"Being powerful is like being a lady, if you have to tell people you are, you aren't." - Margaret Thatcher
"The fruit of silence is prayer. The fruit of prayer is faith. The fruit of faith is love. The fruit of love is service. The fruit of service is peace." - Mother Teresa
"Whatever weakens your reason, impairs the tenderness of your conscience, obscures your sense of God, takes off your relish for spiritual things, whatever increases the authority of the body over the mind, that thing is sin to you, however innocent it may seem in itself." -Susana Wesley (John Wesley's Mother)
"Any individual who has had profound influence on others, on institutions or on society, any parents whose influence has been inter generational, anyone who has really made a difference for good or ill possessed three common attributes: vision, discipline and passion. I suggest that these three attributes have ruled the world from its beginning. The represent leadership that works." - Stephen R. Covey, The 8th Habit
"The fundamental reality is, human beings are not things needing to be motivated and controlled; they are four dimensional - body, mind, heart and spirit."
"In a few hundred years, when the history of our time is written from a long-term perspective, it is likely that the most important event those historians will see is not technology, not the Internet, not e-commerce. It is an unprecedented change in the human condition. For the first time - literally - substantial and rapidly growing numbers of people have choices. For the first time, they will have to manage themselves.... and society is totally unprepared for it." -Peter Drucker
"Most people think of leadership as a position and therefore don't see themselves as leaders. Making personal leadership (influence) a choice is like having the freedom to play the piano. It is a freedom that has to learned - only then can leadership become a choice. Until then, people think that only those in positions of authority should decide what must be done. They have consented perhaps unconsciously, to being controlled like a thing. Even if they perceive a need, they don't take the initiative to act. They wait to e told what to do by the person with the formal title, and then they respond as directed. Consequently, they blame the formal leader when things go wrong and give him or her the credit when things go well. And they are thanked for their 'cooperation and support."
This widespread reluctance to take initiative, to act independently, only fuels formal leader' imperative to direct or manage their subordinates. This, they believe, is what they must do in order to get followers to act. And this cycle quickly escalates into codependency. Each party's weakness reinforces and ultimately justifies the other's behavior. The more a manager (bishop, church leader) controls, the more he/she evokes behaviors that necessitate greater control or managing. The codependent culture that develops is eventually institutionalized to the point that no one takes responsibility. Over time, both leaders and followers confirm their roles in an unconscious pact. They dis empower themselves by believing that others must change before their own circumstances can improve. The same cycle reappears in families between parents and children (neighborhoods, church congregations, school clubs, etc.).
This silent conspiracy is everywhere. Not many people are brave enough to even recognize it in themselves. Whenever they hear the idea, they instinctively look outside themselves. When I teach this material to large audiences, I often pause after a couple of hours and ask the question, "How many like this material, but feel that the people who really need it aren't' here?" They usually explode in laughter, ,but most hands go up.
Perhaps you, too are thinking that the people who really need a book like this aren't' reading it. That very thought reveals codependency. If you look at this material through the weaknesses of another, you disempower yourself and empower their weakness to continue to suck initiative, energy and excitement from your life."
All these quotes have come from a book titled "The 8th Habit" by Stephen Covey. He suggests a video to illustrate this idea titled Max and Max. It is available on the web.
It requires that you register on their site, but all their videos are free of charge.
I am free to make my own choices.
Outside my window (this bright beautiful morning)
another day
it can be bright or it can be grey,
It can be colored with joy and fun
the blessing of choice is given to me
to color this new day
As I see!
I am seeing a new day with new tasks (from Pres. Monson's quote) and I pray for the ability to see above those tasks that are asked of others, to the higher, most important tasks - those not directed by a manager! Those directed, and given by God! He loves me, and He wants me to learn, grow, and blossom into a beautiful woman - a daughter of God! I don't want someone else directing my every choice - I have the freedom to choose, given to me from God. I have the freedom and responsibility to watch for opportunities where I could be an instrument in His hands to accomplish good. I will not wait for a church leader to direct me there, I will work today! I can! Beginning with scripture study and reading lessons with my own little ones! Have a great day!
"The fruit of silence is prayer. The fruit of prayer is faith. The fruit of faith is love. The fruit of love is service. The fruit of service is peace." - Mother Teresa
"Whatever weakens your reason, impairs the tenderness of your conscience, obscures your sense of God, takes off your relish for spiritual things, whatever increases the authority of the body over the mind, that thing is sin to you, however innocent it may seem in itself." -Susana Wesley (John Wesley's Mother)
"Any individual who has had profound influence on others, on institutions or on society, any parents whose influence has been inter generational, anyone who has really made a difference for good or ill possessed three common attributes: vision, discipline and passion. I suggest that these three attributes have ruled the world from its beginning. The represent leadership that works." - Stephen R. Covey, The 8th Habit
"The fundamental reality is, human beings are not things needing to be motivated and controlled; they are four dimensional - body, mind, heart and spirit."
"In a few hundred years, when the history of our time is written from a long-term perspective, it is likely that the most important event those historians will see is not technology, not the Internet, not e-commerce. It is an unprecedented change in the human condition. For the first time - literally - substantial and rapidly growing numbers of people have choices. For the first time, they will have to manage themselves.... and society is totally unprepared for it." -Peter Drucker
"Most people think of leadership as a position and therefore don't see themselves as leaders. Making personal leadership (influence) a choice is like having the freedom to play the piano. It is a freedom that has to learned - only then can leadership become a choice. Until then, people think that only those in positions of authority should decide what must be done. They have consented perhaps unconsciously, to being controlled like a thing. Even if they perceive a need, they don't take the initiative to act. They wait to e told what to do by the person with the formal title, and then they respond as directed. Consequently, they blame the formal leader when things go wrong and give him or her the credit when things go well. And they are thanked for their 'cooperation and support."
This widespread reluctance to take initiative, to act independently, only fuels formal leader' imperative to direct or manage their subordinates. This, they believe, is what they must do in order to get followers to act. And this cycle quickly escalates into codependency. Each party's weakness reinforces and ultimately justifies the other's behavior. The more a manager (bishop, church leader) controls, the more he/she evokes behaviors that necessitate greater control or managing. The codependent culture that develops is eventually institutionalized to the point that no one takes responsibility. Over time, both leaders and followers confirm their roles in an unconscious pact. They dis empower themselves by believing that others must change before their own circumstances can improve. The same cycle reappears in families between parents and children (neighborhoods, church congregations, school clubs, etc.).
This silent conspiracy is everywhere. Not many people are brave enough to even recognize it in themselves. Whenever they hear the idea, they instinctively look outside themselves. When I teach this material to large audiences, I often pause after a couple of hours and ask the question, "How many like this material, but feel that the people who really need it aren't' here?" They usually explode in laughter, ,but most hands go up.
Perhaps you, too are thinking that the people who really need a book like this aren't' reading it. That very thought reveals codependency. If you look at this material through the weaknesses of another, you disempower yourself and empower their weakness to continue to suck initiative, energy and excitement from your life."
All these quotes have come from a book titled "The 8th Habit" by Stephen Covey. He suggests a video to illustrate this idea titled Max and Max. It is available on the web.
It requires that you register on their site, but all their videos are free of charge.
I am free to make my own choices.
Outside my window (this bright beautiful morning)
another day
it can be bright or it can be grey,
It can be colored with joy and fun
the blessing of choice is given to me
to color this new day
As I see!
I am seeing a new day with new tasks (from Pres. Monson's quote) and I pray for the ability to see above those tasks that are asked of others, to the higher, most important tasks - those not directed by a manager! Those directed, and given by God! He loves me, and He wants me to learn, grow, and blossom into a beautiful woman - a daughter of God! I don't want someone else directing my every choice - I have the freedom to choose, given to me from God. I have the freedom and responsibility to watch for opportunities where I could be an instrument in His hands to accomplish good. I will not wait for a church leader to direct me there, I will work today! I can! Beginning with scripture study and reading lessons with my own little ones! Have a great day!