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Creating a "Stop Doing" List

Do you ever get frustrated with feeling like there's too much to do and not enough time to do it?  Well, if you have,  Jim Collins just might have a possible prescription for you.  As i mentioned last week, Amazon had a number of their favorite authors record something as a "bonus" for their 10 year anniversary.  In the case of Collins, he chose to expand on an article he had written back on December 30, 2003.  Note: If you're an audio learner, click here for the Amazon audio or if you're a visual learner (like me), click here for the original article that the audio version was based on (and scroll down to December 30, 2003).

The basic storyline is that early on in his twenties, Jim took a course in creativity with Rochelle Myers at Standford.  Afterward he stayed in touch with her.  As a young, energetic and driven individual, Jim regularly planned out his life.  He had his fifteen year BHAGs, then his five year goals, and then his top three one year goals that he used to guide his daily life.  Yet in the midst of all that organized planning, Rochelle said to him, "Jim, I notice that you are a rather undisciplined person."  Obviously, that shocked Jim.  However, she continued,  "Your genetic energy level enables your lack of discipline.  Instead of leading a disciplined life, you lead a busy life."

She then challenged him to what Jim now calls the 20-10 assignment. "It goes like this: Suppose you woke up tomorrow and received two phone calls. The first phone call tells you that you have inherited $20 million, no strings attached. The second tells you that you have an incurable and terminal disease, and you have no more than 10 years to live. What would you do differently, and, in particular, what would you stop doing?"

That assignment was the turning point in Jim's life.  In fact, it's what led him to make a right corner turn in his life and leave HP and take a job as a teacher/professor/researcher (since he is, as he says, "constitutionally unemployable"—I love that phrase)—and we are all the better for that choice.  Since that time, the most important question Jim asks of himself each year is, "What do I need to stop doing?" 

I love that question.  It has a very Pauline ring to it, doesn't it?  For Paul regularly argues that for change to occur, you first need to "take off" the old and "put on" the new.  Or, to put it in more mathematical terminology, "You need to subtract, before you can add."  Anyway you put it, the question that Collins asks is a question all of us, as leaders, need to regularly ask, "What do I need to stop doing, that I'm currently doing, so that I can focus more of my time and energy on the things that matter most and will create the greatest impact over the course of my life and time?"

So how are you doing?  If you were to do an inventory of your time, what percentage of your day or time, would you say, is spent on doing those things that matter most?  That have the greatest impact?  That you're passionate about? That fit your genetic encoding?  If, according to Collins, you're spending less than 50% of your time in those areas, then your "Stop Doing" list, may be the most important list you could make this year—or today!  In fact, don't go to bed tonight without making one up.

Bird by Bird, Step by Step

One of the great joys of blogging is that the blogosphere is filled with delicious morsels that pop up in unexpected places.  The other day, I was flowing a series of blog links when someone mentioned a book by Anne Lamott, Bird by Bird, which isn't about birds, but writing.  In fact, the subtitle of the book is, "Some Instructions on Writing and Life." A week later, I was in Borders when I came across this little book and, because I had read something positive about it in a blog, picked it up and started to read it.  And have found it to be a delightfully wonderful, thoughtful and inspiring book.

Now, as to the title, it comes from an experience her brother had with their father.

"Thirty years ago my older brother, who was ten years old at the time, was trying to get a report on birds written that he had three months to write. [It] was due the next day.  We were out at our family cabin in Bolinas, and he was at the kitchen table close to tears, surrounded by binder paper and pencils and unopened books on birds, immobilized by the hugeness of the task ahead of him.  Then my father sat down beside him, put his arm around my brother's shoulder and said, 'Bird by bird, buddy.  Just take it bird by bird."

What a great image and phrase for those of us in ministry.  The hugeness of the task ahead of us can be immobilizing.  Trying to build a life-giving church is a daunting task.  Rarely does a plan ever work out the way we intend it to.  People are people.  Budgets are budgets.  Ministry is ministry.  Expectations are expectations.  Satan is Satan.  Evil is evil.  Conflict is conflict.  And the great commission still lays in front of us every day.

So, how do we overcome the feeling of being immobilized?  Well, one way is to think, "Bird by bird."  Books are not written as books—they're written as words that form paragraphs that form pages that form chapters that form books.  The key to writing a book, says Anne Lamott, is thinking, "Bird by bird."  Don't worry about the whole.  Just do the small task in front of you.  Likewise, successful ministries aren't built overnight.  They're built "bird by bird."  So, whenever you're feeling overwhelmed with having too much to do, maybe you might like to forget thinking about the whole.  And instead think, "Bird by bird I can do this."  Because you can.  Hang in there!  God is faithful!!

Keep it Simple

If you've read my material on the differences between teachers who lead and leaders who teach, then you know that one of the major differences between the two is that leaders prefer simplicity while teachers prefer complexity.  Which, of course, creates a major problem since most of us who pastor churches tend to be teachers, more than leaders.

We had one of those great moments today during our staff meeting when we were talking about how to do a better job at helping people get involved in ministry.  At one point, my executive pastor, Dan, responded to a comment with the following statement, "Oh, I like that idea.  It's short, simple and easy to get."  At which point, another one of my pastors, Mark (who's another teacher) and I broke out in laughter.  Why?  Because it was so typical of the way a leader thinks.  We didn't even have to say anything.  We both knew exactly what had transpired.  The leader had spoken.  While the two of us would normally haven chosen complexity, Dan, the pure leader, knew we needed something that was simple and easy to get.

So, how can those of us who are teachers learn to lead better?  Well, one way is for us to learn to fight our tendency toward preferring complexity over simplicity.  Instead of being in awe with all of our great ideas (and with trying to make sure all of the parts fit together), we need to be in awe with the ease by which people can assimilate that information.  In the midst of being deluged with data every day, most people (and I know this is hard to believe) actually prefer being able to access ideas simply, rather than obtusely (a great teacher word, but terrible leader word). 

So, how can you simplify what you're doing? Leading? Teaching? Designing? Planning? Solving?

There is No Success Without Discipline

Have you ever been disappointed because you had a great dream, but it just never seemed to materialize?  Well, if you have, then you know the reality of the statement above, "There is No Success Without Discipline." It doesn't really matter what area of life you're talking about.  If you're trying to lose weight and get in shape or you're trying to get a good grade in a class, there is no success without discipline.  If you're trying to overcome a continual sin problem or trying to get out of debt, there is no success without discipline.  If you're trying to master a new language or trying to learn how to juggle, there is no success without discipline.  Any way you add it up, there is no success without discipline.

So, why do we keep thinking we can grow great churches without learning to develop incredible discipline?  I don't know if you took my challenge to rate yourself on my post about ranking success factors [link], but Terry Storch did—and was even so bold as to list his ranking on his blog [link].  Now, if you're not familiar with Terry, he's the COO/CTO at Fellowship Church in Dallas.  In fifteen years, FC has grown to at least 19,000 (give or take a few thousand).  So, when Terry gives a ranking, he's speaking from a vantage point few of us have.  So look at how he ranks FC on Tom Peter's four success factors.

        Strategy    Systems    Passion    Execution
FC       5%           20%        35%        40%

Notice what he gives the highest rating to.  You got it!  Discipline/Execution.  Like I said, there is no success without discipline.  FC has done an incredible job because they have a bias toward action.  They decide quickly on a course of action and then fastidiously stay focused on it.  Far too many of us spend lots of times coming up with lots of ideas, but never fully implementing them.  Great churches think differently.  They execute with precision.  Why?  Because they know, there is no success without discipline.

So, where are you falling short on the discipline side?  How much further along do you think you would be if you fully implemented what you already have on the drawing board?  Note: I'm not against new ideas (I'm a dreamer by nature), but the principle is worth wresting with. Why?  Because there is no success without discipline.  So, where do you need to exercise more discipline in leading your church?  As Larry Bossidy might say to us, it's execute, execute, execute.

P.S.  And don't forget to apply this to the other areas of your life as well!!

There is No Growth Without Loss

Every now and then, if you're at all like me, you'll hear a quote where you just think, "I wish I had said that."  In other words, you'll hear a statement that so clearly captures what you've thought or experienced that you just want to stand up and cheer it.  "Yes!!!"  "Yes!!!"  "Exactly!!"  Well, that happened to me yesterday.

I was on my way to BWI to catch a flight to Minneapolis for the quarterly Board of Directors meeting of the EFCA, when I heard an old Rick Warren line that so captured the essence of what we, as change agents, have to deal with all of the time that I just had to pass it along to you.  So, here it is.

"There is no growth without change.  No change without loss.  And no loss without grief."

It doesn't matter what the change is that you want to make.  Regardless of whether you want to change the structure of your church or the color of the bathroom walls.  Whether you want to change up your staff team or a ministry.  Whether you want to change the name of your church or the way you do church.  Whether you want to change the order of service or the style of preaching.  Whether you want to change the way you do pastoral care or the way you run your small groups.  Whether you want to change the name of your "bulletin" or you want to change the database your church is using.  Whether you want to change the way people get their announcements into your bulletin or the times when you actually have your meetings.  Whether the change is big or small, if you are going to make a change, you had better be prepared—there will be some loss and there will be some grief.  It is only natural (and it probably doesn't have anything to do with you).  Every church (in fact, every organization) has the same thing happen to them.  To create growth, you will need to make some changes and those changes Will lead to some loss and grief.

However, that does not mean that you and I should surrender to them.  As leaders, our job is to lead our people  somewhere.  If we only do what we've already been doing, we can only get what we've already got.  We are where we are because of what we've done in the past.  If we could get to the next level by continuing to do what we've already done, we would be there.  But we're not.  Because the only way to grow is to change—and all growth involves change.  However, with that change will come loss and grief.  So don't be surprised by it.  When it arises, just remember,

"There is no growth without change.  No change without loss.  And no loss without grief."

What you're experiencing as a change agent is only natural.  So, don't give up. Hang in there.  Because what you're fighting for is worth the fight!  The advancement of God's kingdom is always worth a few scars!

Ranking Success Factors

Everyone has their favorite "gurus" (or people they like to listen to or take advice from).  One of my favorites is Tom Peters.  I know.  I know.  He's a "business guy" (but remember, a lot of church life is business).  Yes, he's arrogant at times (but then again, most leaders are—at times).  And yes, he's a little off the wall (but then again, so are most creative/innovative/insightful/change agents).  But, what I appreciate the most about Tom is that he's brilliant.  He makes me think new thoughts and challenges me to see things differently.  Plus, he also happens to keep one of my favorite blogs, tompeters.com, where he just happens to make all of his Power Point slides available for free.  Not bad.

Well, this evening, I was running through his slides from a presentation he just did in Kiev, when I came across a slide that had the following information (the slide didn't import well).

Importance of Success Factors by Various "Gurus"/Estimates by Tom Peters

                     Strategy        Systems        Passion        Execution

Porter            50%                20%                 15%            15%

Drucker         35%                 30%                15%            20%

Bennis            25%                20%                30%             25%

Peters            15%                20%                35%              30%

Now, I don't know if those numbers mean a whole lot to you, but they do to me.  Let me explain.  If you've been following my blog lately, you know that I've been talking a lot about systems.  But, what Tom has pointed out, quite convincingly, is that just having great people and great systems is not enough.  There are two other categories that ought to be added into the mix, "Passion" and "Execution".  In other words, if we have great people and great systems in place, but those people don't have a passion for what they're doing (i.e. a compelling vision that moves them) or they're not executing well (i.e. not following through well), then we still end up falling short.  That's brilliant.  Great people and great systems are not enough. In fact, in Tom's book, they're less important than passion or execution.  Now, there's a thought!

So why don't you try this.  Give yourself and your church a grade on each of those four criteria.  How would you score your organization/church/business on its people? Its systems? The passion of your people?  And  their execution?  Where are you strong?  Where are you weak?  And what needs to change to make sure all four of these issues are cranking for you and your church/organization/business.  Two out of four is not enough.  But even more importantly, how are you and your people doing on the passion and execution side of things.  Tom's challenge to you and to me is to make sure they get their rightful place in our planning discussions.  So let me ask you one last question, "When was the last time you and your staff talked about your passion grade (and the passion grade for your people)?"

Don't Tie Your Organizational Structure to Scripture

Larry Osborne, from North Coast Church, best known for creating the video venue movement, is a brilliant thinker and church leader.  I have the privilege of meeting with him and some of the other large church leaders in the Evangelical Free Church of America every March in southern CA.  Year after year, as I review my notes, I find that I have more of Larry's quotes than anyone else's (of course, it may be that he talks more than any of the rest of us.  Ha! Ha!).  But one of the things he said this year, that resonated with my intuitive thoughts on the following subject, was this.

"Never tie your church's organizational structure to Scripture."

That's brilliant.  Why?  Because if you tie your organizational structure to Scripture and then have to change your organizational structure (which all growing churches have to do), then you have a problem.  Did Scripture change?  Or did your interpretation of Scripture change? 

Let's be honest.  There are all kinds of organizational structures out there for churches.  Whole denominations have radically different organizational structures.  Individual churches have differing organizational structures.  Even the writers of the New Testament have differing views on organizational structures.  Some churches have overseers.  Some have elders.  Some have elders and deacons.  Some have deacons.  Some have a single leader.  Others have multiple leaders.  And the list goes on and on.  Are the Baptists right?  Or the Lutherans?  Or the Presbyterians?  Or what about Willow Creek in Chicago vs. Fellowship Church in Dallas vs. North Coast Church in San Diego vs. Southeast Christian in Louisville?  Or what about a church of 200 vs. a church of 400 vs. a church of 800 vs. a church of 1200 vs. a church of 2000 vs. a church of 5000 vs. a church of 10,000 vs. a church of 20,000.  I think you get the point.

What we can agree on is that churches need to have godly leadership and accountability.  How that is parceled out in each church at each stage of its development is up for grabs.  There is no perfect organizational structure that is good for every church in every place for every stage of its life.  So, don't make the mistake of tying your organizational structure to Scripture.  Tie the need for godly leadership to Scripture.  Tie the need for structure to Scripture.  Tie the need for accountability to Scripture.  But, do not, in Larry's words, "Tie your organizational structure to Scripture."  If you'll avoid that trap, you'll end up agreeing with me—Larry Osborne is one brilliant guy! IMHO

Everything is a System

I was reading Terry Storch's blog, [link], which referenced a blog by Seth Godin, [link], which led to a follow up blog  [link] about people or systems and I just had to comment.  Seth was staying at a Westin Hotel in Florida when he ran into a frustrating experience with the staff at the Westin over a scripted response.  In his follow up blog he sets up a straw man argument that it's better to chose people over systems.  Now, Seth is a brilliant guy, but he's missed the point here.  For example, Seth says,

When a hotel chain empowers a maid to spend up to $500 to make it right (using her own discretion), that's not a system, that's trusting great people to do the right thing.

Hello!  When a company empowers a maid to spend up to $500 to fix a problem, that's a system!!!!  In other words, everything is a system.  There are good systems and there are bad systems, but everything is a system.  The problem for most churches is that their systems are usually bad.  For example, choosing to have a superstar player run everything about a ministry is a system, just a bad one.  What happens if that star player gets sick or transferred or injured or leaves the church.  Oops!  Or probably the most prevalent system I see in most churches is the "fly-by-the-seat-of-the-pants" system.  While most people would say that's not a system, it is.  It's just a poor system that is repeated week in and week out.  You can not avoid this principle, everything is a system.

Trust me, even if you are a "random person", that is your system. You have a process by which you do everything you do—from the order in which you put on your socks to the order in which you put together a message/sermon.  Everything is a system.  The only question is, is it a good system or a bad one?  And if it's a bad one, what do you need to do to make it a better one?  The dichotomy between people and systems is a false one.  There are good people and bad people, just as there are good systems and bad systems.  So, the issue isn't whether you should choose people over systems, the issue is, "How can I find great people who will work within a great system?" Put the two of those things together and you could be the next Coach Woodin, who had a system that produced ten NCAA championships in twelve years.  We could all learn a lot from him!  So do you have the right systems in place?  And do you have the right people working the systems?

Breaking a Growth Barrier

Have you ever been frustrated because you were able to grow something (a ministry, a church, a business) and then reached a point where you felt like you hit a ceiling?  You tried working harder and harder and then faster and faster, and yet nothing seemed to work?  Well, one reason might be because you've hit a level where spontaneity no longer is sufficient.

For example, if you look at nature, nothing grows very large without a strong support system.  The height of your tomato plant will never grow as tall as your oak tree.  Why?  Because of the strength of its support system.  Likewise, in ministry, the strength of a support system is just as important.

Earlier today, I was having lunch with the CEO of a web company and my executive pastor, Dan Cotter, when Dan made a brilliant comment about this issue.  He said, "When I was at McLean Bible , we always used to talk about two things all of the time, intentionality and process."  That simple statement is worth chewing on for days.  McLean Bible has grown from around 1200 per week in 1992 to around 10,000 people today.  How?  Some might say, "It's the teaching of Lon Solomon."  Others might say, "It's because of the radio outreach."  Some might say, "It's because of Frontlines (their young adults ministry)". While, others might say, "It's because of __________."  But, as good as all of those things are, if there wasn't a strong support system underneath, there is no way they would be 10,000 people strong today.  And what is underneath McLean?  Two things.  Intentionality and Process.  So, if you want to break through a ceiling, you might want to ask these two questions "Can I make my ministry/church more intentional?"  and "Can I develop better processes/systems?" 

P.S.  Personally, some day the emergent church movement will wake up and realize these truth—and it will change them.

Train Your People in How You Think

Let's be honest, how often have you gotten frustrated at someone on your staff because they didn't do something right (I mean, they didn't do it exactly the way you would've done it)?  Come on, now, 'fess up.  Round to the nearest thousand and you might be close.  This is a common leadership problem.  As a leader, you have a preferred way of seeing the world and how to act in that world.  You know how you think.  The problem is, we rarely digest for other people, how we think.  Then we get angry at them and they get angry at us (Note: whether we verbalize our anger or not is irrelevant—they know when we're angry and then they feel like they can never please us).

However, as followers, it's not their job to figure out how we think.  As leaders, it's our job to teach our people how we think.  And this issue is pervasive, once you get it.  For example, we just recently had some staff work on adding some more storage to our facility.  When I saw some of their decisions, I was immediately frustrated (and halted several of their decisions).  However, upon reflection, I realized that I had never unpacked how I think about storage and facility design.  For example, one of my first premises about good design is, "You should always organize around the way people actually work, not the way someone thinks might fit best." There were several mistakes they made on this one.  Another premise is, "Beauty inspires".  Cheap Ikea shelves don't inspire (and putting them in an office would cause anyone to want to call in sick).  Another is, "Before you make a decision, pull together the people who will actually use the space to see what they think about your ideas."  Assuming that we know what is best is often a foolish decision.  Since I was an accounting major and am an artist, I tend to think "You should always strive to find a balance between frugality and excellence."  Cash flow is critical.  But so is the innate design of something.  And the list goes on.

You can take just about every part of a church's ministry, and as a leader, you probably have some ideas about how that ministry or ministry activity should be done.  Those ideas could be as large as how to design a worship service, or as small as when to use a serif font or a non-serif font in the design of a bulletin.  But the point is not, what is the idea, the point is that you need to be clear about how you think.  And then you need to inform your people how  you think.  Because, until they know how you think, they can't meet your expectations.  And until they meet your expectations, you'll be frustrated, they'll be frustrated and you'll have a hard time delegating responsibility to them—which is what leaders do.