The Believers' Company.

          “We write to you with words that are clearly understood and there is no need for you to try to read between the lines of what we write in hopes that you can completely and accurately understand our hearts.” -Paul of Tarsus. In the iconic story of the tower of Babel, we learn of the people who fail to reach their goal of building a tower that reaches to heaven because of their inability to communicate with each other. Communication, especially in this age of instant messaging and social media, is a major factor in determining businesses or organizations that succeed and thrive against those that barely just scrape along or cease to exist. Communication is more than just saying words – It is an art of conveying authenticity, meaning and purpose. It just so happens that words are most times the default vehicle.  Have you ever looked at a picture that had no words and yet understood vividly the intent of the artist or illustrator? Well, that’s communication. This is why m

“…we don’t focus our attention on what is seen, but on what is unseen, for the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever” -Paul of Tarsus Some people like Aristotle or Seneca. I like Paul. So don’t judge. As you may already know, Innovation means the introduction of something new.  In business, this could mean a new product or a new way of doing something which is faster, better or easier than what already exists. Innovation is such a powerful force in business, and hinges on one’s ability to see or imagine what everyone else is blind or oblivious to, and then to work to bring that into physical existence. It is choosing to focus on the unseen, instead of what is readily seen. This is one of the most sought after skills in the world.  It is a rare ability and is often a determinant of the value of an organization and how long it’ll last.  Sometimes it even creates new industries altogether; Think of the telephone when letter writing w

“There is an amazing door of opportunity standing open for me to minister (serve) here, even though there are many who oppose and stand against me” [emphasis mine] – Apostle Paul If the Apostle Paul operated in the business world of today, he’d be a serial entrepreneur; opening up new businesses, putting a structure around them, ensuring stability, profitability, appointing capable personnel to lead and run the organizations while he moves on to something else. That’s practically what he did to spread the message he was so convinced abut.  The man was really deliberate, intense and thoroughly enjoyed a challenge. Little wonder I am quite drawn to him.  In the quote above, we can take away two distinct principles which herald every successful, long lasting business, initiative or organizations and are miles away from the romanticized, rose tinted glass view, of building businesses, that is prevalent today. 1.        Business is an opportunity to serve. Maybe you’re thinking to yours

“And God said; let us make man in our own image, after our own likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the fowl of the air and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth” A mental model is basically an explanation, unfolding or disclosure of someone’s thought(s) about how something is supposed to work in the real world [Thanks Google]. Your mental model of a door is a room or building’s entry or exit point with some form of handle attached. What happens when you get to a door you wish to enter through or exit from and there’s no handle or device or sign on how to activate it? Like a fortune teller, I can say with quite a level of certainty that you’d be stupefied, confused or maybe even frustrated; that is of course after you’ve tried to figure out what the heck is going on with the strange door. You see, your mental model does not tally with the existing and prevailing affordances. Affordances are