day 921: Summer Storms

"A great windstorm arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so that the boat was already being swamped."

We all know that a summer storm can come upon us within a moment and without warning.  The atmospheric conditions of the summer create storms from all the ingredients that we one moment enjoy and in the next are taking cover away from. The same can happen in business in the summer as the conditions are always present for extreme market volatility.  The summer is the time when we can take our eyes off the ball, spend a few less hours of the day in focus, or are away from the office more than usual.  It's ironic that in the light trading of the summer that the stock market can be swung up and down with such extremes being driven by so few.  It only takes the right amount of humidity, winds, and rising temperatures and a summer squall can appear from seemingly nowhere.  While we should always be on the lookout for the storms that can come our way\is in the summer that we might want to be a little more cautious and ready.  What business storms can we predict that might come our way this season that we need to be prepared and ready to face?

In Mark's account of the storm that Jesus calmed it appeared the storm came upon them suddenly and without prediction.  This is the metaphor of life that we can't ignore.  One day all is great and the next we are without a job, getting a new boss that we aren't sure we will like, the company being sold, or the market crashes...again.  We can't predict the storms of our lives so we have to do what we can to be prepared and ready as best we can.  How are we thinking about our life preparations for the summer storms that will come this year?  Let's batten down our lives with God's Word, a strong prayer life and fellowship and accountability with fellow believers. Storms will come, we know that.  How prepared we are is totally up to us.

Reference: Mark 4: 37 (New Living Translation)

day 444: The Storms Of Work

It rarely happens, but when it does it is memorable. I am writing of the days when we are in the office and a really bad storm rolls in and happens while we are at work. We will be sitting in the office and outside we can hear the thunder and see the lightning. The skies grow dark outside while inside we go about our business, but with one ear and one eye on what is going on outside. The most this ever happened to me was when I worked in Dallas and the storms would come from seemingly nowhere and when they hit, they hit with a vengeance. While sitting in a conference room deep within the building we would hear the rolling thunder or the crack of the air splitting somewhere close. It couldn't help but take our minds off of work for a few seconds and make us think of home and what was happening there. I don't know why, but it always makes me feel eerie when this happens. It is also strange how inside of work we have storms happening all around us, all the time. We may overhear one now in the conference room or in the office next to us. We can see one brewing down the hall as the body language of two people shift to that of confrontation. We read the emotionally charged email string that is moving faster than the storm clouds can move over the Midwestern plains. It is likely that we have many more storms inside the building within our careers than outside. Let us remember that regardless of the storms, what causes them, or where they come from that we can find God in them to help us through and to guide us into safety, both literally and figuratively. In Job we read; God's voice is glorious in the thunder. We can't even imagine the greatness of his power." Next time the thunder starts in the office or outside, let us be reminded that we need to listen then for the voice of God to tell us what to do. The power in His words at that time could well be the wisdom we need to weather any storm...inside or out!

Reference: Job 37:5 (New Living Testament)

day 397: Form, Storm and Norm

The common way that teams and partnerships come together is that they pass through the stages of forming, storming and then norming. Forming is easy. It is just coming together and getting to know one another and starting to work together in the best way possible. Norming is when the team or group begin to fall into a pattern of working together that is based on trust of each other and the following of the patterns of their skills and experiences. It is the middle phase that is the most interesting. The phase known as storming. Few like this phase because it is uncomfortable and not pleasant. This is when the true emotions get put on the table and we find the boundaries with each other. It is also the stage when any lingering issues or harbored feelings get exposed. Some groups never come through this phase because the issues to deal with are just too exposed or raw. Or, the people in the team get their feelings hurt beyond repair. While it is ugly, few good teams ever come to be without going through the storming phase. Those who do go through it successfully can be come very tight and trusting as if they are then almost inseparable. Many great things can happen with a team when they reach this level of togetherness. There is much storming that happens all around us at work and we just need to be ready and sensitive to taking these times and turning them into good. I am reminded of the verse in Job that references God's voice like one that comes from the storms; God's voice is glorious in the thunder. We can't even imagine the greatness of his power." Even in the storms God can be there with us. If His voice is in the thunder, then He can certainly be with us as we go through the storming stages in our work. Today would be a great day to ensure that you are taking God to work with you to be there with you in the storms.

Reference: Job 37:5 (New Living Testament)