The PF Women Team at our Annual Team Retreat ~ 2018 Today on Seth Godin's blog, he said: It's tempting to decide to make a profit first, then invest in training, people, facilities, promotion, customer service and most of all, doing important work. In general, though, it goes the other way. Yes, it does. If you are waiting to make a profit before you do these things, in my experience you're not going to make a profit. So many organizations, ministries and churches are struggling with financial issues. I know your pain. As anyone who follows our story knows, our ministry was in a ton of debt four years ago when I came on as director. Since that time, we've gotten out of debt and turned a profit every year. God has done amazing things through out team, for which we give Him the glory! I find that what Seth is saying here is absolutely true, with one disclaimer. For Christian leaders, spiritual disciplines must always be first. Before we started inve
My assistant Erika was talking to me one day and said:
"I've learned something about you. You lead from a very deep well."
Her
comment gave me pause for thought and I recognized a few things I do
on a regular basis regarding this that might help someone.
Stay Thirsty
Effective
leaders have a thirst for knowledge, wisdom, and improvement. Not a day
goes by when I'm not pursuing these three things. It comes in the form
of books, podcasts, classes and personal conversation. It's not by
happenstance, but by a relentless pursuit. Each day I
receive various insights that fill me, however my favorite times are
those when I receive so much that it's like a Big Gulp. Those times
would be occasions like spending a few hours or a day with a trusted
mentor, or attending a leadership conference.
Resist the Urge to Rest in What You Know and What You Do
A
leader can become so knowledgeable on a subject they think they know
everything there is to know about it. Particularly when you are
experiencing extraordinary success in an area, you can start to think
it's alright to settle down right where you're at and rest on your
laurels. Even if you become the greatest in the world at something, there's still
something to learn. (There's a reason Tiger Woods practices as much as he
does.)
Last week I was in the Louisville airport and stopped by one of the stores on the way to the gate. There was a book on leadership on one of the shelves, and I spontaneously bought it and read it on the flight home. There are entire shelves of books on leadership in my home and two offices. There are many more than most people would ever think necessary. But many more books will join those in the future. I'm not settled in what I know about leadership or about anything. There's so much more to explore.
Last week I was in the Louisville airport and stopped by one of the stores on the way to the gate. There was a book on leadership on one of the shelves, and I spontaneously bought it and read it on the flight home. There are entire shelves of books on leadership in my home and two offices. There are many more than most people would ever think necessary. But many more books will join those in the future. I'm not settled in what I know about leadership or about anything. There's so much more to explore.
When I read books I make it a habit to
underline, write in the margins and compile lists of takeaways I want to
put into practice. One time a very sincere Christian man said something
to me at church that I never forgot. "Pastor Deanna," he said, "My wife
loves self-improvement books. She has so many of these Christian
self-improvement books by all the popular authors, we don't even have a
place to put them all. She devours them and can't wait to go out and buy
more. But for all those books that she has read over all the many years
of our marriage, I can't say that I've ever seen a change in her
related to any one of those books. Is that normal?" This man's question
caused me to think critically, not about his wife, but about myself! I
sincerely asked myself if I was a woman addicted to reading Christian
self-improvement or leadership books - but never applied any of the knowledge from
them. Information without application brings no transformation. Reading books doesn't accomplish anything unless you follow up
with steps of action.
Drink From the Right Places
Multiple people have offered to provide me with resources, coach or
mentor me. But everyone who makes that offer doesn't exemplify who or what I
want to follow. I'm not looking to end up where they're at, so receiving from their well isn't the best idea. There are a plethora of
resources and people to receive from. Make sure what you're filling up
on is going to lead you to where you want to end up. Take advice from
people who have actually accomplished what you're trying to do. There
are an awful lot of people trying to take people to places they've never
been.
There are only so many people you can
realistically be in a relationship with. Choose carefully to end up with a
deep well that contains exactly what you want it to be full of to pour
out to those around you.
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