Turn the rocks over

July 29th, 2011 by bradlomenick in Misc. No Comments

When’s the last time you “turned the rocks over” regarding your leadership? How about your organization? Your church? Your ministry? Your family? Your team?

Turning the rocks over means you’re willing to confront all the nastiness that might be collecting on the bottom, that is hidden from plain view. The “other” side of the rocks is many times where the dirt, grime, bugs, and creepy things exist. We are aware of them, yet at our core don’t really want to acknowledge them, and definitely don’t want to deal with them.

This might mean a person on your team needs to be let go, or you need to have a really hard conversation with someone, or you’ve fallen into a pattern that is now a habit and is tearing you apart. It might mean that you have to move yourself out of a role, or out of leadership all together. It could be a culture issue with your organization that everyone is talking about behind closed doors but no one is willing to bring up in your staff meeting. It could be gossip that is running rampant on your team, a dispute between two team members that hasn’t been resolved, a decision that wasn’t handled correctly, or just simply a systems problem that has become standard operating procedure yet makes no sense at all.

Whatever the issue is “under the rock,” you need to deal with it.

As a leader, it’s your responsibility to challenge the status quo, and look for areas in your organization, on your team, in your family, and in your own life that need to be turned over, exposed, and dealt with.

Ultimately, it’s about being proactive instead of reactive, about being intentional and aggressive in confronting reality and the brutal facts that no one wants to discuss.

So this next week, be willing to turn a couple of rocks over, see what’s growing underneath, and then take action in cleaning up and getting rid of the nastiness that exists.

Where Have all the Interns Gone?

July 28th, 2011 by bradlomenick in Misc. No Comments

You can’t be president until you are 35. You can’t run a company until you are 40. You can’t be a Senior Pastor of a large church until you are at least 45…. You may have talent, but you have to wait your turn…. You have to earn the right to lead.
Agree or disagree?

Like it or not, it’s a whole new reality when it comes to who is leading who. The entire landscape of leadership has changed in the last 15 years, and continues to do so at a fast pace. The X generation is quickly being replaced by the Y generation as the growing force within the Church and our culture. And the P Generation (producer) is right on their heels. They WILL NOT wait to make a difference. They’ve grown up with the understanding that I can make a difference now- just write a blog, send a facebook message, create an online community, and boom- you have an audience and a tribe. So it’s time you wake up and face the realities of the next generation of leaders. Hierarchy is out; flat organizational structure is in. Wait your turn is out; make a difference NOW is in. Larger than life personalities are out; collaboration is in.

All those young college graduates and 20 somethings that used to show up at your doorstep begging for a chance to be an intern on your staff are harder to find these days. But they haven’t just vanished, and there is not a tremendous derth of new fresh leaders rising up ready to lead. All the young talent is still out there, but just not necessarily showing up at your doorstep, waiting in line to be the next version of you. Where have they all gone?

The simple answer- somewhere where they can make a difference and LEAD now.

Take for instance Teach For America, a non-profit organization started by Wendy Kopp that places recent college graduates as teachers into poor performing schools across America, many of them inner-city schools. These are not your bottom of the barrel graduates from Nowhere State U. These are Harvard, Princeton, and MIT grads. And they are lining up in droves to go and make a difference in the lives of at-risk students, all for less money, less fame, but greater impact.

You also might have noticed an unbelievable amount of new Church Plants happening. Most of these current Planters are 20 somethings. Many are leaving well-established and large megachurches to go and start something new. Why? Because the Y generation is not willing to wait. They want to make an impact now, and this entrepreneurial trend will continue to grow.

So what to do? Well, the first step is to understand the reality of the next generation of leaders. You have them on your staff, and if you don’t know it yet, they are probably considering planting their own church or going somewhere else where they can lead NOW. If you want to keep them, give them space to run, and allow them to create and innovate within the system you’ve created. Second, it might be time for some aggressive recruiting. Be as passionate about finding the right talent as you are about reaching your community.

Interns, young leaders, and talent is all around us. It’s just not showing up on our doorsteps anymore.

How's your relational equity?

July 26th, 2011 by bradlomenick in Misc. No Comments

How’s your relational equity portfolio?

Relational equity is crucial in today’s culture. Whether in business, in the Church, in non-profits, or as an entrepreneur, your level of influence many times depends on how much relational capital you have.

A few thoughts on building relational equity:

1. Relational equity is the currency (capital) you have with those around you in your sphere of influence that allow you to make things happen through and with other people. It’s all about others, and not about yourself.

2. Your relational equity is directly connected to how much “goodwill” and relational assets you’ve built up with others.

3. Relational equity and assets are not traded like stocks or bonds or financial assets, with the only goal of being how much you can get back in return for what you’ve invested. Relational equity is best built by investing in others with nothing expected in return. Period.

4. The more influence you gain, the more relational equity you will need to get things done. You must make sure you are gaining relational equity as fast or faster than you are gaining influence and the opportunity to impact.

5. The higher you go in any organization, the more relational equity you need with your peers, customers, vendors, partners, board members, etc.

6. The more intense or complicated a business deal or transaction, the more relational equity is needed to make sure it actually works and makes it to the finish line.

Nose out over the tips

July 22nd, 2011 by bradlomenick in Misc. No Comments

I’m a snow skier. I love to ski. In Colorado. Especially the moguls.

And I remember the first time I faced the challenge of a mogul run on a black diamond. Steep and overwhelming. It was tough for me to get started down the mountain.

While gazing over the side from the top of the run, my friends advice was this: “Point your skiis down the hill, keep your nose over your tips, and focus on the moguls you are hitting next, not the moguls you are hitting now.”

Great advice for skiing the steep stuff, but also good advice for life. And for leaders.

I love the idea of a “nose over your tips” posture as a leader. Someone who is positioned to own the mountain, conquer the mountain, and not just make it down the mountain. NOT someone who is leaning back, coasting, playing it safe, snow plowing your way back and forth across the mountain, afraid to keep your tips pointed down and an aggressive posture of dominating the hill.

Being a leader who lives out and demonstrates courage requires you to push beyond the norm, and be willing to take risks that might seem out of context or not normal. Keeping your nose over the tips and maintaining a posture that embraces risk and courage and the willingness to continue to push yourself.

Andy Stanley and Craig Groeschel in Houston

July 21st, 2011 by bradlomenick in Misc. No Comments

You don’t want to miss the Catalyst One Day event in Houston at the MET Church on Thursday, August 25.

Andy Stanley and Craig Groeschel will be sharing from 9 am – 5 pm on the Keys to Creating a Healthy Organizational Culture, including a couple of times of Q and A and worship led by North Point Music.

Make sure and REGISTER TODAY (Thursday, July 21st) to get the best registration rates possible. You can still get tickets for as low as $89 to this practical and strategic day of leadership training. To get the $89 rate, use rate code FOB when registering online.

If interested in bringing a large group of your team/staff of 20 or more, give Stan Johnson a call at 888.334.6569 and he’ll get you set up with a great discount.

And for those from the West Coast and the Chicago area, the Catalyst One Day tour continues later this fall in Orange County, CA at Saddleback Church on October 27 and in Chicago at Willow Creek Community Church on November 17.

Are you all in?

July 19th, 2011 by bradlomenick in Misc. 2 Comments

Are you a leader who is “ALL IN?”

I want leaders on my team who are “all in.” Coaches want players who are “all in” on their teams. Every organization out there wants employees and team members who are “all in.”

Being ALL IN as a leader means:

1. You don’t look at the clock, and you’re not punching a time card. Your role is not defined by 9 – 5.

2. You get it done no matter how long it takes. You are “managerless,” meaning no one else has to worry about whether you are getting it done.

3. You realize you are part of something bigger than yourself, and humbly accomplish the goals because of a larger motivation than just you.

4. Giving just the “minimum” amount of effort required to get by without “getting in trouble” doesn’t even cross your mind.

5. Your hard work and excellence is done with pure motives. You are not worried about climbing the ladder or impressing anyone.

6. We is much more important than me. If I win, the team wins. If the team wins, I win.

7. You are willing and motivated to improve daily. Getting better at what you do is not a choice, it’s a requirement.

8. You maintain a high standard of excellence because the team/organization/brand demands it. You don’t want to let anyone else down on the team.

9. The vision compels you to greatness. Not the opposite- “your greatness compelling the vision.” Many leaders get this backwards.

10. Your intentions and goals are clear. I know what I’m getting, and I’m never concerned about any alterior motives.

What else would you say are characteristics of an “all in” team player and leader?

What do you stink at?

July 18th, 2011 by bradlomenick in Misc. No Comments

We are all gifted in certain areas. Our areas of strength. Things we are good at. That we excel in. That bring us joy when working on.

How about the things you stink at? That drain you. Your areas of weakness. That take you hours and hours to work on. That you dread at all costs.

Have you figured out What you stink at? Better yet, have you figured out what to do once you’ve figured out what you stink at?

My suggestion is that once you know your areas of weakness, and things you aren’t good at, then start to fill in around those. Hire people or outsource to those who have strengths in your areas of weakness. Assign others on your team responsibility for the areas you don’t excel in.

Many of us think that we should spend time working to improve our areas of weakness. Not true. As Maxwell says, if you are a 3 or 4 out of 10 in an area, the best you’ll ever be is probably a 5 or 6. However, if you are a 7 or 8 out of 10, then you can be a 9 or 10 with more work and dedication.

Focus on the areas where you are a 7 or higher, not the areas where you are 5 or lower.

Don’t try and become great at what you are not good at. Focus on your strengths and hire others to be great in areas you aren’t.