Category: Leadership Skills

How are Your “Systems”?

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photo credit: Paul Ealing 2011 DSCN8039c The Blue Planet Orchestra. Cadogan Hall. 1st July 2017 via photopin (license)

According to a popular story, a great orchestra gathered to rehearse with the celebrated conductor Sir Michael Costa. As the music reached a crescendo, every instrument played—except for one. Distracted, the piccolo player had momentarily lost his place on the page of music. He hoped his instrument wouldn’t be missed. Suddenly, Costa brought down his arm and silenced the orchestra. “Where’s the piccolo?” he inquired. To a skilled conductor—just like a skilled leader—every part of the system is crucial—even those that may seem less important.

For Week 44 of 2014, the NIV Leadership Bible focuses on the leadership skill of Systems Thinking. Examples of systems come from the Old Testament hero Jonah, the Church (Christ’s Body), and Jesus’ example of the Vine & Branches.

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Encouragement Changes Everything

Encouragement Changes Everything

This week’s NIV Leadership Bible devotions focused on the leadership skill of Encouragement. In my last post, I mentioned how much I benefitted from my Dad’s encouragement. A few years back, as I was preparing for a promotion at work, I recognized that I needed to be more of an encourager at work, so I did what I generally do in that circumstance…I found a book that would help me out. At that time, I read John Maxwell’s Encouragement Changes Everything: Bless & Be Blessed.

Maxwell’s premise is that people who add value to others almost always do so intentionally. He says that because adding value to others requires a person to give of himself, and that rarely occurs by accident.

Learn more from Maxwell’s perspective and some of the leaders he points to as example Encouragers.

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