Harriet Opondo – Assessments – International Institute for Global Leadership

As a Man Thinketh
Assessment by Harriet Opondo (Uganda)

1. What is the main idea that the author is trying to convey in the book?

The author is trying to convey to the readers, the power of their thought patterns and how it affects all areas of life.

Our thoughts literally influences our character, circumstances, attitudes, health and even our destiny therefore if any one wants to see progress un their lives, the first area to check is the thought patterns and evaluate whether his thoughts match the desired change.

Also he is showing his readers how negative thought patterns can produce negative results in all aspects of life and how positive thinking can literally change our lives and destinies.

2. What were the seven ideas which were personally most important to you and why? List these seven ideas followed by an explanation after each one as to why it was important to you. Use personal examples from your own life.

The seven ideas that were personally important to me include the following;

The effect of thought on character, it is amazing that we are literally what we think, therefore our thoughts form what we are and we have the potential to make or build who we are by the power of our thoughts.

The effect of thought on circumstances, many of us think that it is the external influences that dictate the circumstances that we experience on a daily basis however it has been fascinating to know that actually we have control over our circumstances through our thought patterns, by realizing the creative power and potential that we have within us.

Also the idea that circumstances do not make us, instead they reveal who we are!

The third idea that is personally important to me is the effect of thoughts on health and body. The author clearly showed how negative thoughts can show through a sick body and also negative thought patterns open an entrance for disease. Our bodies respond readily to the thoughts by which it is impressed.

Another idea that is important to me is the link between thought and purpose. The notion that until ones thoughts is linked to purpose there is no intelligent accomplishment was very stimulating for me and I believe the fact that many people do not link purpose and thoughts counts for the huge amount of failure and procrastination that we experience in society today.

As we focus our thoughts on our purpose, we should not allow fear and doubt to interrupt us so that we achieve what we have set our minds to accomplish.

In addition to the above, another idea that is important to me is the thought-factor in achievement. It amazing to know the correlation between our thoughts and achievements, and this therefore implies that we are responsible for both our failures and successes and the blame game does not apply!

Achievements actually start from our thoughts; once we can conceive the ideas in our thoughts then we can be able to see its manifestations physically and in order for this to be a reality we therefore need to conquer fear and doubt.

The idea of the fact that visions and ideals which actually takes place in our thoughts is also important to me. I’m a dreamer and love to envision my dreams in my mind and enjoy writing them in a journal, therefore this has encouraged me to even dream more because I know one day I will see my dreams and visions become reality.

Lastly the importance of serenity is another idea that is personally important to me.

Serenity has to first be achieved in our thoughts by learning who we are and being able to adapt to others. I’m currently learning to be calm as opposed to worry and panic especially when things do not go the way I wanted or expected them to be, hence this idea of serenity in the book has even given me ideas of how to achieve greater serenity in my personal life.

3. How will these ideas or lessons help you in a practical way, both in your daily personal life and in helping you to create a better world? If so, how?

The above ideas and lessons will help me in my daily personal life and to create a better world in the following ways;

The lessons will help me to be more careful about the thoughts that I have since my character is the complete sum of all my thoughts. I’m already practicing to only allow positive thoughts about myself, others and the world, I know I have a long way to go but I’m happy about the humble beginnings.

Also the lesson on visions and ideals will help me in a practical way since it has encouraged me to dream and envision my preferred future and that of my city, nation and continent. I’m beginning to dream about what I would like my future to be and that of my community.

In addition, the ideas will help me not to focus on circumstances but rather on myself. Since circumstances reveal who we are, I have learnt that I need to learn through circumstances and not simply complain about them.

The lesson about serenity will help me learn to make time to be alone, quiet and reflect on life. Life is really hectic these days, and everything seems to be so fast hence the need for serenity, also believe that serenity will help me make better decisions since I won’t be distracted by noise and interruptions.

4. Quotes: Are there any statements which the author made that particularly got your attention? If so, please quote them and comment as to why they were important to you.

The following statements particularly caught my attention as I read the book.

“A man is literally what he thinks, his character being the complete sum of all his thoughts”

This statement is important to me because it has made me more aware of the impact of my thought on my character and how it builds or breaks it.

“Men do not attract that which they want, but that which they are”

This statement caught my attention because like many people I always think that we attract what we want but it has been an eye opener that I actually attract what I am.

‘A man cannot directly choose his circumstances, but he can choose his thoughts, and so indirectly, yet surely, shape his circumstances’

This is important, since in life we never really choose most circumstances however we can choose our attitudes and the way we respond to them. Everyday life throws at us different circumstances that we have no control over but our thoughts and attitudes shape the outcome.

“A strong man cannot help a weaker unless that weaker is willing to be helped”

“Men are anxious to improve their circumstances, but are unwilling to improve themselves; they therefore remain bound”

The above statement is important to me because it reminds of the importance of self-sacrifice even as I strive to achieve great things in my life and for my community.

“He who has conquered doubt and fear has conquered failure. His every thought is allied with power, and all difficulties are bravely met and over come”

The statement is important to me because it reminds me not to allow fear and doubt to take control of my life.

“The strong, calm man is always loved and revered. He is like a shade-giving tree in a thirsty land, or a sheltering rock in a storm”

“The outer world of circumstances shapes itself to the inner world of thought, and both pleasant and unpleasant external conditions are factors which make for the ultimate good of the individual. As the reaper of his own harvest, man learns both of suffering and bliss”

This is important to me because life has both negative and positive circumstances and I must be able to learn and grow from both circumstances.

“Men are anxious to improve their circumstances, but are unwilling to improve themselves; they therefore remain bound. The man who does not shrink from self-crucifixion can never fail to accomplish the object upon which his heart is set.”

The above statements are important to me because they remind me about the necessity and significance of hard work in achieving what I desire and set my heart to do. Sacrifice is needed for any achievement in life.

5. Is there anything in the book that you do not understand or are unclear about, or are there ideas which you disagree with and, if so, why?

I do agree with most of the ideas in the book; however there are some statements and ideas that I entirely do not agree with. The author seems to suggest the notion that we can dream of what we want and simply ask God to bless them, there seems to be a lot of power associated with our thoughts, it appears to me that the Author is suggesting that all we need is positive thinking. However though I believe that our thoughts by and large affect all areas of our lives significantly, I also believe and know that God has to be acknowledged in what we do and simply ask Him to do thinks for us but rather we need to acknowledge that He is sovereign and not at the human level.

Another idea I do not entirely agree with is the fact that the author seem not to acknowledge other factors that contribute to a good life and success other than our thoughts. I entirely believe in the impact of our thoughts on our lives however I do not think we can glorify the power of thought alone and ignore the contribution of our external environment towards our success or failure. Life is not just about our dreams and ideals; we need to interact with the external environment.

6. Did the book contain exercises for the reader to complete? If so, did you complete all of the exercises and did you find them helpful?

There were no exercises to complete

7. Was there anything you read in the book that you would like to comment on that was not covered in the previous questions? If so, please comment.

I enjoyed reading the book and loved the style the author used, it made the book more interesting and easy to ready. The statements in the book are thought provoking and indeed full of wisdom.

Please rate the following questions on a scale from 1 to 10.

A. How interesting was it to read? 9
B. How helpful were the contents? 9
C. How easy was it to understand? 8
D. Would you recommend it to others? 10
E. What is the overall rating you would give it? 9

Jonathan Livingstone Seagull
Assessment by Harriet Opondo (Uganda)

1. What is the main idea that the author is trying to convey in the book

The author is trying to convey the message of thinking out of the box and that of ambition where we do not accept the status quo, doing the same things that people around us or our forefathers have always done. There is always room for improvement if we will only think more widely and attempt to do new things and bigger things even if every person around us is conforming to the present circumstances.

The most important ideas that were personally important to me include the following:

Breaking out of the ordinary and trying new out new things.
In the book, Jonathan Seagull was able to break out of just flying near the waters as he looked for food like all the other seagulls to flying really high in the sky way above any other Seagull in his flock. In life most around us conform to the status quo, for instance most young ladies in my village are not very ambitious and do not take career advancement very seriously however even as a little girl I always dreamt about finishing college and even doing my masters and I’m glad that I finished college and will do my masters in due season.

Learning from others through their experience.
When Jonathan seagull met the other seagulls that had learnt to fly even higher than him. Jonathan was willing and eager to learn from the more experienced seagulls, especially Chiang. We always need to surround ourselves with people who are more experienced and who have been where we want to go. In my personal life, I’m privileged to have many older men and women who have experienced many things I have not. I have learnt a great deal especially about leadership, balance, marriage, discipleship, parenting and how to grow in my relationship with God.

Changing our mindsets
It is amazing that when Jonathan changed his mindset about flying, he was able to fly, and he was able to teach other seagulls who wanted to learn how to fly. When they thought that they can fly higher, they actually did! In order for anyone to achieve anything great in life, the process has begin in the mind, when we mentally envision something, we are on the road to victory. When in my last year of high school, I always pictured myself in college even as I prepared for my final exams and this encouraged me to work harder and indeed victory was achieved at the end of that year!

Practice makes perfect!
Jonathan Seagull had to make different attempts before he actually learnt how to fly higher, and with every attempt, he learnt new things and even new ways of how to fly higher and with less effort. The more we practice, the more learn, especially for a new skill or hobby. I used to love being indoors a lot however, I’m learning to hang outdoor more, and I have realized that the more I try staying outdoors with friends, say in a shopping Mall, the more I’m becoming more comfortable with it.

Mentorship
This is important for me, mentoring is teaching others what we have learnt, when Jonathan learnt how to fly, he become really good at it and since he had been expelled as an outcast by the elders of his flock, no one expected him to be interested in going back to the flock to reach other seagulls how to fly. However Jonathan went back and taught the seagulls that were interested in flying, this indeed was incredible. I love to tell others what I have learnt and currently I have many young people who look up to me and particularly I have young ladies that I’m mentoring, this gives me great delight and fulfillment.

Forgiveness
Jonathan Livingstone Seagull was expelled as an outcast for learning how to fly however we see him going back to that same old flock and he is willing to teach them flying. We need to always forgive those who hurt us and should be willing to let go of the offense. My principle in life is that no one is prefect and that includes me. Everyday I need God and other people to forgive me for my sins and mistakes hence I should be willing to extend the same grace and forgiveness to those that hurt me.

The last but not least idea is that of risk taking.
Right from the beginning, it was a huge risk for Jonathan Seagull to attempt to learn how to fly that high! What if he had died from the cold? However he risked and he learnt! We will never learn anything new or make progress unless we are willing to take risks. This is very important to me because I tend to want to know every detail before I try anything new! However, I’m learning to take more risks in life.

3. How will these ideas or lessons help you in a practical way, both in your daily personal life and in helping you to create a better world? If so, how?

I believe that the above ideas will help me in a practical way both in my daily personal life and in helping to create a better life in the following ways.

* The idea of breaking out of the ordinary will help me in that, I’m learning to be contented with just the ordinary but to try and reach out for the extra ordinary, by dreaming bigger about my future and working towards achieving the dreams. In creating a better world, I will challenge others around me to desire to achieve more than their predecessors were able to achieve and to be tired of old ways of doing things and to search for better and more efficient ways.

* Changing of mindsets will help me to envision things in my mind more and to put off negative ways of thinking and to adopt more positive attitude towards life generally. In the aspect of creating a better world, I particularly want to challenge the poverty mentality that is so common in my society, in the Third world countries many people have a poverty mentality and we think we should always be receiving however I believe that we all have potential and God has endowed every country with resources that if we only managed them well and changed our way of thinking we would be giving to others than receiving!

* The idea of mentorship has encouraged me even more in my efforts of mentorship than ever before, I’m willing to spend more time with the people in my sphere of influence, as I teach them all that I can and also by them observing me living out the same principles in my personal life. I’m also more eager to learn from others who are older and more experienced. I believe that if more people who are older and more experienced in my country were willing to coach and mentor the younger generation as opposed to running to the more developed countries, we would achieve more development than we are experiencing now hence a better world.

4. Quotes: Are there any statements which the author made that particularly got your attention? If so, please quote them and comment as to why they were important to you.

The following quotes particularly got my attention

‘…yet he felt guiltless, breaking the promises he had made himself. Such promises are only for the gulls that accept the ordinary. One who has touched excellence in his learning has no need of that kind of promise’

The above quote is important to be because it taught me that need to break off old thinking patterns as we go to new places and areas of achievement.

‘…instead of our drab slogging forth and back to the fishing boats, there is reason to life! We can list ourselves out of ignorance, we can find ourselves as creatures of excellence and intelligence and skill’

The quotation above caught my attention because it showed me the that there is potential for growth and development in each individual, all we need is to kick out the ignorance mentality by willing to learn more and discover more.

‘…Jonathan Seagull discovered that boredom and fear and anger are the reasons that a gull’s life is so short, and with these gone from his thought, he lived a long and fine life indeed.’

The quote above caught my attention because I have realized how much fear and anger can rob out of our lives if we allow them to flourish; it sucks out every favor and excitement in life. I used to struggle with fear however since I learnt a while ago of its consequences, I have come along way in gaining victory over fear therefore the above quote, is helping me to keep every trace of fear in my life.

‘…his own way of demonstrating love was to give something of the truth that he had seen to a gull who asked only a chance to see the truth for himself”

This is important to me because it has showed me a new definition of love! Teaching and instructing others is love, and since love is the most excellent way, I will keep teaching truth to those who ask for a chance to experience it.

‘…is nothing more than your thought itself, in a form you can see. Break the chains of your thought and you break the chains of your body, too…”

The above quote indeed breaks out the power of thoughts and how it is important to break off negative thought patterns.

‘…you don’t love hatred and evil, of course. You have to practice and see the real gull, the good in every one of them and to help them see it in themselves, that is what I mean by love. It’s fun, when you get a knack of it’

The above quote helped to realize that there is always potential in everyone, and love is helping others realize their full potential.

‘don’t believe what your eyes are telling you. All they show is limitation. Look with your understanding, find out what you already know, and you’ll see the way to fly’

The quote above shows the role of vision and looking beyond what our eyes can see to what our understanding is showing us. We should look beyond the physical dimension of things.

5. Is there anything in the book that you do not understand or are unclear about, or are there ideas which you disagree with and, if so, why?

There is nothing unclear in the book.

6. Did the book contain exercises for the reader to complete? If so, did you complete all of the exercises and did you find them helpful?

There were no exercises to complete

7. Was there anything you read in the book that you would like to comment on that was not covered in the previous questions? If so, please comment.

Please rate the following questions on a scale from 1 to 10.

A. How interesting was it to read? 10
B. How helpful were the contents? 9
C. How easy was it to understand? 9
D. Would you recommend it to others? 10
E. What is the overall rating you would give it? 10

Napoleon Hill’s Keys to Success
Assessment by Harriet Opondo (Uganda)

1. What is the main idea that the author is trying to convey in the book

The Author of the book is trying to spell out the different principles of achieving personal achievement. The seventeen principles are expounded and indeed when followed even the sky is not the limit as one strives to achieve success and impact the community and the world at large.

The following were the seven ideas that were important to me

* Definiteness of purpose; this is important to me because over time and especially as I read the book, no one can succeed until they have a particular purpose or aim that they are focusing on. Personally my passion is for children and family and indeed the book has helped to think critically and actually spell out what I want to achieve.

* Self-discipline through emotional control; this helps to tie the other principles that are discussed in the book. Self-discipline requires self-knowledge and an accurate assessment of my current abilities and it is the channel through which all my personal power for success must flow. This is important to me because I’m quite emotional and learning to exercise emotional control is one of those aspects I still have to master. For instance I get easily angered when things do not go the way I expect them however I’m learning to keep my joy even when I don’t get my way as this is a sign of maturity.

* Control your attention; this act of coordinating all the faculties of the mind and directing their combined power to a given end. Concentration upon a single idea has been the hallmark of success for countless people and organizations. Controlled attention works hand-in-hand with the other principles; for instance after one has decided on a definite purpose, by controlling one’s attention, it is possible to concentrate and achieve success. This principle is important to me because I live in a busy world like most people with lots of demands screaming for my attention therefore I must learn the art of controlling my attention and focusing on what is important, for instance I work in large organization and my work involves working with the different departments however I need to make sure that I actually concentrate on the principle tasks of my job.

* Applied Faith; Faith has many definitions; it is the awareness of and belief in, and harmonizing with universal powers. When we look at the world around us and how everything is organized and systematic, there is no doubt that there is a supernatural power that is behind creation. Our faith must not be passive but rather active, putting into action what we believe. This principle is so key to my life, I’m a Christian and I believe in the existence of God who created the universe and mankind. There have been times when circumstances around me have been so difficult however I believed and had Faith that the God who created me and who cares would in a way make a way out of the difficult situation and each tine He has come through for me. My Faith in God has enabled me to attempt many things I would otherwise not have tried.

* Create Personal initiative; this is the power that starts all the action, it is the power that inspires completion of that which one begins; this principle basically spells out the skill of one going out of their way and doing more than expected and taking a keen interest in the task being accomplished, personal initiative creates work and opportunities, advancement and helps to shape the future. This principle is important to me because it does not encourage procrastination! There are moments when my morale to do anything is low and this principle has reminded me to a person who is self-motivated and who sees beyond what the physical eye can see and therefore discover ways of succeeding where others have failed.

* Build a positive mental attitude; a positive mental attitude is the right, honest, constructive thought, action or reaction to any person, situation or set of circumstances that does not violate the laws of God or the right of one’s fellowman. This principle is vital to me because it gives me the mental power, feeling and confidence to anything that I have made up my mind to do. I have realized as I read in the book, that my mind and attitude is the one thing that I have total control over. I can not have complete control over circumstances and people around me however I have control over my reactions and responses towards them. For instance there is a heavy traffic jam in the mornings as I get to work, I can either decide to get angry and upset about it or relax, listen to music and read a book as I wait for the lights to let us go!

* Budget your time and money; we live in a world with limited resources and time never waits for anyone! It is important therefore that I intelligently balance the use of my time and resources. There is need to take inventory so that one finds out how they use resources and time. This principle is important because it has taught me not to waste time anymore! I now focus my attention on what is important and use my money wisely, for instance I have increased my savings by 5% and I buy only what I need and not out of impulse.

* Establish a mastermind alliance-with PMA; a mastermind alliance is two or more minds working together in the spirit of perfect harmony toward attainment of a specific objective. This principle makes it possible to acquire knowledge and experience needed for the attainment of a desired goal. This is indeed a key principle since as the saying goes’ no man is an island’ we all need people to help us achieve our desired goals. For example, I have been battling in my mind whether to focus on child counseling first or pursue family therapy. However as i had a chat with a lady who is involved in general counseling; she told of the shortage of child counselors and advised to give child counseling more thought then make a decision as to what field I wanted to pursue for my masters. Talking with her gave me insight and is indeed helping me make career choices.

3. How will these ideas or lessons help you in a practical way, both in your daily personal life and in helping you to create a better world? If so, how?

The above seven ideas will help me in a practical way both in my personal life and in creating a better world in the following ways

* Developing a definite purpose is helping lead a more focused life as I have given serious thought to what I want to achieve and accomplish in this life and I believe by achieving a definite goals I will impact my world positibely.

* Self-discipline is helping learn to control anger temper. I’m practicing keeping quite in instances I would have otherwise talked! And also learning to keep negative emotions far away from my mind and life.

* Building a positive mental attitude is teaching me to remain positive even when things do not look so good. There are goals I wanted to achieve by this time of the year however I have not yet accomplished them however PMA and applied faith is helping me to keep positive.

* Budgeting time and money is helping me to minimize wastage of resources, for instance I’m learning to stick to my budget, live within my means and avoid debt as much as possible.

4. Quotes: Are there any statements which the author made that particularly got your attention? If so, please quote them and comment as to why they were important to you.

“There is no scarcity of opportunity. There is scarcity of imagination”

The above statement is important to me because it encourages me to use my mind and imaginations so us to maximize the opportunities that are around me. The more we utilize our imaginations, the more opportunities you seize.

“No one can be successful without first knowing what it is he or she wants. If this principle is to have any value to you, you must follow it as a daily habit,”

It is important to be focused and to know what you want! The statement above can not over emphasize it.

“Personal ambitions must be subordinate to the fulfillment and successful achievement of the definite purpose of the alliance. This includes your own”

As we form alliances it is key that we each submit to the overall goal or purpose instead of pursuing our personal agendas which may conflict the purpose.

“There is a right moment and a wrong moment for everything. Tact is the habit of doing and saying the right thing at the right moment”

Timing is everything! We each need to learn to discern the right time for every activity. In fact the Bible says that there is a time and season for every activity under heaven. Therefore I need to learn to do things at their proper time.

“If you become a tyrant in the pursuit of your definite major purpose, seeking to dominate your family, your mastermind alliance, and your employees, you will be rolling back the cause of freedom just as certainly as does any revolutionary extremists.”

As we pursue our goals, it is important that we do not deny people around us of liberty, we should always give them an opportunity to be free and express their thoughts and ideas instead of bulldozing them.

“Cooperation, like love and friendship, is something you get by giving. There are many travelers on the road that leads to happiness”

Team work is important and therefore I should be deliberate about working with other people and hence making cooperation a priority.

“Make yourself understand that what whips you isn’t defeat, but your mental attitude toward it. Train yourself to look for the seed of equivalent benefit in every disappointment you face”

The statement is important to me because in life, we al face defeat and it is important how I respond to it. I need to learn to see the lessons and opportunities in every failure.

“Attune your mind to attract the things and situations you desire by expressing in a daily prayer your gratitude for what you already have”

Thanksgiving is important, we should always be grateful to God for the blessings He has already given us even as we wait for the other things that we desire.

“Learn to like people just as they are, instead of demanding that they be just as you want them to be”

The statement above is important to me because, we each meet different people each day and it is important that I learn to like people just the way they are; to accept them for who they are as opposed to asking them to change.

5. Is there anything in the book that you do not understand or are unclear about, or are there ideas which you disagree with and, if so, why?

I understood everything in the book and there were no unclear ideas.

6. Did the book contain exercises for the reader to complete? If so, did you complete all of the exercises and did you find them helpful?

I did complete the exercise at the end of the book and it helped me to deliberately apply the principles of personal achievement in my daily life.

7. Was there anything you read in the book that you would like to comment on that was not covered in the previous questions? If so, please comment.

There was none

Please rate the following questions on a scale from 1 to 10. Ten is good and one is poor.

A. How interesting was it to read? 9
B. How helpful were the contents? 9
C. How easy was it to understand? 8
D. Would you recommend it to others? 10
E. What is the overall rating you would give it? 9

Success Through A Positive Mental Attitude
Assessment by Harriet Opondo (Uganda)

1. What is the main idea that the author is trying to convey in the book

The main idea that the authors of the book are trying to put across is the power and role of our attitudes as we strive to achieve success. They then show how we can achieve success through a positive mental attitude. Our attitudes literally affects all aspects of our life, a positive mental attitude will attract the right people, wealth and increase emotional levels. On the other hand a negative mental attitude robs us of all that life has to offer.

The seven ideas which were personally important to me are:

* A positive mental attitude; this is important to me because as I read the book, I realized that every victory actually begins in my mind and attitude. In order to achieve success I need to keep trying with a positive mental attitude. For instance, right now I’m considering pursuing a master’s degree next year; this can be a hectic process however I’m determined to keep on trying with a positive mental attitude. therefore, I need to constantly practice how to control my mental attitude.

* Definite of purpose; it is vital that we each have something specific we are aiming to achieve, as opposed to trying to do many different things at the same time. This is important to me because it will keep me focused, for instance, my obsession right now is children’s welfare and particularly their development and emotional health, this has led me to read and learn more in this field.

* Going the extra-mile; this principle brings to our attention, the practice of doing more than expected or paid for, going the extra-mile has brought benefits to many people. For instance, I’m expected to work for eight hours however there are days where I need to put in more hours, this has earned favor before my supervisors.

* Pleasing personality; our personalities can either attract or repel people and opportunities from us. For instance smiling at others and watching our tone of voice is important as we work and relate with others. Also aspects like remembering someone’s name or a colleague’s birthday is important. I have made it a habit to remember my friends and colleagues’ birthdays; this has made my relationships stronger and more meaningful.

* Maintaining sound health; our attitudes greatly affect our health. PMA attracts good health. It is important to watch our thoughts, diet, read inspirational books like the Bible and engage in physical exercise. In my personal life, I have learnt to be careful about what I eat and have enough hours of sleep.

* Creative vision; we are each capable of using our minds constructively and to invent more ideas. Thinking of how things can be improved as did the Wright brothers. In my working environment we have been able to think of more creative ways to reach out to the young people, the idea of annual camps has been a great avenue.

* Learning from defeat; life can be very unpredictable, sometimes things do not go as we always plan therefore learning from defeat. It is also important to differentiate temporary defeat from failure. I have learnt numerous lessons from past failures.

3. How will these ideas or lessons help you in a practical way, both in your daily personal life and in helping you to create a better world? If so, how?

The ideas will help me practically both in my personal life and in creating a better world as seen below;

* A positive mental attitude and definite purpose will help me to be more focused and not give up on my dreams. Even as I strive to create a better world around me and I need to be specific about what aspects I desire to change hence the principle of definite purpose will be helpful.

* None of us can achieve lasting success without the help of like-minded people therefore by having a pleasing personality, I will be able to attract resourceful people who will become a mastermind alliance and this will help me not just to achieve my goals but also create a better world.

* “we fall down but we get up” are the lyrics of one of my all time favorite songs, we all face and encounter defeat and set backs, therefore following the principle of learning from defeat will help me look at setbacks in a different perspective hence grow and mature more, this is indeed will be helpful in my personal life.

4. Quotes: Are there any statements which the author made that particularly got your attention? If so, please quote them and comment as to why they were important to you.

“character is something that is caught not taught”

Most of us desire to grow in maturity and character; this can not just be taught but caught as we place our selves in environments that will help develop desirable thoughts and attitudes. This is important to me because character development is one of the aspects that I need to daily develop if I want to be successful.

“man’s greatest power lies in the power of prayer”

Prayer is a powerful weapon that when used can bring great success. God is the creator of the universe and He is wise, powerful, loving and kind, therefore when we connect to Him through prayer we are indeed headed for success. This is important to me because I absolutely believe in the power of prayer and that it changes things and people.

“one of the surest ways to find happiness for yourself is to devote your energies towards making someone else happy”

The golden rule teaches us to do unto others what we would want them to do for us, therefore when we want to find happiness we should invest in things and actions that make another person happy. For instance usually when I’m tending towards depression, a visit to our babies’ home and by just helping the Nannies with feeding the children and playing with them, I start to feel better and my joy returns.

“God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can and the wisdom to know the difference”

There are aspects of our lives that we can not change for instance, family and ethnic backgrounds, it is important that we don’t try to hide from it however we can change our attitudes, thoughts and behavioral patterns. We therefore need to know the difference so that we do not waste energy changing things that can not be changed!

“Satisfaction is a mental attitude”

Everything begins from our mind; we need to train our minds to see things positively. This is important to me because I believe that we need to be thankful and satisfied with what we already have even as we seek to achieve more.

“where there is nothing to lose by trying, and a great deal to gain if successful, by all means try!”

The saying goes “practice makes perfect” therefore if we want to master a certain skill we need to keep practicing. This even applies to our goals; we keep trying as opposed to fearing to lose. This is important to me because I used to give up easily; I’m now being reminded to keep trying and not to be afraid to fail.

“you will not succeed consistently unless you know the rules; you will not continuously succeed unless you apply the rules”

We need to read and study so as to know the rules of success however we only achieve success when we the rules move from head knowledge to action. this is important to me because u have learnt a lot through reading and from other people and I therefore need to apply what I have learned and observed.

“yes, you must take the first step. It makes all no difference how much thinking and study time you spend, it will avail you little unless you also act.”

“A journey of a thousand miles begins with the first step” goes the Chinese saying. After all the study and thinking, we need to take action, I’m a logical thinker and careful one at that so since I’m still learning to be more proactive, this is key!

5. Is there anything in the book that you do not understand or are unclear about, or are there ideas which you disagree with and, if so, why?

6. Did the book contain exercises for the reader to complete? If so, did you complete all of the exercises and did you find them helpful?

I did complete the exercise and it helped me test my success quotient and to establish where I fall.

7. Was there anything you read in the book that you would like to comment on that was not covered in the previous questions? If so, please comment.

Please rate the following questions on a scale from 1 to 10. Ten is good and one is poor.

A. How interesting was it to read? 10
B. How helpful were the contents? 10
C. How easy was it to understand? 10
D. Would you recommend it to others? 10
E. What is the overall rating you would give it 10

PsychoCybernetics 2000
Assessment by Harriet Opondo (Uganda)

1. What is the main idea that the author is trying to convey in the book?

The main idea in the book is about achieving personal fulfillment by enhancing our self-image and how we view the world and circumstances around us. It looks at aspects like how to program our minds for success, freeing ourselves from false beliefs, how to choose and set goals and how to avoid failure.

The following ideas were personally most important to me as I read the book;

• Self-image: the key to success; the way we view ourselves determines a lot how far we can go in life; if we view ourselves as stupid and insignificant, this will cripple our success however when we view ourselves as significant, intelligent and with potential to succeed, usually we achieve more, since our beliefs greatly affects our success level. For instance throughout my life I have always believed that I’m intelligent and my family has been very supportive in re-enforcing it, and as a result I have been able to excel in my academics.

• The CRAFT of programming: five steps to a new self-image; this principle is important to me because it has taught me how to recognize a negative self image, challenge the bad habit supporting it and creating a new self-image. For instance I always thought that I was not good at public speaking, with this principle I’m learning to affirm myself about public speaking abilities.

• Believing is seeing-How your imagination can guide you toward success: It was interesting to learn that the subconscious mind cannot tell the difference between a real experience and an imagined one. In order to achieve success, it begins with our imaginations; this is important to me because I love to imagine a lot, I have literally imagined most of the things I desire in life, from being a wonderful mother to being a Family Therapist.

• Sow SEEDS and reap success. This principle is one of my favorites in this book! It is very helpful in handling stressful situations and avoiding all the health implications that stress can cause. My work can get stressful at times and I have been able to use this principle.

• How to set goals the SMART way; this indeed is a practical guide to goal setting; it avoids having ambiguous goals that are hard to achieve. With this principle I have been able to set and write more realistic goals and I have achieved some of them already.

• Today is another day: how to overcome procrastination; I was surprised to know that most of us procrastinate because of a subconscious desire not to achieve a goal! This principle is important to me because, I used to procrastinate a lot however I’m learning to do things immediately as opposed to postponing what can be done today; for instance I met a client today and I’m glad I wrote the report immediately, the principle is being applied!

• Self-Acceptance: acknowledging your worth; we are each created in God’s image and we have intrinsic value and worth, therefore we need to say ourselves as people of value. It is very frustrating to try and be what we are not. This is important to me because work with Young people and I constantly need to affirm their self-esteem and this means I should first of all be confident in who I am.

3. How will these ideas or lessons help you in a practical way, both in your daily personal life and in helping you to create a better world? If so, how?

The above ideas will help me in the following ways:

• The principle about self-image will help to keep a healthy balanced image about myself and the world around and I believe this will help me achieve more in life and encourage those in my sphere of influence to be positive about their self-image as well.

• The SEED principle is helping me already in handling stressful situations in my personal life and work related projects, I intend to share it with my friends and family, because stress has many negative effects upon our lives.

• Setting and achieving goals will be more achievable for me as I apply the SMART principle. Many people set goals and don’t achieve them mainly because they are not SMART goals. I’m encouraging people around me to set SMART goals and also to write them down and review periodically.

• The principle about avoiding procrastination is helping me accomplish more tasks since I’m learning not to procrastinate and also I’m helping those around me to do the same, for instance I’m currently helping a friend to plan an event and part of my role is to help him complete tasks at the agreed set times

4. Quotes: Are there any statements which the author made that particularly got your attention? If so, please quote them and comment as to why they were important to you.

“Accepting ourselves does not discount the need for change and growth”

The above quote is important to me because it is helping to think of ways to grow in my character and abilities as opposed to accepting things the way we are. For instance I naturally do not enjoy speaking before a group of people however I’m learning to do it.

“Our self-image and our habits tend to go together. Change one and you will automatically change the other…”

Many people focus on changing habits as opposed to self-image; this has been an eye opener for me. I should not just focus on changing habits but also paying attention to the way I view myself.

“Your built-in system moves you toward the things you think about. If you watch limits instead of destinations, you bump against those limits every time”

We live in an imperfect world and we are bound to find limits and obstacles as we strive to achieve our goals, this statement therefore reminds me to focus on the vision and destination as opposed to the obstacles.

“Forgiveness is the key to freeing yourself from the ‘scar tissue’ caused by emotional wounds in the past”

We each need to forgive others from time to time since no relationship or friendship is free from hurt and pain. The statement reminds that I need to forgive those who hurt me and this indeed brings healing from bondage.

“Your self-image may be conditioned and your capabilities constrained by false and negative beliefs about yourself based on subconscious memories of early childhood experiences”

The above quotation is important to me because it has reminded me to be look back into my childhood experiences and see if there is any thread running from there that is affecting my belief systems.

‘Be careful what you say to your children. They may agree with you…’

The above statement is really important to me because I interact with children on a daily basis and therefore I need to watch what I tell them. Children seem to believe all that we adults tell them like gospel truth!

“Functionally, a man is like a bicycle …A bicycle maintains its poise and equilibrium only so long as it is going forward towards something”

I like the above quotation because it re-affirms the need for me to focus on my the vision and dreams that God has put in my heart. Once I get destructed by all the things around me, I can easily lose my balance in life.

“Life is like a moving vehicle with no brakes…if you spend too much time looking in the rearview mirror, you will hit a tree…That is why your front window is bigger than your rearview mirror…”

The quotation above is important to me because it reminds me that I cannot unscramble eggs! I cannot change my past, though I need to learn lessons from mistakes and achievements, I need to focus on the future because what is ahead is bigger and greater, even the Bible tells us not to dwell on the past but to instead focus on the new things that God is yet to do in our lives.

5. Is there anything in the book that you do not understand or are unclear about, or are there ideas which you disagree with and, if so, why?

I understood the contents of the book well and I didn’t find any ideas that I disagree with.

6. Did the book contain exercises for the reader to complete? If so, did you complete all of the exercises and did you find them helpful?

The book did contain exercises and I completed them, the one on goal setting was very helpful, I was able to set both short and long term goals have achieved some of the short term goals.

7. Was there anything you read in the book that you would like to comment on that was not covered in the previous questions? If so, please comment.

There are no further comments that have not been covered in the previous questions.

Please rate the following questions on a scale from 1 to 10. Ten is good and one is poor.

A. How interesting was it to read? 8
B. How helpful were the contents? 9
C. How easy was it to understand? 7
D. Would you recommend it to others? 9
E. What is the overall rating you would give it? 9

How to win friends and influence people.
Assessment by Harriet Opondo (Uganda)

1. What is the main idea that the author is trying to convey in the book?

The author of the book is trying to convey ways in which we can make others to like us and hence become our friends, how to influence people and win them over to our way of thinking and also how to effect change in others without causing resentment.

2. What were the seven ideas which were personally most important to you and why? List these seven ideas followed by an explanation after each one as to why it is important to you. Use personal examples from your own life.

The following ideas were personally most important to me.

i) Don’t criticize, condemn or complain; this is important to me because I’m learning not to complain and criticize! I can confess that it is always easier for me to see the wrong things first than the right ones. Therefore this principle has been a good reminder and motivator for me to look out for the good that has been done and not to be quick to criticize, condemn and complain.

ii) Give honest and sincere appreciation; it was interesting to learn that one of the things that humans crave for is appreciation. Personally I thrive on appreciation and encouragement, actually close friends know this and I’m thankful that I always get appreciated by them. This also is a reminder for me to be more generous with appreciation and encouragement as I relate with family, friends , colleagues and strangers!

iii) Remember that a person’s name is to that person the sweetest and most important sound in any language. My work usually involves meeting many new people almost on a daily basis and it is not easy to remember all the names. However this principle has brought to my attention the value that we all attach to our names. I have noticed that as i go through our children’s village, and call children by their names, there is brightness in their faces and the most amusing are those who are shocked that I actually know both their names! I have therefore been motivated and learn more names of the children and young adults that I meet frequently while performing my duties at work.

iv) Be a good listener, encourage others to talk about themselves; someone once remarked that “God gave us two ears and one mouth so that we can listen twice as much as we talk” I believe that is true and this principle has indeed nailed it home. I have met total strangers who end up telling me a lot about themselves and then thank me for helping them, yet I hardly talked, apart from asking a few leading questions, hence this principle is indeed a tool I can use to win more friends.

v) Make the other person feel important and do it sincerely; we all love to feel that we are valued and important, though many times we act like some people don’t have this need. In my work, I have discovered that small gestures like warmly welcoming the clients , opening the doors for them and pulling a chair for them, makes them feel important, since many of them come to our office with all kinds of problems and generally not in high spirits, this principle cannot be over emphasized.

vi) Try honestly to see things from the other person’s point of view; it is more often easy than not to concentrate on our perspectives than stop and consider that of the other person. This principle is very important to be because, there were changes in the organization that I work for that I just seem not to understand and I was beginning to get upset! However this principle is helping me to look at the changes from the management’s point of view and also to have a bigger picture perspective. I feel a lot better about the changes already.

vii) Give the other person a fine reputation to live up to; generally most people desire to impress others and not to taint a reputation. Not so awhile ago, I had a conversation with a teenager who is about to sit his end of High school exams, he all seemed nervous and not sure if he will get the grades he desired, as we talked I told him that I believe he is intelligent and is therefore going excel, he then smiled sheepishly and I believe his confidence was boasted and I’m sure he is now reading hard so that I don’t think about him as not so intelligent.

3. How will these ideas or lessons help you in a practical way, both in your daily personal life and in helping you create a better world? If so, how?

The above principles will help me in a practical way both in my daily life and in helping to me to create a better world in the following ways;

i) The principle about not to criticize, condemn or complain will help me to always look out at the brighter side of people and circumstances as opposed to the dark side first and only. Also in my community it is easy to criticize the leaders however I’m learning to look out for the positive things that they are doing and bring them to light.

ii) In addition, the above ideas will help me listen more as I interact with others, especially the clients at work and people who come to me for counseling believe that when we listen to others, we make them know that what is going on in their world is important, therefore a better world will be created.

iii) Trying to honestly to see things from the other person’s point of view principle will help a lot as I handle work related situations especially unanticipated changes and also when conflicts arise in my relationships because I have realized that I always don’t consider other people’s perspective, therefore it is a habit I have to learn as I daily apply the principle.

iv) The principle about remembering people’s names will help me build more relationships more effectively. I will make it a point to remember the names of the people I interact with frequently and also I will continually call people by their names and also remember special days in their lives birthdays.

v) Lastly but not least, I will continually try to make people whom I meet feel important in the way I talk with them and generally interact with them.

4. Quotes: Are there any statements which the author made that particularly got your attention? If so please quote them and comment as to why they were important to you.

The following quotes and statements particularly caught my attention.

“Criticism is dangerous, because it wounds a person’s precious pride, hurts his sense of importance and arouses resentment”

The above statement is important to me because it reminds me about the negative effects of criticism and therefore I should avoid it. I have realized that the many times that I have received criticism, I have not been motivated to do more instead it has brought demoralization.

“instead of condemning people, let’s try to understand them. Let’s try to figure out why they do what they do”

We easily condemn others without first understanding why the act the way they do, and the above quote encourages me to first understand before I criticize, I believe that in most cases if we try to fully understand, we will criticize less.

“I consider my ability to arouse enthusiasm among people…the greatest asset I possess and the way to develop the best that is in a person is by appreciation and encouragement.”

The statement is significant due to the fact that I desire to bring out the best in the people around me, therefore through appreciation and encouragement, I can achieve my goal. This principle is also particularly vital to me as I work with young people who are constantly in need of appreciation and encouragement.

“Give a dog a bad name and you may as well hang him” but give him a good name and see what happens!”

When we give people a fine reputation to live up to, they always don’t disappoint us. I’ve experienced the application of this principle first hand. While growing up, my family always complimented my academic performance and told me of the confidence they had in my academic performance and indeed I worked so hard each term not to disappoint them! However in High School, my Math teacher always criticized me and said I was not cut out for maths! This contributed a lot to my very not impressive math grades.

“everybody likes to be praised, but when praise is specific, it comes across as sincere-not something the other person may be saying just to make one feel good.”

The above statement caught my attention because it highlights the importance of specific praise and I intend to be more specific as a praise people since general praise could easily come off as flattery.

“Admitting one’s mistakes-even when one has not corrected them-can help convince somebody to change his behavior.”

Our human temptation is to try and hide our mistakes however the above statement reminds me that when we admit our shortcomings, it can help another person change his behavior. Therefore I don’t have to appear to be ‘Miss Perfect” but to admit my shortcomings and in the process, someone might be encouraged to change behavior.

“beginning with praise is like the dentist who begins his work with Novocain. The patient still gets a drilling but the Novocain is pain-killing.”

When we have to find fault with somebody, it is key that we begin on a good note-with praise, and that is exactly what the above statement is all about. I’m learning the art of healthy confrontation, therefore the above statement is very important to me. When we use praise first then tactfully mentioned what needs to be changed, I believe we are more likely to get a positive response.

“it took me years and cost me countless thousands of dollars and lost business before I finally learned that it doesn’t pay to argue, that it is much more profitable and much more interesting to look at things from the other person’s view point and try to get the person to say ‘yes, yes’”

The statement above caught my attention because it brings out the futility of engaging in arguments. I have learned from the statement that it is better to understand the person’s view and to focus on the things you both agree on.

“The sun can make you take off your coat more quickly that the wind; and kindliness, the friendly approach and appreciation can make people change their minds more readily that all the bluster and storming in the world.”

Once in awhile we all need to win people to our way of thinking and many times before I read the statement, I thought force could be one of the options! However I now believe that employing more friendly and calm tactics might play the trick, I can’t wait to try out the principle!

5. Is there anything in the book that you do not understand or are unclear about, or are there ideas which you disagree with and if so, why?

There is none

6. Did the book contain exercises for the reader to complete? If so, did you complete all of the exercises and did you find them helpful?

There were no exercises to complete.

7. Was there anything you read in the book that you would like to comment on that was not covered in the previous questions? If so please comment.

I have nothing else to comment on.

Please rate the following questions on a scale from 1 to 10. Ten being good and one being poor.

A. How interesting was it to read? 9
B. How helpful were the contents? 10
C. How easy was it to understand? 9
D. Would you recommend it to others? 10
E. What is the overall rating you would give it? 1

Real Magic
Assessment by Harriet Opondo (Uganda)

1. What is the main idea that the author is trying to convey in the book?

The author is trying to convey how we can create and experience miracles in the different aspects of life like self-improvement, relationships, spirituality, health and finances. This will be possible people start to acknowledge the spiritual part of life and tap into that power as opposed to relying on only to what is available through the five senses.

The following seven ideas were personally important to me;

i) The unspiritual person feels no sense of responsibility to the universe therefore he has not developed a reverence for life. The spiritual being has a reverence for life that goes to the essence of all beings: this idea is important to me because as a spiritual person who believes in God, I have been reminded to care for others and for the environment, which many people seem to be destroying these days.

ii) The non-spiritual being is laden with grudges, hostility, and need for revenge while the spiritual being has no room for these impediments to miracle making and magic: this is personally vital to me because as a Christian, I know that negative emotion sucks life out of us, that is what the Bible teachers, God’s work in my life can be limited if I’m so full of such negative emotion, therefore this idea was indeed a good reminder.

iii) Give space; this ideas is important to me because I have realized that in our relationships, we need to let others be who they are as opposed to us wanting to dominate them. I have had a few friends who decided to distance themselves from the friendship we shared, at first, this was very difficult for me, however I have learnt that many times people need their personal space to think over issues and it has got nothing to do with what we have done or not done.

iv) Love: the central ingredient of a relationship. Love is giving unconditionally not asking for things in return: this principle reminds me of what love really is, we more often than not tempted to love people conditionally, however love should be unconditional, and I have realized that when I love people without strings attached, I’m more at peace because I don’t have too many expectations of them. Earlier in my life, and even now I still get the temptation, I used to have lots of expectations in my friendships, for instance I would be upset if someone close forgot my birthday!

v) Stop pursuing what you don’t want: I used to think that one way of overcoming things we don’t like for example bad habits was to focus on them, however this principle has taught me that a better way of overcoming bad habits or tackling social evils is to pursue the very opposite. I have been having some physical pain in my body and in the first weeks I focused a lot on the pain however later when I decided not to focus on it, I have realized that the pain is not that intense anymore.

vi) Have an overriding spiritual goal that gives meaning to your work: this idea is important to me because I have been taught and I know that all of life is sacred act of worship to God. In fact the Bible says that we should do everything with all our hearts as unto God and not men. This idea really helps me when my work gets too routine or when I feel no one is appreciating my efforts, I always remind myself that I’m working unto the Lord. This idea also helps me to attach more value and significance to all that I do, however insignificant.

vii) When you have mastered the art of giving to others, then practice the equally important task of giving to yourself: this idea is vital to me because it was not easy learning to give myself certain things without feeling guilty. However a few years ago, I learnt to spend time alone at least each weekend, and also to save for personal development therefore this was a good reminder for me.

3. How will these ideas or lessons help you in a practical way, both in your daily personal life and in helping you create a better world? If so, how?

The above lessons and ideas will practically help me in the following ways:

i) The idea about having responsibility towards others and the universe will help me to keep caring about others and also to care for the environment, for instance by keeping it clean and not littering trash everywhere.

ii) The principle on unconditional love will help me to continually love unconditionally and not to put expectations on others, to accept them for who they are and I believe u better world will be created if more people learn to love unconditionally.

iii) The ideas will also help me to focus on what I desire as opposed to what I don’t like. I’m still learning not to criticize others, therefore instead of being so cautious not to find fault, I will focus on finding things to appreciate and praise.

iv) Lastly, the ideas will help me to keep being deliberate about keeping negative emotions such as anger and revenge out of my life. I should instead seek peace and promote unity with others and in the larger community.

4. Quotes: Are there any statements which the author made that particularly got your attention? If so please quote them and comment as to why they were important to you.

i) ‘they never seem to get the message that life gives exams and unless you learn from your mistakes you are doomed to repeat them’ this quote is important to me because it is good reminder that life’s struggles are lessons I should learn and therefore I should not simply complain when things don’t go the way I expected but rather I should learn the lessons and move on.

ii) ‘There are no accidents. Everything I’m experiencing is in some way necessary for me to move ahead to the next step’ this statement is important to me because it has brought to my attention the reality that everything in life serves a purpose and therefore there are no accidents; many times what we may look at as accidents are the stepping stones into our destiny.

iii) ‘I expect nothing, because I know they can only be who they are, not what I think they should be’ this quote reminded be not to have unrealistic expectations of others, not to pressure people to be what I want them to be but instead to allow them be who they are. Also I should not allow others to expect me to be like them!

iv) ‘the central premise is that you become what you think about all day and those days become your lifetime’ this is paramount to be because I do think a lot about different things and I have many dreams in my heart, therefore this has reminded that I will become what I’m thinking! Therefore I should only think about what I want to happen and it should better be something positive and purposeful. Also the quote in a way has encouraged me that one day I will see my dreams become a reality when I add action steps to them.

v) ‘Stay on purpose. Know that you are here to serve. If you get off course, simply ask “how may I serve in this situation?” this quote is vital to because, I love the word ‘purpose’ I believe we all have a purpose to fulfill and it involves serving others and it is therefore important that we stay focused on our purpose as we serve others.

vi) ‘send out love, even to the stranger you pass while out for a walk. Surely it is how you would want to be treated’-I must confess that I usually don’t talk to strangers, however this statement is encouraging me to show love to all even to strangers, I hope I will smile and great the next stranger that I meet.

vii) ‘Replace the belief that something you are capable of imagining in your mind is impossible with the belief that it is possible’ this statement is important to me because it reminds me about faith. The Bible in the book of Hebrews describes faith as being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. I belief and know that with God, all things are possible.

viii) ‘I want to be a part of a solution, not part of the problem’ this statement is key because in my country there are many problems like, hunger, high infant and maternal mortality, HIV/AIDS and poverty. I therefore need to work towards being part of a solution and not the problem for instance by encouraging an HIV positive person to seek counseling and treatment as opposed to stigmatizing him or her.

5. Is there anything in the book that you do not understand or are unclear about, or are there ideas which you disagree with and if so, why?

I found the chapter on becoming a spiritual being unclear in certain instances.

There are also ideas in the book that I disagree with; for instance the book seems to suggest that we are the miracle workers and we have all we need to become all we want to, in certain sense that is true however I believe that God Almighty, the creator of heaven and earth is the one who is the real Miracle worker and He simply uses us as His vessels, generally the book exalts ‘the self’ above all things but I believe only God can be exalted and not us mere humans.

Also the author mentioned in chapter six, as he talked about life and where it comes from, he seems to suggest that it is unknown how babies are formed at conception and on wards. However I seek to disagree, life comes from God indeed He is the one who created us and this is so clear in the Bible especially in Psalm 139.

Also the author seems to have the view that we as humans are generally good people and I didn’t seem to read anything suggesting that we are people who have sinned before God and therefore are in need of savior.

Lastly I don’t agree with the author’s ideas on meditation. He mentioned in the book that meditation involves empting ourselves and then we are taken to another realm. However I believe that meditation is focused thinking, one could for instance read a good principle in a book and then takes time to think and meditate on the principle and he will get ideas how to apply or he could get a deeper understanding of it.

6. Did the book contain exercises for the reader to complete? If so, did you complete all of the exercises and did you find them helpful?

There were no exercises to complete

7. Was there anything you read in the book that you would like to comment on that was not covered in the previous questions? if so please comment.

I have nothing else to comment on.

Please rate the following questions on a scale from 1 to 10.

A. How interesting was it to read? 6
B. How helpful were the contents? 7
C. How easy was it to understand? 5
D. Would you recommend it to others? 5
E. What is the overall rating you would give it? 6

Giant Steps
Assessment by Harriet Opondo (Uganda)

1. What is the main idea that the author is trying to convey in the book?

The author is trying to show how we can apply principles in our different aspects of life and achieve success. The different areas covered are dreams of destiny, how to get what you really want, the power to create, the power to destroy; questions are the answers and others. The small actions and exercises will compel any reader to make giant steps forward in the quality of life.

The seven ideas that were personally most important to me are:

i) Dreams of destiny; this is important to me because it has reminded me of the importance of effective decision making and goal setting. We all have all we need to achieve our goals, and all we need to do is tap into the resources. This idea helped me to review my career goals that I had made about two years ago, I was able to strategize ways of achieving more in my career in the coming year.

ii) The power to create, the power to destroy; the author’s concept of the importance of our belief system was very amazing. The concept of us being able to influence and command our nervous system was eye opening to me. Literally our expectations in life determine almost everything. For instance I realized that there are some limits that I had placed in my life however this idea is helping break through these limits as I stretch my faith and live to my fullest potential.

iii) The vocabulary of success. I have always known that words have the power to make or destroy however I had not yet known that my words actually have a deep emotional impact. for instance I learnt that I need to select words to define my emotions, if I want to feel good at the end of the day I shouldn’t keep saying that ‘my day has been crazy’ instead I should use a less emotionally charged word like ‘my day has been busy’

iv) Your personal compass. Living a life without values that we are consistently living by everyday is indeed unfulfilling. We each need to have set values that we are able to stand for, this principle has encouraged to consistently live by the values that I treasure and stand for them at all costs. I found the exercise of ranking my values helpful.

v) The keys to an expanded life: identity and references; it was rewarding to learn that our experiences make us unique and that our memories (conscious and unconscious) is what we rely upon for certainty about our beliefs. I also found the idea of having a positive interpretation for a negative experience. For instance I have had negative experiences in my life however when I applied this principle I have been able to extract very valuable lessons from them.

vi) Putting it all together; balance is key in all our lives, therefore this principle of putting it all together-health, finances, relationships and code of conduct is important to me. I found the difference between health and fitness very key. I found the cardinal rules of relationships very helpful.

vii) The Ultimate gift-contribution. I believe that life would be boring if it was all about us and no one else. The best gift we can give is touching those around us through acts of kindness, love and compassion. We all have the capacity to contribute significantly to our communities and nations. This principle is particularly important to me because of my current employment, we as an organization are committed to rescue vulnerable children, raise them to be productive citizens and we hope they will be part of the process of rebuilding our nation.

3. How will these ideas or lessons help you in a practical way, both in your daily personal life and in helping you create a better world? If so, how?

The above ideas will help me in a practical way both in my personal life and in creating a better world in the following ways;

i) The idea about dreams of destiny will help me in goal setting and in decision making. So that I can achieve the dreams that I have for my personal life and the community in which I live.

ii) The lesson about the power to create and destroy will help me in breaking boundaries in my life so that I can achieve more.

iii) The idea about the vocabulary of success will help use words that create the emotions that I deserve and want, for instance I’m already being careful the way describe my day to other people who ask me and also the choice of wording in my journal.

iv) The principle about personal compass has encouraged me to have clear-cut values and live by them consistently. I believe that as I live consistently according to the values and rules that are important to me, I will also in a way create a better world for the people around me.

v) The keys to an expanded life will help create and have more references especially through reading, music and poetry. Also using my mind to imagine the preferred future.

vi) The idea about the ultimate contribution will help me to keep influencing those around me positively and especially those who cannot do anything in return, like the vulnerable children and communities that I work with on a regular basis.

vii) Lastly but not least, the concept of putting it all together is helping me look for more ways of creating balance in my life, particularly I intend to give more attention to my health.

4. Quotes: Are there any statements which the author made that particularly got your attention? If so please quote them and comment as to why they were important to you.

i) The truth is, what you get will not make you feel good, but learning how to change your state of mind in an instant will.

This statement is important because it has reminded me that feeling good is my responsibility and I should not wait for people or things to help me achieve it.

ii) Whatever we focus on determines how we feel. And how we feel –our state of mind-powerfully influences our actions.

This indeed has reminded me about the power of focus and how it affects my emotions. I’m learning to focus on what I want as opposed to what I don’t like.

iii) Beliefs make the difference between a lifetime of misery and one of joyous contribution.

The above statement has brought to my attention about the importance of our belief importance, and it has prompted me to carefully examine my beliefs and I have to let go of some negative beliefs I had about life.

iv) Nothing in life has any meaning except the meaning we give it. One of the marvels of being human is our ability to fill any event with uplifting or devastating significance.

This statement has empowered me to give positive meanings to the events in my life; the ability to choose is an awesome responsibility.

v) Time and again it’s been proven that our brains cannot tell the difference between something we vividly imagine and something we actually experience.

This is important because it has encouraged me to dream and envision more. I believe that as my brain is exposed to the dreams that I have mentally, one day I will see the reality!

vi) How we deal with adversity shapes our lives more than almost anything else. Achievers usually see problems as transitory.

There is a saying that you can never know the strength of a tea bag unless you put it in hot water. I believe that’s what life is, we can never know how strong we are unless in the face of adversity. The statement has also helped me to shift my perspective of problems, not as permanent but rather transitory.

vii) To create change quickly, the first belief you must adopt is that you can change virtually anything now.

Before I read the book, I always looked at change more as a process however I have learnt that change can occur right now, I don’t have to wait for the right circumstances always for change to occur.

viii) It’s critical to expand your emotional vocabulary so that the words you select produce emotional states you desire and deserve

The above quote has taught to be careful about the words I use to describe my emotions and to learn new ways of talking about my emotions.

ix) …just because you don’t see immediate results, it doesn’t mean you’re not making progress.

Giving up can be tempting for all of us, however the above quote has encouraged me to keep on trying until I see the desired results.

x) The best time to handle a negative emotion is when you first begin to feel it

The statement above has taught me a good principle of dealing with a negative emotion on the onset, as opposed to wallowing in self-pity, regret and all the other negative emotions.

5. Is there anything in the book that you do not understand or are unclear about, or are there ideas which you disagree with and if so, why?

There is nothing that I didn’t understand and I agree with all the ideas.

6. Did the book contain exercises for the reader to complete? If so, did you complete all of the exercises and did you find them helpful?

I did complete some of the exercises and I found them helpful especially the one about ranking our values.

7. Was there anything you read in the book that you would like to comment on that was not covered in the previous questions? If so please comment.

There is nothing more to comment on.

Please rate the following questions on a scale from 1 to 10. Ten being good and one being poor.

A. How interesting was it to read? 10
B. How helpful were the contents? 10
C. How easy was it to understand? 9
D. Would you recommend it to others? 10
E. What is the overall rating you would give? 10

The New Dynamics of Winning
Assessment by Harriet Opondo (Uganda)

1. What is the main idea that the author is trying to convey in the book?

The author is trying to convey the message that our mindsets determine our success in life and business. He challenges the readers to adopt the mindset of a champion as he shares experiences of many successful Olympic stars and talks about the principles they employed and that helped them achieve success in spite of obstacles they encountered and the author hence challenges us the readers to implement the principles and experience success in our personal and professional lives.

The following ideas were personally most important to me.

i) Paying the price; this principle is important to me because it has been a good reminder for me. it is not just hard work but being committed and putting all of heart in whatever I’m doing. Also I should be willing to sacrifice my comfort zone sometimes if I want to achieve success. This also reminded me High school and college years, I had to stay put late some nights doing additional reading as examination periods approached and indeed I did reap success.

ii) Visualizing of victory; I believe that we either win or lose first in our mind and then physically. I totally agree with the author about visualizing victory before even we start have often been achieved of being a dreamer, I usually like to imagine things before they happen. I have visualized many aspects of my life and this mental preparation has indeed been helpful and contributed to the success I have achieved so far.

iii) The Olympian within; this idea reminded that winning begins from within; I need to have a positive outlook and to foster a high self-esteem. I need to avoid destructive self-beliefs. The world around us is never without imperfections therefore it is up to me to decide to look at the glass as half-full as opposed to half-empty. There are still a lot of things in my country that need change and there have been times when I almost lost hope about real positive change happening soon, however this principle has reminded me to stay positive and that change begins with me having a positive outlook.

iv) The ’ coachability ‘ factor; we can never know all that we need to know in life therefore it is important that we are willing to learn from others and also in turn teach those looking up to us. This idea is important to me because I have experienced the benefits of learning from others and I’m thankful for all the people who have taken time to coach me about various aspects of life like; Faith, relationships and leadership. I’m always willing to teach those around me what they would like to learn from me. My current job also avails me a lot of opportunities to coach the children and young adults that I work with, therefore reading about qualities of a winning coach was very fruitful for me.

v) Integrity; many define integrity in different ways however I liked the perspective that the author used in the book. He shared about thinking before we make a decision and asking very key questions like ‘ is this true? It is very easy for any of us to make selfish decisions and then claim to be people of integrity. Also liked the way he looked at showing others what to do as opposed to just telling them as integrity. This is important to me because it has reminded me to model to others what I would desire them to do but not to merely tell them about it.

vi) The quality of leadership; I believe that we all leaders in one way or the other. Leadership is influence and we all influence people within our circles both directly and indirectly. The author highlighted empowerment as foundation of real leadership. The idea of empowerment was important to me; I have been encouraged to empower those that I lead by delegating and trusting them. I lead a small fellowship within my community and I have found that by empowering the members, many have been motivated to be actively involved in the projects that we embark on.

vii) Beyond the arena; the example of John wooden was amazing, indeed real winners succeed in not just areas of specialty but in their personal lives. I have seen so many ‘super stars” who are only heroes on the sports field, pulpits and conference halls. However in their families, they are almost looked at as monsters. I desire to succeed in all areas of my life and looking at success and winning even beyond the arena has been very helpful.

3. How will these ideas or lessons help you in a practical way, both in your daily personal life and in helping you create a better world? If so, how?

the above ideas will help me in a practical way both in my daily life and to create a better world in the following ways;

a) The lesson about paying the price will help me work hard with commitment as I handle different tasks at work and in my personal life. I’m willing to let go of my comfort zones in order to achieve my goals.

b) Visualizing of victory will help to continually dream of the victory ahead in my personal life, family and community. As I visualize, I will journal and I believe as the years go by I will look back into the journals and many of the goals would have been achieved.

c) The idea of coachability factor will help me learn to be more teachable and humble, willing to learn more from those around me and also being an excellent coach to those around me, I’m currently thinking of all the young people who look up to me.

d) Beyond the arena principle will help me to apply the principles of success in all the areas of life and I should set goals that will benefit the larger community as well.

4. Quotes: Are there any statements which the author made that particularly got your attention? If so please quote them and comment as to why they were important to you.

i) This commitment to ‘paying the price’ is a key quality in the mind of a champion. You could even say that if success has an entry fee, the cost is total commitment.

The above comment is important to me because it reminds about total commitment in all my endeavors and hence I will be able to achieve success.

ii) Winners work at doing things the rest of the population won’t even consider trying.

The statement above is key because it points out the importance of thinking out of the box, in order to be a winner I need to do beyond the conventional things the other people are accomplishing.

iii) Most of our hurdles in life are self-imposed limitations that can be overcome if we never, ever give up on ourselves.

The above statement is important to me because it encourages me to never give in spite of the obstacles that may come my way.

iv) Growth is a process of gaining knowledge, of trial and error, and of courageous experimentation.

I desire to see growth in every aspect of my life, therefore the statement above, has an aspect I had never thought about, courageous experimentation, I’m being challenged to take risks, if I’m to achieve growth.

v) Competition should be viewed as a way to maintain excellence, to keep yourself performing up to your own potential.

I like the above definition of competition; it encourages me to do my best as per my ability and not to compare myself with others, since we are all different

vi) You need to feel love inside yourself before you can offer it to anyone else.

We can never give what we don’t have hence this has been a good reminder for me.

vii) The truth is you can never win if your concept of success depends upon the perfect performance or the placing of a gold medal around your neck.

This statement is important to me because it has shed light on the fact that success is not just about medals or perfect performance. It is what we do in a daily basis

viii) Regardless of what happens in my life, I have decided to be happy.

Life is short! Therefore I need to enjoy every aspect of it and being happy is definitely important. I believe that circumstances should not dictate our level of happiness. There is always something to be thankful for.

ix) A high expectation of success is more important than natural ability or lack of it thereof. It is more important than practice or preparation

If there is one thing that I’m learning, is that everything begins in our minds. Therefore a high expectation of success is vital

x) A real leader appreciates the differences among individuals and finds value in those differences that enhance all our lives

One of the surest ways to frustrate others especially as leaders is to expect them to be like us and failing to recognize and appreciate their differences. Life would be so boring if God created all of us alike with exactly the same qualities, likes and dislikes.

5. Is there anything in the book that you do not understand or are unclear about, or are there ideas which you disagree with and if so, why?

I understood the contents of the book and there is nothing that I disagree with.

6. Did the book contain exercises for the reader to complete? If so, did you complete all of the exercises and did you find them helpful?

There were no exercises however I plan to do the 21 day plan training at the end of the book.

7. Was there anything you read in the book that you would like to comment on that was not covered in the previous questions?

If so please comment. There is nothing more to comment on.

Please rate the following questions on a scale from 1 to 10.

Leadership for Dummies
Book assessment by Harriet Opondo (Uganda)

1. What is the main idea that the author is trying to convey in the book?

The main idea that the authors of the book are trying to convey is the importance of leadership and how we all need to have leadership skills whether we are Executive Officers or a Father in a home. the three basic skills that they share that one needs to become a great leader are; elicit the cooperation of others, listening and putting the needs of others before yourself. Therefore the book focuses on developing these three key leadership skills in the different areas of life. It covers topics like what takes to be a leader, leadership is a process, the art of leadership, leadership in everyday life, leadership and vision and team building.

The seven ideas that were personally important to me as I read through the book include the following;

i) Harnessing your strength and weakness; we all don’t have the same leadership skills, we are strong in some aspects and weak in others. It is therefore very important that we assess our leadership abilities. This idea is important to me because it has helped me to learn how to use both my strengths and weaknesses, for instance I have learnt that when I’m weak in a certain leadership skill, I should let the situation come to me however where I’m strong and in control I must handle the situation.

ii) What about expectations? As leaders we need to have and develop our own expectations which should be communicated clearly, doable and must be realistic. We should also figure out the expectations of the people on our teams and also know what our superiors expect of us. This is important to me because it has reminded me about clearly communicating expectations to the people I lead. I know I still struggle with having unrealistic expectations of myself and others at times however I’m learning to set realistic and doable expectations.

iii) Managing as a leader: Leading is a lot about decision making and many times we have to learn to let the team be part of the decision making process. As a leader I need to know what to delegate and what not to delegate. This is key for me because it has been helpful over the years as a led a small group within my community. By delegating some tasks to the other team members; they each felt part of the team and were motivated to be active members.

iv) Everyday leadership: Training for real life. Our everyday life involves leadership aspects more than we even realize! We are involved in leading ourselves, we cannot expect to lead a team effectively before we can properly manage our own personal lives, this begins with fairly sizing our selves by taking personal inventory of our strengths and weaknesses and assessing the opportunities and threats that are likely to present themselves as we lead. Self-leadership is indeed the starting point for any leader who desires to move towards greatness. Also everyday leadership involves training our own children and other people in our care to be leaders. This aspect is important to be because of the work that I’m involved currently; this idea has challenged me to be more deliberate in imparting leadership skills to the children and young people that I interact with on a daily basis.

v) Organizing your community; we all live in community and in these modern times especially those who live in the urban areas , we may think being concerned about the issues of our communities is not important, many people do not even know who lives next door! The idea of organizing our community has been helpful especially the aspect of mobilizing issues and expressing concern about the problems. In the community there are many issues that need to be brought to the attention of other community members; this idea has equipped how to go about organizing the community and being part of a mobilizing team to help foster change.

vi) What is a vision? We all need to have visions, first for our personal lives and for the teams that we lead. A vision is really doable dream that is different from present reality. My pastor refers to a vision as preferred future! Visions are important because they motivate, attracts commitment and energizes people. This idea is important to me because it has reminded me of importance of visions and how vision connects with leadership. I’m currently working on a policy for special needs children within the care of my organization, it is amazing every time I stop am imagine how more fulfilling the lives of these precious children will be when our special needs department has fully been established.

vii) Ten mistakes every leader makes; none of us perfect, right? Definitely! Even with the best training in the leading colleges and with numerous experience coupled with high IQ, we will all still fall short in our leadership roles. We are still human and hence will make mistakes. Reading this chapter and seeing the ten mistakes that every leader makes have helped me keep my antennas alert. We are all liable to making mistakes however we can avoid certain common mistakes as leaders. For instance we should not try being what we are not! This chapter has been helpful and important to me because it has highlighted the common mistakes and how to avoid them.

3. How will these ideas or lessons help you in a practical way, both in your daily personal life and in helping you create a better world? If so, how?

The above ideas and lessons will help me practically both in my personal life and in helping me create a better world in the following ways;

a) The lesson about expectations will help me in setting realistic and doable expectations for myself and for those I closely work with. I believe this will help keep stress levels down and also help achieve more goals.

b) The Idea about everyday leadership will help me in self-leadership and also helping the children realize their leadership potential from an early age. I therefore plan to be more deliberate in fostering leadership skills as I interact with the children and young people in the organization that I work for.

c) The ideas will also help me in learning how to exploit my strengths and weaknesses to my advantage. For instance since I have learnt that when I’m weak in skill, I should let the situation come to me as opposed to trying going out and try to take control of it. This will be very helpful as I learn to confront issues (I’m not yet strong in confrontational skills)

d) The lesson about visions, will help me to keep envisioning and dreaming of ideas in my both my personal lives and the community in which I live. I have also learnt to clearly communicate the vision to others whom I want to be part of it.

e) Managing as a leader, has taught me a lot about delegation. I therefore intend to be careful what I delegate and to whom I delegate to.

4. Quotes: Are there any statements which the author made that particularly got your attention? If so please quote them and comment as to why they were important to you.

The following statements where important to me:

i) Your assumptions won’t be perfect, but they’re better than no assumptions at all. This statement is important to me because it highlights the importance of forecasting and planning. It is better to make assumptions and achieve them than making none and achieving nothing! I believe that assumptions raise our levels of expectations.

ii) The important thing about vision is that you are able to visualize the outcome of your work and the work of your team in the form of a world that has been changed in some way. Every vision I believe should include something better and different from the current circumstances. This statement is important to me because it is a good reminder to me that all the visions that I have in my heart or that I will develop later must have something bigger and better than what is there now.

iii) The only way that you can make decisions well is if you have information-and lots it. What an amazing statement! We make decisions everyday and it is easy to make decisions prematurely without gathering all the necessary information. This is important to me because I have been reminded of the importance of having adequate information before make decisions and especially critical ones.

iv) You gain strength, courage, and confidence by every experience in which you really stop and look fear in the face. You are able to say to yourself, “I lived through this horror. I can take the next thing that comes along” this quote is personally key for me because it has encouraged me to face the things I fear as opposed to running away from them.

v) Leading is about decision making, and one of the most important decisions you can make is to let your team make decisions. This statement is important to me because it has clearly brought out the need and significance of allowing members within a team to make decisions and not just the leader making all decisions on his/her own.

vi) Failure can be stepping stone to success at a later time-if you handle the failure well and learn from your mistakes. This statement is important to me because it points out the fact that failure can indeed be helpful later if we learn from it. I have experienced this in my own life.

vii) “You don’t ask, you don’t get” I like this quote because it reminds me of the reason why I should keep asking! Even the Bible says, “ you don’t have, because you don’t ask”

viii) Teach your children to be leaders, show them how to be responsible, cooperate with others, listen, and put the needs of others above their own. this statement is key because it brings out the basics that we can teach our children about leadership as parents and significant adults in their lives.

ix) A vision reminds everyone why they are members of your group, and why they are struggling. A vision tells people that no matter what happens, their struggle is worthwhile. The importance of vision cannot be overestimated as reflected in this statement. Indeed without a vision people cast off restraints!

x) The final test of a leader is that he leaves behind him in other men the conviction and the will to carry on. I believe that the influence of any leader is tested long after he/she is gone. We should always make sure we are mentoring another person who can take on from us.

5. Is there anything in the book that you do not understand or are unclear about, or are there ideas which you disagree with and if so, why?

I understood the contents of the book and there is nothing that I disagree with.

6. Did the book contain exercises for the reader to complete? If so, did you complete all of the exercises and did you find them helpful?

Yes the book had a few exercises; I found the exercise on personal inventory of skills very helpful. It helped me assess where I’m at as regards leadership potential.

7. Was there anything you read in the book that you would like to comment on that was not covered in the previous questions? If so please comment.

Please rate the following questions on a scale from 1 to 10. Ten being good and one being poor.

A. How interesting was it to read? 8
B. How helpful were the contents? 10
C. How easy was it to understand? 9
D. Would you recommend it to others 9
E. What is the overall rating you would give? 9

The Law of Attraction
Assessment by Harriet Opondo (Uganda)

1. What is the main idea that the author is trying to convey in the book?

The author is trying to show us how the law of attraction can work for us using the three-step method of Identifying your desire, give your desire attention and allow it. We attract to our lives what we focus on, whether positive or negative. The principles in the book can be applied in the different aspects of life.

The seven ideas that were personally most important to me are:

* Understanding the significance of your words; we all use words everyday and they carry more meaning that we even realize. Understanding that words generate vibrations (both positive and negative) have been very important to me. I have developed a discipline of avoiding words that generate negative vibes.

* Identifying your desire; this idea is important to me because it has reminded me to identify my desires and to focus on achieving it. I believe when we are able to identify and clarify what we really want we will be more deliberate in working towards realizing or goals and hence living to our fullest potential.

* Give your desire attention; after identifying what we really want, it is key that we attend to the desire that we can see fruits. This means we talk about the desire, make plans and channeling resources towards achieving the desire. This is important to me because I realized that in the past I have not been giving my desires due attention.

* Allow it; this principle is very important to me because I realized that I still struggle to remove doubt and unbelief at times. The principle has taught me not to allow negative vibrations even as I wait for the desires to materialize. Also the tools of celebrating proof of evidence and gratitude are helpful to me.

* Become more abundant and attract money. Sometimes it is easier to think of the lack in our lives than the abundance. This principle is important to me because it has taught me about generating abundance feelings through my words, thoughts and attitudes. Also looking at other sources of abundance was a great revelation.

* Relationships and your vibration. This principle is important because it has taught me that in any one moment I’m either sending a negative or positive vibration in my relationships. The idea has also taught how to keep my vibration high inspite of a ‘negative Nelly’ in my life.

* Learn how to teach the law of attraction to children; I love children and work with them too, so this principle is important to me. The tools shared by the author are great and I can’t wait for the opportunity to practice them.

3. How will these ideas or lessons help you in a practical way, both in your daily personal life and in helping you create a better world? If so, how?

The above ideas will help me in a practical way both in my daily personal life and in creating a better world in the following ways;

* The principle about the significance of words will help me daily as I have learnt to choose words carefully; I’m now practicing to avoid using the words ‘No. Don’t and not’. I’m instead focusing on words that generate positive vibration and that produce what I desire. In creating a better world, I plan to describe the world around me positively as opposed to using negative words.

* Identifying my desire idea has helped me to know what I really want and focus on achieving it. Also my clarifying what I really want by canceling what I don’t want has been helpful. For instance I was able to identify one desire that I’m focusing on this year.

* The principle allowing is helping me eliminate doubt and unbelief as I wait for results. I’m currently waiting for something to materialize however it is amazing how many times doubt had gripped be but by learning about the allowing principle I have been able to instead speak positive and using the phrase ‘I’m in the process of…” this has helped me a lot. In creating a better world, I plan to help those around me be positive and hopeful as they wait for their desires to materialize.

* As regards teaching children, I plan to use the tools in the book to teach the children in my circles of influence about the law of attraction. I believe that if children are taught this at a very young age, they will grow up to productive members of their community.

* Relationships and vibrations; I plan to avoid other people control the way I feel especially those who are negative, I have learnt that I don’t have to lower my frequency to their level and also to ask them “what do you want” when they are using the words “no, not and don’t”.

4. Quotes: Are there any statements which the author made that particularly got your attention? If so please quote them and comment as to why they were important to you.

The following quotes and statements particularly caught my attention as I read the book;

‘To know whether you are sending out a positive or negative vibration; simply take a look at the results you are getting in that area of my life. They are a perfect reflection of what you are vibrating’

This is important to be because it has taught me to observe the results in the different areas of my life and I will definitely know what kind of vibration I have been giving!

‘When you go from what you don’t want to what you want, the words change. When the words change, the vibration changes, and you can only send out one vibration at a time’

The above statement caught my attention because it has reminded me about the importance of words and the fact that if I desire change in an area of my life, the words that I use must change before I see I difference.

‘Observing contrast is essential because it helps you become clearer about what you want’

The above statement is important to me because it has taught me to build a contrast list so that I can be clearer about what I really want. For instance I was able to build a contrast list that helped me to be clearer about the qualities of an ideal mate.

‘Identify what makes you feel good and do more of it’

This statement caught my attention because it encourages me to identify what makes me feel good and do more of it. For instance I know that making other people happy is very rewarding for me, whenever possible I will get a friend or a family member an item they have been craving about.

‘Allowing is the absence of negative vibration (doubt)’

Many people will easily identify what they want and give it attention, I have realized that many of us miss our ‘promised land’ when we allow negative vibration in our lives. This therefore makes allowing a very important and significant part of waiting for our dreams to come true, most processes take a bit of time therefore eliminating doubt during the waiting process is very vital.

‘Take time to appreciate anything. It is the feeling that’s attached to your appreciation that is important. Appreciation and gratitude help you offer strong, positive vibration’

Being grateful is not just a virtue, it is something even the Bible commands us to do, therefore this was a good reminder. I’m privileged to live in a very beautiful environment, when I wake early enough before the African sun rises, I have a chance to see mist covering the surrounding hills, it is an amazing scenery, I’m always thankful to God for such beautiful piece of creation. I have realized that leaving my house in a grateful mood, sets the tone for the rest of my day.

‘Abundance is a feeling. Be more deliberate to include the feeling of abundance in your current vibration’

When you live in a resource limited environment like I do, where you don’t have to go far to see a great need, it is easy to live with a sense of lack than abundance. However the book and statement above has taught me to include the feeling of abundance in my vibration bubble. For instance by listing the sources of abundance, I have realized how blessed I am!

‘When you make a statement containing the words don’t, not or no, you are actually giving attention and energy to what you want’

Learning the effects of using the words don’t, not or no, has been a great revelation to me. Since words affect my thoughts and feelings, I’m practicing to avoid words that produce negative vibration and instead use words that produce what I want.

5. Is there anything in the book that you do not understand or are unclear about, or are there ideas which you disagree with and if so, why?

I understood the contents of the book and there is nothing that I disagree with.

6. Did the book contain exercises for the reader to complete? If so, did you complete all of the exercises and did you find them helpful?

Yes the book did contain exercises; I completed the clarity through contrast worksheet and desire statement worksheet exercise and I found them very helpful.

7. Was there anything you read in the book that you would like to comment on that was not covered in the previous questions? If so please comment.

I have no further comments

Please rate the following questions on a scale from 1 to 10. Ten being good and one being poor.

The Power of Intention
Harriet Opondo (Uganda)

1. What is the main idea that the author is trying to convey in the book?

The main idea that the author is trying to convey is about the power of intention. He views intention from a different perspective, he looks at not as something we strive to do but rather as something we are part of- energy we can all access and begin to co-create our world. The book is written in three parts; the first basically introduces and explains the seven attributes of intention, the second part shows the reader how to apply the intention principles in everyday life and the last part contains the Author’s vision of an individual connected at all times to the universal mind of intention.

The following ideas were personally most important to me as I read the book;

i). The face of creativity; this idea of creativity is important to me because it remains me of the creative attribute of God. God created the earth and man by simply speaking and therefore since we are all created in God’s image, we have creative power within us. Therefore we all have potential to co-create our surrounding especially through our thoughts, attitudes and actions.

ii). The face of love; I believe and indeed agree with the Author that Love is the greatest and most powerful force on the earth. God is love and therefore he desires that we all walk in love towards each other. Negative emotions like hate and strife choke life out of us.

iii). The face of beauty; from what God created; it is evident that He indeed desires that we expect beauty and see it in other people, ourselves and the scenery round about us. I believe that there is beauty in everyone and every situation; all we need to do is change our perspective.

iv) To realize your desires, match them with your inner speech. This idea was important to me because it was a good reminder about taking stock of how I speak to myself especially in the heat of tough circumstances. It always seems easier to talk about how things are not going the way we want than declaring what our desires are!

v) It is my intention to respect myself at all times. (What I think of myself is what I think of the world). I’m created in the image of God and it is important that I respect myself at all times by the way I take care of myself, talk, and act. The way I view myself greatly affects the way I view the world around me.

vi) It is my intention to live my life on purpose. Everything which was created has a purpose. Our greatest purpose on earth is to serve God as we serve those around me. This principle is very important to me, because it reminds that I’m alive for a purpose beyond just having my desires met. I need to lead a purposeful life that reflects the character of God.

vii) It is my intention to live a stress-free, tranquil life; this is important to me because it has taught me that no matter how stressful the environment around me may appear, I can chose and purposes to live a stress-free and tranquil life. My perspective, thoughts and attitudes determine whether I will give in to the stress around me or I will chose to be at peace.

3. How will these ideas or lessons help you in a practical way, both in your daily personal life and in helping you create a better world? If so, how?

The ideas will help me in a practical way both in my daily life and in creating a better world in the following ways;

i) The idea about creativity will help adopt more creative ways in solving the problems in my personal life and also helping those around me. I’m learning to look for solutions ‘out of the box’ instead of keeping the status quo.

ii) It is said that ‘Love makes the world go round’, I therefore intend to be loving towards family and those around me. God is love and since He created me in His image, I therefore have the capacity to unconditionally love others. I believe that most of the problems in our communities are caused by lack of love therefore practicing love will indeed offer solutions to problems like hatred, unforgiveness and bitterness.

iii) We live in a very stressful world; everyone seems to be running out of time to do something! However the idea about living a stress-free life will help look for ways of eliminating stress in my life and choosing to stay peaceful by focusing on positive thoughts in spite of the chaos around me.

iv) The principle of matching my inner speech with my desires is important to me. This is already helping me in my personal life. I’m going through a situation right now that involves waiting and at times I get weary, however I’m practicing speaking positive as I wait as opposed to giving in to doubt and discouragement.

4. Quotes: Are there any statements which the author made that particularly got your attention? If so please quote them and comment as to why they were important to you.

‘Act as if anything you desire is already here. Believe that all you seek you’ve already received, that it exists in spirit and you shall have desires filled’

The above quote is important to be because it encourages me to live and walk by faith and not merely by sight. i have realized over the years especially in my walk as a Christian that before I see a physical manifestation of my desires I have to believe that God has already provided it and it is just a matter of perfect timing.

‘Choosing to be kind is a choice to have the power of intention active in your life’

Our world seems to get faster each day and everyone seems to be in such a hurry, that many times kindness is not common. Therefore this quote has reminded me to make kindness a common asset I give away to those around me.

‘Love is the most powerful and still unknown energy of the world’

I totally agree with this statement, Love is the most powerful and if we all walked in the unconditional love of God we would have less problems than we have in the world. I have indeed come to know that love also covers over a multitude of sins as the Bible declares. I believe we need to focus more on loving God and those around us than anything else.

‘When doubt is banished, abundance flourishes and anything is possible’

The above statement is important to me because it has reminded me to kick doubt out of mind id I want to walk in abundance. I have been struggling with consistently keeping doubt as I believe and wait for things to work out in my life. I’m now more determined than ever to banish doubt.

‘Through imagination, God imagines everything into reality. This is your strategy as well’

It is written that God created the world out of nothing, He dreamt and imagined the world and He spoke it into reality, therefore the quote is a good reminder for me to utilize the power of imagination. For instance many times I imagine myself having the things I’m still waiting for and this builds endurance and keeps hope alive in spite of the obstacles that may come my way.

‘You cannot know the meaning of your life until you are connected to the power that created you’

The above quote is important to me because it captures one of the most important Truths-we cannot have a meaningful life without God, as Saint Paul puts it ‘it is in Him that we live, move and have our being’ it is until we are connected with God, Our Creator that we fully understand who we are and the purpose of our existence.

‘You attract into your life, what you feel inside’

It is indeed true that we attract into our lives that which we are, therefore it Is paramount that we are feeling the right way all the time. For instance if we feel inferior and insecure we are going to attract people who feel the same way and in most cases they are controlling and this further reinforces the negative feelings and perceptions. Also this statement is important because it reminds me that I should not be quick to blame others for my problems, I should first examine my life and how it is contributing to the problem.

‘Perhaps the greatest mistake we make, which causes a loss of self-respect, is making the opinions of others more important than our own opinion of ourselves’

The above statement is a good reminder because it is very easy to allow people’s opinions sing louder than our own, then we end up making decisions based on what others are telling us and hence when things go wrong we blame them and avoid taking any sense of responsibility.

‘No one is capable of making you upset without your consent, and you have given your consent too frequently in the past’

The quote above is important because it reminds of the fact that I have the power to chose whether to get upset or not. It is easy to blame our parents, siblings, bosses and friends for making us get upset however I have now realized that I have been giving others consent in the past and I’m determined to avoid giving consent in the future!

5. Is there anything in the book that you do not understand or are unclear about, or are there ideas which you disagree with and if so, why?

The ideas that I don’t agree with are: the author said we are guided by our infinite self, this seems to me that the author is suggesting that we are our own ‘gods’, I believe that we are made in the image of God but we are not ‘gods’.

I also don’t agree with the idea of emptying our minds as done in yoga.

6. Did the book contain exercises for the reader to complete? If so, did you complete all of the exercises and did you find them helpful?

There were no exercises to complete

7. Was there anything you read in the book that you would like to comment on that was not covered in the previous questions? If so please comment.

I have no further comments

Please rate the following questions on a scale from 1 to 10. Ten being good and one being poor.

A. How interesting was it to read? 8
B. How helpful were the contents? 8
C How easy was it to understand? 7
D. Would you recommend it to others? 7
E. What is the overall rating you would give? 8

Nonviolent communication

Assessment by Harriet Opondo (Uganda)

1. What is the main idea that the author is trying to convey in the book?

The main idea the author is trying to convey in the book is how we can effectively communicate with others and having needs of both parties met. The main concept in the book is to help individuals, families and communities express themselves and listen to others by focusing consciousness on four areas that is ; what we are observing, feeling and needing and what we are requesting to enrich our lives.

The following seven ideas were personally most important to me;

i) Observing without evaluating; in a typical world many of us are prone to observe and evaluate others and situations at the same time however this leads to making wrong conclusions too soon. However this principle of observing without evaluating is important to me because it has taught me to avoid making generalization about people and circumstances. Months ago I observed that a friend was distant and very non-communicative. Instead of inquiring from him what was going on, I instead made my conclusions and also kept my distance. However when we finally got to talk, my conclusions were not correct!

ii) Identifying and expressing feelings

We can either express our feelings correctly or choose to hide them behind a mask of many things. This idea is important to me because it has taught me to correctly identify my feelings and appropriately express them so that the people I interact with can understand me and hence meet my needs. I found building a vocabulary of feelings very helpful, it has helped me express my feelings to friends better and in turn I feel better understood and my needs met.

iii) Taking responsibility for our feelings

I had always thought that others are responsible for the way I feel however this principle has taught me that what others say or do may the stimulus but never the cause of our feelings. Our feelings result from how we choose to receive what others say or do and also on our needs and expectations at the moment. However primarily we each have a responsibility to choose how we feel. Most of our reactions and feelings indicate that we have underlying needs that we want others to meet. When we don’t express our needs we remain in pain and bondage, I did experience this first hand last year and I only felt a release when I expressed my needs appropriately.

iv) Power of empathy

Empathy is a very powerful tool in our interpersonal relationships. It has the power to releasing healing to hearts that are hurting. We all want people who can simply listen to us and not give advice or pass judgment. Recently my housemate expressed a need to open up and just talk to someone. When I kept silent and just listened she was able to open up and had a very meaningful interaction, empathy helped me connect emotionally to her and added more connection in our friendships.

v) Expressing anger fully

Many of us struggle with how to appropriately handle hanger. This is a battle I’m still fighting with and asking God to help me! Especially to expressing my unmet needs that generate the anger. I found the four steps of expressing anger helpful especially connecting with our needs and expressing the unmet needs. I recently moved work stations and that led to my transport costs rising and I was not happy about spending more money however when i expressed the need to my supervisor, she agreed to the company meeting the extra costs which resulted from the change.

vi) Connecting compassionately with ourselves

One of the crucial applications of NVC is the way we treat ourselves. Many of us have been taught to moralistically judge ourselves when we make a mistake which leads to a lot of shame and guilt. However through the process of mourning and self-forgiveness we can see the areas that need growth in our lives and hence the drive to change will not come out of shame or guilt but out of a genuine desire to contribute to our own needs and that of others. I used to struggle with indecision and when a close friend pointed it out it really caught my attention and instead of blaming myself and thinking I’m just ‘phlegmatic’ I thought about it, acknowledged the challenge and I’m now committed to growing in decision making!

vii) Expressing appreciation in non-violent communication

We all love to receive and give appreciation. However sometimes we do it to manipulate the behavior of others, through this principle I have learnt that we should give appreciation solely for celebration therefore we need to be very specific when we are appreciating others by stating the action that contributed to our wellbeing, the need that was met and the feelings of pleasure that we enjoyed as a result. Recently a friend asked me to describe him; I took the chance to appreciate him by noting the fact that he is generous and that he always shared his tea or coffee with me and I enjoyed these gestures. I’m sure if I had not read this book I would have just told him…’you are generous’ and stopped right there!

3. How will these ideas or lessons help you in a practical way, both in your daily personal life and in helping you create a better world? If so, how?

The ideas above will help me in a practical way both in my daily personal life and in creating a better world in the following ways;

i) the principle of observing without evaluating is helping me to stay away from being critical and judgmental too soon and simply observe people and circumstances. I believe that if I learn to simply first observe people as opposed to passing judgment I will have better relationships with people around me and hence create a better world.

ii) Identifying and expressing feelings will help me to clearly name my feelings and appropriately express them so that my needs can be met instead of staying silent about how I feel and hence end up getting angry since my needs are being met. I have also been encouraging my friends who have been complaining about their friends or spouses to identify their feelings and communicate them to others.

iii) For long I used to blame my feelings on others and circumstances however the principle of taking responsibility for my feelings is helping me learn that I have total control about how I feel and that I instead need to find out the unmet needs that are causing me to feel the way I do. This in turn will help me create a better world since i will blame others less about my feelings.

iv) The principle of power of empathy will help me as I interact with the people that I work with and especially with the yoiung people that I talk a lot with. I’m practicing to listen more instead of giving advice and asking far too many uncalled for questions.

v) Lastly but not least, expressing anger fully principle will help to properly handle anger by following the four suggested steps in the book and I believe this will indeed create a better world around me.

4. Quotes: Are there any statements which the author made that particularly got your attention? If so please quote them and comment as to why they were important to you.

“When we combine observation with evaluation, others are apt to hear criticism and resist what we are saying’

This quote is important to me because it has taught me to observe only when speaking to others if I want them to listen to what I’m saying and this is very important if I’m giving feedback or correcting another person.

‘People are disturbed not by things but by the view they take of them’

The above quote is paramount to me because it has reminded me that it’s not the circumstances around me that really bother me but mt view of them therefore I need to constantly check my attitude and world view whenever I’m feeling disturbed by things around me. For instance at the end last year I got agitated about some aspects of my work and I was blaming other people about my misery however when I checked my ‘view’ of the situation and was totally out of line! When I adjusted my attitude, I now feel a lot better about work.

‘By developing a vocabulary of feelings that allows us to clearly and specifically name or identify our emotions, we can connect more easily with one another . allowing ourselves to be vulnerable by expressing our feelings can help resolve conflicts.’

This is important to me because it will help me build more healthy interpersonal relationships and to handle conflicts better. I have practiced it already in handling a conflict and it was very effective. I therefore look forward to utilizing it even more.

What others say and do may be the stimulus for, but never the cause of our feelings.

‘The clearer we are on what we want back from the other person, the more likely it is that our needs will be met.’

This quote is important to me because I struggle to make my needs known especially in very close relationships, I used to assume that others can just read my mind and act accordingly! However this has taught me to clearly communicate my needs to others as opposed to being silent or vague.

‘The objective of NVC is not to change people and their behavior in order to get our way; it is to establish relationships based on honesty and empathy that will eventually fulfill everyone’s needs.’

I like the balanced view that the above statement brings out about NVC. Many times we act lovingly and kind to others because we want them to allow us have things our way however the statement has reminded me of the essence of NVC and all the principles I have learnt in the book is to create relationships that are mutually edifying to all.

‘It is impossible for us to give something to another if we don’t have it ourselves’.

This final statement is important because it reminds me of the principle of ‘practicing what we preach’. We can never give others what we don’t have. Therefore I need to learn to model all that I have learnt in my own life before I pass it on to others.

5. Is there anything in the book that you do not understand or are unclear about, or are there ideas which you disagree with and if so, why? There is nothing that I didn’t understand.

Everything was clear.

6. Did the book contain exercises for the reader to complete? If so, did you complete all of the exercises and did you find them helpful?

I completed the exercises and I found them very helpful especially the exercise about expressing our feelings.

7. Was there anything you read in the book that you would like to comment on that was not covered in the previous questions? If so please comment.

I have nothing else to comment about the book.

Please rate the following questions on a scale from 1 to 10. Ten being good and one being poor.

A. How interesting was it to read? 10
B. How helpful were the contents? 10
C. How easy was it to understand? 9
D. Would you recommend it to others? 10
E. What is the overall rating you would give? 10

Unlimited Power

Assessment by Harriet Opondo (Uganda)

1. What is the main idea that the author is trying to convey in the book?

The main idea that the author is trying to convey is the unlimited power that we all possess and he shares how when we master our minds and tap into all the potential that we have we will live more fulfilling lives in all the different aspects of our lives. The battlefield is really in our minds and if we can win the battle in our minds then all our limitations will flee and we will achieve more than we have dreamt of. The author shares topics like how to reprogram our minds so as to eliminate fears and phobias, how to establish rapport with almost anyone we meet and how to duplicate success of others.

The following ideas were important to me personally;

i) The difference that makes the difference; life many times offers us painful and difficult moments and none of us is immune. Many people have suffered tragedies raging from accidents to losing family members and they each had to make a choice either to allow the situations to leave them angry and bitter or to use these painful moments to grow and become better people. The difference therefore is how we choose to perceive and interpret these negatives situations and how we communicate with ourselves. I encountered many disappointments last year and I must admit many times I wanted to give up however I decided to allow these situations to grow my character and perception about life and I believe I’m a better person today, this makes this principle personally important to me.

ii) The birth of excellence; belief; beliefs are guiding principles in life, the compass and maps that guide us toward our goals and give us surety that we will get there. With powerful guiding beliefs we have the power to take action and create the world that we want. In order for us to model excellence, we need to learn to model beliefs of those who achieve excellence. Beliefs also command our brains, if for example we belief that we can succeed; our brains and nervous system will pick and it is almost definite that we will succeed. The birth of excellence begins with our awareness that our beliefs are a choice. Therefore it is important that we choose beliefs that support us not the ones that limit us. This principle is important to me because it has reminded me of the fact that my level of growth is actually dependent on what I believe in and I’m now more conscious of the beliefs that I hold on to.

iii) The seven lies of success; in order to be successful we need to have a set of beliefs or principles that we follow which lead us to achieve our goals. The author shared seven amazing principles that successful people have used and have worked. This principle is important to me because they have showed me how I can achieve more in life. The principle of ‘there is no such thing as failure. There are only results’ was very helpful to me; many times I get discouraged when I try something and the results that I get are not what I expected. However this principle has taught me to learn from the ‘outcomes’ and move on.

iv) The power of precision; words is one of the way we communicate our needs and desires to others; it is therefore important that we use our words precisely and effectively. Words should be used to link people and not divide them; the quickest way to get when we want is to ask, the guidelines for asking intelligently include; ask specifically, ask someone to help you, create value for the person you’re asking, ask with focused, congruent belief and ask until you get what you want. I found this very important because it has showed me how to ask more precisely and effectively so that I can get what I want. I’m learning to use this even when I’m praying and asking God to certain things for me; in fact the Bible encourages to make our requests known to God and to be persistent.

v) Reframing; the power of perspective; the way we perceive things, people and circumstances is very important. in life there are many opportunities all around us but we have to be willing to step out of our trained patterns of perception in order to see them. We tend to frame things based on our past experiences however by changing these habitual patterns we create greater choices for our lives. Reframing is the art of changing a negative statement into a positive one by changing the frame of reference used to perceive the experience. Either through content or context reframing. This is key for me because I have learnt that in life I have to be willing to change my perspective if it is not serving me anymore.

vi) Limitation disengage: what do you want? Powerful tools aren’t much use if you don’t have a good idea what you want to use them for! This is the same with life, we have to know clearly what we want to do with our lives and what we want to achieve. When I know my outcomes, I’m giving my brain a clear picture of which kind of information is being received by the nervous system and their priority. This was very important to me, for a long time I have been trying to decide ona course for my graduate studies; and after much thought and prayer I have been able to make up my mind and this has given my life more direction and I have set clear career goals.

vii) The five keys to wealth and happiness; in life there are those experiences that put us in unresourceful states and in order for one to become all that they can be, it is important to know how to handle these perils. We must learn how to handle frustration, rejection, financial pressure and complacency and we should always give more that we expect to receive. This last principle has been very beneficial to me; I struggle with handling frustration, there are times I have given up on certain things because of frustrations however I have learnt how to effectively handle it and move on.

3. How will these ideas or lessons help you in a practical way, both in your daily personal life and in helping you create a better world? If so, how?

The above ideas and lessons will help in a practical way both in my personal life and in creating a better world in the following ways;

i) The principle about changing our perceptions will help me to be more careful how I look at and perceive the people and circumstances around me and also to have positive perceptions about the people in my world.

ii) The idea about the beliefs is going to help me formulate more clearly my set of beliefs and to allow them to guide towards the desired future. I will also challenge those around me to adopt sets of beliefs that serve them hence creating a better world.

iii) The five keys to wealth and happiness ideas will help handle frustrations better and to learn from them and hence achieve more in life.

iv) Lastly the limitation disengage principle is going to help me clearly articulate that which I want in life and give my all in achieving my dreams and I believe that as I do this the community in which I live in will benefit as many of the dreams I have involve helping others live a more fulfilling life especially children and families.

4. Quotes: Are there any statements which the author made that particularly got your attention? If so please quote them and comment as to why they were important to you.

The following quotes and statements caught my attention;

‘Beliefs are the compass and maps that guide us toward our goals and give us the surety to know we will get there’ this is important to me because it does remind me of the power and importance of beliefs and how they affect my level of success in life.

‘the birth of excellence begins with our awareness that our beliefs are a choice’ it is easy to think that we sometimes do have control over our beliefs however this quote makes it clear that I have a choice as to what my beliefs are, in order to excel I need to hold on to beliefs that empower and serve me.

‘Everything happens for a reason and purpose, and it serves us’

When can either choose to make lemonade or lemon Juice out of life’s negative circumstances. This quote is important because it reminds of the fact that nothing happens by accident and that I can decide to either get bitter or better when I experience setbacks.

‘taking responsibility is in my opinion one of the best measures of a person’s power and maturity’ in life many times we all tempted to avoid taking responsibility and playing the ‘blame game’; however this quote brings out the fact that taking responsibility for our actions is a sign of maturity.

‘The secret of success is making your vocation your vacation’ I spend more hours working than anything else, I therefore want to make my vocation enjoyable instead of dreading it, this quote is therefore a good reminder.

‘nothing has any power over me other than that which I give it through my conscious thoughts’ this reminds that the first place to win a battle is in the mind therefore I should be careful the kinds of thoughts I allow to abide in my mind.

‘when too little fluid is supplied, the blood maintains a higher specific gravity and the poisonous waste products of tissue or cell change are only cast off very imperfectly’ I like this statement because it reminds me of the importance of fluids in my body and I have since then developed a habit of taking more water and eating fruits that are rich in fluids.

‘People are not lazy. They simply have impotent goals-that is, goals that do not inspire them’ this quote is important because it encourages me to set goals that will inspire me enough to want to work harder and achieve my dreams.

‘if you do what you’ve always done, you will get what you’ve always gotten’: The best to change our results is to alter our methods and strategies. It is only when we are willing to do this that we will see significant progress in our lives.

5. Is there anything in the book that you do not understand or are unclear about, or are there ideas which you disagree with and if so, why?

There is none

6. Did the book contain exercises for the reader to complete? If so, did you complete all of the exercises and did you find them helpful?

I did complete some of the exercises and I did find them helpful.

7. Was there anything you read in the book that you would like to comment on that was not covered in the previous questions? If so please comment.

I have nothing further to comment on.

Rating

A. How interesting was it to read? 7
B. How helpful were the contents? 8
C. How easy was it to understand? 8
D. Would you recommend it to others? 9
E. What is the overall rating you would give? 8

Goals

Assessment by Harriet Opondo (Uganda)

1. What is the main idea that the author is trying to convey in the book?

The Author is trying to convey a simple but yet a very powerful and effective way of goal achievement. He shares twenty one principles and strategies that can be used to achieve goals in all areas of life like finances, career, health and health relationships

The following seven ideas were personally important to me as I read through the book;

i) Take charge of your life; I have to take charge of my life and accept responsibility for any change to happen, it is like crossing from childhood into adulthood; one the ways to take charge of my life is free myself from all negative emotions such as self-pity, fear and anger; these emotions are caused by factors like justification, rationalization, hypersensitivity and blame. It is amazing how better I felt when I decided to expel negative emotion of anger, I had a rather difficult experience I recently went through and I felt justified to be upset however after deciding that anger won’t rob the joy out of my life, I feel great than ever before.

ii) Clarify your values; while character has been described as the sum total of all our habits, values make us who we really are, our values therefore is foundation of our character since clearly spells out who we are, what we belief in and what we stand for. I found this very important because it reminded of the fact that my goals in life must be consistent with my values. My values also will determine my beliefs and hence my outlook in life and this literally affects all areas of my life. I used to be quick to judge people’s actions however I’m learning to give others ‘the benefit of doubt’ until I fully understand why they acted they did and it is helping me in my relationships with those around me.

iii) Become an expert in your field; everyone who is among the first ten in their field was once at the bottom, this implies that we all can excel in our chosen field if we are willing to commit to hard work and excellence. I found this really important because I’m at that point in my career when I’m finding out what I’m really good at and then commit to developing it more excellently. The principle of identifying my special talent was incredibly helpful; I’m excited about the future and what is yet to unfold as I commit to self-development and life-long learning.

iv) Remove roadblocks; roadblocks and failures are all part of the journey of success, though most of us are tempted to give up when we encounter roadblocks. It is therefore imperative that in our journey of life, we evaluate ourselves and find out why we have not achieved our goals and what roadblocks we are encountering. This helps us to identify the limiting factors and look for the best plan of action to solve the problem or remove the roadblocks.

v) Associate with the right people; the saying that ‘no man is an island’ perfectly fits in the description of this principle. We need to know whom to associate with because our careers are modified, shaped and molded by our surroundings and the people we come into contact on a daily basis. Therefore we need to be very intentional about whom we associate with. This has been a great wake-up call for me and I have listed the people who are excelling in my career and live with my city and I have made plans to find a way of contacting them in the next six months.

vi) Activate your super conscious mind; I believe that there is more than just what we can see with our ‘naked’ eyes. We all have the capacity to tap into the supernatural. God us body, soul and spirit and we have to learn to tap into the spiritual, as we will get solutions to our questions and guidance even as we work towards achieving our goals. I found this personally important because I believe in the spiritual and I know that God speaks to us if we will listen well enough and He wants us to achieve victory in our goals that are consistent with His character and that promote the wellbeing of mankind.

vii) Persist until you succeed; in achieving our most desired goals; giving up is not an option that we have therefore we must persist until we succeed at achieving our goals. In order to be excellent at persistence we must do away with fear (fear of failure and rejection) and learn courage, courage to get up when we fail and to try again and again until we succeed. The principle is personally important to me cause I have failed at different attempts in life, for instance I have applied for a couple of scholarships for my graduate studies and I have not been successful yet however I have not given up my dream of further education, therefore this principle has encouraged me not to give up and to remember that I’m closer to the dream than when I first started.

3. How will these ideas or lessons help you in a practical way, both in your daily personal life and in helping you create a better world? If so, how?

The above ideas will help me in a practical way both in my personal life and in creating a better world in the following ways:

The idea about taking charge of my life will help me to take more responsibility in the achievement of goals in my life and destiny as opposed to leaving to chance. This therefore means avoiding the blame game and procrastination

Clarifying my values will help me to clearly know what I believe in and stand for; this will lead to setting of goals that are congruent with these values, and hence I will be more focused in life and ultimately create a better world around me.

The lesson about associating with right people will help me to be more intentional and strategic in my friendships and to get deliberate in making my most important associations in my career life even more fruitful.

The idea of Becoming a n expert in your field is going help me figure out what I’m good at then begin the process of developing this skill until I become one top people in my career. I have applied for a course that I believe will take me a long way in becoming an expert in my field.

Persist until you succeed will definitely help me to ‘keep keeping on’ until my dreams come true. I’m determined not to quit and to persist until I succeed.

4. Quotes: Are there any statements which the author made that particularly got your attention? If so please quote them and comment as to why they were important to you.

The following quotes caught my attention as I read through the book;

‘The great thing in this world is not so much where we stand, as in what direction we are moving’

This quote is important to me because it reinforces the power of focusing on the future as we plan our lives. Therefore no matter where we are today we can set goals for the future and strive to achieve them.

‘Everything in your life started as a thought, a wish, a hope, or a dream, either in your mind or in the mind of someone else. Your thoughts are creative’

Our thoughts have incredible potential both for positive and negative outcomes depending on which type of thoughts we decide to dwell on, the above quote therefore reminds me that my thoughts have creative power and I need to use it to positively achieve my life goals.

‘I saw clearly at that moment that if anything in my life were going to change, it would have to begin with me. If I didn’t change, nothing else would change. I was responsible.’

The above statement caught my attention as I read the book because it clearly brings out the fact that for any change to happen in our lives it has to start with the individual, I have to take responsibility!

‘Every time you blame someone else or make excuses, you give your power away, you feel weakened and diminished. You feel negative and angry inside. Refuse to do it’

We all many times find it easy to play the blame game when things are not going the way we expected however this statement illustrates the negative effects of giving excuses and blaming other people instead we need to own up and keep striving until we achieve our goals.

‘Your actions on the outside will ultimately be a reflection of your innermost values, beliefs, and expectations on the inside’

The above statement brings out the fact that before we change our actions we need to look at our values and belief system, since our actions and greatly influenced by them. For instance if one believes that people are out to take advantage of him, this person is most likely to be very suspicious in his dealings with others.

‘Within every difficulty or obstacle, there is a seed of an equal or greater advantage or benefit’

This quote is important to me because it brings out a positive perspective in viewing obstacles and setbacks in life. I believe that in life all things work out for our good and if we are willing to learn from the different difficulties that we encounter, the above quote will prove true in our lives.

‘To achieve something you have never achieved before, you will have to do something you have never done before. You will have to become someone you have never been before’

Someone once said, ‘we cannot keep doing the same things and expect different results’ the statement above therefore urges us to be willing to change certain things in our lives if we want to achieve more, we cannot stay stuck to our ‘old ways’ and expect miracles.

When you send a goal message to your reticular cortex, it starts to make you intensely aware of and alert to people, information, and opportunities in your environment that will help you achieve your goal.

The above statement is important to me because it reminds me of having a definite purpose in life and setting goals towards achieving it, and when we send a clear message to our reticular cortex, doors will begin to open. I have witnessed this in my life, when I set out to learn more about psychology and therapy, it is amazing how many people I have met who are psychologists and have given me incredible insight and guidance in the field of mental health.

“The very best direction to ride a horse is in the direction it is going”

There is always pressure in our environment to take up careers that others look at as well paying and prestigious and many young people have been trapped into jobs they don’t even like but stay stuck there just for the prestige however the statement above clearly shows that we excel in what comes naturally for us, it is therefore imperative that we each find out w which skills we are good at and work towards becoming among the best people in that field.

“Courage is resistance to fear, mastery of fear- not absence of fear”

We all face fear in our lives, however we don’t have to give in to it, this last quote shows us that indeed each time we resist the temptation to give in to fears, we are developing and mastering courage. The quote is personally important to me since I’m still on journey of confronting all manner of fears in my life.

5. Is there anything in the book that you do not understand or are unclear about, or are there ideas which you disagree with and if so, why?

I fully understood the contents of the book and I have no disagreements to any of the ideas.

6. Did the book contain exercises for the reader to complete? If so, did you complete all of the exercises and did you find them helpful?

I did complete some of the exercise in the book; I found the one on clarifying values and strategic plans very helpful.

7. Was there anything you read in the book that you would like to comment on that was not covered in the previous questions? If so please comment; I have no further comments to make.

Please rate the following questions on a scale from 1 to 10. Ten being good and one being poor.

How interesting was it to read? 9
How helpful were the contents? 10
How easy was it to understand? 9
Would you recommend it to others? 10
What is the overall rating you would give? 10

Seven Habits of Highly Effective People
Assessment by Harriet Opondo (Uganda)

1. What is the main idea that the author is trying to convey in the book?

The author has shared seven principle-centered approaches for solving personal, family, relational and professional challenges. It is not all about the quick fixes which has dominated our generation, we need to critically look at our values and beliefs, the scripts that have been handed over to us by our forefathers, and then proactively make decisions that will bring us the places that we desire. The author also emphasizes that change happens from inside out, our solutions need to be value based and not only focused on strategies

The following seven ideas were personally important to me.

i. Be Proactive – Principles of Personal Vision

People who are proactive are driven by carefully thought, selected and internalized values. We have all been given the ability to have self-awareness and also to create in our minds that which we dream about beyond the reality that we see. We have also been endowed with the ability to choose our attitudes and response regardless of our circumstances. This principle is important to me because it has ignited me towards more creativity as I envision the future and all that I want to achieve. Another reason why this principle is key for me, is the concept of circle of influence, there are things that we have control over and there are those that are beyond our reach. I discovered that I used to spend time thinking and discussing things that I have no direct control over, such as the national economy of my country, I have learnt that I need to spend my energy on things that are within my circle of influence.

ii. Begin with the End in Mind-Principles of Personal Leadership

To begin with the end in mind means that one needs to start with a clear understanding of his or her destination. Everything, ranging from gardening, construction, fashion designing and parenting is first created mentally and then physically. Therefore as we lead our lives, it is important that we determine what end we are aiming at so that our every goal and action is leading us towards that desired end. This principle is personally important to because it has caused to think seriously and deeply what exactly I want out of life and to make sure that my ‘ladder is leaning on the right wall’. For instance I got to realize that I was being so taken up by achieving more and more academic qualifications, yet what really matters to me in life is relationships and how i influence those around me, although I still have dreams of further education I’m more open to putting my desired Doctorate studies on hold to start a family of my own.

iii. Put First Things First – Principles of Personal Management
This implies exercising of our independent will towards becoming a principle centered person. It is the daily application of our values and making sure that what we do is on our priority list. Every day we are bombarded by many urgent things that demand our immediate attention, however it is vital that can discern what needs immediate attention and what can wait depending on what is really important. This principle is important to because it has taught me to focus on what is priority and not just what is urgent. Also there are tasks that can be delegated so that my schedule is only filled with that which is priority and important.

iv. Paradigms of Interdependence

We can only build successful relationships with other people when we have achieved success at being ourselves. This principle is key for me since it has opened my eyes to a whole new concept of emotional bank account and knowing who I am before I can freely interact with others. It is important that I deposit regularly into the bank accounts of my closest relationships-family and friends by being kind, keeping my commitments, clarifying expectations and attending to the little things.

v. Seek first to understand, then to be understood; it is important that we each learn to listen to those we are communicating with, not listening just to reply but to understand the other person.

This is so important to me both personally and professionally. In my work environment, I have to listen to people talking about their lives and challenges, and after you have met many clients that sound alike, it is tempting to prescribe a solution before “diagnosis”.

vi. Synergize – Principles of Creative Cooperation.

Life was never meant to be lived alone. We achieve more when we work together, and this implies that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. However this is only possible if we are willing to value and respect differences, to build on strengths and compensate for weaknesses. This is personally vital since I have seen the benefits of working with others and also the disadvantages of not involving others. I used to be such a ‘black and white’ person, not giving room for the ‘grey’ areas. Through this principle I have learnt that there are always third alternatives if we allow synergy to play its role in our relationships and careers.

vii. Sharpen the Saw – Principles of Balanced Self-Renewal

Just like tools and machinery get worn out and need to be sharpened, our physical, mental, spiritual and emotional faculties get tired and exhausted due to the many daily activities that we are involved in and hence needs renewal. This is such an important principle since it reminds me that I need to take care of myself in a balanced way so that I stay healthy and can therefore achieve all the purpose for which I was created.

3. How will these ideas or lessons help you in a practical way, both in your daily personal life and in helping you create a better world? If so, how?

The above ideas, lessons and principles will help me practically in the following ways:

The principle of being proactive will help me to continually clarify my life mission and actively work towards achieving it. I’m in charge of my life and I cannot sit and wait for other people to think and do things for me. I also intend to challenge other people in my circles of influence to become more proactive and collectively we will create a better world.
The principle of personal leadership is already helping me to plan my life better especially in the area of career and family. I have written down that which I want to contribute through my career, the name of the consultancy that I plan to start and the services that it will offer, this is helping me to become more intentional in decision making. I believe that as I achieve my career goals, many children and families will be helped hence creating a better world.

The think win/win lesson is helping me look outside the box both in my personal and work relationships. I’m learning to understand the other person’s view point and then share mine so that together we can come up with a much better alternative that will make both of us happy.

Empathic communication is one of my favorite principles in this book. I’m learning to listen to other people not just to reply but to understand them. This will communicate that I value them and really want to understand their point of view.

4. Quotes: Are there any statements which the author made that particularly got your attention? If so please quote them and comment as to why they were important to you.

The following specific quotes and statements were very meaningful to me and hence caught my attention;

“Proactive people can carry their own weather with them. Whether it rains or shines
Makes no difference to them. They are value driven; and if their value is to produce good quality work, it isn’t a function of whether the weather is conducive to it or not.”

This statement is important to me because it reminds me that it is not circumstances that should determine by actions and quality of work rather it should be my values

But until a person can say deeply and honestly, “I am what I am today because of the choices I made yesterday,” that person cannot say, “I choose otherwise.”

The above quote brings to my attention, the importance of taking responsibility for my actions and how it is until I take responsibility and accept consequences that personal growth will be possible.

“Proactive people make love a verb. Love is something you do: the sacrifices you make, the giving of self, like a mother bringing a newborn into the world. If you want to study love, study those who sacrifice for others, even for people who offend or do not love in return.”

We live in a generation where love has been reduced to feelings and only personal benefit, however the statement above reminds me that love is a verb-a doing word. Therefore I should demonstrate love to others by doing things for them, for instance helping a friend baby sit for a few hours over the weekend.

“Dependent people need others to get what they want. Independent people can get what they want through their own effort. Interdependent people combine their own efforts with the efforts of others to achieve their greatest success.”
This statement is important because it highlights the benefit of living an interdependent life, we achieve more success by bring our efforts, ideas and resources together as opposed to when we do things on our own.

“People often find themselves achieving victories that are empty; successes that have come at the expense of things they suddenly realize were far more valuable to them.”

The above quote is fundamental to me since it brings out the relevance of putting first things first. I need to be careful not to strife for victories that empty but to instead achieve goals that are congruent with my values and what gives me the greatest meaning and satisfaction.

“Whatever is at the center of our life will be the source of our security, guidance, wisdom, and power.”

I like this statement because it has caused me to think deeply; “what is my life centered on?” I have to be mindful that consistently my life is centered on the right principles and values.
The voice of conscience is so delicate that it is easy to stifle it; but it is also so clear that it is impossible to mistake it.

The above quote is important to me because it has reminded me that there is always an inner witness in our spirits, and if listen carefully, we always know whether we are doing the right thing or not.

“The more we can see people in terms of their unseen potential, the more we can use our imagination rather than our memory, with our spouse, our children, out coworkers or employees.”

We all have amazing potential inside of us, and in relating with others it is important to focus on that potential, it changes our perspectives and allows us to give our family and friends freedom to not only be the best they can be but also to be who they are.

5. Is there anything in the book that you do not understand or are unclear about, or are there ideas which you disagree with and if so, why?

Everything was clear to me.

6. Did the book contain exercises for the reader to complete? If so, did you complete all of the exercises and did you find them helpful?

I did complete some of the exercises, thinking about my own funeral was humbling, more than ever before, I want to make meaningful contribution as long as I have life.

7. Was there anything you read in the book that you would like to comment on that was not covered in the previous questions? If so please comment.

I have no further comments.
Please rate the following questions on a scale from 1 to 10. Ten is good and one is poor.

The Complete Idiot’s guide to a Healthy Relationship
Assessment by Harriet Opondo (Uganda)

1. What is the main idea that the author is trying to convey in the book?

The author of the book is trying to convey practical ways couples can keep their love alive and interesting through all the different stages of dating and marriage. It ranges from topics such as being a healthy individual first, communication, compatibility, finances and sex.

The following ideas from the book were most important to me:

i. A healthy self; it is important that before one gets into a relationship with other people and especially a romantic one, he or she has a healthy view of themselves.

It is key that the person has self-confidence and that they love and accept themselves in spite of their dark spots and also be able to confront their fears. This is important to me because I have witnessed this first hand in my own life. I remember years ago, being a close relationship with a guy and how many times I felt I was never good for him, since I was focusing on all the areas in my life that I had no control over, such not being pretty enough for him! The more I have learnt to accept and love “me,” the easier it has been for me to have success relationships with other people.

ii. What makes a relationship healthy?

It is easy for one to be stuck in an unhealthy relationship and not even knowing it. It is important to assess and find out if a relationship is healthy or not. This principle is important to me because I’m studying to become a counseling psychologist and in this semester I will be doing internship with college student and I anticipate that many of them will have questions regarding relationships, there this is indeed a helpful tool for me.

iii. So you are a couple, but are you friends?

Friendship is a solid foundation for any lasting love relationship. The friendship keeps the commitment even when the feelings go out through the window! This is personally important because I’m in a seasoning where I’m developing a friendship with an a great person, many times it has been tempting to want the friendship to go to the next level, however I’m simply allowing it to grow and flourish. I’m a firm believer in marrying a friend and not just a guy I’m attracted to.

iv. Are we compatible?

It possible to like and be attracted to another person and yet be completely incompatible. It is important that a couple can exist together in harmony for the relationship to be successful. This is important to me because it did open my eyes to more areas of compatibility that I have to consider when choosing to be in a relationship and especially when considering a commitment towards marriage.

v. Communication-can we talk?

It has been said that communication is the oxygen of every healthy relationship. It is important that a couple is able to effectively communicate with each other. I found the eight communication don’ts particularly helpful. This principle is important to me because I learnt not to run into conclusions about other people’s behavior or actions before I know the entire story!

vi. Ghost bursting your relationship

We all have our skeletons in the closets, however if we decide to share our lives with another person, it is important that we visit those closets and remove all the skeletons especially the ones that influence our relationships. This could range from past romantic lovers to parents and family scripts. This is personally important because I have been reminded to write my own love script based on my own values and not my friends, family or past experiences.

vii. Making the honeymoon last.

Marriages and relationships can easily turn boring and stale and it is paramount that couples keep the fire and passion of their love burning for instance by keeping on dating each other and finding more creative ways to spend time. This was helpful, because I now have ideas about how to keep the love alive when I cross that bridge.

3. How will these ideas or lessons help you in a practical way, both in your daily personal life and in helping you create a better world? If so, how?

The following ideas, lessons and principles will help me in the following ways:

The principle about a healthy self will help to keep checking my view of me and how any negative self-perception is affecting my relationships with others. I believe that as I relate better with others and also by teaching other this principle, eventually a better world will be created.

As I look forward to getting married one day, the idea about compatibility will be very helpful as I choose I mate. I now have a more comprehensive idea about compatibility. I believe that a better world begins with a healthy family and especially marriage relationship.

The principle about communication will help me in all my relationships, I need to listen actively, give feedback and learn the right timing for communicating certain issues. Many conflicts and wars in the world would be avoided if we all learnt to effectively communicate with each other.

Lastly but not least, ghost bursting my relationship will help me to write my own love script and not simply ‘coping and pasting’ scripts handed down my parents, family and culture. I intend to critically look at my views about love and marriage and discard all that doesn’t fit with my personal values and convictions.

4. Quotes: Are there any statements which the author made that particularly got your attention? If so please quote them and comment as to why they were important to you.

The following statements caught my attention as I read the book:

“Knowing you are loved gives you confidence to conquer fears and to reach new heights out in the world.”

This is important to me because, I experience it in my life every day, knowing that God and my family love me, has given me the strength that I need to venture out and do more than I thought I was capable of.

“Empathy, trust, honesty, courage, and the ability to share are the key qualities that make love last. If lovers have these traits, their love will deepen into true intimacy.”

As I look forward to love in a marriage commitment, the above traits are important and I’m endeavoring to cultivate them in my relationships with other people.

“Avoid strife by appreciating the different interests you each have and by making agreements about time and resources that will be spent by each of you in the virtual world versus real world.”

We are all different and the only way we can avoid fights is by accepting and appreciating our differences, and this applies even in our use of technology.

“Knowing that someone loves you, faults and all, is what allows you to dare to be yourself around that person and others as well.”

Nothing beats unconditional acceptance from our friends and family! This helps us to reach for the stars.

“Doing something together also gives you the opportunity to bond, share, have a meaningful conversation, and strengthen your commitment.”

We live in a busy, bustling world, that it is so easy to lead independent lives; therefore in our friendships and relationships, it is important that we create time for mutual activities.

“Remember: you choose. You are not stuck in the relationship. Every day you choose to be together. Happiness comes from choice; depression comes from feeling trapped.”

Life offers us choices every day, and it is up to us to make the right ones. Being in a relationship with another person must be out of choice and not simply convenience; this will make happiness a reality in our lives.

“A true friend is a confidant, a person who will be there for you in an emergency, to share your experiences, and to play out all the roles that a healthy relationship requires, like a sounding board, or support system, a workout partner, or travel companion, a buddy through thick and thin.”

Friendship is the foundation of every relationship, and if anyone wants a marriage that will last and above all a happy and fulfilling one, it is paramount that he or she invests time in building a genuine friendship with their partner.

“Love can falter when people become wed to their laptops, surfing the web instead of diving into dates, manning joysticks instead of planning joy in their relationships, filling up with computer-chip-fed information instead of challenging their own imagination.”

I like the above statement because we now live in a world where technology has literally taken over people’s lives. We tend to interact more on emails and social networks than physically meeting with people. This has been a good reminder for me to make time and visit people as opposed to only emailing or calling them up on their mobile phones.

5. Is there anything in the book that you do not understand or are unclear about, or are there ideas which you disagree with and if so, why?

There are ideas that I disagree with, for example some of the spiritual ideas talked about, because it is contrary to my convictions and beliefs about God. I also disagree with the ideas of couples living together before marriage, this contradicts with my Christian faith and also statistics show that cohabiting couples are less happy and committed compared to married ones.

6. Did the book contain exercises for the reader to complete? If so, did you complete all of the exercises and did you find them helpful?

I did complete the exercises that were applicable to me and I found them helpful.

7. Was there anything you read in the book that you would like to comment on that was not covered in the previous questions? If so please comment.

I have no further comments

Please rate the following questions on a scale from 1 to 10. Ten being good and one being poor.

A. How interesting was it to read? 10
B. How helpful were the contents? 9
C. How easy was it to understand? 10
D. Would you recommend it to others? 9
E. What is the overall rating you would give it? 8

Becoming a Person of Influence

Assessment by Harriet Opondo (Uganda)

1. What is the main idea that the author is trying to convey in the book?

The authors of the book conveyed the idea that we all have influence, whether we recognize it or not. As long as we are connected to other people we have influence over them. It is therefore important that we are deliberate about having positive influence on those around us by modeling integrity, motivating them through encouragement, mentoring others to become all that they can be and lastly, multiplying our lives into others by helping those we influence to also positively impact those around them.

The following seven ideas were personally most important to me;

i. A person of influence has integrity with people; integrity is foundational to our character and it denotes such aspects as trust and honesty.

This is important to me because I desire to positively influence others in my spheres, therefore it is vital that I model integrity even the smallest things.

ii. A person of influence listens to other people; it has been said that God gave us two ears and one mouth so that we can listen more that we speak.

We live in such a fast-paced world that sometimes we are so quick to offer solutions to others instead of listening and showing them empathy. This is important for me because as a therapist in training, I have realized that more often than not what others need is a listening ear than all our wise counsel. I found that the more I listen to my clients, the more I’m able to understand their perspectives about issues and hence offer therapy based on their individual needs.

iii. A person of influence has faith in people; we all can tell when someone has faith in us and believes that we have what it takes to complete a given task.

This is important to me because I have witnessed it in my own life. My lecturers in graduate school have consistently shown faith in me especially my encouraging me and pointing out my strengths, this has enabled me to excel more than I had ever dreamt of. I therefore strive to have faith in those around me. I have been seeing a client for four weeks now, and it is amazing to watch her face glow as I point out the ways in which she has grown and the strengths which she has demonstrated since we began therapy.

iv. A person of influence understands people; the only way we can influence others is by understanding their ways of thinking, doing things and what motivates them.

This calls for always striving to see things from their perspective. This is hard work but worth it! I have come to learn that people are different and understanding and accepting this about others has made my relationship with them better. For instance I have friends who are super extroverts and who will call and talk for almost ten minutes without asking me, how I’m doing! But by understanding the different temperaments, I’m not in so much shock anymore!

v. A person of influence enlarges others: I have had the awesome privilege of having people in my life who have poured their lives into me through mentorship.

There is a couple that I have known for over five years and they have enlarged me in many different aspects of my life. For instance they have pointed out both my strengths and growing areas, this has taught to be open to correction from others. I’m grateful to the young people in my life who I have had the opportunity to enlarge, life is indeed more about giving than receiving.

vi. A person of influence connects with others.

In order to positively others we need to connect with them at deeper levels. One of the things that stood out for me was not taking people for granted. Order to connect, I have to value the other person, this attitude greatly impacts the level of connection that I can achieve.

vii. A person of influence nurtures other people.

There is a good feeling that we all get when are nurtured. People around us all want to be fed with encouragement, recognition, security and hope. The last two months have been a transition season for as I moved between jobs, however I have received a lot of nurturing from friends and family and this made the waiting a lot easier!

3. How will these ideas or lessons help you in a practical way, both in your daily personal life and in helping you create a better world? If so, how?

The above ideas, lessons and principles will help me practically in the following ways:

The principle of integrity is helping me to practice what I preach. This means that I’m the same person all the time even no one is watching. I believe that y modeling integrity to others, I will positively influence their lives and hence the world around me.

Understanding people is such a great principle especially for me who is in a people helping profession. Clients come to us with their lives tied in different knots, but in order for me to see the connecting points; I need to understand things first from their perspectives. I therefore plan to keep applying this principle with my clients and other people around me.

Listening is therapeutic, and we all feel valued and respected when others listen to us. I therefore strive not to only hear but to listen actively to others. Listen not to reply them but to understand their points of view and to communicate empathy.

Lastly, the idea of having faith in people will help me see the positive aspects in others and capitalize on them. I believe that my showing others that I believe in them and their potential I will help them reach for the stars in their different aspects of their lives.

4. Quotes: Are there any statements which the author made that particularly got your attention? If so please quote them and comment as to why they were important to you.

The following specific quotes and statements were very meaningful to me and hence caught my attention:

“If your life in any way connects with other people, you an influencer.”

This statement reminds me that whether I recognize it or not, I’m always influencing others. Therefore I need to be deliberate about being a positive influencer.

“You can be a model to the masses, but to the higher levels of influence, you have to work with individuals.”

The above quote is important because it highlights the effectiveness of intentionally influencing one person at a time.

“You and Jim can make Eric’s problem the center of everything you do, or you can use them as a launching pad for a whole new way of looking at life.”

The above statement is key for me because it reminds of the power of perspective and the fact that I can learn and grow from every circumstance whether positive or negative.

“If the foundation of integrity is weak or fundamentally flawed, then being a person of influence becomes impossible.”

I like the above statement because it clearly points out the importance of integrity for all of us who desire to become great influencers in our community and world.

“One of the realities of life is that if you can’t trust a person at all points, you can’t truly trust him or her at any point.”

The above quote reminds that I need to be 100% trustworthy and honest if I desire to positively influence others.

“Integrity commits itself to character over personal gain, to people over things, to service over power, to principle over convenience, to the long view over the immediate.”

In order to be a person of integrity, I have to be willing to pay the price however the benefits outweigh the costs.

“Character is made in the small moments of our lives.”

Many times we think that character is made in the big moments of our lives, however as the above statement clearly spells out, character is formed every day in the seemingly small moments of our lives.

“Those who believe in our ability do more than stimulate us. They create for us an atmosphere in which it becomes easier to succeed.”

The above quote is important to me because it brings out the benefits of encouraging and believing in others. And it is therefore important that I keep believing in those around me.

“A leader is one who sees more than others see, who sees farther than others see, and who sees before others do.”

Leadership is a high calling and it is important that as leaders in whatever capacity, we are able to clearly see beyond the present moment, we need to be visionary!

5. Was there anything you read in the book that you would like to comment on that was not covered in the previous questions? If so please comment.

I have no further comments.

6. Did the book contain exercises for the reader to complete? If so, did you complete all of the exercises and did you find them helpful?

I did the exercises that were applicable to me. Many of them required reflection, which is a process that I need to devote time to in the future. I found the one on enlarging others helpful. I have identified a group of college students within my church community that me and a few friends are committing to mentor in the coming year.

Please rate the following questions on a scale from 1 to 10. Ten being good and one being poor.

Full Steam Ahead

Assessment by Harriet Opondo (Uganda)

1. What is the main idea that the author is trying to convey in the book?

The authors of the book are trying to communicate about vision, its importance, how it is created, communicated and lived out. Vision makes life of individuals, families and companies more worthwhile. It is not enough to simply have a vision; it must clear and communicated to the relevant parties. When we have a clear vision, we are energized and hence can go full steam ahead!

The following seven ideas were personally important to me from the book:

i. Significant purpose

One of the elements of a vision is significant purpose; it is important that one is so clear about his or her purpose and stay to committed to it. Significant purpose also implies understanding what we are created for and the reason why we exist. This energizes individuals, families and companies and hence leads to realization of the vision.

ii. Picture of the future

In relation to vision, picture of the future shows where one is going, the destination. It can be alluded to, “beginning with the end result in mind.” The picture of the future is more effective when we focus on what we want to create and not on what we want to get rid of.

iii. Clear values

Values provide guidelines for our choices and actions and hence explain the ‘How’ element of a vision. Clear values stipulate how one will be behave on a daily basis as she or he moves towards fulfilling his purpose and vision. It is therefore paramount that each of us should have clear values that guide our individual lives, families and organizations.

iv. You can’t get there unless you are here.

Much as we need to have a clear vision for the future and keep mental pictures of what we want, this does not imply that we ignore the present. We need to keep focus on the vision while at the same time look at our present realities and evaluate where we are, ignoring the present can lead to very disastrous results. Therefore we need to learn from the past, plan for the future and live in the present and we will definitely move ‘full steam ahead’

v. Creative tension

It can very uncomfortable and tense when we honestly look at our present situations and especially if we find out that we fall short in certain ways or if some things are not working out the way we would have them to. However as we allow ourselves to experience and live with the tension that emerges when we face the truth about our present circumstances and focus on the vision at the same time, incredible opportunities can knock at our doors. This honesty helps us discover numerous options and possibilities.

vi. From vision to reality: The three How’s:

Many individuals and companies have their visions written down and at times if hanged up on the wall however their lives does not seem to reflect their vision. In creating a vision, it is important that all the people expected to embrace the vision, participate in its creation; this facilitates a sense of ownership.

After creating a clear vision, the leadership has to devise means of communicating the vision as often as possible, this helps individuals in an organization stay focused on the vision and not just on the personalities of the leaders. Like my pastor always says…”Vision leaks”, therefore it is important that there are clear and regular reminders of vision.

The third strategy of moving from vision to reality is living the vision out. This is can be very challenging. In order to live the vision out, one needs supporting structures that are aligned to the vision and its values, and make decisions daily that will lead to the realization of the vision.

vii. From success to significance

There is a popular saying among my peers; “You only live once.” As much as I agree to the statement, I do not want to live all my life, focusing only on how I can make myself happy and get all my needs met. I believe in the concept of legacy and for me that is what living from success to significance really mean. I need to contribute to those around me and hence leave a mark in their lives; hence I do not want myself to only be about success, I want to daily move towards significance.

3. How will these ideas or lessons help you in a practical way, both in your daily personal life and in helping you to create a better world? If so, how?

The above seven ideas will help me practically in my daily personal life and to create a better world in the following ways:

The idea and principle of significant purpose will help he find focus in life and this will enable me live more fully and as I focus on this significant purpose I know I will be creating a better world for the people in my community.

Clear values will help me to clearly define what I believe in, what to accept or decline. This enables me to be certain about what is really important to me. Since values direct and determine our actions, I believe that by having clear values and living by them, the world will be positively affected.

Life is not just about me, therefore by moving from success to significance, I will live a richer life by focusing on how to impact my community and live a legacy. For instance I hope to build a therapy center, and to hence sensitize the community about mental health, this I hope will make the world a better place.

Lastly, as I move from vision to reality, I will witness my dreams unfolding and this will add more energy and zeal and since my vision includes helping my community, this will ultimately create a better world.

4. Quotes: are there any statements which the author made that particularly got your attention? If so, please quote them and comment as to why they are important to you.

The following quotes and statements caught my attention as I read the book:

The power of picture works when you focus on the end result, to the process to achieve it.”

This quote reminds to always have the picture of the end in mind as I plan and envision the future. For instance I always picture graduating with A+ as I complete my graduate studies, I have had a mental picture of how the therapy centre will look like and the services that we will offer.

“Purpose tells why, picture of the future tells where, values tell how.”

This quote is important because it brings out the fact that it is not enough to have a great vision, I must have a purpose, and values to direct my every action.

Vision is a lot more than putting a plaque on the wall. A real vision is lived, not framed. Vision is knowing who you are, where you are going, and what will guide your journey.”

The above quotes paint the picture of the importance of having a clear vision and it is not enough to frame it on a wall, we must live it daily!

“When you shift from a self-oriented perspective, it changes the way you think about leadership. From this view point, leadership is about serving the greater good; there is no room for ego-driven leadership.”

Leadership is primarily serving the needs of others and not focusing on individual needs as leaders.

5. Is there anything in the book that you do not understand or are unclear about, or are there ideas which you disagree with and, if so, why?

I did agree with all that was shared in the book.

6. Did the book contain exercises for the reader to complete? If so, did you complete all of the exercises and did you find them helpful?

Yes it did, revisiting my personal vision and values helped me to focus on where I’m going and gave more energy and zeal to follow my dreams.

7. Was there anything you read in the book that you would like to comment on that was not covered in the previous questions? If so, please comment.

I have no further comments to make.

Please rate the following questions on a scale from 1 to 10. Ten is good and one is poor.

Raising Children Compassionately

Assessment by Harriet Opondo (Uganda)

1. What is the main idea that the author is trying to convey in the book?

The author is trying to convey a new perspective about parenting based on non-violent communication paradigm. In the book, the author offers an alternative way of parenting children by first connecting empathetically with them and then motivates them to act in ways that are beneficial to them and others around them.

The following seven ideas were most important to me:

i. Our education as parents

Many parents have been brought up in a culture where adults are always telling children and other people under their authority what to do. However this kind of thinking leads to resistance and defensiveness. Everyone including children want to safeguard their autonomy hence in our relationship and connection with children, we need to communicate in such a way that they do not think we are trying to hijack their autonomy.

ii. A certain quality of connection

In our relationships with others it is important to establish a form of connection that gets everyone’s needs met. When other people in whom we are relating with sees that the objective of our connection is to create mutual concern and respect, they are more likely to be more cooperative and loving. This quality of connection also involves being empathic to others instead of rushing to give advice.

iii. Transforming your habitual communication

We have all been raised in certain cultures and hence the way we parent and communicate with children is different and at times negative. However in order raise children compassionately, we have to transform our habitual communication patterns. We need to learn to communicate in such a way that our children see that the mutual need to act in certain ways is important as opposed to them thinking they are being forced.

iv. Unconditional love

We have all had an experience where we perceived love as conditional, where another person treated us based on our behavior. However everyone deserves to know that they are loved and respected for who they are and not based on their behavior.

v. Preparing our children

We live in communities and everyone has his or her perception about life and especially parenting. Therefore we need to prepare our children for those situations when they will meet people who will treat them differently, it is important that we train our children to respond appropriately and to inform them that other people such as Teachers may have different ways of communicating their needs.

vi. The “Captain” Game

The home is the first school for all children therefore it is paramount that parents teach their children key values such as autonomy and interdependence. In my culture, when a person meets a well behaved child, it is often thought that the parents did a great job!

vii. Supportive communities

Every strategy requires supportive structures, therefore everyone who wants to adopt parenting the non-violent communication way, needs to learn more than the principle, and he or she has to find a support network within the community. This facilitates parents to share their experiences, frustrations and lessons learnt.

3. How will these ideas or lessons help you in a practical way, both in your daily personal life and in helping you to create a better world? If so, how?

The above ideas are helping me prepare to become the best parent that I can and even as I wait for my own children, I have been equipped to help the children in my family and those that I serve through my work. For instance, I’m learning to safeguard children’s autonomy as I relate with them instead of always telling them what to do.

Secondly, we all want to be loved for who we are; therefore the lesson about unconditional love is significant especially since I work with children who have behavioral challenges. I’m learning to separate a child from his or her behavior and to always communicate love and respect in spite of the not so rosy behavioral patterns. Hence when children feel and know that they are loved unconditionally they are more likely to contribute positively to their communities as they become adults.

Lastly, since home is the first school for every child, the “captain game” idea is a reminder for me to help the children around me learn important lessons right from home and this will create a better community since our children do not live in a vacuum.

4. Quotes: are there any statements which the author made that particularly got your attention? If so, please quote them and comment as to why they are important to you.

The following quotes caught by attention as I read the book:

“I expressed how I was feeling, what my needs were, and what my requests were.

In order to effectively communicate to others when hurt or disappointed being able to clearly express our feelings is important, this builds empathy from the other person and makes understanding of our needs easier.

“I now see what a self-defeating objective this is, because I have learned that any time my objective is to get another person to behave in a certain way, people are likely to resist no matter what it is we’re asking for.”

The above quote points out the futility of trying to force others to behave in certain ways, this produces resistance. It is more effective to show the other person the needs that their actions will meet and to allow them make a personal decision, this leads to more responsibility and accountability.

“Our objective is to create the quality of connection necessary for everyone’s needs to be met.”

In communication, it is important that we were able to connect with others so that needs are mutually met instead of it being one sided.

“All human beings, when they’re in pain, need presence and empathy. They may want advice, but they want that after they’ve received the empathic connection.”

5. Is there anything in the book that you do not understand or are unclear about, or are there ideas which you disagree with and, if so, why?

The concepts were clear and I was able to understand them.

6. Did the book contain exercises for the reader to complete? If so, did you complete all of the exercises and did you find them helpful?

I did not participate in any exercises because there weren’t any in the book.

7. Was there anything you read in the book that you would like to comment on that was not covered in the previous questions? If so, please comment.

I have no further comments about the book.

Please rate the following questions on a scale from 1 to 10. Ten is good and one is poor.

A. How interesting was it to read? 8
B. How helpful were the contents? 8
C. How easy was it to understand? 8
D. Would you recommend it to others? 7
E. What is the overall rating you would give it? 8

How to raise an Indigo Child

Assessment by Harriet Opondo (Uganda)

1. What is the main idea that the author is trying to convey in the book?

The author brings for the ten keys of how one can cultivate natural brilliance of a child. The author asserts that each child is unique and special and hence needs to be helped to bring forth qualities that may be buried on the inside. She talks about aspects such as respect, undivided attention, concentration, memory, listening, and imagination.

The following ideas were personally important to me as I read the book

i. Respect; Respect is a very important skill in our relationships and most importantly as we relate with children.

To respect implies that one accepts and values the other person and is hence holds them in high regard. When we respect a child for instance, it implies that we are willing to see things from their perspective and this communicates understanding and compassion.

Respect is an important to me, both personally and professional. As a social worker and Therapist who mainly works with children and their families, I am expected to convey respect as all times as I work with clients. I have observed that the more I show respect, the more I am able to connect with the client.

ii. Undivided attention.

We all feel respected and honored when we are given undivided attention and children are no exceptions. Attention is the sense of the mind and it calls for one to focus on what they are doing. Children are very keen and can sense when an adult is not completely paying attention to them, I have witnessed this with children as young as three months. Therefore in order to bring out the best in our children, we need to give them undivided attention when interacting with them in order to facilitate their growth.

iii. Concentration

This can be defined as the ability to hold your attention upon one subject or thing for as long as you will it. Concentration is an important in many aspects of our lives such as work, prayer and interpersonal relationships. In regard to our relationships with children, concentration helps us to hear beyond what we can hear with our ears and to see beyond the physical realm.

iv. Memory

Memory is an important part reasoning and it is important that we cultivate this in children by teaching them how to remember and connect events in their lives. This is important because memory helps a child see the complete cycle their lives and world. This is an important principle for me because of the many beautiful memories that my family helped me build as a child and even as an adult when I go through a difficult season, such memories bring comfort.

v. Listening

It is said that hearing happens between two ears but listening occurs in the mind and heart, and a child can tell the difference. Listening also implies learning to be present with a child as we interact with him or her, this communicates respect and love. This concept is important to because it is only when we listen that we will be able to really know our children, for instance what excites or scares them. In my social relationships, I tend to draw closer to friends and family who lend me a listening ear. Recently I went through a tough time and what I really wanted was someone to listen to me and not to ask many questions or give advice. I appreciate the friends who took time to simply listen.

vi. Imagination

This is the creative faculty in man and it opens us to the possibilities of what could be and it brings awareness of the future and hence creates desire. With imagination we are able to respond to our world openly and differently. Research shows that what a child imagines before age seven captures the inner subconscious urge for a long time. It is therefore important that we regulate our children’s imagination by being careful with what we expose them to, for instance the video games and movies that watch. Children’s imagination can be facilitated through art, dance and reading.

vii. The golden rule: ‘Do unto others as you would like them do unto you” This rule applies not only to adults but to children as well. It is paramount that children learn that they need to treat others the way they would like to be treated. We all reap what we sow. This is an important principle because I have personally witnessed that it works. When we sow love, understanding and kindness, we will reap the same.

3. How will these ideas or lessons help you in a practical way, both in your daily personal life and in helping you to create a better world? If so, how?

The ideas will help me in my professional life. My work involves interacting with people most of the time and especially in my interactions with children. Listening, concentration and undivided attention will help me create a better world for the children whom I work with.

These principles will also aid my work with parents. During parents’ consultation meetings, many of them have a need in the area of how to effectively parent their children, I believe that sharing these ideas will be helpful.

We all look for ways to improve our social relationships and I believe that applying these principles in the way relate to others will lead to better friendships. The principles of listening, the golden rule and undivided attention are key in all relationships.

4. Quotes: Are there brief quotes from the book which really got your attention? If so, please list and comment on them.

The following quotes and statements got my attention as I read the book.

“Self-respect, the first essential skill, brings personal responsibility, integrity, wisdom, and a love for truth.”

I believe that before we can respect others, we need to learn to respect ourselves and this helps us value others and hence show them respect in the way we treat and relate with them.

“By allowing myself the freedom to learn, to respond differently, I could give the same allowing to him.”

Learning happens every day, however it is easy to block this potential in us, this statement reminded me that I have to be open to new experiences so that I can learn more about people and circumstances.

‘To master the mind, we must first master the attention. When your attention is undivided the entire mind is still, focused on one thing. The brain is fully functioning; the mind is awakened to the truth of the experience.”

The above statement reminds me of the importance of focusing my attention. We live in a busy word and many times I move from one activity to another, without allowing myself to full experience any of the activities. I therefore intend to be fully present while carrying out important activities.

“Children are like sponges, soaking in everything from their environment. The younger the child is, the more true.”

This is one my favorite quotes from the book. I wouldn’t agree more! Children have the potential to learn and it is important for significant adults in their lives expose them to the right materials and environment in order to facilitate this process.

‘The only limitations the child acquires are the ones learned from the parents or limitations of the society that the parents allow the child to perpetuate.”

Children can be all that they are meant to be, however parents need to help children see themselves this way by allowing the child to dream and imagine the future and all that they can be and achieve.

“One hundred years from now it will not matter what my bank account was, the sort of house I lived in, or the kind of car I drove, but he world may be different because I was important in the life of a child.”

I love children and every day I strive to make a difference, I may not do it directly but I believe that whenever I empower a parent or caregiver with relevant information, I am indirectly impacting a child’s life.

“You can show your love, but if they don’t get it then you haven’t done your job right.”

In our endeavors to love children, it is important that we learn to speak their language. Every child has a love language and parents need to be aware of this and hence love their child effectively.

“Be willing to become conscious of how you were treated as a child.”

Psychologists believe the way our parent and caregivers treated us as children, impact our lives in deeper ways than we might want to accept. It is key that every adult remembers their childhood and especially how they were treated, since how our parents treated us will both consciously and unconsciously influence our parenting styles.

5. Is there anything in the book that you do not understand or are unclear about, or are there ideas which you disagree with and, if so, why?

I did not understand some of the interpretations and reports of metaphysics institute concerning a child’s behavior. I also do not agree with some of the concepts about God, and how He is described by the Author. God is not just some higher power, I believe that God can be known and we can have a personal relationship with Him through Jesus.

6. Did the book contain exercises for the reader to complete? If so, did you complete all of the exercises and did you find them helpful?

There was no exercise to be completed.

7. Was there anything you read in the book that you would like to comment on that was not covered in the previous questions? If so, please comment.

I have no further comments to make

Please rate the following questions on a scale from 1 to 10. Ten is good and one is poor.

A. How interesting was it to read? 8
B. How helpful were the contents? 8
C. How easy was it to understand? 7
D. Would you recommend it to others? 7
E. What is the overall rating you would give it? 8

Getting Rich your Own Way

Assessment by Harriet Opondo (Uganda)

1. What is the main idea that the author is trying to convey in the book?

The author conveys the different ways and principles that one can use to achieve financial goals and hence become financially independent. He shares ideas such as how to start with nothing, marketing and sales skills, knowing and doing what one has a passion for and striving for excellence. We can all achieve our financial dreams if we are willing to work smart, sacrifice, be patient and find role models in our chosen fields whom we can look up for mentorship.

The following ideas were personally important to me as I read the book

i. Find a need and fill it; the easiest way to sell any service or product is if it fills a certain need within the community.

The author through numerous examples of how many individuals looked out for needs in their community and by meeting these needs they have become wealthy. This is important for to because currently I am in the processing of planning services that will meet a particular need in my community. I have noticed that many children and teenagers have a need for counseling services but they are very few qualified child therapists in my country, I am working towards meeting that need together with my two colleagues.

ii. Become a money Magnet.

In order to get anything in life, we need to desire it and wealth is no exception. It is important that I change my perspectives and thinking about money. For instance the author shared about how negative thinking drives out money, if someone is always thinking about how poor she or he is, this mentality drives away the opportunities that would have brought it wealth. On the contrary, if one is thinking positively and views herself as already wealth, this attracts different thinking patterns and ideas that can be used to create wealth.

iii. Build your own business; in spite of the failure rates of new businesses being high, it is still possible for an individual to build and succeed in a chosen business.

It is important that the tested principles of business are followed so as to avoid the common mistakes. For instance it is paramount that market research is done for a prospective new business before one invests a lot of money. This is important to me since I am planning to start my own consultancy firm, I have learned an important principle about market research, to confirm if the services that I plan to offer is actually needed by the community and if people are willing to pay for them.

iv.Think and grow rich; we are all potential geniuses, if we could only use the creative side of our brains more often!

God endowed each of us with intelligence and if we stimulate our thinking, we are able to generate creative ideas which if implemented could lead us to a path of financial independence. This is an important reminder for me because I have realized how much creative potential I have, and if I could only make creative thinking a habit, I would be able to come up with ideas that can be used to create new services or improve services within the mental health profession. This could be my path way to financial success.

v. Learn from the best

No man is island, is not just a fancy saying, I strongly believe that we need to always have great people whom we look up to and who are offering mentorship. This is true for every aspect of our lives and especially in business. In every field there are people who have already “walked the walk” and it is important that we are humble enough to learn from them, copy their good skills and invest in paying for the mentorship if possible. This principle helped me appreciate all the amazing mentors in the mental health profession that God has brought my way. I am so thankful that I have great people who daily challenge me to reach out for the stars.

vi. Learn by trial and error

Many of us are afraid to fail, and this has kept us from living our dreams. However we can never know what we are capable of doing unless we give it a shot. The only way most of the successful people in the world made it, was by trying and failing, every time an idea did not work, they thought of better ways and eventually, they hit the jack pot! This principle has inspired me to implement the ideas that have been lingering in my thoughts for a while. There is a line in an old song by Bob Carlisle, that summarizes this principle; “We fall down but we get up.”

vii. Become a professional

One of the ways that an individual can become wealthy is by identifying a profession they are passionate about and aim at doing the very best. When we do our best in our chosen professional, we attract a high remuneration than the average person. This has encouraged me to always aim for the ‘bull’s eye’ and offer the very best service in my profession. Recently I needed a recommendation from my former employer, my heart leaped with joy when he gave an excellent report about my performance.

3. How will these ideas or lessons help you in a practical way, both in your daily personal life and in helping you to create a better world? If so, how?

The ideas above will help me in meeting the needs of the people in my community. For instance once I have set up the consultancy, I believe that many children and parents will benefit from the services.

In addition, as progressively change my thinking and perspectives about money, I believe I will attract more ways of making and creating wealth. Hence I will be able to be a blessing to other people especially my family and friends.

Mental health needs are huge are in my country, hence as I work towards becoming a child and family therapist, I will be able not to only earn more money but I will offer excellent services to my community.

4. Quotes: Are there any statements which the author made that particularly gets your attention? If so, please quote them and comment as to why they were important to you?

The following quotes and statements got my attention as I read the book.

‘There are no real limits except the ones you place on your own imagination.”

This statement reminded me of the potential that I have and that it can only be hindered by my own thinking patterns.

“If a man is not prepared when his opportunity comes, it will only make him appear foolish.”

In life we need to always be prepared, so that when our destiny unfolds we are able to walk through it. I have witnessed the importance of preparation in my career.

‘The quality and quantity of your contacts and your relationships will have more to do with your success than perhaps any other factor. Knowing one person at the right time and place can change the course of your life.”

The above statement confirms the importance of relationships and networking. I am so thankful for many people I have met and through whom important doors have opened in my own life, both socially and professionally.

“Nothing can either come into your life or stay in your life unless it finds something in your own thinking that corresponds to it.”

This statement reminds me of the fact we attract we what we are, therefore I have to be careful of what I am thinking about. Therefore I have to examine my internal conversations about wealth and finances.

“Investment opportunities are like buses; there will always be another one along.”

There is always hope, even when we lose an opportunity, I believe that even better opportunities always come our way and we need to be on the lookout.

“It is not how much you earn, but how much you keep that counts. Be determined and be careful.”

A journey of a thousand miles starts with one step, therefore even in my journey towards financial independence, I need to be determined to start saving now and not wait for a bigger pay check.

“By developing the habit of continually asking for what you want, you will eventually become an excellent negotiator in every area of your life.”

I believe that if I can learn to regularly ask for what I want, I will learn how to negotiate better. For instance I have learnt to ask my friends for a hug if I need one!

“There are problems everywhere. Your job is to find one of these problems and solve it better that it has been solved in the past.”

Every problem in our communities presents an opportunity to develop a product or service, therefore I need to be vigilant and notice the problems and think of creative ways of solving them.

“Each time you laugh, you release endorphins and dopamine in your brain, which stimulate your creativity and give you a sense of well-being.”

Laughing is like medicine and I am thankful for the opportunities that I have to laugh each day!

5. Is there anything in the book that you do not understand or are unclear about, or are there ideas which you disagree with and, if so, why?

I did understand all the contents of the book

6. Did the book contain exercises for the reader to complete? If so, did you complete all of the exercises and did you find them helpful?

The book contained many exercises. I did complete the ones that were relevant to me at the moment. It was helpful, brain storming about the type of services that I would want the consultancy to provide to the clients.

7. Was there anything you read in the book that you would like to comment on that was not covered in the previous questions? If so, please comment.

I have no further comments to make

Please rate the following questions on a scale from 1 to 10. Ten is good and one is poor.

A. How interesting was it to read? 9
B. How helpful were the contents? 9
C. How easy was it to understand? 8
D. Would you recommend it to others? 9
E. What is the overall rating you would give it? 9

The Autobiography of Martin Luther King, Jr.

Assessment by Harriet Opondo (Uganda)

1. What is the main idea that the author is trying to convey in the book?

The book is an autobiography of Martin Luther King, Jr. It describes the life, education and activities of King as a husband, Father, Minister and Civil rights activist whose principles of nonviolence resistance brought a lot of victory to the Negroes and poor white Americans. The book has recollections of King’s meetings, campaigns, demonstration and speeches as he and others fought for the freedom and recognition of the Negroes as equal citizens in United States of America.

i. Rediscovering lost values.

In order to see change in our world, there has got to people willing to stand for the truth, as much as some people think and say that truth is relative and hence we do not have absolutes in life. I am a firm believer that there are absolutes in life and in the world, God created the world and this universe hinges on moral foundations hence there is wrong and right. Hence I must be willing to stand for what is right even when everyone around me seem to think otherwise. Like Martin Luther King, Jr. my faith is not in gods who can be destroyed by an atomic age, my faith is in the God who created the heavens and the earth, one who never changes. This idea is important to me because more than ever before every day I am confronted with a choice to stand for what is right, whether in my personal life or the community. King’s unshakable stand for foundational moral values has indeed encouraged me.

ii. Asking for God’s guidance;

When faced with a task of preaching his first sermon at Dexter Avenue Baptist Church, King turned to God to guide him as he prepared for the sermon. Life can be complex and on a daily basis we all need to ask God to guide and lead us in all aspects of our lives. This principle is fundamental in my own life, I have always asked God to lead and guide me and I am thankful for every victory that He has brought my way. This principle also reminds me of the fact that I am human and hence I cannot figure out life on my own, I need God.

iii. Inspiration of Mahatma Gandhi (Nonviolent resistance)

When faced with evil and oppression, the natural response is to fight back with violence. However Mahatma Gandhi as he led India in the fight against British oppression and rule proved that we can fight without being aggressive and violent. This greatly inspired King who adopted the same Principle in all his civil rights activities. This is an important principle for me; I was recently faced with a situation where I had the choice to either retaliate in anger or to love the person who wronged me. As much as everything within me, screamed for revenge, I am glad that I chose love. This facilitated a formation of a friendship that would not have happened otherwise.

iv. I have a dream (A March to Washington)

A dream…seeing what we believe in as already accomplished! King had a dream that one day there will be equality both for the blacks and whites in every sphere of life. This inspiring and famous speech, indeed brought a sense of urgency and action on everyone and especially on President Kennedy and his administration. The March to Washington was indeed a historical event. This is has inspired me to give my all in the dreams that I have in my heart and I hope and believe that they will come to pass.

v. Reward for the ground crew (Nobel Peace Prize)

No one ever achieves success alone; there are always others in the background whose names may never make it to the press but they as important as the vision bearer and leader. King acknowledged all the people behind the scenes who were part of the civil rights movement when he received the Nobel peace Prize. This reminds me of the importance of team work and the fact we need to always appreciate everyone behind the scenes, no one ever achieves significant victory in isolation.

vi. Disappointment produces despair and despair produces bitterness

Out of the civil rights movement, the White House and different States’ administration had made many promises to the Negro community, this included ending of segregation in schools and other public facilities, and improving the housing conditions however these promises were never implemented and hence the negro community was disappointed. This led to despair and bitterness which negatively affected the progress of the civil rights movement. As leaders it is important that we honor our promises and pledges to avoid bitterness and violence.

vii. A genuine leader is not a searcher for consensus.

Due to many disappointments, some section of the Negro community started to question the rationale of using nonviolence in the civil rights movement and campaigns. Some of the people wanted use of violence; however King maintained his stand and believed that a true leader is not a searcher of consensus rather a molder of it. In life there are those core values that we each must stand for and as King puts it, “I would rather be a man of conviction than a man of conformity.”

3. How will these ideas or lessons help you in a practical way, both in your daily personal life and in helping you to create a better world? If so, how?

I will continue to build my life on foundational moral values like truth, love, honesty, sexual purity and respect. I believe that as I continually live by these values, my life will be a shining example to those around me and especially to the younger generation which looks up to me. Hence in a way I will be creating a better world.

Human are fallible and hence we need guidance from an Infallible God, who is always willing to give us wisdom and strategy when we ask Him. I will continue to ask God for wisdom and guidance both in my personal life and in the different activities which I’m part of , and through this I know that I will impact the world around me.

The above ideas especially the nonviolent principle will help me avoid revenge and violence at all costs when I am wronged and to find better ways to deal with conflicts both at personal and community levels.

Lastly, the principle of a genuine leader is not a searcher of consensus will help me stand for the fundamental convictions that I believe in, even those around me are suggesting otherwise.

4. Quotes: Are there any statements which the author made that particularly got your attention? If so, please quote them and comment as to why they were important to you.

“Any religion that professes concern for the souls of men and is not equally concerned about the slums that damn them, the economic conditions that strangle them, and the social conditions that cripple them is spiritually moribund religion, only waiting for the day to be buried.”

The above quote is very fundamental in my walk as a Christian, Jesus was concerned about the whole man, He fed the hungry, healed the sick and comforted those stricken with grief. Hence I need to be concerned about my community beyond their spiritual needs. My local church has been doing community projects for many years and our city and nation has always showed gratitude whenever we implemented a project.

“The more I thought about human nature, the more I saw how our tragic inclination for sin causes us to use our minds to rationalize our actions.”

Rationalizing and giving excuses for our wrong actions comes naturally to us as humans however we need to strive to take responsibility for our actions and always make every effort to do good to those around us.

“As a young man with most of my life ahead of me, I decided early to give my life to something eternal and absolute. Not to these little gods that are here today and gone tomorrow. But to God who is the same yesterday, today, and forever.”

I totally agree with Martin Luther King Jr.! I do not want to live my life for fame, riches or status; these are very feeble and never last. A life that is well lived, is one that is lived to honor God and serve our community.

“Noncooperation with evil is just as much a moral duty as is cooperation with good.”

My spiritual way says, or evil to thrive, it needs good people to do nothing hence it is not enough to do good, we must stand up against evil and injustice in our communities.

“The ultimate test of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and moments of convenience, but where he stands in moments of challenge and moments of controversy.”

It is easy to live up to our values when everything is rosy however our character is always tested in those periods when the going gets tough and we are being attacked and criticized.

“We must learn that hate is too great a burden to bear for a people moving on toward their date with destiny.”

Hate is indeed a great burden that cripples us and hence we are unable to fulfill our destinies when enslaved by it. We must therefore search our hearts to avoid hate from building in our lives; instead we must decide to respond in love even when hate is that we feel. Love always wins!

“On some positions, cowardice asks the question Is it safe? Expediency asks the question, is it politic? Vanity comes along and asks the question, is it popular? But conscience asks the question Is it right? And there comes a time when one must take a position that is neither safe, nor politic, nor popular, but he must do it because Conscience tells it is right.”

There are many opinions in our world that crowd our minds and perspectives however we must always endeavor to listen to our conscience and do what is right no matter how unpopular. Recently I was in a kind of dilemma, it was very tempting to do what is popular, I am thankful that God helped me to choose what was right!

“But I know, somehow, that only when it is dark enough can you see the stars.”

There is always light at the end of the tunnel and it is true that dawn always comes after everything seems pitch black. Some months of 2014 have been really tough but it is in those moments that I experienced growth and victories.

5. Is there anything in the book that you do not understand or are unclear about, or are there ideas which you disagree with and, if so, why?

I did understand everything in the book.

6. Did the book contain exercises for the reader to complete? If so, did you complete all of the exercises and did you find them helpful?

There were no exercises to be completed.

7. Was there anything you read in the book that you would like to comment on that was not covered in the previous questions? If so, please comment.

I have no further comments.

Please rate the following questions on a scale from 1 to 10. Ten is good and one is poor.

Emotional Intelligence

Assessment by Harriet Opondo (Uganda)

1. What is the main idea that the author is trying to convey in the book?

Daniel Coleman in this amazing book conveys the fact that having a high IQ is

not everything. It shows how defining intelligence using one’s IQ level is narrow

and leaves out important aspects which affect life and how we relate with

Others. Coleman highlights important concepts such as empathy, self-awareness

and self-discipline which form emotional intelligence.

i. Learning and flow: A new model of education

The education system in many parts of the world seems to motivate students to study so as to get rewards such as wealth and fame, however research, as indicated in the books shows that students perform better at tasks they enjoy hence it is key that we encourage our students to do what they enjoy and not just what is popular. This idea is important to me as a Social worker and psychologist who is always in touch with teachers, parents and students, since I can now sell the idea of learning and flow to the clients.

ii. Balm for anger

Many individuals struggle to control anger effectively. According to the author, the best balm for anger is to short circuit it before it escalates into higher levels. For instance, if one provides explanation early for a certain behavior which could potentially cause anger outbursts, there is a higher likelihood, that angry reactions maybe avoided. This is important because I live in a perfect world, hence I am bound to get upset by different people and circumstances, hence learning to deal with anger before it escalates will prevent unhealthy response from me.

iii. Optimism: The great motivator

Optimism, the positive outlook acts as a great motivator to keep trying and hoping for victory even when we have experienced failure or a setback. This is significant for me since it encourages me not to give up even when tempted to. I am currently frustrated due to delays with my graduate school research; however I keep the flame of optimism burning, believing that soon, I will complete my thesis.

iv. Can emotions be intelligent?

There has always been a debate about intelligence, what constitutes it and how it can be measured. However research has showed that one can have a high IQ but with low emotional intelligence. Hence pointing that ,aspects such as self-awareness, managing emotions, empathy and handling relationships form the definition of emotional intelligence. This is key since, it reminds me that it is not enough for an individual to have high IQ, emotional intelligence is important. Recently I was interviewing candidates for a post at our organization and it is amazing that the young lady who eventually got the job had more than high IQ, she demonstrated, in the way she responded to the interview questions, and that she can manage her emotions and that she is teachable and creative.

v. The good fight

Fights are common in relationships and especially intimate ones like marriage. However how the fights are handled is important. The author highlighted actions such as listening, keeping the discussion on track, empathy and tension reduction as ways of having the “good fight.”

vi. The body’s mind: how emotions matter for health

Traditionally, medical personnel did not recognize the link between emotions, central nervous system and the immune system. However research has proved that emotions influence the immune system. For instance constant and high levels of stress negatively affect the immune system by suppressing it. I have noticed that when I am experiencing high levels of stress, I am more vulnerable to things like colds and fevers, hence proving that stress suppresses one’s immune system.

vii. The family crucible

Family life is our first school for emotional learning; it is in the family setting that we learn how to feel, express feelings and exercise emotional control. Children learn about emotions both through the ways his or her parents respond to the child’s emotion and how parents handle their own feelings and that of the spouse. Hence it is crucial that parents and prospective parents understand the importance of expressing and handling emotions in the family setting. As a last born, growing up with older siblings, I did not get a lot of opportunities to express my views and opinions and especially expressing my emotions. Hence many times I did not verbalize how I felt, I simply expressed them with non-verbal cues. This affected how I responded to conflicts as an adult. I am thankful for the progress that I have made in effectively dealing with negative emotions.

3. How will these ideas or lessons help you in a practical way, both in your daily personal life and in helping you to create a better world? If so, how?

The idea of the family crucible and how family is where children learn how to effectively handle emotions will help me as a Social worker and Therapist in both individual and family counseling sessions.

Learning and flow: This is helping to focus on the things that I love and enjoy, since there is more motivation to learn and put in all the extra effort needed. As I focus on what I excel in, I believe that the world around me will benefit from my services.

Balm for anger: This will help me to mitigate anger before it escalates further in the anger cycle. I am learning to be more rational than simply reacting to other people’s behavior and actions. Hence a promoter of peace as opposed to anger.

Optimism: The skies are not always blue; many times shades of gray do appear, however, there is always a silver lining in the dark clouds. Learning to keep hope alive and hence stay optimistic will help me bounce back to my feet even after disappointments.

4. Quotes: Are there any statements which the author made that particularly got your attention? If so, please quote them and comment as to why they were important to you.

The following quotes caught my attention as I read the book:

“Our emotions have a mind of their own, one which can hold views independently of our rational mind.”

It is important that we recognize the difference between our emotions and rational mind, as much as they influence each other, they are each independent.

“One of psychology’s open secrets is that the relative inability of grades, IQ, or SAT scores, despite their popular mystique, to predict unerringly who will succeed in life.”

The above statement reminds us that success and happiness in life is not determined by only our IQ or how we well we excel academically, emotional intelligence seems to even act as a more accurate gauge of how an individual will function in life.

“Interpersonal intelligence is the ability to understand other people: what motivates them, how they work, how to work cooperatively with them.”

This quote highlights what entails interpersonal intelligence. The level of interpersonal intelligence hence greatly affects our relationships compared to IQ levels.

“People with greater certainty about their feelings are better pilots of their lives, having a surer sense of how they really feel about personal decisions from whom to marry to what job to take.”

The above statement shades light on the importance of self-awareness and it affects many aspects of life.

“Hope, as modern researchers are finding, does more than offer a bit of solace amid affliction; it plays a surprisingly potent role in life, offering an advantage in realms as diverse as school achievement and bearing up in onerous jobs.”

We all need hope to survive especially when storms come raging! Hope helps us endure the difficult situations that we may encounter in life.

“People’s beliefs about their abilities have a profound effect on those abilities…people who have a sense of self-efficacy bounce back from failures; they approach things in terms of how to handle them rather than worrying about what can go wrong.”

Self-efficacy is crucial in helping us perform better and I believe enhances our abilities as we carry out different roles such as our jobs.

“When a parent consistently fails to show any empathy with a particular range of emotions in the child,-joys, tears, needing to cuddle-the child begins to avoid expressing and perhaps feeling those same emotions.”

The above statement shows the role of empathy in parenting. Parents hence need to be tuned to the range of feelings that their children display and respond appropriately.

5. Is there anything in the book that you do not understand or are unclear about, or are there ideas which you disagree with and, if so, why?

The concepts were complex but I was able to understand them.

6. Did the book contain exercises for the reader to complete? If so, did you complete all of the exercises and did you find them helpful?

There were no exercises in the book

7. Was there anything you read in the book that you would like to comment on that was not covered in the previous questions? If so, please comment.

I have no further comments.

Please rate the following questions on a scale from 1 to 10. Ten is good and one is poor.

A. How interesting was it to read? 8
B. How helpful were the contents? 9
C. How easy was it to understand? 7
D. Would you recommend it to others? 8
E. What is the overall rating you would give it? 8

10 Days to More Confident Public Speaking

Assessment by Harriet Opondo (Uganda)

1. What is the main idea that the author is trying to convey in the book?

The main idea in the book, “10 Days to More Confident Public Speaking” is basically how any one irrespective of their background and previous speaking engagements can learn how to horn their public speaking skills. The author addresses aspects such as how to overcome fears and anxieties, preparing and delivery of great presentations and use of language and other communication skills.

The following seven ideas were important to me personally as I read the book:

i. Calming your anxieties

Everyone experiences anxiety before giving a speech regardless of the number of people, we are often anxious about our presentation and whether the audience will respond to what we are saying. The author shared practical ways of calming our anxieties, such as acknowledging that we are nervous and it is normal to feel that way, this dispels the feelings of guild and inadequacy in addition adequate preparation, deep breathing, visualization and positive self-talk can also be employed to calm anxieties before public speaking. This idea is important for me since my current job involves a lot of public speaking as I deliver trainings to other people within and outside the organization.

ii. Create a good presentation;

Preparation and creativity are keys as one prepares for a presentation. It is important to give ample time to come up with a speech content and structure. The author shared the structure of a speech which includes; the introduction, body and the conclusion. As one prepares for a presentation, it is important to review the content and eliminate any verbal clutters. I personally found the reviewing of presentation important as I prepared the content for work trainings; this enables me to eliminate repeated and irrelevant concepts.

iii. Audience analysis

It is important to analyze and know your audience before you deliver a speech or training, this makes a presentation meaningful and effective. The key issues to consider in audience analysis include; knowing the people are, their number, how much they know about the subject that you are going to present on, their demographic information, interests (is it their initiative or it is a work requirement), needs and expectations. In-depth analysis facilitates the speaker in preparation and delivery of the speech, and also in knowing beforehand how to relate to the audience. Audience analysis is important to me because I have witnessed how it can either make or break a presentation. I remember my very first training session at work, I hardly knew the audience, however as I got more familiar with the people and knew what their needs were, it was easier to design and deliver the training.

iv. Building rapport with the audience

Humans are relational beings and hence feeling connected with audience while we deliver a speech or training is of uttermost importance. The author shared ideas such as, respect and greeting the audience, beginning on time, recognizing people by name, paying attention to people when they give a comment, rewarding people for suggestions and being available as ways of building rapport with our audience. I have this very helpful, for instance when I have a training to deliver, I arrive early and use this time to greet and welcome the people, get to know the names of the people coming for the very first time and hence establish a connection. This has made it possible to respond to my audience by using their names when they want to give a comment during the course of the training.

v. Positive performance

The most Creative ideas for presenting the material. It is important to be creative and engaging as we deliver a presentation so as to avoid boring the audience! We need to add elements which make and keep the presentation alive, exciting and interesting. Creative ideas include; use of humor, quotations from print media, use of open ended questions, and sharing stories and analogies. I have used stories from my front-line Social work experiences to drive a point home during the work trainings, since the majority of my audience are always social workers and other child development workers.

vi. Positive performance

Letting your body mirror your message. The speaker’s body and mind are the most important visual aid for the audience. It is therefore important that one is aware of the nonverbal messages that we are giving out during the presentations. The nonverbal messages include; proper speaking postures, body movement, facial expressions and eye contact. I have found this important during my own speaking engagements, for instance I have learnt to plan my walking patterns, I will intentionally walk to a side of the room if I notice that there are people who are talking to each other or if I want to ask a participant to share their experiences in area I’m sure he or she is knowledgeable in.

vii. How to prepare for the unexpected.

Life can unpredictable and so is giving a presentation, many times we do all that we can but still a few minor or major mishaps can happen just before or during the presentation. The common problems are with microphones, Public address systems, overhead projectors and visual aid materials such as flash cards. It is important to prepare in case any of the above problems come up. For instance if the microphone gets dysfunctional, instead of wasting to fidget with it, a speaker can proceed by first apologizing to the audience as the microphone is being fixed. Preparing for the unexpected is important for me especially in regards to equipment, in my city, it is common to find faulty equipment at the hotel or any other venue hosting the training, this is particularly common with microphone and overhead projector, hence being prepared beforehand, has helped to avoid time wastage and panicking during the trainings.

3. How will these ideas or lessons help you in a practical way, both in your daily personal life and in helping you to create a better world? If so, how?

The above ideas will help me in a practical way both in my daily life and in creating a better world in the following ways:

The idea of audience analysis will help me as I plan for the trainings both at work and privately, I hence believe that if I can effectively deliver a training to social workers, psychologists and other child development workers, I will be creating a better world.

Preparing for the unexpected will help in learning to be flexible and creative both in trainings but most importantly in other life aspects. “Life happens” sometimes and I need to be prepared to handle the unexpected without falling apart.

Generally people pay attention to only what we say but how we say it, hence nonverbal cues are very important. Therefore it is important that I learn to use my body to effectively mirror my message in all areas of life.

Lastly, learning to calm anxieties before a presentation, will help to effectively deliver a speech or presentation and this is already helpful in my everyday life and I believe in a way it is helping me create a better world.

4. Quotes: Are there any statements which the author made that particularly got your attention? If so, please wrote them and comment as to why they were important to you.

The following quotes and statements really got my attention as I read the book:

“Public speaking improves every area of your life.”

We are always speaking whether in our professional lives or in personal relationships, hence if one learns the art of public speaking; it will boast his or her confidence in other areas of life since she will be able to clearly communicate.

“To learn to play the trumpet, you have to play the trumpet.”

There is the old saying; ”Practice makes perfect,” hence in order to learn a skill, one must practice! Therefore for me to master the art of public speaking, I must practice speaking whenever I get an opportunity or even before my bathroom mirror!

“The best way to deal with speaking anxiety is to first acknowledge that this fear is perfectly normal and you are not alone.”

In therapy, we believe that, acceptance is the first step towards healing, hence I totally agree that when we are faced with speaking anxiety, acknowledging it and recognizing that even the most polished speaker also experiences anxiety, makes it more manageable.

“Your own natural speaking style.”

As we polish our public speaking skills, it is very tempting to imitate other popular speakers; however it is key to speak as naturally as possible. When we are comfortable with our own style, we then can work towards making the skill better.

“Effective speech delivery involves the whole person.”

Speaking involves one’s body, soul, spirit and mind, hence it is important to pay attention to every part of our bodies as we deliver speeches. For instance in order to deliver a speech effectively, we must think positively about ourselves, the message and the people in the audience.

“To become an effective speaker, it is essential that you throw away your mask and share your feelings with your audience if you want to convince others, you must convey your convictions.”

Genuineness is important in the journey of becoming an effective speaker. We must learn to successfully communicate our convictions to our audiences. This facilitates connection between the speaker and the audience and hence the message will be delivered “home.”

5. Is there anything in the book that you do not understand or are unclear about, or are there ideas which you disagree with and, if so, why?

All the ideas and concepts were clear.

6. Did the book contain exercises for the reader to complete? If so, did you complete all of the exercises and did you find them helpful?

The book had exercises and tips as regards public speaking, I was able to implement the ones that were relevant to my current work and this was helpful and I believe I will be able to use the rest of the tips in the future.

7. Was there anything you read in the book that you would like to comment on that was not covered in the previous questions? If so, please comment.

I have no further comments to make.

Please rate the following questions on a scale from 1 to 10. Ten is good and one is poor.

A. How interesting was it to read? 9
B. How helpful were the contents? 10
C. How easy was it to understand? 9
D. Would you recommend it to others? 9
E. What is the overall rating you would give it? 9

The Leadership Pill

Assessment by Harriet Opondo (Uganda)

1. What is the main idea that the author is trying to convey in the book?

The main idea that is being brought forward by the authors of The Missing Pill, is how one can be an effective leader without use control and power. The authors share aspects such as integrity, affirmation and partnership as the key ingredients in becoming a leader who motivates others to fulfill their potential and get the work done more effectively.

The following ideas were important to me as I read the book

i. Leading people is the opposite of trying to control them.

Many people view leadership as way of exerting power and control over others, which leads to control. However leadership is more about empowering others and appreciating the value that they add to the team. When people feel and know that they are appreciated by their leaders, it motivates them to do their very best. This idea is important for me because of my current role, I have the opportunity to lead two other people, and I have observed that, the less control more empowerment, the better each of them does their roles. In addition, I have also experienced a manager who was very controlling and this de-motivated me and lowered my work morale. Hence I totally agree that leading people is the opposite of trying to control them.

ii. Integrity lays the foundation for trust and respect.

Integrity has been defined as the sum total of our character and what we do when no one is seeing. As leaders, integrity is important in winning the trust and respect of those who are under our supervision. It is common to observe leaders who say one thing and do something completely different. This is resonates with a few work situations that I am going through now, where I feel that my supervisor is not walking the talk and I am struggling to trust her and I wouldn’t agree more with the authors about integrity as a foundation for trust and respect.

iii. Partnership: Harvest the potential of the team.

Every team has people with potential and it is the responsibility of the leader to help each member tap the potential and contribute to the team, also the leader helps the team to work, learn and grow together. Leadership is not what we do to other people; it is what we do with others. This is important for me, because my local church leadership has modeled partnership in the best way that I have seen. The team leader has allowed the people on his team to grow together and nurture each other.

iv. Affirmation: lets people know that what they do is important.

I believe that everyone feels good when he or she is affirmed. This could take different forms, many times just a simple ‘Thank you” goes a long way in motivating someone. The authors pointed out that praise is more effective when it is specific, sincere and given soon after the desired behavior has occurred. I like to be affirmed and it makes feel like what I do for others is important. As much as I get an opportunity, I affirm and encourage those around me.

v. Sharing the big picture puts everyone on the same page.

I believe in vision (big picture), and like the Bible says, “without a vision, the people perish.” I know that when a leader shares the vision for the organization with the entire organization, it helps everyone to see their part in the vision and it leads to motivation. I recall, when I moved jobs, and I was not clear about where the Organization was heading, I did inquire about the big picture, when it was finally shared, I was able to see my role in fulfilling the organization’s vision.

vi. You will go a lot further if you stop and refuel

Life can get demanding and balance is paramount, hence it is important to take breaks and refuel our emotional, physical, spiritual and mental energies. Therefore effective leaders to help their team schedule breaks and holidays, it is also advisable to include fun activities once in a while in the work place. I have found that taking time off to reflect during the lunch breaks is helpful in rejuvenating my energy.

vii. People will think for themselves when you quit doing it for them.

Empowerment is a key ingredient in effective leadership. As a leader it is important to help the team members to have confidence in their own abilities, this will facilitate creativity. It is amazing what we can do, when we know our leader is encouraging us to soar high and try new things. I once had a new employee join our team, she was not as experienced, and it was tempting to do things for her, however as I trusted her to try out new things, I have observed her growth and the motivation that she has to try out new things.

3. How will these ideas or lessons help you in a practical way, both in your daily personal life and in helping you to create a better world? If so, how?

The above ideas will help me in the following ways:

I have learned that leadership is doing things with others, hence both in work and other areas where I have leadership responsibilities I will endeavor to empower others instead of trying to exert control.

People are always watching to see if we are walking the talk, hence I have been reminded about the importance of integrity and I will apply this in all aspects of my life.

Affirmation helps people know that they are valuable, hence I will keep thanking and praising those around me for the work that they do. Specifically I have been reminded that praise must be sincere, specific and given as soon as the person has done something that deserves appreciation.

Lastly, I will keep empowering people to do what they can do instead of being tempted to do it for them. I still struggle with being a perfectionist; hence I like things done in a certain way! I have been reminded about the power of delegation and empowerment.

4. Quotes: Are there any statements which the author made that particularly got your attention? If so, please wrote them and comment as to why they were important to you.

The following quotes particularly caught my attention as I read the book:

“Leadership is not just what happens when you are there; it’s what happens when you are not there.”

The above statement implies that leaders need to build their teams so that they are able to do the right things even when the leader is absent. This points to building a lasting legacy which outlives the leader.

“Profit is the applause you get for taking care of your customers and creating a motivating environment for people.”

It is common to find many business leaders more concerned about the profit, however in order to get profits, a leader needs to care about the consumers and also create and maintain a great working environment for the employees.

“Leadership is not something you do to people; it’s something you do with them.”

Leadership is a lot about partnership, being able to accomplish the tasks with others and not simply telling them what to do, so that every team member is watching for each other’s back.

“Leading with integrity means being the person you want others to be.”

As leaders, practicing what we preach is not an option. We have all heard, seen or experienced leaders who did not follow this principle, and this has shipwrecked their leadership potential.

“Each of us has the power to recognize the goodness in others.”

I am firm believer that everyone has something good in them, hence we need to all be deliberate in pointing the good things that people do, this will motivate them to even accomplish greater things.

The Highest achievement as a leader is winning the respect and trust of your team

Respect is not demanded, rather it is earned. It should be the goal of every leader to win and earn the respect of his or team. I believe that the easiest way to earn respect is to live with integrity, respect and value others.

5. Is there anything in the book that you do not understand or are unclear about, or are there ideas which you disagree with and, if so, why?

I did understand everything that was conveyed in the book and I do agree with all the ideas.

6. Did the book contain exercises for the reader to complete? If so, did you complete all of the exercises and did you find them helpful?

There were no exercises in the book

7. Was there anything you read in the book that you would like to comment on that was not covered in the previous questions? If so, please comment.

I have no further comments.

Please rate the following questions on a scale from 1 to 10. Ten is good and one is poor.

Developing the Leaders Around You

Assessment by Harriet Opondo (Uganda)

1. What is the main idea that the author is trying to convey in the book?

The author, Dr.John C.Maxwell, is conveying the importance of developing leaders from the people around about us, and this will cause more growth and leads to achieving more in whatever industry we are involved in. The author shares ideas such as creating a conducive environment for growth, nurturing, equipping and developing potential leaders. Therefore leaders have the task of developing leaders from the pool of people in their organizations and this will ensure success and continuity of vision.

The following seven ideas were personally most important as I read the book:

i. Creating a climate for potential leaders.

Every leader has a challenge of ensuring that the organization environment stimulates growth in the potential leaders. This is a very active process and includes aspects such providing growth opportunities, emphasizing production and not position, and committing to personal growth plans. This principle is important to me because it reminds me of my very first supervisor after I qualified as a Social Worker. Ms Sarah provided an environment in our department that encouraged growth. For instance she allowed the newly employed Social workers to attend various trainings so such as ensure growth.

ii. Identifying potential leaders

There is need for great skill and discernment if one is identify a potential leader. The author shares different ways of identifying potential leaders. He highlights qualities such as character, influence, positive attitude, excellent people skills, evident gifts, confidence, proven record and self-discipline. It is important that the potential leader has qualities which when developed enables he or she emerge as a great leader. This idea reminds me of my College days, where as Leaders of the local church ministry, we were tasked with identifying assistants who would take on our roles once we graduated out of college. I used some of the qualities in identifying potential leaders.

iii. Nurturing potential leaders

It is not enough to identify potential leaders; one must proceed to the next level of nurturing. I believe that people come as raw materials which must be worked with to produce a beautiful end-product. In order to nurture potential leaders, the author made suggestion such as, believing in, encouraging, sharing with and trusting potential leaders. Generally people are more receptive to growth when they feel and believe that their leader is genuinely interested in and believes in them. It is also important to establish a support system within the organization. This principle still reminds me of Ms Sarah, who always made me feel that she believes in me and showed interest in my development as a Social Worker.

iv. Developing potential leaders

The growth and development of people is the highest calling of leadership. Developing leaders begins with motivation. It is important to find out what an individual want by directly asking him or her, or use discernment to find out. In the journey of developing potential leaders, listening to ideas and opinions is vital. This encourages the potential leaders to voice out what they think about different aspects of their own development. It also important to help potential leaders develop a plan for personal growth and have practical steps of following through with it. In my last job, as a team manager, I used this method to help one of the new department members to grow, I specifically utilized the personal growth development. This gave her direction and focus in her roles and personal growth.

v. Forming a dream team

In order for any organization to increase its productivity, and reach its highest potential, developing a dream team is crucial. The author shared characteristics of a dream team which included; caring for one another, knowing what important, good communication is, growing together, attitude of partnership and placing individual rights beneath the best interest of the team. In order for a team to become a dream team, there is need for hard work and commitment. This principle is personally important because it reminds of my local Church. We have a team of pastors who every day strives towards making their pastoral team, a dream team. This has led the church to achieve more and have impact in the community.

vi. Coaching a dream team of leaders

The ability to coach others is a leader’s greatest joy, as this leads to harnessing collective genius of team members. A coach must know how to select, motivate, and empower his or her people. The author shared qualities of a dream team coach which includes the following: chooses players well, constantly communicates the game plan, takes the time to huddle, knows what his or her team prefers, excels in problem solving, provides support needed for success, commands respect of the players, doesn’t treat everyone the same and continues to win. Developing these qualities as a leader is vital if one wants to be an excellent coach to the team.

vii. The leader’s lasting contribution: reproducing generations of leaders

“A leader who produces other leaders multiplies his influence; he and his people have a future”. we are not immortal hence a time comes when we are not here on earth anymore and it is paramount that we reproduce other leaders who will continue with the vision and work that we have started. This concept of reproducing generation of leaders reminds me of Jesus Christ and the twelve disciples. Jesus discipled them before He returned to heaven and these men evangelized their then known world and hence leading to the spread of the Gospel.

3. How will these ideas or lessons help you in a practical way, both in your daily personal life and in helping you to create a better world? If so, how?

The above ideas will help me in the following ways:

Every day, I have an opportunity to provide some kind of leadership to people around me, I hence will endeavor to create a climate which encourages others to grow as leaders.

The principle of nurturing potential leaders, will help me to intentionally look out for those around me and contribute towards their leadership development. I have the privilege of being surrounded by many young people in my community.

In addition, the concept of lasting contribution, will always remind to “reproduce” in others, to teach and pass on what I know to those around me so that I do not go to the grave with all of the wisdom, knowledge and skills that I have learnt along the path of life. Forming a dream team, is a concept which rhymes with one of the plans that I have. I hope and plan to set up a consultancy firm and I desire to build and train a dream team that will offer excellent services to our clients.

4. Quotes: Are there any statements which the author made that particularly got your attention? If so, please quote them and comment as to why they were important to you.

“Everything rises and falls on leadership.”

In Africa, we a proverb that says, “A fish starts rotting from the head”, hence leadership is critical and fundamental in every segment of society. Many nations have gone through untold turmoil, mainly due to poor and ruthless leadership, for instance my own country went through war and destruction in the early 1970s through to early ‘80s, due to poor leadership and this brought untold pain, suffering and economic under-development.

“A thermostat is an active instrument. It determines what the environment will be. It effects change in order to create a climate.”

This statement is in reference to the leader’s attitude and environment created in the organization. As leaders we directly and directly affect the attitude and environment in our homes or places of work. Hence it is crucial that we keep and facilitate positive attitude.

“Great leaders share themselves and what they have learned.”

It is said that the Dead Sea is ‘dead’ because it has no outlet, hence it does not share! Therefore it is important that leaders share who they are and what they have learnt with those whom they provide leadership. This will facilitate a team spirit and growth.

“Leadership can only function on the basis of trust.”

It is important that leaders build a consistent character which can attract trust from those whom they lead. Trust glues leaders and followers together, hence it is paramount that leaders can be trusted by their followers. And as Cheryl Biehl remarked, “one of the realities of life is that if you can’t trust a person at all points, you can’t truly trust him or her at any point.”

“When you believe in people, you motivate them and release their potential.”

We all feel good when someone demonstrates that they believe in us and especially a person who has authority and influence over us. We all tend to grow towards a leader’s expectations, not his or her criticism and examination.

“Delegation is the most powerful tool leaders have.”

Delegation is key for any leader; it increases individual productivity as well as that of the entire department or organization. Therefore every effective leaders must learn the art of delegation.

5. Is there anything in the book that you do not understand or are unclear about, or are there ideas which you disagree with and, if so, why?

All the ideas were clear.

6. Did the book contain exercises for the reader to complete? If so, did you complete all of the exercises and did you find them helpful?

The book contained exercises but they were not applicable to me at the moment. I will do them at a later stage.

7. Was there anything you read in the book that you would like to comment on that was not covered in the previous questions? If so, please comment.

I have no further comments

Please rate the following questions on a scale from 1 to 10. Ten is good and one is poor.

A. How interesting was it to read? 9
B. How helpful were the contents? 10
C. How easy was it to understand? 10
D. Would you recommend it to others? 10
E. What is the overall rating you would give it? 10

The Montessori Method

Assessment by Harriet Opondo (Uganda)

1. What is the main idea that the author is trying to convey in the book?

The book is mainly about the Montessori Method of education. The education system emphasizes the liberty of the pupils and encouraging the child to learn in a natural way as possible. It also focuses a lot on teaching and training of the senses as this will automatically enable the child to learn aspects such as reading, writing and arithmetic.

The following ideas were important to me as I read the book.

i. How lessons should be given: when teaching children, Teachers need to be concise, and use simple language that can easily be understood by the learners.

This is important especially in relation to children since their mental faculties are still developing hence the rationale of being clear and simple. Even as an adult who is always around children, I realize that children need to be communicate to in simple and clear language.

ii. Exercise of practical life in the children’s houses.

Education should not just be about reading and writing, it is important that children are taught life skills such as cleanliness, order, poise and how to hold conversation while respecting others. The author did a great job in emphasizing this in the book and indeed in her mode of education. I still remember my elementary school teachers, reminding us to put up our hands if any of us had anything to say instead of two or three of us talking at the same time. Hence even as an adult now, I endeavor to listen to others and avoid talking at the same time with others while in a conversation.

iii. Reflections on a child’s diet.

The author gave suggestions of different food categories and types according to age groups. She also explained the preparation methods and how the food should be served to children. This is important because at times as adults we tend to look at kids as ‘small adults’ hence we give them adult food instead of paying close attention to their dietary needs and hence feeding them accordingly.

iv. Education of the senses

In selecting play materials used by the children, it is important that the adult chooses toys and other items which appeal to the children and encourage learning in all aspects. The different sense exercises suggested help the child to develop skills in arithmetic, reading and perception.

v. Intellectual education

When teaching children, it is suggested by the author that one concept is taught at a time. For instance when teaching a child pronunciation, the Teacher or adult should focus on one or two names at a time. It is also important to allow the children to try and generalize learned concepts to their environment. For instance if a child learnt color red in class, they should be able to notice that tomatoes are red when they get home or visit a grocery store.

vi. Language in childhood

Proper means should be used to a child, language is associated with perception. It has been proved that for a child to learn to speak a word easily, it is important for them to perceive it internally first. Children’s speech should also be analyzed when it is still possible to correct than waiting when the child is older and language is fully developed.

vii. General review of discipline; children should be taught discipline consistent with their age.

It is more effective if activities are used more than words. It is important to allow the child to practice to do things for him or herself, for instance eating, dressing and bathing. Practice indeed makes perfect!

3. How will these ideas or lessons help you in a practical way, both in your daily personal life and in helping you to create a better world? If so, how?

The above ideas and lessons will help me in the following ways and I believe this will create a better world and community. My world rotates around children, hence I will endeavor to use simple language as I communicate to children, this will facilitate more learning and I hope that these children will grow up to influence their generation

The lesson of teaching life skills such as cleanliness and conversation will help me as I interact with my nieces and nephews. And also at a personal level, I have been reminded about the rules of conversation.

I liked the idea of the education of the senses, as Child Counselor, I normally use materials in play therapy as way of getting into the children’s world, I have been reminded to carefully select the play materials so as to stimulate the different senses of children. I believe this will make the play therapy a lot more effective. It is amazing how many children struggle with pronunciation, and I believe that if this had been corrected by the adults in their earlier, this could have been avoided. Therefore I will encourage parents and caregivers to correct children’s language when still in the formative stages than waiting when the children are older.

4. Quotes: Are there any statements which the author made that particularly got your attention? If so, please quote them and comment as to why they were important to you?

The following quotes and statements caught my attention as I read the book

“The more carefully we cut away useless words, the more perfect will become the lesson.”

It is important that as we teach or interact with children, we carefully choose our words and learn to be clear, simple and precise.

“The child is initiated into observation of phenomena of life.”

The child learns to respect nature, and how to take care of aspects such as plants and animals, hence he learns to appreciate the care shown to him by teachers and Parents.

“The teacher teaches little and observes much.”

The role of the Teacher is more to direct the child as they tap their inner resources and applies it to their learning, naturally children desire to move forward, to grow hence the Teacher needs to encourage this liberty and self-actualizing tendency.

“Exercise of silence, which prepare the nervous channels of language to receive new stimuli perfectly.”

In helping a child to correct their language, one of the ways is to have silence moments, in between their speech as opposed to speaking non-stop. Silence prepares the nervous channels to receive new stimuli better.

“No man learns self-discipline through hearing another man speak.”

In teaching children discipline, we cannot just use words, for instance telling them what to do all the time, activities which teach and encourage self-discipline must be incorporated in the learning process and activities.

5. Is there anything in the book that you do not understand or are unclear about, or are there ideas which you disagree with and, if so, why?

The author used complicated words a lot in the book that it would be difficult for a lay person to quickly understand the concepts and ideas, it is a book that must be read more than once. Also the categorizing of people into the poor and the rich was not very respectful, especially the choice of words.

6. Did the book contain exercises for the reader to complete? If so, did you complete all of the exercises and did you find them helpful?

There were no exercises to be completed.

7. Was there anything you read in the book that you would like to comment on that was not covered in the previous questions? If so, please comment.

I have no further comments.

Please rate the following questions on a scale from 1 to 10. Ten is good and one is poor.

A. How interesting was it to read? 5
B. How helpful were the contents? 6
C. How easy was it to understand? 5
D. Would you recommend it to others? 6
E. What is the overall rating you would give it? 6

The Secret

Assessment by Harriet Opondo (Uganda)

1. What is the main idea that the author is trying to convey in the book?

The author is trying to convey the power of the law of attraction, especially in our thinking patterns. Our thoughts have a big bearing on the successes and failures in our lives than most people are aware of. The author shares insights and stories from different scholars, scientist and philosophers who applied the principles of the secret to different aspects of their lives and how these changed their lives and the world around them.

i. Like attracts like: we are like a magnet and hence when we think a thought, we attract similar thoughts into our minds and ultimately lives.

I know this is so true, the times I have worried about something, many negative thoughts came flooding my mind and when I think pleasant thoughts, more positive thoughts are attracted. Last week I realized that I have been negatively viewing a friend and hence I forgot all the good things about him, however when I decided to think about him as a wonderful person, I was able to remember really nice memories of our friendship.

ii. The power of your mind.

The human mind is more powerful than most of us can comprehend. Our minds hence determine a lot in creating our lives and destiny. God has given us the ability to think and come up with amazing ideas that can totally change us and the communities in which we live. Today I was preparing training slides and it is amazing that the more I was able to focus my thoughts, the more great ideas and examples I was able to come up for the presentation later this week.

iii. Love is the greatest emotion.

I am a firm believer that love can change people and the world in which we live. There is such tremendous power in love. The more I focus and think about the love that God has showed me through His mercy and grace, the better I feel and this enables me to extend the same love to those around me.

iv. How to use the secret; the creative process which include, asking, believing, and receiving, was a great reminder for me.

As much as I knew these steps from the New Testament, reading from a non-Christian book, brought a lot of things to light. One of the aspects that was came so strongly for me was the believing. There are things that I have been asking God to do for me, instead of asking over and over again, now I believe that Jesus has heard and indeed He will answer just at the right time, my role now is to believe and give thanks.

v. The secret to health.

Our thoughts profoundly affect our health, if we think negatively about life and our bodies, we summoning diseases into our lives. I am now more careful about what I say about my health, in case I have a cold or a fever, I don’t have to broadcast it to all my friends, because the more I talk about, the more of the disease I’m attracting! Also the power of laughter, we can actually laugh our way to healing. I have experienced this with emotional healing.

vi. The powerful process of gratitude.

Gratitude is a great way to begin our day and live our lives. We all have something if not many things to be grateful to God for. Every day when I wake up, I always thank God for the gift of life, a new day and for salvation. The more we give thanks, the more things come into our lives to thankful for. Personally above the things, I love the peace and joy that come with having a grateful spirit.

vii. The secret to money.

In order to attract money, I need to focus on wealth and not lack. Also when we give, we receive more, this is both a spiritual and universal principle. I am learning to focus on wealth, to be thankful for what I have and all that is on the way and to always have an open hand towards others.

3. How will these ideas or lessons help you in a practical way, both in your daily personal life and in helping you to create a better world? If so, how?

The above lessons and ideas will help practically in my personal life and in creating a better world in the following ways:

The principle of like attracts like, is already helping me to focus on only positive thoughts and not negative ones. I am now more conscious of my thought patterns, if I find myself getting negative, I stop it immediately.

The power of your mind idea, has helped me to dream again.There are things that I had almost forgotten about! However when I read the book, I have been challenged to utilize my mind more. For instance I intend to write children’s devotionals and bedtime stories. This indeed will create a better world for the children.

The process of using the secret has reminded me about the power of my faith in God and what He is able to do; He can do all things for them that believe. I have been encouraged to pray for the impossible things and believe that God is able and willing to do them.

Lastly the secret to health and money will help me to think more positive thoughts about these aspects. I now focus on abundance and health. Even when I do not have all the money for the week, I am learning to focus and imagine that I have more than I need. In regard to health, I focus on how healthy I am!

4. Quotes: Are there any statements which the author made that particularly got your attention? If so, please quote them and comment as to why they were important to you?

The following quotes and statements really got my attention as I read the book:

“If you see it in your mind, you’re going to hold it in your hand.”

This quote brings out a great illustration about the power of vision, if we can envision something in our minds, we can have it. My pastor defines vision as the preferred future!

“Thoughts become things.”

This quote is pretty scary, our thoughts actually become things! I am being challenged to be careful about what I think about.

“Your current thoughts are creating your future life. What you think about the most of focus on the most will appear in your life.”

This cannot be over emphasized; our currents thoughts indeed shape our future. Many years ago, in my final year of High school, as my classmates were anxious about whether they will make it to college, I already saw myself in college and with some of my close friends, and we talked about our lives when we get to college. Indeed me and my friends performed really well and hence made it to college!

“It is impossible to feel bad and at the same time have good thoughts.”

As a mental health practioner, whenever I get a client who is really sad, I am always curious about their thought patterns. And in almost all the cases, the sad clients always had negative thought patterns. And as soon as they started to change their thoughts, the good feelings always returned.

“Secret shifters, such as pleasant memories, nature, or your favorite music, can change your feelings and shift your frequency in an instant.”

I know this to be true, usually if I wake up and I ‘m feeling low, I find listening to worship music very uplifting. My moods usually change almost immediately. I am looking forward to discovery more mood shifters!

“Expectation is a powerful attractive force. Expect the things you want, and don’t expect the things you don’t want”

We get what we expect since that is what we attracting into our lives. I am learning to only expect what I want. Right now, I am waiting for a decision concerning my Doctorate admission, my mind at times get negative, however I immediately shift it back to what I expect, being admitted and awarded a full scholarship for my Doctorate studies!

“Laughter attracts joy, releases negativity, and leads to miraculous cures.”

I enjoy laughing, many times I laugh alone in the house and bathroom. Now that I have been reminded of its tremendous power, I will keep at it, kicking out all negativity and hence receiving more joy!

5. Is there anything in the book that you do not understand or are unclear about, or are there ideas which you disagree with and, if so, why?

I do agree with most of the principles in the book, since they reflect my core beliefs about people, however the aspect of lifting a human being to the same level as God, the Creator of heaven and earth, I disagree with. I know and belief that Man is created in the image of God and hence we have the ability to do certain things however we are not equal to God. Also the book seems to focus a lot on the benefits of the law of attraction to personal gain. However in my perspective, we are ultimately born to honor God and serve others.

6. Did the book contain exercises for the reader to complete? If so, did you complete all of the exercises and did you find them helpful?

There were no exercises.

7. Was there anything you read in the book that you would like to comment on that was not covered in the previous questions? If so, please comment.

I have no further comments.

Please rate the following questions on a scale from 1 to 10. Ten is good and one is poor.

A. How interesting was it to read? 8
B. How helpful were the contents? 8
C. How easy was it to understand? 8
D. Would you recommend it to others? 8
E. What is the overall rating you would give it? 8

The 8th Habit

Assessment by Harriet Opondo (Uganda)

1. What is the main idea that the author is trying to convey in the book?

The book provides a new dimension to Covey’s earlier book, “seven habits of highly effective people”. The author and explains different aspects how individuals, families and organizations can move from effectiveness to greatness. Every individual has potential and a voice which needs to harnessed so that we each live a life of significance. The author also emphasizes the importance of helping and inspiring others to find their own voice. Also central to the book is the aspect of looking at individuals as whole, body, Mind, heart and spirit.

The following seven ideas were important to me personally as I read the book.

i. Discover your voice; we each have unopened gifts from God and it is important that we unlock these potential and live fully as we live out our callings and destinies.

The author mentioned gifts such as choice, principles and intelligences. The concept of unopened gifts reminded me of all the potential that God has given me and I was challenged to utilize them. The power of choice was extremely important for me, more than ever before I was reminded that God gave me free will, hence every day I have to choose to be all that He has created me to be and to hence positively influence those around me.

ii. Inspiring others to find their voice; we all have opportunities daily to help those around us discover the potential that they have within.

This is a very important part of leadership at all levels. I am thankful for all the amazing people who encourage me to find my voice. This has helped me to go on even when my back is on the wall and about to give up hope. Particularly my Lecturers during Graduate school, helped unleash a lot of potential that was buried. This inspires to help those around me to find their voice and hence live out their callings.

iii. The voice of trustworthiness-modeling character and competence.

Leadership relies primarily on character, hence as Leaders we are called to model integrity to others, without it no real success is possible. Character gives a leader the moral authority to lead and correct those around him. This is important for me, as a Leader in different capacities, I know that if I cannot be trusted, my ability to influence is shaken.

iv. Blending voices: searching for third alternative: we cannot avoid conflicts and differences that individuals present with.

The third alternative is about finding a higher middle ground and is better than both our ways. In order to find the third alternative, we have to learn to listen empathically. As we listen with empathy, we are able to see things from the other person’s perspective. As a Therapist, most of my work involves listening to my clients; hence this principle was a great reminder to really listen!

v. Focus and execution

Aligning goals and systems for results; No life ever grows great until it is focused, dedicated and disciplined. In order to see results in both our individual lives and in organizations there is need to create systems that will formalize our vision and values, and come up with goals that reflect the same vision. We therefore cannot keep doing the same things and expect different results. Recently at work, the Leadership took time to assess our performance as an organization and to find out if our systems indeed match our goals and shared vision, this helped all of us to re-align and focus on performing our duties more effectively.

vi. The empowering voice: Releasing passion and talent.

The best way to inspire others to be all that they can be, is by fully supporting them. Many times leaders control instead of empowering, however if we realize that people have potential and they have the power to choose, empowering them would yield a lot more results that if we use the carrot and stick method. My first supervisor when I left college really modeled this principle and I will forever be grateful!

vii.The whole person paradigm

In order to live as fulfilled people, and to draw the best of every one, we need to have the correct view of individuals. As individuals, we are created with four dimensions that is Mind, body, spirit and heart. These dimensions represent the four basic needs to live (survival), love (Relationships), learn (growth and development) and to leave a legacy (meaning and contribution). Hence leaders need to always remember that all the basic needs of the whole person need to met in order to achieve effectiveness. This principle reminds of a decision I made about three years ago, to transition out of a work role. I felt that I was not growing any more, and although my team members were wonderful people, the lack of growth created a void.

3. How will these ideas or lessons help you in a practical way, both in your daily personal life and in helping you to create a better world? If so, how?

The above ideas and lessons will help me in the following ways:

The principle of discovering my voice, is already helping me to think critically of all the unopened gifts that I still have, I am determined to be all that God has created me to be and I know that this will help me to positively influence those around me.

I am surrounded by lots of young people who are still striving to find who they are and what they are created for. Therefore the idea of inspiring others to find their voice will give me additional skills and ideas to help these young people discover their voice and live their lives to the fullest.

Every day, I meet people, who look at things differently, and at times this causes conflicts, the principle of searching for the third alternative will help me to listen and look for a higher middle ground.

Lastly, the idea of whole person paradigm will give a better view of people and their basic needs.

4. Quotes: Are there any statements which the author made that particularly got your attention? If so, please quote them and comment as to why they were important to you.

The following quotes got my attention:

“But generally speaking, I find that vision comes as people sense human need and respond to their conscience in trying to meet that need.”

This quote brings out the best place where vision is birthed. Vision should really about sensing and responding to people’s needs in our communities. I have a vision of starting up a consultancy firm to meet the psychological needs of children and families in my community.

“Few of us can do great things, but all of us can do small things with great love.”

Mother Theresa reminds us that love should be the foundation and basis of all that we do, and in this way we will positively influence our world.

“Two roads diverged into a wood, and I-took the one less traveled and that has made all the difference.”

It is tempting many times to go with the crowd and the ordinary, however this quote reminds us to carefully choose our paths even when is the one less travelled.

“Self-knowledge is best learned, not by contemplation, but by action. Strive to do your duty and you will soon discover of what stuff you are made of.”

Finding our voice, we are does not happen unless we become proactive and this will help us discover who we are and what we do best.

“Remember, any time your emotional life is a function of someone else’ weakness, you dis-empower yourself and empower those weaknesses to continue to mess your life up.”

This statement beautifully illustrates the power of choice especially in regard to how we respond emotionally to circumstances around us. There is a saying that states, “you cannot prevent a bird from flying over your head but you can prevent it from building a nest in your head.” Therefore we all have the ability to choose our responses.

“Leadership is communicating to people their worth and potential so clearly that they come to see it in themselves.”

This statement highlights a leader’s role of empowering those around them by communicating to them their worth and potential.

“Character, in the long run, is the decisive factor in the life on an individual and of nations alike.”

This clearly brings out the importance of character in both our private lives and in the community. If our character is wanting, we will almost never really achieve significance and greatness in our lives.

“True forgiveness involves forgetting, letting it go, and moving on.”

The above quote clearly brings out the definition of forgiveness, and this helps us not to be crippled by the wrongs that we may suffer. Forgiveness benefits the one who extends it than the one who receives it.

5. Is there anything in the book that you do not understand or are unclear about, or are there ideas which you disagree with and, if so, why?

I understood all that was contained in the book.

6. Did the book contain exercises for the reader to complete? If so, did you complete all of the exercises and did you find them helpful?

The book contained video clips; I was not able to watch them. The exercises do not apply to me now, but will complete them when it is relevant.

7. Was there anything you read in the book that you would like to comment on that was not covered in the previous questions? If so, please comment.

I have no further comments.

Please rate the following questions on a scale from 1 to 10. Ten is good and one is poor.

A. How interesting was it to read? 8
B. How helpful were the contents? 9
C. How easy was it to understand? 8
D. Would you recommend it to others? 8
E. What is the overall rating you would give it? 8

The Secret: What Great Leaders Know and Do

Assessment by Harriet Opondo (Uganda)

1. What is the main idea that the author is trying to convey in the book?

The main idea conveyed by the authors is what really makes a leader successful and they unpack ideas based on the acronym of the word SERVE. The concepts are; see the future, engage and develop others, reinvent continuously, value results and relationships and embody the values. The authors in a very practical and simple way illustrate how by implementing these concepts, one can become a great leader.

The following ideas and concepts were important to me as I read the book.

i. The secret

The secret to being a great leader is being a servant. The servant heart and attitude should guide all the actions of any individual who aspires to be a great leader. In addition, we become great leaders one day at a time throughout our lives. This concept is important to me, as I lead others in different ways, I have realized that it has got more with service than position.

ii. Seeing the future: Every leader must have a vision for his or her organization or department. Leadership is a lot about taking people from one place to another. Hence have a compelling vision which others can buy in is important. The idea of seeing the future is vital to me, personally I have been reminded to review my personal vision and also as a team member at work, I am assessing my own contribution to the Organization’s vision.

iii. What is important? (values and beliefs)

It is paramount that individuals and organizations have clear values and beliefs that guide their behavior on a daily basis. I have personal values that I live by and this has guided both my behavior and decisions.

iv. Engage and develop others

In order to see our vision coming to reality we must choose the right people and train them so that they can perform at their optimum level. Empowering people and making them feel valued is important if we are to see great results. I am thankful that at work, this idea is emphasized and modeled by the leadership.

v. Leverage your strengths

We all have things that we naturally excel at and it is important to know those aspects and focus on becoming excellent at them and our weakness will fade to the background. As leaders, helping people leverage their strengths is very rewarding, as we will see people shinning in their areas of competence.

vi. Reinvent continuously

Leaders should reinvent continuously on a personal level by improving their knowledge and skills. This can be done through reading, watching videos, listening to audio books and mentorship. If as a leader one models this concept, it is easier to encourage the people under them to do the same. Also an organization level, systems and structure must be reviewed and reinvented to make sure that they still serve the stated goals and vision.

vii. What is success?

Success is a combination of achieving our goals and having healthy relationships with the people that we serve. One must have high expectations of both results and relationships. When a leader has a meaningful relationship with each team member, this can lead to better results since the members will sense that they are valued and appreciated.

3. How will these ideas or lessons help you in a practical way, both in your daily personal life and in helping you to create a better world? If so, how?

The above ideas and lessons will help me in the following ways:

The concept of leadership being focused on servant hood as opposed to merely a position is a great reminder to continually serve those around me and this will provide a good model for them as well.

The Bible says that “without a vision the people perish,” hence seeing the future is a fundamental concept and this has reminded me not be discouraged by what is happening now, but to fix my gaze on the vision that I have in my heart and keep working towards achieving it.

Leverage your strengths has reminded that none of us can do everything but we all have things that we do really well, I am determined to leverage my strengths and doing so I believe that I will serve those around me better and hence great a better world.

Success is not just about achieving goals and meeting deadlines, as I accomplish my roles, I will keep paying attention to how I relate to those in my team. I believe that as I focus on balancing both results and relationships, together as a team we will achieve more.

4. Quotes: Are there any statements which the author made that particularly got your attention? If so, please quote them and comment as to why they were important to you.

The following quotes caught my attention as I read the book:

“Everything rises and falls on leadership.”

Leadership is an awesome responsibility and if it is found wanting the entire organization will never be able to achieve its goals however lofty they may appear.

“The secret is, great leaders serve.”

All great leaders in the past and present were servants. Jesus who is the greatest leader who ever lived modeled servant throughout His earthly ministry. Hence every leader who desires to be great must have a servant attitude.

“Great Leaders don’t become great in a moment or in a month or year. They become great leaders one day at a time throughout their lifetimes.”

Leadership is a lifelong commitment hence for all of us who desire to become great leaders we must be willing to stay on course our entire lifetime!

“Leadership is about taking people from one place to another.”

Leadership is really about vision; we must move people and our organizations to the preferred future. An effective leader must facilitate growth both in individuals and the organization or department.

“As leaders, we must be willing to accept the fact that there are some things that certain individuals will never learn well. And that is okay.”

Knowing people’s strengths and growing points is key. Once we accept people for who they are, we then able to encourage them to focus on their strengths and not try to force them to perform roles which are out of their areas of competence.

“People will not give you their hand until they see your heart.”

We must value relationships before we demand our team members to bring results. Naturally we all like to know that others care about us and value us and the work that we do. This provides motivation for better performance.

5. Is there anything in the book that you do not understand or are unclear about, or are there ideas which you disagree with and, if so, why?

I understood all the contents of the book and I do agree with all the principles.

6. Did the book contain exercises for the reader to complete? If so, did you complete all of the exercises and did you find them helpful?

There were no exercises included.

7. Was there anything you read in the book that you would like to comment on that was not covered in the previous questions? If so, please comment.

I have no further comments

Please rate the following questions on a scale from 1 to 10. Ten is good and one is poor.

A. How interesting was it to read? 10
B. How helpful were the contents? 9
C. How easy was it to understand? 10
D. Would you recommend it to others? 9

E. What is the overall rating you would give it? 10

Long Walk to Freedom

Assessment by Harriet Opondo (Uganda)

1. What is the main idea that the author is trying to convey in the book?

The author, the Late Nelson Mandela, shared his personal journey as a South African freedom fighter. He highlighted the background of his interest in politics and how this was nurtured by different life experiences and how is passion and dream of a free South Africa enabled him be at the forefront of the fight against apartheid in South Africa. He also shared the strategies and principles that they employed in their struggle for freedom.

The following ideas were personally important as I read the book

i. The struggle is my life

Mandela, gave everything in his struggle for freedom in South Africa, this involved his personal preferences and pleasures such as family and recreation. This illustrated the highest level of dedication. In life, in order to achieve a goal, many times it requires more sacrifices that we ever thought. In my Doctoral applications last year, I had to sacrifice so much in order to send my documents to the university, it involved long hours of study and financial implications as well, I was willing to put in a lot of effort because, I have a dream!

ii. Loyalty

Throughout the liberation struggle as narrated in the book, Mandela remained loyal to the African national Congress (ANC). There are times when the ANC’s leadership’s strategies differed from his personal opinions; however he remained loyal instead of breaking away to start his own party. Loyalty is important in all levels of relationships, and especially when one is part of a group or team. There have been moments when my personal opinion has differed from that of my work team or Church, but because of loyalty, I decided to submit, especially if the decision is not against my own personal values.

iii. Accountability

Throughout the struggle, Mandela was accountable to the top ANC leadership. This was clearly illustrated when he was in prison and when negotiations with the then ruling government started. He risked a lot in order to keep the his colleagues in the loop. He always contacted them before making a major decision. Accountability keeps me in check, and I have a few close people in my life that I am accountable to; this has kept me from so much trouble and enabled me to make wiser choices.

iv. Courage

Mandela and the ANC had courage even when fear stared at them so intensely. The government threatened, killed, arrested and tortured them, but they still had the courage to keep fighting for freedom. Mandela also showed a lot of courage as he confronted the prison authorities for unfair polices and horrible services. This resulted in change for instance in the way political prisoners were treated. I have gone through some difficult moments in my life, and I needed courage to face my fears and to move on past pain and hurt.

v. Respect: it is easier to place honor on a leader who is acting honorably, however a leader is mean and not fulfilling their obligations, it calls for real maturity and character to respect them. In spite of Mandela disagreeing with the white leadership, he always showed respect in the way he approached them even when he was pointing out all the apartheid policies. This is something that I still struggle with, especially with political leaders.

vi. Leadership

The ANC had a clear leadership structure and employed strategies that enabled them to keep together as a team and hence defeat the enemy. In order to achieve success at anything, a team needs great leadership, just like John C.Maxwell says, everything rises and falls on leadership.

vii. Resilience and hope

Mandela had hope, that one day every South African: white, Black, Indian and Colored will be treated the same. This hope for a free South Africa kept him going, this is what I guess kept him going for the twenty seven years in prison. Many times life gets tough, but hope for a better tomorrow keeps me going!

3. How will these ideas or lessons help you in a practical way, both in your daily personal life and in helping you to create a better world? If so, how?

The above ideas will help me practically in the following ways

The life and experiences of Mandela and ANC has fueled my passion to fight against injustices. I live in a country that still has many forms of injustices, for instance I believe that the government needs to allocate more funding towards health care and child protection services in its national budget.

I will keep loyal to the values and principles that guide my life, so that I do not allow the pressures of those around me to divert me into anything contrary.

Hope is the one thing that gives me courage to keep trying and not to give up. I believe as I keep hope alive that change will come in my country, this will enable me to take actions that will lead to the desired change. I hope that one day, every school will recognize the need for mental health services so that children’s emotional needs are catered for.

Lastly but not least, I strive to become a better leader every day, as I apply the principles of strategy, clarity and accountability as illustrated by Mandela and the ANC, I believe that I will grow in my leadership journey.

4. Quotes: Are there brief quotes from the book which really got your attention? If so, please list and comment on them.

The following quotes caught my attention as I read the book

“While an organization like the ANC is made up of individuals, it is greater than any of its individual parts, and the loyalty to the organization takes precedence over loyalty to an individual.”

This quote reminds of the importance of looking team work and loyalty.

“Education is the great engine of personal development. It is through education that the daughter of a peasant can become a Doctor, that the son of a mineworker can become the head of the mine, that a child of farmworkers can become the president of a great nation.”

The above statement accurately brings out the value of education and the part it plays in development of a community and the nation ultimately.

“There is a streak of goodness in men that can be buried or hidden and then emerge unexpectedly.”

I believe that everyone has goodness in them, however at times life experiences can make one’s heart hard, however we should always look out for the goodness in everyone

“One is fighting for the liberation of millions of people, not the glory of one individual.”

In any fight against injustice, it is important to remember that the goal is not to glorify one person above the others but to work towards the liberation of the all in bondage.

“But I always knew that someday I would once again feel the grass under my feet and walk in the sunshine as a free man.”

Nothing beats the power of hope even in the most difficult circumstance. Hope helps us not to give up!

“Our message was that no sacrifice was too great in the struggle for freedom.”

In order to achieve a great vision, sacrifice cannot be eliminated. I was humbled by the sacrifice of Mandela and the entire ANC.

“Strong convictions are the secret of surviving deprivation; your spirit can be full even when your stomach is empty”

Strong belief in any cause helps one to endure hardships, convictions provide inner strength and vision.

5. Is there anything in the book that you do not understand or are unclear about, or are there ideas which you disagree with and, if so, why?

Everything was clear

6. Did the book contain exercises for the reader to complete? If so, did you complete all of the exercises and did you find them helpful?

There were no exercises

7. Was there anything you read in the book that you would like to comment on that was not covered in the previous questions? If so, please comment.

I have no further comments.

Please rate the following questions on a scale from 1 to 10. Ten is good and one is poor.

A. How interesting was it to read? 8
B. How helpful were the contents? 9
C. How easy was it to understand? 8
D. Would you recommend it to others? 9
E. What is the overall rating you would give it? 9

Start with the Why

Assessment by Harriet Opondo (Uganda)

1. What is the main idea that the author is trying to convey in the book?

The author is conveying the importance of knowing reason and purpose why we do the things that we do. He clearly articulates the importance of purpose and how it inspires us and those around us. It is not just about the “how” and “what”, it is the “why” that moves individuals and companies to action that leaves a lasting impact in our world. The author also shared stories of individuals and companies which had a very clear purpose (why) and how this caused them to soar way above others.

The following ideas were personally important as I read the book:

i. Carrots and sticks

Many companies in the world today manipulate the market using promotions, price cuts, fear and aspiration messages to get people to buy products and services; however this is a very costly way of selling anything! It does not attract loyalty from customers. I have realized that companies that have won my loyalty are those that share my values and outlook and they always seem to be very clear about the reason why they exist!

ii. Golden circle

This is the alternative to the carrots and sticks policy used by many companies. This circle consists of the Why, what and How. Beginning with the why, is more effective. Once an individual is very clear about the why (Purpose and belief) it is easy to figure out the and how. In the context of business, customers are loyal to companies which are very clear about their purpose, and this leads to loyalty. I was once hired by an organization, that was not very clear about their purpose, yet they had lots of activities going on, the company did not win my loyalty, I quit in six months! Reading this book helped me to understand why I did not last long in that job.

iii. Clarity, discipline and consistency

In order to achieve a lasting impact, an organization, has to be clear about the why, possess values and principles that guide How things are done and this will lead to great results (What).Therefore in order to have the golden circle in balance, a company must be clear about why the do the things that they do, stay true to the values and consistently produce quality services and products. I am clear about my life’s mission and this has enabled me to articulate my values and is helping me achieve results.

iv. Emergence of trust

Trust is not a checklist or rational experience, It is a feeling. Trust begins to emerge when we have a sense that the other person or organization is driven by things other than self-gain. We cannot simply convince someone to trust us, we must earn it, and this happens over time. There are people whom I have known for a long time, however I have failed to trust them, simply because of the inconsistencies in their personal character. This challenges me to every day work towards having a character that will cause others to trust me.

v. Finding the people who believe what you believe

Great leaders know the importance of hiring people who believe in their cause. Once the employees believe in what the company stands for, it is easier to offer great services and products. The goals should always be to hire those who are passionate about a company’s cause and have the attitude that fits its culture. I find this very true in personal relationships. I tend to easily connect with individuals who share my beliefs and values as opposed to those whose values are explicitly different.

vi. Energy excites, Charisma inspires

The world is full of people with energy and very few charismatic people. Charisma comes from a very clear purpose, and this will always inspire others to believe and follow a cause or the individual who represents that cause. Charisma ultimately commands loyalty. This principle reminds me of my Pastor, he came to Uganda 33 years ago and started with only 77 people in the very first service, however because of his charisma fueled by his love for God and people, over 25,000 people attend services across our different campuses. I hence just don’t want to have energy; I desire to be truly charismatic and inspirational!

vii. Those who know why need those who know how; the people who know WHY are visionaries and often focus on the unseen future.

They are not the best people to implement projects for instance. Hence they need the individuals who know HOW. Those who are rational and realistic, and are able to build systems and structures which are necessary to implement the vision. I know of a individual who had a vision to touch the lives of orphans and vulnerable children, however he had no clue about social work or community intervention! However he hired people who had that knowledge, twenty years later, thousands of children’s lives have been touched in Uganda.

3. How will these ideas or lessons help you in a practical way, both in your daily personal life and in helping you to create a better world? If so, how?

The above ideas will help me in a practical way, in the following ways:

The idea of the importance of WHY and starting with it, has already helped me to further clarify my life’s mission and purpose. This is leading me to focus on what needs to be done so that I can influence my community.

I have been reminded about the importance of trust and how it is achieved. My work involves working with people and getting into their private lives in the context of a therapeutic relationship. It is therefore important that my clients trust me and the methods that I use as we explore their lives and challenges. I have been challenged to be intentional about building a character that can cause others to trust me.

God created each of us different, some are visionaries and others are implementers. This has challenged me to surround myself with people who possess the qualities that I do not naturally posses but need in order to live out my life’s calling.

4. Quotes: Are there any statements which the author made that particularly got your attention? If so, please quote them and comment as to why they were important to you.

The following quotes caught my attention as I read the book:

“Relationships also build trust. And with trust comes loyalty.”

Trust does not happen in a vacuum, it is developed in the context of a relationship, and this leads to loyalty. We can only be loyal to those we trust.

“Only when the WHY is clear and people believe what you believe can a true loyal relationship develop.”

In order to inspire others to trust us, we need to be clear about our purpose and communicate it so clearly that other can understand and ‘Catch” the vision!

“Regardless of what we do in our lives, our WHY-our driving purpose, cause or belief-never changes.”

Our WHY is can be likened to we are, it is not meant to change like weather. We may express our life purpose in many different ways but it should essentially remain the same.

“But no matter how inspirational a dream may be, a dream that cannot come to life stays a dream.”

A dream remains a dream unless it is implemented; hence we all need to look out for likeminded people who possess the different skills that is needed to implement our dreams.

“Great leaders are able to inspire others to act.”

John C. Maxwell defines leadership as influence. All great leaders inspire others into action. Jesus Christ spent only three years on the earth but He inspires twelve men who in turn inspired others in action that continues more than two thousand years later! The late Nelson Mandela and the African National Congress leadership inspired South Africans into action to end apartheid and social injustice.

5. Is there anything in the book that you do not understand or are unclear about, or are there ideas which you disagree with and, if so, why?

I did understand all the contents of the book

6. Did the book contain exercises for the reader to complete? If so, did you complete all of the exercises and did you find them helpful?

There were no exercises to complete

7. Was there anything you read in the book that you would like to comment on that was not covered in the previous questions? If so, please comment.

I have no further comments

Please rate the following questions on a scale from 1 to 10. Ten is good and one is poor.

A. How interesting was it to read? 8
B. How helpful were the contents? 9
C. How easy was it to understand? 8
D. Would you recommend it to others? 8
E. What is the overall rating you would give it? 8

The Complete 101 Collection

Assessment by Harriet Opondo (Uganda)

1. What is the main idea that the author is trying to convey in the book?

In the 101 Complete Collection, John C. Maxwell shares eight core areas in leadership. These include, attitude, self-improvement, leadership, relationships, success, teamwork, equipping, and mentoring. These are important principles that if put into practice we are able to become the leaders that we are created to be and we will have positive impact on the individuals that we influence and in the community as a whole.

The following ideas were personally important as I read the book:

i. Attitude determine success or failure

Our attitude is a primary force which will determine my success or failure. Attitude determines areas such as: approach to life, relationship with others, how we view tasks assigned to us. Attitude also determines how we view literally everything, hence it is important that we check our attitude to determine if we will be able to live to our fullest potential. I am currently coming up with a training concept for nannies, and as I have shared with a few close friends, some have been negative however in order to succeed, I have to maintain a positive perspective.

ii. The benefits of adversity

Life is never meant to be a walk in the park, and hence we all face adversity in our personal, family or career lives. It is important that I view adversity as an opportunity than a barrier. Advantages of adversity highlighted by the author include; it creates resilience, develops maturity, provides greater opportunities, prompts innovation, brings unexpected benefits and provides motivation. The last six months of 2015 were very challenging for me, however, as I look back, the adversity that I faced, led to maturity in my character that I doubt I would have achieved if those trials did not come my way.

iii. Seven abilities needed to fail forward: failing forward can be viewed as learning from the failure and moving forward instead of staying down.

The seven abilities are: reject rejection, see failure as temporary, view failure as isolated incidents, keep expectations realistic, focus on strengths, vary approaches to achievement and bounce back. One of the most tempting things is to define our lives by failure instead of looking at it as an isolated incident. I am learning that we all fail in our attempts to make our lives count however, I should fail forward!

iv. Principles of self-improvement

In order for an individual to be successful, she or he must keep growing. Self-improvement is very intentional and thus cannot be left to chance. The principles of self-improvement include; choose a life of growth, start growing today, focus on self-development, not self-fulfillment, never stay satisfied with current accomplishments, be continual learner, develop a plan for growth and pay the price. Anything worthwhile comes at a cost; hence I have to be willing to pay the price. One of the reasons that I have not given up on IIGL in spite a busy schedule, is that I want to grow!

v. Finding your strength zone

We are all gifted at some things and it is important that we find them out. Suggestions to help us find our strength zones include: ask yourself what you are really doing well, get specific, listen to what others praise, and check out competition (search for the competitive advantage). This principle has been a great reminder for me, I am at a stage in my life when I am defining what really matters and what I excel at so that I can focus on my strength and grace zone.

vi. Steps to building a strong family

It is said that good marriages and strong families are joys, but they don’t just happen on their own. I am pro-family and I can’t wait to have a family of my own! Maxwell shared guidelines they use as a family to keep together and strong. These include; express appreciation for each other, structure your lives to spend time together, deal with crisis in a positive way, communicate continually, share the same values and build your marriage.

vii. How do I adopt a mentor’s mindset?

Mentoring does not come naturally to most people; hence it is important that we become intentional regarding it. The author suggested the following steps: make people development your top priority, limit who you take along, develop relationships before starting out, give help unconditionally, let them fly with you for awhile, put fuel in their tank, stay with them until they can solo successfully and clear the flight path.

3. How will these ideas or lessons help you in a practical way, both in your daily personal life and in helping you to create a better world? If so, how?

The above ideas will help me practically in the following ways:

The principle of attitude will help me to keep a positive perspective about myself and life. I am learning to learn from failures and move on instead of crying over spilled milk.

In addition, the principles of failing forward, has given me a new perspective regarding adversity and how to make the best of it. My work involves helping people deal with personal struggles, hence these principle will be very helpful. The idea of finding and operating in my strength zone will be very helpful as I continue in my career planning and vision casting. The guidelines shared in regard to building a strong family will be very helpful as I start my own family and I will also share the ideas with my friends and clients .

4. Quotes: Are there any statements which the author made that particularly got your attention? If so, please quote them and comment as to why they were important to you.

The following quotes caught my attention as I read the book:

“Attitudes are contagious.”

Attitudes are like germs, we easily pick up other people’s attitude. I have a friend who sees the possibility of almost everything, I like being around him especially when things are tough and indeed I usually ‘catch’ his positive attitude.

“Attitude is an inward feeling expressed by behavior.”

Many of us blame our attitudes on other people and circumstances but the above quote reminds me that people and circumstances bring an already existing attitude!

“The greatest discovery of my generation is that people can alter their lives by altering their attitudes.”

I can change my life by simply altering my attitude!

“Self-development is a higher calling; it is the development of your potential so that you can attain the purpose for which you were created.”

I like this perspective of self-development; it reminds me that life is about purpose, living out all that God created me to be!

“Teachability is not so much about competence and mental capacity as it is about attitude. It is the desire to listen, learn, and apply.”

In order to grow, I have to keep having a teachable attitude, learning never ends.

“The best players put the team first.”

The above quote highlights the importance of putting the vision and objectives of the team or organization before our own personal needs and agendas.

5. Is there anything in the book that you do not understand or are unclear about, or are there ideas which you disagree with and, if so, why?

I understood all of the books’ content.

6. Did the book contain exercises for the reader to complete? If so, did you complete all of the exercises and did you find them helpful?

There were no exercises

7. Was there anything you read in the book that you would like to comment on that was not covered in the previous questions? If so, please comment.

I have no further comments.

Please rate the following questions on a scale from 1 to 10. Ten is good and one is poor.

Good to Great

Assessment by Harriet Opondo (Uganda)

1. What is the main idea that the author is trying to convey in the book?

The author of Good to great is conveying the factors and aspects that have enabled some companies to move from just being good companies to great ones and also the factors that made the comparison companies to remain mediocre or even get out of business. In his extensive research, Jim Collins and his team discovered the critical aspects that differentiated the good to great companies from the comparison ones. These factors included, the type of leadership, getting the right people, confronting brutal facts yet not losing the faith, the hedgehog concept and having a culture of discipline.

The following ideas were personally important as I read the book.

i. Level 5 leadership

This describes a leader who is humble yet ambitious not to make a name for themselves but for the company and its core business. They are also modest, self-driven and diligent and are able to rally the team to achieve the set goals. This is was important for me, especially as I aspire to become a leader in my area of influence, I was reminded of the fact that I need to keep developing these level 5 leadership skills in my life and this will set me apart as a great leader.

ii. First who then what:

This idea points to the fact that, in order to transform into a great company, there is need to first get the right people on the bus and wrong people off it and then figure out where to drive the bus! This idea made me reflect on my own life and think of the things or people that I need to add to my life and the ones that need to get out of “my bus.” This was very paramount for me as I think and plan about what I want to achieve in the next five to ten years.

iii. Confront the brutal facts (yet never lose faith)

In order to grow into a great company or to become a better individual, we have to be willing to face the facts of our current realities yet not lose the faith that we will become great either as individuals or as companies. Adversity makes us stronger hence facing them is better than burying our heads in the sand like an ostrich. Leadership begins with getting people to confront brutal facts and to act on the implications.

iv. The hedgehog concept

This concept implies understanding three intersecting circles of: what are you deeply passionate about, what can you be the best in the world at and what drives your economic engine. It is important that a company clearly understands the hedgehog concept and hence builds its strategies around it. In my personal life, I have been challenged to apply this concept. I am good at many things, but this concept is helping begin to critically think of…what I am I deeply passionate about and what can I be the best in the world at! I believe as I continue to reflect I will be able to set better life goals.

v. A culture of discipline

In order to be great either as a company or an individual, a culture of wisdom is critical. This culture is dual in nature, on one hand people are required to adhere to a consistent system yet on the other hand it gives people freedom and responsibility within the framework of that system. As a company or individual, it requires discipline to stick to our hedgehog concept and not to go out of the circle. In my personal life, there are jobs that I have not applied for, inspite of their attractive promises, simply because they did not match my passion and career goals.

vi. The Flywheel and the doom loop

In order for a flywheel to move, it requires several attempts and finally it gains momentum and the speed increases. The good to great companies transformed gradually, one day at time as they applied the strategies that are consistent with their hedgehog concept, while the comparison companies waited for “a miracle moment.” Expected instant results. I like to liken life to this flywheel analogy, many times we look at “people and we think they are “just lucky” or where born in the right family, however in order to build a successful life, more often than not, one has to work hard, gradually and consistently applying the right principles. Looking at my own career or spiritual journey, I realize that it has not been a ‘big bang’ or ‘a microwave” experience to achieve what I have now, it has been a gradual process that many times involved a lot sacrifices.

vii. Technology accelerates

We live in world where technology changes almost overnight, what seemed like a big discovery last year is now looked at as ancient! Many comparison companies in the research project of the book, reacted to the technology instead of selectively applying it. on the other hand, the good to great companies, evaluated technology and figured out where it did fit in their core businesses and also used technology as an accelerator of momentum and not a creator. In our personal lives we are constantly pressured to buy the latest phone, tablet or computer. I observe many people with amusement, as they buy gadgets that they do not need but they felt a need to join the band wagon of, for instance owning a tablet or an Ipad.

3. How will these ideas or lessons help you in a practical way, both in your daily personal life and in helping you to create a better world? If so, how?

The above ideas will help me in the following ways:

The idea of level 5 leadership and its attributes will help me to develop better as a leader in my sphere of influence and I believe that will ultimately help me serve my purpose better hence create a better world.

I have been challenged by the ideas in the book, to find out what I can be best in and to consistently pursue it. The hedgehog concept is something that I believe will stay with me for the rest of my life. In addition the principle of confronting the brutal facts yet not losing faith will help me to always face realities of difficult moments and find solutions and yet not lose the bigger vision in the process. No individual or company can become great without a culture of discipline, this principle has encouraged me keep leading a disciplined life and yet still have the freedom to make changes when there is need.

4. Quotes: Are there any statements which the author made that particularly got your attention? If so, please quote them and comment as to why they were important to you.

The following quotes and statements stood out as I read the book;

“Level 5 leaders channel their ego needs away from themselves and into the larger goal of building a great company.”

One of the important things an individual can do in his or her journey towards becoming a great leader is not focus on self and how to make his or her life better but rather shift the spot light unto ways of making the company or organization great.

“The right people don’t need to be tightly managed or fired up, they will be self-motivated by the inner drive to produce the best results and be part of creating something great.”

In order to get results and build a great company, get the right people in the bus, no amount of motivation can produce lasting results when we have the wrong people.

“You absolutely cannot make a series of good decisions without first confronting the brutal facts.”

Facing the realities of our circumstances is critical and will ultimately lead us into making the right decisions based on facts and not just illusions.

“We will never give up. We will never capitulate. It might take a long time, but we will find away to prevail.”

The power of hope, resilience and unwavering faith that eventually we will achieve victory is paramount in life and especially as we endeavor to work towards achieving our life goals.

“A hedgehog concept is not a goal to be the best, a strategy to be the best, an intention to be the best, a plan to be the best. It is an understanding of what you can be the best at. The distinction is absolutely crucial.”

The above quote reminds me that the hedgehog concept is not about competition or ruthlessly achieving our goals; it is about understanding what one can be the best in and focus on achieving it.

5. Is there anything in the book that you do not understand or are unclear about, or are there ideas which you disagree with and, if so, why?

I understood all that was in the book

6. Did the book contain exercises for the reader to complete? If so, did you complete all of the exercises and did you find them helpful?

There were no exercises.

7. Was there anything you read in the book that you would like to comment on that was not covered in the previous questions? If so, please comment.

I have no further comments.

Please rate the following questions on a scale from 1 to 10. Ten is good and one is poor.

A. How interesting was it to read? 8
B. How helpful were the contents? 9
C. How easy was it to understand? 8
D. Would you recommend it to others? 9
E. What is the overall rating you would give it? 9

Sometimes you Win, Sometimes you Learn

Assessment by Harriet Opondo (Uganda)

1. What is the main idea that the author is trying to convey in the book?

John C. Maxwell, in this book shares eleven elements that are important if we want to learn and succeed in the face of problems, failures and losses. We will all face losses in our lives, but we each make a choice whether to learn from them or to stay beaten by the challenges. In order to turn our losses and challenges into stepping stones and points of growth and maturity, we need to learn from them.

The following seven ideas were personally important to me as I read the book:

i. Humility

The spirit of learning: in order for an individual to learn from his or her losses, an attitude of humility is important. Humility allows us to possess a true perspective of ourselves and life and it also allows us to let go of perfection and keep trying. I still do struggle with having perfectionist tendencies, however some of the losses and challenges that I have gone through in the recent past have taught me, that life is not perfect neither am I, hence, I am more open to learning when things don’t go my way.

ii. Reality

The foundation of learning: It is very tempting to bury our heads in the sand when difficult moments come our way, however the earlier we face the realities of our circumstances and seek solutions the better. Last year, when I did not get admitted for the Doctoral program, I was disappointed, and I had to face that reality, learn from my experience and prepare for re-application!

iii. Responsibility

The first step towards learning: It has been said that if we don’t responsibility, we give up control of our lives, I wouldn’t agree more. In my work as a Therapist, I encounter many clients who don’t want to take responsibility for their actions and instead blame other people. However this attitude keeps them stuck. In my personal life, I have learnt, the faster I evaluate circumstances and accept my share of responsibility, the faster I heal, learn and move on.

iv. Improvement

The focus of learning: I believe that none of us really ever arrives, this side of heaven, hence we need to always look for ways to improve ourselves. It is important to assess our lives and especially when we face losses and find areas in which we can improve. I am learning that improvement is a daily commitment and it has got to be intentional, it does not happen by accident.

v. Hope: The motivation of learning

Hope is a powerful thing and it keeps us going when things get tough. However hope, is a choice, hence when life is tough, when I am having a bad day, I have learnt to choose hope over despair. I am currently waiting for a decision from the university regarding my Doctoral studies admission, I have chosen to wait with hope, inspite of the anxiety that surrounds moments like this. Also as a Christian, I have hope in God and His love, very important in my life and especially when challenges come my way.

vi. Teach-ability: The pathway to learning

The author described teach-ability as “possessing the intentional attitude and behavior to keep learning and growing throughout life”. None of us can ever know everything hence it is important to maintain a teachable attitude. I believe that every situation has something to teach us, in 2015, I had to leave a job, because of many reasons, but partly due to that fact that the values of the organization did not match my own. Through this, I learnt that, before I take on a job, I must do thorough research about a company or organization.

vii. Change

The price of learning: we live in a changing world, for instance in the technology, it seems there are new things being invented every day! Therefore being open to change is important. However one of the key things that need to change is us! One of the things that I have learnt since I started my studies with IIGL, has been the power of positive attitude. This attitude change has helped me deal with lots of challenges and to learn and grow as a leader.

3. How will these ideas or lessons help you in a practical way, both in your daily personal life and in helping you to create a better world? If so, how?

The above ideas will help me in the following ways:

The principle of humility will help me to have a true perspective about life and my abilities. Humility opens eyes and broadens our views. Hence I believe that as I continue to grow in humility, I will be a better leader and hence influence my world in a better way.Taking responsibility, will help me learn better from my mistakes and losses. This will eventually lead maturity in my character and hence a better person. This will thus give me ground to challenge those around me who may tend to blame others and circumstances instead of taking responsibility.

I have been challenged to keep improving! I have decided to get more intentional in growing as a therapist, I will do this through reading books on psychology and counseling and applying what I have learnt in my work with clients .

Life is about change, every day, there is something new to learn, and in order to apply, the new concepts, change is inevitable. This principle has challenged me to be more open to change instead of resisting it.

4. Quotes: Are there any statements which the author made that particularly got your attention? If so, please quote them and comment as to why they were important to you.

The following quotes got my attention as I read the book.

“The quality that distinguishes a successful person from an unsuccessful one who is otherwise like him is the capacity to manage disappointment and loss.”

In order to become successful, I have to learn how to handle loss and disappointment because they will sure come my way!

“A loss isn’t totally a loss if you learn something as a result of it.”

In order to benefit from a loss, I must be willing to learn from it.

“Humility does not mean you think less of yourself, it means you think of yourself less.”

Many people view being humble as becoming a door mat, this definition reminds of the fact that being simply means, not making ourselves the centre piece!

“Nothing worth having in life comes without effort.”

Hard work and resilience is necessary if I want to lead a purposeful and successful life. I must be willing to sacrifice and also get up, when I fall down.

“Responsibility is the most important ability that a person can possess.”

When we are responsible for both our positive and negative actions, we are hence in control of our lives and this will lead to a successful life.

“A victim mind-set causes people to focus on what they cannot do instead of what they can do. It is a recipe for continued failure.”

The above statement reminds to avoid having a victim mentality and instead when things go wrong, I should take responsibility for my share of the problem, learn and move on.

“Instead of focusing on why things happen, we are better off learning how things work.”

It is human to analyze things and ask all the why questions, when life gets tough, but that never yields results, it is more productive to learn, instead of ‘crying over spilled milk’

“The most common trait I have found in successful people is that they conquered the temptation to give up.”

Giving up when challenges come our way is very tempting, however the above statement reminded me of the power of resilience and sticking things out.

“There is an eagle in me that wants to soar and a hippopotamus in me that wants to wallow in the mud.”

The key to success is to follow the impulse to soar more than the desire to wallow, the more we ‘build’ the eagle in us, the less we will want to be a hippopotamus!

5. Is there anything in the book that you do not understand or are unclear about, or are there ideas which you disagree with and, if so, why?

All the ideas were clear and I agreed with all of them.

6. Did the book contain exercises for the reader to complete? If so, did you complete all of the exercises and did you find them helpful?

There were no exercises to complete.

7. Was there anything you read in the book that you would like to comment on that was not covered in the previous questions? If so, please comment.

I have no further comments

Please rate the following questions on a scale from 1 to 10. Ten is good and one is poor.