1. Make the decision to over-deliver. Few good things happen by accident. You have to decide you are going to do something differently—or do it at a different level. Just making this decision will set things in motion. It’s amazing how many aren’t willing to do this. They are content to do just enough to get by.

2. Get clear on your boss’s (or client’s) expectations. It’s really not about you—not if you are going to succeed. You have to be committed to making your boss successful. What does he expect from you? This is worth considering overall and on the front-end of each initiative. Start by asking, “What do you expect from me?” His response sets the bar.

3. Identify specific ways you can exceed them. This is where the fun begins. List your boss’s (or client’s) expectations in one column of a sheet of paper or on a spreadsheet. Now, in another column, list what you could do to exceed those expectations. How can you make his jaw drop or at least make him smile with delight? Use your creativity to create a wow experience.

4. Make wow your new standard. Every time you exceed your boss’s expectations, you create a branding impression. You want to develop a reputation for consistently over-delivering. You want to be the first person your boss thinks of when considering a new position or important project. That’s the secret to getting ahead.

You’ve probably heard the saying to under-promise, but over-deliver and that’s only partially correct.  The “under-promising” aspect leads to underachieving – exceeding the minimum expectations will not inspire confidence.  Besides, as Hyatt mentioned, that makes the focus about you and what you promised instead of those you are working for. Know your boss and client well enough to know what their specific expectations are and focus on surpassing that.

Shane Vander Hart Over-Deliver: The Key to Career Advancement

I’ll admit it.  I teared up when I heard when Jan Mickelson played the audio on WHO Radio, I did it again when I saw the video.

Lesson learned, God does answer prayer and He can bring joy in the midst of suffering. More importantly we can celebrate the 101 survivors who were found today as well.

Shane Vander Hart Tornado Survivor Interview Takes a Turn for the Better

I’ve been busy so unfortunately my personal blog has been neglected.  I wanted to share with you some pictures from a day trip that my family and I made up to Ames, IA for Mother’s Day.  If you have not been up to the Reiman Gardens at Iowa State University I’d encourage you to do so if you live fairly close or happen to be traveling to Iowa.  It’s a good day trip and their butterfly wing is amazing.  You can see the slideshow below.

Shane Vander Hart Photos: Reiman Gardens

Randy Alcorn shared a great quote from Jonathan Edwards that should help us keep our perspective while we trod on this earth.

It becomes us to spend this life only as a journey toward heaven … to which we should subordinate all other concerns of life. Why should we labor for or set our hearts on anything else, but that which is our proper end and true happiness?”

This place is not our home. It is nothing, but a blip in light of eternity.

Shane Vander Hart Our Proper End and True Happiness

Ray Ortlund posted the excerpt below.  I love it.

Is that we we in the Church find ourselves?  Is this what we are about?  I’m reminded of something Jesus said, “The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Look at him! A glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’ Yet wisdom is justified by her deeds,” (Matthew 11:19, ESV).

Wisdom is justified… Befriending sinners is wise.

I think of what that means today and it can take us to places that push us outside our comfort zone.

Handing out water at a gay pride rally?  Visiting juvenile detention centers and prisons?  Helping the homeless.  Sharing the good news with prostitutes?  Befriending somebody who scoffs at people of faith?

This song from Casting Crowns – “Jesus, Friends of Sinners” is incredibly challenging.

This is convicting. I write a lot about politics and cultural issues. It is easy to be jaded and have a "battle" mentality.  I can’t and I know I have at times. I’m constantly struggling with that tension.  Speak truth, but do it in love.  Love people even when they disagree with me.  Recognizing that we must address culture while at the same time realizing that I won’t debate anybody into the Kingdom of God.  My prayer, our prayer should be that God will break our hearts over what breaks his.  People will not be transformed through politics or “the culture war” they will be transformed by encountering Jesus.  And how will they hear unless somebody preaches (shares) with them? (Romans 10:14).

We shouldn’t have to agree with someone in order to love them in Jesus name and befriend them.

We encounter people like this almost every day, but do we really engage?

Photo Credit: No Borders and Binaries via Flickr (CC-By-NC-SA 2.0)

Shane Vander Hart Where Christ Died and What He Died For

There is no true evangelism without the doctrine of sin, and without an understanding of what sin is. I do not want to be unfair, but I say that a gospel which merely says “Come to Jesus”, and offers Him as a Friend, and offers a marvelous new life, without convicting of sin, is not New Testament evangelism. The essence of evangelism is to start by preaching the law; and it is because the law has not been preached that we have so much superficial evangelism . . . evangelism must start with the holiness of God, the sinfulness of man and the eternal consequences of evil and wrong-doing. It is only the man who has been brought to see his guilt in this way who flies to Christ for deliverance and redemption. (Source: Studies on the Sermon on the Mount)

Without sharing the fact that we are sinners separated from God are we not just tickling ears?  Not to mention we can’t really grasp our need for Jesus, His death, and resurrection.

Photo Credit: Chris Yarzab via Flickr (CC-By-NC-SA 2.0)

Shane Vander Hart What Can’t Be Missing from True Evangelism

At dinner last night Cheryl was talking about an article she was reading about the phrase, “God won’t give us more than we can handle.”  That phrase is an absolute lie.  You find this phrase no where in the Bible.

We face more than we can handle all of the time!  We can’t handle much on our own.  Life just seems overwhelming.  I have the picture in my mind of being stranded in the mountains.  I go over one ridge only to face another.

Confession time… I wouldn’t have been able to face my son’s cancer on my own.  I wouldn’t have been able to deal with unemployment on my own.  I can’t even run my business on my own, parent on my own, preach and teach on my own, write on my own or even provide for my family on my own.

Well if I do you sure can tell… because I’m doing it on my own and I’m usually doing it badly.

God will give us more than we can handle.  He won’t, however, give us more than what He can handle.  This is more in line with scripture.

Jesus said to his disciples, “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing,” (John 15:5, NKJV).

Without Christ we can do nothing.  Nothing of significance that is.  Nothing of eternal value. Certainly nothing that is bigger than ourselves.

Then the apostle Paul talked about how he handled whatever circumstance he found himself in.  “I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me,” (Philippians 4:12-13, NKJV).

We can do all things in and through Christ.

So when somebody says “God won’t give you more than you can handle.”  Say, “no, God won’t give me more than He can handle.”

Photo Credit: Christian Ostrosky via Flickr (CC-By-NC 2.0)

Shane Vander Hart God Won’t Give Us More Than We Can Handle

So I took my daughter this afternoon to visit a guest who was from Altoona.  I brought Kelvey because I wasn’t sure if she was a single female.  If it were a couple I would have gone by myself, but I just had one name.  We went up after picking up Kelvey from her horse riding lessons.  I wasn’t sure if someone was going to be home as it was pretty early.

We knock on the door and she was at home.  I gave her the gift bag, say I’m from Grace Fellowship, thanked her for visiting Easter and asked if she had any questions.

She didn’t.  She seemed appreciative of us dropping by, but we didn’t want to wear out our welcome so we thanked her again and left.

As we were driving away, I asked Kelvey…. “Did I introduce myself?”

Ummm… no… I didn’t introduce Kelvey either.  At least she knew where we were from.

Uberfail.  Lesson #1 – Introduce yourself when visiting someone’s home on behalf of your church.

Duh.

Photo Credit: Cristiano Betta via Flickr (CC By 2.0)

Shane Vander Hart What Not to Do When Visiting First-Time Guests

It had been awhile.  I ended up giving two units of red cells instead of a unit of whole blood because there is a greater need for that.  After Morgan had to have blood transfusions during the course of his chemo I had a greater awareness of how important this is.

So I encourage you to give if it has been awhile.  You can go every eight weeks if you give whole blood.  Every 16 weeks if you do what I did today.  It’s needed and a practical way you can serve the community.

Better yet, consider sponsoring a blood drive.  If you are not sure where you can give in your area you can find a place here.

Shane Vander Hart Give Blood

Shane Vander Hart It’s Good Friday, But Sunday’s Coming!