Momentum - Part 5 - Learning from the Master

Andy Stanley is by far the Master of Momentum in my book. I heard him give a talk about momentum a few years ago. I still remember his 3 points. They're brilliant.

1. New. Anything New generates momentum. Everybody loves new. That's why Gap changes their product line every 6 weeks. That's why series preaching works so well. Every few weeks, it's something new.

2. Improved. People like to know that something isn't just staying the same. How can you improve what you're already doing? and then exploit it, like Tide does!!!

3. Improving. People will get on board with something that is in the "process" stages. Giving people an opportunity to be apart of the Developmental phases of something gives them ownership, buy-in and generates momentum.

Momentum is a leader's best friend, or worst enemy. Learning to make the most of it, can be make or break for your organization and your leadership.

Just a bloggish thought,

Matt

Momentum - Part 4 - Reactive Momentum

One underlooked and under-utilized momentum generator is Reactive Momentum. Okay, ready for this... Reactive Momentum is taking advantage of a specific win, in another direction. It's like drafting in racing, or "boing-ing" somebody on a trampalene. (You know, when you jump near someone, & it sends them flying!!!) Let me illustrate Reactive Momentum. Reactive Momentum is about finding something with momentum and using it to create momentum in another area of your organization. Let me illustrate it.

This fall, we are hosting a Women's Weekend at our church. We're bringing in a National Best-Selling author to speak, etc. This weekend will be a huge momentum builder for our entire church, even though it's focused primarily on women.

Reactive Momentum is us announcing that "we men need an event of our own too!" during the weekend! Take advantage of the momentum and sling-shot a men's event for the spring on the heels of it!

We miss opportunities to utilize Reactive Momentum to our advantage! The one danger in this is "pegging your pants too long." Remember in the 80's when everyone was pegging their pants? But then, all of a sudden, everyone stopped? Remember the one guy that kept doing it? Yeah, nobody wanted to tell him it wasn't cool anymore.

The danger of reactive momentum is doing something that has passed it's peak!

Just a bloggish thought,

Matt

Momentum - Part 3 - Momentum Killers

Too many great visions have never come to pass simply because a leader could not find the momentum needed to keep the organization moving forward up the hill they were called to climb! Being able to recognize the momentum killers around you will allow you to head them off at the pass, and keep the momentum moving in your organization. Here are a few big Momentum Killers...

1. Negativity. Nothing will kill momentum like a negative voice in the organization. It has always been my thought to go right at the voice in a private way. Most negativity comes from people "not feeling heard." I am a firm believer in the idea that, "there aren't too many things we can't work out with a little bit of communication." Therefore I make it my practice to keep short accounts. I love the saying, "Keep your friends close, and your enemies closer."

2. Lack of Perceived Wins. One mistake leaders often make is not celebrating along the way enough. Everyone loves to win! And, there are wins happening everyday in our organizations. The problem is, we are not noticing them, or we haven't trained our people to notice them. Teaching our people to focus on the wins will generate momentum automatically.

3. People Playing Out of Position. Nothing will demoralize team members like playing out of position. No one wants to watch Shaquille O'Neal try and play point guard for an entire game. That's just plain painful. He's a great player, but not as a point guard. We will kill momentum in our organization if people feel like they're playing out of position, or being under-utilized. Truth be told, if we don't deal with it, they'll leave the team.

Of course, there are more, but these are 3 big ones. Keep an eye on these, and you'll end up with more momentum.

Just a bloggish thought,

Matt

Momentum - Part 2

Every leader is constantly looking for ways to generate momentum in their organization. When it comes to your organization, the most effective way to generate momentum is by creating opportunities for your people to Unite! This can be found in a few ways:

1. Find a common enemy. Everyone wants to unite around something they don't like. Unfortunately, that can have negative effects on an organization, but it certainly is one way to generation some momentum.  There are good enemies for your organization to do battle against.  My recommendation is to find one of those!

2. Find a common cause. Positive momentum is found when a leader begins to unite the troops around a new cause to fight for! Look around your community, there may be a cause just beyond your reach that you can leverage to generate new momentum in your organization.  This is why churches feel so much momentum around building programs.  It gives people a common cause to fight for, for a season.  The danger is the momentum let down they feel when they finally move into the building etc.  The greater cause is a people cause.

3. Find a common hill to climb. Nothing unites people in an organization like a vision of a higher place, not just a bigger bottom line. People will sacrifice, serve, give, pray and live for a vision that makes a difference in the world around them and improves their organization! Find that, and you'll find momentum.

Tomorrow we'll talk about momentum killers...

Just a bloggish thought,

Matt

Momentum - Part 1

This week I want to walk through a series of blogs about Momentum. As John Maxwell likes to say, "Momentum is a Leader's best friend, or worst enemy." Over the past decade and a half of ministry and leadership experience, I have certainly been on both sides of the momentum pendulum. I want to throw out a few thoughts on momentum this week. Here we go...

1. There are times and seasons for everything. The Bible definitely gets this one right! Unfortunately, too many of us leaders, don't. We want to constantly be pushing and moving our organizations forward, but one of our primary jobs as leaders is to know what our people can endure. The leader who never rests their organization burns people out.

2. You need mountains and plateaus. It's just good for the rhythm of an organization if there are seasons of rest. Farmers know this, and rest their fields 1 out of every 7 years. It gives the soil a chance to replenish the nutrients that have been lost by growing crops for 6 years. (Wow, that was a total Indiana Illustration! I guess I'm going back to my roots! Sorry about the pun!)

3. The great task of leadership is to create momentum even in the Plateau seasons. The tendency of leadership is to think that momentum must be lost during a "plateau season." I don't believe that to be true. It simply requires us as leaders to refocus our energy and efforts of the organization into a different direction.

4. Think Momentum Shift. Good leaders think in terms of shifting momentum from advancement to fortification. Momentum can be created and sustained during seasons of rest for an organization, but it all depends on the leader's perspective and approach.

Do you need to shift the momentum in your organization or department?

Just a bloggish thought,

Matt

Trustworthy - Part 5

John Maxwell once said, "It's amazing what we're capable of when we don't care who gets the credit." Wow. Imagine what the Body of Christ could accomplish if we lived that? Imagine what our churches, businesses or organizations could accomplish if we didn't care who got the credit. Being found faithful is about Humility.

Humility is:

Truly celebrating your "competition." As much as we would like to think we're not in competition with one another in the body of Christ, the unfortunate reality is, In our minds, we are. I think it's just a natural tendency to "size one another up."

So here's a thought, what if instead of denouncing this tendency, we actually leveraged it? The next time you think a competitive thought toward another church in your city, stop and do 3 things:

1. Pray for them. On the surface, this looks like the easy one, but in actuality it's probably the most difficult. Pray for God's double portion blessing on them. Pray that their church will double by this time next year. Easier said than done.

2. Call them. Call them within 24 hours just to tell them that you love them and are their biggest fan in town!

3. Bless them. Go ahead, write them a check. Or buy them a gift card. The best way to be found trustworthy is by being kingdom minded. That means writing them a check. Even if, No, Especially if it looks like they don't need it. After all, that's just a cop out to not following through. (a sure sign that you are not trustworthy...)

Even if it's something small, do it. You'll be amazed at what happens in your heart when you become "invested" in what God is doing across town in their church. In the same way that the people of our church take a greater interest in what's happening when they pray, give & tell others, so we will begin to take a greater interest in the life, health and blessing on their church when we pray, give & tell others about it!

Humility is a huge attribute of being found Trustworthy. Humility encompasses our body, soul, & spirit. The 3 recommendations above involve all 3.

I dare you to try it... & see what happens in your life.

That's what it means to be Trustworthy,

Just a bloggish thought,

Matt

Trustworthy - Part 4

I don't want to go there, but I have to.  My only hope is that you'll not tune me out, or click away too soon.  But being found trustworthy is about patience.  And doggone it if the King James word for patience is long-suffering.  Oh come on, King James, that just sucks.  Patience is:

1.  The ability to not have what you want and still have a life. Too many leaders have destination disease.  They think that just because they haven't arrived means they're not going anywhere.  Nothing could be further from the truth.  And honestly, the longer I'm in this thing as a leader, the more I'm realizing that the life is what happens while we're waiting to arrive at a destination.

2.  Being okay with where you are. Alot of leaders are living with a constant gnawing in their stomach because they aren't where they thought they would be by this time in their life.  Being trustworthy means learning the art of being okay with where you are.  Until we embrace where we are, we have given God no evidence that He can trust us with the next place we want to be.

3.  Learning what we need to learn here, so we can move on. If we don't get what we're supposed to get at each stop on the train, we'll have to circle back later to learn it again.  Too many leaders are spending too much time circling back because they lacked the patience in the moment to pause and ask, "What is it I'm supposed to learn now?"

As hard as it is, if we want to be found trustworthy, we've got to be willing to grow the fruit of patience in our lives.

Just a bloggish thought,

Matt

Trustworthy - Part 3

Becoming a leader God can Trust involves an element of Steadfastness. Or, in real people terms, staying steady. Leadership is alot like a sailboat ride on a choppy sea.

There's gonna be alot of ups and downs and you're likely to throw up a time or two before it's all said and done.

If you want to be found Trustworthy, then learn the art of staying steady. I'm not sure I do a super job of this all the time, but I'm working on it. Here's a few thoughts on what that looks like in real time...

1. A Shock-Absorbing Spirit. I just gotta tell you, I have a team who knows how to absorb the shock that comes from ministry. These guys (& gals) know how to take hits and keep right on moving. That's trustworthiness.

2. A Long View of Reality. One of my favorite lines to quote to myself is: "it won't always look this way..." Regardless of the circumstance, be it good or bad, the truth is, "your reality probably won't always look this way." Learning how to take a long view of where you are, makes the difficult bumps easier to endure.

3. Establish a Sustainable Pace. Ministry is a marathon not a sprint, I work with too many pastors & leaders who want to see success in a 100 meter dash, and can't figure out why they're dying at the 1 mile mark. They have failed to find their rhythm and settle into a sustainable pace for the long haul. It takes stamina and rhythm to go 26.2 miles in a marathon.

Trustworthy means Steadfast. The ability to remain steady, no matter what bumps may come on your journey.

Just a bloggish thought,

Matt

Trustworthy - Part 2

To be found Trustworthy requires Faithfulness. The determination to stick with it no matter what it takes. Faithfulness is an essential characteristic in a marriage...obviously. A Determination to make it work. Here are 3 things that test and prove our faithfulness.

1. Full of faith. To be faithful is to be faith - full. (sorry about the cheesey-ness right there) but it's true. God won't bless something that isn't faith filled. The thing about life (or ministry) is that it can wear you down if you're not careful. Building in "water stops" along the way isn't just a nice idea, or luxury, it's essential to being found Trustworthy.

2. Faithful when the chips are down. Everybody's a Cubs fan when they're winning. But my grandpa (who would have turned 99 this month) was a Cubs fan for His entire life. Even though he was born in 1909, the year AFTER they won their last world series. He spent his entire life (89 years) routing for a team he never saw win a world series. That's faithful. He was a Trustworthy fan.

3. Faithful on the mountaintop. Remembering where it all comes from is so huge! Craig Groeschel said, "If you'll blame yourself when things go bad, you'll be tempted to blame yourself when things go good." Faithfulness on the mountaintop looks like giving the credit to God and to others when you win!
If you want to be trusted with more, then increase your level of Faithfulness.

Just a bloggish thought,

Matt

Trustworthy - Part 1

If there is one prayer that we have prayed since the beginning of Next Level Church 6 years ago it is, "To be found Trustworthy." Our heart is that God would see fit to trust us with souls for His Kingdom's sake. More than grow a big ministry, or make a big impact, etc. Our heart as a leadership team has been for God to find us Worthy of His Trust.

After all, when God can trust us with more influence and more souls, then He'll obviously do that, right? I mean, He's more in love with people then we are! He's more passionate about lost, hurting and broken people finding their way back to Him then we are! He's more in love with the idea of People coming into relationship with Him than we'll ever be.

So when we think of Church Growth, or ministry expansion, we must first think in terms of being found Trustworthy. That's what this weeks blogs are all about..

What does it mean to be found trustworthy? I think it first means: Listening. As we talked about last week, listening is a highly underrated, and yet highly necessary Spiritual Discipline. Here are a few thoughts:

1. Listen to God. Being trustworthy is about listening to the voice and heartbeat of God. If we're not keeping our ear close to His heart, we'll get distracted by the screaming pace of the world around us.

2. Listen to People. We can't lead people we don't know. What systems are in place in your organization to allow you to listen to the people you lead?

3. Listen to your heart. Unless we're being true to ourselves and who God has created us to be, we'll never create the kind of organization God wants us to create. Lead an organization that you would like to attend, or do business with. That's got everything to do with listening to your heart.

Being found Trustworthy starts with Listening. How are you doing at that? If the answer is, "Not Well." Why not review last week's series of blogs.

Just a bloggish thought,

Matt

The Greatest Teacher - Listening - Part 5

Contrary to popular belief, experience is not the best teacher, Examined Experience is. And the Greatest Teacher of all is Someone Else's Examined Experience.

When we take the time to learn from someone else's experience, we position ourselves to glean essential life & leadership lessons in a great way. Here's how:

1. Examine Someone Else's Experience. Take the time to listen to the story, the emotion, the lead in & the follow up to the story.

2. Learn from it. Don't just listen to it, review it later during some alone time.

3. Apply it to your life. Draw parallels from their experience to your own.

4. Commit to not ever learn that same lesson again. The test of greatness is not having to learn a lesson twice! If someone else goes through the pain, heartache and agony to learn a lesson, we disrespect them to have to learn it again because we didn't apply their lesson to our life.

Each one of us have access to the greatest teacher on earth. Someone Else's Examined Experience.

Who do you need to listen to and learn from today?

Just a bloggish thought,

Matt

The Greatest Story to Hear - Listening - Part 4

Mike, our associate pastor at NLC, loves to say, "We love to hear our story more than anyone else does." And it's sad, but true, isn't it? When it comes to hearing a great story, we love to talk about our own. However, when it comes to learning and listening, the greatest story to hear is someone else's.

Accessing someone else's story does 3 things for us:

1. Allows us to see the world from another's point of view.

2. Allows us to feel another's emotions.

3. Allows us to learn from someone else's experiences. If we have to experience something first hand in order to learn from it, we'll never live enough life to learn all that we need to know. Listening to someone else's story gives us a chance to gain wisdom the easy way... from someone else.

Who's story do you need to hear today? Take a minute and listen... it will be well worth it.

Just a bloggish thought,

matt

The Greatest Question - Listening - Part 3

I think I stumbled across it initially. I wasn't really expecting it, or even looking for it. But when I heard it come out of my mouth, I thought, "Wow, that was a great question!" Then, Mike, our associate pastor at NLC, said, "Bro, that really is the greatest question ever!" And so the deal was done.

I am now the official originator of "The Greatest Question Ever." (I know Andy Stanley has "The Best Question Ever" but...)

Anyway... here it is: If you were me... what would you do?

Now at first glance, this can see like a pretty average question, but when it comes to learning and listening, here's why this question is the Greatest:

1. It puts the other person in your shoes.

2. It invokes all their expertise & experience into your situation.

3. It allows you access into how they process information and make decisions.

Try it out this week. Ask the question and then listen to how others respond. You'll be amazed at what you hear. It really is the Greatest Question Ever.

You're Welcome... :)

Matt

The Greatest Mistake - Listening - Part 2

By far, the greatest mistake young leaders make is to do more talking than listening. After all, it's not what you know but what you don't know that has the power to change your life. Think about it... if what you knew had the power to change your life, then you'd already be different!

Unfortunately, too many of us, as leaders, make the fatal mistake of having an opportunity to listen and missing it. Here are a few ways I "actively listen."

1. Recognize that everyone is deep well. When we work under the assumption that every person we meet has the power to teach us something, it changes everything. Suddenly, the world becomes our classroom, and perfect strangers become our teachers.

2. It's up to us to mine out the gold. Just because people are a deep well, doesn't mean we have instant access to the gold within them. Most of the time the responsibility falls on us to mine it out creatively.

3. Have a few pre-loaded questions ready at any time. Since you never know when a listening opportunity may hit, it's essential to have a few great questions in your hip pocket. For me, I love:

• "Where are you winning right now?"


• "Where are you struggling?" &


• "What have you learning in the last week?"

These 3 almost always lead to invigorating discussion. Don't make the mistake of missing an opportunity to learn because you weren't prepared.

Just a bloggish thought,

Matt

The Greatest Discipline - Listening - Part 1

One of the greatest disciplines we can ever learn in leadership is Listening. I have been reminded of this recently in my own leadership. Over a period of several weeks, I have had several different inputs alert me to my need to "Relearn Listening." With that in mind, I want to spend a week reviewing some of the "Greatest" things about listening & leadership.

1. Listening is the Greatest Discipline. It was Larry King who said, "Nothing I say today will teach me anything." I love that. It's only what we hear or pick up from others that has the power to change our lives.

2. Listening is easier said than done. Ask anyone and most everyone will tell you, "yeah, sure, I'm a good listener." However, as I'm finding out in my leadership, perception is often different than reality.

3. Listening an Artform. Of all the creative things I do in my life, I need to work on the creative art of listening. Learning to hear what is not being said often has the power to teach us more than the words themselves.

Just a bloggish thought,

Matt

Personal Mentoring Stories - Part 5

On Friday of last week, I wrote about being mentored by the people of the Bible. Here's one of my recent encounters with a Bible character named Baruch. It's found in Jeremiah 45:1-5

1. Baruch is pretty discouraged. (I can relate sometimes.)

2. Baruch is not sure how much more he can handle.

3. The prophet Jeremiah delivers a word from God to him.

4. God's Word challenges Baruch to see his life as a reward for his faithfulness to God.

5. God ends by saying, "I the Lord have spoken to you today!" I love that God wants to make sure Baruch knows that it was Him who was giving him encouragement, not a man!

By Entering the Bible and not just Reading the Bible, I was able to put myself in Baruch's shoes and actually hear God speaking to me as well.

When was the last time you put yourself in someone's shoes in the Bible? God's waiting to encourage you, if you'll let yourself be mentored by the characters of the Bible.

Just a bloggish thought,

matt

Personal Mentoring Stories - Part 4

On Thursday of last week, I mentioned that being mentored by people who are ahead of us is huge. I recently had a chance to have dinner with Greg Surratt, pastor of Seacoast Church in Charleston, SC. Greg planted the church about 20 years ago and has grown it to over 10,000 people in 13 locations across the state of South Carolina. He is a pioneer in the multi-site movement in churches today. I count it a privilege to call Greg a friend.

He and I ended up at dinner together, b/c we were both staying at the same hotel in Orlando for a conference, and he apparently got "stood up" by Rick Warren because his plane was delayed or something. At any rate, I got to have dinner with him instead of Rick Warren! What's up now!!! :)

During our 90 minutes together...

1. I went into question asker mode. I knew I had a rare opportunity that hundreds of other people would love to have. While we were walking across the parking lot, I started making a mental list of questions I wanted to ask him.

2. I went into listener mode. When you have a chance to sit down with a mentor, share enough information to paint an accurate picture for them, then SHUT UP and LISTEN! Let your mouth be silent, your heart be open, and your ears attentive.

3. I asked him the greatest question ever, "If you were me... what would you do?"

4. I picked up the check. As I reached for the bill, he objected and I said, "Greg, people would pay $1,000 to have what I just got with you! The least I can do is pick up the check!" He laughed and said, "If that's true, then write me a check for $1,000 and I'll pick up the check!" We both laughed. Paying for Greg Surratt's dinner was my way of honoring him for the leader in the Body of Christ that he has become.

Thanks again Greg for dinner,

Matt Keller

Personal Mentoring Stories - Part 3

On Wednesday of last week, I talked about being mentored by listening to messages from great leaders. Recently, I got to hear Andy Stanley talk about Making Vision Stick. It wasn't the first time I've heard Andy talk about vision but it was timely for me.

5 ways to make vision stick:

1. State it Simply. Memorable is Portable!

2. Cast it Convincingly. Define the Problem, Offer a Solution, & Explain Why now!

3. Repeat it Regularly. Don't assume everyone knows.

4. Celebrate it Systematically. Stories do more to illustrate and clarify the vision then anything else we do.

5. Embrace it Personally and Publicly. Demonstrate that "I live this too!"

Who are you listening to and learning from right now?

Just a bloggish thought,

matt

Personal Mentoring Stories - Part 2

On Tuesday of last week I talked about being mentored by books. I am presently reading Leadership Gold by John Maxwell. He recently taught me about how to handle criticism. Here are a few of the take aways I wrote down in my journal:

"I love being mentored by John Maxwell as well. Here's what he told me today over coffee about criticism:"

1. Criticism is a price of Leadership. Period. Get over it!

2. When you're out in front, everything you do attracts attention.

3. If you are successful, you will be criticized.

4. The way to avoid criticism is to say nothing, do nothing and be nothing.

5. Separate yourself from your job or role.

6. Often, what we need to hear most is what we want to hear least.

7. Are they being judgemental, or giivng me the benefit of the doubt?

8. Don't respond or be surprised by, "I told you so." Critics love to take credit for your success.

9. Be you and be the best you possible!

10. Worrying about what other people think means you have more confidence in their opinion of you then your own!

11. People are never paying as much attention to you as you might think. Don't take yourself too seriously.

12. Secure leaders don't need to defend themselves.

13. Insecurity and defensiveness will prevent you from reaching your potential!

Good stuff isn't it? It's great to be mentored by John Maxwell!

Just a bloggish thought,

Matt

Personal Mentoring Stories - Part 1

Last week, we talked about Mentors. This week, I want to give you a sample of how I process the information I'm gleaning from the Mentors in my life right now. On Monday of last week, I stated that "Mentors are Voices we give Permission to speak into our life." One of those voices for me is Oswald Chambers.

Oswald Chambers was a great Christian leader in the late 1800's. He died at the age of 43 in 1917. The collection of his messages and thoughts were collected into book form in My Utmost for His Highest and first published in 1927. I am privileged to be mentored by this great saint of the past everyday as I study the greatest daily devotional of all time.

Here's an entry from my journal from my time with Oswald ( I call him Ozzie) on April 28th, 2008:

"I am so privleged to be being mentored by Oswald Chambers this year. He is so wise and so deep. I feel like everyday he's throwing me serious nuggets that are for right now where I'm living.

Today is no exception. Today he taught me that my life is a prize to be won! When I totally surrender my life to Christ, then wherever I amy go I will come out on the other side with my life and nothing can harm me.

I was challenged when he asked, "Are you prepared to let God take you into total oneness with Himself, paying no more attention to what you call the great things of life?" What if God wanted to take all the great hopes and reams I have? would I let Him? Would I surrender to them?

He said later that, "Abandonment means to refuse yourself the luxury of asking any questions" "The reason people are tired is because God hasn't given them anything." He concluded our time together by saying, "If you are not there, it is either because of disobedience in your life or your refusal to be simple enough."

Complexity is the enemy of surrender! Complex things don't surrender well. simple things do. I need to slow down, so I can simplify, so I can surrender! Wow! What a powerful time!"


That's how I was mentored by a man who has been dead for 90 years.

Just a bloggish thought,

matt

Mentors - Part 5

A final place I find mentors is in the Bible. The collected stories of the lives of the men and women of the Bible are the single greatest mentoring resource available to mankind! If we're not being mentored by Biblical Characters, we're missing out! Period.

1. Don't Read the Bible, Enter the Bible! There's a big difference. Reading the Bible only requires that we be on the outside looking in. Entering the Bible means that when we read, we allow ourselves to stand beside whomever we're reading about.

2. Learn to find the lesson within. Hidden in every chapter of the Bible are principles and lessons we must mine out. They contain the power of life and death. Developing the discipline to find them will change our lives.

3. Get a rhythm for Bible Study. If we don't make Bible Study a priority and a habit, it will elude us. Life is too busy for us not to build in a daily time where we can Enter the Bible for personal growth.

The Bible is one of the greatest mentoring tools on the planet. Let's take advantage of it.

Just a bloggish thought,

Matt

Mentors - Part 4

Another great source of mentoring in my life has been people who are a step or two ahead of me in some area of their life. There's nothing greater than seeking out someone who has more experience in a certain area of life then we do. Everything from Marriage, to Parenting. From Leadership to Church Growth. From Business to Finances. Whatever the area of life you desire to grow in, there is someone near you right now that you can learn from.

1. Seek them out. Invite them to coffee. Make an appointment. Whatever is appropriate. do that.

2. Come prepared. If they're going to give you their time, then make it worth their while and yours. Have more questions ready then you can possibly ask in your time together.

3. Ask the greatest question ever: "If you were me... what would you do?" This allows you to see them process a decision in your shoes.

4. Pick up the check. Remember it's an investment in yourself!

Just a bloggish thought,

Matt