Saw Sharpening

October 16, 2020
by dgbmcc

‘Why don’t you pause and sharpen the saw?’

‘Can’t you see I’m too busy cutting these logs’

Take time to sharpen the saw! If you are not familiar with Dr Steven Covey’s phrase – google it – or check out the info and video at the link below … Covey talks about taking time for Body, Mind, Heart and Spirit – and sometimes it’s as simple as taking time to learn a new skill – how to get the most from an app on your pc or tablet, get the most from the tools of your trade.

What do you need to take time with to help you be a better version of you?

https://www.franklincovey.com/the-7-habits/habit-7.html

And a video with an overview of Covey’s 7 habits of effective people.

https://youtu.be/ktlTxC4QG8g

Change

OnLine Reports & Papers

June 4, 2020June 6, 2020
by dgbmcc

A wee video from a few years ago with Bryan Kerr and Donald McCorkindale in the context of the Church of Scotland General Assembly – about going paperless and making the most of electronic versions rather than printing off oddles of paper!

Yes you can scribble notes in the margins, stick in a post-it note! Yes, you can flick between several documents. Take time to become familiar with reading and using digital documents.

Change

The most important meeting of the day!

June 4, 2020June 4, 2020
by dgbmcc

All Zoomed out! Lots of online meetings on various platforms filling our days. But the most important meeting is a low tech offline one!

Are you making time for a meeting with yourself? Have you put it in your calendar and blocked off time to review, plan and priorise your day?

Below is my ‘Agenda’ for Morning and Evening meeting with self – and God.

I’m a big fan of AYOA and have used it for years to keep track of my projects and tasks – it may work well for you – it’s very visual, actually quite fun, and integrates with mind-mapping. The important thing is to have a trusted system – somewhere beyond your head to capture and process all the things that you have to do

Meeting with self – Morning

Agenda

Prayer

Previous meeting notes

Matters arising – any loose threads..?

Correspondence (Incoming External stuff)

Check Church of Scotland News
Tue: Schedule half an hour to process emails/ Evernote Inbox
Wed: Check Presbytery Website
Thu: Check Ascend Website

Review AYOA/ To Do List

Review Projects & Tasks
Is there anything that anyone else is waiting for?
Who is on my mind that I will phone or message today?

Personal Development

At least half an hour now or scheduled for later today.

Watch/ Read a MindTools article
Watch a TED Talk
Read
Sharpen a saw! Schedule time to hone a skill
Listen to a podcast

Meeting with self – Evening

What am I grateful for?
How have I made a difference for others today?
What 6 Things will I prioritise tomorrow?
Time to pray

Change

Co-create! Get everyone on board!

June 3, 2020June 3, 2020
by dgbmcc

“We need a sense of ownership.” How often do we hear that – or say that.

BUT, We tend to own things that other people create!

Authorship is better – get everyone involved – all the stakeholders in from the beginning – have everyone involved in co-creating the project, plan whatever.

And when we set up an event, have it all planned and then invite neighbouring congregations and denominations don’t give yourself an ecumenical clap on the back – it’s maybe welcoming and friendly… but true ecumenical working gets together from the start!

Brainstorming

Kipling Questions

June 3, 2020October 15, 2020
by dgbmcc

I keep six honest serving men,
they taught me all I knew.
Their names are What and Why and When
and How and Where and Who

from The Elephant’s Child, Rudyard Kipling

Six Questions to ask about anything and everything?

Kipling Questions: What, Where, When, Why, Who, How?

Use them to brainstorm on your own or with a group

What? is it, could happen, would happen if…
Why? Why, Why is, does it have to be…
When? is the right time, do we start…
How? can we do it, will it be achieved…
Where? should this happen, is best, are the target audience…
Who? is involved, are we involving, excluding…

Further reading:

https://www.lucidmeetings.com/glossary/six-serving-men

Brainstorming

Gnim rots niarb

June 3, 2020June 4, 2020
by dgbmcc

It’s a silent G – pronounced ‘nim rots ny-arb’ No it’s not Gaelic! It’s Brainstorming reversed!

Instead of brainstorming around what you want to achieve… consider what you would do to ensure failure!

It really works well – people will talk much more freely because it’s fun and light hearted… it’s actually really creative and generative.

eg: how to ensure poor engagement with Christmas services.

Don’t advertise, tell everyone the church is closed, hide the minister’s iPad, sing unfamiliar carols, no decorations in Church… you get the idea

And then when you flip the ‘how not to’ ideas you will have loads of really helpful insights…

Next Brainstorm – whether in a group or on your own – do it in reverse…. Gnim rots niarb!

Bonus tip: it’s always good to have brainstormers do some storming on their own first so they ‘hear their own ideas’ before being drowned out by louder voices!

Change

Don’t Procrastinate – Schedule!

June 2, 2020June 2, 2020
by dgbmcc

Putting off until tomorrow is procrastination.

Putting off until a week on Thursday is strategic planning.

also check out: itsforministry.org/101-things-to-do

Change

Mind Map Everything!

June 2, 2020June 14, 2020
by dgbmcc

Today 2nd June 2020 is World Mind Map Day! I’ve been an avid mind-mapper since the mid 1980s. During University studies which weren’t going too well, discovering mind-mapping transformed me from being on the brink of being ‘chucked out of Uni’ to turning in a piece of work to a lecturer who always said he marked out of 75% – and getting a 76%! It was a turning point in life! I completed the degree, and was able to help some other students to realise their greater potential too.

35 years on, I still mind map everything. Sermons, agendas, reports, shopping lists, brainstorms, decision making and so much more. It just works for me, it’s a brilliant thinking tool, mirroring the way the brain naturally works – making connections, linking ideas and keeping the big picture overview literally in mind.

www.tonybuzan.com is the go to place for all things mind mapping!

TED Talk: Hazel Wagner, explains mind mapping.

Change

Kandinsky Effect!

June 1, 2020June 2, 2020
by dgbmcc

Wassily Kandinsky’s best known painting is probably Color Study: Squares with concentric circles. Behind this superficially simple image ‘that any kid could paint’ lies years of experience, understanding and creativity.

Sometimes we have to allow our training and experience to find expression in simpler ways… engaging memorable ways.

Mark Twain is attributed with the thought, “my spontaneity has taken me years to prepare”

Often ministry appears to be in the simplest and ordinary things, shaped, influenced and informed by years of ongoing honing of our craft.

Change

IT’s for Ministry

June 1, 2020June 3, 2020
by dgbmcc

www.itsforministry.org began life back in 2001 when internet hosting was very much a geeky thing in its infancy! Over the years it had hosted various bits and pieces and been a place to share ideas about Technology, Leadership and Change in a ministry context. Recently in Lockdown it became a useful place to share ideas as I and colleagues navigated the learning curve of moving the Church more online.

Part of that learning curve caused me to experiment, try various settings… and Oh dear… I broke the site… and didn’t have a back up.

Important tech tip number 1! Back up your work regularly!

Happy to report that www.itsforministry.org is up and running again and is sharing links, hints and tips on IT, tech, leadership and change in a ministry context…

If you are in a different field you may find many of the ideas and tips transfer – as I have gleaned much from the world of business, industry and other areas of life…

Category: Change

Meeting with self – Morning

Agenda

Prayer

Previous meeting notes

Correspondence (Incoming External stuff)

Review AYOA/ To Do List

Personal Development

Meeting with self – Evening