If only getting wise was as simple as getting older. I didn't ask for gray hairs -- I simply had children! My knees decided on their own how much basketball I would be able to play in one week. Aging happens; wisdom is not so automatic. How does a person gain spiritual wisdom? When the apostle Paul writes his letter to the Colossians, he shares this prayer: For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you. We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives, so that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and please him in every way ... (Colossians 1:9-10). The Holy Spirit grants wisdom to those who yield themselves to God. There are certain things we can only learn or understand by…
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As I layout what I need to accomplish during the work day, I try to organize my thoughts (and notes and actions) around three concepts: To Do. What are my tasks? What do I need to read, research, write, etc. Connect. Who do I need to reach out to? Return an email or phone call? Meet. Who do I have to meet with that day?
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I just read a great article entitled, "What Makes a Great Entrepreneur?" over at Venture Beat. As I usually do, I read business articles through my pastoral lenses. In other words, substitute "church planter" for "entrepreneur" and see what I mean. Here are the highlights: Guts. The entrepreneur world is not for the timid. You have to have the guts to pull the trigger, to quit whatever you’re doing and to jump into the abyss (and believe me, this is easier said than done). Most people just talk; few execute. Guts is quitting Harvard, like Bill Gates and Mark Zuckerberg did. (Picture that phone call to their parents: “Hey Mom, Hey Dad, I have some good news, I’m quitting Harvard…”) Desire. How badly do you want success? How much are you willing to sacrifice? Great entrepreneurs make their venture the number one priority in their life; in short, they become…
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When it comes to effective communication, we've all been told that we need to be good listeners. If we were listening, then we know that. But there's another part of communication that often gets overlooked: watching. A good communicator will not only listen to the other party but will watch them, too. Non-verbal cues may help you understand what the other person is really thinking, not just what they are saying. Listen and watch. A good combination.
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In Jim Collins book, Good to Great, he compares the hedgehog to the fox. The hedgehog does one thing well. The fox, on the other hand, jumps from strategy to strategy. In the end, the hedgehog wins. It's tempting to jump from fad to fad; it can also be ineffective, if not dangerous. On the other hand, it takes discipline, patience, and belief to be a hedgehog. Are you a hedgehog or a fox?
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