When Tough Decisions Have To Be Made!

Many times we as leaders/creatives/pastors/etc. are faced with tough situations. The way we react to those situations highly reflects our influence in others around us. Many times we doubt ourselves to make great decisions. These three components allows us to have a confidence when making the tough decisions, the decisions that are ones we don't want to make nor ones we make lightly.

The first point is instinct. What is it that comes natural? Your instinct is that first voice you hear, the first thought that feels right. Instinct feels natural but what makes this natural strength a phenomenon is when it is combined with the Holy Spirit's ability to speak to us. When we walk openly with God then our instinct is that of God's. We must depend on God for our instinct to be that of Gods. It takes a lot of humility for one to walk in sync with God. I currently have my iCal calendering program sync 9 calendars with my Google calendar and those sync to about 5 other peoples calendars and sync to about 3 different computers and my cell phone. These calendars also sync to about three other sources. The same is true for all my contacts, my Facebook syncs everyones birthdays and anniversaries to my computer calendar then sends me updates to my phone via a message so that I don't miss a birthday. I am synced!!! It is this same way we move with God, we must be completely synced to God.

The next component we must posses is insight. W hat are things in your life you have seen, witnessed, or experienced in life that can help you in this situation? Begin to look at the details of the situation. I have learned so many things and sometimes get confused for being smart, not because I am, but because I have learned a huge art. I, many times say to those around me, learn to observe. Observing is a forgotten art that can make the difference between success and failure. Observe everything around you. Many times someone will ask me something and I will give them an answer off the top of my head and they say how did you know that? I observed, I used reductive reasoning. Reduce it down to it's simplest problem then I use logical reasoning. What makes sense, what doesn't make sense? Many times we can get the insight through the obvious factor! What insight is the situation providing you. Wisdom generates itself from insight.

The third thing is knowledge. What do you know to be true, right, honorable? Focus on those things. Many things we already have up our sleeves. There are so many things that you have learned in your life and past that can be used for present problems, present situations that have arrived.

Which ones are you lacking? What component can make you a stronger more influential person?

How to make every decision the best decision you can possibly make remember these 3 Components:

1. Instinct
2. Insight
3. Knowledge

...read more on "When Tough Decisions Have To Be Made!"!

The Generational Crisis

Check this out, nearly a third of younger employees would consider quitting their job if Facebook was banned in the workplace. The way many boomers respond to this is that they say they are a bunch of immature kids that need to grow up. But not forgetting the Millennials, they say, "Hey listen, if we are so immature then why are we the most educated generation in the history of mankind. The Millennial could be best described as adaptive, collaborative, updative, and integrated. Their ability to work together and dream a creative perspective of life is the driving force of the future!

Why else would Google, the largest most used search engine, be hit with a lawsuit about age discrimination? Google says that their company emphasizes "youth and energy." The strategy has led to a work force with an average age of under 30 and with less than 2 percent of employees over 40, according to the claim. Google employed just more than 1,600 people in 2003. 1600 new highers and only 2 percent are over 40. If you are not "Googling" Google to see what all they are doing then you need to start! As a leader/pastor/specialist this an interesting lesson learned.

So what is the problem? The disconnect! What is the disconnect? We have the most prolific generation we have ever seen. Watch the video below and see where we are headed but first read this:

Titus 2:1-8

1 Your job is to speak out on things that make for solid doctrine. 2 Guide older men into lives of temperance, dignity, and wisdom, into healthy faith, love, and endurance. 3 Guide older women into lives of reverence so they end up as neither gossips nor drunks, but models of goodness. 4 By looking at them, the younger women will know how to love their husbands and children, 5 be virtuous and pure, keep a good house, be good wives. We don’t want anyone looking down on God’s Message because of their behavior. 6 Also, guide the young men to live disciplined lives. 7 But mostly, show them all this by doing it yourself, incorruptible in your teaching, 8 your words solid and sane. Then anyone who is dead set against us, when he finds nothing weird or misguided, might eventually come around.

We have lost the generational bridge. The problem is that the bridge has crumpled from each side. Boomers don't see Millennials as focused, determined, respectful. All the while Millennials see Boomers as disassociated and unable to relate. They see all their issues as if they are the only humans to ever go through this problem.

So what does this all mean? Here is Ryan Adams attempt to address the larger issue:

• To the Boomers: seek to understand before you judge. Second guess your assumptions. Address the core issues, not the peripherals. Yes, some millennials are unproductive punks. Facebook may or may not have anything to do with it. Learn more about the tool first. And listen, really listen to a millennial when he tells you about it. Judge them by the output, not the methods.

• To the millennials: why so cocky? It makes enemies out of potential friends. We've got to learn to address other generations with a more respect and a less swagger. Use gentle persuasion techniques. Seek to inform, but only with humility. We do become punks when we become arrogant. You'll never influence a person by showing them how wrong they are. Be wise enough to recognize how wrong your ideas often turn out to be. That'll help keep you humble. (These are notes to myself...)

...read more on "The Generational Crisis"!

Text Messages and Holidays

I got a couple dozen texts wishing me a Happy Thanksgiving, what nice people out there. I began to realize every holiday I get dozens of texts and I rarely reply. The main reason I never reply is because of the impersonal text. There are two sides to this, it would take way too long for all my friends to send out individual texts and I understand the easiness of doing it all at once. But I also understand that it feels so impersonal because it really isn't to me. I thank all those people who feel compelled to text me, don't stop, I just may not return the favor ;). Maybe I am selfish, maybe I am not.

Think about how this applies to business advertising or church advertising and marketing. We pump so much information to people who don't necessarily want it. TV commercials use interruption advertising. Many feeds are opt-in advertising which is one of the best kinds, it allows the user to opt-in and opt-out whenever they want to. The television programmers don't care if you are into the show or not. Why do we pay for cable if we are still forced to watch commercials. Doesn't commercials pay for the TV show? Then again if I am paying for cable television should't that opt me out of commercials?

I love all you text messagers who take the time to send me a text on the holidays and forgive me for not texting back. Am I alone in this? What do you feel?

...read more on "Text Messages and Holidays"!