Excel _Excelling _Excellence
David excelled in his faith and work before Samuel and was anointed King. He then continued to excel in every-day tasks (shepherding) after being anointed as king. He excelled in standing before Saul. He excelled even when he was chased. David would excel when given a task. He continued in a life of excelling in all that he did before the LORD, and then he stepped up to a level of excellence in ushering in the golden age of Israel. David’s son wrote the following:
Proverbs 22:29 “Do you see a man who excels in his work? He will stand before kings; He will not stand before unknown men.”
Excellent work will bring you before excellent people who bring excellent opportunities.
Emerging leaders move from the place where they excel at a task to excelling in a season of life, then living a life of excellence.
Excel – “Do you see a man who excels in his work?”It does not matter what their current position, pay, or place is, they choose to excel. Emerging leaders are not caught up in worrying about how they did yesterday. They realize that yesterday’s mistakes have lead them to an opportunity for success today. Emerging leaders are not lost in the clouds of tomorrow. They have vision, but they know that they must excel in what they are doing right now! Emerging leaders excel at the small thing they have in front of them.
Excelling – “He will stand before kings.”
God’s word will not return void. You will walk right into divine appointments that lead to divine opportunities when you excel. Divine appointments come as a result of obeying in an excellent way. They are on God’s calendar. It not a quick fix or an easy thing. The passage says “he will stand before kings.” It does not communicate that this occurred immediately. Excelling is a process.
Excellence – “He will not stand before unknown men.”
If you are standing around getting caught up in common talk with unknown men you will find yourself becoming a common unknown person. Unknown men will merely glance at your excellence but not necessarily inquire how to become excellent. Don’t get caught up standing around the water cooler when you have a life of excellence to pursue. No one takes notice of ordinary. You are called to do extraordinary things in ordinary situations.
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Thursday, March 26, 2009
Buoyancy: Determination
Any person that does anything of significance in life will face people like Sanballat and Tobiah (Nehemiah 4:1-5). They are people who put down what you are trying to accomplish. They belittle you. They say that your work is worthless. They try to discourage the people that you are leading. In every town, in every operation, there will be people who will come against you. That’s just the way it is my friend. But your determination that leads to success will silance their words.
Nehemiah silanced Sanballat and Tobiah little by little with his steps of prayer filled success.
“So we built the wall. And all the wall was joined together to half its height, for the people had a mind to work.”
Nehemiah 4:6
The determination of an emerging leader flows to those who follow. Therefore, it is important that you focus on where God has called you to go. What you focus on will determine the life you live. It will set the foundation for ever operation you engage in. It will be the deciding factor between small wins that lead to large victories or little losses that lead to a defeated life. Lets look at what it takes to f-L-O-W to the top:
F- Focus
Your thought life will flow from the areas you focus on the most. Therefore, determination is founded upon your focal points. If you focus on alternatives, you will not accomplish. However, if you focus on acceleration you will advance in your vision. Determine in your mind who you want to become. Then begin to resource yourself to focus.
L- Live
What you have focused on, will determine the life you will live. No matter how hard things might get, if you set your eyes to the city you will eventually accomplish your objective there. The call of God is a lifestyle of determination. The reason that something becomes buoyant and rises to the top is because of what fills it. When God given determination fills your life you will rise to the top of any situation.
O- Operation
When we live a lifestyle of determination to do the will of God, our operations are in the will of God. When you operate in the will of God there are forces at work against you. They are trying to pull you back down. Your own flesh does not long for the discipline of fulfilling the will of God. Therefore it pulls for you to go the other way. The world around you does not want to see the fulfillment of the will of God, so they will try to reason you away from it. Satan’s system will be at work against you because of what your work means to the city. Only operations of determination will arise about what’s warring against you.
W – Wins
In leadership you need small wins to keep momentum going. Small wins lead to large victories. Remember that you are not the only one who has to stay motivated. You are a leader, so you have to motivate the followers. Focus on celebrating the small victories of life.
As Nehemiah built the wall of Jerusalem, he faced adversity all the way. The reason the wall got built was because the determination on the inside of him was greater than the discouragement outside of him.
Nehemiah silanced Sanballat and Tobiah little by little with his steps of prayer filled success.
“So we built the wall. And all the wall was joined together to half its height, for the people had a mind to work.”
Nehemiah 4:6
The determination of an emerging leader flows to those who follow. Therefore, it is important that you focus on where God has called you to go. What you focus on will determine the life you live. It will set the foundation for ever operation you engage in. It will be the deciding factor between small wins that lead to large victories or little losses that lead to a defeated life. Lets look at what it takes to f-L-O-W to the top:
F- Focus
Your thought life will flow from the areas you focus on the most. Therefore, determination is founded upon your focal points. If you focus on alternatives, you will not accomplish. However, if you focus on acceleration you will advance in your vision. Determine in your mind who you want to become. Then begin to resource yourself to focus.
L- Live
What you have focused on, will determine the life you will live. No matter how hard things might get, if you set your eyes to the city you will eventually accomplish your objective there. The call of God is a lifestyle of determination. The reason that something becomes buoyant and rises to the top is because of what fills it. When God given determination fills your life you will rise to the top of any situation.
O- Operation
When we live a lifestyle of determination to do the will of God, our operations are in the will of God. When you operate in the will of God there are forces at work against you. They are trying to pull you back down. Your own flesh does not long for the discipline of fulfilling the will of God. Therefore it pulls for you to go the other way. The world around you does not want to see the fulfillment of the will of God, so they will try to reason you away from it. Satan’s system will be at work against you because of what your work means to the city. Only operations of determination will arise about what’s warring against you.
W – Wins
In leadership you need small wins to keep momentum going. Small wins lead to large victories. Remember that you are not the only one who has to stay motivated. You are a leader, so you have to motivate the followers. Focus on celebrating the small victories of life.
As Nehemiah built the wall of Jerusalem, he faced adversity all the way. The reason the wall got built was because the determination on the inside of him was greater than the discouragement outside of him.
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
Buoyancy Initiative
Anyone, including a child can walk into a room that is being painted and announce that the painter missed a spot. However, it takes someone with understanding to come along pick up a roller and make it disappear. How do you want to go through life? As someone who points out things that anyone can see? Or, as an individual who understands how to take initiative, solve problems, and act on great opportunities. One clear reason that emerging leaders are buoyant and rise to the top in any situation is because they do more than recognize and react - they research and respond.
“A fool takes no pleasure in understanding, but only in expressing his opinion.” Proverbs 18:2
The ignorant imply and then ignore any involvement. The idea that the problem they are bringing forward could be an opportunity to help the team, never crosses their mind. They just came to drop off a problem. Emerging leaders increase in insight and ignite initiative. They understand what needs to be done and they rise up people around them to help do it.
Increase in Insight
When an emerging leader sees a problem or an opportunity the first thing they do is increase in insight. They find the facts so that they can facilitate team flourishing. There is always more to the story than meets the eye. Leaders are well aware of that fact. The next thing they do is to discover resources. They see what can be done about the problem or opportunity. Then they take the time to consider what they can contribute. Once these steps are completed, they bring the information to the one above them. They come to their leader with understanding, possible resources, solutions, and a clear cut plan on how they could be involved. Emerging leaders simply want to know if they can have permission to solve the problem or move on the opportunity. If the answer is yes they step to it. However, if the answer is no they back off and focus on other areas of productivity. In summary:
· The ignorant show up with problems.
· Workers show up asking: What can I do to help?
· Leaders show up with understanding, resources, solutions, and a clear cut plan.
As a leader, I have often wondered why it is two totally different people can come to me with the exact same problem, and my emotions are different with they depart. I now understand that one showed up telling me what’s wrong, and the other showed up telling me what can be done right with what is wrong. It is a loss of productivity to hear about problems/obstacles that are not accompanied with solutions and plans. When a problem solver and an opportunity planner communicate about a problem that they are solving, it not only increases my productivity and theirs but furthermore makes them increase in insight as emerging leaders.
Ignite Initiative
When an emerging leader is given the opportunity to take their understanding, resources, solution, and clear cut plan to a problem or an opportunity they do not disappoint. They have the ability to cause people around them to rise up. This is because people produce what they are. An emerging leader is someone who takes initiative to solve a problem or pursue an opportunity. They look at the people who are around them and light a flame in them by saying “I’m going this way, go with me.” People will rise up and go. This is because, when you know who you are and you know where you are going, someone will follow you. Emerging leaders understand that not everyone will follow them, but those that want. to have their initiative ignited will. In summary:
· The ignorant simply sit back and criticize the way the problem is being solved.
· Workers step up and help the emerging leader.
· Emerging leaders get the job done.
I once worked with a painter who did really great work, but made it all worthless with his mouth. He cost our company more in wasted time than he was worth. On one particular occasion he went into a room where another painter was still painting and he noticed a few “holidays”. In the painting business this is the term for a missed spot. He began to laugh loudly and yell “Look at the holidays in this room.” The he took it upon himself to grab all of the other workers on the project and have them come in and look at the “holidays.” This was a total waste of time, until one of the painters simply picked up a roller and painted over the spot. The message was clear: when you see a problem fix it. Let me add this, when you see an opportunity, act on it.
“A fool takes no pleasure in understanding, but only in expressing his opinion.” Proverbs 18:2
The ignorant imply and then ignore any involvement. The idea that the problem they are bringing forward could be an opportunity to help the team, never crosses their mind. They just came to drop off a problem. Emerging leaders increase in insight and ignite initiative. They understand what needs to be done and they rise up people around them to help do it.
Increase in Insight
When an emerging leader sees a problem or an opportunity the first thing they do is increase in insight. They find the facts so that they can facilitate team flourishing. There is always more to the story than meets the eye. Leaders are well aware of that fact. The next thing they do is to discover resources. They see what can be done about the problem or opportunity. Then they take the time to consider what they can contribute. Once these steps are completed, they bring the information to the one above them. They come to their leader with understanding, possible resources, solutions, and a clear cut plan on how they could be involved. Emerging leaders simply want to know if they can have permission to solve the problem or move on the opportunity. If the answer is yes they step to it. However, if the answer is no they back off and focus on other areas of productivity. In summary:
· The ignorant show up with problems.
· Workers show up asking: What can I do to help?
· Leaders show up with understanding, resources, solutions, and a clear cut plan.
As a leader, I have often wondered why it is two totally different people can come to me with the exact same problem, and my emotions are different with they depart. I now understand that one showed up telling me what’s wrong, and the other showed up telling me what can be done right with what is wrong. It is a loss of productivity to hear about problems/obstacles that are not accompanied with solutions and plans. When a problem solver and an opportunity planner communicate about a problem that they are solving, it not only increases my productivity and theirs but furthermore makes them increase in insight as emerging leaders.
Ignite Initiative
When an emerging leader is given the opportunity to take their understanding, resources, solution, and clear cut plan to a problem or an opportunity they do not disappoint. They have the ability to cause people around them to rise up. This is because people produce what they are. An emerging leader is someone who takes initiative to solve a problem or pursue an opportunity. They look at the people who are around them and light a flame in them by saying “I’m going this way, go with me.” People will rise up and go. This is because, when you know who you are and you know where you are going, someone will follow you. Emerging leaders understand that not everyone will follow them, but those that want. to have their initiative ignited will. In summary:
· The ignorant simply sit back and criticize the way the problem is being solved.
· Workers step up and help the emerging leader.
· Emerging leaders get the job done.
I once worked with a painter who did really great work, but made it all worthless with his mouth. He cost our company more in wasted time than he was worth. On one particular occasion he went into a room where another painter was still painting and he noticed a few “holidays”. In the painting business this is the term for a missed spot. He began to laugh loudly and yell “Look at the holidays in this room.” The he took it upon himself to grab all of the other workers on the project and have them come in and look at the “holidays.” This was a total waste of time, until one of the painters simply picked up a roller and painted over the spot. The message was clear: when you see a problem fix it. Let me add this, when you see an opportunity, act on it.
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