Aug

13

Becoming A Yardstick of Excellence

Post Category: Blog Posts, Creativity, Leadership, Makes You Think 


Photo by AuntiP
Have we grown too accustomed to accepting less than the best from ourselves and those that work with us?

I love this quote by Steve Jobs who has become well known for setting high standards for his company:

“Be a yardstick of quality. Some people aren’t used to an environment where excellence is expected.” - Steve Jobs

I’ve repeatedly said that every Church should be the hub of creativity and excellence in their community. They should send out the best authors, artists, businessmen and musicians.

I’ve experienced first-hand what it’s like when churches set standards of excellence that produce phenomenal results (example, example, example). I’ve seen the kind of people it attracts. And I’ve heard the message it sends to the community - we value excellence, we won’t settle for second-best.

Here are some questions to ask yourself:

  • Am I comparing my work against other “comparable” organizations or individuals or against what I know is my best?
  • Do I stop short of what is required to take my projects or team to the next level or do I settle for “acceptable” results?
  • Am I setting new standards for excellence in my field, job or organization or am I just trying to keep up with the standards others have set?
  • Am I placing limitations on myself because of what I think is “possible” instead of reaching for the impossible?

Remember, excellence doesn’t have to do with size or budget. One of the most popular music videos a couple years back was produced for $10 on a borrowed camera and the highest record setting movie of 1999 was filmed for $35k but grossed $248 million. The only boxes that limit you are the ones you build in your mind. Excellence is bred by those who consistently attempt the impossible.

Food For Thought:
Do you feel you or your organization is a yardstick of quality or do you measure yourself by the standards others set?

Your thoughts?

Jun

13

“Change Is Life” Wallpaper

Post Category: Leadership, Makes You Think, wallpaper 

Change Is Life - Wallpaper

Honestly, when I started working on this wallpaper this morning I didn’t even think about today being Friday the 13th. I wasn’t trying to be creepy! But this great quote by Leonard Sweet is a great reminder that change is an essential part of both our physical and spiritual lives. We need it to thrive and grow.

Without change we become stagnant and die. As Leonard says, “It’s that simple. It’s that scary.”

Download the “Change Is Life” Wallpaper.
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May

28

Sometimes You Can’t Make It On Your Own

Post Category: Authenticity, Blog Posts, Leadership 

Why I Need A Mentor (and you do too)
I’m a pretty smart guy but I’m pretty sure that, if left to my self, I would have screwed up my life a long time ago. Most of the most important decisions I’ve made in life I didn’t made by myself. I have been blessed with many people through the years who have spoken into my life and help shape me into the person I am today.

I can directly link two pivotal life decisions I’ve made to a couple people God strategically placed in my life at the right time.

1996-1999
The first was my high school vocational school teacher, Bill Aumock. He was the one who provided the inspiration and instruction to help launch my graphic design career in my early 20s. I learned Photoshop, taught my first class, learned the ins and outs of the design industry and secured my first design jobs because of him.

2003
Another important individual that helped change the course of my life was a missionary named Bob McCoy that pastored our church for a few months while the pastor was on a sabbatical. It was a conversation my wife and I had with him that launched us into our first full-time ministry in Fort Wayne, Indiana.

I’m not foolish enough to think I have the ability to make it through life alone. I’m constantly seeking out and listening to wise, godly individuals to grow as a leader and a person. I have lived by this principle:

You will only be successful in your life, ministry or occupation to the degree that you invite and listen to the counsel of wise people.

This past weekend we had the chance to hang with John & Leslie Kindler. This couple has mentored us in recent years and have grown to be very dear friends to Lisa and I. John is a former successful executive with Lincoln Life Insurance with a wealth of wisdom and experience drawn from years of leading and learning. Lisa and I have grown so much as a couple and in ministry because of our time with them. They have helped us work through some difficult situations and remain close friends.

The thing I love about having people like John & Leslie in my life is knowing that no matter how difficult or confusing the situation, we’re not going through it alone. I know that I can call them any time and get invaluable counsel and insight. More importantly, it’s not a one-way relationship. They care enough about Lisa and I to pick up the phone to check on us, encourage and pray for us.

People like John & Leslie have become part of our life story. And that’s what a mentor does. They come along side you and help you with those tough chapters in your life. They love you enough to speak the truth to you. And they encourage you no matter how bleak the situation looks.

Do you have someone in your life that you would consider a mentor? How have you benefited from that relationship?

May

22

No More Flat Tires

Post Category: Blog Posts, Church Leadership, Leadership, Makes You Think 

Photos of a radical new tire design have been floating around the net recently. These innovation could redefine transportation by changing how “the rubber meets the road.”

This integrated tire/wheel combination was designed by Michelin and is called a TWEEL (tire/wheel). It represents signifcant changes in the future of mobility.

Imagine what this could mean:

  • Not having to fill up your tires at the gas station
  • No more flat tires on the side of the road
  • No more dangerous blow-outs while you’re driving down the expressway.

This technology is still being developed and could be years away (assuming it’s even viable at all). But it represents an important reminder for all of us.

NEVER STOP QUESTIONING THE PROCESS!

The way it’s “always been done” isn’t necessarily the best way. It may just be the only way we know right now. It’s simple innovations like an airless tire that can redefine an entire industry and change our day to day lives.

I don’t care what you do or where you work I GUARANTEE that there are things you or your organization do that can be improved upon. There are probably processes that can be replaced or even eliminated that no one has thought to change.

Ask yourself these questions of yourself or your organization on a daily basis:

  • What things do I do that can be improved?
  • How can I simplify complex tasks?
  • What processes can be eliminated entirely?
  • What am I doing right now that is no longer relevant my clients or industry?
  • Am I doing things the way that I am because it’s the best way to do it or because it’s the way I’ve always done it?

Never underestimate the power of paradigm shifts and NEVER stop looking for them.

Mar

26

The Smartest People Have the Most to Learn

Post Category: Authenticity, Leadership, Makes You Think, Movies & TV 

Smart PeopleThe purpose of today’s post is two-fold. The first is to tell you about what looks to be a great movie coming out in April called Smart People. At first glance it looks like some of the movies we’ve been seeing from Fox Searchlight in recent years (Juno, Little Miss Sunshine). I’m putting this one on my calendar to go see.

The second reason for this post is to share some thoughts that came to me after reading the movie’s tagline, ‘The smartest people have the most to learn.’

I know I’m not the only person to get inspiration for a message or blog post from crazy places like commercials, songs or billboards. Admit it, you’ve done it too. :-)
The tagline from the movie echoes a concept about growing in our walk with God that I’ve been thinking about recently. For me, having grown up in the church, my journey of faith has been more about unlearning things I thought were true. I’m realizing more and more all the time that my preconceived ideas of  who God is and how He works just aren’t true.

There are times I envy new believers who are developing a relationship with Christ after years of living without Him. Their journey of faith is so authentic because they don’t have years of religious baggage to get rid of. Their view of Jesus isn’t based on countless sermons, classes, conferences and books. It’s the spark of excitement that comes from discovering your first love.

I suppose that’s why Jesus said that if we really want to know who He is we have to come to him as little children (Mark 10:14-16) who are innocent and teachable.  I think those of us in ministry have the most difficulty seeing Jesus for who He really is because we feel the need to always study and delve deeper to find those “hidden truths” that we can share on Sunday mornings.

We forget that there is nothing new under the sun (Ecclesiastes 1:9) and that Jesus’ message was a simple one of loving God and loving others (Luke 10:27).

The smartest people really do have the most to learn.

Feb

27

Leadership Requires Sacrifice

Post Category: Authenticity, Church, Leadership, Videos 

I heard an amazing story told by Mark Beeson, Pastor of the Granger Church here in Indiana. It was very moving to me, probably because I can relate to the sacrifices a leader has to make. For every step forward you take in ministry there are always going to be the hardships that go with the territory.

This video reminded me to count the cost. The influence of leadership always comes at a price.

(click here if you can’t see the video)

Jul

18

Knowing who you’re not

Post Category: Blog Posts, Leadership, Makes You Think 

“The success of who you are as a leader is to know who you are not.” - Andy Stanley

I’ve been thinking about this quote by Andy Stanley. When we are asked what we do for a living it’s easy to rattle off a list of responsibilities and duties. Who am I? I’m a pastor, father, husband, friend. But our effectiveness as a leader is knowing who we’re not. We should be keenly aware of our weakness and limitations and recognize that we are most successful when we can delegate our weaknesses and build on our strengths.

Jul

11

Fear of Failure

Post Category: Blog Posts, Leadership, Makes You Think 

One of the greatest fears that so often plague us is the fear of failure. From a very early age we are driven by an unbridled curiosity to discover the world around us. As a child we want to grow up and be an astronaut or a president. But as we grow older we begin to feel the sting of failure and experience the hurt of ridicule. We’re surrounded by a culture who would rather point fingers at others and put them down so they can feel better about themselves.

Before too long we begin to live our lives, not out of the hope for tomorrow, but out of the fear that yesterday may catch up with us. We give up our attempts to achieve something great in the hope that instead we can simply avoid failure. We choose the life of safety where we have neither great achievements or great failures.

Don’t be afraid to live a life on the edge. Will you experience the pain of failure and the sting of defeat? Absolutely. But you cannot reach the heights of greatness without stumbling over the rocks of defeat. You cannot have one without the other. Instead of fearing failure, embrace it as the recognition that you are indeed risking much in order to achieve much.

“Far better it is to dare mighty things, to win glorious triumphs -�even though checkered by failure -than to take rank with those poor spirits who neither enjoy much or suffer much, because they live in the gray twilight that knows not victory nor defeat.” - Theodore Roosevelt

Jun

1

Leadership Lessons from Darth Vader

Post Category: Blog Posts, Culture, Leadership 

This is my final post in the Star Wars blog series celebrating the 30th Anniversary of the Star Wars saga. Today let’s�look at�the original man in black - Darth Vader.

  • “The Death Star will be completed on schedule.” - Ok, how many of you have ever been involved in a Church building project? You know how tough it is to get things done on schedule, right? I’ve always been a little jealous of Darth Vader. I mean come on, if I could show up and choke people using the force I could get a church built on schedule too! (Memo to self: Hire Darth Vader as the General Contractor for your next building project)
  • “You underestimate the power of the Dark Side. If you will not fight, then you will meet your destiny!”� - Here’s an idea for the next time you’re in a meeting where things are not going your way. Stash a light saber under the table and when someone begins to disagree with you stand up and say “You underestimate the power of the Dark Side. If you will not fight, then you will meet your destiny!” It will get results.
  • “Don’t be too proud of this technological terror you’ve constructed. The ability to destroy a planet is insignificant next to the power of the Force.” - Ok, this one is for all of you out there who have ever felt intimidated by the tech guys on staff. The next time one of them comes to you and explains to you how they fixed your computer just reply with this quote. They will fear you.

Don’t forget to vote in my Star Wars poll in the column to the right. Thanks for reading!

May

31

Leadership Lessons from Obi-Wan Kenobi

Post Category: Blog Posts, Culture, Leadership 

Obi-Wan KenobiThis is the second in a series of blog posts celebrating the 30th anniversary of Star Wars. These movies are some of my favorites but also have some great quotes. Master them and strong in the force you will be.

Today we are looking at some leadership principles from Obi-Wan Kenobi. This strong Jedi warrior wasn’t much of a fan of shaving or fashion but he did have some great stuff to say.

  • “Who’s more foolish: the fool, or the fool who follows him?” - This is a great quote. It’s one thing to do foolish things and make a fool of yourself but what do we say about those who follow these fools? Proverbs 13:20 says “Whoever walks with the wise will become wise; whoever walks with fools will suffer harm.”
  • “In my experience, there’s no such thing as luck.” - There is too much riding on what we do to rely on luck. When lives are on the line and people’s souls hang in the balance we would be fools to simply hope that we’re doing the right thing. Be prudent and plan to do what you do the best you can and let God bring the increase.
  • “Use the force, Luke.” - In other words, don’t try to do it all on your own. That will only bring failure. We are only successful when we let God’s spirit flow through us in all that we do. We plant and water but God brings the increase (1 Cor. 3:6-10). We prepare the horse for battle but the outcome belongs to God (Prov. 21:31).
  • “That’s no moon. It’s a space station.” - Not much here in the way of leadership principles but this is one of my favorite star wars quotes. It’s one of those “Oh crap!” moments! By the way, if you’re ever walking in the moonlight with a girl and she comments on how beautiful the moon is, you won’t get a lot of mileage by responding with this quote. They fail to appreciate the humor for some reason.

Ok, I want to know how many true Star Wars fans are out there. Vote in my poll in the column to the right. May the force be with you.

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