Cedric Dukes's Blog, page 7
October 16, 2018
Chronos and Kairos Time
The area where most employees get sucked in is time. I am not talking about time management even though we should. I am talking about whether the time is right for you. There are two types time – Chronos and Kairos. These are Greek words for time. Chronos is sequential time which means chronological time. Kairos means the right and opportune time. Most of the time we think in in Chronos time when things should be done and when questions should be answered. But more and more we need to understand there is a Kairos time that each of us has. There is Kairos time for every project, task, goal and deadline. Insistently calling someone for the answer to a question will not speed it up. I have learned that answers are not known until certain things are in place. So continue to wait and be patient until the answer come. More than likely the answer will not be the answer that you are looking for. Wait for the Kairos time for any and all situations.
October 9, 2018
Which are you? Thermostat or Thermometer
Which one are you? Dr. Martin Luther King Jr, penned this from sitting in jail fitting for justice.
I ask the same question – which one are you? Are you the one that waits for the room to get to a certain temperature and impacted by the surroundings or are you the one that regulates the temperature and conversation and mood in the meeting? I am not talking about taking over the meeting. I am talking about providing engaging discussions. Sometimes you have to become both to understanding the surroundings before you can regulate the discussion. The thermometer can become a wall flower waiting for someone to engage with them. That’s when you turn the thermometer on and ask those engaging questions that will cause coworkers and management to think. That is when you bring out of the box ideas for solutions. Your company pays you to solve problems that is why you are hired.
October 8, 2018
October 2, 2018
Your Brand, Your Image, Your Mission and Your Values
The best way to develop your brand is to do great work. Developing your brand is understanding who you are, what you want and where you want to go. It is easy to say that you want to become Vice President or the CEO but you must take a series of steps to get there. Two ways to develop your brand are personal attitude and technical skills. Personal attitude is a soft skill. People who get promoted or get a raise are those who are liked. They are team players willing to help the next person. Their reputation precedes them. Next are functional technical skills. These skills put you in front of management anytime or anywhere with your education and your past job experiences which uses transferable skills. These skills are important because it puts you in the door and your personal skills keeps you there.
Developing you brand helps your workplace and you
The best way to develop your brand is to do great work. It may sound cliché but the best way to get what you want to do the job that you are assigned to. This means that you can’t complain about the boss or the co workers because they will rat you out. You have to suck it up. Developing your brand is understanding who you are, what you want and where you want to go. It is easy to say that you want to become Vice President on the CEO but you must take a series of steps to get there. First there is personal attitude. These are the soft skills. As I said before, people who get promoted or get a raise are those who are liked. Next is the functional technical skills. These are the skills that develop your branding. These skills put you in front of management at anytime or anywhere. This means you have to always be ready. These skills are important because it puts you in the door and your personal skills keeps you there. So that is why you can just work independent. You must always be a team player willing to mentor.
September 28, 2018
Encouragement in the Workplace
Encouragement to fellow coworkers is paramount to become successful in your career. Your coworkers are your biggest defenders of you. Your boss sees one side of you but your coworkers see the many faces of turmoil, anguish, happiness, etc. How you respond to someone who is going through difficulty in their marriage or family member death, will speak volumes. If you treat them right, they will defend you from those who are trying to harm you. They will speak highly to your boss about you. They will give you unexpected blessings that you are trying to get for yourself. Luke 16:12 says, “And if you have not been trustworthy with someone else property, who will give you property of your own?” This means that if you help someone else out; they for sure will help you in your time of distress. Encouragement is needed because we are humans.
Internal Conflict
Sometimes or even most of the times, your will is in conflict with God’s will. I know mine is. My will says go left and God’s will says to go right. When I do that I delay the blessing that God has for me because I have to turn back around and get back on the right path. Sometimes it takes longer to get to a destination point when you go in the wrong direction. The Israelites took 40 years to get to the promised land when it only should have taken 11 days. I normally think my way is right but it is not the best way for me to go. God wants me to meet people along the journey and also impact those who need encouragement. Goals and plans are wonderful but sometimes they become selfish catering to our own flesh. Goals can’t become self serving. Wait for what God has for you. We can’t rush it and make him do anything. He is putting people in places that will benefit His will and for your good. We can’t see the entire picture but spiritually look how He is orchestrating every move.
Proverbs 16: 1- 2 – The preparations of the heart in man, and the answer of the tongue, is from the Lord. All the ways of a man are clean in his own eyes; but the Lord weigheth the spirits.
Romans 8: 6 – 8 – For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.
Phillips 2:12-13 – Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.
September 21, 2018
Getting Unstuck
The only one that can get unstuck is you. When that happens God is going to do the rest. It is like walking with one foot in front of the other. It becomes easier with every stride. Getting unstuck is similar as the first thing that we have to do is to take action. That could be doing what you have to do to start the process. If you want a job, then you must apply or network. If you want to stop high blood pressure then you have to stop eating certain foods and start exercising. God will normally take the next step when you do. He does not want to interrupt your free will.
James 2:14 – 18 What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him? If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food, And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit? Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone. Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works.
Ephesians 4:31 – 32 – Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice: And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.
John 8:32 – And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.
September 14, 2018
Favor
Like a divine connection, God’s favor is following you. When you accept Him and the plan for your life, blessings will follow your steps. God works out everything for His own will. Yes, I understand there is frustration of doing things ourselves. Do what He directs. It will always work out at the end. He never withholds anything from you if you follow Him. Favor is something that you cannot manufacture. Favor is through Him being at the right time, right place and meeting the right people.
Ephesians 1:11 – In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will:
Psalm 84:11 – 12 – For the Lord God is a sun and shield: the Lord will give grace and glory: no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly. O Lord of hosts, blessed is the man that trusteth in thee
Psalm 23 – The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.
