Monday 6 May 2013
Time is probably the most valuable commodity in the Universe. What are you doing with it?
Monday 29 April 2013
What is the One Song (thing) that will tell everyone what you will be remembered for? Will YOU step up to and cross the Line of Intention? Or will you Walk the Line?
If you have been following my postings throughout my blog site (www.bermudabob.com) of late you will have noticed that I have been focusing on making the most of the time that you have been provided with noting full well that each and every day we receive is a gift. The purpose of today’s title is not to be that of someone who has reached the end of their road and ready to meet their maker. No, the purpose of today’s title is to get you to begin to focus on what exactly you want to be remembered for. I would like to add that these thoughts should be reflected on no matter what age you are at.
Okay, so let’s break this down a bit. So many of us go through life (yes, me too) like ducks on a pond. We look really good at the surface but we are moving our legs in what seems a hundred miles an hour and yet, we go no where. What ends up happening is that we get frustrated and go look for another pond with similar results. From pond to pond to pond we go all the while the days of our lives and the sand of our hour glass keep running. Now those Eagles out there on the other hand soaring in the sky grew their wings on the way down. They did it afraid. They knew that there were bigger and greater things to be achieved than just sitting on the pond.
So let’s wrap this up… There are 2 dates in your life of major significance…the day you were born and the day you found out why. If you had to make a choice, a decision, a reality check right now as to what one thing you would do to be remembered, WHAT would it be? It would be your song, YOUR Opus! What? Now. Now is the time to really think this one through. Now is YOUR moment. Cross that Line. Don’t just walk it!
Peace. BB
Oh by the way, this is a great opportunity to provide feedback on this…don’t hold back. Think like an Eagle and let us hear from you.
Getting a Message to Garcia…are YOU up to it?
Getting a Message to Garcia
This posting comes from the Classic Book “A Message to Garcia” by Elbert Hubbard.
This story is over 100 years old now and for those that have read it have learned and understood the value of this message. It is a simple message of hard work, dependability and integrity. It is a story of how something so complex was handled so simply and yet it was not an easy task.
A story that takes place during the American War with Spain around the turn of the Century. The President of the United States needed to communicate with a key leader of the insurgents in Cuba. A man by the name of Garcia. No one was sure where he was but he was there somewhere in the mountain vastness of Cuba. No mail, no telegraph, no cell phones…no nothing, and yet everything. The President was informed by his team that there was one man that could do the job. Lt. Andrew Rowan was his name. Lt. Rowan reported to the President and was given the letter to be delivered. 4 days later he was in Cuba and 3 weeks after that he emerged on the other side of the Island having been through the worst of what Cuba had to offer. Mission Accomplished! Letter delivered!
Now by now you are asking yourself…Rowan took the letter and Did NOT ask one question…not a one! I ask you in today’s society if you were to ask someone say like your employee to do the same would he or she do so without asking a question? Would they not comment “that’s not my job” or “why isn’t so and so doing this” or even “is there a hurry”. I think you get the point. Is it any small wonder why this very story was translated into many, many languages and was considered so valuable then and today?
I challenge you to go and get a copy of this story and have a good read. After that, I challenge you and those around you to go out and get a “Message to Garcia”
How about telling of your experiences in life when it comes to the track of this story.
Peace. BB
If you tell the truth, you never have to remember what you said!
Monday 8 April 2013…Repost from February
Reposting this from elsewhere in my blog as the topic came up today and it is just as valid yesterday as it is today as it will be tomorrow!
Suggestion or thought: If you tell the truth, you never have to remember what you said! Wednesday February 6 2013
It’s always important to tell the truth so that you will not have to try to re-remember what you said in the first place.
You may be wondering what this might have to do with Leadership. Well suffice to say that many of us if not all of us have told a “little white one” at some point in our lives. Well you out there in the business world will run into instances where by your telling it the way it is will end up being more beneficial than your having to do other wise. Surely, you will also run into those around you who may not always be on the up and up as they try to fix that which gets worse the more they try to fix it.
That was a mouthful, wasn’t it? When you tell the truth, you simply are telling it like it is from your perspective. Remember that where you are is where you are! The truth you tell today will be the same truth that you tell next week, next month etc. A non-truth is not like that. You would have interjected some non-truth and when you are asked again to recount what you said a week, a month etc. you will be hard pressed to remember exactly what you said and you will probably need to interject another non-truth of some kind. It will get to the point where you end up in over your head. John Maxwell always likes to say “that when you are in over your head, it does not matter how deep the water is”. How true this is!
Just remember that the TV shows are full of Law and Order and other types of stories that put people in front of lawyers and the courts and under cross examination people convict themselves because they could not get the story straight.
So in conclusion, Be the Leader that you are meant to be. Stay out from getting in the water above your head. For if you always tell it like it is, you won’t have to remember what it is that you said because it will always be what it is.
Call to Action: What are your thoughts on this topic? Would love your interjection. Are you in agreement?
Peace. BB
Are you making the presentation or your software?
Monday 4 January 2013
Are you making the presentation or your software?
Today more than ever, we love to use technology to assist us in getting our messages across. We have come to think of programs such as PowerPoint and Keynote (Mac users) as second nature and the expected norm. But have things gone too far when it comes to the utilization of these tools?
We should of course remember that these are tools and not the be all end alls that cause us to become lazy and complacent in what it is we are trying to do and accomplish in the first place. Quite frankly there are times you wish that the speaker would be more compelling and less concerned about the visual. And really, why have a visual if all you are going to do is just read the slides when they come up on the screen? Come on, you are much better than this!
Here are some rules that can help make your presentations more effective:
1. Don’t give your presentation software the center stage. I have seen on several occasions where panic was present as the presenter(s) worked feverishly to ensure that all the equipment was set up trying to avoid the “oh my gosh” moment. Your tools are there to augment you and not the other way around. You are the focus…NOT your handouts….NOT your props etc.
2. Have a logical flow with your presentation. Why not get up there and tell a story? You have to let your work flow and be adaptable. Your presentation cannot be dependent on bullet lists.
3. Your Presentation must be readable. If the people sitting at the back of the room cannot read your slides, your print is too small. Fonts, pitch, lighting, room size etc. ..you cannot leave this all to chance. That is why your slides are not the same from presentation to presentation. Each one is “opening night”. In fact, the rule of thumb is no more than 6 words on a slide.
4. Less is More. To be blunt…”Keep it simple”. Fly in’s, transitions, dissolves can get tiring and aggravating to those that have to watch it. The less slides the better and better to do without the heavy sound effects.
5. Distribution of your handout. Do not distribute your handout prior to or during your presentation. People will focus on that and not you during the presentation. Tell them up front that you will give this to them at the very conclusion of your presentation. If you really want to take it to the next level…embed your slides on your blog or Team Website.
These rules apply to all aspects be they businesses, political parties etc.
“Is your Phoenix built and ready to fly”? And most important, “Are you ready to fly it”?
Monday 28 January 2013
This week’s Blog post is entitled “Is your Phoenix built and ready to fly”? And most important, “Are you ready to fly it”?
I guess the first and best place to start with this posting is to go back to the classic film released in 1965 and later the remake of the same name “The Flight of the Phoenix”. For those of you who are unfamiliar with the movie and the plot, let me take a few moments to briefly describe it for you. The story describes several men struggling to survive their plane crash in the formidable Sahara Desert. The crew and surviving passengers come from all walks of life as well as nationalities. Naturally, the radio does not work and while they have an abundant supply of dates (yes, those dried pieces of fruit) water on the other hand will only last about 10-15 days. The story clearly covers all aspects of whether to give up and die or to attempt to overcome their obstacles and survive. It is a story that matches “wit” against “braun” and “pride” against “logic”. They set out to build an airplane from what was left of their crashed airplane and they name it the “Phenix” after the mythical bird that arose from the fire and ashes. I guess you will need to see the movie to find out the outcome. Instead I will now attempt to bring all of the above in ‘our’ everyday lives.
I will have to write this from my perspective and look forward to your feedback on agreement with what I have to say or your coming at this from a differing point of view. In life, we will experience many instances whereby things may not be going as well as one would like. To the point of failure, distain, disillusionment, grief and down right just not caring anymore. We have a choice. We can either roll over and give up the ghost or we can learn and grow from the experience(s) and rise anew better and more able to take it to the next level. Quite frankly, from a religious point of view, I have come to believe and understand that my God (Grand Overall Designer) has and is putting certain obstacles in my path to test me and prepare me for the greater things that He has planned for me. How I handle my challenges, failures and defeats will determine if I am prepared and ready for the greater that awaits.
Every once in awhile, I will play the song whose lyrics refer to “I get knocked down, but I get up again. Nothing’s ever gonna keep me down” (enjoy the link below on this) I am also reminded of the classic scene, not to mention the entire movie “Spartacus” (2nd link below). That classic scene where the Slave army under Spartacus was defeated and when the Roman General offered to spare the life to anyone who could turn Spartacus over to him instead chose to a man to stand up and say “I’m Spartacus”! You see, they had chosen to all rise from the ashes in the quest for their freedom. You have a choice. Are you going to rise from the ashes no matter how many times it takes and fulfill YOUR destiny? Or are you going to allow others to knock you down and try to keep you down so that they can rise up at YOUR expense? The choice is yours. That is why Leadership training is so important. That is why you must continue to grow.
So what are your comments, feelings, thoughts on this topic? I would love to hear from you. By the way, have a read of my other postings from this week. One of them is about not sending Ducks to Eagle School. Not only am I a Phoenix but I am an Eagle. How about you?
Peace. BB
I Get Knocked Down but I GET UP Again!
Your Year of Jubilee: A time to Rest and Sharpen the Saw
Friday 28 December 2012
I need to tell you that true bloggers usually take some time to ponder as to what they want to blog about. So after careful consideration on this matter I am choosing to write about not only a “well earned rest” but also the “Focus” of what is to come. To many of us that implies the annual New Year’s Resolution list but remember that I clearly implied focus.
This is not something that is new. In fact, for those that study the Bible, this is clearly explained in Leviticus. Jubilee was something that called for people to stop their usual labor, alter their usual routines and change their normal existence. So I think the key here is to stop the “usual/normal”. I have always been taught that the highest form of insanity is to keep doing what you are doing BUT expect a different outcome. It is our most common and usual practice at the end of each and EVERY year to come up with a new list of resolutions that we intend on accomplishing with the birth of the New Year. I pause to take a page out of my mentor Dr. John C. Maxwell, who by the way is the World’s #1 guru when it comes to leadership. He actually takes a week at the end of the year to pause and reflect on what he did or did not do during the preceding year. How in the heck can you focus on what is to come when you have not focused on what was to come?
Clearly we have choices as to continuing to keep on making lists and letting them fall by the wayside or rather treating the upcoming year with a more focused and balanced sense of urgency. There is enough insanity out there that you should not need to add to it.
So as you are enjoying this Holiday Week leading up to New Years, I challenge you to approach 2013 with a sense of “Jubilee”. I include some steps as you should always be looking to sharpen your saw every chance you get:
1. Take the time you need to get some rest…both mental and physical
2. Take some time to have redemption of home. Home is where your heart is.
3. Take the opportunity to reflect so that you can move forward.
4. This is the time and place for your ax sharpening. Read positive, Watch positive and by all means BE positive.
5. Relationships are your priority over anything materialistic.
6. Last but not least…Focus and re-focus…focus and re-focus…..
In closing, ONLY YOU can make the true difference in what you do and what YOU accomplish. Make this coming year 2013 the best you have experienced yet! Be the Leader that you are meant to be. Peace and God Bless. BB
And please don’t forget that I look forward to hearing back from you. Your comments are always welcome and I challenge you to tell me what YOUR Jubilee year is going to look like…. Enjoy this film as you Focus and Re Focus
Do you understand the value of Servant Leadership or are you afraid of it?
Do you understand the value of Servant Leadership or are you afraid of it?
It has become my daily habit to pick up my copy of the Maxwell Leadership Bible (as noted previously, John has gone thru and broken it down from a Leader / Leadership perspective) and randomly without looking pick a spot to open up to.
Upon opening up today, I came across a section on David in I Samuel 30 17-20 that talks on what is probably my most favorite topic and subject. That on Servanthood or Servant Leadership.
Servant Leadership can be so misunderstood at times and yet when the full aspect and impact of what servant leadership stands for is encountered it can be so fulfilling. What do I mean by this? Well to some, Servant Leadership by its very name can give the impression that it is about be a slave to someone. To some people, I have noted that Servant Leadership can be insulting but it is alright for the other person to serve you. Servant Leadership should be mutual to all parties.
David’s leadership was first and foremost about serving his team and not about his own fame or that of his conquests. It was about relationships and partnerships. After a particular battle, a great deal of plunder was acquired. It appears that prior to this battle a number of his soldiers were worn out from previous campaigns and were left in the rear to deal with bringing up supplies etc. What would have been obvious and is more the norm in today’s world, would be for the soldiers who actually fought the battle to say that the plunder belonged to just them. But because of David’s leadership and the principles of servant leadership, he was able to clearly show all involved that ALL members of the team deserved to share in the spoils as well as the joy of the victories.
So let me sum this up in a few steps but before I do let me say that be it politics, elections, or the running of companies, Servant Leadership can and will bring about many successes and feelings of satisfaction in a Job Well Done and relationships that will last.
David’s Servant Leadership
- helped others see the contribution of everyone’s gift (everyone brings value to the total Team event.
- Allowing everyone to celebrate the victory and share in its spoils clearly showed the true Big Picture that it is not just about one person.
- The promotion of the goodwill of Servant Leadership is contagious and becomes a win-win for all.
- When a leader serves today, it pays big dividends tomorrow in future relationships
- Servant Leadership if properly developed can be totally instrumental and mutually beneficial on a nationwide basis.
Peace. BB