Dennis Worden's Blog

Uff Da

Dennis Worden — Tue, 06 Sep 2011 20:03:27 +0000

Growing up in Northern Minnesota and marrying a Scandinavian I often heard and said “Uff Da”. But what did it mean?

Uff DA Comes from immigrants to Minnesota from Scandinavia during the early part of the 20th century. If you are surprised you say “Uff da”, if you are disgusted you say “Uff da”, over worked? “Uff da”

(1) I just dropped my iPhone in the toilet… Uff Da
(2) Person sneezes you say… Uff Da
(3) Sven… Did you hear about the Dawgs getting beat by Boise State? Olle… Yah, Uff Da
(4) Or you just found the answer to solving our national debt… Uff Da

How would you like that Uff Da moment when you discover a new truth, idea, way to do your work, or even enjoy true success?

Uff Da’s like that don’t occur without time set aside to think, dream, and yes, even pray. We need time that takes us away from every day responsibilities and allows us to FOCUS.

As my business coach Daniel Harkavy with Building Champions often reminded me, if I’m wanting an Uff Da in my work, career, marriage, or life, then I need time set aside working on me, on the business and not in the business.

Take a few hours or a day to do nothing but FOCUS on the big issues and those most important to you and you too will enjoy an Uff Da moment.

Success Defined

Dennis Worden — Mon, 18 Jul 2011 15:17:17 +0000

“Success is the continuing achievement of being the person God wants you to be, and the continuing achievemnet of established goals God has helped you set.” The Chase, coming fall 2011

Am I being successful?
Am I continually being the person God wants me to be?
Am I continually achieving the goals God helps me set?

Good questions for us to reflect on as often we judge ourselves by our good intentions rather than the reality of what we have done.

Lessons from Abe Lincoln

Dennis Worden — Wed, 06 Jul 2011 22:37:12 +0000

Life lessons can be learned from personal experience or by learning from others. I’m a veteran of learning the hard way but am learning the wisdom of learning from others, like Abraham Lincoln.

My friend Pat Williams, in his book “Lincoln Speaks to Leaders”, shares four lessons from our 16th President that can be applied today.

1) Realize that paradigm shifts – fundamental changes in the way things are done – occur continually.
Here’s a thought, it’s not just about what you create. It’s also about what you choose to leave behind. Leadership requires shedding emotional attachment to the past and making the leap from era to era.
2) Banish the expression, “We’ve always done it this way.”
We must move into the future by creating new areas to grow, new products and services. “New” does not equal “bad.”
3) Instead of fighting change, learn how to use it to your best end.
Todays “new” will become tomorrows “normal.” We must recognize when we’re riding a “dead horse”. When it’s time to change horses, don’t hesitate, jump!
4) Always be optimistic!
No one wants to follow a leader or hang with someone who constantly beats the drum, “Things are bad and getting worse.” Pat Willams reminds us that, “A leader has to be optimistic simply because if he isn’t, nobody else will be.”

Learn these four lessons from Abe Lincoln… when applied you’ll be building your business to see tomorrow.

God Knows

Dennis Worden — Tue, 31 May 2011 23:43:13 +0000

God knows
More about success than man does
More about man’s needs than man does
More about goal-setting than man does
More about inner confidence than man does
More about power than man does, and
More about planning life than man does.

Since God knows all those things and provides the very route to our success, isn’t it incredible that we would leave him out of our plans?

The Chase – Coming Fall 2011

What do you think success is?

Dennis Worden — Fri, 27 May 2011 17:10:48 +0000

This posted sign was an attention-getter—with lots of truth in it.
No doubt it provided a good laugh for all the ambitious young employees.

“Work hard for eight hours a day and don’t worry.
Then in time you may become a boss and work
eighteen hours a day and have all the worry.”

Dreams of rising to the top, dreams of reaching goals, dreams of
“being successful” —could provide some interesting stories. If you were
a reporter in the busy city, doing “on the street interviews”, a good
question might be—“Quick—in one sentence, ‘How you define success?’
‘Tell me what you think-What is a good definition of success?’”
A question for the reader—how would you define it? What do you
think success is?
The Chase – Coming Fall 2011

Leadership in Blue Jeans

Dennis Worden — Thu, 26 May 2011 23:44:25 +0000

“Today’s leaders are the ones who are risk takers; they make new rules for organizations. They think differently today than yesterday and will continue to grow their thinking tomorrow. Knowing the status quo is not enough. We must do better – we must change the status quo. Today, we need to move out of the box into new territory. For the first time in many years, today’s new leaders will have a “new think.” This new thinking will be productive; it will be powerful; it will embraced, and it will lead to a new scale of profitability.”

To that I would add a new scale of significant impact!

Great read from Tom that I recommend to you.
For more about Tom Atema visit

http://www.verticalhorizonsgroup.com

Reflection

Dennis Worden — Mon, 15 Nov 2010 02:22:45 +0000

Why is it that I allow life to become so busy that I leave myself no time for reflection? Or is it that I don’t value it?

This past week, while on a business trip to Seattle, I took time to reflect and it was good. Reflection of God’s goodness and faithfulness, of family, friends and life experiences. It was a time of reflection that took me back to thinking about a mother who passed away at 49 and a brother who had died at 30. While I miss them terribly I reflected on all the wonderful times we shared.

Have you taken time to reflect? Why do I recommend a time of reflection? To often we live only in the present or are thinking about the future, not giving time to what got us where we are today.

I am who I am today because of family, friends, and life experiences. There is an old gospel song that says, “Count your blessings, name them one by one, Count your many blessings, see what God hath done!”

In order for reflection to count our blessings we must:
- Take our thoughts captive
- Shut of the iTouch, TV, shut down the laptop or iPad
- Find a quite place
- Journal
- Pray

Live Your Values

Dennis Worden — Tue, 21 Sep 2010 22:00:23 +0000

Vince Lombardi, legendary coach of the Green Bay Packers said, “The objective is to win: fairly, squarely, decently, win by the rules, but still win!”
While I’m not a NFL professional football player, I do “profess” to live and work by a set of values. Values that should not change depending on which way the wind blows.
Is there a difference between what you believe and what you do, do you live your values?
Here are some good questions to ask yourself:
How do I spend my time?
How do my values match my calendar?
How do I spend my money?
How do I react in a crisis?
Do I practice what I preach?
John Maxwell, in his book, “The 360-Degree Leader,” puts it this way, “It’s not hard to stay with the decisions you make when they are base on our values. Decisions that are not consistent with our values are short lived.” John goes on to say, “Just as consistency can create power in your personal life, it can also create power in your leadership. Leaders set the tone and the pace for all the people working for them. Therefore, they need to be what they want to see.”
They need to practice what the preach! One way I’ve found to live my values is my time spent alone in the morning. Spending time reading a devotional message, reading books, including the Bible that reinforce my values, then the BIG ONE, to fear (honor/respect) God and keep His commandments!

Dare To Believe

Dennis Worden — Tue, 07 Sep 2010 20:33:14 +0000

I found myself asking recently, do I dare to believe God can use me to do great things?
Noah dared to believe God for the big thing and built and Ark.
David dared to believe God for the big thing and marched out to meet Goliath.
If these two guys had not believed God for the big thing, God would never have worked the big thing in their lives. And they’re just two of many in the Bible who dared to believe God for the big thing.
How about you? How about me? Are we ready to “dare to believe God for the big thing?”
I too often am content with little when God would give me much. Who said the great things of God have all been accomplished. Who said there aren’t great things God wants you to accomplish.
Believe God for the big thing!

Got those Monday morning blues?

Dennis Worden — Mon, 23 Aug 2010 11:53:20 +0000

Viktor Frankl after spending years in a World War II concentration camp wrote, “The prisoner who had lost faith in the future, his future, was doomed. With his loss of belief in the future, he also lost his spiritual hold; he let himself decline and become subject to mental and physical decay.”
As a leader of a company, ministry, or home, what prison have you allowed to steal your hope, your faith?
Today don’t live by feelings, dictated by your circumstances, live by faith.
You might try this pray that was shared with me by my friend Bill Cook years ago, “Lord thank you that you see all my problems as opportunities for miracles. Thank you that you are able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that I ask or think! (Eph. 3:20)Thank you that this day is going to be a great day because you are working on my behalf.”
Faith is fantastic, everyday excitment. It’s your choice. You can live with the feelings of a “blue” Monday or with the faith that believes in God’s promises.