Saturday, November 27, 2021
Monday, April 4, 2016
Planning & a System for making Decisions
Best/Worst Analysis
B/WA Formula
Notes taken from the book by Ben Carson,
TAKE THE RISK: Learning to Identify, Choose, and
Live with Acceptable Risk.
I would summarize one of the most
important insights I took from the book as “How to make decisions without
leaving God out of the equation!
Risk Analysis Process
You can print this and use as a template for decision making.
Questions to ask when making a decision:
What is the best thing that can happen if I do
this?
What is the worst thing that can happen if I do
this?
What is the best thing that can happen if I
don’t do it?
What is the worst thing that can happen if I
don’t do it?
________________________________
________________________________
The rest of this post are My comments on his 4 questions.
Ask these questions in light of the following:
Outcomes may change over time because of changing
conditions!
Who?
What?
Where?
When?
How?
Why?
Answering these familiar queries in the context of the four
basic Best/Worst Analysis questions will sharpen the focus and refine the
accuracy of any risk analysis process
WHERE
Where are you going? (Your goals)
Where are you now? (Your skills, your abilities, your
thinking, and your attitudes)
Where will you start? (Your preparation)
WHEN
Often the timing of a Best/Worst Analysis affects our
conclusion.
Always do a B/WA again whenever you think something has
changed significantly: a year later, at a different point in life, or maybe
after pondering some of these who, what, when,
how, and why considerations. Times change. So do circumstances.
Sometimes those changes will affect your Best/Worst Analysis, modifying your
thinking-maybe even reversing your decision.
HOW
You don’t have to address who, what, where, when, how, and
why in any particular order. They may
need to be viewed simultaneously because they sometimes complement each other
or need to be combined.
Sometimes answering one of the (how or?) conclusions may
change your risk-analysis equation entirely.
WHY
It is impossible to do an effective B/WA without considering
why. You need to examine, and often re examine, your reasoning in light of your
motives, which involve your personal values.
Your values must be weighed carefully against you’re analyses and
conclusions.
Some Truths About RISK
1.
Everything is Risky
2.
The more we know, the more we worry.
3.
A Lot of Risks Aren’t
Worth the Worry.
4.
We Can’t Eliminate All Risk
5.
Minimizing Risk Is Often the Best We Can Do.
6.
Each of Us Has to Decide What the Acceptable Risks Are
7.
Not All Risks Are Bad
8.
We Are All Going to Die of Something Eventually
Risk Number One-Thinking in New Ways
Risk Number Two-Weighing the Alternatives
Risk Number Three-Making Your Own Decision
Even when the Best/Worse Analysis doesn’t result in a
particularly positive outcome, you are unlikely to have a worse outcome because
you did the analysis, and what a B/WA does guarantee is that you consider the
various possibilities in a reasonable, logical manner before making any
uncertain or risky decision. That has to improve the odds that you come up with
a happy solution-or at least with a reasonable and defensible course of action
that will minimize the risk of regrets.
Need to weigh risks in light of my beliefs and my values. My
obligations to others should be greater than any obligations to myself.
Since I believe God’s guidance and provision has
brought me to this point, I should ask Him to open the doors He wants me to
walk through and to give me wisdom in how to proceed.
Importance of using my talents and not allow minor
interferences to derail my mission
if life.
Creativity requires risk, so does exploration and
innovation. Anyone who thinks outside the box is taking a risk.
In doing this risk analysis, one needs to consider the
implications of any decision, not just for one’s self but for other people. How
will my decision impact others?
Taking Us Out of the Middle
Once we manage to remove our egos from the equation, many of
the most commonplace and unsettling personal risks we face in life become a lot
less personal and no longer seem to be much of a risk after all. That discovery frees us up to better
concentrate on dealing with the real risks presented by truly important issues.
Something to pray about!
Sunday, March 27, 2016
A few Pansy pictures: Just across the street from Johnson Controls...50+ years ago. Dassows Pansy farm.
If you have found this...come back in a few days.
2.5 acres of pansies. Kohl's and Sentry purchased all of them. 2 Quart baskets. Early May to beginning of June.
Seeded in field in mid July...covered with marsh hay usually around Thanksgiving Day...just after ground froze...uncovered in April.
Large field pictures were taken in late fall.
Individual pansy plant pictures...taken in spring.
Field in fall. Probably Sept or Oct.
All the flowers had to be picked off before covering
with marsh hay in November.
Same field in Spring
These pictures taken in spring of following year...Mid -late May
Thursday, May 28, 2015
Finding Your "Strengths" and "Spiritual Gifts" One part of Discovering your S.H.A.P.E. Eastbrook Church
I will be facilitating or teaching a class on S.H.A.P.E at Eastbrook Church in July.
Using Your SHAPE to Change the World!
July 12,19,26 Eastbrook Church 9:30 Fellowship Hall
The Lord created each of us
individually with different Spiritual Gifts, Passions, Abilities, Strengths and
a unique Personality with different Experiences. This
class will help people put the pieces of the puzzle together, so we each can be most effective in our
families, church, community and the world. When we serve according to our SHAPE, we leave a
legacy that gives glory to the LORD so when we stand before Him one day, we
will hear, "Well done, my good and faithful servant."
We will also be discussing "Strengths"
We will also be discussing "Strengths"
For Boomers and Beyond!
Some of us…are in Half Time or 3rd
or 4th quarter of our lives!
Great!
Just like a football game…a lot can
happen in the last quarter and even in the last minute of the game!
This can be the most exciting time
of our lives!
God has the script written!
Join us on Sunday July 12th
with other Boomers for the first session…If this time of life is alittle
puzzling to you, we can all be an encouragement as we work together to put all
the pieces of the puzzle together.
You do NOT have to be a "Boomer" to attend.
The earlier you discover some of these principles and put them to use in your life...the more effective you will be in your ministry, career and family!
If you would like to learn alittle more about "Strengths" before the class, you can go to "popular posts" on right hand side of this blog. This blog was started in preparation for a similar workshop I facilitated at the 2014 Annual Red Cross Disaster Conference Oct. 2014. That is why you will not see any reference to anything relating to God or spiritual things before that date!
This BLOG is Searchable by Keywords. See Search feature on right hand side.
Can also "follow" me on Twitter
You do NOT have to be a "Boomer" to attend.
The earlier you discover some of these principles and put them to use in your life...the more effective you will be in your ministry, career and family!
If you would like to learn alittle more about "Strengths" before the class, you can go to "popular posts" on right hand side of this blog. This blog was started in preparation for a similar workshop I facilitated at the 2014 Annual Red Cross Disaster Conference Oct. 2014. That is why you will not see any reference to anything relating to God or spiritual things before that date!
This BLOG is Searchable by Keywords. See Search feature on right hand side.
Can also "follow" me on Twitter
Alittle more on "Strengths:
There are 34 or more "strengths" as defined by Strengthsfinder 2.0
My top 5 Strengths are:
Connectedness or Connecting
Belief
Achievement
Responsibility
Relator
No one "strength" is better than any other.
This is important!
Whatever your "Strengths" are, you can use them in any volunteer position and do a better job!
If you are volunteering in any non profit or considering it, ideally you should want to know your strengths and abilities. We are think we already know them, but do we?
You might also want to read a good book on what makes a non profit great. Good to Great in the Social Sector by Tim Collins.
Tim wrote this book after he wrote Good to Great.
He looks at companies to see how they went from being good to great.
The major key in their success was having the right people and those people in the right positions using their "Strengths". No one "Strength" is any better than any other.
Another good book that you can probably get from your library is: Now Discover Your Strengths by Marcus Buckingham and Donald Clifton. This is more for managers & supervisors showing them how they can help their employees be more efficient in their work. A very good book!
There are several assessments that will show you what you "strengths" or "talents" are.
A good assessment is Strengthfinders.2.0 http://strengths.gallup.com/110440/About-StrengthsFinder-20.aspx You can purchase at Amazon for about $15
It has a code in the back of the book that you use when you go online to take the 177 question assessment. After taking the assessment you get an immediate printout of your top 5 strength and a commentary on how to further develop those "talents" into strengths.
Taking either of these "Strengths" Assessments is not a prereq. for the class.
The results of knowing your "Strengths" is that you can use them in your job, career, volunteering and in your marriage.
An interesting exercise if you are married, is to have your spouse also take the "free" Strengths assessment and compare them. Shows how you how to better understand and relate to your spouse.
The Strengthsfinder 2.0 Assessment gives a beautiful 16 page printout showing how to further develope your "Talents" and how and where you can most effectively use them. More on this in class!
Now if you are ready to tackle your Abilities, a good book that is probably out of print is Discovering Your Natural Talents by John Brady and Jay Carty.
John Bardley has a company called Idak Group
They have an online Abilities Assessment. Cost $27. Very good.
If you wish to go further, you can find out your S.H.A.PE.
S is your Spiritual Gifts.H is your Heart or Passion
A is your Abilities
P is your Personality
E is your Experiences.
There are several websites that offer an online survey.
They are approaching this from a Christian worldview. The Spiritual Gifts part.
Thursday, April 16, 2015
The Importance of Planning
Pray, Plan and Prioritize...then delegate.
But don't get hung up on planning...the LORD can intervene at any moment and you can change direction! Keep your ears open!
A good plan for beginning each day: Pray, Plan and Prioritize. Then Delegate...if you have someone to delegate to!
A few notes on "Planning" from the book of Proverbs:
"For a man's ways are in full view of the LORD, and he examines all his paths." Proverbs 5:21
"Commit to the LORD whatever you do, and your plans will succeed." Proverbs 16:3
"In his heart a man plans his course, but the LORD determines his steps." Proverbs 16:9
"Many are the plans in a man's heart, but it is the LORD'S purpose that prevails." Proverbs 19:21
"The plans of the diligent lead to profit as surely as haste leads to poverty." Proverbs 21:5
"Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what a day may bring forth." Proverbs 27:1
We have to remember that these are observations...reality, not promises from the Bible. Our actions have consequences.
So, be sure to pray before making plans...and continue to pray!
________
My other BLOG_____________
___________________
Finished a good book recently: WHO by Geoff Smart and Randy Street.
"The most important decisions that businesspeople make are not what decisions but who decisions." -Jim Collins, Author of Good To Great.
That also goes for non profit organizations!
Good book: Good to Great in the Social Sector. by Jim Collins
WHO
WHAT
HOW
It's relatively easy to figure out What to do and also How to do something.
Maybe a more important decision is WHY we do what we do.
What are our motives? Have we sought the LORD on what we plan to do?
Then the rest becomes easy.
A good book for figuring that out is " Start With Why by Simon Sinek.
If you don't know WHY, You can't know HOW.
"All great leaders have clarity of WHY; an undying belief in a purpose or cause bigger than themselves. It's not Bill Gates's passion for computers that inspires us, it's his undying optimism that even the most complicated problems can be solved. He believes we can find ways to remove obstacles to ensure that everyone can live and worked to their greatest potential. It is his optimism to which we are drawn." P. 134
Let me know your thoughts!
Have a great day!
But don't get hung up on planning...the LORD can intervene at any moment and you can change direction! Keep your ears open!
A good plan for beginning each day: Pray, Plan and Prioritize. Then Delegate...if you have someone to delegate to!
A few notes on "Planning" from the book of Proverbs:
"For a man's ways are in full view of the LORD, and he examines all his paths." Proverbs 5:21
"Commit to the LORD whatever you do, and your plans will succeed." Proverbs 16:3
"In his heart a man plans his course, but the LORD determines his steps." Proverbs 16:9
"Many are the plans in a man's heart, but it is the LORD'S purpose that prevails." Proverbs 19:21
"The plans of the diligent lead to profit as surely as haste leads to poverty." Proverbs 21:5
"Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what a day may bring forth." Proverbs 27:1
We have to remember that these are observations...reality, not promises from the Bible. Our actions have consequences.
So, be sure to pray before making plans...and continue to pray!
________
My other BLOG_____________
___________________
Finished a good book recently: WHO by Geoff Smart and Randy Street.
"The most important decisions that businesspeople make are not what decisions but who decisions." -Jim Collins, Author of Good To Great.
That also goes for non profit organizations!
Good book: Good to Great in the Social Sector. by Jim Collins
WHO
WHAT
HOW
It's relatively easy to figure out What to do and also How to do something.
Maybe a more important decision is WHY we do what we do.
What are our motives? Have we sought the LORD on what we plan to do?
Then the rest becomes easy.
A good book for figuring that out is " Start With Why by Simon Sinek.
If you don't know WHY, You can't know HOW.
"All great leaders have clarity of WHY; an undying belief in a purpose or cause bigger than themselves. It's not Bill Gates's passion for computers that inspires us, it's his undying optimism that even the most complicated problems can be solved. He believes we can find ways to remove obstacles to ensure that everyone can live and worked to their greatest potential. It is his optimism to which we are drawn." P. 134
“If the leader of the organization can’t clearly articulate WHY
the organization exists in terms beyond its products or services, then
how does he expect the employees to know WHY to come to work?”
― Simon Sinek, Start With Why: How Great Leaders Inspire Everyone To Take Action
― Simon Sinek, Start With Why: How Great Leaders Inspire Everyone To Take Action
Let me know your thoughts!
Have a great day!
Wednesday, April 1, 2015
A Question of WHY?
Been a busy month.
A good plan for beginning each day: Pray, Plan and Prioritize. Then Delegate...if you have someone to delegate to!
Finished a good book recently: WHO by Geoff Smart and Randy Street.
"The most important decisions that businesspeople make are not what decisions but who decisions." -Jim Collins, Author of Good To Great.
That also goes for non profit organizations!
Good book: Good to Great in the Social Sector. by Jim Collins
WHO
WHAT
HOW
It's relatively easy to figure out What to do and also How to do something.
Maybe a more important decision is WHY we do what we do.
Then the rest becomes easy.
A good book for figuring that out is " Start With Why by Simon Sinek.
If you don't know WHY, You can't know HOW.
"All great leaders have clarity of WHY; an undying belief in a purpose or cause bigger than themselves. It's not Bill Gates's passion for computers that inspires us, it's his undying optimism that even the most complicated problems can be solved. He believes we can find ways to remove obstacles to ensure that everyone can live and worked to their greatest potential. It is his optimism to which we are drawn." P. 134
A good plan for beginning each day: Pray, Plan and Prioritize. Then Delegate...if you have someone to delegate to!
Finished a good book recently: WHO by Geoff Smart and Randy Street.
"The most important decisions that businesspeople make are not what decisions but who decisions." -Jim Collins, Author of Good To Great.
That also goes for non profit organizations!
Good book: Good to Great in the Social Sector. by Jim Collins
WHO
WHAT
HOW
It's relatively easy to figure out What to do and also How to do something.
Maybe a more important decision is WHY we do what we do.
Then the rest becomes easy.
A good book for figuring that out is " Start With Why by Simon Sinek.
If you don't know WHY, You can't know HOW.
"All great leaders have clarity of WHY; an undying belief in a purpose or cause bigger than themselves. It's not Bill Gates's passion for computers that inspires us, it's his undying optimism that even the most complicated problems can be solved. He believes we can find ways to remove obstacles to ensure that everyone can live and worked to their greatest potential. It is his optimism to which we are drawn." P. 134
“If the leader of the organization can’t clearly articulate WHY
the organization exists in terms beyond its products or services, then
how does he expect the employees to know WHY to come to work?”
― Simon Sinek, Start With Why: How Great Leaders Inspire Everyone To Take Action
― Simon Sinek, Start With Why: How Great Leaders Inspire Everyone To Take Action
Sunday, February 1, 2015
Where my strength comes from!
A few of my "Tweets" this mornng!
"I Can Only Imagine! http://youtu.be/bfWwtsWC44g 0
You are my Hiding Place.
"How Great is our God"!
http://youtu.be/0ZFN8TBfgNU
Holy, Holy, Holy Lord God Almighty
More on my other BLOG!
http://northshorefinishingwellgroup.blogspot.com/2015/02/richs-thought-of-day-some-of-my.html
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)