At the risk of sounding like a Grumpy Old Man, and with near certainty that this post will be roasted by many who read it, I am about to make the case that there is such a thing as Personal Development. I define Personal development as a process that produces personal change and progress. And It starts from within. Whatsoever you must become outside is as a result of what you are on the inside. Every individual is the result or product of their thoughts. I am not confused to say that you cannot grow beyond your thoughts. The ancient writings say “as a man thinks in his heart so is he’’. Bottom line; you cannot be better than your thoughts and values.
God created everyone to grow on a daily basis, man is not supposed to be stagnant or static. When you don’t grow nothing grows around you; your environment and you will improve only as a result of your efforts to improve on yourself, when you improve things around you improve. Our world is created in such way that nothing moves if you don’t move.
Every individual’s growth is a result of their choices, you can choose to learn and become the person you aspire to be, or you can choose to hesitate, be stagnant and doubtful but remember that when you live in fear you actually live in mediocrity. Everyone is responsible for his or her improvements and success as well as your frustrations and lack of progress.
Personal development will only happen when you have come to a state of discovery, however it’s my discovery that, there would never be personal development without first personal discovery; it’s your discovery that determines your recovery, whatever you discover you recover. It is being before doing. You cannot do without first being. Your being is what activates your doing.
And how do you become before doing, I am going to discuss that in the next chapter and before I do that I want to make us understand that personal development will happen when you make a firm decision to understand yourself, improve your awareness, work on your attitude, believe in yourself and your potentials, develop your skills, set your goals and begin with the end in mind.
I know you’ll want to ask a question like where and how do you start!
I’ll say first that you need to have self discovery, then self development plan which is workable system for your personal development and growth. But don’t forget always take continuous actions.
You need to know in which direction you want to go so as to help you work on yourself, do all that you can do and always do your best while at it. This is what I always refer to as self help.
Ask yourself these few questions:
Do you like where you are and what you have become?
-Have you ever wished that your life was better?
-Is your relationship with others working the way you want it to be?
-Are you producing the results that you want?
-What makes you feel good?
-Why do you do what you do?
-What have you been telling yourself about you?
-How do you go from here to where you want to be?
-How much time do you spend with yourself?
When you begin to ask yourself these questions, you will start looking for the answers within you. Because life will ask you questions, and your answers must always come from within. Your journey to discover yourself, improve and grow will begin as you find answers to these questions.
No one but you can take that decision and choice to move from where you are to where you desire to be, and I think one of the most important things you can do to turn your situation around is to shift your perception by looking at the positive aspects of where you are. Why? Your perception is your reality. Never forget this that, genuine discovery is an attitude of the heart. It’s an attitude that affects the entire life of every individual and controls his or her responses to life.
It’s your thoughts that birth your beliefs, your beliefs make your convictions, your convictions make your attitude, your attitude controls your perception, and your perception dictates your behavior. I think your life is what you think it should be. However genuine discovery is not a result of memorizing formulas, or learning skills, not also imitating someone or techniques. It is an attitude of the heart. It is the real you from the inside.
Your attitude is what dictates your responses to the present and which determines the quality of your future. And if you do not discover yourself, how do you know your attitude and how to control it. You are your attitude, and your attitude is you, control your attitude before it controls you. Attitude is what creates your world, it’s what designs your destiny; it’s a determinant of your success or failure in any life’s venture. It can make beauty ugly, and skillful without results.
Dr. Myles Munroe defines attitude as ‘’the mind-set or mental conditioning that determines our interpretation of and response to our environments.’’ It is our way of thinking. In essence your attitude is the manifestation of who you think you are. And who you are is the real person within you.
You need to understand who you are and what you are meant to be which are the keys to fulfilling your purpose for existence in life. Whatsoever you see on the inside is what you become on the outside, if you see it in your mind, you will hold it in your hand; and by it, I mean the future. The way is not in the sky, the way is in the heart, the real you is in your heart. Everything you see happening is the consequence of that which you are within.
We cannot teach people personal development principles but we can only help them discover it within themselves, I challenge you to discover the real you from within you and manifest your potentials on earth.
hincyte
Lawrence Oluwole Joseph
+2348030803499;+2348
Friday, April 8, 2011
Monday, April 4, 2011
The Practice of Leadership!!!
The greatest need of manhood is leadership. And our greatest challenge in our nation or at global is that of a leadership vacuum. Strategically speaking, our greatest need is not money, not social programs, or even new governments. Our greatest need is quality, disciplined, moral and people centered leadership.
However, Leadership is the ability to inspire and influence a group of people to achieve worthwhile goals. I’ll want you to take note of these six words underlined, and to be observed critically, without these words leadership is incomplete and irrelevant. I discovered that one of the quickest route to leadership is problem solving. Leadership is the ability and willingness to recognize, reconnect, refine, release, replicate or reproduce skills, talents, abilities and potentials in people, irrespective of their present problems to make them a progressive people, producing preferable result.
One of our greatest gurus in leadership Dr. Myles Munroe said, genuine leadership is one’s internal disposition, which relates to a sense of purpose, self worth, and self concept.
A leader takes people where they want to go, but a great leader take people where they don’t necessary want to go but they ought to be. (Roseline Carter)
How to become a leader….
Anyone that must become a great leader must observe the following points;
1.Solve your own problem first.
2.Help others solve their own problems by the things you have discovered when solving your own problem. (we all follow the leadership of Jesus today because he solved the problem of sin)
4.Diagnose and define the source of the problem.
5.Generate alternative solution to solving the problem.
6.Evaluate and select best alternative solutions.
7.Implement and follow up on the solution.
In our discussion on the practice of leadership it’s necessary for me to mention a few characteristics of a great leader and then what leadership is not.
Characteristics of a leader…
When we talk about characteristics of a leader we are talking about attributes, nature, originality, quality, mannerism, the virtue, flavor, trade mark and personality of a great leader. A study at Cornell University's Johnson Graduate School of Management found that compassion and building teamwork will be two of the most important characteristics business leaders will need for success a decade from now, but I think that is not enough. Follow me closely as I expose the critical aspect of leadership.
The word characteristics I derive from the word character. Any leader without character cannot produce characteristics, in other words character is what gives birth to characteristics.
Character I say is everything, it’s easy to get to the position of leadership but that which can easily destroys you at the top of leadership if not in place is character. Reputation is what people feel or think about you but character is what God knows about you, here is what we teach in leadership that, the heart of the matter is the matter of the heart. In other words character is within and reputation is without. If your heart is right your act will be right.
The characteristics or character of a great leader is,
Ability to initiate change:
Leaders help where to attain to the next experience and they are always dissatisfied with their current level. The ability to initiate change is what makes the difference between the leaders and the followers. Change is risk, but irrespective of what people will say, a leader will always initiate change. Strategically, there are many elements to a campaign but leadership is number one and everything else is number two.
Leaders have sense of divine timing:
The person who knows what to do, how to do it, where and when will always take the leadership position. Leaders don’t move after God has move, leaders move when God is moving. When the leadership is right and the time is right, the people can always be counted upon to follow to the end and at all costs.
Leaders know and focus on what is important:
A leader knows what is urgent, more so what differentiate the leader from follower is that followers want to do everything, but leader focus on what is important.
Leaders have vision:
The ability of a leader to see clearly is what makes people follow him.It is your sight that determines your size,and without vision you may be going everywhere without going somewhere. But there are three dimensions to a leader’s vision,
1. Hindsight: seeing yesterday difficulties or activities, those who cannot remember the failure of yesterday, will repeat them.
2. Insight: knowing today possibilities, seeing beyond the obvious. In every difficulty there are opportunities.
3. Foresight: seeing tomorrow’s opportunity. It is what your eyes can see that your hand can cease, and what your eyes can’t comprehend your heart can’t comprehend.
Leaders have commitment:
There is a difference between commitment and involvement. Leaders are dedicated to continuous improvement; anyone that will lead must be a reader because leadership and learning are indispensable to each other. A good leader develops through a never ending process of self study, education, training, and experience.
Leaders connect with people:
A good leader touches people with love and emotion. People will first buy into you before they buy into your vision. Henry Ford said, “Coming together is the beginning, keeping together is the progress and working together is success.” Leadership effectiveness is more of relationship development and management than goal setting and accomplishments. And the function of leadership is to produce more leaders, not more followers, though the first step to leadership is servant hood.
With basics understanding on leadership and characteristics we can now inspect what leadership is not…..
-Leadership is not only becoming a person of celebrities but a person with great responsibilities.
-Leadership is not about status but about service.
-Leadership is not about power but about people.
-Leadership is not about position but about operation.
-Leadership is not about title but about task.
-Leadership is not about aptitude but about attitude.
-Leadership is not about demanding for respect but about delivering respect.
-Leadership is not about personal achievement but people’s development.
-Leadership is not about charisma but about character.
-Leadership is not about being satisfied but more of willingness to sacrifice.
-Leadership is not about party but about personality.
-Leadership is not about principle but about life style.
-Leadership is not about structure but about culture.
-Leadership is not about pursuit but about result.
-Leadership is not about “come” into but about “call” into.
Leadership as said by Dr. Myles Munroe is not an exclusive club for the elite. Everyone is called into leadership.
Practical leadership,It is an attitude of the heart. Sincerely speaking, leadership is not so much about technique and methods as it is about opening the heart. Leadership is about inspiration of oneself and of others. The great leadership is about human experiences, not processes. Leadership is not a formula or a program, it is a human activity that comes from the heart and considers the hearts of others. “Blessed is the leader who seeks the best for those he serves.”
Leadership development is self development!!!
hincyte….
+2348030803499
oluwole.joseph@ymail.com
However, Leadership is the ability to inspire and influence a group of people to achieve worthwhile goals. I’ll want you to take note of these six words underlined, and to be observed critically, without these words leadership is incomplete and irrelevant. I discovered that one of the quickest route to leadership is problem solving. Leadership is the ability and willingness to recognize, reconnect, refine, release, replicate or reproduce skills, talents, abilities and potentials in people, irrespective of their present problems to make them a progressive people, producing preferable result.
One of our greatest gurus in leadership Dr. Myles Munroe said, genuine leadership is one’s internal disposition, which relates to a sense of purpose, self worth, and self concept.
A leader takes people where they want to go, but a great leader take people where they don’t necessary want to go but they ought to be. (Roseline Carter)
How to become a leader….
Anyone that must become a great leader must observe the following points;
1.Solve your own problem first.
2.Help others solve their own problems by the things you have discovered when solving your own problem. (we all follow the leadership of Jesus today because he solved the problem of sin)
4.Diagnose and define the source of the problem.
5.Generate alternative solution to solving the problem.
6.Evaluate and select best alternative solutions.
7.Implement and follow up on the solution.
In our discussion on the practice of leadership it’s necessary for me to mention a few characteristics of a great leader and then what leadership is not.
Characteristics of a leader…
When we talk about characteristics of a leader we are talking about attributes, nature, originality, quality, mannerism, the virtue, flavor, trade mark and personality of a great leader. A study at Cornell University's Johnson Graduate School of Management found that compassion and building teamwork will be two of the most important characteristics business leaders will need for success a decade from now, but I think that is not enough. Follow me closely as I expose the critical aspect of leadership.
The word characteristics I derive from the word character. Any leader without character cannot produce characteristics, in other words character is what gives birth to characteristics.
Character I say is everything, it’s easy to get to the position of leadership but that which can easily destroys you at the top of leadership if not in place is character. Reputation is what people feel or think about you but character is what God knows about you, here is what we teach in leadership that, the heart of the matter is the matter of the heart. In other words character is within and reputation is without. If your heart is right your act will be right.
The characteristics or character of a great leader is,
Ability to initiate change:
Leaders help where to attain to the next experience and they are always dissatisfied with their current level. The ability to initiate change is what makes the difference between the leaders and the followers. Change is risk, but irrespective of what people will say, a leader will always initiate change. Strategically, there are many elements to a campaign but leadership is number one and everything else is number two.
Leaders have sense of divine timing:
The person who knows what to do, how to do it, where and when will always take the leadership position. Leaders don’t move after God has move, leaders move when God is moving. When the leadership is right and the time is right, the people can always be counted upon to follow to the end and at all costs.
Leaders know and focus on what is important:
A leader knows what is urgent, more so what differentiate the leader from follower is that followers want to do everything, but leader focus on what is important.
Leaders have vision:
The ability of a leader to see clearly is what makes people follow him.It is your sight that determines your size,and without vision you may be going everywhere without going somewhere. But there are three dimensions to a leader’s vision,
1. Hindsight: seeing yesterday difficulties or activities, those who cannot remember the failure of yesterday, will repeat them.
2. Insight: knowing today possibilities, seeing beyond the obvious. In every difficulty there are opportunities.
3. Foresight: seeing tomorrow’s opportunity. It is what your eyes can see that your hand can cease, and what your eyes can’t comprehend your heart can’t comprehend.
Leaders have commitment:
There is a difference between commitment and involvement. Leaders are dedicated to continuous improvement; anyone that will lead must be a reader because leadership and learning are indispensable to each other. A good leader develops through a never ending process of self study, education, training, and experience.
Leaders connect with people:
A good leader touches people with love and emotion. People will first buy into you before they buy into your vision. Henry Ford said, “Coming together is the beginning, keeping together is the progress and working together is success.” Leadership effectiveness is more of relationship development and management than goal setting and accomplishments. And the function of leadership is to produce more leaders, not more followers, though the first step to leadership is servant hood.
With basics understanding on leadership and characteristics we can now inspect what leadership is not…..
-Leadership is not only becoming a person of celebrities but a person with great responsibilities.
-Leadership is not about status but about service.
-Leadership is not about power but about people.
-Leadership is not about position but about operation.
-Leadership is not about title but about task.
-Leadership is not about aptitude but about attitude.
-Leadership is not about demanding for respect but about delivering respect.
-Leadership is not about personal achievement but people’s development.
-Leadership is not about charisma but about character.
-Leadership is not about being satisfied but more of willingness to sacrifice.
-Leadership is not about party but about personality.
-Leadership is not about principle but about life style.
-Leadership is not about structure but about culture.
-Leadership is not about pursuit but about result.
-Leadership is not about “come” into but about “call” into.
Leadership as said by Dr. Myles Munroe is not an exclusive club for the elite. Everyone is called into leadership.
Practical leadership,It is an attitude of the heart. Sincerely speaking, leadership is not so much about technique and methods as it is about opening the heart. Leadership is about inspiration of oneself and of others. The great leadership is about human experiences, not processes. Leadership is not a formula or a program, it is a human activity that comes from the heart and considers the hearts of others. “Blessed is the leader who seeks the best for those he serves.”
It is an attitude, not a routine. It is the heart before the act. Let’s get it right that leadership should be more participative than directive, more enabling than performing.
Leadership development is self development!!!
hincyte….
+2348030803499
oluwole.joseph@ymail.com
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