Big Is The New Small

Do You Know What Success Looks Like? That seems like such an easy question, as we immediately begin to think about so and so and the success that they’ve had.  We should look at that question and answer it from a different perspective.

If you want to know what success looks like, begin to view those images of success for you inside of your head. Begin to imagine what it would look like for you to write that book, loose the weight, be the spiritual leader of your home, plant that church, be the CEO of that organization…  We must learn to dream BIG. think BIGGER.

Stop playing the stories and dreaming the dreams of what failure looks like and begin playing the stories of success.   Successful people have played hundreds and sometimes thousands of stories of what success looks like in their head way before they ever achieve the success they envisioned.  Remember thinking is the next step after dreaming and it’s the action step to make your dreams a reality.

Life is about the possibilities — If the only possibilities you know are what it looks like to fail, you are in trouble. If the possibilities that you know are what success looks like, it’s only a matter of time.

Do You Want To Know What Success Looks Like? Start dreaming and thinking about it now.

dream BIG. think BIGGER.

If we look at the myriad of diversity in the world we can clearly see that God values diversity.  Diversity is not always about race or ethnicity; for instance  Jesus certainly expressed diversity in his choice of staff: tax collector, fisherman, physician, former prosecuting attorney, women etc. He valued diversity and placed an array of personalities, backgrounds and experiences around him in order to advance his work.   The story of Jacob and the “minority” sheep is another great illustration.

The bottom line is most organizations and teams do not like to talk about or embrace diversity.  They would prefer to talk as though it doesn’t exist.  By doing this they are assuming that everyone has the same backgrounds, experiences and wiring.   People are so uncomfortable and worried about the “Race” conversation offending someone, they choose to make it a non-issue.  The only way that race will be a non-issue is if you make race an issue. (repeat that last sentence)  Although it may seem taboo, you must be willing to talk openly about race and diversity.

The even harsher reality is to acknowledge the realization that diversity in organizational teams should and in my opinion must exist.  It’s not like Jesus just said “I took a group of people to be on my team.”  Jesus articulated who they were and the uniqueness they brought to the table — this gives us a clear perspective of how he rolled.   I think Jesus was illustrating this mindset,  ”I know all of these people around me bring diverse backgrounds, diverse way of thinking and diverse ways of acting to the table, but that’s the beauty about how we are going to get this work done.”  In other-words, Jesus is saying that you and you and you and you… can be on my team with the unique differences, skills, thoughts and backgrounds that God has given you.

Jesus embraced diversity at all levels; I personally think we need to be like Jesus and move from tolerating diversity to embracing diversity at all levels.  Jesus embraced diversity — Do You?  Does Your Job? Does Your Church?

Fortune magazine states that “diverse groups make better decisions.  If everyone in the room is the same, you’ll have fewer arguments and worse answers.  Diversity is a distinct competitive advantage.”

Share your experience and thoughts working in organizations or attending churches that either embrace or simply tolerate diversity of any kind?  Race, Gender, Thoughts, Backgrounds…

This video features a Christian Hip-Hop Group “Exodus Movement.”  These guys are representin’ Oklahoma City and they are the real deal.  Great dudes with great hearts.  You can follow them on Twitter: @exodusmovement and Facebook: TheExodusMovement

I’m diggin’ the lyrics on this track All My Life - “All my life they said I would be nuthin’ but I’m still gonna shine… Make somethin’ outta nuthin’!  They try to beat me down but I’m still gonna shine!”

How do these lyrics speak to you?

Here are 7 Simple Ways That Twitter Can Make You A Better Leader, all in 140 or less.

• 1. I Want Access- You have access to the thoughts, lives, principles & activities of some of the best leaders and leadership authors in the world.
• 2. Let’s Be Open- Allowing those that U work for, w/ or may potentially work with in the future to take a more open look at your life. The Other Side Of You!
• 3. Think Before You Act- Forces U 2 think before U tweet realizing that everything U tweet is permanent; all leadership decision R permanent at least 4 that moment.
• 4. Keep It Pithy- U have 2 get straight 2 the point, 140 or less. Streamline yr thoughts, say what’s necessary, make it meaningful & Realize yr words matter!
• 5. What’s The 411- There is an abundance of relevant information at your fingertips, current events, tech., trends, culture, scripture, product, research…
• 6. You’re Not My Boss-  You have to learn how to lead and connect in an environment where people are not forced to follow or connect… Why should I listen to you?
• 7. Don’t Be A Phony- Authenticity is critical for a leader! People smell a phony a mile away. Be Real, Be yourself. “Do You, It’s a Statement… Not a Question!”

Share your thoughts on this list of 7 or add additional to the list… of course in 140 or less!

The idom or phrase “Benefit Of The Doubt” is one of those phrases that has been around for a long time.  Many of you have probably used before and it simply means — To believe something good about someone, rather than something bad, when you have the possibility of doing either. To me this just seems like the right thing to do.

Often times I hear employers that believe the bad about their employees instead of giving them the Benefit Of The Doubt. I will hear husbands and wives ripping their spouses instead of giving them the Benefit Of The Doubt. Parents will do the same things with their children, the public will do the same thing about high profile figures and the media makes their living on believing the bad.

As it relates to people that are close to us, for some reason it seems as though giving them the benefit of the doubt is something that is earned.  When we survey the intentions, motives, actions, thoughts etc. we should start from the mindset of giving them the benefit of the doubt. Start with the Good in mind!  Benefit Of The Doubt is not about being naive or not using common sense, it’s about choosing to believe something good about someone, rather than something bad, when you have the possibility of doing either.

I’m sure glad God gave me the benefit of the doubt.  Sometimes, we need to give ourselves the Benefit Of The Doubt.

Wise men, when in doubt whether to speak or to keep quiet, give themselves the benefit of the doubt, and remain silent. ~Napoleon Hill

Do you need to do a better job at giving others or yourself the benefit of the doubt?  Why is it so difficult to give people the benefit of the doubt?

Does your dog do this?  Can you teach your dog to do this?  I tried and unfortunately my dog Tyson does not have praying skills.

The often used phrase “[Fill-In The Blank...] then God showed up” is one of those phrases that in my opinion reduces the Almighty Creator of Heaven and Earth to a merely situational God.  Remember the “3GO’s of God”:

• God’s Omniscience- God knows everything.
• God’s Omnipresence- God is everywhere.
• God’s Omnipotence- God is almighty, all powerful and can do anything.

Then God Showed Up! Not so much, “God was already there!”

God knows everything, God is everywhere and God can do anything, we just have to acknowledge that fact.  In some situations it may be difficult to do so — the harsh reality is that’s The TRUTH!

BigIsTheNewSmall- Our God is so BIG that our small minds can’t always comprehend!

dream BIG. think BIGGER.

This post will get straight to the point… If you want to get Re-Tweeted Pay Attention To These 10 Simple Ways:

• 1. SPACE - Leave 18-20 characters available in your tweet… allows enough room for your name @ sign and RT.  This is the most common reason people will not RT your post, individuals don’t want to take the time and energy to remove characters and shorten your post. TIME IS MONEY!
• 2. CONTENT – Tweet content that provides value to a broad audience — quotes, humor, questions, compelling thoughts, breaking news, technology, social media breakthroughs, tips, links to great content etc.  CONTENT IS KING!
• 3.  CONSISTENCY – Make sure your tweets are consistent.  Think of your tweets in a similar fashion that you look at newspaper or magazine subscription.   Your followers will learn to trust and grow to expect a particular type of content in a consistently delivered manner.  CONSISTENCY COUNTS!
• 4. TACTFUL - Have a keen sense of what to tweet and what not to tweet in order to maintain good relationships with your twitter community.  Don’t consistently ask your Twitter Community to Re-Tweet your tweet…  If you feel that the tweet or content is valuable, it may make sense to ask selective followers to RT a tweet.  If you ask all of your followers to RT your content all of the time, your message will fall on deaf ears. HAVE SOME MANNERS!
• 5. RECIPROCATE – Give and receive value to the Twitter community. Re-tweet other’s tweets if you find their information valuable and be sure that you provide them the RT credit they deserve.   Don’t be a Re-Tweetaholic or once again your message will fall on deaf ears. SHARE THE LOVE!
• 6. BRAND - Develop a consistent Twitter brand, presence, notoriety, content etc. desirable of being Re-Tweeted.  Many people have put the time energy and effort to earn the right for their content to be Re-Tweeted.  If you look at the Top 50 Re-tweeted Twitter Users Of All Time the one thing that’s consistent is that they all have their own unique brand. GET BRANDED!
• 7. RECOGNITION - Get recognized or develop a relationship with the people on the Top 50 Re-Tweeted Twitter Users Of All Time.  Seriously you don’t have to develop a relationship with people on that list; however having your content re-tweeted by folks with a strong Twitter brand will help with future RT’s.  GET RECOGNIZED!
• 8. LISTS - Believe it or not being on the right Twitter List can increase your ability to be re-tweeted.  People utilize their lists to keep the people they want to hear from front and center.  Lists can be as important on the Retweetometer as the number of followers.  Lists are a great measure of content value.  GET LISTED!
• 9. REPEAT - Repeat #1.  This is by far the most important aspect of being re-tweeted and often times the most over-looked.  Leave at least 18 characters, if you can leave 36 that’s even better… you have potentially doubled your chances. SPACE IS KEY!
• 10. BLOG ABOUT IT –  Write a simple blogpost about How To Get Re-Tweeted.  In all seriousness write about Twitter or Social Media – People in the wold of Social Media love to share content about Social Media. TOPIC MATTERS!

Share your thoughts on these 10 Simple Ways To Get Re-Tweeted. Do you have any additional ways to add to the list?

If you are like me when it comes to your dining or drive-thru experience, customer service is paramount.  I can’t stand to go to a dine-in or fast food restaurant and receive poor service from an individual who could care less about me as a customer.  I often times will ask to speak to a manager when I receive exceptional service, because it is simply hard to come by.  If I find a restaurant or business that has exceptional service I will be a loyal customer, it just makes sense for that relationship to be reciprocal.

There is a fast food restaurant that has been consistently named the best drive-thru in America and that is the restaurant that encourages you to “Eat Mor Chikin” Chick-fil-A.  That’s right, I’m talking about Chick-fil-A — it’s amazing What Chick-Fil-A Can Teach Us About Success.  Not only does Chick-fil-A have the best customer service, they have the best tasting food of any fast food restaurant.  Chick-fil-A’s award winning customer service does not happen without extreme attention to detail. Chick-fil-A values it’s customers and puts its money where its mouth is by spending more than a million dollars a year evaluating service.  Wow, just think if churches, non-profits and other businesses spent time, energy and money evaluating service.

If you ever go into a Chick-fil-A it will appear as though they are over staffed and that’s because they strive to complete drive-thru orders in 90 seconds and 60 seconds at the counter.  At the end of every transaction at Chick-fil-A you will not simply here “thanks” or “see you later” or “come back” but rather “My Pleasure.”

In my opinion the most important thing Chick-fil-A does from a product standpoint is simply make really good chicken.  Seriously they don’t try to introduce a bunch o new stuff they are laser focused on what they do well and that’s primarily the best chicken sandwich with a toasted bun and a couple of pickle slices that you’ll ever eat.  As a matter of fact it was this past June, Chick-fil-A introduced the first-ever variation to the original Chicken Sandwich, the Chick-fil-A Spicy Chicken Sandwich. Answering the most requested menu item from customers, the Spicy Chicken Sandwich will mark the largest product introduction in the chain’s 42-year history from an operational and store design perspective.

Recipes for Success from Chick-fil-A founder Truett Cathy:

• Embrace Unexpected Opportunities
• Do What’s Right
• Lead by Serving
• Take Sunday’s Off (A day of rest and worship)

Chick-fil-A Variables Of Success:

• The Ad Campaign- Eat mor chickin cows.
• The Results- 3 billion dollars annual sales, 42 years of positive sales growth.
• The Product- Best customer service, Best Chickin sandwich.
• The X Factor- Biblical principles as business practices.

How important is customer service to you?  What has Chick-fil-A taught you about success?  What are some restaurants and business that have exceptional customer service?

Share your thoughts abut Chick-fil-A and your favorite menu items.

Do you want to know what to expect from the #NewTwitter interface?  You can hear it straight from the Horses Mouth. Twitter CEO Evan Williams @Ev explains what #NewTwitter is all about.

Share your thoughts about the #NewTwitter, are you looking forward to it?