tag:www.flintmcglaughlin.com,2007-08-29://1 2010-09-08T14:53:33Z Movable Type Publishing Platform 4.0 tag:www.flintmcglaughlin.com,2010://1.392 2010-09-08T14:49:27Z 2010-09-08T14:53:33Z

Observations/Reflections: On the Condition of Peaceful Urgency Status: Dictated but Not Reviewed Published: 01/13/2010 Written: 03/22/2010 Dictated By: Flint McGlaughlin Elsewhere, I have written about the need to infuse an organization with a healthy spirit of urgency. While one must...

David Jose Observations/Reflections: On the Condition of Peaceful Urgency Status: Dictated but Not Reviewed Published: 01/13/2010 Written: 03/22/2010 Dictated By: Flint McGlaughlin Elsewhere, I have written about the need to infuse an organization with a healthy spirit of urgency. While one must avoid frantic activity, one must also avoid a passive mindset. As I continue to explore the need to infuse urgency throughout my organization, I realize that there is a balanced condition that might be typified with this term: a peaceful urgency. At first, this might seem like an oxymoron. If not, at least a semantic contradiction. But I think there is a way to sense the need for aggressive, productive activity, while maintaining a spirit of haste. One might rapidly, urgently prepare for a coming hurricane, and still maintain a sense of peace. This peaceful urgency can foster that unique combination of clear thinking and rapid execution. tag:www.flintmcglaughlin.com,2010://1.391 2010-08-20T15:17:47Z 2010-08-20T15:20:21Z

Observations/Reflections: On Leadership and Failure Status: Dictated but Not Reviewed Published: 08/20/2010 Written: 03/22/2010 Dictated By: Flint McGlaughlin One of the key roles of the leader is to model failure. If the leader models failure properly, he leads the way...

David Jose Observations/Reflections: On Leadership and Failure Status: Dictated but Not Reviewed Published: 08/20/2010 Written: 03/22/2010 Dictated By: Flint McGlaughlin One of the key roles of the leader is to model failure. If the leader models failure properly, he leads the way for his own people to fail successfully. The leader who models failure can demonstrate how one can admit their mistake, and incorporate them into the larger cycle of a success. It is important that the leader does not maintain the illusion that he always succeeds. No one always succeeds. He must make it possible for his team to fail in a way that delivers a positive outcome. tag:www.flintmcglaughlin.com,2010://1.390 2010-08-19T15:32:57Z 2010-08-19T15:36:53Z

Observations/Reflections: On John Bunyan's Fear as a Young Person Status: Dictated but Not Reviewed Published: 08/19/2010 Written: 01/12/2010 Dictated By: Flint McGlaughlin I think it's fascinating that Bunyan, in his spiritual autobiography, details the perceived depravity of his childhood, but...

David Jose Observations/Reflections: On John Bunyan's Fear as a Young Person Status: Dictated but Not Reviewed Published: 08/19/2010 Written: 01/12/2010 Dictated By: Flint McGlaughlin I think it's fascinating that Bunyan, in his spiritual autobiography, details the perceived depravity of his childhood, but also inadvertently, points out the difference, perhaps between him and his peers. Even as a child he was vexed deeply by his sin. Moreover, he was so troubled by the possibilities of hell, that at times he had a peculiar wish. He wished he'd been born a "devil" rather than human. In his young mind, he thought of the "devils" as tormenters and of humans as the tormented. I find it fascinating that he was highly sensitized to his sin condition. I perceive the same about Augustine, though he often downplays it in his work. tag:www.flintmcglaughlin.com,2010://1.389 2010-08-17T14:01:51Z 2010-08-17T14:05:10Z

Observations/Reflections: On Capacity and the Organization Status: Dictated but Not Reviewed Published: 08/17/2010 Written: 02/06/2006 Dictated By: Flint McGlaughlin As the leadership model in my life unfolds, I understand more pointedly why I focus on capacity. I typically view an...

David Jose Observations/Reflections: On Capacity and the Organization Status: Dictated but Not Reviewed Published: 08/17/2010 Written: 02/06/2006 Dictated By: Flint McGlaughlin As the leadership model in my life unfolds, I understand more pointedly why I focus on capacity. I typically view an organization in three parts: health, capacity, and production. An organization must increase its health, its capacity, and its production or output. An organization that concentrates exclusively on output will soon have issues with its health (and could well outstrip its capacity). An organization that focuses solely on capacity will also have health issues and thus anemic productivity (it can become too self-focused). I could go on with the implications, but the point is only this: time and time again when I am not sure as to where God is leading, I focus on capacity. At best I am just a middle manager in the Kingdom. I really can't move forward until I get the "memo". I need a directive. In the absence of a directive, I focus on capacity. This ensures that I am ready, very ready for production. tag:www.flintmcglaughlin.com,2010://1.388 2010-08-13T13:54:36Z 2010-08-13T13:57:27Z

Observations/Reflections: On Running a Company under the Current Economic Conditions Status: Dictated but Not Reviewed Published: 08/13/10 Written: 02/15/2010 Dictated By: Flint McGlaughlin As I contemplate the future of the economy I am wondering how to position our organization within...

David Jose Observations/Reflections: On Running a Company under the Current Economic Conditions Status: Dictated but Not Reviewed Published: 08/13/10 Written: 02/15/2010 Dictated By: Flint McGlaughlin As I contemplate the future of the economy I am wondering how to position our organization within this unfolding crisis (a phrase I am deliberating using amidst the claims that 'the worse is over'). Moreover, I am concerned about our state of mind. These are some observations which must be later crafted into a tighter message: 1. Business conditions as we knew them have changed (forever). Let's stop waiting for a recovery, and let's plan expansion amidst this reality. 2. Point one necessitates organizations to operate under a different set of assumptions regarding their sales pipeline (its cycles and ratios). 3. Points one and two require organization to operate from a more secure financial position. Indeed, more than ever, we need to function with less debt, stronger reserves, and less cost. A key word is 'thrift'. tag:www.flintmcglaughlin.com,2010://1.387 2010-08-06T14:23:53Z 2010-08-06T14:27:59Z

Observations/Reflections: On the Writing Strategies of Anthony Trollope Status: Dictated but Not Reviewed Published: 08/06/10 Written: 02/15/2010 Dictated By: Flint McGlaughlin Many have written about Anthony Trollope's work production. He began his workday at 5:30am. He thought that in three...

David Jose Observations/Reflections: On the Writing Strategies of Anthony Trollope Status: Dictated but Not Reviewed Published: 08/06/10 Written: 02/15/2010 Dictated By: Flint McGlaughlin Many have written about Anthony Trollope's work production. He began his workday at 5:30am. He thought that in three hours, a man can do all the writing that he should do in a full day. Trollope tried to write 250 words every fifteen minutes. In this way, he produced at least three volumes a year. He wrote 67 books, most of them three volume novels. In actuality, he wrote approximately 150 books. Reflecting on Trollope's biography, I have retrieved several key points. He brings to me a new respect for the development of character. 1) He was not, by his own critique, very concerned with plot. He focused his attention on character. I would rather focus on both. 2) He maintained his prodigious output, while working full time at the post office. This is evidence that I can continue generating content while performing my other duties. 3) He seemed to write with that stark honesty which often marks the best authors. His personal critique seems unflinching. I can learn from this. It reminds me of my earlier observation on the importance of self-honesty. 4) He approached the whole task of writing almost as if he was a blue-collar tradesman. He wrote for the money. He did so unapologetically. And while I do not write for the money, I respect his internal clarity. 5) (Most of all instructive for me) He preserved his morning sessions with an almost unflinching, even sacred respect. He held himself to the timetable consistently. He logged his words, and started at the same time each morning. Trollope had a groomsman who brought him tea at 5:30am each morning. This was a device that kept him up and on schedule. Such devices have proven to be useful for me also. All in all, I find Trollope's perspective to be encouraging. I think his work demonstrates both the strengths and weaknesses of his fast writing pace. I think there is a better strategy. I think there are some kinds of writing which can be done rapidly, and other kinds of writing in which one should take more deliberate time. I think there is a way to combine the emphasis so that maximum productivity is achieved. tag:www.flintmcglaughlin.com,2010://1.386 2010-08-04T14:23:01Z 2010-08-04T14:28:38Z

Observations/Reflections: On the Decline of the Well Written Letter Status: Dictated but Not Reviewed Published: 08/04/10 Written: 02/04/2010 Dictated By: Flint McGlaughlin It occurs to me that letter writing, which achieved rare form in recent centuries, has been on a...

David Jose Observations/Reflections: On the Decline of the Well Written Letter Status: Dictated but Not Reviewed Published: 08/04/10 Written: 02/04/2010 Dictated By: Flint McGlaughlin It occurs to me that letter writing, which achieved rare form in recent centuries, has been on a steady decline. The advent of technology has increased our output, but not our quality. It has also schooled us in shorter forms of communication. As I reflect over my life, it seems that some of the most compelling moments occurred as I read a thoughtful letter. I think that I could use the power of the letter far more effectively in my own work. I want to reflect on this more. I'm busy writing books, busy sending emails, and event texts. In the process, I wonder if I've lost appreciation for the power of a well written, well timed, letter. tag:www.flintmcglaughlin.com,2010://1.385 2010-08-03T18:42:09Z 2010-08-03T18:45:24Z

Observations/Reflections: On the True Measure of a Writer Status: Dictated but Not Reviewed Published: 08/03/10 Written: 04/09/2010 Dictated By: Flint McGlaughlin I wonder how one should judge a writer? When one has written as many books as Trollope there is...

David Jose Observations/Reflections: On the True Measure of a Writer Status: Dictated but Not Reviewed Published: 08/03/10 Written: 04/09/2010 Dictated By: Flint McGlaughlin I wonder how one should judge a writer? When one has written as many books as Trollope there is no doubt (as trollop conceives himself) a wide variance in the quality of the work. But do you judge a writer by a) his best work, b) his worst work, or c) the overall body of work? I think the best answer is a). If a writer is more concerned of being thought of as a great writer than he is about producing a work that truly serves the reader, he may turn out consistently good projects. But in playing it safe, he may fail to achieve the ultimate with his ability. I suspect that the great writer is the one who puts the work first. The great writer is the one who puts the work above his reputation. This writer may start writing while young, and his work may mature over time. This writer might take risk and thus produce inferior work. But this writer, who will spend himself for the hope of creating something truly helpful, for the hope of doing his ultimate best, is the writer I respect. Ultimately, the writer must determine whether or not he is writing for the sake of the audience or writing for the sake of his name (Backwards: Whether he is writing for his reputation or for the sake of the audience). tag:www.flintmcglaughlin.com,2010://1.384 2010-07-19T20:45:04Z 2010-07-22T19:51:57Z

Observations/Reflections: On Whiteheadian Thought as a Basis for a Philosophy of Religion Status: Dictated but Not Reviewed Published: 07/19/10 Written: 09/04/2008 Dictated By: Flint McGlaughlin Bibliography: Whiteheadian Thought as a Basis for a Philosophy of Religion by Forest Wood, Jr....

David Jose 3 Worship is a consciously unitary response to life. And God, the object of worship, is ". . . the wholeness of the world, correlative to the wholeness of every sound individual dealing with the world."4 The term "individual" in his comment applies not only to people but to any entity whatsoever: "Any sentient individual in any world experiences and acts as one. . ."5 These ideas of Hartshorne's do not stand in isolation; rather they are part of a Whiteheadian world-view in which each individual entity is an integration of parts into a whole. Whitehead's principle is "The many become one, and are increased by one." (Process and Reality, Corrected Edition, ed. Griffin & Sherburne, New York: The Free Press, 1978, 21) Hartshorne makes another major contribution to our understanding of worshiping and serving God. The insight is a surprising one. Hartshorne argues that people (and other things) contribute ". . . value to God which he would otherwise lack."6 God is a real recipient of our actions. This notion is consistent with the Whiteheadian metaphysic that each entity contributes value to other entities. Each entity in the universe (including God) is internally related to other entities. That people (and other things) contribute value to God gives real meaning to the lives of people and the events of the world. ]]> tag:www.flintmcglaughlin.com,2010://1.383 2010-07-16T15:10:39Z 2010-07-16T15:15:25Z

Observations/Reflections: On Grace and My Understanding of Reality Status: Dictated but Not Reviewed Published: 07/16/10 Written: 03/28/2009 Dictated By: Flint McGlaughlin The longer I live, the more I depend upon grace in order to continue. The word grace, for me,...

David Jose Observations/Reflections: On Grace and My Understanding of Reality Status: Dictated but Not Reviewed Published: 07/16/10 Written: 03/28/2009 Dictated By: Flint McGlaughlin The longer I live, the more I depend upon grace in order to continue. The word grace, for me, has become a philosophical/theological concept that powers my understanding of reality. Once one recognizes their vulnerable condition that they are incipient, the hope embedded within the concept of grace become preeminent. On a macro level, this is what gives me the ultimate confidence in divine revelation. I have no confidence in myself, or my understanding to discern it. I do have hope that a good God will communicate to me in such a way as I'll be able to understand. I have hope that my hope, and that all that I suppose is drenched in grace. If I am wrong, then grace can make a way for me. I think that depth in theology and philosophy leads to a state of utter poverty. Grace becomes all that one has left. It powers hope, but it also positions hope within a benign infinite loop. At the least, I may hope for hope. I cannot find; I am lost, but I may yet be found. tag:www.flintmcglaughlin.com,2010://1.382 2010-07-15T19:18:23Z 2010-07-15T19:20:19Z

Observations/Reflections: On Theology as Wishful Thinking Status: Dictated but Not Reviewed Published: 07/15/10 Written: 04/25/2009 Dictated By: Flint McGlaughlin I am doing theology in the face of suffering. I think every theologian should spend some time in a children's hospital,...

David Jose Observations/Reflections: On Theology as Wishful Thinking Status: Dictated but Not Reviewed Published: 07/15/10 Written: 04/25/2009 Dictated By: Flint McGlaughlin I am doing theology in the face of suffering. I think every theologian should spend some time in a children's hospital, or someplace where we can see the combination of innocence and horrific suffering. Theology in the abstract is not theology. It must be grounded in the realities of existence. Until theology can speak to and from such reality, it is not theology. It is mental exercise. It is wishful thinking. It is a placebo. tag:www.flintmcglaughlin.com,2010://1.381 2010-07-14T14:39:17Z 2010-07-14T14:45:41Z

Observations/Reflections: On The Apprehension Process in the Definition of Theology Status: Dictated but Not Reviewed Published: 07/14/10 Written: 04/27/2009 Dictated By: Flint McGlaughlin At some point one must lift up their head and seek "the answers". This seeking is the...

David Jose Observations/Reflections: On The Apprehension Process in the Definition of Theology Status: Dictated but Not Reviewed Published: 07/14/10 Written: 04/27/2009 Dictated By: Flint McGlaughlin At some point one must lift up their head and seek "the answers". This seeking is the apprehension process described in my definition of theology (see earlier writings). Whenever one begins is connected to wherever one begins. One begins within some context. And whether one is an atheist or an Anglican, ultimate questions must be asked. I think that this eventually calls for a decision, and this decision requires a certain virtue package, which I will call a "humble integrity". It is a humble integrity because it requires one to first of all, acknowledge their uncertainty while professing their absolute faith. It requires integrity because one must be consistent with their faith claim. Integrity without humility can become a strident dogmatism. Humility without integrity can become an unfruitful skepticism. tag:www.flintmcglaughlin.com,2010://1.380 2010-07-02T15:42:13Z 2010-07-02T16:08:48Z

Observations/Reflections: On On Drucker and the Job of the Manager Status: Dictated but Not Reviewed Published: 07/02/10 Written: 07/13/2009 Dictated By: Flint McGlaughlin Bibliography: Managing for Results: Economic tasks and risk-taking decisions New York, NY: Harper & Row, 1964 Peter...

David Jose Observations/Reflections: On On Drucker and the Job of the Manager Status: Dictated but Not Reviewed Published: 07/02/10 Written: 07/13/2009 Dictated By: Flint McGlaughlin Bibliography: Managing for Results: Economic tasks and risk-taking decisions New York, NY: Harper & Row, 1964 Peter Drucker divides the job of the manager into five basic tasks: 1) He sets objectives. The manager sets goals for the group, and decides what work needs to be done to meet those goals. 2) He organizes. The manager divides the work into manageable activities, and selects people to accomplish the tasks that need to be done. 3) He motivates and communicates. The manager creates a team out of his people, through decisions on pay, placement, promotion, and through his communications with the team. Drucker also referred to this as the "integrating" function of the manager. 4) He measures. The manager establishes appropriate targets and yardsticks, and analyzes, appraises and interprets performance. 5) He develops people. With the rise of the knowledge worker, this task has taken on added importance. In a knowledge economy, people are the company's most important asset, and it is up to the manager to develop that asset. While other management experts may use different words and focus on different aspects of these responsibilities, Mr. Drucker's basic description of the manager's job still holds. tag:www.flintmcglaughlin.com,2010://1.379 2010-07-01T16:46:41Z 2010-07-01T16:51:54Z

Observations/Reflections: On Theology as a Subjective Experience in its Written Form Status: Dictated but Not Reviewed Published: 07/01/10 Written: 04/25/2009 Dictated By: Flint McGlaughlin In order to complete my book on theolgoy, I may have to model the theological method....

David Jose Observations/Reflections: On Theology as a Subjective Experience in its Written Form Status: Dictated but Not Reviewed Published: 07/01/10 Written: 04/25/2009 Dictated By: Flint McGlaughlin In order to complete my book on theolgoy, I may have to model the theological method. This is a method which does not so much engage argument, but rather embraces the subjective experience of apprehending the ultimate. It may engage such a radical method that my theological colleagues cannot accept it. I will likely argue against argument, a contradiction in itself. But my argument will not take the form of a classic argument, but rather a subjective demonstration. It seems to me like the entire notion of doing theology needs a corrective. I will emphasize the article "a" theology, because I am not suggesting this is the only way. How can I? tag:www.flintmcglaughlin.com,2010://1.378 2010-06-29T13:42:17Z 2010-06-29T13:46:46Z

Observations/Reflections: On Gerald Manly Hopkins and his Narrative Pros Status: Dictated but Not Reviewed Published: 06/29/10 Written: 04/27/2009 Dictated By: Flint McGlaughlin I have been studying Hopkins in depth. As I reflect on the way he uses in meter and...

Flint McGlaughlin Observations/Reflections: On Gerald Manly Hopkins and his Narrative Pros Status: Dictated but Not Reviewed Published: 06/29/10 Written: 04/27/2009 Dictated By: Flint McGlaughlin I have been studying Hopkins in depth. As I reflect on the way he uses in meter and sound, it occurs to me, yet again, that my endless project to enfold narrative with poetic rhythms and structures is still possible. There is a way to bring rhythm and rhyme in to this structure of pros. It must be subtle enough to avoid surface detection, but powerful enough to evoke the sub-layers of pathos. Hopkins' experimentation with sound and meter encourages me.