History
Much has been said and written about Nigeria, her people and culture, economy and politics, that sheds light on the tremendous potential of this African Giant. However, little is known to the outside world about the many exciting tourist attractions available in Nigeria: Historic sites nestled amid rivers and rain forests, breathtaking mountain vistas, remote creek villages, miles of pristine beaches and exotic national wildlife reserves. There are also museums, festivals, music and dance, a rich cultural melange right down to everyday traditional markets. These are just some of the spectacular sights and sensual delights awaiting the traveler to Nigeria.
Nigeria has the largest population of any country in Africa (about 120 million), and the greatest diversity of cultures, ways of life, cities and terrain. With a total land area of 923,768 sq. km. (356,668 sq. mi.) Nigeria is the 14th largest country in Africa. Its coastline, on the Gulf of Guinea, stretches 774 km (480 mi.). Nigeria shares its international border of 4,470 km (2513 mi.) with four neighbors: Chad, Cameroon, Benin, and Niger. Until 1989 the capital was Lagos, with a population of about 2,500,000, but the government recently moved the capital to Abuja.
CLIMATE AND WEATHER
Nigeria lies entirely within the tropics yet there are wide climactic variations. In general, there are two seasons, dry and wet, throughout Nigeria. Near the coast, the seasons are less sharply defined. Temperatures of over 90°F are common in the north, but near the coast, where the humidity is higher, temperatures seldom climb above that mark. Inland, around the two great rivers, the wet season lasts from April-Oct. and the dry season from Nov.-March. Temperatures are highest from Feb-April in the south and MarchJune in the north; they're lowest in July and Aug. over most of the country.
HISTORY
Virtually all the native races of Africa are represented in Nigeria, hence the great diversity of her people and culture. It was in Nigeria that the Bantu and SemiBantu, migrating from southern and central Africa, intermingled with the Sudanese. Later, other groups such as Shuwa-Arabs, the Tuaregs, and the Fulanis, who are concentrated in the far north, entered northern Nigeria in migratory waves across the Sahara Desert. The earliest occupants of Nigeria settled in the forest belt and in the Niger Delta region.Today there are estimated to be more than 250 ethnic groups in Nigeria. While no single group enjoys an absolute numeric majority, four major groups constitute 60% of the population: Hausa-Fulani in the north, Yoruba in the west, and Igbo in the east. Other groups include: Kanuri, Binis, Ibibio, Ijaw, Itsekiri, Efik, Nupe, Tiv, and Jukun.
EMPIRES
Kanem-Borno: While there is no direct evidence to link the people of the Jos Plateau with the Nok culture, or the Eze Nri of today with Igbo Ukwu, the history of Borno dates back to the 9th Century when Arabic writers in north Africa first noted the kingdom of Kanem east of Lake Chad. Bolstered by trade with the Nile region and Trans-Saharan routes, the empire prospered. In the next centuries, complex political and social systems were developed, particularly after the Bulala invasion in the 14th Century. The empire moved from Kanem to Borno, hence the name. The empire lasted for 1,000 years (until the 19th Century) despite challenges from the HausaFulani in the west and Jukun from the south.
Hausa-Fulani: To the west of Borno around 1,000 A.D., the Hausa were building similar states around Kano, Zaria, Daura, Katsina, and Gobir. However, unlike the Kanuri, no ruler among these states ever became powerful enough to impose his will over the others. Although the Hausa had common languages, culture, and Islamic religion, they had no common king. Kano, the most powerful of these states, controlled much of the Hausa land in the 16th and 17th Centuries, but conflicts with the surrounding states ended this dominance. Because of these conflicts, the Fulanis, led by Usman Dan Fodio in 1804, successfully challenged the Hausa States and set up the Hausa-Fulani Caliphate with headquarters in Sokoto, commanding a broad area from Katsina in the far north to Ilorin, across the River Niger.
Yoruba: In the west, the Yoruba developed complex, powerful city-states. The first of these important states was Ile-Ife, which according to Yoruba mythology was the center of the universe. Ife is the site of a unique art form first uncovered in thel93Os. Naturalistic terracotta, bronze heads and other artifacts dating as far back as the 10th Century show just how early the Yoruba developed an advanced civilization. Later, other Yoruba cities challenged Ife for supremacy, and Oyo became the most powerful West African kingdom in the 16th and 17th Centuries. The armies of the Oyo king (Alafin) dominated other Yoruba cities and even forced tribute from the ruler of Dahomey. Internal power struggles and the Fulani expansion to the south caused the collapse of Oyo in the early 19th Century.
Benin: Benin developed into a major kingdom during the same period that Oyo was becoming dominant to the west. Although the people of Benin are primarily Edo, not Yoruba, they share with Ife and Oyo many of the same origins, and there is much evidence of cultural and artistic interchange between the kingdoms. The King (Oba) oE Benin was considered semi-divine and controlled a complex bureaucracy, a large army, and a diversified economy. Benin's power reached its apex in the 16th Century.
IGBO AND THE DELTA STATES Many Nigerian cultures did not develop into centralized monarchies. Of these, the Igbo are probably the most remarkable because of the size of their territory and the density of population. Igbo societies were organized in self-contained villages, or federations of village communities, with a society of elders and age-grade associations sharing various governmental functions. The same was true of the Ijaw of the Niger Delta and people of the Cross River area, where secret societies also played a prominent role in administration and governmental functions. But by the 18th Century, overseas trade had begun to encourage the emergence of centralized systems of government.
SOUTHWEST NIGERIA
ABEOKUTA means 'under the rock', derived from the Olumo Rock, the town's most famous landmark. Abeokuta, the capital of Ogun State, lies on the Ogun River amid rugged, rocky hills, offering excellent photo opportunities. Home of adire cloth, Abeokuta has an intriguing array of markets which sell a wide range of exotic goods. Olumo Rock, sacred to the Egba people, is on the east side of the Ogun river. Visitors should engage a guide from the tourist center at the bottom of the rock where one can explore the caves used as sanctuary during the Yoruba civil war. At the rock's summit, visitors can enjoy a tremendous view of Abeokuta and the Ogun River.
BENIN CITY is steeped in history. World-renowned Benin bronze scuptures date back to the 15th Century when the Oba of Benin ruled the large and powerful Edo kingdom, a period when bronze casting was an art used to glorify the Oba. In 1897, a British expeditionary force sacked Benin and hauled off many of the bronzes to London. Still, several good examples of the bronze artifacts remain in both the Benin and Lagos Museums. Today, bronze casting is still continued in several streets in the city, including Igun and Oloton streets. Another attraction in Benin is Chief Ogiamen's House, a prime example of Benin traditional architecture built before 1897. The house miraculously survived the "Great Fire" during that period which destroyed most of the city.
IBADAN was until recently the largest indigenous African city. Located along the edge of a thickly wooded forest belt, it was called Eba-Odan, meaning a town at the edge of the forest.' Today it's the capital and main commercial center of Oyo state. Places of interest include Dugbe market, a huge traditional marketplace, the Parliament Building, the University of Ibadan, Nigeria's premiere university, its Teaching Hospital and Cocoa House. Ibadan is also close to the historic towns of Oyo, Ogbomosho, Ijebu-Ode, Ife, Ilesha, and Oshogbo.
ILE-IFE, the ancient city of Ile-lfe, in Osun State, is truly unique. The Yorubas consider it to be the cradle of creation and civilization. Legend says that it was at Ife that Oduduwa, sent by Olodumare, the Yoruba creator-god, established the first land upon the waters that covered the earth, thus founding Ife. His sons spread to other parts of Yoruba to create further kingdoms. Ile-lfe became a remarkable center for arts, producing both terracotta figures and bronzes dating from the 12th to 15th Centuries, second only in fame to the Benin bronzes.
LAGOS, on Lagos Island, has been settled since the 15th Century, when Yoruba groups used it as a refuge from outside attacks. It was a trading post between the Benin Kingdom and the Portuguese until the arrival of British traders in the 19th Century, presaging the colonization of the interior. Lagos is divided into several parts, each with its distinctive character. The heart of the city is Lagos Island (Eko), containing most of Nigeria's commercial and administrative headquarters. It is linked to the mainland by three road bridges, and to Ikoyi Island and Victoria Island by road. The latter are mostly residential areas with palatial houses, expansive gardens and five star hotels in a gorgeous setting. Tourist attractions in the city include The National Museum, The National Theater and miles of beautiful beaches (see pages 26 & 27). Finally, Oba's Palace sits majestically on Lagos Island, portions of which are over 200 years old with a newly contructed extension.
ONDO area has many fascinating tourist attractions including the Ikogosi Warm Spring, Idanre Hills, Ipolo-Iloro Water Falls, Ebomi Lake and the Museum at Owo. The most popular are Ikogosi Warm Spring and the Idanre Hills. The Ikogosi Warm Spring, located in a valley in Ikogosi Town, northeast of Akure, is ideal for camping or picnics. The Idanre Hills, with curious dome-shaped peaks, are located in Idanre, southwest of Akure. The hills have a socio-religious significance, having protected inhabitants from invaders during inter-ethnic wars in the distant past.
SOUTHEAST NIGERIA
ANAMBRA STATE offers many exciting attractions throughout the area, including the Ogbunike caves, Agulu Lake, Igbo-Ukwu archaeological excavations and the Aguleri Game Reserve. Onitsha, located on the Eastern bank of the River Niger, is famous for its robust market and commercial activity. The traditional Ofala festivals, performed by royalty in Anambra, are rare pageants of color and fanfare. Calabar is an attractive city on the bank of the New Calabar River, near its confluence with the Cross River, which has a long history as the regional port of eastern Nigeria. Residents here trace their ancestots back to Babylon before the time of Christ.
First visited by the Portuguese at the end of the 15th Century, CALABAR is also the center from which many missionaries ventured forth in the 19th and 20th centuries, including Mary Slessor, who arrived in Calabar in 1875. Places of interest include the National Museum in the old Residency Building. The building was prefabricated, shipped from Britain and erected atop Consular Hill in 1884, later known as Government Hill. The museum itself is history, a vibrant colonial stylecitadel commanding superb views of Calabar and the Calabar River. The museum traces the history of Calabar and the surrounding areas in a spacious setting. Enugu is the center of the Nigerian coal industry, situated in attractive, hilly country with wide roads and expressways and main arteries leading north, south, east and west.Sites in Enugu include a branch of the National Museum, the Iva Valley Coal Mine Museum (where coal was first mined in 1909), and University of Nigeria faculties. It also boasts one of the best hotels in Nigeria, the Nike Lake Hotel. Oron is in the southeast corner of the Akwa-Jbom State, on the Cross River, and is worth visiting for its National Museum. The Museum, overlooking the river, encases the history of the local Ibibo people plus an important collection of wooden Ekpo memorial carvings that portray the male ancestors of the Ibibo people, believed to be two to three centuries old.
OWERRI is predominantly inhabited by the Igbo penpIe. The Igbos are renowned for their music and dancing, especially the colorful masquerades in which the dancers wear elaborate masks. Places of interest include an amusement park, the Nekede Botanical and Zoological Gardens, the Palm Beach Tourist Village at Awomama and the Oguta Lake Holiday Resort, which has recently developed into an international tourist center.
PORT HARCOURT is the capital of River State and is the center of the oil industry in Nigeria. It is called "The Garden City" because of its abundance of trees and parks. Now the second most important port in Nigeria, Port Harcourt did not exist before 1913. Nearby are the two historic ports of Bonny and Brass, formerly connected with the slave trade, but which now serve as oil ports and terminals. The town is a good base from which to explore the local creek villages and towns. The local people include Elk, Kalabari and Ibos, not to mention British, French, American and Dutch, who work in the oil fields.
Sites include the State Museum, which features many examples of local culture including masks and carvings. The Cultural Center on Bonny Street has a stage and auditorium for plays, dancing and a shop where tourists can purchase local handicrafts. The Azumint Blue River sports beautiful clear water with sandy beaches. Tourists can rent canoes for a ride down the river to stop at a beachside picnic site, outfitted with wooden chairs, tables and grills for a pleasant riverside barbecue.
UMUAHIA is home to the National War Museum where relics of the Nigerian civil war are on display, including weapons and fascinating local inventions. Other attractions include the Akwette Blue River Tourist Village and Uwana Beach. Visitors to Akwette will be impressed with its unique weaving industry.
CENTRAL NIGERIA
ABUJA, in 1976, was selected by the Federal Government to become the new seat of government; and in 1992, the first of four stages of this move to Abuja was launched with most of the senior government officials now in Abuja. Besides being the administrative seat of government, Abuja is a beautiful city surrounded by rolling hills, with ample mountaineering potential. The Gwagwa Hills, near Suleja, the Chukuku Hills, the Agwai Hills and the famous Zuma rocks are just some of the awe-inspiring manifestations of nature's beauty in the area.
BIDA is a lively town, famous for its handicrafts and colorful market, and is the principal city of the Nupe people. Bida is famous for its glass beads, cloths, silver and brass work, it's carved 8-legged stools made from a single piece of wood, and decorative pottery. Bida's market truly stands out as a traditional showcase of local commerce in Nigeria.
GURARA FALLS is on the Gurara River in Niger State, on the road between Suleja and Minna. Particularly impressive during the rainy season, the falls span 200 meters across with a sheer drop of 30 meters, which creates a dazzling rainbow effect as the water cascades over the top into a cloud of spray below.
ILORIN, an ancient city, is the southernmost point of Fulani expansion and bears characteristics of both north and south. It has often been described as the gateway between the two because of its strategic location, and as a result offers a good base for visiting the surrounding area. Tourist sites in Ilorin include the Mimi's Mosque and residence built in 1831, the first mosque in Ilorin, and the magnificent new Central Mosque, built during the reign of Zul-Gambari, the late Emir of Ilorin. Both attest to the Islamic culture of the city. Another attraction is the Dada pottery workshop in Okelele quarters, the largest pottery factory in Nigeria. Other local tourist sites in Kwara State include the Esie Museum of stone figures. Over 1,000 soap stone figures of men and women, sitting on stools or kneeling, with elaborate hairstyles and facial marks. Little is known about the figures, being products of a very old civilization. Esie museum houses the largest collection of stone figures in sub-saharan Africa.
OWU FALLS, in Kwara State is the highest and most spectacular natural waterfall in West Africa, at its best during the rainy season. The waterfall cascades 330 feet down an escarpment with rocky outcrops to a pool of ice-cold water below.
LOKOJA is an historic colonial town. Due to its location at the confluence of the two great rivers, the Niger and Benue, it became the headquarters of the Royal Niger Company in the 19th Century. The headquarters building, still standing, was prefabricated in London and shipped to Nigeria, where it was assembled without using a single nail. Also in Lokoja is the Iron of Liberty, located in the compound of the first primary school in northern Nigeria. Here, many slaves were freed at the end of the slave trade.
MAKURDI is located on the bank of River Benue, one of the two great rivers in Nigeria. For visitors to the area, there is a zoological garden in Makudi and Goven Hills, Ushango Hills and Bassa Hills, and fishing and boating on the Benue River. In Igbor there is the Ikure Wildlife Park.
OKENE is the home of the Igbira, an industrious people renowned for their farming abilities and their beautiful woven cloth. Picturesque Okene, nestled atop several rocky hills, is a fascinating place to visit. The craft of cloth weaving still continues to thrive here and the cloth remains highly-prized throughout Nigeria. For tourists in the area, Okene has a thriving market, open every other day, where there is a section dedicated to the woven cloth.
KOTON-KARFI is located west of Okene and about 20 miles north of the confluence of the rivers Niger and Benue. For anyone who enjoys fishing, Koton-Karifi is a paradise, for the multiples of the Niger tributaries are teeming with fish.
NORTHEAST NIGERIA
BAUCHI is an old Hausa town surrounded by an appealing range of rolling hills, is close to both the Yankari Game Reserve, approximately 1½ hours away to the southeast, and the site of the Geji Rock Paintings, located on the Bauchi-Jos road. In Bauchi, tourists may also visit a memorial and library dedicated to Sir Abubakari Balewa, the first Prime Minister of Nigeria, who was assassinated in 1966. The library houses many of Balewa's personal papers.
JOS has always been a popular destination for tourists due to its height above sea level (4062 feet). Jos has two golf courses, Rayfield and Plateau, plus a polo club and other sports/entertainment offerings. The National Museum in Jos is one of the best in Nigeria, especially for archaeology and pottery, where many fine examples of Nok heads and artifacts, circa 500 BC - 200 AD, are displayed. The Pottery Hall has an exceptional collection of finely crafted pottery from all over the country. On the same grounds, the Museum of Architecture contains life-size replicas of Nigerian architecture, from the walls of Kano to the Mosque at Zaria to a Tiv village. Other attractions in the area include the wildlife park, nestled amid 8 sq. km (3.09 sq. miles) of unspoiled savanna bush, where the rare pygmy hippopotamus is successfully being bred in 'hippo pool.'
Lions roam a large enclosure that simulates their natural habitat and visitors will also find elephants, red river hogs, jackals, chimpanzees, crocodiles and numuerous other animals to view. The Shere Hills can be seen to the east of Jos and offer a prime view of the city below. Assop Falls is a small waterfall (again, best seen in the rainy season) which could make a pleasant picnic spot on a drive from Jos to Abuja. RIYOM ROCK is a dramatic and photogenic pile of rocks balanced precariously on top of one another, with one resembling a clown's hat, observable from the main Jos-Gimi road. Kura Falls is a refreshing area forwalks and picnics, with scenery reminiscent of the Scottish highlands.
MAIDUGURI is a handsome, impressive town with broad streets and plentiful trees, presiding over strong traditions and a culture dating back more than 1,000 years. Maiduguri is an ideal place for seeing the Kanuri people, with their fine tribal markings, and the Shuwa women, adorned with plaited hairstyles and flowing gowns.
The BORNO REGION around Maiduguri is one of the most fascinating places in Nigeria. Along the northern borders of the state is Sahel-Savannah country, endowed with rolling sand dunes punctuated by oases in the dry season, yet covered with vegetation during the rainy season. Southern Borno is generally green savannah land, enlivened by hills and rock formations, while toward the Cameroon border, visitors will enjoy majestic mountain visages.
The BULATURA OASES are on the western side of Borno State northeast of Nguru. This is the desert in a Hollywood film set: dunes, camels and palm trees around an oasis. The severe beauty of this place offers a special treat to visitors who have yet to experience such a daunting landscape. The oases are also excellent for bird-watchers; in the dry season there are thousands of palaerartic migrants which congregate there.
YOLA, on the upper reaches of the Benue River, lies in close proximity to some of the most scenic areas of Nigeria, situated along the mountainous border with Cameroon. The Mambilla Plateau (see pages 22 & 23) is within a day's journey from Yola, as are the Shebshi mountains to the south.
The GWOZA HILLS are breathtaking. They are located southeast of Maiduguri, and southeast of the village of Gwoza Valley, along the Cameroon border.
MANDARA MOUNTAINS are also in this area, stretching from south, in the Mambilla, to Mubi in the north. The Mandaras provide some of the most spectacular scenery in all of Africa. Itis suggested that tourists in the area take at least a week to enjoy both the Nigeria and Cameroon sides of these mountains.
NORTHWEST NIGERIA
KANO CITY, the oldest major city in Sub Saharan Africa, dates back more than a thousand years. For centuries it was one of the most active commercial centers in West Africa. Today, it is Nigeria's third largest city and the largest city in the north. Centrally located, Kano City acts as a terminus for all of northern Nigeria, linked by road and communications with all other major population centers in the region. By virtue of its historic role as trading center between the Sahara, down south to Zaria, Kano remains a living, modern day relic of a rich past.
The Emir's Palace in Kano is the past incarnate with its old stone walls and entrance gate, at the heart of this ancient city, encircled by a wall that extended 17.7km in circumference, with 16 different gates. Close by, the Gidan Makama Museum offers an excellent history of Kano and of the Hausa and Fulani peoples. Kano Central Mosque is one of the largest in Nigeria and, with permission, a visitor may be allowed to ascend one of its towering minarets to gain a spectacular view of the city below.
KADUNA was previously the colonial capital of northern Nigeria. Located on the Kaduna River, the city serves as an important junction, with roads extending in five different directions. Kaduna is a major communications center and industrial base but also a thriving metropolis from which tourists can explore the surrounding countryside. Within Kaduna there is a National Museum on Ali-Akilu Road that features wood carvings, masks, Nok terracotta figures and Benin bronzes. Plans are under way to have an annual Durbar festival in Kaduna like the 1977 Durbar, festival that drew all the northern Emirs to Kaduna.
KATSINA, the northernmost city in Nigeria, sits on the edge of Sahel and borders the neighboring country of Niger, which has traded with her for centuries. Katsina, one of the old walled Hausa cities, is the capital of Katsina State. The Goborau Minaret, a most picturesque tourist attraction, is the tallest mud-brick building in Nigeria and is 250 years old. A fine view of Katsina can be gained from the top, an area that hosts the best and most elaborate Durbar festivals
BIRNIN KEBBI, a centuries old Hausa-Fulani walled city is the capital of the newly-created Kebbi State. The area is famous for traditional arts and crafts, beads, swords and glassware, and is the site of the Argungu Fishing Festival, one of the most popular tourist attractions in Nigeria. Held annually, it attracts competitors from neighboring Niger and Chad Republics, plus many visitors from all over the world. Apart from the traditional fishing competition, there are also boxing and wrestling contests.
SOKOTO, the center of Islamic activities in Nigeria, is the home of the Sultan of Sokoto, the spiritual leader of Muslims in the country. The city stretches with avenues of lush trees and wide roads, appearing like an oasis in a semi-desert area. Sokoto is another of the great trading cities of the North, with old trade routes across the Sahara to Morocco and Algeria. It is famed for its excellent leatherwork: handbags, wallets, fans and other items featuring exquiste crafting.
The Sultan's Palace is a delightful sight, with its lavish architechture and guards in their multicolored regalia. At 9:00 pm on Thursdays, visitors can watch the musicians play the Tambari for the Sultan. Usman dan Fodio, the founder of the present day Hausa-Fulani states, is buried in Sokoto. Though not a tourist site per se, it holds great historic importance.
ZARIA, one of the original seven Hausa cities founded in the 16th Century, is a vibrant, attractive city which has retained its ancient look by leaving most of the modern development and industry to nearby Kaduna. Once surrounded by some 19 km of walls, in some areas still well-preserved, Zaria has three important establishments: The Ahmadu Bello University at Samaru quarter, the first university in the north, Barewa College, the oldest high school in the north, where most of the Nigerian political and military leaders were educated, and finally the Nigeria School of Civil Aviation, the only one of its kind in West Africa.
Wednesday, 6 July 2011
Friday, 26 November 2010
What Is So Important About Vitus Ejiogu? - The Point Where Stardom Becomes A Burden
Young people have a way of reacting to life challenges. They take turns in creating more problems than they could solve. In their ways of trying to live the way they like, they sell themselves short. They see the elderly as visionless people, who have nothing good to offer. So, they fret, argue, get filled up with enthusiasm, lots of questions, with few positive, outstanding behaviours.
Youthful age is full of ups and downs. You and I passed through that stage in life, or may be you’re still there. As a young boy trying to break through some ugly situations of life, I was tempted to depart from godly values. I was lured into defiling myself by becoming involved in drugs, alcohol, pornography, sexual activities, worldly music, and other unhealthy behaviours, yet I could not get involved.
Pressure from the world around me was so severe that I had to seek counsel from my father. I discovered that some youthful excesses and recklessness may just pass for “youthful exuberance” in some quarters, but in others, they may get the person into serious trouble. Some youths do find out along the line that their youthful exuberance, for which they were proud and popular, finally ruined their future. My father told me that the older folks do not behave as most youths do because they have gotten some knowledge about life. Life is all about responsibility. When one realizes the vanity or unreasonableness of some youthful behaviour, one is wont to overlook them and forge ahead.
I was helped. I could not follow my age mates into ungodly behaviours. My father saved me. But one thing I found out is that those temptations helped in pushing me to the right wing. They were lessons that I had to learn, which latter became an encouragement to me. I got a hard “push” to begin doing positive things by myself. That same “push” that I received, activated and benefited so many people today. To encourage others is a worthy purpose. That is what one Biblical Joses did. He sold his land and gave the money to the Church to help the less fortunate. He encouraged Paul by traveling with him on missionary journeys and preached the gospel (Acts 4:36-37; 11:22-26; 13:1-4).
When people noticed his personal worth, they nicknamed him “Barnabas” meaning “Son of Encouragement”. Giving others a “push” of encouragement in their daily activities is a virtue that springs from a humble heart. Humility is a challenge. When we get discouraged bearing the same burden, resisting the same temptation, humility tells us to leave offences behind. The heart that is wounded is the heart that records offences. Offences can come as a result of pride. The position we have attained in life can rob us of our personal worth. When we start to overestimate ourselves, pride can set in. A proud man can never give anyone a “push” of encouragement.
However, it is important to note that for someone to be an encouragement to people, that person must first of all have a testimony. This comes as a result of passing through so many experiences of life, and coming out of them all, unwounded. That’s when you have a story, that’s when you have a testimony. Succeeding through the fires of life gave me a real story to tell. When you suffer in the midst of plenty and succeed at last, you’ll surely have a story. My story came as a result of maltreatment. I was denied the opportunity to live a quality life. I survived because I got to know about somebody somewhere who cares a lot about me. Today, I’ve become a celebrity, wining and dining with royalty. I am today being celebrated by those who scorned and used me in the past, thinking that I will be destroyed on the way. But I conquered, lifted up and appreciated by those who understand.
To so many people, it would be a great opportunity to return evil to evil. Others would rather blow up the roof tops in wild celebrations, to show the world that they have arrived. Not me! Thinking like that, in a world that is overloaded with so much information as ours, is suicidal. You can find out that as human knowledge is doubling every few years, the potential for learning seems endless. No one can actually claim to have arrived. This is really the place where stardom has to be a burden.
Ironically, much of what we are discovering helps us to see how little we know. Humility tells us that when we see ourselves on top, those at the bottom also have a larger control over us, and so despising them solves no problem. People despised me in those wee days, but today they look up to me for help. Do I take a pound of flesh? Well, let us note that there is always a downside to living on an information highway. You can be aware that overloaded computers can crash and our minds can lock up. While looking for useful knowledge, we can get lost in a blinding blizzard of data. A friend once told me that the same browsers we are using to solve our problems can be used to look for word-class gossip, pornography, or instructions on how to make a bomb.
Friend, the fact still remains that knowledge without wisdom is dangerous. The pursuit of knowledge without wisdom can overload our minds and drown us in confusion. As the practical side of knowledge, wisdom shows us what is important. It gives proportion to what we know, and enables us to use insight skillfully to reach a desired goal. Without it, we get distracted from what is important, and are so inclined to be proud and self-sufficient. The solution lies in getting our minds renewed in the knowledge, wisdom and love of God’s Son, Jesus Christ. That is what Vitus Ejiogu did. That is why is so important today. You too can be important when you believe and trust in Jesus!
Saturday, 23 October 2010
Quotes Now!
In business, I’ve discovered that my purpose is to do my best to my utmost ability every day. That’s my standard. I learned early in my life that I had high standards.
Donald Trumpv
Donald Trumpv
Exorcise Blame In Your Company
Robert Bacal is a noted author, keynote speaker, and management consultant. His most recent books include Performance Management - A Briefcase Book, and The Complete Idiot's Guide To Dealing With Difficult Employees. In this article he explains why a focus on blame, as compared to a focus on performance improvement, results in problems for management and employees. Robert can be contacted via e-mail at ceo@work911.com or by phone at (204) 888-9290.
Perhaps it's just part of our natures, or the way we are brought up, but it seems that we are unable to separate the process of blaming from the process of making things better. This separation is of critical importance if we are to improve anything anywhere, but particularly applies to the workplace. While Edward Deming tells us to "drive out fear", we should also be prepared to "drive out blame" from our workplaces. Perhaps the single most important barrier to improvement is blame!
To understand the issue, we need to make some very important distinctions among terms...terms that will help us to recognize the destructiveness of the blaming process.
Blaming refers to an emotion-filled process where we assign responsibility for a past event, but also assign a negative emotions to that responsibility. The blamer is attempting to avoid responsibility by pointing to someone else, and may be experiencing fear, anger or other feelings. The receiver (or blamee) tends to experience loss of face, embarrassment, fear and anger.
The problem with the blaming process is not so much to do with responsibility (which is a good thing), but with the emotions that are attached to that responsibility. People who are experiencing anger, humiliation, Esc are not likely to focus their energy of solving or preventing a problem from occurring. Clearly, they will be oriented toward defending themselves from experiencing the negative emotions attached to blame.
Taking or assigning responsibility is a subtlety different process. First, it can apply to past, present or future events, where blame is almost exclusively focused on the past. Second, assigning responsibility does not have the excess emotional content of blaming. Responsibility language is different than blaming language. As a manager, you may assign responsibility for a task without assigning blame. And you can hold someone accountable for results without blaming, also. Sometimes the distinctions however lie in the delivery of language, even the tone of language. Take a look at the following two statements:
"If you had done your work on time, we wouldn't be in this mess".
"Your responsibility is to fulfill your work commitments on time". When your work wasn't available I had to speak to the Minister (Secretary) without the information I needed."
Even without hearing the tone we can see that the first statement sounds somehow like blame...that the mess is the employee's fault. The second is more of a factual statement, and lacks the emotional content of the first. Also, consider which of the statements above is more conducive to improving things, or preventing delays of this sort in the future. Which is a prelude for problem-solving, and which is a prelude to argument?
Problem-Solving is the third term we need to define. The hallmark of a problem-solving process is that it is focused on the present and the future. It's goal is to fix something occurring now, or prevent something from happening again. It is THE critical process for improving organizations, individual performance, and relationships. Non-blaming problem-solving lacks the negative emotions attached to blaming, and allows a more harmonious approach to the issue, since it's purpose is not to find a donkey to pin a tail on, but prevention. It is less personal and more systems-oriented.
Often the problem solving process rests on an understanding of the past, and an understanding of the causes or root causes of a particular issue. It may include:
- clarifying the problem solving goal or purpose
- collecting data to help understand past and present
- diagnosis (identifying sources of the problem)
- formulating hypotheses for explaining
- formulating a strategy for addressing the problem
- evaluating the strategy (more data collection)
Problem solving is a complicated process, and Total Quality Management leaders (Deming, Crosby, Juran) have added much to the discussion of how one goes about problem-solving. In fact, one senior manager in government commented that the TQM material is simply an extensive, efficient and more advanced method of solving problems.
What Does This Mean For Managers & Leaders?
Your work success hint!
Did you know that a high percentage of conflict at work and at home is a result of ineffective use of language? It's true. The best part is that you can learn to alter your communication and language so that what you say is perceived as more cooperative, and less confrontational. The result? Less conflict incidents, and less severe conflicts. More info...
Whether you are interested in continuous improvement, organizational health, or simply want to undertake a performance management approach more effectively, the issue of blame versus problem solving is critical. Not only can you forge better relationships with staff by focusing on problem-solving rather than blame, but you can also influence the degrees of blame that is shown by staff to other staff, political department heads, and even customers. Your position in the organization places you firmly as a model for appropriate problem-solving, and anti-blaming behavior. If you show blaming behavior. you can be sure that your self will return the favor, often blaming you in turn (often covertly--you will never know). Consider the following suggestions:
1.When problems or issues occur (e.g. lack of performance, failure to keep commitments,etc.), and you feel obligated to intervene, use a problem-solving approach. Begin the process by trying to understand (WITH the employee) the actual problem, and what lies behind it. Knowing, for example that poor performance may be a result of boredom, personal stress, lack of skills or knowledge or other larger systems issues (lack of equipment, authority, etc.) and so on allows you to work with the employee to attack the root problem, to PREVENT it from reoccurring. But one important part to note. Problem-solving does NOT mean looking for excuses for the employees behavior. (that's the blame game still). The employee is still responsible for the consequences of their actions and future actions, but the focus is on the future. Again, let's look at two dialogues:
Manager: John, you should have notified me that this work wasn't going to be ready for the meeting. We all looked stupid in front of the boss, and it's going to take us days to recover.
John: I tried to tell you but you were on vacation, and I forgot. You are very hard to get hold of, you know.
Manager: You could have called me at home.
John: I didn't want to bother you with it..since you said not to call unless it was an emergency.
Can you guess where this conversation will go? Already you see that the initial statement, rather than trying to uncover the cause of the problem, focused on the past, on what should have been done, and activated the defense of the employee. So, in fact one person is "attacking" in a subtle way while the other is defending. If this continued, and someone didn't give up, both would end up attacking. Contrast this with:
Manager: John, I was expecting to have the brief from you before my meeting. We need to figure out what happened and how to make sure that it doesn't happen again. Was I not clear on the date, or was there some other thing that popped up that caused us to miss the deadline?
John: Well, I might have misunderstood about the urgency, and when you went on vacation, I didn't want to bother you at home.
Manager: Ok, well, how does this sound. If I need something on an urgent basis I'll make sure that I tell you in future. I can also let people know when it is OK to call me at home, so it will be easier. I am also going to ask you to please keep me informed, though on projects like this so we won't be embarrassed again. Does that make sense?
John: Sure...I have a few more suggestions that might help...
If you compare the dialogues you can almost "feel" the difference. The first sounds blaming, emotional and past oriented. The second is neutral, aims to figure out where the problem lies and works to prevent reoccurrence. Of course, problem-solving dialogues don't always go this smoothly, and this example is probably over-simplified. It may be necessary to delve further into root causes than is shown above.
2. As a manager your role extends beyond your direct interactions with a single employee, but includes modelling problem-solving in everything you do, particularly at staff meetings and other gatherings. Not only do you use problem-solving but you "steer" blaming conversations back to problem-solving and back to prevention. Employees may attempt to blame one another, or blame some "shadowy they" for difficulties. Your job is to quickly turn the conversation back to "What can we do, then, in future?" Expect and insist on staff taking responsibility not just for identifying problems (often in the form of complaints), but for suggesting workable, positive and constructive solutions to those problems. When you start doing this you begin to create a "blameless culture", and a "responsible culture" that discourages empty complaints, "bitching" and personal vendettas that will put you in the middle of other people's disputes.
Closing Points
We began by discussing our "blaming society", and we need to revisit it. Moving from blaming to responsibility and problem-solving is a tough slog, because you will find that many people will not discern the differences. For some, being responsible also means to be at fault, to be culpable or to blame. Some people are sufficiently insecure or sensitive that any attempt to have them take responsibility (even for the future) will evoke a defensive and emotional response. Hence, even though YOU may make the transition, some of your staff will still see you as attempting to blame. Your response to those situations is to return to the problem, to continue to ask diagnostic questions, to develop understanding of root problems, etc, and to avoid being drawn into the "blame game" and the emotions that are associated with it. Hopefully after a period of consistent problem-solving behaviour on your part, some of those people will begin to see the difference, and to trust that you are not blaming, but "fixing".
Conflict & Cooperation In The Workplace
One topic that is of interest to most people in the workplace is conflict; how it works, how to avoid it, and how to deal with it when it occurs. It is indeed the rare organization that doesn't have to face the issue of conflict, and how to harness it so that it produces positive results rather than destruction.
In this article, we are going to look at some important elements of conflict, how it escalates over time, and suggest a few general strategies for dealing with it.
Two Types of Conflict
In the workplace (and almost any setting), you are likely to find two forms of conflict. The first is conflict about decisions, ideas, directions and actions. We will call this "substantive conflict" since it deals with disagreements about the substance of issues. The second form, "personalized conflict" is often called a personality conflict. In this form, the two parties simply "don't like each other much".Substantive Conflict
Substantive conflict can occur on just about any issue, but its moving force is that the two parties simply disagree about an issue. This can be a good thing or a bad thing. Handled correctly parties in conflict can create, for themselves and those around them, the ability to resolve an issue with something creative, something better than either party's original position. Let's look at an example.A branch manager and a staff member are in conflict over work hours. The branch manager expects all staff to work standard hours, beginning at 8:00 am so that the public will receive service startingfirst thing in the morning. The staff member wants to begin work at 9:00 am, because he has child careresponsibilities. On several occasions the staff member has arrived late, which makes it appear to the manager that the employee is being deliberately unwilling to follow the rules.
Rather than the situation deteriorating, the parties approach the situation, not as one that should be won, but with an eye on solving a problem. After discussing the situation, (and understanding each other's needs), they realize that a) almost no customers call in the early morning b) the few that do can be handled by other staff who like to be in at 8:00, and b) there are more customers calling in between 4:00 and 5:00 pm. The parties agree that it makes sense to modify work hours. The result: a happier employee and better service.
The benefits would never have occurred if this conflict hadn't occurred, or if either party played the situation as if it was a game to be one by one person or the other. (Did anybody really lose in this situation?).
Personalized Conflict
While substantive conflict, if handled correctly, can be very productive, personalized conflict is almost never a good thing. There are several reasons. First personalized conflict is fuelled primarily by emotion (usually anger, frustration) and perceptions about someone else's personality, character or motives. When conflict is personalized and extreme each party acts as if the other is suspect as a person. Second, because personalized conflict is about emotion and not issues, problem solving almost never works, because neither party is really interested in solving a problem...in fact, in extreme cases, the parties go out of their ways to create new ones, imagined or real. Third, personalized conflicts almost always get worse over time, if they cannot be converted to substantive conflict. That is because each person expects problems, looks for them, finds them, and gets angrier.Let's look at the previous example but change the way the situation was handled.
When the branch manager approached the staff member about the tardiness, he showed his irritation plainly. The staff member, already feeling under the gun, felt that the manager was being unfair, and accusatory, and became defensive. This, in turn, resulted in the manager "laying down the law", andthat was how the situation was left. After the discussion, the manager felt the employee was lazy and making excuses, while the employee felt the boss was out to get him.
Not surprisingly, the situation got worse. Even when the staff member was a few minutes late, for good reason, the boss jumped on him like a "ton of bricks". The employee, angered and frustrated, started taking longer coffee breaks and was away "sick" more frequently. The situation became increasingly polarized, with other people being sucked in, and taking sides, privately.
Oddly enough, the initial perceptions of both bossand employee became the truth. After a while the boss acted as if he was out to get the employee, and the employee acted as if he was lazy and uncaring. The original issue was all but forgotten, as the parties developed an intense dislike of each other.
Solution Strategies
Identification
When involved in a conflict situation, it is important that you are aware of whether you and the other party are dealing with a substantive conflict or a personalized one. It isn't always easy to tell them apart, and it is difficult to look honestly at oneself. Ask yourself the following questions:Do I dislike the other person or get frustrated with him/her?
Do I see the other person as untrustworthy, and undeserving of respect?
Is my emotional reaction to the conflict appropriate to it's seriousness or lack thereof?
Do I really want to "win"?
If the answer to any of these question is yes, you may be setting yourself up for a personalized conflict that nobody can win in the long term.
With respect to the other person, one good indicator of a personalized conflict situation is that the person will try to counter your substantive point on the issue with a series of DIFFERENT reasons why you are wrong. For example, let's look at the following dialogue.
Manager: We can't have you come in at 9:00 am because we need to answer the phones.
Employee: That makes sense, but I checked and we get only one or two calls between 8:00 and 9:00 but we get between ten and twenty calls in the later afternoon.
Manager: Well, maybe, but if you come in later, then soon everyone else will want to...
Note that in this case, the manager isn't really problem solving, but trying to find reasons to refuse the request, either because he doesn't "like" the other person, or for some other emotional reason we don't know about.
Move To Substantive Issues
Even in situations where both you and the other party have personalized the conflict, you can work to focus on specific issues. You have not direct control over another person, but you have control over yourself. By moving to the issues, and staying there, you will also encourage the other person to do so.It isn't easy, of course. The trick is to try to put aside your negative perceptions about the other person, and not to dwell on them. That's an internal thing. Every time you think to yourself "what an idiot"(or all the other negative things), you make it that more difficult to stay focused on problem- solving, rather than winning, or getting your own way.
Work To Prevent Personalization
It is rare that personalization occurs just on the basis of two incompatible personalities. Usually, personalization occurs because conflict on substantive issues is handled badly. That is, one or both parties behaves in non-cooperative ways.The Responsive Manager/Leader
You Can Preview our help card on Responsive Managers by clicking here.
Also, for more help and information on leadership, advice, articles, leadership tools, and leadership experts, visit The Leadership Development Resource Center. The Responsiveness Paradigm outlined elsewhere in this newsletter is applicable at a number of levels. For example, it applies to organizations in general, and the ability of the organization to respond to the needs of customers, staff and other stakeholders (eg. politicians, etc). It applies to non-supervisory staff, and their ability to respond to the needs of their managers, customers and co-workers. This month we are going to look at responsiveness as it applied to managers, leaders and/or supervisors.
Influence Of The Responsive Manager
The responsive manager tends to succeed by building bonds of respect and trust with those around him/her. Staff respond positively to responsive managers; they work more diligently, work to help the manager and the organization succeed, and will go the extra mile when necessary. That is because responsive managers act consistent with the principle that their jobs are to help their staff do their jobs. So, a basic inter-dependence emerges based on behaviours that show concern, respect and trust.Responsive managers also influence those above them in the hierarchy. Because responsive managers have the ability to read and act upon the needs of their "bosses", they are perceived as helpful and reliable, or in a simple way, very useful. This allows them to get the "ear" of people above them in the system, and further helps get things done when needed.
Contrast this with the limited influence of the UNresponsive manager. The unresponsive manager is restricted in influence because those around him/her do not respect or trust them to look out for their welfare. Influence is more limited to the use of power coming from the formal position, and fear, a motivational component that is hard to sustain over time. Unresponsive managers tend to be perceived as self-interested, or at best uninterested in the needs of those around them. They also tend to be perceived by those above them as less reliable and less useful due to their focus on empire building, organization protection, and self-interest, rather than getting done what needs to be done.
How Do They Do It?
Responsive managers apply a number of specific skills and abilities to the task (as outlined generally in The Responsiveness Paradigm article). Above all, they appear to be "withit". Withitness has a number of components. First withit managers are able to put aside their concerns to listen to (and appear to listen to) those around them. As a result, they know what is going on, and know what is both said, and said between the lines. They have the knack of appearing to know what people need even if those needs are not expressed directly.However, knowing what is going on, and identifying the needs of those around them is not sufficient. The responsive manager also acts upon that knowledge, attempting to help fulfil the needs of employees, superiors, etc. Responsive managers wield influence to solve problems for those around them, often before even being asked.
Here's an example:
I was responsible for automating an office system in a government department. As happens sometimes, the Management Information Systems people were not keen on our going our own way on the project, despite the fact that they had indicated they could not do it for us in the near future. As a result their cooperation (needed for the project) was patchy. As team leader, I faced a number of roadblocks, despite the fact that our Assistant Deputy Minister wanted to see this project come to fruition. I regularly reported back to our Director, outlining progress and roadblocks. Every time I communicated roadblocks to the Director, they were removed within a short time, despite the fact that I did not request direct action. In addition, the Director advised and counselled me on how to deal with the "systems people" so I could have maximum impact. Despite the roadblocks, the project was completed on time and was very successful, much to the chagrin of some of the systems people, who I think were hoping we would fail.
This is a simple story, but one full of meaning. In this situation the Director was able to identify the project leader's needs with respect to the project, listening carefully, and identifying actions she could take to "smooth the path". Not only was the Director able to remove obstacles and fulfil the need of the project leader, but the Director responded on a deeper level, helping to teach the Project Leader methods of becoming more effective, fulfilling yet another need. All of this was assumed to be the proper role of the Director, and was done without expressing all of the needs specifically or explicitly.
We can contrast this with the unresponsiveness of the MIS people. They lectured, they fussed, they predicted dire consequences, rather than offering consistent, responsive help. They focused not on responding to the needs of their clients, but on some other factors having to do with control, and their own needs. Eventually, their lack of responsiveness resulted in the very thing they did not want; loss of control of the project. As a result of this project their overall status in the organization suffered, simply because at both an organization and individual level they were seen as barriers, rather than useful.
Let's look at one more example.
An employee had been working for a government branch for about a year, having moved to the city as a new resident. In a casual conversation, the supervisor noted that the employee wasn't looking at his best, and asked how he was feeling. The employee explained that he hadn't been feeling well lately, and sounded very tired and overwhelmed. The supervisor determined that the staff member didn't have a local family doctor, asked if he would like the supervisor to arrange an appointment, and proceeded to do so immediately. The problem turned out to be a minor one.
In this example we see again the ideas of "withitness" and responsiveness. The supervisor was able to identify that the staff member was in need of some help, despite the fact that the staff member did not state this explicitly. Note that the supervisor didn't pressure the staff member to go to the doctor, but identified needs, checked them out, and then acted upon them. In this case, help consisted of direct, helpful action.
Conclusion
Your work success hint!
These two examples are the stuff of loyalty and commitment. They are remembered years and years after the fact, and continue to extend the influence of managers. In this sense responsiveness is a critical component of management success, because it allows managers and supervisors to get things done, for the benefit of all players.
In the limited space we have, we have attempted to give you a feel of what responsiveness means. You might want to extend your own understanding by considering some of the following questions.
1. If you are a manager or supervisor, how can you modify your own behaviours so that you become and are perceived as more responsive by a) your staff, b) your boss and c) your customers?
2. Again, if you are a manager or supervisor what is your definition of the "responsive employee"? Can you identify your "favourite employees", and consider how they are responsive to you? Our bet is you will find that your most valued employees are responsive.
3. If you are non-management, what would you need to do to be perceived as more responsive by the people around you?
Understanding The Cycle of Change, And How People React To It
Managers often make the mistake of assuming that once a change is started, that employees will see that it is going to take place, and get on side. This is rarely the case. Because change causes fear, a sense of loss of the familiar, etc., it takes some time for employees to a) understand the meaning of the change and b) commit to the change in a meaningful way. It is important to understand that people tend to go through stages in their attempts to cope with change. Understanding that there are normal progressions helps change leaders avoid under-managing change or over-reacting to resistance.
As we go through the stages, you will probably find many similarities with the process a person goes through with the loss of a loved one.
Stage I: Denial
An early strategy that people use to cope with change is to deny that it is happening, or to deny that it will continue or last. Common responses during this stage are:
"I've heard these things before. Remember last year they announced the new customer initiative? Nothing ever happened, and this will pass."
"It's just another hair-brained idea from the top."
"I bet this will be like everything else. The head honcho will be real gung-ho but in about six months everything will be back to normal. You'll see."
"I'll believe it when I see it."
People in the denial stage are trying to avoid dealing with the fear and uncertainty of prospective change. They are hoping they won't have to adapt.
The denial stage is difficult because it is hard to involve people in planning for the future, when they will not acknowledge that the future is going to be any different than the present.
People tend to move out of the denial stage when they see solid, tangible indicators that things ARE different. Even with these indicators some people can remain in denial for some time.
Stage II: Anger & Resistance
When people can no longer deny that something is or has happened, they tend to move into a state of anger, accompanied by covert and/or over resistance. This stage is the most critical with respect to the success of the change implementation. Leadership is needed to help work through the anger, and to move people to the next stage. If leadership is poor, the anger at this stage may last indefinitely, perhaps much longer than even the memory of the change itself.
People in this stage tend to say things like:
"Who do they think they are? Jerking us around"
"Why are they picking on us?"
"What's so damned bad about the way things are?
"How could [you] the boss allow this to happen?
Actually people say far stronger things, but we need to be polite.
Stage III: Exploration & Acceptance
This is the stage where people begin to get over the hump. They have stopped denying, and while they may be somewhat angry, the anger has moved out of the spotlight. They have a better understanding of the meaning of the change and are more willing to explore further, and to accept the change. They act more open-mindedly, and are now more interested in planning around the change and being participants in the process.
People in this stage say things like:
"Well, I guess we have to make the best of it."
"Maybe we can get through this."
"We need to get on with business."
Stage IV: Commitment
Did you know that a high percentage of conflict at work and at home is a result of ineffective use of language? It's true. The best part is that you can learn to alter your communication and language so that what you say is perceived as more cooperative, and less confrontational. The result? Less conflict incidents, and less severe conflicts. More info...
This is the payoff stage, where people commit to the change, and are willing to work towards making it succeed. They know it is a reality, and at this point people have adapted sufficiently to make it work. While some changes will never get endorsement from employees (downsizing, for example) employees at this stage will commit to making the organization effective within the constraints that have resulted from the change.
Concluding Points
Let's conclude with some key points:
1) The change process takes a considerable amount of time to stabilize and to work. Don't undermanage by assuming it will "work itself out" and don't over-react when faced with reasonable resistance.
2) Worry if there is no resistance. If the change is significant it means that people are hiding their reactions. Eventually the reactions that are not dealt with will fester and can destroy the organization. Likewise with anger.
Managers Are Like A ButterflyAs we go through the stages, you will probably find many similarities with the process a person goes through with the loss of a loved one.
Stage I: Denial
An early strategy that people use to cope with change is to deny that it is happening, or to deny that it will continue or last. Common responses during this stage are:
"I've heard these things before. Remember last year they announced the new customer initiative? Nothing ever happened, and this will pass."
"It's just another hair-brained idea from the top."
"I bet this will be like everything else. The head honcho will be real gung-ho but in about six months everything will be back to normal. You'll see."
"I'll believe it when I see it."
People in the denial stage are trying to avoid dealing with the fear and uncertainty of prospective change. They are hoping they won't have to adapt.
The denial stage is difficult because it is hard to involve people in planning for the future, when they will not acknowledge that the future is going to be any different than the present.
People tend to move out of the denial stage when they see solid, tangible indicators that things ARE different. Even with these indicators some people can remain in denial for some time.
Stage II: Anger & Resistance
When people can no longer deny that something is or has happened, they tend to move into a state of anger, accompanied by covert and/or over resistance. This stage is the most critical with respect to the success of the change implementation. Leadership is needed to help work through the anger, and to move people to the next stage. If leadership is poor, the anger at this stage may last indefinitely, perhaps much longer than even the memory of the change itself.
People in this stage tend to say things like:
"Who do they think they are? Jerking us around"
"Why are they picking on us?"
"What's so damned bad about the way things are?
"How could [you] the boss allow this to happen?
Actually people say far stronger things, but we need to be polite.
Stage III: Exploration & Acceptance
This is the stage where people begin to get over the hump. They have stopped denying, and while they may be somewhat angry, the anger has moved out of the spotlight. They have a better understanding of the meaning of the change and are more willing to explore further, and to accept the change. They act more open-mindedly, and are now more interested in planning around the change and being participants in the process.
People in this stage say things like:
"Well, I guess we have to make the best of it."
"Maybe we can get through this."
"We need to get on with business."
Stage IV: Commitment
Your work success hint!
This is the payoff stage, where people commit to the change, and are willing to work towards making it succeed. They know it is a reality, and at this point people have adapted sufficiently to make it work. While some changes will never get endorsement from employees (downsizing, for example) employees at this stage will commit to making the organization effective within the constraints that have resulted from the change.
Concluding Points
Let's conclude with some key points:
1) The change process takes a considerable amount of time to stabilize and to work. Don't undermanage by assuming it will "work itself out" and don't over-react when faced with reasonable resistance.
2) Worry if there is no resistance. If the change is significant it means that people are hiding their reactions. Eventually the reactions that are not dealt with will fester and can destroy the organization. Likewise with anger.
Saturday, 13 February 2010
Your Rescue Mission Business
People who live in Colorado know what it means to climb mountains. On summer weekends, people troop out in casual hikers who have no idea of what they are doing. In sandals, shorts, and T-shirts, carrying a single container of water, they start up a trial at mid-morning. They have no map, no compass, and no rain gear.
Stories of tourists rescued from certain death after wandering off a trial, are told all the time. Regardless of the circumstances, Alpine Rescue always responds to a hapless tourist, “Well, since you ignored the rules of the wilderness, you’ll just have to bear the consequences”. Their mission is rescue. They pursue every needy hiker, no matter how undeserving.
The central goal of this blog is one of rescue. We’ll be pointing out in this blog that since no man is an island, and needs the help of another to succeed, all we can do just like a stranded hiker, is to call for help whenever the need arises.
Are you in need of help? Are you looking for where to find the help you need to start, grow or progress your business? Click Here FAST!
Stories of tourists rescued from certain death after wandering off a trial, are told all the time. Regardless of the circumstances, Alpine Rescue always responds to a hapless tourist, “Well, since you ignored the rules of the wilderness, you’ll just have to bear the consequences”. Their mission is rescue. They pursue every needy hiker, no matter how undeserving.
The central goal of this blog is one of rescue. We’ll be pointing out in this blog that since no man is an island, and needs the help of another to succeed, all we can do just like a stranded hiker, is to call for help whenever the need arises.
Are you in need of help? Are you looking for where to find the help you need to start, grow or progress your business? Click Here FAST!
Tuesday, 5 May 2009
THE OUTSTANDING FRUITFULNESS
Success has both mother and father, only failure is an orphan. The true believer in Christ is empowered to succeed in every area of his/her life and as such has entered into a period of outstanding fruitfulness. The period of outstanding fruitfulness is a time of taking root downward and bearing fruit upward (Isa.37:30-32). It is a period of raising up the fallen tabernacle of David (Amos 9:11).
Fruitfulness is God's original plan for man (Gen.1:28). Jesus Christ expects every vine that is planted in His vineyard to bear fruit, otherwise it is near being cursed (Mk.11:12-14; Mt.3:8, 12). God does not tolerate any form of unfruitfulness in life of His children (2Pt.1:8).
When we talk of outstanding fruitfulness, we mean that which does not have comparison, i.e. it is something great, notable, one of its kind.
SPIRITUAL ASPECT OF FRUITFULNESS (2Pet.1:3-8; Matt.3:8; Col.1:10; PhiI.1:11; 4:17): Genuine repentance is the foundation to spiritual fruitfulness (Matt.3:8). Genuine repentance will be accompanied by the fruit of righteousness
(Mt.23:23; Lk.3:10-14; Acts 26:20). True saving faith and conversion must become evident through lives that have forsaken sin and bear godly fruit (Jn.15:16). All Christians are chosen "out of the world" (Jn.15:19) to bear fruit (Jn.15:2, 4-5, 8). This fruit bearing refers to:
(a). Spiritual virtues; such as the fruit of the Spirit (Gal. 5:22-23), namely love, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self control (Eph.5:9; Col. 1:6; Heb.12:11; Jam. 3:18).
(b). Working for the conversion of others to Christ (Jn.4:36; 12:24). Those who claim they believe in Christ and are God's children and yet do not live lives that produce good fruit are fakes and are like trees that will be cut down and thrown into the fire (Mtt.3:8-10, 12).
PHYSICAL AND MATERIAL ASPECT OF FRUITFULNESS (Gen.1:28; Deut. 28:4-13; Gen. 26:12): It is God's will that we should be fruitful, not only in spiritual issues but in other aspects of life (3Jn.2). God charged mall to be fruitful and to subdue (conquer) tile Earth at the inception of man's life (Gen.1:28). God expects man to make the best out of all He has given to mall and to fulfill His purpose by mall (Ps.8:6-8; Heb.2:7-9). The Earth and its future were placed under the dominion of mall but man lost out when he sinned (Gen. 3:l4-24; Rom.8:19-22). Jesus came to restore the fruitfulness of man on earth (2Cor.8:9; Rom.8:19-25; 1Cor.15:24-28). God wants us to be materially fruitful (Dt.28:4-13). He wants us to be physically healthy (Ex.15:26). God hates every form of barrenness (Ex.23:25-27; Dt.7:12-15). God wants us to be spiritually, physically, materially fruitful, even to our old age (Ps.92:13-14). Every tree that is truly planted by the court of our God is evidenced by its fruitfulness (Eze.47:12; Ps.1:3). The Lord wants us to break-forth on all sides this period (Isa.54:1-4; 55:5).
CONDITIONS FOR OUTSTANDING FRUITFULNESS
Fruitfulness is a phenomenon desired by all people, businessmen, pastors, farmers, students, etc., who want to be fruitful and fulfilling. No person wants to be unfruitful or barren, yet we still see barren people in every field of life (2 Pet.1:38). What is the cause?
Ø Contact With The Living Water (Ps.1:3; Ezek. 47:7-9): When the scripture says, ‘whatever he does shall prosper’, it does not mean, immunity from failure or difficulties, nor is it a guarantee of health, wealth and happiness. What this Bible passage means by prosperity is this: when we apply Gods wisdom, the fruit (result or by-products) we bear will be good and receives God's approval. Just as a tree soaks up water and bears luscious fruit, we also are to soak up God's word producing actions and attitudes that honour God to achieve anything worthwhile. We must have God's word in our hearts (Josh. 1:8). Failure to do this brings unfruitfulness.
Ø Spiritual Receptivity (Mtt.13:23): The scripture used four types of soil to represent different responses to God's word. People respond differently because they are in different state of readiness. Some are hardened, others are shallow, others are contaminated by distracting worries, and some are receptive. The receptive ones are those that bear OUTSTANDING fruit (Matt. 13:18-23). How has God's word taken root in your life? What kind of soil are you? Your level of receptivity to God's word determines your level of fruitfulness or otherwise.
Ø Death Of Old Life (Jn.12:24): The way to fruitfulness is the way of suffering and death. Unless a grain of mustard is buried in the ground, it will not become a blade of wheat producing many more seeds. Jesus had to die not only to pay the penalty for our sin, but also to show His power over death. His resurrection proves He has eternal life. Because Jesus is God, Jesus can give eternal life to all who believe in Him. The kernel must perish as a kernel if there is to be a plant.
Ø Chastening Or Pruning (Jn.15:2): Jesus speaks of two categories of branches, the fruitful and the fruitless. The branches that ceased to bear fruit are those who no longer have the life in them that comes from enduring faith in and love for Christ. These "branches", the Father cuts off, i.e. separates them from vital union with Christ (Mt.3:10). When they stop remaining in Christ, God then judges and reject them (Jn. 15:6). The branches that bear fruit are those who have life in them because of their enduring faith in and love for Christ. "Those branches", the Father prunes so that they will become more fruitful, that is, He removes from their lives anything that diverts or hinders the vital life flow of Christ into them. The fruit is the quality of Christians’ character that brings glory to God through life and witness (Mt. 3:8; 7:20; Rom. 6:22; Gal.5:22-23; Eph. 5:9; 1:11).
Ø Abiding In Christ (Jn.15:4-5; Rom.6:22; Heb.12:11): After a person believes in Christ and his sins are forgiven, he or she receives eternal life and the power to remain in Christ. Given that power, the believer must then accept that responsibility in salvation and remain in Christ. Just as the branch has life only as it remains in or abides in the tree, so are the believers in Christ, as long as Christ’s life flows into them, as they remain or abide in Him. The conditions by which we remain in Christ are: (a) Keeping God's word continually in our hearts and minds and making it the guide which form our actions (Jn.15:7). (b) Maintaining the habit of constant intimate communion with Christ in order to draw strength from Him (Jn.15:7). (c) Obeying His commands, remaining in love (Jn.15:10) and loving each other (Jn.15: 12, 17). (d) Keeping our lives clean through the word of God, resisting all sin and yielding to the Spirit's directives (Jn.15:3; 17:7; Rom.8:14; Gal.5:16-25; Eph.5:26; I Pet.l:22).
Fruitfulness is God's original plan for man (Gen.1:28). Jesus Christ expects every vine that is planted in His vineyard to bear fruit, otherwise it is near being cursed (Mk.11:12-14; Mt.3:8, 12). God does not tolerate any form of unfruitfulness in life of His children (2Pt.1:8).
When we talk of outstanding fruitfulness, we mean that which does not have comparison, i.e. it is something great, notable, one of its kind.
SPIRITUAL ASPECT OF FRUITFULNESS (2Pet.1:3-8; Matt.3:8; Col.1:10; PhiI.1:11; 4:17): Genuine repentance is the foundation to spiritual fruitfulness (Matt.3:8). Genuine repentance will be accompanied by the fruit of righteousness
(Mt.23:23; Lk.3:10-14; Acts 26:20). True saving faith and conversion must become evident through lives that have forsaken sin and bear godly fruit (Jn.15:16). All Christians are chosen "out of the world" (Jn.15:19) to bear fruit (Jn.15:2, 4-5, 8). This fruit bearing refers to:
(a). Spiritual virtues; such as the fruit of the Spirit (Gal. 5:22-23), namely love, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self control (Eph.5:9; Col. 1:6; Heb.12:11; Jam. 3:18).
(b). Working for the conversion of others to Christ (Jn.4:36; 12:24). Those who claim they believe in Christ and are God's children and yet do not live lives that produce good fruit are fakes and are like trees that will be cut down and thrown into the fire (Mtt.3:8-10, 12).
PHYSICAL AND MATERIAL ASPECT OF FRUITFULNESS (Gen.1:28; Deut. 28:4-13; Gen. 26:12): It is God's will that we should be fruitful, not only in spiritual issues but in other aspects of life (3Jn.2). God charged mall to be fruitful and to subdue (conquer) tile Earth at the inception of man's life (Gen.1:28). God expects man to make the best out of all He has given to mall and to fulfill His purpose by mall (Ps.8:6-8; Heb.2:7-9). The Earth and its future were placed under the dominion of mall but man lost out when he sinned (Gen. 3:l4-24; Rom.8:19-22). Jesus came to restore the fruitfulness of man on earth (2Cor.8:9; Rom.8:19-25; 1Cor.15:24-28). God wants us to be materially fruitful (Dt.28:4-13). He wants us to be physically healthy (Ex.15:26). God hates every form of barrenness (Ex.23:25-27; Dt.7:12-15). God wants us to be spiritually, physically, materially fruitful, even to our old age (Ps.92:13-14). Every tree that is truly planted by the court of our God is evidenced by its fruitfulness (Eze.47:12; Ps.1:3). The Lord wants us to break-forth on all sides this period (Isa.54:1-4; 55:5).
CONDITIONS FOR OUTSTANDING FRUITFULNESS
Fruitfulness is a phenomenon desired by all people, businessmen, pastors, farmers, students, etc., who want to be fruitful and fulfilling. No person wants to be unfruitful or barren, yet we still see barren people in every field of life (2 Pet.1:38). What is the cause?
Ø Contact With The Living Water (Ps.1:3; Ezek. 47:7-9): When the scripture says, ‘whatever he does shall prosper’, it does not mean, immunity from failure or difficulties, nor is it a guarantee of health, wealth and happiness. What this Bible passage means by prosperity is this: when we apply Gods wisdom, the fruit (result or by-products) we bear will be good and receives God's approval. Just as a tree soaks up water and bears luscious fruit, we also are to soak up God's word producing actions and attitudes that honour God to achieve anything worthwhile. We must have God's word in our hearts (Josh. 1:8). Failure to do this brings unfruitfulness.
Ø Spiritual Receptivity (Mtt.13:23): The scripture used four types of soil to represent different responses to God's word. People respond differently because they are in different state of readiness. Some are hardened, others are shallow, others are contaminated by distracting worries, and some are receptive. The receptive ones are those that bear OUTSTANDING fruit (Matt. 13:18-23). How has God's word taken root in your life? What kind of soil are you? Your level of receptivity to God's word determines your level of fruitfulness or otherwise.
Ø Death Of Old Life (Jn.12:24): The way to fruitfulness is the way of suffering and death. Unless a grain of mustard is buried in the ground, it will not become a blade of wheat producing many more seeds. Jesus had to die not only to pay the penalty for our sin, but also to show His power over death. His resurrection proves He has eternal life. Because Jesus is God, Jesus can give eternal life to all who believe in Him. The kernel must perish as a kernel if there is to be a plant.
Ø Chastening Or Pruning (Jn.15:2): Jesus speaks of two categories of branches, the fruitful and the fruitless. The branches that ceased to bear fruit are those who no longer have the life in them that comes from enduring faith in and love for Christ. These "branches", the Father cuts off, i.e. separates them from vital union with Christ (Mt.3:10). When they stop remaining in Christ, God then judges and reject them (Jn. 15:6). The branches that bear fruit are those who have life in them because of their enduring faith in and love for Christ. "Those branches", the Father prunes so that they will become more fruitful, that is, He removes from their lives anything that diverts or hinders the vital life flow of Christ into them. The fruit is the quality of Christians’ character that brings glory to God through life and witness (Mt. 3:8; 7:20; Rom. 6:22; Gal.5:22-23; Eph. 5:9; 1:11).
Ø Abiding In Christ (Jn.15:4-5; Rom.6:22; Heb.12:11): After a person believes in Christ and his sins are forgiven, he or she receives eternal life and the power to remain in Christ. Given that power, the believer must then accept that responsibility in salvation and remain in Christ. Just as the branch has life only as it remains in or abides in the tree, so are the believers in Christ, as long as Christ’s life flows into them, as they remain or abide in Him. The conditions by which we remain in Christ are: (a) Keeping God's word continually in our hearts and minds and making it the guide which form our actions (Jn.15:7). (b) Maintaining the habit of constant intimate communion with Christ in order to draw strength from Him (Jn.15:7). (c) Obeying His commands, remaining in love (Jn.15:10) and loving each other (Jn.15: 12, 17). (d) Keeping our lives clean through the word of God, resisting all sin and yielding to the Spirit's directives (Jn.15:3; 17:7; Rom.8:14; Gal.5:16-25; Eph.5:26; I Pet.l:22).
FROM TRIAL TO TRIUMPH
THE story has it that Sir Winston Churchill took three years getting through the eight grades because he had trouble learning English. It is somewhat ironic, that years later Oxford University asked him to address its commencement exercises!
He arrived for the event with his usual props a cigar, a cane, and a top hat. As he approached the podium, the crowd rose in appreciative applause .With great dignity, Churchill settled the crowed as he stood confidently before his admirers. He then removed the cigar and carefully placed his top hat on the lectern.
Looking directly at the eager audience and with authority ringing in his voice, he cried, "Never give up!" several seconds passed. He rose to his toes and shouted again, "Never give up!" His words thundered across the audience. There was profound silence as Churchill then reached for his hat and cigar, steadied himself with his cane, and left the platform. His address was finished. Churchill's six word commencement address was no doubt the shortest and most eloquent address ever given at Oxford. But his message was also one every person present remembered all the days of their lives. A young mother was trying to give liquid medicine to her two-year-old son. The child would not cooperate. He would shut his mouth tightly, shake his head from side to side, and hit at the spoon with both hands.
The young mother coaxed, she pleaded, she threatened, she bribed, to no avail. He would not take his medicine! Finally, worn down, the young mother gave into self-pity. She threw down the spoon, fled into her room, and fell across the bed, sobbing. In a few minutes, she heard loud laughter coming from the kitchen. Curious, she went to investigate and found that Grandmother had solved the problem. She had mixed the medicine with orange juice, put it in a water pistol, and was shooting it into the wide open mouth of the delighted little boy!
A professor once tested his medical class about a medical situation an ethical problem. "Here's the family history: the father has syphilis. The mother has TB. They already have four children. The first is blind. The second had died. The third is deaf. The fourth has TB. Now the mother is pregnant again. The parents come to you for advice. They are willing to have an abortion, if you decide they should. What do you say?" The students gave various individual opinions, and then the professor asked them to break into small groups for "consultation". All of the groups came back to report that they would recommend abortion. "Congratulations," the professor said, "You just took the life of Beethoven!" What is it you are going through? Someone would have gone through the same road and came out tops.
He arrived for the event with his usual props a cigar, a cane, and a top hat. As he approached the podium, the crowd rose in appreciative applause .With great dignity, Churchill settled the crowed as he stood confidently before his admirers. He then removed the cigar and carefully placed his top hat on the lectern.
Looking directly at the eager audience and with authority ringing in his voice, he cried, "Never give up!" several seconds passed. He rose to his toes and shouted again, "Never give up!" His words thundered across the audience. There was profound silence as Churchill then reached for his hat and cigar, steadied himself with his cane, and left the platform. His address was finished. Churchill's six word commencement address was no doubt the shortest and most eloquent address ever given at Oxford. But his message was also one every person present remembered all the days of their lives. A young mother was trying to give liquid medicine to her two-year-old son. The child would not cooperate. He would shut his mouth tightly, shake his head from side to side, and hit at the spoon with both hands.
The young mother coaxed, she pleaded, she threatened, she bribed, to no avail. He would not take his medicine! Finally, worn down, the young mother gave into self-pity. She threw down the spoon, fled into her room, and fell across the bed, sobbing. In a few minutes, she heard loud laughter coming from the kitchen. Curious, she went to investigate and found that Grandmother had solved the problem. She had mixed the medicine with orange juice, put it in a water pistol, and was shooting it into the wide open mouth of the delighted little boy!
A professor once tested his medical class about a medical situation an ethical problem. "Here's the family history: the father has syphilis. The mother has TB. They already have four children. The first is blind. The second had died. The third is deaf. The fourth has TB. Now the mother is pregnant again. The parents come to you for advice. They are willing to have an abortion, if you decide they should. What do you say?" The students gave various individual opinions, and then the professor asked them to break into small groups for "consultation". All of the groups came back to report that they would recommend abortion. "Congratulations," the professor said, "You just took the life of Beethoven!" What is it you are going through? Someone would have gone through the same road and came out tops.
GREAT LESSON FROM JAPAN Vs AUSTRALIA MATCH
I am not such a sport freak, but thank God, that from some proddings and jests from my friends, I was encouraged to watch the Germany 2006 FIFA World Cup tournament. The football match was between Japan and Australia. The date was Monday 12th June 2006. (That was the anniversary of the MKO Abiola and Babangida June 12 annulment saga).
Like every other football match, everything was in place, and the match kicked off. By the time they came to half time, Japan was leading with a loan goal.
But by the time the second half began, and they are playing into the 84th minute, the table turned, and Australia equalized.
When it was 89th minute, Australia scored the second goal, and it was unbelievable. As if that was not enough, by the time it was 92nd minute, Australia scored the third goal.
Hurray! Australia won the race. The ovation in the stadium was so loud that it took the grace of God and the strong pillars of the magnificent stadium to sustain it from collapsing. What a great bounce back you will say.
No wonder, one wise man said; "the most unreasonable award of score is at half time". So, what is the lesson that I want us to leave from this story? The lesson is this, nobody is a write off, secondly anyone can bounce back, thirdly, no situation is hopeless, and fourthly, whenever you win, the world will celebrate you.
Let me tell you, tremendous success awaits you in the near future if you will not allow the petty failures of today to kill your morale to move forward.
As I am communicating with you now, I have good numbers of friends who were complete write offs in their family but who are a point to reckon with in their family today.
Even myself, I am a living proof. I am not saying that I have all the money in the bank, but God has helped me to break a lot records among my brethren.
My dear reader, my admonition to you is this, don't give up no matter what the world is saying or thinking about you. The only thing that should dominate your mind all the time is; "What are you going to do to I improve the lives of people around you and how are you going to make legitimate income marketing such thing?"
And let me remind you, some people, when God wants to bless them in Ibadan, they may have to be disgraced out of Lagos, Nigeria.
Let me tell you some practical examples, when God wanted to bless Joseph in Egypt, he was disgraced out of his father's domain.
When God wanted to bless Jesus with an unbeatable fame, he was publicly disgraced on the cross. When God wanted to bless Mandela with wealth and fame, he was unjustifiably thrown into jail.
And when God wanted to bless me as a person in his own business, I resigned out of frustration from my previous place of employment.
My dear friend and fan, please don't allow what you are going through to affect where you are going to. The prize of life is not always given to people at the beginning of the race; it is always awarded at the end of the race.
I would have loved to tell you more on this, but the space is small, but notwithstanding, let's manage it so. Let us use what we have to get what we want. Although, for those who can afford to go the extra mile to better their lives, I have put some helpful resources together in my website which is always at the end of this write up, visit it. See you at the top.
Like every other football match, everything was in place, and the match kicked off. By the time they came to half time, Japan was leading with a loan goal.
But by the time the second half began, and they are playing into the 84th minute, the table turned, and Australia equalized.
When it was 89th minute, Australia scored the second goal, and it was unbelievable. As if that was not enough, by the time it was 92nd minute, Australia scored the third goal.
Hurray! Australia won the race. The ovation in the stadium was so loud that it took the grace of God and the strong pillars of the magnificent stadium to sustain it from collapsing. What a great bounce back you will say.
No wonder, one wise man said; "the most unreasonable award of score is at half time". So, what is the lesson that I want us to leave from this story? The lesson is this, nobody is a write off, secondly anyone can bounce back, thirdly, no situation is hopeless, and fourthly, whenever you win, the world will celebrate you.
Let me tell you, tremendous success awaits you in the near future if you will not allow the petty failures of today to kill your morale to move forward.
As I am communicating with you now, I have good numbers of friends who were complete write offs in their family but who are a point to reckon with in their family today.
Even myself, I am a living proof. I am not saying that I have all the money in the bank, but God has helped me to break a lot records among my brethren.
My dear reader, my admonition to you is this, don't give up no matter what the world is saying or thinking about you. The only thing that should dominate your mind all the time is; "What are you going to do to I improve the lives of people around you and how are you going to make legitimate income marketing such thing?"
And let me remind you, some people, when God wants to bless them in Ibadan, they may have to be disgraced out of Lagos, Nigeria.
Let me tell you some practical examples, when God wanted to bless Joseph in Egypt, he was disgraced out of his father's domain.
When God wanted to bless Jesus with an unbeatable fame, he was publicly disgraced on the cross. When God wanted to bless Mandela with wealth and fame, he was unjustifiably thrown into jail.
And when God wanted to bless me as a person in his own business, I resigned out of frustration from my previous place of employment.
My dear friend and fan, please don't allow what you are going through to affect where you are going to. The prize of life is not always given to people at the beginning of the race; it is always awarded at the end of the race.
I would have loved to tell you more on this, but the space is small, but notwithstanding, let's manage it so. Let us use what we have to get what we want. Although, for those who can afford to go the extra mile to better their lives, I have put some helpful resources together in my website which is always at the end of this write up, visit it. See you at the top.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
