…. another one opens.

1. What is opening for you that you haven’t notice?

2. What is closed and you are still hanging on to?

As Singapore’s Women’s Table Tennis Team led by Li Jia Wei enters the Finals, Malaysian’s Lee Chong Wei does the same in the Men’s Badminton Singles @ the Beijing Olympics

Will they settle for what is already great achievement or will they go for Gold?

I think it makes a lot of difference aiming to go all the way. It makes a great difference in sports, in life and in ministry.

Let us all go for Gold today!

I was sitting under City Bible Church’s Pastor Frank Dimazio’s teaching this afternoon together with our team of pastoral leaders. He taught about separating methods from values and then the 10 non negiotiables of ministry.

The 3 non negotiables that he expanded were…

1) The non negotiable of integrity leadership
2) The non negotiable of covenant leadership
3) The non negotiable of strong leadership

I learned to focus on integrity, to build covenant relationships and never to be afraid of being a courageous and strong leader. Great stuff to move forward with.

The best way to lead better is to be a better leader” - Rags

OK, that sounds like stating the obvious and may sound a bit stupid to some of you.

But really, I have found many times that I think to be a better leader, I need to do many many things and do them again and again. But doing those things don’t necessary make me a better leader. Doing great leadership activities as a weak leader doesn’t make me anything other than a discouraged weak leader.

I only become a better leader if I first believe.

The Lord says “You are the salt of the earth…. You are the light of the world”. When you let salt be and light shine before men, the salt and the light is already there, you don’t have to make it or work at it. You have to ‘be’ and ‘let it’. It’s not as much what you do, as it is what you are.

Do you believe you are the salt of the earth and light of the world? You cannot lead better if you do not believe you are a better leader. Do you believe you are already that next level leader?

The bottom line is this, if you cannot convince yourself, you will not be able to convince others no matter how hard you lead.

Don’t do and then believe. Believe first, then do! It’ll make the biggest difference.

OK i have another not so smart sounding quote.

“We all know that faith without deeds is dead but I reckon deeds without faith may be just as dead if not deadier”

The service is packed again. After weeks of lower attendance due to the school holidays, we saw almost every regular child come back today. We were excited to see new kids coming as well for a few consecutive weeks.

I don’t have an official role today but seeing the team in action, fellowship and evaluating with them during lunch time and thereafter triggers the thought of how leadership has changed through the years.

The 2 things I don’t used to need to do as a leader but I need to right now are:

1) Add more value to people than is expected. Our true self gives and it is in giving and helping people advance that leadership should be defined. It is as if we need to compete to add more to people we lead because many things like good service, kindness and podcasts are free.

2) Ensure people will bring their problem to you. Superficiality and superiority that structures leadership in the past no longer works today. It is replaced by authenticity, selflessness and servanthood. When people stop bringing their problems to us then we know we have become irrelevant. It will be a matter of time before leadership is taken away from us.

There are many more I’m sure but these are two that I’ve just had close encounter with today. I’m so proud of my day today.

The best advice I’ve ever given to a child who comes to me and say “I don’t know how to do it” is “I want you to make mistakes, Go on make some mistakes for me”.

Then the child went on to do her best.

She made 5 out of 6 guesses correctly.  Yes the success rate for those who don’t try is 0%. For those who try, it’s definitely more.

This classic Andy Stanley message you must hear. It has impacted me too much not to highlight it. It speaks to those who are leaders as much as those who doesn’t want to be one.

To those who are leaders, Andy states “Leadership is stewardship, it is temporary and we are accountable”. Yeah, baby, I’m reminded how little time I have, how I need to go at it and be faithful with that little time I have. I love what it means that, we, the leaders don’t rule but Heaven or God rules.

And to those who don’t want to be one, know that “Leadership is a gift, a trust God bestow on us for a reason. It is also for a season, so don’t ever let anything stand in your way of the chance”.

I’ve been pondering …” If your leadership is fuelled by comparision, you either feel good that you are winning or feel bad that you can’t keep up. As neither pride or an inferiority complex is good, leadership should be fueled by what is within that we are divinely called to do ”

There’s a Sundown Night Marathon happening in Singapore where participants run at an ultra-marathon (84Km rather than the usual 42 Km). I would think that for most people, the person to beat is not the person in front or behind them, it is themselves.

In leadership we should know the race, know why we run it and .. then just run our own race.

Galatian 6:4-5 “Each one should test his own actions. Then he can take pride in himself, without comparing himself to somebody else, for each one should carry his own load”.

Redefine your success in leadership as “Connection” rather than “Control”.

I was reading The Writer magazine and Alfred Hitchcock told me something cool about screenwriting. He said to act out everything we want to tell our audience and only if that’s not possible to use words.

St. Francis of Assissi said something similar but in a different context.

I believe in living out our convictions in our lifestyle more than in words. Yes, we get into trouble with our actions but often we try get ourselves out of it using words.  I don’t know about you but for me I often go deeper into trouble when I start justifying.

Yesterday was Vesak Day holiday. I spent the day with the family. Went out for lunch with them, hang out at Borders and later in the evening at the Pasir Ris Park. The day was so short that we had to have our picnic dinner in the dark.

The kids were exhausted and we were too. We whine down to some Babra Streisand at night. Not much with words today. The kids will be off for their trip this Thursday with their Auntie so today’s precious. It’s a better way to say I love you.