by Dale Shumaker
4spirit@gmail.com
Blah Blah Blah is by Dan Roam, author of Back of the Napkin, leads us from just using words when we communicate, to vivid thinking and expressing. Every word we use has a picture connected to it by the person hearing the word. Take the word "fly." There are many different visual images that a mind can attach to fly... it's an insect, it's a plane trip, it's going fast.... When we clarify communication by using vivid images, we quickly direct the brain to the right path we intend.
We all can at least draw stick figures, using our best illustrating skills, even from the least skilled illustrator, we can get our point across more clearly. Blah, Blah Blah takes us from boring to taking the clutter out and sharpening it, from removing the fog to seeing the essence of the main idea, from clearing up misleading information to what it is intended to mean. The Blah Blah Blah is the boring, foggy, misleading that hinders vivid thinking.
Vivid thinking is the visual and the verbal being interdependent. It's creates words and pictures, contains words and pictures and explains everything using words and pictures.
When and where to use pictures to sharpen up words.Roam calls it vivid grammar.When you hear a noun draw a portrait, a picture of a person, even with stick figures.
When an adjective is about quantity, draw a chart to compare numbers, volume, the amount.
When it's a preposition, use a map to show its direction and relationship.
Is it past, present or future tense, use a timeline to show where it fits.
If the verb is complex, make a flow chart to show options of direction.
When you have a complex sentence draw a multivariable plot.
This one requires some explanation... a steak, with vegetables, water, and seasoning make a stew.
Show how the parts come together in what proportion to make the end result.
One note about Blah Blah Blah. This summary really doesn't do the concept justice. Only words are being used here, and his illustrations in the book will enhance your understanding way beyond what you read here. (Check his website, and book.)
Once you learn vivid grammar... using what kind of pictures, illustrations in place of which parts of grammar... Roam takes you into the forest. So if you can't see the forest for the trees in your communication, here's more guidelines.
The walk through the forest starts with...Form is determining if you are using all of the six vivid grammar parts well... portraits, charts, maps, timelines, flowchart, multivariable plot.
Only the essentials. Distill your idea down to the essentials, only the essentials.
Recognizable. Use visual metaphors from nature, life, the world people have seen before.Evolves. The idea should evolve. Nearly complete the idea so others can complete it. Connect the dots.Spans differences. Include the opposite of the idea. People can grasp the what from what it isn't, and seeing the difference.Targeted. It goes where the listening is inclined to go: the leader wants to know where it's going, the doer getting it done, the expert wants complexity, the newbie needs simplicity, the numbers personwants quantities, emotional person feelings.
Roam uses the hummingbird and fox to demonstrate how this works. The hummingbird likes to show you, the fox talks your arm off. We have both of these in our brains, but we seem to have more emphasis on the words. Vivid communication is a show and tell.
http://www.danroam.com/
What's in a great story?
Jesus is using our lives to build a great story through us. He is the Author and Perfecter of our Faith (Heb. 11:2). As a premier author, His story holds one's attention with plots and subplots through each day. Healings, dealing with naive disciples, and conniving religious leaders. Many following him, many what him leading their cause, many loving him in depths never known before, and many wanting to kill him. The story is a movie headliner... action, romance, intrigue, adventure, tension, conflict, mystery, excitement, laughter, heartbreak and uplifting joy.
Our lives are a great story too, that Jesus is writing. You see books that have the author's name as written, "by John The Author with Sam The Writer." We are a "by" "with" authorship. Your story "by" you "with" Jesus.
Bob Sorge in a presentation called "Jesus, the Consummate Author," impresses on us that our lives are a story of great intrigue. With life not being perfect, and working through highs and lows, challenges with victories, we have a great story with many fascinating subplots. He points out...
http://www.ihop.org/resources/2012/03/23/jesus-the-consummate-author/
(Bob Sorge, Oasis House Ministries)
If our lives were perfect and all things went well without any hitches, it would make quite a boring story. But with things moving along a merry road, and then all of a sudden injustice, surprises, unfulfilled visions, disappointments, then another surprise... it is going on the path of a great story. Plots, subplots with unexpected turn of events... it builds, grows, twists and turns. We enjoy a story that has an ending that surprises us, catches us off guard, creates curiosity on what will happen next. That's the average person's life. When God is with us, He works with us through all these facets of our lives.
He is building a story in us. A story we can tell others on how God so uniquely took us through all aspects, unexpectancies, disappointments, tragedies, complexities of our lives. A story that encourages others through our unexpected turn of events we can expect God to be with us and come through with a surprise, a twist, a fulfillment, and mission we never would have expected.
But the thing God is up to is building our faith. He is our author and He is the perfecter of our faith. The longer the answer waits to come, the more He is building faith. Abraham waited 40 years for his answer to the promise. The whole time, through ups and downs, hills and valleys, Abraham's faith grew strong. This timeline built Abraham's faith. The delay grew His faith.
It is in and through our story of ups and downs that our own faith is being strengthened. We become people of great faith through this, our life adventures, and with great faith we will see great things. A great cloud of witnesses are watching, people of great faith. Our faith becomes larger (great means large) so we become larger in our faith through the going through of all the hopes, disappointments, followed by new hope.
This is how God builds great faith. So as God builds great faith in us, His is also giving us a great story. With a great story others will listen with intrigue and curiosity about our lives... "well then, what happened next." So our life is a testimony, a story to share... we have a story of movie caliber, compelling attention, that others can see themselves as part of. Our faith is built... we believe and increase belief for the wonderful vision God has given us.
Sorge pointed out too that life growth is based on trajectory. We have hills and valleys, it goes up and down, sometimes within the same day. But over the course of time, we see a trajectory going up. It's not based on days, weeks, months, as much as years. When we look back over a year, and see how God has been building our lives. Ask yourself, "How has God changed my life from this time a year ago."
Jesus is the author and perfecter of our faith. He is helping us write a great story for others, and is building our faith to become large in faith.
by Dale Shumaker
4spirit@gmail.com
The inspired mission God has for you is discovered and empowered through His Spirit, that dwells in the Believer. What's the origin of all things and how God manufactures them.
It all Starts in Prayer,
Develops through Prayer,
and Continues through Prayer.
In the New Testament they always teamed up... 2 or 3 together going somewhere or doing something. They met in homes, journeyed together, went on mission efforts in teams.
Each lived and mastered personal discipline.
They inundated themselves with God's Word, Jesus' and the disciples' teachings along with the teachings of the prophets. They had a very disciplined prayer life. They continually thought about and reflected on God's Word, shared It with others, and lived it out through the Spirit. A life in Spirit directed them.
They connected in prayer.
They met frequently to pray and share what the Spirit was instructing them as well as their insights to the Scriptures. They would worship in songs and sharing with each other. In constant communication with each other, and in communion with each other and the Holy Spirit, they shared all things, their Spiritual gifts, insights.
So their routine was
Prayer... worship... the Scriptures and listening to what God was speaking to them.
They followed a process... which initiated Inspired thought, action; a Spirit-led lifestyle was a continual part of them.
The Inspired Process
While in prayer
A mission was revealed and purpose for their lives was established.
In prayer
They learned the details and specifics to their mission, and ideas were born.
In prayer
They received gifts of the Holy Spirit to Supernatural results for accomplishing their mission.
In prayer
As they met together, the power of agreement manifested, they grew in relationship and they saw expressions of Power. This happens when Believers unite in prayer and a Spirit of being one is birthed, all of the Greatness of Jesus is now part of this group.In prayer
Strategies are presented by the Spirit. Divine Intelligence is received, cooperate action is designed around the gifts of the prayer team, while being orchestrated by the Spirit. They function like a well-conducted orchestra, many diverse parts and gifts synchronized in harmony as one beauty sound.
In prayer
Boldness and courage came over them. They took bold actions as directed by the Spirit bringing to completion the strategies given by the Spirit of God. Gifts of the Spirit are manifested and become self evident. Miracles happen, love abounds.In prayer
We stay saturated by the Spirit as God directs us in all of our efforts. The Kingdom of God is birthed... functional, beautifully attractive.
It all happens in prayer through all phases of activity, as God directs and empowers, and fills everyone with His Love, living a life of satisfaction unmatched by anything else.
In short, it looks much like this...
each part preceded with prayer... unceasingly interacting with God's Spirit.
Pray it ... two or three united in prayer ... vision emerges
Find it ... idea discovery ... the mission
Expand it ... align gifts to accomplish mission ... gift discovery
Empower it ... back to prayer for God's empowering (mini-Pentecosts) ... Holy Spirit Endowment
Mobilize it ... proclaim and do it ... strategic directions emerge
Fulfill it ... coordinate actions ... enact systems and processes
“Prayer is the first thing, the second thing, and the third thing necessary for seeing the Mightiness of God. Pray, then, my dear friends, pray, pray, pray.” (Edward Payson)
"When God has something very great to accomplish, it is His will that what should precede it is the extraordinary prayers of His people." (Jonathan Edwards)
by Dale Shumaker4spirit@gmail.comThe 3rd Alternative by Stephen R. Covey is moving from choosing your way or my way to finding a higher way. Our society is naturally competitive, so we are inclined to pick a winner, someone better than the other. The 3rd Alternative pushes the ideas of both sides to an idea better than the two. Then we win, and it's not a you or me decision.
The 3rd Alternative goes through a synergy process.
Synergy is when one plus one equals ten, a hundred, a thousand. Synergy is not compromise, but going beyond to something new. It's bigger or better than my way, your way, but our way.
In alternative thinking you pick one or the other. Those who aren't picked will continue to fight for their way. So it creates perpetual conflict and inertia. No progress is made. In a committee meeting, the congressional floor, the dinner table... conflicts increase. Compromises can be made, but quality does not increase.
To arrive at 3rd alternative thinking, it takes self awareness and valuing the difference of the point of view I represent, and understand that point of view thoroughly. Then it is possible to move on to synergy.
Synergy requires four conditions.
We must be genuine with ourselves and others.
Second, is accepting, caring for and prizing ourselves.
Third, empathize with and understand where the other person is coming from.
Fourth, is having a positive regard for the other person and myself and knowing what is going on in my heart and mind.
So the Paradigm is:
I See Myself
I see myself as a unique human being capable of independent judgement and action.
I See You
I see others as people instead of things.
I Seek you Out
Deliberating seek out conflicting views instead of avoiding or defending yourself against them.
I synergize with you.
This stage has some obstacles.
We must overcome the wall of opinions. When we do not seek to understand the point of view and be deliberate to find areas of conflict, we stall. Covey suggests the Talking Stick method. In the Indian Culture a talking stick was used to make treaties. The one holding a long walking stick, the talking stick, had the floor to explain their position. The other person could not speak until they had the talking stick. The rules were when talking the words had to be soft and warm and from the heart. They had to speak truthfully and wisely.
The emphasis was on empathetic communication, empathetic listening. It's a listening to understand, for content and the emotion of the person. As they would say, we should not criticize until we walk two moons in someone else's shoes. It's giving time to perceive the shoes the other is walking in. When you listen emphatically with another person, you give that personal psychological air. When that need is met, you then move forward and effectively enhance problem solving. So the cycle of I seek you out, I hear you, and the walls come down.
Then the fourth step evolves... I synergize with you. The 3rd Alternative is in motion for finding a solution better than either one of each others. It also prevents getting caught up in the cycle of attacking one another. The process of synergy is ask, define, create, arrive. Get to synergy on purpose by following these steps.
1. Ask, "are you willing to go for a solution that is better than any of us have come up with."
2. Define the criteria of success. Ask, "what would better look like."
3. Create third alternatives. Experiment with possible solutions, creative prototypes, new frameworks, turning thinking upside down. We suspend judgement for a time.
4. Arrive at Synergy. We know when we are arriving at synergy when excitement begins to show up in the group. We keep working until we see that creative dynamism bursting forth.
Covey goes on to show how to apply this to work, home, school, law, society, the world, and life. Learn more at: http://www.the3rdalternative.com/
With Christ in the School of Prayer is a leading classic by Andrew Murray on prayer. The alternatives for our lives the Holy Spirit gives are Divine alternatives with God's Power behind them. When we advance, knowing the Spirit of God directed it, we confidently know His Power goes with us. Here's some excerpts from With Christ in the School of Prayer.
The complete book is online at:http://www.ccel.org/ccel/murray/prayer.toc.html
Our Teacher ‘Lord, teach us to pray.’ Yes, we feel the need now of being taught to pray. None can teach like Jesus, none but Jesus; therefore we call on Him, It is Jesus, praying Himself, who teaches to pray. He teaches, by breathing within us the very spirit of prayer, by living within us as the Great Intercessor. ...amidst our stammerings and fears He is carrying on His work most beautifully. He will breathe His own life, which is all prayer, into us." Jesus teaches us how to pray within prayer itself, so pray and Jesus will teach you. True Worshippers In prayer everything will depend on our understanding well and practicing the worship in spirit and truth. The man who would truly worship God, would find and know and possess and enjoy God, must be in harmony with Him. Worship in the spirit must come from God Himself. God is Spirit: He alone has Spirit to give. In accordance with the truth of God’s Word. And so worship in spirit is worship in truth; actual living fellowship with God, a real correspondence and harmony between the Father, who is a Spirit, and the child praying in the spirit. Alone with God "Every one must have some solitary spot where he can be alone with his God. The secrecy of the inner chamber and the closed door, the entire separation from all around us, where our spirit truly comes into contact with the Invisible One. Remember your Father is, and sees and hears in secret; go there and stay there, and go again from there in the confidence: He will recompense. Trust Him for it; depend upon Him: prayer to the Father cannot be vain; He will reward you openly." The Model Prayer "Our heavenly Teacher has given us the very words we are to take with us as we draw near to our Father. We have in them a form of prayer in which there breathe the freshness and fulness of the Eternal Life. So simple that the child can lisp it, so divinely rich that it comprehends all that God can give. A form of prayer that becomes the model and inspiration for all other prayer, and yet always draws us back to itself as the deepest utterance of our souls before our God."
The Prayer Model given by Jesus...
even a child can follow it, and we can.
Our outline of how to pray. “‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. for yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen. The Certainty of Answers to Prayer "‘You shall receive, you shall find, it shall be opened unto you;’ and then gives as ground for such assurance the law of the kingdom: ‘He that asks, receives; he that seeks, finds; to him that knocks, it shall be opened.’ We cannot but feel how in this sixfold repetition He wants to impress deep on our minds this one truth, that we may and must most confidently expect an answer to our prayer."
"It is in prayer and its answer that the interchange of love between the Father and His child takes place. Every one that asks, receives.. Let us not make the feeble experiences of our unbelief the measure of what our faith may expect. Let us seek, not only just in our seasons of prayer, but at all times, to hold fast the joyful assurance: man’s prayer on earth and God’s answer in heaven are meant for each other. Let us trust Jesus to teach us so to pray, that the answer can come. He will do it, if we hold fast the word He gives today: ‘Ask, and you shall receive.’ " Spend time alone with the Lord.
He will teach you as you worship him,
as He ministers to you,
you also receive His Answers, His Directions, His Power for you.
by Dale Shumaker
4spirit@gmail.com
Great by Choice by Jim Collins (author of Good to Great) answers the question,
"Why do some companies thrive in uncertainty, even chaos,
and others do not?"
His study included companies over a 15-plus year span who exceeded stock market results, even through turbulent times, uncontrollable events, beginning their rise to greatness from positions of vulnerability, being young and/or small at the start. These were 10X companies, companies who thrived while others like them with similar circumstances and industries did not. Their distinction was leading their industry index by 10 times.
They had some initial surprises, thinking they may be more risk takers although they were actually more disciplined, more empirical, and more paranoid. They were not distinctively innovated, but the 10Xers scaled innovations by blending creativity with discipline. At first they thought, they would find speedy, fast companies to keep pace with a fast world. Instead, it was a good way to get killed. 10Xers would figure out when to go fast and when not to. Radical change was not there either. 10Xers changed less in reaction to their changing world. To succeed you need a lot of good luck they thought initially, where the 10xers didn't generally have more luck in comparison to others.
What they did find with the 10Xers compared to their less successful companies.... the 10Xers were not more creative, visionary, charismatic, ambitious, blessed by luck, risk seeking, heroic, making big bold moves. They did have this triad of core behaviors:
fanatic discipline,
empirical creativity,
and productive paranoia.
Fanatic Discipline: displaying extreme consistency of action they were 20 mile marchers. Based on John Brown's 20 Mile March, they kept pace, 20 miles a day... not more, but on tough days relentless to make it the 20 miles. Performance was a discipline, keeping each day in a band of activity... not above the high bar, not below the low bar... but always in the band between bars. A good 20 Mile March uses performance markers along the way, self-imposed restraints, tailored to the enterprise and its environments, within your control to succeed, a Goldilocks time frame that is not too short or too long, designed and self imposed by the enterprise, that must be achieved with great consistency. A 20 Mile March wins because it builds confidence to win in adverse circumstances, reduces the risk of catastrophe when hit by turbulent times, and helps you exert self-control in an out-of-control environment.
Empirical creativity. Fire bullets then cannonballs. Discipline alone does not make greatness, but the combination of discipline with creativity. Blend creative intensity with relentless discipline so to amplify the creativity and not destroy it. When marrying operations excellence with innovation, you multiply the value of your creativity... that's what the 10Xers do. Don't use up all your gunpowder on a big cannonball at your target at first. If it misses you are out of ammunition. Shoot bullets, if you miss, recalibrate and shoot again until you know you are on target. Then make your cannonball. In other words don't use up your resources too early. Methodically, adjust until you know your are hitting the target you want. A bullet is low cost, low risk, and low distraction. When you know you can hit the target, make the cannonball acquisition, the big market move. So you follow a combination of activities. Fire bullets, assess if your bullet hit anything, do any bullets merit conversion to a cannonball, convert resources to fire a cannonball, don't fire uncalibrated cannonballs, terminate bullets that show no evidence of eventual success.
Productive paranoia: A business curve has good events and bad events, but never hit the death line. That's the line you hit where you can't return. Productive paranoia prepares for the unexpected( i.e., cash reserves) and bad luck before it happens, asymmetric risk and uncontrollable risk (manage time risk), and being hyper vigilant to sense changing conditions and respond effectively. It's being paranoid in good times and bad times, considering worst case scenarios and being ready for them if they happen. The 10Xers build buffers and shock absorbers to deal with unexpected events. Have the oxygen canisters ready. The 10Xers think first, even when they need to think fast. It's what you do before the storm hits that matters. They are extremely prudent in handling risk: death line risk that will terminate the business, asymmetric risk where the downside dwarfs the upside, uncontrollable risk which cannot be controlled or manage. Always be aware of the time you have and resources available.
The 10Xers followed the SMaC recipe... Specific, Methodical, and Consistent. SMaC is a set of practices more enduring than mere tactics. SMaC practices can last for decades across a wide range of circumstances. The signature of mediocrity is chronic inconsistency. Define specific, methodical and consistent practices for all areas of the business. These give clear guidance on what to do and what not to do. What should you do in all areas, with SMaC for each area, is a specific, methodical, and consistent list of practices. Managing the tension between consistency and change is one of the great challenges for any human enterprise. When you evaluate your SMaC for an area exercise empirical creativity (firing bullets not cannon balls), and exercise productive paranoia(zoom out, then zoom in). A detailed chapter worth reading in its entirety.
Where does luck come in the picture. The 10Xers, compared to similar businesses, did not get more good luck, less bad luck, good luck earlier on, or be defined by a giant spike. The difference that the 10Xers got was a high return on good luck. And the bad luck was not catastrophic, it didn't end the game. Many 10Xers credited much of their success to good luck, but they managed it well, and they made sure bad luck never set them back.
The greatest leaders they studied cared as much about values as victory, purpose as profit, and being useful as successful. We are not imprisoned by circumstances, luck, fairness, crushing setbacks, mistakes or our past success. We can only control a small sliver of what happens to us, but we are always free to choose.
More on Great by Choice athttp://www.jimcollins.com/
In any business venture, the power of prayer by two or more uniting in Spirit, brings results beyond natural events. It provides power to overcome challenges, and it keeps us humble when we have overwhelming victories. Prayer keeps us level and with God's Spirit in control.
The Biz Prayer Network, Facebook, features views and instructions on making prayer work, and understanding on what prayer is.
Here are some excerpts from the Biz Prayer Network.
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Biz-Prayer-Network/26330243509
Prayer is entering His Inner Chamber. We, through Jesus the Christ, have the privilege to come directly into His most Holy Place and be with God, talk personally to Him, and have intimacy with Him. This is a heart-throbbing opportunity, a wonder, a joy of Living in constant relationship with God, The Spirit, and Jesus our Lord ( Andrew Murray).
"The word “prayer” really means “a wish directed towards,” that is, towards God. All that true prayer seeks is God Himself, for with Him we get all we need. Prayer is simply “the turning of the soul to God.” David describes it as the lifting up of the living soul to the living God. “Unto Thee, O Lord, do I lift up my soul.”( Psalm 25:1) (Unknown Christian)
In prayer God gives us His Inspired ideas; in prayer the Spirit directs us on strategies on how to carry out the ideas; in prayer we acquire the boldness, power, gifts to act on the ideas. When we move in faith, favor precedes us and the battle is carried out before us, and victory is being won before we walk in the door. Our faith is expressed in action, our victory won with the Spirit going before us. This is what God was saying to Joshua... be bold, be strong, for the Lord your God is with you. It all originates in prayer.
God deploys us to ask...."“Verily, verily I say unto you, he that believes on Me, the works that I do shall he also do; and greater works than these shall he do, ask in My name, that will I do ask whatsoever ye will, so shall ye be My disciples." These words are of such grave importance, and so momentous. He urges His disciples to obey His command “to ask.” In fact, He tells us that one sign of us being His “friends” will be the obedience to His commands in all things. (The Unknown Christian)
In your prayer time, and schedule a prayer time, take time to linger in His Presence. Praise, worship, worshipful music is good to have in the background. Speak affectionately to God, telling Jesus you love Him. Speak softly and slowly (this is an intimate time, so you don't need to be shouting to the Lord, now, i must admit that may have its time and place). Be brief and use short phrases to communicate as well as long speeches, speak minimally which is to listen more than talk.
Long speeches may do more for you than your prayer, but God understands. He is not into evaluating your technique in prayer. It's the sincerity of the heart that matters.
At times just be silent and rest in His Presence, with pauses between what you say. What pops in your brain at these times, may very well be the Lord speaking to you. Act on these impressions. Waiting on God has its value in this: it makes us strong in work for God. The second reveals the secret of this strength. ‘God works for Him who waits for Him.’ The waiting on God secures the working of God for us and in us, out of which our work must spring. The two passages teach the great lesson, that as waiting on God lies at the root of all true working for God, so working for God must be the fruit of all true waiting on Him (Andrew Murray).
by Dale Shumaker
4spirit@gmail.com
How to Click with People by Rick Kirschner teaches communications for the 21st Century mind... our ways of thinking, and styles of communication. Clicking starts with resonating. With some the vibes just line up. When we meet, the first thing we consider is are we blending... naturally copying the other person. We notice it in our gestures, stories, body language, space, rate of speech, tone and volume. When we see similarities, we begin to blend.
How do we become great at clicking?
Curiosity and appreciation of differences stir blending, and click-ability grows. Clean up your past and keep in the present. Treat everyone equally. People are drawn to a person who reflects fairness. Be attentive to what's important to the person, such as family, hobbies, culture, work. Exude personal warmth by welcoming people into your space, note their space preferences. Look at people and let them see warmth in your eyes, your voice. Hold the other person at the center of attention. Let them know that you care about them and why, and show that in your relationships with warmth.
Listen before you talk. Back track and repeat what they shared, ask the right questions. Dumb questions assume too much, ask too little, give advice too soon. Seek relevancy of a person's thoughts. Ask why something is important to the person, and reason for sharing it. Even if you know the answer, ask, and let them tell you.
Observe the personality style of the person and match it. Four major types of people include action-based people...they talk about doing; accuracy-based people... they relate specifics; approval-based people.. caring and consideration is part of their tone; appreciation-based people... it's about their value. Match the style and you will click.
Kirschner goes on to explain how we click with people of different motivations...he reveals six kinds of motivations which include values, rewards, challenge, esteem, purpose and feelings.
One area of most current relevance is how to click when using the phone, email, social media. When on the phone make sure it is the right timing, use the person's name, match voice volume, talking speed, speaking rhythm, and energy. When using email, remember that everyone gets a lot of them. And because it's so easy to respond quickly, to take care of it, we may respond in haste, not thinking through what we say. Also, a weakness of email is tone, voice texture, facial expressions are not evident which hinders expressing true meaning. On email, be polite, use the subject line, keep it as brief as possible, frame your message(clear and concise information), put out flames, never send to a group without permission and when you do keep email addresses private. Watch the funny stuff... some attempts at humor can easily backfire on email.
On to social media, some ways to increase chances of connecting include: ask for recommendations, ask for a referral, recommend someone else, make a referral, make a connections. Keep in mind these five rules for networking on social media: Don't spam your network, don't be a stranger, you get out what you put in, instead of asking for something offer something, take it slow.
Look for the emotional click signals. When someone shows appreciation, offers an opportunity, or gives us some much needed attention, we know she likes us and we generally return the favor. We click with people we find attractive, charismatic people, those who we treat with respect, with people we like. Send signals of affinity (I like you) by leading with similarities, treating a person with respect, letting the other person know you like them, being charming naturally, and holding good eye contact. We size people up by comparing them to people we already know. People respond to authority, that's having confidence in yourself and ideas.
When we know we are clicking with someone then is the time to share your ideas. Keep it short and simple, put the most important information upfront, be specific, don't tell them everything, focus on goals(not process), choose familiar words. Use examples and back what you say with numbers. When you make your point, then point forward by focusing attention on what to do and why to do it. Repetition with conviction empowers your idea. People don't get it when they hear it once. But hearing it again, but in different ways, enforces the clicking process.
More on how to click with people, overcoming stumbling blocks, group click, and to sharpen up doing what you do to click, click to Rick Kirschner's website, the art of change. http://theartofchange.com/
In Ephesians 4, The Apostle Paul outlines principles for creating powerful relationships. When these are applied to how we do all things, we see powerful results. So powerful that we see it is the very Power of God at work.
2. "Always be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other’s faults because of your love." Some things about others irritate us. When we show tolerance to the quirky behavior of others, it strengthens us as a unit.
3. "Make every effort to keep yourselves united in the Spirit, binding yourselves together with peace." Jesus also emphasized that the peace makers will be recognized as God's Children. Our true relationship with God is revealed by this characteristic. People who can forge peace are moved up to positions of leadership.
15. "We will speak the truth in love." This relates to being gentle and humble in how we say things.
25. "So stop telling lies. Let us tell our neighbors the truth." It is popular to put a spin on what we say, to divert people from the truth. To speak to deceive is a greatly disliked by God. "You will destroy those who tell lies. The Lord detests murderers and deceivers." (Psalm 5:6) We are not to be misleading, but we are to be genuine and honest. 26. “Don’t sin by letting anger control you. Don’t let the sun go down while you are still angry, for anger gives a foothold to the devil." When we lose control of speaking kindly, we can do great damage. This principle is critically important to click with anyone, and foster strong relationships.
29. "Don’t use foul or abusive language. Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them." In some environments, abusive, coarse language is acceptable and even admired. It's ultimate impact is destruction of relationships and the diminishes the power of the group. The most life changing practice is to encourage everyone, everywhere, all the time. This builds strength and productive results... while increasing a spirit of unity, team identity.
31."Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of evil behavior. 32. Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you."
So The Apostle Paul concludes his comments to remind us that having bitterness in our attitudes, rage, anger and harsh words, telling lies about others and spreading rumors, brings destruction. It can ruin our work relationships, friendships, home, the community where it happens...in the office, small business, or at the home.
If you do these three things, you will have harmony, power, productive relationships... be kind, be tenderhearted in all circumstances, and forgive people when they do error.
Follow this and you will not only click and find favor with people, you will build strong teams and partnerships that will make your efforts succeed. Our Power rests within our unity, the strength of the bond between us. When it's cemented in Spirit, we are mighty in our efforts.
by Dale Shumaker
4spirit@gmail.com
18 Minutes by Peter Bregman is about reclaiming your life, creating a focus and mastering his 18 minute daily plan... getting the right things done. His plan will help you strategically structure your day so it's productive, satisfying, and a measurable step for fulfilling your focus for a year.
What's limiting you? The first step is to reduce forward momentum, slow down and start over. Pause and figure your next move. Regular rest steps are needed. We need to interrupt ourselves to create time and space to aim our efforts more accurately. Don't settle for being less than you are. It won't serve others and won't serve yourself.
Find your focus. It includes four elements... leverage your strengths, embrace your weaknesses, assert your differences, and pursue your passions. Consider the conditions of what you want to achieve, what you believe you can achieve, and what you will enjoy the most achieving. Focus the year on the things that matter to you. On the things that have specific meaning for you. Create a tunnel vision in the right direction. Failure will happen. Stay focused, learn, don't give up... it will pay off. The future is uncertain... keep moving.
Focus your year on five areas most important to you within business and your person life. Set up daily actions in each of the five areas. To get something done, decide when and where you are going to do it. Practice the three-day rule. Nothing stays on your list for more than three days. Continually clean up your list and do one of four things, do it immediately, schedule it, let it go, push it out to a someday/maybe list. Spend a few minutes at the end of each day thinking about what you learned and with whom you should connect to next.
And now, the featured section for why 18 Minutes was written.. 18-minute plan for managing your day. We start everyday, feeling we are not going to get everything done we would like to. It's good to plan ahead, create to-do lists, ignore lists, use our calendars. The hard part is execution. Everyday something gets in the road. The secret is... create a ritual. Bregman recommends we follow his ritual for managing our day. It will take 18 minutes a day.
Step 1 (5 minutes). Morning minutes. Go to your to-do list, and decide what will make this day highly successful. What can you realistically accomplish that at the end of the day you will feel productive and successful? Take the other things off your list and reschedule. Follow the three-day rule.
Step 2 (1 minute every hour). Refocus. Take one minute every hour and refocus. Set your watch or your phone to beep on the hour. This is your warning to stop, and ask yourself if you spent the last hour productively. Look at your calendar and recommit how you will use the next hour. Manage your day hour by hour. Don't let the day manage you.
Step 3 (5 minutes). Your evening minutes. Ask yourself how the day went, what you learned, who do I need to interact with? Who should I update, send an email, text... to make sure you are communicating with people.
This ritual is about getting the right things done. Done as a ritual it will increase your effectiveness in all you do... business and personal. The best skill is managing distractions. Control them and place them in proper place related to the most important activity. Resist the temptation to say yes too often, and when you say no mean it. Shorten transition times. We don't really multitask, we actually switch tasks. Some transitions take longer than others. Pick them wisely.
More from Peter Bregman at: http://peterbregman.com/
Catching a Glimpse of Heaven by E. M. Bounds gives a thorough portrayal of the Biblical context of Heaven. Heaven will release us of all the troubles of this life. All the struggles, trials, pain, sorrow of earth will be gone. Jesus said He would go and prepare a place for us. And where He come, take us to that place, and He will be with us forever. What Jesus has done for us here, He will do for us in the other world. This rich food of Heaven has living foundations of bliss, knowledge, and light.
Life in its fullest will be there. It is an eternal life of the untold, unimagined, and brilliant glories of what is only in Heaven.
What is eternal life? Who can dream or imagine this life? Heaven has it! It will be the greatest surprise as we pass through the gates to this celestial city. We will be led to fountains of living water... a life that refreshes, blesses and satisfies the soul as water refreshes, blesses, and satisfies the body. Here is a constant unfolding of life, a life so full we are in constant state of deep joy.
Heaven will be the joy, pursuit, enjoyment and increase in life. Life in Heaven will be ecstatic delight... Mind, soul, and spirit will be widened, elevated, deepened, refined, and beautified. And we all will be beautify... ageless, looking our best always. Christ will feed that life on the richest pastures and lead the way to the fountains of living water. "God will wipe away all tears." (Rev. 7:17)
The Power of the Spirit puts us in a thirst for Heaven. Paul longed to be there, and relented that he had work to do on earth. The Holy Spirit gives us constant tastes and visions of Heaven, until all other tastes become pall and other visions are heavy and dull. Heaven plays notes of harmony and the earth plays songs of discord.
The Power of the Spirit binds us to Heaven because Jesus is the center and glory. The Holy Spirit implants Heaven in us.The Holy Spirit in us is God's mark of ownership and security. His authority is put on us. God gives us a part of Heaven as a pledge to the full heaven when the time is ripe.
The Apostle Paul reminds us to keep pressing on to the prize waiting for us as we press on to fulfill our calling on earth to receive the great reward of Heaven... the High Calling of our Lord Jesus Christ. He is always keeping the body under control, subjection to the Spirit, so that he would not lose the incorruptible crown. Heaven is a reward. Great is your reward in Heaven. (Matt. 5:12)
Be ready for Heaven. Jesus said He will come quickly, and the reward is great according to the work we have done. (Rev. 22:12) The reward is dues paid for what we did on earth in accordance to God's will for us, and our obedience to His voice and Word. For Jesus will come with many angels, in the glory of our Heavenly Father and He will reward every man according to his works. (Matt. 18:27)
We can't imagine heaven, feel what it is really like. But it will so outclass our earthly life, we will question why we didn't focus more on our Heaven life while on earth. Things of earth are dull, compared to Heaven. Work for Heaven, invest your life assets that will convert to Heavenly assets.
The Spirit Savvy Business/Spirit Savvy Network
... advancing Spirit-Directed Entrepreneurs
The Mission
Develop the skills of people to be Spirit-empowered entrepreneurs. So that they operate with the Holy Spirit as their core operating system. The result is integrating into society and the marketplace the Power of God while building the Kingdom of Heaven in the marketplace.
What we do is empower personal skills for business with the power of the Holy Spirit.
In entrepreneur skills...
Dreaming, planning, developing your Gifts, marketing, networking, relationships, communicating, influencing, personal organization.
Through the Spiritual empowerment process...
Spiritually empowered, prayer(actually hearing from God), Scripture application and mind renewal, partnering in mission, 2 or 3 agreement power, covenant relationship, living in the Power of the Gifts of the Spirit.
How
By posting summaries of outstanding principles from best-selling business books and adding a Spiritual Dynamic to each summary... Using the New Testament model of the Body of Christ. Implanting the Body of Christ into a business as the Spiritual empowered for a business as its operating system.
The summaries, which include principles of Spirit-empowered living, are an inventory to customize curriculum of the best biz info applied to you.
--meet to find needs, desires, and interests; determine mission and calling
--develop a process: using your strengths, focus on your vision and mission
--enlarge personal skills; natural strengths
--activate the Gifts of the Spirit
--create a Spirit-Powered system for your mission in the marketplace customized for you by meeting weekly, twice a month, or monthly; in person, phone, or email which ever best fits you.
Benefit
With relevant business information at your disposal, the power of two minds working together, living in Spirit, we as a unit then live in the same Spiritual Power as the Acts of Jesus and His Disciples recorded in the Bible.
One Request
Could you introduce me to business leaders of clubs, groups, associations, etc... in the business community and churches?
Seeking the willing and open minded!
People open to the significance of God's Spirit with us in all we do.
Contact: Dale Shumaker
417-224-3517
4spirit@gmail.com
www.spiritsavvy.net
Personal Profile:http://www.linkedin.com/in/daleshumaker
by Dale Shumaker
4spirit@gmail.com
Nothing to Lose, Everything to Gain, by Ryan Blair, is about someone who spent a lot of his juvenile life being arrested and in and out of jail. With his experience on the street, he developed a "nothing to lose" mindset. This mindset then became the critical factor for later developing several multimillion dollar businesses. He changed of course to find what honor and keeping our word meant when applying it to business. He kept his word to God to not go back to how he lived in his youth.
When going into business, he attended numerous personal development seminars. Many reminded him of his old gang life... a lot of hustlers, charlatans and people out to bilk others out of money. From this he created his credo... work your tail off, don't ever give up, when defeated get back up, keep angling to find your angle, sacrifice, you will survive no matter how bad it is, shake off mistakes, be grateful, go big and have fun... if you don't you will either quit, die unhappy, or blow your success.
In the chapter "Philosophies from the Jail to the Boardroom," Blair draws some interesting analogies and principles that make business work in the trenches. Some of Blair's Golden Rules:
Communication and management rules.
Life is a theater. everyone is an actor, some with the lead and some with a supporting role. Never ask a question you don't already know what your answer will be.
If you don't have an answer say "I don't know," but I will get an answer for you.
If you feel you have failed, ask yourself a series of questions. Why did this happen, what could I have done differently, how can I do it better next time, what changes should I make in my strategies, what can I do to improve my planning and preparation?
Master taking action.
Never express negative emotion in an email or text message.
Praise in public and reprimand in private.
Business-model rules
Marketing exists to create sales.
The ones most responsive to change will survive.
Customer rules
Service is the greatest opportunity to differentiate; being people oriented is not an acquired skill. Fear your customer.
Strategy rules.
An army everywhere is an army nowhere.
One thing at a time, and all things in succession... slow growth will endure.
Draw your customer to you with compelling offers to take action.
Personal rules
Keep your distance from people who belittle your ambition.
When you look for the bad in people you will always find it.
There is no finish line.
You are not a businessman, but in business, man.
Don't buy stocks, make stocks.
Honor your deals with God.
Efforts don't pay the rent, your results do; be a person who makes money, it doesn't make you.
The difference between now and a year from now will be the people you know and what you have learned.
Seize the day... you only get them one at a time. Life is a summary of actions taken. Blair declares that if he can come from the life he had, and build several multimillion dollar ventures, so can you.
Two of Blair's prized books are Think and Grow Rich and How to Win Friends and Influence People. Watch your wallet and be as proud of things you do as you don't do. Sometimes you must say no, or scrap a project. Listen to yourself. Know your motivation. Choose a business you would do without pay, and it wakes you up in the middle of the night. Even if you have the money, use other peoples money too. Spread your risks. Hold on to as many assets as possible.
Blair declares that the principles in his book, from his business, street knowledge, is essential. If you are not willing to make sacrifices in business you will not succeed. Keep your business plan simple. Summarize it on one page, and no more than 3 pages long... three pages of clear, concise business objectives, expected results, and the strategy to get there. Situations are constantly changing and you are constantly re-creating.
More on Nothing to Lose, Everything to Gain...http://nothingtolose.com/
Why is prayer so vital?
Prayer is about entering the very presence of God and hearing what He has to say on a matter. When we sense the plans He has for us and we follow them, we are assured of Him being there. Add to that sharing those plans with someone else, we put a real punch behind it. Here's what the great Christians of old say about prayer.
E. M. Bounds in Power through Prayer, a widely read classic by those seeking the great value of prayer, made these points.
There's just so much Power in Spirit that God Wants to release on us. It's about going into a greater depth of His Presence, His Essence, we can live in it. These saints of old had insight. But there is so much more if we would just dig deeper.
The power within prayer is becoming co-dependent of God's Spirit to do all things through us. "His inner being has never felt its thorough spiritual bankruptcy, its utter powerlessness; he has never learned to cry out with an ineffable cry of self-despair and self-helplessness till God’s power and God’s fire comes in and fills, purifies, empowers. Self-esteem, self-ability in some pernicious shape has defamed and violated the temple which should be held sacred for God."
The Olympian practices 4 hours plus per day. Do we want to see miracles in our lives, in our relationships, health, happiness. The Apostle Paul suggests we train as the Olympian. Prayer is our preparation to run to win.
"All athletes are disciplined in their training. They do it to win a prize that will fade away, but we do it for an eternal prize. I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us." (! Corinthians 9:25, Philippians 3:14, NLT)
"Prayer is so much about taking time. When we take the time to allow God's Presence to saturate us, we see His Power when we call out to him in the short bursts of the day."
"Much with God alone is the secret of knowing Him and of influence with Him. He yields to the persistency of a faith that knows him. He bestows his richest gifts upon those who declare their desire for and appreciation of those gifts by the constancy as well as earnestness of their persistence. Christ spent many whole nights in prayer. His custom was to pray much."
Brainerd lived the life of holiness and prayer. His diary is full and monotonous with the record of his seasons of fasting, meditation, and retirement. The time he spent in private prayer amounted to many hours daily. “When I return home,” he said, “and give myself to meditation, prayer, and fasting, my soul longs for mortification, self-denial, humility, and divorcement from all things of the world.”
“I have nothing to do,” he said, “with earth but only to labor in it honestly for God. I do not desire to live one minute for anything which earth can afford.” The men of mighty prayer are men of Spiritual might. Prayers never die. Brainerd’s whole life was a life of prayer. By day and by night he prayed."
In Isaiah 43, God says He has called us by name. Each person is uniquely special in His eyes. He begins by saying His Spirit will be with us through every thing and then later on re-enforce us by making "rivers in a dry wasteland." Conversing with God is essential. Even if the economy worsens again, the Spirit will provide you/us rivers (ideas, people, ways) to accomplish His will. Meditate on Isaiah 43... What's His Spirit saying to you?
by Dale Shumaker
4spirit@gmail.com
The series on the Body of Christ... or where is the Power in the Church, and how can we experience it, live it, and see it again.
This series is based on my discussions with a man of God who founded a college for the purpose to see this fulfilled. It's a word for the future. We are coming into that future. My job was to keep it alive until its time. As Jesus said in John 7, "my time has not yet come." It will be here soon. Dr. J. Robert Ashcroft had a vision for a time in the future. It is close to being here.
Please consider the meaning between the lines if you choose to read the chapters of the Body of Christ. Dr. Ashcroft was a prophetic voice. Those of us in range of the voice would be served well to take heed.
Be blessed!
All the chapters below are archived August, 2011. Click on that archive month and the whole series will come up. Included are the dates when a particular chapter was posted. A teacher, mentor, discussion leader could take this content and using the team building dynamic process included to effectively empower a group.
Content Outline
The Body of Christ by Dr. J. Robert Ashcroft (a summary with emphasis added by this writer)
Tuesday, August 09, 2011
1. The Body of Christ ... The Power of Christ as a Body of Believers
Be Humble as a child, be Teachable and Forgiving.
Wednesday, August 10, 2011
2.The Body of Christ ... In Mystery
Knowing that He Finds Us where we are.
Thursday, August 11, 2011
3. The Body of Christ ... In Revelation
Realizing the Power in Agreement and what it means.
Friday, August 12, 2011
4. The Body of Christ ... In Baptism
Allowing the Spirit to Baptize, Saturate your Being.
Saturday, August 13, 2011
5. The Body of Christ ... The Practical
Developing our lives Spiritually in Word transformation and Prayer.
Sunday, August 14, 2011
6. The Body of Christ ... In Intercession
Interceding in Prayer for each other.
Monday, August 15, 2011
7. The Body of Christ ... Covenant Connection
Covenant Connections... the importance of Intimacy in Relationships.
Thursday, August 18, 2011
8. The Body of Christ ... Equipped for Greater Things
Formation of becoming One as a unit in Spirit. Gifts of Spirit emerge.
Friday, August 19, 2011
9. The Body of Christ ... In Action
Advancing the Gifts of Spirit.
Saturday, August 20, 2011
10. The Body of Christ ... Ministering to the Lord
The Power of Ministry to the Lord.
Tuesday, August 23, 2011
11. The Body of Christ ... It's Here, so Now What?
Ministry to Mankind and Keeping it Going.
Purpose, mission with power is established.
A Process for developing a Group in the Dynamics of the Body of Christ.
An emerging group has these phases of development.
1. History giving. What is your story and what has brought you to where you are?
2. Confessing. Share both successes and failures, in a absence of judging.
3. Gift spotting. What are we specifically good at that God uses.
4. Gift enhancing. Confirming what we see in others, spurring to action.
5. Teaming. Bringing what we have into a unit to aid each other, accomplish an objective.
6. Mission. What God is using us for, as a unit.
7. Supportive. Helping each other and keeping each other going as we do it.
8. Perseverant. Lifting each other up as we must press through things.
9. Establishing Faith. Belief in God, loving each other, becoming strong in Him.
10. Living in Power. Seeing the manifestation of God's Power as we complete His mission in our lives.
(Please contact this writer for suggestions and guidance on how to train others in the above.)
