Where'd my Life GO?

Chik Fil A: serving up a spicy debate!

I am sure that many of you have heard about Chick-fil-A's stance on the issue of Gay Marriage.  It has certainly dished up a spicy debate in the news and I thought it might be an interesting topic to write about on Working on a Dream. 

---Below is an excerpt from a recent interview with the fast food chains owner:

Asked about the company’s support of the traditional family, Cathy said in the Biblical Recorder story, “Well, guilty as charged.” ”We are very much supportive of the family — the biblical definition of the family unit,” Cathy said. “We are a family-owned business, a family-led business, and we are married to our first wives. We give God thanks for that.”

What do you think:

-Do you agree with Cathy's position?
-What are your thoughts on how he bases his decision?

For the Haters.

Tall poppy syndrome (TPS) is a pejorative term to describe a social phenomenon in which people of genuine merit are resented, attacked, cut down, or criticised because their talents or achievements elevate them above or distinguish them from their peers.

--Fancy title given to the modern day haters.

-I say shine anyway!

You are God's workmanship

Created by Him & for Him

To accomplish something great on this earth!

-Ephesians 2:10

Leadership Framework, Part 2

Today is the second part of Dov Seidman's Leadership Framework offered in his book, How.   If you happened to miss part one, go back to the post before this one to catch up up on the first 7 principles.

Enjoy!

8.  Wield Charismatic Authority:
Seidman is not calling for any wild tactics here (thank goodness), he is simply highlighting the fact that all authority comes in one of two forms:
a.  Formal (Police, teachers, parents, Etc.).
b.  Charismatic (Not related to a position, but influence).
One is given. One cannot be taken away.  One is connected to rules, the other to values.
Just because you are not in a designated leadership position does not mean you cannot lead. Knowledge is power, but applied knowledge is powerful!  Find your strength(s) & apply them whether you are the CEO or the Secretary. 

9.  Inspire:
People are motivated either intrinsically or extrinsically.  
-EXtrinsic motivation comes from the outside.  Things like money, cars, titles, Etc. are all forms of extrinsic motivation. 
-INtrinsic motivation, on the other hand, is a motivation that starts from within.  It is the hobby you start 1 pm on Saturday and end 1 am on Sunday and didn't even notice the time.  If you want to make waves, you must inspire others to find their intrinsic pulse.  Then, the old adage, "when you love what you do, you will never work another day in your life" will come true. 

10.  Be Principled:
Peter Drucker, leadership Guru, once stated, "Start with what is right rather than what is acceptable."    Being principled is better than just relying on a set of rules.  Following a process will leave you and your team energy-less.  A process is simply a set of rules that will lead you from one place to another.  It does not create energy, it just leaves you with whatever outcomes the process leads you to.  It is a lifeless journey, and it removes any personal responsibility from the person or group.

11.  Be Rigorous about the Truth of the Present:

I cannot tell you how many times I have heard this mantra, "But we have always done it that way around here..."  Blah Blah Blah, throw-up. 
Looking to the future will take risk(s).  And please do not misunderstand that last sentence.  I know that some people are unnecessary risk takers and I am not an advocate of that type of strategy at all.  Nonetheless, leadership / vision requires a constant look to the future and this will no doubt include change. 
Jesus, the greatest leader this Earth has ever knew, compounds this principle in Luke 14. "When any of you wants to build a house, you sit down and first see how much it will cost. You want to see if you have enough money to finish it..if you do not have enough money, you will not be able to finish it after you have made the foundation.  Then all the people who see it will laugh at you."

 

12.  Be Reflective:
Take a long look into the mirror.
--Self-Reflection is vital as a leader.  I really liked the TV show Monk about an OCD Detective that always found the bad buy because he noticed unusual things along the way.  After he would catch the villain, people would often praise him because of his gift of noticing the little details and quirks that others would pass over.  Monk would always reply with, "It's a blessing AND a curse."  As a leader, you must be intentional about surrounding yourself with people that will tell you the truth about yourself. This is often very painful, however, it is totally necessary if you want to achieve greatness.

13.  Go to the Point of NO Return:
Leadership can (and often times) be a very lonely place.  Remember the first quality in the Leaership Framework?  It was Vision.  Well, enlisting others is not the easiest thing to do.   Many times you will be the only person believing in you.  So bear in mind the old quote, "Shoot for the Moon, if  you miss, at least you'll hit a Star."

14.  Be Passionate & Optimistic:
Passion is the difference between paying 50 cents for a cup of coffee and $2.10 at Starbucks.  You will need passion to fuel you through the dark days.  When people see  that you believe, they will too.  Colin Powell has been credited as saying, "Perpetual optimism is a force multiplier." 

15.  Pursue Significance:

My life's purpose is as follows:

I am determined to live out my God-given talents & gifts, that I have been entrusted with from above, so that I may bless others and return glory back to the Gift giver. 

You will find no higher calling than when your life's endeavours match your Creator's.  God created you and I to submit to Him and His purposes in this life.  Use everything you got to reflect His glory while you are here on Earth.  In my estimation, one can follow all 14 of Seidman's values and still come up short (Adolf Hitler did...). 
-Living for a higher cause is the single vital ingredient that will give your life real significance.  Bearing this in mind, when your life's purpose merges with the heartbeat of God, you will not be just surviving ... you will be thriving. 

Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, strength & mind.

Love your Neighbor as  yourself.

Go into all the world, baptizing and teaching people to observe all my ways.

 

Leadership Framework

Dov Seidman gives one of the best succinct paradigms of leadership that I have ever been exposed to.  In his interesting book, How, he provides a leadership framework in which there are twelve steps.  Below, I will list one by one, and then give my commentary on each. 
But before I do, I want to kick things off with a quote from the book.  "Leadership is not a set of rules or edicts you must memorize or comply with...leadership thrives in core values and then gives you ways of approaching each decision or action to bring those values to bear on others." 

1.  Vision:
Before you inspire others, you must first be inspired.  Pathos is the fire that burns within your guts, and everybody can tell if you got it.  Your vision keeps you up at night and it grips you harder than a pitcher throwing a fastball.  The author of Proverbs knows a little about vision, "Without vision the people will perish."  A true leader is intrinsically motivated, this means that the vision/mission grasps them, not a position or job description. 

2.  Communicate & Enlist:
A great leader knows that he/she cannot accomplish their vision on a solo mission.  Let's face it, if you plan on accomplishing anything of significance in this life then you will need to rely on others.  As the wise author of Ecclesiastes once said, "Two are better than one, and a cord of three strands is not easily broken."  I always make it a point to identify the key stakeholders in every endeavor I take on because it is important that my vision becomes their vision.

3. Seize Authority & Take Responsibility:
-You must step forward.
-You got to raise your hand. 
Whatever the case, as a leader you must take a stand for what you believe in.  Having guts is not an option if you desire to lead.  Playing the ultra-spiritual card of, "It's not about me" will not work.  Paul calls every follower of Jesus "Co-Laborers" in I Corinthians 3:9.  As you find yourself on this side of eternity, you have to realize that you are the hands and feet of Jesus. 
Stop your puny excuses and man up...the world is waiting for someone just like you to lead.

4.  Plan & Implement:
Here is one for you, "Plan your work; Work your Plan." 
Find ways to get things done.  Look for obstacles, and find ways to remove them.  This IS an act of leadership.  Even when things are going smooth, continually look for ways to rethink and renew.  Your competition (and the world) never stops thinking about this, why should you?  Drawing again from Proverbs, "The sluggard does not plow in the autumn; he will seek at harvest and have nothing."

5.  Build Succession & Continuity:
Simply put, you have to find principles that will outlast you.  A great leader looks to the future and finds ways to implement values that will continue on without them.  In the classic book, Built to Last, Jim Collins calls this concept, "Clock Building."  Meaning, leaders build clock's that will keep telling the time whether they are around to tell it or not.  Said another way, you have to ensure that the vision continues on without you.  Whether you move on to another job or pass on to eternity, your vision/mission must not be tied to you.  If it is, then as you go, so will your organization.

6.  In Spite of:

This is where things get rough.  Everything in life that is worthwhile will catch resistance. 
Every invention, every new idea, every time someone comes up with a new way of doing something
-- people spew out negativity.  Press on, do it in spite of the haters...
A mentor of mine told me years ago to, "Never count the one's."  Meaning, do not focus on the few poison people, instead lift your eyes on the positive people and stay connected to God's plan for your life.

7.  Confront Complexity & Ambiguity:

Connected to #6, you must anticipate and confront conflict.  Taking the Ostrich approach is never, ever the right thing to do.  Leaders stare in the face of conflict and opposing interest.  Again, Jim Collins has something to offer here as he teaches that the first rule of leadership is to, "confront reality."  As for ambiguity, you cannot communicate enough.  I look at it like this; for every message one presents, there is a gap.  A gap for people/person to interpret what is meant. If left unfilled, that gap will naturally be filled by whatever the other person/people perceives.  This is natural and a very human thing to do, this is why you should have a check list making sure you are hitting every avenue of communication available to you.  Close the Gap when it comes to communication. 


Like what you are reading thus far?
Then stop back for part 2!