Wednesday Five- on being a good employee

As promised, it's the Wednesday Five. Five more thoughts on being a good employee, peer, or partner in your organization or on an initiative or project you are participating on.  1. Listen well- listen when in a conversation, don't just think about what you are going to say in response. Listen for next steps, not current realities- this has to do with anticipating. 

2. Reflect most of the credit, take all the blame- this is more for leaders, but still a great principle to put into practice no matter what level you are in the organization.

3. Never speak negatively of your peers for personal gain- wow, this is a hard one for everyone. Especially when your boss or superior wants to pit you against that peer and see how you respond. Don't give in to that. Stay above it. 

4. Push back- almost every leader I know wants their team members to challenge the process, question assumptions, bring new ideas to the table, and push back when they don't agree. Don't be afraid to do this. If your leader is not mature enough to take this, then they probably shouldn't be in the position they are in. 

5. Take on more responsibility- ask for more power and involvement, and you'll be lifting the load of your employer or boss. That is always a welcomed conversation. Help by taking on more.

Recent Creative Meeting- Dance Challenge

A glimpse into a recent Catalyst creative meeting with Jeff Shinabarger, Ken Coleman, Reggie Joiner, Lanny Donoho, Melissa Kruse, and Brian Cole.  While throwing out a bunch of ideas, one was brought up that we thought would be great, although we received some pushback from the two folks we need involved- Reggie and Lanny. 

So take a look and join in and help us convince Lanny and Reggie that we've got a great idea here that needs to happen!

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Learn from everyone

This is a mantra that I have always believed in. You can always learn something from everyone. Anyone. Whether you are a seasoned CEO, mid-level manager, Senior Pastor, non-profit Executive Director, or recent graduate, it's crucial that you live out and understand this principle.  Having spent several years working for and around John Maxwell, I saw this principle lived out on a consistent basis. John would listen and take notes at conferences, regardless of who was speaking. If John was meeting with a small group, he would always ask them what they were learning or reading, and then jot that down. He truly lived out this principle.

One of the classic moments in Catalyst history was a panel interview in 2002 featuring John, Andy Stanley, and Erwin McManus. Erwin was sharing a thought, and John looked down in the front row at his long-time assistant Linda Eggers and gave her the nod signaling he needed his pen and notebook. As Erwin is sharing, Linda hands John the pen and notebook and John starts taking notes. Pretty funny and a classic moment, but also evidence of a lifelong learner.

My two at Wimbledon

Watching the Wimbledon men's final yesterday featuring Andy Roddick and Roger Federer was inspiring. I usually don't watch tennis, but I watched every single point, game, set and ultimate match. It was amazing. Both of them deserved to win. Made me want to be there in the stands.  And speaking of in the stands, there were lots of celebrities, accomplished athletes, and former Wimbledon champions in attendance. 

So earlier today on Pardon the Interruption, they asked the question of who would you want to sit next to at Wimbledon in the stands- between Woody Allen, Russell Crowe, Henry Kissinger, and Ralph Lauren, all of whom were in attendance. Very interesting question. I'm going with Russell Crowe. Although talking with Henry Kissinger would be amazing, but might be tough to pick up his words because of the accent and the amount of whispering that has to be done at a tennis match

This made we wonder- who are the two I would want in the royalty box with me if I could get 3 seats for the Wimbledon finals? 

John McEnroe for the tennis expertise, and Shaquille O'Neal for the laughter and commentary. Runner up and on deck would be Bob Costas.

Art for Humura Children's Home in Kenya

Check out this great project - Art for Humura.  Barton Damer and Promise (Tangeman) Wurzell are teaming up during the month of July to collaborate on this worthwhile art project that will help raise money for the Humura Children's Home in Kenya. Both are very talented designers. Round one of the artwork is already up here. 

The final art piece will be printed and then available for purchase, either as a t-shirt or poster print. You can follow the progress of the Art for Humura project throughout the month of July, as the design will be passed back and forth between Barton and Promise, demonstrating the power of collaboration. 

You'll want to pre-order the t-shirts or posters, as they will definitely be worth it, and going towards a worthy cause.

My Strengths

Just took the Clifton Strengths Finder Test again. Been a couple of years since I last took it.  Top Five in order: Achiever, WOO, Strategic, Includer, Activator

Last time I took it (3 years ago): Achiever, WOO, Focus, Empathy, Includer

If you've never taken it, WOO is "Winning others over"

Myers Briggs for me: ENTJ

DISC test- very high D and I, very low S and C

Interview with Louie Giglio, part 2

Part 2 of my interview with Louie Giglio is now available. I sat down with Louie at the Passion House for a two part interview on several topics, including the issue of calling, Passion 2010, his leadership style, Passion City Church, and what he's dreaming about next.  You can stream here or download from itunes. 

And if you missed part one of the interview, it's available as well. Same links.

A few thoughts on being a good employee

Here you go, 5 points on Wednesday to help you be a better employee, partner, or peer to others in your organization. 1. write everything down- never show up to a meeting without something to write with and something to write on. And write it down. Everything. Otherwise you'll forget. I don't care who you are. 

2. honor people's time- show up early and finish on time.

3. come with solutions, not just ideas- this is crucial. move towards completion, not away from it. 

4. learn how to anticipate- be one step ahead. do something every day you weren't "asked" or "told" to do, but know you should do. 

5. be a disciplined learner- understand it's your role to be an expert, no matter what level or role you play in an organization. Don't just be one step ahead of your boss in being skilled at your job.... be an expert. 

5 more next Wednesday......

Catalyst Brainstorming Meeting

Having a big brainstorming meeting today with about 50 creative, highly energetic leaders. Thinking through how to make the Catalyst October experience one of the best ever.  Many of you obviously can't be here with us because of location. So if you have any ideas to throw in the hat, feel free to leave comments here and we'll add them to the list. Fun moments, programming, experience items, memorable videos, etc. 

As leaders, I encourage you to reach out to peers and other influencers in your area and include them in whatever initiative or project you are working on. The power of many minds collaborating, dreaming and creating together is much greater than you working on something alone. Whether you are planning a Sunday morning church experience, a staff retreat, a marketing plan, a business plan, or pitching a new product, it's always more fun and almost always more valuable when you include "outsiders" in the process.

Behind the Scenes with FEE

I am a big fan, and good friends with FEE. The band has been involved with pretty much every Catalyst event/experience the last several years. Steve Fee, Matt Adkins, Heath Baltzglier, and Brandon Coker are the real deal.  They are talented musicians and leaders, and also pretty fun to hang out with, as evidenced by the video below. A little behind the scenes at our recent Catalyst One Day gathering in Dallas. 

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Start (End) of Week quick hits

A few links and items of interest:  - interesting article in Fast Company on connecting to multi-cultural youth through mobile platforms.

- One of the best written books I've read in the last 10 years- As We Forgive, by Catherine Claire Larson, documenting stories of reconciliation from the Rwandan genocide. 

- The One Prayer campaign now is in the third week of four. 1900 churches and over 1 million in attendance represented by this global initiative of unity and prayer in the Church. We participated at 12Stone this morning with Craig Groeschel on video. 

- If you are a songwriter or musician, Wednesday, July 1 is the deadline for submitting a song for the Catalyst Music Project. More details on the site. 

- Good article in TIME on how Twitter is changing the way we live. 

- USA goes down to Brazil in the finals of the Confederation Cup, 3-2. Led 2-0 early in the first half. Valiant effort by the home team. Not a big soccer fan, but always cheer for the team wearing the USA jersey, no matter what the sport. We'll see if this changes the landscape of soccer in the USA. Probably not. 

- Check out this quick video of Catalyst's very own Jason Haynes tearing it up, prom 1987 style. Nice!

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What's Your Style of Leadership?

There are lots of tests, assessments, seminars, conferences, training centers, and workbooks available today that are supposed to help you determine your leadership style. Many of these are very helpful, and very accurate. I've taken lots of them.  But someone asked me the other day, "With only three words, describe your leadership style." I had to think about that one. Tough question. 

My answer: focus, fun, execute.

Obviously there is no right answer to that question, but those were the first three words that came to mind. I've seen this style manifested in all the different places over the last several years where i've had a leadership role.

A phrase that would describe our culture here at Catalyst that we use all the time: "work hard and play hard." Whatever we are doing, we give 110% and always want to deliver- an excellent result. Whether working on a brochure, programming, curriculum, or playing basketball or kickball at our office, we strive to be the best at everything we do. Another phrase I think describes my style is "calm but intense." Especially in environments like producing an event where things can be chaotic and multiple decisions have to be made instantly.

I believe this naturally flows out of my leadership style. Not sure if it is "in style" or not, but that's my style. Try three words for yourself- it's tough, but will help in determining your own style.

Charity: Water

The lack of clean drinking water around the world is a major problem. I saw this first hand in Rwanda. Outside of the major cities, Rwandans had no access to clean water, except in villages where water wells had been put in. This is a global challenge, and several organizations are working hard to combat it- Rwanda Clean Water, Blood:Water Mission, and Charity: Water among others. 

Had the chance to speak with Scott Harrison several days ago about Charity: Water and the great work they are doing. As the founder and chief visionary, his big goal is not just to combat the issue, but to solve it.

We discussed a BIG idea that he and the Charity: Water team are working on for 2010 that will put a major dent in the water crisis. Reality is- together we can do this, especially with the collective effort of the global Church in partnership with businesses, governments and NGO's. 

Make sure to check out the great work Charity: Water is doing. 

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-AqlLyLeJuQ&feature=channel_page]

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DEnlrE4iMBU&feature=channel_page]

Best rates for Catalyst Atlanta end today

Make sure to register today for the best rates on attending the Catalyst Conference in Atlanta on October 7-9, 2009. After today (Thursday), rates go up, so take advantage of the lower ticket prices now if you plan on attending. You can save up to $130 by registering early.  I know I am biased, but I think this year's speaker lineup is the best ever- Andy Stanley, Louie Giglio, Francis Chan, Matt Chandler, Malcolm Gladwell, Tony Dungy, Dave Ramsey, Chuck Swindoll, Rob Bell, Shane Hipps, Priscilla Shirer, and many more. 

Preview for this year.

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Highlights from last year. 

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Follower vs. Fan

Follower vs. Fan.Is there a difference?  Followers are committed. Fans can be fickle.

Followers trust their leader. Fans trust their leader only when it benefits them.

Followers want a vision. Fans want a show. 

Followers ask "what have i done for you?" lately. Fans ask "what have you done for me lately?" 

Followers are in for the long term. Fans are in for the short term. 

are you a follower or a fan?

Young Influencers List- June edition

The June edition of the Young Influencers List is here. Also, take time to check out the archives of YIL which includes all of the lists from past months. Again, no particular order or rank:

1. Scott Harrison- founder of Charity: Water, one of the leading organizations providing clean and safe drinking water to developing nations.

2. Esther Havens- brilliant photographer with an emphasis on capturing humanitarian issues all around the world.

3. Shaun Alexander- former All-Pro running back for Seattle, and college standout at Alabama. Now speaking in churches and at conferences all over the country along with running his foundation.

4. Peter Greer- President of Hope International, a leading microfinance organization helping provide small loans to individuals in developing countries.

5. John Saddington- social computing strategist, web junkie, and former web developer for some big time businesses, including Fox and NewsCorp. Now leading the online development as the Creative Web Director for North Point Ministries.

Catalyst Music Project

top if you are a songwriter, musician, or worship artist, I want to make sure you are aware of the Catalyst Music Project. Here at Catalyst, we are all about leaders, including leaders in music and the arts.

We want to be a platform for introducing new ideas, new thoughts, new voices and also new songs and new music. So if you have a song that you've written, or a song that your church has been singing, upload it. 

Submit your song and be a part of the album release at Catalyst this fall in October. All the details are on the website.

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The Millenial Worker

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A good friend asked me the other day my thoughts on how to lead the millenial generation, basically those born after 1980. We gather thousands of leaders who fit in this category on an annual basis, have several on our staff, and really gear what we do towards an early stage millenial/late stage gen X'er. 
So what are some thoughts on leading Millenials? 
  1. give them freedom with their schedule
  2. provide them projects, not a career
  3. work, family, social are all intertwined, so make sure the work environment is experiential and family oriented. 
  4. tie in compassion/justice oriented causes and opportunities to their projects or environment
  5. embrace social media.
  6. embrace the reality that they grew up with technology such as texting, XBox, laptops, and ipods as the norm
  7. lead each person uniquely; don't create standards or rules that apply to everyone; customize your approach
  8. provide authenticity and honesty as the norm for the corporate culture.
  9. millenials are not necessarily interested in “climbing the corporate ladder” but instead interested in making a mark and making a difference
  10. not willing to wait- want to make a difference now; so give them opportunities early with major responsibility. 

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