You are here: Home / Archives for Leadership

Five Questions To Help With Life Balance

June 24, 2011 By 1 Comment

We are all trying to find life balance more and more. Yet many of us are adding things left and right because we don’t want to be part of the economic down turn.  I saw the other day that the stress of our overbooked lives could be the largest reason for obesity.  We need to back off, put stuff down and just stop to take inventory of who and what we have become. Prayerfully ask yourself these five questions and let Jesus take control of your life balance.

1. What can I trim back? Yes there is something in your life now that you can get rid of.  Maybe you are causing your children stress because they have to be good at music and sports.  Maybe they could focus on just one thing and be the best at that.  Then you would only have to run half the places you do now.  Maybe you can cut out the expensive coffee, and save some money for a trip.  What ever it is you can cut at least one thing out of your schedule.

2. What is distracting me? Do you have things in your life that cause you to break concentration and focus?  Try different way to get alone and just focus on the task at hand.  Yes it is okay to make your kids go to their rooms so you can focus.  That is what door locks are for.

3. What is holding me back? I know you are on the fast track and money is just rolling into your pockets, but are you doing what you feel like you were made to do?  Most people find fulfilling success when they stop letting the chains of a real job hold them back.  No, the answer is not your spouse.  Get counseling if you think it is.

4. Who do I need to talk to? Is there unresolved hurt in your life? Have you hurt someone and need to apologize to them?  Which ever way this goes you need to make the time and get it resolved.

5. Where can I give back? If you expect to receive you need to give. One of the best ways to gain perspective in life is to work in a shelter or a soup kitchen.  Get rid of the majority of your clothes.  The Salvation Army or Goodwill can always use items.

Your life balance is not just up to you as Christians we must learn to rely on Jesus. You chose to be where you are now and you can choose to be somewhere different if you let Jesus work in your life.

Filed Under: Leadership Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Spend Half Your Time On Self Improvement

June 6, 2011 By 4 Comments

Do you spend half your time on self-improvement?

We all know this, but do we believe it. John Maxwell gave us the mantra, “Leaders are readers.”  Many other Christian leaders have come along and reiterated the process by which we all grow.  In Roman 12:1-2 the apostle Paul tells us,

Dear friends, God is good. So I beg you to offer your bodies to him as a living sacrifice, pure and pleasing. That’s the most sensible way to serve God. Don’t be like the people of this world, but let God change the way you think. Then you will know how to do everything that is good and pleasing to him. (CEV)

In the NIV it say, “Be transformed by the renewing of your mind.”  Our self-improvement does not come from ourselves.  Many of us believe this transformation takes place over the course of our Christian walk.  Through the Holy Spirit we are changed to be more like Christ here on Earth.  But in order for this transformation to take place we have to spend time with Christ in prayer and reading in the bible.  In his book Courageous Leadership Bill Hybels quotes an article by Dee Hock who says we should spend 50% of our time leading ourselves (p183).  Bill Hybels said he was stunned when he read it, and I was stunned when I read what he wrote, so I imagine you may be a little stunned when you read this.  So what do we do?

After unpacking that statement over the last month, I began to look at it in the light of the disciples.  As leaders in the 21st century we spend a lot of time doing busy work. I follow a lot of the “Church Leaders” of today on twitter and they spend a lot of time just tweeting about what they do. The disciples spent their time learning from Jesus, and trying to get a grasp around what he was doing and saying.  We spend most of our time either trying to look like we are important, or trying to be like other leaders of today and not Jesus.

The disciples asked questions. We believe that we have expensive college degrees, so we know everything.  These university degrees allow us to hold the positions we have and to tell others what to do.  Most of our power comes from our positions and not from Jesus.  We need to learn from the disciples who in Acts 6 put others in charge of waiting tables while they devoted themselves to learning and sharing the word. We have to spend time away from the crowds to lead the crowds.

We can choose one of two roads. The easy one that says, “I am a leader and these people will follow me.” or the one that says, “I am a leader and I need to learn to lead myself first.” The road we choose will determine how much time we spend letting Jesus develop us as leaders.

 

Filed Under: Leadership Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Do The Work And Opportunities Will Come

May 24, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Opportunities are always presenting themselves.  When I was in the Navy, I was the first person any of my superiors knew who had ever gotten qualified to stand Engineering Officer of the Watch (EOW) in less than two years of getting out of school.  I was the youngest and lowest ranking member of the Engineering Casualty Control Training Team (ECCTT).  And I was on my way to dive school, until I decided I really didn’t want to be in the Navy.  These opportunities didn’t come because I complained and asked for more money, but because I worked and learned the entire engineering department on my ship in less than two years. Here are six things I learned from that experience.

Be willing to learn.  Many people want to be successful but they just want the success not the work involved.  I love reading and listening to Dr John Maxwell.  I am as much a product of his leadership as any young leader today.  But, I think too many of us want to be giant church leaders because that is the story he spread.  I also believe he will be the first one to warn that you have to be willing to put in the work and learn before you can be a leader.

Be satisfied with where you are, but continue to dream. Don’t mis-read that.  What I am saying is grow where you are.  If you are a genuinely good leader then you should want to help those around you. If you are constantly jumping from church to church it is not a sign of leadership, that is a sign of immaturity.

Read good books.  I read constantly while I was gaining knowledge of the ship. I read schematics, diagrams, and service manuals.  I learned all that I could through the books that were available to me.  If you are going to be a leader, you have got to read the books that will build you up. Your Next Read is a good source to help you find what you need to read next.   Don’t just read books from today, read books that were popular 10, 20, or even 100 years ago.  We don’t have the best books ever written today so look to the past.

Teach others.  Every time I learned one watch station I tried to teach everyone working with me what I knew.  Doing this taught me two things. First, not everyone wants to learn.  I know that’s hard to believe but it is true.  Many people want the success they see you have but they really just want the appearance not the knowledge.   Second, people will get credit for what you do.  Teach others anyway.  What you do makes you a leader, not the praise that comes with it. Never, harbor ill will towards anyone who gets credit for what you do.

Practice Your Craft. I sat in front of consoles and crawled in bilges for hours learning the correct sequence for shutting down the engines, fuel and oil pumps, and every other system in the engine rooms.  Practice makes perfect is not just a good saying, it is a fact.   Practicing being a leader will not make you a leader, but it will make you a better human.

Learn Form those who went before you.  Find someone who is doing what you want to do and latch yourself to them. I followed two men around for those two years and watched everything they did. I sat at the console while they were on watch, I picked their brains for information, and I even began carrying myself and talking like they did.  While I didn’t become them, I put every ounce of effort I could into learning what they knew.

The one thing I learned since then is Learn to listen to Jesus.  I wasn’t a Christian when I was in the Navy, so Jesus never played a role in what I did.  We are bombarded with opportunities daily as leaders so we need to be in tune with Christ and what he is doing on our lives and world so we can discern what he wants us to do.

What can you do today to grow as a leader?  Are you being mature about what is happening around you or to you? Can you see opportunities if they present themselves?

Filed Under: Leadership Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,

5 Ways To Eliminate Distractions

May 19, 2011 By Leave a Comment

If you leave your house every day you know what distractions can come at you.  Getting in the car is the biggest distraction most of us face.  We also may have a boss that texts us, then emails, then finally calls to see if we got the text all within 1 minute.  There is also the guy that wants to swing by your office every thirty minutes just to say hi or talk sports.   Over the years I have tried to eliminate most major distractions in my life all of which seem to crop back up from time to time.

Learn To Manage Your Time. I use Focus Booster to help compartmentalize time into 25 minute blocks.  Built around the Pomodoro Technique focus booster help you see time for what it really is, a tool.  After working for 25 minutes you take a five-minute break and after every 4 pomodoros you take a long 10 – 15 minute break.

Turn Of  All Social Network Alerts.  This is one of the most time-consuming things people do in our culture.  Stay off of social networks unless it is your job to be on them.  If you have Tweetdeck, HootSuite or any other social network platform turn off the alerts.  You don’t need to know everything all the time.

Don’t Turn On Your Browser. Let’s face it, we are all on the computer for work and play more than we really need to be.  I write, obviously because you are reading what I am writing, when I write I use Microsoft’s Live Writer.  It connects to my blog so I can write offline and send it to my blog without having to get on the internet at all.  There are dozens of tools you can use to do most tasks without getting on the internet at all.  Yes a computer can do more things than surf the internet.

Sticking with our theme, Keep Your Email Program Closed.  No you don’t have to check you email every five minutes.  It’s time some one stood up to say, don’t expect people to email you back instantly.  I will get back to you and your time is not more important than mine.

Turn Your Phone Off.  There is nothing more rude than you checking you text messages while I am trying to talk to you.  Turn it off and leave it off.  Five years ago we could live without our phones, if you can’t do it now you may have a problem.  There is no one that is so important they must have a phone on 24/7. (Mr. President you are included, turn it off and spend time with the wife and kids.  You have my permission.)

These are just a few ways you can eliminate distractions in your life.  Stepcase Lifehack has a list of apps to help eliminate distractions.  Wise Bread gives us 6 areas we can get rid of distractions in.

Take time and think of the little things that eat away at your time each day.

Filed Under: Leadership

How Inclusive Is Your Church Community?

May 2, 2011 By 1 Comment

Are we really inclusive in our churches?

Many of us answer with a resounding, “Yes, of course.  We welcome anyone who comes to our church.”  Take a minute and think about your community, right now scan your church service from this morning.  What do the people look like?  Are they all the shades of brown we have as skin tone, or are they predominantly one shade?  Are there older people and younger people, democrats and republicans, poor and wealthy?  Is your church filled with all types of people or do they look pretty much like you?

I know the studies.  I know how we should target everyone or we are going to reach no one.  But do you really believe that Jesus wanted you to focus on an age group, or a socioeconomic subset of society? C’mon man!  This is not predominately white conservative churches I am talking to.  Every church should look at it’s congregation and ask are we as welcoming as Jesus.

The next time you are taking communion I want you to think about what is said as you partake of the bread and the wine or grape juice.

As you receive the bread you hear, “The body of Christ that was broken for you.”   AS you receive the cup of wine or grape juice, “The blood of Christ that was shed for you.”

While the body of Christ was broken just for you, it was also broken for every one else on this planet.  He did not die to save people like you, he died to save mankind.  Are there people in your church that you need to welcome more?  What about your work or community?  It is up to us as individuals to be welcoming.  If we really believe that the love of Christ can and will shine through us we need to let it shine, even to people that are different from us.

Filed Under: Leadership Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Do The Work

April 27, 2011 By Leave a Comment

The second book from Seth Godin’s Domino Project is out.  Do the Work By Steve Pressfield is for all you work from home, I want to build a blog and make money types who can’t seem to sit down and do the work. (ME)

From the About Section,

This book is designed to coach you through a project (a book, a ballet, a new business venture, a philanthropic enterprise) from conception to finished product, seeing it from the point of view of Resistance.

We have all been there.  The day needs to start, but the desk is so far away, and the couch is so comfortable.  Rachel Ray is coming on after the morning news, or there is something I really want to see on Discovery or ESPN.  This book is going to help those of us who suffer from the can’t get started syndrome a real kick in the pants.

For Instance,

Where butts need to be kicked, we shall kick them. Where kinder, gentler methods are called for, we’ll get out the kid gloves.

I probably need this book more than anyone, that is why I am writing this post.  I am also reading the book and hating it.  Get a copy, it’s not long so you can read it in a day then refer back as needed.

You can read the synopsis on the Domino Projects blog

Oh I forgot the best part.

The Best part is that the book is free so you can pick it up here Do the Work

Filed Under: Leadership Tagged With: , , , , ,

Pride Comes Before A Fall

April 25, 2011 By 3 Comments

Pride comes before a fall but having a Godly self-image can stop the fall.

I work with people all the time that believe they are the reason their company or church is in existence.  I find that funny since most of their companies and church existed long before they came to them.

Self confidence is a touchy subject.  It is touchy because it can lead to pride which is defined as:

a high or inordinate opinion of one’s own dignity, importance, merit, or superiority, whether as cherished in the mind or as displayed in bearing, conduct, etc.

Pride is over self-confidence.

When we have a healthy Godly self-image it is hard to become prideful.  We understand that we are good at what we do because God has gifted us that way.  We also understand that there are other people who can do our job.  We know that God make people great, not what they do.

Pride Can Limit Our Choices

This may be because we think we are to good for a certain job.  It may also be because to many people have seen us act inappropriately because of our pride.  When we think we are to good for something many time we treat others poorly.  I know a man who uses the word “stupid” when he refers to people who don’t agree with him. He believes it will make him look smarter if he tears someone else down. When I asked him why he thought someone was stupid he just said, “Because they are.”  I don’t know if he thinks I’m stupid, but I know I won’t want to work with him on a project.

Pride Can Limit God

It can cause us to believe we don’t need help from God or anyone.  We lose out on what He really wants for us.  If we don’t see our it for what it is we can lose our contact with Him and begin living a life filled with other sins.

So if pride comes before a fall, the next time you think you are the be all end all, try walking on water. Then get back to doing what you are good at.

What in your life are you becoming prideful about?  How can you stop?

Filed Under: Leadership

Take Time to Listen To Your Team

April 21, 2011 By 1 Comment

Being a leader means being out in front, casting vision, and setting goals for the team.  One of the best ways I have seen to help a leader gain capital with his or her people is to listen to them.  I recently read on Ron Edmondson’s blog where he asked his staff to evaluate him, The Team Evaluates the Leader 2011

When I first read this it blew me away that a pastor would give his team a chance to grade him in his work.  The next thing that struck me was that he asked them to Name His Weaknesses and Do You See My Role Changing.

This got me thinking about a few things.

  • What do I need to hear? I assume there are people who need to tell me something but don’t feel comfortable doing so.
  • Am I willing to hear it? What sin is in my life that will prevent me from hearing what others are saying.
  • What other areas do I lead in? I am a leader in more places than church. Home, sports teams, businesses and more.
  • Who needs to evaluate me? Not everyone needs to be in on the process.

Are you willing to listen to others evaluate your leadership?   Do you think evaluation is necessary to grow?
Image used under cc2.0 license from flickr user banlon1964

Filed Under: Leadership Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

A Relentlessly Loving Christian Community

April 15, 2011 By 1 Comment

Do You Have What It Takes To Love Relentlessly?

We live in an individualistic world where we work, live, and pray next to people we don’t know.  We are separated by cubicles and garage doors.  We hurry to get in to and out of our homes so we don’t have to say, “Hi!” to our crazy neighbor.

Our churches have become much the same.  Many of us come in late and leave early so we don’t have to say, “Hi!” to anyone who may see us.  We sit beside people we may or may not know, we sing and praise Jesus with as much fervor as we can muster, and still we know no one.  Don’t forget we all attend a small group so we can participate in the community.  But how much do we really participate in the lives of the people in our small group.

Jenna and her boyfriend aren’t getting along, so we pray for her.  No one want’s to get involved so they don’t ask how she bruised her hand.

Mary and Tom are having financial “problems” so we pray for them.  We don’t ask if they need some money, we wouldn’t want to pry.

Bill is always just fine, as he glances away and stares at the floor.  What have those eyes been doing when no one is around?

The word relentless is defined as unyielding in one place, I define it as not giving up or not giving in.

I grew up in a small town and I saw what community was.  When my mother passed away people flooded our house with gifts of money and food.  We wanted for nothing for several weeks after that the cause of the love that was poured out on us from that community.

Living in a relentlessly loving Christian community means getting yourself involved in other people’s lives.  Praying for God to open up relationships for you to love people.  The letters written in the New Testament were not written to just correct things that were going wrong.  Those letters were written by men who loved Christ and loved the believers that were in Christ’s church.

As we begin to love others in a way that Christ loved the church it may not work out as we plan.  As we begin to see other through God’s eyes we will see things we never knew existed.

Filed Under: Discipleship, Leadership Tagged With: , , , ,

Making Work Life Balance Work – Nigel Marsh (TED)

March 16, 2011 By 1 Comment

Liked Nigel’s talk from TEDxSydeny.  Good lesson we need. Get Nigel’s book; Fat,Forty,Fired at Amazon

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...
Filed Under: Leadership Tagged With: , , , , ,
« Older Posts
Newer Posts »