Do Many of Us just Say, Rather than Do?

How many of us continue to move through life talking a lot about the future, but never taking the steps, or the risks, to actually get there? I love the following words spoken from a man who risked, failed, succeeded, and everything else under the sun!

Teddy Roosevelt's 1910 "Man in the Arena" speech in France (excerpt):

"It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat."

Leadership in Ministry, or Business, is all about Never Giving Up, and Learning from our Failures. John Maxwell's book Failing Forward is so true!

Is Training a Reality in the Church?

Leadership has become one of the most highly discussed topics in business and ministry. However, leadership development and training remains to be seen. Its been easy to read books over and over again, go to conferences, and even listen to some motivational speakers... all around leadership. However, we have failed to help ourselves, and others, truly become better leaders.

What's missing??? Why do many successful leaders state that their greatest opportunity is better develop their teams, reproduce themselves, or as John Maxwell likes to state, "Leave a Legacy"?

Because - we dont know how to take something we know and effectively help others internalize it, practice it, make it their own. Our experience in success and failure is difficult to share. There are also external factors that limit our ability, as leaders, to reproduce ourselves.

1. Time - we live in a world, both in business and ministry, where time is of the "essence". We have too much to do to sit down and train, coach, and develop someone else. Beyond ourselves, our teams don't have any time left in their days. Especially volunteers. Ministry Volunteers struggle to manage their personal lives, let alone volunteer leadership development.

2. Cost - Training and Development has been proven to be the first "thing to go" when finances get tight, especially in business. Development has long-term results, not short-term gains. Therefore, it is forgotten, pushed aside for more "important" initiatives. The ministry industry rely on expensive conferences, businesses look towards expensive consultants. Both industries believe that training and development is only worth while if it drains our checkbooks.

3. Expertise and Ability - we as leaders are not necessarily coaches and trainers. We may be able to stand up and produce a vibrant inspirational oracle on vision, mission, and success. But getting leaders into a room to coach others to new levels (asking questions to drive self-determine answers) or train others through interactive adult education principles is something of an impossible task. We leaders like to tell, preach, speak, but not listen, ask questions, support, and interact. We lack ability, let alone expertise in training and developing others.

Development, Training, Coaching.... they are missing in the theoretical side of self-development and fulfillment.

Leading the Ecommerce Believer

The E-Com Christian:

E-commerce (online) is a growing marketplace, where millions of consumers are interacting daily through a new and “improved” place to do business. Whether people utilize the World Wide Web monthly, weekly, daily, hourly, or every other minute, people are impacted culturally by the new e-commerce (ECOM) world. ECOM has changed our lives in so many ways. Ecommerce first started connecting the world through improved email capabilities. Then, slowly but surely, we started utilizing the web for information searches. Today, people utilize the web daily for shopping, paying bills, chatting, playing games, searching for information, emailing friends and family, and so on. It impacts our daily life even if we are not personally using the web every moment we can. So – How in the world does this relate to today’s Christianity? Well, look at today’s Believers. Below are some comparisons (not all necessarily bad) between consumer behavior and Believer behavior.

· Ecommerce Consumerism – Now, more than ever, people have become consumers. They go online, search thousands of sites, get shown all of the products in the world at the “lowest possible” prices, and are encouraged to pay for the products in any way possible through ‘alternative payment solutions’. People are in a mode of “resource utilization for personal benefit’. This, more than anything else, has changed today’s Believer and standard “church-goer”. Believers want something for nothing and everything is about meeting their personal needs.

· Non-Denominational and Non-Brand Focused – People now a days look for value, not necessarily ‘brand’ dedication. If this brand is cheaper and provides more personal benefit, then I will “buy into” it. Same with churches and denominations.

· “Ease of Shopping” – It’s posted everywhere online for consumers… shop where its easiest, takes the least effort, etc… Consumers and Believers now focus on what brings the most value with the least effort. · “Customization” – Today’s consumer expects that products can be customized to their desire, because its all about the customer. Believers also expect to find something that can be customized to their needs. It’s not about changing their life, its about changing the ‘religion’.

· Customer First Initiatives – Its now all about the customer, and sometimes less about reasonable sound business objectives. Customer focus has moved so far towards the customer and their needs, latest desires, etc… that companies constantly struggle with balancing business objectives with outrageous customer demands. Believers, without realizing it, expect the same. It’s all about them, not the corporate initiative and objectives. It’s hard to separate the two mentalities and expectations.

· Minimal Effort – Today’s consumer can simply point and click to receive their latest consumer desire. Similarly, Believers are expecting to participate in a church, receive their latest desire, and put no effort into the process.

· No Personal Interaction – The Ecommerce world has created a culture that is electronic, with little to no personal interaction and actual “people effort”. Similarly, Believers now expect to come, sit, listen, and go. The less personal interaction, the more comfortable they will be. This one is probably not even realized by those participating and is simply an enhancement of American church goers for the last several generations. Believers just now do it better than before.

· Choices, Choices, Choices – It would be ludicrous to tell today’s consumer that there is one store that will meet all their needs, provide the best “customer experience”, and so on. Today’s consumer knows that not one single place can or will provide for their needs at the least possible price. Similarly, those looking for “religion” can’t believe and refuse to believe that one single religion or church can offer the right mix of beliefs, opportunities, and support. Rather, multiple churches and maybe multiple religions are required to meet people’s needs – at least that’s the perspective.

· Bombardment – if a consumer is not bombarded with the latest “trend”, through multiple informational and communication channels, then the message will be missed. Believers and church-goers expect bombardment. If not, the specific thing will not be important. We value what we see – constantly!

· Fads - now more than ever, consumers react heavily on fads. Look at the dot.com craze, the wireless boom, the picture phone, or the Adkins diet. We live in a faster paced, electronic, instantaneous world. Believers trend the same. What’s the latest sermon series (Purpose Driven)? What’s the latest church (Vineyard, Willow Creek)? What’s the latest movie (Passion)? Believers are as fickle as consumers around fads. They respond more to these fads than eternal Truths.

· StoreFront Creatives – Every website focuses on providing some type of unique design, creative artwork, or customer tool. Consumers expect to find the website storefront that suits their current likes, dislikes, and style. Ecommerce Companies spend millions on website designs, trying to adjust to consumers personal style. Similarly, people look for a church that meets their current personal style and current life-style. The expectation is that a church must be or change quickly to where they are at as the “consumer”, rather than vice-versa. Believers interact in their “church lives” like they do in their day-to-day lives. Its electronic (non-face-to-face), quick, easy, selfish, and fully consumer focused, and trendy. Consistent, reliable, sacrificial Believers are contra to the consumer that culture has pushed for us to be. Not only is Christianity a moral battle in America, its now first and foremost a cultural battle.

Christmas Season and the Business Leader

I have the amazing opportunity to sit in the top executives from none other than the Gap. Can you imagine my embarassment as I had to sit in a meeting where we discussed the influx of "merry christmas vs. happy holidays" emails and their impact on our ability to service our normal customers? So called Christians are emailing their thoughts and "disgust" about Gap not saying Merry Christmas, inundating our email boxes with garbage, causing frustration on the part of both the customer service consultatns and the management.

So -what did so-called Christians accomplish by vocalizing their disappointment with Happy Holidays? Exactly the opposite of what Christ has called us to do. I had top executives look at me, as they know I am a Christian, as if to say "what are your people doing?". And I just want to say to any of the emailers out there trying to "add Christ back to Christmas"... you failed miserably in this case.

You turned people away from the love of Christ and annoyed them with your insensitive, inpersonal, annoying emails.

Lets think about this for one second. Do Christians run the Gap? I dont think its the majority. So - why in the world would they want to say "Merry Christmas" any more than they would want to say "Happy Hannukah"? If you want to have debates with people, then have it with one another, where you might expect a Christian to remember Christ during the holidays. But stop expecting those who have not experienced yet the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ to act as if they have. Our job - love on them, be a light, show them something they dont normally get during Christmas -maybe patience, kindness, goodness, self-control.

Or, as many "Christians" have done, inundate secular work groups with silly emails, cuasing more workload for already stressed out workers. Im sure that will get them to convert, come to church, and repent for saying "Merry Winter" or "Happy Holidays".

Lets just say... "Merry Happy Chrisma, Rama, Hanna, Quanaka"

Politics and Believers in Business - The Balance

This has been such a tough topic for me over the years in business. As I completed my Business studies, I had the opportunity to study different types of business leaders. One of those types was Politic Centric Leaders. Meaning, leaders who leverage and rely on politics to make gains in business. At first, I thought this was ludicrous. I thought that even classifying a leadership style based solely on politics was absurd, and grossly unfair. Then, I started thinking about my own business leadership styles.

I started looking at the role of "politics" in business. I realized quickly, that "politics" are a necessary leadership characteristic for all business leaders, including Believers in Business.

Lets define Politics. Politics to me are not back stabbing, cut-throat, lies that we tell about others to tear them down. Politics, in this case, are actions taken that consider either solely or mostly the response of another individual. They also consider levels of authority and influence.

Leadership has often been defined as INFLUENCE. What is influence? Well . . . maybe business politics are part of influence. And as a Believer, Christ called me to be "shrewed as snakes". Meaning, dont be a whimp, and clearly dont be ignorant. For me to INFLUENCE others, I must consider their authority, their power, their perspective, their position, and their whole take on the situation. In doing so, I may being playing "politics", as some have defined them.

Any thoughts on Believers right to utilize Business Politics?