Giving To A Vision
In the non-profit world, many people struggle with how to secure resources, namely raise money, to support their cause. Despite a ministry’s worthiness, many struggle or never reach their full stride due to inability to secure volunteer time or funding. Why does raising money seem so daunting? Although God is the ultimate resource provider, why do some non-profit leaders receive an outpouring of funds while others not? Although most situations cannot be attributable to only one reason, I would propose a significant contributor is the lack of a leader’s clear, compelling, and well-communicated vision for the ministry. I believe people are inherently generous and predisposed to give of their time and resources, if the right opportunity is presented the right way at the right time. When done right, I expect people to respond with joyful hearts and generous giving.
One of the key responsibilities of the leader is to ensure the ministry or non-profit has a powerful vision, strategy, and plan that can be effectively communicated to potential donors. From a Biblical perspective, Christians are called by God to steward their resources and use them to invest in Kingdom opportunities. Therefore, a responsible donor would logically expect to understand the vision, the strategy/execution plan, and how the ministry will be held accountable. If a leader cannot article the vision and supporting details, a donor is likely to assume the resources will not be well stewarded.
When I interviewed for a full-time fundraising position at MedSend, the CEO enlightened me that those who have significant wealth feel an overwhelming burden of responsibility to give back and are actively looking for causes where their donations can make a big impact. They want to make a significant contribution to the world and want to invest their money in a vision that is greater than paying someone’s bills. Think about it. What criteria do you use for giving? Aside from tithing, people give to people not organizations, specifically to people who have visions.
If you are fundraising for a cause for which you are passionate, take the time to paint a clear and engaging picture of your vision, so you can help your donors understand how their efforts will release joy and power. Make it big! Stretch your dreaming! If you can create a vision that you could accomplish on your own, it is likely not from God. God does not dream that small.
A Tale of Three Trees: It’s Not What You Think!
Have you ever bawled like a baby when reading a children’s fable? I have! Several years ago, as I was browsing the small bookstore at The Homestead Heritage in Waco, Texas, I picked up The Tale of Three Trees: A Traditional Folktale. I guarantee you that this was no ordinary children’s story. The tale tells of the dreams of three trees in the forest, who all long to grow into something that the world would value. One wanted to be the most beautiful, the other the strongest, and the third the tallest. After many years the woodcutters came to harvest these trees on the mountain.
What these three trees wished themselves to be instead became how they were used to serve. The purpose of each tree brought me to tears. Can you guess how the tallest tree was used? The third tree wanted to be the tallest tree in the land, and by some accounts this tree got what it wished for as it stood tall at Calvary with Jesus nailed to it. This tree had one idea of its future, but God had another purpose and plan. Despite the ugliness it endured as it co-labored with Jesus, the third tree had the opportunity to help bring Salvation to the world. Now that’s worth both living and dying for!
We all have dreams, and the question we should ask ourselves is whether we are dreaming the right dream. Are you pursuing your own dream or seeking to know God’s dream for your life? Sometimes God’s dream for your life will take you through ugliness, harshness, and cruelty such as what Jesus experienced on the cross? Much of the time you will never be made aware of the impact you are making and must maintain faith that God is using each faithful word and action for Kingdom impact. On those seemingly rare occasions when I do get feedback, I find those are the fuel that keep me seeking the Lord’s will for my life.
Leaders Are Servants
The Essence of Global Leadership Summit (GLS)
How do you summarize the information and inspiration that are captured and released upon those who come to Willow Creek Church (WCC) in Barrington, Illinois, for the annual Global Leadership Summit (www.willowcreekglobalsummit.com) or on those who choose to spend two days in a church, prison or other venue across the United States and Canada to soak in the wisdom and blessings via satellite streaming? I struggle with how to convey the power of GLS to transform your thoughts, thinking, and behaviors towards becoming a better leader. As Bill Hybels, Senior Pastor of Willow Creek, passionately loves to say, “Everyone wins when a leader gets better.” My response is, “Amen! I want to hear more.”
For those who may never have heard of GLS, let me briefly describe the value of this annual two-day personal investment of your time? In a nutshell, GLS brings together leaders, who are moving forward, learning, struggling, and succeeding in their fields of leadership, who have a servant heart, and who desire to share with the world their knowledge, so people can become better at leading themselves, their families, colleagues, and their communities. As such the speakers come from diverse backgrounds and cover leadership in faith-based organizations, political arenas, businesses, and other non-profit government organizations (NGO). There is something for everyone. The messages transcend religion, culture, and lifestyles.
Past leaders whose names you probably recognize include Jack Welch, Jim Collins, Ed Catmull, Brene Brown, Tyler Perry, Carly Fiorina, Louie Giglio, General Colin Powell, Mark Burnett, and Condoleezza Rice. Many other speakers, who may not be as well-known as CEOs and celebrities, were just as impactful in their research findings and areas of expertise. GLS 2016 did not disappoint and included some new and returning favorite speakers advancing new topics. This year’s lineup included Bill Hybels, Alan Mulally, Melinda Gates, Jossy Chacko, Travis Bradberry, Patrick Lencioni, Chris McChesney, Erin Meyer, John Maxwell, Bishop T.D. Jakes, Danielle Strickland, Horst Schulze, and Wilfredo De Jesus.
In order to give you a taste of GLS, I have summarized and provided commentary on one key message shared by Bill Hybels.
Bill Hybels: The Lenses of Leadership
Bill discussed four types of eyewear that every leader should try on and decide how well the lenses are working to correct his/her leadership vision. The first pair are the red hot passion lenses which beg the question, “Are you presiding over people or energizing people to get from HERE to THERE?” Studies show that a leader gets a 
40% performance differential from motivated versus unmotivated people. How does a leader get more passion? Passion is typically inspired by a dream, outrage, or extreme frustration which forces one to become an unstoppable force to create change. When you put on your ruby red eyeglasses, how filled is your passion bucket? Are you satisfied with the passion you have in life and how you are leading in your workplace and family? If you are not satisfied, what are you going to do about it? After all, it is the leader’s job to fill his own passion bucket and no one else’s. If you don’t know where to start, pick up a book of interest, go to places that stir your soul, or hang out with passionate people. Passion can be contagious! Help just one person, and you will be surprised how your passion bucket begins to fill.
The second pair of eyeglasses to try on are the shattered lenses. How many leaders are operating in or perpetuating a fear-based organization versus honoring people and building well-functioning cultures that are performance oriented! Organizations will only be as healthy as the leader’s desire and intent. Sometimes the shattered lenses are so close to the leader’s eyes that s/he cannot see clearly what the culture has become. If the leader’s true heartfelt desire is to lead and love well, how does a leader get a true perspective? If you are a work organization, you can hire an independent firm to survey the culture. If you are leading your family, you can ask trusted family and friends for feedback without rebuttal or justification. What many leaders forget, as they strive for results, is that God only values one thing—people. God has entrusted leaders with his treasures—his people. Sometimes leaders lose sight of the journey and its people while trying to reach a goal.
How can a leader both coach and support people to be all that God intended them to be? The first step is to increase self-awareness and expose their talents. Some people have never self-reflected or taken inventory of their talents and don’t know where to start. If you don’t know what you’re really good at, ask those who are closest to you. Most of your friends, family, and coworkers have already done an informal assessment of your strengths and weaknesses. After all, they typically discuss this in small groups around the water cooler or coffee bar. What can organizations do with this knowledge? How about matching people’s strengths with roles that would take advantage of those strengths and minimize the impact of weaknesses.
The third pair of specialized eyewear are the performance self-adjusting lenses. All organizations typically come together for a purpose, which usually includes setting and achieving goals whether formal or implied. Companies have goals for revenue, profit, safety, and customer satisfaction. Even families have goals such as raising healthy and independent adult children. Churches have goals such as the number of people served or number of members who have joined. In general, the speed of the leader equals the speed of the team in achieving those goals. This correlation begs the question of how can goals impact the speed of the team and what adjustments do leaders need to make? Bill professed that WCC was once a goalaholic church, with too many goals and not enough people to carry out all the good ideas and initiatives. You can imagine the results from goal overload, because many of you probably work in that environment today. Burnout? Feeling a lack of appreciation? Life becomes more about the goals and processes versus the people and the relationships? How can a leader adjust, get his/her team to perform at higher levels, and boost the morale of the team all at the same time? These are not opposing forces; leaders just need to readjust.
First, let us break a myth held by some leaders, which is that people are uncomfortable with performance feedback. Truth, people want to know that their senior leaders are proud of their progress. Truth, people want to know how they are doing and where they stand. Truth, people want clarity and can accept negative feedback, if the truth is said with the spirit of love. It is essentially cruel not to provide goals and give feedback. Second, if you can embrace these truths, the next step is for the leader to set the vision/mission for the organization and then ask the team what the goals should be. Each department should be empowered to develop strategies, decide and own measurable goals, and celebrate the successes. If you have too many or two few goals, you will not have clarity. Entrust your team to find the perfect balance to prioritize and focus on the win.
What is in your leadership rearview mirror? The fourth pair of eyeglasses that Bill perched atop his nose were the legacy lenses. Have you peeked lately into your rearview mirror to see what you have left behind as you moved people from HERE to THERE? At least on an annual basis, leaders should reflect on their legacy, self-evaluate, and learn how to do better. Leadership is about energy, and Bill suggested drawing an energy pie to determine where you are putting your energy: work, family, church, community, others, etc.
God designed us to flourish holistically, and in many cases we are putting all our energy into our work. How do you need to redistribute your energy across the pie slivers? What areas should remain untouched, which need a do-over, or perhaps one or more just need a make-over? It is never too late to change the course if you act now. Legacies can change in an instant, and the proof was in the simple yet powerful story of the thief on the cross next to Jesus who said, “Jesus remember me when You come in Your kingdom!” And he [Jesus] said to him, “Truly I say to you, today, you shall be with Me in Paradise.” (Luke 23:42-43). As Bill reminded us of that short Scripture, he also mentioned that 43 prisons were watching this leadership summit live.
Regardless of your religious background, your profession, or your family status, everyone of us is a leader. Global Leadership Summit is a golden ticket for some of the best leadership perspectives, insights, and best practices to become a better leader. If you get 5% better as a leader by investing two days at GLS, is it not worth it? GLS will be hosted on August 10-11, 2017 at over 600 locations nationwide. Visit https://www.willowcreek.com/events/leadership to learn more.
God’s Promises
There are days when we need the simple reminders of God’s promises to His children.
He has a purpose and great plan for your life
In all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose.
Romans 8:28
With Him, your future is bright and the best is yet to be
“For I know that plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “…plans to give you hope and a future.”
Jeremiah 29:11
You have everything you need to do all He’s created you to do
I can do all this through Him who gives me strength.
Philippians 4:13
God created you with strengths and gifts to offer this world
I am fearfully and wonderfully made.
Psalm 139:14
He loves you and will be with you wherever you go
Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.
Hebrews 13:5
With God by your side and Jesus in your heart, go change the world!
Why Easter Is My Favorite Holiday!
“What’s your favorite holiday?” Most of my friends and family respond with Christmas. Why? Answers include the recollection of fond childhood memories opening presents around the tree, the beautiful decorations, lots of great food, or the ability to spend time with a larger circle of family. Many claim Thanksgiving as their favorite holiday, because they can spend time with family without the stress of Christmas shopping and exhaustion that comes from too many activities crammed into one month—December. The common theme between Christmas and Thanksgiving is these holidays are spent in relationships. What is my favorite holiday? It would have to be Easter? I realize that most people think of chocolate bunnies, egg hunts, white baskets, and fluffy bunnies, but Easter represents the ultimate gift given to me by my best friend! Easter celebrates my personal relationship with Jesus!
When I think of the love that I have my daughter, Alex, I am awed that God would sacrifice His own son for me, so I could live. Would I be able to sacrifice my dear Alex, so others can live? Could I have done what Abraham planned to do in Genesis 22—sacrifice his beloved son, Isaac? I like to think I would obey God, but I do not think anyone can be confident in his answer until placed directly in that situation! How grateful I am not to have to choose. How grateful I am that Jesus died on the cross to take my sins, so I can be with the Father long after my body turns to ashes! With my gift of eternal life, I cannot choose any other path other than to follow Him and use my life to glory God. Am I perfect? No, I sin daily, although I can honestly say I try to live my life honorably, sharing of my time and treasures.
I pray that if you know Jesus, you will continue to listen for God’s calling for your life and act in faith. I pray that everyone has a life vision and a life Scripture that speaks and resonates in their hearts. My Scripture has always been Jeremiah 29:11. “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” I know God has big plans for me to accomplish during the years I live on earth. Every day I look forward to a new adventure as I am humbled by God’s gift!
For those who have not welcomed Jesus into their hearts, please reach out! I would love to further the conversation about Jesus and what He can do for you! You can reach me at shinecrossings@gmail.com.
Happy Easter!
Reclaim Your Life by Creating Healthy Boundaries
Do you feel less joy these days? Does it feel like everyone else owns a piece of you and there is nothing left? Do you dream to have 15 minutes of uninterrupted time so you can reconnect with yourself? Is your life a harried record of accomplishments and yet never-ending to-do lists? Would your personal profile be listed in the dictionary under the word “busyness”? You may sadly chuckle and infer these questions are tongue-in-cheek, but the reality is that an answer of “yes” to any of these questions is a sobering reminder of how stressed and anxiety-ridden many are as they run, not walk, on the treadmill of American life. Unfortunately, the solution is not as easy as advertised by the late 1980’s commercial “Calgon, take me away!” in which a woman, surrounded by a chaotic home, says these four words and is then transported to a relaxing bath in a quiet room. If only the solution could be solved so simply by the purchase of a few bath products and an evening soaking in the tub.
What’s the solution?
The solution is within your power to implement. Personal boundaries! They are the critical component in designing the life you want. “Boundaries provide the structure to your character that will make everything else work” (Cloud, 2008). Boundaries affect how we relate to others, how we feel emotionally, and how we perform at work. When you understand the impact of boundaries and choose to define them for your life, you will reconnect with your identity, find more joy, and create a healthier and more satisfying life. The necessity of personal boundaries has emerged as a counter force to the crisis that has developed from an increasingly structureless society that values the integration of work-life, despite the rhetoric that we need to have more of a work-life balance. American culture and work have eroded the time and space boundaries we need to focus on the priorities we value most.
How did we get here?
So how did we get to this place of exhaustion and dissatisfaction? Work structure has changed from the typical 9 to 5 hours of operation to one in which we are to be available 24-7, where working in the evenings is just an extension of the normal work day. Work has penetrated our home space by either design or creep. Bortolot (2015) states that the home office is now one of the most important residential amenities. Even if one can physically separate his work environment within the home, he may not be able to mentally escape work. How many of you have tried to relax in the evening, only to feel the nag of work penetrating your thoughts? Do you compromise by opening up your laptop while watching your favorite TV sitcom? Although society praises the multi-tasker, they are usually pulled in so many directions, they struggle to enjoy anything other than the satisfaction that comes from crossing off more items on their to-do list. Keim (2012) showed that high multi-taskers performed poorly at filtering irrelevant from relevant information, had diminished ability to mentally organize, and experienced difficulty in switching between tasks. Keim (2012) concluded if you do two things simultaneously, you will not do any of them at full capacity.
Although our lives have all benefited from technology, the tragedy is that it has also enabled the violation of our time and space boundaries. Personal cell phones allow access to you at all times. iPhones and computers give instant access to data and connectivity to work. Email has expanded our network so strangers can now reach into our personal world. Although email was initially described as a productivity enhancement, anyone with an email address is now accessible at any time by any one. Email and voicemail can be blessings, but without personal boundaries, you may feel email is a curse because of the pressure to respond to communication, even if unsolicited. By definition most people are losing control over their most precious resource—their time. Money can be earned, won, spent and lost, but time is a finite resource.
Boundaries help us define who we are and form a structure in our lives that allows us to regain control (Cloud, 2008). Boundaries protect your time, space, and relationships so that you can positively influence your world. Our society does not naturally provide the support that helps us to create and live out healthy boundaries. Cloud (2008) asserts that “the irony is that most people are so caught up in trying to control the things they cannot control—other people, circumstances, or outcomes—that in the process they lose control of themselves” (p. 21). The only thing you can control is yourself, so consider the decision to take control of you.
How do I reclaim my life?
- Understand what a boundary is and what it does
A boundary is a demarcation of where you end and where someone or something else begins. Boundaries define ownership and who controls what does and does not go on in that space. More importantly boundaries define who is responsible for and accountable to protect that space.
- Understand what boundaries provide and how they serve your needs
Boundaries provide the structure that helps to define our character and personality, because they describe who we are, what we want, and how we feel and think. Clear boundaries provide security and benefit self and others, because they are not ambiguous, are predictable, and signal what we will and will not tolerate. They help to contain chaos, because one who is clear on boundaries will step in to make sure chaos is effectively dealt with.
- Define what you feel, think, and desire
Boundaries differentiate us from others and teach us how we are unique individuals in feelings, attitudes, behaviors, limits, thoughts, and choices. What are the things that you value most in life? How would you ideally want to live your life? What do you want to make a priority? What are your vision, mission, and goals?
- Identify the holes in your boundaries
Rebuilding boundaries is about reclaiming your power. Power drains have numerous sources as described by Cloud (2008): need for security, need for approval, need to be perfect, need to have others see you as ideal, need to overidentify with other people’s problems, need to rescue, fear of being alone, fear of conflict, need for harmony, fear of differing opinions, fear of anger, fear of feeling inferior, fear of someone’s power, inability to say no, inability to hear no or accept limits, inability to tolerate failure of others, hero worship, lack of internal structure, and dependency to name a few. You should identify the holes in your boundaries and address them.
- Communicate who you are to others
Set limits consistent with your vision, mission, values, and goals and communicate them to others. You empower others by allowing them to decide and live with the consequences defined by your boundaries. By default, you will no longer try to control others’ decisions and actions, because you can live with the outcome of whatever decision they make. Communicating and living within your boundaries is a form of respecting others and also provides a healthy model for them to emulate.
- Act on your boundaries
Live each day in accordance with your boundaries. When you are in control of your boundaries, you become a more integrated person, gain greater respect for yourself, and become more respectful of other people’s boundaries. Boundaries allow you to influence others’ behaviors toward you, which by default makes you feel whole and more in control.
What is the cost of boundaries?
Having boundaries comes comes with a personal cost. In order to have full control, you need to have the freedom to control those aspects of your life where you have boundaries. You can only leverage them if you are not dependent on any single person or entity for survival, because the one to whom you are dependent may decide to invoke their boundaries and put you in an untenable position. As you work on defining your personal boundaries and areas of weakness, you should also take inventory of your life to understand where you have weak capital. Has poor financial stewardship put you in a position that you could not weather a job lose for several months should you decide to invoke your boundaries? Would a work dismissal cause you undue hardship? If so, you may need to save for an emergency fund to build that capital. What about the young adult, still living rent-free with his parents, who does not like his imposed curfew? He is not free to come and go as he pleases as a fully functioning adult, because he may be asked to pack up his belongings and move out. His first step should be to build his financial capital so he can either re-negotiate rent for more freedom or secure other living arrangements. Before invoking boundaries, you must end any dependency and be able to live with the boundaries that any other individual may choose to impose on you.
CAUTION: Establishing boundaries for the first time may come with some emotionally charged responses from others in your life. You may likely find that those people who have boundaries respect you more, and those people who do not live with boundaries will resort to behaviors that will test the strength of yours. Think of the parent who has told his toddler no. Toddlers use the word no to try to establish their boundaries. When they do not get their way, they step up with more emotional persuasion. Next may come yelling, screaming, and possibly throwing things to get their way. They may fall on the floor in a full-blown tantrum. They may say, “I hate you,” as a means of hurting you into giving in. When you are firm on your boundaries for long enough, a toddler will eventually wear themselves out and move on. You may have to repeat this cycle a few times; however, when a toddler knows his parent is firm on a boundary, compliance prevails in the long run. This same principle also holds true for family, friends, or work relationships.
References
Bortolot, L. (2015). Four trends in home office design. Entrepreneur. Retrieved from https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/248061
Cloud, H. (2008). The one-life solution: Reclaim your personal life while achieving greater professional success. New York, NY: HarperCollins.
Keim, B. (2012). Is multitasking bad for us? Nova Science. Retrieved from http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/body/is-multitasking-bad.html
About the Author: Sandra Dillon is a life, premarital/marriage, and business coach with an extensive background in business development and leadership. She coaches others in how to develop and execute life plans, develop successful businesses, and build better relationships by identifying and living their personal values, enhancing skills and competencies, and being held accountable for executing their defined goals.
