Thinking Like a Leader
Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think.
Romans 12:2
Some years ago a magazine pictured a man staring out of a window; the caption read: “Why does this company pay this man $100,000 to look out a window?” The answer: Because the lifeblood of any organization lies in ideas and creative thinking. Thinking is powerful. Flying a plane, air conditioning, cell phones, vaccines, the World Wide Web--without thinking, these would have been impossible. Everything begins with a simple thought.
Ideas are a great moving force of history. We are never free to do what we cannot conceive. Having a godly mind enlarges our thinking capacity. A leader’s thinking must be shaped by the following:
Vision: What is our dream? Carl Sandburg was right: “Nothing happens unless it is first a dream.” Vision is a process of the mind--it’s mental, not visual. Vision is seeing what everybody has seen but thinking what nobody has thought. What is needed to build a pyramid? One person who can think and ten thousand people who can grunt.
Values: What is important? Values have to do with how we treat people, how we do our work, what is vital to us. Values are the standards, the principles, and the code of conduct that characterize the organization. Values aren’t dreamt; they already exist. Leaders shape and form the organization’s values. Some universities decide to pour sidewalks after students have first worn a path. Where are the well-worn paths--the actions, the beliefs, the attitudes--that matter most to you? Those are your values.
Venture: What are we willing to risk? Organizations that make a difference are willing to think outside the box. For example, a company that was in the well-digging business began to think in terms of efficient and effective means of making holes, and they soon discovered that lasers dug holes better than augers. They achieved the same goal but accomplished it more efficiently.
Vehicle: What will get us there? How can we accomplish our desired outcome? A dream without a strategy is merely wishful thinking, but with a strategy it becomes powerful thinking.
Victory: What will the celebration be like? A leader thinks like a champion. The end result is to move forward, to accomplish goals, to be God’s faithful servant, to celebrate being a part of God’s kingdom.
Wake up and start thinking. Take off your nightcap and put on your thinking cap. Ask God to continually renew your mind.
Thursday, June 10, 2010
Tuesday, June 8, 2010
Looking Ahead
The prudent understand where they are going, but fools deceive themselves.
Proverbs 14:8
Bill Walsh, the former head coach of the San Francisco 49ers, was thought eccentric because of how extensively he planned his plays in advance of each game. Most coaches would wait to see how the game unfolded, then respond with plays that seemed appropriate. Walsh wanted the game to respond to him. Walsh won several Super Bowls with his “eccentric” proactive approach. He was a coach who looked into the future.
Looking ahead is the process of creating the future before it happens. People who learn to do it “understand where they are going.” Like Bill Walsh, it involves deciding your actions in advance so that your life will respond to you. What are the benefits of such a proactive pursuit?
Looking ahead gives direction. It’s like using a highlighter on a roadmap to indicate where you are, where you are going, and how you are going to get there. The highlighted roadmap not only provides information for where you are going; it also suggests where you are not going.
Looking ahead helps us to create rather than react. With each step along our journey, we are faced with a choice either to create or to react. Many people spend their entire days reacting. Like goalies in hockey, with pucks flying at us all day, we react. We react to news, cars in traffic, people, events, challenges, and obstacles. A better way involves making choices and following plans.
Looking ahead saves time. “One hour of planning saves three hours of execution.” Planning yields a savings return. We only have twenty-four hours in a day and 365 days in a year. If we don’t use them wisely by looking ahead, we will forever forfeit those gifts.
Looking ahead reduces crisis. Our daily lives have two controlling influences: plans and pressures. When we look ahead and choose to plan, we take charge and control of our days. If we fail to look ahead, we will spend our days in crisis mode. We will fall into a trap of panic planning—planning on the fly with no time to effectively map out a strategy.
Looking ahead maximizes energy. Failing to look ahead, we dissipate our energy on less important matters, improper agendas, and lost crusades. We waste our time on the trivial many. But preparation often energizes us!
Be wise. Look ahead. It’s eccentric but well worth the effort.
The prudent understand where they are going, but fools deceive themselves.
Proverbs 14:8
Bill Walsh, the former head coach of the San Francisco 49ers, was thought eccentric because of how extensively he planned his plays in advance of each game. Most coaches would wait to see how the game unfolded, then respond with plays that seemed appropriate. Walsh wanted the game to respond to him. Walsh won several Super Bowls with his “eccentric” proactive approach. He was a coach who looked into the future.
Looking ahead is the process of creating the future before it happens. People who learn to do it “understand where they are going.” Like Bill Walsh, it involves deciding your actions in advance so that your life will respond to you. What are the benefits of such a proactive pursuit?
Looking ahead gives direction. It’s like using a highlighter on a roadmap to indicate where you are, where you are going, and how you are going to get there. The highlighted roadmap not only provides information for where you are going; it also suggests where you are not going.
Looking ahead helps us to create rather than react. With each step along our journey, we are faced with a choice either to create or to react. Many people spend their entire days reacting. Like goalies in hockey, with pucks flying at us all day, we react. We react to news, cars in traffic, people, events, challenges, and obstacles. A better way involves making choices and following plans.
Looking ahead saves time. “One hour of planning saves three hours of execution.” Planning yields a savings return. We only have twenty-four hours in a day and 365 days in a year. If we don’t use them wisely by looking ahead, we will forever forfeit those gifts.
Looking ahead reduces crisis. Our daily lives have two controlling influences: plans and pressures. When we look ahead and choose to plan, we take charge and control of our days. If we fail to look ahead, we will spend our days in crisis mode. We will fall into a trap of panic planning—planning on the fly with no time to effectively map out a strategy.
Looking ahead maximizes energy. Failing to look ahead, we dissipate our energy on less important matters, improper agendas, and lost crusades. We waste our time on the trivial many. But preparation often energizes us!
Be wise. Look ahead. It’s eccentric but well worth the effort.
Your Work Matters to God
And whatever you do or say, do it as a representative of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through him to God the Father.
Colossians 3:17
Can you whistle while you work? A memorable song in Walt Disney’s animated classic Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs is “Whistle While You Work,” sung by Snow White as she sweeps the dwarfs’ cottage. While that probably is the ideal of all working men and women, I have found that the opposite is often the case. Most people I know don’t like their jobs very much at all. In fact, instead of whistling, they grumble, seeing work as drudgery, a necessary evil for a paycheck.
I’ve noticed this is especially true during times of recession, when in many areas jobs seem to be scarce and people are relieved just to be employed. They aren’t worried about enjoying the job or being fulfilled. In fact, many people hate what they do for a living. This attitude is a problem when we consider how much time we spend at work, at least a third of every workday. If we spend another third sleeping, there’s only a third left for enjoyment, ministry, and meaningful activity. It’s no wonder that many people feel as though their lives are meaningless.
In the midst of all this, however, I have good news--our work matters to God. In other words, it is possible to find meaning and purpose in our jobs, even though right now they may seem to be a waste of time. I’d like to explain at least part of what I mean. At the outset, I must credit a book published by NavPress with a similar title, Your Work Matters to God, for many of these ideas.
First of all, our work matters to God because work has intrinsic value. God, himself, is a worker--he created the universe; we read in the Old Testament how he worked in history, especially in the nation of Israel; he worked in and through Christ to redeem us; and through the Holy Spirit, he works today in us. Work also has intrinsic value because God created people as workers and as his coworkers. At creation, God gave Adam and Eve work to do in the garden, tending the garden, naming the animals, ruling the earth--it was a privilege, a gift--they would be partners with God. And this work assignment came before the fall. Work is not a curse--it is a blessing. God honors us by making us coworkers with him.
Second, our work matters to God because it has instrumental value. Through work we serve people; through work we meet our own needs; through work we meet our families’ needs; through work we earn money to give to others; through work we love God. Of course there is the reality of sin--we do live in a fallen world. In fact, at the fall the ground was cursed, so work became difficult. And because of the sin nature of all human beings, there will always be struggles with selfishness, corruption, twisted values, waste, poor treatment of workers, and illegitimate or trivial jobs. But we can honor and love God through our work, even in a fallen world. Remember that your work matters to God.
And whatever you do or say, do it as a representative of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through him to God the Father.
Colossians 3:17
Can you whistle while you work? A memorable song in Walt Disney’s animated classic Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs is “Whistle While You Work,” sung by Snow White as she sweeps the dwarfs’ cottage. While that probably is the ideal of all working men and women, I have found that the opposite is often the case. Most people I know don’t like their jobs very much at all. In fact, instead of whistling, they grumble, seeing work as drudgery, a necessary evil for a paycheck.
I’ve noticed this is especially true during times of recession, when in many areas jobs seem to be scarce and people are relieved just to be employed. They aren’t worried about enjoying the job or being fulfilled. In fact, many people hate what they do for a living. This attitude is a problem when we consider how much time we spend at work, at least a third of every workday. If we spend another third sleeping, there’s only a third left for enjoyment, ministry, and meaningful activity. It’s no wonder that many people feel as though their lives are meaningless.
In the midst of all this, however, I have good news--our work matters to God. In other words, it is possible to find meaning and purpose in our jobs, even though right now they may seem to be a waste of time. I’d like to explain at least part of what I mean. At the outset, I must credit a book published by NavPress with a similar title, Your Work Matters to God, for many of these ideas.
First of all, our work matters to God because work has intrinsic value. God, himself, is a worker--he created the universe; we read in the Old Testament how he worked in history, especially in the nation of Israel; he worked in and through Christ to redeem us; and through the Holy Spirit, he works today in us. Work also has intrinsic value because God created people as workers and as his coworkers. At creation, God gave Adam and Eve work to do in the garden, tending the garden, naming the animals, ruling the earth--it was a privilege, a gift--they would be partners with God. And this work assignment came before the fall. Work is not a curse--it is a blessing. God honors us by making us coworkers with him.
Second, our work matters to God because it has instrumental value. Through work we serve people; through work we meet our own needs; through work we meet our families’ needs; through work we earn money to give to others; through work we love God. Of course there is the reality of sin--we do live in a fallen world. In fact, at the fall the ground was cursed, so work became difficult. And because of the sin nature of all human beings, there will always be struggles with selfishness, corruption, twisted values, waste, poor treatment of workers, and illegitimate or trivial jobs. But we can honor and love God through our work, even in a fallen world. Remember that your work matters to God.
Monday, June 7, 2010
Requirements for Victory
by Charles R. Swindoll
1 John 5:4-7
According to Scripture, three things are required for spiritual victory: birth, faith, and truth. In order to enter into the ranks of the victorious, we must be "born of God." It occurs when I accept Jesus Christ as Savior.
Then comes faith. I draw upon the power that is in me. I no longer operate on the basis of human strength, but by faith. I rely upon divine power.
Then is truth. Everything is made possible by the truth, by believing the truth, by living the truth. Allow the truth to invade, reshape, and cultivate your life anew.
Tell me, have you had such a birth?
If so, are you operating in faith?
And the truth—is it the truth you are claiming?
If you've answered yes to all three questions, then it's time for action. Quit hiding behind those excuses! Stop telling yourself it's too late! It is never too late to start doing what is right. Start now. Trust me, you can move from the realm of defeat and discouragement to victory and hope if you will simply take action now.
Aim high.
Go hard after God.
Press on.
Everything is made possible by the truth.
by Charles R. Swindoll
1 John 5:4-7
According to Scripture, three things are required for spiritual victory: birth, faith, and truth. In order to enter into the ranks of the victorious, we must be "born of God." It occurs when I accept Jesus Christ as Savior.
Then comes faith. I draw upon the power that is in me. I no longer operate on the basis of human strength, but by faith. I rely upon divine power.
Then is truth. Everything is made possible by the truth, by believing the truth, by living the truth. Allow the truth to invade, reshape, and cultivate your life anew.
Tell me, have you had such a birth?
If so, are you operating in faith?
And the truth—is it the truth you are claiming?
If you've answered yes to all three questions, then it's time for action. Quit hiding behind those excuses! Stop telling yourself it's too late! It is never too late to start doing what is right. Start now. Trust me, you can move from the realm of defeat and discouragement to victory and hope if you will simply take action now.
Aim high.
Go hard after God.
Press on.
Everything is made possible by the truth.
Monday, May 31, 2010
Endangered Species
Endangered Species
by Charles R. Swindoll
Psalm 78
Remember when men were men? Remember when you could tell by looking? Remember when men knew who they were, liked how they were, and didn't want to be anything but what they were?
Remember when it was the men who boxed and wrestled and bragged about how much they could bench press?
Remember when it was the men who initiated the contact and took the lead in a relationship, made lifelong commitments, and modeled a masculinity grounded in security and stability?
I'm talking about men who are discerning, decisive, strong hearted, who know where they are going and are confident enough in themselves (and their God) to get them there. Men who aren't afraid to take the lead, to stand tall, firm in their principles, even when the going gets rough.
Such qualities not only inspire the respect of women, they also engender healthy admiration among younger men and boys who hunger for heroes. We need clear-thinking, hard-working, straight-talking men who, while tender, thoughtful, and loving, don't feel the need to ask permission for taking charge.
Over the last three decades we have seen a major assault on masculinity. The results are well represented in the arts, the media, the world of fashion, and among those who have become the heroes of our young people.
On the heels of a bloody Civil War, Josiah Holland wrote a passionate prayer on behalf of our country. It begins, "God, give us men. . . ." But the truth is, God doesn't give a nation men; He gives us boys. Baby boys, adolescent boys, impressionable boys, who need to know what becoming a man is all about. God's plan is still as He designed it at creation. And it starts in the home.
Men, are you modeling manhood according to God's Word?
Moms and dads, are you raising your sons to be authentically masculine?
If not, why not? Think it over!
by Charles R. Swindoll
Psalm 78
Remember when men were men? Remember when you could tell by looking? Remember when men knew who they were, liked how they were, and didn't want to be anything but what they were?
Remember when it was the men who boxed and wrestled and bragged about how much they could bench press?
Remember when it was the men who initiated the contact and took the lead in a relationship, made lifelong commitments, and modeled a masculinity grounded in security and stability?
I'm talking about men who are discerning, decisive, strong hearted, who know where they are going and are confident enough in themselves (and their God) to get them there. Men who aren't afraid to take the lead, to stand tall, firm in their principles, even when the going gets rough.
Such qualities not only inspire the respect of women, they also engender healthy admiration among younger men and boys who hunger for heroes. We need clear-thinking, hard-working, straight-talking men who, while tender, thoughtful, and loving, don't feel the need to ask permission for taking charge.
Over the last three decades we have seen a major assault on masculinity. The results are well represented in the arts, the media, the world of fashion, and among those who have become the heroes of our young people.
On the heels of a bloody Civil War, Josiah Holland wrote a passionate prayer on behalf of our country. It begins, "God, give us men. . . ." But the truth is, God doesn't give a nation men; He gives us boys. Baby boys, adolescent boys, impressionable boys, who need to know what becoming a man is all about. God's plan is still as He designed it at creation. And it starts in the home.
Men, are you modeling manhood according to God's Word?
Moms and dads, are you raising your sons to be authentically masculine?
If not, why not? Think it over!
Tuesday, May 25, 2010
Godly Words for Godly Men
Godly Words
But even as he spoke, a bright cloud came over them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my dearly loved Son, who brings me great joy. Listen to him.”
Matthew 17:5
“I have a hard time even praying the Lord’s Prayer,” she said. “The first words, ‘Our Father,’ always remind me how disappointed I am with my father.” Others in the circle nodded their heads, some wanting to say even more. What a sad situation, not to be able to call God a heavenly Father. Part of the problem rises because of definitions. We forget sometimes that God isn’t called heavenly Father because he is like our dads; rather we all have fathers whose responsibility is to remind us by their character and actions of our perfect heavenly Father. Every earthly father disappoints. The tragedy comes when we allow those disappointments to cut us off from our heavenly Father.
In his book Raising a Modern-Day Knight (Tyndale House), author Robert Lewis points out that parents can gain some priceless direction from the way God the Father treated God the Son. These insights are particularly powerful in a father’s relationship with his son. Lewis uses as his starting point the several occasions in which God the Father made public pronouncements about his Son. Those statements include three ideas children need to hear from their parents: 1) I love you (“my dearly loved Son”); 2) I’m proud of you (“who brings me great joy”); and 3) you have skills (“listen to him”). The third one requires extra thought because it is specific to each child, highlighting his or her skills. Read through each of these again and ask yourself when was the last time each of your children heard any or all of these from you.
There are many ways to get these points across, but speaking them must be part of the equation. Parents often try to get by, saying, “I show my kids I love them.” There’s nothing wrong with that as long as it’s not a substitute for speaking the words. Yes, they can be surprisingly hard today (particularly for men). But many children (perhaps even you) would admit that the most manly, godly thing your father ever did (or could have done) was to put those messages into words for you. Whether or not you heard them, make sure your kids don’t leave home without hearing them from you.
But even as he spoke, a bright cloud came over them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my dearly loved Son, who brings me great joy. Listen to him.”
Matthew 17:5
“I have a hard time even praying the Lord’s Prayer,” she said. “The first words, ‘Our Father,’ always remind me how disappointed I am with my father.” Others in the circle nodded their heads, some wanting to say even more. What a sad situation, not to be able to call God a heavenly Father. Part of the problem rises because of definitions. We forget sometimes that God isn’t called heavenly Father because he is like our dads; rather we all have fathers whose responsibility is to remind us by their character and actions of our perfect heavenly Father. Every earthly father disappoints. The tragedy comes when we allow those disappointments to cut us off from our heavenly Father.
In his book Raising a Modern-Day Knight (Tyndale House), author Robert Lewis points out that parents can gain some priceless direction from the way God the Father treated God the Son. These insights are particularly powerful in a father’s relationship with his son. Lewis uses as his starting point the several occasions in which God the Father made public pronouncements about his Son. Those statements include three ideas children need to hear from their parents: 1) I love you (“my dearly loved Son”); 2) I’m proud of you (“who brings me great joy”); and 3) you have skills (“listen to him”). The third one requires extra thought because it is specific to each child, highlighting his or her skills. Read through each of these again and ask yourself when was the last time each of your children heard any or all of these from you.
There are many ways to get these points across, but speaking them must be part of the equation. Parents often try to get by, saying, “I show my kids I love them.” There’s nothing wrong with that as long as it’s not a substitute for speaking the words. Yes, they can be surprisingly hard today (particularly for men). But many children (perhaps even you) would admit that the most manly, godly thing your father ever did (or could have done) was to put those messages into words for you. Whether or not you heard them, make sure your kids don’t leave home without hearing them from you.
Friday, May 21, 2010
Marks of Integrity
Marks of Integrity
by Charles R. Swindoll
1 Corinthians 11:28, 31
Thanks to the Word of God, we can list several marks of integrity that God would have us appropriate into our lives. Do you have these marks of integrity?
An excellent attitude
Faithfulness and diligence at work
Personal purity of the highest caliber
Consistency in your walk with God
You have the scalpel in your hand. Self-examination is up to you. It is not only a good idea, it's a biblical imperative.
A reminder: Only you can do the surgery on your soul, only you. No one else can know the truth. You can cover up, twist the facts in your mind, rationalize, and ignore . . . and no one will know the difference—no one except you. But if you really want to strengthen your grip on integrity, you will come to terms with the whole truth, regardless of the consequences.
Read the Book of Daniel to see the biblical picture of integrity. Daniel refused to compromise and consequently was thrown into the lions' den. Look what God did. He honored Daniel's faithfulness. He'll do the same for you.
Sometimes when you exhibit real, unvarnished integrity, you get dumped into the lions' den. Remember, God's there, too!
by Charles R. Swindoll
1 Corinthians 11:28, 31
Thanks to the Word of God, we can list several marks of integrity that God would have us appropriate into our lives. Do you have these marks of integrity?
An excellent attitude
Faithfulness and diligence at work
Personal purity of the highest caliber
Consistency in your walk with God
You have the scalpel in your hand. Self-examination is up to you. It is not only a good idea, it's a biblical imperative.
A reminder: Only you can do the surgery on your soul, only you. No one else can know the truth. You can cover up, twist the facts in your mind, rationalize, and ignore . . . and no one will know the difference—no one except you. But if you really want to strengthen your grip on integrity, you will come to terms with the whole truth, regardless of the consequences.
Read the Book of Daniel to see the biblical picture of integrity. Daniel refused to compromise and consequently was thrown into the lions' den. Look what God did. He honored Daniel's faithfulness. He'll do the same for you.
Sometimes when you exhibit real, unvarnished integrity, you get dumped into the lions' den. Remember, God's there, too!
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