Archive for the ‘Influence’ category
January 3, 2009
This is going to be a somewhat short post. There are so many things that I am excited about this coming year. Many I will be laying out in detail here first. For that reason, if you haven’t already subscribed to this blog, click on the “subscribe” link to the right. When you do this, you’ll be the first to know what’s going on.
The core of my thought today is that as I’ve looked at the need for learning organizations in the past, (you can check out here, and here, and here for more), the key component has moved from the community to the individual. When the individual is working better, the community that he or she is a part of runs better.
Often we try to give these things names, but honestly names aren’t important. The important thing is for “people to find their own language for describing the intent of their efforts in ways that work in their own context, as part of developing their own strategies and leadership practices. How we talk about our work matters. But the key lies in our personal journey of reflection, experimentation, and becoming more open, not the words we use. It is the reality we create, not how we label it, that matters.”
Don’t worry about what to call what you do, just do the thing that you can’t NOT do. In embracing yourself, you embrace all and that WILL change the world!
Categories: Awareness, Belief, Context, Creativity, Influence, Life, People
Tags: be yourself, doing, labels, naming
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January 1, 2009
One of the things that I’ve been thinking about lately is how often we take things that are, at first revolutionary, and then relegate them to the role of a staple item. As an example, a business could have made a name for themselves by doing a particular ting or producing a particular product. Eventually, the business prides themselves on being revolutionary by producing the same product.
There is a lot to be said for thinking outside the box. Hundreds of books have been written about it, and many are good. The subject of thinking outside of the box is a must in today’s business world, but it takes another step to really make a difference. Thinking is important, but it’s not enough. Thinking is passive. The only way things get done and change really happens is when we stop thinking out of the box and start acting out of the box.
Look at your own situation at the beginning of the year. I’m certain you’ve thought about a lot of things you want to do or change. Take one, an in the next five minutes do some action that brings you closer to making it happen. It could be as simple as a phone call or an email. You need to make the call – so make it.
Let 2009 be a year of action – and let me know what you’re doing to make 2009 the best year we’ve ever seen!
Categories: Context, Creativity, Cultural Ideas, Influence, Life
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December 21, 2008
In just a few minutes I’ll be headed out of town one more time before Christmas. I can’t believe how fast this year has gone by, and how much has changed in this past year. 2008 will go down in my book as one of the most transformative ever. There is so much I could say, but for now, I have to thank all of the people at Lifepoint who have given of themselves throughout 2008 to see people experience the true unconditional love of Christ.
When we embrace the power we hold when we show love to another person, and then through the embracing of the idea really literally embrace people, we change the world – or at least someones world. This Christmas, remember the past, celebrate the present and look expectantly into the future.
The future is yours to write, you hold the pen and can define 2009. I pray that next year holds in its mystery some of the greatest moments of your life!
Categories: Awareness, Belief, Context, Influence, Life
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December 8, 2008
I know this is an odd title for a post, but there are a multitude of things that are happening around us and some are worth mentioning. This is one of them. Today the media giant became the first major newspaper or chain to file bankruptcy in the modern era. This tactic is aimed at relieving financial pressure while the Tribune works out arrangements with it’s creditors.
The Chicago-based company owns a coast-to-coast empire with television stations and newspapers in most of the nation’s largest cities. Its holdings include the Los Angeles Times; cable television superstation WGN in Chicago; the Baltimore Sun; and WDCW-50 in Washington, the CW affiliate. The company also owns the Chicago Cubs.
The reason this is important is that it signals a trend that has been in the background for a while. The old ways of receiving and dispersing information are no longer financially viable and will cease, eventually.
Real estate mogul Sam Zell engineered an employee-owned transition to private ownership one year ago this month. He says, “We believe that this restructuring will bring the level of our debt in line with current economic realities, and will take pressure off our operations, so we can continue to work toward our vision of creating a sustainable, cutting-edge media company that is valued by our readers, viewers, and advertisers, and plays a vital role in the communities we serve,” Zell said. “This restructuring focuses on our debt, not on our operations.”
With the President using the word Recession and the failings and moves by major businesses, the tempo of concern is speeding up among the consumer. The key in all this is to maintain a balanced personal outlook. The fundamentals are called “fundamentals” simply because they remain when everything else is failing. The fundamental of living in Today, the Present, is one we should keep in front of our eyes.
The past is gone, the future is not yet here. Change and Decision can only take place in the magical land of Now. You control Now; your reaction and action. Live on purpose and keep to the fundamentals.
Categories: Awareness, Belief, Context, Cultural Ideas, Influence, Life, People
Tags: Bankruptcy, change, Chap. 11, Fundamentals, Now, Tribune
Comments: 1 Comment
December 1, 2008
Today is December 1st and that also means that it is World AIDS Day. Since the 80’s I’ve seen the little red ribbon surge in popularity and create a whole new way of showing support for a cause, to being left in the drawer and almost forgotten. There are even those who believe that the whole AIDS Crisis was made up. Kind of hard to believe that when you have over 25 million people dead between the years of 1981 and 2007.
A great deal has been done, but there are still more than an estimated 33 million people living with HIV today. As the years pass there is a new picture emerging of AIDS. In the 80’s it was young “reckless” people, living “reckless” lives. Now, almost 30 years later, those young people are either well into middle age or are retiring.
The first World AIDS Day took place on December 1, 1988. Twenty years later the red ribbon seems to have been with us forever. Today, say a prayer for those who are dealing with this pandemic and their families. And say a prayer that we find a cure and put this virus into history along with smallpox and polio.
Categories: Awareness, Cultural Ideas, Influence, Life, People
Tags: aids, pandemic, world aids day
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November 25, 2008
There is a saying that – “Anything can be improved”. In the world economy, these simple words provide the foundation for asking questions. Every time we look around we find things that could be better. What should be there that is not? What can start with what we know or are passionate about? What bothers us? What’s missing? We can come up with a very long list of things we wish were different or could change, or have the interest or skill to do something about.
In these lists are the beginning ideas of some of the most profitable businesses around. Google found a better way to search, Amazon found a better way to buy books, Ebay found a better way to sell everything. No super magic formula, just an opportunity to make things better.
These same principles apply wherever we find ourselves. The next big idea could come from you looking around and seeing something that could be done better.
Categories: Awareness, Belief, Creativity, Cultural Ideas, Influence, Starting, Vision
Tags: amazon, begin, ebay, google
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November 23, 2008
There is a lot going on in what is called the Global South – south of the equator. One of the most promising aspects is that these countries can leapfrog, or skip over, outdated modes of development in order to embrace cutting edge technology. In fact, these countries are not only embracing the cutting edge, they are in fact redefining it for the rest of us.
One of the big areas this is most obvious is in mobile phones. Most of the countries have no existing phone system at all. Since that is the case, there is no need to spend decades, millions of dollars and untold hours of manpower to string a grid of wires when cell towers can go up much quicker. If the cell phone will work, why bother with having landlines at all?
The mobile phone technology is rapidly spreading and preempting the implementation of traditional landlines. There is so much possibility in the Global South as we look ahead and try to visualize the way it will look. We like to think that we are the center of the cutting edge, but in many ways the Global South is the place to be as far as cutting edge technology and practices are concerned.
One of the most exciting things is to watch and look at the impact this leapfrogging will have on other aspects of the social strata. How will these advances effect communication – both personal and public? How will these changes and introduction of complexity into otherwise simple lifestyles augment the development of the individual people and their individual way of making meaning in life?
These are questions with no answers right now, but with implications that will radically change the way we think and communicate in the very near future.
Categories: Awareness, Influence, People, Vision
Tags: Global South, leapfrogging, technology
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November 19, 2008
One of the big topics in education and learning is the concept of Dialogue Education. Jane Vella first proposed the concept in the early 80’s. It draws on a variety of adult learning theories and combines them into an integrated learning experience. The biggest difference is that teaching is typically done in a monologue format, this form is a dialogue. The dialogue focuses more on what the student does and less on what the teacher says.
The implications for this are staggering as we look at the current way in which most learning environments are designed. In the church setting there is a person talking (monologue) and a congregation listening. In the work world during a meeting, there is a person making a presentation (monologue) and a group listening. In most educational settings there is a teacher (monologue) and students listening.
Dialogue education is a form of Constructivism, in that it focuses on the argument that people construct knowledge and meaning from experiences, because of that, Dialogue Education can be a means for transformative learning. The big reason is that it gives ownership to the learner for his own learning.
I know that is lot to digest, but the implications in the church setting cannot be stressed enough. Because of this I’m beginning a series of Dialogues, called Dialogue4Change. At the onset we will discuss the theory and practice of Dialogue Education itself and what its meaning in our different environments:work, family, church.
If there are a majority of people in the Warner Robins area we will meet at Lifepoint Church approximately once a month. If the majority are from further places, I’ll do my best to facilitate an on-line discussion in the same time-frame.
To let me know if you are interested in becoming a part of this cutting edge discussion, email me at dialogue4change@gmail.com. In the next few days I’ll be putting up a separate page that will go into more detail. This is going to be Great!
Categories: Awareness, Context, Creativity, Cultural Ideas, Influence, Leadership, Life, People
Tags: conversation, dialogue education, jane vella
Comments: 1 Comment
November 15, 2008
This is from the book Tribes by Seth Godin and it is great:
Most people like the products they already have, so marketers ignore them.
Most people work hard to fit in, so others don’t notice them.
Most people like eating at places where they’ve eaten before.
Most people would like the world to stay just as it is, but calmer.
Most people are afraid.
Most people didn’t use Google until last year.
Most people aren’t curious.
You’re not most people.
You’re not the target market for most marketers.
Almost all the growth that’s available to you exists when you aren’t like most people and when you work hard to appeal to folks who aren’t most people.
Here’s to you. Someone who is most assuredly not “most people”!
Categories: Awareness, Creativity, Cultural Ideas, Influence, Leadership, Life, People
Tags: Most People, Seth Godin, Tribes
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November 12, 2008
This past week I was rereading some books that I had stacked up, one was Turning To One Another by Meg Wheatley. Great book about the value of simple conversations and being presnt in those conversations. What struck me was a quote by Paulo Freire which said,
“What if we discover that our present way of life is irreconcilable with our vocation to become fully human?”
If you are like me, I don’t often find myself thinking about what it means to be fully human. You may be asking the same question, but for Paulo, the answer is that the vocation, or calling, to be fully human is given to us and therefore signifies that we are part of a larger place.
To become fully human means that we live an open life that is filled with generosity. We become more human each time we make the decision to reach out instead of withdrawing into our personal sufferings and experiences.
We can only become fully human when we extend ourselves. When we create a world of secrecy and whispers around us, we lose life rather than gain life. When we chose to become aloof and non-communicative we allow our ego to reign and prevent our own growth. When we close ourselves off from those around us, we may pretend that we are doing it for our own good. The truth is that we lack the courage to engage real dialogue – conversations where I speak and then become silent and listen. Speeches do not give; they are not generous. Listening and opening ourselves up to one another are acts of generosity. These are the actions that lead to our becoming fully human and going from a human doing to a human being.
Categories: Awareness, Belief, giving, Influence, Life, People
Tags: conversation, dialogue, future, margaret wheatley, paulo freire
Comments: 1 Comment
christopherhildreth 