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Monday, November 6, 2017

Dear Hannah: LEarning (People (Acceptance))

By Derrick Brown (follow on Twitter @dbrowndbrown)

Dear Hannah,

I'm a people watcher - a careful observer of human behavior.

Watching people has taught me that when I look at them ...

... sometimes I am looking through a window.

... other times I am looking in a mirror.

When I stare through a window in the afternoon, I see outside.

Staring through a window at night shows me "me".

The mirror always shows me "me" ... but also shows me what is behind me ... and what is to come.

Man, I hope all that makes sense.

But let me spell it out.

What you see is always a personal lesson for you ... if you see it that way.

That is a blessing.

Don't take the easy road of judgement and opinion.

Take the less-travelled road ... be advised and forewarned - especially when you watch someone else struggle or fall.

That might have been you - but for the power of healing and redemption.

That could still be you - but for God's amazing wisdom, grace and mercy.

Selah.

Love,

Daddy

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"LEarning (People (Acceptance))"
By Derrick Brown
8-27-2017

People make the world go 'round.

People will also work your nerves.

Understanding personality, character, and temperament can help us to accept ourselves and others.

In some small way, this might put us on a path of getting along with each other a little better.

partner in crime
ally

hard-headed
defy

by the book
comply

evil villain
bad guy

enthusiastic
banzai

l'il shawty
bonsai

pipsqueak
small fry

happy go lucky
blue sky

a little boring
bone dry

captain america
good guy

smart bottom
wise guy

gullible
fall guy

space cowboy
sci-fi

perspective
bird's eye

ceo
neck tie

professor
bowtie

george clooney
black tie

Messy Marvin
pig sty

patient
drip-dry

protester
outcry

soldier
war cry

violent
drive-by

paralyzed
standby

loyal
stand by

fight to the finish
Popeye

popular
Shanghai

gatekeeper
deny

annoying
shoo fly

bloodsucker
horsefly

all-american
apple pie

faithful
semper fi

time for change
modify

metamorphosis
butterfly

scary
petrify

gonna let you know
notify

high society
dignify

mean mugging
evil eye

hypercritical
crucify

take a close look
magnify

excuses
alibi

big mouth
amplify

speak life
edify

spectator
passerby

solid as a rock
fortify

enlightening
firefly

double-minded
gemini

double-checker
verify

dot the i's, cross the t's
specify

speed slicer
samurai

take away the keys
dui

secret agent man
fbi

chatterbox
fyi

don't need no help
diy

investigator
csi

hurting
mri

intuitive
heart don't lie

bargain hunter
free wi-fi

big spender
buy buy buy

wanna get away
bye bye bye

bad, bad man
fe-fo-fi

fruitful
multiply

optimistic
can't we try?

believer
i can fly

regretful
well run dry

laid back
just get by

kinda silly
high school high

nimble
spry spry spry

thrill seeker
high high high

jet setter
fly fly fly

can't tell the truth
lie lie lie

hard worker
try try try

concerned
my my my

distrustful
shy shy shy

melancholy
sigh sigh sigh

sentimental
cry cry cry

scary mary
terrify

nosy rosy
spy spy spy

meddlesome
pry pry pry

mathematician
pi pi pi

sweet tooth
pie pie pie

controlling
don't ask why

in the moment
why ask why

inquisitive
why why why

I'm a people watcher - a careful observer of human behavior.

Watching people has taught me that when I look at them ...

... sometimes I am looking through a window.

... other times I am looking in a mirror.

When I stare through a window in the afternoon, I see outside.

Staring through a window at night shows me "me".

The mirror always shows me "me" ... but also shows me what is behind me ... and what is to come.

Man, I hope all that makes sense.

But let me spell it out.

What you see is always a personal lesson for you ... if you see it that way.

That is a blessing.

Don't take the easy road of judgement and opinion.

Take the less-travelled road ... be advised and forewarned - especially when you watch someone else struggle or fall.

That might have been you - but for the power of healing and redemption.

That could still be you - but for God's amazing wisdom, grace and mercy.

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).

Monday, October 30, 2017

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

By Derrick Brown (follow on Twitter @dbrowndbrown)

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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"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)

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)

Monday, October 23, 2017

Dear Hannah: LEarning (Follow The Leader)

By Derrick Brown (follow on Twitter @dbrowndbrown)

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)!

"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)

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)

Monday, October 16, 2017

Dear Hannah: LEarning (The Curriculum) (P2PP)

By Derrick Brown (follow on Twitter @dbrowndbrown)

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)!

About Derrick Brown (Principal Consultant)

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)

reachthenteach

Buy Derrick Brown's Book "A Long Walk ..."!

Buy Derrick Brown's Music!

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Monday, November 6, 2017

Dear Hannah: LEarning (People (Acceptance))

Monday, October 30, 2017

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

Monday, October 23, 2017

Dear Hannah: LEarning (Follow The Leader)

Monday, October 16, 2017

Dear Hannah: LEarning (The Curriculum) (P2PP)

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