(12/19/22) Morning Minute:
“Helping others be better versions of themselves!”
In last Friday’s Morning Minute, we discussed Empowerment, the #2 characteristic of “Best Managers” as described in a recent INC. Magazine article. Let’s examine the top characteristic.
That top attribute of “Best Managers” is to be Great Coaches for their team, group, or business. Several skills are required to achieve the status of great coach. They must help their team members be better versions of themselves. The coach must be a facilitator of positive action. Plus, great coaches support the individual goals of each team member. Let’s break this down further.
A coach is a mentor. Mentors embody the qualities they want to instill in the people they lead. By living the life they want the team members to achieve, mentors become shining examples of what team members strive to become. They don’t just manage the team…they inspire the team.
A coach is an organizer. The organizer sees all the steps required for the team to win. An organizer puts people, equipment, processes, and structure in place so the team will be successful in achieving its goals.
A coach is an instigator. The instigator makes things happen. When the team gets stuck or needs a course correction, instigators rearrange people, processes, tools, and events to get the team back on track.
A coach is a disciplinarian. As such, they administer fair and personal consequences to those who violate processes or ethics, or cause harm to another team member. By administering the requisite punishment, great coaches not only help violators get back on track, they signal to the other team members the importance of doing the right thing.
A coach is a teacher. Teachers realize that they must be the primary person who instructs team members on how to improve skills, efforts, and attitudes that lead to successful outcomes. As team members improve, the entire team improves. Such improvement is necessary to achieve both personal and group goals.
In conclusion, Great Managers are Great Coaches. They inspire their team members by being mentors, organizers, instigators, disciplinarians, and teachers. They set the example of the qualities they want their team members to emulate. They organize people, processes, and tools. They require compliance with team standards, while assisting each team member to be the best version of themselves. Great managers achieve ambitious goals. And, they accomplish these while building their bench of manager candidates thereby enabling future growth.
That is today’s Morning Minute!
(12/21/22) Morning Minute:
“The real story of Christmas.”
This is a story of several people, whose decisions and actions changed the world.
Mary was a devout 18 year old virgin in Israel. She was engaged to Joseph. Because of her purity and reverence, she was visited by an angel who told her that she had been chosen to bear a child who was to be the Son of God. She said “Be it done unto me according to your will.” Then she conceived by the Holy Spirit.
Joseph was engaged to Mary. Joseph later became aware that she was pregnant, but not by him. He was a devout man of character. He had decided to divorce her quietly so as not to bring shame on their families. Then he received a message in his sleep, that Mary had been chosen as the Mother of the Savior, and that he was to raise the child as his own. Joseph accepted this mission.
In Rome, Caesar decreed that there was to be a census of all Roman subjects. Each family was to go to the town of their family and register for the census. As Joseph was from the family of David, he and Mary were required to travel to Bethlehem. It was Winter and very cold as they made the treacherous journey to register.
Mary was 9 months into her pregnancy. She had to ride a donkey during the trip. It would have been impossible for her to walk in her condition. When they reached Bethlehem, they discovered no room for them at the inn. As the innkeeper turned them away, he told them of an animal barn where they could stay. At least they would have a place to stay out of the weather.
During their stay in that barn, Mary’s pregnancy was completed. She gave birth to our Lord. Inasmuch as they had no bed nor crib, they converted an animal feed stand into a makeshift cradle. There is no record of any doctor nor midwife.
Mary accepted her role as the “Mother of God.” Joseph accepted his role to raise this Child as his own. Caesar commanded that all return to the town of their family. And, the innkeeper turned them away and sent them to a barn. And Jesus, the Son of God, was born of a virgin in these very humble beginnings.
And that is the real story of Christmas!
(This is our last Morning Minute this week as we will be enjoying some family time. We will have one final Morning Minute prior to the New Year. We hope you all have a joyous Christmas.)
