Management secrets from Jesus Christ

This writer recently received two Catholic Mass Media Awards, which should not be misconstrued as a sign of religiosity or devout Catholic faith. In fact, we are grateful for the open-mindedness and possible liberal thinking of the Philippine Catholic Church leaders, due to the fact that this writer has consistently been critical of their stance of opposing family planning as a means to ease massive poverty in our society.

While vigorously opposing the immoral act of abortion, this writer favors the propagation of nationwide family planning through contraceptives and other means in order to control the country’s runaway population growth, which worsens poverty and social injustices, and condemns the Philippines to perpetual economic underdevelopment. We hope that the Philippine Catholic Church will at least be neutral, if a government leader someday can muster the guts and the political wisdom to propagate an aggressive nationwide family planning program.

This writer also disagrees with the Philippine Catholic bishops on their opposition to the development of the 1995 Philippine Mining Act (since mining can be developed in an environment-friendly manner); their opposition of Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) Chairman Bayani Fernando’s iron-willed moves to cleanse the streets of vendors and their reported opposition to one of his plans for resolving our national capital region’s garbage disposal problems; their opposition to Philippine agricultural policies on hybrid BT corn; and other non-religious and non-moral, but essentially economic questions.

This writer salutes the moral courage and social idealism of the modern-day Philippine Catholic Church as a bulwark of democracy, but hopes that they move away from commenting or even directly interfering on temporal matters and even major economic issues.
Jesus As Manager – Better Than Attila The Hun Or Genghis Khan
Two readers of this column, young businessman Edgardo Madrazo and his wife Elaine, gave this writer a fascinating small book titled The Leadership Secrets of Jesus authored by Mike Murdock. The lessons from this book are timely, because the economic and social problems bedeviling the Philippines nowadays indicate a serious crisis of leadership – whether it’s the constitutional uncertainties of the impeachment and corruption charges against the Chief Justice, the budget deficit, the lack of foreign and domestic investments, the breakdown of law and order, the rampant corruption and many other problems.

The leadership lessons of Jesus Christ may prove far superior and efficient than management books advocating leadership lessons from barbarians like Attila the Hun or Genghis Khan or other conquerors.

Next year, the country will again search for a leader, a CEO for the Philippines with a term of six years. Whoever wins in May 2004 (whether GMA, Roco, Ping Lacson, FPJ or Noli de Castro), the life and times of Jesus Christ surprisingly can yield priceless leadership secrets as he or she tries to provide the Philippines the most efficient and inspirational leadership.

Author Mike Murdock, who does not seem to be related to the high school dropout American billionaire David Murdock, listed the following leadership secrets of Jesus Christ the Lord and Savior of mankind:

1)
Jesus was a problem-solver

2)
Jesus believed in his product

3)
Jesus never misrepresented his product

4)
Jesus went where the people were

5)
Jesus took time to rest

6)
Jesus took time to plan

7)
Jesus knew he did not have to close every sale to be a success

8)
Jesus had something others needed

9)
Jesus was concerned about people’s finances

10)
Jesus was willing to go where he had never been before

11)
Jesus never allowed what others said about him to change his opinion of himself

12)
Jesus understood timing and preparation

13)
Jesus developed a passion for his goals

14)
Jesus respected authority

15)
Jesus never discriminated

16)
Jesus offered incentives

17)
Jesus overcame the stigma of a questionable background

18)
Jesus never wasted time answering critics

19)
Jesus knew that there was a right time and a wrong time to approach people

20)
Jesus educated those he mentored

21)
Jesus refused to be discouraged when others misjudged his motives

22)
Jesus refused to be bitter when others were disloyal or betrayed him

23)
Jesus networked with people of all backgrounds

24)
Jesus resisted temptation

25)
Jesus made decisions that created a desired future instead of a desired present

26)
Jesus never judged people by their outward appearance

27)
Jesus recognized the law of repetition

28)
Jesus was a tomorrow-thinker

29)
Jesus knew that money alone could not bring contentment

30)
Jesus knew the power of words and the power of silence

31)
Jesus knew when you want something you have never had, you have to do something you have never done

32)
Jesus permitted others to correct their mistakes

33)
Jesus knew his worth

34)
Jesus never tried to succeed alone

35)
Jesus knew that money is anywhere you really want it to be

36)
Jesus set specific goals

37)
Jesus knew that every great achievement requires a willingness to begin small

38)
Jesus hurt when others hurt

39)
Jesus was not afraid to show his feelings

40)
Jesus knew the power of habit

41)
Jesus finished what he started

42)
Jesus was knowledgeable of Scripture

43)
Jesus never hurried

44)
Jesus went where he was celebrated instead of where he was tolerated

45)
Jesus constantly consulted his Heavenly Father

46)
Jesus knew that prayer generates results

47)
Jesus rose early

48)
Jesus never felt he had to prove himself to anyone

49)
Jesus avoided unnecessary confrontations

50)
Jesus delegated

51)
Jesus carefully guarded his personal schedule

52)
Jesus asked questions to accurately determine the needs and desires of others

53)
Jesus always answered truthfully

54)
Jesus stayed in the center of his expertise

55)
Jesus accepted the responsibility for the mistakes of those under his authority

56)
Jesus pursued the mentorship of more experienced men

57)
Jesus did not permit those he led to show disrespect

58)
Jesus respected the Law of Sowing and Reaping.

Reading the book and this fascinating list, one belatedly realizes that instead of drowning oneself in the dizzying array of management and leadership books that are now being mass produced, the world’s No. 1 best-selling book, the Bible, is still the best roadmap to true leadership.
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Thanks very much for all your messages. Continue to write wilson_lee_flores@newyork.com or wilson_lee_flores@hotmail.com or wilson_lee_flores@yahoo.com or P.O. Box 14277, Ortigas Center, Pasig City.

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