Next Generation Leadership

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10 reasons I'm hopeful and excited about the next wave of leaders

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I love leaders. And especially next generation leaders. Specifically those leaders who are currently in their 20's and 30's. And I’m incredibly hopeful regarding this next wave of leaders. Incredibly excited and hopeful and expectant. Expectant that they are going to take the reins and move things forward like no other generation before them. Here’s a few reasons why I've got great confidence in the next generation of leaders:

1. Passion for God. Everyone seems to think we've lost a generation of Christ followers in our country, but after seeing the 60,000 college students gathered at Passion Conference earlier this year, and the 20,000 + who gather at Urbana every other year, and the 20,000 who were just in Kansas City for the IHOP One Thing gathering earlier this year, and the thousands who gather at Catalyst, and Hillsong, Jesus Culture, Worship Central, and many other venues- this instills confidence that the next generation of leaders love Jesus and are passionate about serving Him and making Him known for their generation. Read Gabe Lyons' latest book The Next Christians for further explanation and clarity.

2. Willing to work together. 20 and 30 somethings are more willing to collaborate than any other generation before. They trust each other. Really. And see collaboration as the starting point, not some grandiose vision of teamwork that is far off in the distance. Collaboration is now the norm.

3. Don’t care who gets the credit.. For the next generation- it's way less about who, and way more about what and why. The next wave doesn't care who gets the credit. It's way more about "what's right" instead of focusing on "who's right."

4. Generosity and sharing are the new currencies of our culture. In business, relationships, networks, platforms, technology, distribution, content delivery, etc- Open source is the new standard. This new wave of leaders has tools/resources such as Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube, Flickr, Instagram, and tons more social media tools that make influencing much more readily available.

5. Understand the holistic responsibility of influence- They are wiilling to connect all of life together- faith, compassion, charity, work, career, church, family, friends. It’s all connected. There is way less compartmentalizing of life among the next generation of leaders. .

6. Authenticity wins. Trust is incredibly important. Leaders won't have followers going forward unless they trust them and see that they are authentic and real. Authenticity is not only important to the next generation, it's a requirement.

7. Not willing to wait. Young leaders are ambitious and passionate about making a difference now. They are not necessarily willing to wait their turn. They want to influence now. Evidence of this is the explosion of church planters in the last 4-5 years, along with social innovation and social entrepreneurs.

8. See social justice as the norm. Leaders who care about the poor and lean into causes and see the social gospel as a key ingredient to following Christ are no longer seen as the exception. Young Leaders see taking care of the poor and sharing the Gospel as BOTH crucial to the advancement of the Church and of God's Kingdom. 20 somethings I believe are and will continue to become more balanced in their pursuit of both. They don't have to be one or the other.

9. Seeking wisdom and mentors. Overall, I sense that 20 and 30 somethings are highly willing to be mentored, and are hungry for wisdom from older leaders around them. Those of us Gen X'ers tend to think we have it all figured out. Millenials and Gen Y are assumed to have it all figured out because they have so many tools and technology at their fingertips. But from what I've experienced, they still are seeking wisdom, just as much as any other generation before them.

10. Change the world mentality. The next wave of leaders have global visions way beyond generations who have existed before. They truly believe they can make a difference, have an impact, and build significance, regardless of resources, organizational help, team, and overall scale. This kind of vision inspires, and also forces leaders to work together, hence #2.

How about you? Are you excited or concerned about the next wave of leaders?

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Young Influencers List, November edition

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Here you go, the November edition of the Young Influencers List. You can see all the past month's lists here. 1. Jessica Kim - CEO/founder of BabbaCo, a start up specializing in content, activities, and innovative products for kids and busy mothers.

2. Katelyn Beaty- Managing editor of Christianity Today magazine, and also oversees the This is our City Project and co-founded Her.Meneutics.

3. Elijah Kirby- founding pastor of Fellowship Church London, a brand new church plant in Central London.

4. Hannah Joiner- creative director, Orange team member, and amazing artist/painter who has painted for us at Catalyst several times.

5. Darren Lau- graphic designer, videographer, web designer, and overall creative specialist. Currently working on JohnnySwim video and freelance graphic designer for Jesus Culture.

6. Jarrid Wilson- speaker, pastor, social media strategist at Logos, and author of 30 Words.

7. Andre "ZoOm" Anderson- London based artist, Olympics brand ambassador for Adidas, past intern with design agency Sid Lee, and author of  Kingdom: The Rise of the Creative Church.

 

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Friday with Friends: my recent interview with Sarah Cunningham on her new book

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It's Friday with Friends on the blog. So please meet Sarah Cunningham.
I first met Sarah Cunningham at a Catalyst conference almost a decade ago when the church she worked for, Westwinds, put on an experiential service for our attenders. She was in her early twenties and just getting ready to write her first book, Dear Church: Letters From a Disillusioned Generation.

"I was intensely driven back then," Sarah remembers, "But a lot of times, I took on tasks that were either bigger or faster paced than I knew how to emotionally manage. It led to some messy leadership rhythms for me early on."

Fast forward to 2013 and Sarah's now aiming to not only help people move beyond disillusionment with the Church (an updated version of her first book re-titled as Beyond the Broken Church comes out in May, 2014), but also to help them avoid some of the leadership traps that sidelined or slowed her down early on.

"I learned a lot by mistakes and by the generosity of smarter, healthier people who managed to drop life-penetrating wisdom into my world exactly when I needed it." Sarah explains, "Eventually, I got serious about collecting those insights that gave me a breath of fresh air and helped add health to my leadership rhythms."
Sarah's now capturing those insights in The Well Balanced World Changer: A Field Guide for Staying Sane While Doing Good which released last month. The book offers a collection of 2-5 page essays, each of which presents a sticky idea or piece of wisdom that helps reframe expectations, inspire perseverance, set healthy pace and so on.
I recently interviewed Sarah about the book:
Me: So much about leadership is about striving to accomplish something meaningful. Do you think leaders worry that being too "balanced" might hold them back in terms of achievement or drive?
Sarah: I do think a lot of us like being the man or woman who is known for hoisting a huge ambition on our backs and charging forward. That kind of intensity drives us and we like the hard work and energy and momentum it brings to our lives. But being well-balanced doesn't mean siphoning away that leadership energy. It can sometimes mean directing it.

For example, over the years, I've seen (and maybe at times been) the leader who secretly (or publicly) thinks their great ideas are being overlooked. Publishers are passing them by, conferences aren't platforming them. They become cynics who write attack blogs venting about how exclusive the "Boys Club" is. Granted, sometimes there is need to advocate for including more people. But for a lot of us, I think the "balance" in this stage isn't retreating onto your couch and switching your dream out to watch a sitcom. The balance is saying, "If I want to be perceived as someone who has something worthwhile to say about this subject, than I need to get out there and take action, make a dent, and prove I'm in it for the long haul. If I want to be considered legitimate, then the best thing I can do is get out there and BE LEGITIMATE."

Me: That kind of sentiment, that our dreams or goals aren't unfolding fast enough, is a common sentiment. Why do you think that is?
Sarah: It's true. One of the essays in The Well Balanced World Changer pokes a little bit of fun at the way we tend to idolize "overnight success" stories. We (or some news reporter) locks onto some great road to glory story like Seth Godin's, for instance. And we say, wow, look, Seth Godin gave away thousands of copies of his book and it skyrocketed him to fame. The media and publishers were beating down his door, rolling the red carpet up to his house all because he had that one fantastic idea. But what a lie we tell ourselves, right? Then we set our psyches up to think, "All I need is that one great idea and I'm going to make it big!" It would be way smarter for us to lock onto other stories that emphasize all the years of day-to-day hard work that Godin put in before that big idea of giving his book away was able to gain traction.
Me: That mentality can definitely set people up for failure. What do you think is often the biggest disappointment for leaders as they strike out after their goals?
Sarah: I think leaders are often passionate people. They feel their goals deep in their bones. Some cause or vision stirs inside of them white hot and they basically are compelled to bring it to expression. But the trouble is that they have this romantic idea that because their cause is so worthy and so noble and so high-priority for them that the world--or some industry or group--is going to immediately recognize and support their work. Sometimes that happens, but a lot of times it doesn't.
It's tough when we realize that even though we are fighting against the world's evils or working to make life or faith a better experience for many, cheerleaders don't always greet us when we step out of the house. It's tough when we realize that millionaires aren't going to line up at our door to bankroll our ideas or that volunteers aren't necessarily going to wrap around the block waiting for the chance to sponsor a child, donate to our cause, or take on a leadership role in our church or organization. There are these tough leadership moments when our ideals crash into reality and we have to figure out what to do next.
Me: And what do you suggest leaders do in those moments?
Sarah: The Well Balanced World Changer is basically dozens of stories that answer that question. But for one, I think we commit to self-management. That means we make a conscious effort to review our own patterns and history and become aware of the triggers that usually trip us up. And secondly, I think we intentionally make time in our schedules for ongoing assessment and re-calibration.
For me, a big part of that was learning that when a huge task is in front of me, I used to think the best question was to ask, "Can I do this? Do I have the skill sets? Can I work hard enough and long enough to get it done?" And now, as I stare those big dreams in the face, I tack on, "Can I do this? Do I have the skill sets? Can I work hard enough and long enough to get it done? AND...can I do it and stay healthy?"
Anyone can crash their lives and lose their heath, family, relationships and job pouring themselves into workaholism to achieve a goal. But real leaders manage what they take on so that they aren't just leading today but they're leading ten, twenty, thirty years from now.
Sarah's book is available on Amazon, at Barnes and Noble, and wherever books are sold. You can also find great shareable content at her book's Pinterest page. And you can contribute your own life lessons to an online collection of wisdom using the hashtag #worldchangerbook. You can find more great content at Sarah's blog. 

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Young Influencers List, October edition

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Here you go, the October edition of the Young Influencers List. You can see all the past month's editions here. 1. David Kim- Executive Director of Center for Faith and Work at Redeemer Presbyterian Church in NYC.

2. Elizabeth Dias- journalist, reporter, and religion and politics writer at TIME.

3. KB- rapper, songwriter, hip hop artist, pastor and boxer. (real name is Kevin Burgess)

4. Brooke Wright- director of marketing at Giant Impact, and founder of Mwana, creating and selling blankets to help friends in Malawi.

5. Morgan Blake- Atlanta based photographer, storyteller and designer; one of our photogs at Catalyst events.

6. Justin Zoradi- social entrepreneur, author, and founder and CEO of These Numbers Have Faces.

7. Laura Lasky- founder and executive director of Solace San Francisco, providing care to men/women in the sex industry, and victims of sex trafficking.

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An update on me, and why this Catalyst theme of KNOWN is so personal

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I am pumped about this theme of "KNOWN" we just concluded at Catalyst in Atlanta last week. And we'll be carrying this theme of KNOWN through the spring of 2014 with Catalyst West and Catalyst Dallas. If you weren't at the event, you can still plug in to post event stuff here. What do we mean by Known? Well, the simple idea is that to lead well, you have to wrestle with 3 key areas of your leadership- Identity, Calling, and Legacy. 

Identity is focusing on who you are, Calling is focusing on what you do, and Legacy is focusing on what you will be known for. 

Your identity starts with the understanding that you are radically loved by Jesus. That the God who KNOWS all truly KNOWS me. Being truly KNOWN means being truly loved by Jesus. Period. Such an unbelievable but radically incredible concept.

And getting to the heart of being known means you understand as a leader that Being comes before Doing. What we do is always determined by who we are. Your significance and security is founded solely on the idea that your identity is found in Jesus. And ultimately, I can truly Know myself, because I am truly Known by God. Remember: Who you are determines what you Do. We need Leaders who are leading from who they are.

Over the last 14 years, every Catalyst theme we've ever had has been personal. Mainly because these themes always flow out of felt needs for our team. They are personal to us. Every time. And this year is no exception. It's personal to me.

This theme of KNOWN is rocking my world. So much that I'm intentionally stopping. Taking a timeout.

Stopping at this point in my life to intentionally answer these questions:

1. Who am I? Really? Truly?

2. What has God called me to do for this season of vocational life, and even into the next season?

3. What do I want to be KNOWN for?

For the last 12 years, my own personal identity and calling has been wrapped up in being "the Catalyst guy," which is amazing and has always been a huge honor. But again, I think it's imperative for leaders, and I mean every leader, to stop. Take a pause. Evaluate. Rest. Recover. Refresh your mind, heart and soul. And reimagine.

So what does that mean for me? Well, I'm taking a 3 month sabbatical starting this week. In my 12 years of being a part of Catalyst, I've never really taken an extended vacation. I will basically be non available through the end of the year. On sabbatical.

The sabbatical will be a time for me to rest, recharge, connect with some of the key people in my life, spend some time doing a major leadership intensive and 360 feedback evaluation, and creating space in my life to think, dream and pray about what's next for me. This is something I'm incredibly grateful for. Everyone I've talked to says that taking a sabbatical gives fresh vision and perspective, and you return better than when you left. Leaders- we all have to step away at some point to get fresh perspective and vision. I've noticed in my own leadership the need to pause. Even this summer, I had several conversations and moments where I just realized that my own personal leadership was getting stale, I was in a rut, and needed to step away for an extended time just to refresh.

After the sabbatical my plans are to return to Catalyst, but not be in the same role that I've been in the last 12 years. Not sure what a new role will/should look like, but part of the strategy of this sabbatical is for me to step out of the day to day running of Catalyst, and let someone else step up. The plan is for Tyler Reagin to step up and be the Catalyst team leader, and really run the day to day of Catalyst, and we'll figure out how I fit in going forward. Again, part of the goal of the 3 month sabbatical will be to gain clarity on what the next season looks like for me, through study, prayer, reflection, conversations, and rest.

So why do I even share this with you?

Well, I want you to be in the know, but I also think there is a powerful leadership lesson here that I am getting the chance to live out. WhatI I've realized is that in many ways I am a case study for this theme of KNOWN. And I want my journey and current season to be of value and hopefully pass on lessons to other leaders.

Handing something off that you love is not easy. Stepping into a different role even though you feel like you are just starting to settle into something is not easy. Allowing those around you to take on more leadership and stewardship and make decisions differently than you, and go potentially in a different direction is not easy.

But it's time for me to pass the baton and move into a different role. This is a requirement of leadership. If we are going to do our job well as leaders, part of our responsibility is to pass the torch. To create a proper trail of succession. To realize that you are not the reason for the success, and the organization doesn't revolve around you, and life will go on once you've stepped into a different role, and that younger leaders on your team will step up and replace you.

I am passionate about raising up the next generation of leaders, and I want to make sure I am passing on the torch of Catalyst to the "next generation" way before I need to. I think this is a demonstration of proper stewardship and generational transfer. I've watched way too many organizations, and type A "founder" type leaders, hold on for way too long and continue to lead even when everyone around them and on their team were hoping they would step to the side. That is unacceptable.

There is no story behind the story in this case for me. No performance questions, no moral or personal failure, no personality conflicts, nothing besides just the continual pursuit of what is best for Catalyst, and what I feel like my role should be and what God is truly calling me to do. All of this started with me talking with a good friend Steve Cockram (some of you know him) and us having a conversation about Catalyst and my role and what the next 5-10 years look like. And I just realized that I want to make sure I hand off the running of things before I really need to, and also make sure I'm in a role that continues to challenge me and fits my skills and gifting. And positions me best to live out my calling for this next season, and ultimately leave a legacy.

I'll still continue to blog during my sabbatical over the next 3 months. And I'm also working on a 2nd book, so will be spending significant time writing, and will share some of those learnings and discoveries on the blog over the next couple of months.
Thanks for being part of the journey with me!

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Young Influencers List, September edition

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Here you go, the September edition of the Young Influencers List. You can find all the past month's names here.  

1. Kristen Wolfe- speaker, model, host, former Miss USA 2009 and editor of She is More.

2. Ian Elliott- marketing guru and partner at SEW Creative, and former global marketing manager for Quicksilver.

3. Grace Kim- director of partnerships and strategy for Good Magazine, founding member of Good/Corps.

4. Brad Cooper- NewSpring Church pastor, heads up Fuse, NewSpring student ministry.

5. Ben Habeck- CEO of Dime, accounting firm I highly recommend (they work with hundreds of musicians, non profits and churches, and me!)

6. John Onwuchekwa- lead teaching pastor for Blueprint Church in Atlanta, GA

7. Sarah Buchanan- co-founder and Executive director of the Kula Project, working to equip local farmers in Kenya with innovative farming methods to create sustainability.

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Young Influencers List, August edition

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Here you go, the August edition of the Young Influencers List. You can see all of the past month's editions HERE. 1. Colt McCoy- U of Texas legendary QB, co-author of The Real Win, and now part of the San Francisco 49ers. Listen to a recent interview I did with him here.

2. Sarah Pulliam Bailey- reporter/editor for Religion News Service, and previous online editor for Christianity Today.

3. Jedidiah Jenkins- idea maven at Invisible Children with a great Instagram account!

4. Myron Butler- grammy nominated artist, gospel musician, songwriter, and minister of music at The Potter's House Church in Dallas.

5. Elena Bondar- founder and CEO of Two Wings, helping at risk youth and survivors of sex trafficking in Southern California area.

6. Justin Miller- founder and Ex Dir of Care For Aids, partnering in Kenya with local churches to operate centers for those living with HIV/Aids.

7. Chris Carson- director of events, Coalition for Christian Outreach, leading the charge on the Jubilee Conference.

 

Any recommendations for future Young Influencers List? Leave in the comments section.

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What NOT to do as an emerging leader

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As an up and coming emerging leader, DON'T DO THESE: 1. Believe that you are "the answer."

2. Stop honoring those who've laid the groundwork before you.

3. Write off all the folks who finally helped you "arrive," who might suddenly seem insignificant or unimportant.

4. Remove yourself from reality by surrounding yourself with "handlers" and those only interested in being "yes" men and women.

5. Regard yourself as crucial, and ultimately more important than all others, in connection to the success of the organization or project.

6. Stop learning since you now know everything.

7. Make the mission of the organization all about you instead of truly about the mission.

DON"T DO THESE.

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Young Influencers List, July Edition

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Here you go, the July edition of the Young Influencers List. You can see all the past month's editions HERE. 1. Lusi Fang Chien- Harvard grad, Stanford business school, entrepreneur, and founder and CEO of 4Soils.

2. Ben Fielding- songwriter, worship leader and pastor with Hillsong Church in Australia. Co-written classics like Mighty to Save, Stronger, and Anchor.

3. Lizzie Wirgau- founder and CEO of Market Colors, a non profit that equips Africa men/women through selling of their handmade crafts.

4. Joe Sumrall- director of major gifts at Atlanta Mission, former advisor to Alabama Governor Robert Bentley, and husband to Sally Sumrall!

5. Andrew Wilson- pastor, writer, blogger, and elder at King's Church Eastbourne in the UK.

6. Tammy Sevcov- associate pastor at The Rock, Anaheim Foursquare Church, speaker and author of Single for Now.

7. Chinua Hawk- singer, songwriter, worship leader, amazing vocalist, and part of Catalyst house band the past several years. Check out album on itunes.

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Young Influencers List June edition

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Here you go, the June edition of the Young Influencers List. You can see all the past lists and monthly editions here. 1. Tindell Baldwin- speaker and author of new book Popular: Boys, Booze, and Jesus. Younger sister of Kristian Stanfill!

2. Seth Pinnock- London based, founder of the Midnight Oil Summit youth conf in the UK and also regional director for The Message Trust.

3. Jessica Taylor- humanitarian photographer, storyteller, and exec director of the IF: Gathering.

4. Jonathan Pearson- assistant dir of the Sticks Conference, campus pastor at Cornerstone Church in SC, and co-founder of MillenialLeader.com.

5. Jessica Rey- actress, former power ranger (for real!), and now founder of her own swimwear company.

6. Kevin Singleton- speaker, musician at Hillsong NYC, and founder and CEO of Elevate New York, an educational mentoring charity.

7. Mack Kitchel- founder and creative director at Heystac, a design and web services company.

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A Challenge to Young Leaders

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I Love Young Leaders. Catalyst exists to help equip young leaders, especially those under 40. I've invested a significant part of my life into connecting, gathering, inspiring and equipping young leaders. But this is a tribute to the leaders over 40 who so many of us under 40 too often think "don't really understand what's going on anymore."

So to all of my young, passionate, ready to change the world peers who are under 40:

SIT down, SHUT UP, and LISTEN!

SHUT UP, and LISTEN. To the sages and wise mentors in our lives, in our companies, in our organizations, in our families, in our churches. The leaders who've been there, who've succeeded and failed, who've experienced multiple recessions, who've actually watched technology advance, who don't just talk about experience but actually have it, who have been through the process of being Made into who they are today.

Before many of us who "think" we are the next great hope for saving our generation, or leading our generation in a whole new way, or reclaiming our culture, or just simply fill in the blank....... go any further, we need to find the mentors and sages and patriarchs and matriarchs around us and glean wisdom from them.

Every young leader I know could use a whole lot more Saged Leader in their life.

Especially those of us in our early 30's. In our early 20's many times we are still hungry and humble enough to seek out mentors, and find the 50 year old + sages who can provide wisdom and counsel. But for some reason, in our late 20's and 30's, especially our early 30's, we start to think we've grown up and got it all together, and that now we think instead of seeking wisdom and counsel, we should be giving it. We tend to lose the desire to learn by listening, and start to "protect our turf" by talking. And talking more. About what we've done and the things that we've accomplished..... over the last 10 years of our "career."

Many of us in the "next generation" of leaders need to put down the microphone, and instead get out a pen and paper and start taking notes.

So find a wise mentor, a seasoned sage, someone who's lived a little more, loved a lot deeper, prayed a lot harder, led alot longer, and sit down.....Shut up.....and Listen. To them.

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52 Quotes to inspire you to be a Better Leader

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Here is an exhaustive list of 52 Quotes on Leadership from me over the past several years.
These quotes and points are taken from my blog, as well as my twitter, facebook, speaking and other outlets. Thanks to Toni Ridgaway from Sermon Central for aggregating this list of quotes. You can see the original article here.
Most of these leadership quotes and principles also appear in The Catalyst Leader book. Enjoy!

ABOUT YOUNG LEADERS

  1. Today’s 20- and 30-somethings are more willing to collaborate than any other generation before. They trust each other. Really. And they see collaboration as the starting point, not as some grandiose vision of teamwork that is far off in the distance.
  2. For the next generation, it’s way less about who they’re working with and way more about what they’re doing.
  3. Going forward, leaders won’t have followers unless they trust them and see that they are authentic and real. Authenticity is not only important to the next generation, it’s a requirement.
  4. Young leaders are ambitious and passionate about making a difference now. They’re not willing to wait their turn. They want to influence now.
  5. Leaders age 35 and under in general are more about projects than they are about careers, more about movements instead of organizations. So if you want to keep us around in your organization, you’re going to have to pursue us. Show us you are approachable and connected to where we are in life.
  6. Literally, you need to kick them out. Not only give them permission to leave, but actually encourage them to leave and pursue other things. Once it’s time for them to move on, they might need your encouragement to pursue what God might be stirring up in them.
  7. Every young leader I know could use a whole lot more saged leaders in their life.

ABOUT VISION

  1. What keeps you up at night? This one is a familiar question for most leaders. What makes you cry? What makes you mad? What are the things that nag at you? This question has to do with what you are passionate about.
  2. What gets you up in the morning? This one is less familiar to most of us, but probably even more important. What keeps you and your team committed? Engaged and excited? This question has more to do with purpose.
  3. Don’t settle for just going through life enduring the five days of the workweek, to only have as your greatest goal of the week to make it to the weekend. Love what you do, or at least like it. It’s too important not to.
  4. As believers, as followers of Jesus, if we’re not chasing after something that is so much bigger than we are, and there’s no way we could ever accomplish it without God, then we are playing it too safe.

ABOUT DECISION-MAKING

  1. Making decisions as a leader is normal and ordinary and required. It’s why you are a leader. Embrace it.
  2. For big decisions, always sleep on them. The extra time will allow your decision to be made without the spontaneous emotion that comes with a spontaneous response.
  3. Create a culture of action in your organization. Many leaders quickly become overwhelmed with several decisions in front of them and then unintentionally paralyze the organization by avoiding them all.
  4. A lot of us as leaders are willing to allow our team members to make decisions, but want to step in as soon as we see something done differently than we would do. Don’t make that mistake. It is totally demoralizing to your team.

ABOUT CONFLICT

  1. Tension is a powerful platform to clarify what is important. Out of tension many times comes change—change for good.
  2. Generational tension is essential in passing the mantle of leadership. For the Church to move forward in culture, older leaders must pass on their wisdom and legacy to younger leaders.
  3. Leaders lead in the fray. Leading in the safety zone is easy, but true leadership happens in the fray where change is happening and there is a unique tug-of-war happening in that area.
  4. Tension among and within a team is healthy. Unity doesn’t mean there’s no tension. Unity means you are pursuing the same mission in the midst of real and purposeful tension.
  5. As a leader, lean into the tension that constantly exist. As Andy Stanley says, some tensions are meant to be managed, not removed.
  6. Four things poison a team faster than anything else: arrogance, lack of communication, “me-first” vs. “we-first,” and jealousy/cynicism.

ABOUT COMMUNICATING

  1. Keep it simple. Stay focused on a few key points. And use common sense. If it sounds confusing, it probably is. If it sounds cheesy, it probably is.
  2. Tell great stories to validate your points. Unless you are just an amazing communicator, your points probably won’t hold me. So sprinkle in some great stories, good analogies, and current events.
  3. Inspire action. Push me toward doing something, not just hearing something.
  4. Create hooks, repetitions, and memorable phrases. I won’t remember all you said, but I might remember something you said. Our current culture is now built around sound bites—status updates, tweets, texts, etc. So keep it simple, but also keep it short.
  5. Land the plane on time. Don’t just end on time, but actually end with the right timing. Don’t keep circling above the runway—land it now.

ABOUT LEADERSHIP

  1. 12 Characteristics of Leaders
    • Be humble
    • Be authentic
    • Be generous
    • Be Christ-like
    • Be the best at what you do
    • Be consistent
    • Be courageous, willing to go first and take risks
    • Be honest and trustworthy
    • Be thankful
    • Be a learner
    • Be inspiring and vision-giving
    • Be adaptable and open to change
  2. What pastors can learn from business leaders: (a) Collaboration (b) Excellence (c) Execution.
  3. What business leaders can learn from pastors: (a) Relationships first (b) Income for greater purposes (c) Leadership.
  4. You are never too good at what you do or who you are to need honest feedback from yourself, your peers, your family, and your friends. Seek it out constantly.
  5. The more humble you are, typically the more self-aware you are. The more arrogant you are, typically the less self-aware you are.
  6. You’re not that important, and you need to relax. Sometimes the more platform and position we get, the more seriously we take ourselves. Don’t.
  7. No one wants to work FOR or AROUND a leader who doesn’t understand who they really are.
  8. One of the keys for properly channeling your ambition is to have people around you who will tell you what you may not want to hear, trusted friends and advisors who are honest and authentic with you.
  9. As leaders, we are called to a higher standard. And as followers of Christ, an even higher standard. Set your standards so high that it may seem impossible to reach them.
  10. It drives me crazy when I see something done without excellence but with the excuse of “Well, it’s okay because our intentions are good.” Nope. Not good enough. Our God deserves our very best. Always.
  11. Comparing yourself to others just like you won’t challenge you or make you improve. Compare yourself to the best. Both inside and outside your industry. Learn from others who are better.
  12. “Us” is way better than “me” or “you.”
  13. Next time someone says “How have you all accomplished this?…” or “What do you plan to accomplish the rest of this year?…” or “Who is involved in making things happen within your organization?…” or “Talk about the keys to success for you?….” make sure you start your answer with “WE” or “US” or “OUR.”
  14. True influence is about more than just someone listening. It’s about action. And it’s about change. If I simply buy your book and read a few chapters, but don’t put anything into action, are you really influencing me? If I listen to you speak, but make no changes in my life or the way I lead, are you really influencing me? If I follow you on Twitter, but it doesn’t change anything for me, are you really influencing me?
  15. Teams that are excellent at what they do attract people who are excellent at what they do.
  16. A great statement in terms of trust: I’ll do what I said I would do, and if not, I will tell you.
  17. Ultimately, we create a culture of trust by trusting, and trusting more, and trusting even more.
  18. As leaders, if our team fears our response when they mess up, because they’ve seen our response and don’t want to deal with that, we need to change our response.
  19. I would much rather have a horse I have to hold back versus a horse I have to spur to get going.
  20. Whether you like it or not, you are ALWAYS training.

IN GENERAL

  1. The more you have, the harder it is to give it up. Doesn’t matter whether we are talking about money, possessions, toys, influence, team members, projects, or assignments.
  2. You are never really “ready” for anything. Some say that you should wait until you are “mature” enough to pursue certain things in life. But we’re never really ready, are we?
  3. Being remarkable 1. Takes a lot of energy. 2. Is not easy. 3. Requires a constant sense of improvement, innovation, and intuitiveness. 4. Is a clear commission from God. 5. Provides platform, credibility, and respect in the culture at large. 6. Steps up the game of those around you.
  4. We have to fight against the idea of just wearing a wristband and feeling like we’ve done something.
  5. WHO you are working with is just as important as WHAT you are working on.
  6. Love people until they ask why.
Thanks again to Toni Ridgaway from Sermon Central for putting together this list!

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Young Influencers List, May edition

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Here you go, the May edition of the Young Influencers List. You can see all the past month's lists here. 1. Ruth Awogbade- founder of Magnify, staffer with Alpha, and editor of Alpha Life Magazine

2. Michael McDowell- NASCAR Sprint Cup and Nationwide series driver

3. Benjamin Grizzle- executive director, securities division at Goldman Sachs in London, writer and speaker

4. Katie Strandlund- founder of Dirty Work, creative management for creative minds

5. Larry Hubatka- creative pastor at Elevation Church in Charlotte

6. Eryn Erickson- founder of So Worth Loving, a community helping people pursue their dreams

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6 Key lessons I learned in my 20's

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I love 20 something leaders. And I once was one of those crazy young leaders intent on changing the world, not that long ago. My 20's were a special decade in my life, and a few key lessons emerged from that time that might be helpful for those of you in your 20's, or those of you coaching/leading those in their 20's. 1. Use your 20's to build a foundation for your 70's. Create deep roots that will give you a foundation for when you are older. Finishing well means starting well.

2. Don't worry about climbing the ladder. There's no longer a ladder anyway. It's more like one of those spiral staircases. And sometimes you are going across or down when you think you might be climbing. So don't worry about it. Spend your 20's learning and having life experiences. Travel, explore the world, take on projects that seem fun.

3. If your "career" path doesn't make sense to anyone except for you, it's okay. My 20's: college at University of Oklahoma, wrangler on a guest ranch in Colorado, management consultant, business development officer, Magazine and media company, strategic business plan developer. Leadership development facilitator. WOW. That is all over the map. But God was orchestrating steps very clearly for what was next in my story. And continues to do so.

4. Be diligent and aggressive in developing your friendships and relationships. Create a core group of close friends who you want to do life with. This group may change a bit over the years, but it is imperative to find a circle of trust that you are committed to and they to you.

5. Figure out who you want to be, not what you want to do. Who you are is more important that what you do or where you live. Spiritually, financially, family, emotionally, relationally. Find two or three older, wise "sages" that you can learn from and count on as help.

6. Say yes to as much as you can. Your 2o's are typically a decade with minimum responsibilities. So because of that, say yes to everything you can. Global mission trip... yes. Mentoring from a respected leader.... yes. Chance to learn from a top notch CEO.... yes. Spend a season working in London or Hong Kong or Sydney or New York... yes. You get the point. Pursue lots of opportunities- it will help you refine and define your calling.

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Young Influencers List, April edition

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Here you go, the April edition of the Young Influencers List. You can see all the past editions here. 1. Graham Bronczyk- worship pastor/leader at Newport Church in CA.

2. Jasmine Star- artist, blogger, and world renowned photographer and wedding photog extraordinaire.

3. Artie Delgado- uber talented videographer, director, editor, storyteller and founder of Brink Films.

4. Rebekah Lyons- author of brand new book Freefall to Fly, and co-founder of Q Ideas.

5. Ryan and Josh Shook- speakers and authors of the book FirstHand, and sons of Kerry Shook.

6. Dustin Ahkuoi- singer, songwriter, worship leader, and lead vocals for A Town A List.

7. Amelia Quinn and Kelley Stagnaro- founders of BeLoved Atlanta, residential home community for women leaving the sex industry.

 

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