What Poisons a Team faster than Anything else

I’ve been reminded recently of the constant tension on a team. And…. the Tension is Good. We talked about this and leaned into this phrase at our Catalyst event earlier this fall in Atlanta. The right kind of tension is important for teams, as well as for individuals. It stretches and shapes and allows for growth.

But there are other things that can creep into a team and poison it quickly. Things that sneak up fast and before you know it, start to define the team and take everyone off course. In the wrong direction. Headed the wrong way.

Here are a few of the poisons to make sure and avoid:

1. Arrogance- Pride comes before the fall, and for teams, the same holds true. Jim Collins talks about this at length in his book How the Mighty Fall. Humble confidence is the ticket.

2. No communication- this one is the most common poison for all teams to have some form of. The remedy? Overcommunicate. Be intentional and make sure folks are in the know. For team leaders, this one is tough. I struggle at this.

3. Me first, vs. We first- see this alot on high profile sports teams. Or with celebrities. As they say, there’s no “I” in team. A WE first mentality starts at the top with the leader who has to set the tone in word AND deed. If you are hearing “it’s not my job,” then it’s time for a gut check.

4. Jealousy and Cynicism- many times these go hand in hand and one follows the other. The remedy? Confronting it head on. Don’t allow jealousy or cynicism or cliques to form. Stomp it out immediately.

What else would you say poisons teams in your experience?

There's No Way I (We) Can Do That

How many times do you hear that? From your team, your friends, your family, the organization you work for, your church, etc.

“There’s no way I can do that!”….. “Our team could never pull that off!”….. “Well it’s easy for (so and so) to accomplish that kind of game changing project, because they have a massive team and lots of money”……”I’m not that smart or that connected to pull the right people together…..” And on and on and on.

STOP using this as an excuse. As believers, as followers of Jesus, if we’re not chasing after something that is so much bigger than we are, and there’s no way we could ever accomplish it without God, then we are playing it too safe.

Is there currently something you are working on, organizing, idea crafting that is so big that everyone around you says “There’s no way!!” If not, it’s time to think big. Get outside your comfort zone. Dream about accomplishing a project so out of your abilities that it keeps you up at night.

God calls us to think big. If we are only working on something that we can accomplish on our own, I’m not sure that’s good enough.

So what’s on your heart or stirring in you that you keep pushing back because it just doesn’t seem possible? Whatever it is, put it on the table. Stretch. Pursue it. “There’s no way” those around you will say. But there is a way. God can accomplish what seems impossible to us. Through His power. With our sweat. And our work.

There IS a way I (We) can do that……

Aspirin vs. Vitamins

Read a great article recently in Fast Company by Dan and Chip Heath. Talking about the need for Consumers to have a deep felt need for your product.

And considering the example of  aspirin and vitamins. Both found in the drug section of the grocery store. But a big difference between the two.

Vitamins are nice. They’re healthy. And nice to have around.

But Aspirin cures your pain. Solves short terms solutions. Meets a basic need. And is a must have.

Compare that to your business, your organization, your product, your service, your project, your offering….. Is what you do or the service you provide a vitamin? Or does it serve as an aspirin for your customers and tribe? Is it a must have, or a nice-to-have?

The Heath’s argue that our goal should be to actually turn vitamins into aspirin. It’s not enough to give people something they might want, you have to give them something they acutally need.

People buy aspirin because it takes away pain. It meets a deep felt need. If you have a headache, you’re not thinking “well I wonder if this is a good time to buy that aspirin I’ve been thinking about…..” No, you want aspirin, and you want it now!

The question is this: Does your product or service or offering resolve a pain point for your customer? Does it meet a deep seated felt need? Is it a must have vs. a nice-to-have? If not, figure out how to turn your vitamins into aspirin.

5 Tips for Communicating Well

Whether you are a seasoned leader, college student, author, professor, CEO, politician, or pastor, we all have to learn to communicate well. Whether we are speaking to thousands, or speaking to our staff, or giving a report, or making a speech, it’s imperative as leaders we know how to communicate. To make our point. To deliver a message.

And communicating is much easier said than done. Actually it’s the saying part and the doing part that make it difficult.

So here are some tips that might make communicating a bit easier for you and a bit more enjoyable for those listening.

1. Keep it Simple. Stay focused on a few key points. And use common sense. If it sounds confusing, it probably is. If it sounds cheesy, it probably is.

2. Tell great stories to validate your points. Unless you are just an amazing communicator, your points probably won’t hold me. So sprinkle in some great stories, good analogies, and current events.

3. Inspire action. Push me towards doing something, not just hearing something.

4. Create hooks, repetitions, and memorable phrases. I won’t remember all you said, but I might remember something you said. Our current culture is now built around soundbytes- status updates, tweets, texts, etc. So keep it simple, but also keep it short.

5. Land the plan on time. Not just ending on time, but actually ending with the right timing. Don’t keep circling above the runway- land it now.

Check out these Links

- Catalyst Coaching is now available to our Catalyst community! We are partnering with Steve Cockram and Mike Breen from 3dm Ministries to bring a unique and incredible opportunity for hundreds of leaders in the Catalyst network to be part of a great leadership coaching program, and continue to expand their leadership journey . More info here. I encourage you to sign up TODAY – if so, you’ll receive a FREE ticket to any Catalyst event in 2011!

- I recently was interviewed by Michael Myatt for the N2 Growth Blog. You can watch the full interview here.

- The most recent Catalyst Podcast features an interview with Seth Godin, uber blogger and best-selling author of tons of books, including his most recent Linchpin, which I highly recommend.

- A BRAND NEW Release from Andy Stanley and Craig Groeschel. The Power of Momentum DVD Set. Contains 4 individual DVD’s with talks from Andy and Craig, Q and A, behind the scenes interviews, and participant guides for staff training or small group interaction. This is a GREAT resource for leaders and highly recommended for staff development or individual leadership development.

- This video is a guaranteed laugh. A Japanese TV game show. Worth the 3 or 4 minutes to brighten your day!!

End of Year focus

Ahh, we are now upon the time of year considered to be the “Holiday Season.”

A time to take a deep breath. Relax. Have some down time to think. Drink some eggnog. Enjoy time with family and friends. And recalibrate.

I love this time of year. Both for the recalibrate and relaxing part, but also because I usually get more done in the next 40 days than I do during any other season of the year.

It’s a great time to be relentlessly focused on getting better. And also to make sure that you find time to plan. Time to strategize for the next year, even about the next couple of years.

Time to get better at what you do. Be incredibly intentional about finding ways to improve. Read a ton. Take time to sit down with experts and learn from them.

I have always viewed the 40 days from Thanksgiving to New Years as a season of the year where I can catch up, and actually “get ahead” of where I need to be. When I make myself tons better, and outrace, outpace, and stay ahead of the curve.

So don’t just coast into 2011 through this years Holiday Season. Yes, enjoy some down time, relax and refresh. Drink some eggnog. But also remember to be intentional. Focused…. Because 2011 is almost here!

Remember when….

Remember when…..

1. Joe Montana and Jerry Rice was who everyone wanted to be on the football practice field.

2. MC Hammer made parachute pants cool.

3. DC Talk was actually DC Talk.

4. Drive-in movie theaters were the best option.

5. Star Wars first released.

6. Your computer was simply a typing machine with a screen that could save your work. Otherwise known as a word processor.

7. Your phone had a chord. And was used for making calls from your house.

8. Everyone was downloading Napster.

9. Facebook was something only college students did.

10. You could walk all the way to the gate at the airport to meet who you were picking up.

11. Apple was for the design snobs.

12. The Tight roll was in…. wait, it’s back!!

5 Questions w/Ralph Winter, X-Men, Fantastic Four, and COOL IT

I wanted to make everyone aware of a new documentary film releasing TODAY called “COOL IT.” The film is directed by two-time Sundance Film Festival Grand Jury Prize winner Ondi Timoner and is based on a book by economist Bjorn Lomborg. The film addresses what Lomborg believes to be the unjustified hysteria surrounding global warming and allocation of $250 Billion annually towards climate change, in contrast with other concerns such as malnutrition, clean drinking water, HIV/Aids, poverty, and hunger that are severely underfunded, and ultimately proposing a re-appropriation of funds to meet the needs of developing countries.

“COOL IT” challenges viewers to look beyond global climate change and embrace the principles of protecting and sustaining all of God’s creation … to focus on saving the planet AND its people.

I had the chance to catch up with Ralph Winter, executive producer of COOL IT. Ralph has been producing movies all his life, and has Executive Produced films such as the X-Men Series, Fantastic Four, Planet of the Apes, Mighty Joe Young and many others.

Ralph believes “COOL IT” presents a definite “call to action” to Christians. The movie is being released by Roadside Attractions in conjunction with 1019 Entertainment in select markets starting TODAY.