Resolve Conflict Without Compromise to Achieve More

Do you find yourself agonising over conflicts trying to achieve win: win outcomes? Do you find yourself distracted in meetings unable to concentrate on discussions or contribute to decisions when you are trying to deal with conflicts? Do you sometimes drift off into a world of your own when you should be listening to your spouse, kids, boss, friends?

Conflicts arise all the time. Many are easy to deal with, some are not. The best outcome is always a win: win for both sides, but that is not always easy to achieve is it. On the other hand, the worst possible outcome is usually compromise, which is nearly always, lose: lose at some level for both parties.

I know I used to struggle with conflicts often until I came across this simple technique that helps me to resolve conflicts without agonising or becoming distracted at inappropriate times. The best part is that it can help me talk to others about the conflict, taking the emotion away from the situation, so we can resolve it together to reach that win: win outcome.

So here is an example to illustrate how the technique works. Start by writing down the two positions that form the crux of the conflict. I'm going to use an example of trying to get my son to bed at night. A trivial example, but it's easy for me to share with you without getting too technical or confidential. So my side of the conflict was I want him to get to bed early. His side is that he wants to stay up late.

So now we need to ask why is it that we are holding these positions. In his case, in order to have cool things (staying up late, playing computer games, downloading stuff) to talk to his pals about, he wanted to stay up late. For my part, so that he would be fresh and bright in the morning for school, I wanted him to go to bed early.

Great. Now for a conflict to exist in the first place, there must be a common goal, otherwise there really is no conflict. The common goal here was that we both wanted him to have a good day at school (albeit for different reasons...). Again, the common goal needs to be a prerequisite of the reasons these conflicting positions exist. In this case, because he wanted to have a good day at school the next day, my son wanted to have some cool things to talk about to his pals. Similarly, so that he could have a good day at school the next day, I wanted him to be fresh and alert in the morning.

We could have argued about him going to bed early until we were both angry and he wasn't early to bed anymore. Instead achieving this level of understanding allowed us to reach a win: win solution.

The solution was that I allowed him to download a small game onto his electronic device, paid for from his own pocket money, that he could play the next day, giving him something cool to talk to his pals about, on the understanding that he went straight to bed. Which he did. So we reached our win: win without compromising on the outcome.

Now this is a trivial example, but I hope it shows how this approach can be used to clarify the nature of a conflict and reach a solution without compromise.

I hope it saves you countless hours stressing over conflicts and allows you to stay present with people you need to live and work with.

Sapphire Coaching specialise in personal and business productivity. For more tools and techniques to improve your productivity go to http://www.avoidingdistraction.com/, or sign up for your free 7-day productivity course.

Original article

Action And Integrity, Not Rhetoric, Makes A Leader

After over three decades of working closely with well over a thousand individuals in leadership positions, in training, qualifying, identifying and consulting, as well as having been both a volunteer and a paid leader for both for- profit and non- profit organizations, I have grown weary of late at the ever- increasing usage of fancy rhetoric, techno- jargon, platitudes, generalities, etc., that seem to be appearing in ever- increasing abundance in far too many organizations and their leadership. True leadership has never been about great words or oratory, nor using impressive technical sounding language. As it has always been, it is what a leader does, what actions he takes, and his personal and professional integrity that makes someone a great leader. It has never been about the rhetoric! Rumi wrote, "It is the inner bond that draws one person to another, not words."

1. Although many wannabe leaders have always resorted to rhetoric, why is it that it seems even more widespread today than ever before? Part of this is that there appears, in most organizations, to be far less competition for leadership positions than in years past. This often creates lower quality leaders, as organizations and their members are thus forced to accept less quality to be their leaders. Because there is so much competition for individual's time, effort, and resources, and because we have observed a diminishing number of individuals who even belong to organizations, both membership rolls and thus the choices for potential leaders have suffered.

2. Far too many of the individuals thrust into leadership positions are either unwilling, unable, or insufficiently committed, to undergo effective training and learning. While in better times, many organizations did not envision the need to professionally train its leaders, in these leaner times, when in many cases there is an apparent dearth of leadership in many cases, this lack of leadership preparation has come back to haunt them. People are not born as leaders, but leadership is a combination of training, personal qualities, traits, and an attitude that makes someone a truly great leader. Many people, unfortunately, have only minimal training, and often only take away from the training some expressions or words that trainers often use. True professional training is multi-faceted, and involves continuous and ongoing work, and development of an understanding that true leaders take action in a timely basis rather than resort to mere rhetoric.

Far too often, this techno- jargon, or rhetoric replaces comprehension. Individuals unready to lead look to a guru and a quick fix, and thus rely on terminology. Some of these dangerous terms that are both overused and misused include: governance; metrics; teams; next level; etc. True leaders understand that they must develop a true caring bond with those they represent, adopting an attitude that a leader's primary responsibility is to provide value and to serve the needs of his constituents.

Richard Brody, with over 30 years consultative sales, marketing, training, managerial, and operations experience, has trained sales and marketing people in numerous industries, given hundreds of seminars, appeared as a company spokesperson on over 200 radio and television programs, and regularly blogs on real estate, politics, economics, management, leadership, negotiations, conferences and conventions, etc. He has negotiated, arranged and/ or organized hundreds of conferences and conventions. He's a Senior Consultant with RGB Consultation Services, an Ecobroker, a Licensed Buyers Agent (LBA) and Licensed Salesperson in NYS, in real estate.
Richard has owned businesses, been a Chief Operating Officer, a Chief Executive Officer, and a Director of Development, as well as a consultant. He has a Consulting Website ( http://tinyurl.com/rgbcons ), and his company PLAN2LEAD, LLC's site ( http://www.plan2lead.net/ ), and can be followed on Twitter

Original article

Mitigate the Risk Called YOU

Sometimes your behaviors support you and sometimes they do not. The key is to identify the supporting behaviors or opportunities so that you can use them more and to identify the behaviors that are damaging or the threats so that you can learn to prevent them. When you pay close attention to your behaviors you can learn what causes certain behaviors and what is caused by those behaviors. In terms of emotional intelligence I would say that being self-aware is what leads you to exhibiting self-control. And feeling motivated (or not) can lead to opportunities or threats to your career and image too.

How do you know? When you receive a review or a performance appraisal, where are your highest marks? Where are your lowest marks? A quick thought about your lowest marks, do not DWELL on them. So many of us (me too), have this tendency to look at reviews and appraisals, gloss over the great comments and spend hours obsessing over the 'could use improvement' area. Even on a stellar review. STOP IT!

Another area to consider is the feedback you receive from others. These are the comments or compliments you receive from individuals at work. How do they perceive you? What do they say about your work and the way in which you accomplish your work? What do they say about the way in which you interact with others?

Here is what I would like you to consider. Take some time when you can think quietly and to yourself. (Unless you are an extravert in which case you may want some background sounds or other stimulation and you may want to think out loud.) Review the past year and even more if necessary. Think about what you consider to be events or work where you wish the outcome had been different and think about events or work where you are pleased with the outcome. Jot down some notes about each. Now review each with an eye for who you are, your personality, your way of handling conflict, your emotional intelligence, your professional brand or image, dealing with difficult people and your communication style. Make some notes about how each of these areas either supported your outcome or detracted from your outcome.

This is definitely NOT a quick exercise. This is something that you may want to work on in multiple sessions over a period of time. It may be two weeks; it could even be a month or more. How will you know when you are finished? When you stop thinking of examples and when you have had a chance to really take a deep look at each of your examples. This really calls for you to be very open and honest with yourself.

What do you do next? Next you dig deeper. You look at your examples and consider what led you to behave in either a positive or negative way. Your goal is to encourage yourself toward the positive and mitigate yourself away from the negative.

Don't worry; we will work on this together in the near future.

Want to use this article in your eZine or web site?

You can, as long as you include this complete blurb with it: Margaret Meloni is dedicated to helping professionals become free from the work related conflict that prevents them from experiencing peace. Margaret Meloni publishes the 'Turning Point' eZine on a bi-weekly basis. Contact Margaret at info@MargaretMeloni.com. You can learn more about Margaret and her courses, programs, and products at: http://www.margaretmeloni.com/

Original article

Leadership Coaching: Passion That Makes A Difference

"You Have To Wake Up If You Want To Dream" - Paulo Coelho

In this millennial generation, people have been proselytized to pursue their dreams. You have the heart of an artist? Then follow your passion, they say. Purse a course in liberal arts. Be a talented graphic designer or a great writer. Do what you love. And most people think that this will make them happy. But reality strikes, and sometimes it hits hard. In times of a recession when companies have to implement cost cutting measures and even do lay- offs, where does it leave the passionate worker? Following your dream and working for your passion is an all too common tagline, but contradicted by the workings of the practical world, it can leave a person suffering the anguish of an uncertain future.

The generation Y grew up with a jobless generation. Today is a different world. In an era ruled by technology, today's twentysomethings begin to realize the grand betrayal of the idols of passion. The philosophy of following and living your passion does not seem to apply to this generation, or otherwise it would feel incomplete. A different frame of reference is more apt, and it is no longer about passion, but focusing on finding bigger problems.

Fulfill Your Humanity

It is all about focusing on resolving a problem, which then becomes the basis of decision- making. It is no longer about the self anymore. The question is about what you can do. How can you contribute something of value? Working on resolutions to bigger problems compensates a person in bigger ways. Not necessarily in terms of fiscals, but in terms of the fulfillment of one's humanity. The focus shifts from the self to others and the wider world. Rendering your focus outwards makes you less self absorbed. You begin to worry less about what makes you happy, which ironically makes you happier.

Education, poverty, climate change, sustainability, healthcare, technology and urbanization, among others are some of the big problems that call for attention and facility. There may have been too much focus on knowing the self, and this has caused an imbalance. As we have gotten to know and reconnected with ourselves and fortified ourselves, we need to expand our awareness. It is then time to know the world. Be aware and be sensitive to situations around you- the problems of the poor and the marginalized, and so on. The call of the Earth for us to take care of it. What problems affect you in a personal way? If you "feel" for a certain problem, it will be easy for you to be involved and do something about it.

The Fire Of Life To Light The Earth

Passion is what makes people truly live. It is the fire of life. The true balance is when we use this passion not only to fulfill ourselves, but to alleviate the burdens of the world. We cannot do something well if we don´t know ourselves and if we don´t have the drive. Solving bigger problems need bigger people. Bigger people are those who have a solid sense of self and they are willing to extend themselves for the greater good.

By the way, do you want to learn more about leadership in your company? If so, download your FREE eBook here: Guide to Elegant Courage Leadership

Jodi and Mike specialize in executive coaching with individuals and teams. http://lighthouse-leadership.com/

Original article

Goal Setting: 7 Things Successful Coaches Do Differently

Goals are usually things we talk about in relation to our players, but they're also powerful for our own careers. As usual, the wonderful Harvard Business Review has a great article on their blog titled, "Nine Things Successful People Do Differently". That piqued my interest because I sure would like to be successful!

7 things we can do to make sure we accomplish our goals

Seize the moment to act on your goals. Let's say your goal is to workout everyday of a particular month. It's a personal challenge that you've set up for yourself, because you understand that working out is good for you...it's just that time always gets away from you. If you're going to complete your challenge, you can't sleep in everyday and go home to watch television every night. Carpe diem and get it in!
Know exactly how far you have to go. Here's another scenario: you've got a player who you think should be an all-conference player. She's not there yet, in fact, she's totally under the radar with the other coaches in your conference. Figure out what your player needs in order to be the best in your conference...and then convince her to put the work in. Understanding where she is and where she needs to go will be a great life lesson for her!
Be a realistic optimist. Wanting something isn't enough. Wanting to be successful isn't enough. Having positive self-talk isn't enough. Those are all good things, but they won't make things happen. While we want to stay focused on our goal and believe that we will accomplish it...successful coaches always assess where they are in terms of being able to check that goal off of the list.
Focus on getting better, rather than being good. A lot of times, people ask me how I have time to write this blog. I always say the same thing: I'm trying to get better. Writing this blog and speaking at different places forces me to learn more about working with people, different coaching techniques, and how to communicate effectively...all things that I believe will make me a better coach.
Have grit. According to the article, "grit is a willingness to commit to long-term goals". Even when we've totally crashed and burned. Even when it looks like success isn't in the cards. Toddlers are gritty when they're learning to walk. They don't fall down once and say, "oh well, guess I'll just crawl everywhere." Nope. They get up...again and again until they master walking.
Build your willpower muscle. Willpower is something we can practice, it isn't just something we have. Going back to our first example of the month-long challenge to workout every day for a month, that is a good test of our willpower. You'll probably feel great the first week or two, maybe even a little proud of yourself. But those last couple of weeks might be a grind where you're dragging yourself to the gym. That's building willpower.
Focus on what you will do, not what you won't do. We've all heard people say that if you tell someone, "don't think about a pink elephant in a tutu", then the first thing that's going to pop into their mind is a pink elephant in a tutu. It's the same thing with us. If we say, "whatever you do, don't yell at that player", it's going to be all you can think about. You may not yell, but you won't be focused on the task at hand. Instead, let's say what we will do.

These seven steps may take a bit of time to accomplish, but we've got time and we've got the drive to put the work in. If our goals are important enough, we'll do what it takes to accomplish them.

Dawn Redd is the Head Volleyball Coach at Beloit College. Come visit Coach Dawn's community of coaching nerds and team leaders over at her blog, http://www.coachdawnwrites.com/, where she teaches how to become an excellent coach, motivate individuals, and build successful teams.

Her book, Coach Dawn's Guide To Motivating Female Athletes, is available for purchase on her website.

Original article

How Would You Rate Yourself As A Leader?

On a one to ten scale, if 10 was highest, how would you rate yourself, both as a person and as a leader? How is your attitude? Is it positive, marginal or negative? Do others want to be around you? Are you truly self- confident, without merely being egotistical? Do you possess absolute integrity? Do you motivate others? Who sets the agenda, you as the leader or your followers? Do you dare to have the courage of your convictions? How about inner strength? Are your goals and your visions clearly identifiable and worthwhile? While all of us are healthier when we think of ourselves as a 10, leaders must strive for that lofty rating, and do all they can do deserve it.

1. Do you have a positive attitude? Do you use adversity as an opportunity, or do you let obstacles become problems? The best leaders exclude even using the word problem, but rather view obstacles as challenges to overcome, and look ahead to future challenges rather than dread future problems. Is yours a can- do attitude, or do you letter outside circumstances and naysayers defeat you?

2. Do you draw others to you by your behavior, demeanor, attitude and aura, or do you tend to drive them away? When you enter a room, do you positively influence others around you towards positivity and good, or are you negative? If there are adversities, do you lead or run for cover, take responsibility or blame others?

3. Are you self-confident, while remaining modest, and avoiding egoism? Do you possess the inner strength and fortitude that empowers you to move forward, and take timely action? Do you trust your judgment? Are you consistent?

4. Do you possess absolute integrity? Before answering that too quickly, integrity combines conscience, words, actions and deeds, judgments, attitudes, consistency, honest, trustworthiness, etc.

5. Do you motivate others by your own behavior? Motivation is more than simply motivational words, but true effective leaders lead by example, because there is no greater motivator than when someone notices a leader that leads by example, and walks his talk!

6. Who sets the agenda? True leaders always set the agenda for an organization, always being guided by the needs of the organization, and the goal of providing value to the members and the group, as well as having an essential vision that sets goals to accomplish to better serve the organization's mission. In my over thirty years of working with thousands of individuals in leadership positions, I have come to realize that when someone says they will create an agenda based on what others want, those people are simply not leaders, and unless they change their perspective dramatically, never will be either.

7. Do you have the courage of your convictions? Do you dare to take action, even if you realize that some others might disagree, argue and oppose your positions? Ate you always led by your conscience, and do you dare to take action when lesser individuals continue to procrastinate?

8. Do you have an essential vision, and are you willing to articulate it clearly, motivating others to adopt it as their own? Do you set and express short term, intermediate term and longer term goals? Do your visions and goals lead you to a vibrant action plan, with a realistic and motivating time line along the way?

Are you the 10 that a great leader should be, and always devotes himself to? Or are you merely satisfied with being adequate and getting a passing grade, that perhaps you determine to be a 7? An adequate leader is generally a mediocre leader, and if one does not think of himself, with good cause, of being both personally a 10, as well as a 10 as a leader, he generally will not be as successful as a great and effective leader wants to be.

Be a 10!

Richard Brody, with over 30 years consultative sales, marketing, training, managerial, and operations experience, has trained sales and marketing people in numerous industries, given hundreds of seminars, appeared as a company spokesperson on over 200 radio and television programs, and regularly blogs on real estate, politics, economics, management, leadership, negotiations, conferences and conventions, etc. He has negotiated, arranged and/ or organized hundreds of conferences and conventions. He's a Senior Consultant with RGB Consultation Services, an Ecobroker, a Licensed Buyers Agent (LBA) and Licensed Salesperson in NYS, in real estate.
Richard has owned businesses, been a Chief Operating Officer, a Chief Executive Officer, and a Director of Development, as well as a consultant. He has a Consulting Website ( http://tinyurl.com/rgbcons ), and his company PLAN2LEAD, LLC's site ( http://www.plan2lead.net/ ), and can be followed on Twitter

Original article

Do the Same Thing Day in, Day Out in Business and You Will Pay the Price, Just Like an Impala

One of the most fascinating African wildlife ecological case studies to use in business change management lessons where people are faced with grave uncertainties around pending change, is to use the Impala, a well known antelope of the African savannahs. A great friend and very dear mentor of mine, Dr Andrew McKenzie, did a study on Impala in the Northern Tuli Game Reserve of Botswana. He did this research was at the time I was doing my Masters research in the very same Reserve, on elephants.

What Andrew discovered goes as follows. The teeth in the lower jaw of the Impala are loosely socketed and as such when pressure is applied, they open slightly appearing much as do the teeth of a comb. Why would this be? Well, Impala use these teeth to very effectively 'comb out' ticks and other parasites from the hair along its flanks. The accepted scientific name for this is the "Ruminant Dental Grooming Apparatus". Come to think of it, I'm sure you've actually seen Impala in game reserves doing this right before your very eyes but because you didn't know of this behaviour, it had no meaning for you. In some instances, you will see Impala grooming each other necks to remove ticks and parasites. Again, why one asks? Simply, because it is impossible for Impala to groom their own neck. This is a form of mutualism between them - you groom my neck, I groom yours, much like back scratching in business!

This grooming does however come at a cost. As a result of the hair passing between the teeth, individual tooth wear occurs. The teeth (their incisors) in the lower jaw begin to wear away at their base and after years of prolonged grooming the Impala have what appear like 'mushroom shaped teeth' in that the base has worn down and is visibly thin. Eventually these teeth break off just above the gum, leaving behind sharp, knife-like, dental protrusions. Now, the Impala continues to groom because that is all it knows how to do. However, this grooming is no longer of benefit to the Impala. In fact, this now damages the Impala because these knife-life edges just tear at the skin and hack away chunks of hair leaving behind bald patches which soon become open suppurating sores on the animal's flanks. Thing is, this grooming behaviour cannot be stopped. It is hard coded in the Impala because prior to it becoming destructive, it actually served a very real survival purpose by keeping their parasite loads down and maintaining body condition. Within just a few weeks the Impala's body condition drops, it becomes weak and therefore vulnerable to predation. Not long after showing the visible signs of this self inflicted balding process (what we scientifically refer to as 'autogenous alopecia'), it is dead.

So, what's the lesson here? It's actually a very profound one. If we keep on doing the same thing day in and day out in business and in life for that matter, without stopping to think for a moment as to what the consequences of our actions and behaviours are, then we are functioning just like the Impala. At this point, we are no longer making use of all of our higher faculties, we really have ceased to think creatively about pretty much anything and when we stop creating, we start disintegrating. We actually knowingly take ourselves down a path which has a most unpleasant ending and when it does, how on earth can we then turn to others, and ask in a 'victimish way' why this is happening to us? By choosing not to see, think, learn and up-skill yourself, you will end up like an old impala - dead. Best we all embrace change, learn to love all that makes us grow and enjoy applying our minds by thinking into results, the results which we actually do want for ourselves.

Chris Styles is a certified Thinking Into Results Facilitator, Master Life Coach and passionate Wildlife Conservationist with extensive business and life experience. Chris works with individuals, couples and companies in order to extract the very best results for them in that which they are invested in.

Contact Chris: Mobile +27 83 625 6844 Email chris@makesyouthink.co.za, http://www.makesyouthink.co.za/

Original article

Leaders Plan For Ramifications

The greatest of all leaders get the results they do because they are incredible planners, with the abilities, knowledge, expertise and judgment needed to understand that every action, either taken or avoided, has certain ramifications. Joe Davis proclaimed, "One thing I learned about riding is to look for trouble before it happens." In my thirty years of working closely with well over a thousand leaders, I have continuously emphasized the need to realize that even avoiding taking an action (procrastination) is still, in fact, an action, and that there are always ramifications that require planning and preparedness.

1. Does the leader understand what the possible ramifications are? How has he determined these? Does he continuously plan, work, examine, and strategically plan for every eventuality? Far too many people thrust into leadership positions seem to either fear making, or lack the ability, to examine the ramifications, often because they don't intensely examine the issue and the actions needed. Every action taken offends some people, but a true leader examines the best way to handle these types of issues, and thinks the issue through.

2. The most effective leadership uses a strategic model. The first think a real leader must do, even before starting his position, is to examine all aspects of the organization, what works and what does not, and understand both the needs of the organization, as well as the history and heritage of the group. Is this organization growing effectively, stable, or in decline? Some of the worst strategic errors an organization makes occurs because many fiscal officers tend to suffer from a form of organizational myopia, often taking a very narrow view when it comes to group's finances. These leaders fail to realize that while being cost effective is both desirable and responsible, how this cost cutting is done is often the difference between being helpful to the organization, and adversely impacting the group by either offending, or upsetting people. These leaders often unilaterally design cost cutting measures that they no doubt feel are needed, without taking the time, effort, or steps to effectively communicate. Great leaders understand that policies can and often should be altered and updated, but that once you offend someone, it is often nearly impossible to regain their trust.

I urge those in leadership to always take a deep breath, and step back before they take definitive action, and explore the ramifications, both intended and possibly unintended, so they are best prepared to handle effectively these situations. Great leaders are planners, and this planning prepares them best for most eventualities.

Richard Brody, with over 30 years consultative sales, marketing, training, managerial, and operations experience, has trained sales and marketing people in numerous industries, given hundreds of seminars, appeared as a company spokesperson on over 200 radio and television programs, and regularly blogs on real estate, politics, economics, management, leadership, negotiations, conferences and conventions, etc. He has negotiated, arranged and/ or organized hundreds of conferences and conventions. He's a Senior Consultant with RGB Consultation Services, an Ecobroker, a Licensed Buyers Agent (LBA) and Licensed Salesperson in NYS, in real estate.
Richard has owned businesses, been a Chief Operating Officer, a Chief Executive Officer, and a Director of Development, as well as a consultant. He has a Consulting Website, and his company PLAN2LEAD, LLC's site ( http://www.plan2lead.net/ ), and can be followed on Twitter @rgbrody and Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/Plan2lead

Original article

10 Best Leadership Qualities

Leadership is defined as the ability to get other to follow and commit to a call to action. Every business needs leaders at every level of their operation. Leadership isn't an inherent quality. It's taught to anyone at any age. Here are 10 important traits you must develop to be effective as a leader.

Have a vision. He who is blind is lost. Know what it is you want and how you're going to get there. Hard to have people look up to you if you have no idea what you're all about.
Integrity. Integrity is your ability to walk to talk. That you beliefs are in your actions. Being honest, having a calm consistent demeanour, and being fair are sign of integrity. A leader who knows his center will be well liked and approachable to his followers.
Gives praise where praise is due. A good leader shares in successes and takes the heat when things don't go well. Ensuring that as many people as possible in their organization will make people feel good about themselves and draw people your team closer. Take the blame, share the blame is a hallmark of good leadership.
Humility. Good leaders realize that they are no better than anyone else in their team, and understand that every person is valuable to the success of their endeavour. They also understand that just because they're the boss, that doesn't make them God.
Openness. Good leaders are open to new and creative ideas. They think outside of the box. They can suspend their judgements while listening to others, while accepting other ways of doing things if someone else suggests it. It creates mutual respect, it also creates an endless resource of ideas that can further their vision.
Creativity. This is the ability to think differently. To be unorthodox in thinking that can constrain solutions. Creativity allows leaders to see things others haven't in order to lead their team into new directions.
Effective communications. Good leaders are precise with ideas, and are kind when the need to admonish. They kind, and refrain from vulgarity. People need reaffirmation, good leaders praise for good work. They're people persons. Their best attribute is being able to communicate face to face with confidence, and knowledge, with the power of proper language skills.
Team building. No man is an island unto himself. You're only as good as the people you surround yourself with. Effective leaders know that having the right people in key places will afford the best opportunities for success, while at the same time giving them some peace of mind.
Respect. A leader understands and respects every person that follows. While being the "boss" they keep up a level of dignity that is given and expected in return. Places known as excellent employers have leaders within their company where the respect is mutually given from leader to follower.
Confidence. Nobody will follow a wishy-washy personality. When you know what hit's the fan, your followers will want you to take charge, take responsibility, stay calm, and think straight.  Believing in yourself, will be the basis for others to believe in you, your vision, and in your abilities.

Elliot Zovighian is a life coach, speaker, author, blogger is the owner of EZ Lifestyles, a life coaching company from Toronto, Canada. His daily blog offers articles and advice on such subjects as life skills, work and career, relationships, parenting, featured videos and more. http://www.ezlifestyles.ca/

Original article

These Two Leaders, the Doctor and the Fisherman, Knew the Answers to These Important Questions!

We are being reminded today of believers who have only a few pages of the Bible, and they share what they have. We have the whole book, in as many translations, and we have freedom to meet to sing and praise and worship and hear The Word of God.

But how reliable is the Bible? Can it be trusted totally and taken as being authoritative?

The doctor and the fisherman knew the answer to these questions!

Is the Word of God as we have it in the Bible concerning the life and ministry of Jesus Christ, reliable, accurate, and trustworthy?

At the beginning of the Gospel of Luke, we are told that many had been writing about Jesus, and we have some of these writings which are not in the Bible.

There were rumours and myths and stories and fanciful legends going around about Jesus. This invariably happens with someone unusual or famous.

Luke investigated everything from the beginning, with the aim of reassuring people that what they believe about Jesus Christ is true.

Luke was a medical doctor, and he treats the life and teaching of Jesus like one of his patients, and lovingly investigates and examines and researches, so that he can arrive at the truth.

Luke would be accustomed to keeping accurate records and having examined the facts he now presents them in an orderly manner, giving a note of certainty.

He is an authority on his subject.

We normally appreciate people who know what they are talking about, and who know how to present their case.

This is not the philosophy of mere men. We are not dealing with theories here.

What a wonderful bedside manner this doctor must have had, for Mary to have recounted the details of the conception and the confinement, as Jesus Christ the Saviour was born.

Luke writes to someone called Theophilus which means 'a lover of God'. If you love Almighty God, then this book is certainly for you.

These findings are much more than a moral code, and good ideas to live by, and the beloved doctor roots the beginning of the Gospel of Jesus Christ in history which can be checked. This is the Word of God.

Peter in his first letter mentions the importance of the prophets and then speaks about the angels, and how they looked up to Jesus.

They worshipped the Lamb of God and continue to do so. Angels are superior to us, in strength and intelligence and beauty. Do not dismiss them. They saw the Son of God in a manger, but they can never know Jesus as Saviour. Jesus Christ did not die for angels but to save and salvage men and women.

This is why we must never refer to anyone as an angel!

We have such privileges and that is why Peter goes on right away to speak of responsibilities. Privileges always bring responsibilities.

In that first Chapter of his first letter Peter writes to these disciples of Jesus and encourages them to prepare your minds for action. Roll up the sleeves of your mind. Think straight. Know clearly what you believe and why.

Be self-controlled and be sober or rational and reasonable. Let no-one else control you, and nothing else control you.

Do not get intoxicated with fashionable ideas. We are not to adopt the latest opinions.

Set your hope fully on the grace to be given you when Jesus Christ is revealed.

We need an anchor to keep us from drifting in these treacherous times. Here it is.

This one thing I know Peter is saying to these disciples of Jesus who are having a very hard time, and it is this truth that Jesus Christ is coming back.

Peter assumes that despite the hardships they are obedient children.

Do not let your possessions or desires possess you. A man was overheard saying to his paintings one day, "You make it so hard for me to die".

We can be a can be a slave to what we possess or what we desire.

When we came to Jesus Christ we changed bosses. We changed 'lords'. We no longer serve sin, but Jesus Christ.

Then Peter speaks about being holy or being different, and why? He Who called you is holy, so be holy in all that you do. What a challenge!

This is a most unpopular verse! We are called to be like Father and to be like our heavenly Dad.

He is not like other people. He certainly is different, and Peter teaches us, to aim to be like Him! That is not easy.

Our world does not need more clever men, or rich men, but it does need more godly men and women.

To be holy or godly in the highest sense, and not in some cartoonist fashion, but as God would make us and shape us.

Verse 17 will help us. If we get the right kind of fear, and right kind of love, we will live the right kind of life, and on he goes to speak of the precious blood of Jesus Christ, with which we are redeemed, and bought back from sin, and sinfulness.

Sandy Shaw

Sandy Shaw is Pastor of Nairn Christian Fellowship, Chaplain at Inverness Prison, and Nairn Academy, and serves on The Children's Panel in Scotland, and has travelled extensively over these past years teaching, speaking, in America, Canada, South Africa, Australia, making 12 visits to Israel conducting Tours and Pilgrimages, and most recently in Uganda and Kenya, ministering at Pastors and Leaders Seminars, in the poor areas surrounding Kampala, Nairobi, Mombasa and Kisumu. He broadcasts regularly on WSHO radio out of New Orleans, and writes a weekly commentary at http://www.studylight.org/ entitled "Word from Scotland" on various biblical themes, as well as a weekly newspaper column. His M.A. and B.D. degrees are from The University of Edinburgh, and he continues to run and exercise regularly to maintain a level of physical fitness.

Original article