Change
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
Feedback
Ted Talk TED Talk: The secret to giving great Feedback
Change
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
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
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…
Change
Many many years ago, in Chicago Airport I think it was, I picked up a book that caught my eye. “How to be brilliant” by Michael Heppell. It was a brilliant read! I’ve read all the books he has published since, and even get a wee mention in the acknowledgements in “How to save an hour every day”! And about 15 years ago I attended one of his “Be Brilliant” day seminar events. His website https://www.michaelheppell.com is worth a look – and has lots of helpful pointers to a brilliant balanced life. I’m not sure I’ve got there yet – but keep moving forward!
Michael’s currently doing “How to be Brilliant” online on FaceBook. It started pre-Covid19 – Brilliant timing! Part of my new routine includes Michael’s “Magic Monday”. Today he put out a #300 challenge… which I rise to and will write at least 300 words for this site each day this week, and will promote the site aiming at 300 hits this week. Perhaps you would appreciate joining Michael’s How to be brilliant FaceBook Group – consider yourself invited!
Be brilliant… be blessed… and be a blessing…
Donald
Change
in Uncharted Territory with Tod Bolsinger
Tod Bolsinger, author of Canoeing the Mountains: Christian Leadership in uncharted territory speaks about Church moving forward through Covid19.
Change
Are you thinking well?
When thinking about anything, whether on our own or in a group, we tend to have a variety of different kinds of thoughts. There are gut feelings, positive ideas, and the cautious constraints, there are thoughts about the process of thinking, creative alternative solutions may pop up and there are the evidence based hard facts. All together in an often confused chaotic way.
Edward de Bono, who coined the phrase ‘lateral thinking’, also brought us the phrase ‘parallel thinking’ – the idea that we think best when we focus on one kind of thought at a time. So whether on our own or in a gathering with others, we can metaphorically put on each hat in turn – perhaps revisiting some along the way… and process all the positive benefits of an idea… and then all together consider the constraints and all the reasons that it will never work… and so on…
If you google Six Thinking Hats you will get loads of info…
Change
“I have so much to do today that I’m going to need to spend three hours in prayer in order to be able to get it all done.”
Martin Luther
Time management is a misnomer – time manages itself quite nicely – 24 hours a day, 7 days a week… Self management is what we need to be better at to take effective advantage of time.
Helpful article: If you’re too busy for these 5 things…
medium.com/@benjaminhardy/if-youre-too-busy-for-these-5-things-your-life-is-more-off-course-than-you-think-b54f102598b0
Change
Welcome Difference, and you’ll make one!
Stephen Covey