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Inside Steve’s Brain, Expanded Edition by Leander Kahney

[rating:2]

(New York: Portfolio, 2008; expanded ed., 2009)

310 pgs

Leander Kahney has written this book on Steve Jobs to try and analyze how he has been able to develop the enormously innovative and successful Apple Computer company. Like many books of this genre, countless numbers of business leaders want to learn from those who have been wildly successful. We seem to never tire of reading about others’ success in the hope that we might pick up some tidbit that could turn our own career and business around. And, like most books of this ilk, there are some things that the successful CEO did that are unique to that individual and would bring calamitous results if copied by a lesser mortal, and then there are business principles that, if followed, can produce similarly positive results.

Some leaders appear to be larger than life. Steve Jobs is one of those people. He was born in San Francisco in 1955 to a pair of unmarried college students and immediately put up for adoption (5). He grew up constantly on the verge of delinquency and dropped out of college after only one semester (5). He went lived with friends, eat free meals at the Hare Krishna temple, and attempted to live on an all-apple diet (6). Such was the making of greatness!

Jobs’ story is now legend. At age 26 he was considered too young to administer his rapidly growing company so he enlisted John Sculley of Pepsico as the CEO. In 1985 Jobs was forced out of his own company and did not return for 11 years (8). Gil Amelio, the last CEO before Jobs returned, saw Apple lose 1.6 billion dollars. He laid off thousands of employees while earning 7 million in salary, had 26 million in stock, was lavishly refurbishing the executive offices, and negotiating a seven million dollar severance package for himself (17). By the time Jobs returned, the company was only six months from bankruptcy.

With the development of such products as the I-pod, I-phone, Apple Stores, I-pads etc., Jobs has turned a moribund company into one of the most dynamic businesses in the world. But how did he do it?

For one, Jobs brought focus to the company. He discontinued many of their product lines and determined to focus on what they could be good at (25, 29). Jobs’ favorite mantra was: “Focus means saying ‘no.’” (38). He also chose not to compete for price with other companies like Dell, but instead branded his computers with a reputation for quality and dependability (31). Jobs also excelled at innovation. However, he believed that innovation does not come from asking people what they want. He notes Henry Ford’s comment that if Ford had asked people what they wanted, they would have asked for a faster horse! (62). Jobs demonstrates a certain patronizing attitude when he notes that people don’t know what they want until he shows it to them (63). Of course this has been the hallmark of many of the greatest businesses: they drove the market rather than being driven by it.

Jobs is also a perfectionist who refuses to settle for less than the best (85). He is a “control freak” who insists that his highest standards are met by his employees. Jobs earned the reputation for being an extremely difficult boss who is subject to angry tantrums and instant firings (105). Many people who work for him live in constant fear of being fired (151). Nevertheless, he has managed to attract highly talented people who are loyal to him and, while many people may worry about being fired; few quit (151).

What Jobs has done well is to instill a sense of mission in his company 146). He has developed a powerful brand, identified in such slogans as, “Think different” (124). Jobs has also maintained a small executive team of only ten people who clearly understand his values and standards and help ensure they permeate the company (165). Jobs also develops numerous prototypes and continually improves a product until he is satisfied it is the best they can make it. Kahney suggests that Jobs’ personality traits, “obsessiveness, narcissism, perfectionism” have been transformed into the hallmarks of his career (11).

The pressing question for Apple, of course, is whether the company can thrive when it no longer has Steve Jobs at the helm. Kahney talks about the “routinization of charisma” made popular by Max Weber (273). This is where the personality traits of the charismatic leader become ingrained into the institution so it continues to uphold the leader’s values long after a new generation of leaders emerges. If a leader is not able to accomplish this, then his or her accomplishments will not survive them. It is extremely doubtful that another Steve Jobs can be hired when the original one retires. It is also unlikely that other CEOs could get away with many of the unusual ways Jobs led his company back to profitability. Shouting at employees, immediately firing people who underperform and the like could get lesser CEOs in hot water from their board. It is therefore difficult to study Jobs to see how other CEOs can model their behavior after him. Unless you have the creative powers of Jobs and the charisma to attract the finest talent on the planet, you must apply his leadership style with caution.

What one can take from Jobs is his passion, his sense of mission to change the world and the determination to do things to the best of his ability. These are qualities that seem to be characteristic of most great leaders.

Jobs has been fighting a well known battle with cancer. In a commencement speech in 2005, Jobs said: “Death is very likely the single best invention of Life. It is Life’s change agent. It clears out the old to make room for the new. Right now the new is you, but someday not too long from now, you will gradually become the old and be cleared away. Sorry to be so dramatic, but it is quite true.” (285).

I found this book interesting. Certainly Jobs is a fascinating character who has accomplished a herculean task. As far as takeaways, I was interested in how Jobs branded his company and product. In so doing, he was able to charge more for his product and to earn a fierce loyalty from his customers. One has to look past some of his personality traits and administrative styles, but the fact is that many companies, including Microsoft, are adjusting their styles to match that of Apple. Clearly Jobs’ leadership is worth studying. Because this is focused on a particular leader, and because there are several characteristics of Jobs’ style that are less than commendable, I only rate this book a 2. However, for Apple lovers as well as those interested in major corporate turnarounds, this book may be of great interest to you.

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What Drives You?

by Richard Blackaby

At the age of 31, Julius Caesar happened upon a monument in Spain commemorating the feats of Alexander the Great. Caesar was overcome with despair knowing that when Alexander had been his age, he had already conquered the known world. No less ambitious than his Greek counterpart, Caesar would achieve fame himself before his life was cut short. Thomas Carlyle popularized the notion of the “great man.” He postulated that history could be understood in terms of how “great men” had changed the course of history. While this view is largely scoffed at today, there is no denying that ambitious, driven people have radically affected their societies.

When studying military leaders, it is clear that ambition drove those who reached some of the greatest heights. Alexander the Great, Caesar, Napoleon, Duke of Wellington, Duke of Marlborough, and a host of others were driven by visions of glory. Great business leaders were also transparently ambitious. Astor, Vanderbilt, Rockefeller, Ford, Gates, Buffet, Jobs all were driven so fiercely that they not only overcame their competition; they demolished it. When you read the biographies of these leaders, you continually find that they rose early, worked hard, set high standards, did their homework, and refused to fail. You certainly will not agree with the morality, religious views or ethics of many of these people, but you cannot deny that they succeeded where countless others failed, and in so doing, they changed their world.

What has intrigued me my entire adult life is the origin and nature of the forces that drive people. Why is it some leaders are lackadaisical or careless while others are driven to take their organizations to unprecedented heights? Why can some people lazily shrug their shoulders and declare, “It’s good enough,” while others refuse to settle for anything less than excellence?

There is an interesting story found in 2 Kings 13:14-21. The aging prophet Elisha told King Joash to shoot arrows out a window. Elisha told the monarch that he must strike a blow against the Syrians who were the enemies of God’s people. Then Elisha instructed Joash to strike the ground with the arrows. Joash struck the ground three times. This angered the prophet who lamented, “You should have struck five or six times; then you would have struck Syria until you had destroyed it! But now you will strike Syria only three times” (2 Kings 13:19). God’s messenger had clearly instructed the king to prophetically “strike” his enemies, but he had been satisfied with doing so only three times. Such a half-hearted response to a divine invitation would have enormous repercussions for God’s people.

Elisha understood holy ambition. When the prophet Elijah had first called him, the young farmer had slaughtered the twelve yokes of oxen and burned up his equipment as a sacrifice. There would be no looking back or second-guessing. As Elijah had approached the end of his life, the aged prophet instructed the young Elisha to remain behind in Bethel (2 Kings 2:4). Elisha would have none of it. Then Elijah suggested he remain in Jericho, but Elisha declined (2 Kings 2:6). Finally Elijah asked his young protégé what he desired. “Please let a double portion of your spirit be upon me” was his reply (2 Kings 2:9). Some suggest Elisha desired greater power than his master. Others believe he was asking for a spiritual inheritance as the rightful heir. Either way, Elisha boldly asked for all that God had for him. Not surprisingly, the miracles attributed to Elisha were twice those performed by Elijah. Elisha had one life to live for his Lord, and he was not one to do things in half measures.

Sadly, that is not true for every spiritual leader today. It has been my privilege to travel the world and to meet outstanding leaders. These people were constantly reading and growing. They were passionate about their calling. They were optimistic about the future. They worked hard and made great sacrifices. And, they were accomplishing amazing things.

But there have been others. These people claimed they were too busy to read or to attend conferences. They were disinterested in bettering themselves physically, academically, or spiritually. They made the least effort necessary. They felt no shame in mediocrity. They blithely wasted hours of their day in meaningless or frivolous activities. They had no great vision for what God would do through them or their organization. Such people have often been bewildered when they were fired from their company or when their church declined in attendance. How pitiful to be a follower of such indifferent people.

Why are some people so driven and others so casual? There are several possible reasons.

First, it begins with parenting! I grew up in a modest home economically but in a family that believed God would do God-sized things in our lives. University was not an option for me as I graduated from high school! Even though my grades were less than stellar, my parents encouraged me to prepare myself fully for whatever God intended to do through my life in the future. I am so glad my parents helped me believe that God could use even my ordinary life. Other children, however, are never challenged to do much more than to get married, obtain a job, and earn a living. Too many people growing up in Christian homes are being grossly under-challenged.

Second, some people are unaware of what God is capable of doing with their ordinary life. What are the limits to what God could do through one life wholly surrendered to Him? Knowing what God could do, how could anyone be satisfied with anything less?

Third, people get distracted. They focus on secondary issues and unimportant matters and do not aim their lives toward God’s kingdom purposes. Jesus commanded us to seek first the kingdom of God (Matthew 6:33). Too many leaders are so consumed with hobbies, entertainments, and mindless activities on the Internet, that they have no time to focus on weighty matters that could exert a major impact for God’s kingdom.

Fourth, many people are too easily satisfied. They are like King Joash who only struck the ground three times rather than like Elisha who boldly asked for a double portion of the spirit of the mighty prophet Elijah. For some, earning a living is satisfactory. For others, nothing less than changing the world will do.

You may be thinking, “Isn’t ambition wrong or sinful?” I would answer resoundingly, no. Ambition for worldly pleasures or for self-centered attainments is dishonoring to God. But striving for all God created you to become and to accomplish, honors God. Desiring to exert the greatest impact for God’s kingdom is a noble way to live. That is the pathway to a life without regrets. That is how you live a life that makes a difference.

So how are you presently motivated? Do you need a boss to be constantly hovering over your shoulder to ensure you do a proper day’s work? Or, would you go the second and third mile even if no one but you ever knew that you did? Are you spending your life fully for Christ? Have you been satisfied with second best or mediocrity? If you are holding yourself back, what are you saving yourself for? I have often been inspired by the life of William Borden, who spent himself fully for Christ. After his premature death, someone found written in his Bible, “No reserves, no retreats, no regrets.” I pray we could all have that written on our tombstones.

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Leadership: 50 points of wisdom for today’s leaders by Gen. Rick Hillier

[rating:3.5]

(New York: Harper Collins, 2010)

315 pgs

This is a very readable and accessible book. As it is written from a military General in the Canadian Armed Forces, military examples and illustrations are used extensively throughout the book. Hillier enlisted in the Canadian Forces in 1973, was appointed Commander of the Army in 2003, then promoted to Chief of the Defence Staff in 2005. His task was to combine the Navy, Army and Air Force into one unified fighting force. Hillier is honest, open, practical, warm and personable in his book.

The 50 chapters are short and divided into six sections and get straight to the point and are easily implemented.

Some chapter titles are:

  • Put People First
  • Don’t focus on Organization and Process
  • Perpetual Optimism is a Force Multiplier
  • Tactics without Strategy Brings Failure
  • Build on History
  • Never Waste a Crisis
  • Credibility is Your Center of Gravity
  • Peeing on the Electric Fence
  • Stand on Your Soapbox
  • Make Values and Principles Your Foundation
  • Look After Yourself
  • You Can’t Do it All
  • Humour Saves

I relate to Hillier’s practical pragmatic approach to leadership and his ability to work with people in a no-nonsense, yet personable manner. In one situation he recalls standing with a commander as the troops went by in parade. Many of the troops made friendly comments to General Hillier as they walked past, yet ignored their commander. The commander responded, “I used to be that way, smokin’ and jokin’ with the boys, when I was a junior officer and leader, but as soon as I became a commander that all changed. Now, it’s all serious business and no time for jokes or making light of things.” Hillier replied, “Why do you think you were promoted through a variety of ranks, given additional challenges at each one and finally, now, given the challenges of senior command? Because of the characteristics you exhibited, demonstrated and matured at each of those different levels…because of the kind of person you were and how you related to people. The last thing in the world we wanted you do to was change in such a fundamental manner. You have to be who you are.” Good advice to leaders who think a title or position requires them to be someone different from who they really are.

Though this book is obviously meant to demonstrate general leadership principles, many of the practical ideas translate well into either sacred or secular work. Not every chapter will be applicable, but at least the stories are entertaining. There is little theory, more philosophy of leadership, but the vast majority of the book is comprised of the summaries of a leader’s reflections on where he has come from and where his skills as a leader has taken him.

What impressed me the most in this book is the heart and the compassion this soldier felt for those under his command, and the care and respect with which he clearly demonstrates to the families of his soldiers as well. From a leadership perspective, this compassion combined with his tenacity and brutal honesty, was likely a great combination for the incredible loyalty he was given by those under his command.

Hillier took on the monumental task of combining all the Canadian branches of the military into one streamlined, finely tuned combat ready force. No doubt he has his critics and detractors as he says, “Being decisive means pissing people off”. Hillier readily admits his own faults and flaws, but his personal discipline and strong character drove him to model for his troops and staff the kind of soldier he expected each member of the Canadian Forces to be.

The book does not delve into gory battle details, nor does it play the emotion or sympathy card for the military. Neither does it seek to make political points other than state what most people already understand about governments being largely out of touch with reality. It is what it claims to be, fifty short chapters containing insights learned over a lifetime of service, shared as one successful leader to other aspiring leaders.

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Who is Leading You?

The Christian leader constantly fights the battle for who is in charge of your life. Who should have the last say in what a person does, whether it is in the corporate office or in the home or in the church?  We might quickly give the “churchy” answer, “Of course God has the ultimate say.” But is that really the case in your life?

We like to think that we are “Spirit –led” in our decision, but are we really? I often come across individuals who spend much time in prayer seeking the Lord, reading in His Word for guidance and direction, and sharing with other believers what they sense the Lord has told them. These people, in my estimation, are doing their utmost to be led by God in all they do.

There are many others who choose to go through life with the mindset that since we prayed some months ago for wisdom, we can go about our daily business with confidence that every decision we make is going to be a wise decision, whether or not we have ever stopped to breath a prayer to the Father or crack open His Word or a devotional book. Such people are good people, well-meaning individuals, hard working and diligent in their jobs. They have a good reputation, high respect among their peers, a track record of success, and are often asked for advice from others.  But are they being God-led or are they simply well educated, experienced, principled and thoughtful individuals?

Now perhaps we need to address one other matter before we get into the core issues. Some think that they need to be spiritually minded only when they are at church or doing “Kingdom” work, whereas while they are in the secular world, they should function with the same drive, determination, and ambition as everyone else employing the same methods and means to accomplish their goals. The problem with this thinking is that when we are saved, we are taken out of the kingdom of this world and put into the Kingdom of God. Though we live in the world, we are no longer “of” the world. We have been bought with a price, we no longer belong to ourselves, we belong to Christ who purchased us with His blood. So there is no longer any differentiation between secular and sacred in our life, because everything now pertains to the sacred as Christ lives in us and now guides us from the inside out.

Several Scriptures come into play here.

1.  Romans 12:2 “Do not be conformed to this age, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may discern what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God” (HCSB).

This verse tells us that there is no way of knowing God’s perfect will unless we allow the Spirit of God to transform our heart and mind. This means we can no longer live by the world’s ways, the world’s standards, and the world’s expectations as a Christian. We have a much, much higher standard to hold to. This is not a once for all event, it is a constant activity in which we must cooperate with the Spirit of God. We can give in to the world’s way of thinking quite easily, and soon we are no longer thinking as Christ would have us think, but seeking our own gain, our own selfish ambitions, our own interests and completely forget about everyone else around us. We must constantly seek the Lord in order for our minds to be renewed and transformed out of the world’s ways and into Kingdom ways.

2. John 15:19 “If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own. However, because you are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of it, the world hates you.”

I believe when a Christian honors God in what they do, that God will in return honor them, bless them, and cause them to prosper in what they have been asked to do. We must not forget our job, our house, our family, and our skill, attributes, and gifts were all given to us by God. He is our boss, our enabler, our teacher, our controller, our source of strength, our reservoir of wisdom and grace. Even though we may want to think we got where we are by our own intelligence, skills, and drive, God can certainly take it all away in an instant. It is God we need to please and from whom we need to receive accolades, not the world around us. Sure people can appreciate what we do, they can give us honors and awards for our good and timely work, but it is God who first needs to be impressed with our obedience to Him and our desire to serve Him. If we seek first to please God, then the fickleness of the world will not phase us in the least. God will vindicate us in the face of slander, misrepresentation, hostility, and opposition. Christ felt it all the time and won the victory despite his detractors and enemies. If the world hates you it is because they see you are no longer playing the game by their rules, and you are setting a much higher standard according to values, principles, integrity, honesty, and truth – things that are in short supply in today’s corporate world. It is not a bad thing to be disliked by some people. If evil people speak highly of you, there is something wrong. If you are the poster boy/girl for Workaholic of the Year in the staff room, there is a problem. If you are used as an example of how an employee should sacrifices their family and personal  goals for the sake of the company, you have not made the impact Christ wants you to make.  If the Company rules your life instead of the Kingdom you need to have a serious look at your life and seek God all over again.

3. 1 John 2:15-17 “Do not love the world or the things that belong to the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in him. Because everything that belongs to the world- the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride in one’s lifestyle–is not from the Father, but is from the world. And the world with its lust is passing away, but the one who does God’s will remains forever.”  (HCSB)

When we forget we were never created for time and space and this world, that we were created for eternity, to enjoy God’s creation and His presence, we begin to have a distorted perspective on the world and all it has to offer. When we begin to desire the world and its trappings more than God and His Kingdom, we are in danger spiritually, emotionally, psychologically and even physically. To “seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness” helps us realize the foolishness of chasing after the dreams the world has to offer in light of what God has to offer. If you want to see clear examples of the result of “the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life” open your newspaper or business magazine and look at those whose address has changed from the corporate office to the prison cell. They were enticed by lust for power, lust for wealth, lust for influence, pride in their position, and felt they were above the law until the law caught up with them and showed them differently. The final words of this verse says, the “world with its lust is passing away”. You’ve heard the statement, “The one who dies with the most toys wins”, well,  it seems the multiple failed marriages, the estranged children, the paranoia and desire for more that many of the wealthy and influential exhibit would indicate what they had been chasing all their life turned out to have captured them in the end.

1 Corinthians 2:16  says, “But we have the mind of Christ.” This is no light statement. The implications of this are far reaching, or at least they should be. It should impact all our choices, our actions, our thoughts, and our goals. Somehow, though, there is a disconnect between our work and our relationship with Christ. We too often shut Him out of our daily agenda and decisions preferring to handle things on our own. This, of course, will result in achieving only those things we can achieve, and prohibits God from accomplishing all that He had intended to do through us.

If we choose to leave Christ at home when we go off to work, then we also choose to function according to our own wisdom, our own strength, our own insight, our own limitations rather than having access to the wisdom, insight, vision, power, and knowledge of God who sees the future, the past, and the present and can guide us through safe waters to achieve amazing results if we allow Him to. Who is leading you? Who is in control of your heart and mind? What results do you see in your life, family, and business? Do  they look like God has had His hand in it, or do they look more like you have been working hard on your own strength? Bring God into your workplace and let Him have His way in your heart and you will begin to see lives transformed and not just the bottom line looking good.

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Ministry Priorities in the Church

by Tom Blackaby

There are a lot of great things we do at church, but not all of them are beneficial to the overall direction and program of our ministry. We can be so busy putting out fires, preparing for the next meeting, salvaging damaged relationships within the body, and visiting the needy that we actually neglect the fundamental priorities of ministry.

Some pastors focus on caring for the sheep, making sure they are all well protected and well fed to the neglect of the infrastructure that facilitates church programs and ministries. Others focus so much on the programs, the goals, and the direction that often the individual sheep feel neglected and disenfranchised.

Moses was so caught up in the details of his ministry to the people that he forgot the big picture. He was getting worn out as a leader and though he was doing a lot of good things, everyone was frustrated; the people, the community leaders, and Moses himself. It took a wise elder (Jethro, his father-in-law) to devise a workable solution for managing ministry and to preserve Moses as a leader. You can read about the infrastructure implemented by Jethro’s plan in Exodus 18-13-23, but I want you to look specifically at one verse in particular that may revolutionize your ministry.

“And you shall teach them ordinances and laws, and shall make them know the way in which they must walk, and the work that they must do” Exodus 18:20.

Here we see three components, three priorities for ministry, each of which are integral to a successful ministry.

  1. Teach them the ordinances and laws
  2. make them know the way in which they must walk
  3. make them know the work they must do

Let’s flesh this out in practical terms.

1. You shall teach them the ordinances and laws

  • Statutes – khoke an enactment; an appointment, commandment, decree, law, measure, ordinance, task. These would pertain to the rules for worship, for how to treat others and how to care for animals. They outlined exactly what God expected of His people. The statutes set out the parameters for what was acceptable in society and how each person was to live in relationship to others.
  • Laws –to-raw’; a precept or statute, especially the Decalogue or Pentateuch. We know these as the Ten Commandments or the first five books of the OT written by Moses. He was establishing a community and a society out of a bunch of runaway slaves. They had no system of government, no legal system, no police or judges, no structure or infrastructure to guide daily life. So this was what Moses was asked to present to the people.

Moses was probably one of a handful of people who could even read and the only one who knew all that God expected for His people.  He could not be the only repository of information. They people needed to have God’s laws in their mind and written on their hearts. He had to “get the word out”. They needed the INFORMATION in order to make wise choices with their resources, time and talent.

It seems that in the church today, that the Word of God is not nearly as important as other things. The amount of money spent on design, entertainment, productions, mission trips, good works, and buildings versus the amount spent on helping people know and understand the word of God is hardly comparable. What percentage of your members are involved in Sunday school, home Bible Studies or personal Bible study? How many of your people bring their Bibles to church on Sunday? How many people turn in their Bibles to follow along with the pastor in his sermons?

2. shall make them know the way in which they must walk,

Philippians 3:17 “Join together in imitating me, brothers, and pay close attention to those who live by the example we have given you.”

 

Way – deh’-rek a road (as trodden); a course of life or mode of action, journey

Walk – haw-lak’ to walk, behave, follow

I think it is nice to preach good sermons about how to live the Christian life. I think it is great to lead good Bible studies that talk about how to live the Christian life. I think it is great to read devotional books about how to live the Christian life. But I think it is far better to walk with someone and SHOW them how to live the Christian life. People need the APPLICATION of scripture in their daily life. They need to know how to implement it in their real – life circumstances for it to have any real meaning for them personally. After to TELL them what they need to know, you must SHOW them how to use it daily in their relationships, in their workplace, in their worship, and in their attitudes.

As a pastor, I have made it my goal to get into every business of my church members. That means going to the cafeterias at the oil companies, taking a pizza to the automotive shop were another deacon works, visiting in the staff room at the schools, checking in at the X-ray department at the hospital, sitting with a member in the corporate office, even riding along with a bus driver. This way I know the context of where my church people live out their Christianity. .

  • Are there teenagers who could use some one to walk with them and show them how to live out the Christian life? Many teenagers are without fathers in the home right now and the only examples of fathers they see are in the movies or on TV. Some have godly coaches to will take time with them. Many don’t have anyone.
  • Are there single dads who struggle to have relationships with their children who need someone to walk with them?
  • Are there young men trying to make a go of it with a new company and a young family who need someone to walk with them and show them how to honour God in their businesses and family?

3. And the work that they must do.

Do – aw-saw’ A primitive root; to do or make, in the broadest sense and widest application: – accomplish, advance, appoint, apt, be at, become, bear, bestow, bring forth,

Every person wants to accomplish something of significance with their life. God has planned long ago very important and special things for each of His people to do with His power and with His guidance. It is not enough to have INFORMATION and APPLICATION – we must give our people IMPLEMENTATION. In other words, 1. tell them what they need to know, 2. show them how to use their new-found knowledge and truth in their daily life, 3. then provide them with ways to use this in ministry through the church.

 

Ephes 2:10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to good works, which God has before ordained that we should walk in them.

 

It is not enough to be saved as a Christian; that is only part of the equation for eternal life. When our people are well fed and well taught, they need to get off their sofa and put it into practise by impacting other people’s lives.

  1. Teach them what God expects from them. Give them the information they need from the Scriptures to live a productive, meaningful Christian life.
  2. Walk with them, or have your deacons, elders, home group leaders, Sunday school teachers, mentors and coaches walk with them to demonstrate how to use their information and truth.
  3. Put them to work. Give them a job to do. Involve them in a ministry, a mission, a means to impact other people’s lives.

I guarantee that you will see a transformation in the lives of those sitting in front of you week after week if you use this 3-fold strategy in your ministry. You can do all the work yourself at church, or you can multiply your army of ministry personnel and see your church flourish so that your community will never be the same inside and outside the church.

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Cognitive Surplus: Creativity and Generosity in a Connected Age by Clay Shirky

[rating:2]

(New York: Penguin Press, 2010)

256 pgs

Clay Shirky is a professor in the Interactive Telecommunications Program at New York University. He previously wrote, Here Comes Everybody. Shirky is an expert in social media and he uses this knowledge to look for social patterns. In a world that is gradually becoming aware of the enormity of possibilities in a connected age, Shirky makes some interesting observations.

He notes that in the 1720s there was a craze of gin drinking among the masses in London (1). He notes that at first people thought this was a sign of increased debauchery among the populace. What it was, in fact, was peoples’ attempt to cope with the depersonalizing effects of the industrial revolution and social pressures related to urbanization. He then notes that since World War Two, society has undergone enormous changes and that has caused increased societal tensions. Shirky asks: “During this transition, what has been our gin, the critical lubricant that eased our transition from one kind of society to another?” (4). He concludes: the sitcom. He notes that since World War Two, the modern world has been granted an enormous amount of discretionary time. The majority of it has been spent watching television. Americans watch over 200 billion hours of television every year (10). Someone born in 1960 has, on average, already watched 50,000 hours of television and will more than likely watch another 30,000 hours before they die (6).

However, with the rise of the Internet, society suddenly gained a new form of entertainment. This one, however, is interactive. Rather than sitting on your couch in your living room by yourself all evening watching sit coms, people now share U-tubes and upload pictures of their vacation with friends around the world. Today’s entertainment is much more interactive. People no longer want to just sit passively and be entertained or informed by professionals.

Shirky notes that each year, educated peoples from around the world have over one trillion hours of free time. He asks, “Imagine treating the free time of the world’s educated citizenry as an aggregate, a kind of cognitive surplus” (9). He suggests that the key is scale. There are now so many people who are connected to one another and who have the time and technology available to them, that even if people only donated 1% of their free time to a particular cause, the magnitude of the effort would be enormous. Throughout the book, Shirky gives examples where people have united together using social media to advance worthy social causes. Such events such as the uprising in Egypt are examples of people uniting together for a cause perceived to be just.

Shirky makes a number of interesting comments. He notes that amateurs are distinguished from professionals by motivation (82). People who care about social issues will make great sacrifices on behalf of a cause. In the past society depended on professionals but technology is allowing amateurs with passion to change the world. He also notes that “globalization” is more about “scope” than “size” (85). He also emphasizes that small contributions may not seem like much, but when added to millions of other small contributions, there is enormous potential for change (174). He notes that at the end of 2009, there were 24 hours of material being added to U-Tube every minute (93). There were over 300 million words being sent on Twitter every day. He notes: “This increase in our ability to create things together, to pool our free time and particular talents into something useful, is one of the great new opportunities of the age, one that changes the behaviors of people who take advantage of it” (119).

He also notes that people have been unfair to categorize generations based on psychology. He notes that the primary difference between generations X, Y and Z have been that of “opportunity” (120). For example, with the advent of Napster, society bemoaned the fact that teenagers were “stealing” music on the Internet. However, Shirky points out that it was only because they were the first generation to have the technology to do so that distinguished that generation, not their loss of morals (123, 126).

Shirky also notes: “In a free culture, you get what you celebrate” (176). He also suggests, “If you want different behavior, you have to provide different opportunities’” (196). He quotes Brewster Kahle who said, “If you want to solve hard problems, have hard problems” (205).

Overall I found this to be a thought-provoking book. It addresses a fascinating concept of how to harness the connectivity of the modern age to accomplish good. I would think that churches, Christian ministries, and spiritual leaders in any setting would want to consider what new opportunities there are to harness peoples’ discretionary time to achieve kingdom purposes. Gone are the days when church volunteers have to drive to the church building in order to contribute their efforts. Now, volunteers sitting in front of their computer screens can provide invaluable service if only their congregations will identify ways to mobilize them through new applications of technology. Technology is enabling volunteers and amateurs what it used to take professionals to do. Will the church take full advantage of these tools?

Because this is a specialized, more technical book, I did not rate it as highly as a “must read” as I would for a more broadly applicable leadership book. However, for those interested in thinking about how to access the free time of their people to accomplish major change, it may be a helpful read.

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Pastors: be Shepherds, not Sheep

by Tom Blackaby

These are disconcerting times among God’s people. Whereas there seems to be a much greater effort for inter-denominational (read Kingdom) work between churches today and whereas churches are in many cases for the first time implementing strategies for reaching the lost and impacting their communities, there is one glaring issue that is troubling. As I travel from state to state and city to city seeking to encourage and inspire God’s people to know Him, His ways, and His agenda for their life, I have regularly been confronted with the fact that a growing number of pastors across the country have been spiritually neutralized. They may be preaching each week and spending time in personal and private devotion, but it is almost as though they have unknowingly slipped from their role as shepherd and have become a sheep. They appear to be wandering with their congregation seeking a direction and focus instead of leading their people to be involved in the activities and ministries God has ordained for their church.

Instead of leading their people to find the heart and mind of God for their particular congregation, some pastors seek to copy other “more successful” congregations that have blown past the norm and set new standards and developed innovative approaches for reaching their communities. These churches have successfully marketed their strategies and multiple thousands of other churches around the world have bought into their technique and methodologies. We love to adopt other people’s techniques because it means we don’t actually have to come up with our own. We don’t have to do the hard work of going before the Lord on bended knee or sacrificing to fast and pray to seek the heart and mind of our Master. We can open a book or watch a DVD and poof! There it is already prepared for us!

It seems too many pastors have surrendered their role as shepherds and become sheep and are looking to other more “successful” shepherds for direction. Why are pastors settling for second-hand visions for their congregations? Why will pastors gladly place Internet orders from other shepherds in order to feed their churches with pre-packaged meals?

God said to His people, “And I will give you shepherds according to My heart, who shall feed you with knowledge and understanding” (Jer. 3:15). The simple reality is that many pastors are seeking God’s heart in a book or online rather than in His Word or through prayer or by spending unhurried time alone with God seeking His heart.

The staggering amount of pre-packaged sermon material posted in the World Wide Web has become regular fodder for sermons all across our land and around the world. People are being given second hand visions from mega churches, and second hand sermons God gave to other messengers.  Pastors have become sheep giving their congregations the leftovers of what God has provided other shepherds for their sheep. The words may be the same when they are re-preached, but the Spirit is missing.

Oswald Chambers in My Utmost for His Highest says, “Many a Christian worker has left Jesus Christ alone and gone into work from a sense of duty, or from a sense of need arising out of his own particular discernment. The reason for this is the absence of the resurrection life of Jesus. The soul has got out of intimate contact with God by leaning to its own religious understanding. We have put a sense of duty on the throne instead of the resurrection life of Jesus.” (Feb 28 p. 59)

When the children of Israel were to gather the wilderness manna, they were instructed that each one should gather for themselves; none should be left over, none should be hoarded. Some pastors are no longer gathering for themselves, they are buying it from others and offering stale sermons and moldy insight to their people that cannot satisfy their longings for living water and the bread of life.

Pastors are content to obtain their relationship with God from devotional books and ancient readings rather than searching out God for themselves in His Word or seeking Him in times of extended prayers. “And you shall seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart”. (Jer. 29:13). It seems few pastors have the heart that seeks God as demonstrated by our Lord, “For Jesus, in the days of His flesh, when He had offered up prayers and supplications with strong cryings and tears to Him who was able to save Him from death, and was heard in that He feared” (Heb. 5:7)

 

“We need to rely on the resurrection life of Jesus much deeper down than we do, to get into the habit of steadily referring everything back to Him; instead of this we make our common-sense decisions and ask God to bless them. He cannot…” (Oswald Chambers, My Utmost for His Highest)

 

We cannot bring our congregations into the presence of God if we have not found our own way there first. We cannot show them someone else’s roadmap. It must come from within. That is why God has placed us where He has, to be transparent maps for our people that they can follow us into the presence of God. “Truth is truth” they say, “It doesn’t matter where it comes from.” Noah’s instructions wouldn’t do very well for Moses. Joshua’s instructions concerning Jericho would not have been relevant for David against Goliath. Elijah’s Mt Carmel experience was recommended by James and John to Jesus in dealing with obstinate Samaritans, but was rejected (Luke 9). We must stop living off other people’s burning bushes and blinding lights and find our own intimacy with God and life-changing encounters.

Religious leaders of the day cloaked themselves in ritual and tradition and held to the laws passed down by their forefathers. Christ came and tore the veil in two saying all who will enter may now come directly into the presence of the most Holy. But we are not making the effort to regularly go beyond the veil into the holy of holies; we are stopping by the wayside at the tourist booth to purchase trinkets and postcards of what others saw when they were there, and then bringing them back to our churches to pass off as our own. Second hand visions, second hand messages. Our people want so desperately to see that sparkle in the eyes of the pastor, the glow on his face, those tale-tale signs that he “has been with the Lord”. They are no longer content with technique, presentation, or video-enhanced 3-D sermons. They want a fresh word from the Lord, the words of life, the living water, the moving of the Spirit from their shepherd.

Pastors are (for the most part) paid to serve the Lord. We are remunerated to be spiritual for our people. What a joy! People actually paying us to spend time with God! So why do we not take advantage of that opportunity? It can mean life or death in our churches, and the many churches that are struggling and dying have been longing to hear the words of life, a fresh wind of the Spirit from their pulpits for years. They are sheep without a shepherd.

I believe pastors are content to be sheep for several reasons:

1. Many pastors have not seen a model of a God-seeking pastor in their formative years. There are generations of people who have been content with second-hand messages and vision by consensus. That is all they know. When they read an exciting message from other pastors, they want their people to hear it. But they do not realize they are able to access the same information, the same truth, the same life-changing encounters with God themselves in His Word. They truly believe tried and true techniques, pre-printed messages and second-hand encounters with God are adequate for their sheep. Some sermons are so full of other people’s quotes there is little evidence the pastor actually developed any of it himself. They are content to defer spiritual responsibility to those higher in authority over them for the welfare of the sheep. Sheep leading sheep.

 

2. Some pastors see their ministry as a job that they get paid for, rather than a calling from Christ.  Some pastors refuse to be any more accountable to Christ than the average church member. They have abdicated their role as spiritual leader, as shepherd, as a steward of the lives of those God has placed under their care. So they have professional hours, professional salary packages, professional development, and career advancement plans. They have forgotten they are accountable to God first and people second. Pastoring is not for the weak-hearted or the lazy. It requires great burdens to be carried, hours needed for sleep to be given up for prayer, and many sacrifices to be made in order to adequately care for the sheep in your charge. A pastor, properly executing his responsibilities, could never be adequately compensated by any salary package or earthly remuneration. The rewards are in the possession of the Good Shepherd to be given as He sees fit.

3. Some pastors have succumbed to the pressures of their congregation to look like all the other churches. Just as the people of Israel rejected Samuel and sought for a king to lead them, so too have churches pursued CEO’s, executive pastors, and such to look like every other “successful” organization. Pastors have believed the flattery and the adulations of their congregants who seek to be proud of their organization rather than faithful to their Lord’s commands. Endowment funds, spacious facilities, high tech performances, and state of the art equipment equals success, all the while the heart and mind of the Lord remains neglected.

4. Pastors do not have the time, nor do they particularly want to pay the price personally to seek the Lord. Why spend two or three days alone in prayer and fasting before the Lord seeking His will and His ways when you can borrow a vision from a book that God gave someone else after they prayed and fasted? The demands of the church, its ministries, the staff, the elders not to mention family calls for “McVision”-find it quick, make it slick, and implement it before the ink on the last vision poster is barely dry. The average pastor prays so little today that it is embarrassing to even record the minutes. All study is related to the upcoming sermon rather than to seeking the heart and mind of the Master. The early church in Acts saw fit to employ the gifts of deacons to relieve the Apostles of extraneous activities that drew them away from spending time with God and ministering the word to the people. Too many pastors’ day planners are stuffed with extraneous responsibilities and distracting expectations from their people. Purge the calendar, cut out the distractions, come regularly before the throne of grace and your people will be transformed by what God will do through you.

Congregations everywhere plead for pastors

  • who anguish over their sermons to ensure their people hear from God,
  • who plead before the Lord on behalf of their congregation,
  • who spend unhurried and adequate time getting to know the Lord personally, and
  • who will do what it takes for the Holy Spirit to give a fresh word for their congregation.

Churches are starving for pastors who have a heart like Paul who writes, “For out of much trouble and anguish of heart I wrote to you with many tears, not that you should be grieved, but that you might know the love which I have more abundantly to you”(2Co 2:4).

 

A congregation, a flock of sheep, wants dearly to be loved, cared for, and prayed over. But more, they want their shepherd to have spent time with the Good Shepherd, learning at His feet, listening to His voice, and following His ways as he cares for the sheep. This is not an indictment against pastors; it is a call for every pastor to reclaim his or her rightful position as shepherd of the sheep, as a spiritual leader accountable to God Himself, as a good steward of the lives and the charge given into his or her care by the Lord Jesus Christ.

Moses writes, “But if you shall seek Jehovah your God from there, you shall find Him, if you seek Him with all your heart and with all your soul. When you are in trouble and when all these things have found you in the latter days, then you shall return to Jehovah your God and shall be obedient to His voice” (Deut. 4:29-30).

E.M. Bounds wrote, “How can a man preach who does not get his message fresh from God in the closet? How can he preach without having his faith quickened, his vision cleared, and his heart warmed by his closeting with God? Alas, for the pulpit lips which are untouched by the closet flame. Dry and unctionless they will ever be, and truths divine will never come with power from such lips. As far as the real interests of religion are concerned, a pulpit without a closet will always be a barren thing.” (The Best of EM Bounds on Prayer, p. 102)

To lead a congregation into the presence of God, one must first have spent much time there themselves. Pastors do not discover how to experience God’s presence together with their people; they go ahead of them into the Holy of Holies and then bring their congregations to the mountain to see the burning bush for themselves. Once we know the mind of God from having spent our extended times with Him, we can lead our people to know the heart and mind of God and to identify His activity all around us. Once we have sensitized our own eyes to see things from a kingdom perspective, then we can help remove the scales from our people’s eyes to see the wonderful things God has in store for them. There simply are no shortcuts in ministry. There are no quick fixes for character issues, no instant solutions for powerless ministries or visionless churches. It may not appear wise to put a full stop on the calendar of activities in order for the church to spend unhurried time before their Lord and Master, but to not do so may gut the essence right out of the terms “Lord” and “Master.” These are not mere titles we assign to Christ; they are descriptions of our relationship to Him. He is the Lord; therefore we are under His authority. He is the Master; therefore we are His servants. Let us not charge ahead on our own volition waving our own agendas and going under our own power using our own resources and never come into His presence to seek His commands for us. That is insurrection!

To bring our people into the presence of God is to elevate our opinion of God to its rightful place, and present our people under His banner with a wholehearted determination to not move one more step until He has spoken and we have clearly heard Him. If we are not spending time as a congregation to pray, we are not seeking the will of our Lord. “We pray” you say. “The men pray, the women pray, the singles pray, the teenagers pray, our seniors pray, and our staff prays.” But are you seeking the heart and mind of God together as a congregation or are all your groups off on their own agendas submitting their shopping lists to God for him to fill at His leisure? Something amazing always happened when God’s people all came together before Him to seek His will, to worship, to pray, and to submit to His authority over them. Few churches today ever plan for this to happen. Most say this is impractical. But what they are really saying is that it is not necessary because they already have their three-year plan marked on their calendar for what intend for God to do. The church staff designs the plan and presents it to the congregation, but the people of God have never been given the opportunity to seek the Lord together as His body. It is a dangerous thing to let God’s people come together to seek Him. It may wreak havoc on your long-range plans!

I suggest that the Lordship of Christ is more than a spiritual acknowledgement we make at conversion; it is a practical application of our relationship with Him in all aspects of church life. The Lordship of Christ implies He has an agenda for our church and our ministry, but it is our duty and privilege to spend the time it takes in His presence for Him to reveal it to us. This does not happen in our answering-machine message prayers. It happens when we seek Him with all of our heart, all of our soul, all of our strength, and all of our minds. Perhaps this is why Christ listed this as the greatest commandment! To do so acknowledges our complete dependence upon God for everything: our vision, our sermons, our agendas, and our very existence as His people.

It is time to turn pastors who are “reasonable facsimiles” into real shepherds of the sheep who have scouted out the land, who have found the best fields, who have located the fresh waters and the luscious grasses and the cool shade for the heat of the day. These pastors have planned out their routes, taken into consideration the weather patterns and ever present dangers, and their sheep trust them and love them because of it.

“And I will give you shepherds according to My heart, who shall feed you with knowledge and understanding” (Jer. 3:15). The only way to know God’s heart, the only way to feed your sheep with knowledge and understanding, with the way, the truth and the life, is to spend time in God’s presence, seek Him out regularly and deliberately. Don’t let anything distract you from this pursuit. For if you do, the entire flock will be in jeopardy of starving to death and being picked off one by one by our adversary who continuously prowls on weak and defenceless sheep.

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Influencing the Future

by Richard Blackaby

It has been said that leaders influence followers, while great leaders influence leaders. It might be added, wise leaders influence the future. There is much talk these days about leaving a legacy. Perhaps that is because at a certain point in peoples’ lives they begin to wonder how their life will be remembered. Will there be anything they contributed to humanity the following generations will remember and be grateful for?

Too many leaders become so immersed in day-to-day concerns that they fail to take the long view. Investing in their current projects impacts the present. Investing in future leaders impacts the future. Thom and Jess Rainer in their book, Millennials: Connecting to America’s Largest Generation, make some significant comments about the Millennial Generation. Millennials are people born between 1980 and 2000. Presently, the oldest Millennials are 21. The youngest are 11. What makes them significant is that there are 77.9 million of them! Baby Boomers have long held center stage because at 75.9 million, they were America’s largest generation. Not any more.

Being a Baby Boomer myself, I have always been intrigued by my generation. We were known as the “me” generation. We rebelled against our parents and the “establishment.” We felt constricted by our parents’ rules and outdated regulations and thus were born the hippie movement as well as sit-ins and various other protests. In our generation we saw the end of segregation as well as skyrocketing divorce and abortion rates. But being rebels ourselves, how did we parent our children? We indulged them. We took them to lessons bought them Nintendos and cell phones and told them anything was possible. For the most part, they believed us.

When asked if they thought their lives could make a significant difference in their world, 96% of Millennials believed they could. We all know that Millennials are extremely relational as well as technologically savvy. Thus Facebook with more members than the United States has people. But they also have an extremely positive outlook on life and a belief in peoples’ ability to make a difference. The Rainers suggest that 9/11 had a formative influence on Millennials. They realize that life is uncertain and that it is family and relationships that matter. They also recognize there are serious problems in the world that must be addressed.

An interesting fact the Rainers bring out is that Millennials have a positive attitude toward their parents and older adults in general. Why shouldn’t they? Their parents have believed in them, shuttled them, and encouraged them throughout their lives. In fact, 75% of Millennials claimed they would like a mentor who would help them become better leaders (41).

This poses a great challenge and opportunity for today’s leaders. Baby Boomers typically hold management positions in today’s organizations. Brad Szollose in his book, Liquid Leadership notes that Millennials generally question Baby Boomer’s abilities because Boomers are generally not as comfortable with modern technology as the younger generations are. He also notes that Boomers see the young upstarts as lazy, lacking focus, and overconfident. Yet he comments: “Someone needs to get these two generations talking and working together” (101). He notes that wise companies will learn how to harness the creativity and skills of the emerging generation. He claims: “If you don’t start listening to the youth in your company, you will miss the next big idea that is right under your nose” (64).

This may prove especially true for churches. Millennials have little interest in the organized church. The Rainers estimate that only 10-15% of them are evangelical, born again believers. Yet much of this they claim, is because Millennials see the church as divisive, angry, and shouting at those with whom they disagree. For a generation that prizes relationships, this is not good.

So what are the implications for those who are leading Millennials?

First, the “me” generation needs to think about others! It is foolish to expect the 78 million Millennials to begin acting and thinking like and valuing the same things Boomers do! They are the future. We are not! Millennials are looking for people who are authentic, who value relationships, who are willing to make use of technology, and who think globally. Millennials will not necessarily accept what you say at face value just because you are the boss (Not when they can Google your facts on their I-Phone before you have even made your closing argument!). The challenge for today’s leaders is whether they are willing to make adjustments in their style and methodology so they connect with the massive new generation currently entering the workforce.

Second, understand they are bright (the most educated generation in American history), and they want their lives to make a difference. They are also comfortable with technology and have been problem-solving around their video-game consoles since they were preschoolers. Wise leaders will discover how to enlist and maximize their services. For too long adults have been underchallenging their young people. Today’s Millennials are looking for leaders who will encourage them to fully utilize all of their God-given abilities so their lives make a positive contribution to their world.

Third, intentionally make time to invest in the next generation. Most of them want a mentor. Investing in the next generation is not only a smart way to spend your time; it also helps you keep a clear perspective on your own life. Our time on earth is transitory, but our focus on the next generation will elongate our influence. A friend of mine, Ron Wagley, retired from being CEO of Transamerica. He meets every Saturday morning with fourteen young business professionals at his home. He leads these “young guns” in studying how to be godly, effective, spiritual leaders in their home, their church, and their work. It has been one of the most rewarding experiences Ron has enjoyed in his successful career. The question for us is: what young man or woman are we presently investing in who could potentially exceed our own contributions?

Fourth, are we listening to the ideas being generated by Millennials? We need to understand that they are relational as well as technological people. They may view things much differently than we do. But they do have valuable insights and they do know their generation better than anyone else. For those leading churches, Millennials are generally indifferent to the established church. However, those Millennials who are involved in church want their lives to make a difference. The Rainers claim that two key words for Millennial Christians are “missional” and “Incarnational” (260). Those churches that embrace Millennials and enable them to engage in meaningful ministry will find that they attract a corps of dynamic, gifted, motivated young adults who will enable that congregation to enjoy a bright future.

Leaders ought to take an inventory of those people who have emerged as effective leaders under their guidance. Whether you are a business or church leader, there ought to be a new generation of leaders emerging from your organization that have been encouraged and inspired by you. Millennials will pass up higher paying jobs if they can find a place that values them and helps them achieve what matters to them. If there are no bright, motivated, inspired young leaders in your organizational pipeline don’t blame the younger generation. Ask God to show you at least one person you can invest your life in and to bless. It may be the greatest investment of your life.

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Millennials: Connecting to America’s Largest Generation by Thom and Jess Rainer

[rating:3]

(Nashville: B and H Group, 2011)

304 pgs

In an interesting approach to writing on demographic issues, Thom Rainer, a Baby Boomer, wrote a book about the Millennial generation with, who better than his Millennial son Jess. Most of us are extremely familiar with the plethora of discussions that have followed the development of Baby Boomers. No generation in American history has captured the public’s attention like they have. While sociologists group Americans’ in different ways, the Rainers note that a generation is roughly 20 years. The twentieth century therefore witnessed five generations. These are:

G.I. Generation (1904-1924). 59.6 million. (Tom Brokaw identified them as America’s greatest generation).

Silent Generation (1925-1945). 55.4 million.

Boomer Generation (1945-1964). 75.9 million.

Gen X (1965-1979). 51.5 million.

Millennial Generation (1980-2000). 77.9 million.

American society has been enamored with Baby Boomers because of their sheer size. They represented the largest generation in American history. As a result, marketers, sociologists, politicians, educators and many others have carefully followed their progress through life. However, the Millennial Generation is slightly larger than the baby Boomers, which means it is not too soon to be thinking about how society needs to be adjusting to them and their particular needs in the coming days.

There were a number of interesting facts in this book. For one, this may be one of the most diverse generations in history (1). Whereas Boomers worked to have diversity, Millennials take it for granted. Whereas Boomers challenged racism, Millennials are color blind (80). In fact, one out of five Millennials has at least one immigrant parent (81). Interestingly, perhaps because Boomers were not close to their parents, they went all-out to be involved with their own children. As a result, Millennials are surprisingly close to their parents (93). Millennials rate “family” as their greatest priority (229). Many Millennials had parents who divorced. As a result, Millennials have a high level of commitment to make their first marriage work (31). Unlike their Boomer parents who rejected and even disdained the older generation, Millennials respect their elders (60). This is perhaps because they have had adults who nurtured them and believed in them all their lives. Interestingly, three out of four Millennials claimed they wanted a mentor in their life (41).

The Rainers estimate that only 10-15% of Millennials are born again, evangelical Christians (233). Millennials have largely rejected the organized church. This is in part because they view it negatively, as consisting of people who shout at and condemn those they disagree with (153). Millennials are peacemakers. They want everyone to get along. This may also be reflected in their acceptance of same sex marriage. It is not so much that they are liberal in their views as they avoid delving into divisive issues that polarize people.

Millennials have been told all their lives that they are special and that they can do whatever they put their minds to. And they have largely believed this. 96% of Millennials believe their life can make a difference in making the world a better place (16). Millennials are also activists, putting their money and their actions where their mouth is. They also are the first generation to grow up their entire lives immersed with technology. This makes them technologically savvy as well as expecting to have their needs met at work or church or any other place with state of the art technology. Of course, Millennials are incredibly relational. When you couple their concern for relationships with their love of technology, it is no surprise that Facebook has more members than the United States.

I found this book to be of particular interest to me because I am a Baby Boomer who has (and is) raising three Millennial children. My own experience resonated with much that was said. I had thought my parenting experience might be somewhat unusual but much of this book helped me better understand my own children. It also challenged me to invest in their generation. They are open to adults’ involvement in their lives. Surprisingly to me, Millennials have high respect for their elders and want to learn from them. I was also challenged that the church and most organizations have not yet made the necessary adjustments to accommodate this mass of people heading their way. I think any leader today must become informed about Millennials. They are the future. Significantly, the Rainers note that the 2008 election was the first time Millennials participated in a significant way. They voted overwhelmingly for Obama, and he won easily. Like I said, the Millennials are the future and ought not to be taken lightly.

Overall I enjoyed this book. In part, because it addresses things dear to my heart—my kids, and investing in the next generation. I enjoyed the writing father and son tandem of the Rainers. It is clear they are evangelical Christians. However, I think that is refreshing in contrast to sociologists who present themselves as entirely objective when it is clear they are not.

While this book is not as purely scientific as others might be, and it at times draws in the personal anecdotes of its authors, I think anyone concerned about the future should read this. It does not draw out a lot of specific leadership issues as a result of their study but it does present a fresh and interesting and influential look at a very important segment of the American population.

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Common Purpose: How Great Leaders Get Organizations to Achieve the Extraordinary by Joel Kurtman

[rating:3]

(San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 2010)

240 pgs

Joel Kurtzman attempts to do something numerous leadership writers have tried before—to write something new about leadership. His new concept is: “common purpose.” He states: “What is common purpose? To me, it is that rare, almost palpable experience that happens when a leader coalesces a group, team, or community into a creative, dynamic, brave, and nearly invincible we. It happens the moment the organization’s values, tools, objectives, and hopes are internalized in a way that enables people to work tirelessly toward a goal” (xii). Kurtzman acknowledges that “Common purpose is rarely achieved” (xii) which makes one wonder if this is a leadership oddity or something that is viable for leaders to strive for. The challenge for leaders, he states, is “how does a leader transform individuals from me to we?” (xiii). Kurtzman cites Warren Bennis who noted that when there is not a close fit between leader and led, “The group will either eject the leader or destroy itself in the attempt” (xiii). “Peak performance” notes Kurtzman, “comes only when the leader and the group function as one” (xv). The challenge is that the leader’s authority “derives from effectively balancing what can only be called the near-schizophrenic task of being a genuinely accepted member of a group while having sufficient detachment to constantly adjust course” (xxi).

While Kurtzman does not necessarily offer much that has not been said in other books, he does bring an important emphasis to leadership which is helpful—that of leading people to embrace a common purpose. This attempt to focus readers on a crucial area of leadership is akin to the book, Execution, which highlighted a particular leadership concern as well. Joel Kurtzman was an editor and columnist for The New York Times in which he interviewed numerous business leaders. He has edited and contributed to various other respected journals such as Harvard Business Review, The Milken Institute Review, and strategy and business magazine. Presently he is the chairman of the Kurtzman Group and specializes in knowledge management, strategy, economic development, global risk, and thought leadership.

Throughout the book he makes some thought-provoking comments. He suggests, for example, that “bad leadership” is not the fault of an individual. Rather, it is “baked into the structure of an organization” (15). He claims that “bad leadership tends to perpetuate itself, albeit in a downward spiral” (15). He also emphasizes that organizations do not “do” things; people do. He notes: “Organizations are simply ways people have developed for achieving goals that are beyond the capability of an individual to accomplish alone. They are methods for aligning groups of people so they achieve common goals” (23). Concerning naysayers he offers: “Once you discover that some negative people cannot rid themselves of their negativity, they must be allowed to find their purpose, passion, and opportunities elsewhere . . . When people disagree with your ideas, embrace them They are your antidote to insularity . . . But when people disagree with you—your position, authority, and level in the organization—they should seek other lines of work” (29). He notes that rarely has he seen excessively negative, angry, or confrontational people transformed into common purpose leaders (120). He also notes ”All organizations have embedded assumptions” 54). I think he is correct. The key for leaders is to identify what they are and, if need be, to alter them.

Kurtzman suggests that homogenous groups can function powerfully because they have a common language and points of view and so are able to act swiftly (71). While this is true, there are obviously clear shortcomings to homogenous groups. In today’s demographic realities, developing such a group can be nearly impossible. Furthermore, the creative and problem solving abilities can be dimmed in a group that thinks and views the world in the same way. Kurtzman suggests that the job of a leader is to “set goals, measure progress, hold people accountable, and remove obstacles” (81). He claims, “Removing obstacles is a leader’s full-time job” (81). I liked the focus of leaders removing obstacles so their people can do their work effectively. Kurtzman also suggests: “A great deal of business is simply doing, on time and correctly, what you said you were going to do” (85).

Kurtzman has several helpful chapters including “We’re All in this Together” where he posits that great organizations do not cultivate an “us versus them” mentality (103). He suggests this is counterproductive and that great organizations keep competitors in their peripheral vision but focus on achieving results themselves. Kurtzman suggests there are three types of leaders. These are Strategic Leaders, Operational Leaders, and Bridge-building Leaders (148). He suggests that organizations need all three types and at every level. Kurtzman also has a chapter addressing working with Generation X and Y in modern organizations (157ff). This is becoming an increasingly important topic and especially when it comes to enlisting them to align with corporate goals and values. Interestingly he suggests that rather than becoming frustrated with the unique characteristics of this group, their social strengths actually make them ideally suited to lead (161).

Kurtzman also has some helpful thoughts on corporate values. He suggests: “an organization’s values are identical to the way it does business” (164). He argues, “What is tolerated within an organization is what the organization values” (164). Kurtzman also reiterates what others have been claiming, that “The best leaders are those who care deeply about the people on their teams” (170). He notes: “. . . one primary, and usually overlooked, job of leaders is to prevent the buildup of organizational toxins. Leaders need to pay a great deal of attention to the emotional climate of the workplace” (172).

Kurtzman also has an interesting chapter on “thought leadership.” I don’t see enough discussion on this topic in modern leadership books. He concludes that chapter by suggesting; “To be successful, companies must be open enough and transparent enough to question everything” (190).

Overall I found this to be a helpful book with some emphases not found in other leadership books. I feel like the concept of “common purpose” truly is an enormous topic for today’s organizations, whether they are businesses or churches. I think for that reason this book is worth reading. I did have a couple of minor critiques, however. He greatly admires the insurance company, FM Global. From his description, it appears to be an admirable company. Nevertheless, he repeatedly cites it to the point that one wonders if there really are so few common purpose companies he must continually return to the same one. He also likes the word “toxic.” While the first time or two he uses it is quite effective, the word seems overused. Finally, and most bothersome to me is his careless citing of Michael Maccoby. Maccoby hypothesized that during the 2004 presidential election, President Bush would personally raise the terrorist alert to a higher level whenever his popularity was sagging (144). While Kurtzman confesses that there is no evidence to support this libelous claim, he goes on to suggest that this is an example of how a bad leader can use power inappropriately. Clearly Kurtzman’s left wing sympathies seep through here clearly. With so many examples of the abusive use of power by leaders that have been documented and is undeniable, why he chose to repeat the unfounded, politically motivated attack by Maccoby is bewildering. Kurtzman is well read and has met numerous leaders. He weakens his book by yielding to the temptation to cite hearsay rather than a credible, verifiable source that was easily at his disposal. As a result, I cannot wholeheartedly endorse this book. However, as I said, I think Kurtzman has identified a key focus for leaders and I suspect he may have coined a phrase that may enter the leadership lexicon in the days to come.