The Go-Giver

Every once in a while a cool little book comes along that has the potential of changing big things in the lives of those who read it. The "Go-Giver" by Bob Burg and John David Mann is just such a book. It may be just what you need. Though it is technically a secular business book, I hesitate to label it as such because its implications touch on things sacred and certainly span past business. I have found its principles to be true in my life. More importantly, I have found them taught in Scripture. Giving is everything. 50-50 is a losing proposal and "thinking win-win" never works. Go for the other guy's win. Make it a 100% win for the person on the other side of the table and you will be everything the world calls successful and more. From a pastor's perspective, you will be living like Jesus. This is what He did. This is what He taught. Don't negotiate with life and people, keeping score the whole time. Abandon yourself to the true blessing of others and stop keeping score. If you get a chance to read this little parable/story and find it valuable, let me know.

Inside Job

I feel like I'm learning it all over again. It's what inside that counts. I've been watching things go well at church for weeks now. Better than ever, I would say. It's been busy, as you can tell from my lack of postings, but it's been good, very good. For me, so much of what has been working flows from my attitude toward people. Books like "Leadership and Self-Deception" by the Arbinger Institute and "It's Not My Fault" by Dr. Henry Cloud and Dr. John Townsend have helped me considerably. They contain nothing revolutionary, but, still, I feel as if I have experienced a little revolution this summer, albeit a revolution of the obvious. So much depends on what we think about others. If you're with someone and you think, "what a jerk" or "what a bother," there is no way you can do anything of value within range of your relationship with this person. A bad attitude toward others is like bad smell in the air; it reduces your influence on others and, if you're in leadership, reduces the possibilities for whatever environment or group you're responsible for. There's no way around this principle. There's no set of leadership techniques or skills that can smooth over your inner disregard for others. Whatever you feel about someone deep in your soul is running the show. Emotional toxins, whether they seem hidden or not, will always surface. You can bank on it. If you can't stand people, you can't lead them. If you love them no matter what, you can lead them no matter what. It really is this simple. I know both sides of this truth. Simply being aware of it changes everything.