Written by Mike Young on November 30, 2008 at 6:06 pm
I was talking with a friend of mine the other day about the reaction of some individuals during periods of high stress. He described a sort of paralysis that can over take some when they are not sure what to do next. I mentioned that one of the key mistakes that many will make is not doing the things that they would normally do, that they should do.
This deer caught in the headlights reaction is by no means a survival instinct. In fact, it’s quite the opposite of it. It’s the very thing that causes people and companies not to survive. When you’re a startup company, and on the verge of tough times, you have to react quickly.
The discussion eventually found its way to the subject of leadership and the need for leaders to step up during such crises. And I certainly agreed with that sentiment. But leaders have to develop a sort of reflex to avoid the paralysis too. Otherwise they’ll likely lead their departments in the wrong way.
Anyway, I can certainly say a lot more on this subject. Just because I’ve done a few startups, doesn’t mean it necessarily gets easier. It just means my instincts have evolved.
Written by Mike Young on November 29, 2008 at 10:19 am
I had to delete a friend off of Facebook yesterday. Perhaps there was a solution that was less drastic than that. But these days, I just don’t care to debate folks. And in all fairness, he wasn’t the one creating issues. It was one of his Facebook friends.
Let me recap the scenario:
My friend posted an old article from John Piper discussing why he doesn’t watch TV. He starts by describing how we’re a visually oriented society, etc. And we are. Let’s be clear about that. However, he then went on about how as a pastor he cannot give into those tendencies with his preaching.
I consider this to be a leap in logic. A=A; B=B therefore A=C. One thing doesn’t lead to another. So I said that. I have no problem with whether or not Piper watches TV. I couldn’t care less. He might not use dental floss either. Why do I care? I don’t– unless he’s invading my personal space and an odor were to over take me. Under most circumstances, it’s none of my business.
However, when you’ve experienced the damage caused by the holier than thou club, you tend to develop a bit of disdain for it. This particular Facebook person decided he was going to preach to me about the evils of television and how we need to stay away from it. He kept calling me “bro” and repeatedly referred to Seinfeld and the worldliness of it all. Well, I don’t watch Seinfeld. And I’m pretty sure that calling me “bro” isn’t actually traditional.
Look, it’s simple. I could have gone down the path of having a debate on a friend’s wall. Or I could simply ignore the guy. In the end, those wall-to-wall comments ripple through all over. And I didn’t want to participate any further. There are more important things in life than being sucked into mindless debates over such dribble.
Anyone who feels the compulsion to legislate his holiness to the world… move right along. Don’t bother debating that nonsense here. I immediately lump you into a category of non-Christian, right there with the Pharisees. And while you’re in the ultra-spiritual mindset, please take a moment to reflect on Christ’s message to such a crowd. He referred to their outward righteousness and desire to conform people in like manner as dead. It may sound holy. And it may sound pious. But it isn’t. You want to be pious and holy? Then read your bible, meditate on what you’ve read, and do your level best to live what you’ve read, asking the whole time for God to give you the grace to do so. Because the last time I looked, Philippians 2:12-13 makes it pretty clear the only reason you can even desire to do a good thing is due to God.
wildernessVoice is totally for my own purposes; to vent, rant, elaborate and to generally discuss my thoughts and views. Sometimes I write about theological items, political perspectives and even technical tidbits.
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