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How to Turn a Summit Chair into a Seat of Transformation

September 14, 2012 By Leave a Comment

You’ve heard the comments before at the Leadership Summit.

With great flourish a renowned leader points to a chair in the auditorium as he passionately thunders, “That’s the chair where everything changed. I remember sitting in that very chair many years ago at a conference when my life was forever changed…”

Image via iStockPhoto.com

When a Summit speaker makes such a statement, guests typically have one of two reactions. For some they think to themselves, “I can relate. I had a similar experience at a Summit.”

But for others the response is, “Huh? I’ve never come close to that kind of moment. What gives?”

Why the difference?

I’ve learned that if you want to experience the Global Leadership Summit in such a way that is more likely to lead to a transformational moment it all comes down to what you take with you into the event.

Specifically, I believe there are at least 3 vital tools every leader must bring with them to the Summit:

1.   An expectation of transformation
If you arrive in a posture of expectancy that your world could be rocked, you stand a much greater chance of experiencing one of those “a-ha” moments.

2.   A willingness to wrestle in “real time”
In each talk, be constantly asking, “Do I agree with this? What is my immediate take away? What will I have to change in my own leadership?”

3.   A team-learning approach
In past years, team learning was difficult to work into the fabric of the Summit. But this year there will be more opportunities for you to huddle up with your team for a time of facilitated discussion. Take full advantage of these opportunities!

There can be many reasons for registering your team for an event like the Global Leadership Summit. Perhaps it’s a team-building exercise, or maybe it’s just for a well-deserved break from the grind of ministry!

But if your expectation is to actually experience growth, change and development, come prepared with these three tools.

Perhaps one day you’ll point to a seat in the auditorium and say, “That’s the chair where everything changed.”

What have been your transformational experiences at the Summit?

 

Filed Under: Featured, Leadership, Team, The Global Leadership Summit Tagged With: , , , , , , , , ,

3 Indicators You Could Be Developing the Wrong Person

September 4, 2012 By 3 Comments

Originally posted May 29, 2012

Bill Hybels has accurately described the local church as the most leadership-intensive organization on planet earth.

Therefore, for prevailing churches, leadership development is not a function of filling empty slots in an organization; rather it’s an ongoing process of identifying, equipping and releasing leaders to live out their call.

But how do you know where to invest your leadership development time and energy?

Image via iStockPhoto.com

That’s more an art than a science, but at the very least I’ve learned three indicators that I could be developing the wrong person.

• Indicator #1: The person is an agenda-driver
I’ve had conversations with people whom I thought had the potential to be a church elder, only to find out that they viewed the position merely as an opportunity to advance a personal agenda.

If you’re developing a leader, be very wary when you hear things like, “If I were on the board there’s a couple of issues I’d want to push really hard.”

Nothing wrong with strong opinions, but when they’re focused on side-issues you have a problem.

• Indicator #2: The person is enamoured by “prestige”
I was having coffee with a rising leader in the church about future roles. But he kept veering the conversation back to questions of his own profile.

Be cautious when a leader’s primary concern seems to be how much platform time they will have or how it is that they will be identified or profiled in the church.

• Indicator #3: The person tries to wedge church leadership into a crowded daytimer
If you’re developing a leader for broader church responsibilities, be careful if they begin to ask things like, “How much time do I need to devote to this?”

That can be a very legitimate, reasonable question. But it can also point to someone who is living life at Mach 10, and who is looking to figure out the bare minimum investment of time and energy.

Look instead for someone so captivated by the call of God on their lives and the vision of the church that they will move “heaven and earth” to be a part of it.

Keep your eyes and ears open for where God is at work in the lives of rising leaders.

And keep your discernment on “full alert” for these warning indicators.

They could save you, and your church, a lot of grief.

Filed Under: Featured, Staffing Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

How 2 Strategic Days Can Advance an Entire Ministry Year

September 6, 2011 By Leave a Comment

When it comes to leveraging The Global Leadership Summit as a key strategy in your personal development, and that of your church, you are likely in one of three categories:

Category 1: You do not attend events like the Summit.

If that describes you, this post does not apply to you.
Category 2: You already committed to attending this year’s Summit, and you’re actively building your team to join you.

If that describes you, this post will encourage you.
Category 3: You are sitting on the fence. You might attend this year’s Summit, and you might encourage others to join you.

If that describes you, this post is vital for you.
Tim Schroeder has been one of Canada’s most influential pastors for 30 years. And in the 3 minute video message below Tim makes an impassioned plea to leaders in that 3rd category.

Tim goes so far as to say, “I’ve come to the place where I don’t apologize at all to urge you to attend this year’s Summit and to bring as many of your church leaders with you as you possibly can.”

Why does Tim bring so much energy to this? Click on the video link and see for yourself.


If you are a “category 2” leader like Tim, what would you say to encourage “category 3” leaders in regard to the Summit?

Filed Under: Leadership Summit Tagged With: , , ,

A Dream for Year-Round Leadership Development

February 15, 2010 By 2 Comments

I’ve just emerged from our annual Willow Creek Association International Council meetings in Frankfurt, Germany, where we poured enormous energy into looking at how to extend the impact of our annual leadership conference, The Leadership Summit.

These three days have left me with an even greater sense of resolve as to my core beliefs about The Summit:

  1. I believe this is the best leadership conference available for church leaders. Period.
  2. I believe that churches that bring teams of leaders to this annual event are poised to make significant Kingdom advances.
  3. I believe that unless The Leadership Summit is embedded in a broader leadership development strategy, its full potential impact will not be achieved in the life of the leader, nor the life of the church he or she leads.

Year after year I see church vans and buses pull up to the doors of our Summit sites across Canada, with teams of 5, 10, 20 or more pouring out, ready to have their leadership tanks filled yet again. And as they drive away a couple of days later I think to myself, “I hope you have next steps mapped out for your leadership development.”

And that brings me to the next leg of my journey. I’m in Toronto’s Pearson International Airport now, having just flown in from Frankfurt, and I’m ready to board my connecting flight to Atlanta, Georgia. There I’ll be meeting with leaders from ministries committed to ongoing leadership training. My goal is to partner with as many as 4 or 5 leadership development organizations; to help us lay down “training tracks” for leaders to run on after the Summit.

Imagine if the impact of The Summit could be maximized by leading directly into a leadership development training program for you and your church! That’s the dream. And I trust that this coming week we’ll be closer to making that dream a reality.

Time to board my flight. Please pray for God’s leading and wisdom!

How intentional are you about mapping out your leadership development strategy? What development opportunities have been most helpful for you?

Share your thoughts by adding a comment!

Filed Under: Development, Discipline, Featured, Leadership, Leadership Summit Tagged With: , , , , ,