Category Archives: Leadership

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How to Be an Everyday Hero

Why is it that true heroes never think they are heroes? This past week I have seen two examples. One was a war hero who entered into the midst of a firefight to try and rescue comrades who were being ambushed. He survived. They did not. He received a Medal of Honor, but refuses to call himself a hero. Had he been a hero, he surmises, they all would have survived.

The second example includes a small group of people who lifted a car off of a motorcycle driver who had been hit by a car. They dragged him out from under the car, and he survived. They all say they are not heroes. They simply did what anyone else would do. But they are heroes to the one whose life has been saved.

True heroes are ordinary people who encounter an extraordinary situation and respond. But, in their mind, it isn’t out of the ordinary. To them, it’s what most anyone would do given a similar situation.

Every day we face situations that have the potential to be extraordinary:

  • A decision to do this and not that
  • A word of advice that changes a friend’s direction
  • A happenstance action that changes the path of two lives
  • An unexpected apology
  • A token of encouragement to one who needs it most

When you go to bed tonight, will there be someone you encountered today who will call you a hero? You simply did what anyone would do in a similar situation. But no one else did. You would never call yourself a hero. But the one impacted will.

As you make your way through the day be:

  • An Encourager
  • A Cheerleader
  • A Motivator
  • A Listener
  • A Giver
  • A Mover
  • A Shaker

You never know when an ordinary day will make you a hero of epic proportions. You may even literally save a life.

Who is your hero? Why?

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Finding a Niche Which Contributes a Unique You

Did you know there is a man whose only job is to keep track of injuries in professional sports? His name is Will Carroll. I heard him on the radio discussing specific baseball and football injuries, and the impact those injuries would have both on individual players and on their teams.

At a time when millions of dollars are riding on each and every game, injuries have a big impact. Someone needs to keep track of them for fantasy sports players, those who wage their hard earned money on games, and even casual fans. Will Carroll has carved that niche. He has made a career involving the things he loves: writing, talking, and sports.

Seth Godin says that’s the way to become a linchpin. Be indispensable. Discover your passion. Do what nobody else is doing (or not doing very well).

Examine your life right now:

  • How can you contribute in a unique and distinct way in your workplace?
  • What passion can you pursue outside of the workplace that will find its own niche?
  • What gap can you fill at work, at home, or amongst your friends?
  • What is it that makes you indispensable?

Don’t let your passion die. Find a way to live it out. Write down your dreams and goals. Make a way for your gifts, talents, and knowledge to provide a unique contribution.

You can do it. I know you can. I’d love to see what my readers discover, create, or start.

What would you do if you knew you could not fail?

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10 Ways to Say Thank You to Your Favorite Teacher

It’s not just students going back to school. Teachers are going back to school now, too. Say what you want about the nice summer vacation teachers get, when school’s in session teachers work long and hard hours.

The school year is a day in and day out march leading students toward reading, writing, and ‘rithmetic, proficiency. It’s a hard, and often thankless, job. Teachers go hard from the end of August all the way through the beginning of June.

For a teacher, a little expression of thanks goes a long way. Here are ten ways to say thank you to your (or your child’s) favorite teacher:

  1. Have a bouquet of flowers delivered.
  2. Send a gift card with your child to the teacher’s favorite restaurant or store.
  3. Write a simple note of thanks, being specific as to your favorite things about the teacher.
  4. Arrange to sit with the teacher’s class during lunch time, so that the teacher can have a small break from the students.
  5. Volunteer to carry out small tasks such as grading papers, putting up a bulletin board, or cutting out construction paper letters.
  6. Be a recess monitor for a week.
  7. Deliver a cup of your teacher’s favorite coffee drink just before school starts for the day.
  8. Take the teacher out to dinner on a Friday evening (Hint: Teacher’s love Friday evenings).
  9. Tell the principal all of the things you love about the teacher and how much you appreciate him or her.
  10. Arrange an all-expenses paid trip to a tropical location right smack in the middle of February.

OK, that last one may not be very feasible. But you get the idea.

What ideas do you have for showing appreciation to your favorite teacher?

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Six Tips for Planning a Successful Community Event

This past weekend our church, in one of Milwaukee’s urban neighborhoods, hosted a neighborhood BBQ. We served food to over 550 people, gave away sno cones, set up a “bouncy house” for the kids, played live music, and had dozens of conversations with our neighbors.

Before the event even started, our band was warming up. A woman who lives across the street came over with her face in her hands, near tears, and said to our musicians, “Was that you playing that song?” She proceeded to relate how that was one of her favorite songs; how she hadn’t been to church in a long time; how she wanted to join us for worship and make it a habit again.

The whole event was a rousing success in any number of ways, but it didn’t just happen. Here are some of the things we learned that may help you organize your own successful community event:

  1. Put the Right People in the Right Place. The two men who organized our event were a former food service Human Resources manager and an extremely well-organized graphic artist. The skills that they have used in real life work situations were naturally transferred to our event planning.
  2. Get the Word Out Early and Often. We began spreading the word in our community already a month before the event as we canvassed our neighbors. We want to know what local people feel the community needs most. As we posed the questions, we also invited them to our BBQ. In addition, each of our teachers invited all families during their pre-school meetings. In the week leading up to the event we blanketed our community with flyers at as many homes as possible.
  3. Make it Free (Or as Inexpensive as Possible). Thanks to careful budgeting, special grants we had written and received, and a suburban church that donated the time and meat to produce the BBQ, we were able to create an event that was completely free to our guests. A free event is attractive in most any community, but especially in an urban community at a time of economic distress.
  4. Plan Plenty of Things for Children. Where there are children there will certainly be adults. Kids bring parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, and neighbors.
  5. Plant Your Own People in the Crowd to Create Conversations. Our congregation had volunteers who helped with food service, event coordination, music, and security. There were others whose “job” it was to show the warmth of our church by conversing, inviting to worship, and simply being friendly.
  6. Learn and Evaluate in Anticipation of Your Next Event. As people were given wrist bands (as a way of counting the number we served) we asked them how they heard about the event. Immediately after the event our two leaders were already discussing ways to improve and things they will do differently next year.

On Sunday morning our church had visitors that came as an immediate result of the event we held the day before. Members and guests alike had a glorious time at our Neighborhood BBQ. We look forward to seeing how the efforts will be blessed.

Have you ever hosted a community event? What did you learn?

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Leading Means Listening to One’s Own Words

This week, as the new school year was getting ready to commence, I had the opportunity to spend some time with our school’s teachers. I shared with them a DVD of Michael Hyatt’s talk at the 2011 Recreate conference. As I listened to Michael that cold day in February, I realized then and there that I wanted to share his words with our staff. It was a thoughtful, Scripturally based speech about handling criticism in a positive and constructive way. You can read about it here.

It turns out that I was the one who needed to pay attention to Michael Hyatt’s words and concepts. I diligently watched the DVD again, and found the advice simple yet profound. Little did I know I would soon have to heed the words myself.

I had just come back from vacation. Within the first few days back I became the victim of unfounded criticism. It’s funny how leaders often preach and teach things that they feel are for other people. I quickly realized that what I had been relaying to our staff through Michael Hyatt and others was also meant for me.

Too often leaders are insensitive and oblivious to their own needs, while trying to teach and lead others. I really, really needed to go over and rehearse Michael’s words a number of times before I could get through the emotion I was feeling. I had to pay very close attention to what I was teaching others. I had to listen to myself.

Leading is about more than teaching and telling others the way to go. It’s living and listening to one’s own words, thoughts, and teachings.

Where have you found your own words and teachings applying to yourself?

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How Zig Ziglar and Seth Godin Taught Me to Write and Keep Goals

It was late in the summer and another activity year was on the horizon. Floating around in my mind were all kinds of ideas, deadlines, possibilities, prospects, options, and opportunities. It was overwhelming and frustrating. I knew I needed to prioritize, but didn’t quite know the best way to go about it.

That’s when I turned to Zig Ziglar’s Legendary Goals Program, updated and simplified by Seth Godin. It has been newly published under the title Pick Four. At one point in his life Seth Godin felt very much like I had been feeling:

I was rudderless. Every project seemed like a shiny new toy, a new opportunity to make something work. I was so busy lurching from one project to another that I never had time to do the work necessary to make my ventures succeed. The lurching was a natural response: when things get tough, go do something else.

…Then I found Zig…Within a month I had written down all the steps he describes in his goals program, and I started following the steps. Drip, drip, drip. Day by day, bit by bit, I started to make progress. And then, quietly, my progress started accelerating. Suddenly, the bricks started falling into place, sales were made, personal goals achieved.

So I heeded Seth’s advice and began to work through the opening pages of the book. It is safe to say that it is just that: work. But it’s a good kind of work. It clarifies thoughts, ideas, and priorities. It’s even a little scary. Seth says:

…the reason we don’t set goals is that we’re afraid. We’re afraid of saying a goal out loud, even to ourselves, and certainly afraid of writing it down. We’re afraid of trying to achieve a goal and failing. And, surprisingly, we’re afraid of reaching our goals, because reaching them means our lives will change, and change is often at the center of our fear.

As of this writing I have composed my four goals and intend to keep track of my progress the next twelve weeks. I’m sleeping on them for a couple of nights before I sign the book and make my final commitment. I’m hoping that when I waver, this little notebook will keep me on track. When it doesn’t, I hope that my family and those close to me will.

If you have read this far, I want to give you a special opportunity. Pick Four comes in a four-pack, meant to share. I would like to give away my three extra workbooks. If you would like a chance to receive one of the three workbooks, completely free, here’s what to do:

  1. Comment on this blog post (not on Facebook or Twitter…but right here on this blog);
  2. Explain in your comment why you should receive the Pick Four goal setting book;
  3. Share a link to this blog post either on Facebook or Twitter.

At my discretion, I will select three people who do all three of these things to receive a copy of Pick Four. I will send or deliver it to you at my own expense. Then we can, together, bring priority, change, and accomplishment to our respective lives.

How do you prioritize and set goals?

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How to Start Almost Anything New with One Little Word

Although it’s only August, a new year is about to begin. Students and teachers everywhere are gearing up for a brand new season of learning and teaching.

New beginnings of any kind can be challenging, exhilarating, and nerve-racking all at the same time. There are hopes, fears, and expectations. Relationships are renewed. Goals are set. School supplies are purchased. Bulletin boards are created. Lesson plans are written down. School clothes are attained. Everything old is new again.

A new school year is a chance to start with a clean white board and a newly waxed floor. It’s a chance to choreograph the first steps of the years’ dance. It’s a chance to write the opening paragraph of the years’ novel with the best adjectives available.

Two biblical descriptions of the beginning of space and time surprisingly lack adjectives. They are simple and straight-forward:

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth (Genesis 1:1).

And…

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God (John 1:1).

They are begging for adjectives, but the Lord sees no need to provide them. Yet what flows out of Genesis 1:1 is one big description of God’s plan for His newly created universe. What flows out of John 1:1 is one big description of God’s plan for the salvation of fallen people.

The whole Bible is one big description of God’s love and grace for humankind. Amongst those pages are countless adjectives describing the God of the universe who lives to love and who is love.

It’s a great thought as you encounter any beginning: The God who is beyond description is present right from the start. With Him all things are new. Under Him all things are clean. Through Him all things are white as snow.

This year, as our school’s teachers come together for their first meeting, I’m going to encourage them to choose an adjective that describes God. They will use those adjectives to:

  • Create a piece of art using that word to display in her or his classroom
  • Use that word as a springboard for teaching the presence of God in the classroom
  • Evaluate the way God is working in the classroom, particularly under that adjectival attribute
  • Intentionally remember the work of God in and through His people each day
  • Begin the year new, clean, and white under a God who defies description…

…And yet was described perfectly in the person and work of the God-Man Jesus Christ who gave His life for the sins of the world.

What suggestion do you have for getting off to a great start?

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20 Things I Learned During 20 Years of Life as a Pastor

This summer I marked 20 years as a pastor. It’s been quite a ride. In some ways it flew by. In other ways the start of my ministry seems like it happened in another lifetime.

Here are 20 things I have learned, one for each year in the ministry:

  1. You can’t please all the people all the time. If you try, you will find yourself incredibly frustrated. I learned this within the first six months of being a pastor.
  2. Be true to yourself. Don’t try to be someone else. People want you to be you, and they will love you for who you are.
  3. After God, your family is #1, not your church. Your family was there before your church, and will still be there after your church. Give them the time, love, and care that they need.
  4. Make sure that you are involved in the selection of church leadership. You must be able to work with those who are chosen to be leaders in the church. If not, at best there will be ineffectiveness; at worst, there will be conflict.
  5. If possible, hand write a birthday card to every member of the congregation on her or his birthday. It’s a great way to show people you care, remind inactive members that they are missing church, and even people who have left the congregation remember it as a personal touch from their pastor.
  6. Some things just aren’t worth changing, or “choose your battles.” Some things, some people, some programs are not worth fighting with or about. Wait for the things that really matter, like doctrine or unity, then put your integrity on the line.
  7. When “change” is necessary, do it slowly and with love and care. It may not happen at the speed you would prefer, but it will be much more palatable for all involved.
  8. Visit with people at home or at work. Meet them in settings away from the church. You get a whole new perspective.
  9. Pray for your people and for your church. And let them know that you are. And ask them to pray for you.
  10. Hire support people and other staff members who share your vision, passion, and strategies. It will save you time, effort, energy, and even heartbreak.
  11. Create significant time and space in your schedule to study and write your sermon. Creative and engaging preaching is born out of solid study and significant time to engage the text and culture.
  12. Make your day off a day off. Make sure to take time for personal sabbath. Burnout is significant amongst pastors. If you don’t “come apart” for a while each week you will come apart.
  13. If your congregation doesn’t have a sabbatical policy, encourage them to put one in place. One of the most significant times I spent in my twenty years of ministry was a three-month sabbatical in my eighteenth year of ministry. It should have happened much sooner than that.
  14. Go to conferences and classes that stretch you. Be an avid learner. Don’t be afraid to go beyond your comfort zone. Attend conferences where you know no one else. Take classes that are outside of your areas of strength.
  15. Read, read, read. Read theology. Read classics. Read about leadership. Read about writing. Read about relationships. Read.
  16. Become adept at social media. Sorry, but it’s not going away.  It’s going to make you more effective in ministry not just tomorrow, but already today.
  17. Say “thank you.” Then say it again. People love to be appreciated, people need to be appreciated, and people will be much more willing to help and serve when they are appreciated.
  18. Find friends outside of the congregation. You need people in your life with whom you don’t always have to be “on.”
  19. Work on becoming a better speaker, teacher, and presenter. The Gospel deserves the best speaker, teacher, and presenter you can be.
  20. Take care of yourself. Exercise. Eat right. Care for yourself emotionally.
What things have you learned in your work that would be valuable for others to know?
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The Surprise of Emotion and How to Take Advantage of It

It came from completely out of the blue. I was answering questions being posed by a wonderful consultant helping our church sharpen our message. The topic of “stability” came up. We were discussing the idea of chaos in the lives of the students in our urban school. I began to speak of our school as the one place of stability in those young lives.

And right out of nowhere I began to cry. For a few moments I couldn’t even speak. Finally I said to the consultant, “I have no idea where that came from.”

She said, “You care.”

My emotion caught me off guard. I wonder if it did for Jesus that dusty day on the other side of the Mt. of Olives. Jesus found out His friend Lazarus had died, and we have the shortest verse in the Bible: “Jesus wept” (John 11:35). He cared more than we will ever know.

My care pales in comparison. But I still can’t deny the emotion I felt at the moment I thought about the impact a ministry very close to me has on lives that need stability so very badly.

It reminded me that we sometimes live our daily lives with emotion that lies right beneath the surface, but we pay no attention to it. I think that’s a big mistake. Paying attention to our emotion, noticing our feelings, and observing our passions does a number of things:

  1. It drives decisions. Recognizing my passion for the students in our school reminded me of the importance we need to place on that aspect of our church’s ministry. It means intentional decisions regarding that area of our work.
  2. It  guides a work day. As we pay attention to emotion it helps us better decide what to do at a given moment. Feeling happy? Complete a task that needs energy. Feeling contemplative? Spend some time studying. Feeling melancholy? Take the time to care for someone else.
  3. It reveals priorities. Paying attention to our emotions is probably the best indicator of what we’re passionate about, what we can’t stand, and why there are certain things that we really enjoy. Let your emotions help you to prioritize your work, your career, even your leisure and play.

I challenge you to pay attention today to your emotions. It may surprise you. You may learn something about yourself. It may even change the direction of your day.

When was the last time an emotion took you by surprise?

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How to Score a Great Deal on a Hotel

Over the past few years my wife and I have done a great deal of traveling. It’s mostly been to see our kids who have attended schools in cities nine hours away from us. One of the great skills I have learned in this time is how to get a great deal on a nice hotel. I have found out that you don’t have to stay in a low quality, sometimes seedy, discount hotel in order to pay a low price.

I have found quality (three star or higher) hotels in major cities for as low as $50 a night. And it’s not that hard to do.

Recently I’ve been asked how I do it. I figured if one person would like to know, lots of others would as well.

So here’s my “system” for scoring a great deal on a hotel at Priceline.com:

  1. Go to the Priceline web site.
  2. Do your research. Put in the city, the area of town you want to be, and the number of stars. I never put anything lower than three stars. See what the prices of those places are.
  3. From the list that comes up according to your guidelines, figure about 55-60% off of the median prices of those hotels. Or look for a specific hotel that you like, and use that price to take off 55-60%. Priceline says right there on the web site: “Save up to 60% on hotels.” Why not call them on it?
  4. Set up an alert. You can do it on the “my profile” page of your priceline account. Look for the tab “deal preferences.” Put in the information: city, area, stars, and price (the price should be the price you determined in the last step).
  5. Priceline will alert you by email when someone has scored your price according to the guidelines you set up.
  6. After you get that alert, go ahead and try it yourself. More often than not, you will get the hotel at the price that you want.

A couple of caveats:

  1. Certain events or times of year could effect the demand of hotels, and make your price higher than usual.
  2. If you don’t get the price you first wanted, don’t panic. After 24 hours you can try the same deal again. It helps to book your hotels a week or two ahead of time so that you have this luxury. However, that’s not to say that you can’t get good deals up to the last minute.
  3. At some three star (or higher) hotels you have to pay for parking. You may want to figure that in when you name your price. Even when we have paid for parking, the price of the hotel is lower than what we would have paid without Priceline.
  4. Priceline, of course, doesn’t tell you the name of your hotel until you get the deal. I’ve never found that to be a problem. Their star system is pretty consistent, and almost always leads to a comfortable stay in a very nice hotel.

Here’s to saving a great deal of money on your next trip. Please let me know how this system works for you, or if you have any “tweaks.”

What ideas do you have for saving money on travel expenses?