Archive for the ‘Fagan On Leadership’ Category

What is a Missionary?

Saturday, June 5th, 2010

What is a Missionary?

Wordnet says: “someone sent on a mission–especially a religious or charitable mission to a foreign country”

Wikipedia says: “Christian missionary can be defined as “one who is sent to witness across cultures.”

I say that a missionary is anyone who is on a mission. Someone can be a mission for good or evil. A mission could be fruitful or pointless. A mission can be a waste of time or profitable venture.

I also think that everyone is a missionary. Most definitions of missionaries revolve around the spreading of religious or spiritual beliefs, but really doesn’t everything you do say something about what you believe. And doesn’t what you believe say something about who you are? Since who you are effects what you do, and what you do has effect on everyone you come in contact with, doesn’t that mean that everyone is a missionary to their beliefs and who they are? You don’t have to say anything to spread a message, an idea or an attitude, all you have to do is be there.

Agreed? Good! Then here is the question:

What is your Mission? What do your thoughts, words and actions say about you and the mission that you are on?  Is the life you live something that could be called a mission?

It is my belief that all who are reading this, not only want their lives to be a mission, but a mission that resonates and draws others into that same mission.  You want to live your lives “So That” others will see your mission and want to come along as opposed to lives of “So What” and insignificance.

Our mission, if we choose to accept it, is to live a life of significance, to be missionaries to that which we hold dear and valuable.

Tags: Finish The Wall, Leadership, Missionary
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This is scary….

Saturday, April 17th, 2010

My mentor and business partner likes to say, ” This is scary… kind of like riding a roller coaster let’s do it again scary ! ”   I have done some scary things before believe me.

I have done stupid scary like , ” That was stupid, thank God we are alive !”   I’ve done exciting scary like ” lets do that again ! ”   I’ve done accident type scary like ” can you believe we just did a 360 in the middle of the wet road in front of a Mack Truck !” Most of my “scaries” have been just me alone or with some other just as scared but willing participant. Now I have a different kind of scary.

I work with Blueagle Marketing, a start up company. It was scary when I quit my very nice salaried job 2 weeks before Christmas to fully commit. It was scary selling our first multi billion dollar company our services like it was something we did every day.

Now it is really scary bringing people on board our team. These are people who have families with responsibilities. It is scary that these people have hopes and dreams and goals that are now a part of my life, my business and my dreams. This could be lots of pressure like scary! And sometimes I get really pressure kind of scary like I am up at 2 a.m. pressure kind of cant sleep scary !

But you know what? I’m not really scared. Oh maybe a little ” that was scary lets ride it again !” kind of scared. But not fear scared and I will tell you why.

Ephesians 2:10 says, “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.”  One of the many cool parts of this verse is  ”which God prepared for us beforehand so that we could walk in them.”  To quote Mark Batterson just today in his blog , ” God is setting us up.”  Mark goes on to say  that this  ” … fills me with holy anticipation. It gives me an unshakable sense of destiny. If we simply stay in tune with what the Holy Spirit is saying and doing we will walk into situations that God has divinely orchestrated for us. I don’t believe in coincidence. I believe in providence. God is in the business of making sure we’re in the right place at the right time. There are divine appointments that God is already setting up for next day delivery!”

If God is setting me up, then He is setting the people He is bringing onto our team up too. It is my responsibility not to be scared, but to lead.  I lead best by following my mentor and by following Him. He is setting us up !

John Ortberg wrote a book , ” If you want to walk on the water, you’ve got to get out of the boat”  I may not be walking on the water , but I for sure am  going to do my best not to take my eyes of of Him !  Scary good … scary exciting…  I never knew following God could be soo exciting !

I have been set up ! No need to be scared, just get on out of the boat and let’s go !

Tags: faith, Leadership, mark batterson. john ortberg
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How do you protect your family?

Monday, March 15th, 2010

This one is mainly for the men , but girls it won’t hurt you to read either.

I have heard it said, ” Never trust a man who doesn’t have a limp.”  Trust me, I have a big limp!

I have fought the battle of protecting my family before and lost. I have done the divorce thing and still perceive it as the biggest loss in my life. God tells us that He will restore the harvest of our locust eaten years and He has done that. I am blessed with the relationships that I have. I am blessed with a beautiful  family that is full of love and acceptance. I am forgiven for my errors but I will always have a “limp”.

My biggest blind spot when I was younger was that I didnt realize the intensity of the battle that was going on around me. There is an enemy out there who would steal everything you have and the first thing that enemy wants is your family. Think about it.What can be more traumatic to more people? Death? Ok, death is pretty traumatic, but I can tell you, the shredding of a family has a life long effect on those closest to you.

What is it that distracts you from your family? Job and finances are big because you have to have both. Work too much and you lose, work too little and you lose too. Maybe it’s golf, or your buddies or another hobby. Maybe it’s lust or the desire to have something you aren’t getting at home. There are so many things vying for your attention. Society is working overtime to tell you that you need more, or different, or prettier or better or  whatever .  Think about it, is there anything really more important than your family?

Here is the major issue, we live in a day when we feel “entitled” and we enjoy feeling this. ” I work my tail off all week, I deserve…..”  ” If she would just get  off my back a minute, then I wouldnt have to be …..”  ” I have feelings too.” ” I deserve to be happy”

When did we as a community stop taking responsibility for our own actions? When did we start finding it so easy to base our emotional well being on the actions of those around us?   Come on admit it, we enjoy carrying a grudge, or letting that disagreement let us off the hook  by allowing it to live a little bit longer. It’s way easier NOT to communicate, especially when you are really looking for an excuse to do your own thing! Come on now, let’s man up!

As a man we stick our chest out and defy anyone to tell us we can”t provide. We as men are full of false bravado when someone challenges us or our ability. Right?  ”Nobody tells me what to do!” Right… then let’s mean that.

If you want to protect your family, you have to lead your family. You have to lead yourself and that begins with accepting responsibility for every thought and every action. Focus on what it is you really want long term, if you want a broken home and split family so you can play more golf, drink more beer and chase that lust, then keep blaming  everything on everybody else.

I am sure that other people in your home are not perfect and have things they need to deal with. You can’t control that, but you can control you. Protect your family by leading your family. Its a lesson I learned the hard way. It’s one I want you to learn by listening to a man with a limp and not from your own experience. So, if this sounds harsh, be  man, you can take it!

Books – Every Mans Battle , Tender Warrior, Finishing Strong

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Recognizing the value in others is the beginning of leadership

Wednesday, March 10th, 2010

Is it me or does it seem that so many people today value things over people?  Maybe it’s not things, maybe it’s achievement or recognition, maybe it’s position or authority. Maybe it’s just to be right or just to prove someone else wrong. I look at so many of our “leaders” today and it would seem that the norm is that the “end” definitely justifies the “means”. Right or wrong, by hook or by crook, as long as I get what “I” want, nothing else really matters.

Our religion systems are polarizing. Our political system fragments instead of unifies. Harmony?  I see more harmony on Twitter and Facebook than on the street, or our businesses or churches or our town halls.

Don’t get me wrong. I have some very strong spiritual and political beliefs. But last time I checked, nobody nominated me to correct everyone else’s belief’s. My passion is not a license to steam roll everyone who disagrees with me. My job is not to perpetuate strife or abrade you into seeing things my way.

It  IS up to me  to stand for what I believe and share that belief by example. It has been said that one who stands for nothing will fall for anything and I believe that, yet it is the  way we stand that makes the difference.I can lead by actions, I can persuade with the consistency between  my message and  my method.  I can value you as a person whether I agree with you or not.

As Pollyanna as it may seem, we can make a difference this way. Maybe we can look at someone we disagree with  and discern what their needs are. If we talk to instead of talking at, we might find what has influenced a persons  life that has  brought them to be who they are.

Let’s prefer the people around us for a change. Let’s take a minute to find the value in others. It’s like that corny insurance commercial where everyone is taking one second to look after a passerby. Yes , it’s corny- because we have made it corny.

I got your back if you’ll take mine. I will value you if you will value me. I will try to make things right with you instead of preaching at you. Then perhaps you will see something in me that causes you to ask ,” How is it that you….?”

To me…thats leadership….

Tags: Leadership
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