Urgency: The Missing Piece

It was one of the more important fund raisers in my life. The college I worked for was on the cutting edge of employing technology for use in education. A great team of forward looking people each functioning at the highest competency in their respective areas. Leadership, administration, education, technology, marketing and finance. My passion and commitment to the project was due to my admiration to this amazing group of people and all the other support in the extended team.

The months of research and planning had been done, decisions as to how to market and implement were made, and now the roll out. Long days, late nights and a swath of geographical land covered that no one in their right minds would have attempted in such a short time. But here we were holding 'show and tell' meetings with key leaders across the country demonstrating the effectiveness and reach of technology being used for distance education. And that was the mid-90's!

The data was in and it was a smashing hit, a financial advantage, and 'first out the gate' coup. One thing though. We 'early adopters' ran into the chasm between raving fans who work based on believing without seeing and not so raving fans who work based on seeing is believing. Apparently the pilots, trial runs, financial proof, and raving endorsement from the grass roots wasn't enough.

As I look back and ponder the dynamics that were in play at the time I see one element that was missing leading to the demise of the project. Not marketing, not funding, not leadership, not implementation, not incompetence (except of the powers that had lacked in vision) but URGENCY.

To get back to the beginning the fund raiser that was being organized is an illustration of the limitations that can come into play when launching out into a new endeavor. I was on the phone connecting with the office and individuals who were to play a huge part in the gala. One critical component was being led by someone who seemingly was taking everything in stride, as in their own slow bureaucratic time, and tension was on the rise whether there would be this vital aspect of the gala. While on the phone they commented that they understood in such a large event that I would be so stressed. My response to him was honest and is burned into my thinking..."I'm not stressed I'm motivated!". Well I admit somewhat stressed but more so motivated with an urgency to execute well and ensure the fund raising gala that was to be a pitch to community, civic, business, and church leaders would have its full effective. Endorsement and money is important! Without money there is invariably no mission. We NGO types don't want to confess this but its true.

Not stressed...motivated! During the financial appeal segment of the night a very successful and supportive business person approached me. In the Lobby outside the ball room he challenges me and says, 'Lee give me a reason to give! I have my check book out and want to support this initiative but I need a reason...what's the urgent matter here that I can respond to." WOW talk about a wake up call.

I'm a big proponent of systems and processes. However as I look over that period of time in my life I have come to understand what John Kotter means about the missing focus on urgency. "People often say to me “Oh, no, no, lack of urgency is not an issue—our people understand how important it is to solve this problem. We’re beyond that.”

How is the URGENCY quotient in your personal life? In your work life? Is there a culture of urgency in the context you live and work in that make all the other neat elements of work and leadership have full effect?

"Without an organization-wide sense of urgency, it’s like trying to build a pyramid on a foundation of empty shoeboxes". John Kotter



- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Is Your Life Converging?

Several years ago in one of those memorable and defining conversations I've had over the years with Steve Fry the term convergence came up. As I nodded my head in agreement I was in over drive trying to figure out what it meant and how it applied to what Steve was saying to me.
Steve was feeding back to me a time in my life where several experiences, meetings, and opportunities I had in the past were leading to one fantastic door of opportunity opening up for me. The dictionary defines convergence as, "to reach the same point coming from different directions". Steve was commenting on how a few seemingly differing events I had in life were coming together for a greater good.
I think of the story of Joseph in the Old Testament who once having a visionary dream lived a life of conflicting experiences. Belittled by his brothers, sold into slavery, bought and promoted into great responsibility by Potiphar, lied about, put into prison, forgotten and ascended into ultimate political power. Each step of the way Joseph's life in the natural could have gone into directions unimaginable. Death, abuse, discouragement, humility, arrogance, bitterness, hatred, compromise on and on. But the unifying element through it all was Joseph's seemingly unyielding faith in God. The circumstances and people around Joseph did not have the ultimate say in his life God did.
Whether the individual is of spiritual faith or not, human beings who failed but rose from the 'pit' as did Joseph have this one thing in common...convergence. An ability to pull all their experiences together, both bad and good, and embrace them as part of the journey that would lead them to their destiny and contribution in life. Convergence is not only a seemingly fatalistic or Providential occurrence but a perspective a worldview that shouts, "in all things God works together for good"!
If you were to create a timeline of your life accentuating the highs and the lows what would they be pointing to? What have they formed and shaped in your life so that you are now honed to invest in ways that have a multiplying effect? How has your perspective or worldview been affected? Does it need an overhaul? Does it embolden you to continue to move forward? To risk? To achieve?
All of life presents to us the opportunity to, as Anthony Mayo and Nitin Nohria of Harvard Business School say, live life with vision, integrity, perseverance, courage, innovation, and risk taking ability. The one thing their research has discovered that pulls all these essential attributes together is the ability to see the opportunities through the haze of life and take advantage of them for the greater good.



- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Community Transformation Report

November 23 Susan Tam presented to the Stewardship Council of Midpark Church facts and strategies on how to become more engaged in community. Knexions can be a fantastic way to not only have a conversation about serving but an effective way to do something. Here are her notes. To find out more visit us at www.Midpark.ca or Facebook Midpark Church

COMMUNITY TRANSFORMATION
...I want to see a mighty flood of justice,
an endless river of righteous living. (Amos 5:24)
1
Community Transformation
Transformation is not changing what is, but creating what isn’t. - Richard Howell

2
The World is Facing Serious Challenges
Over the past 50 years:

•the world’s population has doubled

•food production almost tripled

•energy use more than quadrupled

•production of waste has risen dramatically

•overall level of economic activity quintupled

•the demands on the earth’s natural systems have resulted in serious social, environmental and health costs

Source: Kates and Parris 2003
3
World Population Living in Cities
•1800, approximately 1 billion people, cities house 20 million

•Today, approximately 6.6 billion people, cities house 3.3 billion, 50%

•2030, estimate 61% of population will live in cities

•Source: PDDESA-UN 2003

1800
2006
2030
Year
Percentage of World Population Living in Cities
4
Calgary Vital Signs
Vital Signs is an annual community check-up conducted by community foundations across Canada

Measures the vitality of our communities, identifies significant trends, and assigns grades in a range of areas critical to quality of life.

Data released in October 2010

Graders gave their own quality of life a “B” and, over three years of reporting, have steadily increased the average grade given to Calgary quality of life issues -- except for the environment grade has moved up and down since 2008

No one person, organization or level of government alone can address the challenges facing Calgary

5
Calgary Herald Poll
•Almost six in 10 worry about what the future might bring, a 15 percentage point jump from three years ago

•More than 88 % of Calgarians say they felt safe, three years ago, that figure was more than 94%

•In 2007, when the city was facing fast growth, high wages and low unemployment, 93 % of respondents valued happiness over material things. By 2010, that number dropped to 84 %.

•Overall happiness on a scale of one to 10, the average result was 6.8; three years ago in the height of the boom, it was 7.6 -- the equivalent drop of a C+ average from a B+.
6
Sustainable Community Development
•Sustainable Community Development is a way to harness the power of community decision-making to create and sustain patterns of human development and economic prosperity that protects the environment, reduce poverty, and improve the quality of life today and for future generations. - Source: Harmony Foundation 2006

•Success depends on level of public engagement

•Policy making cannot be made independently

•Social equity must be incorporated into decision-making

•“development” must include qualitative as well as quantitative improvement, i.e., more than simply “growth”



7
Building Communities from the Inside Out -
by Kretzmann & McKnight
•Two Models Used

1.The Traditional Path - A Needs-Driven Dead End

2.The Alternative Path: Capacity-Focused Development
8
The Traditional Path --
A Needs-Driven Dead End
•Neighbourhoods are painted with broad brush stroke due to crime and violence, joblessness, welfare dependency, gangs, drugs and homelessness

•Mental “Needs Map” of the neighbourhood developed from information above

•Only conveys part of the truth; unfortunately it is often regarded as the whole truth

•Determines how problems are to be addressed, through deficiency-oriented policies and programs

•Community sees themselves as people with special needs that can only be met by outsiders, they become consumers of services
9
The Traditional Path --
Consequences of the “Needs Map”
•view a community as an endless list of problems and needs

•funding for issues goes to service providers rather than residents

•underlines the perception that only outside experts can provide real help

•relationships that count are no longer those inside the community which are based on mutual support and problem solving

•ensures the inevitable deepening cycle of dependence

•ensures maintenance and survival of targeted isolated individual clients, not a development plan for the entire community

•only guarantees survival, never leads to serious change
10
The Alternative Path: Capacity-Focused Development
•development of policies & activities based on capacities, skills and assets of people and their neighbourhoods

•historical evidence indicates that significant community development takes place only when local community people are committed to investing themselves & their resources

•prospect for outside help is bleak, odds do not favour a large-scale, job-providing industry or service corporation relocating into the community
11
The Alternative Path: Community Assets Map
•map includes inventory of gifts, skills and capacities of community residents

•discover a wealth of individual talents and productive skills which are untapped

•include individuals who have been marginalized - mentally/physically challenged, too young/old,..

•everyone can be full contributors to the community-building process

•list of citizens’ associations - many will stretch beyond their original purpose and become full contributors

•list of formal institutions - private & public, make up most visible and formal part of community’s fabric
12
An Alternative Community Development Path:
Asset-Based, Internally Focused, Relationship Driven
•mobilize assets for development purposes

•Caveats:

•does not imply that communities do not need additional resources from outside - want to use these more effectively

•intended to affirm, and to build upon the remarkable work already going on in the neighbourhood
13
Asset-Based Community Development: Definition
1.community strategy starts with what is present in the community -- not with what is absent or problematic

2.agenda based on building & problem solving capacities of residents, associations & institutions

3.central challenge is to constantly build and rebuild the relationships between and among residents, associations and institutions
14
Proposed Process
Define “Community”

Create a Team

Begin Research

Explore Grants

Educate & Teach

Analyze Results

Formulate Action Plan

Implement

Transform our Community
15
Define “Community”
•Who and Where is our community?

•Midnapore

•Midsun

•Ward 14

•South-east Calgary
16
K-nexions Group
•Start a k-nexions group

•Explain scope of project

•Begin with 3 week Study - successful Fresno project

•Divide project into sections and distribute among members
17

Begin Research
•Identify & assign areas of interest

•Urbs, Anima & Civitas projects

•Shalom Scan

•Identify existing resources

•What can we do/bring to the community?

•What makes us distinct?
18
Urbs, Anima & Civitas
•Urbs - the city within the city; infrastructure issues e.g., where roads go, sanitation services, physical layout of city, transportation systems

•Anima - poetry/soul; what motives the residents, beliefs, assumptions

•Civitas - whole body/members of given state; demographics, crime stats, etc.
19
Meaningful Public Participation
•Citizen representation throughout the process

•Process open to monitoring by all interested parties

•Diverse forms of knowledge and experience welcome and accessible

•Process organized around principles of shared learning knowledge

•Respect for divergent views and backgrounds
20

Explore Grants
•Identify the various grants available

•funds for research, education, resources

•Federal, municipal, private

•Submit applications
21
Educate & Teach
•CCDA Intensives (1-2 day) - classes focus on particular aspects of CCD

•CCDA Immersion (week long) - classes in all eight components of CCD, visit local CCD ministries

•other groups?
22

Analyze Results
•What does the community want?

•How will this provide community transformation?

•What is good and strong in the community?

•Are we thinking broad enough?

•How do we move from planning to action?
23
Formulate Action Plan

What are the next steps?

What is the vision?

How do we find partners?

Develop an urban renewal strategy

What ministries currently exist?

How do we avoid duplication?

Develop standards for evaluation
24

Implement
•start the work!

•Use financial and human resources effectively

•Implement governance structure

•open doors

•raise awareness of activity
25
Transform Our Community
•Engage the community

•Involve partners, make the activity a stage for them to promote activity

•Sustain partner commitment
26
Pilot Project - Stampede Breakfast
•Re-focus : an opportunity to engage our community about it’s needs and develop partnerships

•Invite community & business leaders to discuss what is important to them, open invitation to join committee

•Committee : common vision/goal for Midnapore

•Breakfast : focus on fund-raising/awareness of cause

•Breakfast: Joint venture with our community

•Engage Citizens : opportunity for them to state their concerns (e.g. CityTV booth - Shalom scan) & talk one on one

•Breakfast : becomes a part of Midnapore community’s culture

•Spring board : for community transformation project, build on new partnerships, citizen input; couple with research, prayer and God’s guidance
27

Not Just Another Conference

Im not a big conference fan. Last year i did get to a one day one that started an amazing journey for me and our Midpark team. It was with Reggie McNeil. Since then we have implemented tactics and developed a mindset that is both terrifying and exciting all at the same time. We felt we couldn't just keep it to ourselves or stop at the 'check box' of attending yet another conference. So here is what we've come up with. Hope you can make it!


Gen-3: A Cross Generational Conference Addressing The Future of Church

Day 1: Crossing the Chasm of Leadership
Day 2: Celebrating Full Engagement of All Believers
Day 3: Challenging the Process-Preserving the Core

Church leadership, engagement of Congregants, and church methodologies are in the throes of serious change. Having been involved in churches of all sizes, extensive international travel, and now Lead Pastor of a local congregation for the past five years, I'm realizing that a conversation needs to take place. A conversation on a clear strategy of passing on the critical roles of leadership to an emerging generation. A conversation about intentionally celebrating and engaging believers in areas once reserved for 'paid' pros. A conversation around the adoption of creative methodologies for 'how we do 'church' while at the same time preserving the core.

For the first time, Midpark is hosting a seminar to talk about these three critical pieces of ministry. It will be a time where, in a safe and intimate environment, we can talk about areas that are close to church leadership. The goal is to leave with ideas on how we can implement successful succession, remove the obstacles for greater ministry involvement, and develop creative approaches to church structures. The short notes; taking the lead by giving the lead and building structures that best reflect the future in place of the past.

Because everyone in the room has a similar agenda, we'll be able to focus really closely on how the new perceptions and changes in our world are going to impact ministry going forward.

The day is created with , experienced leaders, emerging leaders and interested believers in mind. I believe now more than ever that ministry has a significant impact, that it can change hearts and minds and that truly biblical models can be established to accomplish the ultimate mission...'God is not willing that any should perish but all come to an everlasting knowledge of Him' 2 Peter 3:9.

Procastination

Leader_Shift Inc.​ Hand Out​

WASHINGTON — Procrastination in society is getting worse and scientists are finally getting around to figuring out how and why. Too many tempting diversions are to blame, but more on that later.
After 10 years of research on a project that was only supposed to take five years, a Canadian industrial psychologist found in a giant study that not only is procrastination on the rise, it makes people poorer, fatter and unhappier.

Something has to be done about it, sooner rather than later, University of Calgary professor Piers Steel concludes. His 30-page study is in this month's peer-reviewed Psychological Bulletin, published by the American Psychological Association.

In 1978, only about 5% of the American public thought of themselves as chronic procrastinators. Now it's 26%, Steel said.

And why not? There are so many fun ways to kill time — TVs in every room, online video, Web-surfing, cellphones, video games, iPods and Blackberries.

At work, e-mail, the Internet and games are just a click away, making procrastination effortless, Steel said.

"That stupid game Minesweeper— that probably has cost billions of dollars for the whole society," he said.

The U.S. gross national product would probably rise by $50 billion if the icon and sound that notifies people of new e-mail suddenly disappear, he added.

And there's good reason to worry right now about the problem of procrastination.

"People who procrastinate tend to be less healthy, less wealthy and less happy," Steel said Wednesday. "You can reduce it, but I don't think you can eliminate it."

Psychologist William Knaus, who has written several self-help books on fighting procrastination since 1977's Overcoming Procrastination, said Steel is "absolutely right."

He said he found it harder to wean chronic procrastinators from the habit of delaying than to wean alcoholics from booze. Knaus mentioned one businessman who spent 40 hours of delay time to avoid five minutes of work.

"It's a huge problem," Knaus said. "I think the majority of mental disabilities people have — anxiety, panic — they can be defined as a special case of procrastination."

There is personal financial fallout from procrastination, too. Delay in filing taxes on average costs a person $400 a year and last-minute Christmas shopping with credit cards was five times higher in 1999 than in 1991, Steel found in a review of more than 500 economic and psychological studies about putting off unpleasant chores.

Steel's study found that in the past quarter century, the average self-score for procrastination (using a 1-to-5 scale with 1 being no delaying) has increased by 39%.

Overall, more than a quarter of Americans say they procrastinate. Men are worse than women (about 54 out of 100 chronic procrastinators are men) and the young are more like to procrastinate than the old, Steel said. Three out of four college students consider themselves procrastinators.

Early studies looking at U.S. and Canadian cultures didn't find any differences in the two countries' procrastination problem, but Steel said when he has more time he'll get around to more cross-cultural studies.

The causes of procrastination combine temptation, sense of immediacy, the value of doing the job, and whether you believe you can get the work done, Steel found. He even created a complicated mathematical formula, complete with Greek letters, to figure out when a person is likely to procrastinate.

Temptation is the biggest factor. And it's why procrastination is getting worse, Steel said, citing technology.

"It's easier to procrastinate now than ever before. We have so many more temptations," he said. "It's never been harder to be self-disciplined in all of history than it is now."

But procrastination goes back thousands of years, before technology. Ancient literature harps on the problem, Steel said. Knaus mentioned a book from 1852: Thoughtless Little Fanny: The Unhappy Results of Procrastination. The author is just called "a friend of children."

While many self-help books say perfectionists procrastinate because they don't want to get things wrong, Steel found just the opposite. Perfectionists procrastinate less and do better because they avoid delaying. However they do worry more about putting stuff off, he said.

Studying procrastination as a field has a benefit, said the professor. The more he knows about the problem and the causes, the less he procrastinates — even though he sheepishly acknowledges his study was completed five years late.

The good thing about studying procrastination, he said: "If you take a day off from it, you can always say it's field research."


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

10 Success Traits

Leader_Shift Inc.
 
 
 
Ten Secrets to Success
Most successful people have ten traits that, when combined, can turn dreams into reality.
 
 
 
1.​How you think is everything
Always be positive. Think success, not failure. Beware of a negative environment.
 
2.​Decide upon your true dreams and goals
Write down your specific goals and develop a plan to reach them.
 
3.​Take action
Goals are nothing without action. Don’t be afraid to get started. Just do it.
 
4.​Never stop learning
Go back to school or read books. Get training and acquire skills.
 
5.​Be persistent and work hard
Success is a marathon, not a sprint. Never give up.
 
6.​Learn to analyze details
Get all the facts, all the input. Learn from your mistakes.
 
7.​Focus your time and money
Don't let other people or things distract you.
 
8.​Don’t be afraid to innovate; be different
Following the herd is a sure way to mediocrity.
 
9.​Deal and communicate with people effectively
No person is an island. Learn to understand and motivate others.
 
10.​Be honest and dependable; take responsibility
Otherwise, numbers 1-9 won’t matter.
 
 
 
Source: Investors Business Daily