Podcasts about uncommon wisdom

What if better management starts with seeing connections that were there all along? In this conversation, Balaji Reddie and Andrew Stotz unpack one of the most powerful and overlooked ideas in management: that everything is connected. Drawing on Dr. W. Edwards Deming's systems thinking, he explains why the problems we face today were set in motion long before we noticed them, and why the solutions are rarely where we think to look.    Along the way, a cup of coffee becomes a window into five years of invisible effort, hydrogen and oxygen defy everything we'd expect, and a classroom game reveals that cooperation isn't a soft ideal — it might just be human nature. Whether you run a team of two or a global organization, this episode will quietly shift the way you read a situation, ask a question, or respond to a problem. TRANSCRIPT 0:00:02.2 Andrew Stotz: My name is Andrew Stotz, and I'll be your host as we dive deeper into the teachings of Dr. W. Edwards Deming. Today, I'm continuing my discussions with Balaji Reddie, an educator and trainer in the teachings of Dr. Deming and quality management generally. The topic for today is connectedness, which will help you see things you normally would not see. Balaji, how are you?   0:00:30.7 Balaji Reddie: I'm good, I'm fine.   0:00:32.5 Andrew Stotz: Nice to connect with you.   0:00:34.1 Balaji Reddie: Yes, same here.   0:00:35.3 Andrew Stotz: Connectedness day.   0:00:36.5 Balaji Reddie: Yeah, connectedness, absolutely. Yeah, we chose this term very carefully, right?   0:00:42.6 Andrew Stotz: I suspect you have, given your precision.   [laughter]   0:00:47.4 Balaji Reddie: Yeah, to see things that you normally would not see, let me attribute this to Henry Neave, who said that he heard Deming say this during his last three or four seminars in England, right? In Britain rather. Yeah, I think it was mostly in England. And he said, when he heard him say that, he said, "I am not here to teach you anything new. I'm here to make you see things that you normally would not see." And I would like to just expand on that and say when you see things differently, obviously, you observe, you record different things. And when you record different things, you ask different questions. When you ask different questions, you get different answers. And when you get different answers, you draw different conclusions. When you draw different conclusions, you take different decisions. And when you take different decisions, you get different results. It's insanity to expect different results by asking the same questions every single time. So management is not so much about giving the right answers as much as it is about asking the correct questions. And I think Dr. Deming helps you do that. He helps you ask the correct questions.   0:02:02.2 Balaji Reddie: Now coming to the word connectedness. We spoke about the System of Profound Knowledge, a unified theory of leadership and management, where Dr. Deming brings together four sciences. And the first one he says about systems thinking, or what he called as appreciation for a system, appreciation for a fact that everything is systemic. There's nothing that happens in isolation, right? And the second one, of course, he said was understanding variation, then understanding theory of knowledge and understanding psychology. But he said, all four are equally important, et cetera. And then comes the, I won't say contradictory, but a chapter before Profound Knowledge on systems especially. So that's where I decided to use the word connectedness, that all these are connected. What did he mean by that? So I believe he wanted people to learn about connectedness and systems first.   0:03:01.6 Balaji Reddie: So let's dive right there. What did he always say about systems, or connectedness as we say here? And let's get into his definition for system. And he says that "a system is a network," right, "of interdependent components that work together to achieve the aim of the system." And then he says "every system must have an aim. Without an aim, there is no system." And very well articulated throughout this book which he wrote, he always began with aim of the chapter. Even in Out of the Crisis, he always started with aim of a chapter. So network of interdependent components. So let's just break it down, because the three important words are network, interdependent, and aim. And he says aim comes first because without the aim, there is no system.   0:04:00.6 Balaji Reddie: Right. And he goes on to tell us what the aim of a system should be. Okay. He says here that the recommended aim should be for everybody to gain. Now, in one of the paragraphs there, management's job, where he says should be to make it clear, the first step is clarification. Everyone in the organization must understand the aim and how to direct their efforts towards the aim, right? And everyone must understand, okay, this is important. The danger and loss to the whole organization from a team that seeks to become a selfish, independent profit center. Right. So he says here we need to give both, why we need to do what we need to do. And he says the aim precedes the system. Now, I would like to leave this discussion right here. We will cover this in our 14 Points, our session on the 14 Points, because I believe the word aim and purpose are, they go hand in hand. Aim gives us a direction and purpose gives us the reason why we exist, right? And so the direction of all the efforts, you can see the development. He says here, he gives some examples that the system must create something of value. In other words, results. The intended results along with consideration of recipients and of cost mold the aim of the system. So he said it should be something that makes life better for everyone.   0:05:39.8 Balaji Reddie: Now, he was talking about a man-made system here. Remember, he wrote this for organizations, but I think I mentioned this before that this can equally be applied to natural systems, if you want to really study them in detail. I remember talking to Barbara Lawton about this, and I said, "Natural systems, they do have an aim. It's just that we've not understood it." The purpose and aim of, in fact, that was the basis for my paper, which I delivered at the Deming Research Seminar in 2002. And the title of my paper was Deming and Ecology. And I was trying to put together the thoughts of the physicist Fritjof Capra, who wrote some wonderful books like The Tao of Physics, The Turning Point, The Web of Life, and The Hidden Connections. And The Systems View of Life is also one of the sub-books or booklets that he came out with. But these were his wonderful books. At the time, he had not yet written The Hidden Connections, right? So based on his three books that I had read up until then, of course, one was called Uncommon Wisdom, where he reproduced some of the interviews he had with some systems thinkers in the world, including people not from conventional systems thinking. For example, he also reproduced his interaction with the then Prime Minister or the ex-Prime Minister of India, Mrs. Indira Gandhi, and how he spent time with her, because he was over here in India for quite some time studying the language Sanskrit and studying the texts over here, because he learned about systems thinking even deeper.   0:07:25.1 Balaji Reddie: So over there, he wanted to, he raised a question, what is the purpose? So I wanted to use Dr. Deming's theories to understand the purpose of a natural system and what is the purpose of man [laughter] in this natural system. So that was my theory. And that's when this aim thing became more and more clear. And Barbara said, "No, you're right. There is an aim. It's just that we're trying to understand it. Without that, you won't have the system working so beautifully. There is something that is at work." Right. And he says here, management of a system. And then he says that a system includes the future. And now here's where, when you talk about system includes the future, he mentions Peter Senge in his book, if you know about The Fifth Discipline: The Art and Practice of the Learning Organization. And that's where this fantastic statement comes in because he says delayed effects. So although, Deming never used these words directly, but here I am putting among the first principles of systems thinking is that cause and effect are not closely related in time or space. Right. And that gives a lot of frightening conclusions, or inferences that you can draw from this. If I say that, by the way, that cause and effect are not closely related in time or space, and if I ask you what you understand by this statement, your first knee-jerk reaction would be what I do today, the consequences would be felt in another time at another place. Absolutely right. That's exactly what this means. But the converse is also true. What we get to see in front of our eyes, the origins are at another time and another place.   0:09:15.9 Balaji Reddie: So we only see the event, but systems thinking teaches us there are no events in this world. There are only eventualities. Now, this comes into play when you start doing a study, typically when people learn about quality, and then the first thing they learn is to, okay, identify a problem and try to solve it, right? And then they start asking the question, "Why did this happen?" And then you draw a fishbone diagram, which is, you know, one of the most popular tools. But the problem there is you need to arrange the causes logically and not categorically. And you also need to take into account that these causes are also related to each other. You can't isolate them. And the fact that, there could be an element of time over here, right, that this is a delayed effect that you're seeing. So the effect comes much later. And sometimes it could be weeks and months. So you have to take that into account, right? So the cause and effect are not true, which means then the next corollary from this statement is that seemingly disconnected events turn out to be connected. And so when you are studying something that's happening in front of your eyes, very quickly you ask the question, "What else happened a month ago, a week ago, that we seem to have missed? Are we missing something here?" So that's one of those things that we need to get into, right? We need to go backwards in time and not look at the localized stuff here. We need to look in space all around and try to figure out where and how we need to change things.   0:11:06.1 Andrew Stotz: It's also interesting to think about all the things that have to have happened for an outcome to occur today the way you want it, that is the right outcome.   0:11:19.8 Balaji Reddie: Yes.   0:11:21.4 Andrew Stotz: And a good example I use for that, and I was just talking two different times this week with my team, is coffee. Coffee is a really interesting one, because when you go to a coffee shop, they make you a cup of coffee, they give you a cup of coffee, but what you don't realize is that there was a farmer, took him five years to grow that tree. And then they had to pick it at the right time. You pick it at the wrong time, it goes wrong.   0:11:47.4 Balaji Reddie: Oh, yeah.   0:11:48.3 Andrew Stotz: They put it into some water. They leave it in too long, it's fermented. They leave it in too short, it doesn't, the shell doesn't come off. And then if they, once they've worked on it, if they have their grinders that are getting off the mucilage off of it, if they're too tight, well, then you're going to get a little slice off the top of the bean. And then when that goes to the roasting machine, that's going to burn right there because there's no protection in that area. But they got to get all of those things right all the way to that barista. And if that barista just basically doesn't check the water temperature, it's done.   0:12:29.5 Balaji Reddie: It's done. [laughter]   0:12:29.9 Andrew Stotz: You throw it away. And when you think about it, I have another lesson that I give to young people about capitalism, that how all of these decisions are happening all along the way. And when that happens, there's waste in the system. And that waste goes back all the way back to the effort of the farmer five years ago when they planted that tree.   0:12:51.8 Balaji Reddie: That's right.   0:12:52.3 Andrew Stotz: And so reducing waste is not only good for you and good for costs in general, but it has a respect for the process, a respect for the system.   0:13:04.0 Balaji Reddie: Yes. Connectedness. Reconnected. [laughter]   0:13:07.6 Andrew Stotz: Well, and the other thing I tell them is I say, and here you have a coffee bean coming from this country that's then being shipped to this country. They never met.   0:13:16.8 Balaji Reddie: Yeah.   0:13:17.1 Andrew Stotz: And that's capitalism. You trade. In fact, they may not speak the same language.   0:13:23.1 Balaji Reddie: Absolutely.   0:13:23.5 Andrew Stotz: Or they may even be enemies. They may hate each other.   0:13:26.9 Balaji Reddie: Yeah.   0:13:27.4 Andrew Stotz: And yet they trade.   0:13:29.5 Balaji Reddie: Yeah.   0:13:31.1 Andrew Stotz: And so it's a voluntary connectedness that happens through capitalism. Anyways.   0:13:37.2 Balaji Reddie: Yeah. The right quality and uniformity are foundations for commerce, prosperity, and peace. [laughter] That's Deming for you.   0:13:46.1 Andrew Stotz: Yeah.   0:13:46.3 Balaji Reddie: I think he chose that sentence so beautifully. It goes into the Deming Medal. He knew what he was talking about. So he was talking about systems, and I think profound knowledge came towards the end of his life, and rightly so. It came as a revelation, as a catharsis. I think he went through all of that, especially, I think it was between '88 and '89, if I'm not mistaken. Jaki Graham talks about this very, very funnily. She says that they were giving him pure oxygen and maybe that made his brain cells go alive. [laughter] And he could think so clearly. He was getting pure oxygen. And so his thought process...   0:14:31.0 Andrew Stotz: By the way, for the listeners out there, you may feel like I feel when I think about how Dr. Deming didn't really come out with the System of Profound Knowledge until he was, early '90s, let's say, '90s. You think to yourself, okay, I still have time to come up with my incredible insight on...   0:14:52.4 Balaji Reddie: Correct.   0:14:52.9 Andrew Stotz: Bringing together all my experience.   0:14:55.1 Balaji Reddie: Yeah. So because I think I shared this with you before that when you read Mary Walton's book and he says, "No, I don't think I'm ready to establish an institute," and he only did it one month before he passed. So I think by that time he was quite sure what he created was quite amazing, and it'll stand the test of time, right? And although, the title of the book is The New Economics for Industry, Government, Education, I believe it is industry, government, education, and healthcare. Because when he was in Japan, he said Japan must see itself as a system. And when he got the Deming Medal, that's what he said. Oh, sorry, when he got the Emperor's Medal, the Second Order of the Sacred Treasure. And he was talking to the Japanese Prime Minister. And he said, "You all must see yourselves as a system." And the four sectors of industry, government, education, and healthcare must work together. So he meant it as in the broadest sense of the term, right? And that's why this word system. So the first thing, of course, cause and effect are not closely related. Seemingly disconnected events turn out to be connected. The third important thing here in systems thinking is the reductionist thinking that we have.   0:16:12.0 Balaji Reddie: We believe the word analysis means dissection. And if you look deeply and read the book Mind and the World Order, what is the purpose of analysis? The purpose of analysis is not dissection. That's just the act of breaking a system down. But the purpose of analysis is interrelationships, establishing the interrelationships or understanding the connectedness. And I find it quite funny because people say analysis is dissection, and so they came up with a new term, really not necessary, synthesis, bringing it all together. There was no need for that term. You're not engaging in what, tautology? [laughter] You didn't need that. Analysis itself means dissecting and understanding relationships, right?   0:17:02.2 Andrew Stotz: Hmm.   0:17:03.3 Balaji Reddie: And so he said here, we have that reductionist thinking, but we forget that in a system, you have what are called synergistic relationships. You cannot understand a system by breaking it down into its components and studying the components separately and then believing that the components and their attributes and what they do gives the output of what we see. No, you could be completely wrong here. It's not what they do separately. Okay, it's a good thing to understand the components of a system and study them and maybe even establish connectedness, but sometimes what the results you see are quite contrary to what they could be giving separately. I'll give you an example here. Take the case of water. Water is composed of hydrogen and oxygen. You cannot study and draw conclusions about water by studying the attributes of hydrogen and oxygen separately. You'd be making a mistake, a grave error. Okay, let's do that. Hydrogen, a highly inflammable gas, catches fire like this. Oxygen feeds fire. But you put them together and they give you something that quenches fire. Hydrogen is not wet. Oxygen is not wet. But water is wet. [laughter] How do you explain this?   0:18:25.9 Balaji Reddie: All right. If you take the case of sugar, it's a hydrocarbon. Try tasting hydrogen. All right, try tasting carbon. Now put them together and see what you get. Now, can it not be then that you are studying a system and when you break things down and you're studying the components separately, you could be making the same error? It's not what they do separately, it's what they do together. It's the same with sections in a company, departments in a company, companies themselves. Today, we use this sophisticated term, supply chain, call it what you will. I love to use the word provider network. I don't like using the word supplier any longer. I like to use the word provider, because today we're living in a different world. We're getting activities done by someone else, and you can't say he's supplying me this activity. He's providing me this service, right? So provider is a better term to use than supplier. And it's no longer a chain. It's a network, right? It's more lateral. It's all over the place. It's not linear. You're doing a huge disservice by using the term supply chain, because it's not bringing out what exactly is happening right there.   0:19:38.3 Balaji Reddie: And today's supply chains or provider networks are globally dispersed. So you need to have something that connects them. You just said that, the farmer could be in a different country, speaking a different language, maybe he didn't even know where it is being used, and they could hate each other, but they have to work, [laughter] you need to work together. So there's some kind of connectedness that comes in once again. But here's where people make mistakes. So you're talking about synergistic relationships. So sometimes in a team, now here's where all that incentive pay and choosing employee of the month can destroy a system.   0:20:18.8 Balaji Reddie: It could have been the entire team that did well, and they did well because they worked as a team. And it was synergistic, where some components had to, I can't use the right word, but maybe had to underperform so that the system came out ahead. It's like the organs of the human body, right? That's an interconnected, interdependent system. You have a primary function of each of the organs, but there are many other functions we are still discovering, right? For example, if you take the case of ears, besides hearing, they're responsible for balance in our body, right? Eyes, besides sight, they are also responsible for balance in our body. If you try this yoga position, you know, there's a yoga, so to say, yeah, you stand on one leg. And then you lift one leg off the ground and put the ball of your heel on the knee, the other leg's knee. And then you hold your hands above your head to form like a namaste or a triangle. As long as your eyes are open, you stand upright. Shut your eyes, you fall. It's a system and we don't even realize it, right? So this is something we're still...   0:21:38.3 Andrew Stotz: You also fall in that posture when your teacher says, as mine did once, "Now you're in the position. Now raise your other leg."   [laughter]   0:21:54.5 Andrew Stotz: My yoga teacher didn't come yesterday, but I did my sessions every day. But I haven't been able to do that one yet.   0:22:03.6 Balaji Reddie: We had that joke in school. Why does the crane stand on one leg? [laughter] 'Cause if it raised the other leg, it'd fall. [laughter] So it continues standing on one leg. So yes. So you have the synergistic relationships which exist, all right? And it's so difficult then to establish these interrelationships. And sometimes they're visible, sometimes they're not, all right? And sometimes you get to see the results right up front. Sometimes you get to see them in time delay. And that is why Deming said continual improvement. It never stops. Continual learning. You can never say you have complete knowledge of a process or a system. You can never say that, right? And now comes the best part. When you say here that all these are interconnected and there's synergy and then there's cause and effect not closely related in time and space, the output of a system, that is why, is subject to variation. And that's why the study of variation becomes important, right?   0:23:16.2 Balaji Reddie: And when you draw a diagram saying, suppose you say this is a system and all the components are there and you draw the interconnectedness and you draw an arrow and you say, "Okay, you're getting the system is subject to variation," right? Can you with absolute certainty say that because here, because the funny thing is each of the component's performance is also subject to variation, right? So can you say that, this combination gave me this output? You can never say that. You can only say it's probable, might be somewhere here. And so I think Walter Shewhart's greatness was in recognizing that what is natural to a system and what is not natural. When do you start asking the question, "What do I know about this?" When you cannot predict. When you can predict with a certain amount of certainty that this is going to happen.   0:24:14.6 Balaji Reddie: It is between these two limits. Well, then that's when you say, "Okay, I think I know quite a bit about this, but I don't know much. I want to reduce those limits, because I want to be as certain as possible when I make a prediction." And that was what was continual learning. It was not so much about cost. It was as much as it had to do about understanding and predicting. I know what's going to happen next. To a certain extent, this will happen. This will happen, right? And that's where the understanding of variation comes in. Okay, and then he brought in the third, that in variation, you saw that there were what he called as random variation and assignable variation, or what Deming had common and special cause variation. Common causes belong to the system and special causes are alien to the system under study, right? And so say it's easier to identify the special causes because they tell you something is not right. And so you can say, "I know it happened." You can isolate and say, "This is the cause," right? It makes it easier for you then to isolate that, study it, but...   0:25:30.1 Andrew Stotz: I just had that happen this morning.   0:25:32.4 Balaji Reddie: Okay.   0:25:33.7 Andrew Stotz: I'll give you an example.   0:25:35.2 Balaji Reddie: Yeah, sure.   0:25:36.0 Andrew Stotz: I've been working with my accounting team and what we're trying to do is make sure we have on-time and accurate monthly financial statements. And I've chosen those words very, very carefully. And what I've done with the team is ask them, there's no pressure in this. All I'm asking you to do is pick a day that you think we will be able to have on-time and accurate monthly financial statements. And then they pick their days for each month to the end of the year, which pretty much certainty accounting is a repeating of a similar function. And so then as I was talking with them throughout that day, I said, "Why are these boxes piled up around here?" And they said, "Well, the room that we store them in is getting full." The paper, 'cause you have a regulation in Thailand, you have to have your accounting documents for up to six or eight years on premises in case the revenue department comes. So I said, "Well, show me that room." And we went to the room and it was an absolute mess. It's like people have been dumping boxes and papers in there for five years.   0:26:51.6 Balaji Reddie: Wow.   0:26:52.6 Andrew Stotz: And I said, "Okay. You got to clean up this room this month." They're like, "Ah, it's going to take us two months." I said, "Look, this is critical." And they agreed. And so they have now completed that task, but it consumed so much of their time to do that. And it looks beautiful now. But they're two days late on the on-time and accurate monthly financials. And if we were to look at that on a control chart, we would see that it's a big deviation from what they've been able to do. But that special cause is almost meaningless, just as meaningless as the random variation in the sense that this was just a simple situation where there was a trade-off, they made the trade-off, and it's an acceptable trade-off.   0:27:43.1 Balaji Reddie: Yeah, I'd like to put it this way. When you know why it has happened, it's not that harmful, right? As long as you can predict when we do something. It's the unpredictability that makes a special cause harmful. And that's why when I used the term that Deming's thinking was about reducing or eliminating harmful variation, that is things which get out of your hand and you usually don't know why it's happening. So once you get to know, I believe that this could be connected, yeah, that's a good place to start, right?   0:28:15.7 Andrew Stotz: Yeah. Now, someone that doesn't understand the situation and look back over time may not understand what that cause was, which I'm thinking that I want to develop kind of a note-taking system where we actually write down what was that so that we have a record and an understanding of it. But...   0:28:37.1 Balaji Reddie: Yeah. And so when you say here that there's so many, that complete knowledge is not possible, and that's where you start thinking that was Deming being a pessimist to say complete knowledge is not possible, unknown and unknowable. But no, he was just being realistic. But he did not leave us right there. He said the way you can make the unknown as known as possible is through the theory of knowledge. And that's how the whole thing is. It's beautifully done, what the theory of knowledge is. But he says here, very simply, one of those exercises which you see in the new edition of The New Economics on page 58. But if you go to the old edition, right? That's, I believe, on... Where would that be? Page 84. The example he gives there, effect, the plans and their effect, area A, B, and C, the matrix diagram, if you see that?   0:29:50.0 Andrew Stotz: Yeah.   0:29:50.5 Balaji Reddie: That he says was devised by Henry. And then, of course, he picked on that and put it into his book. I got a chance to actually work on this in the form of a game. And the game, I would break up the audience into four or five groups of five people each and then say, "You're department A, department B, department C," and then have a host of projects lined up for them. And I say, "Now you're going to be ranked and rated based on how you do as a department." And so they would choose those projects where only they were benefiting, right? And obviously, that's what you see in the first table. A chooses three projects, and B chooses two projects, and C chooses three projects. And you see the plus signs there indicating that it's for them, for them alone. And then they are exposed to the fact that, wait a minute, now we're going to give you some extra information. You chose these projects because they were good for you, but now we're going to tell you that these were bad for the others, right? And only one of them was good.   0:30:59.9 Balaji Reddie: And I say, "Okay, now here's this extra information you've been given. Now what are you going to do?" All right. And I said, "I'm giving you five minutes to... Because the company is going to do badly, right? And even though you get a good rating, but the company does badly and eventually the company might have to shut down. So what would you want to do now? I'm giving you five minutes to rectify this." You know, Andrew, not even five minutes was necessary. They would come back within two or three minutes and say, "Let's just choose those projects where everyone gains." And I was surprised the first time that happened. And that's why Deming said cooperation is the key and it is natural. It's just that we have brought in this competition thing. So competition is not natural. He says cooperation is natural. [laughter]   0:31:53.9 Andrew Stotz: And that, in Asia, and I can speak to Thailand, what I like to tell people here in Thailand for managers and people running business is that the core strength of Thai people is that they want to work together. So when you break them up and you put them into groups and then you incentivize them either by group or by individual, you destroy one of their core strengths.   0:32:28.7 Balaji Reddie: Right.   0:32:29.1 Andrew Stotz: That's not a core strength of American. A lot of Americans don't want to work together. They just want to do their own thing. Right? They've been trained to be independent and they don't want that hassle. But in Asia, particularly in Thailand, where we're struggling to bring more and more value, what's happened is the KPI mentality of divide and conquer really is damaging. And it brings me to another point or question that I wanted to mention, and that is about the natural... My mom has a saying, and it's "inch by inch, it's a cinch, yard by yard, it's hard." And what she was telling me was to break things down into manageable parts and then work on the next right part, and then you will start to make progress. And we have studied under Adam Smith and the concept of how division of labor brings value, can increase output. And so there's a whole side of things. And then we're incentivized as individuals, particularly in the West, but let's say generally that, if it's to be, it's going to be up to you and you got to make yourself performance and your department's performance. I don't care about the others. I care about what you're doing with yours.   0:32:54.6 Andrew Stotz: So there's an accountability aspect and it all comes together to give people the perception that, hey, I need to break this down into smaller parts. And so there's just this natural inclination to do that. And if you were to say to people, you can't break it down into individual parts, that also doesn't work. You have to be able to understand the different parts and their interconnectedness, going back to what you're saying.   0:34:26.8 Balaji Reddie: Yes.   0:34:27.1 Andrew Stotz: But there's a lot of different things that I'm saying here. But I think the thing that I'm saying is that the pressure on most people is to divide and conquer, to say, "I'm going to go and look at this department and you and your performance." And what Deming was saying was, you've got to look wider than that if you're really going to be successful. Tell me where I'm right or wrong or give me some guidance.   0:34:53.5 Balaji Reddie: Yeah. I mean, that's exactly how it is. And I just told you that when I saw this happen, it was like an eye-opener. And then what happened after that was, okay, there were some other projects which where we were not going to do well, but the company's going to come out ahead. So why don't we choose those? And that's exactly what you see in the table, that they choose certain projects where they themselves are... Now that's real optimization, right? That's getting the best for everyone.   0:35:23.4 Andrew Stotz: Yeah.   0:35:24.8 Balaji Reddie: And today it's become an overused and abused term. For anything they use the word optimize. I think Deming was way very clear about this 30 years ago when he came up with this idea. And he said it's for everybody to gain. It's not compromise, it's optimization. Right? So I, of course, have a different take on optimize and we'll see that next week when we come into four parts of profound knowledge. So I'd like to end here with talking about cooperation is the key and I think we realized why.   0:35:59.1 Andrew Stotz: Okay.   0:35:59.8 Balaji Reddie: Deming says it's not about each other, it's win-win. The system should... And he gives that lovely example in the same chapter, the last example, where he talks about the truck company, the two truckers who used to keep their establishment open. Alternately overnight so that both could gain and they would use each other's resources. He said, "I was surprised when I called the pickup truck and I saw that the truck was from his competitor. He sent his competitor's truck to pick up my car." That was a classic case of cooperation. So since he ends with that, he ends that chapter, I'd like to also speak about that. Cooperation is the key because we are dealing with something very complex, right? And none of us is as strong as all of us. It's not just about, like you said, because cause and effect are not closely related, it is imperative now that we need to work together. So that was with systems thinking. Cause and effect are not closely related. There exist synergistic relationships. Seemingly disconnected events turn out to be connected. And outputs are the result of a myriad of inputs. You can never say you know everything. So that was systems thinking for you as they apply to the elements of profound knowledge as well.   0:37:33.3 Andrew Stotz: Great.   0:37:33.7 Balaji Reddie: Next week, we'll get into profound knowledge.   0:37:37.1 Andrew Stotz: You know, I think my ending thought on this goes back to the concept of meditation.   0:37:45.4 Balaji Reddie: Okay.   0:37:45.9 Andrew Stotz: Concept of insight meditation or Vipassana or...   0:37:52.6 Balaji Reddie: Vipassana.   0:37:53.7 Andrew Stotz: Yeah. So part of what I understand about meditation is the idea of clearing our mind in this moment. It may also be just observing our mind and just observing all that's happening and going on, which is fine. And let's say that a meditation master may be able to clear their mind. But let's just say that what we're trying to do is come down to this instant, this moment. And I remember during COVID when a lot of pressures were on in my business and stuff, I used to meditate and focus on one saying, which is, "I'm okay right now at this moment."   0:38:36.7 Balaji Reddie: Right.   0:38:37.1 Andrew Stotz: And why this is interesting is because let's say this moment is time zero. What you've just explained is that there's about 50 million things before time zero that have been connected in one way or another that got you to time zero.   0:38:55.1 Balaji Reddie: Yes.   0:38:55.3 Andrew Stotz: And you also said that a system, as Deming said, is a system includes the future.   0:39:00.2 Balaji Reddie: Future.   0:39:01.2 Andrew Stotz: And that's going to be a function of all the different things that happen after time zero, the interconnected things. And it just made me realize, ah, so the value of meditation, I can see it even more now when I think about all the connections on both the future side and the past side. And so it just helped me think about it from that perspective, a little bit different, but anyways.   0:39:23.4 Balaji Reddie: Yep.   0:39:24.9 Andrew Stotz: So I just want to thank you for taking the time. And in fact, what I was thinking is that I need to do more interviews with our advisors and other board members of the Institute, including yourself, because they've all got a lot to say. And I've got some discussions going on with that right now. So I'm looking forward to that. And so I appreciate the discussion and the journey that you're taking us on. And just for the listeners out there, remember to go to deming.org and jump into DemingNEXT to continue your journey.   0:40:03.8 Balaji Reddie: Yes, absolutely.   0:40:05.3 Andrew Stotz: There's so much, so much to learn and explore. So I'm going to wrap it up there. This is your host, Andrew Stotz, and I'll leave you with one of my favorite quotes from Dr. Deming, and that is, "People are entitled," that includes you...   0:40:21.7 Balaji Reddie: Yes.   0:40:22.4 Andrew Stotz: Are entitled to joy in work.

Send us a textWhat if joy isn't a mood you wait for but a stance you cultivate—especially when the world feels chaotic? Executive and team coach Terrie Lupberger joins us to unpack why joy can be a radical act that disrupts scarcity, separation, and fear in the coaching room and the boardroom. We explore a clear distinction between joy and happiness, how to avoid toxic positivity, and why holding paradox—grief alongside gratitude, urgency with steadiness—makes leaders more effective and coaches more trustworthy.We go deep on the hidden narratives that shape work: the myth that there's never enough, that we're alone, and that worth depends on outcomes. Terrie offers accessible practices to reset your inner operating system, including micro moments of appreciation you can do in 15 seconds and “radical receiving” so praise and connection actually land in your body. We talk about curating inputs—news, feeds, and relationships—to protect attention, reduce reactivity, and widen choice. The result is a coaching presence that doesn't collude with fear and a leadership style that strengthens trust, creativity, and meaningful action.You'll leave with practical ways to cultivate joy daily, support clients without bypassing pain, and anchor your heart while you move into the “din of battle.” If you've been chasing happiness or feeling drained by constant crisis, this conversation offers language, tools, and a path back to what matters. Listen, try a micro practice today, and tell us where joy is most accessible in your life. If this resonates, subscribe, share the episode with a colleague, and leave a quick review to help others find the show.Watch the full interview by clicking here. Find the full article here.Learn more about Terrie here.Terrie's offer to our listeners: The first 10 people who email me with the subject line ‘Joy at Work' at info@terrielupberger.com will receive a free copy of my new book Uncommon Wisdom at Work — I'll pop it in the mail to you.And for everyone who emails, I'll also send my Joy Check-In Practice, a short guided reflection you can use daily to reconnect with your own steady flame of joy or offer it to your clients.   Your email is safe with me.  I don't share or spam you.Grab your free issue of choice Magazine here - https://choice-online.com/

To commemorate the start of our fifth season, we revisit a conversation we had almost two years ago about the wisdom of Simon Auster, MD. Simon was a family physician and psychiatrist who inspired the conversations we've been having with each other and with guests on every episode.  “Simonisms” embody Simon's insights: pithy observations about the practice of medicine that are never cliché, challenge commonly held assumptions and offer fresh perspectives. We share -- and reflect on -- these pearls because we believe they can help many doctors, those in training, and those who train them, find joy and meaning in their work.  You can learn about Simon, who died in 2020, in an online (open access) essay about his life, published in The Pharos, the journal of the AOA medical honor society. 

Wisdom Key #79

Worship: Eighteenth Sunday after Pentecost; Minister: Rev. Debbie Weatherspoon; Message: "Uncommon Wisdom"; Music director: Scott Jespersen; Scripture: Esther 7: 1-3; Worship Leaders: Caroline Lee, Melanie Green, Katherine Whitney, Cathy Travlos, Susan Willm; Livestream producer: Frances Portis; Audio engineer: Paul Nasman; Podcast producer: Ethan Toven-Lindsey

This conversation with Frank Viola is a fascinating look at what will increase true spiritual power in your life and circle of influence. These dynamics are timeless field-tested principles to steward God's power. Learn to release God's authority to make a lasting impact on others for good.Get the Smart Edit newsletter from Jesus Smart!See the show notes page for more at JesusSmart.com/320

Worship: Fifteenth Sunday after Pentecost; Minister: Rev. Debbie Weatherspoon; Message: "Uncommon Wisdom"; Music director: Scott Jespersen; Scripture: Song of Solomon 2:8-13; Worship Leaders: Beverly Dance, Susan Jardin, Clark Kellogg, Carrie Portis; Livestream producer: Frances Portis; Audio engineer: Paul Nasman; Podcast producer: Ethan Toven-Lindsey

Today we conclude our worship series “Uncommon Wisdom.” In a culture that tells us we should do whatever we can to get ahead—even if it means lying, stealing, and manipulation—we have been looking at the seemingly uncommon wisdom of the book of Proverbs. In this book of scripture, we find 100s of short sayings that show us a God-centered path to the good life. Over the past five weeks, we have looked at several of these sayings: Better the poor person who lives with integrity than the rich one who distorts right and wrong. The name of the LORD is a strong tower; the righteous run to it and are protected. 2 When arrogance comes, disgrace follows, but with humility comes wisdom. 22 A beautiful woman who rejects good sense is like a gold ring in a pig's snout. to see what morsel of God's wisdom they have to share. This week, we conclude our series with the poem, “The Woman of Valor” or how it's more commonly understood, “The Woman of Noble Character.”

Today we continue our worship series “Uncommon Wisdom.” Current cultural wisdom tells us that we should do whatever we can to get ahead—if we want it, we should figure out a way to get it. But that is not the way God would have us act. So in this series, we are looking at the seemingly uncommon wisdom of Proverbs, which shows us a God-centered, path to the good life. Proverbs is a collection of 100s of short sayings that apply wisdom and fear of the Lord—awe and reverence towards God—to any topic you can imagine—friendship, marriage, generosity, work, money, forgiveness… the list goes on. It's a book for every person in every season of life. Each week during this series, we are taking a look at one or two proverbs to see what morsel of God's wisdom they have to share. This week, our wisdom is: Better the poor person who lives with integrity than the rich one who distorts right and wrong.

In ancient cities, a strong tower was a central place where people could run to when an enemy's army was attacking or they were encountering some sort of danger. It's where they went for safety and protection. That's what the name of the Lord is for the righteous—the wise: they run to God first, knowing that it's God's very character to protect and care for us. We know that because we see this truth again and again throughout scripture.

Guest speaker Matt Mellott delivers some uncommon wisdom, including a tale about cheese in a hotel mattress.

Rev. Peg Welch, our pastor's mother-in-love, shares some uncommon wisdom with a meditation on Proverbs 12: 15-16

The infamous economist, Bryan Caplan, and I discuss the potential impact of AI across domains like immigration, national security, employment, and much much more! He's much more sanguine about AI than I am, but he makes good points, as per usual. Enjoy the show!Bryan Caplan is a professor of economics at George Mason University, research fellow at the Mercatus Center, and adjunct scholar at the Cato Institute. His Substack is Bet On It. Get full access to Uncommon Wisdom at jimmyalfonsolicon.substack.com/subscribe

Today we are in the second week of our worship series “Uncommon Wisdom.” Our society's current strategies for success appear to be exploitation, violence, and smear campaigns. But I'm confident we can all agree that this is not the way God would have it. So in this series, we are looking at the seemingly uncommon wisdom of Proverbs, which shows us another, God-centered, path to the good life. Every day we are faced with the same decision those first humans had in the Garden of Eden: how do we gain the wisdom to discern between good and evil? Do we do what seems good to us—what we desire in the moment or seems to benefit us most? Or do we look to God, the One who knows the long-game, and how all things fit together? It seems like an easy answer, but it's much more difficult in the moment. That's where the book of Proverbs comes in. It's a collection of 100s of short sayings that apply wisdom and fear of the Lord—awe and reverence towards God—to any topic you can imagine—friendship, marriage, generosity, work, money, forgiveness… the list goes on. It's a book for every person in every season of life. And so each week, we will take a look at one or two proverbs and see what morsel of God's wisdom they have to share.

Today we begin a new worship series titled “Uncommon Wisdom.” In a society whose only real success strategies appear to be exploitation, violence, and smear campaigns, we are going to look at the seemingly uncommon wisdom of Proverbs, which shows us another path to the good life. Every decision we make impacts not just ourselves, but others. Some decisions are small and cumulative, but none are made in a vacuum. We try to think about all the consequences our decisions might have—projecting out and imagining all the scenarios, but we just can't—life is too complex. So the question we're left to wonder is, “How do we know the right thing to do at any given moment? What is the wise thing that will lead to life? That's where the book of Proverbs comes in. It's a book that's for every person in every season of life, guiding us to living wisely and well in God's good world.

¿Qué hay para mi dentro del libro de lecturas recomendadas del programa conocimiento experto El Tao de la Física de Fritjof Capra? Descubre el vínculo entre la física moderna y la antigua sabiduría de oriente del Tao Te Ching Adquiere el Libro: https://amzn.to/3YJO9Js Curso - Taller La Estrategia Maestra: https://conocimientoexperto.com/la-estrategia-maestra Conviértete en miembro de este canal para disfrutar de ventajas: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC80Q7vyU9ZMfePxogSdb8kA/join Forma Parte de Revolución 180: https://conocimientoexperto.com/ols/products/diariorevolucion180 Hazte de mi libro: https://amzn.to/3gCY1mO Mis programas: * Revolución 180: https://impactoexperto.com/diariorev180 * Libro Mentalidad con Proposito: https://amzn.to/2KmHMXa * Podcast Conocimiento Experto: https://open.spotify.com/show/65J8RTsruRXBxeQElVmU0b?si=9f444953f34246ab * Boletin Oficial: https://conocimientoexperto.com/ Mis redes: * Sígueme En Instagram en: https://www.instagram.com/salvadormingo/ * Sígueme en Facebook en: https://www.facebook.com/salvadormingooficial * Sígueme en Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/SalvadorMingoConocimientoExperto * Sígueme en Twitter en: https://twitter.com/s_mingo A menudo se considera que ciencia y religión son conceptos totalmente dispares y se traza una clara línea divisoria entre el "pensamiento racional" occidental y las escuelas de pensamiento orientales más intuitivas o de orientación espiritual. Pero, como verás en este análisis, cuando comparamos algunas de las nociones fundamentales de las principales religiones orientales -a saber, el budismo, el hinduismo y el taoísmo- con la ciencia moderna, especialmente la física moderna, observamos muchas similitudes. Ya se trate de la interconexión básica de todas las partículas o de la naturaleza del espacio y el tiempo en la teoría de la relatividad de Einstein, parece que las religiones orientales llevan milenios presentando conceptos similares. Aunque la ciencia ha avanzado enormemente desde la primera publicación del libro en 1975, El Tao de la Física sigue siendo una fuente de inspiración tanto para creyentes como para ateos. En este análisis, aprenderás: - Qué tipo de paradojas se encuentran tanto en la física cuántica como en las religiones orientales; - Cómo las partículas y las ondas pueden verse como un paralelo del yin y el yang; y - Por qué no hay espacio sin tiempo, ni tiempo sin espacio. Edicion Julio 2018 Fritjof Capra es doctor en Física Teórica por la Universidad de Viena. Es un prolífico autor y conferenciante sobre los aspectos filosóficos de la ciencia moderna. Otros libros de Capra son The Turning Point, Uncommon Wisdom y The Web of Life. Enfoque Fisica Cuantica y Espiritualidad Se Firme Salvador Mingo Conocimiento Experto #espiritualidad #ciencia #enfoque

¿Qué hay para mi dentro del libro de lecturas recomendadas del programa conocimiento experto El Tao de la Física de Fritjof Capra? Descubre el vínculo entre la física moderna y la antigua sabiduría de oriente del Tao Te Ching Adquiere el Libro: https://amzn.to/3YJO9Js Curso - Taller La Estrategia Maestra: https://conocimientoexperto.com/la-estrategia-maestra Conviértete en miembro de este canal para disfrutar de ventajas: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC80Q7vyU9ZMfePxogSdb8kA/join Forma Parte de Revolución 180: https://conocimientoexperto.com/ols/products/diariorevolucion180 Hazte de mi libro: https://amzn.to/3gCY1mO Mis programas: * Revolución 180: https://impactoexperto.com/diariorev180 * Libro Mentalidad con Proposito: https://amzn.to/2KmHMXa * Podcast Conocimiento Experto: https://open.spotify.com/show/65J8RTsruRXBxeQElVmU0b?si=9f444953f34246ab * Boletin Oficial: https://conocimientoexperto.com/ Mis redes: * Sígueme En Instagram en: https://www.instagram.com/salvadormingo/ * Sígueme en Facebook en: https://www.facebook.com/salvadormingooficial * Sígueme en Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/SalvadorMingoConocimientoExperto * Sígueme en Twitter en: https://twitter.com/s_mingo A menudo se considera que ciencia y religión son conceptos totalmente dispares y se traza una clara línea divisoria entre el "pensamiento racional" occidental y las escuelas de pensamiento orientales más intuitivas o de orientación espiritual. Pero, como verás en este análisis, cuando comparamos algunas de las nociones fundamentales de las principales religiones orientales -a saber, el budismo, el hinduismo y el taoísmo- con la ciencia moderna, especialmente la física moderna, observamos muchas similitudes. Ya se trate de la interconexión básica de todas las partículas o de la naturaleza del espacio y el tiempo en la teoría de la relatividad de Einstein, parece que las religiones orientales llevan milenios presentando conceptos similares. Aunque la ciencia ha avanzado enormemente desde la primera publicación del libro en 1975, El Tao de la Física sigue siendo una fuente de inspiración tanto para creyentes como para ateos. En este análisis, aprenderás: - Qué tipo de paradojas se encuentran tanto en la física cuántica como en las religiones orientales; - Cómo las partículas y las ondas pueden verse como un paralelo del yin y el yang; y - Por qué no hay espacio sin tiempo, ni tiempo sin espacio. Edicion Julio 2018 Fritjof Capra es doctor en Física Teórica por la Universidad de Viena. Es un prolífico autor y conferenciante sobre los aspectos filosóficos de la ciencia moderna. Otros libros de Capra son The Turning Point, Uncommon Wisdom y The Web of Life. Enfoque Fisica Cuantica y Espiritualidad Se Firme Salvador Mingo Conocimiento Experto #espiritualidad #ciencia #enfoque

Guest: Rob Wilton Rob Wilton is a multi-city movement leader for Christ. He is the Founding Pastor of Vintage Church, Send City Missionary for the Send Network, and the Chaplain for the New Orleans Saints. Although his family is from South Africa, Rob was born and raised in New Orleans and this is where he met Jesus. Guys, just thinking about some common “missteps” or mistakes that we can make along the journey of life…followed by common logic AND uncommon wisdom. Thinking you can travel the road alone Common logic - surround yourself with good people Uncommon wisdom - trust God with the direction of your lifeEven Jesus had “his guys” - Christian community is tremendously important, but don't think that others “complete” you! The Bible is full of stories of really unimpressive men who followed a really impressive God. Guys, you don't have to be everything or do everything, you need to humbly walk in obedience to God and follow His plan for your life! Underestimating the influence that others have in your life Common logic - you're the average of your 5 closest friends Uncommon wisdom - God outweighs all the influence and wisdom of those around you if you'll trust Him! Thinking less of yourself for your humble beginnings Common logic - doesn't matter where you begin, it matters where you end… Uncommon wisdom - many times God uses where you began to give you insight into the journey where He's taking you - don't undervalue your start!One common theme throughout Scripture - God doing for us what we could not do for ourselves! You can't, but Jesus did. Because Jesus did, now you can! God doesn't need your ability, He wants your availability! Thinking too highly of yourself for particular gifts and talents you've been given Common logic - think less of yourself Uncommon wisdom - to whom much is given, much is required and expected - Luke 12:48Acts 9:31 - and walking in the fear of the Lord and comfort of the Holy Spirit, the church multiplied. Some may need to hear about the fear of the Lord and gain a little humility; others might need to hear how God is the lifter of our heads and walk in the comfort of the Holy Spirit - both are important! Thinking you'll address spiritual issues later in life Common logic - take care of yourself first Uncommon wisdom - if it's important, address it now…if it's not important, don't waste time with it!Every day is a gift, every opportunity has the potential to be something important for our growth and maturity…and God's glory! Rob's advice - “press in earlier” - don't wait to develop your spiritual life, time is valuable, don't waste it! T4M guys - just a reminder that Training4Manhood is a non-profit, 501(c)(3) ministry and you can make donations either via Zelle (info@training4manhood.com) or by visiting the Training4Manhood website. Huge thank you to Jared Wood for allowing T4M to use his music in our intro and outro selections.

Simon Auster, MD, was a family physician, psychiatrist, and medical educator who had extraordinary insight about practicing medicine but absolutely zero interest in drawing attention to himself. His students and patients had the good fortune of having him as their teacher or doctor but far too few have benefited from his wisdom. Today we discuss some of Simon's saying's -- "Simonisms" -- that are remarkable because they are not the usual cliches one hears. Some challenge us to reconsider our assumptions. We share and discuss them because we believe they can help many doctors, those in training, and those who train them find more joy and meaning in their work. You can learn about Simon in an online (open access) essay about his life, published in The Pharos, the journal of the AOA medical honor society. 

Wisdom Key #79

Ministering: Rev Kayode Tadese

Ministering: Rev Kayode Tadese

Ministering: Rev Kayode Tadese

What are the 2 approaches to seeking the Spirit of Wisdom of God? Learn how to consistently walk in and live by the spirit of wisdom.

Ministering: Rev Kayode Tadese

The Glory and The Spirit of Wisdom Ministering: Rev Kayode Tadese

Ministering: Rev Kayode Tadese

Ministering: Rev Kayode Tadese

Ministering: Rev Kayode Tadese

Ministering: Rev Kayode Tadese

Ministering: Rev Kayode Tadese

It is my absolute delight to be welcoming to the Sense-Making in a Changing World show, someone I consider to be a leading ecological thinker/activist of our time - international best-selling author, scientist, writer, educator - Fritjof Capra - someone I am honoured to call a mentor, inspiration and very dear friend. Our conversation in this episode spans a five decade history of ecological and youth movements, being part of a community of elders, the importance of permaculture and agroecololgy, peace, learning communities, ecoliteracy, earth ethics and social change.About 30 years ago Fritjof Capra and I met at Schumacher College in the UK at a residential course he was leading with a global learning community. This experience transformed my life. I felt a deep sense of coming home in the thinking, ethics, philosophy and way of being, and this firmly grounded my subsequent actions. I can pinpoint this as the catalyst for what I do now.I was in my early  20s, still at university, when I began devouring Fritjof's books - The Turning Point, Tao of Physics, Uncommon Wisdom - all of these introduced to me by my father (Thanks Dad!!!!). On semester breaks, I'd head to the Gippsland Lakes to read, walk, and contemplate. This one particular year, 1991, sitting among a pile of Fritjof's books,  sparks literally began flying - my mind and way of seeing and being in the world was cracking opening. The ecological paradigm he described and advocated made complete sense to me and I felt totally different. Since then, I have been applying systems thinking in my daily life - both personally and professionally - through permaculture, community gardens, ecovillages, and a wide range of education programs. Fritjof's 2014 grand synthesis, a text he co-wrote with Pier Luigi Luisi, The Systems View of Life, is the foundation of his online course, the Capra Course - which I now mentor young people through twice a year.In this episode, we begin our conversation talking about his new book, Patterns of Connection - a collection of 30 essays spanning 50 years - and is an important history of grassroots movements from the counter culture of the 60s to emergence of the global civil society. He was writing about Climate Change in 1988 (33 years ago!!).At the end, we were about to dive into another topic - Fritjof's characteristics of living systems - but we decide to wait and share that when we are with the Capra Youth cohort. I'll make sure I record and post that here too. I hope you've thoroughly enjoyed this conversation.LEARN MORE ABOUT THE WORLD OF PERMACULTURE WITH MORAG GAMBLEExplore the permaculture films, articles, masterclasses and other resources on Our Permaculture Life Youtube channel & blog.Find out more about the Permaculture Education Institute and becoming a permaculture educator.Download this list of 10 of Morag's favourite books.   (soon to be updated with Fritjof's new book!!!)I acknowledge the Gubbi Gubbi people, the Traditional Custodians of the land on which I dwell and pay my respects to their elders past, present and emerging. Audio: Rhiannon GambleMusic: Kim Kirkman

Uncommon Wisdom – September 20, 2021   Uncommon wisdom is wisdom that is out of the ordinary or unusual.   Hello, everyone! Today, the 3rd Monday of September 2021, Pastor Thomas A. DeLoach is on 2 Empower U to talk about uncommon wisdom – wisdom that is not like the usual, wisdom that is not of the ordinary kind. You may ask: “What does uncommon wisdom have to do with my relationship with God?” Pastor Thomas will help you understand this in today's episode.   What to Do   When you do not know what to do, you have to remember that God knows. God knows what you should do and it is Him that you should listen to. This is what Pastor Thomas A. DeLoach wants you to always remember, especially when you are at a crossroads and are confused because of all the factors that are trying to pull you away from your goals.    Another thing that you should remember is this:   “The Holy Spirit must be the most important person in your life. He reveals the power you have in Christ in the earth realm.”                                     - Pastor Thomas A. DeLoach   “If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.”                                     - James 1:5   Pastor Thomas A. DeLoach also wants you to understand that more than anything else, having the right kind of wisdom is important.  --------   Let Pastor Thomas DeLoach know how this message has inspired you.  Connect with him by sending him an email at info@thomasadeloach.com   You can also interact with him by visiting and liking his Instagram page, https://www.instagram.com/thomasadeloach/    The pastor also has a website, https://www.thomasadeloach.com/ where you'll find more information about ministry and advocacy; where you'll learn about how he can help to empower you.

Pastor Josh brings us into the Word this week to look at how God offers us wisdom that is unique, powerful, and Uncommon. Thanks for joining us for church, Comment how we can pray for you today!

It seems all the information we need to learn anything is at our fingertips, at any time, for free. So why are we still making such bad decisions? How come you can’t seem to figure out a way out of the mess you’re in or the rocky marriage or the financial dead-end? The world needs more wisdom. It’s rare, but it’s possible. And, if you become someone with this “odd” quality, the people in your life will you’re your influence

Listen to this exclusive LIVE that Linda broadcasted on her FB page recently and be encouraged to STAND up, put on your armor and fight the war for your DESTINY. Join us for IMPACT20, the all-inclusive ONLINE event giving Uncommon Wisdom for Uncertain Times for the Spiritual Professional. Early-bird registration ends on Labor Day so get your ticket now! Click here to reserve your spot! 

Solomon counsels us with practical wisdom for a dangerous and difficult world.

Harvey Mackay, author of You Haven't Hit Your Peak Yet! Uncommon Wisdom for Unleashing Your Full Potential Harvey Mackay and Bill Ringle discuss "You Haven't Hit Your Peak Yet!" Harvey's perspectives and advice for small business leaders. >>> Visit MyQuestforTheBest.com for complete show notes and more expert advice and inspiring stories to propel your small business growth. body .audioplayer.skin-wave.playerid-31968003:not(.a) .ap-controls .con-playpause .playbtn , body .audioplayer.skin-wave.playerid-31968003:not(.a) .ap-controls .con-playpause .pausebtn { background-color: #111111;} jQuery(document).ready(function ($){var settings_ap31968003 = { design_skin: "skin-wave" ,autoplay: "off",disable_volume:"default" ,loop:"off" ,cue: "on" ,embedded: "off" ,preload_method:"metadata" ,design_animateplaypause:"default" ,skinwave_dynamicwaves:"off" ,skinwave_enableSpectrum:"off" ,skinwave_enableReflect:"on",settings_backup_type:"full",playfrom:"off",disable_scrub:"off",soundcloud_apikey:"" ,skinwave_comments_enable:"on",settings_php_handler:window.ajaxurl,skinwave_mode:"normal",skinwave_wave_mode:"canvas",pcm_data_try_to_generate: "on","pcm_notice": "off","notice_no_media": "on",design_color_bg: "111111",design_color_highlight: "ef6b13",skinwave_wave_mode_canvas_waves_number: "3",skinwave_wave_mode_canvas_waves_padding: "1",skinwave_wave_mode_canvas_reflection_size: "0.25",skinwave_wave_mode_canvas_mode:"normal",preview_on_hover:"off",skinwave_comments_playerid:"31968003",php_retriever:"https://myquestforthebest.com/wp-content/plugins/dzs-zoomsounds/soundcloudretriever.php" }; try{ dzsap_init(".ap_idx_12917_51",settings_ap31968003); }catch(err){ console.warn("cannot init player", err); } }); Top 3 Take-Aways from this Interview The single greatest mistake a manager can make is to hire the wrong person. You cannot build a business with a revolving door.Taking care of customers is taking care of business, which is why you need to create a service culture. Tweet-Ready Insights from this Episode Rivalries and opposition make you better and lead to creativity and innovation, which are critical for growth. #MQ4B Ep252 with Harvey Mackay (@HarveyMackay), author of You Haven't Hit Your Peak Yet!Click To Tweet When it comes to getting hired, the most important thing to remember is that getting a job is a job. #MQ4B Ep252 with Harvey Mackay (@HarveyMackay), author of You Haven't Hit Your Peak Yet!Click To Tweet Of all the human failings that can destroy a person or a business, arrogance is the deadliest. #MQ4B Ep252 with Harvey Mackay (@HarveyMackay), author of You Haven't Hit Your Peak Yet!Click To Tweet Find out how adversity can be your best friend. #MQ4B Ep252 with Harvey Mackay (@HarveyMackay), author of You Haven't Hit Your Peak Yet!Click To Tweet Use humility in your successes to make good business partners. #MQ4B Ep252 with Harvey Mackay (@HarveyMackay), author of You Haven't Hit Your Peak Yet!Click To Tweet There is no substitute for quality. Doing something that’s good enough never is. You need to do it right the first time. #MQ4B Ep252 with Harvey Mackay (@HarveyMackay), author of You Haven't Hit Your Peak Yet!Click To Tweet Success is the difference between working hard and hardly working. #MQ4B Ep252 with Harvey Mackay (@HarveyMackay), author of You Haven't Hit Your Peak Yet!Click To Tweet It’s important to do things right the first time to gain trust. #MQ4B Ep252 with Harvey Mackay (@HarveyMackay), author of You Haven't Hit Your Peak Yet!Click To Tweet Ethics is about what is right, not who is right. #MQ4B Ep252 with Harvey Mackay (@HarveyMackay), author of You Haven't Hit Your Peak Yet!Click To Tweet If I had to name the single characteristic shared by all the truly successful people I’ve met in my lifetime, I’d have to say it’s the ability to create and nurture a network of contacts.

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In this episode, business titan, keynote speaker, nationally syndicated columnist, and the author of 7 NY Times Bestsellers, Harvey Mackay shares easy-to-apply strategies to help you grow and scale your business. Harvey also gives you a sneak peak of his newest book. If you want to achieve greater results this year, this is a must-listen.

From health issues to losing her husband in a most unexpected way, from bullying to poverty - *celebrity photographer, life vlogger, CEO and veteran Bhakti Yoga specialist, Rupini Springer has faced plenty of hardships and learned some invaluable lessons from the university of life!Tune in for another authentic, unfiltered, heartfelt, candid interview to learn more about Rupini's journey and what you can learn from it to take positive action in your own life - and discover more about topics including:Suppressing vs PassingPain management insightsWhy sometimes going through hell is a blessingEmbracing helplessness rather than changing it with brute force from itTaking back your power by trusting in a higher planYou are a product of your environmentUpgrading your companyOn fast tracking your personal growth through great lossOn her losses through cancer and bullyingChanging “why me” to “what can I learn from this?”On the 3 ways of learning from sufferingFacing and embracing your own mortality to live more fully5000 year old ancient wisdom on the most wondrous thing in this world& More!Follow Rupini on: https://www.facebook.com/Rupini-Springer-427141901038839/Work with Rupini here: https://www.facebook.com/denisse.jonsson?ref=br_rsFollow us on Insta at: @mantra_therapy : https://www.instagram.com/mantra_therapy/Subscribe to our awesome, unique Youtube Channel for more interview, motivational videos, meditation etc: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC7F6YE8zxaZQH7XbxTRnmUgFor more of Urban Spirituality's motivational videos, inspirational meditative music and celebrated "Walk On The Wise Side" show interviews, Check out: www.facebook.com/mantratherapy.co.uk for exclusive online and future Live Interviews and Q&As on things that matter in life, and solutions that actually count!For our latest Events, Workshops and Retreats, as well as our personal and professional coaching services, checkout: https://www.mantratherapy.co.uk/

Hailed as one of the foremost authorities on marketing, franchising, and retail, Tom Feltenstein learned his trade from the grill up – insisting he got his doctorate degree as a senior marketing executive from McDonald's Corporation as Ray Kroc's disciple. After scaling the Golden Arches, he served as senior vice-president for the international, billion-dollar advertising agency, Bozell & Jacobs. Tom is motivational, inspirational, informative, and completely commits himself to every audience. He's “Tom the Lionhearted.” His approach is aimed at exposing outdated, conventional business thoughts and telling the TRUTH about mass media marketing approaches that often masquerade as marketing programs. Audiences find that Tom is entertaining, challenging, and always brimming with “Uncommon Wisdom.” He has been a featured speaker among superstars such as Presidents Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, George H. W. Bush, Barbara Bush, Larry King, Terry Bradshaw…just to name a few. He is the CEO and Founder of Power Marketing Academy (PMA), a leading consulting firm that serves and educates businesses in the industries of franchising, retail, hospitality, and service. Tom has also received acclaim from the media for his Uncommon Marketing wisdom from Larry King, traded barbs on the David Letterman Show, and argued the waste of running ads during the Super Bowl on Fox News Pre-Game Show. He has shared his insight in interviews with Voice of America, Bloomberg TV & Radio, US News & World Report, CNN, and Tips from the Top, The Wall Street Journal, USA Today, The Food Network, Entrepreneur Magazine, and other media. A widely published author, he has written 14 books including Change is Good…You Go First with over 125,000 copies sold to-date. In 2016, Jersey Mike's Subs awarded Tom with the Lifetime Achievement Award at its world convention. In 2009, Tom was awarded an honorary doctorate of law from Northwood University. Tom was the first recipient of the “Visionary Award,” a most prestigious honor presented by the Council of International Restaurant Brokers (CIRB). Tom is also proud to be an Air Force veteran. Show Highlights: There is no hall of fame for second place. -Tom FeltensteinStopping at third base adds nothing to the scoreboard. -Tom FeltensteinMy greatest gift is working on Tom. If I can love Tom, then I can love my fellow human being. It's an inside job. -Tom FeltensteinSit down every day and write five handwritten notes to people, thanking them for something. -Tom FeltensteinLove yourself first. If I can work on Tom and be the best me I can be, that's the best gift I can give to mankind. -Tom FeltensteinIf I'm not at peace with myself, then I shouldn't be involved in anything. -Tom FeltensteinThere's no magical lever you can just pull and all of a sudden–bingo! -Tom FeltensteinSurround yourself with people who are high-spirited and always working on themselves to be better.  -Tom FeltensteinAnytime is a good time to begin. -Tom Feltenstein Tom's closing thoughts: Go on long walks. Meditate. Do yoga. I really believe that one of the keywords, which is the hardest word for all of us, is forgiveness. Who are two people out there today that you need to forgive, that you need to call and say, “I'm sorry. I love you. You mean a lot to me.”? The Action Catalyst is a weekly podcast hosted by Dan Moore, President of Southwestern Advantage, the oldest direct-sales company in America, and Partner with Southwestern Consulting. With more than 45 years in sales leadership and marketing management, Dan has a wealth of knowledge to share on how to make better use of time to achieve life, sales, and other business goals. Each week, he interviews some of the nation's top thought leaders and experts, sharing meaningful tips and advice. Subscribe on iTunes and please leave a rating and review!

Uncommon Wisdom

An exposition on Daniel 2:1-30. Daniel exercises an uncommon wisdom characteristic of those through the ages who have walked with God.

Proverbs 1:1

2018 is our year of UNCOMMON WISDOM. Listen now as Pastor Obi speaks on our vision for the new year and how you can change your mindset to dominate successfully and achieve all that God wants for you in 2018 .   To connect with us, please visit www.commonimpactcentre.church/contact

Pastor Travis concludes the Uncommon Wisdom series.

This week Pastor Travis dives further into the actions of the wise.

With a long and established career at the Milwaukee County government and then a local television network, Patti Gorsky felt those experiences prepared her for the truly bigger work ahead to help critically ill kids. As Wisconsin’s Fairy Godmother she uses hope to help these children, and has seen the healing power that a granted wish brings to them and their families.

Pastor Travis continues the series Uncommon Wisdom this week, hitting six key points on it.

This week Pastor Travis speaks on the importance of wisdom, and shares a strategy on making wise decisions.

Pastor Travis kicks off the series by defining wisdom, explaining the value of it, and discussing the source of it. faithco.church

I’m excited to welcome our first stock expert and active investor on the show, Frank Curzio. By now, you probably know that I subscribe to the passive philosophy when it comes to investing – that’s right I love my index funds! However, a lot of you have expressed interest in participating directly in the stock market… so I thought that Frank would be a fantastic resource for you and could give you another prospective on investing so you can decide which one is right for you. I’ve known Frank for almost a decade. He is one of America’s most respected and recognized stock experts. He’s been analyzing stocks for almost 20 years and has traveled all over the world to find the best companies to invest in. He currently writes the Disruptors & Dominators newsletter for Uncommon Wisdom, a division of Weiss Research. And prior to that, he was an analyst and editor at Stansberry Research. Frank has also experience working for one of the richest hedge-fund managers on Wall Street and is the host of the Wall Street Unplugged podcast, which has been ranked #1 on Apple’s iTunes website as the “most listened-to” financial show in the business section. Three takeaways from our interview: -- How to get started if you are a beginner investor. -- Why Frank prefers to spend a little more… even if he doesn’t have to. -- Early memories of being the son of an investing pro!

Nilus Mattive, editor of the Income Superstars newsletter for Uncommon Wisdom, compiled one of the best track records in the dividend & income space over the past few years. He shares his secrets behind finding the best dividend-paying stocks and also recommends a few of his favorite ideas.      Nilus then offers tips for investors nearing retirement.  This includes how to get bigger monthly Social Security checks and the best ways to generate safe income over the life of your retirement.

"Uncommon Wisdom" Psalm 119:97- 104

"Uncommon Wisdom" Psalm 119:97- 104

"Uncommon Wisdom" Psalm 119:97- 104

Join me and my guest, Scott Francis, Keynote Speaker, Author, and Clean Comedian as we discuss his new book, Uncommon Wisdom.

Join me and my guest, Scott Francis, Keynote Speaker, Author, and Clean Comedian as we discuss his new book, Uncommon Wisdom.

Tom Feltenstein CEO/Founder of Tom Feltenstein's Power Marketing Academy Email: tom@powermarketingacademy.com Energetic, bold and passionately resolute on injecting marketing innovation into organizations, Tom Feltenstein does not go timidly into any endeavor, yet he is not the kind of man to intimidate you either. Over 30 years of “in the trenches” experience has earned Tom the notoriety of being the most popular and provocative voice in 4 Walls Branding and Neighborhood Marketing today. He's also been labeled as the most insightful. Tom is motivational, inspirational, informative and completely commits himself to every audience. He's “Tom the Lionhearted.” His daring is aimed at exposing outdated, conventional business thought and telling the TRUTH about mass media marketing approaches that often masquerade as marketing programs. Audiences find that Tom is entertaining, challenging, and always brimming with “Uncommon Wisdom.” He has been a featured speaker among superstars such as President George H. W. Bush, Barbara Bush, Larry King, Terry Bradshaw, Lou Holtz, General Colin Powell, Deepak Chopra, Rudy Giuliani, Art Linkletter, General Norman Schwarzkopf Jr., Wayne Dyer, Brian Tracy, Ed Rensi, former CEO of McDonald's and Fred DeLuca, Founder of Subway. Prior to being a consultant to Fortune 500 companies for the past 30 years, he served as senior vice-president for an international, billion-dollar advertising agency, Bozell Advertising. As Ray Kroc's disciple, he began his career with McDonald's, rising up to become a senior-level marketing executive. He is the CEO and Founder of Power Marketing Academy, a leading consulting firm that serves and educates businesses in the industries of franchising, retail, hospitality, and service. PMA conducts clinics, seminars, strategy sessions, and trainings. Tom has also received acclaim from the media for his Uncommon Marketing wisdom from Larry King, traded barbs on The David Letterman Show, and argued the waste of running ads during the Super Bowl on Fox News Pre-Game Show. He has shared his insight in interviews with Lou Dobbs, Voice of America, Bloomberg TV & Radio, US News & World Report and CNN, Tips from the Top, The Wall Street Journal, USA Today, The Food Network, Entrepreneur Magazine and other media. A visionary counselor to countless Fortune 500 companies and industry-leading organizations, Tom is a renowned keynote speaker, trainer and marketing strategist. As a widely published author, he has written 14 books, including: Change is Good, You Go First – 21 Ways to Inspire Change; Uncommon Wisdom – Live a Joyful Life with Financial Success; The 10-Minute Marketer's Secret Formula – a Shortcut to Extraordinary Profit using Neighborhood Marketing; 501 Killer Marketing Tactics – to Increase Sales, Maximize Profits, and Stomp Your Competition; and The Local Entrepreneur – A Shortcut to Extraordinary Profits including 8 CDs/ 1 DVD/ 110-page workbook. Tom has redefined the word humanist – a rich sense of self which transcends the traditional roles of husband, father, author, entrepreneur, lecturer, marketing and franchising executive, athlete, CEO, philanthropist and community leader. He is a participator in life, the ultimate professional – dynamic, successful – masterful and eloquent, combined with a warm heart and generous spirit. In 2009, Tom was awarded an honorary doctorate degree from Northwood University. Tom was the first recipient of the “Visionary Award” a most prestigious honor presented by the Council of International Restaurant Brokers (CIRB). He has provided marketing advice and counsel to some of the world's most respected organizations including: Ben & Jerry's, Brunswick, CVS Pharmacy, Chevron, Chick-Fil-A, Coca-Cola, Subway, Texaco, Radisson Hotels & Resorts, Pepsi, United State Marine Corps, Sam's Club, The Walt Disney Company, Hyatt, IFA, Morton's, The Steakhouse, Jani-King, Meineke Car Care Center, Cracker Barrel, Sport Clips Haircuts, Dick's Last Resort, Marriott, Wolf Gang Puck, Monkey Media, and The Breakers. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tom Feltenstein has received media acclaim for his Uncommon Marketing wisdom from Larry King, traded barbs on the David Letterman Show, and argued the waste of running ads during the Super Bowl on the Fox News Pre-Game Show. He has shared his insight in interviews with Lou Dobbs, Voice of America, Bloomberg TV & Radio, US News & World Report and CNN, Tips from the Top, The Wall Street Journal, USA Today, The Food Network, Entrepreneur Magazine and many other media outlets. Join “Tom the Lionhearted” on todays program to learn “Why Love Doesn't Pay The Bills” based on his new book “Lucrative Love”, aimed at exposing outdated, conventional thoughts about “marriage” and relationships and telling the TRUTH about how thinking more like a business person is a better approach to long term mating (and marketing) strategies. Audiences find Tom entertaining, challenging, and always full of “Uncommon Wisdom.”