Monthly Archives: September 2015

Rep’s Link – Oct 2015

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Level I Adult

Our new course is Team Building and our text: 17 Essential Qualities of a Team Player by John Maxwell. In this course you will learn the personal characteristics necessary for becoming an effective team player. Maxwell outlines the success of team players who have been:

  • Intentional – making every action count toward a long-term goal
  • Relational – focused on others
  • Selfless – willing to take a subordinate role for the team
  • Tenacious – hardworking and optimistic in the face of setbacks

Level I Adolescent

Our course for the Adolescent track is Self-Leadership and our text: Habitudes I – the 51i+vfRPCtL._SY344_BO1,204,203,200_Art of Self-leadership  by Dr. Tim Elmore. We believe leadership is a 360-degree proposition. The leadership journey begins with self-leadership; we must lead ourselves before we lead anyone else.

Monthly Book Orders and Grades

Southeast region Rep’s can go to Google Drive and search for ELP Monthly Order Form and Grade Sheet Edited. Look for your center’s name in the tabs at the bottom and fill in your information. No need to save or email the spreadsheet (Google Drive saves it and we can access the info from my Drive). If you place an initial order on the form and update the order later (i.e. add 2 more books) after we have ordered your books, please send to me at andree.aiken@teenchallenge.cc. All new applications must be in by the 10th of the month for students starting the 15th.

ELP Highlight – Sept 2015

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Before coming to Teen Challenge I had no hope for my future and was bonded to a drug Bill Roberts nowaddiction I had no control over. I was sentenced to two years in prison and I finally realized how much I needed Jesus. Every night I would get on my knees and just cry out to God and He was listening. He delivered me from prison and opened the Teen Challenge doors. Being here God has shown me the love, peace and hope that could only come from Him.

I feel God has called me to participate in the Emerging Leaders Program to learn how to be obedient to the Holy Spirit and lead myself and others to Jesus. I’m not sure where exactly He is directing my life, but I am sure His presence will be with me giving me the strength I need on my journey!

 

Organizational Health is more felt than telt

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Sometimes we get so caught up in the mundane activities we forget to step away from our desk and meet people where they are at. Recently I was at a conference where Simon Sinek talked about “eye ball” leadership – getting up from your desk and going where busy-office-workerspeople are at and look them in the eyes. Really what he was saying is – build relationship with your team. You can’t expect people to work hard for you if they don’t know you. Notice I said work hard – they’ll work for you but they won’t work “hard.” Years ago while working in the airline industry, we did a training on customer service. We only had about 30 seconds to a minute to check in a passenger but during that time we had to get to know them and make the process as personal as possible so they would fly with us again. If we go through such lengths to build relationship with the people who spend their monies with us, how much more we should put into knowing the people who are working with us for decades and some, a lifetime. People want to feel they are accepted, they are loved and they are making a difference. The single most important factor to the success of your team and the overall organization is having authentic relationship with the people you work with.

Simon says “If we set the environment right, trust and cooperation is an automatic response.” ” Leadership is a choice to be responsible for ourselves and the people around us; reinforce the relationship between you and your team members” (Sinek). Leadership requires our two greatest commodity – time and energy. It will take energy to get away from the task at hand to roam the halls to find out how people are doing and to bless them – to offer a word of encouragement or simply to say “thank you.” The best decision you can make every day as a leader is to add value to people. Let them know that you care, you believe in them and you believe they can succeed. Organizational health is more felt than telt.

Article submitted by: Andree Aiken (Training team)

Gung Ho Friend!

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The Chinese used the term gōng hé to describe Marines in China around the 1900’s.  In the Chinese language gōng hé, roughly means “work together.” That’s what the “American Marines” were always doing, “working together,” the Chinese explained.  Gung Ho was introduced as a training slogan in 1942 by U.S. Marine Officer Evans F. Carlson which means “unthinkingly enthusiastic and eager, especially about taking part in fighting or Soldiers_chargingwarfare.” Gung-ho people have a “can do attitude.” They are positive, they want to win and they are unthinkingly enthusiastic and eager about their jobs. You see this in how they interact with others (good customer service), you see it in how effectively they resolve interpersonal conflict and you see it in how they work productively with others. To have a Gung-ho working environment or to live a Gung-ho life we need to be driven by our values and know that our work is worthwhile .

Worthwhile Work

In Teen Challenge we are fighting a war – a war for souls. C.T. Studd said “some people want to live within the sound of chapel bells, but I want to run a rescue mission within a yard from hell.” We are the Frontline Leaders who are running a mission a yard from the gates of hell – “putting hope within reach of every addict.”  We have to understand how our work fits into the big picture of things. We are a part of something much bigger than us – individuals, families and communities are transformed by the work we do. Our work matters and everything we do is relative to our mission and core values.

Driven by our Values

Our values are the real boss because they drive our behavior. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr said “If a man is called to be a street sweeper, he should sweep streets even as a Michel Angelo painted or Beethoven composed music or Shakespeare wrote poetry. He should sweep streets so well that all the hosts of heaven and earth will pause to say “here lived astreet-sweeper-and-colorful-bu-1254722 great street sweeper who did his job well.” In everything we do we must have Integrity – “living and working with excellence.” We have to go the second mile. The principle of the second mile is found in Matt 5:41 “and whoever shall force you to go one mile, go with him two.” The Jews were required by law to carry the Roman soldiers pack/burden one mile. But here Jesus tells them to go with the soldier a second mile. The second mile is the character mile – to enthusiastically do more than is required or expected. The first mile they did because they had to, but the second mile they did because they wanted to. The first mile was the trial mile but the second mile was the smile mile. The second mile is where we win!

Jesus went the second mile for us, let’s go the second mile “to offer life-transformation to individuals through Christ-centered programs.” Gung-ho Friends!

Submitted by: Brice Maddock – Chief Operating Office (TCSE)