5 for Leadership (5/18/13)

May 18, 2013 — Leave a comment

images5 for Leadership this week includes thoughts on a new leadership book review, the nature of success, leadership identity, a Christian leadership profile, and teamwork. I think this is one of the best group of posts I have had in awhile. Take a look!

5 Ways Leaders Can Reclaim Their Identity  Glenn Llopis does a great job of defining the problem of career identity crisis in the 21st century global market place. He offers five ways you can get back your leadership identity to be a more effective and confident leader.

Silver Bullet Thinking  You may have missed this post from Michael Hyatt. “In my experience, success is rarely the result of one singular action or break-through. Instead, it is the result of hundreds, if not thousands, of incremental improvements over time.” Michael offers up four keys to success in the current environment.

Are You Stuck In A Sheep Cyclone?  Here is a fascinating post from the Survive Your Promotion blog. Katy offers up two short videos to highlight teamwork and collaboration at its best and worst. She concludes with some salient points about how to identify the cyclone and how to get unstuck.

Leaders Open Doors  This is a book review found on the Linked 2 Leadership blog. Tom Schulte states, “The premise of the book is that a simply selfless approach to leadership that has one opening doors and creating opportunities for others is the jackpot mentality to effective leadership.” Take a look to get an even better feel for this new book.

Henrietta Mears: Still Influencing The World for Christ  This comes from JudyDouglass.com and is a guest post by Andrea Madden. This final offering is a leader profile. “Urgency from a sense of divine call created a sense of destiny and an air of expectancy that was contagious. People want to follow people who know where they are going and why. Henrietta Mears had answers to both questions.” Mears has been described as one of the most influential Christian leaders of the 20th century. Find out why.

There are the 5 for this week!

 

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Rumsfeld on Meetings

May 14, 2013 — 2 Comments

images-2Sometime today Donald Rumsfeld’s new book, Rumsfeld’s Rules: Leadership Lessons in Business, Politics, War and Life, will hit the streets. The Wall Street Journal ran an essay this past weekend highlighting some pithy features of the book.

Rumsfeld served as the Secretary of Defense under both Gerald Ford and George W. Bush. He was also a four term congressman from Illinois and once served as White House Chief of Staff. It goes without saying that he has had a lot of experience as a participant in meetings and as a leader of meetings. We all know that meetings can be the death of leadership.

As I read the WSJ essay I was struck by the highly practical nature of the principles that Rumsfeld laid out for leadership digestion. Here are his eight rules for highly successful meetings. If you would like to see the article in its entirety you may do so here.

1. Whether to call a meeting at all. If you call a meeting, be sure you have something to learn or something to communicate–that is worth everyone’s time.

2. When you decide to call a meeting, avoid meandering sessions. Rumsfeld kept a stand up desk so that when people met with him there was not the temptation to stay longer than necessary. Keep meetings as brief as possible and on point.

3. Pay close attention to who is invited. One of the worst things that leaders do is invite way too many people to a meeting. Invite only the people that will help you learn what you must or provide you with the right audience for your message. Get the right people in the room.

4. Start and end the meeting on time. It is amazing how this one principle is so violated. You are not only wasting your time but the collective time of everyone in attendance. That is a lot of wasted time.

5. Encourage others to give their views, even if it means ruffling some feathers. There is not reason to call a meeting of key people if you are only going to hear what you expect. You need to hear what people are thinking and their best ideas, even if they are contrarian. “Foster a culture where people can comment on anything as long as it is relevant and constructive.”

6. Don’t put up with irrelevance or unpreparedness. Rumsfled argues for people always being prepared and on topic. He notes that he has dismissed meetings many times until people were better prepared.

7. When new ideas are broached in a meeting be ready for instinctual and immediate opposition. Meetings need to be about discovery and avoiding group think. It is easy to create a self serving culture. If everyone immediately sees an idea as brilliant, then maybe it is time for more disent.

8. When ending a meeting be sure to make a summary of salient points and take aways, making sure that everyone knows their action points. This is the key to execution–and hopefully a successful next meeting.

Here is the Amazon link to Donald Rumsfeld’s new book. What are your thoughts on successful meetings?

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My Top Posts for April

May 8, 2013 — Leave a comment

UnknownBetter late than never. Here are the five most popular posts on my blog from the month of April.

Delegation vs Empowerment  This rose to number one this past month. It is always one of the most popular. The topic is critical.

5 for Leadership (4/27/13)  This particular 5 for Leadership was very well received. There are posts here on wise decision making, execution, authenticity, and leadership traits.

Failing Until You Succeed  This is a video from Seth Godin on the value of failure in leadership. These thoughts flow from his 2012 book Poke The Box.

Leadership: Exaltation or Humility  This post highlights some critical principles on servant leadership from Luke 14. Humility is chief among them.

Observations On A Good Leader  These are some thoughts and principles that flow from a lengthy time of reflection about a leader I had the privilege to serve under. They are worthy of emulation.

There are the most popular from April. I will have May’s out on time. Thanks for reading.

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5 for Leadership (5/11/13)

May 5, 2013 — 2 Comments

imgresHere is a new 5 for this second week in May. There is content on leadership communication, the best leadership tweeters, leadership styles to avoid and qualities to emulate, and sure fire ways to undermine your leadership.

8 Ways To Undermine Yourself As A Leader  This is a very good article from Forbes magazine. Josh Linkner states, “You might think you’re doing a good job (in leading), but here’s a list of how you might be undermining yourself.” Here 8 thought provoking ways we could be hurting ourselves.

How To Make Your Ideas Contagious  This comes from the Leading Change blog and is a good summary of a book called Contagious. “Interestingly, most people think that most word of mouth happens online. But research finds that only 7 percent of word of mouth happens online.” These six summary points will help you in getting you ideas adopted.

15 Ways To Make Your Voice Matter  This comes from Dan Rockwell, who always shares solid leadership wisdom. The title says it all. It follows with our sub theme of leadership communication in this 5.

Brewing A Leadership Cocktail  This is by Claudio Morelli on the Lead Change Group blog. Claudio shares some great insights on leadership styles that could prove dangerous and a list of qualities that make leaders true people of influence.

Top 100 Tweeters on Leadership  Evan Carmichael shares the top 100 leadership tweeters (this post shows the top 25 and a link to get to the rest) on the topic of leadership. There is a great mix here. Find a few that you would like to follow and increase your learning.

There are the 5 for this week. If you are living in the U.S. don’t forget to honor your mother this Mothers Day.

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5 for Leadership (5/4/13)

May 4, 2013 — 2 Comments

images-2Here is a fresh 5 for this 1st week in May. It does not feel like May-not even in Austin, where I woke up to 42 degrees yesterday morning. But maybe one of these posts will warm your leadership heart. This week we look at leading the MIllennial generation, servant leadership, self leadership, leaderless teams, and how to let go as a leader. I hope you find something that is motivational and profitable for you.

Servant Leadership  Here is a great post on the meaning behind John 13 in the Bible. This passage wonderfully illustrates servant leadership. Lisa Colon Delay share some key principles from the passage that make this clear.

How Known Are You By You?  This is from Brad Lomenick on the Deeper Leader blog. Brad is a renowned leader and the founder of Catalyst. This post strikes at the heart of self awareness–an absolute essential for every leader.

Danger: A Team Without A Leader . . .  This comes from Ron Edmondson. It is brief and to the point. Let’s not have leaderless teams.

Millennials: Three Characteristics That Define How They Approach The Work Place  This was found on the LeaderCommunicator Blog. David Grossman says, “Like any generation, there are certain cultural experiences that affect the way millennials see the world.” Here are three to pay attention to.

Letting Go With Grace  This final post is on the Lead Change Group blog. “Perhaps the key to life is gracefully accepting the impermanence. Perhaps it’s the key to business success as well.” This post offers four areas to consider for letting go gracefully.

There you have it. Enjoy your weekend and get some rest!

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Jonathan Edwards on Leadership

April 30, 2013 — Leave a comment

images-2Jonathan Edwards was a revered New England preacher, theologian, and missionary of the 18th century. He is still considered to have possessed one of the greatest minds this country has ever witnessed. He was a graduate of Yale University and one of the influencers of the 1st Great Awakening. He penned such notable works as A Treatise Concerning Religious Affections, The Life and Diary of David Brainerd, and A Faithful Narrative of the Surprising Work of God. The Jonathan Edwards Center at the Yale University Library contains nearly all of his works online and makes them accesible.

Edwards was a leader. His influence was broad and lasts until this very day. He established a practice of having apprentice ministers live in his home and in the homes of other older ministers. This created a dynamic legacy of New England pastors. Certainly much of Edward’s vast influence came through his writing, and does so still today. He challenged much of the popular thinking of his day. Edwards was also widely known for his great acts of charity, even in buying a negro slave girl to secure her freedom. He and his wife Sarah regularly opened their home to those in need. He was no stranger to criticism, as no true leader ever should be. His profound influence was in both word and deed.

Here are some quotes that I took from his writings that I believe relate to the life of every leader.

Of all the knowledge that we can ever obtain, the knowledge of God, and the knowledge of ourselves, are the most important.

Resolved, never to do anything which I should be afraid to do if it were the last hour of my life.

A truly humble man is sensible of his natural distance from God; of his dependence on Him; of the insufficiency of his own power and wisdom; and that it is by God’s power that he is upheld and provided for, and that he needs God’s wisdom to lead and guide him, and His might to enable him to do what he ought to do for Him.

Resolved, that I will live so, as I shall wish I had done when I come to die.

Seek not to grow in knowledge chiefly for the sake of applause, and to enable you to dispute with others; but seek it for the benefit of your souls.

Nothing sets a person so much out of the devil’s reach as humility.

Such is man’s nature, that he is very inactive and lazy unless he is influenced by some affection, either love or hatred, desire, hope, fear, or some other. These affections we see to be the springs that set men agoing, in all the affairs of life, and engage them in all their pursuits: these are the things that put men forward, and carry them along.

Love is the sum of all virtue, and love disposes us to good.

I assert that nothing ever comes to pass without a cause.

Temples have their images; and we see what influence they have always had over a great part of mankind. But, in truth, the ideas and images in men’s minds are the invisible powers that constantly govern them; and to these they all pay universally a ready submission.

A man of a right spirit is not a man of narrow and private views, but is greatly interested and concerned for the good of the community to which he belongs, and particularly of the city or village in which he resides, and for the true welfare of the society of which he is a member.

Resolution One: I will live for God. Resolution Two: If no one else does, I still will.

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5 for Leadership (4/27/13)

April 27, 2013 — 4 Comments

images-6Here is a fresh 5 for the final week in April. This week we take a look at authenticity, execution, decision making, leadership traits, and showing up.

4 Reasons Execution Breaks Down: and How to Fix It  This comes from Karin Hurt, whom I have highlighted before. The title says it all. Execution is a critical task for every leader.

Leaders Show Up Even When Its Not Fun  This comes from the Lead Change Group blog. Jennifer Miller uses the analogy of little league parents doing their job to leaders with character doing what is necessary. The point is relevant and driven home well through this every day scenario.

How To Make Wise Decisions (1 Corinthians 10)  Here is a thoughtful piece by Bruce Chant on his blog Edevotional. He gives us three vital and practical questions for decision making that all flow from this Pauline passage.

To Be Authentic, Look Beyond Yourself  This comes from the HBR blog. Authors Su and Wilkins argue that true authenticity must flow from one’s ability to connect with others–not just how you feel about yourself. The authors provide three vantage points from which to increase your personal authenticity.

Leadership: What Are The Most Important Traits?  This final post comes from The Leadership Journal, a Christian publication that always has some excellent points of view. Some of the results from this survey may surprise you.

Let me know which was your favorite post.

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Exposed Leaders

April 24, 2013 — 4 Comments

showImageThe team that I serve on just returned from attending the Q Conference in Los Angeles. It was a great two and half days of over stimulation. Q was started by Gabe Lyons. His stated purpose is, “Q educates the church and cultural leaders on their role and opportunity to embody the gospel in public life.” The tag line from the Q Ideas web site is “Ideas for the common good.” This was my 1st experience with Q and, upon evaluation, I believe they delivered. Every presentation was either 3 minutes, 9 minutes, or 18 minutes in length. They were powerful and varied. We heard messages on the power of story, child trafficking, the North Korean underground railroad, sexual economics, freedom inside of limits, the power of infographics, the cure for homelessness, surfing, and much more. There were over 40 presentations in two and half days. There were Q & A sessions with the presenters, there were round table discussions, and there was ample opportunity to meet unique and passionate leaders from all over the country who are fully engaged in our culture. It was a rich time of learning and understanding.

As I have begun to reflect on my experience at Q, I have seen afresh the great value in leaders being exposed to contexts outside their own.

All of us as leaders need to be exposed to new and different ways of thinking. We need to meet and engage with people who will challenge our categories. It is easy to stay inside the walls of our own understanding and never realize that needs abound right outside our gates. I am convinced that our team will be learning from this experience for sometime to come. It will certainly change how we approach our task. I know it will alter some of my fast held viewpoints.IMG_5347

Here are four reasons for the absolute necessity of leaders and teams placing themselves in challenging environments that are not their own:

1. To help us evaluate our own paradigms. It is easy to have tunnel vision. Leaders rightly are focused on their cause and their perceived solutions. But when you are exposed to new insights and different vantage points there is a natural evaluation that takes place. It is a healthy one. It doesn’t mean that you will quit your leadership role and take up a new cause–necessarily. But it certainly might lead you to fresh understanding and new solutions. You might see things in a whole new light which could lead to much greater effectiveness.

2. To stimulate our learning towards other’s paradigms. I know very little about North Korea except what I see on TV. I was unaware of some of the brutality that is taking place daily. I knew nothing of a vast underground railroad that is helping people make it to freedom. I have never thought much about the clothing industry and how it affects a woman’s identity. I have not rightly valued the virtue of modesty and dignity and all of their good consequences in a sex crazed world. I have never considered deeply that freedom and creativity actually arise from limits. I need to see life and culture through the lens of others. I need to have my limited perspective challenged. I will be better for it. Being exposed to another paradigm creates a learning opportunity I regularly need.

3. To humbly enter in as one among many. Its easy to feel like a big deal within your own organizational culture. That is the “beneficial” side of comparison. But when you get around a bunch of leaders who are half your age and changing the world . . . well, its humbling. When you talk to leaders who are 20 years older than you and you see the fire in their eyes . . . well, its humbling. And its inspiring. And it instills hope. It is invigorating. You gain a much grander view of God and His work in the world. And you realize that you are one part of the body of Christ. A significant part . . . but only a part. I think that is a good vantage point for leading boldly, but humbly into the future.

4. To personally meet and dialogue with leaders that are as passionate as you are . . . about something else. You and I do not have a corner on vision, passion, and drive. There are many gifted leaders out there who definitely feel called into human need. They are using their craft to bring light into a dark world. They are calling others to join them as vital participants to make a difference . . . just as I long to do. I need their callings and values to rub off on me. And I think they need me too. That is one of the great values of engagement and dialogue.

There are many good environments from which to choose to gain this type of exposure.

An unexposed leader will all to quickly become myopic and proud.

Will you join me for Q Nashville?

 

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Failing Until You Succeed

April 23, 2013 — 2 Comments

Seth Godin has proven to be a modern day prodder. He stirs us to do things differently. He inspires us to think differently. In this 20 minute video Seth discusses some of the principles from his 2012 book Poke The Box. The value of acceptable failure that leads to success is a core concept. I read this book when it first came out and was struck by the profundity of its simplicity. What stops you? What stops me? “No one gives you initiative, you have to take it.” Take some time to watch this interview and take some notes.

 

 

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5 for Leadership (4/20/13)

April 20, 2013 — Leave a comment

UnknownHere is a new 5. This week’s content offers thoughts on introversion, women in leadership, the core essence of leadership, the value of influence leading, and why we must avoid being sleepy leaders. I hope you find something inspiring for you.

Why Sleepy Leaders Are Bad Leaders  One of my favorite sayings of all time is from a pastor friend of mine, Bill Elliff. He once told me that the most important things a person can do sometimes is take a nap. Here is an article to back that up and more.

Women in Leadership-It Takes Courage, Self Esteem, and Fortitude  This is a fascinating real life scenario about cultural differences for women in leadership. This comes from The Lead Change Group blog and is written by Jonena Relth. She takes an evaluative look at some training provided for some Turkish leaders and the attitude change that was created.

Introverted Traits We Can All Use  This post comes from Mary Jo Asmus whom I have highlighted before. She uses what she learned from having an introverted daughter to better understanding how we can create quality environments for all introverts to express themselves.

Leading Through Long Term Influence  This is an insightful guest post by Beth Miller on the Great Leadership blog. Beth argues that long term influence in any organization may depend upon matching your leadership power rightly to a given situation. She cites a study that delineates between “hard tactics” and “soft tactics.” The proper use of some good “soft tactics” can make all the difference in sustainable influence.

What Does A Great Leader Do?  This final post comes from Matt Perman and his own blog called What’s Best Next. Matt’s tagline for his blog is “Leadership and the world of work, from a Christian perspective.” In this offering Matt discusses the core essence of leadership. This is a new blog for me, but found that I really enjoy how Matt thinks and writes. Take a look at this post and browse some others.

Have a great weekend and keep the people of Boston and West in your prayers.

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