Foresight: Embracing Future Change for Bold Transformation
Hindsight brings insight which produces foresight. Strategic foresight professionals tell us the best predictor of the future is the past. In other words, past and present trends will continue unless something causes them to change. Humans are the perfect example: we’ll keep doing what we’ve been doing and we’ll keep getting what we’ve always gotten unless something changes. What causes us to change? It isn’t actually seeing something we want more. Psychologists tell us people change when the pain of change is diminished by the pain of staying the same. Change always feels uncomfortable, even painful. But we’ll do it when it looks preferable to what we’ve been doing…
Insight: From Disembodied Scrambling to Walking in Wisdom
Hindsight brings insight which produces foresight. Last week, we looked at how hindsight and reflection bring us important data about experiences we’ve had. Today, we’ll look at the next piece of the formula – insight – and how we can use that data to find God at work in our experiences and ourselves. When my youngest son was a teenager, our family traveled seven or eight months out of every year. Much of that time was spent hosting conferences, empowering Christians to become ready to speak. At one of these events, I walked into the staff room. As I looked around, about to comment on things that…
Is It Time to Click “Unfollow”?
Last week, we explored what it means to nurture your team into flourishing followers. But what should we as leaders do when our followers simply aren’t flourishing on our team? One of my team members – who had just had her first baby – shared this with me: In a lot of ways, new mothers today are really blessed with easy access to so many resources and tips. I can go on social media and follow lactation consultants, child psychologists, and speech therapists who share their expertise. But at the same time, it can be just as harmful as helpful. I’ve been following a really popular baby sleep…
Followers Who Flourish
Did you play the childhood game “Follow the Leader?” There is always a leader, but everyone else is both following and leading, until the last person in line. The people following you were following whoever you were following. If a follower goes rogue, their followers have to decide who to follow next. Watching children play this game is revealing. Sometimes there’s tension over being the leader. But most of the time, they are happy to follow. It feels safer. You don’t have to come up with all the ideas – the places to go or things to do. You just do what the person you are following does. Knowing who…
Following Through the Fog
Have you ever been in a fog that was so dense it seemed you could reach out and touch it? Late one night, I was driving home after a long day and found myself engulfed in that type of mist. Even from inside my car, it felt tangible. It was pitch black night outside, and the fog was an extra layer hindering my visibility. And to make matters worse, I was driving onto a bridge. Scenes from many a classic spook film flew into my mind, but I pushed them aside as I gripped the steering wheel tightly. No efforts on my part helped my vision improve. If you’ve…
Who Are Your Followers Really Following?
Let’s play a little game. You’re at a Starbucks, and there’s a girl at a table nearby wearing a sundress, cowboy boots, and bright red lipstick. She’s laughing at something her friend says and responds, “Because I’m in my Fearless era!” A few minutes later you hear her say, “This song is giving Midnight Rain vibes.” Who is she following? Let’s try another. Your team is meeting with a new consultant about a product you want to offer. He comes in wearing a black turtleneck, jeans, and sneakers. His presentation about the product idea focuses on making it sleeker, minimalist, and a “user first” design. He pauses dramatically between…
CQ: Loving and Leading Like Jesus
“What’s wrong with her?” That was the question on my mind as I entered the room to find that Jessica hadn’t done what I asked her to. As her Internship Director, I thought she would have at least made an effort. Or asked questions. Or something. I thought: “I could not have been more clear.” I learned later that Jessica had tried. But my instructions did not mean to her what was so obvious to me. In our ensuing discussion, I realized my communication was clear…to me. But not to Jessica – a Southeast Asia citizen serving in the U.S. I want to tell you this was an isolated incident.…
