It’s Saturday…time for another dream stretch! I promise not to take this into perpetuity, but I really do believe the world needs a few more dreams. You can read more about my thoughts in the first dream stretch post HERE.

Today’s dream stretch is a little tougher, but it’s a good one. I hope you will play along.

Answer this question:

If you could solve one world problem today, what would it be?

Dream big…remember that in dreaming there are no limits of money, time, knowledge, etc. Do you want to eradicate cancer? Are you ready to end the world of AIDS? Would your dream be clean water throughout Africa? Is poverty your issue? Be specific, yet dream big. What are you most passionate about solving?

(If you are reading this from my Facebook or Twitter account, please comment on the blog so others can read it also.)

Thanks for dreaming with me. Is there another dream stretch idea I should consider?

Will Wal Mart always be on top of the retail world?  Chances are they will still be at the end of this week…at least in my family (and most likely yours), but will they be forever?

I remember in my undergraduate studies a professor of marketing say that no one could ever replace Sears as the number one retailer.  Of course, looking back, that was a naïve comment.  It’s easy to assume that Wal Mart will continue their dominance of the retail world, but recently, due to the economy, they have experienced greater competition from the discounters and the higher end retailers.   What will their future be? Still not certain they could ever be in jeopardy, consider THIS ARTICLE I read this week.

I am not trying to be a doomsayer for Wal Mart.  We do our share of business there.  I think, however, that remembering history and changes in the retail industry should remind all of us that things change…sometimes quickly…or at least it seems that way when we finally recognize the change.  None of us in successful organizations should take that success for granted.

If your organization is achieving success today, what are you doing to make sure that growth continues?

Read more about Innovation, Change, and Sustainability.

Yesterday I posted about the principle that letting go of responsibilities, even for the control freak leader like me, actually improves the organization.  You can read that post HERE.

Obviously, when you address the principle of letting go, which could also be called delegation, it opens a huge question for those wired as completers.  The question is: HOW? How do you let go of responsibility when you are wired so heavily towards not doing so?

With that question in mind, here are 4 “Easy” Steps to Delegation:

Identify – Find something that would be better delegated, either because you aren’t as skilled as others, don’t have adequate time to commit to it, or have lost interest.

Match – Find the right person/s for the responsibility based on passion, experience, and follow through capabilities.  This can be volunteer or paid, but pick people that will do what they say they will do and that you trust, otherwise you will constantly be looking over their shoulder. (Please don’t say there is no one to trust in your organization. If that’s the case, you either need to change organizations or change the leader…just saying.)

Release – This is the “letting go” part. Few leaders really do this well.  Knowing this is the difficult part, you should read THIS POST and THIS POST and THIS POST for more on this process.  You must give up your right to control.

Follow Up – If you are the overall leader, even when you delegate you have some responsibility.  Set a reminder on your calendar to periodically follow up with the person, but stay out of their way as they complete the assignment.

I realize it’s not easy for some to let go of (delegate) responsibility.  It comes with discipline and practice.   One way to improve at this is to consider the overall purposes and goals of the organization, recognizing that they can better be attained through delegation, and allow accomplishing them to be the leader’s principal responsibility.  When the drive towards completing is aimed towards a bigger vision goal that includes delegating, letting go to achieve greater success receives more motivation.

How are you at delegating?  What tips do you have to be better at letting others take over some of your responsibility?

 
Letting go of responsibility is not something that comes natural for me.

I score high on Command in the StrengthsFinders assessment.

I have to discipline myself to let go…

And still…if no progress is taking place…I will make something happen…I promise.

The problem is that when I take over and refuse to let others in the organization lead…even at the risk that they will not complete it on my time schedule or the way I might have done it:

• I keep myself from doing other things
• I fail to provide growth opportunities for others.
• I limit the organization from reaching it’s full potential

Leaders, if you believe in the concept of teamwork…sometimes you have to let go and let others take the lead.

What do you need to let go of and quit trying to control?

I know…I know…it’s hard to do. Leave me a comment…It will help hold you accountable.

(To read my StrengthsFinder, click HERE.  For more on the subject of delegation, click HERE AND HERE.)

Scott Williams is a great leader I have learned to admire online. I haven’t met him personally, but social media has allowed me to connect with him to the point I feel I can call him friend. Some day we will actually meet. In the meantime, I love learning from Scott at his amazingly popular blog Big Is The New Small.

Scott has learned the value of connecting online. Scott is the Campus Pastor for the Northwest Oklahoma City Campus of LifeChurch.tv. Scott has an interesting background in leadership, after spending 13 years in the prison system prior to ministry. As much as anyone, one would have to say Scott is somewhat of a Twitter expert. You can follow him HERE.

Here are 10 questions with leader Scott Williams:

When you were growing up, is this what you thought you would be doing vocationally? If not, what did you want to do?

Ministry is absolutely not what I thought that I would be doing. I changed my mind quite a bit while growing up, everything from being an Attorney, the President to a Rocket Scientist. This statement always intrigued me, “It’s not rocket science!”

What’s the most different job you’ve had from what you are doing now and how did that job help you with what you are doing now?

I was a Prison Warden… I was actually one of the youngest Wardens in the country, meaning I didn’t have a clue when I started. I learned the importance of genuine care and concern for people. The method, in which you lead people, can cause them to become a great asset or pain in the asset (many times the inmates were my greatest asset as a leader, the same philosophy applies to church members). Ultimately a Warden and a Pastor lead a venue where people can be confronted, held accountable, developed, challenged…. and leave personal chaos behind, in order for their lives to be truly CHANGED!

Who is one person, besides Christ, who most helped to shape your leadership and how did they help you?

My mother who always believed in me and thought I could do things at a much higher level than I would ever imagine. She taught me to dream BIG and think BIGGER. My mom always reminded me that, “You can’t control what others think, only what you do!” To this day she will always believe in me and say, “Absolutely, you can do that!” I believe in those that I lead at a level hat no one else will… we succeed together! One other person is Marvin Wiebener who was my boss in Corrections and took a risk on me as a 25-year-old kid to be a Warden. Because of his leadership, I will generally take risks on younger hires with the right potential.

Besides the Bible, what is one book that has most helped to shape your thought process in life and ministry?

This answer could go on and on like the Energizer Bunny… I’ll give you two:
*Good To Great- (Jim Collins) First Leadership book that I read once I went into full-time ministry and it’s a LifeChurch.tv Leadership Staple.
* The War Of Art- (Steven Pressfield) This is a somewhat obscure and interestingly written book that masters how to break through resistance and get things done.

What are three words other people would use to describe your work style/ethic?

Empowering, Developer & Risk Taker

What is your greatest strength in leadership?

Visionary, Discernment, Thinker, Ideas… The ability to think a few steps ahead.

What is your greatest weakness in leadership?

Sometimes I will have too many ideas workin’. Perception vs. Reality in the areas of Confidence vs. Cockiness.

What is the hardest thing you have to do in leadership?

I don’t know that there is just one thing. I personally believe that different seasons and different teams bring about different challenges.

What is one misconception about your position you think people in your church may have?

I think people believe that I hang out with Craig Groeschel all the time. Although we do talk and get together periodically, people believe that we are BFF’s. That’s not a bad thing, just a misconception. Did I just say BFF? LOL

If you could give one piece of advice to young leaders from what you’ve learned by experience, what would it be?

If you truly care about the growth and development of the person more than the product they produce, you will get a better product. ”Leadership development is rooted in personal development & organizational transformation is rooted in individual transformation.”

This video from Ted blows my mind. I love big dreams…I love mind-stretching exercises…this one helps me think bigger than I might normally think. It’s 18 minutes long, but it’s worth watching. Whether you agree with this line of thinking or solution to global problems is not the issue here, but feel free to share them. I’m sharing this because I love how big Paul Romer is thinking.

What do you think? Will this work? More than that, does it make you think bigger?

Cheryl and I believe strongly in premarital counseling. The lack of appropriate training for marriage is, in my opinion, one of the leading causes for problems in marriages. If you go into anything unprepared, you are likely to get into trouble quicker than if you prepare in advance. Make sense?

I would be curious to know how much effective premarital counseling some of my readers have had and what difference it made. You can leave a comment about that on this post. My suspicion, however, based on the people I have spoken with through my ministry, is that most have had very little effective premarital counseling.

If this is your case, it may not be too late. Obviously if you are married, you can’t do “premarital counseling”, but you could get some marriage counseling, before your marriage needs it. That’s being proactive about your marriage.

Knowing that most readers will not take me up on my suggestion let me offer another solution. This is something that every couple can easily do. It’s less threatening, inexpensive, if not free, and highly effective at helping your marriage.

My advice today: Find a couple whose marriage you can model. Allow the strength of someone else’s marriage to impact yours.

What you will find, when you see a marriage that appears to work, is that two imperfect people found a way to make their marriage thrive. There may have been hard times, probably were, but they weathered through them and made their marriage better as a result. Their process of making their marriage work will help you learn to strengthen yours.

Stop for just a minute and think of one couple whose marriage you would love your marriage to look like. Ask them if you can hang out with them once in a while, or  at least exchange emails with them, and if they will make themselves available to your marriage. Let their iron sharpen your iron.

Finally, pay tribute here. Who is one married couple you would love your marriage to look like? What about their marriage encourages you in your marriage?

Jason Roy is the lead singer/founder of the well known, Dove Award winning Christian band Building 429. Recently Jason has a new title in addition to the lead singer role. Jason has joined us at Grace Community Church as our worship pastor. The plan is to do both. We are excited about the prospect, but this obviously raises questions in some people’s minds as to how the two will work together. Jason agreed recently to sit down and talk about his new role with me. Here is that interview:

What does “Building 429” mean?

It’s based on Ephesians 429, which says, “Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.”

We wanted to take the word building from a noun to a verb and make it a challenge for the way we live our life so that any person that hears our music or buys our products becomes more Christ-like in everything they do and say.

Talk for a minute about your heart for Grace. What attracts you to this particular church?

Since day one, my wife and I were looking for a church where we could be a part of and raise our family when we are home. We were wanting pastors that both challenge the people, but live transparent lives in front of their people was important to us. We wanted a church that would be the hands and feet of Jesus, which we found through Operation Serve and other ministries of Grace. (Cortni, Jason’s wife was a huge part of bringing Operation Serve to the church.)

How will this relationship work? Will Building 429 continue?

Building 429 will continue. We are blessed to be in a position where we can slow down some and choose the dates we put on our calendar. I have felt strongly that from a ministry perspective there was a piece of my heart that was not fully developed on the road. That missing piece is the ability to connect and develop long-term and lasting relationships. I desire to invest in other worshipping musicians and allow to invest in me. In this type of situation, it appears that both sides of my life will compliment and help strengthen each other. I’m a worshipper at heart, but will be able to continue to write songs and lead a band when not at Grace. It’s a great partnership.

I would want people to understand that both of these are still exciting opportunities for me. I believe Building 429 still has incredible opportunities to minister to people. I know God continues to challenge me to write new songs of worship. Without a doubt God is using Grace Community Church in this community and region. I’m excited to see how God has me in the middle of such incredible work in each of these areas.

What will your role be at Grace?

I am the worship pastor, leading, guiding and directing the worship aspect of the church. I will be responsible for developing new leaders in the ministry within the church body. I will also be a team member with the rest of the amazing Grace staff.

How did this change come about in your life?

I have spent the last 2 to 3 years wondering if God was calling me to a position at the local church level, always saying internally that Grace was the perfect scenario for a home for me, never knowing if it would even work. God has opened a huge door of opportunity for me that creates opportunities for Building 429, Grace Community Church and me. I’m humbled once again at God’s plan, which are always bigger and better than I could have scripted.

Why do this now?

Another point in this whole process is that not only is my heart’s desire being fulfilled, by my family has the opportunity to be home more and stop always living on a tour bus. We finally feel that we are home…my family needed that.

What does worship mean to you?

I’m sure there is a better definition of this, but for me worship happens when you forget about yourself and recognize more about God in that moment. You can put that in the context of a worship service, where a person recognizes that I don’t care about myself or my struggles; I just care about God, or you can put that in terms of a work situation, where a person says, “None of this matters except for me bringing glory to God.” When self disappears and the image of oneself disappears and God’s purpose, design and plan becomes the most important thing, that’s worship.

When I walk onto a stage to lead in worship, it’s the one time in my life where I truly give up all my personal desires and simply desire to help people and me encounter the living God. That’s a pretty awesome opportunity.

We are excited to have Jason more often at Grace Community Church. Welcome to the team!

We are in a series called Fanatic at Grace Community Church, looking at the how, why, and what of worship. This past Sunday I looked at the story of Paul and Silas worshipping in prison from Acts 16:25-34. Here are four principles I shared about authentic worship:

Authentic worship happens in good and bad times of life…in any setting…
Authentic worship builds community-It is contagious…
Authentic worship capture’s God’s attention…
Authentic worship leads others to Christ…

You can watch the message here.

 
If you follow my blog regularly, then you know that I’m trying to spur people to dream bigger dreams. Not only do I believe dreaming is a healthy practice, I believe we need your dreams. Obviously we cannot live in dream world all the time, and I spend far more energy on this blog writing about accomplishing dreams than dreaming dreams, but I believe the world needs some more dreamers. I believe God encourages this process. Read my first post on this issue HERE.

Therefore, since it’s Saturday again, I hope you will play along and share in another dream stretch.

Today’s dream stretch is:

If you could have any career position, what would it be? If you could do anything and earn a living doing it, what would you do?

(Remember, there are no restrictions in our dreams. Dream big. Also, rather than answering on Facebook or Twitter, if that’s how you came to this post, please answer here as a comment, so everyone can be encouraged by your dreams.)