Have you ever wondered why leaders so often speak so much without saying anything of substance or detail? Why does everyone seem satisfied with that?
In business, communication is key. But what makes for good communication?
The answer is brevity, simplicity, elegant minimalism. A good rule of thumb is to remove every word you can without losing the meaning. Less is more. Also, use basic language over jargon. Familiarity aides comprehension and readability.
With this in mind - what is the boiled down essence of leadership? The simple answer is to move a group towards a common goal. To set priorities and to generate consensus. This is the purest aim of leadership. Information and details are often the enemy of consensus. Details muddy the waters, and create openings for disagreement. Thus "Big picture thinking" is what leaders specialize in.
Then what is leadership not? A leader is not a teacher, a friend or a problem solver. The larger the group, the less relevant any such status becomes. In a small group, where one-on-one interaction with the leader is more relevant, like-ability and other traits may be more useful. Everything else - if it doesn't directly contribute to group consensus, then it's not leadership. This includes accuracy, detail, like-ability and other niceties, which can even work against that goal.
Even if you personally don't like your leaders, you'll probably still follow, or at least co-operate with your group that does, which is the desired outcome.
Some world leaders have caught their biggest critics by surprise with their inter-personal charm in smaller settings. This is not to say personal charm is a needed trait, but demonstrates that they have understood the irrelevance of certain traits on the larger stage. Adaptable leaders are able to tailor their persona and their messaging to the context. “You can please some of the people all of the time, you can please all of the people some of the time, but you can’t please all of the people all of the time” A leader who understands these points will not waste their energy or their words trying to achieve the impossible. When dealing with a large group, they understand their goal - not to be liked, but to direct the group. Since it's impossible to tailor messaging to everyone at once, it becomes necessary to sacrifice detail, like-ability and other irrelevant niceties.
Wednesday, 27 November 2019
Sunday, 3 December 2017
Chess and climbing
I played the best game of chess of my life the other day.
It was the first time I had played in years, so I was pretty relaxed going in, since I was expecting to lose. That relaxation allowed me to think more clearly without judging and doubting every thought and every analysis, and avoid making simple errors. It allowed my thoughts to just flow, and to keep moving without getting stuck on something or fixated on an idea or a problem.
I kept this principal in mind throughout the whole game: good moves are NOT impossible to find, and in the opening stages, I just wanted every move to count. Don't waste your early moves. Don't bring out your Queen or Bishop only to have it driven back immediately. Hold your best pieces back, but get them into striking positions where they can work together. Control the center of the board. Know where you want your pieces to be and simply start working towards that position without wasting a move. The best way to make your moves count is to force your opponent to keep responding to them rather than advancing their own agenda. Following these principals will create tactical opportunities you can't anticipate.
And the final principal was - choose the _fun_ moves. The moves that created drama, complexity and interest. If a move was interesting, I played it, even when I wasn't 100% confident in it.
In the end, this led to one of the most complicated and interesting middle games I've ever played, with action in three out of four corners, and the cleverest checkmate combo I had ever come up with. The strong strategic position created that opportunity. It's hard to find water in a desert. I wish I had recorded the game.
Climbing
I did the best climb of my life today. The key was _keep moving_. Whenever I stop to rest on a wall, it ends up draining more strength. When the time comes to make a move, just make it. Trust your body and go for it. If you can do it, you may surprise yourself. If you can't, try again next time. But the point is, true rest comes from movement. Keep things flowing and relaxed and you'll last a lot longer. If you can't make the big move yet, just keep adjusting until you find a better vantage point. You'll get a lot more creative in your climbs if you move by instinct and just keep moving.
Happiness
Make the moves that feel good, that lead to fun, interest and challenge. Happiness is not a fixed state, a stasis, a static position. Happiness is a process. A river is not happy when it gets stuck in a hole. It wants to keep flowing. You've got to keep moving, progressing and flowing. This is life. Life moves, life flows. Life needs to keep moving to be happy.
It was the first time I had played in years, so I was pretty relaxed going in, since I was expecting to lose. That relaxation allowed me to think more clearly without judging and doubting every thought and every analysis, and avoid making simple errors. It allowed my thoughts to just flow, and to keep moving without getting stuck on something or fixated on an idea or a problem.
I kept this principal in mind throughout the whole game: good moves are NOT impossible to find, and in the opening stages, I just wanted every move to count. Don't waste your early moves. Don't bring out your Queen or Bishop only to have it driven back immediately. Hold your best pieces back, but get them into striking positions where they can work together. Control the center of the board. Know where you want your pieces to be and simply start working towards that position without wasting a move. The best way to make your moves count is to force your opponent to keep responding to them rather than advancing their own agenda. Following these principals will create tactical opportunities you can't anticipate.
And the final principal was - choose the _fun_ moves. The moves that created drama, complexity and interest. If a move was interesting, I played it, even when I wasn't 100% confident in it.
In the end, this led to one of the most complicated and interesting middle games I've ever played, with action in three out of four corners, and the cleverest checkmate combo I had ever come up with. The strong strategic position created that opportunity. It's hard to find water in a desert. I wish I had recorded the game.
Climbing
I did the best climb of my life today. The key was _keep moving_. Whenever I stop to rest on a wall, it ends up draining more strength. When the time comes to make a move, just make it. Trust your body and go for it. If you can do it, you may surprise yourself. If you can't, try again next time. But the point is, true rest comes from movement. Keep things flowing and relaxed and you'll last a lot longer. If you can't make the big move yet, just keep adjusting until you find a better vantage point. You'll get a lot more creative in your climbs if you move by instinct and just keep moving.
Happiness
Make the moves that feel good, that lead to fun, interest and challenge. Happiness is not a fixed state, a stasis, a static position. Happiness is a process. A river is not happy when it gets stuck in a hole. It wants to keep flowing. You've got to keep moving, progressing and flowing. This is life. Life moves, life flows. Life needs to keep moving to be happy.
Thursday, 19 May 2016
Persuasion in the bible
Well, I do fear that this is delving into the realm of soul-power, which the Bible opposes. This is the current of the age, and more people are learning to tap into this kind of manipulation of others. This was predicted in the Bible.
In the Bible everything begins from two sources, represented by two trees. On the one hand, the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil, with attractive yet poisonous knowledge, reasonings and doubtings of the Serpent. On the other hand, we have the tree of Life, with the promise of identification with God in His very essence. The whole Bible then, is a war of persuasion - with God trying to persuade us to His side, and Satan trying to persuade us to any side but God's. So then, I take no issue with any form of persuasion, as long as it's source is in God. This implies that there is real substance, truth and life underlying the message, not emptiness, vanity, death and lies, as in the case of Satan.
Jesus said his followers are the salt of the earth, and if they lose their saltiness, with what shall they be salted? Salt tastes strong. It can be good or bad, but in any case it has a little power, a little influence. Salt is pure, almost elemental. It's taste derives from it's constitution. Salt can heal wounds and kill germs. If we are genuinely 'salt', we will have a genuine and strong 'flavor'.
In the Bible and all Christian writing, you will find all of these methods applied, to persuade us either to God's side or to Satan's. Sometimes it's hard to tell which - remember the subtle serpent is a master of disguise, while God Himself likes to remain hidden, even outwardly repellent, and let His core virtues attract us... The greatest gift God gave to man, His Life, came from His pierced side.
Suffice it to say, I believe relating well to others is the key to influence. The level of relatedness is determined by the level of maturity and socio-emotional intelligence. The level of maturity and the level of socio-emotional intelligence are determined by the level of life - eg Dog life versus Human life or Baby life versus Adult life, all versus Christ and the Divine Life.
In the Bible everything begins from two sources, represented by two trees. On the one hand, the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil, with attractive yet poisonous knowledge, reasonings and doubtings of the Serpent. On the other hand, we have the tree of Life, with the promise of identification with God in His very essence. The whole Bible then, is a war of persuasion - with God trying to persuade us to His side, and Satan trying to persuade us to any side but God's. So then, I take no issue with any form of persuasion, as long as it's source is in God. This implies that there is real substance, truth and life underlying the message, not emptiness, vanity, death and lies, as in the case of Satan.
Jesus said his followers are the salt of the earth, and if they lose their saltiness, with what shall they be salted? Salt tastes strong. It can be good or bad, but in any case it has a little power, a little influence. Salt is pure, almost elemental. It's taste derives from it's constitution. Salt can heal wounds and kill germs. If we are genuinely 'salt', we will have a genuine and strong 'flavor'.
In the Bible and all Christian writing, you will find all of these methods applied, to persuade us either to God's side or to Satan's. Sometimes it's hard to tell which - remember the subtle serpent is a master of disguise, while God Himself likes to remain hidden, even outwardly repellent, and let His core virtues attract us... The greatest gift God gave to man, His Life, came from His pierced side.
Suffice it to say, I believe relating well to others is the key to influence. The level of relatedness is determined by the level of maturity and socio-emotional intelligence. The level of maturity and the level of socio-emotional intelligence are determined by the level of life - eg Dog life versus Human life or Baby life versus Adult life, all versus Christ and the Divine Life.
Tuesday, 17 May 2016
Burned out?
The prince felt destined for something. He dreamed of freeing his people. When they turned against him he lost it all including his identity. He became nobody, old and disheartened. One day Jehovah God found him in the wilderness, and Moses had to ask "Who shall I say sent me?"
Jehovah responded, I AM.
I AM stands in contrast to all other identities, which are not. I AM is the ultimate identity which Jesus through the Bible invites you to join into, to be identified with. The One who Is.
I AM is God's personal name in His dealings with Man. When creating the universe, He was titled Elohim - the Mighty Ones. But He brought man to existence as Jehovah - I AM THAT I AM.
Jehovah responded, I AM.
I AM stands in contrast to all other identities, which are not. I AM is the ultimate identity which Jesus through the Bible invites you to join into, to be identified with. The One who Is.
I AM is God's personal name in His dealings with Man. When creating the universe, He was titled Elohim - the Mighty Ones. But He brought man to existence as Jehovah - I AM THAT I AM.
Jehovah had waited for broken Moses in a tangled thorn-bush. Thorn-bushes are the result of man's fall, when God first lost man through sin. No matter how fallen, thorny and tangled you are God wants to be caught up in you. This One calls Himself the God of your father, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. That means His name, His identity, can be entangled with our history and identity.
Jesus Christ repeats His invitation today - "I AM the way, the truth and the Life", "Come and follow Me", "Whoever believes into me, I will come and make an abode with him"
The bush burned, but was not burned up, because Jehovah, I AM THAT I AM, becomes your fuel and fire. Eventually, Moses led a great multitude of people out of Egypt, where Jehovah dwelled in their midst as a great pillar of fire.
Jesus Christ repeats His invitation today - "I AM the way, the truth and the Life", "Come and follow Me", "Whoever believes into me, I will come and make an abode with him"
The bush burned, but was not burned up, because Jehovah, I AM THAT I AM, becomes your fuel and fire. Eventually, Moses led a great multitude of people out of Egypt, where Jehovah dwelled in their midst as a great pillar of fire.
Adventurecise
Getting exercise together as a family is not always easy. I recommend getting a trampoline in the backyard. But when it's raining, I have a simple trick inspired by darebee.com which Daniel loves.
I call it Adventurecise.
Basically, take a scene like a remote jungle, tropical island, mountain range, and start your Bear Grylls style adventure from the plane wreckage! A dramatic crash landing usually gets Dan's attention.
The first step is usually climbing down/out of the wreckage, which means a bit of crawling back and forth through the lounge, over and under some furniture. Then we might have to unload various supplies from the plane - that could look suspiciously like kettlebell deadlifts and overhead presses.
We might have to throw some of it too.
After that there's bound to be wood-chopping, digging, climbing, hunting, fishing, butchering, fire-starting, fighting, fleeing, rafting and sleeping (invisible hammocks feel a lot like hollow-holds). Carrying rocks and logs, lowering cargo on ropes, crawling through undergrowth, over fallen trees.
I call it Adventurecise.
Basically, take a scene like a remote jungle, tropical island, mountain range, and start your Bear Grylls style adventure from the plane wreckage! A dramatic crash landing usually gets Dan's attention.
The first step is usually climbing down/out of the wreckage, which means a bit of crawling back and forth through the lounge, over and under some furniture. Then we might have to unload various supplies from the plane - that could look suspiciously like kettlebell deadlifts and overhead presses.
We might have to throw some of it too.
After that there's bound to be wood-chopping, digging, climbing, hunting, fishing, butchering, fire-starting, fighting, fleeing, rafting and sleeping (invisible hammocks feel a lot like hollow-holds). Carrying rocks and logs, lowering cargo on ropes, crawling through undergrowth, over fallen trees.
Three Easy Craft Ideas for Dad's and Toddlers
I like simple crafts my boy can help with. Even better when I already have the stuff! Making cool stuff together is a great way to build the relationship. Your boy will love you and remember forever.
3D Cardboard Tower
Nothing sparks the imagination more than tower building! Even little kids can do all the steps:
- cut off the broad side of a cereal box (keep some of the thin side as a tab)
- fold three times to form a square tube
- sketch and cut four triangles along the top to form a pyramid
- tape it
- decorate! Draw bells, clocks, bricks, windows, spiders and cobwebs, bells, knights, you name it.
Lavaboy Mask and Shadow Figure
This one only requires pen, paper and scissors, but is a lot of fun. I don't know who Lavaboy is, but this is what we ended up with, based on a 'police sketch'! He sure looks like a mean dude!
- Start with an A4 sheet - doesn't matter if it's lined
- Cut two corners off the bottom to make a tough jawline
- Cut big spikes on the top for hair or horns or helmet? Spikes!
- Cut some eye holes in the dead-center Hint: Eyes are only one eye width apart! So the eye holes should probably be closer together than you expect. Cut a slit through one eye hole for a scar!
- Cut some spiky teeth for a mouth
- Add scars and shaded cheekbones and furrowed brows for more meanness
This mask is just for holding and running around growling. No headband required. You can also use it to make scary shadows by shining a torch or lamp at it in a dark room. That should get your imaginations going! What other shadow figures can you make?
Lavagun
Join two small timbers with a single screw. Then you can fold the handle, which Dan thought was an amazing feature - I got a special thank you! A couple of additional screws in the business end served as 'bullets'. It doesn't have to make sense... I used a screw hook as a trigger, and finally a carboard tube as the 'lava barrel'. Better yet, use a funky-looking fizzy bottle, like fanta or mountain dew. None of it makes any sense, but it sure was a winner!
Celestial Projections
For this one you really need a laminator. If you have one it's totally worth it - the effect is awesome.
Cut celestial shapes from some coloured cellophane. Then arrange them in a lamination sheet and run through the laminator. That looks alright... but the real party starts after dark! Pull the curtains, bring out the torch and project it onto the ceiling.
General tips
When doing crafts together, the goal is not to produce the most amazing thing that looks like it was built by an adult. Don't criticize or get frustrated. Let them try and fail - they will learn faster and won't even mind. Whenever you're doing something for them, talk about what you're doing and why. This will help them relax and maintain interest. Keep it simple, fun and let them lead! The craft doesn't need to make sense either, so let your imaginations run wild.
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