Jesus has an astonishing ability to create what he needed from something that was already there. He took what was at hand and used his command of energy and the universal principles - the same ones he said were available to us - and then created what he needed.
A Bible story that many of us might identify with is that of the staff member who tells Jesus that the group is in trouble because they have not paid their taxes yet. Jesus casually tells him to go down to the sea, and there he will find a fish with a coin in its mouth. "Use that to pay the tax," he said.
Another time Jesus told his staff to go to a certain location where they would find a donkey. He instructed them to tell the people that the master needed it and to bring the donkey to him. Yet another time he made one loaf of bread feed thousands.
Perhaps part of Jesus creative ability came from his deep understanding of the physics of faith and from his keen awareness of the resources that he did have. Jesus himself did not just appear in a cloud of cosmic dust. He came into the world through the body of a believing human being - Mary. God, too is aware of his resources.
I often ask my clients to make a list of their resources and I remind them that money is the least important one. It takes people some time to appreciate that their greatest resources are often the people they know. Joe Girard, in his book The Greatest Salesman of All Time, claims that he pictures the number 250 engraved on each person he meets. He says each person knows at least 250 other people he needs to know - people who could become his friend and customers, too.
It is important to take the time to know your people. Situations will come up where their many skills or talents or friends or relatives will prove invaluable. If you think of your pocketbook as your only resource, you constantly will be thumbing through the Yellow Pages instead of relying on someone you know. And contra wise, they know YOU...and your opportunity to return the favor will present itself!
A young physician started his practice, hoping to market his sports medicine skills. He spent thousands of dollars advertising in newspaper week after week with very little result. One day as he was bemoaning his lack of business to his receptionist, she casually said, "My husband is president of a local jogging club. Why don't you do a seminar for them next week?" That was just what he was looking for: one human being, close at hand, with the resources he needed. Soon his practice was filled with people who knew someone whom he knew.
Jesus was keenly aware of his resources!
1. How aware are you of your resources?
2. How many of your staff members "250 contacts" do you know?
3. How frequently do you undate and review all the resources in your Rolodex?
Look around at the resources God has placed at your fingertips!
Scott Carley
(Jesus, CEO- Laurie Beth Jones)
Thursday, September 9, 2010
Tuesday, June 1, 2010
How Willing Are You To Look Foolish?
What do each of these characters have in common?
Can you imagine a group of bankers sitting around a table when a young earnest man looks them in the eyes and says, "I'm going to build a billion-dollar empire based on a mouse, a fairy and seven dwarfs. Will you help me?" He would have been laughed out of the building. This earnest man, as you probably surmised, was Walt Disney. How, however, the bulk of the current Disney teams activity consist of distributing and managing the ideas and characters created by this silly cartoonist.
Ron Grover, in his book The Disney Touch, tells the story of Roy Disney. Roy was Walt's more fiscally minded brother, who was always trying to put the brakes on Walt's foolishness. After Disneyland was built, Roy lovingly to Walt that they did not need any more new ideas. In fact, Roy forbade Walt from spending any more money on the creation of new ideas!
With his own money, Walt formed a team of engineers who secretly met a night in a warehouse on the Disney lot. The crew developed the concept of EPCOT Center. Walt was a man who kept on thinking "foolishly."
Grover also relates how Michael Eisner, credited as half of the genius team that guided Disney to incredible profits, was almost not hired! One of the major stockholders described him as a young man who "mostly liked to take the blocks he had and just rearrange them." To this, a higher-ranking member of the board replied, "This is exactly the kind of leader we need. Hire him and find ten more like him."
Walt Disney went bankrupt in his first business endeavor. Thomas Edison has thousands of failures before he got the light bulb right. Benjamin Franklin, the fool on the roof flying a kite in a rainstorm, retired as on of the country's first millionaires.
Jesus was willing to look foolish. And this was the key to his success. Coming into town on a donkey, having to fish to pay your taxes, and forgetting to bring wine did not seem like the ingredients for success. Crying like a rejected lover, passing out invitations to a feast that largely go unanswered, having to stand on front porches and knock hardly sounds like a job description for a king.
Omega leaders cannot be afraid to look foolish. We must keep to the plan that we vaguely sense but that only God can see.
He was willing to look foolish.
Are you willing to look foolish as a leader?
List ten leaders who at one time of another looked foolish to the world.
Jesus, CEO
- A deluded engineer
- A magician
- A waiter
- A nudist
- A beggar
- A lunatic
- A harem girl
- An improper woman
- A blasphemer
- Noah - designed and built an ark in the middle of a desert
- Moses - turned water into blood
- Nehemiah - was a cupbearer to a king
- Isaiah - went naked for three years
- Elijah - has to ask a widow for food
- King David - acted insane to escape his captors
- Queen Esther - made her way to the top of the King's list
- Mary - conceived a child before marriage
- Jesus - claimed to be equal with God
Can you imagine a group of bankers sitting around a table when a young earnest man looks them in the eyes and says, "I'm going to build a billion-dollar empire based on a mouse, a fairy and seven dwarfs. Will you help me?" He would have been laughed out of the building. This earnest man, as you probably surmised, was Walt Disney. How, however, the bulk of the current Disney teams activity consist of distributing and managing the ideas and characters created by this silly cartoonist.
Ron Grover, in his book The Disney Touch, tells the story of Roy Disney. Roy was Walt's more fiscally minded brother, who was always trying to put the brakes on Walt's foolishness. After Disneyland was built, Roy lovingly to Walt that they did not need any more new ideas. In fact, Roy forbade Walt from spending any more money on the creation of new ideas!
With his own money, Walt formed a team of engineers who secretly met a night in a warehouse on the Disney lot. The crew developed the concept of EPCOT Center. Walt was a man who kept on thinking "foolishly."
Grover also relates how Michael Eisner, credited as half of the genius team that guided Disney to incredible profits, was almost not hired! One of the major stockholders described him as a young man who "mostly liked to take the blocks he had and just rearrange them." To this, a higher-ranking member of the board replied, "This is exactly the kind of leader we need. Hire him and find ten more like him."
Walt Disney went bankrupt in his first business endeavor. Thomas Edison has thousands of failures before he got the light bulb right. Benjamin Franklin, the fool on the roof flying a kite in a rainstorm, retired as on of the country's first millionaires.
Jesus was willing to look foolish. And this was the key to his success. Coming into town on a donkey, having to fish to pay your taxes, and forgetting to bring wine did not seem like the ingredients for success. Crying like a rejected lover, passing out invitations to a feast that largely go unanswered, having to stand on front porches and knock hardly sounds like a job description for a king.
Omega leaders cannot be afraid to look foolish. We must keep to the plan that we vaguely sense but that only God can see.
He was willing to look foolish.
Are you willing to look foolish as a leader?
List ten leaders who at one time of another looked foolish to the world.
Jesus, CEO
Friday, February 26, 2010
What Would A Miracle Look Like?
Feeling desperate and out of choices is a place almost everyone has visited. Being pitted against hard deadlines or quotas can really take you to the edge of your resources. How many times have your looked up to heaven and said, "God.. I need a miracle?"
I have! Ok.. more than once or twice or... well, you get the picture!
But I can remember one occasion as though it were yesterday.
I looked up from a project and said, "God I need a MIRACLE!" I was at the end of my line. And almost the next second I heard him speak back and say, "If I gave you one, what would it look like?" OUCH! It was a chastisement. It was like he was telling me NOT to use that request line unless I was serious about what I wanted!
Jesus did miracles. He did them a lot. And on occasion he would ask, "What would you have the Son of Man do for you?" He wanted an answer! He wanted THEM to think it through and identify the result they were looking to receive!
Another writer of the epistles said, "You have not because you ask not, or because you ask amiss.? Amiss. Get it. A-miss. You didn't aim. You were not specific. You missed!
Is the message saying that he wants us to aim our request;
So order your miracle. You're not waiting on God; He is waiting on you!
I have! Ok.. more than once or twice or... well, you get the picture!
But I can remember one occasion as though it were yesterday.
I looked up from a project and said, "God I need a MIRACLE!" I was at the end of my line. And almost the next second I heard him speak back and say, "If I gave you one, what would it look like?" OUCH! It was a chastisement. It was like he was telling me NOT to use that request line unless I was serious about what I wanted!
Jesus did miracles. He did them a lot. And on occasion he would ask, "What would you have the Son of Man do for you?" He wanted an answer! He wanted THEM to think it through and identify the result they were looking to receive!
Another writer of the epistles said, "You have not because you ask not, or because you ask amiss.? Amiss. Get it. A-miss. You didn't aim. You were not specific. You missed!
Is the message saying that he wants us to aim our request;
- Do you need a miracle of more clients who pay monthly?
- Do you need a miracle of qualified staff who have skills in particular?
- Do you need cash-flow relief?
- Do you need a quick decision from an prospect?
- Do you need a change of attitude from a superior?
So order your miracle. You're not waiting on God; He is waiting on you!
Friday, February 19, 2010
He Stuck to His Mission
Jesus knew his mission statement, and did not deviate from it. He declared that his mission was, in essence, to teach people about a better way of life... now and in eternity. He saw himself as a teacher and a healer.
An ancient adage says, "If you want to defeat them, distract them." In the wilderness Jesus was given several "business opportunities" that did not relate to his mission.
Each of these opportunities was related to talents that Jesus had, and used, in some form or another during his tenure. But he resisted them because they did not fit his mission statement.
Pause for a moment and consider the things Jesus did not do. Here is someone endowed with limitless power from on high. He could have done literally anything. Yet he did not build a temple or a synagogue. He did not write or distribute books. He did not even heal all the sick people in the world. He did not go down to the graveyards and raise everyone from the dead. He did not build shopping malls. His mission was very specific.
Jesus stuck to his mission.
QUESTIONS
1. What is your mission or primary responsibility? Can you define it in one or two sentences?
2. Do feelings stir inside you that suggest you might contribute to a better way of life for others?
3. Can you list opportunities currently in your path the might really be distractions? What are they?
(Adapted from Jesus, CEO by Laura Beth Jones)
An ancient adage says, "If you want to defeat them, distract them." In the wilderness Jesus was given several "business opportunities" that did not relate to his mission.
Each of these opportunities was related to talents that Jesus had, and used, in some form or another during his tenure. But he resisted them because they did not fit his mission statement.
Pause for a moment and consider the things Jesus did not do. Here is someone endowed with limitless power from on high. He could have done literally anything. Yet he did not build a temple or a synagogue. He did not write or distribute books. He did not even heal all the sick people in the world. He did not go down to the graveyards and raise everyone from the dead. He did not build shopping malls. His mission was very specific.
Jesus stuck to his mission.
QUESTIONS
1. What is your mission or primary responsibility? Can you define it in one or two sentences?
2. Do feelings stir inside you that suggest you might contribute to a better way of life for others?
3. Can you list opportunities currently in your path the might really be distractions? What are they?
(Adapted from Jesus, CEO by Laura Beth Jones)
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
He Did Difficult Things
One definition of a professional is a person who does things even when she or he does not feel like doing them. In other words, a professional is not blown about by the winds of the moment. Professionals stay focused on the successful accomplishment of their mission, and do the difficult things.
Many charismatic and popular leaders get into trouble when they cease doing the difficult things in order to win approval or be liked. Politicians who depend on opinion polls to determine their actions do not last very long as leaders. Unfortunately, if you run your management program based on opinion polls or popularity contests, you will not last very long as a leader, either. "The tendency of the masses is towards mediocrity," said Aldous Huxley, and opinion polls are a very poor source of vision. Failing to do the difficult thing eventually will get you in trouble.
A once popular televangelist had charisma, a clearly popular product or service, and a tremendous following. However, because he failed to assess and recognize the fiscal priorities and responsibilities, he wound up in jail.
Maintaining that connection with your own inner knowing is so important. Doing the difficult things means not letting public opinion sway you from what your heart, gut, spirit, or instinct is telling you.
Peter tried to stop Jesus from going to Jerusalem. He sensed danger there, and he was right. However, Jesus knew it was part of a larger plan. So, he "set his face towards Jerusalem," even knowing the consequences.
Perhaps the true mark of a leader is that he or she is willing to stand alone. It must have been difficult for Jesus to say no to people. The whole essence of his being seemed to say yes. But he did say no. He said no to the ambitious young man who wanted to follow him. He said no to his mother when she was trying to interrupt his teaching. He said no to Judas about turning to politics. He said no to temptations in the wilderness. He said no, at times, to himself: "No, I will not run from this. I will drink the cup that is placed before me."
Leaders must have not only vision and communication skills but also tremendous personal resolve. While leaders attract followers, at any moment they must be able to walk away from them, lest they become followers themselves.
Jesus did the difficult things.
QUESTIONS
1. What difficult things are your instincts, right now, telling you to do?
2. Are you willing to do them, even if it means standing alone?
(Taken from Jesus, CEO Laurie Beth Jones)
Many charismatic and popular leaders get into trouble when they cease doing the difficult things in order to win approval or be liked. Politicians who depend on opinion polls to determine their actions do not last very long as leaders. Unfortunately, if you run your management program based on opinion polls or popularity contests, you will not last very long as a leader, either. "The tendency of the masses is towards mediocrity," said Aldous Huxley, and opinion polls are a very poor source of vision. Failing to do the difficult thing eventually will get you in trouble.
A once popular televangelist had charisma, a clearly popular product or service, and a tremendous following. However, because he failed to assess and recognize the fiscal priorities and responsibilities, he wound up in jail.
Maintaining that connection with your own inner knowing is so important. Doing the difficult things means not letting public opinion sway you from what your heart, gut, spirit, or instinct is telling you.
Peter tried to stop Jesus from going to Jerusalem. He sensed danger there, and he was right. However, Jesus knew it was part of a larger plan. So, he "set his face towards Jerusalem," even knowing the consequences.
Perhaps the true mark of a leader is that he or she is willing to stand alone. It must have been difficult for Jesus to say no to people. The whole essence of his being seemed to say yes. But he did say no. He said no to the ambitious young man who wanted to follow him. He said no to his mother when she was trying to interrupt his teaching. He said no to Judas about turning to politics. He said no to temptations in the wilderness. He said no, at times, to himself: "No, I will not run from this. I will drink the cup that is placed before me."
Leaders must have not only vision and communication skills but also tremendous personal resolve. While leaders attract followers, at any moment they must be able to walk away from them, lest they become followers themselves.
Jesus did the difficult things.
QUESTIONS
1. What difficult things are your instincts, right now, telling you to do?
2. Are you willing to do them, even if it means standing alone?
(Taken from Jesus, CEO Laurie Beth Jones)
Monday, February 8, 2010
CEO Divine Had Internal Anchors
Jesus said, "Why do you seek after people's approval but do not seek the approval that comes only from God?" He was an effective leader because he had internal anchors. He did not get his approval from external mechanisms. His actions were not based on what Peter, John and James thought. He didn't come unglued when John the Baptist began to doubt him. He didn't care whether Cesar smiled or frowned.
Have you ever experienced that euphoric bubble when you finally reach a decision that you know is right? People have various names for it - feeling centered, being right on, being in a state of grace. Those who have experienced this feeling say there is nothing to compare to it. One woman said it was like being at sea and hearing only silence, even though she could see people waving their arms on the shore. Here is how she described it: "Nothing mattered as much to me as that still, silent point of being. Everything else seemed meaningless...almost like it was just a puppet show." She said she had never felt closer to God, even though the decision she made upset many people around her.
CEO Divine leader has a backbone like a rod of steel when it comes to doing the right thing. You may have to search for it, but once you hit the harmonic "C" - the note that matches perfectly with your soul - you, God and destiny will be one harmonious sound. And others will stop, perk up their ears, and begin to gather around.
Jesus had internal anchors.
1. What are your internal anchors?
2. From whom do you seek approval
Have you ever experienced that euphoric bubble when you finally reach a decision that you know is right? People have various names for it - feeling centered, being right on, being in a state of grace. Those who have experienced this feeling say there is nothing to compare to it. One woman said it was like being at sea and hearing only silence, even though she could see people waving their arms on the shore. Here is how she described it: "Nothing mattered as much to me as that still, silent point of being. Everything else seemed meaningless...almost like it was just a puppet show." She said she had never felt closer to God, even though the decision she made upset many people around her.
CEO Divine leader has a backbone like a rod of steel when it comes to doing the right thing. You may have to search for it, but once you hit the harmonic "C" - the note that matches perfectly with your soul - you, God and destiny will be one harmonious sound. And others will stop, perk up their ears, and begin to gather around.
Jesus had internal anchors.
1. What are your internal anchors?
2. From whom do you seek approval
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