Continuing to learn leadership from John Maxwell

So it’s Friday night and I’m doing my husbandly duties….shopping with my wife.  Suddenly, my iphone starts shaking with some twitter messages.  Many of my friends who know that I spent some time in Atlanta working for John Maxwell were busting shooting me some messages telling me that John had been arrested at an airport in Florida.  As I researched the details to see first if it was true then get the story…I both had compassion for John in the situation, had a little laugh with the circumstances, & learned a valuable leadership lesson.  Leaders take responsibility for their actions and leaders get hurt from doing stupid things.  I can only imagine the unique gifts that his friends will be presenting him with at all his future speaking engagements.

Click HERE to read the story from John’s Blog.

John is a great leader.

Grow your church!

My pastor made an insightful and fantastic statement today in our staff meeting.  He was reflecting on how sometimes as the Senior Leader he will do things that other people might see as too detailed, small thinking, or something that the “pastor” shouldn’t be doing.  You know, the things that others might think he should delegate.  Troy’s reflection was that he needs to do these things not because he’s the pastor or for the church but for HIM.  He (Troy) needs to connect with a guy who was in his youth ministry back in the day and spend some time with him.  Go the extra mile to engourage him and get him involved in ministry.  Troy said that we all need to not be afraid to do little things.  He then reflected, “Doing little things won’t (by itself) grow the church…it will grow you…growing you WILL grow the church”. 

The context in the meeting when this was shared was valuable.  Too many times we get so focused on our strategy and sticking to the main thing…that we miss Jesus in the little things.  We work so hard to “grow” the church that we forget to “grow” us.  We will never grow a great ministry/organization until we focus on and grow us first.

What areas do you need to grow in today?

Drive session 3…

Session 3 opened with another great high energy song.  The band did a great job.  Now, to Andy’s talk.  He did what I really enjoy about attending conferences.  He threw out his notes for the final session and decided to just talk.  So, he said that he decided to pull out five quotes that he has been wrestling with and he was going to share them with us…give thoughts…and mention a “take away”.  So, here goes:

1. Quote: “To reach people no one else is reaching, we must do things no one else is doing”.  –Craig Grochel

Andy put this on a large document…with the number of unreached people within a 10 mile radius of their three campuses….then posted it in their conference room.  Goal is to have this quote disturbe them every day.

Take Away: Become preocupied with those you haven’t reached as opposed to those you are trying to keep. –Reggie Joiner

2. Quote: The next generation product almost never comes from the previous generation.

Someone on the fringe of ministry is coming up with the next thing.  You can either Fight it or Fund it.  You can be so careful that you’re behind the times…

Take Away: Be a student not a critic

3. Quote: What do I believe is impossible to do in my field, but if it could be done…it would fundamentally change my business?

What in your particular model would you change if you looked at it different?

Take Away: Pay attention to the opeople who are breaking the rules.

4. Quote: If we got kicked out and the board got rid of us, why shouldn’t we just walk out – come back in – and do it ourselves?  (story from the guys at intel, Only the paranoid survive)

Question…ASK…What’s in decline?  Where are we manufacturing energy? (great question)…announcements?  events?  stuff that no-one really wants?…..NOT…Why are people not attending…?  if you’re asking that question…it’s too late!

Question….ASK….What are our underlying assumptions?  What are the assumptions that we as a team have that we really shouldn’t?  Ask someone new to evaluate who we are and what we do?  Signage/environments/wording/communication…etc

Take Away: Acknowledge what’s not working and own up to why you’re not willing to do anything about it.

Side note….This stuff is totally kicking my butt!!!

5. Quote: When your memories exceed your dreams…the end is near.  -Unknown

Crank up the vison.  If the vision isn’t driving it…then the past is.

Success breeds complacency…compacency breeds failure.

Take Away: Don’t let success or momentum overshadow your vision.  Keep the vision out front.

What are things that you’re doing to reach people that no one else is doing?

Drive session 2

Yea…I know that Drive ended 3 days ago but I’ve been running around and didn’t get a chance to post my thoughts on Drive….so….here goes.  The second session was great…yet….I enjoyed the 3 probably the best.  In the second session on Tuesday afternoon it opened with a rockin number by the band.  Little cover tune by Zeplin.  Great job Christina.  Andy’s talk:

Becoming a great staff  (Mark 10)

1. A great staff is made up of “great” leaders.  Leaders that ask the question, “How can I help”?

2. Best practices for creating a “Great” staff.

a. Do for ONE when you can’t do for all.   LOVED this point.  I’ve been involved on teams that the leader would say….well, If I can’t do it for all…I won’t do for any.  OK, that’s fine for them….but what about that one person who really needed what they had to give them? As leaders, we need to ask….what is the ONE thing that this ONE person needs from me?

b. Systematize top down service.  Random acts of kindness is not enough.  If you want your team to serve…make sure they see you serving.  be intentional.  One thing that NP does is assign all team members to a “staff coach”.  This is an older member of the team who will help develop the person of the team members.  The team member can bring anything to this coach to get perspective.  Great idea…especially for larger staffs.

d. Create and maintain a sustainable pace.  Withough margin, there is no room to serve.  Without margin, we seek first OUR kingdom.

e. Celbrate and reward greatness when you see it.  What’s rewarded is repeated!  That is so good!

Andy paused and reflected on one talk he’s developing right now….Symbolic Leadership – I’m going to do for one what I wish I could do for all.  I really like the title…Symbolic Leadership.  Where could we go with that?

f. Confront your ego.  What’s more important:  Creating a great organization or creating a name for yourself?  Ouch!

3. Signs that things aren’t so “great”.

a. Competition between departments

b. Double standards

c. Loyalty lectures

One thing NP does is stop at the beginnning of some staff meeings and write one thank you note.  Great idea.

Wrapped up the session – went on road trip to Brownsbridge – Had outside BBQ – did a quick starbucks run – then came back to hear the Bethany Dillon bluegrass group (not my music style but I can acknowledge the talent).

Then….Jeff Foxworthy.  Yes he was very funny.  Great christian guy!

Top Tip:

Take time to write a Thank You note…