Hearing God

091Behind the Scenes with Our Graduating Students

Listen as I interview our two Heaven in Business third students graduating from Bethel's School of Supernatural Ministry THIS WEEK. Congratulations Fina Oei from Indonesia and Gerna Scholte from Netherlands! I asked them...

• Why did you come to BSSM in the first place? (...and then to choose three years!)
• How did you decide to do the third year program with Heaven in Business in spite of uncertain levels of interaction (due to COVID)?
• What have you loved the most about this unusual year?
• If you could change anything about the year what would that be?
• What did you experience that you would you never want to change?
• What leadership lesson did you learn from Heaven in Business? 
• What did you learn about yourself that you will do differently?

If you want to find out more about Bethel School of Supernatural Ministry click HERE (BSSM.net).

If you want to join us in-person at the Heaven in Business upcoming conference click HERE (HeaveninBusiness.com).

090 Testimony that Creates Culture

Here's how the stories of your life shape the culture you live in. YOU set yourself up to succeed (or fail) by the narratives that you hold and repeat. Shared with permission from Bill Johnson, Bethel Church, Redding, CA.

You can find out more about Heaven in Business and the online training platform at HeaveninBusiness.com/free-trial

089 My Latest Learning - Kingdom Execution

Here's five key topics that I am learning about right now that are affecting how I view the world and what I am engaged in. 

 

1. The kingdom of God gives power over systems => poverty, injustice, corruption PLUS work or family systems that undermine people, profit and planet. True kingdom centered systems cause ALL THINGS to flourish. If I don't honor the diversity of gifts I will never access the benefits of that person eg. the church that honors the prophet but not the accountant will always wrestle with inadequate financial systems.

 

2. Goodness and MERCY follow me. I need it!

 

3. The challenge is not the absence of good ideas but the absence of execution => book 4 Disciplines of Execution

 

4. Forgiveness - SELF-forgiveness unlocks from past failures and is imperative to move forward healthy.

 

5. Community and belonging do NOT come from a membership to an institution (religious or otherwise) but from authentic connection with people.

 

I am part of a global kingdom community that is highly connected, celebrating one another and collaborating for increase. This is a joy!

088 Dealing with Your Fatal Flaw

I got caught believing head-trash. My family were making some comments and what I heard got me beating on myself... only what was in my head was NOT what they had said. Here's what happened as my wife asked me some powerful questions and Jesus walked me through getting my head sorted out and my heart coming alive again.

Listen if you want to know what God thinks of your 'fatal flaws' and what to do about it (or them!). You may be surprised. 

087 How to Multiply Your Growth

Are you too busy to read/listen? I'm too busy NOT to read and listen!!! I believe leaders are learners and will take any and every opportunity to grow. However, it's like food: if you don't choose what you will eat, you end up eating trash fast food and eventually start looking like it also! If you don't intentionally feed yourself with learning materials you will consume what someone else wants you to feed on - social media, news etc etc.

I like to listen to audiobooks and, more recently, podcasts. If I find a podcast or audiobook that is REALLY good, I buy the physical copy to keep. If I find a book REALLY REALLY good I will buy extra copies to give away. In this session I will unpack WHAT I'm listening to/reading, WHY I am listening to that specifically, HOW I listen and what I'm learning. My goal is to stir you up to do the same.

1. WHY I listen/read

I want to grow. There's so much I don't know. I want to stay sharp. I want to learn from people who have gone before me. Not learning is simply arrogance and sets you up for stupid mistakes because we don't learn from the mistakes and wisdom of those who have gone before us.

2. HOW I listen/read

I'm busy. I am married to my best friend and have four teenage children plus three dogs, chickens and ducks. I lead business people all over the world and have friends and family spread everywhere. I also have a 3 acre property whose landscape was destroyed by fire in 2018 and is still being restored. Needless to say I have every reason to be 'busy.' OR I CAN GET CREATIVE.

• I read a couple pages of a physical book before I go to sleep every night
• I read a few pages on Saturday mornings before I start on chores
• I snatch a few pages here and there during the week
• I listen to audiobooks/bible if I wake in the night (on a timer as I will fall back to sleep)
• I listen to audio/podcast as I do chores, drive in/out of town and do exercise

The point is this - there is ALWAYS TIME for what is most important.

3. WHAT I am listening to/reading at present

The themes I sense Lord speaking to me about for this year are leadership and the Kingdom of God. So I have intentionally sought out books/resources that feed that. I also get recommendations from friends all the time and if one or more of these resonate with me I will grab a copy.

Current or just finished:

Jack Taylor - The Cosmic Initiative

E. Stanley Jones - The Unshakeable Kingdom and the Unchanging Person
Myles Monroe - Gods Big Idea. Rediscovering the kingdom. Applying the kingdom
RT Kendall - The Lords Prayer
Ford Taylor. Relactional leadership (Ive been giving away LOTS of copies of this one)

Alisa Childers. Another Gospel (I've been giving away copies of this one)
Eliyahu Goldratt. The Goal. Theory of constraints
Patrice Tsague. Biblical Entrepreneurship

Current Podcasts
God is not a Theory (Ken Fish)
Alisa Childers Podcast
Ford Taylor Talks

 

What book or podcast are you listening to at the moment that you think EVERYONE should be listening to also?

 

086 How to Lead in Uncertainty with Janine Mason

In this podcast I take you 'behind the curtain' as I interview my wife, Janine, on how she leads and makes decisions in the midst of uncertainty.

I referred to a blog - My Best Coach in which I tell a story about the power of Janine's insightful questions.

Here's the questions that we covered:

• What is your leadership role/responsibility 
• What has been the hardest decision recently you have had to make?
• How did you make it?
• Why do you involve your children (younger or 'lesser' stakeholders) in your decision making?
• How do you navigate a visionary leader who is not receiving feedback?
• How would you advise the quieter member of a partnership when their feedback is not being heard?
• How do you keep your heart humble and tender in the midst of painful leadership decisions?

If you are interested in working with Janine then fill in an application for a free exploratory conversation.

Find out more about Janine Mason:

Janine has a background in people development, adult training and project management, for both non‐profit and profit‐ based organizations. In addition to being a wonderful mother to four children, Janine is known for her perceptive questions that quickly help clients get to the heart of the matter and develop practical and holistic approaches for moving forward.

Janine co-authored the book Kingdom Tools For Teaching: Practical Tools for Real Classrooms. She is also the author of Dream Culture: Bringing Dreams to Life, also available as a DVD workshop (Dream Journey). For more on Janine see Authentic-Solutions.com

085 Business Revival with Brandon Haire

What is God up to in the offices of corporate America today? Is it doom and gloom or is the Kingdom advancing and people are jumping in? This interview is with Brandon Haire, VP of Franchise Development for a $2.3Bn global company. He works in their corporate offices in Waco, Texas and has personally seen over 120 salvations in this office alone plus another 120 franchise owners surrendering their life to Christ.

To be clear.... this is not a christian company, nor does it have christian policies or promotions. This is simply the fruit of one employee who joined with another and the two of them started to pray. The rest is history. 

Enjoy the podcast and grab a copy of Brandon's book The Business Revival on Amazon.

084 How to Lead in Uncertain Times with John Ramstead

In this podcast I interview a well known and seasoned leader (John Ramstead of Beyond Influence and author of On Purpose, With Purpose ) on how to lead and make decisions in the midst of uncertainty. 

If you haven't done so already, check out our upcoming leadership workshop and conference Heaveninbusiness.com/events.

Here's the questions that we covered:

• What is your leadership role/responsibility 
• What has been the hardest decision recently you have had to make?
• How did you make it?
• What do you do when there is great uncertainty, no perfect answer, things you need to decide, and God is silent about specifics?
• Have you gotten decisions wrong? How do you lead knowing you won’t be right all the time and people/outcomes can be brutal?

Find out more about Heaven in Business membership at HeaveninBusiness.com/events.

Find out more about John Ramstead:

John Ramstead has been married for 28 years to his best friend and together they have three incredible boys. It has been ten years since a near fatal accident changed the trajectory of his life. Without the incredible support of God, his family and amazing friends he wouldn’t be the person he is today.

As John navigated 25 surgeries and almost two years of hospital recovery, he sought God's direction what was next. This led him to a new calling: to take the life God gave him and pour it into other leaders to equip and inspire them to work in His Kingdom. This led to the Eternal Leadership Podcast and the soon to launch book On Purpose, With Purpose.

John's twenty-five years as a Navy fighter pilot, entrepreneur, Fortune 500 management team member and board chair has led him to serve others towards extraordinary lives.

083 My Story: How to Lead in Uncertain Times

In this podcast I answer the same questions I asked three different guests the last three sessions. This is all around how I lead and make decisions in the midst of uncertainty.

Make sure you make the most of some of this learning by joining us at the Leadership Transformation Workshop online with Ford Taylor, March 25-26. Find out more here.

Here's the questions:

1. What is your leadership role/responsibility?

I am a husband and father of four young adults. 

I lead Heaven in Business - a ministry that operates like a business but under the non-profit ownership structure of a church. I am responsible to lead the vision and team, generate the revenue, steward the resources... plus I am part of a larger organization... plus that organization has influence globally. We help you partner with God at work and engage in the wellbeing of the city you serve. We do that through conferences, retreats and a membership platform.

In addition I lead Authentic Solutions which is a business I started last year to help you and your business gain clarity for what's next and the courage to do it - through courses, coaching and mastermind groups.

 

2. What has been the hardest decision recently you have had to make?

A) Stay home. No travel. Working from home. We chose as a family to follow the CDC guidelines and only do essential meetings in person. This is primarily to protect the wellbeing of one of my children who has vulnerable health and also what we believed was most responsible as a community leader.

B) Let go staff. We have dropped from five employees to one. Telling someone their income is halving or ending is difficult.

C) Change/delay events that significantly affect my budget.

 

3. How did you make it?

Spoke to my wife and kids.

Heard from God

Did the numbers.

Prayed.

Spoke to advisor.

Spoke with staff.

Wrestled internally! 

 

4. What do you do when there is great uncertainty, no perfect answer, things you need to decide, and God is silent about specifics?

Get alone. I love to run or hike up behind my house. When I get up a hill I can physically see further. It's the same mentally - clear's my head, helps my perspective.

Advisors (starting with my wife Janine who has been my best coach!)

Conviction. Protect your conscience above all else. Follow your conviction. Listen to that still, small voice. If you have hesitation, LISTEN.

Take little steps. What could I test? What small cuts could I make today so I don't have to make drastic cuts in a month?

Do the numbers. Budget. Analyze. Do sensitivity analysis: "What if this factor changed by 25%? What if the timing was delayed by 25%....?"

 

5. Have you gotten decisions wrong? How do you lead knowing you won’t be right all the time and people/outcomes can be brutal?

Delayed letting someone go. Cost them and cost me AND it cost the team.

Delayed confronting someone. Cost them and cost me. I cannot afford NOT to say something.

 

6. How do you overcome fear of failure or what people will say?

Ford Taylor (see Transformational Leadership Course and book Relactional Leadership) processes are helping significantly.

I've been meeting with a qualified marriage and family therapist almost weekly for the last year. That decision in hindsight was GENIUS. She has been really helpful navigating head trash, emotional upheaval and healthy boundaries.

Get used to it. Nobody is perfect. We are all doing our best.

Get more anchored in who I am in God.

 

7. How do you stay humble and not hard-hearted in most of adversity and/or injustice?

Forgiveness: Self AND others.

"Father forgive them for they don't know what they are doing."

Reading Word daily, reading other books - Humility by RT Kendall

Grattitude.

 

082 How to Lead in Uncertain Times with Ford Taylor

In this podcast I interview a well known and seasoned leader (Ford Taylor of Transform Lead) on how to lead and make decisions in the midst of uncertainty. 

We refer to an upcoming ONLINE Leadership Transformation Workshop with Ford on March 25-26. Find out more here.

Here's the questions that we covered:

• What is your leadership role/responsibility 
• What has been the hardest decision recently you have had to make?
• How did you make it?
• What do you do when there is great uncertainty, no perfect answer, things you need to decide, and God is silent about specifics?
• Have you gotten decisions wrong? How do you lead knowing you won’t be right all the time and people/outcomes can be brutal?
• How do you overcome fear of failure or what people will say?
• How do you stay humble and not hard-hearted in most of adversity and/or injustice?

Find out more about Heaven in Business membership at HeaveninBusiness.com/events.

Find out more about Ford Taylor:

Ford is the founder of Transformational Leadership, a sought-after keynote speaker, the author of Relactional Leadership and directs a charitable international effort to provide Transformational Leadership to emerging countries worldwide. Ford Taylor solves complex business issues through solution-driven leadership training that embodies the interpersonal focus, agility, adaptability, and innovation required in today’s dynamic marketplace.  

Ford continues to show leaders how to lead others and how to manage the processes, systems, and procedures around them. Ford and his wife of 37 years, Sandra, live in College Station, Texas. They are blessed with three lovely daughters, Whitney, Emily, and Quincy.