All Posts By

Ken

Mar 11
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His Intent

By Church
Intentions are powerful. Whether good or bad, intentions reflect a sense of purpose and speak to motive. By its very nature, something that happens intentionally did not happen accidentally. If I intentionally drop my coffee (which, trust me, I would never do), that is different than if someone accidentally knocks it out of my hand. The difference lies in motive. One person wanted to knock my coffee out of hand -- for whatever crazy reason! That's why trying to understand someone's intent helps us understand what happened. Intent speaks to why -- why did that person knock the coffee out of my hand? Why did my child act out? Why did that employee miss a deadline? Why did the coach run that particular play instead of another one? Intentions can also be tricky. Unless someone tells you their intention, you're left to piece it together from their actions. That's not impossible, but it…
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Mar 09
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Family

By Church
On the cross, Jesus shows us the kind of person he really is and the kind of person he wants us to be. Much of who I am today I owe to the influence of my parents – especially my dad. Although he never served as an elder or deacon, his influence led 3 out of 5 sons to serve in ministry at one point or another. Picked up my love of bluegrass music from my dad. He modeled unconditional love for my mother. He instilled within me a love for the local church. This is one of the main reasons my wife and I are committing $5,000 to Mountainview's EnVision campaign. A good example of my dad's influence and impact came at one of the most difficult times in my life. When it came time to discuss whether or not to leave my mother on life support, I’ll never…
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Mar 01
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Being Present in the Moment

By Leadership
One of the things that a good improv performer shares in common with a good leader is this: they are both fully present in the moment. This is more than just being a good listener (though that certainly is a part of being present). It's also about being fully engaged in the communication task. Being fully present in the moment involves being aware of more than what the other person is saying. It's also being aware of what they are not saying. It's hearing what is left unspoken. Being fully present is giving the other person our full attention. When you are fully present in the moment, you will pick up non-verbal clues that need to be explored further. A fully present leader lets the other person know that you are one hundred with them -- not necessarily in agreement, but in a supportive way. I'm sure each of us have tried…
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Feb 28
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Being Open to Possibilities

By Leadership
As a communicator, I love to watch really good improv groups. The ability to think quickly and clearly is both a gift and a learned skill. As with most things that appear to be spontaneous, there is actually a fair amount of practice involved. Much of the practice has to do with retraining the instincts of the performer. The first -- and most basic -- rule of improv is called the "Yes, and" rule. It's designed to keep the scene open and moving. Saying "no" is akin to closing the door. It closes the sentence or stops the action. It becomes a conversational wall that must be navigated around. "Yes, and" is an invitation to continue. In life, there are many times it is appropriate to say "no" to something or someone. In fact, the ability to say no well is an important to have as a leader, pastor, or parent.…
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Feb 27
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How You Think Matters

By Leadership
Ever have someone ask you, "What were you thinking?" Typically, this in response to something we said or did that was a bit odd or goofy or even dangerous. Rarely does someone ask us that question when something goes well! I recently taught a class at Colorado Free University entitled Finding the True You. It's a three-hour class designed to help jumpstart the process of discovering your personal mission or purpose. It's always a fun class to teach because the people who sign up are "in process" -- they are looking for something different. Or just something. Anything. One of the sections I cover has to do with limiting beliefs we hold about ourselves, other people, or the world. For many students, they begin to realize that the force that is holding them back is actually the way they think. Instead of asking, "What were you thinking?" perhaps we should…
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