A Minute With Maxwell-"Vision"

Leading Thoughts-"Leadership By Looking in the Mirror"

I recently spoke at a place where I had not been in years. Many of the same people from years ago were still there. I noticed something disturbing about these people: they had really gotten old! I was stunned by their obvious aging while I marveled at my own youthful appearance.

Yeah, right.
One honest look in the mirror and I could see that the years had taken a toll on me—just like my aging friends. My self-awareness had two elements in it: honesty and a willingness to look in the mirror.

Click here to read the rest of Thom Ranier's essay at Church Central Leadership Community

A Minute With Maxwell-"Selflessness"

A Minute With Maxwell-"Thrive"

Leading from the New Testament-Earning Buy-In

What Jesus did here in Cana of Galilee was the first of the signs through which he revealed his glory; and his disciples believed in him.  John 2:11 (NIV)

John 2:11 was describing the impact of Jesus' first miracle, changing water into wine at a wedding (he'd be a pretty popular guest, woulnd't he?).  It is important to note the sequence of events here-first, performing the miracle, then the disciples believe in Him.  Why?  He had earned credibility.

Why do doomsday prophecies from people like Harold Camping get ridiculed?  Because, in Camping's case, he had absolutely no credibility.  In my workplace, any predictions I make about the results of elections (I work for an organization that provides techincal assistance for elections across the globe) would be ignored because I am not an election expert.  Since I am the Controller, when I make statements about the financial status of the organization, people listen because I have some level of credibility-I've earned it with my performance.

The takeaway for leaders from scripture here is that leaders have to EARN credibility before they can have significant impact leading.  Attempting to lead without credibility is a good way to become the next Harold Camping, and we surely don't need another one of those.

Leading Thoughts-30 Overlooked Acts of Leadership Courage

We often think of leaders as exhibiting big acts of courage – overcoming huge obstacles and saving lives, metaphorically and literally. Yet I’m amazed and humbled at the courageous things leaders do that we don’t think of as brave. The small courageous things that we overlook every day are the stuff that make up the character of great leaders.

You exhibit leadership courage daily in a lot of unnoticed ways like these when you:

Speak up when you know you’ll be judged harshly.
Shut up and let others have their say even if you think you are right.
Give critical feedback to someone in power when you know it might have unfavorable consequences.
Receive critical feedback from others with grace.
Develop others without fear even when you know they may become smarter than you are.

Click here to read the rest of the post from Leading Blog

Leading from the Old Testament-A Win-Win

The LORD had said to Abram, “Go from your country, your people and your father’s household to the land I will show you. “I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing.  I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.  Genesis 12:1-3 (NIV)

Anyone who has ever worked closely with me can tell you that I love the win-win scenario.  You know, a situation where all parties get something that benefits them.  Now it's one thing for a leader to that, but it's another thing entirely for God to take that approach.

Being God, He could have just told Abram to move or else He would turn him into a toad.  In the Old Testament, God would take that tone with some of His enemies, but not those who sought to connect with Him and obey Him.  In the above text, God took time to show Abram what he would gain by obedience.  At later chapters showed, Abram didn't always get it right, but his heart stayed with God. 

I believe this is a great lesson in how to treat people we lead.  Even in situations where we could prevail based on our positional authority (and let's face it, God has all of that you could ever want), explaining benefits to someone and gaining their buy in is inevitably more effective

A Minute With Maxwell-"Peace"

Leading Words-The Leader As Servant

Jesus called them together and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them.  Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be your slave— just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”  Matthew 20:25-28

Welcome to the first in an ongoing series of essays discussing Christ-centered leadership, which I will refer to as Servant Leadership.  This concept was brought into leadership thinking in the 1970’s by the late Robert Greenleaf, but it was put into practice nearly 2,000 years ago by our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Jesus was the most powerful person to ever walk the earth, and He could have ruled with absolute power and authority, had every privilege, and accumulated unimaginable wealth.  Instead, He took a different path, that of the servant leader.  He ate with the scourges of society, like tax collectors (Matthew 9:10), had no home to call His own (Luke 9:58), refused to pass judgment where religious leaders were all too happy to (John 8:10-11), and willingly presented Himself as a servant and sacrificed His life to save mankind (Matthew 20:28 above).

Compare that to many of today’s “leaders.”  Today, many of society’s leaders are insulted if they are not automatically treated as the most important person in the room.  They take as much credit as they can, even for work or ideas that don’t belong to them.  They put their self-interest ahead of those who work for them or depend on them.  They accumulate wealth and power in part by taking it from others and diminishing them.  They think the primary purpose of being a leader is to have authority over others. They take more of the “leaders have servants” approach than one of servant leadership.  Sadly, some of them stand behind the pulpits of the most affluent and influential churches in the United States.

I believe this is only one example of how our society has drifted away from any legitimate claim of being a “Christian Nation.”  It angers me that many of the politicians that claim their policies would bring our country back to that are some of the clearest examples of leaders who lead to get and accumulate wealth and power, not help those less fortunate to build themselves up…like Jesus did.

Instead of grabbing a rock and flinging it at the adulterous woman, Jesus encouraged her and gave her the opportunity to change her life.  He was not threatened by people bettering themselves because that was, and still is, His purpose—to show us a better way.

True leadership is about influence, and the heart of servant leadership is about influencing others’ lives in a way that encourages positive change and growth.  A servant leader does not succeed by gathering power and diminishing others.  Instead, he empowers others and builds them up.  I have had some success doing this myself in leadership roles, and it is by far the most rewarding aspect of leading that I’ve ever enjoyed.

I’ve been involved in ministry with Brenda for several years now, but over the last three years I’ve had the opportunity to lead people in the marketplace.  The most important lesson I’ve learned and will be sharing in this space is that there are many ways to share the Gospel without preaching it chapter and verse from the Bible, which is often frowned upon in the workplace.

I’ve tried to become the type of servant leader that Jesus modeled for us.  I’ve had the bandwith to explain to people the scriptural basis and inspiration from the Holy Spirit behind decisions, policies, and methods of coaching I’ve employed.  Some people embrace it, others nod and move on, and yet others directly oppose it, but anyone who cares to know understands the basis of servant leadership that drives my four-word “leadership philosophy”—how can I help. 

I’ll write more about that next week. 

Leading from the New Testament-Leaders Must Also Follow

“I baptize you with water for repentance. But after me comes one who is more powerful than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor, gathering his wheat into the barn and burning up the chaff with unquenchable fire.”  Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to be baptized by John. But John tried to deter him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?” Jesus replied, “Let it be so now; it is proper for us to do this to fulfill all righteousness.” Then John consented.  Matthew 3:11-14 (NIV)

Sometimes we get so caught up in leading that we lose track of our need to also be a follower.  As great a man as John the Baptist was, ("I tell you, among those born of women there is no one greater than John"- Jesus speaking Luke 7:28), he never lost sight of the fact that Jesus was greater.  He showed it by both telling others and by deferring to Him face-to-face.

Leaders need to set an example.  We can show others how to follow us by how we follow those who lead us.

Leading Thoughts-5 Leadership Lessons from Tim Tebow

Tebomania has captured the nation in recent weeks. Here is a look at the leadership Tebow demonstrated during one of Denver's comeback wins that sets a positive example on or off the football field.
Denver Broncos rookie quarterback Tim Tebow has been everywhere lately. Tebow has crossed into American pop-culture this year because of his improbable win streak and public displays of his Christian faith. He wore a microphone during last Sunday’s game vs. Chicago; you can find excerpts from his game-time audio feed here.

I’m not a Bronco’s fan, but was amazed at how Tebow talked to his team, and even to his opponents.

Here are five lessons from Tim Tebow that business leaders can apply in their own environments.

Click here to read the rest of the essay from Forbes.com

Leading From the Old Testamant-We Were Born to Lead

Then God said, “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.”  So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them. God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground.” Genesis 1:26-28 (NIV)

I thought a good place to start with scripture-based leadership was at the beginning-Genesis 1.  During the Cration process, God declared that man (both male and female!) were born into leadership roles, having dominion over the planet.  While some have taken that to an extreme and used that scripture to destroy natural resources and polute the planet, it is undeniable that our species are literally born leaders.  Some may have influence over nations or large corporations, while others may only have influence over a few friends and family members, but we can ALL lead.

We were born that way.

A Minute With Maxwell-"Goals"

Setting goals for the New Year? Good, but watch this first.