Right Priorities

I just read this article in Christianity Today and it speaks to many subjects: integrity, leading by example and making the right choice or having your priorities in the right place:

July was, without question, the worst month in recent memory for professional sports. Each one of America's big three got its own black eye.

Barry Bonds pursued baseball's most hallowed record, the career home run mark, amid suspicions of steroid abuse—and a pesky perjury investigation.

Michael Vick, the NFL's second-highest-paid player, was arraigned in federal court on charges of illegal dog fighting.

And, most damaging, Tim Donaghy, an NBA referee, was accused by the FBI of betting on games in which he'd participated—the cardinal sin in all sports.

Overshadowed by these negative headlines was a noble decision made by Utah Jazz guard Derek Fisher: He asked to leave his team.

Fisher wasn't seeking to damage the Jazz, which had advanced to the Western Conference finals a month before. Indeed, his decision had nothing to do with basketball. It had to do with priorities.

Fisher, a quiet, steady Christian witness in a league of bling and groupies, left Salt Lake City in order to focus on his daughter's health. Only 11 months old, Tatum was diagnosed in May with retinoblastoma. The rare cancer threatens not just her left eye, but her life. Fisher gave up millions of dollars, and possibly his career, in order to move to a city with the right combination of medical specialists.

Such an admirable, selfless move is rare in the world of pro sports. Athletes are ridiculously overpaid—Boston Celtics star Kevin Garnett will make nearly three times as much as the entire U.S. Senate next year—and lauded with a kind of hero worship no person can live up to. Some don't even try. As hall of fame forward Charles Barkley reportedly said, "I am not a role model. I am paid to wreak havoc on the basketball court. … Just because I dunk a basketball doesn't mean I should raise your kids."

Furthermore, when athletes do try to live righteously, their public piety often falls short. Atlanta Falcons safety Eugene Robinson, an outspoken Christian, was arrested on the eve of Super Bowl XXXIII for soliciting a prostitute who turned out to be an undercover police officer.

Fisher, in keeping with Jesus' warning in the Sermon on the Mount, has never been one to "pray standing … on the street corners." He plays basketball the same way he testifies to his relationship with Christ: by his actions more than his words.

Every line of work has its challenges. Pro sports may have more than most. Yet Fisher has consistently modeled keeping first things first—or what the apostle Paul might have called "press[ing] on toward the goal to win the prize." We can learn from athletes like him.

"Life for me is about more than the game of basketball," Fisher told reporters after his announcement. Wiping away tears, Utah Jazz owner Larry H. Miller admitted, "He's focused on the most important thing."

As it turned out, Fisher was rewarded for his sacrifice. A couple of weeks later, the Los Angeles Lakers offered him a new contract. At a loss of $7 million, he will continue his career in a city where Tatum can get the care she needs.

In sports, as in life, doing the right thing doesn't always lead to such win-win situations. But it remains a victory in God's court. Here's to those whom God celebrates, "those who [have] been victorious," whether they be athletes, accountants, or, dare we say, evangelical thought leaders.

Finding Others Stronger Than You

In a Forbes article, Peter Drucker had this insight regarding how effective leaders play to their strengths and the strengths of others:

Successful leaders don't start out asking, "What do I want to do?" They ask, "What needs to be done?" Then they ask, "Of those things that would make a difference, which are right for me?" They don't tackle things they aren't good at. They make sure other necessities get done, but not by them. Successful leaders make sure that they succeed! They are not afraid of strength in others. Andrew Carnegie wanted to put on his gravestone, "Here lies a man who knew how to put into his service more able men than he was himself."

Learn from Lloyd

Many of you know that I am a huge Ohio State Buckeye fan, which by definition makes me not like the Michigan Wolverines. For the record, I am also not a fan of their coach, Lloyd Carr. However, I was impressed with something he said after their humiliating loss to the Oregon Ducks this past weekend.

"There isn't anything that comes my way that I can't handle professionally. And, there is nothing that can keep me down. Not a loss to Appalachian State, not a loss to Oregon, not a hundred losses, and not the loss of my job."

It sounds like he doesn't care what everyone thinks - he just has a job to do and he is going to do it. I hope he means all of this because the pressure on him will now be intense.

Can I be honest with you? I have a tendency to want to please others. I think a lot of people are this way. But, we are to play to an audience of One. That means there will be times when others are not happy with us - but we are commanded to do this. So let's learn from Lloyd

A Little Extra Effort

The workers who painted the line above obviously did not go the extra mile. Zig Ziglar had this to say about this in his book Life Lifters:

I wonder about the many things we could do if we didn’t know that we couldn’t do them. Many people never make a serious effort to achieve worthwhile objectives because they assume they can’t reach them.

Here’s a story that demonstrates what even a little extra effort can produce. Sir Walter Raleigh attended a prestigious boarding school when he was a youngster. He was an excellent student and wanted to be number one in his class. However, one lad always finished ahead of him, so he determined to discover the secret. Each night when he prepared for bed, he looked across the grounds that separated his room from that of his competitor and noticed that his candle was still burning. One night he noticed that the other boy studied only about fifteen minutes longer than he did. After that, Sir Walter Raleigh studied an extra twenty minutes every night. At the end of the year he was the number one student.

I’ve often wondered how many students miss out on a college scholarship because they did not study an additional twenty minutes each day. Research shows that over 98 percent of all scholarships are either academic or hardship, so some deserving students miss out not because of lack of ability, but because of lack of effort. Many times people grow frustrated because promotions or raises don’t come as fast as they think they should, so they jump ship when just around the corner the promotion awaits.

I have often used the phrase “and then some,” pointing out to my audiences that you should keep every promise, and then some; give your clients or customers everything they expect, and then some; give whatever you do an honest effort, and then some. I first learned those words from former secretary of state James Byrnes, who used that phrase when someone asked him to explain his success in life and in the political arena. I believe that little extra effort – that going ahead from where they are to do the best they can with what they have, and then some – is what separates the successful from the would-be successful.

Message: When you go the extra mile, you are seldom delayed by a traffic jam.

Boss Horror Stories

In an LA Times story, the following bad boss stores were recounted from the My Bad Boss contest sponsored by the AFL-CIO:

Last year's winning entry was "Dr. X," a dentist who took $100 out of each employee's paycheck for every canceled appointment.

The contestants, all anonymous, tell many horror stories.

One of the hundreds posted is about a lawyer who called the office every morning to give instructions as he brushed his teeth and conducted other business in his bathroom; another is about a manager who refused to let an employee whose husband had a brain tumor take a day off unless she provided a note from a doctor.

The contestant "Momtimesfour" recounts the day her boss offered to buy everyone in the office lunch and took them to a discount warehouse, where he instructed them to dine on free samples in the grocery section.

"Melanie" from Alabama, a cancer patient who lost her hair as a result of chemotherapy, says she overheard her boss making fun of how she looked with a bald pate. And a pregnant pizzeria worker says her manager ordered her to complete her shift after she had gone into labor. "I stayed and waited on customers," she says, "and made pizzas between contractions."

The story goes on to say that several states have proposed legislation to protect workers against tough bosses. I think this legislation is silly. We, as leaders, don't need the government telling us how to lead, we simply need to look in the Bible. For more information about this and to learn from a real tyrant, please check out Bleedership, Biblical First Aid for Leaders.

Optimism

I just read something interesting.

Martin Seligman in his book Learned Optimism reports on the level of optimism shown by USA presidential candidates between the years 1900 - 1984. American voters chose the more optimistic-sounding candidate in eighteen out of twenty-two elections. People seem to want a vision of hope and opportunity, and respond well to those messages.

How optimistic are you?

What You Think, You Are

It is the first day of school today for my two youngest kids. My daughter, was up this morning getting ready and all she was doing was complaining about how her day was going to be horrible. Her jeans were making her hot, school was going to be so boring...

I don't think she is going to have a very good day.

It reminded me that we all have a choice each day about how the day will turn out for us. We can look at each of our circumstances with a positive attitude or a negative attitude - a glass is half-full or half-empty attitude.

What are you going to choose?

Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Philippians 4:4

Procrastination, Part II

Yesterday I shared with you two points John Maxwell says will help to fight off procrastination. Here are his final two points:


3. Break down your big tasks. Connie Gersick of the Anderson Graduate School of Management at UCLA says that the average person doesn’t get seriously down to work on a big project until midway between the start of the project and the deadline, whether an hour or a year away.

If the size of a task causes you to procrastinate or completely shy away, break it into smaller, more manageable tasks. Then, give yourself an immediate deadline for accomplishing each task.

Ray Kroc, an American entrepreneur famous for significantly expanding the McDonald’s Corporation since 1955, said, “Nothing is particularly hard if you divide it into small jobs.”

4. Step back and see the big picture. Don Shula, former head coach of the Miami Dolphins, once said, “If you stacked [the mediocre] teams up against one of the perennial contenders, the talent gap might not be as great as you’d expect. It’s the philosophy gap that separates them. The losers lack something vital: a sense of purpose.”

Often people fail to start or complete a task because they don’t see any connection between what they’re doing and what they really want to accomplish. If you sense that what you’re doing is not blazing a trail toward a desired result, it’s probably time to rethink your pursuits. If you know that your work will move you closer to your goals, you will be more inclined to see the task through.

Even if you have procrastinated in the past, you can begin working today with a new outlook on getting things done and use some fresh methods for avoiding procrastination in the future. Make yourself a promise today to put an end to the phrases “woulda, coulda, shoulda” in your life.

Now that you know that, what is it that you have been putting off?

Woulda, Coulda, Shoulda

H. Jackson Brown, Jr. once said, “The biggest gap in the world is between I should and I did.” Is that true with you?

If you have an issue with procrastination, John Maxwell has some words of advice for you:

If you struggle with procrastination, you’re not alone. To be successful you must learn to close the gap between what you should be doing and what you are actually doing. Start by following these four steps:

1. Disrupt your regular routine. It doesn’t matter how hard or long you work if you’re not accomplishing what needs to be done. Sometimes changing how or where you work can increase your productivity significantly. Start by shuffling the order of your daily tasks. If it makes sense, begin your day with a task you normally reserve for the end of the day or vice versa.

Also, try changing your work setting. Go to a park. Work by the pool. Break out of old familiar patterns.

And another way to get more done is to steal an hour each day. Get up an hour earlier. Begin work on a project during your “off” time. The idea is to take the pressure off yourself by starting a job or doing a task when you’re not actually supposed to be working.

2. Get your first failure out of the way. Author Henry C. Link said, “While one person hesitates because he feels inferior, the other is busy making mistakes and becoming superior.” Plan and execute your first failure so that you no longer have to fear it. If you need to make sales calls, dial up your first potential client and expect rejection.

Keep calling until you get that first “no.” If you’re brainstorming to solve a problem or complete a project, start by weeding through the bad ideas then move on to better ones. Once you’ve expected—and overcome—one failure, others don’t look so intimidating.

Tomorrow, I will share John's 3rd and 4th points on how to overcome procrastination.

Under Pressure

Yesterday, my wife Connie called me. At that exact moment I felt I had about 14 things that needed to be done in the next 4 minutes. In 4 minutes I needed to leave for an appointment. I was stressed.

Needless to say, I was not as pleasant as I should have been with my wife. She was simply calling to share part of her day with me and I was very short with her.

In spite of the way I acted, I believe being calm under pressure while we are at work is one of the best ways we can show others the effect of Christ on us. Most people are not very nice and they are typically short with others (like I was with Connie) when they are under pressure.

In Bleedership, I devoted an entire chapter to Calm Leadership - that's how important I think this is.

Many people have told me that being calm is not their nature. I believe it is a choice. I just read something that Joyce Meyer wrote which said, if you are in the middle of one of your tantrums and your pastor knocked at your door, would you put on a calm front to greet him or her? Most would do that which proves this is a choice. Let's make that choice. It can have a significant impact on those who don't know Jesus.

To Whom Much is Given, Much is Expected

I'm sure all of you have seen that Michael Vick plead guilty to dog fighting. Very sad for him. Very sad for his family and friends. Very sad for the NFL and his teammates. Very sad for his young fans who looked up to him.

A good reminder to us that we must do all we can to do what is right, otherwise we can hurt many more than just ourselves.

Why Should I Trust You

Anyone who has entered into a new situation with new people knows that you typically are not trusted at first. You need to earn the trust of others. So how do you do that?

In an article entitled Starbucks Spirituality,

Daniel Hill suggests that 90 percent of the accusations Christians face are rooted in mistrust. "I don't find that people have a problem with Jesus," he says. "They have a problem with Christians."

Anyone who claims authority today—politicians, parents, or pastors—will face the question of trust.

The answer requires more than words. Christians, with PowerPoint presentations and four-point evangelistic outlines, have mastered the art of proclamation. But words alone aren't going to answer the trust question.

Trust is built by actions, not words.

Have you ever heard the expression, I can't hear what you're saying because your actions are speaking too loudly?

Made to Work

In a marketing newsletter I subscribe to, an interview Jimmy Kimmel did with George Foreman was discussed. Jimmy asked George why he still worked - and worked so much - given that he was certainly wealthy enough not to, and still never sacrifice a desire.

George joked about his ten kids needing fed, but then his straight answer: "When I was washed up as a fighter and dead broke and nobody wanted me for anything, I told God that if I ever got another good job, then I'd never stop working, and I'm keeping my promise.

"I'm grateful and excited every morning when I get up to go to work because I can go to work. Working is what a man is to do. Work is honorable and noble."

Well said. I agree with George, and God does too (see the scripture below) - we were made to work. So let's decide to enjoy it and let our light shine for others to see!

The LORD God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it. Genesis 2:15

Manager of the Universe

I receive an e-magazine called Men of Integrity from Christianity Today and this article really spoke to me as I have a tendency to try to take on too much a lot of the time. I know this is an area God is working on in me. How about you?

In an earlier era, George McCauslin, a distinguished YMCA director, was serving a "Y" in western Pennsylvania that was losing membership and had financial difficulties and terrible staff problems. McCauslin found himself working 85-hour weeks and getting little sleep at night. Even when he took time off, he was fretting about the problems of this "Y." A therapist told him that he was on the verge of a nervous breakdown.

So McCauslin took an afternoon off, and, taking along a pen and pad of paper, went for a walk in the woods. His tight body and neck started to relax. He sat down under a tree, got out his pen and pad, and wrote God a letter. "Dear God," he wrote, "today I hereby resign as general manager of the universe. Love, George."

"And wonder of wonders," recounted McCauslin, with a twinkle in his eye, "God accepted my resignation."

This week is about turning our anxieties over to the One best equipped to handle them.

Survival Tactics

Zig Ziglar recently wrote the following:

The giraffe is the largest mammal that gives birth while standing up. I don't speak "giraffe," but I can imagine what the baby giraffe must think when he bounces on the ground from that great height. He just left warm, cushioned quarters in which all his needs, comforts and security were provided. Now he finds himself bouncing off (comparatively speaking) hard, cold, unwelcoming ground.

Almost immediately thereafter, a new trauma occurs in the baby giraffe's life. As he struggles to his knees, Mama Giraffe gets busy "persuading" him to stand up. She does this as he wobbles to his feet by giving him a swift kick to prod him to faster action. No sooner does he reach his feet than Mama delivers a booming kick that knocks the baby giraffe back down. . . . I can well imagine the baby giraffe thinking, "Well, make up your mind, Mom! First you kicked me to make me stand up. Then you kicked me back down!" . . .

That process is repeated several times because Mama Giraffe loves her baby. . . . Mama Giraffe knows that the only chance for survival her baby has is to be able to quickly get up and move out of harm's way. Yes, kicking the baby up and down seems like a strange way to show love. But for a baby giraffe it is the ultimate expression of love. Caution: That approach definitely won't work in the "people" world, but the principle will. Real love is evidenced when you do what is best for the other person, whether or not they appreciate it at that moment.


I thought how much we can learn from this in many of our relationships: with employees, with children, with our spouses and with our friends. Is there anyone you need to show real love to by speaking the truth in love?

Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into Him who is the Head, that is, Christ. Ephesians 5:15

Bait and Switch?

I recently had a phone conversation with a new Christian author. He wanted to send me a copy of his book to review and to see if I knew of any places he might speak. I said I would love to read his book and see what he has to say.

He then said, "OK, I'll mail it to you. All I ask for is a $20 donation."

I was taken aback. I thought he was giving me a copy of his book. I felt taken advantage of. I might have bought his book had he asked me in the beginning.

Anyway, even though I believe his heart is in the right place and he is trying to serve the Lord, he made a negative impression on me. Let's try to learn from him and do better ourselves.

It's Not About Me?!?

The first line in the best-selling book by Rick Warren, The Purpose Driven Life is "It's not about me."

In many respects this realization should help us to relax a little. If it's not about me, it must be about Someone bigger - it is - and He must have things under control - He does.

In Leading Blog, there is an interesting post about this. It reminded me of a quote I heard from a well-known football coach before his team was about to play in the Super Bowl. To try to lessen their nervousness and fear he said, "There are over a billion people in China who don't care whether we win or lose so just go out and play hard and have fun."

We tend to take life way too seriously, as if it is all about us. If we could all take the advice the coach gave his team, our lives would probably be a lot more fun...and productive.

To read the post at Leading Blog, go here.

5 Signs You Have A Bad Boss

In his article, Brian Simkins gives us the following 5 signs to determine if we have a bad boss:

1. Your boss asks you to do things he or she is unwilling to do
2. Your boss takes credit for your work without giving you recognition
3. Your boss is late
4. Your boss asks you to cover
5. Your boss doesn't defend his or her empoyees

I thought this was instructive, not because of how we can look at our boss, but in how we look at ourselves. Do you do any of the above?

To read the full article, go here.

Judgment

I heard Stephen Covey talk about an incident when he was on a subway on a Sunday morning. It was very peaceful until a man and his three children got on his car. They began hitting people's newspapers, making lots of noise and disturbing everyone...everyone except their father.

Stephen said he became very angry at this man for not doing anything. He said he was furious.

Finally, he had enough and he asked the man to control his children.

The man sheepishly said, "Oh, you're right. I'm sorry. I guess they aren't sure how to react to the news they just heard. We are coming from the hospital and they just learned their mother has died."

Stephen said his entire demeanor changed in an instant. Instead of being angry, he immediately was filled with compassion for this man and his children.

I often think about this when someone treats me poorly or cuts me off in traffic. I have no idea what is going on in their lives so I need to cut them some slack.

Zig Ziglar wrote something about a similar topic - go here to read more.

The Secret to Life

In an article in Christian Business Daily, Gerald Chester writes about some authors who wrote a book titled, Success Built to Last. In the book they state that the secret of life is really quite simple—it is serving people by doing what you have a passion to do.

Chester continues that:

Since we are created beings, a person’s passions, unimpaired by sin, must be created as well. If God is both strategic and intentional about how He creates, then a person’s passions are precisely what he or she needs to accomplish his or her divinely ordained purpose. It follows then that the greatest need of any created being is to discover the Creator and then to discover the Creator's reason for creating that person.

This implies that at the most fundamental level the secret of life is to serve others by using our divinely ordained passions to help others discover their divinely ordained life purposes.

Good stuff. I encourage you to click here to read the entire article.

How to get Ahead on the Job - NOT

How do people get ahead in the workplace? One way seems to be by making their subordinates miserable, according to a study released on Friday.

In the study to be presented at a conference on management this weekend, almost two-thirds of the 240 participants in an online survey said the local workplace tyrant was either never censured or was promoted for domineering ways.

"The fact that 64.2 percent of the respondents indicated that either nothing at all or something positive happened to the bad leader is rather remarkable -- remarkably disturbing," wrote the study's authors, Anthony Don Erickson, Ben Shaw and Zha Agabe of Bond University in Australia.

First of all, I don't buy this. I do believe that some bad bosses do get ahead and aren't punished for bad behavior - after all I worked with one of the all time great bad bosses (see Bleedership). But I believe in the end they are seen for who they are (my boss was eventually fired, although it was 1 month after I quit).

For the sake of discussion though, let's pretend the above study is correct. How should this change our behavior?

It shouldn't. We should not be caught up with what others are doing. We need to work on ourselves and be the best worker and person we can be.

Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is--His good, pleasing and perfect will. Romans 12:2

Tony Dungy on the Importance of Practice

I hope you have enjoyed Tony Dungy's thoughts on FCA's core values and how they relate to football...and to life.

He summed up his comments with one final thought on...

Practice

When you’re looking to develop these core values, my advice is to practice. If you only practice one day a week you’re never going to be as good as if you practice every day. And, that’s what it’s all about, really. It’s reading and understanding what God wants you to do and then putting it into practice. When you come up short, don’t give up. Continue to work at it. Say, “OK, Lord, I fell short in this area. Give me another opportunity so that I can continue to work on it.” The more you practice those values, the easier they become, and the better you get.

If you would like to read his comments in entirety along with what others have to say about Tony, click here.

Tony Dungy on Excellence

This week I have been posting Tony Dungy's comments on the core values of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA). Today, Tony discusses...

Excellence

I talk about excellence a lot because, I think, from a Christian perspective, that can get lost. We talk so much about how it’s “just God’s will” and that we want to serve Him, but He wants us to be excellent in what we do. I love Paul’s statement in 1 Corinthians that in a race we all run to receive a prize, but he says to run to win. We can’t forget that part.

Now, we are bound by rules, and we are not going to cheat or do certain things to win, but that is still the goal: to be excellent. And there is nothing wrong with that. As Christians, it is great to be able to show the world that, yes, we can do it the Lord’s way, but we can be excellent while we do it.

What it means to be an excellent coach:Being an excellent coach means doing everything as well as you can do it. That is everything from preparing your players to dealing with the media. Whatever is in front of me, whatever is on my plate as a coach, I want to do it as well as I can because there is never a time when I am not to be exemplifying Christ. Whether it is running simple drills behind the scenes during practice or making a decision with one minute left in the Super Bowl, I am going to do it as well as I possibly can. I think that is part of what the Lord wants us to do.

Common areas in which we skimp on excellence:
We are all human, and I think we all have a drive to succeed; but once we reach a certain level, we think, “I’m doing OK. I’m doing well enough in my position.” Regarding the drive to be better and better, we sometimes think it is wrong, but there is nothing wrong with that drive as long as it is carried out in the right way with the right perspective.

It’s human nature to say, “Well, I won’t give 100 percent. I’ll give just enough to do my job well.” Or, if I am lifting weights, to say, “I could do one more repetition, but I don’t want to push it.” But the Lord would say, “Do as well as you can with the gifts I’ve given you.”

What I look at is whether or not we are doing absolutely everything we can with the talent and opportunity that God gives us. That’s how I see excellence. I can win every game and still not be playing excellent if I am not giving everything that God is giving me.

Tony Dungy on Teamwork

Tony Dungy continues with his view of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes third value:

Teamwork

Jesus always pointed out that everybody was important, but nobody was so important they couldn’t get by without them. And that’s what you are trying to sell to your team: that everybody has a role. No matter how small they think it is, even if they are not necessarily the star, they are important. But by the same token, nobody is so great that we can’t survive without them. And that’s what good teams have. It’s not a matter of having the most talented guys, but of having the most cohesion, the most ability to work together. Christ and His team had the common goal of spreading the gospel. And if we, as a team, also have a common goal and work together, we can do great things. But if we are fragmented and have different agendas and ideas, if we are not working together, no matter how much talent we have, we are not going to be successful.

How the spotlight affects teamwork:
Sometimes you get a situation in which some players say, “Well, I’m not a starter or a key component, so my job is not important.” You have to make them understand that you do need them. Even if their job is small, they need to do it exceptionally well in order for the team to succeed. The other side of the coin is that person who always feels that everything depends on them because they are in a star position. You need to let them know that there’s not as much pressure as they might feel. It’s telling them, “You’ve just got to do your job. Yes, it’s a big job, but we have other guys who also have to contribute. You aren’t the only one out there.” Ultimately, it’s balancing that spectrum and not letting one group feel too much pressure while another group feels like they are not needed. As a team, we are a unit, and everybody works together. And if we work together as teammates, we can do much more than 53 individuals working separately.

Tony Dungy on Serving

Tony Dungy had this to say about FCA's second core value:

Serving

Ever since I’ve been in a leadership position, my focus has been the model of Christ as the servant-leader. There are different ways to lead, but I’ve always felt that it’s better if other people follow me because they want to follow, not because I’ve been put up there as the leader and they have to follow. To do that, you have to earn people’s trust and their respect; and the way to do that is to show them you are there to help them. As coaches, that is our job—not necessarily to win a championship, but to help all the players, everyone in the organization, do their jobs as well as they can.

Practical ways for a coach to serve: I really try to, number one, be a role model and serve my team spiritually. I want to teach them as much as I can about football and how to be better players; but I also want to help them be good people, do well in the community and do well after football. So, I try to present those things to them so that they can see that football isn’t the end of the road. Therefore, I am hopefully serving them as individuals, serving their families, and also serving them by giving everything I have to make them the best players they can be.

How Christ’s example of serving factors into coaching: To me, Christ’s model was the best. He had quite a few disciples, but there were 12 guys He really poured Himself into. He did so much to make those guys the best team they could be. At times, that involved teaching, it involved His being the example, it involved one-on-one talks.

For me, it’s the same thing. I want my players to know that I’m not the one trying to be up front and get all the rewards, but I’m really there to make them the best team they can be. That’s going to involve working as hard as I can, spending hours studying the other team to get our game plans ready, and doing everything I can so that they can play well. And more than that, it is being involved, being there for them, being a sounding board and trying to help their families.

Tony Dungy on Integrity

One of my favorite people in all of sports is Tony Dungy. I have so much respect for him - the way he leads, the way he treats others and the way he has overcome adversity. I was so pleased to see an article in the monthly magazine put out by the Fellowship of Christian Athletes in which Tony shared his thoughts on FCA's core values. I will be sharing these thoughts throughout this week.

Integrity

To me, integrity is what you are all about. It’s what is inside of you. And what’s inside is going to come out when it gets to a critical situation. In my opinion, that’s the difference between a championship team and a good team. It’s the difference between a person you really want to follow and one who is just another person in your life. With people of integrity, you know what you are going to get because that person is the same way all the time; situations don’t change them.

How integrity factors into my role as a coach:From a leadership standpoint, I want to display integrity with my players. They have to be able to count on me to be the same, no matter what. If I tell them something about my personal life and I don’t follow through on it, how can they believe anything I try to teach them on the field? To have that trust and have them follow me as a leader, they have to believe in me. Integrity goes hand-in-hand with trust. You can’t have a good player-coach relationship or a good staff relationship without trust.

The importance of a Christian’s integrity:It is very important for a Christian athlete or a Christian coach to model integrity because once I have gone out there and said, “I am a Christian. Here are the principles I live by”—if I do anything that undermines that, it hurts the cause of Christ. Once people know I am a Christian, I can’t afford to walk differently than I believe because everybody is going to see—especially in a coaching position when eyes are on you all the time.

How I handle a breach of integrity, both internally and externally:It is tough on me when I don’t follow through with what I say I’m going to do because I know that eventually it’s going to come to light and not only make my job tougher, but more than that, it’s going to cause people to question what Christianity is about. With others, I try to be a little more forgiving. It’s the world that we live in, and sometimes that’s going to happen. I try to forgive people because that’s what Christ is all about.

Tomorrow we will discuss SERVING.

We'll Miss Ya Dan

On August 17, Dan Patrick will broadcast for the last time on ESPN. This will be a sad day for many, me included as I love his subtle humor.

When asked in Sports Illustrated why he is leaving this is how he responded:

It's (ESPN) a protective cocoon I've been in for a long time. I had started to take it for granted. I don't think I challenged myself, and I don't think I was doing great work.

There is a lot we can pull from and learn from those few sentences but the primary thing that hits me is that he has realized that he has been in his comfort zone.

That is where we all naturally want to be - our comfort zones.

However, if we want to grow, the only way this will happen is if we get outside of our comfort zones. We must break through our fear.

So what are you putting off doing out fear?

5 Ways to Overcome Bad Boss Syndrome

As many of you know, I had a very difficult boss in a previous job that led me to write the book, Bleedership, Biblical First-Aid for Leaders. As a result, anytime I read anything about bad bosses, I am eager to see what is said.

Joseph Liberti had an interesting Blog post on this subject. In his article he states that "people don't leave organizations, they leave supervisors." He then shares 5 useful tips to use if you want to avoid being a bad boss. To read his post, click here.

No Margin, No Mission

A good friend of mine is an executive at our local YMCA corporate office. He said someone once gave him great advice regarding the importance of finances within the local YMCA branches, "No margin, no mission." In other words, the Y must be financially solvent or they will not be able to serve the community.

Michael Pink had this to say in his Blog:

The purpose of a business is to make a profit. There it is. I said it. That ugly word in the minds of so many Christians, which might explain why so many are so broke in the business world. They think profit is evil or bad or at the very least, inappropriate - unless it happens by accident or as a result of doing other things well but minus the profit motive. Believe it or not, you can desire a profit and work hard to generate one without being guilty of coveting or piercing yourself through with many sorrows due to the love of money. But that requires spiritual maturity. Selah.

Before I get too many angry emails, let me also say I believe that our businesses, our sales careers, in fact all of our vocational life should truly bring glory to God. That is to say, when others see our companies, our track records, our job performance, they attribute our success to the God whom we serve. But if we fail in business, regardless of how nice we were or how pious, they will not be able to see that God is indeed Lord in all areas of life. That He is only relevant to “spiritual” issues and perhaps “marital” issues, but completely irrelevant to the business / commerce side of life and therefore to be ignored until a major crisis comes up.

Let me further add, that I also believe business is merely a context for building relationships. First of all with God - if we choose - and then with others. God loves work and so does Jesus (John 5:17) and He quite enjoys going to work with us and helping us build quite the business. Not necessarily a large business, but an excellent one.

Overcoming Customer Objections

Overcoming objections can be a terrifying thing for many in business. Salespeople are often taught to look for objections so they can "overcome" them; however, this process can still be scary.

Steve Marr had this to say in a recent article:

Many business owners are reluctant to address possible objections, fearing they are just opening a can of worms. In reality, customers will have one or more objections, and by ignoring the objections, we are just being naïve. And we are losing sales.

In the early days of the ship cruising industry, many perspective passengers were concerned with becoming seasick. Rather than ignoring the concern, many cruise lines marketed the fact that ships were outfitted with stabilizers, even citing the fact that new cruise liners were not the troop transport ships of the 1940s that sickened many troops crossing the ocean. Furthermore, brochures explained how Dramamine skin patches would help those susceptible to motion sickness. By addressing the issue straight on, many more bookings were achieved.

King Solomon said, “He who gives the right answer kisses the lips” (Proverbs 24:26 NKJ). Part of our job is to anticipate customer questions and then give the right answers. That is, indeed, a very sweet thing!

To read the rest of the article, go here.

No Need for Separation of Church and Chicken

Rachel Brady writes about a man and a company I have deep respect for, Truett Cathy and Chick-fil-a:

Nearly every Sunday, I subconsciously sabotage myself into the misery of an unsatisfied craving for Chick-fil-a.

Since the dine-in Chick-fil-a opened on Patteson Drive last year, I've actually shown up in the empty parking lot. Twice. But I should have known better. Anyone who knows of the fast-food chain and its chickeny goodness also knows of its affiliation with the Christian faith.

Specifically, the corporation's mission statement pledges to ''glorify God by being a faithful steward of all that is entrusted to us and to have a positive influence on all who come in contact with Chick-fil-a.''

Founder S. Truett Cathy is a devout Southern Baptist, and so in accordance with his beliefs and the company's mission statement, all Chick-fil-a locations are closed on Sunday, the Christian Sabbath. Monday through Saturday, those who dine in get an earful of God's glory, as the restaurant always has Christian-themed pop-sounding music wafting on the breeze alongside the alluring smells of chicken and waffle fries.

Normally, when aspects of the Christian faith -- or any religion -- are thrust into my life without invitation, I get a little bit cranky.

I'm old enough and smart enough now that if I wanted to be converted to your religion, I'd have figured it out by now. So when a Jehovah's witness shows up on my doorstep, I politely turn down the offers for conversation/conversion. And when an old guy in a suit jacket tries to hand me a tiny Bible, I politely decline. All the while, I'm miffed that someone out there thinks they know just exactly ''what's missing'' in my life.

Somehow, though, Chick-fil-a has gotten it right. No one from the corporation is beating down any doors for converts, and they don't distribute printed materials about faith or damnation while you eat.

What they will actually do while you eat, though, is refill your drink, dump your tray or even just carry on a polite conversation.

The people of Chick-fil-a have taken an essential part of Christianity -- the Golden Rule of treating others as you would like to be treated -- and they've made it their mantra. And they're not preachy or pushy; they're just polite.

It's refreshing to see people who are most happy to display their religion by example rather than through radical, alienating evangelism.

Most people don't want to be approached by strangers about how they may be living their lives in sin.

Most people don't feel like divulging personal secrets and entrusting their spiritual lives to people they've never even met. Most of us just need to be permitted to live our lives and learn our own lessons. And some of us, along the way, want to eat some chicken.

So Chick-fil-a is, all-around, the purveyor of good news that all Christians should be. If you want a tasty chicken sandwich, there's no need to worry about choking down a lesson on moral values with it. Chick-fil-a exhibits its Christian values with its excellent service, and that's that.

The other things -- the ''no business on Sunday'' rule, the music and the occasional Veggie Tales kid's meal toy -- are mere peripherals which have no real effect on any consumer. The Christianity is offered, though unspoken, and there are no hard feelings if you leave it rather than take it.

If you've never experienced the service at Chick-fil-a, I urge you to do so. You'll find that everything you ask for is someone's pleasure to provide to you. The entire experience is simply delicious.

Here, have some chicken. Fries? My pleasure. Dipping sauce? Of course. How about some salvation through Jesus Christ? No? All right, well, have a nice day.

And you're on your way.

So when Sunday rolls around and I'm jonesin' for some chicken strips and waffle fries, I do my best to shrug the craving off. Each time I realize my Sunday craving just isn't meant to be satiated, I gain a little respect for the place, despite my empty stomach.

Invaded

Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. 1 Peter 5:8

Let the record show that we have not seen any lions, but...

Last night my niece shouted that we had something moving in the yard of the chalet we are staying in and we rushed out to see a large black bear approaching our garbage cans. This is the third bear we have seen this trip.

We also have had some raccoons in the attic - and large ones at that based on the sounds they've been making.

It has been an awesome week in the Smokies, although I feel as if we are being invaded. Much like our everyday lives when the enemy throws obstacles in our path to knock us off course. In spite of this, remember the plans God promises for you: ...plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future. (Jeremiah: 29:11b).

It's all Good

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose.

Romans 8:28

A couple of days ago I told you I twisted my ankle on a hike in the Smokies. I have taken a couple of awesome hikes since then - today to Rainbow Falls shown above.

The hike was very strenuous going up as we climbed about 1,500 feet in 2.7 miles. The way down was obviously much easier - however that is when a lot of injuries happen as we have a tendency to lose our focus.

On my way down today, I was thinking frequently about my ankle sprain from earlier in the week and was much more cautious than normal. I also thought that this was a way God was using a bad thing (my injured ankle earlier in the week) and making it good (helping me to be more cautious and possibly preventing a serious injury today).

Pretty cool!

This same thing can be used in our work lives as well. Think about a seemingly bad thing going on right now. God promises us He will use that for good.

Pride Before the Fall

I'm on vacation in the Smoky Mountains with my family and my dad, my step-mom, two of my sisters and their families. Two days ago, we took a great hike to Grotto Falls which is pictured above.

I have been here many times and remembered it as a short, relatively easy hike. After all, it is only 1.2 miles up to the falls. It is a hike we typically take with the younger kids since it is not too difficult.

Well, about 1/4 of a mile into the hike I was huffing and puffing. It was harder than I remembered. In fact, I was not ready for the hike. I usually wear two pair of socks when I hike and I only wore one for this "easy" hike. I also didn't lace up my hiking boots very tightly as I felt I wouldn't need them very tight.
On the way down I paid for it. I didn't fall, but my pride cost me. I stepped on a root and turned my ankle. As a result I was unable to hike yesterday (thankfully I was able to hike today!).

This is not much different than my everyday life when pride gets the best of me and I eventually pay for it. Oh well, one of these days I hope I can learn this lesson.

The Power of Worry

I have been a worrier in my life so I was glad to receive this in an email from a friend of mine, David Atchison:

John Locke once said, "What worries you, masters you." Have you ever considered that worry could become your boss? Worry can take charge of your mind, producing distraction, confusion and depression. Worry can give orders to your body, manufacturing insomnia, ulcers and heart attacks. Worry can manage your spirit, generating bitterness, distrust and disobedience to God. Worry is a powerful master—but not in a positive way.

There is a difference between concern and worry. If your top client doesn't return your phone call, or if your sales have come in below budget, there is reason to take heed. Concern leads us to focus, analyze and revise our actions. On the other hand, worry causes us to obsess and over-scrutinize every negative possibility. Even when good news comes, Worry warns that it won’t really last and bad news can’t be far behind! When we allow our God-given imagination to work in “reverse,” we dream up problems that don’t even exist, and move into anxiety mode.

The truth is, we spend too much energy worrying about things we have absolutely no control over. Worry is wasting your time when you envision a negative response from your boss while she/he reviews your proposal. Worry is robbing your productivity when you are paralyzed by thoughts that your new venture could fail. What are you worrying about right now? Has it already spoiled a beautiful day, time with family and friends, a restful night’s sleep? Worry has the potential to become your greatest enemy in the marketplace, and in life as a whole.

Jesus addressed this issue in straightforward terms. I have found Scripture to become more meaningful to me when I personalize and paraphrase it in my journal. This is what I took away from Matthew 6:25-27, 33-34 this morning . . .

Do not worry and fret over all the details of your life, like where your next meal is coming from and whether you will be able to keep your job or pay your bills. And don't get anxious about what to wear, whether you should dress business casual or wear a suit. Is that what life has been reduced to for you?

Have you thought about the birds in the sky, and the fact that they have no way to produce food for themselves, much less have any retirement or 401K? They aren't worried. Why? Because your Heavenly Father takes care of them. So think about it, aren't you worth much more than they are? Don't you believe your Heavenly Father will take care of you?

Besides that, does all of your anxiety and worry produce anything good?(NO!) Does it add more to your life? (Absolutely not!) God already knows everything you need. He invites you to focus on Him and develop a relationship of trust with Him. When you do, you will become free to live and work as He has called you to, knowing that He will take care of all of your needs. So, don't lose sleep over tomorrow, there are plenty of things to enjoy and focus on today. Look for them!

Be careful to avoid worry about two things—that is, two days. One is yesterday. There is not one single action or word or thought we can erase. Yesterday is gone. However, God’s peace and forgiveness and restoration are never exhausted. The other day is tomorrow. No matter what we anticipate or suspect or fear may happen, there is absolutely nothing we can decipher about it today. On the other hand, from the beginning the Bible assures us, “ He is the Rock: his work is perfect. Everything he does is just and fair. He is a faithful God who does not wrong; how just and upright he is! (Deuteronomy 32:4, New Living Translation)

Planning Your Day

With one of my consulting clients, I am trying to teach the sales team the importance of planning their next day before leaving the office. So it was great to see Zig Ziglar write this:

If I were to ask the question, Would you like to improve your productivity dramatically without working any longer or any harder? chances are pretty good that you would say, "That would be nice! I’d be more effective and I’d probably get a raise! I might even have more fun in the process."

Question: How many of you, on the night before the day you were going on vacation, sat down and wrote out a list of the things you wanted to be certain to do before you left work the next day? Chances are extremely good that most of you would say you had done that. And most of you would also admit that you managed to complete more than twice the number of tasks you complete on a normal day.

Now think about this for a moment: If planning your job on the day before you go on vacation increases your productivity, doesn’t it make sense that if you were to spend a few minutes every day before you start your work day contemplating what is really important and what you really need to accomplish, that you would have the same great results? And the chances are excellent – definitely better than good – that this process will attract favorable attention, probably leading to more job security, perhaps a raise, and maybe even a significant promotion.

To read the rest go here.

Velvet Bricks

John Maxwell had some great things to say in a recent article:

As a child, when I misbehaved, I was sure to receive “The Look” from my father. I have vivid memories of the furrowed eyebrows and pursed lips of The Look. It makes me shudder just to remember it. The Look could cut right through my body and penetrate into my soul. There was nothing comforting about The Look, and, invariably, it signaled impending disciplinary measures. The Look was to be respected, The Look was to be feared, and, above all, The Look was to be avoided.

However, just as I can recall The Look, I also remember the tenderness of my father’s care after he disciplined me. I remember the whispered assurances of his love for me. I remember the warmth of his embrace as he held me in his arms. I remember his tenderness as he gently explained why I had been disciplined and how I could learn from the experience. His was not mean-spirited or severe in his discipline; rather, his loving correction was intended to develop me into a man of character.

Leaders, like my father, must balance toughness and tenderness. My friend, Tim Elmore, describes these leaders as Velvet-Covered Bricks. They are firm and strong on the inside, but soft and pleasant on the outside. In this edition of Leadership Wired, I would like to discuss the qualities of that make a leader into a Velvet-Covered Brick. I am indebted to Tim Elmore for many of the thoughts in this lesson.

TOUGH BUT TENDER

Some leaders are so tough they could chew nails, but their insensitivity prevents them from connecting with their employees. Ignorant of the emotions around them, they rely on authority and scare tactics to earn the allegiance of their team.

Other leaders go the extra mile to earn the admiration of those they lead. They love to be seen as the “good guy,” and they go soft on their team. To protect their popularity, they sacrifice healthy confrontation or neglect holding employees accountable.

A Velvet-Covered Brick leader makes difficult decisions, but at the same time, they act as emotional caretakers to the people their choices affect. They instill discipline, but they also provide encouragement and inspiration.

CONFRONT PROBLEMS BUT CONSIDER PERSPECTIVES

Velvet-Covered Brick leaders are not afraid to deal with conflict in order to iron out an unhealthy situation. By actively addressing problems, they are peacemakers as opposed to peacekeepers. At the same time, such a leader remains open to the perspective of others. Although supremely confident, a wise leader knows the fallibility of his or her judgment, and they turn an attentive ear to those who share differing opinions.

COMMITTED TO RESULTS AND COMMITTED TO RELATIONSHIPS

Leaders with a Velvet-Covered Brick mentality refuse to compromise goals or take the easy road out of tough spots. They relentlessly set the bar high so that the team achieves its potential. Yet, all the while, leaders value people just as much as productivity. They never sacrifice relationships simply to get results

PROFESSIONAL AND PERSONAL

The Velvet-Covered Brick type of leader maintains an aura of professionalism in the workplace at all times. Such a leader stays poised in the most heated moments and keeps control of his or her emotions. While approachable, they reserve part of themselves (their fears, knowledge, insights) so that they can effectively motivate the team from a place of authority.

At the same time, leaders don’t want to come across as aloof, distant, or plastic. The best leaders are warm, genuinely interested in their teammates, and intentional in understanding what makes each person unique. Additionally, to connect with the team, they may show selectively disclose information about themselves or even let down their emotional guard during a meeting.

TAKE CRITICISM AND SERVE THE CRITIC

Leaders who aspire to be Velvet-Covered Bricks develop thick skin and bypass the desire to retaliate against critics. Instead, they graciously accept criticism and welcome confrontation. Then, they take pains to win over their critics by reaching out them. They go the extra mile to wade through conflict until resolution can be reached.

RESPECTED AND APPROACHABLE

A leader earns respect on the basis of what he or she has done. More often than not, respect is gained on difficult ground. Adverse circumstances test the mettle of a leader and show a leader’s true merit.

For a Velvet-Covered Brick leader, respect is balanced by approachability. An approachable leader has a consistent mood, is quick to forgive, willing to apologize, and shows authenticity. A leader at ease with himself puts others at ease. Secure leaders aren’t constantly seeking validation from others, and, as such they are free to add value to those they lead rather than deriving value from the approval of those around them.

People are drawn to leaders who value them. They will approach a leader who makes them feel encouraged, helps them grow, and treats them honestly.

My Bad Boss is my Fault?

In Penelope Trunk's book Brazen Careerist she states:

New Rule 33 for Success: There are No Bad Bosses, Only Whiny Employees

Want to deal with a bad boss? First, stop complaining. Unless your boss breaks the law, you don't have a bad boss; you have a boss you are managing poorly.

Good advice. Although I believe there truly are bad bosses, see my book Bleedership, it never does us any good to whine. Regardless of who our boss is, we are to work with all our heart as working for the Lord not for men (Colossians 3:23 paraphrased).

Good Boss Key To Content Staff

DUH!

Though I am thankful to see articles like this it amazes me that this is news. This article appeared this weekend in the Columbus Dispatch.

Better Than Good

I love Zig Ziglar and his enthusiasm for life. One of my favorite sayings of his is "I'm doing better than good!" Here he shares with us how we also can be better than good:

People frequently ask me, “How can I know when I am doing better than good?” I thought about that question and came up with 15 ways to measure yourself. Take a look and see what you think:

1. You are doing better than good when you clearly understand that failure is an event, not a person; that yesterday ended last night, and today is your brand new day.

2. You are doing better than good when you have made friends with your past, are focused on the present, and optimistic about your future.

3. You are doing better than good when you know that success (a win) doesn't make you, and failure (a loss) doesn't break you.

4. You are doing better than good when you are filled with faith, hope and love; and live without anger, greed, guilt, envy or thoughts of revenge.

5. You are doing better than good when you are mature enough to delay gratification and shift your focus from your rights to your responsibilities.

6. You are doing better than good when you know that failure to stand for what is morally right is the prelude to being the victim of what is criminally wrong.

7. You are doing better than good when you are secure in who you are, so you are at peace with God and in fellowship with man.

8. You are doing better than good when you have made friends of your adversaries, and have gained the love and respect of those who know you best.

9. You are doing better than good when you understand that others can give you pleasure, but genuine happiness comes when you do things for others.

10. You are doing better than good when you are pleasant to the grouch, courteous to the rude, and generous to the needy.

11. You are doing better than good when you love the unlovable, give hope to the hopeless, friendship to the friendless, and encouragement to the discouraged.

12. You are doing better than good when you can look back in forgiveness, forward in hope, down in compassion, and up with gratitude.

13. You are doing better than good when you know that "he who would be the greatest among you must become the servant of all."

14. You are doing better than good when you recognize, confess, develop and use your God-given physical, mental and spiritual abilities to the glory of God and for the benefit of mankind.

15. You are doing better than good when you stand in front of the Creator of the universe and He says to you, "Well done, thou good and faithful servant."

Think over each one of these 15 ideas and see how you can incorporate them into your life so that you truly are better than good!

Whale Done

I just finished doing an audio book summary of the book Whale Done, by Ken Blanchard (I do this once per quarter for select members of my Bleedership group: my doctor members, my business owner members and my Platinum individual members). In the book, one of the overriding themes is to accentuate the positive and not dwell on the negative. This is oftentimes easier said than done.

I tend to think of myself as an optimist - one that views things in a positive light (most of the time). Yet, yesterday I received a magazine in my mailbox that was supposed to go to one of my neighbors. His street name is similar to mine and they have the same number on their address as mine so this is not an uncommon occurrence. This is probably the third time this year I have received this magazine in error.

I guess it is because the magazine is all about computer stuff is the reason I remember it. I could care less about that stuff.

I was a little frustrated by this. I thought, I can't believe the post office can't get this right! What is the matter with them?

I am a little embarrassed that this got to me. Why did this make me upset? Maybe if his Sports Illustrated accidentally got delivered to me, I would have been fine as I could have gotten a glimpse at something that I'm interested in - but I more than likely would have still been miffed.

So here I am, I had just completed this book summary where the author told me to accentuate the positive and not pay attention to negative behavior. And what did I immediately do? I didn't even think about how many pieces of mail the post office delivers correctly every day. I chose to focus on the ONE piece of mail that was delivered to me in error!

Hopefully we can all learn from this. If we can, it will help us at home, at work and in all our relationships.

One Bite at a Time

Can I brag about my wife Connie for a second?

She has been dreading "de-junking" our house (getting rid of all the "stuff" that has accumulated over the years) - it was overwhelming. As a result she has been putting it off for, oh... about 3 years. Well, this past weekend she started. She has been really motivated and she is making great progress. I am very proud of her!

When I asked her what got her going, she said she finally realized she needed to just take the first step. What she found is that each next step continued to be easier. That is true with any big job. I have heard it said that the best way to eat an elephant (a really big job) is one bite at a time!

What is really cool about this is what Connie said last night. She said, "I feel great about the progress I've made."

If your feeling down or you don't feel like doing something, there is one thing that will surely pick you up - action. Just get started, you will be amazed at how it makes you feel!

All Team Members Should Be Leaders

I found this on Leading Blog:

British Rugby team England, has enlisted the help of the Royal Marines in Dorset to develop the leadership necessary to create a winning team. Brian Ashton, the head coach is making use of outside consultants too, to bring this team together.

The Times Online reported today that head coach Brian Ashton said “he had been surprised by some of the players in the 45-strong squad whose leadership ability has shone through over the past ten days. He suggested that this was, in part, because they had not previously been encouraged to operate as leaders, which seems an implicit criticism of the previous coaching regime. ‘It’s not about calling lineouts and running back moves,’ Ashton said. ‘It’s the ability to decide what to do when things are going wrong and make them go right.’

It points to the fact that every member of a team needs to operate as a leader, whether they are the point leader or not. An effective team leader will be make sure that all aspects of a task are being covered and that they are coordinating without being dictatorial. This requires a lot of give and take. Additionally it is important that all members of a team know what everyone else is doing so that they can adjust and align themselves to the problems that any other team member may be facing.

The article continues. “’You need to pull players together, put them in a hostile and uncomfortable environment where they must work together to be successful, and they have done that.’ Some of the exercises designed by the Marines involved sensory deprivation, testing the ability to make decisions in extremes of tiredness….’This is the first time this group of players has been fit and available and the process of bonding as a group has been accelerated,’” Ashton said.

Critic or Construction Worker?

I recently received this email devotion from Dr. David Jeremiah. While he is talking about church leaders, I believe the same holds true for our employers and the leadership where we work.

Let us pursue the things which make for peace and the things by which one may edify another.Romans 14:19

One of the best ways to edify your church is to build up your pastor. Church members tend to expect perfection from their pastors, but they aren't likely to get it. They've got to realize that pastors are imperfect humans serving other imperfect humans in an imperfect environment. Along the way, they'll make some blunders. Blessed are those pastors who have supportive, patient, encouraging members to build them up.

Have you been a little critical of your church staff? Your deacons or elders? Your Sunday school class? Your fellow members? Have you spoken critically of your church? The Bible says, "Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers" (Ephesians 4:29).

A builder needs to have the correct tools in order to construct a sturdy building. Our tongues should be a trowel of love spreading the cement of graciousness—not a wrecking ball shattering the nerves of others. If you've had a sharp tongue, replace it with love, joy, peace, kindness, goodness, gentleness, and self-control. Edify one another until He comes.

"Knowledge, in itself, does not edify. It is love that edifies; it is love that builds up." W. A. Criswell

Road Rage

I just read a disturbing article about a pizza delivery man in Houston who was assaulted by another driver and killed - apparently due to road rage. Very sad.

While this is very extreme, it can be a reminder to us that when things make us angry today...

A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger. Proverbs 15:1

Why I Love America

Zig Ziglar writes:

I turned 17 on a Saturday and applied to the Navy the following Monday when World War II was being fought. I was waving the flag then and am waving the flag today.

I’m not as avid a flag waver as third generation flag waver Tom Harken from Beaumont, Texas, and since his son now does the same thing, that makes four generations of Harkens who wave the flag like nobody I’ve ever heard of! He has three flags in front of his corporate offices and one large flag in front of each of his Crazy Jose’s and Casa Ole restaurants. Each of his employees in all of these establishments waves the flag in front of his or her home.

As a boy, Tom had a considerable number of illnesses and fell through the educational cracks. As a result, he did not learn to read until he was 28 years old. Despite this fact, through hard work and persistence, he had done well even before he could read. In 1992 he was recognized as a Horatio Alger Award winner, surely the top recognition anyone receives in America for their “rags to riches” story. Tom shared with me that he never dreamed he would earn as much money as he now contributes to a number of worthwhile charities. He is a strong advocate of literacy and preaches and contributes to it everywhere he goes. Yes, Tom Harken is one reason I love America.

I also love America because of Muggsy Bogues. At age 36, Muggsy has played in the NBA for 14 years... (click here to read the rest).

Witnessing Through Our Actions

I was at a Christian Emphasis Committee meeting yesterday for our local YMCA where I serve on the board. The Christian Emphasis Director for the Y shared this encouraging email that was received from a member at one of the other local branches in our area:

I am not Christian, but I feel the atmosphere at your branch is in the best tradition of Christian values without being obvious about it, Living kindness to others is much more effective than talking about it.

Wouldn't it be great if the same could be said about us?

Your Reflection

I just received this picture in an email. I thought it was pretty cool and wanted to somehow figure out a way to incorporate into a post - so here goes.

Let's use this picture as a reminder to reflect back to those we work with the unconditional love of Christ. Will you commit to that?