On the Journey

Great time in Miami over the weekend with Brian Houston and Hillsong United. 

Spent Thursday evening and most of the day on Friday with Brian Houston and 35 senior pastors from churches around the country. Amazing time of connection and learning. 

Then Friday night with the Hillsong United team and all day Saturday (and late Saturday night!!). Love hanging with these great friends. Joel, Brooke, Luke, Jason, JD, Jad, Scott, Matt, Brad, Sanga, Phil, and several others. Each time I am around the entire team I am more thankful and grateful for their unbelievable global ministry. Impacting millions around the world. Great conversations, and amazing times of worship! 

More in the next several days regarding the November 4th release of the feature documentary film “We’re All in this Together” from Hillsong. Will be in 500 theaters around the US. You’ll definitely want to attend. 

Here you go, the August edition of the Young Influencers List. You can see all the past editions here. 

1. Joel Houston- creative director and producer for Hillsong and worship leader for Hillsong United. Force behind the upcoming “We’re All in This Together” film which will release in US Theaters in November. 

2. Josh Shipp- speaker, author and emcee. Impacting teens in a major way. FOX has called him the Dr. Phil for teenagers. 

3. Naomi Zacharias- founder of Wellspring International, an organization helping women and children in need around the world. 

3. Zach Hunter- teenage abolitionist, activist, and author. Started the movement Loose Change to Loosen Chains. 

4. Blair Wingo- model, actress, and spoken word artist. Known best for this spoken word version.

Today (Thursday, August 27th) is the last day to save big on Catalyst Conference tickets. The early bird deadline day as we call it around here…. wonder what famous animals or celebrities will show up at the Catalyst offices today???

So, make sure to register today for Catalyst. It’s going to be an amazing leadership experience. I know I am biased… but look at the speaker lineup. Seriously!

All your friends will be there. And I will be there. And Andy will be there. And Lanny will be there. 

Speaking of Lanny….. as we prepare for October, Lanny thought it would be wise to help all of us better understand the real meaning of our theme “On Your Mark.” In his own style and in his own words……

The Hole in our Gospel by Richard Stearns. Let me just say that the first chapter made me cry like a baby. Needless to say, the book is good.

Think Orange by Reggie Joiner. If you are a church leader, you need to read this book. Period. 

The Principle of the Path by Andy Stanley. Required if you are currently breathing. 

How the Mighty Fall by Jim Collins. Reading this book for a second time. 

Too Small to Ignore by Wess Stafford. President of Compassion International.

So, one of my keys to creativity is pretty simple:

Find others who are more creative than me and figure out a way to make them a part of my team.

Evidenced by the last couple of days. This morning was Carlos and Jeff in the office thinking through experiential elements, opening session, transitions, Red Carpet, and theme for West Coast. 

This afternoon was Jonathan meeting about bumpers, title treatments, opening video, staging, and creative technical production ideas. 

Also this afternoon was Jason thinking through West Coast theme, design, website, brochure, and branding. 

Monday afternoon was Brian in the office going over program, minute by minute, and creative direction. 

Tomorrow is Lanny and Reggie and Ken going over program and transitions and fun stuff. 

Earlier this week was Tripp working on a great video series for the event. Tyler writing great copy and adding creative energy as well.

All of these talented folks are part of our team, but none of them are “full-time.” Would love to hire them full-time, but probably not going to happen. The great thing is, I can tap into their creative energy and talent as is. 

The key is simple- find others around you who are talented, and get them involved in what you are doing. Your creativity and talent ratio will increase exponentially.

I love watching the Little League World Series. What a great picture of what sports is all about. A few leadership lessons and observations I’ve noticed from the Little Leaguers:

1. It’s not just about the destination, but also the journey in getting there. These 12 and 13 year olds have fun in every game, regardless of where and when.

2. It’s about the team, and not individual players. No one player is bigger or more important than the team.

3. There is complete trust in the coach as the leader of the team. Seems like this should be a no-brainer, but not the case anymore, whether a CEO, head coach, or project manager. 

4. Every player still wants to learn- there is a hunger to constantly get better.

5. Sportsmanship is not just a requirement, it is an identity. These kids are competitive, but understand the legacy and responsibility of being good sportsmen. Now if we can just keep the parents in line in the stands!

So you wanna program events, huh? My world right now. And this is just one small event in Atlanta in seven weeks…….

What’s your home turf? The “thing” you are better at than anyone else in the world? Whatever it is, protect and defend it. 

Work on it. Think about it. Develop it. It’s your home turf. Your home field advantage. If you are not an expert at it, someone else is.

LV Hanson, smack dab in the middle of the Catalyst National Tour, recently caught up with Mark Bankord and team at Heartland Community Church in Rockford, IL, about 90 minutes west of Chicago. 

The Heartland team shares how their leadership culture and structure has created a great environment for attracting and retaining young leaders. They discuss their flattened leadership hierarchy and how the team approach works.

Check it out.

Let’s face it- young leaders are the future of your organization. Whether you like it or not, they will soon take over and be running the show. Your show. My show. 

So why are there certain organizations and certain leaders who always seem to attract younger leaders to their team? Whether a pastor, entrepreneur, CEO or non-profit Executive Director, there are certain leaders, certain teams and certain organizations that EVERY young and ambitious leader wants to be a part of.

What is it about THIS leader who attracts young leaders? Such a draw that young guns are willing to jump on board with them and storm the castle.

1. humility, combined with incredible passion and skill. Jim Collins writes about this as the key characteristic of a level 5 leader.
2. Unwavering commitment to reaching their desired audience and accomplishing the mission. Know the hill they are climbing and willing to fight to get to the top. 
3. The IT factor- hard to explain, but easy to spot. 
4. Collaboration and not competition, celebrating others victories along with your own.
5. Willing to give over responsibility vs. a “wait your turn” mentality- will allow young leaders to lead if they are qualified and can handle it. 
6. Authenticity- They keep it real. Young leaders clamor towards authentic and honest leaders. 
7. Open to change- if they are not open to change no one will follow them (thanks Shinabarger on this one)
8. Can have at least a little fun. Like attracts like. It’s a reality= regardless of age, demographic, and style.
9. Passionately create a culture that takes risks, allows for failure, and thinks outside the box. 

Part Four in the “Organizations Doing Good” series. You can see the full list here. 

1. Prison Entrepreneurship Program- known as PEP. Started by good friend Catherine Rohr. Working in multiple prisons throughout the state of Texas helping inmates re-enter culture with business skills and business models that will help them succeed. 

2. 410 Bridge- strategically connecting churches in America with churches in Kenya through a number of partnerships and initiatives. Co-founded by longtime Catalyst emcee Lanny Donoho. 

3. Charity: Water- organization focused on bringing clean and safe drinking water to people in developing nations. Founded by good friend Scott Harrison, they have raised over 7 million in a two year span to fund almost 1300 projects globally. 

4. KIVA- connecting people through one-to-one lending for the sake of alleviating poverty. Co-founded by Jessica Jackley, KIVA has helped facilitate over 80 million in microfinance loans over the last 4 years. 

5. I-Heart- initiative started by Joel Houston and good friends at Hillsong. Focused on bringing awareness to injustices around the world. Releasing a short film in the US in theaters across the country this fall. More info on the release date soon.

A great day on an incredible houseboat with friends.

This is hilarious. Thanks Louie! 

Welcome to the world of Tweets. Can’t wait for Tuesdays with Tozer….

Follow Louie here. 

Young and Hungry- What to do?

I talk to leaders all the time, especially those under the age of 25, who are seeking the quick credibility answer. How do I get credibility now and not have to wait until I am in my mid 30’s or early 40’s before people will respect and respond to me? 

Well, great question.

Not sure I have the answer you are looking for. But, I have a theory. The Credibility theory.

Starts with an equation, since I was a math minor in college….. Ultimately, credibility is this:

C = T  x  (E  + E). Credibility = Time (times) Experience + Expertise.

To give some context, here are some thoughts to best gain credibility now:

1. Listen. Simple enough
2. Find those who are smarter than you, and latch on. Learn from them.
3. Become an expert before you need to be- when you are asked for your opinion or involvement, give it or do it.
4. Self awareness and self identity- know who you are. You are young- deal with it. Don’t think you know more than you really do.
5. Stay focused, but broad. Those who have the most credibility no longer are just experts in one area. You need to be a generalist.
6. Learn how to follow. And follow really well. It will position you for authority later. 

The recent Catalyst podcast features an interview with Francis Chan (done by our West Coast correspondent Mike Foster) as well as catching up with Steve Fee and hearing about the new album from FEE that will be releasing at Catalyst in October. 

You can listen by streaming here, or can download from itunes as well. 

And if you are a golfer, we are throwing out an opportunity in this episode for one person to join us in a foursome sometime in the next couple of months. Listen in for details!

Evidence that I really did meet Mike Smith, the head coach of the Atlanta Falcons last week!

Ken Coleman and I had the chance to join Jon Gordon, the best-selling author of The Energy Bus, The No Complaining Rule, and his most recent book Training Camp, as he spoke to the Atlanta Falcons team during camp last week. 

We got to spend some extended time with Coach Smith in his office, which was a great experience. Jon spoke to the team for around 30 minutes, and then we ate dinner with the players. Of course, I felt like a kid in a candy store. Seeing a team and these players “up close” in their environment is pretty inspiring. 

My good friend David Hodges is releasing a brand new EP today on itunes. It is great. I just bought it. Go buy it now. 

The title of the album is “The Rising.” Believe me, you’ll love the album. TODAY is the release date. 

David is a grammy award winning artist, songwriter, and musician. He has earned great respect in the music community over the last couple of years. He was a founding member of the band Evanescence, and has written for Kelly Clarkson’s multi-platinum album, “Because Of You”  and Celine Dion’s “This Time”. He is currently touring and performing with Chris Daughtry, another friend he has written hit singles for on the album “What About Now”. Hodges recently worked with Celine Dion on her latest album “Taking Chances” and continues to write and collaborate with today’s leading artists, including David Archuleta.

David is a great friend and doing amazing work in the music industry. As a community, I am asking everyone who is part of this small tribe we have created here to support his great work and encouraging you to invest $3.99 on iTunes today and be one of the reasons his music climbs the charts and more people are exposed to his talent. Check it out, buy it and let me know what you think. 

Many of us deal with a board of directors, especially in the non profit arena. I serve on a couple of boards for ministries I am involved with. Being on a board can be a great experience, both for the board member and for the executive director/president. It can also be incredibly frustrating and taxing, especially to the leader in charge of the organization.

So thought I would provide a few points here on the role of a board. This is based on some thoughts recently from Leroy Barber, the President of Mission Year. Leroy has served on a number of boards and has lots of experience, both serving on boards and working for boards.

So what is the ultimate responsibility of a board of directors?  Again, specifically as it relates to non profit charities or ministries, there are a handful of very important things: 

1. Give, get, or get off- give money, go get some money, or get off the bus. 

2. One employee, one customer- sole focus of the board is the role and responsibility of the executive director. Don’t mess with the rest of the organization. It’s not the role of  the board.

3. Health and stability- take care of your executive director and make sure they are healthy and stable. Their sense of well being is your responsibility. 

4. Carry the vision-  own the vision of the organization. It can’t just be owned by the visionary or founder. 

5. Stay in your strengths- make sure the board members are operating in their areas of strength. In their areas of interest and focus. Not just serving on a committee just for the committee’s sake. 

6. Replace yourself- find other potential board members who can take your place. Succession and legacy are critical.

Great time in Chicago with some great friends, including Darren Whitehead, Jon Tyson, Gabe Lyons, Mike Foster, Catherine Rohr, and many others.

Loved hearing from Bill Hybels earlier this morning. Such a passionate leader and incredible communicator.

If you are here at Leadership Summit, let me know.

I am currently reading Jim Collin’s book How the Mighty Fall. A must read for any leader. A must read for any employee. 

Collins lays out five principles for why the mighty fall, based on research done by his amazing team in their Boulder, CO research “bunker.” His second principle on why the mighty fall is “the undisciplined pursuit of more.” In this chapter, he talks at length about making sure you have the right people on your team, which is crucial to making sure you are staying on track and disciplined as an organization. 

As he writes, “any exceptional enterprise depends first and foremost upon having self-managed and self-motivated people- the #1 ingredient for a culture of discipline…. If you have the right people, who accept responsibility, you don’t need to have a lot of senseless rules and mindless bureaucracy….. When bureaucratic roles erode an ethic of freedom and responsibility within a framework of core values and demanding standards, you’ve become infected with the disease of mediocrity.” 

Wow. The right people on the team vs. the wrong people on the team. And as Collins states, a notable distinction between the wrong person and the right person is the way they view their role in the organization. The wrong person sees their role as a “job,” while the right person sees their role as a set of “responsibilities.” It is not about your job title, but more about your personal sense of ownership.

“I’m the one person ultimately responsible for X and Y. When I look to the left, to the right, to the front, in back, there is no one ultimately responsible but me. And I accept that responsibility.” 

This is what you want your key people saying. A crucial ingredient to creating a culture of discipline within your organization.