BECAUSE WE CARE, WE GRUMBLE? Well that is so for some

     I guess this is what I see re the tweet below - caring grumblers - but it is especially hard to receive and deal with unexpected criticism or worse, public ridicule. It is all too common and I do get frustrated, if not exasperated, and I've lead organizations in size from small groups to those between 120 to 2200 and even greater.
     "Supportive" Grumblers are in all organizations.  So, let's read the tweet that caused me to write today:  "Often the reason we get frustrated with people and argue with them is because we care about them, so remember not to get too carried away." -- Appreciate Gratitude (@2thank) on Twitter
     A common, shared vision, while understood in general terms, is viewed differently in terms of what actions and practices each member believes it will take to realize the vision.
     Another issue to getting to consensus is that it is common to have people join civic clubs, non-profits, projects and causes for a variety of reasons and levels of commitment, or lack thereof, to working on the vision and purposes of the organization.    
     The work to develop and maintain cohesion is always a leaders task, but it can be monumental in groups where even a single dissenting member can fracture cohesion, if not be outright disruptive.  Consensus can be difficult and progress stifled when one issue continues to set an undertone of contention.
      I must remember patience, consideration, and resilience is necessary to lead, especially volunteers and unpaid members of civic and other non-profit organizations.

Be the Leader People Want to Follow

"Be the kind of leader you would want to follow."
- Unknown 
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1. Good followers are finishers. They get the job done, take projects across the finish line and make things happen on their own.

2. Good followers anticipate. They understand what needs to be done next before having to be told, and they are always looking for ways to make the process better.

3. Good followers criticize in private and praise in public.

4. Good followers are trustworthy. When given an assignment, a leader can be assured it will get done. Dependability-this is incredibly important.

5. Good followers are vision copycats. They take on, embody and live out the vision and mission of their leader and of the organization, helping set and model a cultural standard.

6. Good followers make their leader better. They push their leader and know how to "lead up" appropriately and intentionally.

7. Good followers lead themselves. They don't need to be managed and aren't needy. They are self aware and don't need all the attention from the leader.

8. Good followers are principled. They are humble, disciplined and have complete integrity. They know it's not about them, and what you see is what you get.

The Clock Builder or Time Teller Leadership Metaphor

One Metaphor that Taught Me Everything About Leadership  By Paul Sohn

Who is a better leader? A clock builder or time teller?
Click here to read more.
www.churchplants.com/articles/10161-one-metaphor-that-taught-me-everything-about-leadership.html

Question: Are you a time teller or clock builder? How will you be a leader than builds a clock and leave a lasting legacy?

                    Paul Sohn’s mission in life is to glorify God through equipping, enabling, and empowering Christian leaders rise to the top. Paul’s vision is to see more Christian leaders rise to the top of every spheres of influence. His core values are faith, excellence, continuous learning, giving and integrity. Paul is a Korean-Canadian-American who has lived an itinerant life. As a Millennial Paul has a heart for equipping, connecting and transforming the next generation of leaders to discover God-given purpose and talent in life.

The ‘Help Me’ Thanksgiving Day Prayer

The ‘Help Me’ Thanksgiving Day Prayer ~ Samuel F. Pugh -edited

Oh God, when I have food, help me to remember the hungry;

[When I am dressed warm, help me to remember who need clothes to be warm]

When I have work [and a pay check], help me to remember the jobless [who don't];

When I have a home, help me to remember those who have no home at all;

When I am without pain, help me to remember those who suffer,

And in remembering, help me to destroy my complacency;

Stirred my compassion, and Help me be concerned enough to help;

By word and deed, those who cry out for what we take for granted.

[We ARE most thankful for your gift of Jesus, Your Son, The Christ and our Savior. And in his name I pray, Amen!]

 

Happy Thanksgiving to Everyone and to Everyone a great nap!

Serving Him by Serving His,

Ray Ivey

 

Leading at a Higher Level - Task versus Relations Oriented Leadership

Kenneth Blanchard writes, "The leaders in high performing organizations know that their bottom line depends on their customer, their people and their investors - a triple bottom line."

 

"To keep your customers today, you can’t be content just to satisfy them; you have to create raving fans. Raving fans are customers who are so excited about the way you treat them that they want to tell everyone about you..." 

 

In my "Customer Satisfaction" presentation, I talk about 'delighting' the customer. You have focused on what means to achieve it.

 

"When you are leading at a higher level, you have a “both/and” philosophy. The development of people is of equal importance to performance. As a result, the focus in leading at a higher level is on long-term results and human satisfaction."

 

"Leading at a higher level, therefore, is a process. It can be defined as the process of achieving  worthwhile results while acting with respect, care and fairness for the well-being of all involved. When that occurs, self-serving leadership is not possible. It’s only when you realize that it’s not about you that you begin to lead at a higher level." ~ Leading at a Higher Level - Kenneth Blanchard

"In general, the leader who is more highly rated by superiors and peers, who is most satisfying to subordinates, and whose approach results in the good performance of the group is likely to be both relations oriented and task oriented in an integrated fashion." Bass & Stogdill, Leadership & Management, Chapter 23 Task versus Relation Oriented Leadership, p.510.  http://cpmcnet.columbia.edu/dept/pi/ppf/Bass.pdf

Goals: Ways & Destinations

When Alice asked him which way she ought  to go  and said she didn't care where she went, the Cat simply replied, "then it doesn't matter which way you go." From Lewis Carroll's 1865 novel, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland
   Aren't there many who are simply looking for another interesting path to follow and entertain themselves along that way with little concern for the results or long term consequences? They run almost aimlessly. Oh, they have a wish list. But they dream at night only wake to the same days they've already spent and thus they seek a new way of spending it without consideration of where it will all truly end.
   What are your purpose and goals in life? Do you have the commitment and discipline to realistically pursue them? The passion to set them as a priority in your life?
   If one has a goal, then there are objectives to achieving that goal and THEN MOST IMPORTANT, there are tasks to achieve each objective. All measurable so when the next new year occurs and measurements are taken, they can see if they are in fact closer to achieving what they've dreamed about and not simply keep dreaming and wishing.

 Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize ? Run in such a way as to get the prize . Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. Therefore I do not run like a man running aimlessly; I do not fight like a man beating the air. No, I beat my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize."
  1 Corinthians 9:24-27 NIV
And What Ultimate Prize?
   If you are to have a life spent on a cause greater than oneself. Then what would that be? Nothing could be greater than our eternal purpose in Life to glorify God. Are You IN?
 "I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus." Philippians  3:14 NIV

This is Ray Ivey and I am - Joining Others on a Journey to a Destination in the Future

Do Not Become Weary in Doing Good!!

"Do more than belong: participate. Do more than care: help. Do more than believe: practice. Do more than be fair: be kind. Do more than forgive: forget. Do more than dream: work."
~ William Arthur Ward 

People are often unreasonable, irrational, and self-centered.  Forgive them anyway.

If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives.  Be kind anyway.

If you are successful, you will win some unfaithful friends and some genuine enemies.  Succeed anyway.

If you are honest and sincere people may deceive you.  Be honest and sincere anyway.

What you spend years creating, others could destroy overnight.  Create anyway.

If you find serenity and happiness, some may be jealous.  Be happy anyway.

The good you do today, will often be forgotten.  Do good anyway.

Give the best you have, and it will never be enough.  Give your best anyway.

 In the final analysis, it is between you and God.  It was never between you and them anyway.

-this version is credited to Mother Teresa

 

Galatians 6:9-10
"9 Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. 10 Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers." NIV