Time to Explore

Time Magazine listed Jesus in their top 100 most influential of all time.  Author Joel Stein stated, “If 3 billion people follow your teachings 2,000 years after you're dead, that's pretty influential.”  As a Christian approaching Easter, I would argue that “after you’re dead” should be substituted with “after you are resurrected and leave earth” but the point is Jesus’s influence is spread through all world..

Beyond his mission of restoring people back to God, he left a blueprint for leadership development  by how he developed his disciples and brought them on a journey with him.  He ushered them through three steps that changed their lives.  Although each one of his team progressed on his own time, he engaged them on a journey that still works today.

• Explore.  Jesus invited them to "come and see".  They followed along to see what Jesus was all about watching, learning, listening, and participating in his ministry.
• Grow and coach.  He challenged them to think and act in new ways. After spending time with him, he challenged them.   In Luke 9, he directs them to go out and minister, and Luke 10 he sends out another 72.  He gave them tasks to grow.  He asked them tough questions.
• Mentor/model.  After his resurrection, Jesus told them to go out and make disciples.  He helped them explore, learn, and grow.  They were told to replicate what he taught them creating even more followers and leaders.

What is overlooked many times is an intentional plan includes the explore stage.  Why?  Exploring takes time.  Impatience wants to move us fast and get straight to where we see more impact – and isn’t it great to delegate a task or feel like we are a mentor?

But exploring is learning. Its necessary. New leaders see what works and doesn’t work.  They see styles and situations without pressure.  They have a chance to think critically about the type of leader they want to be and how they want to make a difference.  Interning, interviewing leaders, career exploration sessions, shadowing, spending time with experienced leaders, and training opportunities all provide opportunities to explore.  It may feel less productive at times.  But it makes a difference and it will uncover the diamonds in the rough and give a foundation for future tasks and roles.

Jesus took common men and invited them to explore.  Empowered by their ongoing relationship with him after  resurrection -  they changed the world after exploring their calling, being challenged to grow, and mentoring others in the faith.  Who will you invite to explore that will be the next generation of leaders?

Blaming King Kong

There are many ways people have used movies to teach leadership.  Thousands of clips are sitting out on YouTube, on our shelves,  and etched in our memories.  They capture leadership truths on a big screen with a creative flair that stays with us.  Movies do more than entertain us.

I was looking for some simple entertainment in Peter Jackson’s King Kong remake to pass the time on the bike for a couple workouts. If you only know King Kong as a giant gorilla, it’s the story of one man’s extreme measures to film and eventually capture a 2 ½ story gorilla legend from an uncharted island and bring it to New York City in 1931.  After experiencing the loss of several crew in the pursuit, this interaction occurred.

Denham (the movie producer): I've risked everything I had on this film.

Captain (of the boat and crew): No Denham, you risked everything I have.

Denham was infected with “teleopathy” – a pursuit of a goal that becomes so strong that all reason, moral perspective, and compassion for people is put aside and justified by the end result.  As no surprise,  the camera and film was lost, most of the crew was lost, and in the end New York City was torn up and more lives lost including King Kong.  In the end, Denham nonchalantly blames  Kong and his pursuit of the blonde actress – “It was beauty killed the beast” and walks away from any responsibility he had as the leader pushing through all obstacles without regard to the risks of everyone else.

When teleopathy infects a leader, it doesn’t just impact the leader.  It impacts all that they have been entrusted.  Leaders, in many ways, are stewards of people, relationships, brand, customers, facilities, money.  Each feels the ripple (and sometimes waves) of decisions infected with teleopathy.

Everyday we enter the day with an allotted number of minutes, a role, a team, relationships, and other tangible goods and services.  Denham played the part of the irresponsible steward on the big screen.  We have the real opportunity every day to be a servant leader to empower and support our teams in our collective work balancing the pursuit of a goals with being a wise steward and leaving things better than when they were given.

Staying Grounded

Hanging in my office is the painting “Christ My Pilot” by Warner Sallman.  It has hung in my office for over 15 years. His most famous painting was “The Head of Christ” in 1941 that has now sold more than 500 million copies. Warner was recognized as the “best-known artist of the century” by the New York Times in 1994.  The goal of his paintings was to “illuminate the mysteries of Christ” so that people would understand what a relationship with him would bring.

What was the mystery it captured for me?  I have made some mistakes along the way in my leadership journey.   I have also had successes that have been a lot of fun, and learned a lot about myself, my faith, and my passions.  The painting came to represent how I feel much of the time leading organizations and working with some very committed volunteers and staff.  I know my success as a leader comes only as much as I am willing to put myself in the picture as the young sailor and commit the tasks to the one who had prepared me for the work ahead.

Psalm 32:8 (ESV) says "I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my eye upon you."  While I don't know if this was the verse Warner had in mind as he painted this picture in 1950 while staying at a YMCA, I do know this is the promise I have as leader when I am willing to let God direct my steps to accomplish his plan.

It’s easy to fall back on past success or get caught up in the stress of the moment and forget that apart from God my efforts fall short. I have to remember that it is through him that I am able to align my head, heart, hands, and habits to accomplish all that he has laid out for me as a leader.  Edging God out – as Ken Blanchard calls it - in even one of these areas will eventually end in a leadership failure and not achieving all that was possible.

So – what is the reminder for you to keep grounded and connected to your values and beliefs?  

Learn, Connect, Grow

One of the reasons I enjoy helping facilitate training and leadership sessions is the opportunity it provides to learn from the participants and be reminded of best practices.  There's always at least one of those “aha" moments that makes me pause and retune what I am doing.

I was on a career panel this weekend answering questions and sharing thoughts on career development.   Two questions put my brain in motion. But the one that challenged me to rethink some things was  a basic question.  "How do I find a mentor and how do I network for success?"  It hit me after the three of us on the panel answered with pretty standard answers.  I realized that we do a lot of gathering together by position type or leadership levels.  We have limited opportunities for young leaders to connect with the perceived leaders of the organization. Both are missing out. Organizational leaders miss out previewing new leaders, hearing new ideas, and learning to understand other generations.   Less experienced staff miss out on the opportunity to create a broader network, share ideas, find mentors, and grow. 

Some of my greatest learnings were from watching and learning from the experienced CEOs and leaders talk and debate issues in the small groups or over lunch - they were more candid with their peers without a microphone or stage, they liked to give an answer when asked, and their true personalities came out.  I remember making mental notes to do certain things and in some cases not to do some things (don’t wear something light colored with pasta served!).  This mixed group of leaders from across the area met monthly or at least bi-monthly.  Eventually, I was invited to be a part of a learning circle of 5 that met regularly to share ideas on a topic.  I was the least experienced at the time and felt privileged to be a part of the group.

Whether we rely too much on technology to network and connect, dismiss the connections in favor of efficiencies, or just plain forget the impact those before us had in our careers - we need mentors and cross generational relationships to happen.  It’s good for all of us.

Do you have venues to network and connect experienced leaders with frontline leaders? What will you do to ensure that those following you have the tools to be successful in the future?

Instill Hope

The drive to Iowa from my home in the Twin Cities passes right by a great message from the highway department.

Hope – 1 Mile

Not sure if it means that you will feel hopeful in one mile after leaving your cares behind while on an excursion or if it means you will feel hopeful returning home to a comfortable place.  Regardless, hope is nearby.

We have a tendency to gravitate toward hope.  We don’t want to be in situations that appear hopeless.    We tend to give of our time and money to organizations and causes that provide hope.  The Gallup Organization says it's one of the top four characteristics of leaders we want to follow.  Having hope provides an entire different perspective.

I am blessed to work for an organization that creates hope on a daily basis.  I am part of a team at the YMCA that facilitates hope in a variety of situations in a variety of ways.

• A student who was told he wouldn’t be successful will become the first in his family to graduate from college because of an encounter with a mentor
• A parent reeling after their child is murdered received encouragement and support from a lifeguard in just the right place at the right time
• A single dad in the midst of a custody battle finding a chance to regroup and connect with his kids while losing weight and lowering health risks
• A young teen girl caught up in cutting having a chance to learn leadership, invest in others, and have fun has her hope restored for a better future.
• A 71 year old woman who loses part of her lung to cancer improves her strength and endurance so that she is able to enjoy life again.

How do you create an organization that instills hope?

• Recruit a team that is cause driven and motivated by making a difference.  Ask for examples of how they made a difference when you are looking for a new team member.  
• Align passions of the organization and team.  Jobs drain life...mission inspires life.
• Tell real life stories of the hope given through purposeful actions.  People remember stories and repeat them.  Tie success to stories.
• Give opportunities to make a difference to all levels of the organization - office staff and front line staff alike. Let them see the faces of those regaining hope.
• Stay connected to hope as a leader.  Know that God’s message in Jeremiah 29:11 is meant to instill hope - “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.”  Like a previous blog post (HERE) - you have been given a gift to benefit others and instill hope.  Model what you want others to do.

Lighting the Next Candle

Christmas Eve.  The day brings lots of memories, celebrations, and traditions.  Hopefully, it is still fresh with positive memories as we start the year.

A tradition in our church – and many others around the world – involves lighting candles.  Everyone walking into the sanctuary receives an unlit candle as they walk in.  At the close, the room is darkened and several people walk the aisles touching their lit candle to first one in aisle.  They in turn light the candle of the person next to them and the step is repeated numerous times until the entire room is aglow symbolizing what Jesus's birth meant for the world.

The candle that starts it all off doesn’t lose any of it glow.  It didn’t shorten the time it stayed lit. It didn’t go out.  What did happen was that an entire room was lit with other candles capable of igniting another. 

This is also what happens when leaders look outward.  They look to build a sustainable future that it is not dependent on them.  They look to create others capable of igniting the vision and passion of another.  They know the room will be brighter because they shared their vision in a way that inspires others to action and empowers them to bring it to reality.  They share of themselves to make a difference.

As you start the new year, what are the skills, vision, knowledge and expertise you will pass on to key people in your organization?  Who are the people you want to ignite and inspire to make a difference?

Defining Your Organization

“The communication processes incorporated in your organization structure defines your organization”

-unknown

They offered a great deal.  A start up provider of  with a goal of putting a 7 inch tablet in every student’s hands offered a tablet at half price – they wanted to create a strong following and reputation.  The specs were OK.  The promo videos were good.  Tech blogs picked it up.  They were selling pre-orders to ship in 3-4 weeks after what was supposed to be a weekend blitz price point. 

Then it began to crumble.

They left their entry price open longer than the weekend.  A Facebook post – and not a personal email - said there were customs issues on the product.  Another date was set for shipping…shared only on Facebook.  Phone calls went unanswered, the website disappeared and came back, and the Facebook page disappeared…came back…and then disappeared entirely.  Emails to the company went unanswered and then auto answered.  The next self imposed dates were missed with no communication.

None of the communication was sent out directly to the customers.  Voice mail said they were closed (all the time).

This was a case study in what not to do.  Their communication processes (or lack thereof) defined their organization.  They wanted to be defined as a company seeking to enhance the learning process for students of all ages and enhancing business mobility. They became a company that was seen as a scam and out of touch with reality thinking price was entitlement to blind trust.  A deep and wide chasm between definitions.

What was the consequence?  They lost credibility and trust - two things that will be very difficult to gain back.  Google Wallet pulled their vendor relationship for them to use their service.  According to the tablet's website that stopped short of responsibility, all orders are being refunded....and then the entire website disappeared after a short presence. 

What communication messages, tools, and processes are you using?  How are they defining your organization?  In a time when communication tools are plentiful, expectations are higher than ever.  What are you doing to increase connectedness with your key stakeholders?