Giving Good Works

Give and you will receive. Your gift will return to you in full—

pressed down, shaken together to make room for more,

running over, and poured into your lap.

The amount you give will determine the amount you get back.

(Luke 6:38)

I am writing this blog post on the evening that I learned of the death of a beloved world leader, Mr. Nelson Mandela. I can remember where I was on the day that he was freed after serving 27 years in prison and when I became a student of his great work. To go from prison to president sounds unimaginable to the faithless, but in his own words: It always seems impossible until it is done. Personally, my favorite Mandela quote is that “education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.”

Education comes in various forms, as a process for acquiring knowledge and skills. Most people think of the formal classes we take to learn a particular subject matter. Personally, I am a hands-on-learner and subscribe to the conventional wisdom of “give me a fish and feed me for a day, teach me to fish and I will feed myself and my family for a lifetime.” Education, for me, takes form when I have real world experience and application.

As advocates of educating young people about the possibilities of future careers in manufacturing, we know it is just as important to begin engaging students as early as possible with relative application today. We want to give kids hands-on-experience in math, problem solving, teambuilding, assembly, and competition. Our proposal is to get more students actively involved in combat robotics. Latrobe has committed to becoming a sponsor of the National Robotics League competition to be held in Cleveland, OH on May 16^th and 17^th, 2014. (To learn more, visit the NRL website at http://www.gonrl.org/index.php or Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/GoNRL .) Personally, I have committed to getting more smaller school districts in my home state of Arkansas engaged in cost-effective robotics league programs. I have begun discussion with local educators and hope to have formal programs ready to launch (and fully funded) for the 2014-2015 school year. Our goal is to allow real world experience and application of manufacturing and science concepts for children who may otherwise not get the early exposure.

Pay-It-Forward is a common meme about giving, sowing into others without expectation of repayment, because of the blessings that have been bestowed upon you. My gift to the small communities that have nurtured me over the years is investing in our youth today, through robotics and other STEM-related programs, to get them to see the potential in careers in manufacturing. Personally, my hope is that a seed of good works is planted in the next generation of scientists and entrepreneurs. What are you giving to your community to educate and equip our children with lifetime knowledge to change the world? Let us know by commenting or sending me an email at latanyua.robinson@gmail.com. If you like this post and want to catch up on some of my previous discussions, please visit the full Purposed Work blog at http://ltr-latrobe-mfg.blogspot.com/.

Doing Good Works

Do what God's word says.

Don't merely listen to it…

 (James 1:22)

Consulting is cyclical, either feast or famine. While I would prefer to be home more this month because my son is participating in a traveling summer track league, customers are demanding the exact opposite: I am on the road more in this season because the manufacturing plants are busy filling existing orders and investing in process improvements to prepare for future demand. When you are in business for yourself, you DO, by going where and when the work exists, so I won’t complain.

A true entrepreneur is a doer, not a dreamer, said Nolan Bushnell, founder of Atari and Chuck E. Cheese. On the surface, one might ask what these two products and brands have in common. Bushnell, who describes himself as a “serial entrepreneur” offers this advice: Focus on doing. ACT! His drive to DO resulted in Bushnell becoming one of the innovators of the video gaming industry. To learn more about Bushnell, visit http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/theymadeamerica/whomade/bushnell_hi.html.

During a slow period earlier this year, I started working on a concrete material supply project for the business. I conducted research on the local market, the local competition, and the regional sub-contractors who could be potential partners/mentors in expanding our quotations capabilities, evaluated optional entry points where we could provide value, and socialized the potential synergies throughout the region. And as often happens in my world, the manufacturing activity increased before I had an opportunity to launch. However, I am a firm believer that everything that happens has a purpose, so the work is not void. In this case: imagine my surprise when I recently sat next to someone on a flight who is engaged in manufacturing ancillary products for concrete. Guess where my work is taking me in a few weeks? As an entrepreneur, I understand the importance to DO the work, even when the results are not obvious immediately. You never know where it may lead you.

In manufacturing, we often refer to the Plan-Do-Check-Act (PDCA) process for improvement. It is a continuous cycle that illustrates striving for perfection. In my spiritual journey, I am a witness that faith and actions work together, so that by these good works, my faith is perfected. My spiritual process includes accepting that I must

• PLAN the work but trust in the Lord to direct me toward His will.
• DO the work. Faith by itself without work is dead.
• CHECK my heart to examine that my actions are lead by the Spirit and not to satisfy natural desires.
• ACT in obedience, even when the work is outside of my comfort zone or yields no immediate results.
     

The scripture reference above is often shortened to read be ye doers of the word. How will you begin fulfilling that purposed work that you are dreaming? It is time to be obedient to the word by DOing what you have been called to do in the Spirit. What is your first step? Let us know by commenting or sending me an email at latanyua.robinson@gmail.com. If you like this post and want to catch up on some of my previous discussions, please visit the full Purposed Work blog at http://ltr-latrobe-mfg.blogspot.com/.

Favor for Good Works

Let the favor of the Lord our God be upon us;

and establish for us the work of our hands…

(Psalm 90:17)

 

It’s the first full week of summer vacation and several young people that I know are still looking for work. It is no coincidence that in the same week I found one of my old check stubs from my first job from high school that I also attended a meeting on workforce readiness in today’s economy. It was like déjà vu, reliving a moment in my Career Orientation class, hearing employers repeat the same message conveyed by my middle school teacher over thirty years ago, that the basic requirements to landing a job are simple: proper attire, appropriate conversation, and a positive attitude. If it is that simple, why are young job seekers having a hard time finding work? What do they need to do to find favor with hiring managers?
 

I grew up in a small community, so there were a limited number of jobs that teenagers typically preferred, like in retail or in an office. Most of my friends either worked in grocery stores, or as I did, in local dairy bars and restaurants. Many of us who worked in high school took classes like D.E.C.A. (Distributive Education Clubs of America) and C.C.E. (Cooperative Career Education) that allowed us to earn classroom credits while gaining real-world work experience. Without knowing, we found favor with local small business owners who took a chance on us, giving us our initial opportunity to do good works.

Favor is access to open doors beyond our natural reach. Two people can come from the same environment and have same opportunities, yet experience different levels of favor. I know from experience that favor ain’t fair, it reigns on the just as well as the unjust. I guess that is why it is called favor, a supernatural preference that allows you to experience unmerited blessings and grace to do good works. My constant prayer is that God grants me favor to be a blessing to someone in need.

So today, my targeted audience is young people who are looking for work and cannot seem to find opportunities via traditional job searches. Perhaps this is a season of access to favor to open doors by starting a small business. Ever consider the supernatural favor to become a

·        Personal assistant tasked with answering the telephones, scheduling meetings, running errands
·        Social media specialist responsible for updating Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Pinterest, and Instagram accounts of other busy people or business owners
·        Mobile carwash attendant who travels to potential clients homes or business to provide services
·        Virtual tutor, helping younger students advance reading, math, and/or science skills
·        Mover/packer, assisting those in need with getting rid of clutter or prepare for a move

These are just a few suggestions for a young job seekers looking for economic diversity through entrepreneurial actions. Faith without works is dead, so I recommend getting started sooner than later. And remember those basic requirements mentioned in the first paragraph? That is a start, but do not forget some other P’s: professional, punctual, and persistent. How will you find favor to get hired?
 

Are you a hiring manager or interested in providing a young person with an initial opportunity to do good works? Let us know by commenting or sending me an email at latanyua.robinson@gmail.com. If you like this post and want to catch up on some of my previous discussions, please visit the full Purposed Work blog at http://ltr-latrobe-mfg.blogspot.com/.