February 2; Quiet Influence Can Stop A Tragedy
MANAGEMENT BY THE BOOK:
365 Daily Bible Verse &
One-Minute Management Lessons For The Busy Faithful

2 February

…I have set before you life and death,

blessing and cursing;

therefore choose life…

Deuteronomy 30:19

Life Management

The teenage boy was looking down over the three-story balcony. It was between classes in his high school and students walked around the quiet misfit. John, the school student body president hears the boy say, more to himself, “I want to jump…”

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There are times when managers cannot command someone to do the right thing. CEOs of companies and nations are in a command position but can they command people?

The real power the leader has is less from his position of authority as it is his ability to influence. When no one has to listen. This is the ability to persuade.

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John stopped. And said ‘hello’ in a soft voice and came along side and looked off to the side. And talked about…nothing.

And everything.

The troubled teen about to committee suicide did not have to listen to John, a captain of multiple sports teams.

They talked. John listened.

Help arrived and the boy didn’t jump.

Not all of our work is in such life or death situations, but the manager can and must influence the lives in his organization for the better. As Deuteronomy 30:19 says, … I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life…

John went to his next class.

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The manager will spend most of his time in working relationships in communicating and makes quality of life decisions affecting everyone he touches.

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