Archives For Personal Growth

“8 Things You Should Not Do Everyday”

April 20, 2013

I saw this article on the Inc. website this morning and thought I would share it with you.

They suggest that everyday you make a commitment not to:

1. Check my phone while I’m talking to someone.

2. Multitask during a meeting.

3. Think about people who don’t make any difference in my life.

4. Use multiple notifications.

5. Let the past dictate the future.

6. Wait until I’m sure I will succeed.

7. Talk behind someone’s back.

8. Say “yes” when I really mean “no.”

It’s a good article and worth a quick read - click here to go  to the article.

Enjoy your weekend!

BG

 

In Personal Management, Recommended Blogs , , ,
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Are You Seeking The Right Thing?

April 17, 2013

Good morning, we are starting to see flowers peeking out and buds on the trees which is a beautiful thing!sunlight Lauren 2013

As you are probably acutely aware, we live in the information age. In fact we are inundated with information from so many sources. And some of you are probably like me – an information hound. I love to learn and I am often seeking more information on a variety of subjects.

The problem is that while we have what seems like unlimited information, we appear to have a shortage of something even more important – wisdom. In Proverbs 16:16 it says “How much better to get wisdom than gold! To get understanding is to be chosen rather than silver.”  So, in Scripture, wisdom and understanding are more precious than gold and silver! That sounds very valuable. Yet, it seems that we are so often lacking in wisdom and understanding. Why do you think that is?

Are we too busy? Do we not stop to think and ponder on what we are learning? Do we ever take time to reflect on the great questions of our time? Do we stop to evaluate the quality of the information we are taking in? Are we evaluating that information using a biblical worldview as a grid?

We really don’t need more information. We need wisdom and we need understanding. Become a seeker of wisdom. Become a person who seeks first to understand before being understood. Seek the company of wise people (remember, just being smart does not equal being wise). Become a person of wisdom so that you can become a wise counselor to others.

Are you seeking the right thing?

BG

In Creativity / Innovation, Leadership, Learning , , ,
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Do You Have A Coffee Budget?

April 15, 2013

Good morning to you! I hope your week is getting off to a great start, it looks like mine will be pretty full.

Question – do you have a coffee budget? No? Maybe you ought to if you really want to grow. Confused yet?coffee cup at PT

Most of us are busy, very busy in fact. Because of that and because of a lack of intentionality, our circles of influence may sometimes be smaller than we might imagine. Also, they may not be very diverse, so we spend most of our time with people very much like us. The result can be a narrowing of our thinking and a lack of creative input into our lives. So, to counter this I am suggesting you drink some coffee!

What I really am suggesting is that you set up your budget so that you can take someone different out for a cup of coffee each week for a year. Pick interesting people from a wide range of backgrounds from whom you can learn. People that will challenge your thinking and your preconceived notions. People from walks of life very different from your own.

Take them out for a cup of coffee, ask good questions and then listen. You will be amazed at what you learn and the friendships that you start. The hard part will be getting outside of your normal circles, but to make this really interesting, you will need to stretch yourself beyond your comfort zone.

Stretch yourself, grow, and by the way – you will impact them as well.

So go enjoy a cup of coffee with someone new this week. You will be blessed.

BG

 

In Creativity / Innovation, Leadership , , , ,
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Know Thyself

March 27, 2013

“‘Know thy God’: [1 Chronicles 28:9] rather than ‘Know Thyself’ is the categorical imperative of the biblical man. There is no self-understanding without God-understanding.” - Abraham Joshua Heschel

Cherry blossoms in Washington DC

Cherry blossoms in Washington DC

“Good leaders learn their specific personal strengths and weaknesses, especially in dealing with other people, then build on the strengths and correct the weaknesses.” – Larry Bossidy and Ram Charan

“Unless we can bear self-mortification, we shall not be able to carry self-examination to the necessary painful lengths. Without humility there can be no illuminating self-knowledge.” -Arnold Toynbee

One of the things I have enjoyed (most of the time anyway) here at Ambassador Enterprises is the focus on understanding yourself as well as those you work with on a daily basis. If you lack self awareness you are unable to know how to develop your strengths and to correct your weaknesses and thus are less effective.

There are some challenges and difficulties with coming to know ourselves better. First of all, once you get a correct view of yourself, it is almost always never as flattering as the image you have built of yourself. True self awareness can be painful as it shatters some of your delusions about yourself, so sometimes we avoid really confronting ourselves. As Toynbee states above, it requires humility to know yourself.

Secondly, knowing yourself is not really about you. Sounds a little backwards right? Knowing yourself better so that you can grow in your strengths and correct your weaknesses is not really all about you. It is about you learning to work with and to serve better those you serve with in the different spheres of your life. It is about you becoming a more effective member of your community. It about you having a greater impact for God’s kingdom and ultimately about bringing Him glory.

Another of the challenges of learning about ourselves is that we label ourselves and then excuse some of our behaviors and weaknesses. We just say, “Well, I am a WXYZ and that is just the way we are.” Wrong, self awareness gives you the opportunity to start dealing with your weaknesses and to learn how to better work with others. You can change.

Learn who you are, discover how the Lord wired you. There are many good assessment tools out there and one I recommend is the MinistryStyles Assessment – it is very thorough and very helpful. So learn and capitalize on your strengths and work to mitigate your weaknesses. Understand how you relate with and impact others. Become a more effective member of your community and have a greater impact on your world.

Hope you have a great Wednesday!
BG

In Leadership, Personal Management , , , , ,
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The Importance of Why

January 2, 2013

I hope your New Year is getting off to a great start. Today is the first day back in the office for me and trying to get back into the flow of things."Start With Why"

In an earlier post, I mentioned reading the book Start with Why. Great book and very important to me. It made me begin to think about  why I do what I do – including writing this blog. Ultimately, I am about bringing glory to God and being a part of seeing more and more Christ-centered communities develop and impact and change this world.

My more specific “why” is to challenge the status quo within the leadership ranks of our churches, ministries, non-profits and other Christ-centered organizations and to strengthen those leaders so that they are better able to effect change within their communities, beginning with themselves and then their organizations and then into the communities they impact.

We can make a difference. It seems right now that the “doom and gloom” mindset is the current fad, but we are a people of hope. It seems to me that right now is one of the greatest times to be on this earth. We have tremendous opportunities to make a difference – it is a time of excitement and outstanding opportunity. Together, let’s move ahead with hope and challenge and change the status quo.

So, what is your “Why”? What is it that drives you to do what you do? 

BG

In Good Books, Leadership , ,
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Bring It On!

November 15, 2012

Good morning – it is a cool, crisp, beautiful morning here in northeast Indiana.

Do you enjoy having your faults pointed out to you? How about when you made a poor decision? Did it make you feel all warm and fuzzy inside when you were “coached” on that decision?

Better yet, how about that time someone challenged you about something in your life you did not even realize was there?  A blind spot? How did you react? My initial reaction is often indignation – they don’t really know me! Who are they to criticize me? Yet, deep down, I would realize that they were right – that I did have something in my life that was holding me back.

As painful as it was, and still is, I began to slowly see and receive the value of a rebuke – the value of someone challenging me about issues in my life because they care deeply about me. I still don’t really like it as I struggle with having too high of an opinion of myself, but the rebuke of a friend is a precious gift.

Proverbs 15:31-32 says: “The ear that listens to life-giving reproof will dwell among the wise. Whoever ignores instruction despises himself, but he who listens to reproof gains intelligence.”

So embrace rebuke – it is “life-giving” as it says in the Scripture. Bring it on!

Peace and grace to you today,
BG

In Christianity, Personal Management , , ,
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Who Are You Walking With?

September 14, 2012

Whoever walks with the wise becomes wise, but the companion of fools will suffer harm.” Proverbs 13:20

Good morning, I am in Indianapolis at an excellent coaching clinic being put on by LQ Performance Strategies which is a company of Ambassador Enterprises. Good exercise, but I am ready to get home and see my family!

Who is walking with you? Who is really influencing you? In the coaching clinic yesterday, we were taught that people are greatly impacted by those they work with and spend a great deal of time with, which is why an organization with high standards and great people has a tendency to lift the standards of the people they touch. We also learned that the reverse can be true as well.

So, are you intentional about who you walk with? Are you seeking out the companionship of wise and godly people? Are you learning from the example of their lives?

And one last question – are you someone who challenges and lifts up those you connect with or do you drag others down? My desire is to be someone who lifts up others to a new standard of excellence.

Hope you have a blessed weekend!
BG

In Leadership, Leadership_Coaching , , ,
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Receiving Instruction

September 6, 2012

“Whoever heeds instruction is on the path to life, . . . ” Proverbs 10:17

Do you receive instruction well, or do you have everything “figured out”? Too many of us actually don’t “heed” instruction very well. Especially in the areas of our life where we have a great deal of experience and expertise. We often say that we are teachable, but we just don’t seem to run into anyone that we think can teach us!

Starting into the third day of my new position with Ambassador Enterprises, I have been thrust back into the role of a “newbie” and very much in a learning mode. Actually it is a tad uncomfortable, even though exciting. At Life Action I have come to learn that at a certain level, I thought I had things figured out since I had been there so many years and had held my position for quite some time. Not an overt or conscious thing, but very subtle. Entering into a new environment has demonstrated to me that I did not have as much of a learner’s heart as I had thought.

So, my question to you is – “Are you really a learner? Are you really heeding instruction?” Do a self assessment then ask some of your co-laborers – maybe like me, you might be surprised at the answer.

By the way, one of my favorite Louis L’Amour quotes (not exactly probably) is. “You can learn something from anyone, even a fool, even if the only thing you learn is how not to be a fool.“

Have a learner’s heart today & grow in your service to the Lord and others.

BG

In Creativity / Innovation, Leadership, Learning, Personal Management ,
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Do You Read Good Books?

August 17, 2012

If you are a leader of people, then you must read in order to truly grow as a leader and you need to read widely. As a Christian, the Bible is of course the first book you must be intimately acquainted with, but you must also read in many other areas. Even great literature.

Check out this Harvard Business Review article about the importance of reading – very interesting.

There is an old, somewhat trite saying that “Leaders are readers”, but it is very, very true.

Grab a good book this weekend and start growing!
BG

In Good Books, Leadership , , ,
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Are You Learning?

June 19, 2012

Leaders are constantly growing. One of the ways they grow is in acquiring knowledge. In Scripture is this passage:

“An intelligent heart acquires knowledge, and the ear of the wise seeks knowledge.” Proverbs 18:15

So seek and acquire knowledge and grow so that you may better serve those you lead.

Grace & peace to you today,
BG

In Leadership , , ,
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