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Thursday, February 5, 2009
Monday, October 27, 2008
The burden of a leader: to become than to fake around...
Great leaders in history had burdened themselves to live their dream virtually before they introduced to their people. They had dreamed, thought, and finally developed the personality, knowledge, and character it would take before they lectured their people. They might have marched to a way no one ever walked and came up with the map. They had flied all along the route and planted the lighthouses that guided and guarded their people from being lost. They had tasted it before they prescribed to their people the greatness of the vision.
They set the standard. They led by example. They didn't just drive, lead, and manipulate their people around. They first had explored the scene before they sent their people. They had a clear picture where they wanted to destine their people and they had grown themselves first before they recommended their people They first walked the talk. These are leaders who were impact-full.
These were leaders who could touch their peoples' heart and commanded the trust and willingness of their people. These were the leaders who had stories to tell that inspired their people to the journey they would march to conquer. These were leaders who developed the immunity against the inflicting challenges along the journey and who knew the prescription on how exactly their people could induce such immunity.
It has been said about the great warrior Alexander the Great that he always fired the first bullet in major wars. Rather than commanding, which he had the call; he showed courage and became exemplary by putting his life on the line. To harvest warriors and courageous fighters, showing courage is the prerequisite for impact-full leaders. To cultivate excellent people, a leader himself should command excellence for his people to copy or even improve it. If our desire is to be impact-full leaders, even if we are not yet there, let's prepare, explore, and train ourselves to the place, status, and territory we aspire to take our people.
One of the dangers in leadership is the overestimation of orator-ship and the overconfidence of knowing the traditional ‘leaders tricks’ to mobilize and influence your people. Leadership is about connecting with your peoples’ heart and relating with their inner core values. This connection cannot be achieved, in long run and in sustainable manner, by using speaking skills alone, tactics, tricks to impress and manipulate the people. These skills may bring some how short-lived influence but if the leader’s desire is to maintain influence, the leader should go beyond talk, methods, skills, tactics, and so on.
One of the powerful realities a leader should know, as early as possible, is that the journey with its people is all about walking with them by being example to the destiny they are willingly committed. To achieve this goal, the leader’s option is to become a person that shoulder the vision and multiply himself within his people who would buy into the vision and own it. For efficient multiplication, the leader should grow up to be the model and the prototype. The more he multiplies himself, the lesser would be the chance to fail reaching their destiny. Who the people will become to achieve their destiny is highly dependent upon the prototype they are made and molded from. Therefore, the leader should work hard to become than to toiling to fake around his people....
They set the standard. They led by example. They didn't just drive, lead, and manipulate their people around. They first had explored the scene before they sent their people. They had a clear picture where they wanted to destine their people and they had grown themselves first before they recommended their people They first walked the talk. These are leaders who were impact-full.
These were leaders who could touch their peoples' heart and commanded the trust and willingness of their people. These were the leaders who had stories to tell that inspired their people to the journey they would march to conquer. These were leaders who developed the immunity against the inflicting challenges along the journey and who knew the prescription on how exactly their people could induce such immunity.
It has been said about the great warrior Alexander the Great that he always fired the first bullet in major wars. Rather than commanding, which he had the call; he showed courage and became exemplary by putting his life on the line. To harvest warriors and courageous fighters, showing courage is the prerequisite for impact-full leaders. To cultivate excellent people, a leader himself should command excellence for his people to copy or even improve it. If our desire is to be impact-full leaders, even if we are not yet there, let's prepare, explore, and train ourselves to the place, status, and territory we aspire to take our people.
One of the dangers in leadership is the overestimation of orator-ship and the overconfidence of knowing the traditional ‘leaders tricks’ to mobilize and influence your people. Leadership is about connecting with your peoples’ heart and relating with their inner core values. This connection cannot be achieved, in long run and in sustainable manner, by using speaking skills alone, tactics, tricks to impress and manipulate the people. These skills may bring some how short-lived influence but if the leader’s desire is to maintain influence, the leader should go beyond talk, methods, skills, tactics, and so on.
One of the powerful realities a leader should know, as early as possible, is that the journey with its people is all about walking with them by being example to the destiny they are willingly committed. To achieve this goal, the leader’s option is to become a person that shoulder the vision and multiply himself within his people who would buy into the vision and own it. For efficient multiplication, the leader should grow up to be the model and the prototype. The more he multiplies himself, the lesser would be the chance to fail reaching their destiny. Who the people will become to achieve their destiny is highly dependent upon the prototype they are made and molded from. Therefore, the leader should work hard to become than to toiling to fake around his people....
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
Change is due across all systems, views, and more for the 21st C society!
Headlines like “Is Capitalism dead?”, “Capitalism at bay”, and the likes have been crowding the major newsletter media outlets including but not limited to the Washington Post and the Economist. Some Medias made this issue their editorial. The Economist believes that now economic liberty is under attack and capitalism, the system which embodies it, is at bay. It decries that all the signs following the market crisis are pointing in the same direction: a larger role for the state, and a smaller and more constrained private sector. While the Economist admits there should be change and defending Capitalism, the Washington Post tried to define realities and made a prophetic utterance in the direction where the future leads.
The Washington post asks, “IS THIS the end of American capitalism?” It continues to argue that as financial panic spread across the globe and governments scrambled to contain the damage, reality seemed to announce the doom of U.S.-style free markets but it is wrong. However, in its editorial conclusion paragraph, the Washington post admits that the new capitalist model that emerges from this crisis must operate according to more consistent principles and it went to discuss some measures that should be considered to redefine the long standing market rules.
Whether capitalism is dead or wounded or at bay, as main news letters are arguing and debating, signs are clear that this dominant and governing philosophy of more than 2 Centuries needs reform. Not only this is time to confront and define realities, change in this area long due. The meeting between President Bush, the President of European Union, and President Sarkozy on October 19, 2008 was an apparent symptom of global crisis that demanded the cooperation of major stakeholders to redefine the longstanding free market economy and its financial systems. Though President of the US admitted that there were flaws and need to be fixed; he warned that we should not over react and become protectionists in his effort to defend the values of Capitalism. On the other hand, President Sarkozy bought the warning from President Bush but strongly sounded ‘Self-regulation is finished’, ‘Laissez-faire is finished’. The real question lingering is the kind of reforms Capitalism, that embodies free market economy and globalization, needs to make to continue govern in the 21st C and whether there will be consensus among major players?
For France and two-thirds of the European nations, which are interventionist and social democrats, the crisis justifies their ‘social-capitalism’. On the contrary, for US -a leading ‘free-capitalism’ and one of the pioneering privatization nations- the action to bail out banks and aggressively heading to intensify regulations and government ownership in the free market is an obvious sign that capitalism is at bay, if not wounded severely. However, the fate of capitalism doesn’t look like left to be determined by these two major players. The invitation of world leaders for a global submit to discuss the crisis complicates its destiny and brings more stakeholders into play. We know that Europe has a strong sympathy for free-market oriented capitalism than other continents :-)
Though we cannot predict the outcome of the coming mid November gathering of world leaders to deal this crisis, it is understandable that the need to redefine the broken financial systems will be one of the determinations the leaders might make. The resolutions will definitely impact the future prospect of capitalism and the socio-economic systems of the world deep into the 21st C. The decisions will definitely have impact well beyond fixing the contemporary burning issues that it requires careful, well calculated, and far reaching thoughts, scenarios, and negotiations.
Before closing this discussion, let’s remind ourselves that the financial system problem is not an isolated issue. It is not! Like headache, in most cases, is a complication symptom that signals one or more parts of the body might be diseased, the financial system is a reflection and signal of multiple systems breaks down. It should also be clear that change or fix in the financial system doesn’t make the 21st C a progressive Century. It looks like change is due in most systems, views, and fields to maximize the benefits of the Century. The change demands holistic approach! We are lagging behind and failed to receive the era with new wine-skin and the old one is bursting all over and showing how the various systems, views, and fields are too old, outdated, and need to be replaced with new ones :-)
We shouldn’t also forget that the crack is not in the socio-political and economic arenas alone. If we just take the Christian Kingdom in the US, we see that the longstanding conservative view that focuses on moral issues like abortion and guy marriage no more rally this base. There is a division its due time passed long ago. Though the difference was manifested long ago, the 2008 Presidential Campaign brought the rift to light. More and more, in this Century that brought more complex and deadly challenges, conservatives are embracing other causes like HIV/AIDS, Poverty, and Environmental Degradations on top of moral issues and are departing from one party loyalty. The invitation of Pastor Rick Warren two of the Presidential Candidates for a debate in his Church was a plain sign of new order within the conservative base is surfacing. The question is, do leaders in the Conservative Christian Kingdom call for a discussion to unite the base by finding a middle groud before it is too late or wait for complete break down as we have seen in the financial system?
Redefine past philosophies, priorities, systems, theories, and more requires in materializing the 21st C progress. We cannot live in this Century with past brains and discoveries alone :-) Thank God and those heroes and heroines of the past Centuries from whom we inherited a wonderful Century with their blood, sweat, talent, commitment, and sacrifices. This is our turn. It is not time for complacency and satisfying with what we have at hand: broken or outdated systems, curriculums, views, rules, regulations, and more. Time to shake up status quo!
The good news is that humanity has the mandate and the ability to harmonically govern and rule the universe as delegated by God, Who has infinite wisdom, power, and energy to give His kids what it takes to be effective stewards of the planet. There should be no panic about the multifaceted challenge humanity is facing. God has new insights in His store and what it takes is to tap into it. As Solomon said, there is nothing new under the Sun. Therefore, let's go beyond the ‘Sun’ and download from the invisible world for the new change we need to fix the various challenges we have been facing.
The Washington post asks, “IS THIS the end of American capitalism?” It continues to argue that as financial panic spread across the globe and governments scrambled to contain the damage, reality seemed to announce the doom of U.S.-style free markets but it is wrong. However, in its editorial conclusion paragraph, the Washington post admits that the new capitalist model that emerges from this crisis must operate according to more consistent principles and it went to discuss some measures that should be considered to redefine the long standing market rules.
Whether capitalism is dead or wounded or at bay, as main news letters are arguing and debating, signs are clear that this dominant and governing philosophy of more than 2 Centuries needs reform. Not only this is time to confront and define realities, change in this area long due. The meeting between President Bush, the President of European Union, and President Sarkozy on October 19, 2008 was an apparent symptom of global crisis that demanded the cooperation of major stakeholders to redefine the longstanding free market economy and its financial systems. Though President of the US admitted that there were flaws and need to be fixed; he warned that we should not over react and become protectionists in his effort to defend the values of Capitalism. On the other hand, President Sarkozy bought the warning from President Bush but strongly sounded ‘Self-regulation is finished’, ‘Laissez-faire is finished’. The real question lingering is the kind of reforms Capitalism, that embodies free market economy and globalization, needs to make to continue govern in the 21st C and whether there will be consensus among major players?
For France and two-thirds of the European nations, which are interventionist and social democrats, the crisis justifies their ‘social-capitalism’. On the contrary, for US -a leading ‘free-capitalism’ and one of the pioneering privatization nations- the action to bail out banks and aggressively heading to intensify regulations and government ownership in the free market is an obvious sign that capitalism is at bay, if not wounded severely. However, the fate of capitalism doesn’t look like left to be determined by these two major players. The invitation of world leaders for a global submit to discuss the crisis complicates its destiny and brings more stakeholders into play. We know that Europe has a strong sympathy for free-market oriented capitalism than other continents :-)
Though we cannot predict the outcome of the coming mid November gathering of world leaders to deal this crisis, it is understandable that the need to redefine the broken financial systems will be one of the determinations the leaders might make. The resolutions will definitely impact the future prospect of capitalism and the socio-economic systems of the world deep into the 21st C. The decisions will definitely have impact well beyond fixing the contemporary burning issues that it requires careful, well calculated, and far reaching thoughts, scenarios, and negotiations.
Before closing this discussion, let’s remind ourselves that the financial system problem is not an isolated issue. It is not! Like headache, in most cases, is a complication symptom that signals one or more parts of the body might be diseased, the financial system is a reflection and signal of multiple systems breaks down. It should also be clear that change or fix in the financial system doesn’t make the 21st C a progressive Century. It looks like change is due in most systems, views, and fields to maximize the benefits of the Century. The change demands holistic approach! We are lagging behind and failed to receive the era with new wine-skin and the old one is bursting all over and showing how the various systems, views, and fields are too old, outdated, and need to be replaced with new ones :-)
We shouldn’t also forget that the crack is not in the socio-political and economic arenas alone. If we just take the Christian Kingdom in the US, we see that the longstanding conservative view that focuses on moral issues like abortion and guy marriage no more rally this base. There is a division its due time passed long ago. Though the difference was manifested long ago, the 2008 Presidential Campaign brought the rift to light. More and more, in this Century that brought more complex and deadly challenges, conservatives are embracing other causes like HIV/AIDS, Poverty, and Environmental Degradations on top of moral issues and are departing from one party loyalty. The invitation of Pastor Rick Warren two of the Presidential Candidates for a debate in his Church was a plain sign of new order within the conservative base is surfacing. The question is, do leaders in the Conservative Christian Kingdom call for a discussion to unite the base by finding a middle groud before it is too late or wait for complete break down as we have seen in the financial system?
Redefine past philosophies, priorities, systems, theories, and more requires in materializing the 21st C progress. We cannot live in this Century with past brains and discoveries alone :-) Thank God and those heroes and heroines of the past Centuries from whom we inherited a wonderful Century with their blood, sweat, talent, commitment, and sacrifices. This is our turn. It is not time for complacency and satisfying with what we have at hand: broken or outdated systems, curriculums, views, rules, regulations, and more. Time to shake up status quo!
The good news is that humanity has the mandate and the ability to harmonically govern and rule the universe as delegated by God, Who has infinite wisdom, power, and energy to give His kids what it takes to be effective stewards of the planet. There should be no panic about the multifaceted challenge humanity is facing. God has new insights in His store and what it takes is to tap into it. As Solomon said, there is nothing new under the Sun. Therefore, let's go beyond the ‘Sun’ and download from the invisible world for the new change we need to fix the various challenges we have been facing.
Friday, October 17, 2008
Recounting the blessings of adversaries....
Within the same world, two opposing things, views, and happenings have been going on and in the majority of the time; we are comfortable and used to live with it. We might not easily reach consensus about why the world is so polarized but still coexist. What we might agree is that, though not with a greater harmony as we all desire, we are living and still breathing in such tense world of diversity.
Good and evil, love and hate, creativity and criticism, and many more conflicting phenomena are expressed and have been coexisting this way for years. We all might not be on the same page concerning the importance of having these kinds of two contrasting things concomitantly presented for us to make choose. We might not agree the consequences of pursuing either of the paths and the likes. Leaving this kind of difficult arguements aside, let’s talk about how we should respond to adversaries and critics.
It would have been great if there has been a place free from such unwanted friends on earth. The reality is there is no way that we avoid critics from adversaries as far as we are doing something great. We wish if there are vaccines and we are vaccinated to get immunized. Most of us may think that one should always pray to avoid adversities and be careful of adversaries than to deal on how to respond and live with it.
In most cases, we don't want it and if it shows up as uninvited guest, we are dismissive about our adversaries like the voice of Oscar Wilde: “The rule is perfect: in all matters of opinion our adversaries are insane.” We all intend to be either protective or defensive and dismissive about those who oppose and criticize us. This is the main stream approach but for our surprise, great personalities in the past showed unusual grace and confidence when they dealt with their adversaries.
For the astonishment of many, one of the greatest Presidents of the US, Abraham Lincoln stocked his Cabinet with past adversaries. His Cabinet was known as "team of rivals". His friends and allies wondered why he did that ‘stupid’ thing. However, this wise and self reliant man said, “Look, these are the strongest and most able men in the country. The country's in peril. I need them by my side.” He was a person who understood the role of ‘qualified’ adversaries.
If we closely look at the role of adversaries, they play significant role to bring out our potential, courage, and more. We cannot get a pure gold with out the adverse fire. We couldn't have celebrated the three Hebrew boys’ courage without those haters and finally the furious fire furnace. We couldn't have enjoyed the redemption of God from the jaw of lions if there were not haters of Daniel.
For that matter, adversaries are those who create the stage for you to perform your excellence, demonstrate your ability, and show off your heroism. We cannot name a hero without a fight and heroes must have been celebrating those battles that helped them named heroes. We couldn't have a song like David killed 10, 000 Saul 1000 if there wasn't, in the first place, Goliath and Palestine who came against Israel. David couldn’t have been a king- as he was not qualified in his linage - except for that wonderful but dreadful adverse day where he confronted the adversary of his nation, Goliath.
Adversaries are indirect promoters and are blessings in disguise. The promotion of the three Hebrew boys was invoked by their accusers. If the latter were not worked hard to trap them, which brought them to a blazing and furious fire, they wouldn’t have come out of it celebrated and promoted. For that matter, friend, you wouldn’t have been here if there were not some adversaries who were kicking you from the back. Dr John Maxwell said, “When you get kicked in the rear, you know you are out in front.” Rather than over reacting or get irritated when our critics and adversaries pulled our legs that drags us back from our progress, let's get loose and move forward regardless of who is stamping us behind :-)
The whole point is adversities created by adversaries are stepping stones to develop faith, bring out our best to meet their expectations, which they couldn't meet for themselves. This in turn promotes us to exercise victorious life. Haters are watchdogs that prompt our blessings and promotions :-) Not only we shouldn't be critical against enemies and haters, we should also pray for them and pray we might have at least one :-)
Jesus prayed for those who not only hated Him but crucified Him. He said, “Father don’t count this sin against them. They don’t know what they are doing.” Without Jesus’ haters who bugged Him all the way till He was executed on the cross, there wouldn’t have been redemption at all. Stephen also prayed the same prayer for those who stoned him to death. Friends, are your critics more worsen than the above killers? If not, rejoice man!! We have been so much critical against our critics who don't know what they are doing :-) This is time to recount their role to push us forward towards our finishing line......
On the other hand, if we don't have yet adversaries, we might be far away from being up front. If we never have been bitterly criticized, watch it out; we might be well far from our destiny. Therefore, this is time to pray to have one than petitioning to avoid them :-) When I was a kid, I used to hear a saying popular among the elderly people. Actually, it was a prayer to God. It goes like this: “Oh God, please don’t deprive me of accusers and jealousies.” I didn’t get it back then. Now, I came to know that they were smart community :-)
They knew that the sign of accusers and jealousies means there is something big is going on with you. There won't be vultures without dead bodies in the vicinity. Have you ever saw people becoming jealousy and critic about someone without having something to show? Critics are provoked by status, possession, and performance or they are at rest and stand still. The challenge is whether you want to do something and get ready for critics or keep critics and adversaries at bay by remaining dormant.
Aristotle has an infamous antidote for those who fear criticism. He said, “Criticism is something we can avoid easily by saying nothing, doing nothing, and being nothing”. The question is who wants to do nothing, be nothing and say nothing? We all want to achieve something to get fulfilled and there is no way to avoid criticism except to appreciate its role and get along with adversaries. Let's recount our blessings because of adversaries........
Good and evil, love and hate, creativity and criticism, and many more conflicting phenomena are expressed and have been coexisting this way for years. We all might not be on the same page concerning the importance of having these kinds of two contrasting things concomitantly presented for us to make choose. We might not agree the consequences of pursuing either of the paths and the likes. Leaving this kind of difficult arguements aside, let’s talk about how we should respond to adversaries and critics.
It would have been great if there has been a place free from such unwanted friends on earth. The reality is there is no way that we avoid critics from adversaries as far as we are doing something great. We wish if there are vaccines and we are vaccinated to get immunized. Most of us may think that one should always pray to avoid adversities and be careful of adversaries than to deal on how to respond and live with it.
In most cases, we don't want it and if it shows up as uninvited guest, we are dismissive about our adversaries like the voice of Oscar Wilde: “The rule is perfect: in all matters of opinion our adversaries are insane.” We all intend to be either protective or defensive and dismissive about those who oppose and criticize us. This is the main stream approach but for our surprise, great personalities in the past showed unusual grace and confidence when they dealt with their adversaries.
For the astonishment of many, one of the greatest Presidents of the US, Abraham Lincoln stocked his Cabinet with past adversaries. His Cabinet was known as "team of rivals". His friends and allies wondered why he did that ‘stupid’ thing. However, this wise and self reliant man said, “Look, these are the strongest and most able men in the country. The country's in peril. I need them by my side.” He was a person who understood the role of ‘qualified’ adversaries.
If we closely look at the role of adversaries, they play significant role to bring out our potential, courage, and more. We cannot get a pure gold with out the adverse fire. We couldn't have celebrated the three Hebrew boys’ courage without those haters and finally the furious fire furnace. We couldn't have enjoyed the redemption of God from the jaw of lions if there were not haters of Daniel.
For that matter, adversaries are those who create the stage for you to perform your excellence, demonstrate your ability, and show off your heroism. We cannot name a hero without a fight and heroes must have been celebrating those battles that helped them named heroes. We couldn't have a song like David killed 10, 000 Saul 1000 if there wasn't, in the first place, Goliath and Palestine who came against Israel. David couldn’t have been a king- as he was not qualified in his linage - except for that wonderful but dreadful adverse day where he confronted the adversary of his nation, Goliath.
Adversaries are indirect promoters and are blessings in disguise. The promotion of the three Hebrew boys was invoked by their accusers. If the latter were not worked hard to trap them, which brought them to a blazing and furious fire, they wouldn’t have come out of it celebrated and promoted. For that matter, friend, you wouldn’t have been here if there were not some adversaries who were kicking you from the back. Dr John Maxwell said, “When you get kicked in the rear, you know you are out in front.” Rather than over reacting or get irritated when our critics and adversaries pulled our legs that drags us back from our progress, let's get loose and move forward regardless of who is stamping us behind :-)
The whole point is adversities created by adversaries are stepping stones to develop faith, bring out our best to meet their expectations, which they couldn't meet for themselves. This in turn promotes us to exercise victorious life. Haters are watchdogs that prompt our blessings and promotions :-) Not only we shouldn't be critical against enemies and haters, we should also pray for them and pray we might have at least one :-)
Jesus prayed for those who not only hated Him but crucified Him. He said, “Father don’t count this sin against them. They don’t know what they are doing.” Without Jesus’ haters who bugged Him all the way till He was executed on the cross, there wouldn’t have been redemption at all. Stephen also prayed the same prayer for those who stoned him to death. Friends, are your critics more worsen than the above killers? If not, rejoice man!! We have been so much critical against our critics who don't know what they are doing :-) This is time to recount their role to push us forward towards our finishing line......
On the other hand, if we don't have yet adversaries, we might be far away from being up front. If we never have been bitterly criticized, watch it out; we might be well far from our destiny. Therefore, this is time to pray to have one than petitioning to avoid them :-) When I was a kid, I used to hear a saying popular among the elderly people. Actually, it was a prayer to God. It goes like this: “Oh God, please don’t deprive me of accusers and jealousies.” I didn’t get it back then. Now, I came to know that they were smart community :-)
They knew that the sign of accusers and jealousies means there is something big is going on with you. There won't be vultures without dead bodies in the vicinity. Have you ever saw people becoming jealousy and critic about someone without having something to show? Critics are provoked by status, possession, and performance or they are at rest and stand still. The challenge is whether you want to do something and get ready for critics or keep critics and adversaries at bay by remaining dormant.
Aristotle has an infamous antidote for those who fear criticism. He said, “Criticism is something we can avoid easily by saying nothing, doing nothing, and being nothing”. The question is who wants to do nothing, be nothing and say nothing? We all want to achieve something to get fulfilled and there is no way to avoid criticism except to appreciate its role and get along with adversaries. Let's recount our blessings because of adversaries........
Sunday, October 5, 2008
Our success or failure rests upon leadership....
There might not be much new things to share than what have been already said about leadership by Leadership experts. However, leadership is needed every where and all the time, which makes it one of the key ingredients in life we should talk about all the time. As leadership is the juncture where things fall or rise, we need to be reminded of its critical role in our personal and corporate life.
If the Sun fails to provide her ultraviolet rays, the whole creation dependent on her influence will definitely be impacted deadly including we man kind. Likewise, any impact on a leader affects, positively or negatively, those who are under his influence. Its catalytic role for individual and corporate success gives leadership a make or break status.
Someone may say, well I am neither a leader nor under the influence of any one and it is not my concern. That looks not an honest and right answer. We are under the influence of someone whether that leader is our parents, a spouse, a boss, etc. Yes, if we have a family we lead, employees to manage, team to lead and so on, the fate of that family, organization, and team depends on our leadership ability. That is correct, it doesn’t hurt to have talented, educated, and aspiring partners and members but it cannot substitute having the right leadership. Of course, we can debate on whether a good team makes up a good leadership or vice versa. However, the latter is not the focus of today's commentary.
The most important point for now is to understand that we are leaders though the degree and size of our influence may vary. By the same token, we are also followers whether we follow ourselves or other leaders. It may look disguising when we say we are a leader for ourselves, we are and we will discuss it in a minute. In any case, as followers, we should have contributions for the betterment of our leaders. However, we don’t have much influence to change what is going on outside of ourselves. We don’t mean that it is not possible to influence upward; it is possible, but we have much control on ourselves whether to lead our own vision or influence others under our leadership. Our focus, therefore, is on how we should be good leaders regardless of title and size of followers.
There is no an isolated island that allows someone to live alone. Even if someone is single, without any possession or position, lack of leadership is not an excuse. Though it may seem a bit philosophical, we are one and at the same times three. We are calling ourselves I but in reality there is- I spirit, I soul, and I flesh. It would have been specific if we address ourselves as WE than I but it complicates things. If that was the case, every one of us are leaders for that three team members.
Don’t look down on yourself, as a leader, if you have these three team members alone. They are the most difficult followers you would ever have :-) Managing their conflicting priorities and leading all of them in one direction through leadership harmony is the biggest task you will ever have. No great leader came out as a great leader before managing these three but difficult team members. To go out and spread the influence of leadership beyond self takes to harness their potential and training them to synergize their strength towards the main thing.
To lead ourselves or others under our influence, we need to be reminded of the need to nurture our leadership skills on daily basis. All of us are on various stages on this leadership journey. We might not talk in this topic what those accomplished leaders should do to improve their leadership but they need to do so on daily basis; it is beyond the scope of this article. However, some of us are still struggling to lead ourselves towards our call and purpose while some of us might already led ourselves well and hoping to lead some more.
That also starts from small beginnings. Start to prepare for leadership. Read books, go school, have a mentor, and use all chances that give you to practice leadership. You shouldn’t wait till you have one leadership opportunity with large followers and with attached big title. Chance may come soon and you may fail to stand up to the opportunity. Opportunities are litmus papers to check who got prepared. Get prepared and use all chances to lead yourself and practice what you have learned. This is leadership where things rise or fail. This is leadership that makes or breaks. Thus, take it serious......
If the Sun fails to provide her ultraviolet rays, the whole creation dependent on her influence will definitely be impacted deadly including we man kind. Likewise, any impact on a leader affects, positively or negatively, those who are under his influence. Its catalytic role for individual and corporate success gives leadership a make or break status.
Someone may say, well I am neither a leader nor under the influence of any one and it is not my concern. That looks not an honest and right answer. We are under the influence of someone whether that leader is our parents, a spouse, a boss, etc. Yes, if we have a family we lead, employees to manage, team to lead and so on, the fate of that family, organization, and team depends on our leadership ability. That is correct, it doesn’t hurt to have talented, educated, and aspiring partners and members but it cannot substitute having the right leadership. Of course, we can debate on whether a good team makes up a good leadership or vice versa. However, the latter is not the focus of today's commentary.
The most important point for now is to understand that we are leaders though the degree and size of our influence may vary. By the same token, we are also followers whether we follow ourselves or other leaders. It may look disguising when we say we are a leader for ourselves, we are and we will discuss it in a minute. In any case, as followers, we should have contributions for the betterment of our leaders. However, we don’t have much influence to change what is going on outside of ourselves. We don’t mean that it is not possible to influence upward; it is possible, but we have much control on ourselves whether to lead our own vision or influence others under our leadership. Our focus, therefore, is on how we should be good leaders regardless of title and size of followers.
There is no an isolated island that allows someone to live alone. Even if someone is single, without any possession or position, lack of leadership is not an excuse. Though it may seem a bit philosophical, we are one and at the same times three. We are calling ourselves I but in reality there is- I spirit, I soul, and I flesh. It would have been specific if we address ourselves as WE than I but it complicates things. If that was the case, every one of us are leaders for that three team members.
Don’t look down on yourself, as a leader, if you have these three team members alone. They are the most difficult followers you would ever have :-) Managing their conflicting priorities and leading all of them in one direction through leadership harmony is the biggest task you will ever have. No great leader came out as a great leader before managing these three but difficult team members. To go out and spread the influence of leadership beyond self takes to harness their potential and training them to synergize their strength towards the main thing.
To lead ourselves or others under our influence, we need to be reminded of the need to nurture our leadership skills on daily basis. All of us are on various stages on this leadership journey. We might not talk in this topic what those accomplished leaders should do to improve their leadership but they need to do so on daily basis; it is beyond the scope of this article. However, some of us are still struggling to lead ourselves towards our call and purpose while some of us might already led ourselves well and hoping to lead some more.
That also starts from small beginnings. Start to prepare for leadership. Read books, go school, have a mentor, and use all chances that give you to practice leadership. You shouldn’t wait till you have one leadership opportunity with large followers and with attached big title. Chance may come soon and you may fail to stand up to the opportunity. Opportunities are litmus papers to check who got prepared. Get prepared and use all chances to lead yourself and practice what you have learned. This is leadership where things rise or fail. This is leadership that makes or breaks. Thus, take it serious......
Friday, September 26, 2008
In Memory of Victims of Pride.........
Some of you might wonder what a memorial for prideful people?! Well, their mistakes documented in the Bible for us to learn from it. For that matter, memorials are not always for eventful happenings alone. The memorial we are talking here goes to those innocent victims too. These victims are those who are so afraid about being prideful and dropped their self worth. These are people who might be taught wrongly about the difference between healthy pride and deadly pride. Of course, the line between claiming self worth and pride is very delicate and someone may cross the line and get in trouble without knowing.
The Bible is clear about pride; it is deadly. From kings of Babylon to Kings of Israel, the Bible left us memorials for prideful kings who paid dare price for their over confidence and trust on their ability, power, and wealth while denying the source and author of true riches, wisdom, and power, that is, God. It was not their claim of what they had; it was their believe that they were the source, author, and they took all the credit unworthily.
The Bible also documented self worth claims of great people who redirected the credit to Him and through the process, they never been victims of pride. While they were enjoying the benefits of claiming their self worth, they were very alert and humble to acknowledge the owner of their self worth. If we take Christ and David, both of them were bold enough to claim their self worth in public. They were accused of self inflation and called prideful by their family members and followers.
Christ, who was humble Himself and the One who taught us to be like Him , never compromised about His self worth. Though ridiculed, He maintained that He was with the Father, One with Him, and was there before Abraham. Jesus had to claim His worth because that was the price God required for our redemption. That the same claim led Israelites to crucify Him thinking that He was unworthy of His claim and they found Him prideful in their eyes. The blood our sin required the blood of a pure, sinless, and authoritative figure, and Jesus was so and He had to claim it. There were no excuses and thank God He didn't get victimized in fear of labeled as prideful. However, what the Israelites didn't know that He walked that delicate line very carefully. Because of his obedience and self awareness and His claim, we are here today enjoying the result.
David had been tearing down his clothes so many times when he was found guilty. He credited his successes to God all the time. However, he never wavered his self worth when he faced Goliath even if his elderly brothers accused of him that his pride brought him to the war front, not their lunch. The fall of Goliath took the appropriate claim of David. In this universe, Word has power, until we claim what we believe, things won't respond. For the words Goliath shouted against David, David should have come up with more powerful claim to slain Goliath. Since David walked that line very carefully, Israelites and those terrorized soldiers enjoyed the results of appropriate self worth claims of David.
Friends, God reads our heart and knows when we are after ourselves and despising Him for His generous gifts without measure. He is also closest than ourselves to our heart and knows how much we value Him and credit Him for His generous gifts of power, victory, rich, health, happiness, peace, wisdom. Let's walk that delicate line boldly and enjoy the benefits of our worth in Him while giving the credit He deserves. Let's not be victims of either category. We don't deserve to get penalized because we are filled with pride and at the same time we shouldn't also fall short of grace and success because we refrain from claiming our self worth in Him in the name of fearing being prideful and the consequences of it.
The Bible is clear about pride; it is deadly. From kings of Babylon to Kings of Israel, the Bible left us memorials for prideful kings who paid dare price for their over confidence and trust on their ability, power, and wealth while denying the source and author of true riches, wisdom, and power, that is, God. It was not their claim of what they had; it was their believe that they were the source, author, and they took all the credit unworthily.
The Bible also documented self worth claims of great people who redirected the credit to Him and through the process, they never been victims of pride. While they were enjoying the benefits of claiming their self worth, they were very alert and humble to acknowledge the owner of their self worth. If we take Christ and David, both of them were bold enough to claim their self worth in public. They were accused of self inflation and called prideful by their family members and followers.
Christ, who was humble Himself and the One who taught us to be like Him , never compromised about His self worth. Though ridiculed, He maintained that He was with the Father, One with Him, and was there before Abraham. Jesus had to claim His worth because that was the price God required for our redemption. That the same claim led Israelites to crucify Him thinking that He was unworthy of His claim and they found Him prideful in their eyes. The blood our sin required the blood of a pure, sinless, and authoritative figure, and Jesus was so and He had to claim it. There were no excuses and thank God He didn't get victimized in fear of labeled as prideful. However, what the Israelites didn't know that He walked that delicate line very carefully. Because of his obedience and self awareness and His claim, we are here today enjoying the result.
David had been tearing down his clothes so many times when he was found guilty. He credited his successes to God all the time. However, he never wavered his self worth when he faced Goliath even if his elderly brothers accused of him that his pride brought him to the war front, not their lunch. The fall of Goliath took the appropriate claim of David. In this universe, Word has power, until we claim what we believe, things won't respond. For the words Goliath shouted against David, David should have come up with more powerful claim to slain Goliath. Since David walked that line very carefully, Israelites and those terrorized soldiers enjoyed the results of appropriate self worth claims of David.
Friends, God reads our heart and knows when we are after ourselves and despising Him for His generous gifts without measure. He is also closest than ourselves to our heart and knows how much we value Him and credit Him for His generous gifts of power, victory, rich, health, happiness, peace, wisdom. Let's walk that delicate line boldly and enjoy the benefits of our worth in Him while giving the credit He deserves. Let's not be victims of either category. We don't deserve to get penalized because we are filled with pride and at the same time we shouldn't also fall short of grace and success because we refrain from claiming our self worth in Him in the name of fearing being prideful and the consequences of it.
Thursday, September 18, 2008
Pain in the making.......
It should be recorded in the Book of Guinness records if someone out there is living life without any kind of pain. Of course, we are not talking here self inflicted pains. The pains in the making are those that are related to our purpose in life, in helping and reaching others, and pursuing God’s agenda on earth, and so on. This is because, we may be still in pain and stress for so many self motivated ambitions. Pains induced through such motives might give us experience or develop our character and bring rewards but the question is are we going for just output or fulfilling results? This commentary is talking about Pain in the making while we are stretching to fulfill our call on earth.
In life, to reach from point A to point B, there are dots we should connect. There are steps we should pass through. There are people and resources we should network. There are exams we should take. There are tests we should pass. And, there are pains we should pass through too. However, these Points and what involves connecting them varies from person to person, era to era, generation to generation, place to place. The most important thing is to make sure that point B is where God wants us to be. Wherever you are now- Point A, what matters is where you are heading-Point B. It doesn’t matter how much price and pains we should endure and how long it takes as far as we are heading towards that fulfilling and right direction set before the foundation of the earth. It doesn't matter as far as we are navigating the predestined destination God envisioned before we were born.
The other most important factor pain in the making is to understand pains for such sacred purpose are not abnormal or our bad luck. Rather, we should carefully examine our theological or ideological beliefs about pains prearranged to shape us. Most of us might think that, life on earth is smooth, once we accepted Jesus Christ. Some of us might be taught that whatever we claim we get and no price attached like pain. Some of us have been, in His grace and as He waits the right time, have been enjoying the manna and waters from rock season and thought that there is no pain for farming and herding to feed ourselves once we reach Canaan. We have been enjoying the fire pillars and the clouds and we thought we don’t need to face the pain of building a shelter once we get to Canaan.
The reason why we have been thinking that life on earth should be smooth and painless could be multiple. There could be well understood factors for us to underline 'our God shall supply our needs' and scripture like that while under estimating scriptures like 'you shall have troubles in this world' from the mouth of the King of the Kingdom who have passed numerous pains while He was on earth. The most important thing we want to remind you is that the pains you are passing through might not be to destroy or harm you or it may not be your fault and bad luck too.
This article is not to tell you new discoveries about pain and how to go about to be happy while passing through pain. Most of you might have already understood this concept and enduring many pains, which the author never tasted or would have survived if exposed. This article, in the latter case, is to refresh and awaken you guys if in case you start to complain or feeling exhausted about pain lately. Some of us have been just exiting the life of walking on flowers and red carpets and this article may help you prepare once you enter the season of your labor. Some of us might be feeling that we are in too much pain and wondering whether that is the devil or our bad luck and this article is just to encourage you that the harder you are tested and confronted, the more you will become the toughest and fly higher. John Maxwell said, “When You Get Kicked in the Rear, You Know You’re Out in Front." When pain is kicking you hard, it is pushing you forward to achieve your dream with the personality that it takes to handle it.
What would have been life if we all enjoy our seasons of pain and labor? Most probably, all of us might have the same regret like, "If I knew that this thing won't kill me, I wouldn't have lived that season that way." or "If I knew that things turn this way, the pain I endured worth better mood than what I offered while I was in that low valley of pain." and so on...With a few exceptions, most of us try to avoid pain and if we couldn’t, we still murmur while passing through that valley. A soaring adult Eagle never enjoyed the tough training by her mom when she was a baby Eagle. But she would have been flocking on earth like other birds if she didn't pass through that painful moment. To enjoy soaring on high, that painful training prior to flying was a must. If we interview a soaring Eagle, she would definitely node her head and say my mom deserves applaud and now I regret for my being crying and complaining back then :-)
To enjoy the glory His Father set before Him Jesus should have passed the pain of Crucifixion. To inherit the Name above all names and be the King of creations, He endured the unspeakable pain of crucifixion. You all know that Jesus was tempted to bypass the pain but became obedient to His Father's Will. That is a great lesson as we pass through pain and tempted to quit or complain. Rather than avoiding or murmuring, we should submit ourselves and let His making brings the result He desires. He is worthy of our obedience and submission even if we are not comfortable and even not clear of what is going to come out of that suffering. He is all knowing and the Father never tests us more than we do bear. He is the Father never gives a snake or stone...He is the Father who knows what is best for us. He is the Father we should trust more than we do our conscience or others advise....
To kiss an awesome baby, a mom must pass through a painful labor. It is her choice between avoiding the pain of all the precursors (pregnancy, labor, etc) or get the baby regardless. In most cases, it looks like ladies are less worried for the pain and that is why we see every one praying about it :-) It looks like pains in the making got into our brain when it comes to perpetuation of our race :-) Let Him helps us to get how the rest of pains in the making worth of our joy while passing through it so that we pray, at least, to endure and enjoy the pain that comes before we enter into our fulfilling rewards in His Kingdom.
Sometimes, we humans try to help our loved ones pass through some pains that shape their destiny without knowing that that pain is in the making of better loved ones. It looks like we got it when it comes to the pains of studying hard in the making of a genius. What we may need to get is the pains in the making that makes our loved ones enjoy the rewards of fulfillment in God's Kingdom. To enjoy flying, a pupa must pass the pain of breaking out of its shell by itself. If it avoids that pain, it remains a crawling 'fly'. In most cases, we ask unnecessary help or try to find short cuts to lessen the dose of the pain in the making. You all know what happen to a boy who helped a pupa. The boy broke the shell when he saw a struggling pupa with a sense of sympathy. The result was a paralyzed flying object. He doesn’t allow our loved ones to be tested beyond our limits that let’s trust Him and enjoy the season of pain with them. Let's render a hand of prayer and encouragement for them to break through than advising or offering unproductive short cuts or untimely assistance.
This article is not trying to shy away that Pain is painful. Or it is not intended to provoke somebody and pray to get one or dance around when it comes. The message is to encourage us endure & enjoy pain in the making as far as it brings forth a fulfilling result. Whether we get it already or not or whether we like it or not, Pain- as He finds it fit- is part of the process we pass through before we enjoy fulfilling rewards in the Kingdom of God.
In life, to reach from point A to point B, there are dots we should connect. There are steps we should pass through. There are people and resources we should network. There are exams we should take. There are tests we should pass. And, there are pains we should pass through too. However, these Points and what involves connecting them varies from person to person, era to era, generation to generation, place to place. The most important thing is to make sure that point B is where God wants us to be. Wherever you are now- Point A, what matters is where you are heading-Point B. It doesn’t matter how much price and pains we should endure and how long it takes as far as we are heading towards that fulfilling and right direction set before the foundation of the earth. It doesn't matter as far as we are navigating the predestined destination God envisioned before we were born.
The other most important factor pain in the making is to understand pains for such sacred purpose are not abnormal or our bad luck. Rather, we should carefully examine our theological or ideological beliefs about pains prearranged to shape us. Most of us might think that, life on earth is smooth, once we accepted Jesus Christ. Some of us might be taught that whatever we claim we get and no price attached like pain. Some of us have been, in His grace and as He waits the right time, have been enjoying the manna and waters from rock season and thought that there is no pain for farming and herding to feed ourselves once we reach Canaan. We have been enjoying the fire pillars and the clouds and we thought we don’t need to face the pain of building a shelter once we get to Canaan.
The reason why we have been thinking that life on earth should be smooth and painless could be multiple. There could be well understood factors for us to underline 'our God shall supply our needs' and scripture like that while under estimating scriptures like 'you shall have troubles in this world' from the mouth of the King of the Kingdom who have passed numerous pains while He was on earth. The most important thing we want to remind you is that the pains you are passing through might not be to destroy or harm you or it may not be your fault and bad luck too.
This article is not to tell you new discoveries about pain and how to go about to be happy while passing through pain. Most of you might have already understood this concept and enduring many pains, which the author never tasted or would have survived if exposed. This article, in the latter case, is to refresh and awaken you guys if in case you start to complain or feeling exhausted about pain lately. Some of us have been just exiting the life of walking on flowers and red carpets and this article may help you prepare once you enter the season of your labor. Some of us might be feeling that we are in too much pain and wondering whether that is the devil or our bad luck and this article is just to encourage you that the harder you are tested and confronted, the more you will become the toughest and fly higher. John Maxwell said, “When You Get Kicked in the Rear, You Know You’re Out in Front." When pain is kicking you hard, it is pushing you forward to achieve your dream with the personality that it takes to handle it.
What would have been life if we all enjoy our seasons of pain and labor? Most probably, all of us might have the same regret like, "If I knew that this thing won't kill me, I wouldn't have lived that season that way." or "If I knew that things turn this way, the pain I endured worth better mood than what I offered while I was in that low valley of pain." and so on...With a few exceptions, most of us try to avoid pain and if we couldn’t, we still murmur while passing through that valley. A soaring adult Eagle never enjoyed the tough training by her mom when she was a baby Eagle. But she would have been flocking on earth like other birds if she didn't pass through that painful moment. To enjoy soaring on high, that painful training prior to flying was a must. If we interview a soaring Eagle, she would definitely node her head and say my mom deserves applaud and now I regret for my being crying and complaining back then :-)
To enjoy the glory His Father set before Him Jesus should have passed the pain of Crucifixion. To inherit the Name above all names and be the King of creations, He endured the unspeakable pain of crucifixion. You all know that Jesus was tempted to bypass the pain but became obedient to His Father's Will. That is a great lesson as we pass through pain and tempted to quit or complain. Rather than avoiding or murmuring, we should submit ourselves and let His making brings the result He desires. He is worthy of our obedience and submission even if we are not comfortable and even not clear of what is going to come out of that suffering. He is all knowing and the Father never tests us more than we do bear. He is the Father never gives a snake or stone...He is the Father who knows what is best for us. He is the Father we should trust more than we do our conscience or others advise....
To kiss an awesome baby, a mom must pass through a painful labor. It is her choice between avoiding the pain of all the precursors (pregnancy, labor, etc) or get the baby regardless. In most cases, it looks like ladies are less worried for the pain and that is why we see every one praying about it :-) It looks like pains in the making got into our brain when it comes to perpetuation of our race :-) Let Him helps us to get how the rest of pains in the making worth of our joy while passing through it so that we pray, at least, to endure and enjoy the pain that comes before we enter into our fulfilling rewards in His Kingdom.
Sometimes, we humans try to help our loved ones pass through some pains that shape their destiny without knowing that that pain is in the making of better loved ones. It looks like we got it when it comes to the pains of studying hard in the making of a genius. What we may need to get is the pains in the making that makes our loved ones enjoy the rewards of fulfillment in God's Kingdom. To enjoy flying, a pupa must pass the pain of breaking out of its shell by itself. If it avoids that pain, it remains a crawling 'fly'. In most cases, we ask unnecessary help or try to find short cuts to lessen the dose of the pain in the making. You all know what happen to a boy who helped a pupa. The boy broke the shell when he saw a struggling pupa with a sense of sympathy. The result was a paralyzed flying object. He doesn’t allow our loved ones to be tested beyond our limits that let’s trust Him and enjoy the season of pain with them. Let's render a hand of prayer and encouragement for them to break through than advising or offering unproductive short cuts or untimely assistance.
This article is not trying to shy away that Pain is painful. Or it is not intended to provoke somebody and pray to get one or dance around when it comes. The message is to encourage us endure & enjoy pain in the making as far as it brings forth a fulfilling result. Whether we get it already or not or whether we like it or not, Pain- as He finds it fit- is part of the process we pass through before we enjoy fulfilling rewards in the Kingdom of God.
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