The Seven Gifts of the Holy Spirit

Mother Angelica's writings on the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit.

Today I notice a lot of people have lost hope. They've lost hope in government, in their leaders, in their churches. We are getting to the place where the first Christians were, a state of despair. I think we have a magnificent opportunity of participating in the coming of the Spirit in the same way the first Christians did. In the last supper discourse (John 16) Our Dear Lord said, "The Advocate, the Holy spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you everything." You see, the coming of the Spirit was the very reason Jesus Himself came. he came to redeem you -- and redemption is not just going to Heaven, it means a complete change in our life, so that you become something you were not. It is the work of the Spirit to transform you into the image of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

The Lord did not take the first Christians out of their surroundings, He left them where they were and gave them a power to rise above themselves. You have that same power.

But when he comes, the Spirit of truth, he will guide you to all truth. John 16: 13

Executive Branch

Executive management is first charged with securing the chance to succeed.

The executive branch is charged with leading the organization toward achieving its goals.

Executive management is first charged with securing the chance to succeed. That chance starts with acquiring both the investment of capital and committed employees who share the vision. Both acquisitions have specific requirements. The investor must earn a greater return on the invested capital than could be achieved with alternative investments with similar risk. the employee seeks a return of personal growth opportunities, freedom to contribute, and a pleasing work environment. Once the requirements of investor and employee are met, the foundation is laid and the organization has the chance it needs to succeed. Then the team can together spread its wings and passionately pursue its purpose.

Second, the Executive branch must then develop and implement strategies that invest, structure, develop, challenge, and control both the corporate resources and talent. The responsibilities of People, Plan, Place, Performance and Process are areas that require particular attention because of the extreme importance of each to the success of the operation.

ACTION POINT: Secure the "chance to succeed" for your investors and your employees.

Balancing your Responsibilities

It is also important to keep in mind that your customers or clients will not wait and that you have to keep the daily "business as usual going"...

As you implement your strategy, it is important to ensure that you make enough time in your day-to-day work for guiding your team through what may be choppy waters. However, leading those who are implementing your strategy and delivering change can end up demanding a great deal of your time and energy, and it would be easy to focus all your attention on it. It is also important to keep in mind that your customers or clients will not wait and that you have to keep the daily "business as usual going or your business will suffer.

Plan how to balance these two equally important needs so that you do not neglect either. Look for ways in which you can manage your work flow to give you more time for your strategic leadership (building up stock, for example, to keep things going without your input for a period of time). If necessary, consider hiring extra help, such as temporary staff to deal with the day job, or look into appointing consultants who can help you manage the change.

ACTION POINT: Don't forget your day job.

Communicating Effectively II

Communicate the details of the plan clearly to your team.

Effective communication involves keeping your team in the loop and staying on track. Some steps in the process include:

• Determine what information each individual or group will need to know.
• Decide when they will need to know it.
• Choose the most effective means to communicate that information
• Choose the right person to deliver the information.
• Record these details in a communication plan.
• Communicate the details of the plan clearly to your team.

Some signs that you may be off track include:

• Thinking that you don't need a communication plan because you'll know what to do at the time
• Giving mixed messages about the reasons behind the change
• Adopting a "one size fits all" model of communicating

Staying on track with effective communication is best accomplished by:

• Planning how you will communicate different types of information to each party in advance
• Being consistent in the facts you give to different groups
• Changing your communication style to match the needs of the audience

ACTION POINT: Plan to communicate effectively and be both consistent and flexible.

Communicating Effectively

...it is important to spend time identifying the key information that you must communciate yourself.

One way to ease concern and guide your team is to have an effective communication plan. This is a set of "instructions" for exactly how you will disseminate information about your strategy and its implementation to all relevant parties. It can be difficult to keep everyone happy all of the time, but one thing that you must always bear in mind is that what your team members will object to most is hearing important news that affects them personally from others (and even worse through the media).

This doesn't mean you have to (or should) do all of the communicating personally, but it is important to spend time identifying the key information that you must communicate yourself. In addition identify the most important things to be communicated in person, by you or another member of the team. Other less important things can be communicated in other ways, such as by memo or email.

ACTION POINT: Communicate, over communicate when necessary.

Reassuring your Team

At first, the new tasks will not be natural and will take longer; and more mistakes will be made.


Implementing change inevitable means that your organization or team undergoes a period of uncertainty, which can make people feel unsettled and anxious. By its very nature, strategic change means the organization will stop doing some things and begin doing new, unfamiliar things. At first, the new tasks will not be natural and will take longer; and more mistakes will be made.

It is important to reassure your team at this unsettling time, or they may begin to express their doubts in the direction you are taking them. Your role is to not have doubts (at least in public), and to keep telling your team members about how the changes will benefit them as well as the organization. The more difficult things become, the more reassurance they need form you.


ACTION POINT: Keep your team informed and reassured in the midst of change.

The Invisible Presence of God

Although you do not see God with your eyes, which is the lowest kind of vision, you can be aware of His presence in your heart and soul.

The invisible presence of God must be as real to you as the chair you are sitting on. That's what the Lord meant when He said, "As you have believed, so be it done to you" (Matt. 8:13).

My actions toward the visible -- people, things, nature -- must be guided by the vision I have of the invisible reality: the presence of the Lord in my soul.

A doctor practices medicine. You don't practice the Presence of God. You become aware of His presence. Faith reveals that He is in me. I have only to be still long enough to become aware of His presence and converse with Him. But His presence is not dependent on me.

The Constitution of American Light

The business has grown and the name as changed. The mission and the founding principles have not.


The Friday DD for the foreseeable future will focus on the document that set the course for American Light Bulb and Supply Company Incorporated which was founded in 1982. Today that company is know as Facility Solutions Group. The business has grown and the name as changed. The mission and the founding principles have not.


"We dedicate our efforts towards this Corporations purpose - the reason and the goal of our existence.

The purpose of this organization is that we will:

• willingly contribute to the quality of life of all employees, customers, vendors, and the general community, specifically by our good unselfish works of service, that originate in pure hearts seeking to honor God and His desire.
• provide excellent jobs, satisfying careers, and a foundation for unlimited achievement for all our employees
• meet or exceed expectations of all employees and investors for a fair return and growth in their investment whether it be time, talent, or equity
• carry out our commitment to consistently provide our customers with superior value through quality products, service and support"

ACTION POINT: Stay on mission.

Understanding Responses to Change

Individuals with each of these personality types perceive the need for change differently.


Individuals perceive time differently. Listen to people around you, and you will find that some are always talking about tomorrow (future oriented); some are more focused on today and what is happening now; while others spend the most time talking about the past.

Individuals with each of these personality types perceive the need for change differently. This difference can be exaggerated by the scale of change: some people will be relatively relaxed about their job moving to another country, for example, while some will be anxious about moving their desk into another office.


ACTION POINT: Understand the way different personality types perceive the need for change.

Preparing others for Change

As you implement your strategy, spend time helping everyone who will be affected by the change understand and prepare for it.

Your role as a manager during change is to make it happen. This is far easier to achieve if you support your staff and take them with you on this journey. As you implement your strategy, spend time helping everyone who will be affected by the change understand and prepare for it.

One issue to remember is that you and other management (especially senior management) may have been working on the need for change for some time. In your minds, it is clear why it should happen. For other staff, a strategy to change may come as a complete surprise. To mitigate adverse reactions it is important that, even if they don't like the change, your staff fully understand why it is necessary. Take the time to explain this. Also remember that with the journey you are taking them on, things may get worse before they get better. If people are going to follow someone on such a journey they must have confidence in the leader. Be that confident leader, and demonstrate that you are confident in you actions. Make yourself visible and available--this is not time to hide.

ACTION POINT: When introducing change, ensure your team fully understands why it is necessary.

Leading in Difficult Times

Leaders earn their money when things are not going so well

Of course, it isn't that difficult to be a leader when times are good. Leaders earn their money when things are not going so well--when income is falling, staff are not working well and are leaving and competitors are overtaking you. Changing strategy involves making significant changes and this can often make things worse before it makes things better.

At these times, people will be looking to you for reassurance that you are taking them on the right path. Indicators that you are off track include:

• Spending most of your time behind your closed office door
• Giving the impression of being indecisive or weak
• Sounding negative or unenthusiastic, or lacking in a sense of purpose

Indicators that you are on track include:

• Being approachable and visible to those you are leading
• Inspiring confidence in your ability amongst those you are leading
• Focusing on the context of any situation and adopting appropriate behaviors.

ACTION POINT: Look at leaders you admire and make a list of what you an learn from them.

Implementing Your Strategy

By definition, a leader is a leader of people (managers by comparison tend to manage processes) and can only be effective if those he or she is leading choose to follow.

However well you have planned your strategy, if you make mistakes or are indecisive during implementation it will have little chance of success. You must lead your team confidently into a new future, keeping track of your progress along the way.

As in every aspect of life, there is often a natural resistance to change when you implement a new strategy. Change is a process that has to be led, so it is important that you develop leadership skills that will help you guide your organization and team through to a successful outcome.

In the past, leaders were defined by their characteristics--such as confidence, intelligence, and being an expert. Much leadership training was based upon developing these traits. However, while these are traits that recognized leaders do exhibit, many are rather generic and difficult to measure and develop. Recent thinking defines leaders not by the characteristics that they have, but by what they do. Rather than having a set style of leadership, an effective leader analyzes every situation (the context) and then adopts appropriate behaviors. By definition, a leader is a leader of people (managers by comparison tend to manage processes) and can only be effective if those he or she is leading choose to follow. A good leader, therefore, must develop strong follower-ship amongst others.

Everyone can become a better leader. Leadership skills can be developed through coaching and training, but ultimately your capability to lead others will develop through practice and experience.

ACTION POINT: Work on your leadership skills and strive to understand the context of a situation and how to adopt the appropriate behaviors for your team.

God's Providence

Mother Angelica's contemplation of God's providence.

God loves me so much that He provides for my every need. God's providence disposes and directs everything for His honor and glory, and for the good of my soul. I must consider all of God's creation from a very personal perspective. Look how the sun contributes to my well-being. It melts the sow to swell the rivers, and draws the water up again to rain upon the fields, nourishing the corn that I eat. It hardens the clay to make dishes for me to eat upon. We have lost our sense of awe in God's creation and that is a pity.

From the largest galaxy to the minutest bacteria in a drop of water, God has willed it all. Everything that God created was created for a reason, and if this is true of things, how much more is it true of you and me. So I must remember that every situation in my life is permitted by God for my good. You know, His providence is so immense and powerful. Though it embraces all of creation, it takes care of every tiny detail of my life. The Lord said the very hairs of my head are numbered...

His providence surrounds me like a cloak. I neither live nor move without it. He keeps the entire universe in order, and still finds time take a personal interest in you and me.

From Mother Angelica's Little Book of Life Lessons and Everyday Spirituality

Forging Links

Working closely with another group invariably has its pitfalls.

If you consider entering into a relationship with another organization to realize your strategy, you need to be sure that you will be gaining at least as much as you are giving, and that you are gaining something that you could not have achieved alone. Working closely with another group invariably has its pitfalls.

You will be sharing potentially valuable knowledge with them, so you must consider where the boundaries of cooperation will lie, and how you will keep them secure. Where will power lie within the relationship? Is there a sense of equality, or will you partner wish to dominate? Is there enough trust and respect between you to enable an effective working relationship?

ACTION POINT: When working with others understand exactly what you will be giving and getting out of the partnership.

Exploring Partnership

Remember that a partnership is a form of "trade."

In the middle are relationships characterized by formal agreements, in which the roles are more precisely defined. In the eyes of your customers, you may be seen as one or two organizations. Such contractual relationships take a number of forms, including subcontracting, where one party delivers a defined service to another, or outsourcing arrangements, where one party takes over a specific role for the partner business (providing administrative, personnel, or IT services, for example).

At the other end of the scale is a joint venture or consortium, in which the two (or more) organizations come together to create something with its own identity. A joint venture might involve companies A and B creating a new business: Company C. Both A and B put money, staff, and other resources in company C, which, importantly, has its own management.

ACTION POINT: Remember that a partnership is a form of "trade." You will usually have to give up some of your power and control, so be very sure that the trade is worthwhile before entering into any agreements.

Working with Others

There are may types of relationship that you can establish with another organization, distinguished broadly by the degree of closeness.

You may sometimes find that, after extensive analysis and planning, the best strategic option open to you is one that you are unable to implement alone, because you lack specific resources or competencies.

In these cases, it may be possible to work together with another organization or group -- even one of your competitors. There are may types of relationship that you can establish with another organization, distinguished broadly by the degree of closeness.

At one end of the spectrum is some form of non-contractual trust-based relationship. You cooperate with another company in the market, but you occupy one niche, they another; you support one another in your weaker areas and so can bid for work larger than you could on your own. Trust-based relationships may emerge between smaller companies that have complementary expertise, and often between business owners who have build their businesses over many years and who know and respect one another.

ACTION POINT: Identify when and if partnerships can be part of your strategy.

Acting or Not Acting?

Weigh up the risks of changing against the risks of standing still

Having detected signs that you need to change, make sure that there is a strong case for doing so before you launch into changing your strategy. Weigh up the risks of changing against the risks of standing still, and don't succumb to strategy overload (changing strategic direction too often or in response to small perturbations.) -- you are likely to disorientate your customers as well as your staff.

Remember, too, that the cost of changer -- in therms of time, effort, and money -- are high, and must be borne alongside the costs of running the business "as usual." Can you afford to make a change now? Or can you not afford to not change? Consider your options carefully before you make a decision.

There are times when doing nothing is a viable option -- but this must always be a conscious decision rather than one made by default or because it is the easier option. If you run a small business and are approaching retirement age, for example, you may make the perfectly legitimate decision that the time, effort, and money required to change strategy may not be worthwhile and it is better to maximize income within existing resources while the business slowly runs down.

ACTION POINT: Consider your options carefully when considering strategic change.

Signals to Change

Keep an open mind and don't become overconfident in your knowledge of the business and the marketplace

Sometimes experience isn't your best friend. Keep an open mind and don't become overconfident in your knowledge of the business and the marketplace: You could over look vital signals. Some possible signals to change include:

• Fall or growth in sales
• Changes in the buying behavior of clients
• Media reports of macroeconomic change
• Changes in ease of staff recruitment
• Growth or contraction of competitors
• Shifts in regulation or government policy
• Changes in your supply change
• Fall or growth in profits.

ACTION POINT: Be aware of the vital signals that could indicate the need to change.

Divine Presence

His right hand doth embrace me.

Song of Solomon 2:6

"He who has seen me," Jesus said, "has seen the Father" (John 14:9). The Word of God was always present beyond time. in the incarnation, he became present in time. He enfolds us, therefore, both within the temporal sphere and beyond it, at one and the same time. As the bride in the Song of Solomon said, "His left hand is under my head and his right hand ready to embrace me" (Song of Sol. 2:6). His left hand signifies the dimension of time and his right had the dimension of eternity. With the two arms of his human and divine natures, he enfolds us in the mystery of the incarnation in an incredibly strong embrace.

Song of Solomon 2:6

His left hand is under my head,

and his right hand doth embrace me.

Keeping Alert

In fact, no matter how solid your strategy, you must always be on the alert to make changes.

Strategy must adapt to new realities and to new forecasts: but exactly when should you make changes to your strategy? Should you do this at fixed, regular intervals or just when you deem it necessary?

In fact, no matter how solid your strategy, you must always be on the alert to make changes. Even if your strategy does not include seeking first-mover advantage, you must never be the last to realize that the world has changed while you have stood still.

The signals for change come from all around and are always out there -- within your organization, the actions of your customers and competitors and changes in the market, and the macroeconomic climate. Make sure that you and your team have a good knowledge of these indicators for change, and encourage your team to always be on the lookout for potential warning signs and any other changes to your business environment. Put in place mechanisms by which information about these signals can be captured, communicated, and discussed.

ACTION POINT: Know the indicators for change and build that mindset into your team.

Timing Strategic Change

always be alert to your changing environment to give yourself plenty of time to make changes

Avoid being pushed into a corner with limited options -- always be alert to your changing environment to give yourself plenty of time to make changes. The following guide posts can help identify if you are on track.

• Fast Track - Looking to surprise your competitors
• Off Track - Waiting to see what your competitors do before changing your strategy
• Fast Track - Looking to spot early signals that change might be needed
• Off Track - Leaving "changing strategy" on you long-term to-do list
• Fast Track - Thinking about your next strategic move when you are doing well
• Off Track - Taking success as a cue to rest on your laurels

ACTION POINT: Be aware of your market conditions and changing environment to stay on the fast track of strategic change.

Reacting to Events

In reality... the unexpected does happen...

In reality, despite the best intentions to plan for all eventualities, the unexpected does happen and you may need to devise a strategy quickly in reaction to changed circumstances. Without the benefit of time, your options for change are likely to be limited. You need to acknowledge these limits -- how much time you actually have -- and then work backwards to develop strategic options that fit the parameters.

First, quantify the urgency of the situation -- how long do you have to make the change? Next, identify the key issues you face and place them in order of priority. For example, in a small company you may identify that poor teamwork has ultimately led to shortfalls in performance; lower revenues and recent investment in new equipment have left you vulnerable to creditors; and you may even face bankruptcy. In this situation, a two-part strategic plan is necessary -- part one addresses the immediate threat by stemming the losses and improving cash flow, and part two deals with the working practices and personnel issues that caused the problem.

ACTION POINT: Acknowledge limits and quantify urgency when strategically planning for change.

Getting the Timing Right

So your relatively simple idea may take 18 months or more to execute

Big changes take time, so it is vital to consider timescales in your strategic planning. For example, you may decide to merge with a competitor because they have good sales in territories that complement your own. Strategically this makes sense. However, it may take months of negotiation to agree the merger, another few months to conclude the legal and financial aspects of the deal, and even longer to merge the systems and staff of the two organizations.

So your relatively simple idea may take 18 months or more to execute -- great if you have that amount of time available, but if your need is to generate additional sales in the current financial year you will need to look for an alternative approach

ACTION POINT: Understand the time required to execute big changes.

Knowing when to Change

The key is to always remain flexible: although strategy is about the future, the time to act may be now.

Time is a critical factor in making strategic decisions. When should you make strategic changes, and how is your strategy influenced by the time you have available? The key is to always remain flexible: although strategy is about the future, the time to act may be now.

Many teams and organizations review their strategy only when things are going wrong -- if all's well, why change? This is false logic: in fact, the best time to plan for change is precisely when you morale, time, profits, and momentum on your side. Strategic change might mean making a large investment, relocating a business, merging with a competitor, taking on new staff, or engaging with new markets.

ACTION POINT: Consider change when you have morale, time, profits and momentum on your side.