Mike Henry Sr.'s Blog, page 106

One Person Can Make a Difference

A friend recently asked me for a statement of beliefs. He asked in a different context, but it caused me to think about my own beliefs. Seth Godin recently stated that the difference between people comes down to what we believe. So I decided to invest some time writing about my beliefs.

One Person Makes a Difference

[image error]I first recorded this belief in August of 2011. It was the opening statement. One person is powerful enough to do something that matters. We often can’t do what we want or even what we need to do, but we can do something.

Our mind is a powerful, and creative force. With it we can inspire, challenge, build up, encourage and empower. We have the power to change the world for others.

“Difference” is code for change. Change happens to us as much or more than we initiate it. But even one person always has a choice. We choose our reaction to the changes forced on us and we choose our actions to initiate change.

Are you tempted to think you can’t make a difference? Smile at someone, leave a big tip, pay for someone’s meal. Just spend 5 minutes and help someone. Do it once a day for 30 days and see if you still feel the same way.

You have a choice: be a victim or take the lead. Don’t let the size of the problem tempt you to shrink back. One person can make a difference.

Photo © Tom fotolia.com

Filed under: Leadership Tagged: beliefs, Impact

Disturbed

The February 29th My Utmost asks, “What is the thing that not only disturbs you but makes you a disturbance?” He goes on to say, “It is always something you cannot deal with yourself.” He’s talking about the blind man in Luke 18:35-43 who persists in begging Jesus to heal him. Finally Jesus asks, “What do you want me to do for you?”

For several years, I have been disturbed at how little a difference I make. I’m disturbed that I’m part of a huge community of believers, people who claim to follow Jesus Christ, but our following Him doesn’t seem to make much of a dent in the world. If I followed Jesus more closely, would things change, faster or even at all?

What can I do today that makes a difference for eternity? Must I leave my job and go to work for a church? Must I leave the country and become a missionary?

I feel constrained by my circumstances. I have debt. Do I have to pay it all off before I can make a difference? I am overcommitted at work, not even through my own control. Must I leave my job to make a difference? I’m obligated with my family, wife, kids, or aging parents. God, have I taken myself out of the game? How can I bend my life so that I can be a part of Your work in our world?

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What actions in the everyday life of a follower of Jesus actually make a difference?

Lord, may I remember you put me where I am and I can serve You there. (1 Corinthians 10:31, Colossians 3:17, 23-24). How would you have me follow You today? What are You going to do in and around me and what part might I play in it? Please use me for your glory today.

Step 1 for me is to remember I am called to minister, to serve others as a means of blessing them and also as a way to make them curious about the life Jesus gives. May I act when I see opportunities to serve people.

What disturbs you as a follower of Jesus? God put a disturbance in you. Bill Hybels called it a Holy Discontent. We were each created for a purpose (Colossians 2:10). Are you walking toward that purpose, making a disturbance, or are you simply going with the flow? How can I help you in the disturbance you need to make?

Part of my disturbance relates to the impact followers of Jesus have in the world. I’m in the process of starting an online community where we can encourage, equip, and mobilize one another to live our faith every day and make a difference right where we are. We’re calling the community Follower of One. If you’re interested in helping with the launch, please let me know in the comments below and I’ll notify you when we’re ready to test or launch. You can also check out these other posts here, here, and here, or by making a donation on our GoFundMe page, www.gofundme.com/followerofone. Thanks!

Photo © James Thew Fotolia

Filed under: Faith Tagged: Impact, workplace

A Challenge Following Jesus at Work

Do you read My Utmost for His Highest by Oswald Chambers? I try to read it daily and have off and on for years. Today’s post is titled The Destitution of Service and it presents an interesting challenge when we extend the idea of following Jesus as a ministry into the workplace.

In the brief article, Chambers comments by stating that we serve God with a reserve if, when God calls us to service, we hesitate and consider what the service will cost us in salary, climate or security.

“Paul delighted to spend himself out for God’s interests in other people and he did not care what it cost. We come in with our economical notions – ‘Suppose God wants me to go there – What about the salary, what about the climate? How shall I be looked after?'”

How is a workplace minister to process this question? What do we do if we are demoted? What do we do if management doesn’t pay us our bonus or fails to include us in the annual merit program? How do we react when our commission is calculated differently than we understood? What do we do if we’re passed up for a promotion?

[image error]What do we do if we’re offered a better job? What if it is in another city? What do we do if we don’t like our boss or our working conditions?

Because God is sovereign, we can’t be where we are totally by accident. We’re called to serve others, our friends, neighbors, coworkers and our customers as followers of Jesus in our wherever we are.

So I’m asking. How do you think God intends for His followers to respond when they are treated unfairly at their workplace?

I’m in the process of launching an online community for workplace ministers called Follower Of One. Would you help? If you’re interested, let me know in the comments below and I’ll send you more information. Thanks in advance!

Photo © Oksana Kusmina Fotolia

Filed under: Faith Tagged: challenge, conflict, Questions

The Initiative Against Drudgery

“We have to take the first step as though there were no God. It is no use to wait for God to help us, He will not; but immediately we arise we find He is there.” Oswald Chambers, My Utmost for His Highest February 19

Today’s My Utmost reminded me one of my favorite attributes about God. We must take action as if we trust him. If we fail to act, we don’t really trust. We see this throughout the Bible. Chambers is writing this about Isaiah 60:1 and the two words that begin the verse and chapter, “Arise, shine.” James, the half-brother of Jesus also mentions it in James Chapter 2 when he says that faith without works is dead, being by itself. (James 2:14-26)

Seven years ago today, my wife and I joined thirteen other people at LeaderPalooza, an un-conference Vicky and I hosted as the Lead Change Group. We each stuck our necks out and risked a few days and some money to make a difference in the world of leadership. I made some great new friends through social media in the months leading up to this event and meeting those people face-to-face cemented it for me. I came alive doing the work of helping people make their world better. My heart-rate increases thinking and writing about it.

“Don’t ask what the world needs. Ask what makes you come alive and go do that, because what the world needs is people who have come alive.” Howard Thurman

Over the years, life interrupted my time with Lead Change for a few reasons, and I’m not very involved with the group any more. But I have remembered the feeling of being alive. I come across it from time to time because I speak at a group called Overcoming Job Transition here in Tulsa and I am involved in the Owasso Character Council.

But the main reason why I have backed out of Lead Change is because I believe the way to truly make the world better is by developing followers of Jesus. Leadership gets us part of the way there. And better leadership benefits everyone, even those who choose not to follow Jesus. But when a Jesus-follower applies great leadership qualities, they benefit everyone around them and serve as a witness to Jesus without ever necessarily saying his name.

Many of us who follow Jesus fail to make any difference or we make a negative difference. We all fall short (Romans 3:23).  We have more money, time and resources than any group of Jesus-followers in history, but our world, at least the Western-influenced parts of it, is moving away from God. If we actively tried to live our faith every day and if we would apply great leadership principles, our impact might change. The problem is, when it comes to our faith, we don’t model the life of Jesus. It’s much harder to live what He said than it is to simply know, sing about, or argue about what He said and did.

We find if we really follow Jesus and live according to the Bible, we become more humble, and we lead in ways that matter most to the people around us. Most of what passes for great, inspiring leadership was modeled by Jesus anyway.

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So in the spirit of taking initiative and rejecting passivity, yesterday, I launched a new community, called Follower Of One. Right now, all we have is a GoFundMe page. I’m working to get a community site launched where individual Christ-followers can help one another grow as leaders and influencers with an eternal purpose.  I believe I’m going to be following Jesus forever. I might as well start getting better at it now.

If you’d like to be informed about this, you can comment below, subscribe to this blog, drop a note to info@followerofone.org or make a donation on the GoFundMe page. Thanks in advance.

Filed under: Faith Tagged: action, Christianity, Follower Of One, Impact, initiative

Time for Me to Act

When I consider my own beliefs about Jesus, I’m confronted by a tremendous disconnect. The Creator of the universe is involved in a major offensive to win back the very people He created. This serious battle cost Him dearly but it proves how important and valuable we are to Him. We’re not an accident. I believe we were created on purpose for a freely-chosen relationship with God. We all get to choose.

When I chose to follow Jesus, my life changed. It moved from the temporary, personal, self-centered, to one where I have a permanent relationship with my Creator. He calls me to live in relationship with Him and community with others so I can be free to think of and do things for others. In doing for others we’re truly rewarded. He made that possible. And He gives me the opportunity to lay down my life and take up my cross and follow Him.

Yet as a business person with a family, obligations, bills and responsibilities, I am confronted daily with an interesting problem. How do I live in my permanent relationship with Jesus and honor my commitments to my family and my job? Is there a way to do both? Is that even what Jesus wants or expects?

I believe Jesus wants me to do both, to live life and work in my job while following Him. He gave us His Spirit so we can live with Him here on Earth. We can enjoy our eternal life as we walk with Him in the temporal world and make an impact in the lives of those around us.

With the help of some friends, I’m launching an online community of Jesus-followers for the purpose of encouraging and mobilizing us to live our everyday life with eternal purpose. It’s called Follower of One. We have created a GoFundMe page (www.gofundme.com/followerofone) that describes a bit more of what we plan to do.

Would you consider helping us? We would appreciate your prayers and we are also trying to raise $5000 to form a corporation, file for our non-profit status and launch our web community. Any money raised over and above that amount will go toward operating the community. We’re working to launch the web community now. A newsletter and some other information will also be coming shortly.

We dream of building a community where Jesus-followers lead by serving one another and our friends and coworkers. We want to live our faith daily. We believe we can live our faith in a way that honors God and makes a difference in our sphere of influence. Will you join us?

Find out more at http://www.gofundme.com/followerofone and watch for the launch of the Follower of One community.

 

Filed under: Faith Tagged: action, Follower Of One, ministry, vision

Become a Better Boss One Tip at a Time

I’ve never met Wally Bock face-to-face. We’ve been in and around the leadership world since I joined it in 2009. We’ve spoken a few times and have a number of common connections. He’s even helped me through some direct coaching on my writing, and through his long-tested Working Supervisor’s Support Kit and his Three Star Leadership Blog. He’s been making a difference coaching, writing and consulting on leadership and management for a number of years, long before I joined the community.

Wally just published his latest work, Become a Better Boss One Tip at a Time. The book contains over 300 practical tips for bosses, which he defines as those in a position of responsibility.

Take the right amount of time

It’s true that the world is moving faster and faster. But that doesn’t mean that you have to make every decision quickly. If you have time and taking longer will make things better, take the time you need. Wally Bock

Wally writes from real experience. He isn’t a tourist when it comes to being a boss. He’s a native.  A tourist visits but a native commits. A native changes and is changed by the surroundings and environment. Wally has lived his writing. There is a distinct difference in his writing and advice because he has lived middle-management rather than simply reading or studying it. And he’s done more than simply pass through. He studied, influenced, impacted and made a difference. He has “strived” in management, to use a term from a famous quote, sometimes coming up short and other times experiencing success.

[image error]The benefit to us is that each Wally “nugget” is full of wisdom and experience. I simply started clicking around on the table of contents and searching for some keywords and 30 minutes was gone before I knew it. Each 2-5 sentence tip is crammed with wisdom from years of experience distilled into usable, actionable advice. The brevity of each tip challenges you to act. You will catch yourself asking how you can implement this tip right now.

I started thinking of all of the bosses and managers I know who could use a copy. Each page has practical wisdom and you will improve as a boss on day one. Click the image or this link and spend the money to get your own copy. Add it to your weekly or daily routine for a few days and become a better boss. You won’t be disappointed and you will improve. I hope you learn how to think about your responsibility as a boss and you create your own 300 tips that you can hand down to those who come behind you.

Filed under: Leadership Tagged: books, middle-management, Wally Bock

Problems and Solutions

I hope we hit bottom soon. Have you noticed how often the news you hear is negative? How often are you proud of what you see on television or read in the news? Are you feeling confident about the next four years after the upcoming US election? Are you expecting anything hopeful and positive for the future under either a Republican or Democrat led congress or a with a Republican or Democrat in the White House?

Even more painful is the idea that each day, we turn on the news to “learn” about what’s going on. Have you realized the news media is the common denominator regarding most of the nation’s woes? Our local news is so focused on the local scene, that, in between commercials and weather forecasts, we hear about houses that burn and local people who were shot. Every story is a breaking story. It’s happening right now. Many times, the news person stays at the scene of the accident or shooting hours after everyone else has left so they can report “live from the scene!”

I wonder are things truly bad, or is the media better at attracting our attention?

Why are people just now remembering that Donald offended them or attacked them? Why are Hillary’s emails just now getting leaked? Is there any chance people are attempting to manipulate us?

Think about the people with whom you work and live. How many were shot yesterday? How many were groped by their boss? How many suffered a great catastrophe? Isn’t it true that most of what happened to you yesterday was good? You did your job, got your paycheck, had lunch with friends. Your coworkers did their jobs. People helped you. Someone probably brought your lunch to you or cooked it for you. People made things. Most of us went to work and came home yesterday without event. They didn’t get shot. They didn’t lose their job. They weren’t offended or violated.

I don’t want to make light of the problems of our world. They’ve always been there. Donald and Hillary and what we see on the news is the exception, not the rule. Please don’t focus on the problems and the exceptions. Conservative or liberal, remember the news media is trying to get your attention. Our world isn’t falling apart. And our government (or any other) isn’t going to solve our problems. Our most pervasive problems are that we focus on our problems and we think we need someone else to fix them.

We are the solution to our problems. Help someone tomorrow. If we all helped someone, we would have 6 billion fewer problems. Do something for someone tomorrow that can’t be explained. Just make something better.

You and I are the answer to someone’s problem. Live that. Repeat.

Note: The photo is an image of a favorite book on the topic. Check it out!

Filed under: Leadership Tagged: action, books

Living My Values

I have a lot more time to read, write, and enjoy my family on Sundays this year. And I have the NFL to thank. I’m grateful for the time to read and write and enjoy family and friends. I have the time because I won’t watch the NFL again. I’ll regret missing the Super Bowl, but I’ll enjoy everything else.

The straw that broke this camel’s back for me was the NFL and the media’s response to the “protests” by Colin Kaepernick and others who refuse to stand for the National Anthem. Over the years, I’ve tired of the show-offs. I dislike the amount of money our world wastes on entertainment like football when I compare it to how much money we spend on things like education. We give these young professionals millions of dollars and then wonder why they act the way they do. Combine the excesses of football with the beer and snack food commercials populated exclusively by slender models, and I was already growing tired of the sport. The biggest excitement every year was an upset.

Did you catch my wording. I’m not offended by Kaepernick’s action. I understand it to be a publicity stunt. He needed to do something with his career. Without his bad-boy gimmicks, he would be a nobody on a nothing team. Now that he’s got his contract renegotiated and his team is in the cellar, he’s in a good position to rescue his team from the jaws of total futility. We should expect nothing less of the people we produce to play sports. They understand the formula. They can get a lot of money if they’re good, or if they’re obnoxious. Consider Bruce Jenner, or remember Dennis Rodman. If you’re not among the best, there’s good money to be made pushing the boundaries. (This also works in politics, which is why we have 2016’s Dennis and Bruce running for President, too.)

My problem is with the NFL and the sports media establishment, and the rest of the world that believes I must “allow” this behavior. I understand the freedom protected by the Constitution of the United States. Kaepernick should be free to do what he wants. So should the NFL and the media types that suggest I should put up with, or ignore this flagrant disagreement with my values. But freedom of speech and courage work both ways. I remain free to choose how I spend my time and my money. And I choose not to spend it on the NFL. I spend less time than ever watching ESPN and the NFL network too. I refuse to participate in Kaepernick’s stunt or to support the infrastructure that makes actions like those of the protestors profitable. I will not support a league or a sport that will take my time and my money and then force me to support their anti-American actions and attitudes. I’m done.

If the NFL wasn’t a monopoly, they wouldn’t sit still for Kaepernick’s joke either. I’m certain it is costing them money, and lots of it. Amazingly, they don’t think this action has resulted in their declining ratings. They think the Dennis and Bruce, er, uh, Donald and Hillary show is hurting their ratings. Maybe they’ll understand better after the election. It’s interesting how little courage organizations and indivudals have these days. The NFL and the sports media applaud Kaepernick’s “courage” but they don’t have the courage to stand for anything themselves. They’re out to make money and they refuse to stand for anything else. The NFL leadership definitely lacks the courage or conviction to make him suffer the consequences of his actions. Kaepernick may truly have convictions.  The NFL and those who suggest I must “tolerate” it are clearly committed only to the pursuit of money.

So I’ll be writing more and connecting more on Sundays. I hope I live my values more carefully going forward. Kaepernick values his publicity and earning potential. I value life in a free country. I value selflessness, courage, commitment, and loyalty. I value making a positive difference and investing in people. I value solving problems rather than simply complaining about them.

I appreciate the NFL for reminding me of my own values. And the NFL reminded me my values are more important to me than football.

Filed under: Leadership Tagged: commitment, courage, values

The Leader’s Problem

I’m reading All the Places to Go… How Will You Know?: God Has Placed before You an Open Door. What Will You Do? By John Ortberg. Near the center of the book, the author makes a challenging observation:

    You’ll be defined by your biggest problem. You can choose, if you want, to devote your life to the problem of “How can I be rich?” or “How can I be successful?” or “How can I be healthy?” or “How can I be secure?” Or you can devote yourself to a nobler problem.

Your identity is defined by the problem you embrace. Tell me what your problem is, and I’ll tell you who you are. (Page 116)

Have you considered your defining problem? What is the problem you would like your life to have addressed? What issue will be your identity?

I’ve also recently read Living Forward: A Proven Plan to Stop Drifting and Get the Life You Want by Michael Hyatt and Daniel Harkavy and as a result of the activities suggested by the authors, I wrote a eulogy for myself. It seemed a bit narcissistic and self-focused, but it helped me identify what is most important to me. The exercise sharpened my clarity regarding my purpose and my problem.

I believe we are created for a purpose, or, another way to say that would be that we each have a problem to solve.

A number of years ago, I decided to try to understand, to the best of my ability, what Jesus was about. As a result of that pursuit, I decided to line my lif up with the teachings of the Bible, although I must admit that I often don’t succeed very well. The Bible teaches we were created for a purpose. We lost our ability to know our purpose because we’re born thinking we’re in charge rather than thinking God is in charge. We believe we’re the boss and, as a result, we choose our own purpose. But we get the opportunity to recover our original, created purpose when we decide Jesus is God and he is in charge.

“The first responsibility of a leader is to define reality. The last is to say thank you. In between, the leader is a servant.” Max DePree

Max DePree famously said that a leaders first responsibility is to define reality. We don’t need a leader to lead same. The reality we define may be our view of the world once our problem is solved. Our purpose is our problem. Our most elevated purpose is our greatest problem. Our mark, our character, our impact, will be the dent we made in the problem we were created for.

Regardless of your thoughts on Jesus, think about how your biggest problem makes you come alive. Certain issues, problems, challenges create instant energy for you. As you get nearer to your most elevated purpose, you find your best energy and you experience your greatest impact. It can be taking care of a sick relative or rescuing animals. Or it can be serving a non-profit or volunteering at a homeless shelter. Your greatest energy can come from any type of problem.

Your problem marks you as a leader.  You’re a leader because, regardless of your position, you have a problem. No problem… no leadership required. The problem demands a leader.

Character-based leaders avoid the temptation to tune the problem out. They address the problem, scratching the itch, and make a difference. Stuff the problem long enough and abandon your purpose. Embrace the problem and your leadership character comes alive.

“Don’t ask what the world needs. Ask what makes you come alive, and go do it. Because what the world needs is people who are fully alive.” Howard Thurman

So, what’s your problem? Care to share? Maybe someone reading this post can help!

Filed under: Leadership Tagged: books, energy, servant leadership

Imperfect Leadership

Often in leadership circles, we place those who succeed on pedestals and we talk about, analyze and study what they did right. We consider their thoughts and actions. We admire their decisions, choices and opportunities. We learn from them and they challenge us.

Do you ever notice that some of these people never fail? They seem to never make a mistake or if they do, we only hear about it because we’re reading about their success overcoming the failure or learning from it.

Are you ever tempted to compare yourself? “I could never do such and such,” or, “I would love to have the chance to do that with his resources and her connections.” Do you find yourself comparing often?

Comparison is a deadly trap. It can keep us from believing we are qualified or capable. It can cause us to flinch, hesitate or stop doing what we know we should.

However, when it comes to leading from who you are — let’s call that character-based leadership — comparison wastes energy. Character-based leaders are imperfect. My character is not perfect. If your character is perfect, you can stop reading here.

Aim for perfection, and hit discouragement. Perfection seldom happens and never for long. You might choke, trying too hard. Or you might freeze, engulfed by fear. Aim for perfection and bank on deflation, dissatisfaction, broken relationships, frustration and worse.

Leading from who we are means we must lead with and through imperfection. You can’t pretend to be someone else and be a character-based leader. You manipulate when you act a particular way to get someone to do what you want. Anyone inspired by a wrong image of the real you will disconnect when they discover the real you.

Our imperfections may discourage us but we must refuse to let them take us out of the game. Refuse to listen to that little voice in your head that tells you “Don’t screw up,” or “You always blow it in this area,” or “Remember the last time you tried this.”

Genuine leadership is leadership through imperfection.

When we face our imperfection and act anyway, we show genuine character-based leadership. Work on your shortcomings but never let them keep you from taking action. Screw up in gear and avoid the mistake of inaction. Imperfect, genuine leaders encourage and mobilize others to act. Their actions make persistence and success believable, reachable. Stop listening to any voice claiming you can’t do something. Simply decide to be the change you want to see in the world. Then act. The worst thing that can happen is you might fail. Welcome to the club. And you’ll be who you are.

I’ll take an imperfect, transparent, giving, willing leader over a perfect, aloof, self-serving leader any day. Wouldn’t you?

This post first appeared on Smartbrief On Leadership.

Photo © fotografaw fotolia.com

Filed under: Leadership Tagged: action, character-based leadership