The Truth About Consequences

The trouble with politics is we are each our own unique person, and a consensus on everything is impossible. The idea of compromise means we must give something up.  The challenge for each of us is understanding exactly what the consequences of the decision will be without a clear vision of the future.

The same idea haunts us every day if we give in to reminiscing or regrets.  "If we'd only done something differently", or "if we had not done this thing" our lives would be so much better... the fantasized unknown must certainly be better than our current resulting situation. Our society likes to admire those who overcome bad situations.  When someone overcomes their own folly, we are glad...when they overcome someone else's, they are a hero.

The sad fact is, we must reminisce a bit if we are to learn from our mistakes, right?  Ah, but I digress from my real point here, which is that sometimes we can do everything right, but the outcome was not what we believed it would be.  As a believer in Christ, this can be especially disturbing since praying and seeking the Lord for direction and next steps becomes part of a disciple's DNA. There are times that He has us follow a path that leads not to our perception of success, but simply of obedience.  (The Most High God has perfected the long view; we have not).

I have said often and believe it is worth saying again:  it is not the crescendo events in our lives that will necessarily be what is celebrated in heaven on our account.  It will be the accumulation of small choices to do His will that will change eternity not just for ourselves, but for those it touches. The most valuable things I do are the things I am unaware of.  It is so important to walk in purity and the direction of His Holy Spirit so that I am "naturally" doing what He intends me to do for His perfect plan, not the thing I decide and muck up from there.

As we move into a new year with so much intensity towards intent for good, it would be wise to remember we are not capable of anything truly good without the discipline of resting in the presence of Jesus the Christ.  Let us "be" in Him while we intend to do good.

When No Answer Means No Answer

Way back in the stone age, I was told that when someone was pushing the boundaries of physical affection on a date I should be sure and say "no" if they were starting to do something I did not want.  The phrase, "no answer means yes" was the short way of stating this advice.  So it seems that in the vacuum of response some of us will just forge ahead.

When to seek permission/alignment is another topic, but when you go to the trouble of asking for input or approval, not getting an answer creates the temptation to move to second base.  One of the most challenging tasks of any job is stating your need in the right format at the right time when that person is in exactly the right frame of mind....to get the response you desire.

We all know what happens most of the time.  You pick the wrong format... you send an email that gets ignored.  Or in the email, you thought it would be helpful to give the background on the request and your intended target fell into a coma before reading all of it and didn't see the question.  Or you ask them in the elevator and they say "yes" so quickly that in the back of your mind you KNOW they did not understand what they just committed to... and will have no memory of it.  Or, my favorite, they simply changed their mind after your conversation and email and neglected to tell you of the shift in position.

It can feel like you've become a Who from Whoville when all is silent.  Our lively imaginations kick in to create self-involved activity in the void:  they don't like us any more; or they are mad at us for that thing we failed to do last month.  We are programmed to desire a response.  I can see you're trying not to be the little kid in the back seat asking "are we there yet?" every five minutes, but you want to, don't you?

The worst silence of all is when it feels like silence from Above.  No matter how well honed our "walking by faith" skills have become, if we are walking at all we will encounter seasons where we simply do not know what to do.  It's as if our fleece has disappeared in the morning, never mind whether it had dew on it or not (Judges 6:36-40).

If you know what I mean you understand how frustrating such seasons can be, though we should feel privileged to experience them.  It is, after all, His invitation to seek Him in a deeper place.  Waiting is a verb. It means you sometimes need to keep pursuing the person and not make a move on your "thing" until you have clarity and a response.  

The Accumulation of Indecision

Someone close to me told me I am very good at getting people to "get off the dime" and choose a direction to go.  I confess that making decisions is not difficult for me.  Perhaps it is because I have no fear of regret.  Or perhaps I dislike the inertia of indecision more than the unknown consequences of a choice made.

Lately, my ability to post to this blog, to rest without stress, and even escape into entertainment have been thwarted because I have been helping a loved one move out of a home that will be, if all goes as planned, condemned and bulldozed in the coming weeks.  Decades of hoarded items, each the germ of a potential project, had become an overwhelming pile of of procrastination.  If the road to hell is paved with good intentions, certainly these items occupied the rest stops along the way. 

While I tried my best to make decisions about items that their owner would agree with, eventually I could not make progress looking through those eyes.  I became overwhelmed and depressed at so much left undecided, to the point that I had started doing what he had done:  I just moved items from one pile to another, postponing the decision until later.  Eventually, I had to become my brutally cold deciding self, since all of what he viewed as treasure I could see was turning into trash that was burying him alive.  Even so, I know he will not look at what I've done as something that makes him happy.  He still has intentions for items he has not touched in over 30 years.

In business, the inability to make a decision, whether it is from analysis paralysis or lack of alignment, doesn't mean that nothing is happening.  But it does mean that what is happening will not be strategic;  it will be at a comfort level of the persons deciding (which typically is not stretching towards innovation or even breaking a pattern of flat-line growth).  If you're waiting for someone else to make the decision for you, rest assured... there is always someone out there like me, willing to make a decision for you if you tarry too long. 

If you are a believer in Christ, you should not fear making decisions, since He has your back (and your front) on all things.  He'd rather see you try and fall down (and get up again), then just stand there waiting to perfect walking by, um, standing.  A stone tablet will probably not fall out of the sky with instructions on it.  He's believing you've learned to listen to that still small voice that says, "go this way".  If you're unsure, ask Him for wisdom and guidance, then step out.  He'll help you.

Retreating to the Womb

Unless you are a hermit, you will from time to time make an acquaintance or friend that seems constantly plagued with health issues that prevent them, almost on queue, from keeping their commitments.

The body is a trustworthy barometer of what we refuse to admit emotionally. No man likes to think he is not manly, and the perceptions that come with that manliness (kill it, drag it home to eat it) don't always match the feelings...like the overwhelming desire to remain snugly tucked into a warm protected place where we are cared for rather than having to support others.

The lack of feeling cared for is the root of so many illnesses. People make fun of you if you say you are too scared to face your job or your battlefield; they rally around you when you can prove physical infirmity or injury....at least for awhile. One dear friend of many years suffered from so many physical ailments that it really didn't matter when one was healed; another sprang up in its place. It was her body's way of coping with the long seeping raw emotional sores that would not heal.... Because justice was not done.

We can easily become walking memorials to the injustice done to our souls. This barrier keeps us transfixed on what is broken in our lives rather than in pursuit of perfect love from Him, which allows us to transcend any tragedy with the promise of wholeness.

The brave soul who gets up, dressed and through the crowds to the job they merely endure for a less than sustainable paycheck is a bit better but not much. They are "coping".... The world"s version of purgatory for the soul. This is not victory, as there is still a sense of victimhood which has no place in the life of the believer.

Thankfully, He is always with us, and when we pursue Him we will feel His presence more real than anything around us. To be in the shadow of His wing is to know the comfort and protection of the womb without its helplessness.  To dwell in the secret place of the Most High means we can be both coddled like the children we are, and brave like the warriors we need to be for the weaker around us.

Today, may you dwell in that secret place and know His strength.

The Awe of Audacity

Ever notice how little kids will go places and try to do things without any understanding of the possible consequences?  It is a wonder so many of us continue to grow up without permanent injury.  Experience teaches us how to calculate risk, albeit roughly.

If we act the same way when we grow up, people describe us as foolish, or at the very least, "dare devils".  In business, we are told there is reward for calculated risk, but most of the time, the calculations do not produce a profitable result.  Why?  Because most "calculated" risk isn't risk at all.

It is no wonder then, that when we have given our hearts to Jesus, He spends the rest of our earthly lives trying to help us get back to a state of childlike audacity... to not be afraid to take risks in Him; to pursue things that would seem impossible.  The risks are palatable.  People will think you are crazy (and not necessarily in a good way).   You may fall down.  You may actually make a mistake.  Oh my... that happened as a kid and you still grew up!

It is far less nerve-racking to observe audacious faith from the sidelines.  The amazing stories people of faith tell because they dared to step out and trust inspire others.  To be one of those stories means you need to be willing to experience some drama...usually of an unpleasant kind before the miracle comes.  And the glory.   Then the story. 

Consider this an invitation to be His kid, and know you can trust Him.  He will never leave you.  Believe on Him for the impossible... I dare ya.

Success Guaranteed; Tragedy Required

Our view of reality is limited by our constraints of linear time.  We must travel through time in sequence, not skipping any steps.  We cannot see the end from the beginning... and the result is drama.  Drama in that our emotions are very much in the moment.  We feel what we believe is true (irrelevant of whether it is or not).

The greatest stories, successes and achievements all have times in their birth, life and completion that do not look like they will arrive at the finish line.  That is the dramatic excitement of having to travel sequentially.  If we knew the end, it might spoil the plot line.

Last week I witnessed the aftermath of a serious traffic pile up.  Four vehicles stopped at a traffic light were suddenly involved in a chain reaction by a semi tractor trailer that did not brake, resulting in three destroyed vehicles and various minor and serious injuries.  The driver of the truck that failed to stop left the scene with a lot of liability on his (or his company's) shoulders.  His actions created drama and inconvenience for the others. 

For one person in the crash, it may have been a divine appointment.  It was not one he would have chosen.  He incurred losses that would never be recovered.  He is healing in body.  But his vehicle was large, and took the brunt of the tractor trailer behind him.  If he had not been there, the car in front of him would have been far worse than totaled.  That passenger (who walked away) may have met his Maker instead.  All speculation, because we can only see in a straight line of time and will not know until we are no longer bound to it.

In this, tragedies and resulting blessings occur simultaneously.   We can choose to focus on the drama and worry that it won't turn out okay, or we can remind ourselves that it will turn out okay.  Especially if we know Him and have accepted His salvation that was bought by a tragedy on the cross... a tragedy that resulted in the greatest blessing of all time... a way to relationship with the Father.

If you are in the middle of a drama, remember the end of the story, while already written, can take some twists and turns.  Make sure they are the good kind by not losing your obedience.  Hold fast and be steady.  He is able to do exceedingly and abundantly above what you expect or think.  You'll see this too.. at the end of the story.

I Think I Am I Think I Can

When we really believe something, that something becomes a powerful force. One of my favorite stories is of George Bernard Dantzig, a student who arrived late for a statistics class and found two problems on the board that he mistook for homework. He took them home, did them and apologized to the teacher as he was a little late handing them in.

They were actually two famous unsolved problems in statistics. George Dantzig was clearly very smart. He may have still been able to solve the equations if he had been told that Einstein had not solved them. But many would conclude that not knowing they had not been solved didn't create an unnecessary hurdle to achievement....and probably helped him do it.

All of us have beliefs that would be impossible to unseat, even in the face of what others believe is convincing evidence. "A man convinced against his will is of the same opinion still" is an old phrase that captures the strength of a deeply embedded belief.

It makes it all the more important to believe the truth and not lies. May we strive to have our ears open to what is true and closed to what is not. And if there be any lie deeply embedded, may it be dug out, exposed and discarded.

Finishing the Race Like the Animal You Are

You  have surely heard of  the Aesop's Fable "The Tortoise and the Hare."  Whatever you think of the rabbit or the turtle, who was morally superior or more clever or most successful, they BOTH finished the race.

Unfortunately in today's "ever increasing rate of change and information society", we tend to reward the flash in the pan successes.  Our attention span has become so short that the idea of taking more than 6 months to achieve anything seems unbearable.  But some things of value take decades to complete, and much of the work is in obscurity. 

Plodding along with tenacity often requires anonymity, as there are fewer distractions and less hubris potential.  Here you find more of the cut of person that cares little for the spotlight outside of an occasional "Walter Mitty" daydream.   But! Just because someone works behind the scenes does not mean they love working without appreciation.  What do you do when you know what you are doing is important and necessary, but you're also needing some encouragement?

You will find I touch on this topic quite often in this blog, but if you are doing what the Lord has for you, you will find yourself often encouraged by Him if not be others.  That doesn't mean it will always be easy or feel like it is not making a difference, but the thing that He has called you to do, He will complete in you and through you if you remain faithful.

You may be a bit unreliable on your stops and starts, and may even get a bit full of yourself only to find yourself waking up from a self-absorption nap, but you can finish the race.  If we turn the fable upside down, we could say that for some, a steady constant pace works perfectly.  For others, creativity requires some bolts then stops, then fast forwards again.

There is never only one way to achieve a goal.  The best way is not always the fastest way or the steadiest way.  The best way is the way the Lord guides you and you follow.  It might look a bit crazy and illogical, but try to remember Who has the best view of the alpha and omega.  If you have fallen, get up and get back on track.  You CAN finish the race.  Arriving first can be overrated.  Arriving at YOUR first is priceless.

Bobble-heads Don't Roll

So many communication topics one can cover, so little time...  The bane of every relationship, project, organization... lack of effective communication.  Time and experience show that while volume of communication is helpful, it is not the determining success factor.  "Effective" communication is key, and this might mean a polite reminder or a fist to the face, depending on how one defines "effective".  I personally know people that, even if you hit them in the head, would still miss the point.

Communication escalation is only as effective as the receiving party's willingness to believe the consequences will actually occur if messages are not heeded.  Sometimes we don't even mind the consequences.  (When it's already 110 degrees, saying its going to be 120 degrees doesn't really have much impact... unless you say that at 120 degrees, I will no longer have air conditioning).

Another challenge: we have so many messages coming at us, we now have to allocate time to prioritizing how and when to respond.  There is a common belief in the corporate world that if you haven't dealt with a message in "x" number of days you probably won't miss it if it gets deleted.  This assumption certainly trains those sending messages to be less patient; to give the receiver less time to acknowledge or give an answer. 

I never thought I would reach the place where I actually ignore some people when they phone, text or email.  Yes, I confess that sometimes certain people have actually attempted to communicate with me and I have pretended to not get the message.  This is awkward since I do not intend to relegate actual people to junk mail status, but that is exactly what it feels like.  These are the beloved ones that talk "at" you rather than to you... sometimes they are people who think they have some kind of power and authority over you and think they can push an established boundary (yes... a communicated boundary).

On the other hand, it is a scary place when it seems the person or group that is your only source of help refuses to listen.  Note that I said "seems".  Yes, even stalwart believers sometimes forget that there is always ALWAYS One who listens.  We may not like His answer or His timing, but we should trust it is perfect on both counts.  He can move people or problems and is willing to do that when we ask.  So, if you have a bobble head with cotton in his or her ears, try elevating the situation to the Master Communicator.  He will either move you or move some bobble-heads to make the path straight.

The Credit is Due Continuum

Taking credit for an achievement is a tricky thing.  I know people who think that if they announce the accomplishment, they will get credit for it.  They don't actually say this, but their actions point to it.  They mark "achieved" on their objectives.  It seems bizarre, but sometimes people think if they were on the sidelines shouting, "go for it!" that they have single handedly achieved the entire goal.  Others seem reluctant to take credit for the hard work, as if not admitting they worked their butts off means they don't have humility.

How do you know if you're in the center of the "credit is due" continuum?  Answer this question:  does God think you are amazing?  If you automatically answered "no", you might need to move from the "no credit belongs to me side" closer to the center.   If you answered "yes", you're not the right track.  This might seem counter intuitive since the guy I know who takes credit for projects while doing nothing is a Christian.  But if I were to wager, I'd guess he probably doesn't believe God thinks he's amazing.  I would guess he is struggling to feel adequate at all.

God made each of us "fearfully and wonderfully" (Psalm 129:14), which basically means we are individual marvels, unlike anyone else in the universe.  It also means we each carry a unique set of abilities and gifts.  When we are doing what the Lord made us to do, we will excel in that activity. 

But there will always be new places He wants to take us; places where we need practice to excel and we are uncomfortable with the new activity.  If we temporarily do not shine bright in the eyes of humanity because we are growing, we should not despair.

If you truly do know that the Lord sees you as amazing, you also know that you can never DO anything to be amazing.  You are His finished work and you cannot earn your way into amazing.  You can only prove it out for those around you that do not see Him rightly just yet.  To Him be the glory and honor and praise... and the credit for making you amazing.

So Many Chicken Littles Crying Wolf

I'm usually not a squeaky wheel.  In fact, I spend quite a lot of time calming the squeaky wheels around me, talking them off the ledge, giving them the bigger picture and helping them shrink their giant catastrophe down to its real size.  Because I tend to operate in the "let's fix it" mode, I'm not the best person to vent to; I figure you're telling me because you want help, not commiseration.  Perhaps I could do better in the "cry on your shoulder" department.

Some people confuse enthusiasm with the adrenaline rush of mayhem and dramatic panic, so impossible deadlines are created, and all involved are made to feel the sky will fall if deadline is not met.  I'm sure some people employed by the U.S. government had a really bad day today because they could not work.  But the sky did not fall.  Some people were disappointed on a grand scale because they could not realize their lifelong dream vacation to a national park or monument.  But the sky did not fall.  Some Chicken Littles are so intent on being right that if the dire prediction doesn't happen as direly, they will look for some tragedy that can be attributed to it. 

On the other hand, the Chicken Littles of the world can dull us to warnings of real danger.  Since we've had so many "hurry up and wait's" or "disasters averted", it's easy to ignore repeated warnings of trouble on the horizon.  In my eclectic set of friends, I do have a few that are constantly preparing for Armageddon.  I admire their spirit of survival, even if I am prepared to be annihilated.  (I know where I'm going and have yet to see anything worth wanting to be the last human on the planet).  Still, sometimes I feel a little guilty that I'd rather not stock up canned foods then eat them three years beyond the expiration date while cooped up in a bunker.  But I digress...

I'd like to think I model my management style after Heavenly things.  Clear goals, non-inflated timelines, and real consequences.  It is interesting and somewhat amusing to manage like this when everyone else assumes you are not doing these things...until the consequences so calmly stated at the outset come to pass.

A word of encouragement to any of you Chicken Littles out there.  You can save yourself a poor reputation if you do all your clamoring to the Lord and to Him alone.  Your impending calamity may not be mine, and my coming disaster may not effect you, but He is big enough to not only handle our venting, but to make a big thing small and rescue us altogether.

Boomerang Management

Popular TV series story lines these days enjoy the intrigue of wondering who certain characters are really working for.  In fiction and in life, we all have a sense that there are low level guys, middle managers, top guys and well, the secret guys at the very top that want to remain powerful and anonymous.  It is strange (and yet, not) how those top guys in these scenarios always seem to be evil.  Nobody who is good seems to want to hide in the shadows.

It would be wonderful if everyone wearing the "boss" hat was a leader and had earned the title.  But the world is truly upside down from the way Christ operates.  Christlike leadership at all levels lifts up and forms a platform for those below to be stronger and realize their potential.  Non-Christlike leadership uses those below as the platform to step on.  It would be wonderful if Christians in leadership understood this, but all too often, they follow the world's model.

If you are under a "boss" and not a leader, you know all too well what being stepped on feels like.  (Clearly, if your boss knew who you were REALLY working for, he wouldn't treat you the way he is treating you, right?)  Maybe it's time to stop being self-employed.

No, that wasn't a typo.  Why is it that as sons and daughters of the Most High we segregate our lives so that He isn't really our leader in the work place? Is it because we don't like our espionage assignment:  to take His authority and Spirit wherever we go?  What is God asking you to do today for His kingdom?  If you are not sure, you can certainly count on one basic principle:  to operate in love. 

A friend shared with me recently of her struggles in a difficult workplace.  Her boss does not understand inspirational leadership; her boss believes that asserting pressure downward in ever increasing strength will produce improved results.  (No one has apparently been able to help her understand the principle that people produce their worst work when they believe they are in trouble). My friend, afraid of losing her job in this economy, was allowing herself to be the receiver of abuse at this verbally ham-fisted supervisor.  (Allowing fear to dominate our thinking is a whole other subject, but let's just say she forgot who she really worked for).

My friend works in a hospital, where many of the patients are elderly and they can react abusively because they are confused and in pain.  My friend has no problem seeing beyond their behavior because she understands some of the potential causes.  She is able to minister to them and provide outstanding care.  What she was failing to see is, her boss is a patient too.  Her boss is stressed, hurting and in pain, but she isn't checked into a bed and she is no doubt just as afraid of losing her job... a job she depends on others to help be successful.  A job where her own bosses are standing on her head and pressing down a little bit harder.

There is no substitute for the Holy Spirit in strength and power.  When we operate from His strength and leadership, we can be the servants we need to be and shine for Him.  You may not love your bosses, or even like them.  But if you can ask the Lord to help you see them as He sees them, you can serve them from a position of His power, not your own.

It can seem overwhelming to try and serve others when we feel wounded by the very ones we serve.  That's when we must remember WHO we really work for, because He will never give us more than we can handle.  You can handle this.

The Blessing of Failure

Last week in the news it was revealed that a 24 megaton nuclear bomb accidentally activated over North Carolina in 1961, and did not explode because a final switch failed. 

This type of near disaster happens far more than we imagine.  I recognize the sovereignty of God when I see these things... That He decides when things will and will not be.  The switch needed to fail that day for a larger purpose.

It's not easy to accept failure in our personal lives, particularly when we have done everything right, including consulting the Lord and walking in faith on a project.  It causes us at the very least to question our hearing of His voice.  Sometimes we even wonder if we are being punished.  (How do you know when you are trapped in legalism and not fully embracing grace?  When you look at failures and trials as punishment from The Lord.) 

Every leadership guru, every best selling motivational book talks about the benefits of failure.  So why is it so hard for devout Christians to accept failure when it happens?  Perhaps it is that we are trying to be like Him, and He never fails... Therefore neither should we. 

In this case, I am not talking about a sin failure.  I'm talking about those times that the Lord didn't allow us to win when we felt so sure it was Him leading us to believe for the victory.  Or when we were sure we had met that perfect mate and they did not feel the same way, or it fell apart before it got started. Or we prayed for a healing and they died anyway.  These are failures in which we did not see what He sees, and the added sting is a mature believer always wants to align his or her thoughts and vision with His.  So why didn't the Lord trust you with the true outcome?  Was it because you couldn't handle the truth?  Maybe.

It was not because you aren't mature. It was because as you grow in Him, you become more child-like, and you don't second guess all possible outcomes as a kid.  You just go for it.  He needed you to do exactly what you did and when you did it...without premeditation.  You may see the "why" of it all in a few weeks or years, or maybe watching home movies with Jesus in heaven.  But this thing you must remember: He is sovereign.  Nothing is a surprise and if you are following Him with your whole heart, you will need to return to the Rock that His His sovereignty.  And remember Romans 8:28... that He will use it to His good purpose...and yours.

When Proxy is a Poor Substitute

When I heard Condalezza Rice speak recently I was pleasantly surprised when I should not have been.  Why?  Because while I know that everything is distorted through the news media I rediscovered what it was like to get to know someone more directly rather than through a third-party.

Try as we might to be conduits of accuracy, we will as humans be "distortionists" when communicating, even when we strive to repeat verbatim.  I was impressed with Conde's humility....something I could not have detected without the in-person experience, and something I would be less inclined to believe if a third party tried to tell me.

Reputation is a tenacious dastardly thing, where stink lasts 10 times longer than fragrance.  Some people will spend the better part of their existence trying to create a reputation that is favorable whether it is genuine or not.  Others will suffer to the point of rebellion at being falsely accused.  (How often have up you heard, if I'm going to be accused of it so thoroughly I might as well do it?)

Chasing reputation is a worthless pursuit... No offense to those in the PR profession.  A good name is a powerful thing.  But it becomes good through excellence in character and relationship.  There is no solid reputation without solid relationship.  Reputation is a result, not a tactic.  Spend time doing good instead of spending time telling the world you are doing good, and your reputation will endure longer.

Take care not to worry about what people think of you.  Such a thing is a kind of innocence lost, where you're suddenly conscious of what you do and say beyond what is fitting.  Christ made Himself of no reputation to show us the love of the Father.  It makes no sense to the earthly mind.  But then, things in Heaven are upside down compared to the world.

If you really don't understand the attraction to Christ, perhaps it is because you only know Him through the proxy of believers (or those who claim to know Him) that haven't done a good job of showing you who He is.  Jesus was certainly our proxy for punishment of sins, but He did that so we could be close to the Father, rather than separated. No other human can create and maintain a relationship with God for you.   Even those who know Him well are, well, continually surprised at how much more there is to know.  First hand. 

He Aint Your Brother, He's Just Heavy

If you've gotten up today ready to be offended, perhaps I can put off the suspense:  20 percent of the people do 80 percent of the work.  That means you're probably not part of the 20 percent.  You, slacker, are riding on the success of those faithful few.

Interestingly, when things fail, it's usually not the 20 percenters that point the finger.  They've been too busy doing 80 percent of the work to notice who wasn't pitching in.  And 20 percenters, when they take a break, don't look at the 80 percenters with envy or contempt.  They look at them with wonderment and pity... because they can't imagine not wanting to work with all their might.

You will perhaps share my wonderment at how some "80 percenters" come by their jobs, and be even more amazed at the fact they are keeping them, even after never producing anything of value.  The fact is, some leaders don't want to face the fact that the wonder worker they picked out for greatness was a dud, and admitting that and dealing with that would mean they were wrong.  The 20 percent are very often asked to "support" the dud for the good of the team.   To add insult to injury, the dud doesn't recognize the help is a merciful act; the dud thinks he is entitled to the help.  He is, after all, overworked and misunderstood.

The worst possible scenario (in my opinion) is when the dud is a believer.  The greatest power of the universe to support and encourage him, and he forgot he can bring Jesus to work.   He's like a light bulb that never got screwed into the socket, believing that he is giving light just be being a bulb.

Hey 20 percenter, how should you deal with these apparent slackers?  With much, much prayer and all the mercy you can muster.  And never with the misguided idea that you can fix an 80 percenter or even turn them into a 20 percenter.  The chasm may be too wide.  At the heart of every slacker I've ever met is a little person who did not believe they were worth very much.  It would go against their beliefs to perform differently from this belief.  They can use encouragement, and a chance (or two or three) to prove they can change.

You know, 20 percenter, most of the work you're doing won't endure very long; some of it not beyond the month.  And that work is not what you will be remembered for.  The most important (and eternal) work you do this year may be holding up your 80 percenter...with mercy and honor and without judgement.  Some of us will get out of these trials alive and thriving.  Some of the 80 percenters may not.  If you act with compassion and inclusiveness, you'll have no regrets if they don't make it...and you'll have something to really feel good about if they do.

Every Day is Pay Day

This week I was involved in a discussion on the meaning of abundance.  Is abundance having more than you need or just enough?  The answer is yes.  Abundance is having enough to accommodate your potential.  It becomes more than you need when you try and reach your potential.  Because when you get closer to your potential, your potential grows.

So often when we sit down to set a goal or make a plan, we cannot help but limit our thinking to what we know is practically possible.  It's like being driven to build a road but never looking up to see where the destination will be.  The result is, we fail to aim high enough to do anything other than the ordinary. 

It takes discipline, but you can do it.  When it's time to dream, put aside all the knowledge you have on limited money, time and people.  Dream the dream.  Dream the plan.  Don't turn into MacGyver before you have a chance to create a picture of the ideal result.  You can never get to the ideal if you always start with the "what can't be done" list.  A spirit of abundance does not think in terms of only what is possible based on the past.  Abundance says, "How do we go and get what is needed to make it happen?"

Before the bills start emptying your wallet, enjoy the payday.  Every day.

The Apple Doesn't Fall From the Boss

Rarely do we think of job interviews as hiring our next boss, but that is exactly what we are doing.  It's a shame it's so hard to relax in an interview and make sure we like not only what we would be doing but who would be guiding the experience.  You don't have to work long in your life to experience both great and terrible bosses.  Many a good boss won't even like the title "boss" because the word itself sounds like poor leadership. 

As a young manager, I was given authority over a process but no authority over the people executing it.  I thought this situation impossible, but discovered that having power over people, while not the same as having authority, can be equally effective.  In essence, I had to win them over to my way of thinking.  Persuasion endures longer than a command.

If you have people reporting to you, you essentially have work children.  I'll confess I do judge parenting skills when I see the behavior of their children.  Do they obey out of respect or fear?  Do they laugh together, but know when it is time to be serious?  Do they have respect for others?  In the work place, do the work children whine and snivel and wait for their next feeding?  Or do they happily work independently knowing they are loved and will not be judged unfairly?

If your word is solid, your work children will not need to be nagged repeatedly.  They will know that if something is not completed consequences will follow and they will learn you do not exaggerate.  If you make up excuses for not showing up to meetings, you should expect that the stories they will tell for the same thing will be quite creative.  If you spend every waking hour at the office, your little lemmings will too, because even if they don't think you are doing the right thing, they will think YOU believe that, and will somehow expect them to do it also. 

Some of the work children will dare to defy you.  This might mean they are growing up; it might mean you need a woodshed.  Woodshed worthy behavior is easily identifiable, because it is highly emotional and reactive.  It quite often lacks logic, and almost always lacks listening skills.  And sadly, it rarely comes from children who used to act grown up are suddenly are not.  It usually comes from the work children that never really want to grow up.

There is a sad number of bosses who'd prefer their work children never grow up, because it is threatening to them.  If you have a boss like this, try to find a new work parent.  You will never thrive under leadership that doesn't want you to grow.  Before you think, "that's impossible, in this economy I just have to live with it," I'd challenge you to pray about it.  Sometimes we learn the most valuable lessons from bad bosses...like how to avoid being one.  Try to forgive them too, if you sense they are trying to do better.  I've made some mistakes as a boss I wish I could undo, but I can't.  All I can do is continue to grow up and work to be a great leader some day.

A Thief Thinks Everybody Steals

One day at my college job, I was pondering out loud the behavior of a particular person when one of my student colleagues from Paraguay said, "a thief thinks everybody steals".  Ever since then I've remembered and used that phrase to describe not just the situational ethics I observe around me, but my own propensity to assume that everyone looks at life just like I do.

For all the good intentions towards inclusiveness, I still must work hard every day to see situations from other points of view and not just my own.  My "self colored glasses" will cause me to miss a lot going on around me.  They cause me to make assumptions I shouldn't make.

I may have had an excellent meeting presenting an idea to management, and the agreement in the room was "great idea...let's move forward."  If I look at this event as the milestone in my project life and forget it may be five minutes in the executive timeline, I'll move forward without checking back or in.  The meeting meant a lot more to me than it did to those people I presented to.  Oh, it may have been an amazing idea and they may still be thinking about it, but even a few hours sleep can erode "buy in".  So, if I put my "what are they thinking" hats on, I'll know that this great idea that I'm now moving forward with must stay in front of them many more times... during and at completion.

Communication is the uniting force that separates us all.  It's a challenge even for people who are really, really good at it.  If you really want to know what people think, you have to ask them.  And not just like you're asking them how their day is going; you have to ask them as if you're going to have to pretend to be them in 30 minutes (in other words, really listen).

A word of caution.  Viewpoints are like ripe vegetables.  They can expire quickly.  You can't necessarily take a conversation you had two years ago and assume you understand the viewpoint of that same person today.  (Not only might their cheese have moved, they may not even be a mouse anymore.)  However, if you are continually having conversations with that person and you are understanding their view, you have a relationship... and you are in a much better position to speak for them in their absence.

I'm sure the Lord Jesus Christ wishes Christians checked in with Him more often before they decided they could speak for Him.  Fortunately it doesn't take much investigation to determine whether they actually have a relationship with Him, or if they just met Him the one time.   One of the great benefits of having a relationship with the Most High is that He can show you how to talk to your audience before you even have a chance to ask them what they think.  The best pair of glasses to wear are the "Christ-colored" ones.

Divided is Conquered

The overused colloquialism "divide and conquer" is often misapplied.  It most correctly means separating your enemies and isolating them, so they can be conquered more easily.  (It's certainly works for lions).   In recent years I have heard it applied as a kind of replacement to the old, "many hands make light work".  But "dividing and conquering" in the work place doesn't always result in light work.

Many of the brightest business minds have tried to solve the problems created by being a large corporation.  "Dividing and conquering" becomes a way of life, and functions become more and more isolated.  Redundancy is rampant, and speed to market slows to a crawl.

Efforts to improve performance end up focusing so intensely on the process that few teams have the discipline to maintain a 360 view.  Most  teams are not being given time by management to actually take a look back and learn. 

If I go to the store with someone and we split up the list so we can get it done more quickly, that is not dividing and conquering; it's actually working together for a common goal.  But the reason it works is because we start together, and we end up together.  And we trust that each of us is going to do what we agreed to.  If this didn't happen, we'd leave the store with two of everything and none of something else. 

Everybody with any REAL success knows that it is usually who you know that brings you the success you need.  Real relationship goes beyond the casual "hello" and understands the needs and motives of the other person.  (It is best to send the other shopper through the store to look for things they are familiar with, isn't it?)  If a corporate work flow were applied to my shopping analogy, both of us would leave the store in separate vehicles and never talk again until the next shopping trip.

Communication or lack thereof is the key to success or failure.  It's okay to advertise what you're doing frequently.  When you are sick of saying it, they are just starting to catch on.  So take the time needed to not only "get on the same page" but stay there.  If you are not divided, you cannot be conquered.

Unicorns and Pink Elephants

I've come to realize that true strategists are like unicorns.  Everyone else who calls themselves one (a strategist) is a pink elephant, drunk on their own illusions of strategy.  Let's face it, strategy is 10 percent talent and 90 percent disciplined work.  Most people don't want to do the hard work that is strategy because it is not sexy and is very often repetitive.

How do you know if you're a unicorn or a pink elephant?  First, let's be clear on what strategy is.  Strategy is not just a good idea.   A good or great strategy has a good idea, but it takes more than an idea to make a strategy.  Strategy is not a timeline.  A good strategy always includes a timeline, even if that strategy is "do x forever until we tell you to stop".  But even an idea and a timeline together does not make a strategy.  Shopping for strategy ingredients?  Don't forget to pick up all the following:

• An idea (new or used)
• Someone who will be opposed to the idea and be willing to tell you why
• Someone who will love the idea and be able to tell you why
• A way to communicate the idea
• Another way to communicate the idea
• A calendar to mark how many times the idea is communicated and re communicated to fruition
• People to execute and enforce the idea
• More communication than you ever thought necessary to fuel adoption and maintenance of the idea

Good ideas fail many times because there was a lack of communication around the idea.  Unless you're a powerful dictator with nuclear weapons, you may need to tell people your idea more than once.  You need to be able to sell to and tell people many, many times.  

When you find yourself a unicorn, the sane people in the room that realize it are like thirsty animals at the watering hole.  All of us who haven't had our brains altered love a good strategy.  Some of us will even settle for a lackluster strategy, as long as there is one. 

You know all that communication mentioned above in the ingredients list?  That's mostly for you, unicorn.  Because the worst thing you can do is create a great strategy and decide you are not subject to it.  (That's a recipe for upheaval and confusion, which takes far less ingredients to balloon out of size in no time).  That's when you look down at your hand and realize its fat, stubby and pink, and your nose is long and swinging in front of you.

Confidence: The True Value Currency

Any economic discussion on the value of money will include the idea that a currency's value is completely determined by confidence. As a kid, I always thought a nickel had to be worth more than five cents since it was so much heavier than a dime. And it didn't make sense that a piece of paper could be worth 20 or 2,000 times more than the piece of metal I held in my hand.  A representation of value is only as good as the confidence we have in who will honor it.

If we use U.S. dollars, we believe in things that are invisible. The value of a $1 bill is based on my confidence that I can use it to buy an equal value in goods and the person I give it to will also believe.

Now I don't even need to believe in paper any more. Numbers I see on a website give me confidence I have power to obtain goods and services. I type some of these numbers in other boxes and the receiving party believes those numbers are valid.

Because there is such a groundswell of confidence, it wouldn't matter if I personally stopped believing my $1 bill wasn't worth that for a day or so. But when enough people stop believing in the value of it, it will be affected.

It would be sad if our own value was determined by everyone's confidence in us.  Sadder still is, most of us have already undervalued ourselves without any help from anyone else.  The world tries to help us gain confidence by telling us to master skills, win friends and influence people.  But if you don't truly have confidence deep down, you can only fake it for so long. 

It is unfortunate that so many Christians do not understand their value.  It affects our confidence in sharing the One and Only life force in the universe---Jesus Christ.  It is not the value I place on myself that will help me win the day and the month and a lifetime; it is the confidence I have in Him who is able to do exceedingly above all I expect or think, and enables me to do all things through Him.

Fortunately, God does not depend on our confidence to remain the same yesterday, today and forever. If we lose our confidence in His constancy, He remains faithful and true. And He never stops believing we are valuable, no matter what we've done.

If we understand our own value through Him, we are then able to truly value others and not just paste a politically correct face on things.  People know when we truly value them.  There is eventually a test of that genuineness and it comes when we least expect it.  When we are real, we don't have to worry about being found out in hypocrocy.

If you lack confidence, ask the Lord to show you who you are in Him.  Ask Him to give you eyes to see the treasure that you are.

Passive Aggression is Not Diplomacy

If you've ever heard the phrase, "A man convinced against his will is of the same opinion still," then you know what comes next... passive aggression.  While I should not be baffled by passive aggressive behavior, I will admit I am.  Though I try my best to ask for candid feedback, very few people will tell me all...even those that love me.  It seems the only people that will tell you the honest (albeit raw) truth are those who have no problem telling you off, often in colorful language.

The passive aggressive (PA) might be doing the same "telling off" only in a thought bubble, but this can make them hard to recognize. I'm not talking about the people whom you've badgered into buying your used car that never show up to pay for it.  I'm not even talking about the people who agree to help you then never get around to it.  I'm referring to those that tell you nicely to your face that they are in alignment with your position, then go out and agree with your opposition, even if they know you will find out.

In my denial I also refuse to admit the PA has it in for me.  I chalk it up to miscommunication, so I will repeat the interaction to better understand why this person is not aligned any more.  I try to understand the position of the other person...perhaps I am missing something from my perspective.  Is it possible this person doesn't know they disagree?

I'll just say this outright:  passive aggression is dishonest, and there is nothing diplomatic about it.  If you think that not speaking up when you disagree somehow makes you a more pleasant person, we'd better agree to disagree right now.  The jig is up.  We "directs" recognize you are communicating like a mime in the dark, and we will continue to take you at face value anyway.  We will be aggressively passive, heap all sorts of kindness on your head and even dare you to tell the truth with a wink.   Feel free to stop trying to be a diplomat any time.  We can take it.

Let Not Your Legacy Be Dust

Whether trash or treasure, what you leave behind you leave to someone else.  Too often it is the "eat my dust" kind rather than something of great value.  Leaving nothing is better than what people neglect to clean up.

Some people (particularly in uncertain economic times and company shakeups) covet information in a disillusioned effort to remain valuable.  They hide information, then complain constantly about how overworked they are because everyone demands their time.  Then, when they are removed, they hope the company suffers without them.  They want their legacy to be that people miss them because they did not feel appreciated while they were there.  These people are not only forgotten in a moment, but the collective breathes a sigh of relief they are no longer the log jam in the road.

Others become so emotionally attached to their work product they believe they are the only humans capable of guarding it, and refuse to entertain any innovations or incremental improvements.  These people not only never advance, they usually fade away with their creation when a new shiny object comes along and the company moves an entirely different direction.  They will talk about the "good old days" when everything was so much better than it is now. They will be remembered for their complaining, not for the great things accomplished in the past.

Maya Angelou, Professor of English Literature Wake Forest University said:

"I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel."

Leaving a legacy of encouragement and empowerment at every job you have is so much more enduring than any widget you'll invent, deal you will close, or process you will perfect.  If you have trampled on delicate human flesh to get where you are, you've not only left a legacy of dust, you should watch your back...your legacy may catch up with you.

Few of us can see the true legacy we leave behind in our careers, since people rarely tell us to our faces how we have impacted their lives, good or bad.  But they will talk about us...good or bad.  When we build up others and help them to realize they can achieve great things, we do more than build the company morale, we build people.  And people who are built up will in turn build others.  Building such a living legacy becomes legendary in the place where thieves can't steal and moths can't destroy. (Matthew 6:19).

Detox in the Fox Hole

Monday has really gotten a bad rap from the M-F work crowd.  While its true that Mondays tend to be tough coming off a weekend, it doesn't usually hold the record for stress, disappointment, layoffs, or panic.

Each and every work day can bring a "new normal" of stress, where budgets are cut, tempers are short, and expectations are on the rise.  This week's news that productivity is up but wages are stagnant is just another way of saying "the man" is working on a long-term plan for moving most of us further on the continuim from indentured to slavery. 

You can't be engaged with mud and not get it on you.  The stress in many work places today is palatable.  You almost need a morphine drip line to dull the anxiety of so many chicken little's announcing the sky is falling, and problems that cut you day after day until they no longer draw blood.

It is so normal to escape the fray through food, sleep, or unedifying entertainment.  This is what the body turns to.  It may numb the soul for a bit, but it doesn't detox.  You need daily detox to stay ready for the fight:

Protect the fort – the secret place of the Most High must not only remain intact, it may need reinforcement. Do not let the demands of engagement creep into the secret place or you will jeopardize your place of rest. The body is more fragile during these times.

Ready weapons – It is foolish to ever allow weapons to gather dust or decline into a state of un-readiness. However, if this has occurred, it is imperative to return them to the ready.  Return to prayer.  it doesn't have to be formal.  Just talk and tarry with Him.  Read the Word of God.

Block out noise – Not everything during engagement is relevant. Do not allow small skirmishes or background static to distract your focus from the mission at hand.  He is bigger than your situation. 

Avoid isolation – Don’t be deceived into thinking you are alone and no one can be trusted. Recall those who are trustworthy from previous engagements and communicate frequently.

Days and seasons of spiritual warfare are not to be dreaded—there is a sense of beauty in the intimacy felt during these times. You may feel you are in a fox hole, but if you detox daily, you will have piece and joy despite the insanity around you.

Leap Forward to the Incremental Advance

Whenever pundits compare Apple with Microsoft, they like to say Apple is a "leap forward" company and Microsoft is a more of an "incremental advances" company.  It is meant to be an observation, but often sounds like one is being positioned over the other.

"Leap forward" innovations are exciting...and rare in comparison to incremental advances.  (The "leap forward" is not a "fast-forward" model by the way. Steve Jobs drew the concept for the iPad on a table napkin...30 years ago.)  Any real leaps require people with vision and tenacity to see it to fruition.

It is a good thing that most everything is incremental, since if our entire known way of doing things changed too frequently, we would all live in constant shock.  It also would mean that we would accept each leap forward as perfect rather than what it truly is... something that CAN and WILL be improved upon...incrementally.

Most of us are stuck (comfortably) in the incremental advances segment.... and should be thankful that we are.  It is not hard to image the internal disruption that occurs at a company that is focused too heavily on "big leap forward" innovation. When you work on a global scale, getting the "next best thing" to all the relevant markets is an incremental advance in itself.

It is somewhat amusing that (because leaps forward are rare) marketers are always trying to position those tiny incremental improvements as if they were.  "Incremental advance" companies pressure their workers to try and be "leap forward" innovative when they only intend to fund incremental advances.... a strategy that will either be constantly ridiculed by the internal masses, or all the true innovators will go to companies where they actually mean that.  That's not to say that innovation always cost money; but it does cost resources if you intend to get everyone involved to "think different".

The Bible says "there is nothing new under the sun" (Ecclesiastes 1:9)...a truth we would be wise to remember.  We can take comfort in knowing it is always new to someone, though, even if it isn't a leap forward.  Incremental advances are here to stay.  After all, the tortoise did beat the hare.

The Salmon Among Us

If you've ever been called obstinate or you view the rest of us as lemmings, you understand what swimming against the current is all about.  It's not that you are opposed to "going with the flow"; you just want to make sure the flow will take you where you want to go before you approve of it.

Salmon aren't really obstinate creatures.  Mules, donkeys, and camels are typically animals we associate with stubbornness.  The difference (to this writer, anyway) is that salmon are going somewhere... they swim upstream with a purpose, and aren't just pushing back against the "establishment" because it wasn't their idea.

People who push back can be valuable to the organization.  You'll never see true innovation without those who want to continually question the status quo.  You'll never see bad changes stopped in time without those willing to stand up, be heard and risk being counted as fools.  You will see good things deteriorate into mediocrity without those willing to be an unmoving standard for excellence.  ("Good is better than done" only works when you are continually pushing for "better" with each "done").

Being around people who push back can help you become more strategic.  Unless you like doing the same thing over and over and hoping for different results, people who question your ideas should help you form a better case to persuade others.  If you know why you are doing something so thoroughly you are ready to give the reason anytime anyone asks, you may not be a salmon, but you are no longer a lemming.  You will also begin to distinguish between people you "feel" are good leaders and those who actually are....so that even if you would rather follow, you at least recognize competence.

Oh, and beloved salmon, take care.  Sometimes it is better to go with the flow.  You can become so good at questioning everything that without good discipline, you will no longer be a salmon but will turn into just a log in the stream that real salmon have to jump over. 

Living Under the Bus

Reputation is a fragile thing.  Under the right circumstances even the most sterling of reputations can be tarnished.

I hear the phrase "thrown under the bus" frequently, and while that might have originally implied someone being disparaged undeservingly, it often feels like it also refers to comrades that need to be taken behind the woodshed and "schooled" a bit.

It is very easy to throw others "under the bus" if we fear our own good standing is in jeopardy.   And some people are thrown there so frequently they pretty much live under the bus.   Eventually they are not on the bus at all.

Some of us who would like to think we are more pragmatic throw whole departments under the bus, as if somehow spreading the blame and condemnation across an anonymous "they" will keep the stink from ricocheting back.  Take care if you are in the habit of doing this.  There are very real people in the "they" and it is very easy to diminish your own good standing when you are seen as a blamer and not a team player.

If you have been thrown under the bus, try not to grab anyone else to join you.  Take stock of what is being communicated and own up to your mistakes.  People who own their errors command far more respect than those who are constantly deflecting.

If you are a believer in Christ, remember that He made Himself of no reputation at all to achieve the greatest thing in human history and and forever.  Remember that if you are doing your Father's business, He will watch out for your good standing...where it counts.   While some people's good opinions are not worth having, His is all that matters.

Daydreams vs. Hallucinations

In Oliver Sack's latest book, he describes the difference between imagination and hallucination:  the ability of the one seeing to control what is seen.  In work and in life, most of us with a conscious desire to find the truth... to be able to determine quickly what is real and what is fake.  It's hard to do, especially when we are so easily exposed to unreliable and easily manipulated sources for our information.  Even our eyes can deceive us. Some of the most real things in our humanity can't be seen at all.

Growing up in a certain birth order in my slightly dysfunctional family, I learned to size things up quickly and act on them.  This would later need to be undone as an adult, because when I was wrong, I was seriously wrong.  Taking things at face value without having to read in secret motives became extremely liberating.  I took things less personally.  I put the responsibility of communicating back on the person responsible desiring to send the message.

The end result moves me away from the inspirational end of the scale more than I might like, but keeps me grounded in reality.  The "facts" as they have been presented, not assumed. Far too many people are convicted on innuendo.  Even if "filling in the blanks" has served you well with above 90% accuracy, the 10% you are wrong can be seriously wrong.

Unless you are dreaming to escape a flawed reality, your dreaming needs a well-grounded ability to discern what is real if you want to make that dream come true.  Just as true love is not blind, visionary dreaming does not ignore facts; it determines to see them changed as necessary.  In searching for the path to success, only a Spirit-led quest will take the burden of having to carry a bullsh*t meter around with you.

A last note:  If you believe the Lord has allowed you to be conned at some point, don't stress about it.  Having discernment does not mean you can read minds and avoid the occasional sucker punch.  His plans and purposes for you are PERFECT.  Ask Him to show you the "why".  Sometimes He just wants you to be "you" and that is hard to do if you know too much in certain situations.  Just know... He's got your back.

Bigfoot Print

As a kid (and well, even as an adult) when I've tried to be funny, people just look at me in a way they hope will discourage this behavior.  When I'm just being myself and not even intending to be funny, people laugh at the humorous things I say.  When my sincerest goal is to be inspirational to the masses, I am invisible, lost in a sea of too much information to process.  Then, when I'm just being myself, I say something to an individual that seems totally ordinary to me and I am told later it was encouraging.

Those of us with a deep-seated desire to do something great want to leave our mark on the world.  Some of us want to be remembered for all time; others are satisfied to bear children and let that be their legacy.  It's probably not a good idea to entertain fantasies of  being immortalized for all time by the known world from now forward; we all have short memories.  But you can still change the world or the course of history.  (They just might not spell your name right down here on earth.)

It is essential to remember that so much of our world is upside down compared to life in the hereafter.  What might seem world-changing down here (if you believe the media) wouldn't even be a blip on the radar in Heaven.  Something that would go completely unnoticed by anyone but you and perhaps another person could very possibly make you famous in Heaven.

The day you prayed in faith for the safety or healing or salvation of someone you knew or even just heard about from a friend, you changed history.  The day you obeyed and did the hard thing of reaching out to someone who had not treated you with anything but haughty disdain, you changed the world.  The day you gave of yourself and put people over profits, you changed the future.

Rather than getting caught up in the big eulogy you've dreamed up for yourself, concentrate on the work ahead of and around you.  The people you touch today are the people He has given to you.  If you are Him with skin on, you'll leave a big foot print forever...even if you don't realize it until Heaven.

When They Ask to See Your Parents

I could tell some damage control would be needed as soon as he barked out the question, "Where's [my boss]?"  I was asked to cover a meeting for my team leader and the meeting's top level guest didn't not want to state his demands to the "second string".  "I assure you I am quite a worthy stand-in," I replied.

When I was a kid, I didn't mind when a grown-up asked to talk to my parents.  They rarely wanted to talk of anything I cared about.  It's easy to stay a kid at the workplace, too, and not stretch the limits of what is expected of you.  I don't recommend it.

While some real authority is given and firm, most authority is more elusive, and can simply be earned or stolen away.  You will have exactly the level of authority you prevent others from taking from you.  A simulation of authority pasted on the outside like a cheap suit might look like the person (of your same rank) who asks you (seriously) to get them some coffee in front of others they are trying to impress.  When you refuse with sarcasm, it might be funny, or it might be an opportunity to steal some authority right out from under their nose.  People like your coffee demander are always trying to take authority they don't already own.  They don't understand how to come by it honestly, so they do their best to pick-pocket it from unsuspecting schmucks ready to hand it over.

If you're one of those schmucks always giving away your power, you may also be passing up opportunities for advancement.  If your boss has to continually introduce you and state your authority, it's time for you to grow up and leave home. Once for an introduction to new people is one thing; when they continue to bypass you because you are not standing your ground is another.

So how do you keep what is rightfully yours?  And rightfully earn more?  First, you do whatever it takes to have and maintain a clear understanding with your boss(es) on what your stated authority is.  If you are not clear, you run the risk of making them look bad and yourself too, by overstepping your bounds in a hot moment. (There are ALWAYS hot moments of one kind or another).  Second, understand that a very important part of authority comes from truly KNOWING you speak for your team.  You have decision-making power conferred upon you by the team you serve. Don't back down.  Don't offer to confer with your boss and get back to someone. Just tell them you'll find out if you don't know something. Keep your dignity.  A superior demanding to see your boss because he/she thinks you are insufficient may have never learned how to earn authority and is desperately flapping what little they have out there to make it seem bigger than it is.

Third, don't sweat it if the people you are trying to work with in a particular situation just refuse to deal with you and insist on going above your head. There are always a few.  Keep your calm.  Remember that Christ has given you authority to trample serpents (so to speak) so someone else's temper tantrum is not going to force you to take out your authority wallet and empty it in their hands.  Do try your best to give your bosses a "heads up" that escalation is coming and why.  They will understand if you have worked on staying aligned, because it happens to them too...more than you might think.

Tactics in Search of a Strategy

I hated creating an outline before writing papers in elementary school.  Having to stop and plan what I was going to say seemed to stifle the creativity of what I wanted to write.  It was so much easier to let whatever I decided at the last minute flow and do the outline afterwards.  The worst scenario was having to hand in an outline prior to the paper that would commit me to the chosen topic.

There is something to be said for doing all those tactical items that you like to do because you have conquered them.  It makes you feel like you've really gotten a lot done.  (And someone has to do it!)  It also helps you understand what it takes to do certain things, and it gives you a perspective you would not have otherwise.

Eventually, however, you will find this approach restrictive to achieving anything of larger scale...including jobs that you will find more challenging.  Thinking and operating strategically is more than just having a plan.  You actually have to follow that plan through to completion.  And it helps if you are constantly publishing your goals out there where you remain accountable to them.  (Management tends to forget what they've asked you to do 5 minutes ago, let alone weeks or months.)

I am continually surprised how rarely business people act strategically.  They want the rank and pay for strategic operations and management without utilizing the skill set.  There is a plethora of great business strategy books and other media out there.  Something just seems to happen between the digestion and absorption of them into a way of working.  It's called laziness.

To be fair, it is even more challenging to act strategically in an environment where you are the only one.  You will continually have forces around you trying to get you to "ad lib" on multiple distractors.  It might due to remind them that flying by the seat of one's pants is not the same as being nimble.  Nimble is that elusive condition where plans and processes have been perfected to sacrificially achieve that state.

If you are working strategically, this is that time of year when all those who have failed to plan will now want to enlist your help in rushing to the finish line.  After all, you're making it look easy or perhaps even like you have bandwidth to spare.

If you're on the nonstrategic side of the fence and you like it there, you may see strategic operators as being inflexible even in the light of something better.  Committing to a strategy does not mean the strategy is a good one.  Sticking to a strategy without watching the surrounding conditions is as bad as not having one at all.

To strike the right balance, It is essential to involve the Master of Strategy when you sit down to plan.  He knows all the roadblocks, supporters and detractors that may come up.  Most importantly, He knows what will succeed and be the very best road to take, even if it doesn't look like it halfway through.  Jesus likes strategy...and He is the most nimble of all.

You Can't Hide Your Superpowers

In a recent team building exercise, we were asked the question, "If you could have a super power, what would you pick?"  I heard several people saying to one another that they would like the ability to fly.  (I guess air travel really has lost its glamor). 

Frankly, I'm suspicious of anyone wanting super powers who isn't a kid.  Cant you see how tortured superman is?  Always trapped in response mode? Having to over-think that a first strike might mean he might become a Nazi to beat a Nazi?  And to really survive having a super power, you have to have several.  Example, if my power was flying I'd also need sonar to avoid other things in the air; the ability to have small objects not become projectiles at high speed, clothing that could withstand the flight, and the ability to navigate (I'm not sure that Google Maps can't keep up with super power flying).

Fortunately I already have a super power cluster:  the Holy Spirit.  The reason so many of us Christians appear powerless in the work place is because we either only want power for our own personal gain, or we think having the power of the Spirit is something we can whip out like a concealed weapon at our command and forget about when we're no longer in a tough spot. 

There are some rare occasions when the Holy Spirit works in stealth mode; but most of the time He is out there speaking and showing and acting to glorify the only One Who deserves glory: Himself.  He's really not interested in making a billion dollars, launching new software, inventing a new technology, or building the tallest building in the known world.  He is interested first in relationships.  He wants to us all to know Him, because He is good.  He wants us to love each other, not with what the world mistakenly thinks is love, but His love.  And, He wants those of us who walk with Him to be the conduits for His power... with skin on.  If we do this, He can help us make a billion dollars and invent a new technology, since that is the easy part.

So if you're already "plugged in", stop thinking you have to leave your super power at home.  (You can't, anyway).  If you're not plugged in, well, the good news is, there is enough Super Power for everyone that wants a relationship with Him.  It is an exclusive offer, and beware of imitations, since such fakes are not only inferior, they are consistently unreliable when you're needing to fly.

Don't Forget to Run

A meeting presenter said this week, "we are walking before we run."  I asked, "What is your vision of running?"  The answer was "I don't know."  It was a telling answer...and so many of us are guilty of not having a solid vision of what "running" looks like.  We put off committing to the high goals until we think they are achievable... or rather, "within walking distance."

There is nothing wrong with crawling or walking before you run.  It is usually necessary to do so.  But it is so very easy to get so good at just walking, we begin to create reasons why we must continue to perfect walking.  It is safe and comfortable, ... and after all, we're still moving forward, right?  Running gives us less control of our ability to change direction.  You can't change your course as nimbly when running than when you are walking.  Running requires a commitment.  Running requires sustained belief in the destination you have chosen.

So how do we get around to really running?  Step one: when you sit down to set a goal or make a plan, don't limit your thinking to what you know is practically possible in the present.  If you do so, you'll never plan to do anything but walk.  This is like committing to build a road but never looking up to see where the destination will be.  The result is, we fail to aim high enough to do anything other than the ordinary.

To run rather than walk, you must plan with an attitude of abundance.  Planning with abundance is assuming there will always be enough of what you need to reach your goal. When you start to run instead of walk, you'll discover you need things you didn't even realize you would need (and sooner than you thought you would...FYI... running is a FASTER way to go).

Step two: envision "yes" not "no" when you run.  You will encounter roadblocks whether you decide to walk or run, but if you run at least you have the momentum you need to jump over them.

Lastly, if you run and fall down, get up and run again.  In many ways, running is its own reward.  If you have run once, you will want to run again. And when you get so good at running it becomes like walking, you'll need to start planning to fly.

Foot in Mouth Disease Poultice

We've all done it..."putting your foot in your mouth"... saying something stupid or inappropriate for the circumstances.  When the realization hits, the awkwardness is so terrible it puts you into a kind of temporary shock, usually followed by even more awkward attempts to correct it, which serve only to drive the foot deeper into your throat.

Whoever said "sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never hurt me" was an idiot.  Words last so much longer than physical wounds, because words can injure the psyche and still have effect long after the conscious brain has forgotten the impact.  (Note to self:  no matter how skinny she is, NEVER ask if she is pregnant).

What can you do when you can't take it back?  You must apologize.  The apology is the outward sign of the inward desire.  But that isn't enough.  The Bible says that the power of life and death is in the tongue.  And in case you didn't know, everything ....EVERYTHING starts in the spirit.  So whatever damage might be inflicted has to be fixed in the spirit first.  So here is your foot in mouth poultice:

• Pray for forgiveness for any injury you may have caused as soon as possible.
• Admit you're a knucklehead to the person to whom you just said the stupid thing.
• Forgive yourself and move on.

If you are the person who has been the victim of a careless assault of words, you need a poultice of your own:

• Pray and ask the Lord to help you heal and forget the injury
• Choose to forgive the other person.  If it helps, ask the Lord to show you how you have been guilty of the same thing in the past (because you HAVE done it, being human and all)...
• Move on.

The enemy of your soul knows exactly what words to send you to "push your buttons".  The only way to prevent that is to remove the buttons so he has nothing to push.  The only way to remove the buttons is to seek the Lord with your whole heart, and believe Him... He shows us how we really are.  In Him, we are fantastic people! 

You CAN Handle the Truth

If I have to tell you I care about you as a preface to some difficult feedback, I am already the wrong person to give you the news.  It is hard for us to hear the truth from people we KNOW love us; it is nearly impossible for us to hear people we don't believe really care.

Truth about who we are could be divided into one of four categories:

• Truth everyone knows about us (including us)
• Truth only we know about ourselves
• Truth only God knows (and we don't even know)
• Truth everyone else knows that we are blind to

We will all have varying degrees of each category, but the most dangerous one is our blind spot. This is caused by us either deliberately closing our eyes to something, or we have not had anyone care about us enough to tell us the truth. 

Telling the truth to people about themselves is hard.  In the workplace, more and more companies are trained to look for talented people who are self-aware, because self-aware people need less truth telling... they are open to feedback as a normal path to growth.

When someone is sitting down with you to evaluate your performance, what do you remember from the encounter?  The good?  Or the bad?  And since the person telling you is not the Lord Jesus, how can they possibly be perfect in knowing any truth about you?  They cannot.  Which is why it is so much better to hear it from Him first.

The Lord is the only One who can tell us some challenging truths about ourselves without leaving us feeling hopeless about it.  He doesn't just editorialize then force us to figure it out.  His method is to bring it to our attention with the purpose of inviting us to let Him help us overcome.  Invite Him to show you. 

If you're the person having to give the difficult feedback, it is never wrong to question your motives.  If you are handing out advice to someone you don't care about, don't be surprised when it falls on deaf ears, or actually makes the problem worse.  Work on caring about them.  The Lord can give you His eyes for the moments of the encounter, where the delivery can be made in a way you could not on your own.  And don't pass off this difficult job to paper or email or another person if it is truly hard to do.  

As a young supervisor, I remember having a conversation with the Lord about people not wanting to hear the truth.  His answer to me was very clear: "Most people don't like to eat their meat raw."  Clearly, I had work to do on my delivery....and timing...and relationships.

Seek Him diligently, and He will reveal Himself to you.  In this revelation you will become more like Him.  His light leaves no blind spots.

Zero Degrees of Separation

All of us know at least one "name dropper"... the person who lets us know their connections, their sphere of influence, or the Styrofoam cup they kept from a famous person sighting.  At work, this can come to our attention as "elevating the issue" by someone who either thinks we can be forced to do something if someone more powerful tells us, or that processes can be skipped to get a certain something expedited.

Almost no one (no one I have ever met, anyway), looks merely at the facts when something is "elevated" to them.  They also take into account WHO is asking for the exception.  (Perhaps quite a few leaders have "Chicken Little's" working on their teams. All of us report to someone, so we have to use our power carefully if it is to remain powerful.)

My goal (and prayer) is to have favor with the decision makers I must influence.  Sometimes this is simply an instantaneous and momentary gift of grace given to me by the Most High God and it gets me what I need.  Most of the time, however, it is built slowly over time, through the integrity of who I am in Christ.  It means I must say what I mean and really mean what I say.  It means I don't over-promise and under-deliver.  It means I don't shout "the sky is falling!" unless I've checked my facts and have a piece of it in my hand as proof.  It shows the person I am elevating the matter to that I can be counted on to exhaust all avenues before having to involve them.  It also means caring to understand the people I'm going to need favor from and doing my best to see it through their eyes.

Certainly, favor created by a good reputation requires the people I need it from to know me... but when they don't, I am no less powerful in my influence.  I know THE ONE Who knows the beginning from the end.  When I have His favor, I have all I need.  As I recently heard, "An hour of favor is worth more than a year of hard work."  Favor can save your job.  Favor has saved nations.  Favor can save your life.

Favor with any one person is tenacious at best and usually fleeting. Favor with God, in comparison, is like the card that gets you in everywhere.  How do you get favor with God?  Work on your reputation with Him.  Get to truly know Him, not about Him (that's like repainting your car hoping it will fix your transmission.)  If you know Him already, just ask Him for the favor you need. You are at zero degrees of separation.

Snap Out of the Pavlov Coma

The way we approach problem-solving is quite revealing ...and predictive of how able we are to adapt to new situations.

This is the corporate season for next year's strategic planning.  It comes at an odd time... right at the height of doubt this year's goals will be achieved by year end.  Nonetheless, the ritual begins.  We all try to step out and dream big...or do we?

When you're so busy trying to reach this year's impossible goals, it can taint your mindset for imagining the barely possible next year.  And then, there is the "got stood up for the prom" syndrome where you are living the past pain of having planned and gotten approval, only to told at kick-off it was game off.  (Management's idea of "flexible" can seem psychotic sometimes).

If we are not careful, we can lapse into probability planning rather than possibility planning.  Probability planning is the reality curmudgeon telling us to not try another big plan because it will fail.  It is important to remember that even a really good idea has a season of acceptability.  This might not be the season.  But what if you could usher that season in?

Proverbs 16:3 says that if we commit our work to the Lord, our plans will be established (will succeed).  This remains true.  Because if you are working in concert with Him, He's already giving you the idea and the plan.  If you commit it to Him, He can help you usher the season in at the perfect time.  And there is that wonderful thing called "favor" with the decision makers to whom you are trying to sell your great idea.  He gives you that also.

Go forth and see what is possible.  This is the season of the impossible coming to pass.

The Anomaly of Mavericks in Harmony

Even as someone who prefers to work alone, I know that team work product is better than what I could do all by myself.  The very best teams are the most chaotic in the creation process of a project.  It requires a certain amount of thick leather hide to endure this chaos, and a singular understanding of the common goal by each teammate.

The end result is something quite remarkable.  As this process is repeated for each new project, endurance of the chaos evolves into an expectation that it is required for an excellent outcome.  A little like not wearing your formal attire out to work in the muddy garden, you mentally prepare to get messy.  (You can put your formal wear back on when you celebrate success with the team).

Sadly, most teams come together with the idea that they somehow have to leave their individual talent at the door to become some sort of milk toast collective, trying to preserve delicate feelings and egos in perfect political correctness rather than come up with novel solutions.  Great leadership that gives permission to be messy is essential.  But so are ground rules.

The chaotic process for true innovation can permanently damage people if the team does not care for each other.  You can only have constructive dialog with someone if you respect them.  If you do not value the PEOPLE on your team the process will take over and the people will be trampled.  This is the main reason teams break down.  They have a plan, a method that is proven, but they entered into the engagement without a will to care about the people they work with.

I suppose some people get very, very good at faking respect.  Call me a skeptic, but I don't believe that you can truly HEAR and leverage what the other person says if you are only faking respect for them out of protocol.  So how do you respect someone you can barely tolerate most days?

You have to see them with bigger eyes.  I cannot love people with the limited capacity of my own selfish heart.  I must ask the Lord to show me... to let me see them as He sees them.  As my vision changes of these difficult people, I see them as precious children, sometimes misguided, but always having intrinsic value.  And, I understand that the moments I spend with them are merely a slice of a very full and challenging life I can't possibly understand since I don't walk with them like He does.

People rise (or fall) to our expectations of them.  Let's expect the very best, so all our mavericks can come together and create something amazing.

Wewease the Secwet Weapon: Joy

If you don't know the difference between happiness and joy, think of it this way:  happiness gives you the strength of a pea shooter; joy is a nuclear weapon.  Happiness is the resulting feelings largely influenced by external circumstances.  Joy comes from the Creator of joy and dwells deep inside, undisturbed by temporal changes.

Joy is a powerhouse, and is like a force field against the pressure bearing down on us.  Even our brains cannot comprehend it, because it is mentally in congruent to be in the midst of tragedy and have joy, but it happens.  If none of this makes sense to you, it is possible you have never known true joy.

If it does make sense, but are wondering if your joy has been stolen or misplaced, it's time to recover it and put it back into use.  Poor eating, sleep deprivation, low blood sugar or hormonal imbalance can cause you to forget where your joy went.  Don't be discouraged if this is the case; just address the physical issue and you will be amazed to see your joy was right there in front of you the whole time.

The power of joy can reduce a DEFCON 5 stress level meeting to DEFCON 1 in no time at all.  It is a calming balm; a healing tonic.  Joy is one of the best relationship builders you can have.  People seek out and want to be with joyful people.  You will be twice as productive using joy as not.  You will be able to go the extra mile and take prisoners.

Stop saving your joy for Armageddon... it's okay to use every day if you make sure you replenish your supply by regularly connecting with the One Who Is joy.

Liar, Liar Won't Avoid a Fire

When I heard "everybody lies" I used to think, "not me" ...not unless I mistakenly believed what I was saying was the truth.  Then, I ran into a situation where the truth was too much for the person involved.  I caved.  I lied. You could say I was afraid to tell them the truth, and you'd be right.  I wasn't afraid for my reputation.  This person would have not believed the truth, possibly attacked my physically or had an anger-related accident.  This person couldn't handle the truth, even while intimating they wanted to hear it.

I'm fascinated at why people lie, simply because I find it so hard to do.  Some people do it to avoid conflict.  Some people do it out of fear.  Some people are so good at it they do it for sport.

In the workplace, lying is far more common place than we'd like to admit.  Most lies are told by us to ourselves.  Whoever said the road to hell is paved with good intentions could also say the mortar is made of unmet commitments.  Padded timelines, promised deliveries, committing resources we don't control.  We say it's better to under promise and over deliver, but sometimes telling the truth means not promising anything.

Lying to avoid conflict happens a lot in personal relationships.  You were waiting for the right time to tell the truth, but the wrong time was forced on you and well, you agreed to something you don't really agree with.  This happened to me a lot when I was younger; I hope it is happening less now.  It happened because true or not, I was perceived as someone who would not handle the truth without a robust discussion.  It was easier for the person to say they agreed even if they didn't.

When we don't make it "safe" for someone to tell the truth, we are hurting ourselves too.  We will think we have alignment when we don't. A number of subversive activities may occur that we know nothing about, all because we thought we had buy-in, agreement and support when really they just wanted us to get out of their face at the time.  It would be less painful to know this if it didn't happen with people we really care about, but this is when it happens most.

I can't make it safe for people to tell me the truth unless they know it is safe to fail in front of me.  Sometimes the most trust is created when the person falls down in front of me, and I pick them up and dust them off and say, "let's try again."  I've just made it safe for them to be real, because I didn't make them feel bad for failing.  They are more likely to tell me the truth now.  We are more likely to avoid a fire.