One of my pet peeves as a leader has been for people to refuse to try something new or fail to follow through on a project; giving up before it’s completed, because they think they do not feel they know how to do the task. I encounter far too many people that want responsibility or leadership assignments, but they are not willing to invest the time and energy it takes to learn the requirements of the task.

Here’s my bottom line on the subject:

“I don’t know how” is not a good enough excuse…

Be willing to learn something new…or get a new response…

Unless you are a dog, you can learn some new tricks…

Regardless of your age…income…background…

What’s something new you need to or want to learn how to do?

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.

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?

Pretend for a moment that this is your scenario…

You are a leader.  You worked hard, experienced some sense of success and now you like where you are in your career. You have finally figured out the system, got the right staff or team, and there are no current problems.  Life is comfortable.

My advice:  Now may be the best time to consider a change.

The fact is that if you are comfortable now, you will likely be bored soon.  Leaders need change, stretching, and an opportunity to improve something to stay excited.

You don’t necessarily have to leave your organization, or even your current position.  You may already be at the top, but you may need to expand your responsibilities.  You may need to dream a new dream.  You may need to challenge yourself outside your comfort zone again.

It’s what keeps leaders motivated!

For more on this thought process, read my previous post: One Contrast Between a Leaders and Managers.

This time of year, many typically reflect on the year that is gone and wonder what lies ahead in the New Year. Sadly, many of those same people will end 2010 no better off than they ended 2009 or any other year, because they will continue to repeat the same mistakes and live out the same bad patterns and habits they have always lived.

If you want to make genuine, sustaining changes this year, consider your answers to the following five questions. For best results, write your answers to these questions on paper. There is a certain finality of purpose when you invest time and energy recording them.

Is my life headed in the right direction? If you continue living your life the way you have been living it, will you eventually achieve the dreams and plans you have for your life? If not, then move to question number two.

Am I willing to make changes? You will never make change that lasts if your heart is not into making them. Be honest.

What are a few changes I can make that could have the greatest impact? Don’t try to change too much at one time. It could be in your finances, health, relationships or church attendance, but usually a few changes, whether major or minor, will have significant impact. If you are overwhelmed with the changes needed, read THIS POST.

What disciplines are needed to realize these changes in my life? You may need to get up 15 minutes early each day. Perhaps you need to read one chapter of a book each night. Maybe you want to start taking your lunch to work to save money. Think through some practical ways you can discipline yourself to stay on track.

Who can hold me accountable? Recruit someone to help you achieve your objectives. Give them the changes you want to implement and allow them the freedom to question your progress periodically. Ultimately your success is dependent on you, but knowing you will be asked often keeps you moving in the right direction.

This is a great year for changes to occur. I hear frequently that 2009 was a difficult year for many. There appears to be a renewed hope in the year 2010. Many of the outcomes the New Year brings, however, will be greatly determined by your willingness to allow positive changes in your life. Let me encourage you to make wise choices for a positive and productive year.

One important closing thought. It is my firm belief that the only way to experience real life, the way we were intended to live it, is through a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. If you do not have that relationship or it is not as strong as it should be, start there. If you need help, email me at ronedmondson@me.com

What changes are you making in 2010?

I rearranged my office this weekend.  It wasn’t a whim.  Those that know me know I’m not wired very much for spur of the moment decisions.  This office makeover was definitely purposeful.

Here are a few of the reasons for changing my office:

1. I am expecting 2010 to be a huge year at Grace Community Church.  It may require sacrifice of me and others.  The office change is a visual picture of my willingness to embrace the changes to come.
2. One of my chief initiatives for the new year is to improve my communication with the staff.  The office change puts my desk against the wall, rather than in the middle of the room.  I have removed a barrier between me and the person I am meeting with at the time.  I will now have to turn my back to my computer and will be better at giving my full attention to others.
3. I get bored easily when things remain the same.  I needed a change to pump my enthusiasm.
4. I know in advance I will be working harder this year.  I wanted more pictures of my family in my office, so I don’t loose focus of what is most important in life.
5. I plan to hit the ground running in January, and there will be little time to rearrange furniture.

This may seem like a simple change to you, but to me it’s a significant example of the days ahead.

What do you need to change in order to achieve all the plans God has for you in 2010? This week is a great week to dream about changes you may need to make in the coming year.

(I spoke about the subject of change this Sunday, you can listen HERE.)

Change is necessary if organizations want to continue to improve and grow, but change instantly raising resistance from some people.  Change requires a certain amount of faith.   Faith is much easier to believe, and even to preach, than it ever is to live by.

In my experience, there are at least 4 major reasons why change is difficult. Understanding them and identifying with the resistance of change can assist leaders in helping other team members adjust to change.

The four reasons are:

It’s unknown –One of life’s greatest fears is the unknown. It causes us to resist those things for which we cannot easily discern an outcome.

It’s challenging – Change stretches us out of our comfort zone.  Some of us like to be stretched more than other people do.

It’s uncertain – When we change, we are often introducing untested waters.  We prefer certainty.

It’s unpopular – The resistance to change is universal.  Change invites animosity and tension.

What changes have you been avoiding that you need to make?

Read some tips on implementing change HERE and HERE.

Read more about innovation HERE.

One day Moses was tending the flock of his father-in-law, Jethro… (Exodus 3:1)

It began as just a normal day for Moses. That morning, Moses set out, just as he had many years, to tend to his father-in-laws flock of sheep. Shepherding was a dirty, thankless job, but it was Moses’ livelihood and so in typical fashion, he began another day’s work. As the story goes, however, it was not just a normal day for Moses. This particular day would change the course of Moses’ life forever.

If you know the story in Exodus 3, this was the day Moses met God in the burning bush. This was the day God recruited Moses for Kingdom service. This was the day Moses became the chief representative for God to the Israelites. Beginning this day, Moses led the people out of Egypt towards the Promise Land. Along the way, God used Moses to lead the people through a parted sea, deliver the 10 Commandments, and feed the people with manna and quail. Oh yea, and Moses got to speak to a rock and watch as water poured out also. Moses life was never the same from that day forward.

The story of Moses is a great reminder to me of the power contained within a day. In one day, a life can be changed. One change of direction can alter a person’s future for good or bad. One new resolve, one decision to do the right thing (or the wrong thing), or one personal conviction can alter the outcome of a person’s life in positive or negative ways.

That really leaves me with one question for you: How are you allowing your “one days” to shape your life? Is there something in your life you know you need to be doing, some change of direction you need to make, some new commitment, but so far, you have not been obedient to what you know to do?

Could this be a day you surrender to the will of God for your life? Will this be the day you begin to head your life in the direction you actually want it to end? Will the resolve you make today carry you towards the vision you have for your life?

Life altering decisions usually begin “one day”. Is this your day?

For more devotional thoughts, click HERE.

I was honored this week when Jesse Phillips with CatalystSpace blog called me a “seasoned leader”. I feel I still have more to learn than I have learned, but it did cause me to reflect on some of the experiences I have had and people that have influenced me in my leadership ability.

Here are a few of those experiences and people that quickly come to my mind:

When I was in high school I served as student body president of a large, new school. My principal gave me freedom to do things most students never get to do. We wrote the student government constitution, organized clubs, hosted assemblies, and had a load of fun doing so. (I saw my principal recently and thanked him again for his influence. He taught me to release responsibility to people early and be willing to take a risk on others.)

I worked full-time all the way through college. As a sophomore, I became a retail department manager of a large store. Most days I was in over my head, but one of my colleagues was an older, mature, retired businessman. Although he technically “worked” for me, he taught me more about leading people than I could learn in college. (I learned to listen to those with more wisdom than me.)

I remained in retail after college, completed a management-training program for Belk Stores Services, and then served in several positions over a few year period. When my family began to grow, I decided to look for better working hours and so I became an independent insurance agent for Farmers Insurance Group. I was extremely successful in this venture and learned the principles of building something from nothing, marketing, and managing cash flow. (Funny how much those skills are needed in church planting!)

An opportunity to buy a small manufacturing company came available, and I convinced my wife to join me. We closed out successful careers to chase a dream. If it could go wrong, it did, and we sold within 5 years to the first serious buyer to come along. Through that negative experience, however, I learned huge principles of taking risks, leading under pressure, managing stress, to not run when things are difficult, and ways to overcome obstacles.  (Failure sometimes teaches us our biggest lessons.)

When God called me into ministry, He had me begin with nothing, then quickly sent me to an old, historic church seeking to rebuild. That rebuilding experience led to my first church planting type environment and it was there God instilled in me a passion for church growth and ultimately the desire for church planting.  I left this church to become involved  my first church plant and, a few years later, God called me to plant the church where I am today. Today God is still allowing the experiences and people in my life to shape my leadership abilities.

Where did you learn leadership? Who are the people and what are the experiences that have shaped the leader you are today?

For some of my leadership principles, click HERE.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

What happens when a leader stops micro managing his or her team?

Either:

• They fail
• Nothing changes
• They shine

What’s the net effect?

• If they fail, the team starts over and tries again.  Some of the best recoveries come after failures.
• If nothing changes, no harm, no foul.
• If they shine, the team rejoices, they are eager to try again, and the leader reaps the lasting rewards.

Which do you choose?

What are your thoughts?

For more thoughts on Innovation, click HERE.