One of the things which constantly amazes me is when I am confronted with how oblivious I can be in my own leadership practices.  My problem is that I make assumptions that everyone on my team is on the same page when that may not be the case.  Even though I have attempted to cast vision and set goals, I realize now that I need to be more purposeful in aligning my team.  I think where I may have mis-stepped is in not making sure to make to follow through on accountability to best practices, goals, etc.

This kind of thing is a good reminder to pay attention to the basics.  That is the major theme of another Jim Collin's book, "How the Mighty Fall."  Paying attention to the basics may seem too obvious to even mention but my experiences recently have proven to me that the basics ARE important.

Rick, stay focused!!!

I stopped into K-Mart this afternoon (Saturday)  to pick up one small item.  I find the item and make my way to the checkout only to find that there are a LOT of people waiting for 2 checkout lanes.  After a few minutes I hear an announcement about a manager being needed at one of these lanes.  Shortly, over the intercom again, the manager now says "cancel manager" and makes her way from the customer service register where she was talking to another employee to the checkout lane with issues.  LOTS of us are still standing and waiting.  Finally the customer service counter announces "no waiting" if we want to walk half-way across the store to check out - which I quickly did.

Have I become so used to prompt service that these little inconveniences are so annoying I want to scream?  Is this really poor management or simply impatience on my part?  Does the manager need training or do I need counseling?

Here are facts which should not be ignored.

• Who you are (character) is more important than what you do, ultimately
• so live with integrity every day all day
• What you do is the yardstick used to measure your success, immediately
• so do something - execution is the shortfall of many a genius
• What you say has the power to hurt or heal, to edify or destroy
• use a language of respect and remember the first point above
• What you value always comes through in the decisions you make, sooner rather than later.
• even when you don't think you know what you value, your decisions will tell the tale, so spend some time clarifying the important things in your life.
• Who you know and the networks you have are one of God's ways to place you where he wants you
• if you alienate people unnecessarily you may become unable to perform the role God has designed you for - so treat everyone as you would like to be treated - or even better than you would like to be treated, which ever is best.
• What you know can be improved upon, only a moron would assume he/she knows it all
• never, never, never stop learning, nor get sidetracked by busy - if you are not learning, you are becoming obsolete
• Patience and ambition are uncomfortable bedfellows
• God knows your potential, if you find yourself straining against the ropes, focus on the quality of what you do NOW and trust God for the future.   This is harder than it sounds.

Response to Tungle.com com survey.  Tungle is a great scheduling software which makes it easy for people to schedule meetings with you and easy for you to send open times for meetings to individuals or groups to find a common time to meet.  I highly recommend Tungle!

1. What made you decide to start Tungling? I read a review in a blog by ProfHacker and thought I would give Tungle a try - I have not been disappointed.
2. What’s one thing we do better than any other productivity app out there?I like the capability of sending a link (or even posting a link) so that if someone needs to schedule a meeting they can easily do so.  I sent a web-link to some key people in my organization so that if they need to schedule something with me it will be easy for them to see when I am available and easy to propose a time for a meeting.  I also like that I can highlight multiple times on a calendar for a meeting and send that to several people, who can highlight their availability and how tungle merges all of that to find the common times for me to select for the meeting.
3. What’s one thing we could do to create a better experience for you?Right now I can't think of anything.
4. Do you refer Tungle.me to others?  If yes, why?Yes, I do for the reasons stated above.
5. What would you Google to find an app like Tungle.me? scheduling application

Thoughts and quotes from Unleashing the Power of Rubber Bands: lessons in non-linear leadership, by Nancy Ortberg.  I'm not really sure about the "non-linear" aspect of the title, but the topics touched upon by the author were those you would expect in a book devoted to leadership.  I did like the theme which is implied in the title phrase, "rubber bands" of tension.  The kind of tension Ortberg references is the kind which balances the need for execution against the ever-present pull of homeostasis (my word, not hers).  I think if she had emphasized this even more throughout the book it would have taken the book from an OK book on leadership up a level.  As it is, I would have to say that most of the book is a re-work of the principles found in Good to Great, from a Christian perspective. 

Still, I found her writing to be easy to read and she was willing to be personally vulnerable in her journey on the path of leadership.  Some of the quotes I found particularly interesting were:

"Inherent in the leadership relationship is the expectation that over time, the direction you give will result in progress toward maturity, growth in skills and character, and even an increase in your own leadership competencies." p. 2

"To lead well, we must possess the strong belief that our best days are ahead of us, always ahead of us.  Hope and leadership are inexorably linked." p.8  I think this particular quote expresses a perspective which cannot be "drummed" up but arises from belief in one's self and a willingness to see the future instead of constantly reviewing the past.

"Vision is about stirring and provoking, reminding and imagining.  It's (sic) about showing people the wonder of an improved future and infusing them with hope.  Vision is about creating a reason to believe again.  Vision is primarily nurtured through the stories we tell and the heroes we create in our organizations." p. 18

"This intersection of vision and reality may be one of the greatest tests of leadership.  It is having sober eyes and an optimistic spirit, and refusing to choose between the two." p. 35  I think this whole section is a Christianized and simplified version of what Jim Collins in Good to Great calls Brutal Honesty.

How important is the ability to communicate to leadership?  I would have to say it depends.  If you are talking about leading your self, then not too much.  If you are talking about leading your family or a small group then more so, and if you are talking about leading a large group or organization then I would have to say it is crucial.

Starting with this premise, how does the scenario with Moses, Aaron and leading the Israelites out of Egypt work.  Were all the speeches in Exodus attributed to Moses actually made by Aaron?  Did Moses eventually get to the point where he was able to speak himself for God?

One thing is absolutely clear, someone was communicating.  The ability to communicate as a leader is more complicated than simply opening your mouth.  It takes a certain appreciation of multiple factors such as culture, gender, psychology, circumstances, history, nuance, face, etc.  It also takes an appreciation of the power of the spoken language and how a carefully crafted sentence can make all the difference.

Some leaders, especially those who exhibit leadership skills at an early age, seem to be able to intuitively integrate at least some of these factors when speaking.  They may not realize at first just what they are doing but as time goes by, and with some study, they become even more effective.  Someone who I think fits this example is John Maxwell.  He is rightly known as an excellent communicator.  Starting off with natural ability, he applied himself and became a stronger and stronger communicator. 

So, do you have to be a "natural" in order to be a good communicator.  The answer is no, but it will require effort.  Malcolm Gladwell in Outliers describes the process it takes to rise to the top in almost any area, communication included.  In a nutshell, it is simply this, practice, practice, practice.  According to Gladwell there is a direct correlation between the number of hours spent in doing and/or practice and the level of virtuosity achieved.  I think this could easily apply even to John Maxwell, who, even though a naturally gifted speaker, has literally spent thousands of hours in front of an audience of one kind or another.

For those who ever hope to lead larger groups, there needs to be a willingness to take every opportunity, and even make opportunities when possible, to speak in front of an audience.  Couple that with a sincere desire to learn the basics of communication and seek honest critique, and it won't be long before you find yourself improving and leading at a higher level.

A couple of years ago I took the "strengths finder" survey after reading the book by Marcus Buckingham.  It identified the top 5 strengths which, according to the survey, make me, me.  Buckingham's premise is that we should spend more time in the area of our strengths instead of struggling so hard to bring all of our "low" up.  Of course there are certain areas where we all have to be proficient (emotional intelligence comes immediately to mind) but overall I have found this survey and the results to be excellent indicators of how an individual will actually perform in the work environment.

It is useful for me to know my own strengths (strategic, analytical, input, learner, responsibility) so that I can better understand myself and focus on further developing these strengths.  This makes me more self-aware and more able to effectively interact in my world.  It makes me a better husband, father, worker, and leader.  I would even go so far that becoming more self-aware even makes me a better Christian.

It is also useful to know the strengths of those with whom I work.  It allows me to better position them in the "seats on the bus" for a better functioning team.  It helps me understand why some disagreements arise, and suggests ways to manage the differences.

All in all, I would have to say this is definitely a worthwhile experience and highly recommend it.

Selected thought from: IT: How Churches and Leaders can get it and Keep it, written by by Craig Groeschel

“What is it, and how can you and your ministry get—and keep—it? Combining in-your-face honesty and off-the-wall humor, this lively book helps believers understand the elements needed to obtain it.” From the book jacket.

As I read this book I was struck by how accurate this statement applied to the whole book. Craig’s style is personable and easy to read, yet full of a candid vulnerability with a focused message. IT is all about IT. That “something” that defies an explanation, yet is the hallmark of individuals and ministries which seem to be in the center of God’s will. Overall I found the content to be insightful and one of the books I’ll recommend to others – particularly pastors who are serious about revival.

My favorite chapters dealt with vision (chapters 4 and 5), innovation (chapters 7 and 8), and Outward focus (chapters 9 and 10). Honestly, the chapters on vision are as good as anything I’ve read on the subject and infused with a sense of passion and relevance which was compelling.

Here are some selected quotes:

“When a church has it, lives are changing, and everyone around knows it. The only thing constant is change, which it-soaked people seem to thrive on.” P. 29

“It is what God does through a rare combination of these qualities found in his people:

· Passion for his presence

· A deep craving to reach the lost

· Sincere integrity

· Spirit-filled faith

· Down-to-earth humility

· Brokenness? P. 31

“Ministries that have it always have a clear vision. The people know the vision, understand the vision, believe in the vision, and live the vision. The vision guides them, motivates them, and energizes them.” P. 39

“Anthony Robbins once said, ‘One reason so few of us achieve what we truly want is that we never direct our focus; we never concentrate our power. Most people dabble their way through life, never deciding to master anything in particular.’” P. 58

“Without regular reminders of why we do what we do, of how our part contributes to something wonderful, a team will lose it and simply be a bunch of people doing their own gig.” P. 77

“Warren Bennis said, ‘Innovation . . . by definition will not be accepted at first. It takes repeated attempts, endless demonstrations, monotonous rehearsals before innovation can be accepted and internalized by an organization. This requires courageous patience.’ “ p.99

“Across the board, almost every with-it church I’ve observed is virtually obsessed with reaching those who don’t know Christ. A passion to share Christ consumes them in a beautiful way.” P. 128

“ A church that has it recognizes that reaching people is not just the pastor’s job. It is everyone’s job. I can’t do it alone. You can’t do it alone. It takes all of us.” P. 134

I had the privilege of leading a workshop on Teams for the Whitley County Leadership Academy on December 17.  The focus of the workshop was to examine the workings of teams from two different perspectives.  The first perspective was that of a team member.  We began the session with an exercise which involved the whole group in attempting to achieve a goal that required significant teamwork but provided little guidance on how to accomplish the goal and placed serious restrictions on the groups ability to work together.  Sounds a lot like real life, doesn't it.  Anyway through the group experience the the principles of how to work as a team the discussion provided some insight on what the group members were facing in their "real" world and we were able to work through some solutions.  The second perspective was that of the leader of a team.  In this part of the discussion the principles were similar but the focus on the responsibilities of the leader were emphasized.  I really do believe everything rises and falls on leadership and if I am the leader of the group, I carry significant responsibility to enable the group to be come a high performance team.  In the same vein, if I am a team member, I must still take leadership of myself and my part in the team goal to facilitate the possibility of a high functioning team.  When you are on a team, it is not about you - it is about working with the others to accomplish the goal.

I am reading a new book with the title "It." It is about that "something" you can sense in churches that exude life and how to find "IT." Still too early in the book to be able to say if it lives up to its goals. I am intrigued, however, because I have definitely been in a church with "IT" (Antioch Church in Wheaton, Il.) and some where "IT" was a distant memory. What makes the difference? Music, leadership, preaching, fellowship, facilities, doctrine, agenda, etc?
Rick Upchurch
Sent from my Windows Mobile® phone.

I conducted a weekend leadership development experience for Odon Church of the Nazarene, Odon, Indiana, on November 13,14, 2009. The sessions focused on defining leadership, along with identifying leadership characteristics and basic components, team skills, and the importance of understanding yourself and others using the Kiersey sorter.

This picture is from an exercise in team building using a rope and blind folds.

I have to commend the pastor, Trevor Stanley and the church leadership for opening themselves up to this kind of experience. Whenever we learn more about leadership, it begins to change us and the way we look at our world.

When presenting about change at regional workshops I have emphasized the point that no change occurs without some urgency. That is, without a sense of urgency, there is little motivation to change and rarely any long-term change. Twice I have been asked about the danger of alarming the congregation; of spreading wildfire.

On the one hand this is a valid concern as "wild" fire can have a tendency to burn out of control and destroy - something to definitely avoid.

On the other hand, unless the congregation takes their head out of the sand and realizes that there is a fire which has the potential bring death to the church, through stagnation if nothing else, there is little hope of bringing change.

So, the answer is, take the risk, take off the blinders and reveal the danger and allow/create/nurture a sense of urgency which can be used to motivate change.

I think most people feel they are pretty good communicators. I think most people consider themselves average or better in the leadership area. Let's assume for the sake of argument that both of these assumptions are accurate, that is, most people are pretty good communicators and average or better leaders.

If this is true, what can we deduce from the obvious evidence of our society?

• That there are relatively few divorces
• That most businesses thrive and grow
• That most investments succeed
• That we have efficient governmental structures/policies/procedures
• That integrity (a key part of leadership) is the cornerstone of all relationships - personal and business

What, you say there seems to be a disconnect? That these items in the list above are not true? Could it be that the premise upon which they were built has problems?

Solution: Quit thinking how wonderful you are and start learning how to do the right things - remember all of life can be reduced to relationships.

I have become convinced that leaders should take up the game of golf no matter how frustrating!! There is so much to be learned by chasing that little white ball:

• Pride in a stroke well hit
• Humility in a stroke no so well hit
• Focus - keeping your eye on the ball
• Focus - keeping your head down
• Focus - holding your club just right
• Focus - Holding your body just right
• Focus - swinging the club just right

Are you getting the sense that golf is an exercise in focus? I hope so. Of course, for me, humility is right up there as well. Leader's need ongoing reminders of the basics and focus is a biggie.

I am currently teaching a class on Contemporary Leadership as part of the curriculum for the EXCEL Adult Degree Program at Huntington University. The foundation upon which the course was written was Jim Collins' book Good to Great. I have written about this book in earlier posts so I won't go back into it, except to say this is a must read for anyone serious about leadership education.

I am finding, however, that taken alone, the principles from this book may be a little ahead of those who are being exposed to leadership for the first time. I can see in the students' eyes the interest in the material as well as some confusion as to how to wrap their minds around the material. So, I have had to augment the course with some more basic concepts which provide greater context for understanding the book. For example in the discussion of level 5 leaders, I spent quite some time working with Maxwell's levels of leadership and the section on credibility from The Leadership Challenge.

I don't think this is a comment on the students, but perhaps a thought that, while we all say "Leadership is in short supply," we might not know exactly what leadership really looks like when we see. It is easy to get taken in by those who fit the caricature rather than the individual who simply and quietly influences movement toward a goal.

Some of the KEY words which are associated with leadership include:

• Passion
• Vision
• Character
• Integrity
• Focus
• Risk taker
• Strategic thinker/planner
• Wise
• Communicator
• Executor
  

Have you ever seen pictures of what the walls of you home look like minus the drywall? About every 16" there is a 2"x4" piece of wood going from the floor to the ceiling. These are called studs. They are placed at this 16" interval for two reasons. First it allows for easier fitting of standardized insulation and other building materials, but more importantly it provides strength to support the roof. Spaced too far apart and the weight of the roof, particularly with the addition of snow would be too great and it would fall in.

In the same way, leaders have to be men or women who are multifaceted. A leader is not one thing but many things, and while it may be that one or two are part of the genetic heritage, most of what makes a leader comes through experience and education. Keep working on it - you'll get there.

I've just finished going through the book "Selling the Invisible" twice. Have given copies to key people at my work with instructions to cover the last half and be prepared to discuss sometime this week or next. The book is only partly about selling. It is mostly about leading your organization to be aware of who it is and what it's purpose is.

I have to believe if you are struggling to figure out where you are heading as an organization, or maybe you just need to do some evaluation this would probably be a good book for a leadership retreat.

For me one of the most significant points had to do with the discussion on Position and Position statements. Some of the quotes related to this are:

"Stand for one distinctive thing that will give you a competitive advantage." (p.103)
and
"To broaden your appeal, narrow your position." (p. 105)

I think this is especially hard for churches who want to be all things to all people and wind up doing most things with mediocrity, or worse. The information on focusing on one distinctive thing and how that actually can broaden your appeal is definitely a message the church needs to listen to. For example, Beckwith says "In positioning, don't try to hide your small size. Make it work by stressing its advantages, such as responsiveness and individual attention." (p.120)

If you are a leader in ANY organization this is a book worth having on your shelf.

John Maxwell has been quoted as saying that Attitude (the right ones) can give you Altitude. This parallels what we read in Philippians 4:8, "Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable - if anything is excellent or praiseworthy--think about such things." Now I've said that so I can say this:

Teamwork, real teamwork, the kind which not only accomplishes a goal but also is personally fulfilling at the same time, the kind which values people and still functions at high levels, this kind of teamwork is a matter of personal choice, daily choice, on-purpose choice, life-orienting choice. It's all in your mind!!

YOU choose your attitude and YOU choose to operate from a mind-set which sees the team instead of self, which operates from the perspective of we instead of me, which really lives out God's design found in Philippians 2:3: "Do nothing out of selfish ambition, or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves."

Ironically, this is the essence of a mature holiness lifestyle in everyday practice.

Try this sometime, ask someone if they have change for a $5 bill. If they reply they only have $3 or $4 dollars, say that’s OK you can keep the difference. You will be amazed at the response. Most people will either refuse your offer or go out of their way to figure out how to get the rest of the money back to you.

People as a general rule, have a keen sense of what is “fair.” While that definition can be bent in times of crisis, most people try to live by that standard, and expect to be treated the same way. To be fair is to be just and this is where our understanding of Justice comes from.

For a leader, justice has to be more than an automatic response to the day-to-day happenings of life. Real leadership demands a personal lifestyle of justice, and the practice of the principles of justice in every transaction. Any recent headline of a “fallen” leader can be traced back to a perversion of the standard of justice. When a leader bends that sense of “fair” to benefit themselves, scandal is sure to follow.

When I hear someone described as a devoted follower, because of publicized events, my mind immediately brings up pictures of some cult. When I hear someone described as a devoted spouse, I get a different picture, one of love and unity.

It is interesting how the same word brings up two entirely different emotional images, depending upon the context. The definition of devotion includes wording such as “profound dedication.” It is an important topic when discussing leadership because all true leaders are devoted, that is they all exhibit a “profound dedication,” from the very worst to the very best.

Leaders are passionate about their vision and translate that passion into action toward accomplishing that vision. But it begins with that sense of devotion. Two obvious lessons stand out here: Devotion is an important part of leadership, and where that devotion is focused will dictate a leader’s course of action.