My witness of The Book of Mormon

In my daily study of The Book of Mormon this year, I have arrived at Moroni Chapter 10 (again) – the final chapter, this morning, page 529, only 2 more pages.

Early Years

As a boy growing up in Scotland, I struggled to read the Book of Mormon and would start many times, then reach some of the Isaiah chapters, lose interest and would give up. I recall my parents encouraging me to read from its pages, but my heart wasn’t really in it.
Through my teenage years in daily seminary, I began to understand a little more. Serving as a missionary in London, I studied and taught from the Book of Mormon daily.

Later Years

Throughout my 20’s, 30’s, 40’s and now into my mid 50’s I have re-read, studied, prayed and considered many, many times the value and purpose of The Book of Mormon.

My Conclusion

It is the most significant witness of our Saviour Jesus Christ, written for our day by Prophets who lived long ago. It’s pages are filled with remarkable stories of many individuals and nations who have faced a multitude of struggles, yet through it all have known of and tasted of the goodness of God. It helps us to meet the daily challenges of living in the world today and will draw you closer to God.

You can know too

If you wonder whether the Book of Mormon is true, then read it. The test to know if it is true is in this very chapter – Moroni 10. Read it, pray about it and there will come into your heart, as it has mine, that it is true.
If you choose to embark upon this journey then a literal fulfillment of the words of Moroni, through his promise to all of us who read it “๐’˜๐’Š๐’•๐’‰ ๐’‚ ๐’”๐’Š๐’๐’„๐’†๐’“๐’† ๐’‰๐’†๐’‚๐’“๐’•, ๐’˜๐’Š๐’•๐’‰ ๐’“๐’†๐’‚๐’ ๐’Š๐’๐’•๐’†๐’๐’•, ๐’‰๐’‚๐’—๐’Š๐’๐’ˆ ๐’‡๐’‚๐’Š๐’•๐’‰ ๐’Š๐’ ๐‘ช๐’‰๐’“๐’Š๐’”๐’•” can and will happen for you, as it has for me – that it is true!
I have a testimony of the divinity of this book having read through from cover to cover once again, and so can you. Go on, give it a go!๐Ÿ’•

Followership

“What must I do to become a better leader” asked a coachee?

All around the world, people everywhere are looking for someone to follow, for someone to lead them. I believe that we can develop the ability to lead if we will simply work at it.

Life experience has taught me that a leader is a person who goes ahead of others to direct or guide them or to show them how to do something. Leaders help others to grow. Leaders not only inspire others as to what to do and how to do it, they also show them by example. .

“๐“๐ก๐ž ๐ฐ๐จ๐ซ๐ฅ๐ ๐ข๐ฌ ๐œ๐ก๐š๐ง๐ ๐ž๐ ๐›๐ฒ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ ๐ž๐ฑ๐š๐ฆ๐ฉ๐ฅ๐ž, ๐ง๐จ๐ญ ๐›๐ฒ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ ๐จ๐ฉ๐ข๐ง๐ข๐จ๐ง” – Paulo Coehlo

The biggest challenge for many aspiring leaders is that so many want to change their circumstances but are unwilling to change themselves. To be a great leader, firstly we need to learn how to follow. Have the courage to follow and then show others how to follow.

Great leadership demands a large quantity of hard work, industry, courage, positivity, a growth mindset, planning, preparation, gritty determination, humility and the ability to follow-through.

So, you want to be a better leader? I suggest you begin by really understanding how you can be a better follower, it is the key to leadership.

Barnacles

“What is holding me back from success?” asked a coachee. “Many things can” I responded.

I love this story, shared by Thomas S. Monson.

โ€œShip Captains like to tie up at Portland, Oregon. They know that as their ships travel the seas, a little saltwater shellfish called a barnacle fastens itself to the hull and stays there for the rest of its life, surrounding itself with a rocklike shell. As more and more barnacles attach themselves, they increase the shipโ€™s drag, slow its progress, decrease its efficiency. Periodically, the ship must go into dry dock, where with great effort the barnacles are chiselled or scraped off. Itโ€™s a difficult, expensive process that ties up the ship for days. But not if the captain can get his ship to Portland. Barnacles canโ€™t live in fresh water. There, in the sweet, fresh waters of the Willamette or Columbia, the barnacles die and some fall away, while those that remain are easily removed. Thus, the ship returns to its task lightened and renewed.โ€

Barnacles increase drag, slow progress and decrease efficiency. Building up one on another, eventually they could sink a ship.

What โ€œbarnaclesโ€ are holding you back from success?ย  What is slowing you down?

Do you need to head for some fresh waters?

What action needs to be taken to move forward?

Using humour!

In a recent virtual workshop we discussed the value of ๐’‰๐’–๐’Ž๐’๐’–๐’“ in our business meetings and our presentations. We considered how to command attention, engage an audience, build rapport and even relieve tension in a room.

In my opinion, self deprecating humour, or poking fun at yourself can be quite endearing and it shows others that you don’t take yourself too seriously. Generally, you can also make fun of things that you and your audience or colleagues have in common. With that in mind, let me risk one of my favourites….

…When God created Scotland, He looked down with great satisfaction and called one of his Archangels to have a look. “Look at this” said God. “Splendid mountains, beautiful scenery, brave men, fine women, nice cool weather. And I’ve given them beautiful music and a special drink called whisky. Try some.” The archangel took a grateful sip. “Exquisite” he said. “But haven’t you perhaps been took kind to them? Won’t they be spoiled by all these things? Should there not be some drawback?” “Just wait till you see the neighbours they’re getting.” God replied…

(Especially for all my SNP friends!) I’ll remove any comments I deem inappropriate from below!

Please share any stories/gags/anecdotes/laughs below…

Learning – one by one

I was ready and prepared for 15 participants in the virtual classroom, yet only one person had joined. We waited a few more minutes for any late comers, but alas, no one else joined.
“Now what?” I thought to myself.
I suggested to the participant if they’d like to continue or postpone their attendance to the next session of the workshop in January. After a moment, she responded, “I’m happy to go ahead on my own.” So off we went into our session together.
Our content for the 90 minute session was all about the importance of storytelling in the workplace. After brief introductions, I started into my delivery routine, with a short story of my own. Quickly it became very apparent how powerful a 1-1 virtual learning session can be.
Together we discussed each of the slides one by one, along with current research and virtual activities. We considered several of our own stories, how powerful they can be in the workplace and in our own lives, when shared in the right way. So much so that we dissected some of our own stories even further, eking out simple principles to bring greater clarity and meaning to experiences that life had brought us.
On reflection, it was an insightful 90 minutes, filled with a richness, wonder and powerful 1 on 1 learning.
Key learning takeaway… Never dismiss the one!

Becoming a somebody

Have you reached that point in life where you can afford to allow yourself to stop growing or to stop improving?

Do you remember the old adage โ€œIf you consider yourself a nobody and do nothing to improve yourself to become a somebody, you truly will end up being a nobody.โ€

Every single one of us can choose to improve ourselves daily.

Self improvement begins with self-awareness and the ability to transform our personal habits. There is no one size fits all in our unique and individual journey through life. Yet, I believe that there is a need for constant improvement in all of our lives if we are to become a somebody.

โ€œNone of us will become perfect in a day or a month or a year. We will not accomplish it in a lifetime, but we can begin now, starting with our more obvious weaknesses and gradually converting them into strengths.โ€ – Gordon B. Hinckley.

Over time, as we choose to make small adjustments in our life routines, they can bring greater balance, direction and peace to each of our lives. Remember, one step at a time.

Every leader can be a better leader than he or she is today.

Every father, mother, daughter or son can be a better father, mother, daughter or son than he or she is today.

Are you a somebody?

Never dissemble

A few years ago, I sat listening to Brad Agle, co-author of “The Business Ethics Field Guide” on a 2 day programme of workshops in London.ย  ย Frequently I recall the lesson of those 2 days.

In his keynote address, Brad asked the audience “what does dissemble mean?” Like many others in the room, I kind of thought I knew what it meant, but wasn’t exactly certain.ย  There were a number of suggestions from the audience, before a few definitions were givenย that went something like this:

  • to give a false or misleading appearance to; conceal the truth or real nature of:
  • to put on the appearance of; feign
  • to conceal one’s true motives, thoughts, etc., by some pretense; speak or act hypocritically

In that moment, for me then, it simply meant to conceal the truth or to deceive.ย  Brad then shared some stories to bringย further meaning to theย point he was making which was simply this….“Never dissemble”.ย ย 

So, have you ever been party toย a dissemblance?ย  Have you ever thought that misrepresenting or concealing the truth could create a better outcome?ย  Is it your natural tendency to push the limits of honesty to the very edge?

I have shared this story before, but it illustrates the point I want to make today.

A childhood story

Growing up in Scotland in the late 1960’s had its ups and downs. As a wee laddie, my mum would often have me run around to the shops to get a loaf of bread (plain – with thick ends), or some square sausage for the dinner. There weren’t any big supermarkets in those days!. I recall, one day however coming back home and eating a toffee dainty. Mum asked, “what are you eating”. I responded, “oh, its just a dainty!”. Little did I know the impact of that question.

Mum had given me a thruppence (three old pence), the exact money in those days for a loaf of bread. I came home eating a toffee dainty! How could that be?! ย No sooner had I admitted what had happened, when she promptly marched me back around to the corner shop to confess my guilt to the shop keeper, for stealing the toffee dainty! I hadn’t overtly lied per say, but indeed it was a childhood lesson on dissemblance that has stuck with me for nearly 50 years.

To quote from the “Business Ethics Field Guide”… “often people dissemble just by keeping their motives to themselves – usually to look better or protect their interests. In fact, the Dissemblance dilemma occurs whenever misrepresenting or concealing the truth could create a better outcome. p128”

Niccolo Machiavelli in “The Prince” encouraged clever lies, tricks, cunning, duplicitous, controlling and manipulative behaviourย ย in order to get things done accordingly to his will.ย  Sadly in my professional career, I have been witness to behaviour of that type, which ultimately ends in failure, disappointment and pain.ย  We often see this type of behaviour on the global stage too.

Challenges of today

So what moral and ethical dilemmas are you facing today, at home, at work or in your social circles?ย  Do you frequently dissemble?ย  Are you even aware that you are doing it?

I believe that all human beings are innately honest. In the business world of today, we have seen too many examples of personal ethics and values being overridden by professional standards. I believe the value of honesty to be one of a number of ethical pillars that we must all resolve to live by, in every aspect of our personal, family and professional lives……. every single day. It can make a change to everything and to everyone.

As a professional coach, I have found over the last few years, that those of us who work in this profession, have an uncanny knack of being able to help.

My invitation today, to you, is to stop, reflect on what is happening all around you, consider what matters most – and then choose to do the right thing. The honest and truthful thing. It will, I promise pay many dividends over the long term.ย  And incidentally, if you are looking for a good coach to help you on your journey, I’d be happy to help you along the way.

Appreciation

“What is the best way to express appreciation to a team member?” asked a course participant. “There are many ways, but let me tell you about my favourite” I responded.
Some context, this week, I have been busy delivering some global virtual workshops on employee engagement.
My story is a simple one.
As a coach, when a series of coaching conversations come to their ultimate conclusion, I frequently receive a note of thanks, sometimes even a little gift and occasionally both. I do not seek after them, these things simply arrive in the post. The thank you notes are always filled with beautiful heartfelt words of gratitude. Each card is carefully written and filled with expressions of appreciation and kindness for the time I’ve given to an individual to help them along in their personal journey. The result, usually a warm fuzzy!
Cards and gifts are always nice to receive, but the key part of my story is this, we simply need to genuinely express our appreciation. We start by saying ๐’•๐’‰๐’‚๐’๐’Œ ๐’š๐’๐’–.
It seems like an extremely obvious thing to do, yet we need to become much more accustomed to saying thank you more often, by making it personal and real.
Please don’t let the next opportunity to express your appreciation for a job well done pass by, say thank you!

Endurance

ooh, ouch, Ouch! OUCH! ๐—ข๐—จ๐—–๐—›!

Maybe I’m just a little adverse to Dentist and Doctor surgeries. I’m not a great fan of either, getting prodded and poked isn’t high on my list of favourite things to do. A wimp, I hear you say!

I had to have blood taken for a medical test last week. As instructed I’d come fasting and hadn’t eaten or drank anything for about 15 hours. After some pleasant introductions, it was time to take the blood. I wasn’t anxious about it as I’d given blood for tests a few times before at a Doctors surgery. This time was to be a little different.

He started in my left arm. The first attempt, no joy. Then to my right arm, again no success. Back to my left arm, once again, it was fruitless! Back to my right arm, another attempt – still nothing. “Bone dry” he said! By this time, I was starting to feel like a pin cushion. “I’ll have to take it from the back of your hand” the Doctor said (5th attempt). A little more painful for sure, but finally, at last, the blood started to flow! What a relief!

There are many challenges in life…

Sometimes we all just have to endure some pretty painful experiences for a little while, before the results start to flow!

What painful moments have you had to endure?

The parable of the bicycle, dad and leadership models

As a facilitator and a learning protagonist, over many years, I have lost count of the number of leadership models shared in workshops.ย I have probably forgotten more than I have remembered!

Which model?

There are my favourites such as situational leadership, servant leadership, values-based leadership, action centred leadership, adaptive leadership and a whole list of styles and 4 box grids that I have used and am very familiar with.ย Recently however, towards the end of a workshop a curious thoughtful participant asked, โ€œSo, which leadership model is best?โ€ย A very direct question indeed.ย My response was a simple one, โ€œwell…โ€ฆthat dependsโ€

While most of us can recognise good leadership when we experience or observe it, oftentimes it is hard for us to determine the best model to use in a difficult situation, subsequently blending leadership models as needed is a popular fix.ย But then it struck me. As I reflected upon the many leadership experiences Iโ€™ve had in life, a clear analogy came to mind.

The parable of the bicycle and toolbox

As a child, I recall one day that I wanted to go out on my bicycle for a ride.ย Forlornly, there were several issues with my bicycle, including a wobbly seat, a flat tyre, a loose wheel, poor brakes, and handle bars that were more than just a little squint.ย Iโ€™d not been out for a ride in a while and sadly my bicycle had fallen into disrepair.ย I called my dad down to the shed in the garden.ย He came and looked at the bicycle commenting upon the amount of work it needed to get it back into shape.

After a long pause, I recall that he set to work immediately and pulled out a big box of tools.ย The box was a little higgledy piggledy, and as I learned throughout his life โ€“ that that was my dad!ย No matter, one small spanner was used to tighten the wobbly seat.ย Another set of tools were used to remove the wheel, repair the puncture and blow up the tyre again and tighten it into position. Dad then got out a set of pliers to fix the brakes.ย Finally, another wrench was used to straighten the handlebars.ย All in all, using a variety of tools, after a short time, the bicycle was fixed and off I went on my ride with a gleeful smile.ย โ€œDads are greatโ€ I thought!

So, it is with leadership.ย Oftentimes, whilst managing and leading others we are faced with a vast array of different problems, challenges and issues.ย Yet, just like the multitude of tools in my dadโ€™s box, so we too have a broad range of different leadership models to help us resolve/fix/repair/manage/lead even the most mind-boggling obstacles at times.

Tools equip us with solutions. What new shiny model do you have in your leadership toolbox, or maybe that old well-worn rusty model, over there in the corner is the best solution perhaps.

โ€œIt dependsโ€ is indeed the correct answer after all.

  • Do you have a favourite leadership model?
  • How do you apply the “tools” in your day to day responsibilities?