May 19, 2012

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5 Easy Steps to Becoming an Inauthentic Communicator

May 15, 2012 By 2 Comments

Authenticity is one of the most important lenses through which your congregation filters what happens when you communicate.

But actually being authentic in your communication isn’t always easy. It requires the effort and discipline to be yourself.

On the other hand, being inauthentic when you communicate is actually quite easy. It simply requires these 5 easy steps.

1.   Make sure there’s no connection between your real-life and your communicating
If there is a disconnect between your personal life and your communication you can be sure you’ll be perceived as inauthentic. For example, talking about good stewardship when you’re wracked with debt is a good starting point.

2.   Communicate completely differently than the way you talk
I knew one pastor who talked very normally in every day conversation, but the minute he stood behind the pulpit suddenly he pronounced the word “scriptures” using five syllables.

Creating a wide chasm between how you communicate in the church lobby and how you communicate in the pulpit guarantees inauthenticity.

3.   Never disclose any areas of struggle in your life
A sure way to be seen as inauthentic is to communicate as if you have all the answers and have everything in life nicely sorted out.

Since your congregation is dealing with real-life issues every day you’ll be sure to be seen as weirdly different from everyone else.

4.   Include content designed to make you look smart
These are the cool nuggets of trivia you uncovered in your research that really don’t add a lot of value to the talk, but which might make you sound clever.

Inauthentic communicators cram their talks with this stuff.

5.   Lace your talks with important-sounding names and places
Instead of saying, “I was talking with someone” you say, “I was talking with someone while on a flight from Rome to Bangkok.”

Instead of saying, “I was at an event recently…” you say, “I was the guest of honour at an event recently…”

This kind of communicating doesn’t have a lot of power, but it can make the preacher look good.

On the other hand if your goal is changed lives through the power of God’s Word, ignore these five steps.

And just be real.

How do you make sure you are as authentic as possible when you communicate?

Filed Under: Featured, Leadership Tagged With: , , ,

What Leaders Can Learn from Quarterback Efficiency

November 1, 2011 By Leave a Comment

What is your “What do you think?” to “Here’s what I think” ratio?

Do you have a sense for how often you ask for input, compared to how often you offer your own?

Tom Brady You see, just as effective quarterbacks pay attention to their touchdown to interception ratio, great leaders know the importance of their “What do you think?” to “Here’s what I think” ratio.

In football, the touchdown to interception ratio is part of a quarterback’s passing efficiency rating. Quarterbacks and coaches pay meticulous attention to it. Three touchdowns thrown in a game might seem great, but if five interceptions are also thrown that indicates a very poor outing.

This is why Tom Brady of the New England Patriots is considered by many to be the greatest quarterback of all time. Of all quarterbacks who have ever thrown at least 2000 passes, no one has come close to matching his touchdown to interception ratio (a 2.53 ratio, meaning for every interception he has thrown, he has thrown 2.53 touchdown passes).

In the same way, I’m learning how important it is for leaders to know and to pay attention to their “What do you think?” to “Here’s what I think” ratio.

Pay attention to how effective leaders talk and I think you’ll see what I mean.

Great leaders certainly cast vision, share insights, and make bold statements. But they seem to be just as focused on seeking the input of others.

I am so committed to growing in this area, that for the rest of 2011 I have set a goal for myself to ask “What do you think?” at least 10 times a day. Whatever I’m working on I’m going to “up my game” by going out of my way to seek this kind of input from teammates, board members, and a bunch of smart people I know.

Are you willing to take the challenge? Why not join me in the “What do you think?” challenge for the next two months. It will be stretching, but I predict it will pay off.

What do you think?

Filed Under: Leadership, Sports Analogies Tagged With: , , , ,

How to Speed Up Information Flow

February 11, 2011 By 1 Comment

It’s true what they say; “Good news travels fast” and will always reach you quickly, from anywhere in your church, ministry, or organization.

But bad news, no matter how important, moves like it’s swimming in peanut butter. And that can cost you precious time.

Information FlowThis is exactly what happened in Jesus’ parable of the talents (Matt 25:14-30). When the master returned from his trip and asked his servants to account for how they had invested his money, the first two servants, with good news to report, answered immediately.

But notice how long it took to get a report from the third servant.

“Master,” he said, “I knew that you are a hard man, harvesting where you have not sown and gathering where you have not scattered seed. 25 So I was afraid and went out and hid your gold in the ground. See, here is what belongs to you.” (Matt 25:24-25)

I’d bet that even if the master had not called this “staff meeting”, the first two servants would have burst into his office anyways to report on their 100% investment return. The third servant? I wonder if that report would have ever found its way to the master’s desk.

As a leader, you need to get all the information in a timely manner. So, how can you speed up the flow of even the worst news?

Effective leaders I’ve known have done this by:

  • Creating a safe culture

Create a culture that minimizes fear and maximizes safe conversations.

  • Being clear on timelines

“I need this information by Thursday” is much better than “I need this information as soon as possible.”

  • Creating multiple information channels

Maintain various information streams to accelerate communication.

Bill Hybels’ axiom is, “Facts are your friends”. Getting all of your facts in a timely manner is critical to effective leadership.

How do you get the information you need in the time you need it?

Filed Under: Action, Development, Leadership Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Communicating Between the Lines

August 19, 2010 By 1 Comment

I’ve recently been reminded of an important principle in communication. I call it Communicating Between the Lines.

This refers to the fact that often what we communicate is overshadowed by what people think we have said.

I still remember a confusing conversation I had with a good friend of mine more than 30 years ago when he expressed interest in the well-being of my grandparents. My grandfather had undergone successful surgery to have a pace-maker installed to keep his heart working properly, and around the same time my grandparents had bought a second car; an AMC Pacer.

AMC PacerYou can see this misunderstanding coming straight down Main Street.

My friend, thinking he was asking about my grandfather’s surgery, mistakenly asked about his new Pacer. Naturally, I went on to describe their new car. I said it ran great, it had unique styling, and that it was blue.

My friend, still thinking we were discussing open-heart surgery, dropped his jaw in utter disbelief. “You mean…he SHOWED it to you???!!!”

Similarly, even as so much positive response has come in around our announcement that next year’s Global Leadership Summit in Canada would take place in September, the principle of Communicating Between the Lines has surfaced again, as questions have come in that show a need for a certain amount of additional clarity.

So then, here are a few basic F.A.Q.s with respect to next year’s Summit.

Q: Does this change mean we won’t see the content coming from Willow?

A: Summit participants in Canada will enjoy ALL of the content from the U.S. Summit.

Q: So, will Canada now be “on our own” instead of being part of the global experience?

A: Actually, we’re moving CLOSER to the global experience. Outside North America, the global Summit experience has always taken place several weeks AFTER the U.S. Summit. Canada will now be moving into closer alignment with the rest of the world.

Q: Why are you adding Canadian sessions? Aren’t the U.S. sessions good enough?

A: Again, this is a lesson learned from the Summit around the world. Up until now, Canada has been one of the very few Summit countries not to include at least one or two sessions originating from the host country.

Q: So, does this mean we’re just watching videos?

A: No! In addition to the U.S. content this will be an interactive event, being experienced simultaneously across Canada. From the Atlantic provinces to the west coast, Canadians will be engaged in a shared experience. There will be interactive elements and opportunities for full “real time” participation from coast to coast.

From time to time if I become aware of the need for more Communicating Between the Lines I’ll update this F.A.Q. And indeed if you have questions or ideas for next year’s event, note them below or email me at scochrane@growingleadership.com.

Filed Under: Canadian, Community, Leadership, Leadership Summit Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Passing the Leadership Torch: Moving Beyond Just a Smooth Transition

December 15, 2009 By Leave a Comment

The embrace was genuine. The tears were real. The bond, authentic.

The moment occurred in the fall of 2008 in a Kelowna, BC restaurant, when John Baergen, the founder of The Leadership Centre Willow Creek Canada, told me that after a 17 year run, he felt it was time to pass the torch of leadership to someone else. He asked if I would allow him to recommend me to the board of directors.

We resolved then and there that this leadership transition would go beyond being merely smooth; we would aim for great by seeking ways to bless one-another. We wanted a Moses to Joshua transition.

Here’s how we have lived this out over the past year:

  1. We have intentionally looked for ways to help each other succeed.
    Knowing the projects in which John is now involved, I have gone out of my way to look for resources that might be of interest to him, and he has done the same for me.

  2. We have maintained regular communication.
    Every Wednesday morning we have connected with a standing appointment at a local Tim Horton’s. This hour has been a regular highlight of my week.

  3. We have publicly affirmed each other.
    At every opportunity we have blessed each other in public settings. I have profiled John at The Leadership Summit, and he has built bridges for me into his relational world.

Bottom line? If you’re involved in a leadership transition, don’t aim for a transition that’s merely smooth; shoot for one that’s great.

In practical terms, what would this look like for you?

Filed Under: Leadership Tagged With: , , , , , , ,