ALL IN!

"r u ALL IN..."

It's crazy how time flies and what started two and a half years ago is now coming to a close.  Two weeks from yesterday, my final class for MBA in Leadership will be done.  This process seems like it just started, but it's incredible how fulfilling this God-given dream and passion is just a step in the direction that God has chosen for us to head in.

I've been attending our Alaska Ministry Network Conference this week.  The theme "Experience the Impossible" has been spoken loudly and a challenge for us to be "ALL IN".  The impossible isn't based on the impossible situation but whether you are willing to go "ALL IN" and pursue what God has given you to do.  Are you willing to really to commit and go "ALL IN" to experience the impossible?  To God, ALL IN is just that, all of you.  Your time, money, desires, family and anything else that makes you who you are.

Go "ALL IN" and just see what happens!

Expand Beyond Comfort

growth requires time, resources and stepping beyond the comfortable...

Okay, this post is going to step beyond leadership and step into our personal/spiritual lives as well.  Some may disagree, which is okay because that is what this is all about.  I want to challenge and be challenged through this.  Leadership in business, personal and church life can go hand in hand and many times applies to all areas of our life.  This journey that I am walking, has me leading a start-up company, but I've also been in churches serving and speaking into the lives of students for the last 14 years.

Being in this role has helped me to see even more that each of us has an influence, we need to step out and use our God-given identity and gifts to help others change their lives.  Whether in business, personally or spiritually; growth requires time resources and us stepping out beyond what we feel is comfortable.  A recent post on Facebook said that 80% of most church budgets are going to help the current church attenders to be comfortable.  Something is wrong with this.  The church is here to reach the lost, change our communities and bring out the gifts of those in the church so that they can reach those around them that are lost.

Business leaders must budget in a way to grow the company.  It may mean being a little uncomfortable in the present to see growth in the future.  If we personally want to grow, we may have to make decisions that stretch us and make us uncomfortable now so that we can be better tomorrow, next week and next year.

I'm challenged and I challenge you to step beyond the comfortable in all areas.  See those that are around you and seek to help their lives be changed.  Stretch yourself at work and church so that others will benefit.  Maybe going to church or work every day/week isn't about us, but maybe it's about how God wants to use you in other lives!

Behind the Scenes

...leadership happens when no one else is watching.

Well, many of us deal with daily decisions that have to be made when no one else knows.  Integrity is something that many talk about, but most don't know how to define or live it out.  It can be easy to make the right decision when little is on the line.  Decisions that don't have a big cost or take little consideration, are simple and easy for most people to make.

Leaders that have influence and continue to have influence will need to make the right and moral decision, no matter the cost.  As you move forward and gain leadership over others and in your life, be prepared to make the decision that will be difficult when no one else would know and no one else is watching you.  What if that right decision meant you losing a shot at a contract worth millions?  What if making the right decision seemed to go against what everyone else is doing and no one would care or know any different no matter what you chose.  That is integrity!  Integrity isn't always an obvious decision but something that is right, moral and Biblical.

Integrity isn't the norm, it's not always easy and you may not be the most popular.  There is prosperity and blessing for those that do what's right and live with integrity.  What you lose because you made the right decision will come back to you ten-fold!  I've been challenged this week and I challenge you to be a leader that lives and breathes integrity even when no one else is watching.

Live or Die?

...it's time to live and lead like those we influence depend on it.

This is just as much of a challenge to me as those that will read this.  It's very easy to get into the rut of living our jobs and lives like we are the only ones that are impacted by what we do.  Many of us are secure in our jobs, the positions we serve in and the lives we live.  What if there was a potential to loose your job, position or even family if you didn't lead a certain way?  Would we live and lead differently?

It's time to live and lead like those we influence depend on it!  In our minds we think, "it's okay to just slide by and be average", but those we influence need us to desire excellence in all we do.  My kids need me to always be thinking excellence and put every effort that I can into their lives.  My job requires me to always be thinking excellence and giving every effort to take my company to the next level.  Those around us need us to always live and lead with excellence, integrity and our complete effort.  These types of leaders will have greater influence and a greater impact in all areas of their lives.  Leadership and influence isn't a part-time gig or a seasonal position, it's who we are!!!

For Life

New Year Strategy

...resolutions are great // Strategy is Critical!

As 2011 begins many people begin setting resolutions and goals that rarely get accomplished.  It's not that people don't try or even put in a good effort, but the fact of the matter is that it's very difficult to accomplish resolutions by simply just setting them.  I love goals, I think they are a necessity and anyone that wants to get anywhere in life must set them.

Over the past couple years I've been able to coach several teams/individuals and help them try to meet short-term and long-term goals throughout the season.  These goals (resolutions) set by the team are great and give the team direction.  However, these goals are not going to accomplish themselves and will be very difficult to reach without a plan or strategy on how to accomplish them.  This is where the coach comes in.  A team desires to win the game and has that great goal of getting to the post-season, but the coach must create the game plan and help to develop the team to the point of reaching the goal.

When we talk about leadership and goal setting, it is important to set the goals.  My challenge to you this year is to set a short-term goal (every 1-3 months) and then set a strategy to accomplish that single goal.  Create a plan that is realistic for each time frame and then stick to it.  Don't be overwhelmed with more than one goal and all the things that come with them.  Break down your goals into bite-sized pieces and then set a strategy to get them done.

Leadership principles are great, but application of them is critical for success.  Strategy must be in place or our goals will never become reality!

Ryan

Social Leadership

...leadership doesn't start or end with a position, but everything you are.


Application of leadership principles can become so overwhelming as we read books, blogs and hear top leadership speakers give us their key insight.  Our influence and leadership can become very compartmentalized to a specific role or position that we have within an organization, family or group of people.  We desire these principles to be applied to that position and it becomes very difficult to separate our role from the rest of our life.

I propose to you that while many only think to be leaders in their specific role, true leaders allow their leadership to impact all areas of their life.  Let's take a look at sports because that is what I know best.  There have been Pro Football Quarterbacks that have to be leaders on the field and have done a great job with that role.  They apply all that they know to that role and do what they can to influence their teammates to play better. This elevates that entire team.

A few of these quarterbacks have left practice and the game to go out with buddies and make bad decisions.  Some of been pulled over for a DUI and yet others have done even worse with harm to others.  Their leadership was only compartmentalized to their role and not all areas of their life.  I can think of several that lost their influence as quarterback because they weren't leaders socially and in other areas of life.

If we want to influence and to be leaders that impact the world around us, we must realize that we need to have standards and be leaders in all areas.  This can be a very big responsibility but when we become leaders in all areas, our influence becomes even greater.  Leadership doesn't start or end with a certain role or position, it should be in everything you are.

I challenge you to see all areas of your life as opportunities to influence others.  Your decisions not only impact you but all those around you and all areas of your life.  Be the one that sets the pace!

Ryan

Celebrating Legacy

...your legacy is defined by who you were, who you are, and who they will be.

Over the past few days, there have been many circumstances that has shed a whole new light on celebrating Christmas and what it really means for us.  This time of the year is more than just presents, giving, receiving, decoration, family and even the Christmas Eve service that you may attend.  Those are all great parts of this season but there is sooo much more than that.

As we go about our daily routines and getting ready for this weeks celebrations, other families and friends are experiencing more than we know.  We have several friends that have received early Christmas presents in the forms of little babies that happen to have perfect timing, just in-time for Christmas.  What a gift, a life and child that will make this one of the best Christmas celebrations ever.  While others have lost loved ones in the recent days and weeks.  A very close friend of ours just lost his Grandpa and one of the most influential churches in America just lost the founding pastor yesterday after a battle that has seemed to last forever.

Now, these circumstances and experiences can be sad, happy and bring a flood of emotions that we don't always understand.  I'm not saying that I know what each of these people is going through, however something hit me that brings new clarity to Christmas and the birth of Jesus.  Leadership isn't just about the here and now, but more importantly, how will your leadership will impact the future.  Your legacy will be defined by who you were, who you are now and ultimately by who those that follow you will become.

You see, these two great men that passed away in the last week have left a legacy that will be seen for generations to come.  Who they were was changed by Jesus (who we celebrate this week), who they are can be seen in those that have followed and have been influenced by these men living out what they were gifted with.  Leadership doesn't always feel good and isn't ever easy, but realizing that what we deal with now will impact those that follow brings a whole new meaning to leadership.  These little babies that have been born will follow someone and become the man or woman they've been created to be if they have leaders that have legacy in mind, not there own personal agenda.

This week as you celebrate Christmas and go through your traditions, celebrate the legacy that Jesus left.  Then, take a look at the legacy you are leaving and the influence that you have in others.  We have all made mistakes in our past, but we can create a legacy by what we do now.  Be the leader that does the "right" things now to secure the legacy for those that follow you. 

Lead like their life depends on it, because it does!

Ryan