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Monday, October 30, 2017

Dear Hannah: LEarning (I Get It (Empathy))



 
Dear Hannah,

I am LEarning to listen and observe more than I talk.

I see and hear a lot of stuff that I do not understand.

I accept these events as part of my LEarning.

The easy road is to dismiss it all with judgement and opinion.

The tougher road is LEarning to practice empathy.

So if a cat shows or tells me something that sounds crazy, it helps me remember how crazy I have sounded to other people ... even recently.

That road reminds me that I don't know what roads led these cats to their positions, mindsets and actions.

Then I accept that we all have free will - to think whatever we think, say whatever we say, and do whatever we do.

Then I resolve to do better.


Love,


Daddy


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Selection

Selection

"LEarning (I Get It (Empathy))"
By Derrick Brown
8-22-2017

This is a song about empathy - understanding how someone else feels ...

... and gaining insight to why we do what we do.

check it ...

we don't know
what the data show
make decisions
no info

can't understand it
dismiss it
can't control it
diss it

ignorance
implicit

arrogance
explicit

can't DIY
solicit

still the same ol' same
ur complicit

i get it.

think I thought about
a long time ago
when I talked fast
thought slow

wasn't about to say
i don't know
won't catch me slippin'
oh no

rather front
than LEarn
your opinion
ain't my concern

kick my tail?
wait ur turn
yo i think we're done
adjourn

i get it.

don't fit in
quit tryin

few friends
no cryin

no prospects
applyin

keep doin' u
no relyin

sleepwalkin
swear you woke

ballin
know you broke

too serious
can't take a joke

eggshells
yolk yolk

cholesterol
stroke stroke

hush ya mouth
misspoke

ready aim fire
gun smoke

can't breathe
choke choke

can't swim
backstroke

get out the way
slowpoke

pulled over
invoke

plead the fifth
provoke

i get it.

make me wanna hollar
make me wanna cry

too low
too high

survival
get by

nunya
don't pry

messed up
boo boo

right church
wrong pew

right ship
wrong crew

too many
need a few

whispers
they hear you

rabbit ears
who else knew?

not one
not two

wise up
get a clue

bout_who to
bid adieu

what you
been through

starts to
accrue

fades to black
and blue

invoice
overdue

check's bad
gotta sue

different
point of view

leads to
breakthrough ...

i get it ...

I am LEarning to listen and observe more than I talk.

I see and hear a lot of stuff that I do not understand.

I accept these events as part of my LEarning.

The easy road is to dismiss it all with judgement and opinion.

The tougher road is LEarning to practice empathy.

So if a cat shows or tells me something that sounds crazy, it helps me remember how crazy I have sounded to other people ... even recently.

That road reminds me that I don't know what roads led these cats to their positions, mindsets and actions.

Then I accept that we all have free will - to think whatever we think, say whatever we say, and do whatever we do.

Then I resolve to do better.


About Derrick Brown (Principal Consultant)
 

I am Keisha's husband, and Hannah's father.

My *other* passion is empowering people via methods that balance skill & will, analysis & synthesis, ideas & execution, and activity & achievement.

I am the product of my mentoring relationships, peacemaking (and peacekeeping), and problem-solving ability.

I am a publisher, filmmaker, executive coach & registered mediator with engineering degrees from Clemson and Georgia Tech.

My education began when I finished school.

After school, I enrolled in a lifelong curriculum that includes the following classes ...

  • ministry (serving people)
  • entrepreneurship (developing solutions that serve people)
  • stewardship (taking care of relationships, possessions, talents, body, mind, and time)
  • literacy (reading & writing skills)
  • numeracy (math skills)
  • language (communication skills)
  • self-expression (sharing "who you are")
  • self-identity (knowing "who you are")
  • analysis & synthesis (solving problems & sharing solutions)

KnowledgeBase is a ministry that has evolved from wisdom earned through lessons learned.

I want to share this wisdom to build teams of "triple threat" fellows - mentors, mediators, and problem solvers.

We will collaborate in simple, powerful ways that allow us to help people.

I now know that power is work done efficiently (with wise and skillful use of resources, interests, communication, and expertise).

Copyright © 2017 Derrick  Brown. All Rights Reserved.


Monday, October 23, 2017

Dear Hannah: LEarning (Follow The Leader)



 
Dear Hannah,

There's this school of thought that measures our leaders' effectiveness by factors like their number of followers, or our unflinching alignment with their opinions.

Both are misleading.

I measure a leader's effectiveness by that leader's service.

Not "what they do" for us or "the least of these", per se.

In these times, that service includes thought leadership more than ever.

Follow a leader's train of thought.


Love,


Daddy


Support Our Work - Buy This Podcast (SEE BELOW)!

Selection

Selection

"LEarning (Follow The Leader)"
By Derrick Brown
8-19-2017

There's this school of thought that measures our leaders' effectiveness by factors like their number of followers, or our unflinching alignment with their opinions.

Both are misleading.

I measure a leader's effectiveness by that leader's service.

Not "what they do" for us or "the least of these", per se.

In these times, that service includes thought leadership more than ever.

Not telling us what to think, but establishing a standard of thoughtfulness that produces coherent, comprehensive positions AND guidance ... positions and guidance crafted with wisdom, discernment, love, and empathy - not opinions, emotions, myopia and agendas - then challenging us to meet that standard, too ... and possibly reach different conclusions!

So it's not about this mindless, sheep-to-shepherd "I will follow thee" mess.

It's more like "I hear where you are coming from ... I follow you and will rightly divide which way I go".

Follow this leadership train of thought ...

out in front of who?
better fall thru
who u lead's
all about
*how* they follow you

realizing vision
needs some revision
lots of relationship
a l'il less religion

a lot of decision
a little precision
couple of setbacks
head-on collision

peace takes time
heal that incision
be reconciled
don't multiply division

get that new addition
via subtraction
of all distraction
and inaction

put together fractions
put down factions
overreactions
infractions

make transactions
satisfactions
healthy attractions
wealthy extractions

don't be scared to fail
respect detail
every moment matters
so keep a paper trail

not to cover tail
but to tell the tale
posterity
keep it on the rail

we don't know the hour
that our manpower
reduces horsepower
taxes our brainpower

time for change is near
traditions we hold dear
begin each time that we're
bold enough to hear

sounds of falling reign
not that umbrella rain
the "term-in-office" reign
that's when it's time to rein

have 'em cop a squat
prepare to lead in thought
know how you think you ought
know when it's all for naught

that idea you brought?
man, I think nobody bought
please don't get caught
in fights already fought

that situation's wrought
webs tangled, taut
better shoot your shot
they yellin' "boycott"

looks like it can't be done?
look again, son
when compromise is done
everybody's won

check your desires, too
this ain't about u, boo
but something big and true
sittin' in the queue

know lessons learned
validate gettin' burned
just call it wisdom earned
class adjourned

I study leadership, and create mnemonic devices to help me remember my lessons in key stressful moments.

I used two in writing this rhyme - and also use them now more than ever to discern the strength and wisdom of our leaders ...

1. "Leaders "WISHDD" for courage and vision" - that is, leaders use the tools of courage, vision, wisdom, integrity, sincerity, humility, discipline, and decision to learn, grow, and function.

2. "Don't be jealous of a leader's FICA score - it was earned through testing". That reminds me that leaders are tested by jealousy, failure, impossible situations, compromise, and ambition.


About Derrick Brown (Principal Consultant)
 

I am Keisha's husband, and Hannah's father.

My *other* passion is empowering people via methods that balance skill & will, analysis & synthesis, ideas & execution, and activity & achievement.

I am the product of my mentoring relationships, peacemaking (and peacekeeping), and problem-solving ability.

I am a publisher, filmmaker, executive coach & registered mediator with engineering degrees from Clemson and Georgia Tech.

My education began when I finished school.

After school, I enrolled in a lifelong curriculum that includes the following classes ...

  • ministry (serving people)
  • entrepreneurship (developing solutions that serve people)
  • stewardship (taking care of relationships, possessions, talents, body, mind, and time)
  • literacy (reading & writing skills)
  • numeracy (math skills)
  • language (communication skills)
  • self-expression (sharing "who you are")
  • self-identity (knowing "who you are")
  • analysis & synthesis (solving problems & sharing solutions)

KnowledgeBase is a ministry that has evolved from wisdom earned through lessons learned.

I want to share this wisdom to build teams of "triple threat" fellows - mentors, mediators, and problem solvers.

We will collaborate in simple, powerful ways that allow us to help people.

I now know that power is work done efficiently (with wise and skillful use of resources, interests, communication, and expertise).

Copyright © 2017 Derrick  Brown. All Rights Reserved.


Monday, October 16, 2017

Dear Hannah: LEarning (The Curriculum) (P2PP)



 
Dear Hannah,

My education began when I finished school.

After school, I enrolled in a lifelong curriculum that includes the following classes ...

  • ministry (serving people)
  • entrepreneurship (developing solutions that serve people)
  • stewardship (taking care of relationships, possessions, talents, body, mind, and time)
  • literacy (reading & writing skills)
  • numeracy (math skills)
  • language (communication skills)
  • self-expression (sharing "who you are")
  • self-identity (knowing "who you are")
  • analysis & synthesis (solving problems & sharing solutions)

KnowledgeBase is a ministry that has evolved from wisdom earned through lessons learned.

Every year, I take stock of "where we are" with our ministry.

Take the time to take stock of "where you are".


Love,


Daddy

The Curriculum


Support Our Work - Buy This Podcast (SEE BELOW)!


Selection


Selection


About Derrick Brown (Principal Consultant)
 

I am Keisha's husband, and Hannah's father.

My *other* passion is empowering people via methods that balance skill & will, analysis & synthesis, ideas & execution, and activity & achievement.

I am the product of my mentoring relationships, peacemaking (and peacekeeping), and problem-solving ability.

I am a publisher, filmmaker, executive coach & registered mediator with engineering degrees from Clemson and Georgia Tech.

My education began when I finished school.

After school, I enrolled in a lifelong curriculum that includes the following classes ...

  • ministry (serving people)
  • entrepreneurship (developing solutions that serve people)
  • stewardship (taking care of relationships, possessions, talents, body, mind, and time)
  • literacy (reading & writing skills)
  • numeracy (math skills)
  • language (communication skills)
  • self-expression (sharing "who you are")
  • self-identity (knowing "who you are")
  • analysis & synthesis (solving problems & sharing solutions)

KnowledgeBase is a ministry that has evolved from wisdom earned through lessons learned.

I want to share this wisdom to build teams of "triple threat" fellows - mentors, mediators, and problem solvers.

We will collaborate in simple, powerful ways that allow us to help people.

I now know that power is work done efficiently (with wise and skillful use of resources, interests, communication, and expertise).

Copyright © 2017 Derrick  Brown. All Rights Reserved.


Monday, October 9, 2017

Dear Hannah: LEarning (The Declaration of Love)



 
Dear Hannah,


Love seeks the highest good for others ...

... and works without fail to make it happen.
Love's challenge is best phrased this way ...

"I am decent at loving what I like."

"I am LEarning to love what I do not like."

Welcome to honesty.

Self-honesty.

Welcome to LIFE.

REAL LIFE.

LEarning to love what I do not like is not my nature ...

... it is my standard, though.


Love,


Daddy


Support Our Work - Buy This Podcast (SEE BELOW)!


Selection


Selection

"LEarning (The Declaration of Love)"
By Derrick Brown
8-14-2017

Current events can distract me from "The Big Picture" - and the work required to make it happen.

I was born to love God and others.

What's love got to do with it?

Everything.

Love seeks the highest good for others ...

... and works without fail to make it happen.

So while today seems bleak,

I know that yesterday was bleaker.

I know that tomorrow carries today's hopes and dreams.

So God bless the dreamers.

And God bless the schemers.

Not the architects of arrogance, mayhem, and vitriol.

Not those schemers.

But the purveyors of purpose, power, peace ...

... patience, persistence, priority, pursuit ...

... passion, possession, and planning.

See, the only things that happen by accident ...

... are accidents.

Change and success are intentional, inspirational, strategic, and spiritual.

You might hear this music playing in the background, and you're like ...

"When is he gon start rapping?"

I've been rapping since the first word.

Shall I proceed - yes, indeed.

Love is a many-splendored thing ...

... that means it is full of magnificence and marvel.

It is also filled with challenges ...

... challenges that help us grow ...

... then know ...

... that we don't know ...

... then show ...

... that even though ...

... even though cashflow ...

... even though woe and sorrow ...

... we are a people who sow (we give) ...

... we are a people who sew (we fix) ...

... we are a people who go (get it) ...

... we are a people who flow ...

See, love's challenge is best phrased this way ...

"I am decent at loving what I like."

"I am LEarning to love what I do not like."

Welcome to honesty.

Self-honesty.

Welcome to LIFE.

REAL LIFE.

LEarning to love what I do not like is not my nature ...

... it is my standard, though.

It is my stature.

It is how I will stand taller than my greatest enemy.

'Cause when the enemy comes in like a flood,

The Spirit of the Lord will raise a standard against him. (Isaiah 59:19)

Hear me.

I am that standard.

Search me, Lord - and know my heart ...

... try me, and know my thoughts (Psalm 139:23).

For out of the abundance of my heart, my mouth speaks (Luke 6:45).

Guard my heart, Lord - for out of it flows the springs of life ... (Prov 4:23)

Then I will stand at my watch, and position myself strategically ...

... to see what God says, and what I will then do. (Habakkuk 2:1)

See, I do not care for the whims and ways of this world.

Furthermore, I do not care for the whims and ways of the church.

On their worst days, they are indistinguishable.

But I love this world.

Because we are the world.

I love the church.

Because we are the church.

That admission may be my path ... to LEarning to love what I do not like, huh?

When I face my enemy, then realize that on my worst days, I am my enemy.

Then my fight becomes less about defeating my enemy.

And more about loving myself and others.

It becomes more about strengthening my weaknesses.

It becomes more about asking God to change my heart.

The heart is the intersection of the mind, will, and emotions.

I will change my LEarning.

I will change my focus.

I will change my finance.

I will change my work ethic.

I will declare that ...

"When in the course of human events, I find that the rhetoric ain't my reality.

And the rules of engagement are unwritten, unspoken, unfair, unjust, and unchanged.

And I get tired of watching frogs sip tea, reposting quotes, watching videos, sharing pictures of food, explaining racism, and arguing with the wind.

It is then that I realize I need a strength greater than I can perceive or achieve on my own.

That strength is love.

Not that "lovey dovey", "groovy" kind of love, but that "bear all things", "decision" kind of love.

Love that will help me cross that wide chasm between who I am and who I need to be.

Then I will stop watching, lamenting, and commenting ... and will start planning, strategizing, organizing, creating and working.

Though change tarries, I will work for it while I am waiting.

And it will come.

Because it will begin with me.

Selah."


About Derrick Brown (Principal Consultant)
 

I am Keisha's husband, and Hannah's father.

My *other* passion is empowering people via methods that balance skill & will, analysis & synthesis, ideas & execution, and activity & achievement.

I am the product of my mentoring relationships, peacemaking (and peacekeeping), and problem-solving ability.

I am a publisher, filmmaker, executive coach & registered mediator with engineering degrees from Clemson and Georgia Tech.

My education began when I finished school.

After school, I enrolled in a lifelong curriculum that includes the following classes ...

  • ministry (serving people)
  • entrepreneurship (developing solutions that serve people)
  • stewardship (taking care of relationships, possessions, talents, body, mind, and time)
  • literacy (reading & writing skills)
  • numeracy (math skills)
  • language (communication skills)
  • self-expression (sharing "who you are")
  • self-identity (knowing "who you are")
  • analysis & synthesis (solving problems & sharing solutions)

KnowledgeBase is a ministry that has evolved from wisdom earned through lessons learned.

I want to share this wisdom to build teams of "triple threat" fellows - mentors, mediators, and problem solvers.

We will collaborate in simple, powerful ways that allow us to help people.

I now know that power is work done efficiently (with wise and skillful use of resources, interests, communication, and expertise).

Copyright © 2017 Derrick  Brown. All Rights Reserved.


Copyright © 2020 Derrick Brown and KnowledgeBase, Inc. All Rights Reserved.