Message of they Day - Connecting with Others

Good Morning,

 

We live in a world with over six billion other people. It is hard to imagine that many people. Millions maybe, but not billions. Yet, in our world, we, through the use of technology, have been slowly losing the ability to connect with other people.

 

·         We text instead of talk.

·         We plug in and tune out rather than engage in a conversation.

·         We find ways to avoid looking at other people for some seeming fear of having to say ‘hello’ or something terrible like that to them.

 

At one point in my career, I was told that one of my strong areas was saying ‘good morning’ to people. I was a bit offended when I heard that thinking that anyone could say ‘good morning’ to others. Apparently, though, that is not the case.

 

This morning when getting coffee, I said ‘please’ and ‘thank you’ in the same sentence, peppered with a ‘yes Ma’am’ or two. The lady barista told me how rare it was to hear those words any more.

 

What is happening to us when saying ‘good morning’ and ‘thank you’ are the exception and NOT the norm?

 

I know there are people out there who know the power of connecting with other people. I even read a true story in my latest read, ‘A Rose for Reuben’ about how connecting with another saved a life.

 

A Rabbi who had to work in a field to help pay his bills due to working for a small congregation used to see a stately man walk by every day. He greeted the man every day “Good Morning Herr Muller”, which in turn the gentleman responded with “Good Morning Herr Rabbiner” and raising his hat.

 

And so this went on for some time, until the war came. The Rabbi was eventually captured and taken away to some holding area. When lined up to find out his fate, whether to be sent to harsh work or to his death, he saw his old friend, now a German Officer, walking up the line, making the life and death decisions for each prisoner.

 

Taking a chance, the Rabbi said “Good Morning Herr Muller”, and out of habit, the response came “Good morning Herr Rabbiner”.  Then followed the recognition, of who he was talking to. Herr Muller then helped the Rabbi by sending him to a much less dangerous prison, and ultimately, the Rabbi survived the war.

 

Some may call it fate, some God’s grace, but part of it was certainly connecting with someone, even with something as simple as a ritualistic “Good Morning”.

 

You may never hear from or see another person again, but if you do, do you want their remembrance of you to be the person who ducked and slid out of the way to avoid eye contact, or that person who smiled, opened the door for them and said ‘Good Morning”?

 

Do you know the names of the people you see every day? The security guard at the front desk where you work? The parking lot attendant where you park every day? Sadly, most of us don’t.

 

It’s not that hard, honest. In my walk to work I often walk through a hotel where I park. One lady who cleans the halls and bathrooms is there most days. I saw her name badge and simply started saying ‘Good Morning Miss Janice’. It startled her a first, but now she gives a big smile and says good morning back each time. As I said, it is not hard.

 

Lets practice.

 

Right now.

 

Practice by saying ‘Hello’ or ‘Good Morning’ to your PC or Cell Phone or wherever you are reading this email.

 

Now that you look and probably feel silly, you may realize that it wasn’t that hard. And I bet it put a smile on your face too.

 

Try it again, but this time, say it to a person. If you are a bit fearful of talking to others, move up to a stuffed animal or cat, and work your way up to humans.

 

It could save your life.

 

Enjoy!

 

Sanford Berenberg
Sanford@berenberg.net
http://www.berenberg.net

http://sanfordberenberg.blogspot.com/
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Message of the Day - Putting it into perspective

Good Morning,

 

My current read is “A Rose for Reuben: Stories of Hope from the Holocaust” by Robert Rietti (http://www.amazon.com/Rose-Reuben-Stories-Hope-Holocaust/dp/1853116742/). It is a collection of true stories from people who survived the Holocaust and some of the amazing lives they have lived and experiences they have shared.

 

Half of the stories brought tears to my eyes. Each contains a tale of amazing faith, gifts people gave to each other, or the amazing goodness in the hearts of people who have suffered what most of us will never understand.

 

These tales show me how blessed I am in my life and help put my troubles in perspective. They also show me that I can help others, no matter how difficult things get in my life. That, with these true stories I see that what I consider a difficulty in my life is really not much more than a bump along a road.

 

When we think we have it rough, when the bill collectors are calling, or the soreness in our leg just won’t go away, etc., we can learn a valuable lesson from those who have lived through the atrocities of the Holocaust. One prevailing message came through as each faced and overcame their challenges.

 

That message is ‘This Too shall pass’.

 

As we learn and grow daily, we build ourselves up, strengthen ourselves to weather the rough storms. By investing and reinvesting in ourselves, we give ourselves the tools to face the difficult challenges in our lives.

 

Knowing that no matter how bad life gets, that like those people in ‘A Rose for Reuben’ that ‘This Too Shall Pass’.

 

That we will carry on.

 

Tomorrow will be another day.

 

So long as we breath we can make a difference in our lives, and in the lives of others.

 

If there is hope in the most dire of places in our world’s history like the concentration camps of World War II, there is certainly hope for each and every one of us in the days that are to come.

 

Whatever you are going through, there is hope.  The stories Robert Rietti captured and shared attest to that.

 

Enjoy!

 

Sanford Berenberg
Sanford@berenberg.net
http://www.berenberg.net

http://sanfordberenberg.blogspot.com/
Follow Me on Twitter! http://twitter.com/sberenberg

http://learnandgrowdaily.com  Click here to order: "Learn And Grow Daily!"

502-533-9336

 

 

Message of the Day - Two Pillars of a Strong Organization

Good Morning,

 

Earlier this week I was listening to Alistair Begg on the radio. He was talking about how churches can founder and fall apart. I thought about it and it made sense that these two concepts, if not followed could cause any organization to founder and fall apart.

 

These two concepts, or pillars, if you will, are Focus and Fellowship.

 

Focus – Leadership needs to remain focused.

 

Fellowship – The Organization needs to work together and not let any issues fester and grow causing wedges within the itself.

 

Focus:

 

Focused leaders are more apt to lead strong organizations. Leaders who are easily distracted have a harder time keeping their organization strong. Leaders who have a challenge staying focused can improve their ability to focus by removing distractions from their organizational life, here a few tips:

 

Ignore the minutia – Keep the main thing the main thing.

 

When directed to look at the small stuff, resist and keep the main thing the main thing. Every decision, every action should work toward the goal and mission of the organization. Otherwise, toss it.

 

Now, if your organization is strong, and everyone can readily remain focused, then by all means, dive into the minutia and have fun with it. If you have challenges focusing, then avoid it at all costs.

 

Avoid being dragged into the minutia – As simple as it sounds, we often find that our organizations will see things which they feel are important, that when held up to the light of the organization’s mission are not really that important. Stay away from those things. This means changing the focus of the team from the small, seemingly urgent items, to the large important targets.

 

Fellowship:

 

Organizations where all people get along are often rare, but they are strong. Those that have strong fellowships are not only well put together, they work hard to maintain their cohesion and meet any and all dissention head on.

 

Letting problems fester or having members of the team or organization who have unresolved issues with their group or leadership will challenge the fellowship of the organization.  

 

Back in 1996, during my first trip to Scotland, I was in Kirkwall, the capital of the Orkney Islands. We had just finished our tour of the island by a local guide and heard the stories of how safe it is there, and how close the community was. During dinner I suggested moving to island. At that moment, half a dozen locals all turned and stared at me. It was not a pleasant feeling. They tolerated me enough as a tourist, but they were not about to let me enter their fellowship as a neighbor. In this case, the community worked hard to keep unwanted elements out.

 

While organizations cannot always dictate who joins them or in what roles, teams that work hard to help keep everyone focused on the organization’s goals, putting out fires quickly, working toward consensus, and managing trouble sources to either buy in or opt out will have a stronger fellowship and a stronger organization.  

 

Achieving focus and fellowship are not easy. They take determination and guts to face the distractions and put out the fires all while keeping an eye on the organization’s goal.

 

Hard, but not impossible.

 

Enjoy!

 

Sanford Berenberg
Sanford@berenberg.net
http://www.berenberg.net

http://sanfordberenberg.blogspot.com/
Follow Me on Twitter! http://twitter.com/sberenberg

http://learnandgrowdaily.com  Click here to order: "Learn And Grow Daily!"

502-533-9336