I was preparing workbooks, outlines, and handouts for our upcoming book tour, workshops and speaking engagements for the month of September. Our printer just stopped printing in the middle of the print job. One of my assistants set up the printer so other than hit print, I was not very familiar with its functions.

After many attempts (I'm very frustrated at this point) to get the thing working by following the instructions in the digital manual, looking at youtube videos on the subject and praying in my Heavenly language, I went one last time into the settings. Was lead by the Spirit of God to scroll left and found a hidden (from me at least) menu that had additional cleaning solutions for the print head.

The third level of cleaning the print head worked, saving me a few hundred dollars today.

I believe we are just like that printer. There are deeper levels of settings in us that God gave us when he created us in his image, after his likeness and gave us power. Time in prayer cleans our spiritual, relational and physical print heads and for that I am grateful! — getting stronger at The Stanton Institute of Leadership, LLC.

You are a Life-Changing Gift to the World

By using your personal philosophy you are healing broken pieces of our world with existence that makes dollars and sense. You bring love, joy, peace, longsuffering, goodness, gentleness, meekness, faith and self-control, because you understand clearly why you exist. I exist to develop leaders for the Kingdom of God and will not accept assignments, engagements and appointments that do not line up with that existence. Thus, I will always have balance in my spirit, soul and body.

The same has been established for you, and that is why I can confidently say that you are a life-changing gift to the world. The world is thirsty for the gifts that we have for it. The world is thirsty for balance. I know that by the conversations that the world is engaging in such as wars, the haves and the have’s not’s, and scandals. The true realities are the ones that were established for us when we were made in God’s image, after His likeness, which gave us power to be life-changing gifts to the world.

You are a life-changing gift to the world so enjoy your journey and watch the changes occur. These changes will give those you serve the ability to go from poverty to wealth. These changes will motivate those you serve to walk in strength when they feel weak. These changes will stimulate those you serve to take forward action instead of backward action. You are a life-changing gift to the world, and you are healing broken pieces.

This was a status shared by a Pastor/Elder that I admire on Facebook. It struck a chord with me because I’m allergic to environments that tolerate me. It's my job to be a vitamin rather than an aspirin. I can’t do that job with excellence, if I connect with people, places and things that tolerate me rather than celebrate me. That's why I keep it moving.

I do know that too many aspirins taken too often will cause irritation to the stomach. Therefore, I teach my students and those whom I serve to create their visions, goals, strategies and schedules based on their personal philosophy. Your personal philosophy should be the reason you exist. Your personal philosophy should be the filter you use to determine whether or not the connections you have are healthy or unhealthy.

I am so grateful that God has not given us the spirit of fear. Fear will keep you in tolerating groups, where aspirins are given in large dosages to keep you sick. I am also grateful that God has given us the spirit of power, love and a sound mind. Use your sound mind to select environments that celebrate you so you will be a vitamin to those you serve!

Keep calm and follow through

Our 7 year old Snorkie, Named Oliver, will let us know when the sunrises by barking until he is feed and walked. You see Oliver calmly runs to each of us to ensure that we follow through with our morning routine. Anthony Robbins, the international coach and trainer, says that it is your daily routine that ensures daily success. The key to an effective daily routine is following through.

As leaders we want to ensure that our entire organization stays calm and follows through on the vision, the systems, the promotions, the protection of our product and service consistently being of high quality and our balance of profits with integrity. Follow through makes the difference between failure and success; growth and stagnation; and profit versus loss. Once an organization has adopted a philosophy of how they want to do business, it takes the entire team to ensure that the philosophy produces a clear vision that is powerful. The power vision will then fuel goals that make sense, so the strategies support a schedule that drives success.

Keep calm and follow through means as a leader you keep the group on track for an expectant end. The philosophy is heartfelt. The vision is clear. The goals are doable; yet, challenging. The strategies have be thought through; therefore, follow through is the natural progressing. The schedule is engaging; not overwhelming. Keep calm and follow through, because you can do it!

Five Ways to Lead Brilliantly

1. Embrace those who are unique. These teammates think differently than you and bring an element to the team that would be missing otherwise. Spend time getting to know them and casting the big picture for the team. Build a relationship of trust and respect for all the gifts on your team and watch your organization grow.

2. Discover how everyone operates, and who they really are. I call it learning each person on your team’s personal philosophy, their power vision, goals, strategies and schedules. Then have them share with you how all of that fits into each of those areas for the organization. In many cases this will give the point person an idea of where to place the gift the person possesses.

3. Decide the highest and best use of each gift in your organization and clearly communicate that value to each person on your team. This one action eliminates the appearance of favoritism by letting all on the team know that they are valued, heard and useful. Any disconnects between where they want to be and where they are needed, could possibly be a timing issue, which can be communicated at that time. Many time leaders’ loose great talent because these exchanges have been one sided.

4. Be sure you have “the talk” and make it positively about them and the team. If the leader talks about what the leader needs, then rejection is very likely. Leaders who know how to paint a big picture that includes everyone will watch the organization grow naturally, without the revolving door syndrome. The revolving door syndrome is when an organization adds three and loses two. Fall out will occur, but should not be constant.

5. Building teams is an ancient art, so learn to build it well. No man is an island and no man stands alone. Visionaries will see. Builders will build systems. Promoters will tell the story. Protectors will ensure that the message is consistent. Balancers will make sure the actions of the organization will make dollars and sense. A balanced team will make team leadership easy! You will lead brilliantly as you partner with all!

One of the ways Pastor Thomas and I fellowship is over a cup of QuikTrip cappuccino and a muffin after 7:14 pm Bible study on Wednesday nights. Wednesdays are very busy for us, because we teach a Leadership Bible Study at the 11A hour in our community and run errands until the 7:14p Bible Study time at our church. Therefore the QuikTrip fellowship is very calming after a long and busy day.

In my effort to help my husband have a healthy lifestyle, I make what I think is a perfect blend of cappuccino for him. It is one half French vanilla fat -free cappuccino blended with one half white chocolate caramel sugar-free cappuccino. It’s such a perfect blend of flavors that he didn’t notice the difference for weeks, because it was so flavorful.

That’s the same outcome for leaders who know how to implement the Five Shades of Leadership for their organization. The visionary communicates the vision for the group. The builder provides systems to ensure the vision is fulfilled. The promoter ensures that the vision is noised abroad. The protector insists that the vision, the systems and the promotions are consistent. The balancer ensures that it all makes dollars and sense. It’s a perfect blend of gifts and calling to move the organization forward in record time! Contact us today and we will bring the workshop to you!

What do you see? That is a crucial question to ask yourself and those you lead. What you see will normally determine what you do. When looking at the DISC profile the following has to be considered for leaders:

• Dominantly driving leaders must see how they can win, in order to move forward in a positive way.

• Influentially expressive leaders must see how they can be heard, in order to move forward in a positive way.

• Supportively amiable leaders must see how they will be liked, in order to move forward in a positive way.

• Compliantly analytic leaders must see how they can be right, in order to move forward in a positive way.

The key phrase is “in order to move forward in a positive way”. As leaders it should be our life’s work to inspire others to move forward in a positive way. What you see will either promote positive action or prevent it. What you see will determine how you spend your money and your time. What you see will determine how you develop and manage relationships. What you see will determine how you develop manage your physical body.

What do you see is the question that I am asking all those whom I serve. All of my books, workshops and training events will ask that question. So what do you see? Is what you see taking you positively forward, or is what you see taking you negatively backwards? If you need help there are plenty of products available in our web store to fit every budget. Take a look and tell us what you see.

My husband, Pastor Thomas Stanton, due to his legal blindness, plays solitaire on his IPAD to keep his eye muscles engaged. In an attempt to stay connected to him and understand his love for the game, I have started to play it on my phone. I never liked solitaire, because being a high “I” on the DISC chart, I like games with people so I can be heard…LOL!!!

Recently, I researched the various strategies for winning the game. Since I will play the game to exchange insights with my husband, I want to win, which is the “D” in me from the DISC chart. One of the strategies for winning solitaire is moving the right cards in a timely manner. Players should not just move cards because there’s a place to move it. Players should only move cards that will reveal hidden cards. Since discovering that nugget my scores have been higher because my time has been shortened.

The same strategy can be implemented in team building leadership philosophy for your organization. Only make moves that are necessary to get your group to the next level. Don’t just make moves for the sake of moving, because those cards may prevent the right move. Standing still until your strategy is well defined can save you time and money.

All organizations began with an idea in someone’s mind. You have a great idea to meet a need or solve a problem. You see how this project can be profitable and sustainable. You give it 110% of yourself; yet, it does not fit your personal philosophy. What’s the next step?

The next step is the authenticity check. The authenticity check is the process used to verify that the legitimacy of the project matches the legitimacy of your spirit, soul and body. The answers of the following questions are crucial in the authenticity check:

1. Is this project authentic to your God-given purpose?

2. Does this project bring truth to your personal philosophy?

3. Is this project in alignment with your powerful vision?

4. Is this the best use of your strength?

5. Is this project taking you closer to or further from your destiny?

If the answer to any of these five questions is “no” then you must have the courage of authenticity and abandon the project. The earlier you take action, the better. The courage of authenticity is the difference between having life and having life more abundantly. The courage of authenticity in your decision making process balances the spirit, soul and body.

When I think about choices, my mind immediately goes to Abram’s choice to leave his country, leave his kinfolks, and get away from his father’s house. He was asked to do so by God; yet, he had the choice to obey or to disobey. When listening to God, we have the choice to hear Him or the choice to hear the voice of another. In my second book, “No Bugs; Just Profits”, I give readers guidelines for making choices that will bring balance to the spirit, soul and body. Those choices give energy, which produce love, joy and peace.

Then you read in Abram’s story that “Lot went with him”. Why was Lot with him, if he was told plainly to leave his country, his kinfolks and to get away from his father’s house? Wasn’t Lot part of his father’s house? Wasn’t Lot his nephew? Wasn’t Lot his brother’s son? Yes he was! So why was Lot with him? It really doesn’t matter why! Lot was with him, and Lot was a problem throughout Abram’s journey. Lot’s tagging along produced all sorts of issues in the story.

As leaders, when God tells us to do something, it is important that we make the choice to follow His instructions fully. Abram in my opinion, had the choice to say, “Lot I know your daddy and your granddaddy are dead; however, you will be fine, because God told me to leave this country, to leave my kinfolks and to specifically get away from my father’s house and that includes you!” 

What choices do you need to make today to be successful in business and ministry? It is never too late to make the correction. By making worthy choices you will bring balance to your spirit, soul and body, so do it now! Feel free to visit our web store and purchase the products that will help you do just that!