I am a patriotic individual. I believe the United States is the greatest country on the face of the planet. I realize it is not perfect, not even close, but I wouldn't trade it for any other country on earth.
I am not a political hack. Although I do not agree with all the positions of our current President, I honor and respect him for the office that he holds. I believe in giving honor where honor is due.
I would like to focus this Sunday night on the honorable men and women serving in our United States Armed Forces. To me, the brave men and women in uniform are real life superheroes who are worthy of our honor, admiration and respect.
Without their commitment and sacrifice, I would not have the freedom to be writing and publishing this blog tonight. I think of our veterans.......Those who served in World War II, Vietnam and Korea. I think of those who served in Operation Desert Storm and those who finally brought Saddam Hussien to justice.
I am privileged to sleep under the banner of freedom that has been provided by our military personnel and I never want to take that for granted. I simply wish to say, "thank you" to every member of our Armed Forces and their families who sacrifice during their absence when duty calls.
I honor you tonight and I am humbled by your voluntary sacrifice to stand in defense of freedom. You are superheroes, every single one of you, and I pray for your safety and protection while in the line of duty. May God bless you and strengthen your families as you serve your country with bravery, courage and unmatched valor.
Sunday, February 28, 2010
Saturday, February 27, 2010
"Position Does Not Always Equal Leadership"
As I sit here in my house on this final Saturday in February, my thoughts are on becoming a better leader and a stronger team builder. I am honored to lead a talented, fantastic team of leaders, managers and consultants within my company and I am honored to serve them each and every day.
Also, I serve on a ministerial team in my home church under the direction of my Pastor, Daniel Garlitz. I have been with my pastor for 20 years and I have learned much from his influence and gleaned from his wisdom and experience. I thank God for his influence in my life.
One thing that I have learned is that position does not always equal leadership. Just because one ascends into a "position" or gets chosen for a certain "office" does not mean that they automatically become a good leader or team builder. It takes will, skill and knowledge for one to become the best leader that they can be.
The thing to remember in the business world is that having a position makes you a "boss" but not necessarily a "leader". There are vast differences between bosses and leaders and even managers and leaders. Leaders set goals and visions and then inact a strategy to accomplish those goals. Leaders possess the ability to inspire their team to greatness regardless of what obstacles may stand in their way.
Some well-noted differences between managers and leaders:
- Managers maintain, leaders develop
- Managers rely on control, leaders inspire trust
- Managers imitate, leaders originate
- Managers accept the status-quo, leaders challenge it
- Managers do things right, leaders do the right things
- Managers administrate, leaders innovate
- Managers manage things, leaders lead people
Of course, great companies have both managers and leaders that operate within their organization. The key is, when promoted to a "position" of any kind, remember that you will be considerably more successful if you serve your team and not rule your team!
Some people allow "position" to inflate their ego and they turn into a power hungry, power flaunting dictator. You may get the job done through fear but you will have difficulty developing others to do your job. Remember, there is no success without a successor.
As a leader, my goal is to get people to commit and not simply comply. I can gain compliance through policies if I desire too, but it is so much more powerful if I can get people to commit because they want too! This one thing is true, if you help your people get what they want, they will help you get what you want.
In conclusion, allow me to say that leadership is a journey. It is a journey of learning how to use your influence to motivate and inspire others to reach their potential. It is about learning your team and finding the ways to get them to commit and not just comply.
If you are a person of position, be a good leader! Serve your team and seek to make them better than you! Remove distractions that may cause frustration and give your team the tools they need to be successful. Dont micromanage your team members, give them room to be creative and even make their own mistakes.
Your team members should respect you but not be intimidated to approach you if the need arises. Encourage open communication and dont "destroy" your team members that may have a different viewpoint. You are not "all-knowing" and some respectful dialogue may actually do you some good.
Deal with problems directly and dont sweep items under the rug. You can only sweep items under the rug so long before you will begin to trip over it! Remember, anything you ignore, you condone. Always seek to improve your team and challenge them to reach their potential. Give feedback often and dont be afraid to coach your team members in the areas where they have opportunity.
Anyway, I need to go - just remember, position does not always equal leadership!
Pascal
Also, I serve on a ministerial team in my home church under the direction of my Pastor, Daniel Garlitz. I have been with my pastor for 20 years and I have learned much from his influence and gleaned from his wisdom and experience. I thank God for his influence in my life.
One thing that I have learned is that position does not always equal leadership. Just because one ascends into a "position" or gets chosen for a certain "office" does not mean that they automatically become a good leader or team builder. It takes will, skill and knowledge for one to become the best leader that they can be.
The thing to remember in the business world is that having a position makes you a "boss" but not necessarily a "leader". There are vast differences between bosses and leaders and even managers and leaders. Leaders set goals and visions and then inact a strategy to accomplish those goals. Leaders possess the ability to inspire their team to greatness regardless of what obstacles may stand in their way.
Some well-noted differences between managers and leaders:
- Managers maintain, leaders develop
- Managers rely on control, leaders inspire trust
- Managers imitate, leaders originate
- Managers accept the status-quo, leaders challenge it
- Managers do things right, leaders do the right things
- Managers administrate, leaders innovate
- Managers manage things, leaders lead people
Of course, great companies have both managers and leaders that operate within their organization. The key is, when promoted to a "position" of any kind, remember that you will be considerably more successful if you serve your team and not rule your team!
Some people allow "position" to inflate their ego and they turn into a power hungry, power flaunting dictator. You may get the job done through fear but you will have difficulty developing others to do your job. Remember, there is no success without a successor.
As a leader, my goal is to get people to commit and not simply comply. I can gain compliance through policies if I desire too, but it is so much more powerful if I can get people to commit because they want too! This one thing is true, if you help your people get what they want, they will help you get what you want.
In conclusion, allow me to say that leadership is a journey. It is a journey of learning how to use your influence to motivate and inspire others to reach their potential. It is about learning your team and finding the ways to get them to commit and not just comply.
If you are a person of position, be a good leader! Serve your team and seek to make them better than you! Remove distractions that may cause frustration and give your team the tools they need to be successful. Dont micromanage your team members, give them room to be creative and even make their own mistakes.
Your team members should respect you but not be intimidated to approach you if the need arises. Encourage open communication and dont "destroy" your team members that may have a different viewpoint. You are not "all-knowing" and some respectful dialogue may actually do you some good.
Deal with problems directly and dont sweep items under the rug. You can only sweep items under the rug so long before you will begin to trip over it! Remember, anything you ignore, you condone. Always seek to improve your team and challenge them to reach their potential. Give feedback often and dont be afraid to coach your team members in the areas where they have opportunity.
Anyway, I need to go - just remember, position does not always equal leadership!
Pascal
Friday, February 26, 2010
"It's my response that matters"
I am sitting in my lovely home with my awesome family after a great day of working with my TS Cellular team. God has blessed me with a great job, a wonderful family, a nice home and the honor of calling myself a Christian. I thank the Lord Jesus Christ for all of His blessings in my life!
I am only 32 years old, but I have learned a few things in my relatively short three decades on planet earth. One of these things is that life just happens! Ready or not, prepared or unprepared, willing or unwilling, life just happens! And we cannot stop it no matter how hard we try.
It's true ladies and gentleman, life doesn't discriminate against rich or poor, fat or skinny, pretty or homely, last name or family history; life has a way to deal the sharpest of curve balls to everyone who adorns human flesh from time to time.
Here is another thing that is true, being a Christian does not immune you against all calamity. The Bible specifically declares that "it rains on the just and the unjust". We cannot control what happens to us, we are at the mercy of the events that find their way into our lives. However, all of us have total control over one thing, how WE RESPOND to the events that unfold in our lives!
It has been said that life is 10% what happens to us and 90% how we respond to it. I agree with this statement. It is in our response to life's problems, calamities and confusions that define our character and integrity. We find out exactly who we are and what we are made of when life hurls it's adversities at us and forces us to respond in one manner or another.
For me, I try to respond in a way that honors God and perseveres through the rough times. I know that people are watching me, I want to act in a way that is honorable and may help somebody that faces the same thing in their life. Never forget, somebody may be using your tracks in their own lives.
So, the choice is ours. How we respond to the issues of life will dictate the level of joy and victory that we experience in our life. I don't claim to know a lot of things, but this one thing I do know, if God brings you to it, He can bring you through it!!!
Again, I cannot control what happens to me, but I can always control my response to the situation. In every problem, in every circumstance, in every situation, in every calamity, in every hardship and in every failure, I can still bless the Lord and be the husband and daddy that my family needs me to be. I can also be the leader my company needs me to be.
I must respond with character and integrity, how will you respond????
I am only 32 years old, but I have learned a few things in my relatively short three decades on planet earth. One of these things is that life just happens! Ready or not, prepared or unprepared, willing or unwilling, life just happens! And we cannot stop it no matter how hard we try.
It's true ladies and gentleman, life doesn't discriminate against rich or poor, fat or skinny, pretty or homely, last name or family history; life has a way to deal the sharpest of curve balls to everyone who adorns human flesh from time to time.
Here is another thing that is true, being a Christian does not immune you against all calamity. The Bible specifically declares that "it rains on the just and the unjust". We cannot control what happens to us, we are at the mercy of the events that find their way into our lives. However, all of us have total control over one thing, how WE RESPOND to the events that unfold in our lives!
It has been said that life is 10% what happens to us and 90% how we respond to it. I agree with this statement. It is in our response to life's problems, calamities and confusions that define our character and integrity. We find out exactly who we are and what we are made of when life hurls it's adversities at us and forces us to respond in one manner or another.
For me, I try to respond in a way that honors God and perseveres through the rough times. I know that people are watching me, I want to act in a way that is honorable and may help somebody that faces the same thing in their life. Never forget, somebody may be using your tracks in their own lives.
So, the choice is ours. How we respond to the issues of life will dictate the level of joy and victory that we experience in our life. I don't claim to know a lot of things, but this one thing I do know, if God brings you to it, He can bring you through it!!!
Again, I cannot control what happens to me, but I can always control my response to the situation. In every problem, in every circumstance, in every situation, in every calamity, in every hardship and in every failure, I can still bless the Lord and be the husband and daddy that my family needs me to be. I can also be the leader my company needs me to be.
I must respond with character and integrity, how will you respond????
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