Never Lose Hope (from Harvey Mackay's Nationally Syndicated Weekly Column)

I get an email each week from Harvey Mackay University.  This particular message was something I think everyone needs to hear, read, take to heart, and pass on. We are all blessed to have so much wise counsel and wisdom available to us from those who have gone before.

Never lose hope 

The only survivor of a shipwreck woke up on the beach of a small uninhabited island in the middle of the ocean.  Every day he circled the island, looking for ships on the horizon, and searched the sky for planes, hoping for a rescue.  But none ever came.

So he scrounged around for materials to build a small hut to protect himself from the sun and rain.  His daily schedule included scavenging and hunting for food.  He kept a small fire going so he could cook whatever he found.

After his walk around the island one day, he returned to find his hut in flames.  A gust of wind had blown some embers from his fire that ignited the hut.  Black smoke billowed in the air and try as he might, he couldn’t douse the fire.  He collapsed, exhausted and dejected.  He had lost all hope.

But the next day he awoke to find a ship anchored off the island.  A life raft was headed his way!  He would be rescued at last!

When he reached the ship, he asked the captain, “What made you stop here?  I have been looking for a ship for months and saw none.”

The captain replied, “We saw the smoke from the fire you built.  It led us right to you.”

What had seemed hopeless was what saved him.

Hope sees the invisible, feels the intangible and achieves the impossible.  In short, hope changes everything.

My dear friend Lou Holtz always says you need four things in your life, otherwise you are going to have a tremendous void.  Number one, everyone needs something to do.  Number two, everyone needs someone to love.  Number three, everyone needs someone to believe in.  And number four, everyone needs something in their life to hope for.

What do you want to do?  You have to have hope, ambition and dreams.


         
My wish, dream and hope, aside from being a professional golfer, was to own my own factory.  I didn’t know what I would manufacture, but I always hoped to be able to walk the factory floor and be able to have my employees look up to me.

But I didn’t wait for it to fall in my lap.  I acted on that hope and made my dreams come true.

President Dwight Eisenhower, a highly accomplished man by any standard, told this story about his hopes and dreams:  “When I was a small boy in Kansas, a friend of mine and I went fishing and as we sat there in the warmth of the summer afternoon on a river bank, we talked about what we wanted to do when we grew up.

“I told him that I wanted to be a real major league baseball player, a genuine professional like Honus Wagner.  My friend said that he'd like to be president of the United States.  Neither of us got our wish.”

The dictionary defines hope as “wanting something to happen and thinking that it could happen.”

Just because something isn’t happening for you right now doesn’t mean it will never happen.  Hope is the little voice you hear whisper “maybe” when it seems the entire world is shouting “no.”

Believing in the future helps us to have hope.  “Hope is greater than history,” said American businessman and diplomat Dwight Morrow – more than a century ago.  Don’t let the idea that history repeats itself discourage you.  You can shape your own history if you have hope.

Consider these words from naturalist Jane Goodall:  “I carry a few symbols with me because sometimes you get a bit depressed, and these symbols remind me of the hope that there is in the world.  Without hope, we all fall into apathy; without hope, there is no hope.  I carry symbols that represent four reasons for hope:  the human brain, with the technology that we are now working to try to live in greater harmony with the environment; the resilience of nature – give nature a chance and it’s amazing how places that we’ve destroyed can bloom again; the tremendous energy, commitment, excitement and dedication of young people once they know what the problems are, and we empower them to act to do something about it.  And finally, the indomitable human spirit, those people who tackle impossible tasks and won’t give in, those people who overcome tremendous physical disabilities and lead lives that are shining inspiration to those around them.”


Mackay’s Moral:  Hope is what allows us to remember yesterday’s disappointments and still look forward to tomorrow.

Bible Study Notes: 06/26/15

Remember to please question what might not resonate with you or match up to scripture.  It is not my intent to mislead or misrepresent in any way.

James 1:21
When we were born again, our 'spirit man' was made perfect! Our 'spirit man' can't get more perfect because the Holy Spirit lives IN us [and He wouldn't be IN us if we weren't just right - which is what Jesus does for us].
"God's word was spoken so it could be written so we could hear it and so we could speak it."

James (Jesus' half brother) wasn't a believer until after the resurrection.
Genesis 1:27

• Soul = will, mind, emotions.
• Romans 12:1-2
• Satan chips away at who we THINK we are. Society is twisting and turning constantly away from God.
• Take care of the temple (body).
• Educate the intellect (mind)
• Fill the spirit man (spirit)
• There's heaven. There's hell. And there's earth.
• NEVER underestimate the power of the born again experience. It is everything!  C.S. Lewis calls it "the great exchange" - Jesus exchanged His life for us.
• 1 Corinthians 15:45
• 2 Corinthians 5:17
• 2 Corinthians 5:21
• Galatians 5:20

Guilt and condemnation kill your faith.

• We are more than conquerors through Christ. The Holy Spirit lives in us.
• Colossians 2:20 ... crucified
• Colossians 2:13 and Romans 6:4 ... died and buried
• Ephesians 2:1 ... alive
• Ephesians 2:4-6 ... raised
• 1 Corinthians 6:15-17 ... one spirit
• Ephesians 1:22-23 ... His body
• Colossians 1:27 ... He is in us
• Colossians 2:10 ... we are in Him
• 1 John 4:17 ... so are we in this world.

Make things happen that line up with His teaching.  Good things distract us from the best things.

• Be aware of what you're thinking about. Think about what you are thinking about. Be mindful of your thought life.
• You can't think and talk at the same time (try it sometime).
• The tongue is the steering wheel of life.
• Speak the truth of Christ - memorize it and draw from it.
• 2/3 of our testament has to do with our behavior.
• We are living epistles - letters from God.

God isn't moved by need. He's moved by faith.

• He has everything we need/want. We have to reach out and accept it.
• Faith is activated by action.
• Proverbs 28:1  ... Boldness, Confidence, Assurance
• Faith ... Living and acting like the bible is true. Romans 4:17
• To be full of joy is = strength!
• There's a difference between faith and mental assent.  True faith's first action - speak it. "Believe in your heart and confess with your mouth."
• The word of God is faith food.

Bible Study Notes: 06/12/15

Every time we come together more and more is revealed to me. Here are my notes from our gathering on June 12, 2015. Remember to please question what might not resonate with you or match up to scripture.  It is not my intent to mislead or misrepresent in any way.

Luke 8:11 .. the seed is the word of God.

See ourselves as God sees us - fully redeemed. We  live with Christ IN us.  When we accepted Jesus as our Lord and Savior, we [you and me] were raised with Christ.

Our lives are a walk of faith, a stand of faith. Our bibles are the instruction manual [how to] for this walk. Don't let it sit around collecting dust.

• EVERYTHING was created by God for good!
• God's will for all men for all time is represented in Christ.
• God calls all things to be, that aren't.
• We don't have to live with the things we don't want. Turn to the Bible.
• God gave us dominion [sovereignty; control] over our world, our lives, our circumstances, but not over other people. We are to guard and tend to our world and make all things flourish.
• God is not the God of our flesh, our mind (our earth suit). He is the father of spirits

"You will never miss a God opportunity when you're in the house of God."

"Never run at your "giant" with your mouth shut."

Jesus said John the Baptist was the greatest prophet and even the least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than John the Baptist.

• The bible is plan A.  There is no plan B.
• Be careful what you hear. No self pity, no sympathy.
• The more self conscious you are, the more pain you are in.  The more God conscious you are, the more victorious you are.
• Self help is God.
• We create our world through our spoken words.  Proverbs 18:20

Spirit man is suppose to be the dominant, the one in control of the earth suit (body) and soul man (feelings and emotions). Soul man makes decisions and is feed by the spirit.

• John 6:63 .. my words are spirit and they are life ..
• We are to feed our spirit with spirit food (The Word).
• To be full of something is different than being being the real thing.
• The Word fills our spirit so we can be more like Christ.
• We're suppose to imitate Christ - own it, believe it, take it in all the way through.
• Don't harden your heart.

Bible Study Notes: 06/05/15

Another wonderful session with WOG (Women of God).  Included below are my notes (and some thoughts) from our time together. Please question what might not resonate with you or match up to scripture.  It is not my intent to mislead or misrepresent in any way.

Genesis 8:22 - The Law of Genesis (Seed time and harvest)

• Seed produces it's own kind
• God's word is the seed - our hearts are the soil.
• God is a God of increase.

Isaiah 55:11 "... goes forth from my mouth ..." God's word.

We live in a word based world; His word - God's word creates

Psalms 107:20 ... sent forth His word ... healed and delivered from (removes) all obstacles.

James 1:17 ... the same today, tomorrow, always.

John 17:17  ... Jesus is the high priest over our words. He intercedes on our confessions/our words. Give him something to work with.

The word of God is the vehicle the Holy Spirit uses to produce. God gives us everything we need.  His word and the Holy Spirit always work together.

The word of God is a seed, planted in our hearts so we can see ourselves as God does. To be operative in our lives, we must renew our minds.  We have the power of God! See ourselves in the Bible. We [I] are complete in Christ. Own it!

Hebrews 11:6 ... God is a rewarder for those how honestly seek him.

God calls us trophies of his grace.

Romans 5:14 ... Jesus has been called "the last Adam."

Romans 8:9-10

Romans 8:32 .. when our prayers are answered God's glory is revealed.  God wants us to ask BIG!

God doesn't use anything "bad" to teach us anything.

Mark 7:13

We are in control of Satan's reign and have POWERFUL weapons to battle him:

The name of Jesus

The blood of Jesus

The word of God

The armor of God

Give no place (not an inch) to the deivl. Be strong in your "spirit man".  We are holy.  The Holy Spirit wouldn't/couldn't live in us if we weren't. Remember, we are BOLD WOMEN of GOD!

Do what the bible says - CAST DOWN [throw off] EVERY thought that is not of God.

Thoughts have no power over us unless we take ownership of them with our words.  We "take a thought" by speaking it - saying it out loud.  Don't be all about feelings [sensual], speaking what you feel, what you think, etc.

"Facts are subject to change. Truths are constant. Speak truth."

Ex: The fact is that we might be struggling with allergies. The truth is that Jesus bought our freedom from sickness (by His stripes we are healed).  We have it. Claim it. Own it.

Can you get to Enough?

When you come to the end of an assignment, a project, is it enough? Do you continually ask yourself, have I worked hard enough? Have I done enough?

Here are a few questions to ask yourself to get the place where you can say "enough".

1. Have you done all you know to do? Step back and look at your work objectively.  Does it make sense? Is it clear, concise? If not, walk away consider it through the eyes of the ultimate reader/viewer and figure out what they need to read/see.
2. Have you asked "what if" and considered other possibilities? If you're thinking there should be more (or less), look at the situation differently. Move to a new location; flip it upside down; ask what if ... and fill in the blank.
3. Do you like what you've done? Or if there are only parts of it that you like, what can you do to change, adapt, rework the parts that you don't like as well.  Say it differently, turn it around.
4. Is it done?  When you can say "yes", it's done.  Push send.

Next time let's discuss letting go.
Until next time ....
Judy

Does it Really Matter?

Recently a friend told me I should be blogging - regularly. I kind of laughed it off and then asked - ok, blog about what? And she said "blog about being the mother of a 4 year old at the age of 48; about training and completing my first sprint triathlon [again] at 48; about life in my shoes." At first I thought she was crazy, but I keep thinking about it. In the scheme of life, would I say anything that really matters? Maybe yes, maybe no. But one thing is for sure, what I say does matter to Emma.

The other day Emma [my beautiful 4 year old daughter] asked me what God looks like [question number 7056]. I respond as I do with everything - "what do you think?" We got into this big discussion as we're driving [which is where all big discussion take place] that included length and color of hair, height, build, clothes, eyes, hands. We have all seen the pictures of God with long flowing robes and long silver hair. I like to think of God more like a grandpa; loving clear eyes, strong yet soft hands, always ready to hold a hand and/or give a hug. His hair is gray and kept short, but there's always a strand or two that doesn't stay in place. And clothes, he's wearing work pants and a comfortable button down collar shirt - all clean, but soft and worn.

Well, that's my picture of God, but how do I help Emma define her picture of God? I'm sure there will be more discussions in the days to come.

What Will You Do Differently On Monday?

I've just started reading Linchpin by Seth Godin and am LOVING IT! I love the way this man thinks - so unconventional and real world. In just the first few pages gems like the following pop out:

• All of us are geniuses sometimes.
• You have brillance in you, your contribution is valuable, and the art you create is precious.
• If you've got something to say, say it, and think well of yourself while you're learning to say it better." - David Mamet

Then I put the book down and login to Twitter. I follow the Harvard Busines Review [HarvardBiz] and while scrolling through tweets, I see a tweet from HRB titled Drucker's Question: What Will You Do Differently on Monday?. In the article, Drucker is quoted as saying "Don't tell me you had a wonderful meeting with me. Tell me what you're going to do on Monday that is different." The article goes on to discuss how attendees of one particular leadership event, the Drucker Institute at Claremont Graduate University's CEO Forum held in October 2009, DID go out and do something different because of what they'd heard at the forum.

So, what about you? What about me? When you "learn, hear, experience" something new, what do you do with it?

The past three months have held a lot of "new" for me. Development of a new business model, rededication to actively growing my faith, and taking my physical well being to a new level. So what will Monday look like for me?

• Taking the new model and adapting it to two more clients [one is up and running - and going well!].
• Taking my newly Bible [new testament] loaded MP3 player to the gym with me.
• Continue with my training [which I started on Thursday] for my first triathlon [sprint] June 6, 2010.

What will Monday look like for you?

Here's to learning and growing. J

Giving Comfort [by Kathleen Kennedy Townsend]

In November 2009 I was looking at the November 2008 issue of Reader's Digest [my Mom doesn't throw very much away] and was struck by an article written by Kathleen Kennedy Townsend titled Beyond Tragedy. The lead in to the article read .. "My father taught me how to handle death with grace and courage. Forty years later, his example still gives me comfort. It touched me.

The sidebar writing on Giving Comfort was something I thought more of us should know. I have copied this sidebar verbatim below.

I have a set of lessons learned about how to console those who have suffered a loss, based on my own personal experience and observations over the years.

First, go to the funeral. Thirty years ago, Mayor Richard Lee of New Haven, Connecticut, told me that he always went to funerals. "It's there that you see people, he said, and that they see you. It's there that you mingle with families, listen to them talk, and lend your full support. I had never heard that advice stated so explicitly, but he was exactly right. Death opens an enormous hole in the heart. A funeral service brings together those who can help fill that hole.

Second, call or write your friend when someone close to her or him has died. It is remarkable how few people actually reach out in tough times. Perhaps they don't know what to say; perhaps they think the person would prefer to be left alone. It is better to try and be rejected than to never try at all. Your friend can always resist the effort - not answer the phone, not open the letter. But it is hard to imagine anyone not appreciating it.

Third, never say "You will get over it." People rarely do.

The death of a loved one rips us apart, shakes us up, hurts terribly. So my fourth tip is to embrace the person who suffers. I think of the kiss my mother would give me when I would scrape my knee or cut my finger. Her act of love was more healing than any antiseptic.

Make it clear in the letter or phone call to your friend that she or he is wonderful. The outstretched arm, the warm embrace, the freshly baked cookies, or the fragrant flowers do not replace the life. Not by any means. But they do say to the grieving friend, "You are loved. You are cherished."

I felt convicted after reading this. I am guilty of not reaching out to friends when they have been suffering. I've thought "I don't want to bother them." But, this writing is proof again - it's not up to us to worry about "bothering" someone in need. it's up to us to "be there - fully."

The Basics

Everywhere you click there’s information on “the new” ways to communicate and market products/services, organizations, people, and ideas. I’m amazed at the number of consultants, coaches, agencies, etc. that have something to say about online marketing and social media. Many are screaming the message that if you aren’t utilizing ALL of the “new” technology, you’re missing the boat … If you aren’t on Facebook your business won’t survive … LinkedIn is where professionals find other professionals … Sign up for Twitter and make sure you “tweet” every day… it goes on and on.

It seems there are as many ways to get a story out as there are stories to tell. But, in the back of my mind, there’s been this nagging thought - the basic principles of marketing, leadership and good solid relationships still apply. It’s not all about the tools. It’s about the story.

So what are the ‘basics’? Let’s look at it from a business owner’s perspective.

1. What are you really selling? Or asked another way, what are your customers/ clients really buying from you? What needs are you superbly meeting for a defined group? Spend some time in their [your clients’] shoes and see, hear, touch, experience what they experience when they are purchasing from or working with you. Choreograph the process. The more you understand about “you” [your people, the organization, your products/services] the better you will understand your clients – and how to serve them. In other words, sweat the small stuff.

By the way, you need to be remarkable. What you’re doing and the way you do it has to be amazing. There’s no room for “so-so” or “ok”. There are too many choices in the marketplace to not be the very best you can be. And something to really shake you up - your very best might not be good enough. I read something just today from Seth Godin: You must make something work in the small before you bet the farm and market it to the masses. If you can't sell to 1 in 1000, why market to a million?

2. Who are you selling to? Who is the audience(s) that fits your product/ service offering - perfectly? Here’s a hint: The answer can’t be “people”. It has be people who _____ [are college professors, drive used Volvos and enjoy Thai food – Trader Joe’s target audience (Thank you Jim Carroll from the Small Business Development Center)].

3. What’s your message? Or asked another way, what is your target audience(s) interested in? What is your target audience telling you [and have you asked them]? What problem are you solving? What are the words that need to be communicated so that you are addressing their wants, needs, and desires? What is the part of your story that connects with each of your audiences? And to make sure you’ve got all the bases covered, what are you not? What are you not going to do, sell, be, etc?

4. How can the message best be communicated? What tools will get your story and message out to the audience(s) who wants what you have to sell [and you want to reach]? In what format does that message need to be delivered? What are the best vehicles to move your message to each target audience? Where do they go? What do they read? Who are their friends? What’s important to them? What’s not important to them?

5. Where are you going to start? Step 1, step 2? This is your “to do list.” So, step 1 is start answering the questions above. Start today!

Here’s to learning and growing. J

Bono

When I first heard Bono speak at the 2006 Leadership Summit, I was blown away. His intensity, passion, conviction was ... surprising and inspiring. I took notes and put them in my daughters baby book. I want her to incorporate his words as life lessons. And from a rock star. Who'd have thought?


This is what I wrote in 'E's' baby book in August 2006:


"One of the speakers was Bono, the lead singer of the Band U2 and Time Magazine's 2005 Person of the Year. He was a taped interview conducted by Bill Hybels, Senior Pastor of Willow Creek Community Church. I was so impressed by Bono that I took some notes to share with you [E]."

• Always reserve the right to be ridiculous.
• He finds Christians difficult - very judgmental and only looking at surface issues.
• He likes to be in the middle of conflict - he actually said "in the middle of a conflict is a great place to be. It allows duality. I see his point here and agree with the concept - be able to see all sides / perspectives. But, be prepared. Sometimes you have to chose a side.
• Celebrity is currency.
• Great ideas have the same power as a great melody.
• The church is historically behind the curve.
• Love thy neighbor - who is our neighbor?
• Stop asking God to bless the things you are doing. Find what God is doing. It's already blessed.
• It's not a burden, a duty. It's an opportunity, an adventure.

So here it is 2009 and Bono was back at the Leadership Summit to report on what he was seeing in the fight to end extreme poverty. Again, this was a taped interview conducted by Bill Hybels.

• Only love can leave such a mark.
• Love thy neighbor" is a command, not advice.
• Intuition is greater than intellect.
• There's always resistance on the ongoing journey of equality.
• If you lead anything do something.

For more information on the fight to end extreme poverty and the One Campaign, go to www.One.org.


Here's to learning and growing. J

Eye Witness to Power

David Gergen was great [I really haven't heard anyone I didn't like - a lot]. His bio reads:

Editor-at-large at U.S. News & World Report and political analyst for CNN and PBS, David Gergen has served as a White House adviser to four presidents; Nixon, Ford, Reagan, and Clinton. He is also a professor at Harvard’s School of Public Leadership. An active participant in American national life for 30 years, Gergen has a lifetime of experience in observing and participating in high-capacity leadership, which he’s distilled into seven vital elements needed for future leaders. The author of Eyewitness to Power, he firmly believes that by identifying the traits of other leaders (and learning from their mistakes), we can increase our own effectiveness and leadership potential.

• “A leader's role is to raise people's aspirations for what they can become and to release their energies so they will try to get there.” David Gergen
• A teacher of leadership can't make you a leader. They can point you in the/a direction.
• There's a difference between learning and doing.
• You have to learn to get better ... reflective practice = you learn in the doing (in the arena) and the reading [of books by other leaders].
• "Not every reader is a leader, but every leader is a reader." Harry S. Truman
• Reflection - what worked, what didn't, what will we do differently.
• "There's confusion between motion and progress." Peter Drucker
• Look at life/TO DO list in six (6) week increments. Review at the end of the six weeks.

Admirable qualities of former presidents:

• Nixon: Best strategist .. able to see the way history could unfold.
• Ford: A decent man.
• Clinton: Resilient - he'd always get back up.
• Reagan: Best leader since President Roosevelt. A principled man; a contagious optimist (not pollyannaish). A sense of common sacrifice and a sense of humor.

"Inspect is as important as respect."

Weaknesses of each:

• Nixon: Demons he couldn't control [author of his own tragedy].
• Ford: Naive
• Reagan: Detachment [entrusted too far]. Let others have control of the wheel(s).
• Clinton: Cracks in his character. No moral compass.

"Learn to keep your flaws in check so as not to hurt others." ... There needs to be alignment between private behavior and public life. ... Martin Luther King was a great moral leader. He never claimed to be a saint.

"Get up every day and try to be better." Nelson Mandela

• We should be more forgiving and less invasive.
• Leadership doesn't have to be lonely. Lone leadership is over. The best leaders have a team of leaders. Learn how to partner, collaborate, build things together.
• If you want to go fast, go alone. But, if you want to go far, go with others.
• Leadership is persuasion.

Gergen on speeches ...

• Who the speaker "is" speaks as loudly as what they say. Trust? Authentic? Expert? Clear? Simple?
• A speech should be 15-20 minutes - max!

Personal habits of leaders matter a lot. Self discipline:

• Control over your life
• Physically fit - endurance
• Daily reflection
• Daily time with people you cherish. Loving relationships are very important.

"Be the change you want to see in the world." Gandhi


If we only picked three of these gems to incorporate into our daily lives, can you imagine the magnitude of change?
Here's to learning and growing. J

And the Problem Is ...

I had been looking forward to hearing Tim Keller speak after seeing the Summit's video introduction of him earlier in the summer. And I wasn't disappointed. What a gem. Tim's bio reads:


Called a "C.S. Lewis for the 21st century" by Newsweek, Dr. Timothy Keller is founder and pastor of New York’s Redeemer Presbyterian Church in Manhattan. Over the past 20 years, the church has grown to three sites, with weekly attendance of 6,000. Named one of the Top 25 Most Influential Churches in America, Keller’s ministry is notable not only for winning over New Yorkers who are skeptical to faith, but also for its missional approach, planting more than 100 churches through the Redeemer Church Planting Center. Author of The Reason for God and The Prodigal God, he will talk about the well-known parable of the Prodigal Son and discuss the ways many people in our churches tend to resist the gospel.


Please remember, these are my notes, my interpretation of what I heard at the Leadership Summit. For more information on Tim Keller and his teachings, go to http://www.thereasonforgod.com/.


He starts out with a bold statement - "The main problem in church is spiritual deadness/indifference." As a christian I'm thinking "not me." He goes on to explain the parable of the Prodigal Son in a way I'd never heard before.


Keep in mind, the word 'prodigal' means recklessly [wasteful] extravagant. The parable of the Prodigal Son (Luke 15) was told to religious leaders of the day. The younger son is a runaway son and viewed by most to be "the" prodigal son. In reality, the older son is the prodigal - just like many of of us in the church.


Both brothers are alienated from the father [like we are from God]. They both have to be invited in. Both brothers love the money and 'things' of the father, not so much the father. Both of the brothers are rejecting the father [God] and acting as their own savior. The younger brother is lost because of his recklessness, but the older brother is lost because of his goodness. He is using the father [God] to get the "things" he wants.

• The Gospel - I am accepted therefore I obey.
• Religion - I obey, therefore I am accepted.

The gospel gives us a righteous life - we're in, it's all ours and He loves us. The default mode of our heart is religion. The older brother gets angry with the father [God] because he believes the father [God] owes him. He prays, but has little to no intimacy with God. And the older brother doesn't forgive, he's prideful.


To keep from being the older brother, we have to find a new level of repentance and rejoicing. We have to be sorry for our wrong doing and repent for the reason for our "right-doings." Here's the kicker ... it's our good works that separate us from God.


Tim Keller is going deeper with WCA's (Willow Creek Association) Next Steps series on September 23rd at 1pm EST. Click here and scroll down to Tim Keller for more information and to register. He has so much more to say - and is very interesting to listen to. Check him out on YouTube. I can't wait to read his book(s) and listen to more of his teachings.


Here's to learning and growing! J

Catching the Future (The Leadership Challenge)

The next speaker was Gary Hamel. His bio alone was exciting ...

Gary Hamel was ranked as the #1 Business Thinker of 2008 by The Wall Street Journal and called "the world's leading expert on business strategy" by Fortune. An author, speaker, professor, and innovative management consultant, he is most widely known for originating concepts such as "strategic intent" and "core competencies." The founder of Strategos, a worldwide strategic consulting company, his vision for the workplace revolves around releasing human potential and creativity. Hamel will address the paradigm shift needed to fully engage the potential of people and explain how tomorrow's most successful companies will be organized. He is the author of Leading the Revolution and The Future of Management.

His presentation was FANTASTIC. It was so good I was mesmerized and missed some of what he was saying in my notes, but I captured enough. Gary spoke to his audience of church leaders, but like most of the Summit, the message applies to any organization.

• Are you [your organization] changing as fast as the world around you?
• Are we all walking the talk as Christians?
• A church [organization] needs to be: ... a nurturing environment for new believers, not just a place for existing christians ... a place to grow ... a place that is relevant.
• The world is changing so fast. It's becoming more turbulent faster than organizations are becoming more resilient.
• Conquer denial
• Face the facts
• Questions your beliefs [practices].
• Listen to and learn from the renegades/dissidents/outliers

"The future has already happened, it's just unequally distributed."

"We clutch the current because we can't see alternatives."

• It takes 1000 ideas to have 100 experiments that turn into 10 projects that become one [1] winner!
• Ask your people [audiences, teams, etc.] "how to __________."
• Look at what you do and identify what hasn't changed.
• Compare your [self, organization, etc.] to others and ask "what is identical?"
• A leaders job is to mobilize, connect, and support. It's about being part of a community vs. a hierarchy.
• The facebook generation doesn't want organized religion OR big business. They want "cause".
• Shoot for being spiritual powerful and institutionally weak. Be vibrant .. resilient .. flexible ..

"We won't get better at changing lives until we get better at changing our churches."

"Humility is a survival mechanism."

"If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together."

Gary has provided more information and an interactive blog on the Summit's Next Steps section.

Here's to learning and growing. J

Hiring, Firing and Board Meltdowns

The second session of the Leadership Summit (08/06/09) was a different take on hirings, firings and board meltdowns. A three +/- minute drama was done showing a hiring for a key position within the organization, a firing, and board that completely breaks down. Obviously, there were things during each of the dramas that were not the "best" way to approach the depicted scenario. After the drama, a panel of experts - Bill Hybels, Carly Fiorina, Dr. Henry Cloud, Patrick Lencioni, and Dr. David Ireland - all discussed the good [not much], the bad [a lot], and the ugly of the drama depiction.

In all of this, it's important to understand that the leader's role is to honor people. The people you work with and lead, the people who may come into the organization, the people who will leave the organization. Jack Welch was quoted as saying "the kindest form of management is the truth."

Hiring. Scenes were shown of a person reviewing a resume, talking to someone on the phone about the candidate, and then the face-to-face meeting and subsequent offer. Some of the gems I got out of the session included:

• Your candidate must fit in with your culture. That means you have to first understand your culture.
• You must be clear on why you are hiring and what you want to achieve.
• Hiring out of desperation is a big NO-NO and rarely [if ever] works out!
• Identify [in advance] 2-3 behavioral traits you most want to see in your candidate.
• Spend time with the candidate out of the interview environment.
• Ask the same questions [worded differently] three times.
• Ask questions about their answers to your questions.

Questions to ask them include:

• What would other people say about you?
• What are ways that are challenging in dealing with you?

In a best case scenario, your organization would have such a strong [and defineable] culture, people could self select themselves into the organization - or out of it.

Firing. The video showed the steps that led up to a person being fired, obviously badly. The gems were:

• A firing should NEVER be a surprise. Don't let the firing/layoff be the first conversation.
• Regular feedback is imperative.
• Very few people like to have [or be on the receiving end of] hard conversations. Have a process in place for having dialog along the way.
• Retrain first or re-position. Look for a different fit.
• Clarity and care is key for down sizing.

Board Meltdown. A board meltdown can be avoided during the board creation process. Creating a board of directors [fyi 15-20 board members is unmanageable] should be a strategic and planned endeavor.

• Board members must have influence, affluence and skill sets that are needed by the board and the organization.
• Board members must have limited terms.
• Time and energy should be put into defining what is needed and the ideal mix of styles, talents, etc. for a board.
• A board is a team and as such should figure out how to work together as a team.
• They must trust each other, be vulnerable and open to each other.
• As a board, they must have a culture, a philosophy, and direction on how to behave.

Here's to learning and growing. J

The Second Day - continued

The third thing Bill Hybels and his team are learning from these tough economic times is Relationally.

Habakkuk 3:2 says "... I stand in awe of your deeds, O Lord. Renew them in our day, in our time make them known; ..." We read and hear about the amazing things God has done in the past. But, what about now? What about in our time? According to Bill, God's great work comes through his people who are fully devoted to Him. Questions to ask include:

• Are we attracting fully devoted people?
• Are we growing them?
• Are we feeding [training] and mentoring them?

What if you are not a church? What if you are a business organization? Are your people devoted to the work your organization does? Are you growing them? Feeding [training] them? Mentoring them? Here's an exercise for you and your team:

• How many key seats are there in the organization?
• What percentage of those key seats are filled with the right [devoted] people?
• What is our plan to get and/or grow the right people?
• Are we developing backup people for each key seat?

Personal. Romans 8:6 says "The mind of sinful man is death, but the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace." Many of us are at our best when we are rested, surrounded by talented and motivated people and doing work we love. We are at peace. But, what happens when that's not the case - when we're not at peace? As a leader, it is imperative to know yourself and monitor your "tank". Drops in your reserves require self leadership. Yes, that's right you have to lead yourself. Be diligent about figuring out what fills your bucket and do what it takes. And here's a thought - maybe you need to spend more time with God.

If you are interested in learning more about Bill Hybels or his presentation on 'Leading in a New Reality', check out Summit Next Steps [catchy title] and scroll down to 'Speaker Links and More.'

Here's to learning and growing! J

The Second Day ...

Though the title is slightly misleading, the first day of the WCA Leadership Summit (08/06/09) was nothing short of amazing! Bill Hybels, Senior Pastor of Willow Creek Community Church kicked the summit off with Leading in a New Reality. Romans 12:6 says "We have different gifts ..." Romans 12:8 "... if it is leadership, let him govern diligently; ..." The very toughest economic times, like a rogue wave [like we are in now], forces all of us to investigate and use new ways, new creativity, new leadership. God has given all of us the gifts we have "for such a time as this." Bill went on to describe four things that he and his team are learning.

Philisophical. Be the church, no matter what. Love one another, help one another. If you are hurting/struggling, seek help. If you are not hurting or have opportunities to reach out, step it up - step up your serving, sowing, etc. For everyone, use these times to stretch intellectually.

Kingdom Economics. Cash is king [really, Christ is King, but you get the idea]. You must have healthy cash reserves [which buys time]. Saving is key. Have six months in reserve. For many of us, nothing new here. But, while you're saving, pay attention to the costs.

Part of remaining relevant in challenging economic times is to stay laser focused on what it is you are "tasked" with doing. One way to do this [with your team as a group exercise] is to group activities, tasks, expenditures, etc. into three categories: A - you will NEVER stop doing; B - if revenues drop 50%, it has to go; and C - if revenues drop 75%, it has to go. Do this exercise periodically to make sure you stay on track.

For those who utilize volunteers in getting things done, here's another exercise. Break your expenditures down into five categories: Staff/benefits, donations (give it away), ministry budgets, overhead/facilities, and "whims" of the spirit - those things you just get a sense about. Most of us don't have a "whims" of the spirit budget. You may not even have a "give it away" budget. What this will force you to do is look for opportunities to identify, equip, and mobilize volunteers in your organization.

But 'what if' your organization [business] doesn't have the option of volunteers? How could you incorporate these two ideas into your organization. Staying laser focused is a skill we all can use and improve on. What about trimming the budget and creating room for donations and/or "whims" of the spirit. What would that look like for your organization? Just some thoughts.

Stay tuned for the final two take aways for Leading in a New Reality.

Here's to learning and growing. J

The First Day of the Rest of My Life

For the past six years, I've attended the Willow Creek Association (WCA) Leadership Summit. This is two days (formerly 2 1/2 days) that I get to sit and hear some of the greatest minds in church, business, NGO, politics, etc. talk about and educate on leadership. These two days feed my soul and the very fiber of my being. But, there's a problem. I'm always at a loss for what to "do" with all this information (fyi, I'm a doer struggling to be a human being). Of course I incorporate some of what I learn into my personal and professional life, I share my notes with friends and those who are interested, but I've never "strategically" utilized the information - until now.

Compiled in the posts that will follow are my notes, available information, insights, questions, etc. My hope is that in doing this, I'll become a better professional and a better person. My prayer is that you will find this information helpful and that we can share ideas and thoughts as we live this thing called life - together.

Here's to learning and growing! J