February 1; Managers Control Events
MANAGEMENT BY THE BOOK:
365 Daily Bible Verse &
One-Minute Management Lessons For The Busy Faithful

Chapter Two: Influence

1 February

Then he…chose five smooth stones from the stream,

put them in the pouch of his shepherd’s bag and,

with his sling in his hand, approached the Philistine.

1 Samuel 17:40

Anticipation

As the story is told, John Adams the second president is having a meal with his Vice President Thomas Jefferson.

They were discussing how to prevent a war and how to manage unpredictable factors that would influence the voters and foreign countries.

John Adams said, “I am determined to control events, not be controlled by them.”

This is presidential.

Anyone can be a victim of circumstance—that doesn’t need a senior pay-grade or a national election. Presidents and CEOs don’t get paid to be happenstance victims of outrageous fortune.

Controlling events means that we so anticipate what can happen in any event that we will have a fall back position, an alternate route, a plan B.

Just like David did when facing Goliath.

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1 Samuel 17:40 Then he…chose five smooth stones from the stream, put them in the pouch of his shepherd’s bag and, with his sling in his hand, approached the Philistine.

David knew he could handle Goliath with a single stone and that he did. So why did he pick up five stones? Why the margin; the excess capacity; the extra combat load? He didn’t think that he would miss his target–so what was he thinking?

David was going to control events no matter what the Giant would do—or his family. Goliath had four brothers and David did not know how the kin would react to the rival of their sibling.

David was not going to wait and see and hope. He would be ready with any decision his opponent(s) made. David was not going to be controlled by outside circumstances. He would be ready.

CEOs make things happen. They control events.

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