Disqus - Latest Comments for chasflemming

Re: Declare Email Bankruptcy and Get a Fresh Start

Charles Flemming — Wed, 28 May 2014 17:41:58 -0000

I was about to type the same question!

Re: You Aren’t Who You Used to Be

Charles Flemming — Thu, 24 Jan 2013 08:54:09 -0000

Love it. Transformation's been on my mind too this morning.

Re: How a Quick Analysis of Your Top Posts Can Improve Your Blogging Results Next Year

Charles Flemming — Sun, 30 Dec 2012 09:09:41 -0000

My number one all-time post (drum roll, please):

http://cflemming.com/ripefo...

Re: How a Quick Analysis of Your Top Posts Can Improve Your Blogging Results Next Year

Charles Flemming — Sun, 30 Dec 2012 09:04:44 -0000

Thanks. Did you notice the new improved stats WordPress is via WordPress.com?

The section we're using this morning is the same. But the initial view is enhanced. Pretty interesting.

btw, I predict that this post will be number one for you in 2013!

Re: How a Quick Analysis of Your Top Posts Can Improve Your Blogging Results Next Year

Charles Flemming — Sun, 30 Dec 2012 08:42:57 -0000

Two things:

First, I had to take a different route to the Site Stats:

1) Dashboard

2) View All (under the Site Stats quick view)

3) Summaries (in the little box, Top Posts & Pages)

4) Year

Second,

How did you weight your stats according to when in the year a particular post appeared? I think my 12th or 13th most popular posts occurred in the last couple months. Seems like that would make them rank higher than posts published earlier.

Then there's the question of longevity. Those of us with smaller platforms often have less of an initial burst, but people keep coming back (either because my readers share old posts with new friends, or because I figured out how to put "Michael Hyatt" in the title and Google brings 'em in).

Most of my posts are centered on, or arrive at, a Scripture verse. I share those via notes in YouVersion, which results in visits years later when YouVersion users come across them.

Re: An Interview with Max Lucado About His New Book, Grace

Charles Flemming — Mon, 29 Oct 2012 08:31:19 -0000

My understanding of grace comes from 2 Corinthians 9:8. It is the provision God gives us to live life fully and successfully and for that life to overflow into the lives of the people who share our world.

Re: Inside My Toolbox

Charles Flemming — Sat, 22 Sep 2012 19:17:08 -0000

Your link seems to be broken. Did you mean this one?

http://workawesome.com/prod...

Re: Inside My Toolbox

Charles Flemming — Sat, 22 Sep 2012 19:09:27 -0000

Jeff, how do you and Michael get those blurbs alongside your names here?

Re: How to Organize Evernote for Maximum Efficiency

Charles Flemming — Fri, 07 Sep 2012 09:22:30 -0000

One item to scratch off my to-do list:

*Ask Michael Hyatt to post on how he organizes EverNote.
(Be sure to include structure as it is currently)

Wish ALL my prayers were answered this concretely!

Re: The 10 Most Common Objections to Hiring a Virtual Assistant

Charles Flemming — Wed, 29 Aug 2012 08:34:43 -0000

The trouble may come when your tribe explodes, or when a new business or ministry venture brings in new streams of communication that you can't handle. When this happens, folks that are used to getting in touch with you may suddenly find themselves cut off. If there's no way to keep your earlier tribe connected, then you probably want to be careful what you communicate as you screen them. Any changes in protocol you find necessary should be as invisible and as gradual as possible.

In my case, simply not responding would have been been more effective--and made better use of your assistant's time.

Re: The 10 Most Common Objections to Hiring a Virtual Assistant

Charles Flemming — Tue, 28 Aug 2012 10:43:07 -0000

It all sounds cool and at some point--as the need and the means come to fruition--I will look into this.

One of my concerns is the email screening. I recently had an unfortunate encounter with this when emailing you a question.

Previously, I could email you a question and you'd either answer it or not. I understood your situation and knew you sometimes simply can't take the time to answer these things. Interestingly, I had no way of knowing whether your emails were screened or not. Sometimes you answered and sometimes you didn't.

When I wrote you recently, I got a very nice email back explaining that you don't have time to answer every email personally.

Going forward, I am fairly confident that, unless I hit the sweet spot, you're never even going to know whether I've written.

When I'm writing a public figure--and I write often to very public
figures--I'm used to sometimes being ignored and sometimes being answered. It's just part of the package that comes with the privilege of communicating with busy people.

Now, fairly or not, I feel condescended to and I no longer want to risk asking questions.

Re: How to Manage a Micromanager

Charles Flemming — Mon, 27 Aug 2012 10:06:54 -0000

I haven't worked directly for a genuine micromanager, but I've worked in several companies where either the systems or the culture--or both--were built on micromanaging. It was joyless, stressful, and well-nigh impossible to cope with from my low position on the food chain.

What I tried to do was act proactively (much like you describe) with my immediate supervisor so he always knew what I was doing and why and hopefully not get blindsided too much.

One particular organization--a very large retailer I worked for--was especially oppressive. The Big Boss was not only a micromanager, even beyond the culture of this company, but would berate managers in front of their subordinates. One time she started to berate me over the walkie and in front of her entire management team. I forcefully confronted her over the walkie and then in front of her team. Then I let MY boss know I would be taking action against her (the Big Boss) with HER supervisors.

Not exactly the approach you recommend here. But it worked. The Big Boss came to see me and apologized. I told her I would never make her look bad in front of her team again IF she stopped bullying me publicly. Then I told her how she could both improve performance and lift morale: If she would learn to teach more and berate less. She agreed and actually started teaching.

I left for a better opportunity shortly after, so I don't know whether she reverted.

Re: Giving Away 10 Copies of “Love Does”

Charles Flemming — Wed, 20 Jun 2012 08:20:08 -0000

My name is Charles Flemming. We've just moved from Fort Worth to Colorado Springs. I blog at Ripe for Harvest.

Re: Creating Programs for the Lady Gaga Generation

Charles Flemming — Thu, 23 Jun 2011 07:47:03 -0000

I love this. I see so much of this with my own kids. And with the young staffers who lead our ministry teams at church.

The thought occurs to me that one thing we might need to teach Gen Y, and that they might--if properly presented to them--find useful, is the inverse of this blog:

Equipping Gen Y to evangelize the Boomers.

I mean this both spiritually (many of the young adults and students in our church, for instance, are becoming Christ followers while their parents, aunts, and uncles don't know him yet) and technologically/socially (most of us in my generation need the more fruitful of the social values and technologies embraced by Gen Y).

There's a revolution of re-connecting and reaching out going on among my generation through Facebook and Twitter. Where do you suppose we got the idea to do that?

Re: 5 Four-Letter Words to Generation Y

Charles Flemming — Thu, 23 Jun 2011 07:45:43 -0000

I love this. I see so much of this with my own kids. And with the young staffers who lead our ministry teams at church.

The thought occurs to me that one thing we might need to teach Gen Y, and that they might--if properly presented to them--find useful, is the inverse of this blog:

Equipping Gen Y to evangelize the Boomers.

There's a revolution of re-connecting and reaching out going on among my generation through Facebook and Twitter. Where do you suppose we got the idea to do that?

Re: Overqualified and Underpaid: Your Career Detour

Charles Flemming — Wed, 15 Jun 2011 20:21:39 -0000

Wow.

Working at Walmart for 1/3 what I made 3 years ago.

But like some of the folks who've commented here, I can't believe how much I've been learning.

However...

The financial stress comes awfully close to doing us in.

Re: What About a Curriculum Pathway?

Charles Flemming — Mon, 16 May 2011 19:07:35 -0000

Thanks, Mark. I realize my comments may leave the impression I don't use printed curriculum. I actually do, and am currently in the market for materials to use with younger people. It's just that I'm not a fan of big, one-size-fits-all curriculum paths.

Re: What About a Curriculum Pathway?

Charles Flemming — Mon, 16 May 2011 10:05:31 -0000

I have a natural allergic reaction to uniformity. For one thing, it's too easy to take on a checklist mentality with curriculum. It's very common to complete a curriculum without internalizing anything at all or changing your approach to anything. This is true whether you provide a generalized path or a group-customized one. And, as you point out in point 3, open groups can't do curriculum paths very well long term. I've closed my groups once or twice for a season in order to go through a curriculum, but I think the open group dynamic is too important to be tossed aside for curriculum paths.

To me, more valuable than a PATH is a CULTURE of discipling/equipping/mentoring/encouraging. Led by folks who are themselves the curriculum. They've lived the Christ life, they've fought the battles, they've failed and succeeded and adjusted course multiple times. And they're still growing and learning and reaching out.

Re: What About a Curriculum Pathway?

Charles Flemming — Sun, 15 May 2011 23:00:02 -0000

Right now, and possibly for the rest of my life, my personal theme is transformation.

I used to think that meant maturing. It still does, but I'm learning that it means much more.

It means the rewiring of our minds. In a way, re-baselining, restoring our minds to the manufacturer's default settings and, building on to that restored baseline, wisdom, knowledge skills, relationships--all the things we need to grow and heal and reproduce.

This is done by applying Scriptural truth to the sometimes toxic ways we think. I think it's what Paul had in mind in Romans 12:2.

Here's the problem for me: I cannot do a whole lot of transformation if I'm not plugged into community. If there's no one to challenge my assumptions on the basis of scriptural truth. If there's no one to remind me of what God has already been telling me. And--almost more than that--if there is no one to share with and encourage in THEIR transformation journey. "Bear one another's burdens and so fulfill the law of Christ."

I remember going through a video series a decade or so ago, where a teacher taught that we must be equipped in Character and Competencies in the context of Community. One application of that for me is studying the Word and applying it together with friends, both in starting with need and moving toward doctrine and in starting with doctrine and moving to personal and community application.

What's hard is finding friends you can trust and who will get on the journey with you.

Re: An Open Letter to This Generation, Pt. 1

Charles Flemming — Sun, 15 May 2011 08:23:29 -0000

Andrew, the problem I have with what you've said here is that--at least from my own limited perspective--you seem to be both binary and reactionary.

Binary in the sense that either the Bible can be absorbed and mastered in all its totality or not at all. I don't think that's true and I suspect you actually don't believe that. But your entire argument is built on that binary foundation.

Another example of binariness is the idea that we must adopt total arrogance or complete bafflement (may I confess how amusing I find the postmodern mindset of the need for complete bafflement while unapologetically condemning those whose viewpoints differ--and please don't dissemble and challenge me to quote your words, because I can and I will).

Also binary in the sense that there are only two modes of evangelistic expression, rude or silent.

I'm truly sorry that you have found pain in the mistakes of others, but--again, it appears to me--you're reacting to those mistakes rather than learning from them.

There are very few things that are binary in this universe. And getting past other people's mistakes is part of "putting away childish things."

Re: 2 Types of Leaders

Charles Flemming — Fri, 06 May 2011 08:48:12 -0000

Tim, I really like this. Temperament exclusion is one of my pet peeves in leadership development. I see it everywhere I go, especially among leadership development "gurus." One of the causes of this, in my mind, is the inclination of most folks to take the short-term and outward perspectives on things. We're inclined to identify as leaders charismatic personalities who a) may or may not know where they're going and b) may not be able to last the whole trip.

I get on my soapbox about that here:
http://cflemming.com/ripefo...

Thanks for a great post!

Re: EVERNOTE – Top Five iPhone Features

Charles Flemming — Wed, 06 Apr 2011 08:53:33 -0000

I had started to experiment with EN a few weeks ago, but set it aside.

Because of this series (which I was late in reading) I'm picking it up again.

Puzzled, though.

So far I've looked in vain for an EN button to clip this post!

;-)

Re: An Interview with Craig Groeschel, Author of Weird

Charles Flemming — Tue, 05 Apr 2011 08:55:56 -0000

I want the book because I'm weird.

But not always in a God way.

If I'm going to be weird. I want to be weird God's way. I want my weirdness to make a difference in this world. Especially the generations that follow.

As of my quiet time this morning, my new life verse--the verse for the rest of my life--is Psalm 71:17-18...

O God, from my youth you have taught me,
and I still proclaim your wondrous deeds.
So even to old age and gray hairs,
O God, do not forsake me,
until I proclaim your might to another generation,
your power to all those to come.

Only the God kind of weird is going to accomplish this. I'm 58. Three of my kids are now young adults. There's not much time.

Re: 10-Leaders that truly Piss me OFF!

Charles Flemming — Fri, 01 Apr 2011 08:03:08 -0000

Preaching to the choir, man. (May I confess my favorite is #11?)

Re: You Cannot Be an Original If You Don’t Find Your Voice First

Charles Flemming — Thu, 31 Mar 2011 14:37:11 -0000

Blogging has not only helped in honing my writing skills, but it also has helped me define what I care about and the unique life message God has crafted in me.

Twitter has helped me learn succinctness (something I struggle with), but blogging has helped me define who I really am.

I find myself ignoring a lot of the advice I hear about how to build a successful blog. Since my blog IS my platform, I have to be true to my own uniqueness and trust God to build my audience.