First The Person Then The Plan

There are tons of great things that need to happen.
But things don't happen without people who make them happen.
Sometimes we see the need and we push for a solution but this is a mistake.
We should see the need and look for a person.
A person with the right gifts, the right heart and the right connections with other people.
You can have a ton of amazingly great ideas and visions and plans but without the right people they will go no where. I would far rather have the right people than the right plans. The right team is more important than the right ideas.

Leadercast Development Opportunity - May 4

JOIN US and if you know someone who might enjoy this ask them to join us. We are so excited about offering this leadership development opportunity to Moose Jaw and area.

The Need For Leaders

I have had the privilege of spending some time with Dr. Paul Magnus (one of Canada's leading voices on Christian leadership) the last few days learning and discussing leadership.

Here is one thing I have been struck with:
"There is a major leadership shortage. Over time, my sense of the importance of leadership has grown exponentially. I have a dream to enhance the quality of leaders in every kind of group and organization."  - Dr. Paul Magnus

This is huge. Leaders don't just appear. They don't just show up out of no where. Leaders are made not born. We have a responsibility, if we are to do the work of God in our generation and be good stewards for the next. We must raise up leaders at every level and in every organization that will expand the kingdom of God. So, how are we intentionally doing this? With our children, with our youth, with our young adults, with seniors, with men, with women...with everyone.

We need a greater heart for developing leaders.
We need greater intentionality and strategic plans to actually do it.
We need better definitions and understandings of what leadership really is and how God forms leaders through us.
We need to fulfill our mandate for our generation and the next.

What Followers Want

What do followers ask of their leaders? Here is a simple list.
- Please show up
- Get us together
- Help us get there

Please show up. Followers want a leader who is willing to step up to the plate. They don't want you to wait on the sidelines to be picked. If the issue is important enough to you, step up and lead us.

Get us together. Leaders need to rally people. Invite them into the game. Show them that it is important and hold them accountable for being a part of the team. It is demotivating to commit yourself to a team and then see one of your teammates drifting away and not doing their part and watching the leader do nothing about it. Leaders build teams.

Help us get there. Point the way. Give us a couple of next steps that we can latch on to and simply do. Tell us what is expected of us. Keep an eye on the big picture and keep us informed of how progress is going and how our little pieces tie together with the whole.

So that's it...well almost. One more thing is super important. Be authentic.

Leadership Pain

Leaders deal with all kinds of people. Wonderful people, giving people, encouraging people...and some other not so nice people. Maybe it's because leaders attract more attention than the average person and so difficult people gravitate to that. Maybe it's increased levels of spiritual warfare for leaders. Maybe it's because leaders are often in the fray of activity that they find these difficult people and situations. It';s amazing how one hurtful person can ruin a day or week (or month...year etc.). It's amazing how spiteful, cruel, stupid and insensitive people can be. But an even more amazing thing is to watch a great leader, a mature and loving person, deal well with hurt. It's a beautiful sight and worth seeing. It reminds me of the One Truly Great Leader whose example we follow.

Let's be those who rise above, forgive, love, pray, extend grace, correct, speak truth and act like our Leader even in the face of people who are misusing or mistreating us.

Growing Your Leadership Quotient

How do we grow ourselves as leaders? Assuming that we want to grow and that we have taken personal responsibility for our own growth, here are some things we can do:

1. Read all you can about leadership. Leaders are readers. Every great leader I have known personally is a reader. For most of us, this is a discipline; we make ourselves do it. Set a goal and challenge yourself to read a book per month, then two books per month and so on. If you don't know what book to read, start with anything by John Maxwell or ask a leader you know if she could tell you one of the best leadership books they can recommend. Order a book today.

2. Get leading something. To grow as a leader, you need leadership experience. Find opportunities to lead, whether it's your son's soccer team or your community's food drive. Volunteer yourself to lead at work, at home and in the community. Nothing can replace the value of actually leading something and wrestling with real life leadership issues.

3. Reflect on your leadership. Take time to think through your philosophy of leadership, your values, and your personal style. What mistakes do you tend to make? What are your strengths? Take time every week (maybe even every day) to reflect on how your leadership is going and what you are learning. This is often done best in discussion with a friend or mentor.

4. Get around other leaders. Do everything you can to spend time with leaders. Practice following great leaders, asking them great questions and then listening carefully. You can spend time with great leaders through biographies and books as well as in person.

5. Persevere in your leadership development. It's easy to get excited about something and do it for a week or two. It's another matter to put your heart to something for a decade or more. Take the long road approach. Lasting influence happens through lasting leadership development. Be careful of the extremes of either arrogance or discouragement that can keep you from continuing on your growth path.

Reading, Reading and More Reading

I love learning and growing. My hobby is collecting and reading books. Admittedly, I have gotten less reading done since the Flames began hockey season again. This morning I just finished reading the Bible and journaling, and then read a chapter of a book and my heart feels full. Ahhhhhhh.

I track the books I read; it's fun to look back and see the books I have read over the last few months and years. Funny thing is, sometimes I don't remember a thing about them when I look at the title. I feel bad until I realize I don't remember most conversations, sermons, articles, etc...but they still impact me.

Here are the books I read last month (September, 2009).

Well Intentioned Dragons – Marshall Shelley
A great book for leaders and pastors in churches. Helps us not feel so alone when being attacked by people and gives us some wisdom on how to handle problem people.
Covenant Relationships – Dr George Hill
This guy continues to be one of the greatest leaders of our day. This is his flagship book, what he calls his "life message". It's worthwhile.
Building Stronger Marriages and Families – Billy Joe Daugherty
Better than I expected; lots of little tidbits of wisdom.
Strong Families – Charles Swindoll
It's no wonder he is a bestseller. This guy is absolutely brilliant.
The Dip – Seth Godin
My current favourite non-Christian writer. Fun to read, good material, and useful in many applications.
Go Team! Take your team to the next level – Ken Blanchard
Not a bad book. Basically about empowerment and servant-leadership. Describes well that changing an organization or group to a team model takes time and effort and can't just happen overnight. He encourages a several-year process. Helped me be more realistic in some of the change efforts I am working on.
Strike the Original Match – Charles Swindoll
Still amazing, not quite as good as "Strong Families", but you can't really ever go wrong with my buddy Chuck. (No, I have never met him, but he keeps calling and asking if he can fly to Moose Jaw in his private jet and get my advice on some things. So far I haven't had time, but I will try to squeeze him in soon.)
Spirit-Controlled Family Living – Tim and Beverly Lahaye
This book was the most suprising read of the month. An old book sitting on the shelf never expecting to be read. I read it and loved it. Best family book I have read in awhile.
The Prodigal God – Tim Keller
This guy is taking the world by storm right now. One of the most theologically astute, intellectually honest, and yet culturally relevant guys in the pastoring circuit. I highly reccomend this book to anyone, especially those seeking for the truth about Christianity.
Reveal – Greg Hawkins
This series of books is very helpful to pastors. Based on massive research; gets you thinking. Felt a little overwhelmed and challenged by the time I was done.
Made to Stick – Chip and Dan Heath
Secular bestseller for good reason. Lots of cool stories and analogies. Great material for teachers and marketers. These guys are coming out with a new book on change soon, called "Switch". I read a pre-released copy and it is the best book on change I have ever read.
Our Iceberg is Melting – John Kotter
A fun fictional book (fable) on change management by the most well respected teacher and writer on the subject. We did this book as a book club book in my church; sold 27 copies and got phenomenal response.
Gifted to Lead – The art of leading as women in the church – Nancy Beach
I actually cried a couple of times reading this. A very moving account of one of the great women leaders in the church today. Definitely a must read for any woman who feels called to senior leadership in the church.
10 Ten Stupid Things That Keep Churches from Growing – Geoff Surratt
Fun read. Great advice. Could easily skip to the chapter you are interested in/struggling with and only read it. Works as a reference book. Definitely should be on the shelf of smart (not stupid) church leaders.

Happy reading! Happy Thanksgiving!