Tag: change

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Speed of Change:Becoming an Expert

Way back in December, I posted about the speed of change, and mentioned that I would revisit that issue in the future.  Well, earlier this week, while the auditory portions of my brain listened to a conference call ramble on, the visible portion of my brain, surfed the web with reckless abandon, until I stumbled upon a article about becoming an expert.  It was at this point that all of my focus was on this article.

Although the comments after the post debate some of the findings,  the writer of the post, Penelope, refers to a Harvard Business Review article entitled The Making of an Expert, where research points to this conclusion

that there is no correlation between IQ and expert performance in fields such as chess, music, sports, and medicine has borne out his findings. The only innate differences that turn out to be significant—and they matter primarily in sports—are height and body size.

Essentially suggesting that to become an expert at something it takes time, training, and desire.  The article also points out the importance of a mentor and guide  in developing expertise.

I find this interesting to apply to work, but I also find it interesting when we think about ourselves.  I can’t remember how many times I have heard people pray to be a “better Christian”.   We expect that we can utter a single prayer, and boom the character trait or temptation that we struggle with just disappears!  It’s not going to happen like that.  Mastery take time.  Author Malcolm Gladwell has make famous – ( apparently, as I have not personally read this yet, only references to it, although I have heard him speak, so I think that makes it ok for me to quote him!?!)- a 10,000 hour rule to becoming a expert.  That’s 5 years!

So today realize that the world is changing fast around us, but don’t be discouraged if you don’t see the mastery in your life overnight.  It takes time.  But not just clock time.  It takes time working at the problem. It takes time working with a mentor, it takes time studying, praying for change, focusing on the issue.  You can change, you can attain mastery.

1 Timothy 4:7 (New International Version)

7Have nothing to do with godless myths and old wives’ tales; rather, train yourself to be godly.

What do you think?

Categories
Daily Post

Speed of Change

Recently at one of my business meetings, we reviewed a video from Havard Business School’s John Kotter.  He’s an expert of chnage management.  One of the things he spoke about was the accelerated speed of change that we are now experiencing, and for the most part will continue to experience in our lifetimes.  He compared the speed of change 100 years ago to driving down a country lane and through the last century the speed of change increased to driving on a Nascar speedway.

The thing that I have been thinking about is how this impacts the lives of those who follow Christ.  I think it has major impacts on they way the church thinks and operates and how Christians need to work.  I just have not completely figured out what this impact is.  Look for more thoughts on this in 2010.  (thats the second teaser in the last week).

The one thing I am sure it means however, is that followers of Christ must mobilize and leave the comfort of the padded pew.  Yesterday I mentioned not staying in Bethlehem, and using the celebration of His birth as a springboard for service, and today that thought it still on my mind.  Things are changing.  Followers of the Christ must change their behaviors as well.  Well, thats a funny statement actually, as I think at the root of it all, followers of Christ just need to do what they were ask to do by the Christ all along.

 18-20Jesus, undeterred, went right ahead and gave his charge: “God authorized and commanded me to commission you: Go out and train everyone you meet, far and near, in this way of life, marking them by baptism in the threefold name: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Then instruct them in the practice of all I have commanded you. I’ll be with you as you do this, day after day after day, right up to the end of the age.” (Matthew 28:19-20, The Message)