LeadershipConneXtions

One More Thought on Feedback and Metrics

 
One Last Word (for now) On

Measuring and Metrics
for Desired Results 

 

After I re-read the post from last Friday, I realized I needed to say a few more (AND FINAL) things about METRICS.

First, it hit me that there is hard work involved in this and that is probably why we rarely do this kind of work. Most of us are busy and this seems way too demanding. So we neglect it and just chug away, doing what we have been doing. And assuming that we are generating results.

If you can, be sure to read, Good to Great and the Social Sectors by Jim Collins. It is a short monograph where Collins applies his awesome principles in a way they are more useful for the church and missional organizations.

There are a few guidelines to remember as you determine your METRICS.

I'll use a case study for brief comments. We are in the process of planning new short courses on a vareity of spiritual disciplines for the sake of spiritual formation at our church.

First, it costs time and money to do the work of evaluation and measurement, so make sure you do it in a financially wise way.
 

Second, be sure you are measuring what is important. Don't measure the wrong thing. As the last post suggested, numbers are the easiest thing to measure, and in the case of the Social Sector, not the right thing to measure. 

One course we are designing is a new one on Lectio Divina (a way of spiritual reflection on the Scripture). It could be useful to measure how many times a person does Lectio Divina. If our goal is to have people doing it three or four times a week, it is easy to measure if they are doing that. However, that is a quantitative goal. What if our goal is that people have the experience of personally connecting with the leading of the Holy Spirit as they read the Scriptures? That is more subjective and harder to measure. But, it is a better metric than simple number of times they practice lectio divina.
 

Third, realize how easy it is to talk in generalities. More, less, greater, larger, smaller, etc. are much too imprecise to be helpful. All they "may" do is point in the direction of movement (for better or worse). 

Our goal is for you to be "more loving."  Or "more in tune with God's Spirit." Or to "have a greater sense of God's presence with you." Now, this may be helpful, but it is very generic, quite nebulous and therefore, capable of great misinterpretation as to what is actually happening. We need to find ways to assess if someone is becoming more loving... or more in tune with God's Spirit... or living with a greater sense of God's presence.
 

Fourth, do your measuring and assessing at appropriate times. Frequent assessent is needed. For example, we are planning some new courses for spiritual formation. It will be appropriate to do assessment work at the end of EACH course.
 

Fifth, any evaluating needs to be action oriented. All metrics need to be for the sake of more results.

As we sit down with any person and process their experiences, the reason for this is so they may move more fully toward the desired results

I'll say it one more time. I know this is hard work. But, if you value your work, if you believe in what you are doing, if you truly want sustained results, then you must do this kind of planning and ongoing assessment.

Maybe you simply want to gather a few peope around and throw out this question(s):

So - how are we doing?

And how do we know how we are doing?

Grace and wisdom on this part of the leadership journey.

 

Brian K. Rice  
Leadership ConneXtions International  
www.lci.typepad.com

 

Defining Success (From Dr. Mardy)

 

Success is NOT a Bad Word

I subscribe to Dr. Mardy's weekly email quotes. Every week he has a theme/topic and he provides thoughtful quotes on the theme. A recent one was on the theme of success. None of the quotes are essentially Christian/biblical, but with a little bit of tweaking and morphing, many of them could become helpful in thinking about success from a biblical perspective.

Sometimes I have conversations with people who think SUCCESS is a bad word for Christians. At its most basic definition, success simply means:  "to accomplish an aim or purpose." 

In that light, then all we really need do is think about what are worthy, true aims that God would set forth for us, be careful about the motives we have concerning those things and then to intentionally and strategically move toward them.

So enjoy these following quotes. And think about your life, ministry and calling in light of them.

 

Success is liking yourself, liking what you do, and liking how you do it.   Maya Angelou

Success is a man who has the love and trust of a woman, a job he likes, and an abiding sense of humor. Success is a man whose children love him and have made him proud of them. Success is a man who dies at home in his sleep after a good life. David Brown

A man is a success if he gets up in the morning and gets to bed  at night, and in between does what he wants to do.    Bob Dylan, in a 1967 interview

Success has always been easy to measure.   It is the distance between one's origins and one's final achievement.     Michael Korda

I personally measure success in terms of the contribution  an individual makes to her or his fellow human beings.   Margaret Mead

To tend, unfailingly, unflinchingly, towards a goal is the secret of success.  But success?  What exactly is success?  For me it is to be found not in applause, but in the satisfaction of feeling that one is realizing one's ideal.  Anna Pavlova

To freely bloom--that is my definition of success. Gerry Spence

I have learned that success is to be measured not so much by the position that one has reached in life as by the obstacles which he has overcome while trying to succeed. Booker T. Washington

Success is to be measured not by wealth, power, or fame,  but by the ratio between what a man is and what he might be.   H. G. Wells (picture below)
 

 

May this day be another step of faithfulness and fruitfulness as you follow the call and will of Jesus for your life and leadership. 

And may you empower others for the same.

Brian K. Rice  
Leadership ConneXtions International  
www.lci.typepad.com

 

The Exercises, Volume Two: Invitations Workbook Available

Click here for the eCommerce Site.
Volume Two: Invitations NOW available.

Volume Three:  The Foucsed LIfe available sometime in May.
Volume Four:  What's Gone Wrong available late April 

Lincoln and Leading Change

 

These words from Abraham Lincoln are quite profound to me. As I am preparing to teach one of my favorite courses (for about the 10th or 11th time) - Emerging Paradigms of Leadership, these words have been the source of reflection. I have done lectio divina meditations on most of the phrases.

The dogmas of the quiet past, are inadequate to the stormy present. The occasion is piled high with difficulty, and we must rise -- with the occasion. As our case is new, so we must think anew, and act anew. We must disenthrall ourselves, and then we shall save our country.

Abraham Lincoln 
December 1, 1862
Annual Message to Congress

This is the kind of vision, wisdom, perspective and courage that leaders need in our current times.

May God grace us all with such insight. 
Then may God grace us with the will to act accordingly.

Brian K. Rice  
Leadership ConneXtions International  
www.lci.typepad.com 

 

The Legend of Bagger Vance and Integrity

 

I'll Know . . .
And I have to be able to live with myself... 

 

I think one of my all time favorite scenes of a movie is near the end of The Legend of Bagger Vance. It is late in the tournament between Bobby Jones, Walter Hagen and Rannulph Junuh (played by Matt Damon).
 

The scores are so tight. Then, there is an unfortuante accident when the golf ball moves just a little as Junuh moves a leaf that is in the way. Junuh, Baggar Vance (Will Smith) and the little caddy Hardy Greaves sees the ball move. Hardy begs him not to call a penalty stroke on himself. "No one will know. It's a stupid rule" To that, Junuh replies, "I'll know. And so will you." (I am paraphrasing a bit, but it is real close. Watch the actual scene below.)
 

 
 

Talk about integrity.

Integrity (at the least) includes a determined commitment to the moral values believed important by the person. These moral values are so important, that  you hold to them regardless of conditions and circumstances. 

The ball moved by accident. It only moved a teeny bit. It would make NO difference in hitting the ball on the next stroke. There is just one problem. The rule book says a penalty stroke must be added. Junuh loved the game so much, he knew he had to abide by the rules. The game would lose its meaning if the rules were no longer followed.
 

Integrity:  A disappearing quality in the lives of so many leaders.

Morality:  A disappearing quality in the life of our culture.

The disappearnce of these two go hand in hand. And we will only be the poorer for it.

Let's buck the cultural trends... let's resist the moral tides that are ebbing... and find things that we hold so dear and valuable, that we cannot imagine living without them or apart from them.

I suggest that Christ and the ways of Christ are our essential starting point. We can always add other things to that as you believe are needed... but we cannot subtract Christ or his ways. 

And maybe what we would call integrity to the ways of Christ are what the old spiritual master knew as "the imitation of Christ" and the "restoration of the image of God in us."
 

Brian K. Rice  
Leadership ConneXtions International  
www.lci.typepad.com

MAJOR ANNOUNCEMENT - Volume Two: Invitations is Published

Even though it is
Volume Two: Invitations
It is the FIRST volume now available for purchase!

Click the link below to go to the eCommerce Site to purchase a copy. 

The Exercises: Secure eCommerce Site

Many of you know that I have been writing (and field testing) a Five Volume spiritual formation for leaders curriculum. Many of you have used draft copies and given great feedback on the material and your experiences. It is now available for purchase and can be shipped anywhere in the U.S.A.

For that matter, if you want a hard copy anywhere in the world, it can be shipped overseas, it is just that the price of shipping internationally will be high.

We are working on the eBook format that will be available for Kindle and anyone using a Kindle app. That is a financial investment and it takes some time. So for those who are overseas and want this, you'll have to wait a little longer. These will be available at Amazon.com. 

We are using a professional publisher/printer who manages all printing and sales and they have a secure website. The link takes you to their website.

Once you fill out the required information (takes a minute or so) then the information is saved and will be there when you want to return to purchase future volumes.
 

You can help us by spreading the word to others who may be interested in their own spiritual formation. We are so grateful for the stories of people going through them as they tell us of the life transformation that is taking place. 


 

The Exercises seek to create a learning experience that:

1.  Engages the great biblical and spiritual themes that matter the most.
 

2.  Uses a process of formation that uses the best insights and tools of spirituality and learning.
 

3.  Moves toward the desired outcome of loving God more deeply, knowing  God more intimately, following God more nearly, and serving His missional purposes in the world He loves with greater faithfulness and fruitfulness.
 

4.  And, if you can do this journey with a few friends, you add to all this, the relational, community component where spiritual formation is meant to take place.

And please be aware that it is a challenging process that leads you into a deep engagement with Jesus and a full embracing of spiritual formation. This developmental tool is designed for mature followers of Christ who want to go a lot deeper and further on the journey.





And An Update About the Other Volumes


Volume Four:  What's Gone Wrong  will be available on this same eCommerce site within a few weeks. It will not be available as a Kindle book until we are able to recover costs from the Volume Two eBook.  (It has been an education learning about the publishing of eBooks.)


Volume Three:   The Focused Life  should be available early May. 


Volume One:  Conversations  has been a looonnnggg time in writing. I am making good progress on it. My desire is that it will be available mid-summer.  This volume will have so many of the insights on spirituality, the spiritual disciplines, the growth processes and biblical/theological themes that shape how we seek after God. I know many of you have been waiting patiently for this volume. (I am just helping you learn to persevere...)


And finally . . .

We are making good progress on our new website which will have so much more to offer you than what I am able to provide through this blog. When it is ready, I'll let you know.


Brian K. Rice  
Leadership ConneXtions International  
www.lci.typepad.com


 

Feedback and Assessment

 

The Best Plans Go Astray. So make sure you have the right Metrics in place as you do constant

Feedback and Assessment 

 

We started out this week talking about RESULTS. 

Results Matter.

Why do anything if you are not going to get results from what you do?

Therefore, the question became - what do I do so I can get the results I desire?

That led to some thouhts on planning and on being wisely strategic.

Assuming that you are implementing your plan, you are taking steps toward the future you anticipate and want. 

Along the way, you begin to notice something. Parts of your plan are working and other parts are not working. Some things that are working, aren't working as well or as timely as you had anticipated. Some resources you thought would be available and useful - are not. Some people you thought would make a good contribution - aren't!

That means you must begin to make adjustments to your plan.

You must always be ASSESSING how your plan is working, going through FEEDBACK processes to get the necessary information that tells you how you are doing.

This adds another vital theme.

You need METRICS that are measurable. This is involved in SMART goals. You can actually measure results.

I work with many leaders who are simply not disciplined enough to take the time to define metrics or to truly evaluate whether they are actually hitting the mark.

It is also a fact of Non-profit organizations (like the church and mission) that we tend to have the wrong metrics. We focus on quantitative numbers -- like how many programs did we offer and how many people showed up at the program?

We need to focus on qualitative metrics, that is, what actually happened in the lives of those who were a part of the program that was sustained over time.

Honestly -- this is HARD WORK to get these qualitative markers in place. But fundamentally, that is the business we are in. Changing lives, not counting heads. Although, I don't mind counting the heads of a lot of changed lives.

Good planning and good working of your plan means:

having good standards of measurement in place...

constant feedback assessment as to how well the plan is working in reaching those metrics...

regular adjustment of a plan in light of what is and what isn't working.

Yes it is a lot of hard work. If you don't want to do it, then stop leading, get out of the way and allow someone else in who will do the hard work.

If you want to be a leader -- then do the hard work that is needed.

It is simply part of the price of leadership.

But the reward of Mission Accomplished is incredible.

p.s.  It would be worth your time to re-read the five posts for this week.

Brian K. Rice  
Leadership ConneXtions International  
www.lci.typepad.com

The Authority You Need

 

Plan Your Work, Work Your Plan
and be Sure You Have

the Authority You Need

 

So... you have a pretty good plan mapped out.

You have good objectives (or desired outcomes) thought through. You know that if you meet these objectives, you are well on your way to "Mission Accomplished."

You have developed SMART goals.  See this site for a nice description of SMART Goals. There is a vareity of ways people use the acronymn.

• Strategic
• Measureable
• Action oriented
• Realistic
• Timely 

You have thought about the problems you will face and your plan deals with those problems.

You have considered the resources you need and you have clarity about those things.

NOW . . . 

Do you have the authority to actually carry out your plan?

Do you have the authority to implement what you would like to do?

Do you have the authority to allocate the necessary resources to accomplish your goals and reach your objectives?

It never ceases to surprie me that organizations assign RESPONSIBILITY to its people, but do not always provide the needed AUTHORITY to get the job done.

That is a surefire recipe for frustration and failure.

You should have a meaningful conversation with your supervisor about the plan you have developed and make sure you have the authority to work the plan.

Don't take another stp until you have approval, a sign-off, a commitment and the backing you need to work your plan.

Brian K. Rice  
Leadership ConneXtions International  
www.lci.typepad.com

How to Get it Done

 

 

Three Things You Must Have

if you are actually going to get the desired results you want.

Here they are. You need . . .

1.  A plan to implement.

2.  The authority and power to control the execution.

3.  Constant evaluation and adjustment.

There are other things you will need as well, but these are the three essentials. If you don't have these three things, it really doesn't matter what else you may have.  These things are CRUCIAL

The PLAN.

We can call this strategic planning. In one sense, the plan is your strategy. But in another sense, we use the word "strategic" as an adjective to emphasize the importance and the value of the plan.

I am not going to tell you how to do Strategic Planning in this post. I am going to recommend that if you struggle with plannning, then it will be INVALUABLE for you to get a decent book on strategic planning. There are many out there.

Here is a simple, accessible one for you. Bobb Biehl's MasterPlanning is a very nice, easy, but thorough book that will walk you step by step in making a plan.

If you want more details on this process, then get the book for Dummies. Again, well written, lots of practical guidance... just more of it.

I will say this about strategic planning.

It always involves real objectives and outcomes that are the indicators that your vision/mission is being achieved.

It always involves steps you take toward reaching any objective.

It always involves resources, activities, events, people, deadlines, obstacles, problems that give shape to the steps you must take.

We are always dealing with these things. It is just that so many of us do it in a haphazard, inconsistent, unthoughtful way. In other words, we all have a plan.

It is just a matter of - is it a good plan or a bad plan?

Realistic or unrealistic?

Wise or unwise?

Strategic or careless?

Thorough or incomplete.

I am currently working with a team of staff and ministry partners at LWCC to implement an overhaul of spiritual formation at our church. We are working on our strategic plan for this.

It was sobering to map out deadlines and see how much work was needed to be done and the TIME we had to get things done. If we had not done this, THERE IS NO WAY that we would be able to implement the really good things we want to do this fall.

If you want to read a great biblical story of a leader who had a strategic plan - read Nehemiah, especially the first six chapters to see how a great plan (filled with the power of the sovereign God) accomplished something so incredible that the surrounding people were amazed at what God had done.

So - do you have an actual plan on paper? Do you have anything written down that involves steps, goals, resources, time, people, and so on? When was the last time you actually used your plan?

Tomorrow - do you have the authority you need to work your plan?

Brian K. Rice  
Leadership ConneXtions International  
www.lci.typepad.com

 

 

Implement or Fail

 

It Doesn't Matter How Beautiful the Dream or Compelling the Goal if You Never Get There...

Implement and Get Results
or FAIL

 

Execution.
The art of execution.
Making it happen.
Pulling it off.
Launching the plan.
Getting it done.
Implementation.

Let me push you real hard today... maybe irritate you... but I am doing this because you are important, what you do matters, and God REQUIRES your faithfulness and fruitfulness about his purposes for your life.  So . . .

Good intentions, BHAGS, compelling visions, inspring dreams, noble missions... they are littered everywhere in the landscape of history. Things that were desired but which never happened.

I bet there is a lot of GREAT STUFF that is just not happening in your life.

If we had a ten minute conversation, I bet I could find out a number of GREAT INTENTIONS you have but there is no movement at all in those areas of interest.

I bet you have dreams that are about as far off today as they were a year ago.

It is not the dreamers we remember.

It is the achievers we remember.
The ones who had the dream and who turned the dream in to reality.
The ones who made it happen.

My problem is NEVER a lack of dream or vision. I have an endless supply of things I desire to see happen. These are (in most cases) really good things, needed things, important things.

My problem is almost always, a lack of good planning to get to where I want to go.

My problem is implementation and execution.

That is YOUR PROBLEM as well.

********* 

Now, absolutely, you need a dream and a worthy one that has been inspired by time with God. If you don't have one, get one. Pray, connect with God, look around the world at what is happening, probe your heart to see what stirs within.

If you are without a vision - you need one. 

If you are without a direction - you are just going to wander and meander through life.

If your desires are weak and you are slothful and negligent about your life - may the Spirit of God AWAKEN you and  impart FIRE in to your soul.
 

 **********

But this post is about implementation.

What did you do this week that was intentional and strategic and fruitful about reaching your dream?

What results did you have this week concerning your greatest interests?

What measure able outcomes did you achieve because of really smart work you did really well?

How is your little corner of the world better, happer, more beautiful, more blessed, more like God's will for it - because of what you did?

The goal in life is not just to put in time.
Not to be on cruise control.
Not just to get to the end and say "whew, I made it."

Life is precious. People are infinitely valuable. God's will for life on earth is to be our passion. Your labors matter. God is going to ask for an accounting of what you did with what he entrusted to you (Matthew 25, parable of the talents). 

What you "intended to do" means nothing.
What you actually did and accomplished means everything.

This is where the REAL LEADERS emerge and shine.

Tomorrow, some thoughts on "better implementation."

Brian K. Rice  
Leadership ConneXtions International  
www.lci.typepad.com

 

Results Matter

 

 Therefore . . .

 EVERYONE must ALWAYS
be interested in RESULTS.

Why do you do what you do? 
Because you want to see something happen as a result! 

What do you have a dream, a mision, a vision.?
Because you want to see things be different than they currently are!

Why bother to do anything and do it well?
Because of the possibility of getting somewhere, achieving something, of making a difference, of making a contribution... of getting RESULTS!

Why do I spend lengthy time in devotional pursuits?
Because I want certain things to happen in my relationship with God!

Why do I spend hours every week exercising?
Because I want (my objective, my intention, my desire) is to be healthy!

Why do I spend hours a week writing the Exercises for the work of LCI?
Because I want to help leaders and this material is really helpful for them!

Why do I go through the hassles and expense of international travel?
Because the leaders I most want to help are located at distant places!

Why am I investing time and energy in internet technology?
Because I want to find ways to more effectively (and inexpensively) reach lots of leaders!

Why does any leader do what they do?
Because they have a dream that matters and they want the dream to become a reality! 

And on it goes.

You and I are always RESULTS oriented. 

So was Jesus.

Read Philippians 2:5-11 to see what Jesus did.
Then read Hebrews 12:2 and Revelation 5:9 to see WHY Jesus did what he did. 
Jesus was RESULTS oriented.

So here are the QUESTIONS . . .

What RESULTS are you seeing these days?
What OUTCOMES are you achieving?
What is the FRUIT of your intentions and labors?

And if there isn't very much (FRUIT / RESULTS) - why not and what are you going to do about it? 

Brian K. Rice  
Leadership ConneXtions International  
www.lci.typepad.com 

Permanent "Beta"

 

 

You Are Always in Process

Beta Testing and Permant Beta!

I've been involved in a few beta tests. These are the unfinished products that are sent out for the purpose of preliminary testing and feedback, so that the product can be improved.

I've had the opportunity to read a few books that were "beta" editions (pre-publication).

I have been using this approach for The Exercises for the last two years.

We had some wonderful friends in a missional organization who were willing to be in "Permanent Beta" Mode with us as we field tested the initial versions of The Exercises with them.

We kept changing, improving, deleting, morphing, upgrading . . . all as we received feedback, found what worked, what didn't work, how it could work better.

It has been a great process to be in (and we are still in it) although for some of the materials we are nearing the End of Beta.

But you know something?

When it comes to yourself, you are never Near the End of Beta. 

Instead, you must be in Permanent Beta (a tag line from Reid Hoffman).

Always learning.
Always adapting.
Always upgrading.
Always changing.
Always improving.
Always becoming (never stuck in stagnant being).

These are the leaders and individuals who are going to survive and thrive and make a difference.

Yes it means work, hard work, and lots of it.

That's what leaders do!

So - what are you testing and trying, tweaking and enhancing, learning and developing today?

Brian K. Rice  
Leadership ConneXtions International  
www.lci.typepad.com

Three Necessary Ideas for "Start-Up" Leaders

 

So what are you doing today about

Taking Risks,
Building Alliances,
Breakout Opportunities?

 

Reid Hoffman in
The Start-Up of You
gives these three leadership ideas for being entrepreneurial leaders (and he believes that we all must be this kind of leader, both for our organizations and for our own careers).

 

Take intelligent and bold risks to accomplish something really great. Whatever your vision and mission is, whatever your passion - if it is worth having, then it is worth a full investment of your best energy. But, your best energy is not enough if you are not willing to be WISE and BOLD in risk taking. Great things do not happen for the timid and for those who hover around their comfort zone.

Work really hard to build a great network of alliances, partners, friends and resources. You need this because the really great visions and the truly bold risks always need more than what you can personally provide. You need help. So work hard to find the best connections, nurture those relationships, make them mutually beneficial, and use them well.

Position yourself for breakout opportunities. In fact, do more than position yourself. Actively seek the "breakout opportunity." It is increasingly rare that great opportunities come along and bump in to you. You have to go looking for them. What are you looking for these days? Where are you looking for it? What are you finding?

Personally, when I evaluated myself on each of these, I came away thinking I have a lot of work to do on each one. I did some journaling on "preliminary ideas" for each one and started getting excited.

Like every post... you can just read it, note the idea... and promptly forget it.  

Or you can wrestle with it and begin the work of integration and implementation.

Brian K. Rice  
Leadership ConneXtions International  
www.lci.typepad.com

Only the Paranoid Survive

 

 

I don't always know how I should think about some things. Andrew Grove's book and thesis:

Only the Paranoid Survive

falls into this category

 

Before you dismiss this thought by Andrew Grove (read a brief bio of his remarkable life here) consider the political and economic conditions of the world in which we live.

Everything has changed and everything is changing.

Change
Rapid Change
Massive Change
Painful Change
is now business as usual.

And paradoxically, that is probably NOT going to change.

In this book Grove talks about Inflection Points which constantly erupt and insert themselves in to life. These Inflection Points are the things that happen outside of us, in our surrounding environments.
 

Here is what we can say about these Inflection Points.

They are quite beyond our control. 

They will keep coming our way, perhaps with greater speed and intensity than ever.

They will DRAMATICALLY impact us.

And only the "paranoid" are going to survive those times of Inflection Impact.
 

In a simple but massive way, the computer and the Internet are Inflection Points which have changed everything, for those in . . .

• the music industry
• the book industry
• any industry involved in printing texts (newspapers, magazines)
• movies and DVDs
• TV
• anything involving entertainment
• university education
• the postal service
• shopping for goods
• advertising
• searching for jobs
• viral ideas spreading
• fostering revolution in dictatorial countries
• etc. to infinity and beyond

And new internet technologies are constantly emerging and evolving and changing everything.

The paranoid are simply those people who know the unexpected is always going to happen.

The paranoid are those who know life will never be simple or easy.

The paranoid are those who choose not to hide or retreat or lament.

The paranoid are those who will be thoughtful, innovative, courageous, faithful and hopeful, prepared and preparing, learned and learning . . .

Welcome to the Future.

I hope you are sufficiently paranoid to survive.
 

Brian K. Rice  
Leadership ConneXtions International  
www.lci.typepad.com

 

 

Ready Aim Fire -- "Ain't" What It Use To Be!

 

A New Way of Thinking,
A New Way of Being in the World
(and it is hard) 

 

It use to be:  Ready -- Aim -- Fire.

Then we learned that life was changing too quickly to spend a lot of time aiming and so the suggestion became . . .

Ready -- Fire -- Aim.

This meant, do sufficient preparation, launch what it is you want to do and then once launched do the work of refining and redirecting in real time. This makes a lot of sense and this is something I've been doing for years. 

A great example is the LCI Exercises. I did some READY work, but FIRED it off with United World Mission long before it was complete. Ever since then, I've been doing on going work developing, writing, editing, refining.... in other words AIMING.

Now the suggestion being put forth is that all the rule have changed in our world of intense change. Now the suggestion from Reid Hoffman is:

Aim -- Fire -- Aim -- Fire -- Aim -- Fire 

The reason being the contant and intense pace of change and the staggering competition we all face. This is the normal way of life now. 

We may protest to the high heavens how much we don't want it.

We may complain all we want about how much we don't like it.

It doesn't matter. This is the way things are.

Remember the old adage, survival of the fittest? That is at work here. The fittest who will survive (and maybe even thrive) are those who are comfortable with constant aiming and firing... and who learn to become ready in that way of living in the world.

What do you think?

What is your experience?

 

Brian K. Rice  
Leadership ConneXtions International  
www.lci.typepad.com

 

Back From Traveling and Behind on Posting

Hey everyone, sorry for nothing new today. 

I am just back from traveling to Chile to work with good friends there, doing a leadership retreat.
 

If you aren't familiar with my other ONCE A WEEK blog, Evangelicals on the Ignatian Way check out today's post on Practicing the Presence of God by Brother Lawrence. I post every Monday on that blogsite, and it is always something about spirituality and almost always connected with the spiritual formation approach of Ignatius, the Jesuits and the Spiritual Exercises.

I also have some new books I mention on leadership to the left. Check out the one on The Start-Up of You by Reid Hoffman. It is very much worth reading for those who are trying to navigate career and adapting to the world in which we are living. 

Back tomorrow with more thoughts on leadership, spiritual formation, missional engagements with the world, and some news updates about Leadership ConneXtions International.

Grace to all of you.

Brian K. Rice  
Leadership ConneXtions International  
www.lci.typepad.com

Needful Things - Two of Them

 

Short, Simple, Sweet

The Two Needful Things

No warm up today. Just diving right in . . .

First:  To Know God.Truly, intimately, fully, comprehensively.
Not just the little "pieces" or "tidbits" that appeal to us... but the vast ocean of God's character, will and ways.

Second:  To know yourself in light of Knowing God.
Humbly, accurately, painfullly, sorrowfully and yet...
Wildly hopeful and vitally optimistic

You will never really know yourself, find yourself, come to yourself until you first discover/know God.

The more shallow and narrow is your knowing of God... than the more inconsequential and insubstantial is the knowing of your self.

It is impossible to become fully human and fully alive (an old John Powell book) apart from Knowing God in Christ.

The less you know Christ - the more faulty, dangerous and even deadly is the knowledge you have of your self.

Not knowing God is calamity and tragedy.
Not knowing God is terror and horror. 

But knowing God is life and joy and beauty and truth and goodness and grace and EVERYTHING ELSE worthy.

The great devotional classics, written by the saints, sages and mystics (many of them really, quite ordianry people but with an extraordinary knowing of God and themselves) have been of the greatest help to me.

Whereas the plethora of contemporary self-help advice is at best a distraction and detour.

Even a reading of Mere Christianity by C. S. Lewis may jump start the Needful Things... 

Which will then deserve reflection, prayer, spiritual conversations with friends... 

Brian K. Rice  
Leadership ConneXtions International  
www.lci.typepad.com

A Courage Follow-Up

 

Here is a brief follow-up from yesterday's post on courage.

Courage is not being foolhardy.

It is not bravado.

Nor is it being brash, rash and impulsive.

Nor is it being obstinate and stubborn.

These are courage "counterfeits" and leaders sometime mistake thse postures as courage. Sometimes, leaders fall into these patterns because they don't have courage and they try to cover up their lack of courage with these poor substitutes.

Courage is a firm, steadfast confidence in the rightness of a chosen course... despite the outcomes.

Jesus had the courage to go to the cross (willingly embraced death).

Peter and the other disciples faked courage, but it dissolved quickly and they abandoned Jesus.

The Apostle Paul had the courage to go to Rome (even when he anticipated death by doing so).

We need some discernment to make sure we are experiencing the real deal when it comes to being courageous.

 

Brian K. Rice  
Leadership ConneXtions International  
www.lci.typepad.com

 

Leadership Courage

 

The Apostle Knew
What He Was Talking About.

Been there and done that
and he knew how hard it was,
for himself and for us. 

Be on your guard.
Stand firm in the faith.
Be men of courage.
Be strong
1 Corinthians 16:13 

 

I don't want to be "too" hard in what I say, but here goes.

Courage is one of those qualities that leaders MUST HAVE.

If you can't take the heat, then get out of the kitchen.

Courage is one of those qualities that sets leaders apart from followers. It is not that the followers don't need courage as well. But leaders must have lots of courage. 

Leaders need courage:

*  to dream about new, possible futures

*  to dream about those futures in spite of the risks involved (and there is always risk involved)

*  to lead change initiatives (which will always evoke resistance)

*  to confront challenges and problems (which will be hard and come at a cost)

*  to make the hard decisions and to accept full responsibility (not as easy as you may think)

*  to live with the consequences and not be undone by those consequences

*  to go against the tide of public opinion and especially the critics and naysayers

*  to stay the course (wisely and not foolishly)

*  to change the plan when it is obvious that the chosen course is not the right one (admitting mistakes requires courage)

*  to step out in faith . . .

We can add many more reasons to this list, but what I've said is at least a good start.

But one more needs to be stressed. Kouzes and Posner say one of the main tasks of leadership is to ENCOURAGE THE HEART of others.

Encourage the Heart.

I like that.

To encourage the heart is to implant courage where there is none (or not enough). Not only do leaders need courage, but followers need it as well. Therefore, leaders need encough courage so they may leak it and inprint it on others around them.

May you be encouraged by the Lord.

May you be strengthed and sustained in your courage.

May you be an en-courager of those around you.

Brian K. Rice  
Leadership ConneXtions International  
www.lci.typepad.com

Stuff and Nonsense . . .

 

Immense warning and tremendous heroism . . .

Is That How you Think of
Your Journey With Christ?

If so - then Stuff and Nonsense to you
(kindly said of course)

 

Here is a brief thought from that titantic, alpine soul - Baron von Hugel (that is how he was described by his friends and directees who loved him so). The Baron was one of those rare, spiritually deep, intellectually profound, relationally loving/gentle souls.

His vision of God was extraordinary.

His understanding of life and how to live was vast, encompassing and integrated.

His ability to help others was rarely equalled, much less passed (except perhaps by one of his greatest directees and disciples) Evelyn Underhill. But I digress... 

Here are the Baron's words.

Christianity is heroism.

People seem to think sometimes it is a dear darling, not to be grumpy, not to be impatient, not to be violent life. A sort of wishy washy sentimental affair.

Stuff and nonsense.

Christianity is not that.

Christianity is an immense warning, a tremendous heroism.

 

How I resonate with those words and how I lament their loss in our Christian culture.

How I lament the domesticating and taming of a wild faith.

How I lament the diminishing, the dumbing down and the degrading of the dangerous ways of the always subversive Jesus.

How I lament the trivializing of the radically surprising Way of Christ.

How I lament that lukewarmness is so often the State of the Union for so many of us.

And how lamentable that most of us (my self included) don't mourn over this more.

 

We dabble in things spiritual when we are meant to be consumed by them.

We flirt about on the fringes of faith when we are invited... summoned... commanded to be possessed by those things.

We timidly want a few amendments and additions from Jesus while His desire and intention is to be a consuming conflagration of holy love that makes ALL THINGS NEW in us.

We cautiously settle for the occasional improvement when His will is nothing less than Total Palingenesis (Rebirth).

 

So I say along with the Baron - Stuff and Nonsense to what we want or think sufficient.

May you and I today, experience the Christ who comes with an Immense Warning and a Tremendous Heroism.

And may we respond with all that is within us... by God's good grace... may we say Yes.

Brian K. Rice  
Leadership ConneXtions International  
www.lci.typepad.com

Effective and Efficient

 

Sometimes we have these, in my opinion, unhelpful dichotomies. Here is one of them.

Effectiveness vs. Efficiency.

Effectiveness is doing the right things.

Efficiency is doing thing right.

The axiom goes like this:

Managers are concerned with doing things right.

Leaders are concerned with doing the right thing.

We have too many managers and not enough leaders.

 

Why do I have to settle for this as an either/or? I would rather go the way of both/and.

I want to do the right things
and I want to do the right things right.

Who would be satisfied with doing the right things poorly?

Who would be satisfied with doing the wrong things well?

I suppose some are. But I am not satisfied with this and I doubt you are either.

Let's opt for the Both / And and be effective and efficient, doing the right things well. If we do, then we will be faithful and fruitful in our vocation.

It may be worth your time to sit down and ask about your activities and projects:

Am I doing the right things?

How well am I doing what I am doing?

Brian K. Rice  
Leadership ConneXtions International  
www.lci.typepad.com

Led by the Spirit

 

This image resonates for me. I recently used it on my Facebook Cover.

It is a group of people filled with the Spirit of God. 

It is the Spirit hovering, creatively, over followers of Christ.

It is the Spirit on the move and ready to move God's people further on the journey.

Some of the important work of leadership is creating space and time for groups of people to collectively discern the work of the Lord, to listen to the voice of the Lord, to experience the presence of the Lord . . . and then to respond as a people to the leading of God through the Spirit.

Spirit formed, taught, shaped, empowered, led communities of faith. This is the work of leadership. When was the last time you were intentional about gathering a team of people for this kind of discernment?

Brian K. Rice  
Leadership ConneXtions International  
www.lci.typepad.com

The Presence of the Lord

 

Every now and then I find an image of Christ that is energizing for me. Here is one of them. 

This image communicates joy, beauty, glory, strength, presence, and love. You may simply want to look at it for a bit and realize that this is the presence of the Lord who is with you today, no matter what today brings your way. 

This is why you can do "all things through Him who gives you strength."

 

I can't imagine doing the work of leadership, long or well, without this Christ being present with us.

So may your eyes be opened so you see the presence of the Lord, so you discern the work He is going in, around and through you and that you are strengthened for all that is given for you to do this day.

Brian K. Rice  
Leadership ConneXtions International  
www.lci.typepad.com