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Nelson Mandela: Leader for the ages

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Nelson Mandela inspired a generation and was a leader from whom we can all learn a great deal. What if he was your personal mentor? What a wonderful gift and pleasure it would be to have personal and business lessons from a man of this moral and inspirational caliber. In the wake of his passing there were many tributes and a lot of quote compilations. When I read Mfonobong Nsehe article on Forbes.com I was inspired to imagine what kind of lessons would follow Mr. Mandela’s quotes.

I am fundamentally an optimist. Whether that comes from nature or nurture, I cannot say. Part of being optimistic is keeping one’s head pointed toward the sun, one’s feet moving forward. There were many dark moments when my faith in humanity was sorely tested, but I would not and could not give myself up to despair. That way lays defeat and death.  Nelson Mandela

An optimist raises in the morning with hope in his heart. He looks for the bright spot in all situations. Some are born with this quality and sprinkle it on everything they touch. An optimistic leader is inspired by messy situations because now they are moldable.
One can also nurture an optimistic outlook by training. You must read to understand history and what positive mental attitudes great people took into difficult decisions. Make sure your immediate circle believes in you. Make sure they support your dream. When pessimistic viewpoints creep into your thinking defeat them with positive self-images. Point your head towards the sun means, look on the bright side of life even when it is cloudy somewhere there is sun. As a leader the cloud of despair is ever evident because people bring things to you for fixing. Judge righteously but have no negative thought.

Keep it moving.

Never stop working towards your dreams. Inside of you is an assignment from the ages, move toward it with passion. When you are doing good and accomplishing what you set out to do there is no time for camping, be a climber. Climb your mountain then plan for the next adventure. Whatever detours that cause you discomfort or delay shall not deny your goals. Keep calling and asking for what you need, even if you receive the wrong answer. Look for different avenues and people to give you the yes answer. Life is too short to stop at NO. Giving up is not an option and defeat is just a starting point.

Whether by nature or nurture be an optimist by choice.

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Business leaders should Protect the lead

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This is a sports analogy generally reserved for football but it also can be applied to your Business game plan. African American Football

Generally, it is thought to be more defensive when your team is winning. Even on offense we want our teams to be conservative with their strategies and game plan when they are winning. I have a different philosophy on how to protect the lead. When your business is up, pour it on. Be relentless with all you do. Use your defense to blitz the quarterback. The opposing quarterback in business is represented by your biggest problem. Do not take a break from attacking and subduing whatever is attacking your business. If it is bills or production numbers, do not work with a slack hand when you are ahead your offense should be even more impressive. You already know how to dominate and gain points. When your sales are up and you are covered in work it is time to protect the lead and make more calls and appointments. Becoming a scoring machine and keep going for the big clients and bigger deals. Stay with your game plan, every yard is important. Look for the small deals also because they keep the sales quota going. If you need another reason add more effort just think of the third stringers that want to play. In business these are the new hires, people you may not know exist. When you get really far ahead you can rest a little and let the new hires help out some.
Finally, to protect the lead you have to remain patient and play smart. One fundamental way to protect the lead is to finish strong. Do not get sloppy because you have some success. You are only as good as your last play. Stay focused and make good decisions as if you are just starting the game.

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Your Laughter does not affect my Christian soul

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You can laugh at me but it will not hurt me.My son gave this title without any more instructions.  After thinking about it I knew what it meant inside but putting it into words was a little more difficult. Daily we all battle something or some thought that nags us.  The thought that keeps pulling you down or worse just putting you down. Well those of us who are Christian have an answer that can stop this negativity in its tracks.

In the book “Patience to Dominate” there is a principle called “Unflappable, I shall not be moved.  This reflects the attitude of Christian towards any negative situation, especially ill-willed laughter. Stand firm and know that God is there to protect you.

Job 8:20-22

King James Version (KJV)

20 Behold, God will not cast away a perfect man, neither will he help the evil doers:

21 Till he fill thy mouth with laughing, and thy lips with rejoicing.

22 They that hate thee shall be clothed with shame; and the dwelling place of the wicked shall come to nought.

 

Dreams and goals are met with obstacles and these obstacles are primarily in your head. It is not over until you have the last laugh.

Abraham (in Genesis 21) named his son Isaac which means “he laughs”. But this reflects Abraham and Sarah’s unbelieving laugh at the promise of God. Do not laugh at the promises of God or you could cause delay in the blessing coming for you. Focus on the goodness inside of you and the unlimited goodness in the Father.

 

Job 5:22

At destruction and famine thou shalt laugh: neither shalt thou be afraid of the beasts of the earth

Luke 6:20-22

20 And he lifted up his eyes on his disciples, and said, Blessed be ye poor: for yours is the kingdom of God.

21 Blessed are ye that hunger now: for ye shall be filled. Blessed are ye that weep now: for ye shall laugh

Psalm 64:10

10 The righteous shall be glad in the Lord, and shall trust in him; and all the upright in heart shall glory.

 

It is demonstrated in these scriptures that God already knows that you will be laughed at in your life time.  You can turn this into good and literally laugh at destruction and not be afraid of the antagonizer. Get it together the blessing is coming your way. Use your patience to overcome. Confessions have power so let’s use them and say, “Your Laughter does not affect my Christian soul!”

What is something or someone you wish to use the statement against?

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Are you conscious of His favor?

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Raise your consciousness and increase your joy. We are responsible for our joy. Knowing where joy comes from and how to keep it is explained in this Psalm.
Psalm 97:11
Amplified Bible (AMP)
11 Light is sown for the [uncompromisingly] righteous and strewn along their pathway, and joy for the upright in heart [the irrepressible joy which comes from consciousness of His favor and protection].
This one passage by itself encompasses a lifetime of wisdom. It shows God’s preparation for you and me. It states that, “light is sown”, this means it was plant or created for the righteous. And then it is thrown along our pathway. So even when we are in a place of darkness God shines light on us. Those with an upright heart receive joy along the path.

The type of joy we receive is “IRREPRESSIBLE” (it cannot be pushed down). There is nothing or no one that can steal your joy. This joy comes from you and I being conscious or fixing our mind on God’s favor and protection. All paths in life have darkness but, with the right mind set we can live every day in His glorious light.

My daughter wrote this:

Be delighted with yourself. You have to have an upright or a happy spirit for God to give you gladness.

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5S process gets business done beautifully

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5S Seiton - InfoBarrelThe 5S process gets business done beautifully. Recently on a manufacturing plant visit I noticed that all the tools in the facility were clearly marked and the flow of product and people was highly organized. I praised them and the manager and his assistant manager both replied that this excellence was due to the 5S process. Being unfamiliar with this method of lean manufacturing meant there was investigation needed.

The 5S Process is generally credited to the Toyota company who applied it to auto making. Toyota believes this is the way to lean manufacturing. The goal is to reduce or eliminate waste. With every action and process being directly related to the production of product waste of time and energy are eradicated.

The tool room in is particular plant was immaculate. Every inch of the shop and the store room was in order down to the individually outlined places for the tools. The files of the tool manager were kept better than most accountants offices. The added benefit of this organization was that the other managers respected the space within the shop. The 5S Process was the boss and everyone else were the employees.

how to start 5s involve everyone 5s cannot be the

The following information comes from the website Process Improvement Japan

What is 5s?

From the first letter of 5 words in Japanese which mean orderliness (seiri), neatness (seiton),shine (seiso), cleanliness (seiketsu) and discipline (shitsuke). In English, lean 5s is commonly referred to as:

1. Sort

2. Set in Order

3. Shine

4. Standardize

5. Sustain (maintain the discipline to continue with the process)

Lean Manufacturing Tools explains the 5S Process this way.

The five steps of 5S are;

Seiri (Sort, Clearing, Classify) to remove all of the clutter from the work place
Seiton (Straighten, Simplify, Set in order, Configure) to organize all tools, materials and equipment in an efficient and ergonomic manner.
 Seiso (Sweep, shine, Scrub, Clean and Check) to clean up the entire area removing all dirt.
Seiketsu (Standardize, stabilize, Conformity) to ensure standard ways of working for the first three stages.
Shitsuke (Sustain, self discipline, custom and practice) to ensure that 5S principles are part of the culture of the business

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Trust God: Why worry

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Why worry: trust God. This is the week of big test this week, get your head up. This is the week you should look forward to not be anxious about.

Do not worry about your difficulties in Mathematics. I can assure you mine  are still greater.

Albert  Einstein

Remember (in my best Australian accent) “No worries mate”. I wrote a post on “Trust your training” (click here).  Worry has a place but it is not with you.

1 Peter 7 says, “Casting all your care upon Him, for He careth for you”

 

This is a great instruction, master this thought pattern and you are well down the path of peace and patience.  Every single anxious thought can be redirected to God and He will handle it.  That test in school, God will handle it. That big client with even bigger demands, God says cast that on me.

So how do we move our problems to God court? There is one more scripture that answers this.

Philippians 4 verse 6:      Be careful for nothing: but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your request be made known unto God.

The first statement “Be careful for nothing”, means do not worry stop concerning yourself with the cares of this world.  The way to cast your cares on Him is through prayer and supplication.  God hears your prayers so give Him thanks for meeting your every need.

The final portion of this scripture finishes with a promise we all hope to experience.

 

Philippians 4 verse 7:  And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

 

Have a great week and “Don’t worry, BE Happy”

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Are you satisfied with your current life?

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http://www.flickr.com/photos/hiptopia/with/8457096766/There is valor in being satisfied with the things that you are now blessed to possess.  It is more valiant to be satisfied with the situation you currently endure. No good comes from complaining. So be sure to give thanks for the life you live. Your outlook determines your outcome.

Definition:           To fulfill the desires, expectations or demands of a (person, the mind), give full contentment to.

When I am satisfied in my mind the feeling of peace is all over me. I have written that having peace is a tenant and condition of the Patient mind. Patience is being satisfied with your current state while focusing on a better tomorrow. Some of the thoughts of discontentment can be squashed with the state of mind that you are satisfied with your position.

Be Satisfied: The Poem

Be satisfied that no weapon formed against you shall prosper

–          Even though many have formed

Be satisfied that you can read anything

–          Stop complaining about your declining eyesight

Be satisfied with your whole family

–          You are not alone in this world

So you have no family

–          Be satisfied that you have the opportunity to create a new modern family

Be satisfied with your monetary situation

–          You have the ability to generate more

–          Say these words, “Money Cometh to Me” and set your goals high

Patience is satisfied when it rises and when it lays down.

–           Seeking patience is living for the moment with hope for the future.

Satisfied “Be” or Satisfied “Bee”

One is happy and One is busy

 

If I am to be satisfied it is up to me.

 

 

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90 days until Christmas

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Yes that’s right only 90 days until Christmas Celebrations. Not to be deep but, what will your life look like in 90 days. Will you be more fit, maybe better prepared. Will you start working towards a debt free experience on the holidays. What kind of rest and relaxation are you preparing for?

I am going to be diligent about my health (P90X) again! And diligent on business affairs. Make your Christmas great with focused energy.

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Positive Change In Birmingham Alabama

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16sbc-sign-piecePositive Change in Birmingham Alabama. While walking in Kelly Ingram Park on September 13th, 2013, my family and I were reading a historic marker. Kelly Ingram park sits between 16th street and 17th street. The marker says in 1963 helmeted police stood on 17th street. The police were there to keep Blacks from marching to City Hall. Whites considered 17th street the great dividing line between the races. The park is on the block where the 16th Street Baptist Church sits and where the bombing of the “4 Little Girls” happened. Side note the markers on “the Civil Rights Heritage Trail” are very informative and excellent on your mobile device.

Now you know the history and here comes the positive change that shines like a bright light. This glorious day standing underneath the Historic 16th Street Baptist Church sign was the current police Chief AC Roper.  Chief Roper is African-American and he was casually talking with people in the very spot where the tragic bombing occurred. One block away perched on a police car on the corner of 17th Street was a young uniformed officer, he was white. But the irony was that he was on the very corner where the marker showed angry, tense, battle ready officers 50 years ago.  Just this one moment in time illustrates that Birmingham is truly 50 years forward. This made me proud to call the city my home. Hooray for Birmingham!

To follow-up on my last post this how are you going to be a leader for Positive Change in your community?  We remember the Foot Soldiers who stood up for righteousness and the Marchers who endured hardship for Justice. Positive change starts with bold action. Be a leader, have a vision and don’t stop.

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Civil Rights: 50 Years of patience builds leaders

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50YEARHEADER

Birmingham, Alabama has been celebrating 50 Years of Civil Rights all year long. As a resident it has been fantastic to see progress and the patience of a city. There is a great website http://50yearsforward.com/history/  .The celebrations have continued to remind me of the struggles and true sacrifices in the past and the victories won through the years. We have made significant strides in America to level the door of access for all citizens. The most impressive thing about the people that marched and work for Civil Rights then and now is thier commitment to toil now for a better future for the next generation. The movement had the Patience to Dominate, with its sit-ins and demonstrations knowing full well that justice would take time. One of the blessing of living in Birmingham Alabama and formerly of Atlanta Georgia is that I have had the occasion to meet some people directly connected to the movement. I will take the time to mention these people only because of their grand commitment to patience and Justice.

Martin Luther King III, James Orange , Julien Bond, Andrew Young, Angela Davis, Dick Gregory, Bernice King, Huey P. Newton, Fred Shuttlesworth, Congressman John Lewis

These are all people that I touched and remembered the conversations. I remember the conversations because they were so serious and direct. Most of these encounters were brief and one recurring word I remember from these conversations is actually a title. The individuals directly involved in the movement would call me LEADER. James Orange, AFL/CIO Leader was the first to address me like that and I was meeting him to ask a favor. The most recent was when I happened upon Dick Gregory waiting on Martin Luther King III to pick him up. Note: stay connected no matter how long or winding the path. My young family and I offer Mr. Gregory a ride and He said, ” Leader are you involved in your community?” I said, “Yes, Sir!” and then asked him why did you call me leader. He said “First, I am calling out of you, your potential. And more importantly it is people like you and those in your community who are leaders to organize and support the overall Civil Rights Movement. ” So in reality it is not the more notable names that power the movement it is the people like you and I who participate and stimulate the current of Justice and economic empowerment.

Julien Bond and Andrew Young had a different approach both of them mentioned Economic empowerment as the next catalyst of Civil Rights. This vision takes many shapes but economic empowerment is introspective because it is about self-motivation. You and I have to build a future that is sound and expressive financially to support the overall Movement and assure your personal DREAM.

If we take our leadership and economic empowerment seriously we can honor 50 Years of Civil Rights Movement and enrich our individual communities and families. Patience sees over the Mountain Top.