On Leading Well

Category: Culture

  • Video: McChrystal says “Listen, learn…then lead.”

    “I came to believe that a leader isn’t good because they’re right. They’re good because they’re willing to learn and to trust.” – General Stanley McChrystal, TED talk

    General Stanley McChrystal explains how a rapidly changing environment requires a different kind of leadership today than even one decade ago. If you feel overwhelmed or like you are herding cats in your institution, you will appreciate McChrystal’s comments on leading in a flatter, younger, faster world. Worthy of note: This week the Pentagon vindicated General McChrystal and expressed support of him in spite of Obama’s relieving him of command following an unflattering magazine article last year.

    If the US Army, as one of the world’s largest hierarchical institutions, is aggressively pursuing this shift, what does that mean for the rest of us?

  • Issachar Time Video: Are You Ready?

    This week’s Issachar time produced the following video on Social Networking’s impact on organizations. Enjoy, and have a great weekend.

    httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UsLTqUjZm8Q

    A leader’s job is to think.

    What do you do with all the links, attachments, articles and book recommendations you receive from colleagues on a weekly, if not daily, basis? Stopping to read them as they arrive totally disrupts my workflow. But deleting them because I’m overwhelmed may cause me to miss some really good insights. New habit: During the week I simply file all this good stuff into an @Reading folder in Outlook or Evernote. Here’s some theology that is shaping a new practice for me: I believe that God may be speaking through my friends when they send me great links or ideas. I simply need some focused time to quickly sift through it all and see what trends emerge.

    On Friday mornings I have begun booking what I call “Issachar Time” into my schedule. It’s a half-day devoted to reading, learning, thinking, dreaming and making connections. The goal is not to produce, but to make some sense of life’s river that is constantly flowing around me. This protected space allows two of my top five strengths (context and learning) to kick into overdrive. The term Issachar Time comes from the story of Israel’s King David and his mighty men that helped him form and lead an amazingly fruitful kingdom. “Of Issachar,” we are told, “men who had understanding of the times, to know what Israel ought to do…. (1 Chronicles 12:32). Ultimately I pray this practice leads to deeper understanding and the wisdom to know what to do.

    How do you set aside time to learn from others?

  • Sabbath Manifesto

    One year ago this week I began my month-long sabbatical, summarized in this post. It was awesome. I still feel restored, energized, and eager to dig into life, relationships and work (most days).

    Success was gained in large part due to my learning how to take smaller, one-day Sabbaths on a weekly basis. One must learn to walk before learning to run. Yesterday I learned of a mini-movement called www.SabbathManifesto.org, that, you guessed it, promotes taking a weekly day off. Just in time, too, as the “National Day of Unplugging 2011” begins at sundown on Friday, March 4, and runs through sundown Saturday, March 5. You can download the unplugging app here.

    The Ten Principles of Unplugging, according to the site, are: Avoid technology. Spend time with loved ones. Nurture your health. Get outside. Avoid commerce. Light candles. Drink wine. Eat bread. Find silence. Give back.

    In general, I love the spirit which supports my personal Sabbath principle: It’s not about what you avoid, it’s about what you pursue. In our frantic culture it takes a lot of effort to rest well. The biblical author of the New Testament book of Hebrews captured this struggle: “Strive to enter God’s rest” (verse 4:11).

    I just hope they don’t unplug everything at sundown on Friday as I’ll be on a flight back to Orlando.

    Rest well.