Month: August 2012

My final reflections:

11. The Advantage (business consultant and best-selling author Patrick Lencioni). 

Building a healthy organisation is the single greatest competitive advantage. There are two requirements for organisational success: (1) be smart - strategy, marketing, finance, technology and 2) be healthy - minimal politics and confusion, high morale and productivity, low turnover. Most companies spend 80% of their time on #1.

Four Disciplines to Master for Building Healthy Organisations:

a. Build and maintain a cohesive leadership team. Trust, Conflict, Commitment, Accountability, Results.

b. Create Clarity. This is not done through a mission statement! You must answer 6 critical questions: Why do we exist (mission – this should inform your decisions)? How do we behave (values)? What do we do? How do we succeed (strategy)? What is most important, right now? Who must do what? 

c. Over communicate clarity – people need to hear things 7 times before it sinks it. 

d. Reinforce clarity. Organisational health should be a standard.

* Soundview Book Summaries has released an 8-page summary of The Advantage. If you enjoy it, consider subscribing to their annual summaries.

12. The Hope of the World (Bill Hybels).

For Bill … the church has been (1) hopeless, (2) hopeful, and now he sees it as (3) the hope of the world – because it has been entrusted with the Gospel, which is the only thing that can change a human heart, both now and for eternity. 

It's one thing to see a vision; it is another thing to be seized by one. Vision makes the present experience indefensible. We must not stay here. We must go there. Without vision, people settle for a life of lesser purpose (Prov.29:18).

If the local church really is the hope of the world then every member matters. We need them to discover their gifts then step up and serve. We have to see every church reach its redemptive potential. 

Will the local church be able to sustain itself until the end of time? Many huge empires and companies are gone today. Who would have thought? Jesus himself is building and sustaining His church. It is the only thing he is doing. How can we be so busy building our own thing when Jesus calls us to build his church along  with him? 

P.S. Other speakers included Condalezza Rice, Pranetha Timothy (Director of Aftercare, International Justice Mission, Chennai, India), Mario Vega (pastor of a 100,000 member church in El Salvador), Marc Kielburger (a Rhodes scholar with a law degree from Oxford now involved with Free the Children and Me to We), and Sheryl Wudunn (author of Half the Sky and sex-trafficking activist), as well as artists Michael Gunger and Kevin Olusola.

Here are some more reflections:

9. Changing the Odds (Geoffrey Canada).

Geoffrey is the President and CEO of Harlem Children's Zone. He says, "Hope is infectious but so is despair." Lift your sense of your urgency. Break out of this idea that you can't. We put rovers on Mars when we want to!

Succession plan … how will the company survive if you died? Think intentionally about this. Plan to leave your organisation when it is on its way up (not going down). Tell them you are leaving and what you are doing to plan for it. Don't wait until you are tired and burnt out. 

Staying the Course – in dark times, remember that others have fought for a lifetime, seeing no change, yet never giving up because they knew they were right. You are part of a process moving towards victory. 

Faith … the real test of faith is when you we faced with something that only your faith could keep you believing in God. 

Leaders – people are watching us all the time. Bat 100%. Be always on top of your game. Get your moral compass right. Fallen leaders hurt the whole business. 

10. Negotiating Conflict (William Ury).

William Ury is an anthropoligist and best-selling author of Getting to Yes. He is the champion of what he calls "principled negotiation" in contrast to "positional bargaining." 

a. People – separate the people from the problem. Don't be soft on the people and soft on the problem OR be hard on the problem and hard on the people. Be hard on the problem and soft on the people. Soft on the people means listening, empathy, understanding, respect, etc. Negotiation is an act of influence. How can you do so if you don't understand how they think? Change the game from face to face confrontation to being side by side tackling the problem together. 

b. Interests – focus on interests not positions. Probe behind positions to discover the real underlying needs and concerns. 

c. Options – invent multiple options looking for mutual gains before deciding what to do. Find creative options that meet the interests of all sides. 

d. Criteria – insist that the result be based on some objective standard. Create a fair process. How do we expand the pie before we divide it up? Often this becomes a position of 'will.' Base decisions on fairness not on will alone. It's about deferring not giving in. 

What will do of we can't reach agreement? What is our alternative? Know this ahead of time. How will you know if the agreement is acceptable or not? Don't accept an agreement that it is worse that your bottom line!  

During the Civil War, Abraham Lincoln once said, "Do I not destroy my enemy when I turn them into my friend?" 

This process often results in a wise agreement and an amicable outcome. The goal is not to eliminate conflict but to deal with them in a constructive way. Focus on basic interests, mutually satisfying options, and fair standards. 

Greatest obstacle? Ourselves! We react – which means we act without thinking. The power to not react is one of our greatest powers. "When angry you will make the best speech you will ever regret." Email: Reply, Reply to All, or Save as Draft?

Part 5

Here is part 3 …

7. Bridging the Generation Gap (Craig Groeschel, pastor of lifechurch.tv and best-selling author). 

Advice to the Older Generation:

• Don't resent or fear or judge the next generation. Believe in them. They need you. 
• God values maturity. If you're not dead, you're not done.
• Hand ministry over – not just tasks (creates followers – people who simply do what they told) but authority (creates leaders). Give leadership to the next generation. 
• Embrace the season that you are in. Don't try to be something you are not. The younger generation can smell a fake a million miles off. Authenticity trumps cool every single time. 
• Care and love them. Be yourself. Be a pastoral father or mother. Be a coach. Invest in the lives of those coming behind. 
• Declare God's power to the next generation (Ps.75:18). What you have is an asset to those coming behind. 

Advice to the Younger Generation:

• Tim Elmore conducted a study asked to describe 20 something's in workforce. The four most prominent answers were: exceptional, enthusiastic, extraordinary … and entitled. This is an over-protected generation. 
• You tend to over-estimate what you can do in the short run and grossly under-estimate what you can do through a lifetime of faithfulness. 
• You can lead up by honouring. Andy Stanley says, "Honour publicly results in influence privately." Even Jesus was limited through lack of honour and faith in people. Honour God or who he is … then honour people. Honours builds up. "Respect is earned but honour is given. Show honour to those who are above you." If you ever want to be over, learn to be under with integrity. 

For the generations to work together, it has to be intentional. Organisations naturally age. 

Three Practical Tips:

a. Create ongoing feedback feedback loops … from the older and younger. Do with this with your sermons (before and after speaking). Value their opinion. Creates all sorts of opportunity for mutual growth.

b. Create specific mentoring moments. With business leaders, sharp 18-24 year olds, etc. Plan for them. Develops strength in your organisation. Ask someone to mentor you. Don't copy what they do. Learn how they think. Ask questions and learn.

c. Create opportunities for significant development in your organisation. Put the next generation up on stage. Believe in them. 

Honour those who have gone before you … most lived and ministered in tough environments (sacrifice).

Believe in the next generation … they are the most cause-driven in recent history. 

"What will you do with your life that will last forever?"

8. A Leader of Unimaginable Influnece (well-known pastor and best-selling author John Ortberg).

John shared from his most recent book, Who is this Man?

Too often we argue about Christianity but fail to marvel at Jesus. Where, before the church, was there a movement that sought to include every human being (see Col.3:11)? It was Jesus' idea!

• Jesus changed how we think about history. Nero, Napoleon and Stalin died in the year of our Lord … Whose influence would last longer – Jesus or the Roman Empire?  
• Jesus shaped how we express compassion. The weak and the marginal were not valued in the ancient world. Jesus turned children into people. He cared for lepers, the blind and the deaf. This vision gripped the world. Orphanages and hospitals were begun by Christians, as was the Red Cross and the Salvos. 
• The Jesus movement shaped education. Education was usually reserved for male children in elite families. Jesus taught everyone (men and women, slave and free) and told them to teach others. Churches started universities. The medieval insistence of the rationality of God led to the emergence of science. Languages, alphabets, dictionaries …
• The Jesus movement shaped art and music. 
• The Jesus movement changed political theory. Jesus declared that there was another realm that even kings would have to answer to. 
• The Jesus movement changed how we think about human rights and dignity. God is like a Father … "… you are all one in Jesus Christ." First egalitarian statement in literature. 
• Jesus taught uniquely that we are to love if enemies. 

We must marvel at this man because his work is not done yet. Our world awaits for a fresh manifestation of Jesus' vision.  Jesus still calls, "Follow me …" Will you devote yourself to his expanded vision of the kingdom. You are not alone. You are accompanied by someone who is for you. Jesus still lives and still loves. 

Part 4 …

Here is part 2 of my reflections on the recent Willow Creek Leadership Summit:

5. Great by Choice (Jim Collins).

Business professor and lecturer Jim Collins studied two teams travelling to the south pole, one who failed and one who succeeded, as part of answering the questions: "Why do some enterprises thrive in uncertainty and others do not?"

The X factor of great leadership is humility + will (he calls these "Level 5" leaders in his book Good to Great). What else is needed is: 

a. Fanatic discipline. Create a 20-mile march and complete it every day! Don't over-stretch. Don't adopt an erratic pattern. Turn good intentions into great results. Growing by a consistent percentage like clockwork over a long period of time leads to success. The key is to commit to consistent, consecutive performance. The true signature of mediocrity is chronic inconsistency. 

b. Emperical creativity. Find new ways of doing things. Innovate and create the future. Fire bullets then canon balls. Fire enough little things to find out what works. Strive to be one fad behind. Blend creativity and discipline (both/and). Creativity is natural, discipline is not. 

c. Productive paranoia. The only mistakes you can learn from are the ones you survive! The greatest danger is not failure but to become successful and not know why. Create a 'SMaC recipe' that works. Follow it with great discipline and then adapt as time goes on based on empirical creativity. Preserve the core (your values that are not open to negotiation) AND stimulate progress (separate practices from values)! 

Great leaders and/or winners are not luckier It's what they DID with these supposedly lucky events. Many people squander these potentially significant moments. Bad events can be defining events that make us better. 

Both south pole explorers had the same environment and conditions. One rose and the other fell. Greatness is not primarily a function of circumstance but one of conscious choice and discipline. Build something enduring and great (a marriage, family, friendship, church, etc). Commit your life to this. It is impossible to have a great life without a meaningful life and meaning only comes out of great work of intrinsic excellence and beauty.  

* Soundview Executive Book Summaries have released a complete book summary of Jim's recent book Great by Choice. An annual subscription to their excellent summaries is well worth it. 

6. Leadership Trust (Bill Hybels).

At its very core, leadership is all about trust. Do people trust you … and the people you have empowered to lead? When we lose trust, it's game over. We can no longer lead. It all comes to a halt. Do a 'trust audit' – a heart check, not just a brain dump. Allow God to talk to you about your trustworthiness. Has there been any slippage lately? Is there any area of your life right now that would fail the trustworthiness test? Are you knowingly compromising your integrity in any significant way? In finances? Relationally (breach of confidentiality)? Legally (a grey area)? Sexually (private addiction)? 

Because we have a 'slow to anger' God, sometimes he allows us to wander just a little bit to see if we can sort it out, without exposing us publicly. Will you this day pledge to do what is right? While you still have influence? Within 24 hours, make a choice to fix it. Do you have to blow your whole world up (family and ministry)? God is giving you an opportunity to get help now … so that you can maintain trust. Take one step towards integrity and you will feel the presence of God accompanying you for step two and three. There is such incredible freedom when we are right with God – a sense of joy! 

Senior leaders are responsible for the integrity of all of our team within our organisation at every level. When you know people are off track, work up the courage to do something before more damage is done. We fail people when we are chicken. Is there anyone with whom you need to have a conversation? Is there someone you need to remove from leadership? They hurt too many people, they don't tell the truth, they don't follow up, etc. Trustworthiness is on the line. 

Finally, celebrate the trustworthiness of God. He is always faithful and always keeps his Word. He always comes through. Everybody's life would be better off with God at the centre of it. 

Part 3.  

Last week I had the privilege of attending the Leadership Summit hosted by Bill Hybels and Willow Creek Community Church. This is an excellent training event held annually in Chicago which reaches over 100,000 church and business leaders across America via satellite. Everyone wins when leaders get better. That's why leaders need to be humble enough to adopt a continual learning stance. 

Here are some of my takeaways and reflections:

1. Churches need to keep sowing more and more seed (Bill Hybels).

In Luke 8, we have the Parable of the Sower and the Seed. Despite how bountifully the seed is sown, for all kinds of reasons, people are sometimes closed off to the message of the kingdom. However, the message is still true and lives will be changed. In Jesus' parable, the seed rejection ratio is 75% (3 out of 4)! To see more trees, you need to plant more seed … to overcome the math. Sow more seed and different seed.

Sow the same amount of seed and you'll see the he same results. Leaders … stay curious, courageous and experimental. Refuse to allow entropy to occur on your watch. Insist on a non-stop series of experiments that force learning. Become incessant tinkerers. Inspire everyone to get better … by your example. Trees (transformed lives) are worth it …

2. Self Leadership (Bill Hybels).

The concept of 360-degree leadership involves leading in all directions. At the heart of all of this is 'self leadership.' You are the most difficult person you will ever lead. Your work habits as a leader are critical. 

Many leaders incorrectly assume that their most important asset is their time. No, it's their energy and their ability to energise other people (culture, new initiatives, etc). Periodically ask, "God, in the next six weeks, what would be the greatest half dozen unique and significant contributions I could make to the church that you and I both love?"

Energise some people and some initiatives. Pick six tasks/projects, then prioritise them (not necessarily six things you feel like doing!).  Then focus on them alone (deliberately disregard everything else). You will feel a sense of clarity and excitement. Pray over them. You can't sprint for six months but you can for six weeks. Create 'energy bursts' throughout your day against all these challenges. Focus, pray, and energise people around these six things. 

Willow Creek now manages people and prioritises projects around this 6 x 6 concept. It creates a highly productive culture. Leaders are meant to move stuff ahead, not just respond to stuff all day. 

Prayerfully set your 6 x 6 projects. Pray over them every day. Focus on them every day. Self leadership matters!

3. Succession Planning (Bill Hybels). 

In 1950, there were only 3 "mega-churches" (churches with over 2,000 people attending each weekend). Today there are many 1000s. Many of these have been founded by their current senior pastor. A key question emerging is about succession planning. If you are the leader, do you see yourself ever dying? What will you be doing when you are 90? Who will take your place?

At Willow Creek, they have established (a) a planning phase (discussion of roles, time frame, honouring current pastor, etc), (b) an attempt at finding a successor (internally first, but if not, then externally), and then (c) a transition phase or baton passing (ideally 18 months in length). Bill is now 60 years of age and this process will take place over the next 5-10 years. 

Senior pastors must not hang on too long and ensure that they leave a legacy for the next generation. Elders and Board members need to understand that feelings run deep in the lives and hearts of pastors, especially long term or founding pastors. These a delicate conversations.

4. Moving People to a Preferred Future. 

Leaders, build a strong case that your followers can't stay here before you start talking too much about there.  Along the journey from here to there, when is the vision most vulnerable? A (beginning), B (midway) or C (near the end)? It's B! The beginning energy of A carries you, as does seeing the finish line (C). Visions are extremely vulnerable in the middle (B). Start right but be careful in the middle. You need your best inspiration there. 

When are you most vulnerable? Early years (A)? No, you have so much adrenaline. It's in the middle years (B) where you discover you aren't invincible. Ministries waver and die. Betrayals and disappointments occur. There may be tough layoffs, deaths of people, mistakes, team members leaving. You are very vulnerable. Near the finish line (C) … there is a growing sense of excitement! 

What an incredible privilege to be a leader! Only a small percentage of people get to do this. Have you thanked God recently for this? We know the price … and the war stories. Enjoy every single day you get to lead, because it will be over in a blink. 

Part 2 …