book review | Craig T. Owens

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Everyday Greatness (book review)

July 30, 2009 — Craig T. Owens

Everyday Greatness

I have read almost everything that Stephen Covey has written, so when I saw this newest title—Everyday Greatness—with his name on it, I was really looking forward to it. I know the classic rule is “Never judge a book by its cover,” but I admit I broke this rule!

When I saw “Stephen Covey” on the cover I was prepared for his typical thought-provoking insights. Instead what I got in Everyday Greatness was anecdotal support of Covey’s profound teachings from other authors. I was actually pleasantly surprised by this.

The premise of this book is similar to Covey’s other books; namely, you have the power to make the choices that will make your life more effective, more fulfilling, and more beneficial to those around you. Everyday Greatness reinforces this message by letting you hear Covey’s thoughts through the stories of “everyday people.”

The book is divided up into seven categories that everyday people live each day—

Searching for meaning
Taking charge
Starting within
Creating the dream
Teaming with others
Overcoming adversity
Blending the pieces

Each of these seven categories is supported by three principles, and each of these principles are illustrated by three short stories and a few pages of noteworthy quotes. So in essence Everyday Greatness presents Covey’s thoughts in 63 short stories and several pages memorable quotes.

Stories are so much more effective at driving a point home than is a lecture, and these stories are the perfect length for anyone. This is a book I’ll keep handy on my shelf so I can return to these stories time and time again. An excellent read!

Posted in Uncategorized. Tags: book review, choices, Everyday Greatness, Stephen Covey. Leave a Comment »

Full Tank

July 15, 2009 — Craig T. Owens

The other day a friend of mine wrote on Facebook that he was shopping with his daughter. He half-jokingly added, “I think that is her love language!” I say half-jokingly because I think the time with Daddy was speaking volumes to his daughter.

Spending time shopping with Dad was filling her love tank!

Have you ever felt like one of your relationships was in a rut? Or maybe even in a rut with ends in it (also known as a grave!)? Do you ever feel like the other person just doesn’t get you? Have you ever been frustrated that the other person doesn’t understand all that you are doing for him/her?

My guess is that you are speaking different love languages.

Dr. Gary Chapman wrote an amazing book called The Five Love Languages. In his book, he lays out five “languages” that we use to communicate our love to one another:

Words of affirmation
Quality time
Gifts
Acts of service
Physical touch

When you and I communicate, we naturally communicate in a way that is most comfortable to us. We communicate in our primary love language. But if the other person in the relationship has a different love language, no matter how much you love them, you are simply not getting through effectively. You are leaving the other person with a near-empty love tank.

I would suggest you start by taking a brief love language assessment (download the free PDF here → 5 Love Languages assessment) to determine YOUR OWN love language first. This is the language you will feel most comfortable using. Second, you need to learn the love languages of OTHERS CLOSE TO YOU so you can change your love dialect.

In the great love chapter in the Bible, the apostle Paul says this, “When I was a child, I spoke and thought and reasoned as a child. But when I grew up, I put away childish things” (v. 11, New Living Translation). Our love—and the way we express it to others—should always be growing up. If you are trying to communicate your love to someone special in the same ways (the same “languages”) you’ve always used, there’s a good chance your love is being viewed as childish.

As you mature in your expressions of love — as you speak the other person’s love language — you will begin to fill their love tank. Guess what happens next? Out of a full love tank, the other person is motivated to begin to speak your love language, to fill your tank. It can become so much fun to love with a full tank! Because when the other person’s love tank is full, almost any love language will work for them—wow, what a blast!

For married couples, YouVersion has an excellent reading plan that teaches specifically how the love languages operate in the context of your marriage.

UPDATE… my friend Greg Heeres and I host a leadership podcast on YouTube. Recently, we discussed the value of leaders learning and speaking the love languages of their teammates.

Posted in Uncategorized. Tags: 1 Corinthians, 1 Corinthians 13, apostle Paul, book review, friends, friendship, Gary Chapman, love language, marriage, relationships. 4 Comments »

The Hole In Our Gospel (book review)

July 13, 2009 — Craig T. Owens

Hole In Our Gospel, The cover When I first heard the title of Richard Stearns’ book—The Hole In Our Gospel—a thought crept into my mind. When I read on the back cover the phrase “to walk with the poorest of the poor in our world,” I was convinced: I just knew this book was going to be a guilt trip.

I couldn’t have been more wrong!

“The idea behind The Hole In Our Gospel is quite simple. It’s basically the belief that being a Christian, or follower of Jesus Christ, requires much more than just having a personal and transforming relationship with God. It also entails a public and transforming relationship with the world,” writes Stearns as he introduces his book.

Using his life as a personal example, and presenting a stark but realistic picture of the suffering humanity in the world today, Stearns challenged me to look outside my own paradigm. I’ve seen the infomercials about sponsoring a child, and I keep abreast of the latest calamities in the world, but Stearns presents these sobering facts in a way that made me want to do something. Stearns quoted his friend Gary Gulbranson, “It’s not what you believe that counts; it’s what you believe enough to do.”

The other thing I wrongly assumed from the cover of this book was that the problems facing us were so huge, that even if I got involved little would change. Instead, Stearns showed me practical ways to help.

Far from being a “downer” or a guilt-trip, I found this book to paint an exciting picture of what was possible if I would just get involved. I could begin to imagine a world in which humanity was better off because I was in it.

Don’t shy away from this book just because it’s written by the president of World Vision: you will not read a single “commercial” or appeal to donate to World Vision or sponsor a child. But you will be changed. You will be challenged. On the closing page, Stearns asks a poignant question: “And when you close this book, what will you do now?”

I’m going to get involved.

Posted in Uncategorized. Tags: action, book review, compassion, poverty, Richard Stearns, World Vision. 5 Comments »

I’ll Make You An Offer You Can’t Refuse (Book Review)

June 17, 2009 — Craig T. Owens

I'll Make You An Offer You Can't Refuse Okay, I’ll be honest with you, the title of Michael Franzese’s latest book sounds like a cliché—I’ll Make You An Offer You Can’t Refuse. Sounds like a line right out of “The Godfather” or “Goodfellas,” right? But if you’re involved in the world of business, Mr. Franzese’s book is exactly that: an offer (book) you can’t refuse. From how to craft a business plan, to picking the right people, to learning how to negotiate the best deals, Mr. Franzese uses his years of wiseguy street-smarts to give you an advantage.

From the very first page, this book engaged me because I felt like I was having a conversation with the author. His style is very relaxed, and his stories about his business successes and failures are compelling. It’s not often that a business book reads like a novel, but I’ll Make You An Offer does just that.

Throughout all of his lessons, Mr. Franzese makes the contrast between the principles spelled out in the mobster’s bible (The Prince by Machiavelli) and principles articulated in the Holy Bible (specifically the writings of Solomon). Although he learned his strategies from his years in La Cosa Nostra (“this thing of ours” or the mob life), he makes a strong case his strategies will work in the legit life. The difference is the motivation that drives the strategies: Machiavellian or biblical.

“A dictionary definition of success says it’s ‘the favorable or prosperous termination of attempts or endeavors.’ … But dictionary definitions are like sausage casings. It all depends on what you stuff inside” (quote from page 144).

Whether you are just getting started in a new business venture, or whether you are not satisfied with the results of your current business venture, you will find invaluable strategies here to help you. This former mob boss truly does make you an offer you can’t refuse.