March 2008 Archives
Now, discover your strengths is a book that I was given when I applied for the directors role @ NSYFC.I was asked to complete the "strengths finder" online test to find out what my major areas of strength were, and I have to say it was quite acurate. I obviously read the sections of the book about the strengths that it claimed that i possessed, but since then it has sat on my bookshelf gathering dust.
Now, whilst at the Willow Creek Global Leadership Summit in October, Markus Buckingham (the author) did a session based on the findings of this book, and it really got me excited, so I've decided to dust down my copy and read it as my next book assignment. Should be interesting.
I'm also hoping to revisit the whole online test thing, as I reckon that the strengths I thought I had 3 years ago are probably quite different to the ones I have now. Anyway, I hope I haven't given too much away about the book in this entry, cos I'm really quite excited to see how my reading goes, and whether I come across anything I didn't expect.
Keep watching.
It appears that whilst attempting to lead like Jesus, I accidentally forgot to publish the review of the book of the same name.
So how did this happen? Well, I finished it on Tuesday, literally minutes before going to collect a friend from the station, and somehow managed to save the review as a draft rather than as a published item.
I've now corrected this error, and the full book review can be found, two entries down from this one.
Oooops!!
(moral to this story: look in the mirror when apportioning blame, but look at your watch if you're supposed to be collecting someone from the train station!!)
So how did this happen? Well, I finished it on Tuesday, literally minutes before going to collect a friend from the station, and somehow managed to save the review as a draft rather than as a published item.
I've now corrected this error, and the full book review can be found, two entries down from this one.
Oooops!!
(moral to this story: look in the mirror when apportioning blame, but look at your watch if you're supposed to be collecting someone from the train station!!)
Every time I head up to the North East for an MLS gathering, I know that I'm going to come back buzzing from the great teaching we all receive. And this week was no exception. Having read books like Good to Great, it's really amazing to hear leaders speak of their experience of the practical workings-out of some of the concepts I've been reading about - especially the whole area of getting the right people onto into your team, and (just as importantly) getting the wrong people out, and without breaking employment law.
With regard to my leadership development, I'm becoming increasingly aware that Leadership (and especially equiping, inspiring and releasing TEAM) is a real passion I have, and yet the one thing that I done far less of since joining NSYFC . So now I'm quite keen to sit down and talk through this exact issue with Liz (my boss) and see where we go next.
I think for me though, the key "nugget" from the MLS sessions this week was a small comment about investing in things outside of work that will keep you feeling alive and invigorated.
There's an amazing quote from a guy called Dallas Willard which is so useful. He says:
"It is the clear mandate of every Christ follower to carve out for themselves a fully satisfying life under the rule of God, or else sin will ruin you."
I'm very aware that over the last few years I've invested loads of time in learning LOTS of new skills, and taken on various new interests, and figured it was because I loved "learning" suff, and although that is true, maybe I need to find the one thing that I can really invest in, not as a "skill" but as an "escape" for refreshment. I have a tendency to (when I can afford to) buy lots of small things to keep me interested (& interesting), but maybe working through this whole area, I may actually find the one thing that I can invest in more long term.
This year so far really has been a time of re-discovering who I am - with a view to, at some point, working out "what I should DO". I've always tried to tackle those 2 questions the other way round, and worked out my identity from the my work role. It's a flippin scarey way to do things this way, but it's sooo the right way to start looking at stuff.
As usual, watch this space...
With regard to my leadership development, I'm becoming increasingly aware that Leadership (and especially equiping, inspiring and releasing TEAM) is a real passion I have, and yet the one thing that I done far less of since joining NSYFC . So now I'm quite keen to sit down and talk through this exact issue with Liz (my boss) and see where we go next.
I think for me though, the key "nugget" from the MLS sessions this week was a small comment about investing in things outside of work that will keep you feeling alive and invigorated.
There's an amazing quote from a guy called Dallas Willard which is so useful. He says:
"It is the clear mandate of every Christ follower to carve out for themselves a fully satisfying life under the rule of God, or else sin will ruin you."
I'm very aware that over the last few years I've invested loads of time in learning LOTS of new skills, and taken on various new interests, and figured it was because I loved "learning" suff, and although that is true, maybe I need to find the one thing that I can really invest in, not as a "skill" but as an "escape" for refreshment. I have a tendency to (when I can afford to) buy lots of small things to keep me interested (& interesting), but maybe working through this whole area, I may actually find the one thing that I can invest in more long term.
This year so far really has been a time of re-discovering who I am - with a view to, at some point, working out "what I should DO". I've always tried to tackle those 2 questions the other way round, and worked out my identity from the my work role. It's a flippin scarey way to do things this way, but it's sooo the right way to start looking at stuff.
As usual, watch this space...
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