Expectations

Expectations.

MY expectations?  Expectations of parents, children, spouse, boss, co-workers, employees, colleagues, acquaintances, pastors, institutions, government, the church, God . . . or the most challenging of all, myself.  Do I have expectations for each of these individuals/groups/institutions?  YES, an even more for myself.

THEIR expectations (any and all of the above plus anyone else you can think of, e.g. other drivers on the road, store clerks) of ME.  Are these real or  imagined?  Do I satisfy any of these expectations?

Should I care?  Do I care?  How much do I care?  Does my caring (or not) make any difference in the final analysis?  Does my caring about THEIR expectations affect my performance?  Unless I'm a complete sociopath, then YES it does affect my performance.

Does my caring about THEIR expectations affect my stress levels?  Do MY expectations affect my stress levels?  Again, unless I'm a sociopath, how could it not?

How then do I find balance among the ubiquitous expectations that surround me? that well up from within me?  that I feel press in upon me? with little hope that I can satisfy even a portion?

There is only one way, I go to the ROCK that is higher than I am.   Lord, from the ends of the earth I call to you, I call as my heart grows faint, lead me to the rock that is higher than I.  (Psalm 61:2)  When I do this He lifts me out of the slimy  pit, out of the mud and mire; he sets my feet on a rock and gives me a firm place to stand (Psalm 40:2).  Hallelujah!  Truly my soul finds rest in God; my salvation comes from him.  Truly he is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will never be shaken.  (Psalm 62:1-2)

3 Chairs and Granny's Angel

Years ago I heard a sermon preached by Bruce Wilkinson at a Promise Keepers conference for Pastors in Atlanta.  It was a powerful conference like all the Promise Keeper conferences were and this particular sermon has stuck in my head.  The gist of that sermon is that, represented by 3 chairs, are three generations.  Rev. Wilkinson was using the analogy to speak to the adage "familiarity breeds contempt."

• In the first chair sits the individual who has been saved out of a life of sin.  Their life has been changed due to the blood of Christ and they know that from which they have been delivered and are thankful.  Their life is focused on devotion and lived by faith.  
• In the second chair sits their children.  They have been raised in the church and have been sheltered from the worst effects of sin.  They have been provided Godly examples and given opportunities their parents never had to grow spiritually.  But, because of this they also don't value their faith to the same degree and their devotion is tempered by religiosity.  
• In the third chair sits their children.  They, for the most part see their Grandparents as restrictive, and the model their parent's have set in things of the faith is tempered by conformity and complacency.  There is a general antipathy toward devotion and a godly passion is largely unknown.

I don't believe this is a pattern which has to happen, although I've seen it happen.  But I do know that it should make us all stop and evaluate the depth of our devotion and passion for the things of God.  Nicole Mullen has a song: Granny's Angel which I think echoes the sentiment of not losing track of what the older generation has to pass on.  The chorus goes like this:

Cause you can't keep livin' on granny's Angel
See it's about time you get one of your own
I'm telling you can't keep livin' on granny's Angel
'Cause whatcha gonna do when granny's gone

Read more: Nicole C. Mullen - Granny's Angel Lyrics | MetroLyrics 

I believe this fits well into a discussion about Leadership because it is part of our responsibility to lead the next generation into their own personal, and meaningful, relationship with Jesus Christ, and that will start with how we live our lives as role models.

Insanity

Insanity is doing the same thing and expecting different results.

Insanity is living anywhere the temperature drops to below 0 and stays there for days in a row.

Insanity is taking three or more young children grocery shopping . . . by yourself.

Insanity is expecting the world to treat you by any definition of the word fair.

Insanity is expecting your plan to come off without a hitch.

Insanity is expecting your life to work out according to your plan.

Insanity is. . .

Day by day we live within the boundaries set by our fears, our hope, our experiences, our education, our resources, and our ability to connect with those around us.  Our complexity insures a certain amount of insanity in each of our lives, as well as the possibility for greatness.  Dare I risk being different, doing something different, thinking differently?  Can I stretch beyond my familiar rut to see a bigger world?  If so, where do I begin?

Like so many who seek enlightenment, do I delude myself with a close-mindedness which purports to be liberal and tolerant but is in reality condemning, narrow, and intolerant; or the pendulum swing to the right into legalism and spiritual elitism?  Have I accepted insanity as the norm?  Dare I risk being different, doing something different, thinking differently?  Can I stretch beyond my familiar rut to see a bigger world?  If so, where do I begin?

Those who hope in (rest in, wait upon) the Lord shall renew their strength, they will soar on wings like eagles, they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.  Soar/Run/Walk  but first, hope/rest/wait ON GOD.

Insanity is expecting the world/your life to make sense apart from God.

Sanity starts as we risk hoping, resting in, waiting on God.

Sanity starts with the seemingly insane proposition that God so loved us that he allowed his only Son to die in our place so that if we believe we might have eternal life.

Top new Leadership Books

Here is a list of new leadership books which you may find interesting:

  Low-Hanging Fruit: 77 Eye-Opening Ways to Improve Productivity and Profits by Jeremy Eden and Terri Long 
  A More Beautiful Question: The Power of Inquiry to Spark Breakthrough Ideas by Warren Berger 
  Thanks for the Feedback: The Science and Art of Receiving Feedback Well byDouglas Stone and Sheila Heen 
  Centered Leadership: Leading with Purpose, Clarity, and Impact by Joanna Barsh and Johanne Lavoie 
  The Idea-Driven Organization: Unlocking the Power in Bottom-Up Ideas byAlan G Robinson and Dean M Schroeder 

I've not read these but this is a reputable site.  The original article can be found at Leading Blog

Is this Leadership?

Gerald says, "Thank you all for coming to this required workshop.  Our first order of business will be to define the top three things which, if we don't get a handle on immediately, will hurt the company and maybe even bring us close to closing within a year or less."

Bill, standing in the back of a group of about nine, thinks, "Like I had a choice to be here!  In fact I've got so much work piled up right now I don't think I'll ever catch up and I have to take time out for this stupid workshop.  We did something like this last year and after all our talk nothing was done.  It was a complete waste of time."

Sheryl, standing near the front of the group, thinks, "I'm impressed that our boss wants our input on these items.  I can't wait to hear what the others have to say.  I know I can think of a couple of things right now that I've noticed need immediate attention."

Rick, says, "Gerald, so, who do you want to do this?  Are we brainstorming, working in small groups, or what?

Gerald responds, "Good question Rick.  Here's is the process we'll use.  First we'll identify the major areas which are part of our company in a quick brainstorm.  I figure there are about four or five of these but I could be wrong. Once those are identified, we'll put each area on the top of a large poster page and stick them to the wall.  Next we'll divide into groups and move from poster to poster with the sound of this chime.  Each group will work together and write on the poster the things they can think of that fit the description of critical activities that have to be solved within the next 12 months or less.  When the chime sounds we'll rotate clockwise to the next poster.  If your group wants to add to the list, simply write the new point down, if you have a comment about a point already there, i.e. you agree, disagree, or want clarification, use the sticky notes you were given when you came in.  Alright, let's get started."

some time later after 

Gerald, "OK, looks like we've got quite a few items to consider!  Since this took longer than I expected, I'll take all the posters and condense the information and let you know the results.  Thanks for taking the time to participate everyone, great meeting.  Did everyone try the trailmix that Betty made?"

Gerald got back to his office and thought, "this was a waste of time.  I could have identified the same things without wasting my time and everyone else's.  In fact, since the responses are so self-evident, I don't think I need to even try to compile all these notes and some of the handwriting is almost illegible anyway."

Nothing was passed back to the group and no mention of a focus on any major emphases was announced.  Everyone got back to business as usual.

You may say this can't happen but I can tell you the truth I've sat through this exact scenario more than once.
Is this leadership?  Have you experienced this?  Have you had a better experience?  Post a comment.

Is there any room in your Cup?

I just recommended three leadership books to a young man who is being moved more and more into leadership at his work and has been specifically told that delegation and scheduling are two areas where he needs to improve.  I'm sure there are many other books which would more precisely address these two issues but here are the ones that came immediately to my mind:

• The Greatest Management Principle
• Switch
• Execution

Of course there are many others, such as The Leadership Challenge, which provide a broader foundation of leadership, yet, these three would definitely be at the top of my "to read" list for new leaders, especially if they already had strong relational skills.

Relational skills is where many struggle and if that were the problem, then, of course, the reading list would be a little different:

• How to Win Friends and Influence People
• 7 Habits of Highly Effective People
• The Greatest Management Principle

What's sad is that the Greatest Management Principle, found on both of these lists, is out of print.  However, Amazon lists used copies for as cheap as a penny.  If you don't own this book you are missing out. 

 Probably the biggest challenge isn't in which books you've read or should read as much as putting what you have learned into practice.  Taking the theory into the real world is where the rubber meets the road.  Finding someone with whom you can talk about the theory and how you've tried to implement it can be extremely useful and allow you to more quickly reach a level of competence.  This person is typically called a mentor.  Don't wait for a mentor to find you and impart their great wisdom, instead seek out one or more mentors and place yourself intentionally in their life. 

I'm reminded of a scene from a movie where a young man holds out a cup to be filled, but the older man pouring the drink continues to pour even after the cup reaches the top.  The message of this is that if your cup is already full, i.e. if you already think you know everything, how can any more be added?  I wonder how many of us suffer from this blind self-confidence (pride) which does not allow any room for new, or wiser, thoughts.

ACCESS 2014 Conference

If you are working in the area of Distance Education, particularly if you are at a Christian institution which delivers distance education you should be planning on attending the ACCESS conference coming up on March 9-12 at Palm Atlantic Christian University.  I have attended these conferences for several years now and can definitely tell you that this is a group which believes in collegial support and networking.  The sessions are always useful, the networking is great and, hey, who doesn't want to visit Palm Atlantic in March?

The ACCESS website is www.accessed.org which has all the details of the event.  There is an announcement below about the Keynote address and the conference from the Executive Director of ACCESS, Dr. Mary Lowe, below:

From the Executive Director

The keynote address at ACCESS 2014 will be delivered by Dr. Phil Cooke. Phil is a “media guru,” someone who has his finger on the pulse of our digital culture. You won’t want to miss this opportunity to transform your thinking on perception, media, and the power of change.

Telling Your Story in Today's Digital Culture

Phil Cooke, film maker, author, founder and CEO of Cooke pictures

As an academic leader, educator, or administrator in today’s media-driven culture, the greatest challenge is getting your message heard.  No matter how important your subject, talent, skill, or message; if no one’s listening, then you’ve failed. What makes you stand out?  What makes you unique? Distance education is now and it’s time to make an impact but how can we connect with people who need it the most.  The world is changing at the speed of light. At ACCESS we’ll look at today’s culture of disruptive change and learn how to use that to our advantage.

For more information, please visit: www.accessed.org and click on ACCESS 2014 under Events

I'll look forward to seeing you there.
 

The Advantage - Book Review

The Advantage: Why Organizational Health Trumps Everything Else in Business by Patrick Lencioni

Unlike most of Lencioni's books this is not a parable.  Instead it draws together the principles presented in his books into a cohesive strategy for implementing organizational health.  At slightly less than 200 pages, it is an easy read, yet full of the kind of information that can enhance productivity at the same time avoiding the dysfunctions which seem to plague most businesses.  

I am constantly amazed that with this kind of excellent material available there are so many CEOs whose grasp of leadership is either poor or nonexistent . . . and I wonder how they came to their position to begin with and somehow manage to keep it in spite of such poor leadership?  Ahhhh well, I think some things are beyond my powers of comprehension.

In Advantage, Lencioni identifies four core disciplines for a healthy, productive organization:

1.  Discipline 1: Build a Cohesive Leadership Team

2. Discipline 2: Create Clarity

3. Discipline 3: Overcommunicate Clarity

4. Discipline 4: Reinforce Clarity

He states throughout the book that the concepts he is presenting are not that complex, but are too often ignored by organizational leaders as being somehow beneath them.  I have experienced this and know his observation to be true.  

I've included a few quotes from the book which I found insightful/helpful:

"...the seminal difference between successful companies and mediocre or unsuccessful ones has little, if anything, to do with what they know or how smart they are: it has everything to do with how healthy they are." p. 8,9

"the only reason that a person should be on a team is that she represents a key part of the organization or brings truly critical talen or insight to the table." p. 24

 "When leaders preach teamwork but exclusively reward individual achievement, they are confusing their people and creating an obstacle to true team behavior." p. 26

"...peer-to-peer accountability is the primary and most effective source of accountability on the leadership team of a healthy organization." p. 54

"Firing someone is not necessarily a sign of accountability, but is often the last act of cowardice for a leader who doesn't know how or isn't willing to hold people accountable.  At its core accountability is about having the courage to confront someone about their deficiencies and then to stand in the moment and deal with their reaction, which may not be pleasant.  It is a selfless act, one rooted in a word that I don't use lightly in a business book: love."p. 57

"...the only measure of a great team -- or a great organization - is whether it accomplishes what it sets out to accomplish." "See, no matter how good a leadership team feels about itself, and how noble its mission might be, if the organization it leads rarely achieves its goals, then, by definition, it's simply not a good team." p. 65

"...healthy, alignment is about creating so much clarity that there is as little room as possible for confusion, disorder, and infighting to set in." p. 73,74

"there is probably no greater frustration for employees than having to constantly navigate the politics and confusion caused by leaders who are misaligned." p. 75

"Once an organization successfully identifies and describes its core values and separates them from other kinds, it must then do its best to be intolerant of violations of those values.  It must ensure that every activity it undertakes, every employee it hires, and every policy it enacts reflects those core values.  Few organizations actually take this important step, instead allowing their values to be minimized as mere idealism." p. 101

"Many leadership teams struggle with not wanting to walk away from opportunities that seem basically good and easily justifiable outside the context of having a strategy, but which would distract the organization and pull it away from its stated intent." p. 117

"On a cohesive team, leaders are not there simply to represent the departments that they lead and manage but rather to solve problems that stand in the way of achieving success for the whole organization." p. 123

"...almost no employees willingly leave an organization where they are getting the levels of gratitude and appreciation that they deserve just to make a little more money, unless, of course, they are so grossly underpaid that they can't justify staying in the job for the sake of their livelihood." p. 168

Using the concept of an organizational playbook Lencioni describes a process which if followed will generate clarity and functional alignment capable of achieving high performance.  I will definitely be using this information to guide me in my new position and with my new team.

I highly recommend this book and encourage you to add it to your library.

Right, right??

There is a passage in the book of Judges in the Old Testament which says "every man did right in his own eyes," with the emphasis (implied) on "in his own eyes."  I interpret this to mean, and I think the context supports this interpretation, that doing the "right" thing and doing the "right thing by MY definition" are not necessarily the same thing.  The adage "Might makes Right" is a falsehood spread by those who those who have the Might, i.e. power, and think it entitles them to determine the definition of right.

I think this harks back to the WIFM (What's in it for ME?) principle, or the Greatest Management Principle about which I've written quite a bit about before.  MY interpretation of right is always going to have the flavor, if not the actual stink, of self interest.  We might be able to separate ourselves from this influence briefly from time to time but without an external, and higher, standard of RIGHT that bias will eventually (and always) present itself.

With that being said, it IS possible to do RIGHT.  To do the RIGHT I simply have to recognize that higher standard, which known by another name is God's LOVE, and act in accordance with that.  Love which seeks the good for others ahead of our own.  It really is LOVE which defines RIGHT.  I actually wish this was simple, and certainly it is easier for those who have accepted Christ as Saviour in their lives, but even Christians can stumble in doing right if they lose sight of Love.

I've written before the we "leak," meaning that what we have learned, and thought we could never forget, slips away from us without a reminder from time to time.  Please consider this a reminder to LOVE, and in so doing you will you will be doing RIGHT in God's eyes and will reap blessings in your soul . . . right?

Rocking the Boat

When I was growing up one of our favorite vacations as a family was to go camping and fishing.  We would tent camp, usually with some of our cousins, and spend the days either fishing, hiking, or playing games.  When we were fishing it was typically in a small boat.  In the early days the boat was a row boat which my brother and I often rowed around the edges of the lake while a couple of people, one in the front and one in the back, fly fished for bass and bluegill.  These are by and large very happy memories, both the rowing and the fishing.  Here are some things which I learned about rocking the boat.

1.  Rocking the boat can give you a very vulnerable feeling.  It makes you feel as if you are going to tip over and fall into the lake, losing all your equipment, getting wet, and potentially drowning - OK, you're not likely to really drown, but try telling that to your subconscious as the boat is rocking!

2.  Sometimes a little bit of rocking is necessary.  If you have to search for something, or move from one place to another, or even move to bring in a large fish, the boat will rock some.  If done with care and consciousness of the effects upon the boat and all it contains, some rocking can facilitate a better more productive experience.

3.  Those who rock the boat just to rock the boat may seem novel at first but can quickly become annoying and possibly even dangerous.  These individuals are often excluded from future boating outings.

4.  Those who rock the boat because they are new to boats and don't understand the ramifications need to slow down and learn a little before they inadvertently tip everyone into the lake.

Can you think of other points to include?

Leaders, can you think of applications for your business or church?

Getting an Outside Perspective

I listen to my wife tell me something a dozen times and choose to ignore the validity of her point, but then to hear the same thing from someone else, especially someone I deem credible, convinces me (by the way this works in reverse as well - I can say something a dozen times to my wife to be politely ignored . . . until she hears the same thing from someone else and suddenly its a "fact").  I don't think we are unique in this or there wouldn't be consultants.

I've worked at companies which hired consultants whose recommendations were no better or different, and often worse, than those who were working at the front lines of the organization.  However, the ideas and recommendations of the front line workers was ignored while the consultant's recommendations, for which significant sums were paid, were embraced.

Jesus said a prophet in his own land is ignored and this is true for more than prophets.  Our willingness to embrace the word of the "expert" from outside versus the ideas and our internal staff is mind boggling!  In fact, in many organizations the creativity and imagination of the internal staff to address weakness in systems and process is routinely and systematically eliminated in favor of conformity in the name of productivity.  This is sad because, when encouraged, the front line workers have the ability to bring great ingenuity in solving problems and improving systems, particularly when encouraged to collaborate toward those ends.

However, it does mean that when these workers are encouraged to THINK they will also be able to spot insincerity and unethical practices more readily; something a consultant would be unlikely to spot from their brief exposure to the company.  So, the best plan if you know your culture isn't quite in line with your administrative practices is to keep hiring consultants and bind your employees with strict policies and procedures.  On the other hand, if you are genuinely interested in integrity, sincerity, and people, then encourage them to THINK, listen to what they have to say, and then DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT!

Making Thanksgiving Dinner

I have prepared the Thanksgiving dinner at our house for many year now.  In fact I've taken on the role of meal preparation pretty much altogether.  Along the way I've learned a lot and developed some recipes which have become family favorites . . . as well as made some definite failures - who knew potato and sauerkraut tacos wouldn't work????

Anyway, I've learned to follow recipes and directions on boxes and discovered an amazing thing:  if you are careful to follow the directions the result will almost always turn out OK . . . and with some practice you might even be able to improve on the original.  I suppose this isn't really amazing, after all, the whole point of the directions to begin with is to produce the intended result.

As I was essentially learning to cook, it became obvious to me that the trick isn't in the preparation of any single dish (just follow the directions); what sets apart the true "cook" is the ability to get everything done and on the table AT THE SAME TIME.  It is all about sequencing the work to achieve the intended goal, which is greater than any single dish - no matter how wonderful.  Just because you can make a great Turkey is pretty meaningless if it gets cold waiting for all the other parts of the meal to get finished.

I think I was actually exposed to this lesson as a boy growing up watching my Dad.  Dad was a building contractor who built over a 100 homes and many churches.  Watching him coordinate the flow of sub-contractors and supplies to his own crew made a deep impression on me at an early age.

This is the same thing is most areas of life, including business, education and faith.  It is the difference between success and failure.  Identifying the goal (e.g. having ALL the items on the menu done and on the table at the right time), and then sequencing the work so that each part is started in proper relationship to all the others defines the true "cook" or contractor, or LEADER.

So before you begin, take a moment to think about the end, the parts that have to come together for the "end" to be gauged a success, and develop your plan to sequence each part to reach that goal. 

The Battleground: Holiness and Spiritual Warfare - excerpt1

Excerpt  from the introduction of my upcoming book:  The Battleground: Holiness and Spiritual Warfare

I am not sure when I first noticed it, but there was no doubt in my mind as I stood to preach that Sunday night what had been happening. We had just prayed over a cloth anointed with oil for the healing of one of the body of believers where I served as pastor.  A young lady stood to sing; as she sang her praises to God, I felt His spirit wash over me in a powerful way. I sat there, practically overwhelmed with a sense of the Spirit and power. In those moments, God revealed to me what I had seen, but not understood. 

A few months ago I had begun to teach a series of lessons on spiritual warfare. About that time things began to happen in the congregation: deaths, sickness, personal trauma, financial disasters. You would think I would have made the connection; after all, these are merely the manifestations of warfare in a higher realm. Within a few weeks, however, even though the negative effects of the battle were still being felt, God’s power began to break through into the life of the congregation. Four individuals over the course of two weeks, individuals with little or no contact with the church, were saved. The previous Sunday, six people came forward to be sanctified, baptized by the Holy Spirit. Worship, an important part of what goes on at our church, became endued with a special power, even though those leading were untrained and developing their own style. As I stood to preach, God redirected my message to unity in the battle and perseverance.

                Over the next few months and years God has shown me some aspects of the battle and how to be effective as a spiritual warrior. This book is about those strategies, tactics, and weapons. I believe in the final victory but I also want to be as effective for the Lord as possible on a day-to-day basis. The lessons contained in the following pages will give you a different way of looking at life, and, I hope, new tools to be victorious in your own personal battle.

This book should be available on Amazon in print version within the next month.  I'll post an an announcement at that time.  If you have any comments or thoughts, please feel free to share.

 

Think Oblique

Several of the books I've been reading lately have got me thinking about problem solving.  Two of those that come immediately to mind are Decisive by Dan and Chip Heath and David and Goliath by Malcolm Gladwell.  Although I don't remember either of these books mentioning this precise term, the concept is there. 

By Thinking Oblique, I mean that when faced with a challenge, instead of following the normal and expected road to the solution, head off at an angle.  Some might call this "thinking outside the box" but for me that isn't quite right.  I respect that concept, but when I say Think Oblique, I have a slightly different context in mind.

An oblique angle in geometry is any angle which is not 90 degrees.  Acute angles are less than 90 degrees and obtuse angles are more than 90 degrees.  In actuality my focus on Think Oblique is really focused on the acute angle.  The idea goes like this:  If linear thinking is hitting a dead end or a barrier, then take a different track, one which may require re-conceptualizing the problem as


well as what the solution "should" look like.  Try to remove the constraints of the linear and Think Oblique.

David and Goliath by Malcolm Gladwell - book review

David and Goliath by Malcolm Gladwell.  I just finished reading this book.  Honestly I found it, like all of Gladwell's books, to be thought provoking and I'm pretty sure it will take a while for the information to process inside my brain.

The  premise of the book looks at the disparity of the David (underdog) in contrast to Goliath (Giant - favored winner), and how things are not always what they seem.  I particularly liked the interpretation of the original story of David and Goliath.  Like most of Gladwell's books, I'm pretty sure I don't agree with all of the applications he makes from the foundation, there is plenty there to make you stop and think.

There is a connection here, for me at least, between how we perceive strength and weakness WITHIN the context of Family System's Theory.  By that I mean there is an interconnection within a system which understands that the part of the system with the least perceived power, is in fact the most powerful in the system or can be the most powerful, because of the impact upon the whole.  That may sound complicated but as you read through the various accounts in Gladwell's book it becomes obvious that what we have always understood as power and its application may actually be wrong.

I think this took a lot of strength to write and I am impressed with Gladwell for tackling a subject which forces us to literally come face to face with our humanity, and to do so in such an interesting and intriguing fashion.  On more than one occasion I found myself wondering how I would have responded and feeling uncomfortable with the truth I suspected.  It challenged my understanding of power and my response to, and use of power.

Get the book.  Read the book.  Find someone else who has read the book and Talk about it.

To Tweet or Not to Tweet, that is the Question!

I'm confident that most of you reading this blog (yes, both of you) don't tweet.  In fact you might not even be sure what to "tweet" even means.  So, first a quick definition.  Tweeting is the 140 character post available to be made through Twitter.  "Ahhhh, now you say, of course, Twitter. No, I don't do that."  I often wonder about the amazing ability of intelligent people to stick their head in the sand in an attempt to avoid having to deal with change.  Of course as it is commonly used by most, Twitter is meaningless drivel suitable only for people who are sycophants or narcissists (yes, you'll have to look those up). 

HOWEVER, as with most technology there is a way to redeem this brilliant software application and make it truly useful. 

• For instance because almost every news item or article appearing on the internet already comes with a link to "tweet" it is amazingly easy to share these items with other individuals.  My twitter account (@rlupchurch) is targeted at sharing leadership thoughts, and articles I feel are relevant for the church and higher education.  It allows me to add my voice to the conversation.  
• Using twitter also serves another purpose, every time I tweet, whatever I post is saved in my account so I can always find the articles I liked or the comments I've made.  
• I also have the ability to follow others who use twitter and see what they think is important, and I restrict who I follow tho those I feel will enrich my life in some way. 
• If you coordinate your work group, your church, your family, it is possible to use the medium to pass along useful pieces of information that keeps the whole group on the same page and focused on the goal.  CEO's and other leaders should be making intentional use of this application to make sure they are passing along vision to their organization and keeping their team on track. 
• Finally, if I know another individual's twitter account name, I can intentionally post something which will show up in their feed

There are probably alot of other interesting things you can do with Twitter.  The important thing is not to write off any new technology simply because it is new or being used in ridiculous ways by others.  Instead think about how to redeem it to a better use for you and your organization.

The 4 Disciplines of Execution - book review

I'm nearly through this book:  The 4 Disciplines of Execution by Chris McChessney, Sean Covey, and Jim Huling.  I'm a big fan of Execution and I'd have to say that this may be one of the most practical and useful books I've read on the subject. 

The authors focus on four specific disciplines that, if embraced, will drive execution toward ANY goal, especially the WIG (Wildly Important Goals) you and/or your company need to accomplish. 

I like how the book is divided into sections that focus on explaining the disciplines, then on how to install the disciplines at the team level, and finally how to install the disciplines at the organizational level.  Honestly this is a great practical book for anyone or organization serious about strategic planning AND achievement of strategic goals. 

The 4 disciplines are:

1. Focus on the Wildly Important
2. Act on the Lead Measures
3. Keep a Compelling Scoreboard
4. Creat a Cadence of Accountability

The authors are candid about the pitfalls faced when installing the 4 disciplines as well as provide concrete examples of how how to address them.  This is a book to inspire any leader and become one of the often consulted manuals on effectively leading teams and organizations.  I know I will consult it often and use theses disciplines.  Honestly this is almost like having the secret ingredient to success, except putting the 4 disciplines into effect will require some serious work, which most will avoid unless the urgency is great enough.

It always comes back to urgency.  If we don't feel the iceberg is shrinking under us we neglect to act, often until it is too late to act at all.

Good read - highly recommend to read and to buy - you'll want to underline it and refer back to various parts over and over again.

Behind the Leader's Perception & DEFAULT MODE

I may have mentioned this before, I can't remember; my Myers Briggs personality type is ENTJ.  There are a lot of positives about this personality type and just about as many negatives.  I've taken the personality profile several times over the course of my life and, with a slight variation of the strength of each of the areas, the final result is always the same:  ENTJ.

I like that my personality is typically well adjusted to making decisions and taking stands.  I don't like that I am more committed to goals than relationships.  This list could go on and on.

One of the things that comes from this is the fact that I have an innate need to be perceived as competent, in fact that may be an understatement: I have an innate NEED to be perceived as EXCEPTIONALLY competent.  This can drive me to learn more and exhibit high performance attributes.  It can also undermine my motivation when it becomes obvious that I simply don't have either the skill, knowledge, or stamina to excel. 

A perfect example which I only understood in retrospect, was playing video games with my children.  In those early days we had a nintendo (first generation) game system and the children were quite young.  I could win easily and even enjoyed losing on purpose sometimes to build their confidence (I know you may not agree with this).  As the children got older, particularly the boys (no I'm not a chauvinist, my daughter just never seemed to have much interest in video games - ahhhhhhh!! now I see it - perhaps she suffers from the same affliction as do I!!) would begin to beat me more and more, no matter how hard I tried.  Finally it reached a point where I began to suspect they were actually letting me win sometimes to boost MY confidence.  At this point I began to find more and more reasons why I couldn't play until I stopped playing these games altogether  (we still played board games, etc.).

Let me bring this into the area of leadership.  Our personalities will often drive behavior which we attribute to one thing, which in actuality has its source in something else altogether.  When we don't understand this we are likely to make decisions contrary to our, or the organization's, best interests and when things go wrong be completely baffled as to why. 

I recently heard a quote which goes something like this: "Understanding others can lead to wisdom, understaning yourself can lead to enlightenment."

Now I'm going to describe DEFAULT MODE to you.  I made this up although I'm sure there is a psychologically correct term.  Default mode has two parts:

1. You will operate within the strengths and WEAKNESSES of your personality unless you consciously make an effort to understand and overcome those weaknesses.  When you make this effort you demonstrate enlightment and increased ability to lead yourself and others.
2. Even when you know and are attempting to overcome your weaknesses, under times of stress, weariness, or pain you will revert back to Default Mode unless you expend exceptional energy to avoid it.  Knowing this means being aware when any of the the terrible three (stress, weariness, and pain) are present and taking extra precaution to prevent them from derailing your control (enlightenment).  Figure out now how to de-stress when stress comes (and it will).  Figure out now how to get sufficient rest and protect it as much as possible.  Figure out now how to control your pain appropriately so that you can respond at the time of need.

This may be one of the most important things I know.

Secret of the Interruption

Have you ever hear statements like these:

"As soon as we can afford it we'll . . .

• get married
• have children
• retire
• take a vacation
• etc."

or, "As soon as things calm down . . . "

You know what's coming, don't you?  If you wait until you have enough money to do any of the things listed above, you certainly won't do any of them.  Same thing with waiting until things calm down - they don't (calm down), in fact if anything things seem to keep moving faster and faster.

This the secret of the interruption - There will ALWAYS be interruptions!  You can moan and complain about them or you can learn to manage them for success.  Here are four ways to manage your interruptions.

1. This is first on purpose:  Of all that you do, do you know which pieces or parts are used by others (customer, peers, and supervisors) to gauge your competence and success?  I call these the Non-Negotiables.  In one of my previous positions, among the many responsibilities I had was the responsibility to schedule faculty for classes.  My perspective was that if an Instructor was incorrectly scheduled or not scheduled, students might forgive the first time, begin to suspect incompetence the second time, and start looking for another institution the third time.  My goal was '0' instances of scheduling errors; this was a Non-Negotiable.  Because of this I knew of the many things on my plate which one to push up to the front, even if other things didn't get finished.  There are not enough hours in a day to finish everything, even without interruptions.  When you know which parts mean the difference between success and failure you can better focus yourself to make sure those parts always get done, regardless - and that may mean coming early, working late, etc.
2. Make the interruptions an opportunity for enhancing relationships.  All of life can be reduced to relationships.  Instead of making those who have interrupted you feel like time-wasters and annoyances which you have to put up with, change your perspective and welcome the opportunity to build a stronger relationship.  I admit there is a balance in this but people who feel valued are more likely to be fully engaged themselves and it definitely creates a better work environment for everyone.  When you are working against a time-line and are interrupted, be candid about the time-line and setup a time for a later meeting.  If the interruption is unavoidable, keep in mind number one above and make sure you deliver the non-negotibles . . . without damaging relationships in the process.
3. Look for opportunity in every interruption.  I'm a big beliver that all things happen for a purpose (Rom. 8:28), even when we can't see or understand what that purpose might be.  Instead of whining about the interruptions, look and see how the interruption might bring a benefit to you, or the circumstances, or the company, etc.  Sometimes the interruption may truly be described as a catastrophe, even here, for those with the right attitude, there is the possibility of opportunity.  This perspective also has the effect of allowing some calming energy to come into what might otherwise be stressful.  Let's face it, the interruption has happened, very little you can say or do will change that, so instead of wasting emotional energy on what can't be changed, focus instead on what might come of the interruption.  Many of the major breaktroughs in science might be considered interruptions, e.g. Penecillin, post-it notes, etc.
4. Be aware that you cause interruptions for others! Try to make sure your interruption isn't just a gripe session but brings some kind of value.  Keep in mind that your interruption may be impacting their Non-Negotiable and be sensitive to the demands on their time.  If you need to vent, be careful to do that appropriately.  If you believe that whatever you say, no matter how good the friend you are speaking with, will eventually come back to you from another source, you will be wise.

These are the four ways to manage interruptions.  Since I'm sure you will be interrupted soon, practice them and let me know how it goes.

Interrupted

Interrupted again!  I began to think I was never going to get this job done.  It seemed like every time I started to make some progress something always interrupted me.  I was sooooo frustrated and beginning to let it show to everyone.  Why couldn't they just leave me alone and let me do my job!  First my boss wanted something and then one of my direct reports needed some guidance on another project.  Throughout the day various peers from other offices stopped in to ask questions or talk.  Before you know it the day was slipping away and my good intentions on getting this project done were nothing more than good intentions.

Did this sound like you?  Did it describe too many of your days?  Do you feel as if most of your projects are always nearing but not quite completed?  Worse, are you getting a reputation for NOT getting your projects done, or with a complaining, negative attitude?  Have you ever wondered how your co-worker seems to get all her jobs completed on time and still have time to talk to everyone, and actually seems to enjoy her job?

If so it is possible you may not have discovered the secret of the interruption.  Probably not many know it by this name but those who understand this secret, and have reasoned through the implications, are usually identified as:  "those who get the job done," "doers," "leaders," "highly competent," etc.  In fact they may not be as capable or competent as you are BUT they have figured out the secret of the interruption.

Would you like to know the secret?