Weekly Thought – September 24, 2013

Fred said “Be A Blessing” would be the family motto if there were one.  He believed self-focus was a dead end.  His counsel to others was always, “get excited about something bigger than yourself.”

Gratitude for faithful friends who support Fred’s ongoing ministry and the development of expanded outreach is deeply felt by the board of BWF Project.  Your encouraging words energize us.  Your financial support allows us to continue.  Thank you for standing with us.

Giving Yourself

The essence of joy is the willingness to give oneself into forgetfulness.  Trying to “forget yourself” is nearly impossible, but developing the disciplined habit of giving ourselves to a cause or person allows us the privilege of determined forgetfulness.  John Wannamaker said, “The most important lesson I have learned is that I have the least trouble with myself when I’m giving myself to a worthwhile cause.”

One evening I was sitting in the lobby of the old Gibson Hotel in Cincinnati.  Two writers were sitting within earshot and I thoroughly enjoyed their conversation.  The younger asked, “If you had your life to live over, what would you do with yourself?” Without hesitation, the other replied, “I’d find something big enough to give myself to.”     (more…)

Weekly Thought – September 17, 2013

Fred published You and Your Network in 1984 at age 69.  He refused many earlier offers to capture his thoughts. His friend Jarrell McCracken, then President/Founder of Word Publishing, corralled him and this great little book came to life.  Nearly 30 years later people refer to it and benefit from its wisdom.

How grateful everyone at BWF and BWFLI is for your prayerful encouragement and support.  Your emails, your calls, your financial contributions all contribute to the joy in the journey we experience.

Joy for the Journey

When I speak of “joy for the journey” I am not talking about surface happiness which comes and goes like the wind.  I like to think happiness is a bubbling brook and joy is a deep aquifer.  It is the profound sense of adequacy grounded in the sufficiency of Christ.  Joy is more than fortuitous circumstances.  Joy is necessary when life is out of joint.     (more…)

Weekly Thought – September 10, 2013

Fred’s children learned early to avoid requests in “happy language.”  Making an argument for money to spend on something because it made one happy was sure to lose.  On the other hand, pleas for memory makers or growth experiences received a much more favorable argument.  “Helpful” “productive” “effective” were strong Fred words which exemplified his lifelong desire to stretch others.

Palm Beach Atlantic University and Taylor University are both working with the Breakfast With Fred Leadership Institute to provide venues which will indeed “stretch and bless the next generation of leaders…to the glory of God.”  We are thankful for their friendship.  Please pray for God’s blessing.

Productive, Not Happy

I once wrote myself a note criticizing my compulsion to be productive.  “Fred, at this age, why can’t you just be happy with who you are and forget about all that productivity stuff?”  As I composed an eloquent treatise on the benefits of happiness over productivity I realized it is impossible for me (and probably any other leaders) to sacrifice productivity at the altar of happiness.  It just isn’t built into our DNA.  In a strange way, productivity results in happiness, but singularly focusing on happiness does not result in productivity.

The more I wrote, the clearer it became that aiming at personal happiness alone is basically selfish.  I am not condemning happiness as evil, but it has a strong self-centered element to it.  On the other hand, the desire to be productive is other centered.  It is grounded in the desire to do something of value that contributes to the general well-being.

To me, much of the reward of leadership is the sense of productivity.  Producing something through others and for others that otherwise would have not occurred without the leader’s actions is gratification of the highest order.

By the time I finished writing my summary read: “Leaders would rather be productive than happy.”

Productivity is not the same as activity.  Ironically, leaders are sometimes more productive when they are not doing.  Sometimes their most significant contribution is instilling vision, thinking about direction, and engendering enthusiasm.  These things are often done in casual settings, not formal meetings.  The influence of leadership is not limited to organizational pronouncements.

The opportunity to build into the life of an organization or an individual is one of my great joys.  As a consultant to major corporations, I strategize at high levels.  But I also am able to sit down one on one to do productive thinking with those who need a sounding board.  Helping people think through decisions, work through problems, or outline a plan of action creates a sense of high productivity and the use of my leadership gifts.

“Fred, why can’t you just be happy and forget about productivity?”  Because God gave me a gift to steward and work to do which makes me productive…that’s why.

This week think about: 1) How productive am I right now? 2) What brings me joy? 3) Who models happiness through productivity for me?

Words of Wisdom: “Leaders would rather be productive than happy.”

Wisdom from the Word: “just as I was in my most productive time, when God’s intimate friendship was experienced in my tent,” (Job 29:4 NET Bible)