“I’m Not Stressed!”
“You are very sick. Are you under a lot of stress?” The doctor leaned over my hospital bed, waiting for my reply. I responded, “I don’t think so.” At 28 years old, I had – in six months time – lost my grandmother, with whom I was very close, and my father-in-law, who died in our home. The mother of two toddlers, I was also the caregiver for my mother-in-law through her aortic bypass. I was in graduate school while teaching full time. My husband’s health was failing and we were losing his business. That’s when I was hospitalized. Self-awareness is an essential leadership competency – and I…
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…
Hindsight: Backward Glances, Forward Progress
There was a huge, divisive problem among the first century Christians. They were arguing about how to do church. And what it meant to be a Christian. I know. Hard to believe, isn’t it? In Acts 15, gospel author Luke gives us a peek into one of the most momentous meetings of that generation’s followers of The Way (aka Christians before they were called Christians). Paul and Barnabas are sent to Jerusalem to meet with prominent leaders of the early Jesus movement gathered to solve a really serious issue – what to do about Gentiles who wanted to join The Way. Paul and Barnabas’s first instinct is one…
Connecting to Your Audience Through Pathos
There’s an old story often told in the United States that goes something like this: Once, a husband saw his wife preparing dinner and asked her: “Why are you cutting off the best part of the roast?!” His wife, a bit taken aback by the question, responded, “That’s how my mother always did it. I’m not sure why.” So they called up her mother and asked. Her response: “My mother always cut off the end of the roast – but I never asked why. Let’s call her.” So they did. When they questioned Grandma about it, she said: “Well, I don’t know why you cut it off, but my pan…
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…
