Courtesy towards job seekers
Organizational hint: If you’re hiring people, make sure you notify the candidates that you didn’t choose of your decision.
It will make you rise above the other organizations that keep candidates hanging. Yes, it will take time to notify hundreds of applicants, but it will show you are part of a class organization.
I feel for all of you that are looking for work. I’ve been there, and do know this: you will find something.
Blessings!
You can’t please everyone
One of the rules of leadership, or at least it seems like a rule, is that you can’t please everyone.
Decisions are to be made for the best interest of the collective whole. You will always have those that disagree, or downright hate the decision that is made.
There is many a day that I want to please everyone. The chances of that happening are about as high as learning to fly without wings. When you are a leader, you have to learn that your decisions might tick off more than a couple of people.
How to minimize the guilt:
1. Be confident in your decision. Do the research, make sure your decision is based on as many facts as possible. If you don’t have all the necessary information, still launch (ode to Seth Godin.) If you wait until you have all the facts, you’ll never start.
2. Educate everyone on your decision. You need to share why you’ve made a particular decision to everyone involved. They still may not like it, but at least they won’t feel like they’re getting the mushroom treatment.
3. Be open to suggested ideas. Possibly, a slight variation of your decision will satisfy your detractors, while still accomplishing what your original decision offered. As a leader, you must be open to suggestions, but still act on what you feel is the best decision.
There’s a reason why you are a leader. Your actions and words are always under review, but be confident in doing the best you can, because that’s what you should do anyway.
Book Review: I Am A Follower by @LenSweet, compliments of @BookSneeze
What do you think of, when you hear the word leadership? My inbox receives a variety of leadership-based e-mails, and there are a ton of leadership writers, speakers, “experts”, etc. What’s ironic is that when the world needs leadership more than ever, there seems to be mass confusion, governments falling, financial stress everywhere, job losses, and so forth. Makes me wonder if anyone is actually listening and learning from the leadership folks.
When I first started reading I Am A Follower, I noticed how the leadership movement was being picked apart for its flaws. We all have flaws. Only one individual that’s ever walked on this planet is perfect.
Jesus.
We are called to follow Jesus. Not like a little child follows their parents (and then wanders off to check out some toy or shiny object), but to truly follow Christ. To learn what He was like, how He saw things, how He reacted to situations.
When I’ve faced struggles and challenges in my life, I thankfully sought His grace and presence. I sought guidance on how to deal with the situation. Yes, I’ve asked for help to “get out” of the situation, but I realize that He can use these challenges as a training ground, for me to become closer to Him, and to be more like Him.
“Follow me.” Two words, that have Kingdom impact.
Dr. Sweet’s book is a must have in your collection. I hope it blesses you as much as it has me.
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookSneeze.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
Book Review: The Resolution for Men, Compliments of @GrafMartin
The Resolution for Men, by Stephen & Alex Kendrick with Randy Alcorn
If there was ever a book for Men, to provide them a roadmap on how to live their lives (besides The Bible), The Resolution for Men is that book.
This book is tied to the Acclaimed Courageous movie, that was released in theatres in 2011.
From the call to live courageously, to the in-your-face, direct approach of calling men to not waste their lives, this book is one of the books that you always need to keep on your desk.
It’s not the type of book where you would read once, and then file in your bookcase. This book should be marked up, highlighted, whatever you do to recall information.
The first section of the book is a call to men, to rise above the challenges. Part two is built on resolutions of living a life of integrity, loving your family, fight for honor and justice.
The Appendices cover important steps to reinforce the learnings from earlier in the book.
If more men followed these guidelines, we would see a LOT less problems in the world.
My challenge for you is to obtain this book, because it will make a difference in your life, and the lives of your children.
“Book has been provided courtesy of David C Cook and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc.
Available at your favourite bookseller from B&H Publishing Group”.
Smile
How’s your December going? Tired from running around, buying gifts, attending events?
I’ve purposely avoided the hustle and bustle this season, mostly out of a selfish desire not to burn myself out, as well as to focus on the meaning of this time of year.
I work in a busy metropolis (name of the metropolis rhymes with Toronto), so I see a ton of people in my daily commute.
Lots of sad, beaten down faces.
When you make eye contact with someone, take a moment and smile. It doesn’t have to be a 
(big) smile, but at least have a smile that shows that you acknowledge that person, and that you wish them well.
When someone gives you an unsolicited smile, it’s an awesome gift. Receive it graciously.
Why do we react to smiles? Probably because the first facial expression we saw as a baby, was someone smiling at us.
Smiles are still free to give.
Book Review: The 360 Degree Leader by @JohnCMaxwell, compliments of @BookSneeze #FB
So you want to be the leader? You want to lead people, and an organization? Stop what you’re doing and buy this book.
Dr. Maxwell has blessed us with a ton of great books and lessons, but The 360 Degree Leader’s impact on careers is limitless.
The key to leadership is influence is one of the hundreds of gems this book provides the reader. Dr. Maxwell also uses many stories of other leaders like John Wooden, Jack Welch, Military leaders, and other leadership authors, into a packed book of leadership goodness.
No matter where you are in your career, this book needs to be on your bookshelf.
Many of us are leaders in the middle. I believe this is where we can cause the most impact within an organization. You can lead up, to provide value and benefit your boss, as well as lead your peers and those that report to you.
Here’s an example of how I’ve used this book in my career: Instead of booking a meeting to discuss a particular project or issue, I walk to the area where my team makes things happen, and I start a conversation on the topic. After a few minutes of discussion, brainstorming, and ideas, I’ll document what we discussed and share it with the team.
No meeting tables, no meeting rooms, people standing and sitting, with ideas flowing. Yes, it was a meeting, but with a different flavor. I valued my team and their ideas into the process. They took ownership because they were involved from the beginning.
From time to time, I will book an “old school” meeting, just to mix things up.
That’s a small portion of what being a 360 Degree leader is all about.
Blessings!
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookSneeze.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
Book Review: Replenish by @LanceWitt, compliments of @GrafMartin
Replenish, by Lance Witt
Leading from a healthy soul. Sounds easy, but believe me, it’s far from easy. From trying to be a leader, protecting your “image”, while dealing with all the internal and external struggles of daily life, your soul will run dry very quickly, if you don’t follow the necessary steps to live a plentiful life.
Lance Witt’s book is written with a pastoral theme, but there are many valuable lessons that any leader can use and follow.
We’re all pastors of something.
It took me some time to get through this book, not because it’s a hard book to read, but I took the time to reflect on its teachings, while in the midst of starting a new job.
I made it a priority that with my new position, I was going to do things differently than I have in the past. From taking computer breaks every 20 minutes (including standing up and moving around), to spending more time on reflection and following the rhythm of life, this book was a timely read for my latest career spot.
We need to be in sync with God, and His direction. That often requires us to STOP. We’re all on the go, never allowing for “down time.”
How long has it been since you checked your e-mail, or logged into Facebook/Twitter/Google+ ?
To fully replenish, you need to put the iBinky (or iPacifier, or iSooSoo) down and simply stop.
This book will be a blessing to you, as it was to me.
Blessings!
“Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Books and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc. Available at your favourite bookseller from Baker Books”.
Discipline
In its original sense, discipline is referred to systematic instruction given disciples to train them. Source: Wikipedia
Discipline has a negative vibe to it, but without discipline, we would be a bigger mess than we already are.
If there are areas of your life that you need to reorganize, or if you need to become disciplined to do things the right way, I’m in the same boat as you.
Here’s some suggestions to help you along the way:
- Write down what you want to improve. I have seen many leadership journals magnify the need to write down your goals.
- Share your list with an accountability partner. Accountability is another one of those words with a negative vibe to it, but it’s crucial to be held in check with what you want to accomplish.
- Baby steps. If you’re trying to lose weight, remember it didn’t take you two weeks to gain that wait, so it will take time. Don’t beat yourself up over not losing all the weight in a week. Same goes with decluttering your home. You didn’t obtain all that stuff in a day (if you did, remind me the next time you go shopping, so I can tag along 
. Pick a corner of a room, and declutter away. Either donate or sell what you don’t need to keep. Be honest…how many talking bottle openers does one need?
- Reward your successes. When you get closer to your goals, celebrate!
Occupy Your Domain
I wish I had owned some stock in the protest sign maker companies, because with all the protests around the world, I would have some more discretionary income 
To be serious, there are a lot of unhappy people on our planet, based on the protests we’re seeing in the media.
What will these protests accomplish? Hopefully some positive change, and an open dialog between all parties.
Occupy your domain suggests that you take responsibility for your life, your home, your family, your job (praying you have one), and your circle of influence.
Be the best you can be, in all the areas of your life.
Book Review: Do The Work by @SPressfield
Yesterday, I posted a book review about meetings, which many of those meetings prevent us from doing actual work.
Meetings should be about coordination of the work to be done, and how to organize our time effectively and efficiently.
If the work is a big project, the proverbial big mountain to climb, then the greater the resistance (both internally and externally) you will encounter.
Work moves us forward. Pressfield writes “The last thing we want is to remain where we are.”
Given the current economic and world leader challenges, I hope that many of us do not want to stay where we are.
Another gem in this book is the quote “Don’t think. Act.”
Too often, we are in the aim, aim, aim, aim, aim, aim, aim and never FIRE! mode. How many of us would still be stuck, if we didn’t pull the trigger?
Best quote from the book: “What is this damn thing about?” Ask that of every project, task, thing you do, during the time you’re working.
Pressfield also chimes in on crashes, and their benefits to us.
Great book!
Elsewhere
