2006-09-28T21:43:00.000-07:00

Six Thinking Hats Evaluation for September 2006

Based on Six Thinking Hats by Edward De Bono

This is an EXCELLENT book of only 173 pages.

Buy one today or borrow one from the library.

http://www.amazon.com/Six-Thinking-Hats-Edward-Bono/dp/0316178314

Also put Six Thinking Hats and Edward De Bono into a search engine.

There are various ways these materials have been adapted for corporate training.

Date of this evaluation is September 2006

White Hat: facts and figures

Neutral and objective perspective

Just the facts and figures

Like a computer

Without interpretation or opinion

Use questions to obtain information to fill in gaps

First class facts have been checked and proven

Second class facts are believed to be true but have not been fully checked

I have worked at the seminary on a part time basis for almost seven years.

From the beginning I have considered the job as an interim step.

Before this job I have various other jobs in the Dallas and Houston areas.

None of those were career oriented because my whole focus was on preparing for ministry.

My time, energy and hopes have been invested in starting a ministry for almost 30 years.

There is an abundance of materials online that reflect the previous plans and preparations.

The central website is www.HubOfHubs.org and from there are links to 29 blogs, 9 websites and 3 wikis.

The large and complex collection of plans and prototypes make up my online portfolio.

These firmly establish my credibility as a person that can effectively research, organize and present.

I have intermediate skill levels on various communication technologies.

I can perform adequately in making a basic website, blog and wiki.

I can use a digital video and still camera as well as data projector.

I can create a good newsletter like this one http://www.hubofhubs.org/BB_NL_2006-09/Better_Bridges_Newsletter_2006-09.pdf

I have written many articles and mind maps that demonstrate my competence.

Many of the articles are on this wiki http://betterbridges.etouch.net/cm/wiki/Simple_Lessons.wiki/home/home.html

Here is my salvation testimony http://www.fourbridges.org/files/20_JSOessays/JSO_Salvation_Testimony.htm

This is my personal mission statement and the core of my messages

http://www.fourbridges.org/files/20_JSO_mission_messages/Mission_Statement_and_Messages_of_JSO.htm

These are my personal priorities http://www.fourbridges.org/files/20_articles/My_Personal_Priorities.htm

This is an article about my strengths http://www.fourbridges.org/files/20_JSOessays/Introducing_My_Strengths.htm

Here is an articles about my greatest motivation is to leave a legacy of leaders, lessons and libraries http://www.fourbridges.org/files/20_JSOessays/Living_to_Leave_this_Legacy.htm

Here are answers to a workbook called My Manhood Plan http://www.fourbridges.org/files/20_JSOessays/My_Manhood_Plan.htm

This webpage is the home for the above plus a little more http://www.fourbridges.org/Founder_JSO.html

Red Hat: emotions and feelings

“This is how I feel about the matter.”

Legitimizes emotions and feelings as an important part of thinking.

Makes feeling visible so they can be part of the thinking map

Become part of the value system that chooses the route on the map

No need to justify feelings or give logical basis, just state them

Can include a simple emotion like fear or dislike

Can include complex matters like hunch, intuition, sense, taste, aesthetic

At long last I genuinely feel that the doors are about to open wide to launch Better Bridges.

I have just begun to take the action steps but in my heart I sense that there are green lights ahead.

I feel sick and tired of going around and around the planning and preparation cycles.

I have far more than enough online to prove to anyone with eyes to see that I have done my homework.

I feel fully qualified and prepared to oversee the complex operations of leading Better Bridges.

God has used my complex background to grant me a large context for the various facets of the work.

Over these thirty years the Lord Jesus Christ has used many ways that are nonacademic to prepare me.

Any day I can carry on a deep, wide and lively conversation with a seminary student on Christian topics.

I can discuss theology, doctrines and Christian issues with any pastor or professor.

I believe that I am ready, willing and able to pioneer a mission station in cyberspace.

My main passions are education, missions and media.

The combination of these is what makes Better Bridges unique http://betterbridges.etouch.net/cm/wiki/betterbridges.Better_Bridges_Presentation.wiki/home/Uniqueness.html

Here are short articles about each.

Education http://betterbridges.etouch.net/cm/wiki/betterbridges.Better_Bridges_Presentation.wiki/home/Christian%20Education.html

Missions http://betterbridges.etouch.net/cm/wiki/betterbridges.Better_Bridges_Presentation.wiki/home/Missions.html

And http://betterbridges.etouch.net/cm/wiki/betterbridges.Better_Bridges_Presentation.wiki/home/Mission%20Field%20in%20Our%20Backyard.html

Media

Here is a mind map about my other passions http://4badvisorsconsultants.homestead.com/files/JSO/2_JSO_Passions_Summary_.pdf

Here is a detailed essay about my passions http://4badvisorsconsultants.homestead.com/files/JSO/3_JSO_Passions_Explained.pdf

Yellow Hat: positive and constructive

Yellow is a reminder of sunshine, brightness and optimism.

This is the positive assessment contrasted to the negative assessment of black hat.

Covers the full positive spectrum from logical and practical to dream, visions and hopes

Probes and explores for value and benefit.

Seeks to put forth soundly based optimism.

From this comes concrete proposals and suggestions.

Generates constructive thinking to make things happen.

Can be speculative or opportunity seeking.

Here is the summary of the vision taken from the newsletter

Imagine Better Bridges as your mission station in cyberspace:

bringing together people, resources and opportunities

connecting the body of Christ locally, regionally and internationally

increasing the flow of God's truth and God's love

improving the stewardship of time, talents and treasures (things and money)

raising up, training, equipping, supporting and multiplying lay leaders

facilitating functional community development

glorifying God in bearing much spiritual fruit

facilitating more benevolence, evangelism and discipleship

My hopes and expectations are oriented to three milestones.

This is quoted from the newsletter http://www.hubofhubs.org/BB_NL_2006-09/Better_Bridges_Newsletter_2006-09.pdf

Milestone One is having gotten into the habit of meeting with prospective donors.

Developing this habit leads to raising the seed capital for the next milestone.

Milestone Two is having created a Web Platform. From this base of operations you and others find

1. a networking hub to an abundance of Christian websites

2. excellent short articles answering tough questions

3. plenty of free three minute audio and video Bible lessons.

Milestone Three is having provided the information, education and inspiration needed to consistently improve stewardship of time, talents and treasures (things and money).

Then more freedom from worries about this passing world will lead to people into investing of time, money and energy into the kingdom of God that will last forever.

It is possible and desirable that in the coming months I will begin to do public speaking.

In the last 30 years I have spoken maybe 24 times and enjoyed it each time.

I have known from the first months of my calling that public speaking is big part of God’s will for me.

That knowing began in 1977 shortly after my rebirth.

I am ready and willing to serve as a substitute teacher for a Sunday school, breakfast or lunch group.

I have put most of my articles online that I would use as the handouts and outline of my talk.

That wiki is http://betterbridges.etouch.net/cm/wiki/Simple_Lessons.wiki/home/home.html

My brother Jim gave me a set of videos that exhorts and teaches to get into public speaking.

This is a device to overcome one of the deepest fears.

Then after those fears are conquered other vistas open up.

The public speaking can include teaching as well as presenting the ministry to a small group.

Green Hat: creative thinking

Associated with fertile growth, creativity and new ideas.

Green symbolizes fertility, growth and the value of seeds.

Seeks for alternatives beyond the known, obvious and satisfactory.

Pauses to consider if there are alternatives.

Seeks to move forward from one idea to reach a new idea.

Provocation is used to get out of the usual ways of thinking (symbolized by the word po).

Use lateral thinking attitudes, idioms and techniques to cut across patterns.

Generate new concepts and perceptions.

Clearly Better Bridges is a pioneering work for there is nothing like it anywhere.

If there was anything almost like it I would have come across it long ago.

If and when I find anything similar I will be delighted to link to it and promote it.

The growth from the current blueprint to the Web Platform requires seed capital.

The following is quoted from the newsletter.

Introduction

Forty thousand dollars (40K) is the fund raising goal for giving Better Bridges a strong start.

The funds are divided 10K each to Consultants, Web Development, Hardware & Software and Initial Payroll.

Consultants

Consultants ask tough questions. These answers are crafted into a strategic plan leading to the public launch of the Web Platform. Their work will also include short, sweet and simple ways to appeal to donors. There will be an initial business plan. The projects are well defined, prioritized and organized into a flexible tracking system. From this tracking system periodic reports will be filed with key people like volunteer

advisors, intercessors and donors.

Web Development

Output from the consultants becomes input for the web designers. The website will be able to easily add many new items each week. This includes various new links, wiki articles, testimonies, interviews, teachings and sermons.

Hardware & Software

The consultants and web developers will be recommending all sorts of hardware and software. After the public launch other equipment and software will be added as needed.

Initial Payroll.

The initial payroll goes to Executive Director (John S. Oliver), a bookkeeper, plus contract workers to do the initial researching, writing and editing.

Income Streams

Better Bridges is designed to pay for its own costs of operation soon after the public launch.

There are five income streams for the consultants and web developers to optimize. These are donations, sale of products, memberships, affiliates and advertisements.

Black Hat: cautious and careful

Consider risks, dangers, obstacles, potential problems and downside

Point out matters that may be weak or harmful

Purpose is to put caution points on the map

Can be abused or overused if the only way of thinking

Can serve as the devil’s advocate

“What may go wrong if we implement this suggestion?”

Does this suggestion fit in terms of:

past experiences

policy and strategy

ethics and values

resources

known facts

experiences of others

There are an abundance of plans and preparations.

I have asked many to pray and I will continue to do that all along.

The only way to get from here to the Milestone Three (and then beyond) is by fund raising.

One of the major activities of the Executive Director of any nonprofit is raising funds.

However my track record in this area is horrible.

I dislike asking for money.

That is not uncommon.

I have been to fund raising seminars with people who do this as full time careers.

They raise money for hospitals, museums, schools, and other charities.

Nobody likes it but they have learned how to get over the internal struggles.

During the next few weeks and months I must get into motion and keep moving.

I need to set up accountability systems so that I do not find excuses to quit like I have before.

The initial system that I will adapt is based on these points

1 point for setting an appointment

2 points for making the presentation

3 points for asking for the contribution

4 points for receiving the money

These points are recorded and totaled on a weekly, monthly and quarterly basis.

By doing this then I will be able to easily measure the movement and make modifications.

Also after the Web Platform has past the public launch date and been promoted things will shift.

There will be incomes from online donations, product sales, memberships, advertisements and affiliates.

I will need to continue to meet with prospective donors but that is not the only income stream.

Blue Hat: control of thinking

The color of the sky, above everything else – the organizing hat.

Blue hat thinks about the thinking needed to explore a subject.

Like the conductor of an orchestra, the blue hat thinker calls for the use of the other hats.

Blue hat thinking sets the focus, defines the problems and shapes the questions.

Determines the thinking tasks that are to be followed.

Is responsible for summaries, overviews and conclusions – both along the way and at the end.

Monitors thinking and ensures that rules are followed.

May set up step-by-step sequence of thinking operations like a dance choreographer.

Usually this is assigned to one person yet others can contribute comments and suggestions.

My greatest strengths are that I think in interdisciplinary ways and design information delivery systems.

Better Bridges is intended to pioneer a mission station in cyberspace.

That will happen as the various parts are designed to work as synergistic systems.

I love the prospect of leading Better Bridges.

I eagerly look forward to designing and improving the synergistic systems.

This will case and allow me to grow as a blue hat leader.

These will deliver the following.

From the newsletter

Better Bridges is becoming your pioneer mission station in cyberspace offering:
1. networking hub to an abundance of Christian sites
2. excellent short articles answering tough questions
3. free 3 minute audio and video Bible lessons online

Here is an article about blending Benevolence, Evangelism and Discipleship

http://betterbridges.etouch.net/cm/wiki/betterbridges.Better_Bridges_Presentation.wiki/home/Benevolence,%20Evangelism%20and%20Discipleship%20Blended.html

Five services

Networking Hub
Information Clearinghouse
Educational Nucleus
Think Tank
Research and Development Lab

SERVICES
Better Bridges is becoming your pioneer mission station in cyberspace offering:
1. networking hub to an abundance of Christian sites
2. excellent short articles answering tough questions
3. free 3 minute audio and video Bible lessons online.

Along the left wide of this website are links to various blogs.
They have links and questions that are raw materials that will fuel the next phase.
These materials are a starting place for creating an interactive Web Platform.

Better Bridges offers five services and three of them have buttons on the left
Networking Hub
Information Clearinghouse
Educational Nucleus
Think Tank
Research and Development Lab

http://betterbridges.etouch.net/cm/wiki/betterbridges.Better_Bridges_Presentation.wiki/home/Five%20Services.html

Here is an overview that summarizes these five services http://tinyurl.com/ff9ak

SUPPORT
The five services facilitate the five forms of support http://tinyurl.com/g2gxr
http://betterbridges.etouch.net/cm/wiki/betterbridges.Better_Bridges_Presentation.wiki/home/Five%20Forms%20of%20Support.html

Media
Group
Individual
God
Self

2006-01-10T19:30:00.000-08:00

Six Hats Report
January 10, 2006

This is the first Six Hats Report.

I hope to share one about every quarter and at important crossroads. Here is a way to learn much about me in a short time. It would take many lunch meetings or phone conversations for me to get around to all this.

This presents my complicated life and ministry from six views. It is based on an excellent book named Six Thinking Hats by Edward De Bono http://www.amazon.com/Six-Thinking-Hats-Edward-Bono/dp/0316178314

During the coming weeks months and years I will be meeting many people. Some will be highly motivated to pray for Better Bridges www.HubOfHubs.org and me. Some will want to better understand what is going on inside of me.

The longer I live the more I am interested in history and biography. Current events do not happen in a vacuum, there is an historical context. There was a chain of events and key people made choices along the way. What was going on inside of them when they made that choice is fascinating to me.

Likewise I enjoy the bonus materials of DVDs because this gives insights into the story behind the story.

So what this blog will hopefully provide in the coming years is a record of what was happening inside of me that manifested in the choices that later became the directions for the ministry of Better Bridges. And that will have ripples that impact others over the Internet for years. But it all traces back to these internal dynamics. The same process is true of every human. The difference is that I am convicted that God has called me to live out my walk before Jesus Christ in this very transparent way. It solicits prayers that I need greatly and it teaches lessons indirectly that I could never articulate in an article or verbal message.

If you have comments, suggestions or questions then use this link http://fourbridges.org/Feedback.html

Here is the PDF file of the Six Hats Report
http://tinyurl.com/btcyu
or here is the longer link to the same PDF file
http://4bridges.homestead.com/files/PDF/Six_Thinking_Hats_Report_January_2006.pdf