Fordey just could not hang on anymore.
Began to think a name change was the best remedy. No longer capable to hang on to the tiny thin apparatus.
The one that channels the action.
The hand writing had been on the wall, the walls, for some time. Some would say an eternity. Spray painted, painted painted.
Graphitti says a lot about the state of the world. Here. There. Everywhere. The expressive language—so to speak— on the walls and under passes, the bricks that have not seen the light.
Offensive to some.
Otherworldly to others.
Art on a landscape. With brush and some paint or a can and some paint.
How is it best to win over people. Influence others? There are a myriad of ideas on how to do this, like yesterday. There are the stated prompts of anger, denial etcetera, etcetera.
Then there are those actions that go deeper.
Take the deep dive of result-oriented action.
The hard work.
The harder work.
Alongside those living with and doing even harder work.
Not a plan for the work-averse. Showing up.
If “power” is what you seek. There are humble ways to achieve a servant heart and a servant life. The powers that be are the powers that are me! You🫵🏻.
Position:
What position do you play? Position Power. Examples: A manager, a parent, an elected official, a law enforcement person, a firefighter. If you hold a belief that another human has a power over you. This is an important dive to consider taking, deep within. Gain? You can gain position power by being placed in positions of greater responsibility. (dk)
Yes. You. This can be both good and bad. As humans we tend to show our humanness before we are aware of the 😳 consequences.
Gossip doesn’t just grow on trees. It is deeply rooted in the senses of some of our most ill-minded so-called-leaders and influencers. Power has a way of dulling the senses. Like a sip around the truth of the lies we tell others and ourselves.
Gulp it down. Fast.
Let out a loud banger of a belch.
Move along.
It may not be the most lady-like or manner-filled expressive language.
Point made, lesson learned.
(Let’s finally admit it—nothing feels better sometimes than a good and hearty belch.)🤭
“Please excuse me.”
Move along.
Fordey, was deep in the throes of discovering that big events sometimes are more trouble than they may or will be worth. Changing the outside is only changing the outside. Should he have engaged with the deeper dive, he may have discovered it helps to clear out the muck.
Next up. Fordey learned about the insidious natures of the coerce. Coercive control comes in many forms. Like a small child knows, KNOWS, that the person who has the power to punish them, is the person to learn from. The difference between Position and Coercive Power?
Punishment.
The ability to take away.
Like the childhood game of monkey in the middle, the power to take away can be the ultimate aphrodisiac. To those who failed at the high dive. Ignored the deep dive.
The success of the lesson? Execution. No, not death. The “getting it done” aspect of the quest. The problem with coercive power? It has both the power to abuse and corrupt. One absolutely can gain more coercive power by following through with what you will say you will do.
But. (there is always a but.) The puppet masters often over-use this power and are left alone on the beaches and benches wondering what just happened. To themselves.
Who comes to their rescue? Peers. Senior Leaders. Those with a genuine and significant heart of hearts.
Next up. Reward Power. Invisibly hidden in the cards and crevices of all our lives. The simple word “reward” is in and of itself manipulative. The deeper dive shows us we are a slave to its meaning. Fail to follow through?Give your reward power away. the difference between a foot long and an inch. A hot dog, that is.🌭
(Please keep it clean kids😏🍩)
With reward power, if Fordey just meets the standard in life, life can become meaningless. Praise can be an empty promise of air.
Whoever we choose to or do praise, what are the specifics that cause it to spring into action? meaningful action….
For praise to be real.
We must be real.
Praise= truth, specificity, and personal. We should praise in public to reinforce good behavior to others. (dk)
The fourth type of power. By now, Fordey was sitting down. On a rock. Confused. He came from a long lineage of important persons. He knew he must demonstrate his expertise in order to stay alive. He knew he must demonstrate a level of expertise greater than what the observer possesses.(dk)
But.
How?
Today.
Anyone can google anything and make it sound to be true.
So truth is on Fordey’s side?
Sounds a bit desperate. Fordey just did not want to admit he felt as if he had lost his “oomph.”
Proficiency speaks to both our ability and our capability to read the fine print. And possible regurgitate its contents in a situation and circumstance. It may not be pretty. On the outside. But— quite free-ing on the inside.
10,000 hours.
10,000 years.
Humans, after all, are only human.
”Research shows that mastering a task takes 10,000 hours of focused effort.” (dk)
Who has time for that mundane-ness?
Not Ford-ey. The big event was coming up quickly. It had to be big. It had to be bold. it had to distract in the biggest of ways.
To hide the truth.
Advantage? Become an expert in all things you, so you do not allow others to become the expert in all things you.
Be the boss of you🫵🏻. The expert that holds all small things and large things close to the vest of your heart.
Lastly.
Do life right.
Like God intended.
People WILL want to be like you.
Which is all well and good.
CAUTION: With great power comes great responsibility.
What the heck is this kind of power?
Referent Power.
If someone asks you, “What is different about you.”
Wear it as a badge of honor.
Chin up.
Live life right.
Do life right.
Never. Mix the other powers with Referent Power. You can give your referent power away through inappropriate actions or statements. If you choose to live life outside of what God intended, you will lose the influence with others. (dk)
Strengthen your pillars of Referent Power
- Your mental mode
- Physical
- Social
- Mental/Emotional
- Family/Team
- Spiritual
- Financial
- Your values
Adversity is how we are tested.
Weak values =catastrophe.
Ford-ey was beginning to see how life had gone off the rails.
The end game? Strengthening of the pillars will give you referent power or influence to be able to serve others. This is the best way to lead by example!
Be a role model.
Be a role model for doing life right.
Integrity has first place and its strength cemented on the foundational pillars of referent power.
No more mike drop.
No more pencil drop.
No more dropping the ball.
Hands held close to the vest.
Hands folded across our hearts.
Amen.🙏🏻
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