Sunday, November 28, 2010
Conflict is normal in our interaction with people. Many people have lost sense of partnership and respect to others. Other people are interested on their own lives and do not pay attention to people’s problems.
For a long time, I have been intrigued about people’s welfare, our church and the community my wife and I live in. In only three years, I have seen how our community deteriorates gradually. Not a lot of people seem to care. Only a few of us have taken steps forward to teach others the importance to live in harmony.
The book Follow Me to Freedom by John Perkins and Shane Claiborne (2009) increased my understanding of how to serve a community. Authors explain their lives and beliefs in order to let people know how they can benefit their community. They explain the benefits of having a vision to lead, and the importance of leadership and followship.
A vision directs people’s efforts to reach dreams or desires (Claiborne & Perkins, 2009). A vision helps people understand future intentions. A shared vision guides people in the same direction and motivates them to collaborate with each other. A shared vision promotes followship within a group and helps expedite goals for the whole community.
Having a vision has been beneficial for my personal and professional life. Early in life, a vision directed my life to help people and make their lives more enjoyable. I realize the importance of a vision when friends do not have a clear idea of what to do in the future. Perkins and Claiborne (2009) encouraged me to always keep a clear idea of my life’s intentions. Hence, I refocused ideas and beliefs to direct my life to the correct path. As a professional, I reconsidered my business objectives to successfully reach my dreams.
The vision of what I want to see in my community placed me in leadership roles. Leadership is to take action, “get our hands dirty” and help others (Claiborne & Perkins, 2009). For most of my life, I have worked in organizations that improve the conditions of people’s lives. Perkins’ conception of helping people is that “it is not about us,” it is about everyone without distinctions.
Claiborne and Perkins’ thoughts (2009) encourage me to be proactive. People tend to pray for the wellbeing of others, but actions do not follow. I pray most of the time and I try to make a difference in people’s lives. I must admit that sometimes I only pray. I realize faith without action is pointless and that I need to talk more often to people, listen to them and ask what they need in order to help materialize the difference I am trying to make. Leadership is to know people’s pain to help them (Claiborne & Perkins, 2009). It is to connect with people. What people needed five years ago is not longer needed. People evolve regularly and rapidly, so I need to approach them to find their real needs. I may want to help them in certain ways, but if my intentions are not beneficial, I must forget them for our mutual benefit.
As a human being, I cannot know everything. Being a leader in my community does not mean I possess all the skills or knowledge to help efficiently. Claiborne and Perkins (2009) explain that a leader recognizes when a person can lead others better. Leading involves following and supporting people with better skills. Perkins (2009) states that “God made us weak so we are forced to rely on each other” (p.181).
I am in constant need to learn new ways to conduct my business and improve myself spiritually. Claiborne & Perkins (2009) suggest asking experts for suggestions and new ideas to learn. Throughout my life I have asked people for help. The world is very complex and I need more experience to lead people more successfully. Different mentors have guided me in my life spiritually and professionally, but I have moved so many times that I have lost contact with all of them.
Follow Me to Freedom reminds me of the importance of having mentors and looking for new ones. The authors taught me through their experience that asking for help is essential. I used to believe that in asking for help people may think I am incompetent. Being flexible to other opinions is important to learn and keep in mind that “people can nurture each other” (Claiborne & Perkins, 2009, p. 209). I have many responsibilities in my life that require different perspectives to fulfill. The authors explain that one person cannot lead alone. Therefore, I need to form a bigger team to consider more perspectives.
Having a vision is important to direct our lives to a specific goal. A vision helps people lead with a reason. Leadership is important to understand real people’s needs in order to help effectively. Followship is also important to let skilled people lead. All of us are leaders and there will be times where we can lead and other times where we must follow. Being open to these roles is important; however, it is always important to focus on a vision to contribute to the wellbeing of everyone. Our world needs collective collaboration and we need to work together to make a difference.
Bibliography
Claiborne, S. & Perkins, J. (2009). Follow me to freedom: Leading and following as an ordinary radical. Ventura, CA: Regal.
For a long time, I have been intrigued about people’s welfare, our church and the community my wife and I live in. In only three years, I have seen how our community deteriorates gradually. Not a lot of people seem to care. Only a few of us have taken steps forward to teach others the importance to live in harmony.
The book Follow Me to Freedom by John Perkins and Shane Claiborne (2009) increased my understanding of how to serve a community. Authors explain their lives and beliefs in order to let people know how they can benefit their community. They explain the benefits of having a vision to lead, and the importance of leadership and followship.
A vision directs people’s efforts to reach dreams or desires (Claiborne & Perkins, 2009). A vision helps people understand future intentions. A shared vision guides people in the same direction and motivates them to collaborate with each other. A shared vision promotes followship within a group and helps expedite goals for the whole community.
Having a vision has been beneficial for my personal and professional life. Early in life, a vision directed my life to help people and make their lives more enjoyable. I realize the importance of a vision when friends do not have a clear idea of what to do in the future. Perkins and Claiborne (2009) encouraged me to always keep a clear idea of my life’s intentions. Hence, I refocused ideas and beliefs to direct my life to the correct path. As a professional, I reconsidered my business objectives to successfully reach my dreams.
The vision of what I want to see in my community placed me in leadership roles. Leadership is to take action, “get our hands dirty” and help others (Claiborne & Perkins, 2009). For most of my life, I have worked in organizations that improve the conditions of people’s lives. Perkins’ conception of helping people is that “it is not about us,” it is about everyone without distinctions.
Claiborne and Perkins’ thoughts (2009) encourage me to be proactive. People tend to pray for the wellbeing of others, but actions do not follow. I pray most of the time and I try to make a difference in people’s lives. I must admit that sometimes I only pray. I realize faith without action is pointless and that I need to talk more often to people, listen to them and ask what they need in order to help materialize the difference I am trying to make. Leadership is to know people’s pain to help them (Claiborne & Perkins, 2009). It is to connect with people. What people needed five years ago is not longer needed. People evolve regularly and rapidly, so I need to approach them to find their real needs. I may want to help them in certain ways, but if my intentions are not beneficial, I must forget them for our mutual benefit.
As a human being, I cannot know everything. Being a leader in my community does not mean I possess all the skills or knowledge to help efficiently. Claiborne and Perkins (2009) explain that a leader recognizes when a person can lead others better. Leading involves following and supporting people with better skills. Perkins (2009) states that “God made us weak so we are forced to rely on each other” (p.181).
I am in constant need to learn new ways to conduct my business and improve myself spiritually. Claiborne & Perkins (2009) suggest asking experts for suggestions and new ideas to learn. Throughout my life I have asked people for help. The world is very complex and I need more experience to lead people more successfully. Different mentors have guided me in my life spiritually and professionally, but I have moved so many times that I have lost contact with all of them.
Follow Me to Freedom reminds me of the importance of having mentors and looking for new ones. The authors taught me through their experience that asking for help is essential. I used to believe that in asking for help people may think I am incompetent. Being flexible to other opinions is important to learn and keep in mind that “people can nurture each other” (Claiborne & Perkins, 2009, p. 209). I have many responsibilities in my life that require different perspectives to fulfill. The authors explain that one person cannot lead alone. Therefore, I need to form a bigger team to consider more perspectives.
Having a vision is important to direct our lives to a specific goal. A vision helps people lead with a reason. Leadership is important to understand real people’s needs in order to help effectively. Followship is also important to let skilled people lead. All of us are leaders and there will be times where we can lead and other times where we must follow. Being open to these roles is important; however, it is always important to focus on a vision to contribute to the wellbeing of everyone. Our world needs collective collaboration and we need to work together to make a difference.
Bibliography
Claiborne, S. & Perkins, J. (2009). Follow me to freedom: Leading and following as an ordinary radical. Ventura, CA: Regal.
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2 comments:
Asking for help is a critical factor in leadership. It has taken a long time, but now I live in an environment of competent professionals who rather than intimidate me, encourage me to share knowledge and glean knowledge from them.
I do agree that a leader must know and understand when someone else is better at leading the cause. The leader has to recognize that his way is not always the best way. He has to be able to know when it is time to follow in order to be an effective leader.
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