Another post from Scott Williams...good stuff

I may be re-posting some leadership things from Scott...hope you enjoy!

Leadership is an art and it’s an art that anyone can learn.  The harsh reality is just because someone learns an art form doesn’t mean they will be good or effective at that particular craft.

Think about all of the painters, musicians, communicators, or artists of any sort; although they have learned an art very few get through the threshold of simply being an artist, to being an effective artist.  That same statement is true forThe Art Of Leadership. There are many leaders who never become effective leaders.

Becoming effective is about creating the desired results and then some.

Here are 6 Steps To Become An Effective Leader:

• 1. Recognize- Recognize that leadership is a gift, an art, a craft… that has to be continually developed.  Seek out and be willing to learn from effective leaders who have developed this craft we call leadership.
• 2. Realize- Realize the fact that although leadership is a craft, it is not rocket science. STOP MAKING IT SO DIFFICULT.  I repeat, unless you are a leader at NASA, your leadership role is not rocket science; chill-out and quit making things so hard on yourself and others.  BTW- If you are a leader at NASA or a rocket scientist, you should probably be asking the tough question: “Is what we do still necessary or relevant?”
• 3. Remember- Remember The Golden Rule: “Do unto others as you would have others do unto you!”  Most leaders’ barley remember the bronze rule, let alone The Golden Rule.  As a leader it’s important to care about your people, to love your people, to care about their interests, care about their success… to treat them how you would want and expect someone to treat you.  Remember in order to become an effective leader you have to understand that ”Relationships Matter!”
• 4. Replicate- Replicate what works and don’t force things that don’t work.  Don’t try to be a replicate of another leader or simply replicate exactly everything you have read in a book, but rather replicate the effective “What Works” concept into an appropriate context of who you are and what you do!
• 5. Resurrect- Resurrect a dying team member; an effective leader has the ability to take a dying team member on the verge of being fired or giving up and help resurrect them into a story that begins with this sentence: “There was a time when so and so team member was on the verge of being fired and so and so leader believed in them… Wow, Look at how successful they are now!”
• 6. Reinvent- Reinvent the way leadership is carried out!  Break the box, find a new way, figure out what works for you, don’t be scared to be different, reinvent what might has been seen as irrefutable.  Reinvent out of hunger, creativity, thinking, believing, seeking etc.  Don’t reinvent for the sake of reinventing!  Remember the phrase,”Don’t reinvent the wheel” applies to those who reinvent for the sake of reinventing!

Have you seen any of these steps carried out?  Share your thoughts on these steps or what it means to be an Effective Leader!

It's been a while!

Here is something I found today that I thought I'd share:

Scott Williams, thebigisthenewsmall.com:

I’m currently in Memphis, Tennessee leading a Micro-Conference for Executive Ministry Leaders.  There are some amazing leaders here, with some very sharp minds.  I love the fact that anytime I go to speak somewhere, I’m always challenged and always learn.

Last night over dinner there was a nice spirited debate over video teaching and then it moved to the fact that an Internet church or Church Online Service or Experience is not real community.  I emphatically disagreed and we debated on and on and back and forth.  It was a great discussion and I’m the kinda guy that says, “Don’t knock it until you’ve tried it.”  I invited them to check out LifeChurch.tv church On-line.

In the past I have always made the below 9 Points About Why On-line Relationships are Real and I would think these same points apply to on-line church.  Especially if the on-line church is set up in the manner that LifeChurch.tv Church Online is set up.  There is a dedication to that community that is very similar to a physical campus and the relationships and life change is real.

9 Reasons Online Community and Relationships are Real

• 1. When someone visits/comments on your Blog, Facebook, Myspace, Twitter etc., that interaction is as meaningful as you interacting with someone at your office, the coffee shop, the gym…
• 2. People are sometimes more authentic and vulnerable in Social Media than in person.  Sometimes you will be sitting right next to someone and not even know that they’re having a bad day.  On the other hand, that same person is blogging and twittering about the bad day they’re having.
• 3. It’s easier to connect with people of similar interests in an online environment than in a offline environment.  Everyone is one click or one search away.
• 4. A person has the ability to overcome interpersonal struggles, as they can be an online extrovert, even though they may be an offline introvert.
• 5. You can evaluate individuals daily interaction, lifestream, thoughts, dreams, perceptions, struggles etc. through Social Media in a short amount of time.  It may take twice as much time to capture the same information In Person.
• 6. Candor is acceptable and encouraged in the Social Media world and that is not always the case In Person.
• 7. It’s much easier to overcome demographic barriers in the Social Media World.
• 8. Online Relationships are more convenient, which is a huge benefit in our fast-paced microwave world.
• 9. You can positively impact the lives of others daily through Social Media without ever knowing you had an impact.  Your posts, tweets, comments, blogs, chats and overall online presence truly make a difference in the lives of others.

It's FRIDAY!

Greatest Expression of Love

Interesting thought I would like to present to you.  Jesus said that the greatest expression of love can be shown when you are willing to lay down your life for your friends.  Now, we can see a very clear example of this in Jonathan (King Saul's son) and David (giant killer).  Jonathan was heir to the throne and of high class and David was a common guy, son of a herdsman.  Logically, these two should not have been friends.  However, they were BFFs!  David became a threat to the throne and Saul wanted him dead.  Jonathan decided that the call on David's life was much more important than his future as king.  He was willing to give up his royal aspirations to see David's God-ordained destiny fulfilled.  That's true love! 

True love can be identified when a person is willing to surrender oneself.  I've never been in the position to sacrifice my life for someone else.  But what I've learned from this story of love is that we need to be willing to put our needs second and the needs of others around us first.  I know that's easier said than done.  However, we are called to be like Christ and show the love that Christ has for us to those around us.  Love God and love people. 


Just something I'm thinking on.  I'm going to preach this on Wednesday.  God bless.