Wildfoote: A Leadership Journey

Heads Up

 
My football team lost yesterday...again.  As my wife and kids can attest, I get into football.  My daughter often reminds me that the players can’t hear me when I rant at the television.

Replaying the game in my mind, I made an interesting observation.  My frustration with the game was not so much the broken coverages, the dropped passes, the lack of offense, etc.  What really got me was the way the quarterback (and others) hung their head when things were not going well. 

Now I know it is easy to play “armchair quarterback”, but even I know that when the head goes down, defeat is at the doorstep.  Energy and hope ebb away.  What the other players need is for the leaders to have their heads up, fighting until the end, not giving up.

As these thoughts rolled around in my head, another thought came to mind.  Maybe why I was so frustrated with the “head down action”, is that I was seeing myself in the mirror.  I don’t face blitzing linebackers or dropped passes.  My challenges are unbalanced budgets, unmet expectations, tough decisions, sick kids, unexpected bills....the list goes on. 

At those times, whether I am leading an organization, a family, or a company, my response to the pressure or near defeat, will impact those I lead.  If the head goes down, so does the spirit of the team.  If the head is up and focused on the challenges, the team just might believe there is a chance...hope returns.

Where’s your head today?

More Bad News

As I picked up my copy of the Wall Street Journal from the sidewalk this morning, I was struck by the large front page headlines screaming of economic gloom and doom.  More bad news for the markets, unrest in numerous countries, low wages, more poverty, etc. 

Wow, what a sunny way to start the day.  And the challenges are not just globally or nationally but in our cities, our organizations, our families. 

The question struck me.  How do we lead in the middle of times like these?  I believe as leaders we often find ourselves straddling reality and hope. 

On one hand, our job is not to nonchalantly dismiss the truth of our situation, sugar coating what is. One of the roles of a leader is to communicate what is true....the reality of the situation.  But the challenge is not to get stuck there.

Leaders must bring hope.  Not empty promises.  Not shallow reassurances. 

Instead, they need to communicate what could be....reasons to push through current reality.....what is on the other side if we roll up our sleeves, work together, exercise faith, and move “from here to there.”

So....how will you bring hope today in the places you lead?

The Essence of Things

Over the past few months, my awareness has been heightened as to how fast our world, our lives, our church is moving and the complexity that follows.  It's not all bad.  Innovation, exciting experiences, breakthrough ideas.  Lots of energy.  Transformation.  But I am an information junkie, easily pulled to things that are okay but not always mission critical.

In the midst of all this, I have been challenged to consider simplicity; to get to the essence of things.  I don't believe that means slowing the innovation or the pursuit of doing great things.  It does mean striving to reduce the complexity and focusing on "the essence of things".

In his book, The Four Hour Workweek, Tim Ferris writes, "Simplicity requires ruthlessness".  The idea is to ask hard questions about time, actions, focus and be willing to take ruthless action to eliminate that which is not truly helpful and important.

Doesn't happen overnight.  But I am on a quest to get to the essence of things.

Moving into 2010

I am taking some time this week to review 2009 and look ahead to 2010.  While there are many that downplay the practice of making resolutions, there is a lot of evidence that committing goals to paper (or computer screen) increases the likelihood that those goals will be realized.  As I review, I feel encouraged by those goals that I have realized.  Tomorrow, I will complete my goal to read through the Bible in 2009.

Two quotes also challenge me.  John Kotter, professor at Harvard, made the observation that "Most people don't lead their own lives - they accept their lives."  Proverbs 21:5 says, "The plans of the diligent lead to profit as surely as haste leads to poverty.

I have decided that I don't want to "accept" my life.  So, with God's help, and through planning, diligence, personal leadership, and accountability, I want to move into 2010 with anticipation, excitement and joy.  In the coming weeks, I will plan to post some of those goals that I am pursuing in the new year.

Little Things Matter

Several of our staff were in the Chicago area back in August. When we pulled up behind this truck, I just had to snap this picture.  Not sure I would have them fix my broken window.

Good reminder....we are always communicating and little things matter.