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Posts Tagged ‘spirituality’

7 Things the Church Can Learn from Luxury Hotels

16 Jul

Earlier this week I attended a David Allen seminar called “Making it all Work” and was blown away by the seminar.  David is as dynamic in person as he is online and really made it a point to relate to the audience.  He ate lunch with folks, he autographed books and took photos whenever people asked.  Very real and down to earth.  Strangely though, it wasn’t only David Allen who shined on this particular day.

It was the hotel.

The seminar was hosted by a luxury hotel in Boston.  On the outside it may have seemed like any other big-city venue for a conference but I found the little touches to be impressive.  The church can learn from these small details, such as:

  1. Upon arrival, restrooms were clearly marked. After five hours in the car, a helpful detail.
  2. Signage was clear and bright.  They used big screen, plasma TV’s for conference information.  Nice touch.
  3. Staff were helpful. I needed a letter mailed and of course they took care of it for me.
  4. Security was abundant. Two to three staffers were there for us at all times.  We felt comfortable leaving laptops and personals in the room if we needed a break.
  5. Food was stellar. We’re talking about expensive bottled drinks, just-baked cookies and shining silverware.  Don’t think it matters?  Reconsider the next time your restaurant provides spotted glasses.
  6. Technology was accessible. For a WEP key, I simply asked the concierge who of course obliged.  I needed to check Google Calendar so this was essential for the end of the day.
  7. Comfort was omnipresent. There were small seating areas around every corner and when traveling, these details make a big difference.
Imagine if your church listed these same details as part of its environment and overall experience.  Would you be able to make a seven point list similar to this one?  There are resources out there for evaluating a “church experience” which may be helpful.  The key is this: attention to detail and responsiveness to guests.
Takeaway: What can your church do to be more oriented to customer service?
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Posted in Faith, GTD, spirituality

 

Inside My Strategy to Expand the Spirituality of Work

10 Jul

A few years ago I was talking with friend Christopher West (of theology of the body fame) about where I was at in ministry and in life.  He had been drawn to Pope John Paul II’s framework for sexuality and was working on another book.  His advice was simple, “Find your thing and then do it really well.”

The conversation haunted me until this past year, when I shifted the focus of The Daily Saint from productivity to the spirituality of work.  I was very hesitant because I knew that the niche for productivity was vast but the spirituality of work… not quite so popular.  Quite simply, there are only a handful of folks who have made a point of spiritualizing work.

This bothered me and after much prayer and discussion with my wife, I left thousands of RSS subscriptions behind and started from scratch.  I’ve never regretted it because I feel drawn to this and see the need.  Every year when I attend Mass on Labor Day weekend and don’t hear the priest talk about work as sacred, it only motivates me more.  So what’s my strategy?

  1. Shift blog post focuses. While I am passionate about productivity (and yes, we still discuss it), I’ve tailored my articles to more overtly spiritual themes.  So far, the response has been very positive.
  2. Add a “tips” section to the blog. You should check it out!
  3. Expand “examples” section of the blog.  Now you’ll read about realtors, bloggers and venture capitalists who are living their faith every day.
  4. Network with others in the field. No one has done more for the spirituality of work than Margaret Benefiel.  With her inspiration and an outstretched arm to others with similar interest, a grassroots network is now emerging.  Care to join?  Email me at mike@thedailysaint.com.
  5. Use Twitter as a tool for evangelism. Why not follow me today?   @thedailysaint
  6. Provide workshops on the spirituality of work. I’ll be at the Diocese of Metuchen in November and talking about productivity as a spiritual task.

So what’s the goal of all of this?  To help more people engage in their work as a spiritual task.  After all, that’s how people change the world.  One to-do list at a time.

If you enjoy The Daily Saint, consider subscribing via RSS or email.  You may also want to join the conversation via Twitter: @thedailysaint

*photo by ElFrijole

 
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Posted in At Work, Blogging, spirituality

 

Should You Take a Workplace Pledge?

12 Jun

A friend who is a priest just became a pastor.  A first step, even before meeting his new community included an oath of loyalty to the religious community to which he belongs.  I’m now reading about the 50% of Harvard Business Graduates who just signed an oath of ethical behavior.  There’s just something about oath-swearing that speaks to a deeper reality about work.

Work involves the whole person, period.  The next time your spouse has a bad day and brings it home for the whole family to “share”, just be reminded that work is an action of the spirit as much as it is a way to pay the bills.

If your workplace offered an oath for ethics, would you be willing to commit?

 
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Posted in At Work, Leadership, Motivation

 

Sunday Night Reflections from Pentecost Sunday

01 Jun

My parish is unlike any other and the people of St. Vincent’s have taught me a lot about the spirituality of work.  Here are some reflections based on today’s Mass:

  • Fr. Pat, “Today is a great day to be the church!”  Well said from someone who has led the parish for almost twenty years.
  • Text messaging is not cool in church.  Tell the lady in front of me, please.  I think her name is Denise based on her messages.
  • Support your pastor, after all, he’s got a lonely job.  Shake his hand.  Tell him he’s cool.  He needs your support.
  • Being late for an 11:30AM Mass is not cool.  Just ask me and my family.  Guilty as charged.
  • Look around- lots of holy, hurting and happy people trying to draw closer to Christ.  St. Augustine said that the Church is supposed to be full of sinners.
  • Mass on a nice day is almost always more enjoyable.  Now if we could just figure out how to program that piece of things.
  • Homilies are complicated so try to take just one thing away from them.  What’s your takeaway from today?
  • Joy- that’s the key point that I took away from Fr. Pat’s message.  People who say they’re Christian should be visibly joyful people.

Have a great week.  Make it great for someone else. Make it a workweek that is truly spiritual.

 
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Posted in At Work, Faith, Leadership, Ministry

 

Kicking Off Summer in Style

26 May

In our small town here in New Jersey, Memorial Day weekend is done up with style.  From the decorations around town to the Memorial Day parade (which starts late and then lasts about 20 minutes) to the opening of the town lake, the last weekend in May is always festive.

After the parade, my family decided to go to the local beach.  The town ships in sand for this “lake”, a small pond that is flanked by a playground, cooking pavilion and automobile parking.  The recreation commission opens the lake every Memorial Day weekend for anyone and everyone to visit.  Best of all, it’s free.

Not only is the lake free for touring during Memorial Day but they provide free hot dogs and drinks.  As we were there for a couple of hours and I switched between wading in the murky lake (need to work on the algae- note to self) and the ever-popular tire swing, I counted about 200 people enjoying the sand and sun.  You do the math- 200 people and free hot dogs.  That doesn’t even take into account the other folks who went to the lake before we got there.

On my way home, I thought about this some more.  Maybe it was because my son ate three hot dogs all by himself or maybe it was because it was such a great day.  On the other hand, I realized that a conscious choice had been made by the recreation commission to provide for such a day.  They didn’t have to give families a free day in the sun.  They didn’t have to provide free food for hundreds of folks.  All of this during a recession, mind you.

THE SPIRITUAL DIMENSION

I’d say that the Memorial Day festivities and the decisions of the recreation commission were entirely spiritual.  They considered something besides the bottom line so that families could spend time together.  They saw the value in recreation and fun.  Thanks to all who serve behind the scenes to make our town’s lake a place for families to enjoy.

*Photo by IAMCharlie

 
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Posted in Family, Simplicity, Work/Life Balance

 

Mini Review of The Soul of a Leader by Margaret Benefiel

20 May

If you’re new to The Daily Saint, then I refer you to my own sense of call.  I’m passionate about doing work better, smarter and with greater passion.  I do this by integrating my own faith with my daily schedule.  Simple as that.

Unfortunately, there are few others who have made this niche their own.  That is of course until you’ve stumbled onto the work of Margaret Benefiel.

Benefiel’s first book, Soul at Work: Spiritual Leadership In Organizations, was an insightful look at the qualities that make organizations about more than just the bottom line.  In the follow up, The Soul of a Leader: Finding Your Path to Success and Fulfillment, (Crossroad Publishing, 2008) Benefiel captures a similar spirit but hones in on the role of the persons who move the organization forward.

The author’s point is crucial before one can even look at the mechanics, for lack of a better word, of soulful leadership.  “The past decade has witnessed scandal after scandal: in business, in nonprofits, in religious institutions.  This world of scandals desperately needs leaders with soul.”  To the degree that a leader can activate the spiritual component of his/her leadership, the results will be dramatically positive.

Benefiel articulates several key leanings for the soulful leader to be attentive to, including Following the Heart, Finding Partners, Daring to Dream, and Keeping Mission at the Fore.  I found her final chapter, “Finding Spiritual Guidance” to be particularly on target as she deals with the ancient benefit of spiritual direction.

I think that one of the most enduring themes of the book is the primacy of keeping work human in whatever organization one finds himself.  When we just see our labor as a means to an end, we can lose sight of those with whom we serve.   As Benefiel states, “Every human being feels overworked and underappreciated at times.  Likewise, everyone, in the press of busyness and stress, forgets to thank those whose work makes theirs possible.”

I recommend that you pick up a copy of Margaret Benefiel’s newest book and while you’re at it, check out the many helpful articles available on her website.  Here’s to soulful leadership in your life as well…

 
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Posted in At Work, Faith, Leadership, Ministry, Simplicity, Work/Life Balance

 

The Zen of List Keeping

18 May

I’ve been a list keeper for as long as I can remember.  It began as a basic means of keeping things in placeholders in my old Palm PDA.  The simple memo feature was perfect for keeping track of my blood pressure, bike race statistics or talks that I had given and didn’t want to repeat to the same audience.

That was then.  This is now- let’s just say my list keeping has recently gone into overdrive.  And I’m loving it.

What’s brought on the recent maturation of my list keeping?  Simply put- GTD.  David Allen’s Getting Things Done methodology has been very important to my productivity ever since the book came out.  I can remember stopping on my way home from work to sit and read a chapter and it was hard to put down.

Well it’s been nearly eight years since then and I feel like I’m learning GTD all over again.  Thanks to the GTD Live audio set, I’ve spent the past few weeks retooling and recalibrating my systems.  Ultimately, I’ve tried to keep the following in mind:

A CLEAR MIND IS A PEACEFUL MIND

This won’t make sense until you try, consistently, to get thoughts out of your head and into a trusted system.  Whether you put it on paper or use a digital device, just do it.  I use a hybridized system that looks like this:

  • iPhone for capturing photographs (currently using Evernote) and context-specific ideas (currently using Toodledo)
  • Pocket notebook (currently using one from Staples, very inexpensive) for on-the-fly to-do’s and various other ground level ideas. It’s lightweight and super fast.

SYNC THE iPHONE WITH AN ONLINE APP

This is a must for me as I didn’t want to lose any of the items in my lists.  If I’m trusting a system, a backup plan is crucial.  That’s why I dumped Things for the iPhone and have made nice with Toodledo.  This is a solid app that allows for quick syncing with the click of a button.

THE RESULTS

I’ve seen a marked improvement in my ability to draft new articles and blog posts.  I’ve seen my downtime become more enjoyable and as for my prayer life, I’m recapturing lost ground.  I find that I can focus more in my a.m. quiet time due to the fact that fewer distractions pop in.  Why?  Because I’ve got so much stuff in my lists.

Later in the week, I’ll provide a glimpse inside my lists, including the contexts that keep me organized.

FOR FOLLOW UP: RECOMMENDED READS

*Photo by thatcanadiangirl

 
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Posted in At Work, GTD, Productivity, Simplicity

 

Why All That Productivity Stuff Still Matters

04 May

Ok, so The Daily Saint has put one foot outside of the productivity world and we’re now focusing on faith at work.  As a blogger, this is an interesting endeavor.  There are all sorts of questions that I’ve asked myself.  Focus more on my own Roman Catholic tradition?  Teach people how to pray more often?  Add more Scripture quotes to add some spice to weekly posts?

And one lingering question that I just can’t get away from is this: does the productivity stuff matter at all? Is there more than gadgets and online apps?  Do sites like 43 Folders make any difference in my life outside of work?  The answer is a resounding YES.  But the reason might surprise you.

Origins

I first got into the productivity scene as something of a hacker.  As an educator, I prided myself on the gadgets and gear that often accompany folks who get things done.  Since few teachers are also interested in productivity, I also stood out from the crowd.  I once piloted a Palm Pilot (no pun intended) project by which students would beam me their assignments.  Very fun, especially considering they were 7th graders and it was 10 years ago.

As The Daily Saint blog then took off, I decided to get more serious, focusing on work-related issues and time management basics.  I plumbed David Allen’s GTD methodology and found it surprisingly spiritual.

Discovery

What I have discovered over and over again is this: work can be as prayerful as prayer can be “workful”.  The distance between my spiritual life and my life at work is shrinking with each day.  Sure, I work in a faith-based setting so it’s a bit easier to talk the talk.  Walking is where things get difficult.

So how does all of the productivity stuff impact one’s faith?  Here are some suggested points for discussion:

1. Productivity points to a higher purpose for working. Let’s face it- you either work to live or live for working.  Or, maybe a third option is now emerging- how work can serve the rest of your life’s priorities and how those other things can flow back into work.  Here’s what I mean- my family life makes me more effective at work precisely because I have a life outside of work.  On the flip side, my work provides my family with a context for doing good.  I get to do so many amazing things at work and my family supports this ministry.  If they didn’t, I couldn’t throw myself into my work as much as I do.

2. Productive work will get you into the zone. Think of the last time that you lost track of time by engaging your work.  This could have been folding the laundry, doing some gardening or clearing out your in-box.  It doesn’t matter- work can be richly fulfilling and it often helps you to get into the zone.  And zoning is profoundly spiritual.  The next time you’re there, enjoy the ride.  I think God is there to be found in the world of to-do’s, meetings and calendar items.  If He cares about the environment, global poverty and those inflicted with disease, I’d like to think that my ordinary schedule is also fodder for his blessing and intervention.

3. Productive organizations can change the world. The Timberlands, Interface Floorings and FranklinCoveys of the world are doing amazing things and doing business differently.  FranklinCovey is closed on Sundays. Timberland is obsessive about the prevention of sweatshop labor in relation to its products.

So where are you at with your own productivity?  And how can you allow it to impact your faith-filled life?

*Photo by TXKIMMER

 
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Posted in At Work, Faith, Family, GTD, Motivation, Productivity, Work/Life Balance

 
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