The Lift Project: Leading for Results: Embracing Negative Results

Leaders know to dream great dreams. But what happens when the dream turns into a nightmare? Do you go to denial or do you learn life lessons to move forward?

Week 5 of the Leading for Results class with the  LIFT project looks at Embracing Negative Results. In other words would do leaders who are optimistic by nature do with negative results. According to Dr. Henry Cloud, the best leaders embrace those results, they hug them. They fight the natural tendency of fight or flight and learn to flow.

Part of working through the class each week features on line videos and assessments as well as reading from Henry’s book, Integrity. As one who loves quotes some of the best lessons I picked up this week were quotes highlighted from Chapter 10: eating problems for breakfast.

“No problems, no profit.”

“Profit comes as a result of facing problems, so doing it is seen as a good thing, not a negative thing.”

“The only way out is through.”

“Blame is the parking brake for improvement.”

“You and I versus the problem.”

“Let the bad stuff go.”

“hard, easy versus easy, hard’

This week provided a good reminder that leaders deal with problems. It’s one reason why we are called to lead. Wise leaders embrace reality and leverage problem solving to learn from negative results, willing to take the hard road (perhaps the least traveled road of all) to the path where God leads.

Woo-Hoo Leadership Summit 2013 Countdown Has Begun!

The Global Leadership Summit has become not only an essential part of my own leadership development, but that of our leadership team and potential leaders at Christ Lutheran Church. Last year we influenced 50 people to attend a simulcast of the Summit.

Each spring they announce the faculty with a simulcast, usually in March. As I countdown to March Madness, I have come to appreciate the March leadership development. Even more I appreciate the wisdom this year to go post-Easter with the leadership simulcast on April 10th. To receive more information go here.

I don’t know if I’m letting some secret clues out of the Leadership Treasure map, but they have already posted the faculty on the Willow web site. Take a peak here. Even more when you click on each person’s picture, you can a brief background and their latest book they have written or are in the process of writing.

One of the perks I have discovered in knowing the faculty is reading 1 or 2 of their books, especially the one that is referenced. That way the leadership seeds are planted ahead of time, and the leadership lesson re-enforced at the Summit.

Even though I know the faculty I am still watching the National Leadership simulcast on April 10th because there is always a great leadership lesson to learn. The National Leadership Simulcast provides a great April appetizer for the August feast to come!

This year’s Leadership Summit is on August 8-9, and as you can see above is an awesome leadership development event that can be leveraged for more than a 2 day experience, but for leadership training throughout the year and leadership transformation for a lifetime. Want to see some highlights from previous year, and get a taste of the Summit? Click here  for videos of Bill Hybels, Tony Dungy, Jeff Manion and John Ortberg.

Catch the highlights from 2012:

What are you waiting for? Sign up now! Sharon and  already registered at last year’s Summit! You can register here (unless you go to Christ Lutheran Church in La Mesa, then come talk to me about going).

You’ll be glad you did. So will the rest of our church. God wants you to lead where you are, let the Summit help you learn some lessons to lead well where you are and even more exciting where He is leading you to go!

 

Book Review: Soul Detox by Craig Groeschel

Our staff having heard Craig Groeschel at the 2012 Global Leadership Summit Simulcast, all came up to me and said, “We need to read his new book: Soul Detox.” Read it we did, and what a great read it is!

As I began reading the opening chapters and looking at the toxic behaviors he was writing about I wondered, how are we going to work through all this? We did so with great conversation and input. That’s what’s great about this book, it is awesome stand alone read, but it’s even better and life changing when processed with a group.

Dealing with Toxic Behaviors, Toxic Emotions, and Toxic Influences, Craig does so with a humorous way, a Biblical way, an honest look and a path directed towards clean living in a contaminated world.

At times the book was like looking in the mirror and saying, “Man, you got work to do.” The book showed the flaws and failures of my life. Even more Craig showed the path of forgiveness and a new way of life. The stories he shared of real life people dealing with some horrific situations and the contrast between being overwhelmed by the toxins of life and even better overcoming the toxins of life were powerful.

As a communicator and a leader, my favorite chapter was Chapter 3: Lethal Language: Experiencing the Power of Life Giving Words. When I am at my worst, my words can be cutting and condescending. When I am at my best, my words are encouraging and life building. Craig challenged me to look at how I use my words and to put more thought into each word that I say.

I give Soul Detox 5 out of 5 stars. It was a great staff read, even more it was a much needed personal read. As Craig says, “When we recognize the toxins that assault us daily, and discover ways to live in this world without absorbing these toxins into our souls, we can experience the ultimate spiritual intervention!” Thanks Craig for helping me to recognize my own toxins, and even more for experiencing the transformation that happens when I discover God’s plan for clean living in a contaminated world.

Lessons from a Fire Station

Thanks to some friends of ours who had won a dinner at the Fire Station at an auction they attended, Sharon and I were treated to a nice dinner at a nearby Fire Station, even more I picked up some leadership lessons along the way. In addition to dinner we were treated to some Questions & Answer time as well as a tour of the station and best part of all for us a ride along on one of the calls.

Here’s some lessons I picked up along the way:

1. Have a system in place.

On 24/7 call leads to an interesting work schedule. The station we visited had 3 teams A, B, C. Typically you work every other night for a few shifts that you get a number of days off. That means that Team A has its own fridge, Team B its own fridge, and Team C its own fridge. The calendar is already filled out for the year and color coded so you know by a quick glance which your time to work will be.

Even more than figuring out sharing food, their is a schedule during the day for training, paper work and yes, handling emergencies. The night is focused to handling those emergencies as well as getting rest when possible.

2. Have a common language.

In the call I went on fire fighters from different stations arrived, not only that but also from different jurisdictions. Yet they spoke a common language. They had developed not only in San Diego but around the country, a common language to use as well as a common system to dealing with emergencies. This is good. Do you really want them figuring out who does when the emergency arises? No, you want action fast. Even more you need action immediately.

Similar to the Fire Truck I saw on my visit, but this one is is from Chico, CA Thanks to Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:ChicoCAEngine4.jpg First uploaded by: User:Nick Precision on the English Wikipedia Caption: Picture of the City of Chico’s (California) Fire Engine 4

3. When you need to deal with the issue, do so now!

As they were fixing our dinner before we arrived, the team of 4 was called out on a call. They pulled the meat out of the oven, and off they went. The call I went on, I didn’t even go get my jacket. I just got in and went, and we went with sirens blaring and red lights shining.

4. Determine chain of command and empowering leadership decisions before the crisis arises.

I was impressed to see the system in place to respond to medical or fire emergencies. There is a set chain of command. Resources are not only dedicated but also deployed to handle the situation before the situation is fully known.

5. Thanks those who serve so well for a job well done.

Getting a closer look at what goes on in the Fire Station on a Friday night provided a greater appreciation for the sacrifice and service of our La Mesa / East County / San Diego Fire Fighters. I was deeply moved by their service, and greatly appreciate not only the lessons they taught but the work they do each day. God bless them abundantly!

Thank You Critics!

Thank you critics? You might think that I’m punctuation challenged, shouldn’t it be thank you critics? In reflecting on various types of criticism after reading Proverbs 27, I realized God at times brings great blessing even amid life’s critics. Here’s 4 lessons I have picked up along the way:

1. Friends who are critics. These criticisms come from the heart of a friend as Proverbs 27:5-6 says, “Better is open rebuke than hidden love. Wounds from a friend can be trusted, but an enemy multiplies kisses.” Thank you that you seek to bring out the best in me, and your desire is that God’s desire be fulfilled in my life.

2. Friendly foes who are critics. You teach me we can disagree without being disagreeable. Proverbs 27:17 says, “As iron sharpens iron,
so one man sharpens another.” Thank you that you help me re-examine my priorities and keep them aligned and realigned with God’s will for my life.

Thanks to WikimediaCommons for Escaping Criticism by Pere Borrell del Caso

3. Enemies who are critics. You teach me to lean into Jesus, to see if I can follow his command from Matthew 5:44 to “love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.” Your words stung. We disagreed. In some instances you cursed, but Jesus called for a blessing. Thank you for teaching me the hidden power of Jesus words that make no sense in the midst of a conflict. I discovered great freedom and peace in praying for God to bless you. I was amazed when He did, and even more amazed the blessings He gave me in the process of leaning into Him.

4. Fighting foes who are critics. You teach me the wisdom of Nehemiah’s leadership in Nehemiah 6:3, “I am carrying on a great project and cannot go down. Why should the work stop while I leave it and go down to you?” Thank you for teaching me that sometimes I have to move on and leave you to God’s care and get back to the good work He has called me to do. Jesus died to save everybody, but I cannot reach everyone for Him. I pray He sends someone else to do the job I was unable to do. I will pray for Him to bless you, but I must get back to the great project, the good work He has called me to do.

Thank you critics, I pray for God to bless you with His love and peace. Thank you for how He has used you to teach me and transform me.

So what lessons is God teaching you through your critics?

How are You Able to Read so Much? 5 Answers to Fuel Your Ability to Read

“How are you able to read so much?” I hear that question often. I am an avid reader. When I found out the great adventures I could go on with Jack Ryan thanks to Tom Clancy, I fell in love with reading. When I discovered when I read I become a better communicator of God’s Word, I fell in love with reading. When I realized I discovered my purpose in a book I read, I fell in love with reading. When I heard God prompting great ideas, I fell in love with reading. When I became a better father, husband, pastor, person, when I read, I fell in love with reading. When I found out that publishers would provide free copies of books to read if they were reviewed on one’s blog and on sites like Amazon.com, I signed up immediately because I had fallen in love with reading and this met my book loving addiction.

I average at least a book a week, and in some stretches I can read 2 books a week. How? Here’s 5 answers:

1. I took a speed reading class in college.

Best $20 investment I ever made was in the Evelyn Wood speed reading class that was a non-credit after class option at Concordia Chicago, my junior year in college. I don’t remember to many of the tips taught, I just remember being told to pick a book I wanted to read and push how fast I could read it. The end result was at the end of the course I was trained to read faster books I loved to read and with 4 years of seminary ahead books I had to read.

2. I read more than one book at a time.

Right now I am actively reading 4 books. I read the Bible every day. I have a morning devotional book I read a chapter at a time. Right now it’s Simplicity by Mindy Caliguire. I have an evening devotional book I read a chapter at a time. Right now it’s Jesus in Blue Jeans by Laurie Beth Jones. Both of these devotional books have short chapters, penetrating questions, they help me start my day focused on God and end my day reflecting and thanking God. I am also reading a book to review on my blog. Right now it’s Insignificant by Christ Travis. My goal is to read a chapter a day. By the way inactive book reading is I started a book, wasn’t grabbed by it, and filed it away until a better time or a needed time. Great freedom when you realize that just because you start a book doesn’t mean you have to finish a book (unless it’s required reading).

3. I build in times to read during my day.

Morning devotion time. Waiting to go to bed evening devotional time. After I walk, I read a chapter or two as I cool down. On my day off I relax by reading. When Sharon is kind enough to drive on a long trip, I read. When watching TV on a lazy Sunday afternoon, I read. When I go to an overnight meeting, I take a book to read. When I am sitting in a doctor’s office, I read. Often in my briefcase, I have a book to read — just in case I have to wait. When I fly, I read, makes the time go by and the trip more exciting. When I travel to India, I take my Kindle and have multiple books lined up to read.

4. I read books I want to read and have the next one lined up to read.

98% of the books I read are books I want to read. They are work related, vacation primed, life transforming or life relaxing. I also have books lined up to read. When I finish one book, I already know what book’s next to read. At the end of each month, I plan out the next month. Part of my monthly planning is my book draft. I pick the books in order that I will read next. I allow books to move up or down the list, but I know that when I finish the book I am reading another great book is calling out for me to read.

5. I have deadlines to finish reading some books.

That’s part of my monthly planning / monthly draft. I put a completion date by each book. Some publishers who provide books to read and blog about also provide a date they want the review posted. Some books are work related, and there is a time they will be discussed. Some books are with a small group, and there is a weekly deadline to read the chapter to be discussed. At times such deadlines help me to push my reading schedule. Instead of playing computer games (my form of mindless relaxation), I read, the deadline is approaching and I have work to do.

With these 5 combined with my love for reading (really more love for learning — my #1 strength in Gallup’s strength finder), I find myself reading one book after another. Perhaps most of all I have discovered that in reading, God speaks deep into my heart through His Word and through authors who the Spirit uses to prompt me to grow, lead, love, serve, and fulfill that unique purpose He has for my life.

Part of that purpose I believe is to read and to share those insights with others. You can check out my book reviews on Amazon here.

Would drives you to read? What book are you reading now? And what’s next on your list to read?

Leveraging My Time with a 3×5 Card

Zig Ziglar says that the 2 most productive days of your work life are the day before you go on vacation, and the day after you get back. Your work is most productive those days because you take out a piece of paper, maybe an old envelope and before you jump into the day you write down what you have to get done for the day.

Then he asks why we don’t do that the rest of our work days?

Having heard that talk a couple times from Zig, and realizing he had identified my 2 most productive days. I decided to put into practice his advice on a daily basis at work. I take out a 3×5 card either the day before but usually the start of the day and identify what needs to get done today. Some are big projects that just need to see some progress, others are meetings I don’t want to forget to attend, some face deadlines and must be done today, while others are learning opportunities that provide for growth and better service in the future.

My Favorite 3×5 Cards

Being the task oriented guy I am, there is great joy in marking  things off my list.

Being a grace receiving guy, there is less guilt for what didn’t get done because I know I serve by God’s grace and gave it my best for the day.

And what do I do about those divine interruptions? I take pro golfer Lee Trevino’s advice when he was hit by lightening and was asked by a reporter what lesson that experience taught him? He replied, “I learned when God wants to play through, let him play through.”

Divine interruptions are part of ministry, but seeking divine guidance into leveraging the gift of time each day with a 3×5 card is also part of how I do ministry. Pray and plan, plan and pray.

3×5 cards are part of my daily strategy. I also use a week in review time at the end of the week to get ready for the week ahead, and a monthly planning sheet that lays out learning opportunities to fuel my work, my work projects, and a 6×6 approach Bill Hybels talked about at the Summit that lays out by big 6 projects to give my best energy in the next 6 weeks. End of December I look at the year ahead personally and with staff and leaders and others in the spring, I look towards our fiscal year at Christ Lutheran that starts on July 1.

For myself the result of when I follow these time leveraging moments is a greater level of productivity, more focus to my prayer life, an intentional plan to grow, and a greater joy in service.

How about you, what do you use to leverage your time for greater productivity?

Lead Well, but Yoda was Wrong

As my daughter Dana was leaving LAX for her work as a grad assistant on the Around the World Semester with Concordia University — Irvine, among my words of advice were, “Lead well.”

Her response was, “I’ll try.”

That led to my Yoda response, “No try, just do.”

Just one problem, Yoda was wrong. Maybe “no try, just do” works in the Star Wars universe. But “no try, just do” is bad theology, bad leadership.

The Biblical method of leadership instead in Yoda-speak is, “no try, just be.” Be who God made you to be, saved you to be, baptized you to be, empowered you to be.

So as I confessed and corrected my bad Yoda theology to a better Biblical model to my daughter and fellow staff administrators, thought I would pass that lesson on to you.

“No try, just do” is a path to burn out, self-reliance, arrogance, but not the gospel path.

“No try, just be” is a path to live prompted by the Holy Spirit, empowered by God’s grace, living on God speed (much better then Yoda speed).

Where do you find the tension in your life between “no try, just do” and the need to live “no try, just be”?

And in case you want to follow the Around the World Semester group blog, click here.

Godspeed Around the World Semester!

How would you like to be part of a semester of college that features 3 profs, 6 courses, 10 countries, 20 digital texts, 27 students, 4 graduate assistants, 82 hours of flying, 175 hours of instruction. From August 5th until December 17th visiting  Mongolia, China, Vietnam, Thailand, India, Ethiopia, Austria, Hungary, Bolivia, Peru and perhaps the scariest part of the trip 36 hours in New York City. Concordia University in Irvine offers Around the World Semester.

My daughter Dana is one of the four grad assistants taking the trip (prayers greatly appreciated). Before they took off I had the opportunity to commission them for the trip and talked about Godspeed.

Godspeed is a term of my childhood for John Glenn being the 1st American in space to take an around the world tour, 3 of them to be exact.

John Glenn boards Friendship 7

 

Godspeed was often used to refer to a blessing of God’s presence as you travel. This year I have learned to appreciate that God’s speed is living your life  with an awareness of God’s  presence and pace in all that you do. For the Around the World Tour that involves  seeing the wonders of creation to the devastating effects of sin in this world, the best and worst that man has to offer, the best that God brings and the worst that Satan throws out. Most of all for them God’s speed is present as they (and you and I)  you bring Christ‘s love to those who don‘t know Him.

God’s speed is not just for world travelers, it’s needed for every day life — matching the opportunities life offers with the pace God calls me to live. When I do to much and lose my awareness of Him, life might be at warp speed, but not Godspeed. And if I become so heavenly minded that I am no earthly good, I might have my mind in the clouds but I have missed the heart God has for this world and the one that  He wants me to have as well.

Around the World Travelers
Dana is 2nd one in from the right
Thank God she looks beautiful like her mom

As I told the students, God has waited since your baptism for this day, for all of eternity to send you to reach out with His love to transform the lives of others, and best of all to transform your life to be like Christ.

And here’s the best part, that’s true for this day that you are getting ready to live. Godspeed Around the World Semester travelers (and especially a grad assistant named Dana)!.

 

Thanks Stephen Covey! 7 Habits that Changed My Life

About 20 years ago I read The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen R. Covey who passed away on Monday at age 79 the result of complications from a bike accident back in April. The book would rank in the top five of the most influential books I have ever read. His 7 Habits became foundational for not only the leader I wanted to be, but even more the person I wanted to become.

His observation based on his own study that America had built itself its first 150 years on character based strength versus the last 50 or so years of charisma based leadership called out the best in me. His idea of an abundance mentality and leading from integrity built on lessons I had learned from the Bible (my #1 book for influence).

He broke the 7 Habits over 3 areas of movement. The first area dealt with self-mastery or independence. His mantra: Private victories precede public victories kept me pursuing discipline from exercise to blog writing. Boxers have their road work. Pastors have their prayer time and study time.

In this area of self-mastery he shared these 3 habits:

Habit 1: Be Proactive. This habit taught me to take action, to lead myself before I could lead others. Most of the world is reactive, more like a thermometer responding to the temperature. What is needed is more thermostats that set the temperature.

Habit 2: Begin with the end in mind. Leadership at its best involves a powerful vision. I remember his challenge to picture what you would want family, friends and colleagues to say at your funeral? Leadership was more then work success for Covey, it was leveraging life to its finest pursuit of purpose.

Habit 3: Put first things first. In my top 50 of influential books would be First Things First that he wrote that dug deeper into this way to manage time. He taught me to put the “big rocks” in first. I use that phrase often in my leadership, and was working on one of those big rocks for our church today when I heard news of his passing. He taught me the 4 quadrants of time that go from urgent to non-urgent, from important to not important, and the danger of how we lose so much time to the not important aspect of life, even that which is perceived by others to be urgent. Leaders who win that private victory leverage their time in the important / not urgent quadrant. That’s where learning happens. That’s where growth happens.

4 Quadrants from Wikipedia.com

The next 3 habits deal with interdependence. In a me culture, Covey described the power of we.

Habit 4: Think Win / Win. Covey taught me to not only look for what was best for my situation, but what was best for the other person’s as well. Is there a way we can both win at the matter at hand? Pursue that path. Wired to be competitive (that means I hate to lose), I had to learn to hate for the other person to lose as well.

Habit 5: Seek first to understand, then to be understood. Oh, how this principle has helped me in times of conflict. I thought the goal was to get you to realize how right I was, and if I simply talked long enough even loud enough if need be, you would agree with me. This habit taught me to listen first, that there was more to the story then I knew. This habit laid out a path to think win / win in my life and the lives of others.

Habit 6: Synergize. I loved how this habit taught me the value of working together creatively. Instead of being a lone ranger pastor, I wanted to become and pursue a team approach. Instead of pursuing my ideas, I found greater value in pursuing our ideas together.

The last habit is my favorite of the seven and it deals with the area of self-renewal.

Habit 7: Sharpen the Saw. This habit fuels my love for reading. This habit is why I blog, I want to sharpen writing skills and share lessons learned along the way, and to learn from you as well (see synergize). For 20 plus years I have hungered to learn more, to keep the saw sharp, to be creative and fresh in bringing God’s Word to people. It’s why I read. It’s why I go to great conferences like the Leadership Summit or take the Lift courses or why every day of life is a great adventure.

Putting all 7 habits together and all 7 go together, Covey came up with this diagram:

In 2004, Covey came up with The 8th Habit: Find your voice, inspire others to find theirs. Isn’t that part of the  joy of life at its best? It’s why I do what I do, and why I seek to connect people to a living relationship with Jesus Christ and the transformation He brings and the eternal voice He gives. For me it was also the result of living out the 7 habits in faithfulness in my walk with God and the work He continues to do in my life and through my life.

So what book has greatly influenced the habits of your life? What makes your top 5 that still influences you life 20 years later?