywhere but with our Heavenly Father. David cried out in his Psalm as he tried to figure out where to put his hope. He says, "And so, Lord, where do I put my hope?”. He then answers himself with, “My only hope is in you." I was taught by my father to never put my faith in people, as people will always let you down. He was right. We should also not allow our hope in people or companies or jobs. We should continue to challenge ourselves to set our hope on solid rock so that when the sand shifts and we lose our balance or fall that we can pick ourselves back up with the hope that comes from our Lord. Today would be a good day to ask yourself where your hope lies. Are you putting hope in the right or the wrong place? The right place will deliver that sure and solid footing. The rest, in all brutal honesty is just shifting sanding.
Reference: Psalms 39:7 (New Living Translation)
I sit on a number of corporate Boards and am asked to work with management teams and to speak on how to navigate and manage through uncertain times, shaky ground and what can feel like standing on shifting sand. In these sessions or talks I tend to spend a fair amount of time trying to address what has to be a conscious disconnection of self-worth and one’s job. It is too easy to have the two be tangled together. We get used to describing ourselves and what we do by our job, title and company. And when, for any reason, that rug is pulled out from under us; we have a hard time finding our self-worth and ego footing. Yesterday, I heard from someone about how after almost ten years of success, his company decided to change strategic direction and are eliminating his division. He's okay, but many people just can’t accept the unpredicted and fearful change. They go into denial, anger and sometimes hiding. There is a reason that people will go an indefinite time before they tell their family that they have lost their jobs. In today’s world it is reality that we are all standing on shifting sand. Industries and products, etc. that were stable and always there before are now gone and jobs that when lost become hard, if not what feels impossible, to replace. And so we find that we can’t put our hope of our future with the company we love, the boss we respect and want to work for forever, or the paycheck that we are counting on for the fueling of our financial future.
It is in times like these that we must remember that we cannot put our hope anywhere but with our Heavenly Father. David cried out in his Psalm as he tried to figure out where to put his hope. He says, "And so, Lord, where do I put my hope?”. He then answers himself with, “My only hope is in you." I was taught by my father to never put my faith in people, as people will always let you down. He was right. We should also not allow our hope in people or companies or jobs. We should continue to challenge ourselves to set our hope on solid rock so that when the sand shifts and we lose our balance or fall that we can pick ourselves back up with the hope that comes from our Lord. Today would be a good day to ask yourself where your hope lies. Are you putting hope in the right or the wrong place? The right place will deliver that sure and solid footing. The rest, in all brutal honesty is just shifting sanding.
Reference: Psalms 39:7 (New Living Translation)
Friday, June 7, 2013
day 1154: Thinking Hat
"How amazing are the deeds of the Lord! All who delight in him
should ponder them."
How many times have we said to ourselves, "If I only had some time to
think!". We get so caught up in our day to day activities and the
pressures of the urgent that we don't find time to sit and think, plan
and be strategic. The grind of trying to stay on top of all of the
emails, phone calls, meetings and project work doesn't leave much time
for any of us to sit down with a clear mind and think about the future
or the the things we have in front of us that need deep and long
thoughts. There was a book that came out a few years ago about the it
being an art to be able to think and conceptualize the long view of the
future. But even like any art, there are foundational disciplines below
the art form that are required before one can do anything well. A
painter who doesn't understand color, a writer with poor grammar, a
songwriter who can't play an instrument, or a business leader who can't
find the time to think, are all efforts that are undermined by not
having the fundamentals understood and perfected before trying to layer
on the next level of creativity. Finding and carving out the time to
wear your thinking hat is a fundamental part of finding success in business.
The same is
true of our spiritual lives and the quest to be closer to the Lord.
Without the quiet time we cannot place our minds where they need to be
in order to focus and hear what God wants to say to us. We need time to
let our minds be free and ponder. In the beautiful Psalm 111, David
reminds us why we should take the time to think about what God has done
for us; "How amazing are the deeds of the Lord! All who delight in him
should ponder them." Today, find some thinking time first to spend with
God and then to spend thinking about those things that are important to
that need deeper thought. If you can find the quiet time for God first
and commit to that time, I have a confident feeling that you will be
amazed at how you will find the time for the other thinking too.
Reference: Psalm 111:2 (New Living Translation)
Reference: Psalm 111:2 (New Living Translation)
Monday, March 11, 2013
day 1092: Finding Bottom
"Even when I walk through the darkest valley, I will not be afraid, for you are close beside me. Your rod and your staff protect and comfort me."
Last week the music industry posted their first year of growth since 1999. While it was still a very small increase of 0.3 percent, totaling $16.5B (revenue before 1999 was $38B) it appears that the music industry found bottom and barring any other unforeseen issues the consumers are telling the industry that they are spending a little more last year than the year before on music. How that spending is occurring is radically different than 1999 (pre the original Napster). What is fascinating though is that because of the Internet and new digital technologies, music consumption is at an all time high. While there is growth there hasn't been a business model to bolster and economically legitimize the consumption boom. Ups and downs are part of the business cycle and there is a bottom for all of us that we have to find so we can gain a footing and then push off from there. How we find that bottom and what shape we are in when we get there is always the challenge. If we can keep perspective, not panic, and stay strategically open-minded when we hit bottom it won't feel like such a crash. Sometimes, like in music's case it takes over a decade, but even with all the missteps in that industry, a bottom can be found that can become foundational.
God knows that we all have to walk into the valleys of life if we are going to make the human journey. What is comforting is that when we are at the bottom, we are never alone. David tells us so in the famous Psalm 23. He says that we need not be afraid at the bottom, in the valley, for God is with us. Beyond that, he tells us that God brings His rod and staff to protect us from harm. At any given time, we or someone around us feels like we are finding the bottom and are scared that we will never come out. Not all of us have the faith of David so we need to see that God has put His rod and staff out there to protect us. Could it be that today you are to be God's rod and staff for someone else? Someone you know needs God's comfort and protection today. Can you reach out to them to let them know that you are there for them and you bring not only yourself but your bring your prayers and therefore the power of the Almighty's rod and staff with you? And if it is you who are finding bottom as you read this, be encouraged and know that you are not alone. Reach out to a fellow believer today and ask for a prayer. God will extend His rod and staff for you. Promise!
Reference: Psalm 23:4 (New Living Translation)
Last week the music industry posted their first year of growth since 1999. While it was still a very small increase of 0.3 percent, totaling $16.5B (revenue before 1999 was $38B) it appears that the music industry found bottom and barring any other unforeseen issues the consumers are telling the industry that they are spending a little more last year than the year before on music. How that spending is occurring is radically different than 1999 (pre the original Napster). What is fascinating though is that because of the Internet and new digital technologies, music consumption is at an all time high. While there is growth there hasn't been a business model to bolster and economically legitimize the consumption boom. Ups and downs are part of the business cycle and there is a bottom for all of us that we have to find so we can gain a footing and then push off from there. How we find that bottom and what shape we are in when we get there is always the challenge. If we can keep perspective, not panic, and stay strategically open-minded when we hit bottom it won't feel like such a crash. Sometimes, like in music's case it takes over a decade, but even with all the missteps in that industry, a bottom can be found that can become foundational.
God knows that we all have to walk into the valleys of life if we are going to make the human journey. What is comforting is that when we are at the bottom, we are never alone. David tells us so in the famous Psalm 23. He says that we need not be afraid at the bottom, in the valley, for God is with us. Beyond that, he tells us that God brings His rod and staff to protect us from harm. At any given time, we or someone around us feels like we are finding the bottom and are scared that we will never come out. Not all of us have the faith of David so we need to see that God has put His rod and staff out there to protect us. Could it be that today you are to be God's rod and staff for someone else? Someone you know needs God's comfort and protection today. Can you reach out to them to let them know that you are there for them and you bring not only yourself but your bring your prayers and therefore the power of the Almighty's rod and staff with you? And if it is you who are finding bottom as you read this, be encouraged and know that you are not alone. Reach out to a fellow believer today and ask for a prayer. God will extend His rod and staff for you. Promise!
Reference: Psalm 23:4 (New Living Translation)
Sunday, February 17, 2013
day 1077: Dedications
"King David dedicated all these gifts to the Lord, along with the silver and gold he had taken from the other nations—from Edom, Moab, Ammon, Philistia, and Amalek."
When we typically use the word "Dedicated" in business we are speaking in terms of how dedicated someone might be to their job or to the company. We don't have many instances where we are actually "dedicating" something unless it is to recognize a milestone, achievement or historical reference. That takes time and alignment to want to reflect a person, group, or team for this dedication. I remember once when we created a creativity award and we ended up dedicating it to the company's first Chief Creative Officer and company co-founder. Since then that person has left the company and actually become a competitor. I should check in and see if that award is still being given in his dedication. So, there is risk in dedicating things to human beings. We see it in statues and memorials when later people fall in their reputation. It is a dangerous thing, so we tend to default into not dedicating anything at all.
References in the Old Testament of dedication are about dedicating those treasures gained in battle and war to the Lord. David and those who followed him continued to dedicate their "plunders". Later we learn that we as human beings are God's treasures and we are to dedicate our lives to Him. God allows for the risk that we in our lives will always cause some issue that can tarnish our dedication to Him. But, he continues to ask and accept that we are dedicated to His calling, will and name. What a gift and challenge this is for us all. To be dedicated to God is a purpose that can't be trumped. We need to each consider what this means in our lives and what we must do to stay as pure and committed as we can. Today, think about how we should act and react and keep front of mind that we are each to be one of God's dedications.
Reference: 1 Chronicle 18:11 (New Living Translation)
When we typically use the word "Dedicated" in business we are speaking in terms of how dedicated someone might be to their job or to the company. We don't have many instances where we are actually "dedicating" something unless it is to recognize a milestone, achievement or historical reference. That takes time and alignment to want to reflect a person, group, or team for this dedication. I remember once when we created a creativity award and we ended up dedicating it to the company's first Chief Creative Officer and company co-founder. Since then that person has left the company and actually become a competitor. I should check in and see if that award is still being given in his dedication. So, there is risk in dedicating things to human beings. We see it in statues and memorials when later people fall in their reputation. It is a dangerous thing, so we tend to default into not dedicating anything at all.
References in the Old Testament of dedication are about dedicating those treasures gained in battle and war to the Lord. David and those who followed him continued to dedicate their "plunders". Later we learn that we as human beings are God's treasures and we are to dedicate our lives to Him. God allows for the risk that we in our lives will always cause some issue that can tarnish our dedication to Him. But, he continues to ask and accept that we are dedicated to His calling, will and name. What a gift and challenge this is for us all. To be dedicated to God is a purpose that can't be trumped. We need to each consider what this means in our lives and what we must do to stay as pure and committed as we can. Today, think about how we should act and react and keep front of mind that we are each to be one of God's dedications.
Reference: 1 Chronicle 18:11 (New Living Translation)
Wednesday, November 21, 2012
day 1021: T.H.I.N.K - Part Three: Inspiring
In your majesty, ride out to victory, defending truth, humility, and justice. Go forth to perform awe-inspiring deeds!
Last week was filled with news about what happens when an email or communication is discovered that turns out to reveal actions and behaviors that are deceptive, dishonest and unseemly. It's worth taking a few Purposed worKING posts to remind ourselves of how we should conduct ourselves with electronic communication. There are no secrets in the digital age and so we must T.H.I.N.K. before we act, write or speak.
Today, I ask you to take on an exercise. It's the Wednesday before Thanksgiving and tomorrow is a day off, and maybe even the beginning of a four day weekend for some. For everyone, tomorrow will be a day of thanks and a time to reflect and consider what it is that we can be thankful for and many will spend that time with friends and family. Before we do so though, let's look back at the communications that we had yesterday and determine how much of it was "Inspiring". Just take a quick scroll through your sent emails and tally up what percentage of them would have left the person on the other end of the communication feeling inspired to make the most of their day and tasks at hand. If you aren't an email person, think about your texts, tweets or posts on social media. You know, if we can't find a way to make our messages inspiring to others, then we might want to consider not sending them. When we aren't inspiring, we are being a bummer to someone else. It's so easy in today's world to be a naysayer, a cynic, or one who criticizes and predicts the rainy and cloudy day. Sure, the weather caster who predicts rain everyday will be right some percentage of the time, but she/he won't be the person who we will want to come be the emcee at our charitable event or host a party, etc. No one likes people who are down in the dumps other than others who are also that way. Inspiring others is not hard if we just focus on doing so. How was that audit of yesterday's communication? If it's not at least some large percentage of inspiration then it's time to re-T.H.I.N.K. how we are communicating.
God wants us to be inspirational and always inspiring to others. That is because that is what He has done and will always do for this world. Those things that come from God are inspiring. Sometimes, as David wrote, they are "awe-inspiring". Alright, so let's double down on inspiration today and carry that into our Thanksgiving break. We will be surrounded by those that are the closest to us, let's be sure that we don't miss this opportunity to be inspirational and leave that time with all of us being better and stronger than we arrived. This is the path of God and one that we are to walk along!
Happy Thanksgiving - On Monday we carry on with Part Four of "T.H.I.N.K"
Reference: Psalm 45: 3-5 (New Living Translation)
Last week was filled with news about what happens when an email or communication is discovered that turns out to reveal actions and behaviors that are deceptive, dishonest and unseemly. It's worth taking a few Purposed worKING posts to remind ourselves of how we should conduct ourselves with electronic communication. There are no secrets in the digital age and so we must T.H.I.N.K. before we act, write or speak.
Today, I ask you to take on an exercise. It's the Wednesday before Thanksgiving and tomorrow is a day off, and maybe even the beginning of a four day weekend for some. For everyone, tomorrow will be a day of thanks and a time to reflect and consider what it is that we can be thankful for and many will spend that time with friends and family. Before we do so though, let's look back at the communications that we had yesterday and determine how much of it was "Inspiring". Just take a quick scroll through your sent emails and tally up what percentage of them would have left the person on the other end of the communication feeling inspired to make the most of their day and tasks at hand. If you aren't an email person, think about your texts, tweets or posts on social media. You know, if we can't find a way to make our messages inspiring to others, then we might want to consider not sending them. When we aren't inspiring, we are being a bummer to someone else. It's so easy in today's world to be a naysayer, a cynic, or one who criticizes and predicts the rainy and cloudy day. Sure, the weather caster who predicts rain everyday will be right some percentage of the time, but she/he won't be the person who we will want to come be the emcee at our charitable event or host a party, etc. No one likes people who are down in the dumps other than others who are also that way. Inspiring others is not hard if we just focus on doing so. How was that audit of yesterday's communication? If it's not at least some large percentage of inspiration then it's time to re-T.H.I.N.K. how we are communicating.
God wants us to be inspirational and always inspiring to others. That is because that is what He has done and will always do for this world. Those things that come from God are inspiring. Sometimes, as David wrote, they are "awe-inspiring". Alright, so let's double down on inspiration today and carry that into our Thanksgiving break. We will be surrounded by those that are the closest to us, let's be sure that we don't miss this opportunity to be inspirational and leave that time with all of us being better and stronger than we arrived. This is the path of God and one that we are to walk along!
Happy Thanksgiving - On Monday we carry on with Part Four of "T.H.I.N.K"
Reference: Psalm 45: 3-5 (New Living Translation)
Wednesday, August 22, 2012
day 957: Squeaky Wheels
"...My cup overflow with blessings."
I've had many an employee in my career who has been one of those people who are always asking for something. If you have never met someone like this (and I would be surprised of you haven't) they are quickly identified as the "squeaky wheel". They are the first people to be in the office wanting to know why someone else was promoted, or why another department got the larger budget, or why they weren't involved in a meeting or asked to travel on a trip. They are usually also the first people who point at others for problems and are not quick to take responsibility for their own action. I might add that they are usually the most immature. I once had a employee who would ask me regularly about when would they be promoted to the next level. When I got down underneath these incessant requests it had nothing to do with needing more salary or that their career was suffering from being in their current position too long, etc. What it boiled down to is that this person had a sense of entitlement that grew out of insecurity and fear that they were going to miss out on something that they wouldn't get unless they asked. I contrast this employee with a very senior executive who I worked with in the early 1990's who kept getting promoted over other people because he kept his head down, never expressed his career desires when not asked, trusted "the system" and when promoted would show a level of humility and gratitude that was far beyond anyone's expectations. As such, it was fun to see this person get promoted and rise through the ranks all the way to the top. How often are we more worried than trustful in what happens to us? Yes, that is right...too much.
When we stop trusting and we stop letting others and God do what they would like to do with us and instead try and take control of the situation, we miss out on the gifts that want to be given to us. With my employee, I got to the point that I knew when the conversation was coming and I didn't look forward to those talks. Our God is a God who wants to give so much more to us than we could ever ask. Our God is the God of David who as we know wrote in Psalm 23:5; "...My cup overflow with blessings." With a little more trust and little more faith and a lot less trying to tell God what to do, we can expect our cup to flow over. But, if we keep asking God to fill the cup in the way we want it filled, He will fill it, but maybe only to our definition of the top which could be far from His definition of what He wants to give us.
Reference: Psalm 23:5 (New Living Testament)
I've had many an employee in my career who has been one of those people who are always asking for something. If you have never met someone like this (and I would be surprised of you haven't) they are quickly identified as the "squeaky wheel". They are the first people to be in the office wanting to know why someone else was promoted, or why another department got the larger budget, or why they weren't involved in a meeting or asked to travel on a trip. They are usually also the first people who point at others for problems and are not quick to take responsibility for their own action. I might add that they are usually the most immature. I once had a employee who would ask me regularly about when would they be promoted to the next level. When I got down underneath these incessant requests it had nothing to do with needing more salary or that their career was suffering from being in their current position too long, etc. What it boiled down to is that this person had a sense of entitlement that grew out of insecurity and fear that they were going to miss out on something that they wouldn't get unless they asked. I contrast this employee with a very senior executive who I worked with in the early 1990's who kept getting promoted over other people because he kept his head down, never expressed his career desires when not asked, trusted "the system" and when promoted would show a level of humility and gratitude that was far beyond anyone's expectations. As such, it was fun to see this person get promoted and rise through the ranks all the way to the top. How often are we more worried than trustful in what happens to us? Yes, that is right...too much.
When we stop trusting and we stop letting others and God do what they would like to do with us and instead try and take control of the situation, we miss out on the gifts that want to be given to us. With my employee, I got to the point that I knew when the conversation was coming and I didn't look forward to those talks. Our God is a God who wants to give so much more to us than we could ever ask. Our God is the God of David who as we know wrote in Psalm 23:5; "...My cup overflow with blessings." With a little more trust and little more faith and a lot less trying to tell God what to do, we can expect our cup to flow over. But, if we keep asking God to fill the cup in the way we want it filled, He will fill it, but maybe only to our definition of the top which could be far from His definition of what He wants to give us.
Reference: Psalm 23:5 (New Living Testament)
Tuesday, August 7, 2012
day 946: A Simple Choice - redux
"You both precede and follow me"
One of the earliest leadership lessons I was taught was to either "lead, follow or get out of the way". Seems simple on the surface but very hard to do. Much of the confusion in the workplace has to do with us not knowing which of the three we should be doing at the same time others are also figuring it out. Many a toe has been stepped on and ball dropped because we are confused on which role we should be playing. Lots of consultants have made a ton of money trying to teach people and organizations on the differences. However, we can all get better at this just by asking the question when we are unsure and then listening for the direction and following from there. We like to make that mistake too in once we hear what role we are supposed to take we fight it and rebel instead of falling into the lane we are supposed to be in and getting comfortable with it. Do you know what role you are supposed to take today on each project or task you have in front of you? It's not always the same and even if you are the boss, you are sometimes meant to follow or get out of the way.
King David describes the One, and the only One who leads and follows consistently each and every day in our lives. How wonderful it is to know that in all that we do that the Lord both precedes and follows us and even more glorious to know that He never gets out of the way even when we elbow Him out. Let's go into today allowing Him to lead and thanking Him for following so closely. In that time of thanks also ask Him what role He wants you to take today with others. Because He precedes us He will show us the way we are supposed to take.
Reference: Psalm 139:5 (New Living Testament)
One of the earliest leadership lessons I was taught was to either "lead, follow or get out of the way". Seems simple on the surface but very hard to do. Much of the confusion in the workplace has to do with us not knowing which of the three we should be doing at the same time others are also figuring it out. Many a toe has been stepped on and ball dropped because we are confused on which role we should be playing. Lots of consultants have made a ton of money trying to teach people and organizations on the differences. However, we can all get better at this just by asking the question when we are unsure and then listening for the direction and following from there. We like to make that mistake too in once we hear what role we are supposed to take we fight it and rebel instead of falling into the lane we are supposed to be in and getting comfortable with it. Do you know what role you are supposed to take today on each project or task you have in front of you? It's not always the same and even if you are the boss, you are sometimes meant to follow or get out of the way.
King David describes the One, and the only One who leads and follows consistently each and every day in our lives. How wonderful it is to know that in all that we do that the Lord both precedes and follows us and even more glorious to know that He never gets out of the way even when we elbow Him out. Let's go into today allowing Him to lead and thanking Him for following so closely. In that time of thanks also ask Him what role He wants you to take today with others. Because He precedes us He will show us the way we are supposed to take.
Reference: Psalm 139:5 (New Living Testament)
Monday, July 23, 2012
day 935: The Right Course
"My child, listen and be wise; keep your heart on the right course."
Our future is built upon our past. Seems simple enough to understand but not always appreciated and too often the past is forgotten so we make a mistake again that was made before. Every now and then it is good to evaluate our past and what it is that we should continue to take forward and what it is that we should shed. This is why I like services such as EverNote that allows for us to store and keep those things from the past that can be brought forward into the present within keystrokes. It is also good to honor achievements that have brought us to where we are today. 43 years ago yesterday, Neil Armstrong became the first man to step on the moon. I have had the pleasure of meeting Neil and serving along side of him in purposes of our shared alma mater, Purdue. Neil won't be with us forever, but what he did and the course that it launched our country on with science, technology, engineering and product designs, will forever be remembered and hopefully appreciated. Like the monumental task it was to get a man on the moon, each of our businesses need to have those seemingly crazy dreams and goals to push ourselves onto a course that once on, would seem just as crazy to abandon.
King David challenges us to find and stay on the right course in maybe the hardest of all places; in our hearts. How easy it is to say, "I've had a change of heart". When we say those words, or hear them, let's take pause and be sure that we are listening and challenging ourselves about the course we are on. How sweet it feels when our hearts are right with God and others! Today, as we start this week, let's put a crazy challenge in front of ourselves and establish a course that is right for our heart that would solve a problem we might have with a co-worker. Without knowing, who or what, I know that we all have something and someone that if we listen closely to what God is saying, we will know what it is that we need to right. Tomorrow's post will continue this course more....
Reference: Proverbs 23:19 (New Living Translation)
Our future is built upon our past. Seems simple enough to understand but not always appreciated and too often the past is forgotten so we make a mistake again that was made before. Every now and then it is good to evaluate our past and what it is that we should continue to take forward and what it is that we should shed. This is why I like services such as EverNote that allows for us to store and keep those things from the past that can be brought forward into the present within keystrokes. It is also good to honor achievements that have brought us to where we are today. 43 years ago yesterday, Neil Armstrong became the first man to step on the moon. I have had the pleasure of meeting Neil and serving along side of him in purposes of our shared alma mater, Purdue. Neil won't be with us forever, but what he did and the course that it launched our country on with science, technology, engineering and product designs, will forever be remembered and hopefully appreciated. Like the monumental task it was to get a man on the moon, each of our businesses need to have those seemingly crazy dreams and goals to push ourselves onto a course that once on, would seem just as crazy to abandon.
King David challenges us to find and stay on the right course in maybe the hardest of all places; in our hearts. How easy it is to say, "I've had a change of heart". When we say those words, or hear them, let's take pause and be sure that we are listening and challenging ourselves about the course we are on. How sweet it feels when our hearts are right with God and others! Today, as we start this week, let's put a crazy challenge in front of ourselves and establish a course that is right for our heart that would solve a problem we might have with a co-worker. Without knowing, who or what, I know that we all have something and someone that if we listen closely to what God is saying, we will know what it is that we need to right. Tomorrow's post will continue this course more....
Reference: Proverbs 23:19 (New Living Translation)
Tuesday, July 17, 2012
day 931: The Cost of Cheap
"But King David replied to Araunah, 'No, I insist on buying it for the
full price. I will not take what is yours and give it to the LORD. I
will not present burnt offerings that have cost me nothing!”
I loved this sketch and article by Carl Richards in the New York Times. See: http://bucks.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/06/26/the-case-for-spending-a-little-more-sometimes/
Mr. Richards' thesis was that waiting until we can afford to buy good things that will last, or that we will use for a long time, is a better economic decision. The old adage, "We're too poor to buy cheap things" was quoted and it reminded me of the many times in my own life when I have forgotten the power of delayed gratification and I purchase out of impulse because of the catalyst of a sale or seeming bargain only to be disappointed later that I didn't wait or save up for what was the better purchase. Of course some businesses are built on the principle of cheap, available and disposable, but I'd prefer to think that after time the "Old Navy's" of the world become something else. We have a store not far from our Rhode Island home called "Benny's". Our best friend's twin girls over the years (they are 16 now) have come to call the store, "Broken Benny's" because whatever you buy there seems to break or wear out within a few week or months of purchase. And when you add up the dollars spent, you find that you ended up overspending versus buying quality the first time. As I once told a professional services vendor, "Look, I'm an American consumer, and that means I want it now, I want it perfect, and I want it free...or at least cheap". What Mr. Richards points out so well is that we can't have our "cheap" cake and eat it too.
King David describes that not all things in life should come free and in fact, we should always pay a fair price for those things that we purchase. We have become so accustomed to wanting everything for free or below what we want to pay. We are reminded over and over in God's Word that we are to be fair to others and that we all pay a price for the lives that we live. We have to look no further than the price that was paid for our salvation to understand and model that if we aren't willing to pay our own price to commit, follow and share our belief in Jesus that we are missing out on what He paid for us. When it comes to our role as believers in the workplace and our striving to bring glory to Him in all that we do, let's never try and take the cheap way out but instead pay forward the price that was paid for us!
Reference: 1 Chronicles 21:24 (New Living Testament)
I loved this sketch and article by Carl Richards in the New York Times. See: http://bucks.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/06/26/the-case-for-spending-a-little-more-sometimes/
Mr. Richards' thesis was that waiting until we can afford to buy good things that will last, or that we will use for a long time, is a better economic decision. The old adage, "We're too poor to buy cheap things" was quoted and it reminded me of the many times in my own life when I have forgotten the power of delayed gratification and I purchase out of impulse because of the catalyst of a sale or seeming bargain only to be disappointed later that I didn't wait or save up for what was the better purchase. Of course some businesses are built on the principle of cheap, available and disposable, but I'd prefer to think that after time the "Old Navy's" of the world become something else. We have a store not far from our Rhode Island home called "Benny's". Our best friend's twin girls over the years (they are 16 now) have come to call the store, "Broken Benny's" because whatever you buy there seems to break or wear out within a few week or months of purchase. And when you add up the dollars spent, you find that you ended up overspending versus buying quality the first time. As I once told a professional services vendor, "Look, I'm an American consumer, and that means I want it now, I want it perfect, and I want it free...or at least cheap". What Mr. Richards points out so well is that we can't have our "cheap" cake and eat it too.
King David describes that not all things in life should come free and in fact, we should always pay a fair price for those things that we purchase. We have become so accustomed to wanting everything for free or below what we want to pay. We are reminded over and over in God's Word that we are to be fair to others and that we all pay a price for the lives that we live. We have to look no further than the price that was paid for our salvation to understand and model that if we aren't willing to pay our own price to commit, follow and share our belief in Jesus that we are missing out on what He paid for us. When it comes to our role as believers in the workplace and our striving to bring glory to Him in all that we do, let's never try and take the cheap way out but instead pay forward the price that was paid for us!
Reference: 1 Chronicles 21:24 (New Living Testament)
Friday, June 29, 2012
day 922: "I Want.."
"The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want..."
In consultation with a good friend who is a senior executive of a large company he was recounting about an employee who approached him wanting to to be transferred to a new job after having only been in the position for a year. This employee said to him, "I want a new job that is going to challenge me". My friend asked his employee what about their current role did they not find challenging as according to him this employee was only doing a good job and and was meeting some, but not all of their objectives and therefore had not yet earned an above target or great rating. The response from the employee was without substance or rationale other than there was a "want" to do something different. What my friend saw was an employee who had their success standards at the wrong level. The employee defined their success as having done the job. The boss defined success as mastering the work and exceeding expectations. As you can imagine, it was not a fruitful conversation and ended with the employee not getting their "want" fulfilled. How often we end up in these conversations where the "wants" are mismatched and no one walks away happy or satisfied. How might we turn the conversation around to not what "I want" but instead, what "others want" to see if we can't find how best to meet everyone's needs.
How can we "want" when all has been given to us that we need? David's most well-known Psalm starts with teaching us that when we have the almighty shepherd that we shouldn't have any wants. The danger of a want is that we mix it up with our needs and then we miss God's blessing. What is it that we could sit and write down and define as the difference in our wants and needs. We would be well served to know the difference so that we don't end up one of those people at work and home who is all about our "wants".
Reference: Psalm 23:1
In consultation with a good friend who is a senior executive of a large company he was recounting about an employee who approached him wanting to to be transferred to a new job after having only been in the position for a year. This employee said to him, "I want a new job that is going to challenge me". My friend asked his employee what about their current role did they not find challenging as according to him this employee was only doing a good job and and was meeting some, but not all of their objectives and therefore had not yet earned an above target or great rating. The response from the employee was without substance or rationale other than there was a "want" to do something different. What my friend saw was an employee who had their success standards at the wrong level. The employee defined their success as having done the job. The boss defined success as mastering the work and exceeding expectations. As you can imagine, it was not a fruitful conversation and ended with the employee not getting their "want" fulfilled. How often we end up in these conversations where the "wants" are mismatched and no one walks away happy or satisfied. How might we turn the conversation around to not what "I want" but instead, what "others want" to see if we can't find how best to meet everyone's needs.
How can we "want" when all has been given to us that we need? David's most well-known Psalm starts with teaching us that when we have the almighty shepherd that we shouldn't have any wants. The danger of a want is that we mix it up with our needs and then we miss God's blessing. What is it that we could sit and write down and define as the difference in our wants and needs. We would be well served to know the difference so that we don't end up one of those people at work and home who is all about our "wants".
Reference: Psalm 23:1
Friday, January 20, 2012
day 809: Witholdings
"...The Lord will withhold no good thing from those who do right"
There is lots of talk today about who pays how much tax and why. Politicians are having to defend their tax rate even thought they paid what was due to be paid. Corporations have also been under scrutiny for their tax rate payments, or lack thereof. The tax system is so complex that when we hear about what an entity has or has not paid in taxes we can't make sense of it anyway. What we do know is that we have to pay our taxes and that is whether we like it or not. In the corporate world some of the highest paid professionals are those who know how to manage the complex tax laws to ensure that a company is not paying one more penny than is required. Today, many international corporations will have offices and operations in place like Switzerland, the Caymans and Ireland to avoid paying higher taxes. It's a complicated subject and usually charged with some emotion, depending on what seat you sit. But, at the end of the day, what the government can withhold within the law, is what we have to abide within.
As workers we also pay taxes and we have those withheld from our paychecks. It is the law and we have to follow the law in order to be doing what is right. What David tells us in the Psalms is that if we do what is right that those things that are good will not be withheld from us. What we are being told is that in all that we do, let's stand upright and follow the moral compass and direction that we are given from God and be on the right side of all that we do. Going back to taxes for a second, I know many people who are small business owners where they have a choice in how they report their income. That choice is about doing the right thing, or not. God has given us a promise. Do the right thing and the good things for us will be delivered. See where I am going? What might feel like is good for us, but causes us to not do the right things, will hurt us in the long run, and worse yet, remove the blessings that God wants to give us. It's something for us all to think about when we think of what we may be withholding from God when we don't do the right thing.
Reference: Psalm 84:11 (New Living Testament)
There is lots of talk today about who pays how much tax and why. Politicians are having to defend their tax rate even thought they paid what was due to be paid. Corporations have also been under scrutiny for their tax rate payments, or lack thereof. The tax system is so complex that when we hear about what an entity has or has not paid in taxes we can't make sense of it anyway. What we do know is that we have to pay our taxes and that is whether we like it or not. In the corporate world some of the highest paid professionals are those who know how to manage the complex tax laws to ensure that a company is not paying one more penny than is required. Today, many international corporations will have offices and operations in place like Switzerland, the Caymans and Ireland to avoid paying higher taxes. It's a complicated subject and usually charged with some emotion, depending on what seat you sit. But, at the end of the day, what the government can withhold within the law, is what we have to abide within.
As workers we also pay taxes and we have those withheld from our paychecks. It is the law and we have to follow the law in order to be doing what is right. What David tells us in the Psalms is that if we do what is right that those things that are good will not be withheld from us. What we are being told is that in all that we do, let's stand upright and follow the moral compass and direction that we are given from God and be on the right side of all that we do. Going back to taxes for a second, I know many people who are small business owners where they have a choice in how they report their income. That choice is about doing the right thing, or not. God has given us a promise. Do the right thing and the good things for us will be delivered. See where I am going? What might feel like is good for us, but causes us to not do the right things, will hurt us in the long run, and worse yet, remove the blessings that God wants to give us. It's something for us all to think about when we think of what we may be withholding from God when we don't do the right thing.
Reference: Psalm 84:11 (New Living Testament)
Monday, September 19, 2011
day 732: Clean Energy
“Now Saul was afraid of David, because the Lord was with him, but had departed from Saul... And David behaved wisely in all his ways, and the Lord was with him. Therefore, when Saul saw that he behaved very wisely, he was afraid of him”
Every business has a certain "energy" about them that we could call the mixture of their reputation, brand appeal, and consumer confidence. Those that are at the top of the heap are usually also the companies that we consider, "clean". That is that they provide high quality products or services, are ethical, treat their employees well, have good taste, and don't engage in activities that embarrass or create negative news about them. Ironically, these are also the companies that the media and other companies are always looking for ways/reasons to knock them off of their pedestal. I think about Apple. Apple is beloved right now by consumers around the world. As Steve Jobs left his position as CEO last month he left one of the highest employee approval ratings Glassdoor.com had ever seen (a company that I am on the Board of), and yet, at the same time, the media loves to stir the pot with stories of Apple's overseas labor practices and what happens in the plants in China. The point is that the more any business works to be blameless the more others will try and bring them down. But, this is no reason to not work to be pure and blameless. Wouldn't we rather have that approach first and worry about the rest later? I'll choose "clean energy" companies over others all day long.
God tells us something about what happens when in our lives we also try to bring across "clean energy" and when we do that through our walk with Christ. What happens with David and Saul says it all. When we try and walk a blameless life we will have others who will not like us and will try and get us to trip up so that they can either point out our contradiction and hypocrisy to cover up their faults, or because they don't want to see others who believe succeed. Let's be honest with ourselves, it can get rough out there and our workplaces are the roughest places of all. Only the lowest dive bars and taverns would allow the kind of language and behavior that can happen daily inside a conference room. We need to be prepared that if want to exude clean energy, clean living, and be an example of Jesus' life, then it comes with the opposition. That said, we know that if we go further into the David and Saul account that God removed Saul from David's presence when it got too heated. God will protect us if we are standing up for Him and living and working "cleanly".
Reference: 1 Samuel 18:12-15
Every business has a certain "energy" about them that we could call the mixture of their reputation, brand appeal, and consumer confidence. Those that are at the top of the heap are usually also the companies that we consider, "clean". That is that they provide high quality products or services, are ethical, treat their employees well, have good taste, and don't engage in activities that embarrass or create negative news about them. Ironically, these are also the companies that the media and other companies are always looking for ways/reasons to knock them off of their pedestal. I think about Apple. Apple is beloved right now by consumers around the world. As Steve Jobs left his position as CEO last month he left one of the highest employee approval ratings Glassdoor.com had ever seen (a company that I am on the Board of), and yet, at the same time, the media loves to stir the pot with stories of Apple's overseas labor practices and what happens in the plants in China. The point is that the more any business works to be blameless the more others will try and bring them down. But, this is no reason to not work to be pure and blameless. Wouldn't we rather have that approach first and worry about the rest later? I'll choose "clean energy" companies over others all day long.
God tells us something about what happens when in our lives we also try to bring across "clean energy" and when we do that through our walk with Christ. What happens with David and Saul says it all. When we try and walk a blameless life we will have others who will not like us and will try and get us to trip up so that they can either point out our contradiction and hypocrisy to cover up their faults, or because they don't want to see others who believe succeed. Let's be honest with ourselves, it can get rough out there and our workplaces are the roughest places of all. Only the lowest dive bars and taverns would allow the kind of language and behavior that can happen daily inside a conference room. We need to be prepared that if want to exude clean energy, clean living, and be an example of Jesus' life, then it comes with the opposition. That said, we know that if we go further into the David and Saul account that God removed Saul from David's presence when it got too heated. God will protect us if we are standing up for Him and living and working "cleanly".
Reference: 1 Samuel 18:12-15
Thursday, September 1, 2011
day 721: Start to Finish
"Listen to my voice in the morning, Lord. Each morning I bring my requests to you and wait expectantly."
Every business or organization has its own business cycle that it follows. For some it can be a long cycle of product development, review, approval, customer acceptance, etc. For others, it is opening the door and counting the customers and cash register receipts by the hour. Regardless, there is a beginning that is filled with expectation and hope and unlimited upside; there is a middle of assessing and adjusting an necessary; and there is a conclusion of measurement and reconciling. For those who believe in continuous improvement, there are also postmortems to decide what worked well and what didn't and then an application to the process, design or service to make things bigger and better for next time. The best businesses do it all. They know and prepare for a starting point and rally their organization towards that day or moment. They are watching from start through middle to end to recalibrate if need be, and they know how to conclude and celebrate in a way that brings the troops back for the next time.
We are the same way in our own jobs and the different aspects of our lives. We have cycles and seasons that we have to understand and manage. Having just experienced my first true hurricane season event, I found David's words so true. With each morning as we prepared for Hurricane Irene; through the start of the blowing winds; through the passing of the middle of the storm, to the aftermath of nearly 90 hours without power; it was each morning waiting expectantly to see how the day would unfold. David teaches us to bring those requests and needs to God each morning and let that be our cycle, start to finish. His words and God's promise are good ones. If we can string together day after day of listening for his voice and bringing ourselves to Him daily then from start to finish of the day, we will be as prepared for own work and life cycle as we can be.
PS: Thank you for the prayers, notes, support and encouragement this past week.
Reference: Psalm 5:3 (New Living Testament)
Every business or organization has its own business cycle that it follows. For some it can be a long cycle of product development, review, approval, customer acceptance, etc. For others, it is opening the door and counting the customers and cash register receipts by the hour. Regardless, there is a beginning that is filled with expectation and hope and unlimited upside; there is a middle of assessing and adjusting an necessary; and there is a conclusion of measurement and reconciling. For those who believe in continuous improvement, there are also postmortems to decide what worked well and what didn't and then an application to the process, design or service to make things bigger and better for next time. The best businesses do it all. They know and prepare for a starting point and rally their organization towards that day or moment. They are watching from start through middle to end to recalibrate if need be, and they know how to conclude and celebrate in a way that brings the troops back for the next time.
We are the same way in our own jobs and the different aspects of our lives. We have cycles and seasons that we have to understand and manage. Having just experienced my first true hurricane season event, I found David's words so true. With each morning as we prepared for Hurricane Irene; through the start of the blowing winds; through the passing of the middle of the storm, to the aftermath of nearly 90 hours without power; it was each morning waiting expectantly to see how the day would unfold. David teaches us to bring those requests and needs to God each morning and let that be our cycle, start to finish. His words and God's promise are good ones. If we can string together day after day of listening for his voice and bringing ourselves to Him daily then from start to finish of the day, we will be as prepared for own work and life cycle as we can be.
PS: Thank you for the prayers, notes, support and encouragement this past week.
Reference: Psalm 5:3 (New Living Testament)
Tuesday, August 2, 2011
day 702: Look Of The Leader
"David was dressed in a robe of fine linen, as were all the Levites who carried the Ark, and also the singers, and Kenaniah the choir leader. David was also wearing a priestly garment."
This past week I was reviewing video interviews for a senior position and I was surprised at how, even in this day and age, I was influenced a bit by the candidates who went to the extra trouble to put on a shirt and tie for the interviews. It could be that we are used to seeing those in positions of of influence and authority who come to us over a screen, still wearing coat and tie, or at least a tie. Whatever, it reminded me of the importance of establishing and taking on the look of the leader if we are to establish a level of credibility and confidence in our customers and partners. I remember a time when one of the people on my staff said that they didn't really want to see me come to work in shorts and tee-shirts. I asked why and he said, "We need to see you as a different than us sometimes, just to remind us..." I didn't understand that at the time, but I understand it more today as I look for leaders to inspire confidence and assurance in difficult times. The look of the leader is situational, but it is real and each leader should think about not only how they dress, but how they carry themselves, what they say, and how they treat others. Yes, of this is about the look of the leader.
God calls us to put on our garment of praise, bear the fruits of his spirit and to walk in His footsteps. Jesus had the look of the leader. People left what they were doing to follow Him. It wasn't about the robes or kingly linens that King David wore, it was likely the opposite in what Jesus wore. What we know is that Jesus exuded a spirit about Him that others wanted to drop what they were doing to listen to him. It was His spirit. This is the spirit that He has left behind for us to embody and do our best to be like. God has given each of us our chance to be a leader for Him. Are we taking on the look of the leader, or are we not paying enough attention to the words that we speak, the actions that we take, the treatment of others, the attitude that we approach each day with? Let us look hard at ourselves today and find the look of the leader, the look of Him!
Reference: 1 Chronicles 15:26-28 (New Living Testament)
This past week I was reviewing video interviews for a senior position and I was surprised at how, even in this day and age, I was influenced a bit by the candidates who went to the extra trouble to put on a shirt and tie for the interviews. It could be that we are used to seeing those in positions of of influence and authority who come to us over a screen, still wearing coat and tie, or at least a tie. Whatever, it reminded me of the importance of establishing and taking on the look of the leader if we are to establish a level of credibility and confidence in our customers and partners. I remember a time when one of the people on my staff said that they didn't really want to see me come to work in shorts and tee-shirts. I asked why and he said, "We need to see you as a different than us sometimes, just to remind us..." I didn't understand that at the time, but I understand it more today as I look for leaders to inspire confidence and assurance in difficult times. The look of the leader is situational, but it is real and each leader should think about not only how they dress, but how they carry themselves, what they say, and how they treat others. Yes, of this is about the look of the leader.
God calls us to put on our garment of praise, bear the fruits of his spirit and to walk in His footsteps. Jesus had the look of the leader. People left what they were doing to follow Him. It wasn't about the robes or kingly linens that King David wore, it was likely the opposite in what Jesus wore. What we know is that Jesus exuded a spirit about Him that others wanted to drop what they were doing to listen to him. It was His spirit. This is the spirit that He has left behind for us to embody and do our best to be like. God has given each of us our chance to be a leader for Him. Are we taking on the look of the leader, or are we not paying enough attention to the words that we speak, the actions that we take, the treatment of others, the attitude that we approach each day with? Let us look hard at ourselves today and find the look of the leader, the look of Him!
Reference: 1 Chronicles 15:26-28 (New Living Testament)
Friday, July 1, 2011
day 681: Seriously
"So take this seriously. The Lord has chosen you to build a Temple as his sanctuary. Be strong, and do the work."
By its' nature, work is serious. While we sometimes work to make it fun, if not taken seriously then work that is done in not serious fashion can do real damage. Without seriousness, the bridge fails, the plane stops flying, the food is undercooked, the room is unclean, the diagnosis is wrong, the presentation is flawed, etc. We have to take work seriously. In fact, those businesses who are able to find a way that all the people who work within the company realize how important, critical and serious the work they do really is and how it fits into a bigger picture, are able to get more productivity and engagement from their people. And, it's not about being able to say that the work that is being done is changing the world. While that would be nice, and some organizations are working on those types of projects, for most it is about the work that is being done being completed in way that is of the highest quality and standards of excellence. This matters. Serious work matters. Organizations that bring out the best of people and their seriousness to their jobs are doing something right.
When Solomon took over the responsibility to build the Temple, his Father, David, told him, "..Take this seriously". It was serious work. What this verse tells me is that God's work is serious and we are to take our responsibility of upholding and building up our part of God's Temple seriously. Anything in our life that we take seriously, we will find ourselves focused and aligning the rest of our life to accomplish or achieve that goal or task. Those things that we don't take seriously, or that we take lightly, don't usually get done and if they do, it's never as good as it could have been had we put more of ourselves into it. God asks us to live a life that reinforces Him to others as us being examples of what it means to follow and love the Lord. Is there anything that could be more serious? God calls us to a great and abundant life in following Him, but with that comes us taking it seriously.
Reference: 1 Chronicles 28:10 (New Living Testament)
By its' nature, work is serious. While we sometimes work to make it fun, if not taken seriously then work that is done in not serious fashion can do real damage. Without seriousness, the bridge fails, the plane stops flying, the food is undercooked, the room is unclean, the diagnosis is wrong, the presentation is flawed, etc. We have to take work seriously. In fact, those businesses who are able to find a way that all the people who work within the company realize how important, critical and serious the work they do really is and how it fits into a bigger picture, are able to get more productivity and engagement from their people. And, it's not about being able to say that the work that is being done is changing the world. While that would be nice, and some organizations are working on those types of projects, for most it is about the work that is being done being completed in way that is of the highest quality and standards of excellence. This matters. Serious work matters. Organizations that bring out the best of people and their seriousness to their jobs are doing something right.
When Solomon took over the responsibility to build the Temple, his Father, David, told him, "..Take this seriously". It was serious work. What this verse tells me is that God's work is serious and we are to take our responsibility of upholding and building up our part of God's Temple seriously. Anything in our life that we take seriously, we will find ourselves focused and aligning the rest of our life to accomplish or achieve that goal or task. Those things that we don't take seriously, or that we take lightly, don't usually get done and if they do, it's never as good as it could have been had we put more of ourselves into it. God asks us to live a life that reinforces Him to others as us being examples of what it means to follow and love the Lord. Is there anything that could be more serious? God calls us to a great and abundant life in following Him, but with that comes us taking it seriously.
Reference: 1 Chronicles 28:10 (New Living Testament)
Thursday, June 30, 2011
day 680: The One Big Thing
"So take this seriously. The Lord has chosen you to build build a Temple as his sanctuary. Be strong and do the work."
As an output of many strategic planning sessions is the distillation of the business objectives into the "one big thing" that needs to get done before all others. Once a business or an organization can clearly define and articulate what that one big thing is there is a certain clarity and alignment that will appear. But, getting to that one big thing is difficult, really difficult. With all of the competing priorities, getting to the one big thing means letting other things go and many times getting people to give up their pet projects or the areas that they think they must fulfill to move themselves forward. But, this is where we have to be disciplined and focused so that we can see what the one big thing is and not waiver. Organizations that can get there and and stay there are the ones that succeed. Those who try and do too much and become too watered down in their efforts and resources end up never finding the power of focus and alignment.
When King David told his son Solomon that the Temple was to be his to build, he defined for Solomon the one big thing that he was to do. David then challenged him in how he was to get the Temple built and what kind of leader he was to be, but this was all in the pursuit of building the Temple to the best of Solomon's ability. While in our own lives it may be hard to come to our one big thing, God calls us each and every day to bring glory to Him in all that we do and when we do that to spread His word to others. If we were to take on this as our one big thing, then we could know, without a shadow of a doubt, that the focus of our lives would be fruitful and pleasing to God. Today, consider what has been the one big thing to date? Is it what you want it to be or is today a day to reconsider, realign and refocus?
Reference: 1 Chronicles 28:10 (New Living Testament)
As an output of many strategic planning sessions is the distillation of the business objectives into the "one big thing" that needs to get done before all others. Once a business or an organization can clearly define and articulate what that one big thing is there is a certain clarity and alignment that will appear. But, getting to that one big thing is difficult, really difficult. With all of the competing priorities, getting to the one big thing means letting other things go and many times getting people to give up their pet projects or the areas that they think they must fulfill to move themselves forward. But, this is where we have to be disciplined and focused so that we can see what the one big thing is and not waiver. Organizations that can get there and and stay there are the ones that succeed. Those who try and do too much and become too watered down in their efforts and resources end up never finding the power of focus and alignment.
When King David told his son Solomon that the Temple was to be his to build, he defined for Solomon the one big thing that he was to do. David then challenged him in how he was to get the Temple built and what kind of leader he was to be, but this was all in the pursuit of building the Temple to the best of Solomon's ability. While in our own lives it may be hard to come to our one big thing, God calls us each and every day to bring glory to Him in all that we do and when we do that to spread His word to others. If we were to take on this as our one big thing, then we could know, without a shadow of a doubt, that the focus of our lives would be fruitful and pleasing to God. Today, consider what has been the one big thing to date? Is it what you want it to be or is today a day to reconsider, realign and refocus?
Reference: 1 Chronicles 28:10 (New Living Testament)
Monday, May 2, 2011
day 645: A Good Mood Day
"The Lord is king! Let the earth rejoice! Let the farthest coastlands be glad."
People can be known for their moods. We all know someone who is known for their good moods, someone who is known for their bad moods and someone who is known for vacillating, or what we would call them to be, "moody". Companies and organizations can be the same. There are companies that have a general positive disposition. Usually they are characterized by customers and clients as friendly, positive and helping companies. They can also be organizations that are in growth mode and therefore have lots of positive momentum and that mood follows. Then there are organizations that are known for their bad mood. Have you ever been to the Department of Motor Vehicles? Need I say more? And yes, there are the organizations that are also moody and can swing back and forth confusing both the consumer and the marketplace. What is true about all of these organizations is that it is the people within them that cause the mood of the culture, not the other way around. There isn't some robot or machine that sets the mood. Mood and tone is usually set at the top and trickles or roars down from there. If you are in a management position then you set the tone and the mood for your team. You are getting some message from above (in the organization) and you can either reinforce or run against the tone/mood and from there decide what mood you personally want to be in and what mood you want your group, team, or department to share. Suffice it to say that your mood and your personal mood management makes a difference.
Sharing the purpose to bring glory to God in our work and all we do means also managing our mood. How can we be filled with God's spirit and not be happy and rejoicing in it? Every day should be a day that we wake looking forward expectantly to what can be a day where great things happen. Those great things can be big, they can be small, but if our heart, mind and actions are all in the right place, the things that happen will be meaningful. I cannot tell you who you will touch and impact today, but I can tell you that each interaction you have is a possibility to leave something positive in someone's life. You can start that with going into this day in a good mood and rejoicing and being glad that He is our Lord and He is alive and well! King David said it best, "The Lord is king! Let the earth rejoice! Let the farthest coastlands be glad." His is a the mood that is good.
Reference: Psalm 97:1-3 (New Living Testament)
People can be known for their moods. We all know someone who is known for their good moods, someone who is known for their bad moods and someone who is known for vacillating, or what we would call them to be, "moody". Companies and organizations can be the same. There are companies that have a general positive disposition. Usually they are characterized by customers and clients as friendly, positive and helping companies. They can also be organizations that are in growth mode and therefore have lots of positive momentum and that mood follows. Then there are organizations that are known for their bad mood. Have you ever been to the Department of Motor Vehicles? Need I say more? And yes, there are the organizations that are also moody and can swing back and forth confusing both the consumer and the marketplace. What is true about all of these organizations is that it is the people within them that cause the mood of the culture, not the other way around. There isn't some robot or machine that sets the mood. Mood and tone is usually set at the top and trickles or roars down from there. If you are in a management position then you set the tone and the mood for your team. You are getting some message from above (in the organization) and you can either reinforce or run against the tone/mood and from there decide what mood you personally want to be in and what mood you want your group, team, or department to share. Suffice it to say that your mood and your personal mood management makes a difference.
Sharing the purpose to bring glory to God in our work and all we do means also managing our mood. How can we be filled with God's spirit and not be happy and rejoicing in it? Every day should be a day that we wake looking forward expectantly to what can be a day where great things happen. Those great things can be big, they can be small, but if our heart, mind and actions are all in the right place, the things that happen will be meaningful. I cannot tell you who you will touch and impact today, but I can tell you that each interaction you have is a possibility to leave something positive in someone's life. You can start that with going into this day in a good mood and rejoicing and being glad that He is our Lord and He is alive and well! King David said it best, "The Lord is king! Let the earth rejoice! Let the farthest coastlands be glad." His is a the mood that is good.
Reference: Psalm 97:1-3 (New Living Testament)
Friday, April 29, 2011
day 644: The Power of Showing
"Come and see what our God has done, what awesome miracles he performs for people!"
"Come see this!", says the marketing person as she drags her team's finance person into a conference room to show her the mock-ups of the latest marketing campaign.
"Look here", says the accountant to his cube mate as he finds a ledger entry mistake that they had been searching.
"Let's go see what they are up to", says the CEO to his Assistant as they walk out to the shop floor to inspect the new distribution warehouse. When we are proud of something we want to show it off. When we are inquisitive about something that we think could be exciting, we want to go see it. When both occur at the same time, magic in the workplace happens. The moments when we see something that we marvel at and the times that we get a chance to gaze upon a product, an idea, or a service in action, that is innovative or new to us can be indelible. When I worked in the videogame business it was constant show and tell and each and every instance was usually more eye-opening and jaw dropping than before. Many times it seemed like the future was developing right in front of our eyes. The power of showing and seeing is like no other. Words cannot adequately describe what can be shown. If you are only telling and not showing and wondering why others aren't getting excited about what you are working on, then you may want to rethink and start showing more.
As believers in the workplace we can also let others see what God has done in our lives by not just telling but also by showing. We need to tell but if we don't also show in our daily lives how God works in us and how we allow Him to lead our lives, then our words will be hollow and not exciting. Today, let's think about what we have to do to start showing to others what miraculous things God has done for us. Can we start today being as excited about showing that off as we are a new idea that we came up with for work?
Reference: Psalm 66:5 (New Living Testament)
"Come see this!", says the marketing person as she drags her team's finance person into a conference room to show her the mock-ups of the latest marketing campaign.
"Look here", says the accountant to his cube mate as he finds a ledger entry mistake that they had been searching.
"Let's go see what they are up to", says the CEO to his Assistant as they walk out to the shop floor to inspect the new distribution warehouse. When we are proud of something we want to show it off. When we are inquisitive about something that we think could be exciting, we want to go see it. When both occur at the same time, magic in the workplace happens. The moments when we see something that we marvel at and the times that we get a chance to gaze upon a product, an idea, or a service in action, that is innovative or new to us can be indelible. When I worked in the videogame business it was constant show and tell and each and every instance was usually more eye-opening and jaw dropping than before. Many times it seemed like the future was developing right in front of our eyes. The power of showing and seeing is like no other. Words cannot adequately describe what can be shown. If you are only telling and not showing and wondering why others aren't getting excited about what you are working on, then you may want to rethink and start showing more.
As believers in the workplace we can also let others see what God has done in our lives by not just telling but also by showing. We need to tell but if we don't also show in our daily lives how God works in us and how we allow Him to lead our lives, then our words will be hollow and not exciting. Today, let's think about what we have to do to start showing to others what miraculous things God has done for us. Can we start today being as excited about showing that off as we are a new idea that we came up with for work?
Reference: Psalm 66:5 (New Living Testament)
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
day 613: Don't Shoot the Messenger
"They do not fear bad news; the confidently trust the Lord to care for them."
We have all at some point in our career either said or thought, "Hey, don't shoot the messenger". Why do we do this? We do this because we fear that the person receiving the news won't like it and are going to take it out on the messenger, which may be us at the time. No one likes bad news but what is most important is how we accept and deal with that bad news. Believe me, I have seen enough people who hate to hear bad news so much that no one will bring them anything but what they want to hear, Not surprisingly, somewhere along the way, they get surprised, are unaware and miss something that is very important that they shouldn't have missed. To be the best we can be we need to hear all sides of a message and all sides of what is going on, even if we don't like it.
King David tells us that we need not fear bad news because we have the Lord to trust in, regardless of the situation. If we decide to bring God to work with us then we can also trust in Him over the news that we will receive from our boss, co-workers, partners, customers or subordinates. Our faith can allow us to be prepared and accepting of any news if we allow ourselves to remember and fall back on God's promise. There may be bad news out there right now that you need to hear, but because you have been guarded and not trusting that all will work itself out, you are avoiding it or others are keeping it from you. Start today in asking, "Is there anything else I should know and don't feel like it needs to be kept from me....I truly do want to hear it all". And then, when the bad news comes in, don't shoot the messenger, but instead thank that person for having the courage and the openness to bring it to you.
Reference: Psalm 112:7 (New Living Testament)
We have all at some point in our career either said or thought, "Hey, don't shoot the messenger". Why do we do this? We do this because we fear that the person receiving the news won't like it and are going to take it out on the messenger, which may be us at the time. No one likes bad news but what is most important is how we accept and deal with that bad news. Believe me, I have seen enough people who hate to hear bad news so much that no one will bring them anything but what they want to hear, Not surprisingly, somewhere along the way, they get surprised, are unaware and miss something that is very important that they shouldn't have missed. To be the best we can be we need to hear all sides of a message and all sides of what is going on, even if we don't like it.
King David tells us that we need not fear bad news because we have the Lord to trust in, regardless of the situation. If we decide to bring God to work with us then we can also trust in Him over the news that we will receive from our boss, co-workers, partners, customers or subordinates. Our faith can allow us to be prepared and accepting of any news if we allow ourselves to remember and fall back on God's promise. There may be bad news out there right now that you need to hear, but because you have been guarded and not trusting that all will work itself out, you are avoiding it or others are keeping it from you. Start today in asking, "Is there anything else I should know and don't feel like it needs to be kept from me....I truly do want to hear it all". And then, when the bad news comes in, don't shoot the messenger, but instead thank that person for having the courage and the openness to bring it to you.
Reference: Psalm 112:7 (New Living Testament)
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