A year ago I wrote a letter on the importance of dialogue in our teaching and training. I would like to focus in this letter a little more on the elements that enable us to connect with our audience. TED talks have become very popular over the last few years with millions giving their time (18 minutes per talk to be precise) to listen to speakers from all walks of life, talking about their passions. Read more about 72. How do you connect?[…]
I have had the privilege of involvement in some wonderful teams over the years where there has been a solid set of positive values and beliefs that were lived out. Teams where there was the opportunity of sharing opinions and making decisions together. Teams where I was believed in and trusted and where it was safe enough to fail and know that it wouldn’t be the end of the world! We all want to live and Read more about 71. Enjoying a climate of trust?[…]
A few months back we had a coaching seminar at our retreat centre and leaders were learning the art of listening and asking questions. They found that listening is a lot harder than they thought it was. We find it a temptation to interrupt the listening in order to share our own ideas, opinions and answers to the one speaking. Over the years I have started to learn how to do this kind of listening. Read more about 70. Are you listening with both ears?[…]
In this age of communication and technology, its difficult to find ‘silence’. Our culture is addicted to words, music, mobile phones and the constant beeping of social networking. Silence can make some uncomfortable and the response generally is to fill the space with noise of one kind or another. In the midst of so many words and so much communication, we are looking for summaries, for people to be brief, to learn to skim and scan Read more about 69. Enjoying silence?[…]
My wife Rite was running a preschool workshop in Mozambique and gave a gift of a small mirror to the participants. Some had never looked at themselves in a mirror before, so you can imagine it was quite the experience for them. Now they knew how they looked to others. So when I looked in the mirror the other day, the first thought that came into my mind was, “It’s a shame that what I Read more about 68. How attractive are you as a leader?[…]
This letter is an introduction to the attached document of “7 templates for your time with God.” These templates each have a different approach to spending time with God and include different spiritual disciplines. I want to encourage you to explore all seven over this next period of time and expect to meet God in a fresh way. One day Moses was tending the flock of his father- in- law, Jethro, the priest of Midian. Read more about 67. Had a God encounter lately?[…]
If you are like me, you look forward to Christmas partly because of the delicious food that is connected with it. Like so many Brits, I love Christmas cake, Christmas pudding, mince pies and of course turkey & stuffing, cranberry sauce and about 10 vegetables to go with it! There’s nothing quite like it. I guess the bottom line is, I love eating, I love the variety of cuisine, I love the tastes and I Read more about 66. Making the most of meals?[…]
We all have a purpose of being here on earth. As soon as we come to the Lord and often even before, we can have a sense of destiny and anointing for certain activities, tasks or callings. In order to fulfil these callings there is a preparation phase in our life where we develop our gifts and character. So if you are still breathing God has a mission for you to fulfill. The first ‘Star Read more about 65. Are you aware of your shadow mission?[…]
Passion appears to be a force that moves people beyond ordinary human activities. Some seem to have had it all their lives, others find it grows on them. Sometimes you have it for a while and then lose it. One thing is for sure – you know when you have it and quite aware when you don’t. As soon as I was old enough, I received a chemistry set for my birthday. I loved creating Read more about 64. Does your passion need restoring?[…]
The power of dialogue in educating adults: A principle is the beginning of an action. And an action that is done regularly becomes something we believe and develops into a value. It is values that we make happen. These issues are worth something to us. If teaching is just something we do that needs to be done, it will lack passion. If teaching is just part of our role to perform, we will fall into Read more about 63. How’s your dialogue in teaching?[…]