Lead Humbly | The Path of Servant Leadership
I’ve recently been asked to provide a brief leadership presentation to students in grades 6 – 12 this month as part of a summer leadership program. I’ve got one hour to talk to a diverse group of young adults on leadership. One hour to make an impact. I’m used to giving presentations to adults, from college-aged to executive management. But, middle and high school-ers? Where do I begin? I sat and fuddled around for a bit before settling on a topic. There is a lot to talk about when it comes to leadership, especially when it comes to helping to grow the next group of leaders. What are...
Read MoreActing Out in Public: A Post About the Essence of Leadership
If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader. - John Quincy Adams We (me included) talk a lot about philosophy of leadership and the ideals of life and leading. We talk a lot about vision and moving people and building relationships. We TALK…. A LOT. Us younger leaders are especially good at this. We’ve become acustomed to making ourselves and the work we’re doing sound much better and effective on twitter than it is to the people it’s touching. We can spin things in coversations and in blogs to make it sound...
Read More10 Leadership lessons I learned from the golf course
I grew up playing golf. Throughout elementary school, middle school, high school, and college, I spent countless days hacking that little white, dimpled, frustrating ball. It was a sport that I grew to love, and still love even now. You may not think of the golf course as a beaker for leadership testing, but there’s a ton to learn, besides how to hit it long and straight. Which, between you and me, is a task much harder than leadership. The leadership I’m putting into practice today is specific for pastoral leadership. At the end of the day, though, people are people. Being a...
Read MoreBendy Leadership
I am a man of fixed and unbending principles, the first of which is to be flexible at all times. - Everett Dirksen Are you flexible? Not can you do a split or touch your toes, but are you flexible with those around you? The truth is, none of us are the same. None of us are going to do things the same way as the other. None of us are going to think the exact same way about about problem. None of us are going to deal with people the exact same way. None of us are going to see creativity in the same light. The key as a leader? To be bendy… to be flexible. Flexible with others when they...
Read MoreOpen-door decision making
When people are talking about what next step they should take, whether they should take a new job, buy a new house, or start a new relationship, they often talk about ‘open’ or ‘closed’ doors. “I was going to get married to _____, but God closed that door.” “I didn’t know what school I was going to go to, but God just kept opening doors to _____, so I just kept walking through them.” Ever heard a statement like that? If the door is metaphorically closed, it’s like trying to get into Ft. Knox. Or like trying to get your cable guy to shrink the time frame of when he’ll...
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