LeadershipConneXtions: Make It Stick (Notes for Communicators)

Current Reads

Gerald O'Collins: Jesus: A Portrait
Written by an Australian Jesuit. This one is next on my reading list.
Thomas R Yoder Neufeld: Recovering Jesus - The Witness of the New Testament
This is a very substantial book with scholarly depth and thoughtful reflection. Written to be used for college students taking a course on Jesus who need sufficient academic insights AND yet, providing experiential stepping stones as well.
Anselm Grn: Images of Jesus
50 short chapters with 50 images of Jesus. This is very useful as a devotional supplement.
Scot McKnight: The Jesus Creed: Loving God, Loving Others
If you have never read this book . . . it may be the best, most accessible book on Jesus. Warmly devotional, extraordinarily insightful, and combining exegetical insights (always stated in simple, clear ways) with spiritual passion.
Wyatt North: The History of Christmas
Another "free" eBook by the awesome people at Wyatt North. They are doing a great job getting very nice titles available as eBooks. This one came in time for the season.
Leslie R. Crutchfield: Forces for Good: The Six Practices of High-Impact Nonprofits (Jossey-Bass US Non-Franchise Leadership)
For those of you who were moved by Good to Great... and then who really appreciated Good to Great (and the Social Sector), this book takes the themes of Good to Great and really fleshes them out for the non-profit world. It is outstanding. I have had this one on my shelf for some time and am just now reading it. And wouldn't you know it, but there is a revised and updated version!
Matthew Dickerson: Hobbit Journey, A: Discovering the Enchantment of J. R. R. Tolkien's Middle-earth
A very thoughtful, philosophical, theological, moral and spiritual assessment of Middle Earth. For Christians who love Tolkien and the Lord of the Rings/Hobbit - this can take you much deeper into the meaning and enchantment of these stories.
C. S. Lewis: The Screwtape Letters: With Screwtape Proposes a Toast
I am doing a year end re-read of this wonderful classic.
Yann Martel: Life of Pi
I am finally getting around to reading this. Have read the first 100 pages. So far, I am NOT very impressed. A "fun read" but a seriously flawed interpretation of religious pluralism. I am just ready to begin Part 2 - The Pacific Ocean.
Timothy George: The Great Tradition of Christian Thinking: A Student's Guide (Reclaiming the Christian Intellectual Tradition)
The first volume in a new series of short books written to help college students and others think about the integration of faith and the many fields of discipline and study. This is an essay on basing all this integrative work in the great Christian tradition. A nice primer. But I have one serious disagreement with it that I'll blog about.
Maria Ross: Branding Basics for Small Business
Haven't read it yet... will read it very soon. But I chose this one because it is simple and practical.
Malcolm S. Knowles Ph.D.: The Adult Learner, Seventh Edition: The definitive classic in adult education and human resource development
Put it this way... it is in its 7th edition. That is how good it is. Must reading for those whose ministry involves empowering adults for learning and transformation.
Jeanine O'Neill Blackwell: Engage: The Trainer's Guide to Learning Styles
Richly detailed approach to learning and creating learning processes based on the 4MAT approach to adult learning styles.
Michael Hyatt: Platform: Get Noticed in a Noisy World
An extremely practical, how-to book for anyone who wants to upgrade their use of social media as the way to build a real presence for their ministry.
Reid Hoffman: The Start-up of You: Adapt to the Future, Invest in Yourself, and Transform Your Career
Excellent for anyone who wants to be about the process of developing your self, your career, your future.
Jim Collins: Good to Great and the Social Sectors: A Monograph to Accompany Good to Great
This one has the morphing of the Hedgehog Concept so it works with non-profit organizations. This is a brilliant addition.
Jim Collins: Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap... and Others Don't
The classic.
Simon Vibert: Excellence in Preaching: Studying the Craft of Leading Preachers
Sort of a cliff notes summary of great ideas about preaching through the lens of great preachers. It is nice as a refresher.
Al Tizon: Missional Preaching: Engage Embrace Transform
Teaching and sermons together. A nice book.
Alan J. Roxburgh: Missional: Joining God in the Neighborhood (Allelon Missional Series)
Good, challenging... He is helpful, but he just doesn't finally convince me that his is the "one right way" to think about these matters.

Leadership involves influence. Influence involves communication. Communication involves the ability to create ideas and then present them in "sticky" ways.

From time to time I have requests from leaders that have to do with becoming better communicators. I plan to post a series of articles on this page that will address this topic. Ideally I'll want to post them about every two weeks.

NEW

Posted December 25th, from Presentation Zen site.

Here is a nice review of good books for presenters.

***************************************

PREVIOUS ITEMS

(10) Posted November 25th.

Posted November 25th

A great blog article on can listeners multi-task (they cannot, for it is a myth) and what does it mean for presenters to use styles that allow "apparent multi-tasking.

Backchannels: To Twitter During Presentations?

(9) Posted October 4th.

Here is a practical encouragement on how to continue developing as a creative communicator. It comes from:

Presentation Zen.

Download Personal Kaizen

(8) Posted September 19th.

Here is a past post on how Attention Spans are getting shorter and shorter and what that means for our communication.

Preaching to Short Attention Spans.

And check out this article:
Myths of Preaching from the Out of Ur website.

Read this blog post.

(7) Posted March 1st.

Here is a great link to a post by Michael Hyatt on the tools he uses to make presentations. He is the president and CEO of ThomasNelson publishers. If you are not using this stuff, it is time to update.

My Current Presentation Tools

(6) Posted December 1st.

The Exceptional Presenter - Review/Essay

Download The Exceptional Presenter

(5) Posted October 2nd.

Here is a very nice article on eloquence from John Piper.

Download Is_There_Christian_Eloquence.pdf

(4) Posted September 19, 2008

This one is an article on why story is powerful along with some suggestions for you to become a better story teller.

Download StoryReversingTheCurseOfExpert.pdf

(3) Posted on September 12, 2008

This one is pdf from Mark Sayers, author of Trouble With Paris. It is very good.

You can also check this out on his site as well. See the right hand column where I have sites listed.

Download MarkSayersSecretsOfCommunicating.pdf

(2) Here is a short story about my journey as a communicator. Posted August 26, 2008

Download SlightlyWhimsicalLookAtCommunicating.pdf

(1) Here is a blog site assessing some of the best communicator in 2006.

http://www.bertdecker.com/experience/2006/12/top_ten_best_an.html

Brian Rice

Leadership ConneXtions International

Music in the iPod

Led Zeppelin: Led Zeppelin 1
After reading Light and Shade by Brad Tolinski, which is a journalist conversation with Jimmy Page, I decided to give the ENTIRE music catalogue of Jimmy Page a visit. I'll have to go back and listen to his pre-Zeppelin music soon, but I am going to work through the essential 10 CDs of their music. I am also going to get a number of the compilations of live recordings as well. Here are the first four.
Led Zeppelin: Led Zeppelin II
Led Zeppelin: Led Zeppelin III
Led Zeppelin: Led Zeppelin IV (aka ZOSO)
Santana: Shape Shifter
The latest from a a guitarist of great longevity and collaborative partnerships. Always good and fun.
Rodrigo y Gabriela: Area 52 (CD+DVD)
Think classical, flamenco, percussive/rhythmic guitar slapping and shredding (the standard Rodrigo y Gabriela)... now add in Cuban flavors of a rich variety and you have this GREAT ALBUM.
Train: California 37
I love this group. Another good album. Fun music.
Steve Morse and Super Group of Prog Rockers: Flying Colors
Oh yes... I have listened to this 20 times in the last month. Some of my favorites come together to form a SuperProg Group. You would be hard pressed to put together a better band then this. And this is only their first album. Oh please stay together. Release many more...
Danny Jones: Finding My Way
This is an older album, but another magnificent fretboard master, fleet of finger, a savant of the scales, melodic, delicious...
Bruce Springsteen: Wrecking Ball
Becky's favorite artist (or else right up there) and this is his new one. I like it a lot. I think we'll have to catch Bruce on tour again.
Wrecking Ball
Bruce Springsteen: Wrecking Ball
Bonnie Raitt: Slipstream, Bonnie Raitt
The lady blueswoman gives her best album (maybe ever). Love it, love it, love it.
Frank Gambale: Best Of: Jazz & Rock Fusion
A great virtuoso of guitar and one of a select group who has a signature model for Carvin Guitars. This is one great album of instrumental tunes.
Punch Brothers: Who's Feeling Young Now?
Wow. Incredible blue grass, folk, rock, indie, all blended together. Chris Thile the mandolin player is a part of this band. Definitely - check them out.
Neil Zaza: Clyde the Cat
The brand new CD by one of my favorite melodic shredders. He recently jammed with Phil Keaggy... or I should say, he invited Phil to Jam with him.
Danny Band Jones: Over the Edge
See the note below.
Danny Jones: Finding My Way
A new artist for me. Seriously, he ranks up there with the creativity and sheer talent of a Joe Satriani... although the Silver Surfer guitarist is still in my top three faves. But Danny Jones deserves a wide listen by all the rock/metal fans.
Gungor: Ghosts Upon the Earth
Their newest. I've listened to it a few times. I like Beautiful Things more, but this one is growing on me and several of the songs are outstanding.
: More Than Meets The Eye ( Remastered )
Some of the greatest prog rock being done today. Nuff said.
Yo-Yo Ma: The Goat Rodeo Sessions
Buy this album just because of the great title. No, really buy it because of the four string virtuosos and the magic they conjure up as their instruments flow together.
Josh Wilson: See You
Pretty good album by Christian activist, singer, guitarist.
Joop Walters: Speed Traffic and Guitar
Great guitarist, evocative, fluid melodies, intricate arrangements, instrumental.
Chickenfoot: Chickenfoot III
Even better then their first CD. This is their second release, whimsically called Chickenfoot III... Boy do they rock on.
The Black Keys: El Camino
Good rockin' music.
Downhere: Wide-Eyed & Mystified
My new favorite band. Canadian Christians, great music, outstanding (TRULY) vocals. And profound lyrics. They leave most Christian artists in the dust of banal pop Christianity.