Category Archives: Leadership

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U2 From the Top of the Stadium or From the Front Row?

Would you rather see U2 from the top of the stadium or with General Admission tickets where you could watch so close you could touch Bono’s hand? Would you rather watch a baseball game from the front row or one level up? When you’re making your way through daily life would you rather put your nose to the grindstone with only a micro-view or do you have the ability and desire to take the long view?

I have strong opinions about the first two questions, and am quickly forming an opinion about the third:

  1. I would rather get up at 5:00 a.m., sit in line all day, and stand right in the front when the opening strains of the U2 concert begin. In fact, I’m going to do that in Chicago this July 5th.
  2. When I go to a baseball game at Miller Park to watch the Milwaukee Brewers I would rather sit up one level where I can have an overview of the whole field than sit in the front row where the perspective isn’t quite as good.
  3. I’m learning that taking the long view of tasks, work, and vocation is better than seeing only the task in front of me.

I’ve been learning about this by watching our kids make their way through their college experience. It’s been particularly clear this summer as I see them both working hard at jobs that, at first glance, may not seem to be career enhancing positions. But from my perspective (1000 feet up, as it were), I see the skills they are learning, the connections they are making, the responsibilities they are taking, and the networks they are building.

I’ve had telephone conversations with both kids, listening to them (mildly) complain about the weight and responsibility of full-time summer jobs. From the perspective of a parent I see the many ways these summer positions are preparing each of them for life in the working world and for vocations that will be fun and fulfilling.

It got me to thinking that I far too often take the near view in my own daily life. The old cliche is that I “can’t see the forest for the trees.” More accurately, I can’t see God’s plan for my life because my own near-sightedness gets in the way. When I take the time to step back, take the long view, head to the top of the stadium, I see from where I’ve come and to where I’m going.

Here’s what I’m trying to do:

  1. Beginning the work day prioritizing the things that will have the greatest impact.
  2. Ending the work day reviewing what I’ve done, what it meant, and what it means for tomorrow’s work.
  3. Take stock at the end of each week to see whether the goals set have been met, and if so, what new goals ought to be set.
  4. At least once a month taking some time to think about the major things that have taken place so far in the current year, and what that means for next steps as the year proceeds.

How do you take the long view in your daily life?

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Creativity or Gimmick?

A year-and-a-half ago I came back from a three month sabbatical fired up and ready to try out all kinds of new and creative ideas. One of the things I did while I was away was study creativity and the creative process. It was interesting, freeing, and inspiring.

Upon my return we formed a Creative Team at our church. It was the first time in the 80 plus year history of the church it had such a thing. A great group of people got together to plan and execute series’, graphics, visuals, art, and other creative ways to bring “stickiness” to the weekly message and provide ways for it to be remembered throughout the week.

It was an exciting time for me. I felt challenged and rejuvenated. The Creative Team loved planning and executing their ideas. All was going well.

…Or so I thought.

Then someone told me that what we were doing was just “gimmick.” The argument was made that the Creative Team’s efforts were taking away from the Gospel more than enhancing it.

It was a minority comment, and almost an aside, but it nonetheless took the wind out of me. So much sincere time and effort had gone into the planning process and execution of themes.  Now it seemed as though it was a great deal of effort for little return.

I thought many appreciated what was being done. Now I wasn’t sure.

I wondered just what is the dividing line between creativity and gimmick. I’m still wrestling with it. I understand that the Word of God itself is creative, living, and active. The Spirit works in and through the Word.

But I also believe that Christians are both sinners and saints. It is my belief that the “sinner” needs branches of creativity. As they float down the river of the week, perilously headed toward the deadly waterfall, they grab hold of those branches to keep faith afloat.

So help me out.

What do you believe is the fine line that divides creativity from gimmick?

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Five Resources for Advancing Your Life’s Plan

It seems that life often turns out in a different way than one thinks it’s going to. The other day I ran into a friend I hadn’t seen in more than four years. The last time I saw him his youngest son was literally the star pitcher of his youth baseball team. The boy was poised to move on to high school and have an impact at a higher level. It looked like all the ducks were in a row and a wildly successful baseball career was on the horizon. That was four years ago.

So  I asked how the boy’s high school baseball career had gone. To my surprise he said that he dropped out of baseball. The kid grew tall, and thin, and sat on the bench…a lot. So he took up golf.

I told my friend we had a great deal of catching up to do, and that we should get together soon. He agreed, and had to be on his way.

It got me to thinking about just how often it is that peoples’ hopes, ideas, and very life sometimes don’t turn out the way they envision it all will. Baseball dreams take a left turn to golf. Dreams of being a doctor take a right turn to a career as a medical assistant. Dreams of motherhood make a u-turn to adoption.

Sometimes it’s the result of uncontrollable or unforeseen circumstances. Finances, friendships, or fear can become obstacles or hurdles that bar hopes and dreams.

But it doesn’t always have to be that way. A will and a plan go a long way toward finding the fulfillment of a dream.

I have recently run across some resources that may be helpful to you in dreaming, planning, goal-setting, and strategizing. These items may help your life follow the direction of your dream and give meaning to your vocation. The first is free; the others are relatively inexpensive. Take some time to dream, plan, find purpose, and follow a definite direction.

  1. Creating Your Personal Life Plan, by Michael Hyatt. This is a free resource that you can get simply by subscribing to Michael’s blog. I’m currently working on it. It is simple yet highly profound in terms of impact on one’s life. It consists of thinking through and writing down outcomes, priorities, and action plans. It provides true direction and great accountability to accomplish things in life you dream of having accomplished.
  2. Linchpin and Poke the Box, by Seth Godin. Linchpin was for me a life-changing (no hyperbole) book. It shows how to be an essential building block of a great organization. Poke the Box is impetus to be an instigator, create initiative, and seek discovery. You will thank me after you read these two books.
  3. The Creative Habit, by Twyla Tharp. Twyla Tharp is one of the world’s great choreographers. But you can have two left feet and still gain a great deal from this book. With exercises like “Where’s Your Pencil?”, “Coins and Chaos,” and “Do a Verb,” Tharp shows anyone how to make creativity a habit and use it to advance both your career and your life.
  4. The War of Art and Do the Work, by Steven Pressfield. Both of these books give tools to overcome what Pressfield labels “resistance.” Resistance is the inner force that prevents most anyone from accomplishing what needs to be accomplished. Two must reads.
  5. Quitter, by Jon Acuff. The jacket cover says that Quitter is about “closing the gap between your day job & your dream job.” It’s not a book just for people who want to quit their jobs and find something better.  It provides methods to recover your dream, work toward your dream without blowing up your life, and methods to use for finding real direction in your life (all from a Christian perspective).

What resources can you share with me for better planning, goal-setting, and accountability for moving forward?

 

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“The Thank You Economy” for Churches and Non-Profits, Part 2

“…(T)he dominant obsession for any leader running a company in the Thank You Economy shouldn’t be the competition, nor should it be customer service. It should be your employees” (The Thank You Economy, p.89). That’s Gary Vaynerchuk emphasizing that The Thank You Economy is not just about outreach with Social Media, it’s also about treating your “employees” better than anyone else.

How are churches and non-profits doing on this front? It’s just as much about “inreach” as it is about “outreach.” Just because someone works for a church or non-profit doesn’t mean that she doesn’t have needs. Show me a well-cared-for worker, employee, or minister, and I will show you a worker, employee, or minister who loves his job, sticks around, and goes the extra mile (…OK…maybe not always…but more often than not).

Gary Vaynerchuk says there are two things that make employees happy and make them want to stay:

  1. Being treated like an adult.
  2. Feeling his/her individual needs are met.

Vaynermedia recently carried out these two things by establishing a new vacation policy: there is none. More than that, around basic parameters, employees for Vaynermedia can extablish their own daily work hours. I understand that this may not work in every church or non-profit, but what if employees actually could, within parameters, decide how much vacation time works and what their daily hours would be, as long as “they are doing their job 110 percent at all times, and they’re meeting their objectives” (p.91).

In other words: What if workers, employees, and ministers were treated like adults and felt his/her individual needs were met?

I know that realistically churches and non-profits would find it difficult to take work day hours and vacation time to this extent. However, what if churches and non-profits would do even a little better treating workers, employees, and ministers well.

Our church and school are far from being perfect examples of treating employees “like adults,” but we have tried to take baby steps in the direction of enabling our people to feel as though they are appreciated and their needs are met. Here’s what we’ve done:

  • The principal of our school welcomes each of our teachers to a brand new school year with hand-written notes and a candy bar or small treat.
  • Each March, during what seems to be the longest part of the school year, a solicitation is made to our congregation for monetary gifts. This money is used to provide gift cards to stores or restaurants for each teacher in our school.
  • As another token of appreciation, I (as pastor) take each of our teachers out for lunch once during the school year. After lunch they get the afternoon off to go home for some rest and relaxation.

No, it isn’t quite setting your own hours or determining your own vacation time, but it has meant a great deal to our “employees.” In the end, it’s really about one-on-one interaction and building relationships with people and treating them “like adults.” We have a long, long way to go in meeting individual needs, but at least we’ve made a start.

What ideas do you have for treating non-profit and church workers, employees, and ministers “like adults” and meeting individual needs?

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What Churches and Non-Profits Can Learn from “The Thank You Economy”

“…(I)t is utter insanity for any company not to have a Facebook and Twitter presence in 2011” (p.113, The Thank You Economy). Those are the words of Gary Vaynerchuk, an entrepreneur and social media guru who built his family’s local liquor store into a national wine-seller at winelibrary.com . He wrote the national bestseller Crush It. He has now created Wine Library TV and an app for smart phones called The Daily Grape.

As I read The Thank You Economy it occurred to me over and over again just how much of what is presented in the book applies so well to churches and non-profit organizations. At one point in the book Vaynerchuk says, “It’s not about the budget. It’s about the creativity and caring” (p.124). Many a pastor, church leader, or non-profit executive would love to hear those words spoken in a board meeting (in the church’s case, of course, adding the words “the Gospel”).

What Vaynerchuk calls The Thank You Economy is about caring, responding, interacting, and having conversations with your customers. The Thank You Economy means engaging your customers on an emotional basis by being genuine and caring. That is, of course, what the church is called to be and to do, but far too often the church has lost, or overlooked, or just plain forgotten to be genuine and caring. Sadly, the church is often focused more inwardly than outwardly.

New tools have been given to the church and non-profits to engage on a genuine and caring basis. They are the same tools that are used in The Thank You Economy. They are the tools of Social Media. Vaynerchuk reminds us that Social Media is exponential. Have you recently looked at all of your “friend suggestions” on Facebook. You are one or two degrees of separation from literally hundreds, if not thousands, of people. Just think how many you could reach simply through Facebook and/or Twitter. After all, online conversation easily leads to in-person conversation.

Here are just some of the ways The Thank You Economy can be applied in the church:

  • Gary Vaynerchuk says people buy things recommended by their friends. Where have people recently been speaking with friends? Social Media! More than “buy things,” what about people recommending their church or non-profit as they “talk” on Social Media?
  • The longer it takes to build a presence with Social Media, the more effort it will take to make it work for you. Can the church afford to be lagging behind? There are souls to be saved and people to be helped and served.
  • No matter what someone else chooses to say about you, you can publicly put forth the facts. When there is rumor or controversy, churches and non-profits can’t afford to let them fester. Being up front on Social Media is one way to get the facts straight so that the message is not hindered or blurred.
  • The Thank You Economy includes being part of the conversation. According to Vaynerchuk, it isn’t good enough to simply put your message out there on a web site. You’ve got to engage people and be part of the conversation. How awesome that conversation is when you share the greatest Message ever known to humanity.
  • How about this: “If you’re not passionate enough about what your company does to find fuel for conversation every day, for hours on end, with as many people as possible, maybe you’re in the wrong business” (p.83). I don’t really have to tell you how that applies to churches and non-profits, do I?
  • Social Media is a “long-term play,” a “marathon.” Stick with it! It takes time to develop relationships, provide care and concern, and create in-person opportunities for interaction. Don’t give up. It’s about finding any and every opportunity to share the Gospel or provide service.

Watch for my next post where I’ll share more ways The Thank You Economy applies to churches and non-profits.

How do you think Social Media can be leveraged for use in the church or in non-profits?

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How a Local Organization Got a Big Bank to Deliver Big Bucks

Common Ground is a broad-based organization of organizations in the city of Milwaukee created to work together to bring about real and positive change in southeastern Wisconsin. I have been part of the organization since its inception, and could only have imagined what this group would be able to accomplish. For two years Common Ground has been pressuring five big banks to join together with the city of Milwaukee, local foundations, non-profits, and Common Ground itself, to refurbish and revitalize dilapidated and foreclosed homes in a key neighborhood.

Last night a representative of Wells Fargo Bank stood before more than 280 members of Common Ground and committed almost $2.5 million dollars in loans and grants. Read the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel’s article about it here. It was the first of the five banks with whom we have been negotiating to make a significant commitment to bring revitalization to our community in the midst of the current foreclosure crisis.

It took negotiation. It took hard work. And, yes, it took creativity.

The goals for Common Ground were to:

  1. Get to the table.
  2. Make a deal.
  3. Keep the deal.

In order to make that happen, Common Ground had to gain:

  1. Recognition from the city and the banks.
  2. Respect from the city and the banks.
  3. Relationship with the city and the banks.

Recognition, respect, and relationship could only happen by way of many one-on-one meetings, small group meetings, face-to-face meetings with government officials, bank representatives, and Common Ground members. It was a slow and sometimes tedious process. But every meeting had a strategic purpose. There was always a specific outcome in mind for every gathering.

Here’s where the creativity came in. Common Ground used creative ways to get recognition, respect, and relationship from and with partners that could join together with us to make things happen.

That creativity included:

  • Taking 400 pictures of run-down and less-than-well-kept homes in the local community
  • Brought together local anchor organizations in the community to personally get to know one another
  • Worked with state representatives to get a bill introduced in the legislature
  • Gathered people together in front of bank buildings to draw attention to significant thoughts and ideas
  • Sent representatives to Germany and San Francisco to appear and speak at bank shareholders meetings
  • Used the communication talents of individuals to push bank officials hard

Someone said that anyone could have done what Common Ground did. But no one else did. Sometimes all it takes is to do something no one else has the creativity or courage to do.

For Common Ground it meant nearly $2.5 million dollars (and potentially much more) to revitalize a community.

What do you have the creativity and courage to do, that no one else will?

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Commencing into a New Commencement

I’ve attended a great many graduations over the years. I’ve been a parent, a participant, and even a speaker. For some reason graduations make me very emotional. It may be the pomp and ceremony, or, more likely, the marking of one of life’s milestones.

There are many positive things about graduation ceremonies. But maybe it’s time to re-think and update them.

Here are some of the things I’d suggest to someone planning a commencement ceremony in the year 2012 or beyond:

  1. Always have a Communications professor make one of the major speeches. The best speech I heard this weekend at our daughter’s graduation was done by a communications prof. Um, they know how to communicate.
  2. Convince the major graduation speaker to be short-winded. Nobody’s there to hear them…but they could still have a huge impact with a short, properly worded speech.
  3. Let grads tweet their thoughts during the long awarding of diplomas. A screen above the stage could scroll (screened) tweets that would be wildly entertaining during that long drawn out process.
  4. Make it visual. Use screens to display an action photo, piece of art, or some other  work done by each graduate. In this day and age of technology it would be easy to do.
  5. Give the poor faculty something to do other than sit there during the ceremony. Maybe they could escort the top student in their discipline. Perhaps they could read the names of the names of the students they had in class (logistics could be figured out).
  6. Involve parents by letting them interact electronically. Instead of lining up at the end of the stage to take pictures, they could walk across the stage with their child (again logistics could be figured out).
  7. Honor extra-curricular activity. More than letting the choir kids sing and the band play, displays of talent could be made by athletes, theatre students, or forensics club members.

How would you make a commencement ceremony better?

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Cellophane Transparency

Whenever we’re in a restaurant together my dad claims to be “Mr. Cellophane.” He says that people will look through him or past him just like he doesn’t exist. The problem is, he’s usually right. In his case, being transparent is not a good thing.

In the case of any leader, speaker, or writer, transparency is a good thing. These days people want genuine, honest, open, transparent leaders, speakers, and writers. Fake and formulaic is so “80’s.” Secrecy and false fronts are no longer acceptable after the days of Enron, the scandals of the Catholic Church, and internet viruses and spam.

I have noticed that in preaching sermons people have appreciated a generous peek into my less-than-perfect life. The day I spoke of the “terrible, horrible, no good, absolutely awful” week I had, and how the Word brought light and life into my darkness, positive comments about it almost doubled in comparison to many other sermons I preach. I was transparent. People were connected.

I have also observed people being very suspicious of leaders who seem to keep secrets. Secret keeping causes back room gossip, speculation, and anxiety. The more secrets the less cohesive a team or unit tends to be. The more secrets the less trust.

If you want to connect with an audience, team, or congregation, be transparent and honest. A number of years ago the local district of our church body had a budget that was deeply in the red. A new president came in and immediately instituted an open and transparent policy regarding budgeting, spending, and decision-making. Within a few short years the budget was back in balance and trust was developed throughout the district.

Granted, people don’t need to know every scar and wart of one’s background. Too much information is off-putting and just plain uncomfortable for an audience or team. But carefully chosen transparency is endearing and trust-building.

Being Mr. Cellophane in a restaurant may not be a good thing. Being Mr., Mrs., or Ms. Cellophane as a leader, speaker, or writer builds trust, confidence, and connection.

What insights do you have about transparency?

 

 

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The First 10 Minutes

The other day a student from a class before mine came out of the classroom and said, “Did I miss anything the first ten minutes I wasn’t there?” And the student to whom he was speaking said, “No. Not really.”

Oh, really?!


I hope no one says that about the classes I teach. I try not only to fill every minute of every class with something worthwhile, with some great “takeaway,” but I also try to see to it that each class begins with something valuable. It’s always important to pique interest, create anticipation, and provide continuity at the beginning of any new undertaking, including a seemingly run-of-the-mill class, task, or meeting.

I begin most of my classes with a ten-minute “starter” I call “Protocol.” Protocol is an opportunity for a student to review the contents of the previous class period, and then in some way carry that contents and those thoughts forward into the current class period. Over the years students have conducted game shows like Jeopardy and Wheel of Fortune, they have created their own media presentations, or they have used crossword puzzles or fun quizzes.

The results have been very positive:

  • The students making the presentation have had to engage the material and learn it better themselves.
  • The students in the classroom receive the benefit of reviewing material in a fun atmosphere.
  • All material along the way is reviewed so that there is less “cramming” when it is time for an exam.
  • The first ten minutes of each class period are advantageous to the entire class.
  • Protocol is a springboard for new material.

This method works well in many areas of life, business, or ministry. A good book always has a great first sentence. A good meeting always has an energizing and creative start. A good sermon has an interesting introduction.

Books, meetings, sermons, and many other things in life benefit from reviewing older material and springboarding into new. The whole idea is to build on things we know so that we retain the old, engage the present material, and look forward to what we are yet to learn. I’m working through that process right now while I am learning all about creating and maintaining a self-hosted blog. It’s both frustrating and exhilarating, but boy, have I learned a great deal. And I can’t wait to learn more…building on top of what I already know.

How can you use the concept of “Protocol” in your work or daily life? How do you take advantage of the first ten minutes? I’d love to hear your ideas.

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In Their Corner

Have you ever felt as though you really needed someone in your corner? The world was against you (or at least your corner of the world) and you just needed someone who would cheer you on, show support, pat you on the back. You just wanted to know someone was on your side.

I encounter heartbreaking stories in my work everyday. I’m a pastor in an urban setting where I see kids in our school and neighborhood who are neglected, kids who are abused, kids who are born with disabilities because mom was on drugs while she was pregnant, kids who just need someone in their corner.

Whenever I see a piece on 60 Minutes, or Dateline, or the evening news about adversity being overcome, I can’t help but cry. I become an instant sap. I’m not sure from where those tears come. Are they joy for those who have beaten the odds? Are they empathetic tears for those in my own setting who may never know triumph? Are they sorrow over the feelings of helplessness I sometimes have?

You’ve seen those pieces, haven’t you? The kids from Harlem who audition for a show that becomes nationally known; the teacher on the south side of Chicago who spends time after school teaching children how to play musical instruments; the student with a learning disability who suddenly comes alive through an art program. Those all make me cry. They tug at my heartstrings and give me reason to carry on my work in a very difficult setting.

I suppose that’s why the video below hit me so hard the first time I saw it. It’s about a high school football team consisting of incarcerated players: winless, fanless, nameless. But someone gets in their corner and, at least for one night, changes all that.

Those who were treated like aliens now hear people they don’t even know shouting their names. They begin to see the world in a different way. They hear people cheering them on, showing support, patting them on the back. Someone is on their side. Someone is in their corner.

Watch this video. Then ask yourself: Whose corner can I get into today.

In Their Corner