Happy Labor Union Day!

Like Memorial Day, Labor Day has devolved into a day to mark a limit of summer with barbecues and outings.

But it began as a day to mark support for labor unions, an organizing arm of the Democratic Party.

I am a benefitee of union benefits.

My skilled trades training and certification were based on union negotiation.

However, I almost was screwed out of skilled trades by a committeeman who was denying me points I had been assured I would receive, based on service related experience.

This to get someone he favored into the coveted position.

I went into his office and threatened to sue the union and him personally should I not be accepted.
It wasn't long after that I was informed of my apprenticeship.

After the plant closed and I was recruited for various positions over the years, I would occasionally be told that it was a union position, which I would decline.

When asked why, I would reply that I did not want to work in an environment where I work to my aspirations and be held back by a union contract, making no more than the least competent employee in my group. 

I once accepted an offer of Plant Manger (a position I had held before) only to find on arrival it was a union shop.

That meant I could not pick up a tool or assist in any labor.

I walked out the door and took another offer as a maintenance technician.

That's what I think of unions,

Investment

Many people invest into many things in their life.
Almost everyone invests into their homes, their retirement, their lifestyle, marriage, family, nation, community.
Many invest into their church.
I have done that repeatedly.

There is a practice in many churches wherein the pastor is addressed as "Pastor" as if that was his given name. I was, and am not, used to this practice.  The first churches I joined believed in the "five-fold" ministry. Evangelist, pastor, teacher, prophet, apostle.

There is some discussion as to what these positions entail today, particularly prophet and apostle.
The pastorate is an office, not a title.
The pastor is another member of the local body with his own gifts, but is often the ruler.

I have invested physically, financially and emotionally in the church I have been involved with for over twenty years.

Leading construction projects, installing heating systems, maintaining the A/C, plumbing.

Teaching, befriending, interacting.
I am a teacher. I have been asked after ten minutes of conversation to teach a congregation in another church, because that is my calling. And I did for a couple years. But then we returned to the church we are presently in. Or have been in.

With Covid-19, our church, along with others in the state (and nation), closed it's doors.
While this seemed reasonable at the start, it soon became apparent that this was not reasonable and an intrusion on our religious liberty.

An acquaintance of mine, Professor William Wagner, whom I believe is going to be a closer acquaintance (if not friend) soon, sued the State of Michigan, and Governess Whitchmer rescinded her restraints on houses of worship immediately.

I was elated. 

I'll be frank, our church has maintained social distancing for years. It has shrunk in size to where people sit together as families, but these groups have had 6' between them for years.

I thought for sure that our pastor, who I considered a friend, would open the doors, and I told him as much. He told me that he wasn't comfortable, that the surrounding community would think less of us for doing so. So we would wait.
I let him know that I wasn't comfortable being in a church that was afraid to meet together or would bow to the whim of the state.

I asked him if he had consulted the congregation and whether I had missed that e-mail.
When he said no, I asked him if he had consulted the board, the three deacons, of which I am not one because of my prior marriage and remarriage (something I believe is unscriptural and to which he later agreed).

He said no, but that he would.

He called me after that meeting and said that they had agreed with him to keep the doors closed a while longer, but that by this day (today) we would be meeting at church again.
I decided to be patient.

Today, "church" was held at the property. The worship team was in the building and played some songs to an empty room, which was broadcast on Facebook.
The congregation sat outside in their cars, watching (I imagine) on their phones.
The pastor then went out to the parking lot to preach, while the congregation listened on their car radios, or their phones.

I watched from my home. I would have been embarrassed to do otherwise.

I have embarrassed myself for Christ (and at other times because I'm an idiot) but this would be for neither of those reasons.

I hate to lose my investment in this church, but I have lost confidence in the "leadership" of the pastor.
He is a genuinely good guy. He is earnest and sincere.

But to sit in cars, watching a guy stand in front of their cars preach to them, at this point is ridiculous.

Jesus sent His disciples by twos to preach the good news, and to heal the sick. Presumably lepers were involved. I doubt they stood at a distance and yelled the good news to them. Or loudly called at them to be healed from six feet or more. With masks on. After applying Purex. 

Thanks for listening.

addendum:
not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.

And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.

Management and Leadership

man·age·ment ˈmanijmənt/ noun

1. 1.

   the process of dealing with or controlling things or people.
   

   "the management of elk herds"

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2. 2.

   archaic trickery; deceit.

   
   

(I wasn't going to consider the 2nd, but I realize that some see the second definition of "management" as a tool to accomplish the first ☺)

lead·er·ship lēdərˌSHip/  noun

1. the action of leading a group of people or an organization.

   
   

   synonyms: guidance, direction, control, management, superintendence, supervision;

______________________________________________________

I've noticed that a lot of managers I've dealt with equate the terms Management and Leadership, treating the two as if they were interchangeable.

I maintain that you can manage or control things other than people (elk herds?) and know nothing about leadership.

You might even manage groups of people without a knowledge of how to lead them. See that second definition involving deceit.

Management is pretty much an analysis of the goal and finding the resources to get to the goal.

Goal: Get a team of people to a conference in Chicago.
       1. Find address and time.
       2. Call Travelocity and find rooms and airline tickets.
       3. Email/Fedex results to team members.

Management can often be paid for in cash.

Leadership on the other hand is getting people to make your agenda, their agenda. Getting them to buy in to your vision.

Leadership cannot be paid for in cash. It is purchased with example, loyalty, support, information and trust (a synonym for faith).

Good management can get a return of up to 100%.
Good leadership will get more than that.

So what makes a good leader?
I once was a young airman who was in charge of the barracks upkeep.
The guys (and I) did the cleaning routines and I oversaw that it was done right. One day I got notice of a surprise inspection and I snuck out of class to double check the barracks. Of course, if you do it right, you don't have to double back, but that's a different topic.
I was met at the entry by the Colonel conducting the inspection, and he invited me to join him.

He could have asked why I wasn't in class (lesson 1).
We walked through the barracks and he commented favorably (lesson 2).

We came to the bathroom and he stopped at a urinal.
He said that the drain of the urinal needed better cleaning. (lesson 3).

I replied that we had tried scrubbing and chemicals.

He then pulled a pocketknife, opened it and scraped the crud, showed it to me on the blade and then proceeded to wash his hands and knife in the sink. (lesson 4).

Obviously, if he could do it, I was expected to.

He had given me an example (at personal expense), respected my position as a subordinate (no screaming, yelling), given me information (good and bad) I needed to do my job, and trusted me to make the changes needed to accomplish his goal at the same time making his goal, my goal.

I still remember the names of many of the supervisors and managers I've worked for over the years. The good and the bad.

At my dad's funeral, a number of men who had worked for him over the years came to the funeral, much to my surprise. They each spoke of his support for them and what a great guy he had been to work for.

As employees, we spend the majority of our waking hours at our place of employment. 

A good leader can be the difference between loathing the job and, if not looking forward to it, at least not hating it.
Retention of good employees being important to an operation in order to keep the expertise and continuity of process in house, it's critical that a manager also lead well.

 

If your employees are an investment of salary and benefits, good leadership is the key to getting a greater return on investment.

A good leader can get a team to put out 110%.

So what makes a good leader? What can make a team respect you, follow you and accomplish the goals you set?
A great leader once gave one of the best techniques that can have an impact on your ability to lead:

Treat others as you yourself would like to be treated.

Words to live by.

Sessions vs Trump, a Management Issue

Department of Justice regulation, 28 CFR 45.2

C. DOJ-Specific Conflict of Interest Regulation:   No DOJ employee may participate in a criminal investigation or prosecution if he has a personal or political relationship with any person or organization substantially involved in the conduct that is the subject of the investigation or prosecution, or who would be directly affected by the outcome.  28 CFR 45.2

Political relationship means a close identification with an elected official, candidate, political party or campaign organization arising from service as a principal advisor or official; personal relationship means a close and substantial connection of the type normally viewed as likely to induce partiality.

 D. Impartiality in Performing Official Duties

1. An employee may not participate in a particular matter involving specific parties affecting the financial interests of a member of his household, or when a person with whom he has a covered relationship is, or represents a party.

2. A covered relationship includes one involving:

a. Someone with whom he has or seeks a business relationship;
b. A member of the employee's household;
c. A relative with whom the employee has a close relationship;
d. A present or prospective employer of a spouse, parent or child; and
e. An organization in which the employee serves or has served in the past year as an employee, attorney or active participant.

3. The employee may disqualify himself or he may be authorized in writing to participate in the matter if the interest of the Department outweighs the appearance of a conflict.  The determination should be based on: a) the nature of the relationship; b) the effect of the resolution of the matter on the financial interest; c) the nature and importance of the employee's role; d) the sensitivity of the matter; and e) the difficulty of reassigning it.

So.

Sessions was confirmed early February and recused himself early March. He may have been unaware of the implications of the above.

Given the above regulation, did he have any choice in the matter but to recuse? I suppose so, but there would have been ramifications. Only Trump could excuse him per the above reg.

Sessions was not issued the Pass that all Democrat presidents issue to subordinates (such as Holder and Lynch).

So why is Trump treating Session the way he is?
Better minds than I have not explained it.


In the right book, this would end with an announcement of a large bust of leakers/spies who were indicted because Trump and Sessions had engaged in a charade to make them feel confident in exposing themselves somehow.

In reality, it's probably just petulance, stress, poor management technique.

Good managers have private (usually documented) corrective action meetings with subordinates.
I've done it and had it done to me.

Sometimes it's just an effort to get you to quit so your boss doesn't have to fire you. 
Maybe so you are not fired for your sake, or because he can't bring himself to do it for his sake.

We'll know soon enough. Maybe.