Posts
The last two blog posts were titled, Are You Listening and Are You Practicing the Skill of Listening. This post addresses the rude and inconsiderate behavior of interrupting someone else while they are speaking. Mark Twain said, “There is nothing so annoying as to have two people talking when you’re busy interrupting.” Two Examples Unless…
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The title of last week’s blog was Are You Listening? Listening is an active skill, and the process goes far beyond staring at the other person when they are speaking. In his book, Situational Awareness for Emergency Response, Dr. Richard B. Gasaway writes, “The act of listening requires a substantial amount of cognitive horsepower.” He…
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Recently, I had the opportunity to teach a class to a group of singles in our church and the topic was anger. I asked, “What makes you angry?” Some of the answers included things, other drivers, little/older siblings, and not listening. Not listening Why does this happen and what prevents people from listening to someone…
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In my July 3rd blog post, I mentioned bosses who fail to recognize demanding work and employee achievements. In this post, I am addressing that topic in more detail. On June 3rd of this year, I had the opportunity to attend a Common Pursuit event hosted by Kingdom Way Ministries in Loveland, Colorado. The speaker…
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Last week’s blog asked if you would enter a toxic atmosphere unprotected. I compared a choking cloud of chlorine gas to a noxious work environment and the impact on mental and physical health. Required signs The photo shows a restricted area at an industrial waste site warning people of the dangers behind the fence. Laws…
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The two firefighters in the picture above are participating in a drill simulating a leak in a one-ton chlorine container. We used white theatrical smoke for the exercise, but a real chlorine leak produces a yellowish green, pungent, choking cloud. Choking cloud of chlorine Chlorine is immediately dangerous to life and health at 10 parts…
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Last week’s blog was the conclusion of a seven-part series titled Dual Footprints, Becoming a World Class Mentor. In that series, I covered six areas of commitment: If you missed any of the blogs, I encourage you to go back and read them. Look at the following questions and take the time to answer them:…
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Accountability The final commitment to becoming a world class mentor is accountability, which is defined as, “an obligation or willingness to accept responsibility or to account for one’s actions.”1 This stems from the inner character of the individual and their integrity. People with integrity demonstrate responsibility, they are accountable for their actions, and they are…
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Mentoring and Commitment At this point in the series on mentoring, it would be well to review the definition of commitment, which is “a pledge or promise; obligation.”1 Common sense dictates that a person who desires mentoring would be committed to the process, but that is not always the case. The mentee may faithfully commit…
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Mentoring Over the past four weeks I covered the following: This week’s topic is listening. Listening is Flattery Dr. Joyce Brothers said, “Listening, not imitation, may be the sincerest form of flattery.”1 Communication involves the sender, the receiver, and the message. However, if the receiver is not listening then the message is either lost or…
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