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What Others are Saying

Samuel Chand is a leaders leader. His keen insights and vast leadership exposure have prepared him well for resourcing the Kingdom. His natural passion for leadership development is a rened gi he enthusiastically shares with leaders and developing leaders.
Dr. John C. Maxwell Founder of The INJOY Group

Dr. Samuel Chand is an enigma among Christian leaders because he is bold enough to approach from a Kingdom mind set. Dr. Chand has his nger on the pulse of God as it relates to the church and destiny. He points out that change invariably rests on the shoulders of leaders.
Bishop Eddie L. Long New Birth Cathedral Senior Pastor

Dr. Sam Chand is in my opinion, one of the nations foremost experts on local church leadership development and vision execution. There are myriads of books on what to do but Sam teaches us exactly how to do it. Our ministry and my life has been revolutionized by his training, preaching and personal coaching.

Bishop B. Courtney McBath Calvary Revival Church (Norfolk) Senior Pastor

There is a new hour of church awakening upon us. Dr. Samuel Chand is a Godly, scholarly leader who is pioneering the church into tomorrow.

Bill McCartney Founder of Promise Keepers

Samuel Chand is one of the brightest lights on the horizon of the Church today as his creativity and leadership bring transforming hope at multiple dimensions.
Jack W. Hayford Founder/Chancellor of The Kings Seminary & President Four Square Church

L Shifts Dr. Chand is truly an innovative force in training church leaders. I would heartily recommend Dr. Chands work to other believers.
Larry Burke (Deceased) Founder/CEO of Crown Financial Ministries

S A M U E L R. C H A N D In the words of my late father, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Dr. Chand is not a searcher of consensus but a molder of consensus. He has a dynamic way of hiing you with the truth and yet easing your pain at the same time.
Bernice A. King Atlanta, Georgia

There are some who occupy positions of leadership but whose inuence is distanced from their character. Not so with Sam Chand! Gods hand of blessing and anointing is on Sam because he leads and ministers out of the integrity of his heart and his intimacy with God. Its no wonder that Gods favor surround Sam. He is the president of the fastest growing Bible college in North America...He is a preacher who is being powerfully used of God... He is a compelling, modern day prophet, especially when he speaks and teaches on leadership... The masses and other leaders are drawn to his warm, inviting heart.
Dr. Crawford Loris, Jr. Assoc. Director, Campus Crusade for Christ, US

A unique call of God to motivate and prepare leaders for the twentyrst century.
Kenneth C. Ulmer Faithful Central Bible Church, Inglewood, California

I believe in what he has to say, and I am sure you will be blessed and challenged by it.
Gerald Brooks Grace Outreach Center, Plano, Texas

When Samuel Chand speaks, I listen. When he writes, I read what he has to say. You will do well to do so too.
Vinson Synan Regent University, Virginia Beach, Virginia

Dr. Chand will guide you through the steps necessary to position you and your church for growth.
Jim Bolin Trinity Chapel, Powder Springs, Georgia

He epitomizes the aphorism: Leadership begins with vision, and vision is a holy discontent with things as they are.
Ray Bakke International Urban Associates, Seale Washington

He is a vision caster, a bridge builder, and a change agent...The result is Kingdom change.
David Allman Regent Partners, Atlanta, Georgia

Dr. Chand is Americas best mentor, coach and leadership consultant. He has helped our church to continue to grow.
Benny Perez The Church at South Las Vegas, Senior Pastor

I am truly impressed with his understanding and appreciation of cross-cultural dynamics as it relates to the church.
Frank Alexander Oasis of Hope Baptist Church, Indianapolis, Indiana

Dr. Chands assignment in life is clearly to develop the church in unprecedented ways into what God has destined it to be at such a time as this.
Cynthia L. Hale Ray of Hope Christian Church, Decatur, Georgia ii

Dr. Chand brings clear-cut leadership to the local church. He is on the cuing edge.
Stephen Green Sr. More than Conquerors Faith Church, Birmingham, Alabama

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L Shifts We must step out of our gilded boxes of complacency to address the necessity of change. Sam Chands radical approach and passion gives us direction.
Collee L. Gunby Green Pastures Christian Ministries, Inc., Decatur, Georgia

S A M U E L R. C H A N D He draws together divergent people of faith, inspires them with a common vision, and mobilizes them to unied action.
Bob Lupton FCS Ministries, Atlanta, Georgia

Dr. Chand is both a leader and a change agent - vitally aware of the mission of the church in a changing world.
Dr. Carolyn Tennant North Central University, Minneapolis, Minnesota

He has his nger on the pulse of Christs church and his ear tuned to the voice of the Father.
Walter F. Harvey Parklawn Assembly of God, Milwaukee, Wisconsin

The American society continues to change while many Christian leaders seem frozen in a past age. Samuel Chand has a focus on the future. He is an energetic visionary.
A. Charles Ware Crossroads Bible College, Indianapolis, Indiana

The way he integrates the dynamics of his themes by simplifying, challenging, and promoting application is astonishing.
Jerry D. Fryar Gospel Lighthouse Church, Columbus, Ohio

He has done what few others have been able to do in crossing the ethnic lines of the church.
Randy Valimont First Assembly of God, Grin, Georgia

A change agent. No progress is possible unless we allow ourselves to be changed. In everything he does, Chand imparts vision for what is possible if we are willing to change.
Doug Chatham Atlanta, Georgia

What Dr. Chand is experiencing now, the rest of us will experience soon.
Thomas R. Roddy Atlanta Resource Foundation, Atlanta, Georgia

Sam has great insights on leadership for todays pastors. Good commonsense wisdom from above.
David Cooper Mount Paran Church of God, Atlanta, Georgia

His insight to see farther than others is a gi from God, and he has a servants heart to share it with others.
Roger D. Mileham Trinity Family Worship Center, Locust Grove, Georgia

Dr. Chand challenges the church to be relevant and eective to the times. His voice is refreshing and thought provoking.
Tony Morris New Covenant Christian Center, Seale, Washington

He sees beyond today and touches tomorrow.

Tom Mullins Christ Fellowship Church, Palm Beach Gardens, Florida

He models the reality of a marketplace gospel. I recommend his insights as invaluable.

Paul L. Walker Church of God, Cleveland, Tennessee

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L Shifts He has cast a vision for the future.

W. Thomas Beckner Taylor University, Fort Wayne, Indiana

S A M U E L R. C H A N D When you experience Dr. Chand, your spiritual appetite will be fullled.
Darryl L. Hines Christian Faith Fellowship Church, Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Impressive! He presents professional information in a practical way.

LeRoy Ales St. Paul A.M.E. Church, Cambridge, Massachuses

He has the ability to make the complex simple.

Julius R. Malone New Testament Church of Milwaukee, Milwaukee, Wisconsin

A weighty impact on the body of Christ.

Ray Allen Berryhill Evangel World Outreach Center, Chicago, Illinois

If you need to know how to develop a well-dened vision of the future and then build from the ground up, Dr. Chand sets a standard for all of us.
John Wieland John Wieland Homes, Atlanta, Georgia

He is a futuristic, visionary theological thinker for this present age, but he is grounded in practical solutions.
Gerald Durley Providence Missionary Baptist Church, Atlanta, Georgia

He has the uncanny ability to verbalize leadership principles, thus making them proverbs. And with the proverb comes wisdom to lead.
Mark Robertson Chaplain, Grady Health Systems, Atlanta, Georgia

Compelling and practical. He will challenge the sacred cows, the ruts you fall into, and will oer hope for you and your future leadership.
Tim Elmore Leadership Development, EQUIP, Duluth, Georgia

He challenges all kingdom citizens to stretch, raise the bar, and meet the spiritual and physical needs of a deeply disturbed populace.
Richard A. Goode Fellowship of Prayer International Church, Atlanta, Georgia

He is unquestionably a leader who understands leading others into the future.

David Graham Christian City Church, Las Vegas, Nevada

Hearing and heeding his words are a must for the society-changing church.
James W. Beaty Task Force for the Homeless, Atlanta, Georgia

He presents Bible-based principles that prepare us for leadership changes in the future.
Alfred D. Harvey St. Louis Christian Center, St. Louis, Missouri

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L Shifts Unwilling to live reactively, he ventures ahead. The result will enable you to catch his enthusiasm to see this world become what God designed.
Arthur Carson Springeld Missionary Baptist Church, Atlanta, Georgia

S A M U E L R. C H A N D Dr. Chand helps pastors and church leaders navigate the subtle waters of church leadership.
Edward Peecher New Heritage Cathedral, Chicago, Illinois

Insightful and humorous, he shares personal experiences to help transform ordinary people into inuential leaders.
Stovall Weems Celebration Church, Jacksonville, Florida

Dr. Chand will awaken the Spirit and challenge your intellect.
Wiley Jackson Jr. Word in Action Ministries, Atlanta, Georgia

He helps us chart our way through the future.

James Flanagan Luther Rice Seminary, Lithonia, Georgia

Articulate and wiy, giving fresh thought and new perspective. He is futuristic in his approach, confronting current paradigms and challenging his readers.
La Fayee Scales Rhema Christian Center, Columbus, Ohio

Chand understands the times and knows what the church ought to do.
Philip M. Davis Nations Ford Community Church, Charloe, North Carolina

Uncovers profound concepts and delivers them in such a fashion that all can understand.
Marcos Rivera Primitive Christian Church, New York City

Chands skills as an agent for visionary change are without equal.

Calvin W. Edwards Calvin Edwards & Co., Atlanta, Georgia

Dr. Chand imparts leadership skills and principles to build Gods Kingdom.
Bishop Richard Burruss Transformation Christian Center, St. Louis, Missouri

Dr. Chand connects meaningfully with urban Christians from all ethnic backgrounds.
Pier McKenzie President, Concerts of Prayer of Greater New York

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S A M U E L R. C H A N D

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S A M U E L R. C H A N D

SAMUEL R. CHAND

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NILES, ILLINOIS

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2006 by Samuel R. Chand All rights reserved. Printed in the United States of America Published by: Mall Publishing Company 5731 West Howard Street Niles, Illinois 60714 877.203.2453 Book Design by Marlon B. Villadiego Cover Design by Andrew Ostrowski All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping, or by any information storage or retrieval system,without the permission in writing from the publisher.

S A M U E L R. C H A N D

ISBN 0-9777273-7-8
Scripture references are from the following versions: KJV: King James Version. MSG: Scripture quotations from THE MESSAGE. Copyright by Eugene H. Peterson 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002. Used by permission of NavPress Publishing Group. NIV: Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version. NIV. Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved. For licensing / copyright information, for additional copies or for use in specialized settings contact: Dr. Samuel R. Chand 950 Eagles Landing Parkway, Suite 295 Stockbridge, GA 30281 770-898-6464 www.samchand.com

Acknowledgements

ou never make LadderShifts by yourself. My wife Brenda has helped me at each shift. Thank you Brenda for being my best

ladder holder. Thanks for believing in me. A special note of appreciation to my ghostwriter, Pat Russo, who took all my raw thinking, notes, interviews and often ambiguous concepts and produced this organized book.

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S A M U E L R. C H A N D

Other Books by Samuel R. Chand

Failure: The Womb of Success Futuring: Leading Your Church into Tomorrow Whos Holding Your Ladder? Who Moved Your Ladder? Whats Shakin Your Ladder?

Table of Contents
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS................................. THE LADDER STORY .................................
Xv Xix

INTRODUCTION ..................................... xxiii 1. NEW PEOPLE .....................................1 2. NEW PAINS..................................... 25

For additional resources, see the back of this book.

3. NEW PLACES ................................... 43 4. NEW PERSPECTIVES ........................... 59 5. NEW PRIORITIES .............................. 81 6. NEW PASSIONS ................................ 97 7. NEW PREPARATION ......................... 113 8. NEW POSSIBILITIES ......................... 125 BIBLIOGRAPHY ....................................... 139

www.samchand.com

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S A M U E L R. C H A N D

The Ladder Story

aiting for someone to call me into the sanctuary, I stared out the window. As I meditated on the points I wanted to cover

as a featured speaker at this conference, something in the street below

caught my attention. A man stood on a ladder paintingnot that uncommon a sight. I smiled, remembering my student days in Bible college. I had spent my summers doing that kind of work. Yet I couldnt take my eyes off the man. For several minutes, I watched his graceful motions as he moved his brush and roller across the surface. As I watched, I noticed that this painter was only covering a limited area. He stretched as far as he could to the left, to the right and even reached above his head. It also occurred to me that he was only going to the height that he was comfortable at, even though the extension ladder he was using could reach much higher. From my painting experience, I remembered that once I was on the
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S A M U E L R. C H A N D My book, Whos Holding Your Ladder?, explains this powerful concept. It explains the need for qualified ladder holders and the necessary qualifications, differentiates between leaders and managers, and describes how you can turn your ladder holders into ladder climbers.

ladder and had the necessary resources, I painted a much larger area before taking the additional time needed to climb down and relocate the ladder. It was an efficient method. Why isnt he going higher to paint all the way up? What would allow him to go higher? I asked myself. Then I saw the reasonno one was holding his ladder. By himself, the painter couldnt go any further. He had done everything he could by himself. He needed help. As I watched his graceful strokes, I realized the leadership parallels. Whether were talking about churches, businesses or non-profit organizations, the effectiveness of a leader depends on the person or persons holding the ladderthose who are in support roles. The height that a visionary leader reaches on the ladder to their vision is not controlled by the leaders capabilities. Its not even controlled by how inspiring their vision might be. Its controlled by whos holding the ladder. Then another thought struck me: Those who hold the ladders are as important as the leaders themselves. The visionaries could have all the training possible, the most expensive equipment, years of experience and knowledge about painting, and a blend of expertise and passion about their craft. But thats not the deciding factor. The ladder holder determines the height to which the ladder climber ascends. Thats it! I cried aloud. Those who hold the ladder control the ascent of the visionaries. Additionally, a ladder holder who may be very capable with a 20-foot extension ladder (or vision) may not be the person you want holding your 45-foot extension ladder (a new or enlarged vision). Old ladder holders are rarely adequate at holding new ladders.

For other Ladder books and information, visit www.samchand.com

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Introduction

our heart beats to the rhythm of your destiny.

Its the song that fills your life and the vision that compels you forward. Its your destiny that gives purpose to your steps. Everyone has a destiny, but not everyone walks the path to fulfilling it. If youre reading this book, its likely that youre already taking steps to reach your destiny, to climb the ladder thats before you. In the chapters that follow, I hope to help you to more fully embrace your destiny by shedding light on the seven new rungs that all leaders climb on their ladder to destiny. Regardless of your level of leadership, all leaders deal with the same basic issues. It doesnt matter whether you have a limited or an extensive leadership background, or whether your vision is for a business, a church, or a non-profit organization. The CEO of Yahoo, the pastor of
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S A M U E L R. C H A N D would be like if we could fly. Its easy to imagine Henry Ford saying, I wonder what it would be like if we could massproduce cars or for Thomas Edison to express his thoughts about the light bulb. The Bibles book of Genesis tells us that this is a Scriptural pattern. It was the word of God that created what we now see around us. Everything began as a thought in Gods mind, which led to these words, Let us make man in our image2. 3. Decisions. Once youve spoken the words, they lead to decisions that coincide with your words. You might tell someone, This is what Im going to do. Those decisions lead to certain actions. 4. Actions. People tend to believe that they can start their journey by taking action. For example, if they want to lose 20 pounds, they immediately start by doing something about it. Unfortunately, jumping into behavior modification is not the appropriate starting place. Thats why statistics show that 80 percent of people who lose weight gain it all back. Its because actions without strong underlying thoughts, words and decisions dont provide the necessary foundation for success. The place to start is with your thoughts. You have to know what being overweight is doing for you and consider how its hurting you. Then you start telling yourself, your family, and your friends, I need to lose weight. I think Im going to go on a diet and start exercising. Then you make decisions about what changes youre going to make in the foods you eat and what exercises youll do. Theres nothing wrong with taking action, but you cannot ignore the three previous steps if you want to be successful.
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a small church, and the person running a non-profit organization are all concerned with two major issues: Walking the seven steps toward your destiny Dealing with the eight challenges you face along the way

Reaching Your Destiny

The journey that leads to your destiny consists of seven sequential steps. Each step is necessary; there can be no shortcuts to this process. Reaching your destiny requires taking each of the following steps in the corresponding order: 1. Thoughts 2. Words 3. Decisions 4. Actions 1. Thoughts. Everything that you see in the world except for what grows naturally begins as a thought. Our light fixtures, our cars, the chair youre sitting on, the book that youre reading began as thoughts. When the Bible says, As a man thinks in his heart, so is he1, its telling us that our thoughts help to shape our destiny. Everything begins with a thought. These thoughts are expressed in what we say. 2. Words. Typically, we verbalize our thoughts about our destiny by saying things like, I wonder what it would be like Its not hard to imagine Wilbur Wright saying, I wonder what it
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5. Habits 6. Character 7. Destiny

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S A M U E L R. C H A N D These consecutive steps from your thoughts to your character are the new rungs that all leaders climb on their ladder to destiny. Now that youre aware of how these seemingly inconsequential steps can help you reach your destiny, your chances of fulfillment are already greatly advanced.

5. Habits. When you continue an action long enough, it becomes a habit. We all know people who are habitually late. Its not an occasional thing; they do it all the time. It comes from lazy thinking and talking, a lack of good decisions and inadequate actions. All of these foundational behaviors are important because they create habits. And its your habits that create your character. 6. Character. Our character is the sum of our habits. When Aristotle wrote, We are what we repeatedly do, he made it clear that theres a direct connection between who we are and what we do. He underscored this fact by concluding, Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit. A habit thats performed long enough becomes part of your character. If you know someone who is habitually late, you know that its hard to expect different behavior from him or her. Their habit has become part of who they are and it has shaped their character. 7. Destiny. Eventually, your character will lead you to your destiny. There are no shortcuts to success, no easy roads to get there. Everybody wants to have their destiny fulfilled, but not everyone wants to walk through the entire process. But that is whats required. Realizing your destiny requires deliberate thought and action. You have to continually watch your thoughts because whatever you obsess about is what youll bring about. You must follow the appropriate path and organize yourself adequately. Everything you think, say and do must be congruent with your destiny. If it isnt, you wont end up in the place you want to go.

Dealing with New Challenges

In addition to following the right path, reaching your destiny also requires that you deal appropriately with many bewildering issues and uncomfortable circumstances. You have to chart your course through unfamiliar territory, address issues for which your perspective seems inadequate, and experience pains that no college or training program could have adequately anticipated. You have to diplomatically sort out what you need from the people supporting you, ensure that youre giving sufficient time to the appropriate priorities, and deal with circumstances that you hadnt planned on and for which you might not be prepared. And youll have to do it all without losing the passion that fires you or your openness to the sudden inspiration of new possibilities. These are the predominant themes that are being faced by nearly all of the leaders that I work with. Every leader whether youre running Microsoft, Google, or the church down the street is dealing with these issues. You may not be experiencing all seven of them, but most of us are dealing with three at any given time. Because life is dynamic, we may experience one to a lesser degree today, while one that hadnt affected us will suddenly register off the scale tomorrow. Watch any leader of any significance and youll see them dealing with these eight issues:

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S A M U E L R. C H A N D Overall, its his openness to new possibilities that ultimately determines his destiny and his legacy. Ive seen these eight issues unfolding when I work with pastors, organizations, and business leaders. Each situation and each leader has validated their importance in each situation. Your biggest challenge isnt money, it isnt your building plans, or your marketing strategies. Its gaining insight into how these eight challenges are affecting you so that you can provide the leadership thats needed in that context. Thats what leadership is about. Its about making sense of whats happening in your environment and moving your organization forward. Its about learning and letting others benefit by sharing your perspective. Its about climbing the ladder to your destiny and preparing other leaders for the challenges that they will face on their journey.

New Places New Perspective New People New Pains

New Priorities New Preparation New Passion New Possibilities

Putting politics aside, we can observe President George W. Bush facing each of them: He has been taken to new places in his career because of 9-11, the effects of multiple hurricanes, as well as the economy and rising oil prices. In terms of perspective, hes had to evaluate many issues and problems at a higher level than the ones on which they were created. Hes needed people around him that can give him sound recommendations. He certainly has had new pains, such as the setback with nominating a new Supreme Court justice. He started off his second term with a strong Social Security issue. Then his priorities had to change. When Hurricane Rita was coming in right after Hurricane Katrina, he had to quickly scuttle his planning and prepare to mobilize wherever it hit, since he didnt know where that would be. His passion for certain issues has probably changed just because of the daily challenges hes facing.

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NEW PEOPLE

New People
My main job was developing talent. I was a gardener providing water and other nourishment to our top 750 people. Of course, I had to pull a few weeds, too.
Jack Welch, former chairman and CEO, General Electric Corp.

Paul is sweating. His largest client just called, asking for earlier completion of an important project. Pauls been up nearly all night, scrambling to meet his regular project deadlines. Despite the success of his small software company, he finds it increasingly difficult to retain responsible employees. While theres no shortage of qualified programmers, their inability to meet deadlines or even to show up for work has forced him to let a number of them go. His most talented people are frequently lured away by offers from larger companies. Staring at the ringing phone, Paul wonders if he can afford to hire someone to deal with these human-resources challenges.

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eadership is filled with people issues. No leader is immune to them; they come with the territory. Like Paul, maybe you find

yourself in need of some new people in your life. Perhaps youre wondering why youre not getting the support you need from people

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NEW PEOPLE 1. Positive and negative people 2. People you have outgrown 3. People who are tied to yesterdays solutions 4. Thats not my job people 5. People who have not moved on 6. People who can give you new perspective 7. People you can be transparent with 8. People who can celebrate your success 1. Youll encounter both positive and negative people. Its easy to recognize positive people; they are the ones who add value to your life. As you move up your ladder, its important to have positive people around you. We are all built with a need for approval

who have always been helpful in the past. Maybe you wish you could find someone to simply validate the challenges that youre dealing with or provide sage advice from their own experience. All leaders need new people in their lives. The people who got you to where you are now may not be the ones who take you where you need to go. The chief financial officer (CFO) who took you from $1 million to $5 million may not be the one who takes

The people who got you to where you are now may not be the ones who take you where you need to go.

you from $5 million to $50 million. As a leader, you have to accept the fact that your CFO has his own thresholds, his own limitations, and his own issues to work through. You have to accept the fact that his perspective may be different from yours.

People You Will Encounter

There are many types of people who regularly cross the path of a leader. As you climb the ladder that youre on, youll encounter people who are: 1. Where you used to be. 2. People who are going where youre going. 3. People who are in the place that you want to be. Many of the difficulties that youll encounter come from not knowing how to deal with the issues and situations raised by these different groups. When we dont know how to disengage and engage with people, it causes pain. Knowing more about these eight particular types of people can help you to deal with them appropriately:
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When we dont know how to disengage and engage with people, it causes pain.

and we want to be around people who add value by agreeing with us. Its also important to understand that agreement is not always positive and disagreement is not always negative; people can disagree with us and still add value. But there are some people who will not agree with us at all. What can you do about these people? What strategy can you use with them? I heard one very insightful remark from the former president of Kenya. During our discussion, he made the comment, To appease everybody is to invite trouble. When a company or an organization grows, you will find yourself appeasing fewer people. Appeasement means that you have to find the middle of the road. The more you travel in the middle of the
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NEW PEOPLE at issues. When you began your church, you just wanted someone to play the keyboard. You werent concerned about the persons musical pedigree. If you and your son started a landscaping business, for instance, youre not looking for people with vast experience. Youre just looking

road, the more mediocrity youre going to produce. Excellence is found on the edges, never in the middle. Saying yes to one group or one person and no to another invites challenges on each side. Many times, when a negative person gives you their opinion, they expect you to follow through. Thats why its important to be around people who are willing to give you

Excellence is found on the edges, never in the middle.

Dealing with the old guard is an issue that every leader has to wrestle with.

for someone who is breathing, who can come to work and push a lawn mower. So maybe you just hire your neighbors son, who is also your sons friend. After a certain amount of growth, we begin refining our approach or expertise. When that happens, thats when we realize that the people we have doing the work are not working out. Maybe they dont understand what you

input without a demanding spirit. These are the positive people, the ones who will add value and help you get where you want to go. 2. You must also deal with people you have outgrown. Growing is necessary; its what keeps you moving. There will be folks who started the journey with you that you will outdistance. Maybe theres someone who was an integral part of your organization who just hasnt grown with you. People have to understand that if you dont grow, youve got to go. The same thing can happen in a church. Perhaps you began with 25, 30, or even 100 people in your congregation. As you expanded to two or more services and added many more people, you might find that the elders, board members or other leaders who accompanied you

Yesterdays solutions have become todays problems.

want, dont want to learn contemporary worship songs, or wonder whats wrong with the way theyve always done things. What do you do with those people now? Yesterdays solutions have become todays problems. And because the young man you hired to push the lawnmower is your sons friend, your son may not like it when you let him go. Your neighbor may not like it either. Solving issues about yesterdays solutions are often complicated. 4. Then there are the thats not my job people. When you hire people, theyre typically tied to job descriptions. At higher levels, you are less concerned with job descriptions than you are with the three essential factors of: Character
5

People have to understand that if you dont grow, youve got to go.

are not the same ones who will take you where you need to go. As a leader, you have to accept those facts. 3. People who are tied to yesterdays solutions are another concern. Dealing with the old guard is an issue that every leader has to wrestle with. In the early stages of an organization, we throw people
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NEW PEOPLE When the vision and the movement of the leader do not mirror the vision and movement of the organization, theyre out of sync with each other. We call that tension a lack of organizational congruence or alignment. Carly Fiorinas vision of merging HP and Compaq caused a great deal of organizational tension. She had to battle employees, shareholders and even the board members. Her vision was out of sync with the organization. When you have moved on and your organization has not, you have to figure out who is going to take the journey with you and who is not. You have to think about where youre going and who can help you to get there. 6. Its also important that you find people who can give you new perspective. The most productive time of a new employee in any organization secular or sacred is the first three months. After that, they do not add the same value. In the first three months, they give you perspective by questioning the way you do things. They might say, Didnt I just fill out a form that asked me for this same information? They find redundancies, they look for duplication, and they look

Competency Chemistry

Competency is about the skills, the training, and the experience required to get the job done. Character is about integrity. Bill Hybels describes integrity as what you do when theres nobody watching you. You want to know that you can trust this person. Chemistry is the one characteristic that can really cause issues. It asks, Does this person fit in? Can they get along with other people? Carly Fiorina was the first outsider to lead Hewlett Packard. When she left, many people attributed her departure

You want people who take ownership of the situation instead of saying, Thats not my job.

to chemistry. She just didnt fit in with the culture of HP. Southwest Airlines is a prime example of the great results you can achieve when employees have the right blend of competency, character and chemistry. A man called the Southwest Airlines ticket counter in Dallas concerned about his elderly mothers ability to change planes in Tulsa. The ticket agent who took the call volunteered to drive the woman to the airport and fly with her from Dallas to Tulsa after his shift was over, just to ensure that she made the connection. You want people like that, people who arent restricted by the circumstances under which they were hired. You want people who take ownership of the situation instead of saying, Thats not my job. 5. You also have to cope with people who have not moved on. A leader is always dynamic, while organizations tend to be static.

...you have to figure out who is going to take the journey with you and who is not.

for ineffectiveness. They find more effective ways to do things, they bring new ideas with them. After three months, they know survival involves falling in step, so their DNA becomes that of the organization. When I was president of a college and hired people, I always had a conversation with a new employee and their supervisor.
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NEW PEOPLE You can find a lot of people when youre are at the two-men-in-atruck level. But youre going to have fewer people available when the organization expands. It really can be lonely at the top but it doesnt have to be. 8. You should also find people who can celebrate your successes. The Scriptures tell us to weep with those who weep and rejoice with those who rejoice. Unfortunately, people find it easier to weep with

Id bring them together on the first day and encourage the new person to ask questions and tell the supervisor not to be threatened by the questions. Id tell them that those questions will help us to reconfigure and reinvent ourselves, and help us to make improvements. New people bring a perspective that others cannot give you because they see things at another level. Whether theyre internal or external, youll be able to recognize these change agents immediately by the fresh perspective they offer your organization. 7. Its equally important to have people you can be transparent with. As you rise in leadership, it becomes increasingly difficult to find people you can talk to about your inner issues. There are fewer and fewer people you can be transparent with, reveal your fears to, and have them listen to your concerns. Since these are not issues you can talk about with just anybody, you need a few people in your life that you can talk to.

There are fewer people who understand the reality of your position.

those who weep than to rejoice with those who are rejoicing. Lets say that while both of us started organizations at the same time, your organization took off but mine is struggling. Its very difficult for me to have the type of relationship with you where I can celebrate and rejoice with you. You want people who will say, Yeah man! Its great that youre doing well! You want people who can be the wind beneath your wings, who can cheer you along, who wont get jealous or

New people bring a perspective that others cannot give you because they see things at another level.

Chances are that the people you had conversations with two years ago may not be the same people youll be having conversations with in years to come. Why is it so difficult to find people to talk to? Its because the stakes are higher. When your landscaping company was just two men and a truck, you could talk about anything while youre driving down the road. But when you have 10 trucks and 100 employees, youre not going to talk to everyone about the equipment youre going to buy, about your plans to leverage your business, or about who youre going to let go because theyre not working out. There are fewer people who understand the reality of your position.

You want people who can help you celebrate your journey.

envious, who wont disengage from you because youre doing well. You want people who can help you celebrate your journey.

People Principles
Every leader is tempted to ignore or dismiss one particular type of person. We dream about how much easier life would be without an especially challenging soul. Or how much better things could be if we cloned someone who is full of new ideas or is always encouraging.
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NEW PEOPLE Achieving growth comes from following these People Principles: People Principle #1: The way to get your organization to grow is to grow your people. The way to experience growth as a leader is to grow other leaders. People Principle #2: In addition to growing others, leaders should surround themselves with people who challenge them to grow. People Principle #3: Focusing on your organizations context, not its packaging, attracts new people. People Principle 1: The way to get your organization to grow is to grow your people. The way to experience growth as a leader is to grow other leaders. Growing people is a very holistic process. It means that you pay attention to their development in the areas of character, competency and chemistry. By focusing on character, you ensure that when people are making decisions, theyre making ethical decisions. Youre ensuring that they err on the side of losing business rather than doing shady business. Developing competency means that you send them to classes, seminars and workshops that help them to become a better widget maker, computer person, or musician. You focus on chemistry by helping them to strengthen people skills, leadership skills, and management skills. Typically,

But the fact is, we need different types of people in our lives. Rather than avoiding people, leaders must focus on them. Jack Welch understood the importance of people and it helped him to transform stodgy General Electric into a highly

...we need different types of people in our lives.

competitive, multi-billion dollar global enterprise. Jack Welch, who has been called one of the two greatest corporate leaders of this century, said he spent 50 percent of his time on people issues. Thats taking your people seriously! Business Week reports that Welch told his senior managers that they should be proud of everyone that reports to them. If they werent proud of their people, they werent setting themselves up to win. And Welch
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established the example for his leaders to follow. He sent handwritten notes to production workers. He apologized to one executives wife for keeping him tied up with an important presentation. He commended one of his executives who turned down a promotion that would have involved having his teenage daughter transfer to another school. In many companies, turning down a promotion is whats called a careerlimiting event. But Jack Welch called this manager up and praised him for having his priorities straight. Jack Welch knew that the way an organization grows is by growing its people. Too many leaders think that the best way to expand a company is to have a leading-edge product or a service that blows the competition away. We try to convince ourselves that the best way to grow a congregation is to have certain programs, an inspiring service, and a magnificent building. But thats not going to produce long-term growth. To grow your church or your organization, grow your leaders in number and in depth.

...the way an organization grows is by growing its people.

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NEW PEOPLE Maxwell says, Staff your weaknesses. Find out where youre weak and hire people with strengths in those areas. Most pastors are not good with finances. We went to school to study theology, not management. As a result, we dont know how to read an audit and we dont know how to answer a CPAs questions. If thats you, stop pretending and hire someone with that competency. Every time you hire, you should be looking for someone who is better than you. If you want to stay where you are and make lateral moves, hire people just like you. People who are just like you will never challenge you to grow. When Scripture talks about iron sharpening iron4, its talking about the need to have people who will challenge your thinking. You should gather people around

people dont leave organizations because of competency issues. They leave because they dont fit in with the culture, because they either dont know how or dont want to make these types of changes. Most people Ive had to release fall into this category. Growing people has to be a holistic effort. Many companies have on-site fitness facilities and wellness benefits, but imagine if your organization sponsored a marriage retreat for employees. If an employees marriage is strong, wont he or she be more productive? If an employee isnt distracted by a divorce, wont she give

To grow your church or your organization, grow your leaders in number and in depth.

the job her full attention? Isnt it better if your employee isnt working another job just to make the child support payments? Growing people means caring for the many facets of their being. After all, you want the whole person coming to work every day. People Principle #2: In addition to growing others, leaders should surround themselves with people who challenge them to grow. Everyone is familiar with the undesirable type of person known as a yes man. Only concerned with protecting their status and position, they never consider disagreeing with their leaders. Have you ever considered what your life would be

What attracts people is becoming part of an organization thats going somewhere, thats doing something, thats changing the world.

you who think the ideas that you havent, people who will challenge the status quo. Give these people permission to speak honestly so that you grow. You dont have to agree about everything. You might come away saying, Well, we didnt agree but it sure gave me something to think about. You have to be secure enough about your weaknesses to let someone else do it. Dont pretend that you have to do everything yourself. Insecure people will hire people who are beneath them. Secure leaders always get people who are better than they are. I can walk into any church or organization and determine how secure the primary leader is. If he has gathered eagles around him, I know hes an eagle. If hes got turkeys around him, I dont care how much he says hes an eagle. Hes just a better turkey.

If we only surround ourselves with people like us, our weaknesses are never challenged.

like if you were surrounded by yes men? If we only surround ourselves with people like us, our weaknesses are never challenged. Because we never complement our weaknesses within the organization, it leads to further weakness. That is why John
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NEW PEOPLE People Principle #3: Focusing on your organizations context, not its

The Company You Keep

It is better to be alone than in the wrong company. Tell me who your best friends are, and I will tell you who you are. If you run with wolves, you will learn how to howl. But, if you associate with eagles, you will learn how to soar to great heights. A mirror reflects a mans face, but what he is really like is shown by the kind of friends he chooses. The simple but true fact of life is that you become like those with whom you closely associate for the good and the bad. The less you associate with some people, the more your life will improve. Any time you tolerate mediocrity in others, it increases your mediocrity. An important attribute in successful people is their impatience with negative thinking and negative acting people. As you grow, your associates will change. Some of your friends will not want you to go on. They will want you to stay where they are. Friends that dont help you climb will want you to crawl. Your friends will stretch your vision or choke your dream. Those that dont increase you will eventually decrease you. Consider this: Never receive counsel from unproductive people. Never discuss your problems with someone incapable of contributing to the solution, because those who never succeed themselves are always first to tell you how. Not everyone has a right to speak into your life. You are certain to get the worst of the bargain when you exchange ideas with the wrong person. Dont follow anyone whos not going anywhere. With some people you spend an evening: with others you invest it. Be careful where you stop to inquire for directions along the road of life. Wise is the person who fortifies his life with the right friendships. - Anonymous

packaging, attracts new people. Tom Peters says that your company will never experience a talent shortage as long as its a great place to work. A growing organization ends up attracting people; they dont have to hire people from cold resumes. Growing organizations and churches have people who want to be a part of them. Its not the stock options, the fringe benefits, or the salary that attract people. Its not the product or service youre providing either. What attracts people is becoming part of an changing the world. Apples co-founder, Steve Jobs, was trying to convince John Sculley to leave his job as senior vice president of PepsiCo to become the CEO of Apple. Sculley wasnt particularly interested in leaving a secure position at Pepsi to run this brand new company. Jobs changed that by asking him, Do you want to spend the rest of your life selling sugared water or do you want a chance to change the world? Being part of a company that was doing something important is what attracted John Sculley to Apple. Herb Kelleher, the founder and chairman of Southwest Airlines, says they probably have 25 applicants for every open job5. Thats not because theyve been the only airline thats been consistently profitable. Its because people want to be connected to a company that makes them feel fulfilled in their work. Ritz Carlton is another example. Their employees are all empowered

Its about value, respect and significance.

organization thats going somewhere, thats doing something, thats

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NEW PEOPLE A leader does three things: they know, they grow and they show. Knowing means getting information. By using the information you acquire, you grow and develop yourself. That alone doesnt make you a leader. You have to show someone else what you know to be a leader. Giving away what youve learned sounds odd. Why would you share your hard-earned secrets with someone else? Because you never lose by giving away power; the best use of power is empowering others. When you

to make decisions to ensure that guests are satisfied. When you talk

When we grow others, we are also growing ourselves.

to them about a problem, they dont pass the buck to the manager. Instead, they immediately take ownership

and follow up. That attitude is apparent in their credo, Ladies and gentlemen serving ladies and gentlemen. Its about value, respect and significance. Why is it that some companies in Silicon Valley have no trouble attracting people in spite of that areas talent shortage? Its because people want to be connected to an organization that values them, that gives them important work to do, and that treats them with respect.

...you never lose by giving away power; the best use of power is empowering others.

empower someone else, youve made a friend for life.

Taking Appropriate Action

As a leader, you need many different kinds of people. Often, problems arise when youre not certain how to engage and disengage with the people around you. Ive found it helpful to interact with people by determining whether this is someone who I can assist with their leadership

Reach out to those who are where you are presently. If both of our companies have 100 trucks, we can commiserate about our troubles and rejoice in our successes. During this conversation between peers, you are both learning from the other persons experience. You may not be adding a lot of value to them and they may not be adding a lot of value to you. Youre just experiencing cohesiveness, camaraderie, and collegiality by being transparent with each other.

A leader does three things: they know, they grow and they show.

growth, someone who can grow alongside me, or someone who will help me to develop my leadership potential. We engage each of these people differently. Reach down to those we can assist. A leader is someone who shares what theyve learned with others. They use their own growth to help others to grow; they purposefully mentor others. When we grow others, we are also growing ourselves.

Reach up to those who are where you want to be. Its important that we also get assistance from those who are where we want to be. Put yourself in environments that let these people recognize their knowledge and experience. Its this last category that can be somewhat painful. Thats because
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Disengaging from people is difficult, its painful, and its messy.

who you are, and let them know that youd like to benefit from

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NEW PEOPLE

you have to disengage with people who have brought you where you are in order to engage with the people who can take you up. If youve been spending time with a new group, you dont have the time to devote to the people you used to see.

Teaching Points
All leaders need new people in their lives. The people who got you where you are now may not be the ones who take you where you need to go. Many of the difculties that youll encounter come from not knowing how to deal with issues and situations raised by different types of people. Youll encounter people who agree and disagree with you. Agreement is not always positive and disagreement is not always negative. People can disagree with you and still add value. Youll have to deal with people youve outgrown, those who youve outpaced. People who are still tied to yesterdays solutions can become todays problems. There are also people who will only stay within the boundaries of their job description and not take ownership of situations. A leader must deal with static people and static organizations. When theyre not moving in sync, the tension is a lack of organizational congruence. People new to your organization can offer you new perspective on redundancies and ineffectiveness during their rst 90 days. As you rise in leadership, there are few people who understand the reality of your position. So its important to nd people you can be transparent with about your inner issues.

Leaders only grow to the threshold of their pain.

If you were with people who ran small companies and now your company is growing, youre busy engaging with people running other growing companies. Disengaging from people is difficult, its painful, and its messy. Its painful because you really care about these people and may not want to disengage. Its painful because you realize that unless you disengage, youll never be able to have the time to engage new people. And its also painful because you realize that you may never see these different groups together because their worlds and realities are so different. Its painful because the people that youre disengaging from will not be able to understand why youve disengaged from them. Its painful all the way around. But remember, unless you are willing to endure these pains, your own growth as a leader will be limited. Leaders only grow to the threshold of their pain.

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L Shifts You should also have people who can celebrate your successes without being jealous or envious.

NEW PEOPLE

We need different types of people in our lives. As we focus on growing people, the organization will experience growth. Focus on growing people in the areas of character, chemistry and competency. Surround yourself with people who will challenge your own growth. If you only hire people like you, it never complements your weaknesses within the organization. As long as your organization values people by giving them important work to do and treating them with respect, youll never experience a talent shortage. When interacting with people, we should: Reach down to share our growth with other leaders, those who are potential leaders and those who are where we used to be. Reach out to peers who are where we are presently. Reach up to those who are where wed like to be.

New People

People encountered

Unless youre willing to engage with new people and disengage with others, your own leadership growth will be limited.

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Take appropriate actions

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People principles

Reach out

Reach up

Reach down

Take appropriate actions

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New People

People encountered

Positive/negative Those youve outgrown

People principles

Tied to yesterdays solutions Not my job people Not moved on Can give new perspective

Grow others

Staff your weaknesses Focus on organizational context

Can be transparent with Can celebrate success

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NEW PAINS

New Pains
God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks in our conscience, but shouts in our pains; it is his megaphone to rouse a deaf world.
C. S. Lewis, Author, The Problem of Pain

As the front door closed behind her, Jill dropped her briefcase, switched on the living room light, and sank wearily into her favorite armchair. Leaving for work in the dark and coming home after sunset was becoming a routine. With local fire codes forcing the center to turn away increasing numbers of needy families, she continued waging an uphill battle to expand the facility to meet the needs of the community. At the end of yet another long day, she wondered if the expansion strategy was taking the center one step forward and two steps back. After weeks of frustrating paperwork and endless board meetings, the grant proposals to deliver the needed funds were finally in the hands of the government decision makers. But she now awaited news of the proposals without the much-needed support of her assistant director, Ann. Together, Ann and Jill had raised the funds to start the center and

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L Shifts enthusiastically championed its activities. Almost as the new expansion plans started, Ann began calling out sick frequently and becoming increasingly critical of the expansion. Jill finally asked for Anns resignation after weeks of painful conversations and her own internal debates. Taking a pile of resumes from her briefcase, she wondered why she hadnt seen earlier signs of this problem and hoped she could locate a replacement to help her manage the expansion.

NEW PAINS When you become governor, you have more pains. If you happen to rise from governor to president, you have some major pains! Many people dont seek public office because theyre unwilling to put up with the pains of those positions. We all have thresholds of pain both consciously and unconsciously that cause us to say, Thats not worth it. When youre the CEO, youre never off. You may be out of the office but youre always on call. You have pains that most people never understand. Think about the number of people who wish they could be Bill Gates. Theres no shortage of people dreaming of being one of the wealthiest men in the world or imagining their picture on the cover of Time as Man of the Year. They dont think about

odays leaders are feeling pains theyve never felt before. The exploding rate of change is causing some of these pains. Rapid

technological innovation brings new pains, finding honest and competent people bring new pains, and being a global entity operating in different cultures brings new pains. For pastors, there are the pains of misplaced leaders, building programs, increases and decreases in

When youre the CEO, youre never off.

the price Bill Gates pays or the pains he endures. They dont imagine themselves in his shoes during the Microsoft antitrust trial. They dont aspire to be the Microsoft CEO who had his proposal turned down by AOL and then watched them announce a partnership with their rival, Google. They dont consider that Bill Gates became Man of the Year for his philanthropic work, not for creating a well-known software company. Theyve never imagined his pains.

membership, and more or less money. The increased pace of change gives everything a shorter shelf life. Not long ago, when someone got a job, they were content to work there until they retired with a gold Rolex. Now, its estimated that a Generation Xer will make seven to 10 job changes in a lifetime. And people are relocating

Todays leaders are feeling pains theyve never felt before.

to live in seven houses.

as often as theyre changing jobs, with the average American projected Change isnt the only cause of our pains. The higher your position, the more pains you have to bear. If you went through graduate school, for example, you endured pains that someone with a high school diploma never encountered. If youre the local mayor, your pains come from being accountable, critiqued and criticized by the people of your town.

Necessary Pains
Some pains are quite normal. Scripture tells us not be surprised or dismayed by the fiery ordeals we encounter. As leaders, we should also accept certain pains as part of the job; they just come with the territory. Obviously, were not referring here to the pains of wrongdoing or the
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NEW PAINS continues to grow, you might think about starting another franchise, which is another level of pain. Some people wouldnt consider that second franchise; others wouldnt even want the first one. To them, it isnt worth it. Its just too painful.

pains of injury or illness. Were talking about the pains that come as you begin fulfilling your vision. In these cases, the pains you experience can be regarded as similar to those of childbirth. They may not be pleasant, you may experience discomfort and distress, but because you have a goal and a vision that youre focused on, these pains can seem relatively small in the grander scheme. Often, pains come because of the great care and diligence, the painstaking efforts were investing in our work. When we take pains with our work, we can expect to get some pains in return. To grow as a leader, you must be willing to embrace these pains. Its a job requirement. In fact, your willingness to handle the pains you encounter will determine the level of leadership to which youll rise. I know some great preachers who will always pastor small churches because they cannot handle the issues and challenges that come with larger ones. There are other pastors who end up in larger churches because they have a greater capacity for handling pain. They may not be as talented as

Varieties of Pains
The force of a bullet strikes you like a sledgehammer, knocking you backward. Your windows vibrate to the rumble of distant thunder and approaching storm clouds. Pains come at many levels. What types of pains do leaders typically experience? At various times, youll encounter: External pains. These pains are the approaching storm clouds. They tend to have distant causes, like cultural changes, external pressures, and competitive realities. Organizational pains. As you respond to external realities, youll find yourself dealing with organizational conflict and making decisions that involve increasingly higher stakes. Internal pains. These are the bullets that come as you deal with various issues painful realizations about yourself, your personal boundaries and your own inadequacies.

...your willingness to handle the pains you encounter will determine the level of leadership to which youll rise.

the small-church pastor; they just have a higher pain threshold. Its very important for leaders to understand why these painful circumstances we encounter exist in the first place. Lets face it; if we didnt want the pains, wed take a 9-to-5 job or settle for a lesser position. While pain may not be what motivates us, its our willingness to handle pains that determines our level of leadership. For example, if you leave a 9-to-5 job to start a fast-food franchise, that brings all kinds of new pains with it. It challenges your family life in new ways because you have to work longer hours. If the business
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External Pains
Leading in a changing culture. The changing cultural norms of today and tomorrow raise questions about how things get done. It doesnt matter how slowly or how quickly a familiar cultural landscape is
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NEW PAINS as well. There are large pains and there are smaller pains. For example, when youre having conference calls with your multinational associates, what time zone gets preference? And when youre transacting commerce, what exchange rate do you use? Thats part of transitioning to new cultural norms. No control over external realities. The pace of progress demands faster and more proactive action. This frantic pace brings with it the realization that despite your intensive market analysis, demographic studies and strategic plans youre no longer in the drivers seat with both hands firmly on the wheel. Sometimes, the realization occurs in small, yet sudden ways. A local expansion widens a roadway, displacing smaller and older businesses as new ones open. A dependable supplier was one of those statistics,

transformed into an unfamiliar seascape, it still creates pains. For example, the hierarchical culture of the boss telling people what to do has fallen by the wayside, replaced by the consensus building of a collaborative culture. No longer is it enough for a CEO on the 18th floor to send a directive. Now he must get buy-in from the vice presidents, they

Cultural shifts demand new ways of looking at things and new vocabularies.

get buy-in from their managers, who get it from the supervisors and foremen, who get the buy-in of the people on the floor. Tom Friedman talks about this in The World is Flat; the hierarchies, the pyramids, and the flow charts that described how things got done dont work any more. Cultural shifts demand new ways of looking at things and new vocabularies. Virtual teams, collaborative groups, and task forces are emphasized with this new language. Products are marketed in entirely new ways. While youre traveling on Delta, theyre marketing Starbucks. While youre at Starbucks, theyre marketing the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Everything is more tightly interwoven. When you rent a movie, theyre advertising TV programs, and TV programs are trying to get visits to Web sites. Theres a new team with new delivery systems integrating the vertical smokestacks of yesterday. In times past, when the majority of business was transacted locally, if you werent in Atlanta, we wouldnt work together. Now, cell phones, e-mail and digital networks have tied together people from across the globe. For example, I live in Atlanta, GA, my writer is in northern New Jersey, and this book is published in Chicago, IL. While they provide new capabilities, new delivery systems cause pains
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The pace of progress demands faster and more proactive action.

forcing you to find a replacement. Its happening more and more frequently, especially if that road construction happens to be making room for a new superstore. Its painful to realize your lack of influence over issues and situations you want to retain control of, and to watch as the things you had control of begin wriggling from your grasp. Competitive realities. Competitive landscapes can quickly become raging seascapes, capable of swallowing even the most legendary organizations. Remember when AT&T was the only game in town? First, threats came from Sprint, MCI and other long-distance companies. Then, more intense competition grew from the Baby Bells that were once

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NEW PAINS Internal organizational conflict. A small organization experiences relatively little strife. The smaller numbers make it easier to manage expectations and minimize the amount of conflict that arises when peoples expectations differ from what they experience. As your organization becomes more successful and your staff expands, its tougher to manage the conflict between expectations and reality. You also have to contend with competition among the staff, differing of a growing organization brings new pains.

part of their own family. Finally, the competitive environment was completely altered, with cell phone companies, cable TV and Internet companies providing inexpensive calling plans. And now the cycle is beginning again. Certainly, the pains of remaining relevant or competitive are no picnic; but heeding those pains can keep you from becoming irrelevant, an acquisition target, or a statistic.

The success of a growing organization brings new pains.

Organizational Pains
Decisions with higher stakes. When I became president at Beulah Heights Bible College, our entire annual budget was under $100,000. Eventually, we progressed to budgets that were in the millions, and then multiple millions of dollars. Every decision I made involved increasingly higher stakes. I was constantly aware that making a bad decision could result in a significant revenue loss or affect the jobs of the 93 people working there. The gravity of making high priority, life-anddeath decisions is what ages U.S.

perspectives, a range of preferences and many more biases. The success

Internal Pains
Realizing our inadequacies. It happens. Despite our best research and preparation, things dont turn out like we expected. Its easy to begin to question our own competency, our mission and our judgment, especially when we hear the loud voices of our critics. We lay awake, with the questions from our own internal critic echoing in the dark. I should have known that. Why didnt I know that? Why did I make that choice? Our own inadequacies bring pains. Rising to the level of our incompetence. Every leader has their own personal glass ceiling, that place they just cant move beyond. Eventually, all of us reach the level of our incompetence described by the Peter Principle. Maybe youve realized that you cant grow your church beyond 200 people. You average between 180 and 220, bumping up and down, up

The angst of the struggle to make the right decision always brings pains.

presidents, causing them to enter the White House looking young and coming out with gray hair and bags under their eyes. Its because every stroke has to count. Now, my pains are different. A bad business decision would only affect my family, my assistant and me. Its much different than it was at the college, when my decisions affected the lives of many more people. The angst of the struggle to make the right decision always brings pains.

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NEW PAINS Needing new people. A growing organization needs new talent and new people. Thats always a challenge that brings new pains. There are the pains of deciding what type of skills and characteristics are required, what certifications and education are needed. You have to conduct the interviews to determine if this person has the right mix of character, chemistry and competency

and down. It doesnt matter what you try, thats where you remain. Perhaps your organization is stalled. Despite your research into new markets and new product launches, you cant take it any further. A growth strategy seems to elude you. Its a painful place to be. Emerging from a painful level is possible, however, if were willing to challenge our own thinking, as described in the chapter on New Perspectives in this book. Disengaging from familiar people. A number of times, Ive had to part ways or let go of people who accompanied me on my journey. Ive

Letting go of people creates all kinds of pains

to fit in with your organization. If youve just separated from the person that was in the position youre filling, that adds additional pain. An inability to articulate internal realities. Developing a vision can be a very intuitive, creative process. While the vision is percolating inside our heart and our spirit, we know something exciting is happening. Early in that process, its hard to get our minds and words synchronized with what were seeing. Ive seen this a lot with leaders, especially with pastors. They have an inspiring, exciting idea about where they want to go. Many times, they find it difficult to articulate. When they do attempt to express it, its frustrating and painful place to be.

Emerging from a painful level is possible

hired a lot of people and Ive fired a lot of people, too. It raises questions about loyalty, about entitlement, and

about friendship. Its always painful; you always hurt for people. Separations are often unavoidable business realities. When Delta Airlines filed for bankruptcy, they had to go through the pain of letting thousands of people go. They couldnt keep doing business as usual. As part of their restructuring, Ford also cut thousands of jobs. Despite the reality of the numbers, its never an easy decision. Pastors know the pain of separation quite well. Its particularly painful when it involves good, faithful people. She was our first Sunday school teacher. Hes been my deacon and my organist since we were 25. They

...its hard to get our minds and words synchronized with what were seeing.

sometimes vague, general and amorphous even to them! Thats a

Separations are often unavoidable business realities.

Transformational Pains
When Lou Gerstner became the chairman and CEO of IBM in 1993, the company was in trouble. During his first meeting, the leadership team discussed IBMs strategy. When that eight-hour meeting was over, Gerstner says he didnt understand a thing; it was almost as though the
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always gave sacrificially and hung in there with us. But now we need someone who can take us to another level. Letting go of people creates all kinds of pains, but making those changes is frequently a requirement of moving forward. That pain is part of the challenge of leadership.
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NEW PAINS painful. But if you want to be a princess or a president, thats what you have to deal with. Making friends with your pains is part of leadership. Our pains tell us we are moving in the right direction. New pains will always be a part of your life as you continue climbing the ladder to your destiny.

other leaders spoke a different language. That meeting, as painful as it was, revealed to him exactly what he was up against in making the company profitable. Eventually, he had to transform IBMs powerful culture, a culture that made it both famous and successful in the 1960s and 70s.

All leaders must bear the pains of criticism.

Imagine being a company outsider and having to transform an icon like IBM. How did he do it? Gerstner made friends with his pains. He had to embrace the pain of transforming the famous IBM culture, the pain of centralizing what had become a very individualistic operation, and the pain of flying in the face of many other things that were considered standard-operating procedure before he arrived. By embracing these pains, he turned IBM around. Athletes are always playing while they are hurting. They know they have to make friends with their pains. One pro-football player says that playing is like being in a car wreck every day6. Why do they continue doing it? Because they love playing; they understand that their pains are the price they pay. Embracing your pains is never easy. All leaders must bear the pains of criticism. You cannot be a leader and avoid being criticized. Everything the president of the United States says and does is intensely scrutinized. Every Sunday talk show dissects his

New pains will always be a part of your life as you continue climbing the ladder to your destiny.

policies and actions. It takes thick skin to be the president. When Princess Camilla visited America, the press criticized her for what she wore and what she didnt wear. They wrote about how many changes of clothes she brought for an eight-day visit. Imagine, being Camilla and reading an article that said she looks frumpy. Thats
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NEW PAINS Despite our best efforts, things may not turn out as we expected, causing us to question our choices. We may reach a level that we simply cannot move beyond. Separation from people we know is often an unavoidable reality. We also experience the pains of needing and nding the right people. Our inability to express our own vision can also be painful.

Teaching Points
The exploding rate of change is causing new pains, giving everything a shorter shelf life. The higher your position, the more pains you must bear. Your willingness to handle the pains youll encounter determines the level of leadership to which youll rise. Youll encounter external pains, organizational pains, and internal pains. External pains come from changing cultural norms, a lack of control over external realities, and competitive pressures. Changing cultural norms raise questions about how things should be done. A lack of control includes your lack of inuence over issues and situations you want to control, as well as a loss of control over things you once controlled. Competitive landscapes can quickly be transformed into raging seascapes.

Embracing your pains is a necessary part of leadership.

Organizational pains include decisions with higher stakes and organizational conicts. Rising in leadership involves making decisions with larger budgets and the ability to affect the lives of many more people. As an organization grows, it becomes more difcult to manage expectations and minimize organizational conict.

Internal pains include personal inadequacies, rising to the level of our incompetence, disengaging from familiar people, needing new people and an inability to articulate internal realities.
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Necessary part of leadership

Embrace your pains to grow

Making Friends with Pain

Necessary Pains

New Pains
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Pain threshold determines leadership level

Varieties of Pains External Organizational

Cultural norms Lack of control Competitive pressures Higher stakes Internal conflict Personal inadequacy Peter Principle Disengaging from people Needing new people Inability to articulate vision

Making Friends with Pain

External Varieties of Pains

L Shifts

Organizational

New Pains

Necessary Pains

Internal
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NEW PAINS

Internal

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NEW PLACES

New Places
The next sea change is upon us. We must recognize this change as an opportunity to take our offerings to the next level
Bill Gates, co-founder and chairman, Microsoft

Blogging. Until a few weeks ago, Jill had never heard the term. Since the boards recent decision to use this new Internet technology to publicize her non-profit groups activities on the Web, shes read and talked about little else. Apparently, having a blog which is short for Web log is the latest in high-tech business tools. Written in an informal style, almost like an online diary, they can give any organization including big bloggers like GM and Google a more human voice. Jill hoped her forays into the strange land of technology were over when she launched the groups Web site. Now, shes puzzling over how a blog will connect people with the charitable work theyre doing in the community and wondering where shell find the talent needed to keep the content fresh and interesting. Smiling to herself, she thinks that one of the kids skateboarding a few floors down could probably wrap up this blog thing much more quickly and capably.

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hurch and business leaders around the world are finding themselves in places that are brand new to them. Many churches

Getting to New Places

Its a leaders nature to seek out and journey to new places. In order to reach these new places, a few things are required. We must: Develop a clear vision of our destination Disengage with activities and people not headed in that direction Connect with others who are already at your desired destination Having a clear vision is a necessity. Once your destination is clear, youre more inclined to find the resources that can take you where you want to go. For instance, if your vision is growing a business that develops Web sites that offer safe

and organizations are journeying to new places because of the needs arising in their communities. They may or may not be creating Web blogs, but they are reaching out in ways that a few years ago were not

even on their radar. Business leaders are also moving to new places. Theyre finding themselves in new places in their own leadership journeys, new places with their products, new places with their mode of delivery, and new places in customer service. Going to new places is good. The American Indians understood this. If they didnt like someone, theyd curse them by saying, May you stay in the same place. When they said this, they were obviously thinking about more than your geography. They were

Remaining in the same place produces mediocrity.

Having a clear vision is a necessity.

wishing you a stagnant personal journey, a family that wouldnt grow, a future that was a lot less than prosperous. They were wishing that you would remain in the same condition, without moving, without growing, and without changing. Remaining in the same place produces mediocrity. Many years ago, farmers discovered that when land is forced to produce the same crops year after year, it affects the soil by robbing it of essential nutrients. To continue producing good crops in the days before fertilizer, they just changed what they planted in an area or let a piece of farmland rest for a season, giving the soil a chance to renew itself. Change was regarded as a good and necessary thing.

on-line shopping, that goal drives your thinking and your activities. You wont allow yourself to be sidetracked by seminars for video-game developers or industry associations for shoe salesmen. Im finding that more and more leaders are getting clearer about their destinations. Theyre defining where they want to go and investing the resources that will take them there. Unfortunately, a clear vision is not the only requirement for reaching your destination. Some leaders know that they want to go west, for example, but theyre still lingering at the eastern seaboard. Occasionally, they gaze at the westbound train thats headed toward the frontier that theyre dreaming about. No amount of wishing, dreaming and visioning is ever going to get them where they want to go. Reaching our destination requires that we disengage from the place were at and the people were with before

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NEW PLACES You cannot remain static if you want to be moving. You have to become part of something that is moving and associate with people who are moving. If your church, company or organization is going somewhere, youll find that people will want to be connected with you so that they can go somewhere too. In addition to connecting yourself to people and organizations that are moving, its important to identify, connect and seek help from people who are already at your destination.

we can catch the train headed in the right direction. How important is disengaging? For Intel, disengaging is probably what maintained the companys profitability and possibly their existence in the extremely competitive chip market. In the early 1980s, most of Intels top executives didnt see the need to change a thing. At the time, Intel was probably the leading provider of memory chips and was making about $1 billion a year. Andy Grove, who was president of Intel, and CEO

Dont think that disengaging is easy.

You cannot remain static if you want to be moving.

Gordon Moore, knew the industry was about to undergo drastic changes. Japanese firms were starting to make the same chips available so cheaply that they would soon become commodities. By 1984, Intels profits fell below $2 million7. Dont think that disengaging is easy. In his book, Only the Paranoid Survive, Grove says that he knew that Intel had to exit that market but had trouble even getting the words out of his mouth. Over time, he was able to take the necessary, painful action of disengaging from a market that Intel had virtually created so they could move forward. Disengaging was painful all around for Intel. It meant layoffs for thousands of employees and the companys first loss since their startup days. Was it worth it? Lets answer one question with another one: Does the slogan, Intel Inside mean anything to you? Disengaging from the memory chip market is what enabled Intel to focus on the microprocessor and led to them being selected as the chip that powered IBMs new personal computer. The rest as they say is history. But the first step in getting there was disengaging.

Talking with people who are where you want to go helps you to develop a much clearer vision of your destination.

Coping with the Journey

By its very nature, a journey to a new place can be uncomfortable. Its uncomfortable because youre leaving the familiar, leaving your comfort zone and traveling into the unknown. While there may be no maps of the new places youre in, there are four principles that can help you navigate the terrain of any unfamiliar territory: Be ready to give up the familiar to make friends with the unfamiliar Develop a level of comfort with ambiguity Be flexible in your direction Emphasize seascapes over landscapes

Anytime that you journey into the unfamiliar, you experience a certain

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NEW PLACES staying with whats familiar. Two years before Netscape Communications launched the first Web browser, a researcher showed a prototype to Hewlett Packards CEO. Now, the CEO was excited about the browser concept and passed it along to the leaders of HPs computer division. When the computer division reviewed the browser, they rejected it. Why? Partly because they couldnt

amount of angst, of concern, of nervousness. Anytime and this is

Talking with people who are where you want to go helps you to develop a much clearer vision of your destination.

true for people of faith especially that God asks you to go to new places, you have to give up whats become familiar and make friends with the unfamiliar. Everything in our psyche wants to stay in the familiar;

everything in Gods psyche moves us to the unfamiliar. Scripture is full of examples of this: Abraham, youre familiar with this land but Im taking you into a land that you havent seen. David, youre familiar with the sheep. Im going to take you into the unfamiliar territory of kingship and politics. Daniel, you are familiar with working in high levels of government, but Im going to take you into the unfamiliar place of taking a stand for righteousness. Peter, youre a good fisherman but Im going to make you a fisher of men. While everything in us wants to run toward the known and the familiar, God is always trying to take us toward the uncertain and unfamiliar. Thats because its in the uncertain, in the unfamiliar, and in the new places that we trust God in new ways. In addition to becoming personally comfortable with your own journey to new places, you have to create an organizational culture thats ready to make friends with the unfamiliar, a culture that fosters innovative thinking, thats open to exploring new ideas and traveling to new places. Too many organizations only reward their people for
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Everything in our psyche wants to stay in the familiar; everything in Gods psyche moves us to the unfamiliar.

imagine how this new thing could help them sell computers and partly because management always stressed the importance of meeting quarterly goals over investing. Failing to make friends with the unfamiliar can be costly. While your organization needs processes, you have to be careful that youre not stifling the innovative thinking that could take you to unfamiliar places. Google is a great example of a company that nurtures innovation. All of their engineers have one day a week to work on their own pet projects, even if what theyre doing isnt directly connected to the companys efforts. If their project work prevents them from using this independent time, they can save it up and use it later. Their top executives also have office hours where employees can schedule time to discuss new ideas. And any employee can post and debate concepts for the business to consider on their online bulletin boards. Google knows that in order for their organization to grow, they must get comfortable with the unfamiliar. You have to be willing to move into uncertainty and willing to venture into unknown territory. For example, maybe your organization has always done well with one
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NEW PLACES its chancellor. Now Im writing books, speaking and consulting. Ive had to become comfortable with shifting lanes and being able to make transitions. If I was not comfortable with shifting lanes, I would have gotten arthritis of life and gotten stuck somewhere along the way. Have you noticed people on the highway who get stuck in the passing lane? They just stay there, cruising along. I dont ever want to get stuck in that lane because getting to new places sometimes means getting off at an exit, taking a detour and getting back on the expressway further down the road. Finding new places requires a certain amount of flexibility. Dont underestimate the importance of making friends with the unfamiliar, being comfortable with ambiguity, and staying flexible. These are critical principles to master because youre not a pioneer traveling across the landscape in a covered wagon youre the captain of a sailboat navigating the changing and uncharted waters of a seascape. Watching the ocean from a beach

person handling your bookkeeping. As you grow, it becomes too much work for just one or two people, so your lead bookkeeper proposes an outsourcing arrangement. You might not be comfortable with a new arrangement. You know how your people do things and are comfortable walking down the hall to their offices and asking questions. You dont know these new accountants. But if you want to continue growing, you have to be willing to walk through the unfamiliar and into growth. Every leader also has to cultivate a level of comfort with ambiguity, both real and perceived. We like to think that we know where were going,

...its in the uncertain, in the unfamiliar, and in the new places that we trust God in new ways.

but all we really have is a general direction. We are always living with the ambiguous. We may have many questions that wed like to answer, but we just have to see what happens

as the journey unfolds. You have to be comfortable about saying that youll only be able to address some issues as you move forward. Once you reach a new milestone, youll have other things to figure out. Your destination is always perceived; it hasnt yet become real. You may have mapped out your strategy and developed some tactics, but as your journey unfolds, situations will change in ways you cannot perceive. Because things change during your journey, you also have to be flexible in your direction. Having the flexibility to make mid-course corrections and shift lanes is an important part of reaching your destination. My own destination has been distilling itself over time. I came to America as a student and became the breakfast cook, dishwasher and janitor for my college. After I graduated, I became the assistant pastor of a church, got married, started a family, and then became the senior pastor. Then I came to Beulah Heights Bible College as president and later became

...you have to be willing to walk through the unfamiliar and into growth.

reminds us that the landscape were standing on is stationary and static. However, just a few feet ahead, the seascape changes every second. Leaders emphasize seascapes over landscapes. Why? Because they know that their journey is not taking them through an environment thats stationary, but one that is dynamic and ever changing. Not being prepared for a dynamic environment causes problems for many organizations. Look at AT&T. For years, they monopolized the telecommunications industry. Even after parts of their business were broken up into regional telephone companies, they continued to operate like the
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NEW PLACES Knowing that were navigating a seascape provides some important information: The environment is always changing Its changing faster than we realize Were all going to new places Wed better be thinking about those new places so that we can make the course corrections needed to reach our destination Youd better believe that Bill Gates is closely watching the sea changes affecting his industry and is taking action to reach his destination. To lead Microsoft in the next phase of changes being brought about by the Internet, he hired a new chief technical officer. Theyve already

monopoly they were for so many years. They just were not able to shift lanes because they still thought like a huge behemoth. In many ways, they behaved like they were living on a landscape while their industry became a seascape. Delta Airlines is another example. Theyre in financial trouble while cut-rate providers like Air Tran, Southwest, Frontier, and others are making money. The reason these

Leaders emphasize seascapes over landscapes.

companies are making money is because theyre small and nimble. They continue scanning the environment and adapting to the evolving conditions around them. When the landscape changes into a seascape, theyre willing to adapt and change quickly. They are like little sports cars, weaving in and out of traffic, not large tractor-trailers. In The World is Flat, Tom Friedman talks about the effect of globalization. He makes the point that while many things in the global economy have changed quite rapidly, our delivery systems and methodologies have not. We have to be willing to make changes as we navigate the seascape because its changing every second. We have to always be open to new places, to always be willing to catch the next wave. No organization is immune to making changes. Dont think that because your church is healthy that it doesnt need to change. Reflecting on his ten-year anniversary of succeeding Chuck Swindoll as pastor of the First Evangelical Free Church, H. Dale Burke observed that healthy churches have a harder time seeing the need to change. No one may be very concerned about subtle symptoms at a healthy church. But that doesnt mean that changes arent needed to reach a changing world8.

We have to be willing to make changes as we navigate the seascape because its changing every second.

been anticipating changes in how software will be distributed, used and paid for, changes that might resemble the model that Napster made popular9. Bill Gates has been watching sea changes for quite some time. In a recent memo to his senior executives, he mentions a memo titled, The Internet Tidal Wave that he wrote in 1995 forecasting how the Internet would alter the computing industry and describing what it meant for Microsoft. Bill Gates pays attention to seascapes; he knows that if he rides them, theyll take him and his company to new places.

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NEW PLACES As we make friends with the unfamiliar, we know that the stationary landscapes we knew will become the dynamic seascapes that we must navigate. We must be ready to catch the next wave because things are changing faster than we realize.

Teaching Points
Going to new places is a good and necessary thing. Remaining in the same place only produces mediocrity. Reaching new places requires developing a clear vision of your destination, disengaging with people and activities not headed in that direction, and connecting with others headed to your destination. Once your destination is clear, youre more inclined to nd the necessary resources. Reaching the destination involves disengaging from where we are presently. We cannot remain static. We must also connect with people who are already at the place we want to go.

Going to new places is easier when we are ready to make friends with the unfamiliar, develop a level of comfort with ambiguity, are exible, and emphasize seascapes over landscapes. Human nature wants to stay with whats familiar. We have to be ready to leave our comfort zone and journey into the unknown. We have to create organizational cultures that foster innovative thinking. Failing to do this can be costly. We are always living with the ambiguous, even though we like to think we know where were headed. Because things may change, we have to remain exible enough to make course corrections.

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Dynamic, not static environment

Sailing uncharted waters Clear vision of destination Disengage

Seascapes, not landscapes

Reaching new places

NEW PLACES

New Places
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Coping with the journey Comfort with ambiguity

Make course corrections Destinations are perceived

Give up familiar for unfamiliar

Personally

Coping with the journey Seascapes, not landscapes

Comfort with ambiguity

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New Places
Reaching new places
Connect with others Organizationally

Give up familiar for unfamiliar

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New Perspectives
He not busy being born is busy dying.
Bob Dylan, Singer/Songwriter, Its Alright Ma (Im Only Bleeding)

The glowing digital clock signaled 3 a.m. Unable to sleep, Youth Pastor Joe quietly tiptoed downstairs, unplugged his guitar from its amp, and strummed quietly. Across town, Jake Barrett, the churchs senior pastor, revisited the same board meeting as his youth pastor. Joes quiet energy and passion had invigorated the churchs teen and college-aged youth. Still, the board was divided over his proposal for a Friday night youth service, voicing concern that an evening gathering would deplete Sunday morning attendance. Joe described similar gatherings that had increased overall interest in spiritual matters. Staring at his guitar, he wondered why no amount of information seemed to sway the board, why they refused to even experiment. In his kitchen, Jake questioned his own reservations, asking himself why he resisted this new idea despite the inability to sustain the interest of the church youth before Joes arrival. As the clock glowed past 4 a.m., both men sat pondering in silence.

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NEW PERSPECTIVES origins of our perspective: 1. Family 2. Friends 3. Foes 4. Culture 5. Education 6. Ancient wisdom 1. Our family is the first core group that teaches us how to think something through. This is where we get our core values, our history, our prejudices, fears, biases and preferences. 2. The second group that becomes important to us is our friends. When we interact with our friends, they bring all the influences of their families with them. If you have three good friends, all of them bring their own universes to the table. When youre talking, theyll say, My mom does this, My dad says this, We would never do that, or Why dont you do that? Even as kids, they help us think through things because they bring us another perspective. 3. Then there are our foes, our enemies. These are people who dont like you, dont care for you, who dont wish you the very best. When they raise issues that you know dont have your best intent in mind, it helps you to see things in a different perspective. Perhaps you are in a meeting

very leader needs to be able to see things differently, to think outside the box. The business world values fresh perspectives

because its being different, being ahead of the pack that creates demand for products and services. When the leaders of churches and non-profit

organizations develop and introduce fresh insights, it brings growth. How important is a new perspective? In The Effective Executive, Peter Drucker tells of a medical supply company knocked from the top position in its industry. The company leaders were shocked because their products were technically superior to those of the rival who beat them. Eventually, they learned that their successful competitor didnt win by spending a huge research budget on technical breakthroughs. Instead of battling them on their own turf, they sent their people into the hospitals and doctors offices that used these products, encouraging

...getting perspective means forcing ourselves to think in new ways.

them to observe and listen, not to sell. The information and fresh insights they gained by learning about their customers environment and challenges led to new perspectives that made them the industrys provider of choice.

The Genesis of Perspective

Gaining new perspectives is always rewarding. But getting perspective means forcing ourselves to think in new ways. Our tried-and-true methods of thinking wont lead to finding different methods of competing or fresh paths for serving. Since its important to be aware of how we developed our current thinking, lets examine the six primary
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You begin to keep your friends close and your enemies closer

and you know that theres somebody there to undercut you. They are not there for you; they are there to challenge you by raising issues about your department. This is just the way

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they think. The way to win with this enemy is to think like the enemy. So, you begin to keep your friends close and your enemies closer and that gives you a new perspective. 4. The culture that were in also gives us perspective. By culture, Im talking about regions of the country and parts of the world. If youre from the northeast and Im from the south, our cultures are different. We will interact differently, think differently, and emphasize things differently. 5. Our education also provides perspective. Simply because theyve been informed at different levels, those who have a GED or a high school diploma look at an issue one way, while those who have a college education will look at the same issue another way. Both

Healthy Attitudes Foster New Perspectives

In addition to knowing how we developed our perspective, we must remain aware of our attitudes. Our attitudes will greatly influence our ability to develop new perspectives. If we believe that we have to be competent in every area, it breeds an independent spirit. While a certain amount of independence is healthy, we must guard against developing a spirit that cannot accept other peoples ideas, as this blocks us from gaining new perspective. We have to be healthy enough and free enough to admit that we cannot be strong in every area. Its much healthier to focus on developing an interdependent spirit. As leaders, we dont need to know it all; we just need to know people who have strengths that complement us. We can surround ourselves with people who can show us what we need to see, people who can help us to understand what we need. I dont need to know how to program a computer; I just need someone who can do it for me. I dont need to see everything; I just need to be connected to people who can see what I may not be seeing. You

Our attitudes will greatly influence our ability to develop new perspectives.

parties have been informed. One has been informed more formally, while the other has been informed more informally. 6. Then theres the ancient wisdom thats embedded in our subconscious, which tells us we can do this, but we shouldnt do that. The Bibles book of Proverbs talks about this. For example, I have been away from my home country of India since 1973, yet there are things from that ancient wisdom that remain part of me. Once we become aware of the boundaries of our thinking, we can proactively push past these borders to develop new perspectives.

Trans-dependence keeps me rooted in my past, gives me context for my present, and offers me perspective for my future. Healthy leaders can say, I dont know everything, I dont need to know everything, and thats not a sign of weakness.

have to be able to select the right advisors, like the president does by picking his cabinet. As I mention in Whos Holding Your Ladder, you have to select the right people to hold the ladder that youre climbing. In the chapter on New People, I mention the three groups of people

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NEW PERSPECTIVES buck starts here. The leader with perspective gets things started. Once you get things started, you put responsibility in the hands of the right people and they stop the buck. You dont know everything and thats not a bad thing. Its just a different perspective.

that we need to be connected to: Those we are giving a hand up, peers to whom we are reaching out, and people who are where wed like to be and are reaching down to mentor us. I use the term trans-dependence to describe how were related to these three groups of people. We need all three groups to be healthy. Trans-dependence keeps me rooted in my past, gives me context for my present, and offers me perspective for my future. Healthy leaders can say, I dont know everything, I dont need to know everything, and thats not a sign of weakness. I only need to be connected to people who can help me achieve my goals. Research tells us that leaders with the humility to cultivate a healthy, trans-dependent spirit create winning organizations. In his classic study on the characteristics of great leaders, Jim Collins said that an executive with the odd mix of genuine personal humility

Connecting People and Perspective

Most often, youll gain new perspective from other people. When youre trying to figure something out, interacting with people who have other viewpoints fosters new ideas. Youll gain more perspective from other people than you will

Instead of saying, The buck stops here, youre saying, The buck starts here.
performing organizations.

...you have to be comfortable with people who may know more than you.

from attending conferences, reading books, and listening to CDs. When youre searching for new perspective, the place to find it is by connecting with other people. But to gain this new perspective, you have to be comfortable with people who may know more than you. That means that you should beware of always being the smartest person in the room. If youre continually traveling in circles where youre the smartest person, thats a sad place to be. There was a time when people were striving to be the smartest one around. Now, more people realize that they need to be around people who are smarter. They realize that the world theyre in is not a stationary landscape, but a dynamic, ever-changing seascape. Theres been a shift in thinking and more people are saying, I need to be around people who know more than me because then I can walk away knowing more than I did when I walked in.
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and an intense professional will was the critical component in all highIn defining the traits of these Level 5 Leaders, Collins says he was shocked by their modesty, by their desire not to talk about themselves but to focus attention on other executives. Collins also found the inverse to be true: Leaders with huge egos are detrimental to their organizations.10 While their charisma and skills may help make beneficial changes, these leaders werent able to maintain sustained performance at this level. Having the humility to go from being the answer person to being a facilitator of your organizations success is a completely different mindset. Instead of saying, The buck stops here, youre saying, The
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NEW PERSPECTIVES What do you think? There is not a question that respects another person more than that. New perspectives will come when you seek them out, when you ask for them by finding people

When youre around these smart people, give them sincere permission

I need to be around people who know more than me because then I can walk away knowing more than I did when I walked in.

from your heart to speak into your life. You can say it verbally, but there are other ways to do it. You say it through your actions, you say it by attending talks they may be giving, and you say it by inviting them to lunch. Once youve given them these

The most important question that one human being can ask another is, What do you think?

you can ask. Once you ask, youve got an intellectual asset, youre healthy and you have new perspective that you can apply.

signals, they wont hesitate to provide input, you wont take it as criticism, and youll have a new perspective. Being open to other peoples ideas means that we have to be willing to put our own ideas aside. It doesnt work if we have a critical spirit that says, Well, that works for them but not for me. It also wont work when we have a jealous spirit that says, I should have thought of that! Other peoples ideas can only be applied to the degree that we have healthy attitudes. When youre healthy, you dont see other peoples ideas as threats; you see them as gifts. When youre healthy, other peoples ideas are not just wanted, theyre valued and you solicit them. When youre healthy, you call people and ask, What do you think? Healthy leaders know how to solicit other peoples ideas. What good is it to ask for someone elses advice and then fight it? If you keep fighting, after a while the person says, Im not going to argue with you. You asked

Ten Tools for Gaining New Perspective

1. Ask yourself the Peter Drucker questions: a. What is our mission? b. Who is our customer? c. What does our customer value? d. What is our plan? e. What are our results? 2. Examine and clarify what you offer. Your product is whatever you offer people. Thinking about this can change your perspective because what you offer changes over time. What I offered a few years ago running a college consultation. 3. Offer who you are. Whats better: A pastor who gives inspiring sermons or one who gives himself? Certainly, the greatest gift that one human being can give another is to offer themselves. It comes

When youre healthy, you call people and ask, What do you think?
stance?

The challenge is that you cant show them something that they dont have the capacity to see.

is different from what I offer today, which is life coaching and

me! And now you want me to give you 10 points to corroborate my The most important question that one human being can ask another is,
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NEW PERSPECTIVES broken? The challenge is that you cant show them something that they dont have the capacity to see.

from focusing on who you are, not on what you do. Giving myself to my wife is very different from working harder at being a better husband. Its all about emphasizing the inner realities over the external realities. In the end, who we are spills over into what we do. 4. Recertify yourself each year. Change is always necessary. We cannot assume that just because something works today, it will continue to work tomorrow. You must either evolve or stagnate. A leader must continually strive to stay ahead of the game, especially in the area of personal development. While growth and change have been studied for years, theyre occurring at a much faster rate than ever recorded in history. Most leaders only recognize the need for change after decline has set in; they dont take action until something is broken. This is illustrated by point B on Charles Handys Sigmoid Curve. At that point, the best they can do is put the brakes on to slow it down, begin some crisis management, and put a spin on it.

Period of Chaos

Rest assured that youll experience cycles of chaos. Going from chaos to chaos is how organizations grow, how industries change, and how products evolve. Given that were always encountering cycles of change, we have to stay ahead of the curve by regularly asking ourselves, What changes do I need to make? If we dont, well just become part of the landscape. We need to ensure that were regularly recertifying ourselves by making changes before the need becomes critical.

When youre ahead of the curve and making changes before decline occurs (point A), no one else understands what youre doing or sees why youre doing it. That period between the time that you begin leading a change and the time that others begin seeing what you saw coming is aptly known as chaos. When you begin making changes this way, people will tell you, Why fix it when its not
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5. Commit to a personal development plan (PDP). Many leaders have a personal development plan; they just dont have it written down. For you to develop new perspectives and chart your progress, you should put it in writing. Include what youre going to read, who youre going to be with, things you need to bring into your

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NEW PERSPECTIVES in right now. I read as much secular literature as I do sacred literature. I read a magazine called Fast Company, I read Leader to Leader, Peter Drucker, the Harvard Business Review. I read all the way from leadership light to leadership heavy. Growing intentionally. When Bob Dylan wrote, He not busy being born is busy dying, he was saying that people need to make sure that theyre always renewing themselves. How do you renew yourself? For me, Im always finding new people to be around. Given my work, thats not a difficult thing

life, conferences youll attend, periodicals youll subscribe to, and CDs youll listen to. Then do a quarterly check and hold yourself accountable. 6. Focus on personal disciplines. Personal disciplines are the determining factor in a leaders success. People all over the world ask me, What do you consider to be the make-it-or-break-it issue in leadership? This is it: personal

How do you renew yourself?

disciplines. Its not the big stuff that makes or breaks people; its the small stuff. Its about what time you get up, doing what you say youre going to do, whether you read, and being on time. Its about always telling the truth, treating everybody with respect, and returning phone calls and e-mail. There are many types of personal disciplines: In the area of handling personal contacts, for example, I work by a personal discipline known as OHIO, which stands for Only Handle It Once. When I get e-mail or voicemail, I respond right away so that I dont have to deal with it again. Sometimes, Ill forward the message and ask my assistant to follow up. If I need to respond to an e-mail thats fairly extensive, I reply with a short message saying that I got the message, that I will think about the matter, and then get back to the person. Then I follow through; its a matter of personal discipline for me. Reading widely. I always encourage people to read outside the narrow sphere of their interests, to read about the areas that they want to be in, not the ones theyre
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In times of change, learners inherit the earth, while the learned find themselves beautifully equipped to deal with a world that no longer exists.

to do. Im always looking for new things to read, and looking for people who can give me new perspective. I have a plan to keep growing. 7. Remember that the learners beat the learned. Eric Hoffer emphasized the importance of learning quite well when he wrote, In times of change, learners inherit the earth, while the learned find themselves beautifully equipped to deal with a world that no longer exists. Somebody with a Ph.D. who has not continued growing is learned. A person with a GED who is a learner, who continues growing and developing, can outdistance that Ph.D. I may have a graduate degree in computer science, but if I dont keep up with my field, Im learned. Unless Im an active learner, its just a degree that looks good on my resume.

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NEW PERSPECTIVES personal development plan daily, but by making them part of your PDP youll be nurturing the on-going growth of new perspectives in your life. Gaining new perspectives is not something thats just going to happen to you; they wont fall out of the sky. You have to make it happen by creating the right conditions and putting yourself in situations that will lead to growth. By regularly working with these tools, youll put yourself on the right road the road to new perspectives.

8. Be content to be a work in progress. Im not where I was yesterday; Im not where Im going to be tomorrow. Im in progress. Thats a very healthy perspective. It means that if you correct me on something today, I wont take umbrage. I will just regard it as part of the growth process. 9. Remember, its not the destination; its the journey. Have you ever heard children on a long trip saying, Are we there yet? Their parents patiently encourage them to find ways to enjoy the journey. What about us? Are we enjoying the trip? Are we having fun yet or are we

There are no mistakes if youve learned something in the process.

obsessed with our destination? When I have perspective, I know that I dont have to have it all together, I dont always have to have all the answers because Im a work in progress. When I make a mistake, its not because I did something wrong. Its simply that I wasnt there in that part of the process. 10. Ask yourself three questions at the end of every day: What did I learn today? What spoke both to your heart and your head? How did I grow today? What touched your heart and affected your actions? What will I do differently? Unless you can tell me what you plan to do differently, you didnt learn anything. There are no mistakes if youve learned something in the process. If I were to call you at the end of the day, what would you answer? These three questions not only give you something to add to your

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NEW PERSPECTIVES To be healthy, leaders need to be trans-dependent by being connected to those they are giving a hand up, peers they are reaching out to, and people they are reaching up to for mentoring. Research shows that leaders with a mix of personal humility and intense professional will are the critical component in all high-performing organizations. When youre searching for new perspective, the place to nd it is by connecting with other people. Healthy leaders value and solicit the perspectives of other people. Regularly working with these ten tools can help you gain new perspective: Ask yourself the Drucker questions: What is our mission? Who is our customer? What does our customer value? What is our plan? What are our results?

Teaching Points
New perspectives provide value in the business world and growth within organizations. Gaining new perspective involves forcing ourselves to think in new ways. To gain new perspective, we should be aware of the six primary origins of our current perspective: family, friends, foes, culture, education, and ancient wisdom. Family provides our core values, our history, prejudices, fears, biases and preferences. Interacting with our friends brings us the inuence of their families. As we keep our friends close and our enemies closer, our foes help us develop new perspective. The inuence of our part of the world also offers us perspective. Education provides perspective by offering other ways to think about issues. We also gain perspective from the ancient wisdom embedded in our subconscious.

Becoming aware of the borders of our thinking helps us to proactively push into new perspective. Healthy attitudes inuence our ability to develop new perspective. Rather than developing an independent spirit that tries to be strong in every area, leaders should focus on being interdependent by surrounding themselves with others who have complementary strengths.
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Regularly evaluate what you offer, as what you offer can change over time. Offer who you are, not what you do. Going from chaos to chaos is how organizations grow. Stay ahead of changes by recertifying your offerings annually. Commit to a written personal development plan (PDP).

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L Shifts Personal disciplines such as handling personal contacts, reading widely, and growing intentionally are the determining factor in a leaders success.

NEW PERSPECTIVES

There are no mistakes if youve learned something in the process. Be content to be a work in progress. At the end of every day, focus on what you learned, how you grew and what youll do differently.

New Perspectives

Attitudes
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Remember that the learners beat the learned.

Six primary origins

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Ten tools to develop

Seascapes, not landscapes

Ten tools to develop Six primary origins

- Ask the Drucker questions - What do you offer? - Who are you? - Family - Foes - Friends - Culture

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- Recertify yourself - Personal development plan - Personal disciplines - Learners beat the learned - Be a work in process - Enjoy the journey - What did I learn today?

Attitudes Seascapes, not landscapes

- Affect perspective development - Focus on interdependence - Interactions foster new ideas - Be comfortable with smarter people - Ask what do you think? - The buck starts here

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New Perspectives

- Education

- Ancient wisdom

NEW PRIORITIES

New Priorities
There is surely nothing quite so useless as doing with great efficiency what should not be done at all11.
Peter F. Drucker, Business Analyst/Author

Sitting in his garage workshop, watching the wood shavings falling from the edge of his knife, Paul felt himself relax. As he did, his thoughts turned to the issues facing his software company. Despite its financial success, Paul instinctively felt that the company was doing too many things. After their early success in creating graphics for computer games, they expanded into animation sequences for Web sites and software programs. Theyd even launched their own computer game, which achieved some industry recognition. Paul wondered how these activities were connected with the companys vision, which was to be the graphics provider of choice for the computer-game industry. Hed always assumed that diversifying was beneficial, since it brought revenue from different areas. Staring at the chisel in his hand, Paul knew that honing his woodcarving tools to a fine edge was what improved their performance. He wondered what adjustments he could make to gain the same focused effort from his organization.
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NEW PRIORITIES The power of focusing on a few essential priorities is something most of us are familiar with. For example, if I was visiting your town and we decided to have a good steak dinner, where would you take me? Chances are that you wouldnt think of taking me to a Shoneys, a Dennys, or the local diner. When you were planning that steak dinner, you probably thought of a steak house, a place that only focuses on an essential few. You werent thinking

and distilling our lives into the essentials. No one wants to be working as hard in their sixties as they did in their forties. But everyone does want to have a bigger impact at sixty than they did at forty. To make that happen, your activity must be focused; it must be honed to a fine edge. Leaders at this stage of life might focus their efforts in different ways. A pastor might stop pastoring full-time, for example, and use his pastoral-care expertise as a consultant to other churches. Depending on her background, she could become part of a stewardship company and raise money for churches. I, for example, limit my focus to one thing: leadership. I use three delivery systems

f youre a Baby Boomer like me, youre probably thinking about downsizing your life. Our generation is examining our experiences

...your vision is the source of your priorities.

about going somewhere that serves breakfast anytime, where you can order liver and onions, spaghetti, and anything else you want. You intuitively recognized that the better you are, the fewer things you do. Fulfilling your vision requires you to be focused on a few essential priorities. You have to work smarter, not harder. Gaining that critical focus involves answering three important questions: What are my priorities? How should I implement these priorities? How can I effectively communicate my priorities within my organization?

Whenever your organization focuses on a few essential priorities, it gains strength.

consultations, conferences, and resources, including books, and CDs but everything I do is about equipping leaders. Thats my priority. Focusing on priorities is good for organizations too. Whenever your organization focuses on a few essential priorities, it gains strength. Peter Drucker described organizations as purposefully designed tools created for specialized tasks. The more specialized their task, the greater their strength. Diversifying destroys an organizations capacity to perform, said Drucker. Its an effective organization only when its narrowly focused. Finding your essential priorities gives you momentum and provides energy. The Apostle Paul understood the power of the essential few when he wrote, This one thing I do . He also knew that his priority
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Finding the Essential Few

To define your priorities, start by examining your vision. Your vision and your priorities will always be inextricably linked. Thats because your vision is the source of your priorities. When you want to define your priorities, your vision provides you with the necessary context. For example, my own vision is empowering leaders. My Web site explains that my vision is creating a leadership culture, helping others
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was preaching to the Gentiles, just as the Apostle Peters priority was preaching to the Jews.
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NEW PRIORITIES decline before you evaluate your priorities; you have to stay ahead of the game. You do that by remaining aware of the environment youre operating in and continually evaluating your priorities. Obviously, your priorities should affect how you invest your time. Its important that you ensure that youre making the most of your time by scheduling your priorities rather than prioritizing your schedule. Whats the difference? When youre prioritizing your schedule, youre simply looking at the schedule you already have and ranking whats most important. But when you schedule your priorities, youre starting by allocating time to your priorities. That ensures that youre devoting the

to succeed, having leaders producing other leaders. That vision provides a context for what my priorities should be and what they should not be. My priorities should not be focused on praise and worship, on theology, or on church growth. They should revolve around leadership. That doesnt mean that I wont have influence in those areas. There will always be some overlap, but my primary focus is leadership. When your vision provides the context for your priorities, it becomes much easier to make choices. To illustrate, lets say that I have two opportunities available to me. Both opportunities are on the same day, so I cant take both. I have to decide whether I will preach to a stadium crowd of 10,000 people or meet with 100 leaders about leadership development. I dont even have to think about it; my mind is already made up. Because my vision provides

...every decision and every business activity is headed for obsolescence the minute it begins.

Ensure that youre making the most of your time by scheduling your priorities rather than prioritizing your schedule.

necessary time to whats important to you. Theyre two different ways of looking at things, but only one approach helps you to achieve your vision.

me with context, youll find me in a room with those 100 leaders. Dont make the mistake of thinking that once youve established your priorities that theyre forever carved in stone, however. Peter Drucker said that every product, every decision and every business activity is headed for obsolescence the minute it begins. We can blame it on market shifts, on cultural pressures, or on the third law of thermodynamics, but its inevitable. Effective leaders are constantly re-evaluating their priorities, regularly putting them on trial to ensure that theyre focusing on the right activities. As mentioned in the chapter on New Perspectives, we cannot assume that just because something works today, it will continue to work tomorrow. Its important to ensure that what was important yesterday is still important today. You cant wait for situations to

Putting Your Priorities to Work

Once youve determined your priorities, its important to develop a strategic plan to implement them. Doing this ensures that your priorities mesh with your organizations vision. For example, if you were developing priorities for the Ritz-Carlton, each priority should reflect their vision for providing stellar customer service to their guests.

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NEW PRIORITIES old priorities when new ones emerge. For example, if your new priority involves entering a new market or providing a new service, you might not want to or be able to discard your other products and other markets. Your staff may have emotional ties to products and services to which theyve grown accustomed. They also may be wrestling with fear about the chances for success in a new market. For those and many other reasons, its best to plan your transitions. When I was preparing to resign as president of Beulah Heights Bible College, I spent a lot of time in transition planning. I met with the board members individually, explained what I was going to do and why, consulted with high-impact leaders who had made significant transitions themselves, and developed a successor. I couldnt immediately disengage from my old priorities; I had to prepare a transition plan. I had to disengage from the old priorities without discarding them while also being sure that I was moving forward with my new priorities. Another common problem in implementing priorities is protecting yourself from well-intentioned people who want to impose other priorities on you. Since people always have be diplomatic in dealing with distractions. Rick Warren says that hes always meeting people who think that Saddleback Church should adopt practices from their last church. They tell him, At our old church, we did it like this He says he finds himself wondering how he can politely inform them that Saddleback has its own vision. Rick Warren understands the importance of staying true to his God-given vision and priorities. Now thats not to say that people wont provide valuable suggestions
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Developing a plan to implement your priorities involves answering a number of questions: How does this priority support our vision? In what specific ways can we implement this priority? Who will be responsible for these activities? Whats the timeframe for accomplishing this priority? Do we have the capacity to undertake this right now? Do we have the necessary finances, people and facilities? How will we measure success?

Your answers to these questions will ensure that your vision, mission, values and priorities are properly aligned. My book, Whats Shaking Your Ladder, describes this alignment as organizational congruence. Having organizational congruence provides energy, focus and passion. Youll know where youre going, where youre not going, how youll get there, and how youll know that youve arrived. Whenever you implement new priorities, you also have to deal with a variety of implementation obstacles. It would be great if you could instantly adopt, plan and execute new priorities, but that rarely happens.

Your priorities must be birthed by your vision.

helpful suggestions to make, you have to be sold on your priorities and

Having organizational congruence provides energy, focus and passion.

Organizations are made up of people, and people cannot handle instant change. They need time to make the transition to the organizations

new priorities. Because of this, if you want to successfully implement new priorities, you have to help people make the necessary emotional, relational, and psychological changes. Its not always wise or always possible to completely disengage from

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NEW PRIORITIES Effective vision casting involves following a few principles: Keep it simple. Articulate the vision and priorities in terms that people understand. Keep it as simple as possible. The simpler the better. Use short sentences and short words. Youre really aiming at making it digestible. Make it memorable. Work at making the vision easy to remember. My vision, for example, is Helping others succeed. Your vision should be short enough to fit on a tee shirt. If it doesnt fit, its too long and people wont remember it. Have a stable vision. Over time, your vision and priorities will expand. But the essence shouldnt change dramatically. If youre continually making significant changes to your vision, it changes the organization too much and confuses people. Be patient. Most important, give people time to catch on. When you have new priorities, you have to allow people time to engage with them. Remember that by the time we unveil new priorities to the organization, weve been living with them for quite some time. Weve had time to engage with them and make them part of us. Too many leaders make the mistake of thinking that people should get the priorities after a few staff meetings. It doesnt work that quickly. Your people are just beginning their own journey with the new priorities. Be patient with them and always find ways to help them to become engaged with the priorities and the vision. If you want an example of an organization thats realizing the benefit of having people engaged with a vision and its priorities, look at the Web

that could be useful in the future. You dont want to discourage input. You just have to ensure that what you do fits with your vision, doesnt overextend your resources, and is not imposed on you. Your priorities must be birthed by your vision. When you know your destiny, your purpose and your God-given priorities, you know what youre built to do. And that makes it easier to stay focused and not let other people however well intentioned they are set your priorities.

Communicating Priorities to Others

If you want people to get behind the organizations priorities and make them their own, you first have to sell them on your vision. A noted expert on change and transition, William Bridges, says that people wont understand the solution youre proposing (your vision and priorities) until they understand the problem. Its a leaders job to provide them with the guidance and the information they need to understand what needs to happen and why. Getting people engaged with a vision and priorities involves more than making an announcement or holding a meeting or two and expecting them to get it. You have to communicate persuasively; you have to sell them on the vision just like youre speaking

...people wont understand the solution youre proposing until they understand the problem.
get a fish.

with investors. You have to cast your vision, like youd cast a line to Getting people engaged with a vision and priorities is an art known as vision casting.
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NEW PRIORITIES

retailer Amazon.com. Their vision centers on creating the worlds most customer-centered company, where people can find and buy anything online. One of Amazons priorities, according to CEO Jeff Bezos, is conserving money for things that matter . All of their desks even the ones used
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Teaching Points
Priorities offer a bigger impact from more focused effort. A focused organization gains strength, while diversifying destroys its capacity to perform. The better you are, the fewer things you do. Gaining focus comes from asking: what are my priorities, how should I implement my priorities and how can I effectively communicate within my organization? To discover your priorities, start by examining your vision, which provides context for your priorities, in addition to being their source. The context provided by your priorities makes it easier to make choices. Re-evaluate your priorities regularly to ensure proper focus, rather than waiting for situations to decline. Schedule your priorities; dont prioritize your schedule. Devote time to whats important. Develop a plan to implement your priorities by asking: How does this priority support our vision? In what specic ways can we implement this priority? Who will be responsible for these activities? Whats the timeframe for accomplishing this priority? Do we have the capacity to undertake this right now? Do we have the necessary nances, people and facilities? How will we measure success?

by their executives are modeled after the one Bezos built for himself from a door, some metal brackets and sawed two-by-fours when he started the company. Thats one creative way to communicate a priority! Some of the things that Amazon does seems like theyd lead to decreased sales. If youve ever visited their Web site, you know that people post online reviews of products that Amazon sells. In some cases, the reviews can be pretty negative. Bezos says that when they started doing this, people told him he didnt understand much about business. In his mind, however, enabling people to post online reviews is fulfilling Amazons vision because it assists customers in making purchasing decisions. Did you know that Amazon even warns customers when theyre about to purchase a CD that they previously purchased from the site? For many companies, that might seem like another example of poor business sense. To Amazon, its implementing one of the essential priorities of their customer-centered vision. Like Amazon, you can find strength by recognizing the priorities that are aligned with your vision, focusing on those few essential priorities, and becoming the best by focusing your energy on only a few things.

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L Shifts Organizational congruence occurs when there is alignment between your vision, values and priorities.

NEW PRIORITIES

Guard against others imposing their priorities on you. When communicating priorities, remember that you must sell people in a way that helps them to understand the problem and the solution youre proposing. When casting your vision, keep it simple, memorable and stable. And be patient.

Strength from focused effort

Its not always wise or practical to completely disengage from old priorities. Instead, you must plan transitions.

New Priorities
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Communicating priorities

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Putting priorities to work

Finding the essential few

You must help people in your organization to make the emotional, relational, and psychological changes that are part of the transition to new priorities.

Hold it stable Sell people on what and why Make it memorable Keep it simple

Be patient

Better you are, the fewer things you do

Good for people and organizations Provide momentum and energy

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Communicating priorities

Strength from focused effort

New Priorities
Putting priorities to work
Help your people with transition Check for alignment with vision Deal with others imposing priorities Find by examining vision

Finding the essential few

Schedule your priorities

Regularly reevaluate priorities

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NEW PASSIONS

New Passions
There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven.
Ecclesiastes 3:1

He wasnt really sick. Jake just couldnt face another day of lengthy meetings, phone calls and planning sessions. Driving to the golf course, he had begun feeling guilty, thinking that he was behaving less like the senior pastor of a growing church and more like a student cutting classes. If this had been the only day hed played hooky, he might have felt differently. But Jakes need for unscheduled time off, his lengthy periods of daydreaming, and his loss of focus were beginning to concern him. Despite a two-week vacation, he noticed that he was still just as edgy and restless. Was it burn out? A mid-life crisis? Pulling his golf clubs from the trunk of the car, Jake set the bag down and stared at the clubhouse with his hands in his pockets. Hed always thought that counseling was for weaker souls without goals or purpose. Was he wrong? Lost in his thoughts, he didnt hear or notice the valet until he tugged gently on Jakes sleeve.

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NEW PASSIONS juices pumping the way his work at the foundation did, the article says. Technology questions were answered quickly, without passion, whereas questions about global health elicited lengthy disquisitions full of detail and emotion. The way he talked about wiping out malaria was how he used to talk about wiping out Netscape.14 Now thats a change in passion! Its typical for visionary leaders to become uncomfortable with the status quo. People with this particular talent may be exemplary leaders when theyre in the position of reviving a dying company or launching a brand new effort. Theyre just not the same ones equipped to run its daily operations for an extended period. Put a gifted visionary in an operating environment for too long and they become restless, bored, and ready for another challenge. Peter Cuneo, currently the vice chairman, former president and CEO of Marvel Entertainment, describes the limits of this talent quite well. We turnaround types are often the wrong person to lead a well-oiled machine. Typically I stay for three or four years and then move on.15 No wonder Cuneo is well known for performing successful turnarounds

continues, you may discover that the dreams and the visions that once compelled you are beginning to lose their intensity. In fact, they might someday become routine, even boring. You might shake your head at this suggestion. You cannot imagine yourself feeling less fulfilled, let alone feeling bored by what youre doing. But it happens. When it does, its important for you to remember that its an entirely natural occurrence. Or maybe youre experiencing this shift right now, saying, Yes, thats me. When my own vision began to lose its luster, I wasnt quite sure what was causing the problem. I responded by making myself busier, diving in with renewed commitment to my duties as president of Beulah Heights Bible College. As hard as I tried, the boredom, the feelings that I had done all of this before, the sense that there

t might be hard for you to imagine this now, especially if youre in the early stages of realizing your vision. But, as your journey

Its typical for visionary leaders to become uncomfortable with the status quo.

were no new mountains to climb did not go away. I thought that there was something wrong with me. It took a while to learn that what I was experiencing was quite normal. No leader not even Bill Gates is exempt from these changes in passion. When Gates started Microsoft, youd hear his passion about his work whenever he spoke. Talk with him today, however, and you might be surprised to find that his passion has shifted. Thats exactly what one writer for New York magazine discovered while listening to Gates speak not long after he stepped down as Microsoft CEO to run the Gates Foundation. It was clear to all in the auditorium that software no longer got Gates
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Put a gifted visionary in an operating environment for too long and they become restless, bored, and ready for another challenge.

at seven consumer-product companies, including Clairol, Black & Decker, Remington and Marvel. Hes aware of his particular gift and listens to the inner voice of his own passion. Remember: Theres nothing wrong with the visionary leader who doesnt get excited when theyve gone as far as their gift permits, who wants to move on once the company is performing well. The trick is knowing when its happening to you. As the song puts it, you have to know when to hold `em, know when to fold `em.
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NEW PASSIONS a routine, something I felt I could do in my sleep. Many leaders have a hard time admitting such things, especially if theyre visionaries. We dont want to see ourselves drifting with the current or standing still. We tell ourselves that were tired, burned out, or need to get away and recharge our batteries.

Navigating Changing Passions

Legends about Alexander the Great say that when he realized that he had conquered the entire known world, he sat down and cried because there were no more mountains for him to climb. Maybe thats what youre feeling. Its similar to what happened to me. As I describe in my book, Who Moved Your Ladder?, I awoke early one morning, thought through

...activity isnt always progress.

We always want to be going somewhere, so we get busier and think thats enough. But activity isnt always progress. Dont avoid taking time to analyze whats going on inside you; continued neglect of your feelings can have negative repercussions. It can drive you into a funk or a depression, which will have an effect on your decision-making ability, as well as your relationships. Take some time and listen to yourself. If you discover that youre bored, pay attention to those feelings. You might just find that youre caught between where you are and where you could be tomorrow. Look for godly discontent. Its easy to identify when something is not godly discontent. For example, some leaders move to avoid dealing with problems. While thats not godly discontent, it is human nature. Its also the reason that I always advise leaders to avoid making any high-level transitions before checking the internal health of their organization. You always want to be sure that youre not avoiding working through some difficult issues. Others confuse their feelings of restlessness with the effects of the Peter Principle. Because theyve risen to the level of their incompetence, they know they cant do an adequate job. Moving on isnt the answer because theyre only avoiding dealing with issues of their own personal growth. If they lack a competency in a certain area or an inability to

...visionaries have to learn to slow down and listen to ourselves.

difficult time.

my schedule for the day and wanted to call in sick. Id worked very hard to make the college successful, to create the events that filled my calendar

every day, but there I was fighting boredom and restlessness. It was a During the months I spent navigating my changing passions, I learned some truths that might help you in your own journey. Navigating changing passions is easier when you can: Admit when things have changed Look for godly discontent Leave on a high note

Admit when things have changed. This sounds too simple to even state. However, visionaries have to learn to slow down and listen to ourselves. That isnt always easy for us. My path through the problem of changing passions began when I could admit that I was having a problem. It wasnt the school that was the problem; the problem was Sam Chand! I had to admit that I was drifting, that I was bored, that the things that used to excite me didnt do so any longer. It had become

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NEW PASSIONS

relate to certain types of people, it will follow them wherever they go if they dont deal with it. On the other hand, godly discontent wants to produce the best for yourself and for your organization. If you decide to move on, no one will be shortchanged. If you stay, it will create growth for you and for the organization. Godly discontent is the first step in disengaging from the old challenges to be prepared for new ones. Leave on a high note. When I left the college, I could say that I met each goal and challenge that confronted me. I left on a high note by communicating my intent to the board, by preparing a successor to ensure the continued success of the organization, as well as by maintaining a positive attitude. Theres nothing to gain by burning your bridges when you go. You never know when youll need something from your former organization. Dont use your final days to vent your anger or dissatisfaction. Resolve those issues before you depart. Leave with a smile on your face. Choosing to move

Uncovering New Passions

Theres a lot written for people coping with being fired or laid off. But theres not much to tell you how to cope with these disturbing feelings when youre doing well, when youre successful, when youve achieved more than youve ever dreamed. When I began my search for resources to assist me through my transition, I found little that helped me deal with my decisions and my issues. For example, how do you discover the next ladder that you want to climb? And what do you do when one passion is growing while another is decreasing? These times of transition are not comfortable. Once you realize that youre in the midst of a transition and that you lack maps of this new territory, you can begin to make peace. When Fast Company profiled people who were transitioning between long-term corporate jobs and their own businesses, they said that Corporate dropouts concede that one of the most difficult things is to maintain the same level of enthusiasm for the job youre about to leave as the venture youre about to start.16 In my case, my passion for consulting was increasing while my passion for leading the college was decreasing. This disturbed my equilibrium. During this time of transition, I was keeping both irons in the fire for a while. I just had to make peace with those facts and give both my very best efforts. Uncovering a new passion is another challenge. Some leaders find their passion in less-than-ideal circumstances. When Steve Case was forced out after the Time Warner-AOL merger, he launched a company that focused on providing consumer-friendly health-care services. The idea was inspired partly by his brothers brain cancer diagnosis and his
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...what do you do when one passion is growing while another is decreasing?

more difficult for everyone.

on is always a difficult decision. Venting negative feelings just makes it Regardless of how challenging it might be, remain focused on the positive. While Im an optimistic person, I found more faults in my last few months at the college than in all previous 14 years combined. I had to question why this was happening. I concluded that it was because I was in the process of disengaging and unconsciously needed to convince myself that I was making the right decision. I kept telling myself that I wasnt leaving because something was wrong, but because I was taking the next step in my own life.
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NEW PASSIONS passions for a few common reasons. Sometimes, they lack a clearly defined objective. Other times, its because they have no method to keep themselves motivated or they do not devote time to their passion. You may not have a clear picture of your passion, but you can take a single step toward making it clearer with this short exercise. Make a copy of the next page of this book, complete the questions and ask someone to make you accountable for taking that small step. If you didnt take that step,

own frustrations with finding a doctor when a child was sick on the weekend. Discerning your own passion may not be evident that quickly. You may have to search for it. This requires a great deal of soul searching, trusting your instincts, and honestly asking yourself many hard questions. Uncovering your passion involves two major things: Finding your path Staying on course

Finding your path involves thinking about your core values and dreams. This might be uncomfortable at first because many leaders become used to dealing with hard results, while these deliberations are more concerned with softer issues. You have to come up with your own answers to questions, such as: What do I really care about? What makes me pound the table with passion? What do I dream about? Where do I get my greatest fulfillment? When I daydream, what values are at work? What have I liked most about what Ive done?

The jump is so frightening between where I am and where I could beBecause of all I may become, I will close my eyes and leap!

thats fine. Just commit to another date for getting it done. Once you do this, you can then commit to taking another small step for another date. By doing this, youre getting support from someone else in realizing your dream and youre connecting the many small steps it will take to realize that big dream. These are two additional reasons that keep people from realizing their dreams. Once I knew where I had to go, where my passion was leading me, I became alive again. Once you find yourself headed in the right direction, your own passion will return. The jump is so frightening between where I am and where I could beBecause of all I may become, I will close my eyes and leap!17

Once you think youve found your passion, ask if youre passionate enough about what youre considering to stay at it for the rest of your professional career. If its only temporary, what are your motives for moving in that direction? If you are passionate about it, thats a good indication that youre headed down the right path. Staying on course requires getting some help. People dont realize their
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NEW PASSIONS Give someone a copy of this sheet and your phone number today. Ask them to call you on the date you wrote down to see if youve taken the rst step. ___________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________

Steps to Uncovering Your Passion

1. Write down the short version of your dream. ___________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________ 2. Write down the rst step you must take to fulll your dream. ___________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________ 3. Commit to a date when youll have completed the rst step.

5.

If you took the step, use another copy of the sheet to commit to the next small step. ___________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________

6. ___________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________

If no step was taken, give the person another date and ask them to call again. ___________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________

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NEW PASSIONS Uncovering your passion involves nding your path and staying on course. Finding your path involves thinking about your core values and dreams, which is thinking about softer issues. If you think you can stay at what youre considering for the rest of your professional career, you may be headed down the right path.

Teaching Points
Our passions shift at various stages of life. Its perfectly normal for something that was once a passionate pursuit to become a mere interest. No leader is exempt from these changes in passion. Put a gifted visionary in an operating environment for too long and they become restless, bored, and ready for another challenge. Theres nothing wrong with the visionary leader who doesnt get excited and wants to move on once a company is performing well. Navigating changing passions is easier when you can admit when things have changed, look for godly discontent, and leave on a high note. Many leaders have a hard time admitting theyre even having a problem. Take some time and pay attention to your feelings. Look for the godly discontent that may be preparing you for new challenges. This discontent wants the best for you and for the organization. You can leave on a high note by remaining focused on this positive fact: that youre leaving to take the next step in your life. Theres little guidance for leaders in times of transition, who have these disturbing feelings when theyve achieved more than theyve ever dreamed. Uncovering a new passion is challenging. It requires a great deal of soul searching, trusting your instincts, and honestly asking yourself many hard questions.
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People dont realize their passions because they lack a clearly dened objective, they have no method to keep themselves motivated, or they do not devote time to their passion. Staying on course involves getting help from someone in realizing your dream. Make yourself accountable to take the next step. By getting help and connecting the many small steps it takes to realize your big dream, you overcome two additional issues that keep people from realizing their dreams. Once you nd yourself headed in the right direction, your own passion will return.

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Boredom, restlessness

Dreams lose intensity

Normal occurrences

Uncovering new passions

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New Passions
Navigating changes

Leave on a high note

Look for godly discontent

Finding your path

Staying on course
Dont burn bridges Think about values, dreams Deals with soft issues Involves many questions Can you stay with it for the rest of your career? Define clearly Stay motivated, invest time Requires help Accountable for next step Connects steps to larger dream Maintain a positive attitude Not avoidance Not plateauing Desires best for all

Uncovering new passions

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Dreams lose intensity

New Passions

Navigating changes
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NEW PREPARATION

New Preparation
Forewarned is forearmed. To be prepared is half the victory.
Spanish Proverb

Disturbed by a conversation he couldnt get out of his head, Pastor Jake Barrett was making little progress on his sermon. Earlier that day, he called a friend pastoring in another state, only to find the man wrestling with concerns over the upcoming closing of a nearby military base, an event that would cause more than half the families in the church to relocate. Jake listened as the shocked pastor talked about the effect this loss would have on the churchs building program, its Christian school, and to his questions about the churchs future. Browsing through his membership roster, Jake wondered what effect a similar occurrence would have on his own congregation. How prepared would they be if one or more of the areas largest employers decided to consolidate facilities in a less-expensive state? What about more immediate concerns? Was he preparing future deacons and Sunday school teachers to replace those who might leave the area when the current people retired? Looking at the calendar on his desk, he wondered how he could possibly equip himself to deal with whatever tomorrow might bring.

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NEW PREPARATION plans his way, but the Lord directs his steps18. In the end, we have to be ready for our steps to be directed, even if that means going somewhere thats contrary to our original plans. We simply have to be prepared for whatever comes our way. The environment that we work in, the industries in which our businesses compete, and the entire world we live in are changing rapidly. We cannot

e live in an era where we control very little. For leaders who value planning, this can be especially trying. Not long ago,

someone could develop a strategic plan, create the associated processes, and be fairly confident of the outcome. Now, because of the accelerated rate of change, we must do more than plan. We must invest time in

preparation. Many leaders dont understand the difference between planning and preparation. They make the mistake of thinking of them as synonymous, when theyre not.

I know too many organizations whose realities have changed, but they are still following the strategic plan associated with a landscape.

...we must do more than plan. We must invest time in preparation.

Planning has a narrow focus, while preparation is far broader in its scope. When you prepare, youre readying

assume that todays conditions will remain true tomorrow. All too quickly, the landscape were standing on becomes a raging seascape. If were going to successfully surf that seascape, we have to be prepared. I know too many organizations whose realities have changed, but they are still following the strategic plan associated with a landscape. Thats the result of inadequate preparation on many levels. Rather than articulate our strategic plans with a landscape perspective, we must adopt both the outlook and the language of the seascape.

yourself in advance, youre priming yourself, getting warmed up for any possibility. When you plan, youre devising a method to achieve some specific end. For example, if you felt led into ministry, you probably prepared yourself by attending Bible school or seminary. You took classes in Greek and Hebrew, studied the New Testament and the Old Testament to ready yourself for what you would do. Lets say that you thought youd become a pastor, but you really werent sure. One day, you heard a presentation about the work being done by a specific organization. You realized immediately that was what you were called to do; it fit you in so many ways. Now that you know what you want to do work with that organization you began making specific plans by taking certain courses and investigating what that organization looks for in people they work with. There is certainly a time for planning. But we cannot overlook the importance of preparation. Proverbs reminds us, The mind of man

Becoming a Prepared Leader

How can we prepare for what lies ahead? How do we prepare ourselves for the inevitable changes well confront? How can we best prepare the organizations that we serve? We have to make preparations on various levels. Like a doctor conducting routine physicals, we must regularly inquire about several areas:

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NEW PREPARATION ourselves limited. Thats why its important to be prepared relationally. Family preparation. We simply cannot ignore the importance of preparing our family. Sometimes, the preparation can be fairly simply. For example, my children needed to understand what work I was going to do when I left my role at the college. I didnt want them wondering what their dad does. Sometimes, the preparation might be more complex, such as when you have to relocate. Since were not the only ones who

Personal preparation. We have to examine the effect that our character, our personality issues, and our hang-ups might have on our future effectiveness. For example, if youre in sales, youll never excel until you become adept at the art of chitchat. You have to be comfortable making small talk. Hey, how are you? Tell me about your family. How are you doing? If youre the type of person who wants to get right to the point and sell your widget, youre going to be less effective than someone who can establish rapport. Regardless of what field youre in, you have to

There is simply no substitute for being professionally prepared.

We simply cannot ignore the importance of preparing our family.

spend time thinking about what character-related adjustments can help you to be more personally prepared. Professional preparation. We also have to be prepared in whatever our area of competency happens to be. We have to always stay ahead of the curve. If you work with computers, for example, youll want to be current with the latest hardware and software. If youre a tax accountant, you have to be fluent with the upcoming and most recent changes in the laws. We also should get whatever certifications that we, or our organization, might need. There is simply no substitute for being professionally prepared. Relational preparation. Its important to be aware of our chemistry, which is how we get along with people. How comfortable are we when we meet new people? Are there certain types of people that we find difficult to work with? How well do we manage and negotiate conflict? In the end, if we dont click relationally with someone, we may find

are affected, our families have to be prepared. They have to be prepared for the new priorities, the new places, and the new pains that theyll face. Financial preparation. When I was at the college, I was very well paid. Since I was going to be self-employed, I had to be ready for no regular paycheck, no benefits, and no paid vacation. My wife and I prepared by talking about how to arrange our finances. We asked ourselves, What expenses could we downsize? If youre looking at changes in your organization, you may have to go through a similar process with your accountant. Even if you dont have the information you need for detailed planning, you can make financial preparations for what might be coming. Educational preparation. There are many people working in areas where they have no formal education. Its rare that you find someone working in the same discipline that they majored in when they were in college. I dont have any formal

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NEW PREPARATION Cannot mobilize quickly to take advantage of new opportunities Do not attract the right partners.

training in the specific area I am working in now. In some ways, I feel like a trail-blazing pioneer. That means that I have had to constantly educate myself through the many avenues available to me, including industry associations,

Opportunities come to those who are prepared.

On the other hand, being prepared will pave the way to success. Success is simply the intersection of our preparation and our opportunity. When our preparation and our opportunities intersect, it can lead to great success. Theres no better example of the benefits of preparation than the Lewis & Clark expedition. Here were leaders facing unknown challenges, about to travel into a wild and often hostile environment, leaders who would never know what was around the next bend of the river. The maps they had were extremely limited. Meriwether Lewis, who planned the expedition, had little information beyond his knowledge of the Ohio valley. To make matters worse, they couldnt send scouts beyond the Mississippi to gather advance information because of hostile French and Spanish armies.

seminars, magazines, and books. I have to continually make sure that Im preparing myself educationally for what lies ahead.

Rewards of Preparation
Lets face it despite our research, our strategies and our plans, many things can happen that we havent planned on. While we may not control these events, we do control how prepared we are. Leaders who are prepared can make a world of difference. Opportunities come to those who are prepared. When were prepared, well recognize the right opportunities when they come our way. If we are unprepared, well likely lose our chance to see and grasp these opportunities. As someone once said, Opportunities

The opportunity of a lifetime must be utilized in the lifetime of the opportunity.

Success is simply the intersection of our preparation and our opportunity.

They couldnt plan because too much was out of their control. They had to be prepared. They had to be prepared for Indian attacks, they had to be prepared for hardship, and they had to be prepared in case they ran out of supplies. How did they transform what sounds like a suicide mission into a successful expedition, one thats still studied and celebrated 200 years later? Their success is credited to Lewis preparation. It was his meticulous preparations, not a grand sense of adventure, that ultimately ensured the expedition accomplished everything it had been tasked to do and more.19
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are never postponed; they are lost forever. The opportunity of a lifetime must be utilized in the lifetime of the opportunity. Being prepared provides confidence. Its like the Chinese proverb, When the student is ready, the teacher appears. When youre prepared, you know youll be ready for the right opportunity. The danger in a lack of preparation is that we: Might remain blind to obvious opportunities
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We can learn much from the leadership example of Lewis & Clark. Our journey may not be as historic, but our environment appears just as wild, doesnt it? Can we afford to be any less prepared? How are we preparing ourselves for tomorrow as we climb the ladder to fulfill our destiny?

Teaching Points
Planning is more difcult today because of the accelerated rate of change. Thats why we must also be prepared. Planning involves methods used to achieve a specic result. Preparation is broader in its scope. We cannot assume that todays conditions will remain true tomorrow. We must be prepared for whatever comes our way. Leaders must be prepared on several levels: Personal preparation includes the effect of our character, personality and hang-ups on future effectiveness. Professional preparation involves remaining current in the area of our competency. Relational preparation includes being aware of our chemistry and our ability to get along with all types of people. Family preparation ensures that those we love are ready for whatever they will face. Financial preparation involves arranging our income and expenses for the future. Educational preparation includes reading, joining professional associations, consulting, and attending seminars so that were current in the area in which were working.

Leaders who are adequately prepared will recognize new opportunities that come their way. Preparation guards us against becoming opportunistic. We pave the way to success by being prepared, as success is the intersection of preparation and opportunity.

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Preparation is general

Rapid changes hinder planning

Must prepare for anything

Environment is a seascape

New Preparation
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Becoming a prepared leader

Rewards of Preparation
Personal Educational Professional

Paves way to success

Recognize, seize opportunity

Financial

Family

Rewards of Preparation
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New Preparation
Rapid changes hinder planning
Relational

Becoming a prepared leader

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NEW POSSIBILITIES

New Possibilities
The future is not the result of choices among alternate paths offered in the present. It is a place created created first in the mind and the will; created next in activity.
Walt Disney, Founder of Disney Entertainment

ave you ever considered what makes your destiny so compelling? Do you wonder exactly what it is that draws you onward? Have

you thought about why the music that flows from your destiny attracts you in the first place? Your destiny

...its not just any future; its your future.

is attractive simply because its a place that is overflowing with new possibilities. Its a picture of a future thats filled with hope. And its not just any future; its your future. This book spent many pages describing the various challenges that youll encounter on your journey to fulfilling your destiny. While all challenges are difficult, thats not the end of our story. The flip side is that each time you respond to these challenges, you open the door to new possibilities in your life and in the life of your organization. As you climb the ladder to your destiny, you will be transformed. Dont expect it to happen suddenly or even to be noticeable for some time.

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Gradually, you will find that youve abandoned certain characteristics and traits in favor of newer, stronger ones. As a leader who has been transformed by your journey, youll find yourself empowered to infuse your organization with this new life.

Altered Attitudes
When you possess the trait of change readiness, youre much more inclined to willingly embrace change than to resist it. This simple attitude adjustment can produce vast gains. Consider how much more you could accomplish by being less controlling and more trusting of others. Think of the freedom that comes with being more aware of areas of your own thinking that need to change, as well as the obstacles that might be stopping you from making the necessary changes. Change readiness also makes you more of a change advocate within your organization, someone who is able to promote change and help your people deal with the loss that they typically experience. When your organization becomes a change leader, it becomes a powerhouse thats able to move faster and get out in front of the pack with a can-do attitude. When unanticipated circumstances threaten, transformed leaders dont become rigid, demanding or controlling. Their adaptability enables them not to be thrown by the unexpected. Instead, they fluidly travel with the flow of reality, making the necessary adjustments and

Traits of Transformed Leaders

Walt Disney described the future as, a place created created first in the mind and the will; created next in activity. Our destiny, which is our future, is certainly a place that we create. Along the way, that journey transforms our attitudes, our thinking, and our commitments. Ive found that leaders who are journeying toward their destinies exhibit the following characteristics:

When unanticipated circumstances threaten, transformed leaders dont become rigid, demanding or controlling.

Altered Attitudes: The challenges youll endure can produce a readiness to embrace change, an amazing adaptability to unexpected events, as well as a heart thats increasingly sensitive to others.

Their uncommon sensitivity makes them inclusive, rather than exclusive.

Transformed Thinking: The situations that youll encounter create an intellectual hunger that produces life-long learners, creative leaders, and an ease with a variety of technical issues.

redirecting to remain on course. Like trapeze artists, theyve learned to maneuver courageously while trusting their instincts. They never seem to lose their forward movement or their momentum. Transformed leaders dont roll over top of others while theyre moving forward. Their uncommon sensitivity makes them inclusive, rather than exclusive. They dont play favorites. Theyve learned to celebrate cultural differences, as well as to honor the complementary force that

Uncommon Commitments: Leaders who are on the journey to their destiny also develop a passion for communicating and become skilled in building organizations engineered for the future.

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NEW POSSIBILITIES success, so they invest rather than hoard their currency. Theyre the type of people who want to invest an hour each day in independent study. Why? Because theyve realized that by scheduling time for study, even the average

God deposited in both genders, capably harnessing this synergy in the workplace. And this sensitivity extends even to the generation gap, which is no longer about sex, drugs and rock-nroll; these days the generation gap is about technology. Transformed leaders understand these issues and actively seek ways to extend their

Transformed leaders become lovers and advocates of life-long learning.

...a vision without a strategy is only a dream...

person can develop into an expert in their topic of choice in three to five years. Theyre excited by that possibility. Ask them about their greatest pleasure in life and theyll talk about their love for accomplishing what others say cannot be done. You can see them applying this creativity in a number of critical areas: Strategic thinking. Transformed leaders know that hope is not a strategy. They know that a vision without a strategy is only a dream, and that they cannot be strategic if their efforts lack context. Theyll praise a systems approach while simultaneously working hard at preventing those efforts from becoming overly complicated. They sagely recognize simplicity as competitive advantage. They may emphasize this point by telling you how the American space program spent millions to develop a pen that would write in zero gravity, while their former pencils. Genius thinking. Despite their heavy schedules and massive workloads, they can quickly spot relationships and possibilities that others miss. Thats what makes them leaders. They pioneer new ways of thinking and demonstrate

circle to welcome Baby Boomers, Baby Busters, Gen-Xers and the younger generation, known as Mosaics.

Transformed Thinking
With their curiosity stimulated by their encounters with increasingly challenging situations, these transformed leaders become lovers and advocates of life-long learning. They read widely, investigate outside of their own disciplines and probe others with insightful questions. Theyve become inquisitive explorers of the world around them and are always encouraging others to expand their own borders. Theyve internalized Don Herolds statement, It takes a lot of things to prove you are smart, but only one thing to prove that you are

...recognize simplicity as competitive advantage.

It takes a lot of things to prove you are smart, but only one thing to prove that you are ignorant.

ignorant. They know that the phrase knowledge is power is truer today than ever before. They recognize that information is the new currency, and that this intellectual capital multiples

Soviet competitors sent cosmonauts into space armed with

as they barter knowledge. Youll find them willingly sharing what they know. Theyve realized that innovation in both speed and quality is
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their genius by seeing through things, as well as by seeing things through. Oblique thinking. Instead of being limited to an eitheror mentality, transformed leaders have the capacity for both-and ideas. Their thoughts extend beyond vertical and horizontal limits to an angular reality. This orientation

Uncommon Commitments
Transformed leaders are intensely aware of the need to extend effective communication across generations, across cultures, as well as across this small globe that we inhabit. They understand how even the most familiar terms can be misunderstood. Theyll tell you that Baby Boomers interpret the question why as a disrespectful affront to authority, while the Gen-Xers posing answer instead of an attitude. They firmly believe that cross-cultural communication is not a course of study limited to those about to travel or work overseas. They see the worlds residents daily in their own churches, organizations, and neighborhoods. Most importantly, transformed leaders are adept at futuring. They forecast trends by scanning the horizon and can clearly envision future scenarios. While others are locked in the past or the present, theyre actively creating the future through their present decisions and actions. Youll find them wondering what the world will be like when the current crop of first graders are graduating from high school. Theyll intentionally focus portions of their leadership meetings on the demographics, economic and competitive realities facing your organization five years from now. And theyll capably equip their organization to create their own desired

They can quickly spot relationships and possibilities that others miss.
to as the impossible.

reveals to them a wealth of possibilities in what others refer Transformed leaders dont need to be cured of technophobia. Theyre nothing like the executives of one prominent telecommunications firm who had to be forced to begin using computers. Instead, transformed leaders are characterized by technophilia, a willingness to embrace emerging technologies. They realize the inherent technical aspects of even the most common organizational activities: how an usher greets you, how funds are raised, how a presentation is collated for an upcoming board meeting. They know that information is power, so they capitalize on information technology to send and receive

New possibilities become a natural, everyday occurrence

the question are only seeking information and would appreciate an

...transformed leaders are adept at futuring.

newsletters, messages, and a wealth of other resources. Transformed church leaders who are cautioned about their technophilia gently remind their critics that the Reformation resulted from the churchs use of the printing press. These transformed leaders are not shy about adopting business technology to measure their results, or to improve their effectiveness and efficiency.

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NEW POSSIBILITIES Your new possibilities can become the milestone markers that light the road to your destiny. Each new possibility signals that youre moving ever closer to your desired destination.

future. Like sherpa guides, theyll lead others up steep mountains to

It doesnt mean that your rose-colored glasses magically enable you to declare every glass as half full.
this future into a present reality.

grasp a vision of the organizations future success. Once theyve led their associates into this inspiring future state, theyll capably direct them in assembling the skills and perspectives that will transform

Unlocking a Wealth of Possibilities

Leaders who are willing to think and act in these new ways experience no shortage of new possibilities. In fact, new possibilities become a natural, everyday occurrence to them. Theirs is a future of limitless opportunity, boundless growth and unparalleled resources. Focusing on new possibilities doesnt exempt you from experiencing your share of lean times and trying circumstances. It doesnt mean that your rose-colored glasses magically enable you to declare every glass as half full. When you focus on new possibilities in spite of your circumstance, it signals that youre a leader who values a broadened and transformed perspective. It reveals that while youre climbing the ladder to your

...new possibilities that can emerge from any and all situations.

God-given destiny, youre keeping your eyes on the horizon. It means that from that altitude, youre quick to glimpse the sunrise and the first to perceive the new possibilities that can emerge from any and all situations.
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NEW POSSIBILITIES Uncommon commitments Aware of the need to extend communication to generations, cultures and around the globe. Adept at futuring, forecasting trends and future scenarios. Creating the future through todays decisions. Leaders who are willing to think and act in these ways experience no shortage of new possibilities. They recognize that new possibilities can emerge from any and all situations.

Teaching Points
Leaders who climb the ladder to their destiny will be transformed by their journey. They experience transformed attitudes, transformed thinking and transformed commitments. Altered attitudes: Change readiness means youre inclined to willingly embrace change, an attitude that can produce vast gains. An adaptability to unanticipated circumstances can keep you from being thrown off balance. A sensitivity to others that celebrates differences, honors the complementary forces in both genders, enabling you to be inclusive rather than exclusive. Transformed thinking: As a life-long learner, you recognize that information is the new currency, and that this intellectual capital multiples as knowledge is exchanged. Applying creativity to accomplish what others see as impossible by thinking strategically, spotting possibilities that others miss, and not being limited by either-or thinking. Characterized by technophilia, a willingness to embrace technology, using it to measure results and improve effectiveness.

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Altered Attitudes Transformed Thinking

Uncommon Commitments

Altered Attitudes
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Transformed Thinking Traits of Transformed Leaders

Uncommon Commitments
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BIBLIOGRAPHY

Bibliography
1 2 3 4 5 6

Proverbs 23:7 Genesis 1:26 How Jack Welch Runs GE, Business Week, June 8, 1998 Proverbs 27:17 Herb Kelleher on the Record, Part 2, Business Week, Dec. 2003

The Painful Lives of Football Players, ABC News, http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/ ESPNSports/story?id=1528986&CMP=OTC-RSSFeeds0312

7 8 9

Lessons in Leadership: The Education of Andy Grove, Fortune, Nov. 28, 2005 Even Healthy Churches Need to Change, Leadership Journal, Fall 2005 Can This Man Reprogram Microsoft?, The New York Times, Dec. 11, 2005

Level 5 Leadership: The Triumph of Humility and Fierce Resolve, Harvard Business Review, July-August 2005.
10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19

Managing for Business Effectiveness, Harvard Business Review, May-June 1963. Philippians 3:13 Inside the Mind of Jeff Bezos, Fast Company, Aug. 2004 The Softening of a Software Man, by John Heilemann, New York, Jan. 9, 2006 Mr. Superhero, HBS Alumni Bulletin, Vol. 81, No. 4, December 2005 Exit Strategies for Corporate Dropouts, Fast Company, March 2005 Mary Ann Radmacher. Used by permission: www.maryanneradmacher.com Proverbs 16:9

Planning and Preparation, Lt. Col. Mark J. Reardon, Corps of Discovery, Center for Military History Online, http://www.army.mil/cmh-pg/LC/index.htm

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S A M U E L R. C H A N D

About Dr. Samuel R. Chand

As a Dream Releaser, Sam Chand serves pastors, ministries, and businesses as a leadership architect and change strategist. He is a popular and much sought aer speaker for churches, corporations, leadership and ministry conferences, and other leadership development seminars. In 1973, while a student at Beulah Heights Bible College, Sam Chand served as janitor, cook, and dishwasher. He graduated and was ordained in the ministry in 1977 and went on to serve as an associate and senior pastor in several churches. Sixteen years later, he returned to BHBC to serve as the president for the next 14 years. Under his leadership, BHBC became one of the fastest growing bible colleges in America experiencing a 600% increase in student growth, an enrollment of approximately 700 students from over 400 churches, 45 denominations, and 32 countries. Beulah Heights Bible College is also the countrys largest predominantly African-American Bible college. He also served the school as chancellor. Currently, Dr. Chand

Consults with businesses and large churches on

leadership and capacity enhancing issues Conducts nation-wide leadership conferences Presents at international leadership conferences with Dr. John Maxwells ministry of EQUIP

Serves on the board of EQUIP, with the goal to equip 50

million leaders worldwide

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S A M U E L R. C H A N D Chands educational background includes an honorary Doctor of Divinity from Heritage Bible College, a Master of Arts in Biblical Counseling from Grace Theological Seminary, a Bachelor of Arts in Biblical Education from Beulah Heights Bible College. Dr. Chand shares his life and love with his wife Brenda, two daughters Rachel and Deborah and granddaughter Adeline. Being raised in a pastor's home in India has uniquely equipped Dr. Chand to share his passion that of mentoring, developing and inspiring leaders to break all limitsin ministry and the marketplace.

Oversees and leads Bishop Eddie L. Longs leadership

development initiatives through Fathers House, Spirit & Truth and other leadership development events

Is on the Board of Faith Academy, an accredited Christian

school

Works as a facilitator of African-American Consortium of

Theological Studies (AACTS), a ministry in Kenya to bring collaboration and leadership development to bear upon major churches, denominations and government in Kenya Dr. Chand has authored and published five books, which are used worldwide for leadership development. His books include: Whats Shakin Your Ladder: 15 Challenges All Leaders Face advice for leaders on how to overcome the things that are blocking them. Who Moved Your Ladder: Your Next Bold Move This book provides pragmatic guidelines for dealing with transitions in life and leadership. Whos Holding Your Ladder A reminder to that the most critical decision leaders will make is selecting who will be on their leadership team. FUTURING: Leading your Church into Tomorrow This book is helps leaders to begin a future oriented dialog about their organization. Failure: The Womb of Success a compilation of stories on how to overcome failure with contributions from twenty respected Christian leaders.

For further information please contact:

Samuel R. Chand Ministries, Inc.

950 Eagles Landing Parkway, Suite 295 Stockbridge, GA 30281 770-898-6464 www.samchand.com

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S A M U E L R. C H A N D

LEADERSHIP RESOURCES BY SAMUEL R. CHAND

FUTURING:

CHANGE:

Leading Change Eectively

Healthy confessions for those leading change Tradition and traditionalism Responding to seasons and times Levels of change Factors that facilitate or hinder change Steps for positive change Selling your idea Creating a team Personal challenges of the leader leading change

Leading Your Church into Tomorrow

The message will never change. But the methods to present the message can and must change to reach a realm of churchgoers. Forty-four specic areas that are changing in the church today.

WHOS HOLDING YOUR LADDER?

Leaderships Most Critical Decision Selecting Your Leaders

Those around you, not you, the visionary, will determine your success.

Developing a Leadership Culture

Why do leaders do what they do? Why and when leaders make changes? Vision levels of people Contemporary leadership Why leaders fail Qualities of a successful leader

WHO MOVED YOUR LADDER?

Your Next Bold Move
Taking the next bold move is not easy but you nally admit, I have no choice. I have to jump! This book will equip you for that leap.

WHATS SHAKIN YOUR LADDER?

15 Challenges All Leaders Face
Take an in-depth look at the common challenges that all leaders face, and benet from practical advice on facing and overcoming the things that are blocking you from being the best you can be.

FAILURE:

The Womb of Success

Failure is an event not a person Failure is never final Twenty leaders tell their stories

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Formation of a Leader
Spiritual Formation Born to lead Security or sabotage Skill Formation The day Moses became a leader Strategic Formation Live the life you were meant to live Mentoring: How to invest your life in others

What Keeps Pastors Up At Night

Do my people get the vision? Are things getting done? How is the team working together? Do I have the team I need to get it done?

FUTURING:

Leading Your Church Into Tomorrow

Futuring leadership traits Challenges for the 21st century How ministry will change in the next 3-7 years Motivational fuels for 21st century church Addition versus multiplication of leaders

Who's Holding Your Ladder?

Ladder holders determine the Leader's ascent Selecting your ladder holders Different ladder holders for different levels Qualities of a good ladder holder Development of ladder holders Leaders versus Managers Turning ladder holders into ladder climbers

12 Success Factors for an Organization

Handling Complexity Completion Lead and Manage People Executional Excellence

Who Moved Your Ladder?

Your Next Bold Move
Whats wrong with me? Whats wrong with my ladder? Whats going on? What happened to the challenge? Wheres the thrill of achievement?

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S A M U E L R. C H A N D

Understanding People:
Managing Conflicts in Your Ministry
What conflict does High maintenance relationships Predictable times of conflict Levels of conflict Diffusing conflict Conflict resolution

HOW TO ORDER RESOURCES

CALL 770-898-6464 WRITE Samuel R. Chand Ministries 950 Eagles Landing Parkway, Suite 295 Stockbridge, GA 30281 WEBSITE www.samchand.com NOTES 1. BULK purchase (10 or more) rates available. 2. Credit cards & checks accepted

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