Today I had a great brunch with some awesome friends, Dave and Marlene and Phil and Catherine. One of the best things about the LIFE business is the ability to work with the favorite people in your life. Tomorrow, I will be joining Orrin Woodward and the rest of the LIFE founders for a few days of Policy council meetings.
I love PC meetings, despite having to travel to Michigan (: Having the opportunity to spend time with Chris Brady, Tim Marks, Bill Lewis, George Guzzardo, Dan hawkins, Rob Hallstrand and especially Orrin Woodward is amazing and always makes the trip worthwhile.
First on the agenda, we’ll spend Monday afternoon in bible study, then discuss long-term business ideas and directions. This is often the birthplace of concepts that eventually make it into the field. Following that we will probably relax, watch a movie or spend time joking around and telling stories. The next day, we buckle down again, meet in a conference room where we’ll go over details and issues that involves more short term planning and discussion. These meetings are so productive! It feels great being a part of a group that is making history and creating not just a great business, but helping people change their lives for the better.
Here is an article I found that I think helps us conduct ourselves online. I don’t know the author and I’m not necessarily endorsing all of his site or teachings; although, I think this article is timely and has some great principles. Fight Fiercely!
http://frankviola.org/2012/02/16/beingajerkonline/
Yours in Victory,
Claude Hamilton
Claude Hamilton 
Very good Claude! Rise up to the expectation of Christ, not down to the level of the emotiinally insecure. Keep up the good fight!
Wow, this article really makes you think about living according to your faith at all times, including when you are online. What great insight!
That was a really good article! thanks for sharing.
Great info! Fully agree. If only more people followed these principles! I’m confident one day more will!
On another note, thanks for the insight into the PC meetings… Can’t wait to be there!
It’s all about setting the right example for people to follow
I agree, great article. Have an excellent time at the PC meeting.
That’s good info Claude! If you wouldn’t do it or say it face to face then you shouldn’t do it or say it online. Common sense that’s not as common as it should be these days! Keep on posting pal! I really enjoy your blog!
I agree with Paul, great Blog post!
I agree, great article !
Have an excellent time at the PC meeting tomorrow.
Nice article Claude. I agree with some of things on the article as well. How many people would say the things they say online, if they were face to face with the person. Can you say courage or lack of courage!
Awesome Claude! I can’t wait for the day to sit in these meetings with these types of men!
Thanks for filling us in on what happens at PC meetings, its nice to know how you guys run them.
Awesome article Claude. Great things to avoid.
Great find! I find it very funny how people have all kinds of courage when they can hide behind their keyboards! Have fun at the PC meetings, can’t wait to join you guys!
very true!
Someday soon enough a bunch of us from Moncton will be joinings PC meetings!!!
Someday soon enough a bunch of us from Moncton will be joinings PC meetings
you got that right pal!
Wishing you a great week at PC meeting!!!
Thanks for sharing. I hope many “jerks” read that atricle and smarten up! Always look forward to your blog posts. Keep stroking!
Great find Claude – the author has a way of smacking someone in the face in sort of a comical way… kind of reminds me of someone I know 😉 It’s amazing what people can say when they are hiding behind a computer screen – hopefully they will someday realize what they are saying affects only their character and integrity…
Cheers,
Jenny
Well said Jenny!
That was a good article. Not really surpised that people do that.
I love the fact we have people of Character and Integrity and innovative mind that leads this ship. You guys always think about how to improve this business and it is already the best business out there by FAR!
I am proud to be in business with you Claude. LIFE represents people holding themselves to a higher standard. And you and the PC lead the way. Thanks!
Thanks for sharing the article, Claude! Some great tips there for how we handle ourselves online and in person!
I agree with Chris, if everyone avoided doing these in person there would be less problems online. Thank you for sharing the article Claude always informative to read your blog!
Thanks for the article Claude. It’s really good info for all of us. Have a great time at the PC meetings.
Scott
I appreciate this reminder that our conduct matters.
Great article Claude!! Good points to ponder…Also tks for sharing what’s going on at the top!! You guys do an amazing job…so proud to be part of Team LIFE 🙂
“Maybe I’m not understanding you correctly Claude, but are you saying…that how I’ve been acting lately is….?” LOL Great article. thanks for sharing.
Whoops…. thanks for the coffee, scone and Great Company this morning 🙂
A very much needed reminder! I’ve come to mostly overlook comments left on online news posts, sports stories, blogs, & such since the vast majority of them are out of bounds and are relentlessly negative and emotional ( low EQ ) in nature. However, on the flip side, the comments left on the PC blogs, such as yours, are uplifting and encouraging with high EQ! There’s no secret why – the tribes we are part of read great books (inc. the top 5), associate positively offline (and on), listen to positive audios, and are out serving people in our two nations. Thank you, Claude, to you and the rest of the PC for your servant leadership example 🙂 Have a blessed meeting the next few days!
Great article. Thanks for sharing. Have fun at the PC meeting.
Very good advice. I wish id of heard the line about wait to replY, until you’ve had time to take it to the lord. Lesson learned, although it was not online, just with a friend.
Great article and some great points to live by…always – in person and hiding behind a computer
Lots of truth in that article! People are often quick to react instead of responding with emotional intelligence. Thanks for sharing Claude
Another great article! Being a mom of two teens and a young adult, there are some great points to share here with them, as well as, myself to keep in mind! Don’t allow emotions control your Reaction, rather your careful thoughtfulness result in your Response or don’t respond at all and never make assumptions. Can’t wait to hear where the PC brilliance is going to lead next! Enjoy your meetings!
Excellent article and post, Claude. You give us such a great example to follow, online and offline.
Thank you for sharing the article – it is very insightful! It’s rather easy to forget what Jesus taught us all — let he who is without sin cast the first stone —
There are way too many virtual tomatoes (and all other vegetables and fruit) flung online as the internet has continued to grow over the past 15+ years, yet too many times, the arts of tact, tone, two ears/one (virtual) mouth, and empathy have been tossed aside.
This post was timely, in that I’ve been working on avoiding reading of blog and article comments in the mass media — I used to read those posted after a news story, or after my fav sports teams games, however, I found the vast majority to violate many of these points, and imagine that, not many of the posters used their real names or were actually reading what the author/blogger had to say.
Have a rascal-tastic time at the PC Meeting, Claude! 🙂
Great article Claude!
Everyone should definitely learn from those points.
Have a great time at the PC meeting! 🙂
Those meetings sound like so much fun! So the trick to being productive is to have fun, eh?
In the age of social media, what a great article! Words once spoken (or written) are seldom forgotten!
Man…to be fly on the wall for those PC meetings. I like the fact that you start off those meetings with the Bible study first, it shows that the PC meetings after that are lined with selfless decisions.
Many thanks
Pierre and Lise
Thanks for giving us a little glimpse of how the PC meetings roll. I agree with Pierre and Lise about how the PC demonstrate how important faith in living your life intentionally, the example of the bible studies clearly shows what type of leaders we are following.
Nice article Claude. I especially liked point #8: … ignore their response and repeat your points over again….“Don’t confuse me with the facts,”. These are all useful to help me keep myself in check.
Thanks for sharing and constantly setting the bar. Lead on!
I didn’t know that Sasquatches roam around in Michigan!
Sounds to me that these things apply to life in general, online or in person! Great article!
Are you saying that not everything people say online is true?? I’m shocked!! 😉
Like my friend Joce Dionne says, would you believe everything people write in a public bathroom stall?
Thanks for the article, a great reminder of being careful who we listen too for advice, and also to be mindful ourselves about our online presence.
Thanks for pointing out that article Claude, it’s a great read for anyone using social media.
Yup, definitely good online rules to live by. I’ve witnessed some flaming sessions on blogs and forums about subjects like religion and racism that really made me cry. If one really wants to get through to others on matters like that, those points will definitely help. Those debates rarely turn out well in the end. Telling people what’s right isn’t half as effective as being the change you want to see in the world though. Just sayin 🙂
Deach
Great insight! They say “integrity is who you are when no one is looking”. If someone is willing to smear someone’s reputation online for all to see. It would be scary to think of what they would be willing to do when no one is looking!
Lisa L
Great post Claude and same for Denis’ reply. It’s easy to hide behind the keyboard to express things…
Lord save us (me) from ourselves…great suggestions Claude
Claude, thanks for all the hard (evidently sometimes fun!) work you guys do at the PC meetings!
Great article Claude, gives lots of good points which are of value to all of us whether we’re online or offline!
I’m happy to see that everyone on this post seems to respect each other. You guys already have blogging etiquette down. great job!
Claude,
Hope you all had a great PC meeting.
Your link reminded me of the discussions lately on the Amway Drones.
A couple points made on online behavior specifically stand out:
Engage in “drive-by” character assassination by posting a comment on other people’s blogs that smears the reputation of another child of God. Don’t post your real name and your real email address when you leave the flaming comment. And hope that the blogger is sloppy enough to not notice the comment so they don’t delete it immediately. (As heinous and immature as this is, I’m sorry to say that some “Christians” actually do this sort of thing. Interestingly, every comment left on a blog has an identifiable IP address. So it’s not that difficult to identify the person.)
With forethought and deliberation, completely misrepresent what another person has said or written, then play the victim. For instance, accuse someone of attacking others when they’ve attacked no one. Accuse them of holding to beliefs and ideas that they don’t hold to. Play on the fact that some Christians will believe whatever you write instead of going to the source to verify if what you’re saying is accurate or not. While this is the height of fleshly activity, it’s fitting for the one who is perfecting the art of being an online jerk.
Forget what your Lord taught you. Defy your spiritual instincts and grieve the Holy Spirit of God by treating other people (especially those you don’t like) in a way that you would never want to be treated yourself. Post things online to and about others that you’d never want posted to and about you or your loved ones. In other words, claim you believe Jesus’ words in Matthew 7:12, but disobey them without wincing.
News Alert: The world is carefully watching how we Christians treat one another online.
Thanks for All you do!
Thanks for the link to a great article. It reminds me of what Jude says in his letter about clouds without water in them (see vs 12). May we never go there and get good at having the right Attitude (Resolution #3 from Resolved).
Thank you for leading for the Front!
FANTASTIC! Love it Claude. Just finished reading, “War Of Words” by Paul Tripp (AGO book of the month) and the sentiments of both articles echo the words of Mr. Tripp. This is a desperately needed message and thank God for you and Orrin and the other PC who are unafraid to speak the truth.
Mark Pruitt
TEAM BRAVEHEART
Claude, insightful information. Everyone can use this. Thanks for always helping us grow. George
Let your light so shine before men……Just sayin’!
Great post Claude! It is a wonderful feeling know that we are following a leadership group that puts God first and then focuses on making changes that positively impact the entire organization, not just the leadership. You are all a great example of what we are missing in society today…selfless leaders. Thanks for all you do!
Fantastic, we could all learn a lesson from this.
Thanks Claude