The Top 10 Personality Qualities of a Leader: Developing People

Now this present which your maidservant has brought to my lord, let it be given to the young men who follow my lord… And it shall come to pass, when the Lord has done for my lord according to all the good that He has spoken concerning you, and has appointed you ruler over Israel, that this will be no grief to you, nor offense of heart to my lord, either that you have shed blood without cause, or that my lord has avenged himself. But when the Lord has dealt well with my lord, then remember your maidservant. 1 Samuel 25:27,30-31 Continuing from yesterday, the "Top 10" personality qualities of an effective leader... Quality #8: Developing People. This is a key distinguishing factor between good and great organizations. A great organization, led by great leaders, does more that give ‘lip service’ to the fact that people are their greatest asset. Valuable assets must be developed – investment in them must be made. Great leaders must have the desire and the ability to teach, coach, and mentor their people to higher levels of performance. This includes developing the leadership potential of those they lead. A leader addresses the need of his/her people – both their immediate and future needs. In the Scripture above, Abigail demonstrates her value for David (his future need) and his men (their immediate needs). She gives David’s men food to address their immediate needs and gives David words of encouragement and advice to address his future needs. Do you develop the people that God has put in your charge? Do you address their immediate and long-term needs? Truth@Life can help you, regardless of your location. Call 248-396-6255 or email me at curtis.songer@gmail.com for a free consultation. If you receive value from these blogs, please consider donating to keep this blog site up and running. This ministry cannot continue without the generous donations of its readers. Just click on the "Donate" button in the upper right. For more info on help I can provide check out http://truthatlife.com/ or email me directly at curtis.songer@gmail.com

The Top 10 Personality Qualities of a Leader: Valuing People

Then she (Abigail) fell at his (David’s) feet and said: “On me, my lord, on me let this iniquity be! And please let your maidservant speak in your ears, and hear the words of your maidservant.” 1 Samuel 25:24 Continuing from yesterday, the "Top 10" personality qualities of an effective leader... Quality #7: Valuing People. Good leaders must have a fundamental value for people. They must care for people, desire to connect with people, be willing to listen to and understand people. This requires the desire and emotional intelligence to develop and maintain deep relationships with people. To value people is to respect, honor, and cherish them. It means you make a relationship with them a high priority. In the Scripture above, Abigail did exactly that. She assumed the role of a servant, submitting to David. She was secure enough to put herself in the servant’s role. She also understood how to make an appropriate appeal to David in order to accomplish her goal – and to help him accomplish David’s long-term goals as well. How much do you value, truly value people? Truth@Life can help you, regardless of your location. Call 248-396-6255 or email me at curtis.songer@gmail.com for a free consultation. If you receive value from these blogs, please consider donating to keep this blog site up and running. This ministry cannot continue without the generous donations of its readers. Just click on the "Donate" button in the upper right. For more info on help I can provide check out http://truthatlife.com/ or email me directly at curtis.songer@gmail.com

The Top 10 Personality Qualities of a Leader: Focus

But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ. Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ. Philippians 3:7-8 Continuing from yesterday, the "Top 10" personality qualities of an effective leader... Quality #6: Focus. In the words of Peters and Waterman in “In Search of Excellence”, a good leader must be able to ‘stick to the knitting’. Based on the mission and vision of the organization, they must be able to set goals, prioritize, plan, and resource based on what’s needed for change. They must maintain a focus on their primary objectives and strategies and not get distracted. In the Scripture above, Paul openly communicated his priorities. All the accomplishments and culture of his past he counted as rubbish in order to gain Christ. He wanted to know Christ and experience His power. He did all this for the purpose of attaining his goal (the resurrection). Paul is a leader on a mission. He narrowed his focus to the absolute essentials in order to not get distracted. How’s your “focus”? Truth@Life can help you, regardless of your location. Call 248-396-6255 or email me at curtis.songer@gmail.com for a free consultation. If you receive value from these blogs, please consider donating to keep this blog site up and running. This ministry cannot continue without the generous donations of its readers. Just click on the "Donate" button in the upper right. For more info on help I can provide check out http://truthatlife.com/ or email me directly at curtis.songer@gmail.com

Stronger Every Day

As you have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, having been firmly rooted and now being built up in Him and established in your faith, just as you were instructed, and overflowing with gratitude. Colossians 2:6-7 A friend of mine tells the following story… “Not long after I was born, someone gave my mother a little blue ceramic vase. And in that vase was a small philodendron plant. Not that special. I brought that vase home from my mother's house a few years ago. Its edges were a bit calcified - a crust of minerals had been left after the evaporation of all the water that had been poured into it over the years. But that original green plant was still in there. Still living. Still growing. In fact, when we added some fresh soil and a little plant food into the mix, it began to strengthen again. Almost 60 years old, and still going strong.” To me, that little plant is an ongoing reminder of what happens when you are continually watered by the Word, when you're repeatedly fed by relationship with God. That plant still maintains its health, vitality and potential for growth. There's life in being what God has called us to be. Life in obedience. Life in ongoing service and witness. Life in being a follower of Jesus Christ, finding our joy in seeking Him for daily direction and purpose. Spiritual growth is a command from the Scriptures. As our passage for today says, "As you have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, having been firmly rooted and now being built up in Him and established in your faith, just as you were instructed, and overflowing with gratitude." But more than a command, it is God's invitation to life and fulfillment, to become a person who is still growing at every age. Are you growing in your spiritual vitality? Truth@Life can help you, regardless of your location. Call 248-396-6255 or email me at curtis.songer@gmail.com for a free consultation. If you receive value from these blogs, please consider donating to keep this blog site up and running. This ministry cannot continue without the generous donations of its readers. Just click on the "Donate" button in the upper right. For more info on help I can provide check out http://truthatlife.com/ or email me directly at curtis.songer@gmail.com

The Top 10 Personality Qualities of a Leader: Vision

Then He (God) brought him (Abraham) outside and said, “Look now toward heaven, and count the stars if you are able to number them.” And He said to him, “So shall your descendants be.” Genesis 15:5 Continuing from last week, the "Top 10" personality qualities of an effective leader... Quality #5: Vision. A good leader must have an ability to conceive of where the organization needs to go. A recognition of why the current state is bad is not enough. Real change only occurs when there is a clear vision of a future state that is much better than the current state. This is the “magnet” that draws the organization through the pain period of change. So conception of the vision is not enough. The leader must also be able to communicate the vision to those he/she leads in a clear and compelling way. How’s your “vision”? Truth@Life can help you, regardless of your location. Call 248-396-6255 or email me at curtis.songer@gmail.com for a free consultation. If you receive value from these blogs, please consider donating to keep this blog site up and running. This ministry cannot continue without the generous donations of its readers. Just click on the "Donate" button in the upper right. For more info on help I can provide check out http://truthatlife.com/ or email me directly at curtis.songer@gmail.com

The Top 10 Personality Qualities of a Leader: Positive Attitude

Then Caleb quieted the people before Moses, and said, “Let us go up at once and take possession, for we are well able to overcome it.” Numbers 13:30 Continuing from yesterday, the "Top 10" personality qualities of an effective leader... Quality #4: Positive & Passionate Attitude. A good leader must have an attitude that is contagious in a positive way. He/she must be able to motivate others to take action. He/she must show commitment to the vision and goals. And, while not necessary, a dynamic/charismatic personality can also be quite helpful. In Numbers 13, Caleb and Joshua demonstrated a positive attitude when they believed the Israelites could take over the Promised Land despite the huge people who occupied it. Their positive attitude showed they had courage rooted in faith, understood their relationship to God, and felt a calm assurance as a result of it. How’s your “leadership attitude”? Truth@Life can help you, regardless of your location. Call 248-396-6255 or email me at curtis.songer@gmail.com for a free consultation. If you receive value from these blogs, please consider donating to keep this blog site up and running. This ministry cannot continue without the generous donations of its readers. Just click on the "Donate" button in the upper right. For more info on help I can provide check out http://truthatlife.com/ or email me directly at curtis.songer@gmail.com 

The Top 10 Personality Qualities of a Leader: Create Positive Change

For there are many insubordinate, both idle talkers and deceivers, especially those of the circumcision, whose mouths must be stopped, who subvert whole households, teaching things which they ought not, for the sake of dishonest gain. Titus 1:10 Continuing from yesterday, the "Top 10" personality qualities of an effective leader... Quality #3: The Ability to Create Positive Change. A good leader must be able to make a difference. He/she must be able to make change happen. You can attract people to follow you, or be influenced by you, by developing strong relationships or by having a dynamic personality or by communicating a compelling vision. But if you want them to keep following you, to continue to be influenced by you, you must create positive change. To do this he/she must be a competent problem solver, confident in his/her abilities, have discernment, take initiative, and be results-oriented. Titus was a problem solver. And like any good problem solver he anticipated problems, accepted the truth about the situation, kept the big picture in mind, handled one issue at a time, and did not give up when he suffered temporary failures. To become a better problem solver look for trouble, develop a method for problem solving, and surround yourself with other good problem solvers. Need help creating positive change? Truth@Life can help you, regardless of your location. Call 248-396-6255 or email me at curtis.songer@gmail.com for a free consultation. If you receive value from these blogs, please consider donating to keep this blog site up and running. This ministry cannot continue without the generous donations of its readers. Just click on the "Donate" button in the upper right. For more info on help I can provide check out http://truthatlife.com/ or email me directly at curtis.songer@gmail.com

The Top 10 Personality Qualities of a Leader: Self-Discipline

These are the journeys of the children of Israel, who went out of the land of Egypt by their armies under the hand of Moses and Aaron. Numbers 33:1 Continued from yesterday, the "Top 10" personality qualities of an effective leader... Quality #2: Self-Discipline & Self-Development. We must travel on the inside before we can travel on the outside. The journey of growth and success is first an internal one. A leader must lead himself well before he can lead others well. And you can't effectively lead without self-discipline. This means he must count the cost of what good leadership takes and prioritize time accordingly. Good leadership requires personal sacrifice at times. For example, good leadership requires making the time for ongoing personal investment – a desire to learn and improve – what Covey calls “sharpening the saw”. Do you need more self-discipline in your life? Truth@Life can help you, regardless of your location. Call 248-396-6255 or email me at curtis.songer@gmail.com for a free consultation. If you receive value from these blogs, please consider donating to keep this blog site up and running. This ministry cannot continue without the generous donations of its readers. Just click on the "Donate" button in the upper right. For more info on help I can provide check out http://truthatlife.com/ or email me directly at curtis.songer@gmail.com

The Top 10 Personality Qualities of a Leader: Character

Then the king promoted Daniel and gave him many great gifts; and he made him ruler over the whole province of Babylon, and chief administrator over all the wise men of Babylon. Daniel 2:48 Over the next couple weeks I will be presenting what I believe to be the “Top 10” personality qualities for an effective leader. Follow the series, you may be surprised! Quality #1 = Character. It was because of character that both Daniel and Joseph went from being slaves to the #2 leader in their countries. Character can be many things, but at its essence it is integrity, a leader does what he says he will do. It is being responsible and dependable to follow through. It is having the courage to do the right thing. And it is having the humility to admit when you are wrong. Character and integrity are required for trust to exist between two people and trust is the basis for all good relationships – a key requirement for effective leadership. Truth@Life can help you, regardless of your location. Call 248-396-6255 or email me at curtis.songer@gmail.com for a free consultation. If you receive value from these blogs, please consider donating to keep this blog site up and running. This ministry cannot continue without the generous donations of its readers. Just click on the "Donate" button in the upper right. For more info on help I can provide check out http://truthatlife.com/ or email me directly at curtis.songer@gmail.com

What is Coaching?

Where there is no counsel, the people fall; but in the multitude of counselors there is safety. Deuteronomy 31:7 Many people who learn that I have started a life coaching & leadership development practice called ‘Truth@Life’ ask me, “Exactly what is coaching?” It’s not an unusual question since non-sports coaching is relatively new. Most individuals, as well as organizations have some level of dissatisfaction with the progress they are making or the legacy they are leaving. They either aren’t making progress or they aren’t making progress at the pace they would like. Coaching is a process for unlocking people’s potential to maximize their own performance. A coach is someone who comes alongside to help you find your focus: to define your goal, layout an action plan, identify barriers to success, resource you as needed, hold you accountable, and course correct as required until the goal is achieved. Therapy often focuses mostly in the past, consulting in the present, and coaching in the future state. Truth@Life takes this process a step further and provides advice along the way, based upon undeniable “truths”, faith-based principles that are tried and true – proven to be successful in improving interpersonal relationships, excelling in the workplace and at leadership, and achieving spiritual contentment. In this sense, Truth@Life employs both a coaching and consulting process. I employ a series of assessments that help a person understand themselves better and that explain how and why they behave, think, and react to people and circumstances around them. Once that is complete, we develop a customized action plan specific to their needs for moving forward. Since this work can be done in person or by telephone and internet, Truth@Life can help you, regardless of your location. Call 248-396-6255 or email me at curtis.songer@gmail.com for a free consultation. If you receive value from these blogs, please consider donating to keep this blog site up and running. This ministry cannot continue without the generous donations of its readers. Just click on the "Donate" button in the upper right. For more info on help I can provide check out http://truthatlife.com/ or email me directly at curtis.songer@gmail.com

Profiles in Leadership: Achan – The Ripple Effect of Sin

But the children of Israel committed a trespass regarding the accursed things (the spoils of war), for Achan the son of Carmi … took the accursed things; so the anger of the Lord burned against the children of Israel. Joshua 7:1 Things had been going so well for Joshua and the children of Israel as they won victory after victory in their crusade to possess the Promised Land. But after and incredible victory over Jericho, an Israelite foot soldier named Achan chose to disobey some clear directives regarding treasures captured in war. Joshua had told his men that all the spoils taken from Jericho were to be considered “devoted things”, belonging in God’s treasury. Achan defied Joshua’s orders, taking some valuables and hiding them under his family’s tent. Joshua, unaware of Achan’s sin, sent a small contingent of soldiers against Ai – and the confident Israelites suffered a major rout. Joshua immediately recognized that something must be very wrong. He sought God’s face for answers and eventually identified Achan as the culprit. In an act of severe judgment, the guilty man, his entire family, their livestock and possessions were all destroyed. By this fearsome act, Joshua determined to follow God and to remove those who would stand in the way of God’s work. The story of Achan illustrates the principle that leaders may become vulnerable following a major success. Although it can be very difficult, leaders must take the appropriate steps to remove those who block God’s blessing and work. When a team member like Achan compromises a core value, the ripple effect of his or her action can hurt many others. Godly leaders must stop the ripple before it becomes a flood. Truth@Life can help you, regardless of your location. Call 248-396-6255 or email me at curtis.songer@gmail.com for a free consultation. If you receive value from these blogs, please consider donating to keep this blog site up and running. This ministry cannot continue without the generous donations of its readers. Just click on the "Donate" button in the upper right. For more info on help I can provide check out http://truthatlife.com/ or email me directly at curtis.songer@gmail.com

Do You Have “Fitting” Work?

The labor of the righteous leads to life, the wages of the wicked to sin. Proverbs 10:16 Aristotle once said, “We are what we repeatedly do.” For all of us, finding a good fit in our work has multiple benefits. When our responsibilities each day match our skills, personality, experience, and passions, incredible things can happen. That’s especially true for Christians who see their work as an opportunity to honor God. As Solomon said, this kind of work leads to life! Can work really be a source of God’s blessing? The answer to that question is a resounding yes! If we find the right fit and work to honor God, He unleashes His power in us and through us to accomplish great things and honor many people. In his insightful book, “The Call”, Os Guinness defines our spiritual calling as “the truth that God calls us to Himself so decisively that everything we are, everything we do, and everything we have is invested with special devotion, dynamism, and direction lived out as a response to His summons and service.” At work, we can labor each day with integrity and enthusiasm because we know that what we do – and how we do it – really counts. Fulfillment at work spills over to our time with our families. Instead of being angry of drained when we walk through the door at the end of the day, we can be excited about what God is doing, and our joy can spread to our spouses and children. In the community, we can be known as people who treat others fairly and who have earned respect. In all areas of life, we can sense God’s purpose and presence and delight in following Him. How much does your work give life to you, and how much does it rob you of life? What do you need to do to align your work with God’s purposes and presence? Truth@Life can help you, regardless of your location. Call 248-396-6255 or email me at curtis.songer@gmail.com for a free consultation. If you receive value from these blogs, please consider donating to keep this blog site up and running. This ministry cannot continue without the generous donations of its readers. Just click on the "Donate" button in the upper right. For more info on help I can provide check out http://truthatlife.com/ or email me directly at curtis.songer@gmail.com 

Remembering D-Day & Other Days of Uncertainty

He who trusts in the Lord will be exalted. Proverbs 29:25 Today, June 6th, is the anniversary of D-Day, when 150,000 troops stormed the shores of France. By the end of the day 9000 allied soldiers had died or been seriously wounded. Years before, in September 1939, Great Britain allied with France and several other alarmed countries in declaring war on Hitler's Germany, which had invaded Poland in its intended march toward global domination. By the end of the year, anxieties throughout England remained on high alert; everyone was fearful of bombing and invasion. When King George VI sat down before two large microphones to make his speech to the nation, he was dressed in his official uniform as Admiral of the Fleet. With so many parts of the world facing an uncertain future, his goal was to reassure the people that their nation was prepared and able and their cause right and just. "A new era is at hand," the king said. "We cannot tell what it will bring. If it brings peace, how thankful we shall all be. If it brings us continued struggle, we shall remain undaunted." Then, turning to some lines of poetry his wife had recently shared with him, he concluded his speech with these words. They offer a word of encouragement that - we hope - will settle your hearts amid the troubles of our own era in history. These lines are from "The Gate of the Year," a poem written in 1908 by Minnie Louise Haskins: I said to the man who stood at the gate of the year "Give me a light that I may tread safely into the unknown." And he replied, "Go into the darkness and put your hand into the hand of God That shall be to you better than light and safer than a known way!" Do you find yourself facing a similar time of uncertainty? Truth@Life can help you, regardless of your location. Call 248-396-6255 or email me at curtis.songer@gmail.com for a free consultation. If you receive value from these blogs, please consider donating to keep this blog site up and running. This ministry cannot continue without the generous donations of its readers. Just click on the "Donate" button in the upper right. For more info on help I can provide check out http://truthatlife.com/ or email me directly at curtis.songer@gmail.com