Why Your Strengths Aren't All About You
A woman was having a birthday and decided to throw a party for herself. As the guests gathered, she focused the conversation on how each person knew her. After 40 minutes, she could see her guests were growing weary, so she shifted the conversation: “Okay, enough about me. What do you think of me?”
Sometimes working with strengths can feel this way, and if we’re not careful, strengths can become self-centered. But your strengths are not all about you. Actually, a...
This Fourth of July, Celebrate Your Freedom in Christ
Today let’s celebrate freedom in Christ! It’s July 4 in the United States, when we celebrate our country’s independence. I’m grateful for that, but grateful too for freedom in Christ.
Look at some of the freedoms Christ brings:
- Sins forgiven
- Place in the family of God
- Perfect in God’s sight
- Filled with the Holy Spirit
- No barriers between us and the Heavenly Father
- Ushered into the life of Christ
- Given every spiritual blessing and inheritance
- Given gifts of the...
In Review: The Surprising Things that Happened this Year
Today is July 1, which means it’s now the second half of 2020. This year isn’t going the way we thought it would when it started. But we thought it worthwhile to look back at the first half of the year and then look forward to what's coming.
Developments
Although this year has been really hard for a number of reasons, there were good leaps forward. Thanks for sticking with us.
This year we:
Even Talents Need to Grow: Growth Practices for the 34 Strengths
Even talents need to grow. This thesis flies in the face of folks who want it easy. Unfortunately, there are many people who take a talent assessment, glance at the results, think "I knew I was good at this," then toss the results in the trash because now their talents are confirmed.
They think they've "done the talent assessment" and have a handle on their talents.
Just the Beginning
But an assessment is only the beginning. A talent assessment merely reveals areas of talent; it shines the...
Wounds, Sin, Gospel, and the Enneagram
I’ve been wanting to write this blog post for awhile now, but for reasons of time and focus, it has had to wait. Which brings me to the topic—Wounds, Sin, Gospel, and the Enneagram.
Oh, how I’ve been wanting to write this topic, which has been pounding on my heart, pounding through the Scriptures, showing up in my prayers. This is really the topic that has caused me to stick around the Enneagram, get to know her, sit beneath her wisdom, wait for the Spirit to speak through...
Three Ways to Boost Employee Recognition
With increased stress to employees, remote working conditions, and societal pressures, making employees feel recognized and appreciated is more important than ever.
Aside from the human relations side, the business benefits of employee recognition are numerous. Studies published by Forbes and GetHppy show that employee recognition improves engagement, customer satisfaction, employee retention, employee experience, and performance.
Actually, “Praise and commendation from managers was...
Five Provocative Quotes from Webinar on Racial Equality
We had an inspiring and provocative webinar around the topic of racial equality, where we spoke with Wellness Coach Darlene Taylor about her experience as a Black woman, and how Enneagram and Strengths can help with racial equality. If you missed the webinar, here’s a link to the recording.
I’ve been reflecting on our conversation, and from my perspective, here are five provocative quotes and my takeaways from our time together:
“My daughter is mixed race, and because...
How the Enneagram Created a Hero Dad Moment
One year ago, this happened:
When I was flying home from the Detroit airport, I didn’t expect to create a hero dad moment for my teenage daughter, but that’s what happened. I have the Enneagram to thank…and Jerry from Parks and Recreation. Let me explain.
I was returning home from a training course on the Enneagram called “Motions of the Soul,” by Clare and Scott Loughrige, authors of the new book, Spiritual Rhythms of the Enneagram. As a Gallup Certified...
How COVID-19 Helped Me with Racism
As a White man, I don’t know what it is to NOT be White. My boys are Brown, adopted from the Philippines. I don’t know what it is to be Brown or adopted.
My nephews are Black and adopted, I don’t know what it is to be either. But I do know there’s an uncertainty that is part of fear for the future of these boys.
It's a fear of unpermitted opportunities. A fear of prejudiced judgments. A fear of aggression against. A fear of unfair standards.
It’s a fear I DO NOT...
Accept the Invitation When It's Offered
Yesterday I walked in the dew with my shoes off. I did this to feel alive, but it almost didn’t happen.
You see, after I eat breakfast, I’m on my way upstairs to get ready for work. My wife asks if I would see her garden. She’s been pulling and planting for days now, her vegetable garden in our backyard.
It won’t take much for me to visit her garden. But I hesitate—I’m already thinking of the work tasks to tackle when I sit down at my desk. They are so...