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Proverbs 31 woman – Lead within your role

  

Somehow, in the fabric of time and culture, there has grown a misconception on the role of a woman’s submission to a man’s leadership in terms of having a successful relationship or marriage. I don’t know about you, but this word…submit….genuinely makes me cringe and makes me all the more want to do just the opposite. Shocked that a married Christian woman would actually make such a confession? Come on! Take your mask off for a second and let’s have a real discussion here. Women have always battled with the issue of submission. In my parent’s generation, they battled it more silently. Our generation is a bit more outspoken about long held cultural and spiritual practices. We ask why, and if you do not give a really good reason, we walk away. 

I think that our problem lies in the very definition of a woman’s role in submission. To submit under leadership does not mean that you are no longer able to lead. Consider this question carefully: Who has more say in a situation; the person who makes the decisions or the person who influences the decisions being made? Ladies, here is the secret, our place in the home is one of influence. If you do not influence his decisions, another woman will, top on the list is mother dearest. Even men who are unfaithful because they are tired of their wives then take their lives and decisions to be influenced by their mistresses. Ladies, influence is your area of leadership in relationships. In essence, when you submit, you are leading while being led. I think that is what God had in mind, otherwise, he would not have put his definition of exemplary feminine qualities found in the bible in Proverbs 31. That woman was a leader in her home! When we allow God to make us into the kind of leaders he planned for us to be in our homes, then, we will not have such a hard time allowing our husbands to lead us, and our husbands will in turn agree to be led by us by allowing us to influence their decisions, thinking and lives.

It is clear that the Proverbs 31 woman’s husband allowed her to flourish in all her activities. He did not hinder her, he did not undermine her. He did not confine her to the kitchen and to popping babies. He recognized the gifts in her and allowed her to pursue her visions and dreams. The Proverbs 31 woman was wise enough to marry the proverbs 31 man. Look ladies, do not marry anyone who will not nurture and respect you. That is the only way this will work.  A Proverbs 31 woman attracts a proverbs 31 man. So work on being a proverbs 31 woman and watch all the flaky, fake, abusive, chauvinistic men cower away from you. So, who exactly is a Proverbs 31 woman?

·   She is a rare breed and she knows it!

The New Living Translation says that she is so rare, she is worth more than rubies. When was the last time you thought yourself worth more than rubies? A large part of how people treat us has to do with our self esteem. Do you want your husband/ Spouse to respect you enough to consult you in all matters in the home? Then respect yourself and think highly of yourself. You are beautiful, you are wise, you are resourceful, you are a treasure and he is blessed to have you in his life. Do not marry or even date anyone who does not feel this way about you. A man will not allow you to influence him unless he respects and values you.

·   She adds value to her husband’s life and to other’s lives

She does this by believing in him and helping him achieve his dreams and vision. She is his number one fan. When he fails, she encourages him to try again. She is the soft but firm voice that keeps him focused when he runs out of energy. She is compassionate, she is graceful. She comforts him, she fights the battles of life with him, she stands with him for better or worse. She nurses him when he is sick and she celebrates with him when he succeeds. She builds him up always, she never undermines him. She trusts him. Hubby dearest is the first on line to receive her ministry. She nurtures her children. She treats her employees well. She gives to the poor. This is the potential in you ladies, how I wish you knew how strong God created you to be, you are the foundation of your home and of your society. Can all the ladies say it loud: INFLUENCE! This is it right here, this is how you lead and how powerful you are woman, how great! Marry someone who will appreciate this gift in you and benefit from it. Don’t let anyone take this gift for granted.

·        She is resourceful and creates wealth

The Proverbs 31 woman is an impressive business lady. She buys land and has enough capital to plant a vineyard...all from her savings! Woman, you need to build your visions and dreams. God created each of us with a purpose, gifts and talents. Do not stay idle in your home just because hubby dearest has a lot of money. Sharpen your skills, further your education, learn how to manage finances, run a business, paint art and sell it. Do something! Let’s face it, it is difficult for anyone to take you for granted if you have some money! Be in a position to give Hubby financial advice, no one’s perfect and you need to work as a team because this gives you a better chance to make the best decisions. Do not marry someone who is intimidated by your ability to create wealth. Do not marry someone who feels better when you do not work so that he can be in full control of finances. Do not marry someone who thinks your professional life and your personal dreams end when you get married.  

·        She knows her role

She cares for her home, delegates to her servants and still has time to make breakfast for her family with all she has to do. Her home is her priority, and she is highly organized because she still has time to do so many other things. The proverbs 31 woman allows her husband to lead. I believe she is able to do this because she is wise enough to marry a man who allows her to be the great woman that she is. Because she is such a great woman, her husband respects her, nurtures her and his leadership in the home is influenced by her. She leads within her role.

In conclusion, submission is not weakness. It is the plan of God for women to be in a position of influence in their homes and in society. God’s ways are higher than our ways, His thoughts are higher than our thoughts. We need to trust that His way does work. We just need to understand how to apply the principle of submission practically in this day and age. Submission only works effectively when the person to whom you are submitting to loves you equally to the level of your submission. In the right environment, you will lead and influence because you have submitted.

By Christine Muna Mwangi.

Lead and Guide Her in Righteousness & Humility

Leadership can be simply defined as “Doing the right thing.” While leadership has been hyped in various circles, it’s been ignored in the family setting and more so in the dating and relationships and the marriage institution. It is a fact that the man has been mandated by God to be the leader in a marriage relationship. Having said this, it’s important to realize that this mandate is also applicable in the courtship scene. 

When God instructed us to have dominion over the earth, he did not mean that we should have dominion over other people. Unfortunately, dominating others has been mistaken for leadership even in our dating and marriage relationships. Many people have lost confidence in courting and marriage relationships mainly because of lack of Godly leadership in the said relationships. There are many people who are conducting their relationships on a “let’s wait and see what happens” basis. They assume that things will work themselves out. This is an escapist and dangerous perception because successful dating and marriage relationships need a lot of work and effort to be invested in them.

It is the role of the man to lead with all faithfulness & humility. Men need to realize that in order for the relationship to work, they cannot afford to sit back and wish that things will just work out. They have to take charge and take their relationship through the straight and narrow path of righteousness. Men do not have an option when it comes to this God given mandate; at least if they are keen on ensuring that their relationships work.

The big question therefore is, how can you as a man lead your girlfriend, fiancée or wife in all faithfulness & humility? Here are some practical ways of doing so:

·         Build yourself as a person

Effective leadership starts from within oneself. You cannot lead any other person unless you learn how to lead yourself first. You have to deal with those deep rooted issues within yourself that might be a hindrance to your relationship. Have a thorough look within yourself, identify the negatives, uproot them, prevent them from finding a foot hold within you then move on. Many times this may take a while and it might be a painful and tiring process but at the end of it all, the benefits will be worth it. After all you do not want to burden your significant other with your deep rooted issues which haven’t been dealt with. It is good to ask God to help you get rid of your insecurities and other negative attitudes and traits that you may be struggling with.

Many times you may not have people to encourage you because the path of a leader can sometimes be very lonely. If this happens-and it will-you need to seek the face of God like King David when he encouraged himself in the Lord. Ensure that your primary source of strength is God himself. You will never go wrong with this.

·         Consult her before making any big decision

Whether you are courting or married, as a man, you should never ever make any major decision without consulting your significant other. Many major decisions are also life altering decisions for both of you. Decisions on career change, where to live, the number of children to have, changing churches, where to school and other major decisions should be made only after consulting your fiancée or wife. Consulting is a sign on humility and good leadership. 

This is an ideal way of ensuring transparency in your relationship whether in courtship or marriage. It eliminates nasty surprises that are common in relationships nowadays because the man has taken it upon himself to be the “sole decision maker” in a relationship. Your fiancée or wife is your God ordained helper and you should treat her as such.

·         Admit your mistakes & accept correction

Even the greatest among us make mistakes. The best way of getting over the consequences of our mistakes is by admitting that we are wrong and to accept correction. It is unwise not to heed correction from your significant other especially in marriage. This is because in marriage the two of you become one and so if your wife corrects you, you are in essence correcting yourself. At the end of the day, both of you will benefit from dealing with the mistakes made and choosing the right path.

·         Do not manipulate or play with her emotions

Women are vulnerable to emotional manipulation and some men have perfected the art of taking advantage of this vulnerability. Manipulation has been said to be in the league of witchcraft in some quarters. By manipulating your fiancée or wife, you are basically doing what witches and wizards do. What you need to do as a man is to protect her emotionally, don’t push her emotional buttons in order to get her to do what you want or to give you what you want. Don’t tear her down emotionally because by doing so you are ruining your relationship and her life. Instead, you should her emotions, protect her and shield her from any emotional distress while allowing her to be just herself, a GIRL.

·         Build her aspirations & dreams

Allow your fiancée or wife to be the best that she’s meant to be. Support her in her dreams and aspirations, encourage her when she’s down and walk with her through thick and thin for that’s a sign of great leadership. Do not be intimidated or threatened by her success, celebrate her successes as if they were your own and take her hand and lead her on the road to her own success. Remember that her victories are your victories and her failures are your failures. Don’t see her as a competition but rather as a partner and never despise her vision. Support her strong points and strengthen her weak points, after all that’s what all Godly leaders do. In this way you are going to build a very healthy and happy relationship.

·         She’s your partner, not your trophy

Your fiancée or wife is not a trophy for your cabinet display. She’s your partner. Respect her and honor her. Do not compare her with other women because she’s the best for you that’s why you chose her in the first place. Always consider her as an equal and at par with you in all areas. You are not with her so that you can display her to the world; you are with her so that you can grow together and build each other according to your God given purposes. So ensure that you respect her for who she is, what she does and who and what she’s becoming.

·         Involve her in your dreams and aspirations

Your fiancée or wife should be an integral part of your dreams and aspirations. She should be at the center of your vision. Allow her to support you and to cheer you on as you walk towards the direction of your dreams and aspirations. Allow her part ownership of your dreams and aspirations. And at the end of it all, when you achieve your dreams and aspirations, allow her position up there at the podium, so that you can share the glory together.

·         Just be yourself

Finally, just be yourself, don’t try to be superman. Great leaders know that their God given abilities are sufficient for this life. It’s a tragedy to try copy someone else because in doing so you risk losing your identity. God made you an original and as such you do not have to be a cheap photocopy of someone else. Don’t try impressing her by being someone else. Just be yourself and she‘ll respect you for that.

In conclusion, it’s imperative for you as a man to take the mantle of leadership in your relationship, protect that girl and build her to become the best that she’s meant to be. She’s God’s gift to you have to love her as God intended. If you are to handle this issue in the right way, the Lord will reward you immensely. YOU WILL NEVER REGRET THIS.

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THE RISE OF STATE CAPITALISM

 

Over the years, governments have experimented with various types of economic systems. Capitalism, communism, socialism, social democracy and democratic socialism are some of the systems that governments have experimented with. These systems have worked for some countries and have failed in some. While communism and capitalism and to some extend different versions of socialism have been seen to be dominant, some leaders have come up with their own “synthesis” systems like Col. Qaddafi's green book with which his country Libya prospered in.

Capitalism & communism have been dominant throughout the last century and when fused with political ideologies, brought about the famed iron curtain and the resultant cold. Communism died a gradual death in the last quarter of the last century as countries first embraced mixed economies and eventually full capitalism. Privatization of national industries was the order of the day for many countries. This form of privatization and the liberalization of the market was championed particularly in the developing countries by the IMF and the World Bank. It is worth noting that this has worked to a greater extend in improving efficiency as far as service provision is concerned.

The role of government in business was significantly reduced to regulatory and infrastructure provision. The government was to put in place efficient regulatory framework and leave business to the private sector. The forces of supply and demand were to determine the market prices. While this worked well in stable and efficient political environment environments, it was faced with enough challenges in countries where the consumer was not adequately protected by their respective governments. Rogue politicians have been known to collude with large companies to come up with laws that do little in protecting the consumers.

The larger failure of capitalism is normally witnessed in times of recession like it did in 2008. The global financial crisis has been mainly attributed to the free market system and capitalism has been blamed squarely for the financial meltdown. This is because capitalism allows for growth, with some companies growing to the disadvantage of others, who more often than not feel disadvantaged. The feeling has always been that “big business” is favored by governments the world over and as such large enterprises are resented and the rich are always frowned upon and disliked as evidenced by the various riots during the G8 and the World Economic Forum events.

Sovereign wealth funds

Governments are expected to be in business only for the sake of providing affordable services for their citizens and not for profit. While this hold true for the largest part of business activities by governments, there has been a growing profit motive in various government circles across the world. This has seen the growth of sovereign funds set up by governments for the purpose of investing in profit making ventures. It’s through these sovereign funds that we have witnessed the purchase of entities like Manchester City by Qatar sheiks and the setting up of the Oilibya company in Kenya. 

The world has also witnessed the development of Dubai World which is basically a government investment. The growth of sovereign funds is not as widespread in the developing world and is somehow more grown in only selected countries. However the significance of government involvement in business for the sake of profit is evident.

State Capitalism – The new power

The failure of communism brought about the dominance of capitalism which has been dominant for a while. However the failure of liberal capitalism has brought about a very potent and powerful alternative which is state capitalism. This system fuses the powers of the state with the powers of capitalism, and the government is responsible for picking what it considers to be winning enterprises in order to maximize returns which will in turn promote economic growth. This system however uses capitalist ideas like the listing of the state owned companies on the stock market and embracing a global outlook in its business strategies.

It is worth noting that the rise of state capitalism has brought about some of the largest and the most successful companies in the world. Of the 10 largest listed companies by revenue in 2010, China was presented by 4 companies. Through state capitalism China has grown to be world’s second biggest economy. China is the biggest shareholder in over 150 biggest companies within its borders. The state is also responsible for the monitoring and controlling of thousands of other Chinese companies.

Successful state backed companies run across the board with Russia’s Gazprom being the world’s largest natural gas company and China mobile being the largest mobile phone company in the world with over 600 million customers. One of the most successful chemical companies in the world is Saudi Arabia’s Saudi Basic industries corporation while Russia’s Sberbank is one of the Europe’s largest banks. It is also worth noting that Dubai ports is the largest ports operator while Emirates airlines is experiencing one of the fastest rates of growth ever experienced in the airline industry since 911.

It cannot be denied that state capitalism is rising at a faster rate across the nations with 80% of the stock market value in China being attributed to state owned companies, 38% in Brazil and 62% in Russia. This is hypothetically the trend of the future as several countries embrace state capitalism.

The global influence

In China, the headquarters of state owned companies are marvels of technology. These headquarters have been designed by international architects and are literal symbols of the state’s emerging power across the borders and unto the entire world. China Central Television and China National Offshore Oil Corporation are some of the state owned companies with highly sophisticated headquarters that are not common with governments. Petronas, which is owned by the Malaysian government has got an 88 story building in Kuala Lumpur which serves as its headquarters while Russia’s Sberbank and VTB have got two skyscrapers side by side as their headquarters. These two banks are the largest and second largest banks in Russia respectively.

Collectively, state owned companies are tightening their influence in the global business scene and their influence can be felt across the continents. These companies are becoming much more wealthier by the day and are giving the largest private companies a run for their money.

Unlike in communism where the state nationalized private owned businesses and gained full control, in state capitalism many governments exert their influence in companies through their ownership of shares as can be seen in China, Russia, Thailand, Brazil and Saudi Arabia. The state is now becoming a big shareholder in listed companies while at the same time weeding out the inefficiencies associated with government run enterprises. However in some cases, like in Venezuela, the incompetence associated with state run companies can be witnessed in Petroleos de Venezuela due to political influence. But most state owned companies have improved and have resisted political influence and as a result are delivering quality products to their global markets.

Open Mindedness  

Countries that practice state capitalism are more open minded in their approach to business. They employ talent and have fallen in love with Western backed consultancy firms lime McKinsey and Accenture. They prefer Harvard and Wharton graduates to be in charge of their companies unlike in the past where politicians appointed their cronies to be in charge of state companies even without the relevant qualifications.

This new approach has seen an improvement to the way in which products and services are produced and delivered to the global market. These state owned companies value talent and as such local students who had traveled overseas come back loaded with MBA's and ready to work for the state because of the opportunities created by the government. Some of the state owned companies are said to pay better than the private owned multinationals which is making them attractive to the newly minted graduates from the top business schools in the world.

Conclusion

While state capitalism is known widely grown as of now, it seems to be working in places where it has been implemented effectively. A lot still needs to be done to ensure that political influence does not ruin the progress already made, but the reality is that state capitalism can be the future that the masses are longing for, as long as it works and as long as the government is effective. 

The overall success of state capitalism is yet to be witnessed to the ends of the earth and as such there are many who are still skeptical about it. However time has proved that state capitalism can work if the government is devoid of greedy politicians and the country is devoid of greedy citizens. The big question then is, is state capitalism the answer to Kenya’s economic and social quagmire?

HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT

 HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT

  
HRM (Human Resource Management) has been transformed over the years through a series of systematic growth. It has graduated from being referred to as Personnel Management to Human Resource Management and has now graduiated to Human Capital Management.

HRM is the basis of all management activities in an organisation because it's through people that the organisation's strategies and goals are achieved. The management of human resource has continued to be complex due to the business challenges that are growing in number and complexity .

HRM is that part of management that manages people and employee relations in an organisation. It has been expanded from Personnel Management to cater for the softer issues e.g employee counselling and compensation. Consequently HRM has placed people management function as a key resource and therefore participates in the business table discussions. HRM ensures that the human resources are used effectively adn efficiently to give the greatest possible value to the organisation.

Every organisation is comprised of people hence acquiring their services, developing their skills, motivating them to higher levels of performance & ensuring that they continue to the organisation is what constitutes the process of Human Resource Management. Therefore HRM has 4 major areas:

1. Getting the right people - Staffing
2. Preparing them - Training & Development
3.  Stimulating them - Motivation
4. Keeping them - Maintenance

The 4 main HRM activities do not exist in isolation rather they are highly affected by what is occuring both inside and outside the organisation. It is therefore important to recognize the environmental influences because any activity undertaken in each of these HRM processes is directly or indirectly affected by these environmental factors.

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