Leave your mark

I heard a great leader, Bill Hybels, once say that he is amazed at how God orchestrates the crossing of paths. I have found that God has sent certain people across my path who have turned out to be mentors in my life. I was recently having a few conversations around leadership with such a mentor and had a few epiphanies that are now forming the content for this article. (Dean Davey, thanks for your inspiration!)

Have you ever noticed how many leadership articles/books/programs/seminars focus their content on leadership attributes? While attributes and principals are good, they are only half of the ingredients required to be an effective leader – and is the easy part. As a result, we so often chase after the next book or seminar and end up as fat, lazy and self indulgent leaders. To be effective leaders, we need to take the attributes we have learned and actually work them out in accordance to our purpose – we need to add intention, focus and a no excuse approach to using the attributes to leading others – making a difference. We need to apply what we know to our own story!

I’ve discovered that there is a great starting point to application of attributes: purpose and passion. The discovery of what you are passionate about and what you feel your purpose is results in us living with passion and purpose. It often causes the attributes we know to shine in what we do. Do you know your purpose? Do you know what you are passionate about? If you don’t have this clarity, you will run from book to seminar to try find it. Get with God, spend time reflecting and make sure you can clarify what it is.

Once we know our purpose and passion in life, we need to spend time constantly refining and assessing it. We must take the attributes we learn and mould them to our unique style, to cause us to be effective in how we lead. Too often we try copy someone else with a totally different purpose or personality. Unless we constantly refine and assess our purpose and passion, and the attributes we learn, we will never effectively act and lead in a way that is authentic.

It is essential that we also reflect and energise around our purpose. Sometimes we get caught up in the business of leadership and all the new theories, that we lose sight of where we actually want and need to be! When you constantly reflect on your purpose and passion, you find your energy tank gets a healthy top up! If we want to be effective, we need to be energised!

I have also learned that I need to ensure that each week my list of daily priorities reflect my purpose and passions. If not, I end up being extremely busy but not very fruitful.

How are you doing with the attributes you have learned? Are you constantly chasing more? Or are you applying and moulding them to maximise on your purpose and passion – Ultimately causing you to make a difference with your life. Let’s make our lives leave a mark!
__________
Don Muller has spent the last 4 years working into corporate and church leadership development and training both locally and internationally. He has a passion for and works towards seeing individuals live out their strengths and calling daily.

Assumptions must die

I have all of a sudden realised the severity of hearing someone say “I assume...” Honestly, does that not really mean “I don’t know, so I am just going to make up a fact and call it the truth...” To assume means you have weighed some options in your head, thought about how legitimate they could be and then made a call.

I hear it a lot. How often do you say it?

Lately my work has been working with assumptions which are, in fact, incorrect. The deal is we will act on what we believe. What we assume we believe. What I see is years of actions based on assumption upon assumption that has done a great deal to create scenario’s which simply did not need to happen. This can be damaging. Damaging to relationships where either parties assume. Damaging to organisations where colleagues assume. Damaging to you.

So why do we do it?

In my humble opinion it seems to be that we need information to work with. That makes sense as you can’t work with nothing. But information gathering is, at times, hard work. It may involve research. It may involve asking questions. It may involve having a conversation, all of which take time and energy.

What stops us?

Time in a fast paced environment.
Fear when you feel threatened.
Resentment when you have been hurt.
Low energy when you have been going hard.
Disengagement when you are not enjoying your work.

So what do we do?

Kill assumptions. No matter what, commit to end the game of assuming. Confront whatever it is you need to confront and hunt for information that is correct. Avoid spending time in your head with fictitious stories. If you are feeling something, verify it. Have the conversations. Commit the time. Do what you know you most need to do.

I don’t know about you but I have had many moments of relief when I have found out what is really going on. I have also felt embarrassed when I acted on an assumption and was totally off the mark.

• Right now - what are you assuming?
• Right now - who do you need to speak to or what do you need to do to find out the facts?
• What was the difference between the two?
• What will you choose to do now?

Goodbye assumptions!

__________
Travis Gale has spent the last 5 years running his own development business in South Africa’s corporate world and is currently involved in various long term partnerships with clients across a number of industries. Furthermore he has travelled to conferences internationally hunting down latest trends and insights. Having cycled around the world and survived a tsunami, his passion for crossing borders often lends itself to an interesting blend of stories and insight. He sees himself as a ‘change catalyst’ and displays strength in facilitating insight into the right spaces. Find out more at www.appletreelive.com

Obstacles to living intentionally

I recently wrote an article entitled “Intentional about Being Intentional.” When we live and lead intentionally, we do so with purpose, clarity and passion. It helps us steward our leadership gift faithfully, using it to truly make a difference in the lives of those we lead.

As I’ve thought more about the subject of being intentional I’ve become aware, in my own life, of things that are potential obstacles to being intentional. These things can so often rob us from being truly intentional in our leadership.

An article by Mark Driscoll helped raise my awareness of potential obstacles to being intentional. The following are some of the more common obstacles I, and I’m sure many others, face:

• People – This may sound strange because it is people that we have a heart to impact. But as leaders it is often people that cause us to move into a reactionary space rather than an intentional one. Have you ever experienced someone who is pushy, needy, demanding, high-drama, inconsiderate or unrealistic? If you are a leader, I’m sure your answer is YES! These types of people often scream very loudly for us to meet their demands and expectations, and if we are not careful can often steal our life, joy, health, and time. We may see it as ministry, but often time is just people pleasing. We need to be intentional about how to effectively lead people and manage ourselves, instead of just responding to the loudest voice.

• Technology – I’ve discovered that a huge part of being intentional is using my time wisely, and one of the hugest time wasters in my life is technology. That said, I know that technology does energise and fascinate me, so I do need to be intentional about devoting some time to it. But it too often controls me. I know I can’t be an effective leader if I’m are always surfing the net, reading and updating Twitter and facebook, playing around on my cell phone or iPad, reading emails, smsing, chatting on instant messenger and watching TV. Even though I have and enjoy technology, I’m learning I need to manage it effectively (ie: turn it off at times).

• Lack of planning – Without proper planning and prioritizing, we will very quickly slip from the intentional space into the reactionary realm, often giving our attention and efforts to the most urgent perceived need, rather than the most important one. Leaders never grow to a point where they don’t need to prioritise.

• Trading busyness for fruitfulness – Again I found Driscoll very helpful here. He states that some people say they are too busy to worship, pray, Sabbath, journal, and so forth, but they have tragically traded being busy for being Godly, obedient, and wise fruitful stewards. He goes on to ask if our busyness is truly fruitful or would some plans to organise our world, home, diet, budget, schedule, and life be helpful? I know my answer to that question is often yes.

I have found the more aware I am of these obstacles, the more effective I’m becoming in avoiding them.
__________
Don Muller has spent the last 4 years working into corporate and church leadership development and training both locally and internationally. He has a passion for and works towards seeing individuals live out their strengths and calling daily.

Intentional about being intentional

[Ok I’m going to be honest upfront: This article is mainly for me! Understanding my weaknesses and challenges in leadership has caused me to study, think and apply what is written below. I hope it may help you!]

My biggest realization of late is that as leaders, we really need to be intentional. If we don’t lead intentionally, we end up playing catch up, or just succumbing to the most urgent request or the loudest voice. Living intentionally helps us be true to our call, gifting and God’s purposes.

But living intentionally often comes with its challenges. Often we want to change from living in reaction mode to living intentionally, but struggle to make this change. I read an article by Mark Driscoll once which really helped me with this change.

Driscoll argues there are 4 Ways to change your life:

1. Heart change – conviction that you want to change. This is often a deep realization that there is a better way (and probably inspired by the Holy Spirit).

2. Study – research and fact-finding for how to change your life, which includes reading the Bible and other books, watching and listening to talks, downloading podcasts, speaking with people you know and respect who have wisdom in that particular area, finding and working with a mentor etc. A great tool to help with this is a journal. Always keep a journal like this nearby to jot notes, thoughts, and convictions in.

3. Plan – ongoing, detailed, and prayerful life organization. Take the ideas in your journal and prayerfully and carefully add to and consider them.

4. Action – working your plan and making changes as life requires. Make sure you take the ideas and action points from your plan and put them on the calendar. Without being officially planned, nothing ever gets done to completion.

I find I’m often good at only one or two of these steps. I may have a heart change and do my homework but fail to make a plan and take action to change my life. I’ve seen friends who have plans and action but are religiously just doing duties because they have not experienced heart change. Others may move from heart change to action without research and a plan, they mean well but make their life (e.g., health, finances, relationships) worse.

My major realization was that I have to be intentional about all four. I know I need to take some time and be honest with myself, listing each of these steps in order from the one I’m strongest at to the one I’m weakest at. This awareness helps me maximize on my strengths while minimizing my weaknesses.

How about you? Are you living intentionally? Where is your life getting stuck and what can you do to grow where you are weak? Who do you need to talk to and learn from?
I’ve found that after understanding the above I’ve become intentional about being intentional. Try it, it works.

__________
Don Muller has spent the last 4 years working into corporate and church leadership development and training both locally and internationally. He has a passion for and works towards seeing individuals live out their strengths and calling daily.

How to escape escapism

[Disclaimer: the following blog post does not mean that you should not leave your current context. Please just consider it before you do!]

Jerry Seinfeld recently tweeted ‘where do forest workers go to escape from it all!?’ One of the definitions of escape is - ‘to get free of’ or ‘break away from’ something. We’ve all, at some point, felt that need to escape and just be away from it all - businesses, jobs, relationships, marriages etc. Not so?

Perhaps, however, the only thing we should escape from is escapism itself.

This may just be me, but I find my desire to escape is most heightened when I am bored, un-stimulated, imagining alternate scenario’s I think will be more fulfilling or I am literally just sick and tired. I have found that considering the following questions have helped me escape escapism:

• How energised am I?

When we are low on energy our perspective shifts into negative gear. Escapism becomes tempting. You are responsible for your own energy management - physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually. I am amazed at how a simple bit of exercise allows me to look at my situation differently and thus approach it in new ways.

• Am I living intentionally??

What we most need to do is also what we are least likely to do. Often when we live in a reactionary way finding ourselves at the mercy of what the environment dishes out to us. With the feeling of lack of time and space, the obvious solution is escape. Wrong. The way out is to be intentional about what we most need to do daily despite whatever habitual patterns or negative cycles it might mean you have to break.

3. Am I connected to the ‘why’

If we are unsure about why we are doing what we are doing we will experience doubt. Why did you start what you did in the first place? What was your vision? In a world where it is so easy to focus on ourselves, being connected to the why helps us focus on others and how we can contribute.

In a nutshell, sometimes the only way around is through. Your context may feel like a trial. That trial could be an opportunity to develop your character as you persevere and try new ways of engaging with whatever is causing your need to escape. It may be preparing you for the next level which requires greater capacity.

All the best escaping escapism.

__________
Travis Gale has spent the last 5 years running his own development business in South Africa’s corporate world and is currently involved in various long term partnerships with clients across a number of industries. Furthermore he has travelled to conferences internationally hunting down latest trends and insights. Having cycled around the world and survived a tsunami, his passion for crossing borders often lends itself to an interesting blend of stories and insight. He sees himself as a ‘change catalyst’ and displays strength in facilitating insight into the right spaces. Find out more at www.appletreelive.com

Can you hear Him?

"I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you and watch over you." Psalm 32:8

God is speaking ...

As leaders we need to hear God, we are at the end of the day, wanting to serve Him in the way we lead, and use our leadership gift to serve others. And He wants to lead and guide us, he wants to speak to us.

But so often we struggle to hear.

Maybe we are hoping that we will hear God’s booming voice loud and clear, telling us what to do.

However it never seems to be like that with God. But the promise is that God is speaking, so maybe we need to try things differently. Maybe God’s voice is drowned out by all the noise around us.

This scripture tells a similar story:

1 Kings 19:11-13 The Lord said, “Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the Lord, for the Lord is about to pass by.”
Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake.12 After the earthquake came a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper.
13 When Elijah heard it, he pulled his cloak over his face and went out and stood at the mouth of the cave.

Then a voice said to him, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”

We have winds of work and stress, earthquakes of hurry, fires that burn with the desire for instant answers and solutions. But God so often comes as a gentle whisper, and these things drown out His voice. We can so easily miss it if we don’t take a step back, remove the noise and listen for the whisper...

Have you ever taken time out in silence and solitude?

In his book ‘Leading On Empty,’ Wayne Cordeiro says that there are only four ways to live your life:

1. Reaction – passively dominated by urgencies and pushy people.

2. Conformity – succumbing to the fear of man and just being and doing what everyone else wants, which is not necessarily following God’s will for you personally.

3. Independence – nonconforming rebellion in the name of freedom, marked by doing only what you want and ignoring godly authority over you.

4. Intentionality – reverse-engineering your life and living it prayerfully and purposefully, journaling your thoughts throughout the day, and using silence and solitude to hear from God and organize your life.

How are you living your life now? Where would you like to be?

Why not try things differently from now on? Instead of wanting God to shout above the noise, why not try turning off the noise and listening for the whisper?
__________
Don Muller has spent the last 4 years working into corporate and church leadership development and training both locally and internationally. He has a passion for and works towards seeing individuals live out their strengths and calling daily.

Perspective is an Interesting Thing

Over the past two days I have worked with a great group of people where the topic of perspective was spoken about at length. A bit of context: The company I am partnering has 4 values, one of which is 'PASSION'. We know that a value such as passion can't be taught. In fact we hardly speak about passion. We talk about perspective: Because (positive) perspective determines passion.

Perspective is liberating. Our thoughts and our actions (which end up as reality) are determined by our perspective. It is so easy to slip into a negative perspective. A colleague once said 'Nothing in life has meaning except the meaning that you give it'. What this means is that there is so much which wells beneath the surface when it comes to our perspectives. The more I work with it the more I see the following 3 areas in our lives either breaking perspective down or building it up.

1. Our own self talk
What we tell ourselves determined how we feel about it and what we do about it. Simple! We need to check our own 'internal language' and make sure that we are having positive conversations with ourselves.
• Right now what are you saying to yourself?
• If you had to access your internal conversations with yourself how would you describe your language?

2. Our limiting beliefs
What you have experienced in life has a huge bearing on what your perspective is at any given moment. As we experience life we develop our own lists of 'I can' and 'I can't'. So often the I cant's are simply a perceived reality which is not necessarily true. Anything that begins with an attitude of 'I can't' has already being marked with failure.
• What do you fear most? how real are those fears in reality?
• What can you do today that you would normally shy away from because of perceived beliefs? (do it and watch what happens!)

3. Lack of knowledge
I haven't saved the least for last here. This is one of the easiest to work with. Build knowledge. Lack of knowledge leads to assumption. Assumption and Perspective are enemies!
• What can you read that is relevant to your context in order to build knowledge?
• Who do you need to speak to (what questions do you need to ask) to minimize perceived assumptions that exist?

We all want to feel passionate at the end of the day. Rather than wait on the environment to make you feel that way, why not use your own influence over your own perspective and see what happens.

__________
Travis Gale has spent the last 5 years running his own development business in South Africa’s corporate world and is currently involved in various long term partnerships with clients across a number of industries. Furthermore he has travelled to conferences internationally hunting down latest trends and insights. Having cycled around the world and survived a tsunami, his passion for crossing borders often lends itself to an interesting blend of stories and insight. He sees himself as a ‘change catalyst’ and displays strength in facilitating insight into the right spaces. Find out more at www.appletreelive.com