I grew up in an era when radio stations would open their request lines (usually late night) for listeners to call in and hear their favorite songs. Listeners would share what’s on their hearts or dedicate special songs to their loved ones. Lately I’ve noticed how many cable stations such as BET, MTV, & VH1 allow their viewers to do the same.
Well, since it works for radio and Cable TV stations, I thought it would be a great to hear from YOU! Each year in November our team breaks away for our annual teaching calendar planning retreat where we lay out a general idea of where we sense God wants to take us over this next year in terms of teaching and subject matter. For two weeks, we will spend the next several hours focusing on praying, planning, and brainstorming. So please pray for us!
But here’s my BIG question for all of you….
What topics/subjects would YOU like to hear teaching on?
I’d love to hear your ideas! So please leave a comment!
Maybe your feedback will spark a great idea for Mars Hill or even others over this next year!
FYI…YOU DON’T HAVE TO ATTEND OUR CHURCH TO RESPOND!
You have a purpose in life. Let me repeat: You have a purpose in life! You know in your heart what’s most important to you.
What Is A Personal Vision Statement?
A personal vision statement is a preferred picture of what could be and what should be in your life. Additionally, it’s a plan for people to accomplish the goals they set. It shapes your identity and crystallizes principles which are important to you, and supplies a foundation on which to build a preferred picture of the future. In short, it communicates who you are and what you plan to accomplish. A personal vision statement can be based on your mission, goal, or your passion.
There is no such thing as a perfect friend. They are all human and everyone is alike in some sort of way. Be like me. Don’t limit yourself to one set of friends. Be friends with everyone.
According to Black Enterprise Magazine, “there are seven financial friends everyone should have on speed dial. Economists & academics believe that at least part of the wealth disparity between African Americans and White Americans in the United States can be attributed to the persistent distrust of financial institutions among a larger number of African Americans.”
The first financial friend we all need is a PERSONAL BANKER OR BRANCH MANAGER
Many borrowers spent most of the time focusing on their credit application and forget to build additional resources to help them qualify. What does it mean to develop a meaningful relationship with your personal banker/branch manager? It means to attempt to develop a deeper level of rapport with the person on the other side of the desk. If you can befriend your banker it means it will have an emotional investment in helping you and your application.
This does not mean that they will violate lending policies or commit fraudulent acts, but if the deal needs a little massaging to make it work they will commit resources to get it done. You can establish a better relationship with your personal banker is simply through respecting their time and treating them with some common courtesy. You can also go the extra mile by calling them on their birthday, asking them if they want coffee at your next appointment together or contacting their branch manager when they’ve done a good job and singing their praise.
Have you established an authentic relationship with your personal banker or branch manager?
We all have blind spots. You can’t see them! We can’t avoid them and probably will never get rid of them! Seems obvious, but YOU aren’t in the best position to see your blind spots or to know how they are affecting the people you lead and the relationships you’re in.
Here’s what I’m learning as I lead:
Your greatest strengths can also do damage to your team dynamics. You tend to think that everyone values the same things you value and that everyone is good at the same thing that we are good at.
NOT TRUE!
Over the next few weeks I invite you to join me as I read Strength Finder 2.0. Strengths Finder 2.0 is the follow up to Marcus Buckingham & Donald Clifton’s Now, Discover Your Strengths. The book includes a revamped version of the StrengthsFinder test that shows you not just what your top five strengths are, but also how you rank in the rest of the 34 strengths from Buckingham & Clifton’s model.
I recommend that you get the Strength Finder’s book. It’s a great tool to have on your shelf. After reading the book and completing the Strength Finder survey, I will post my results and encourage you to do the same. I hope this discussion will encourage you to become more aware of your own blind spots. Please join me on this amazing journey.
Today, I received an email fromAppleencouraging me to reserve or pre-order my iPad. Honestly, the more I learn about this device, the more tempted I become. I am beginning to think this could be a game-changer.
Check out this new ad:
Temptation is real…
Temptation always appeals to the vulnerable part of your heart. The taste will be palatable, persistent and powerful.
Don’t believe me, ask Adam & Eve:
“When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it.” (Genesis 3:6)
Temptation is…
Enticing – It appeals to your hopes and desires (I plan to use the iPad to preach & teach…yea right).
Enjoyable – It promises you immense pleasure (I can see myself smiling as I use my iPad).
Evasive – It evades the truth with excuses (My heart is telling my head to find a reason to justify the purchase).
Escalating – It multiplies your appetite for more (If I don’t control it now, my desire for more will increase…darn it).
Ok, so did I talk myself out of purchasing one…to be continued 😀
Do you plan to purchase an iPad? If so, why? If not, why?
Quick – Who makes the best pound cake in the world?
My Aunt Doretha used to make the best pound cake in the whole world. It was so rich and creamy. I remember visiting my Aunt Doretha one summer and she explained to me that it was called a pound cake because it used a pound of butter and a pound of sugar (talk about busting the diet). Although it may not have been healthy, it sure was delicious! As I reflect on my aunt’s recipe, I wonder if the pound cake would lose its taste if one of the MAJOR ingredients (sugar or butter) were missing? Would it remain rich and creamy or morph into chewy disaster?
In today’s politics, both Democrats & Republicans demonize those who attempt to move to the middle in an attempt to forge compromises and solve problems that meet the needs of all. We all suffer from this polarization. We desperately need more leaders in Washington who can collaborate.
Google gives an example of what could happen if people would collaborate:
To improve collaboration with others, there may be no greater source for “how to” than Dale Carnegie’s 1936 classic How To Win Friends and Influence People. The principles are timeless. Some of the techniques we can each use to strengthen our collaborations with others include:
Become genuinely interested in other people. Take the time to ask them about themselves, their points of view, their histories.
Be a good listener. Remembering we’ve been given two ears and one mouth, and using them in that ratio, is a great first step. Let others do the majority of the talking. Put yourself in the “reverent” listening mode, like the person you are speaking with is telling you the most important thing in the world. No multi-tasking while listening. No trying to get in a word edge wise.
Be empathetic. Try honestly to see things from the other’s point of view. Repeat key points of what you’ve heard. Even if you don’t agree with the idea, paraphrase your understanding of their thoughts and needs and refrain from judging.
Be open, supportive and encouraging in your collaborations with others. Encourage diverse perspectives. Seek to understand. Be optimistic and supportive when hearing other points-of-view.
In my humble opinion, there’s something wrong with leaders from every walk of life. It appears we’ve lost the art of collaboration. It’s the missing ingredient we all need if we’re to be successful in life!
Do you currently practice collaboration with others? If so, how? If not, why?
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