It's called by different names, but it's still inertia. Status quo Standing still Analysis paralysis Stuck Bored Flat Phoning it in In physics, a basic definition of inertia would be "the tendency of a body to resist acceleration or a change in its motion." We can thank Sir Isaac Newton and his first law of physics for helping us understand the nature of inertia: For the motion of an object to change, an external (outside) force must act upon it. Inertia is one of the worst things that can happen in a marriage. A healthy marriage embraces change. If two people never mature past the level of maturity they had when they got married, don't be surprised as the rate of conflict and disagreement increases. The status quo has sucked the life out of many organizations. It shows up when we prefer the safety of a routine (even one that…
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Do you know what distinguishes a person who makes a difference from another person who wants to make a difference? Action. On the surface, that sounds obvious. But in reality, I encounter many folks who want to make a difference but never move past the good intention phase. In some cases, they can even tell you why the change is necessary and how it will improve lives, business processes, or a work environment. People who truly make a positive difference are people of action. Think about a teacher who made a lasting impact on you. It's likely they went beyond delivering content to taking an interest in you as a person. Maybe they challenged you to do better or dream bigger. They could have been content to stick to an outline and a syllabus. It's the extra step, the additional effort that makes a difference. Two freshmen enter high school…
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Over the years, I've been privileged to sit down with many great leaders. High school football coaches, nonprofit executives, church planters, entrepreneurs, and CEO's of multibillion dollar companies. Just this past week, I enjoyed coffee with a fellow who has led several publicly-traded companies. I've discovered that great coaches, CEO's, and parents have one thing in common: they never stop learning. When I find a person who has stopped learning, I'm not surprised when I find they have also stopped growing. Even worse, they might actually be regressing in their abilities to lead and motivate people -- especially those who are continuing to expand their knowledge and skill set. Intellectually curious people ... Read books inside and outside of their field Ask more questions Ask better questions Aren't embarrassed to ask for help Debrief and deconstruct what worked and what didn't Readily share what they're learning with others Besides being…
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Over the past few months, I've been spending a lot time reading through the life of King David. The life of David is fascinating because it represents the best and worst of people -- not just all people, but especially those who follow God. It's fair to say that David is a flawed -- but passionate -- follower of God. As you get near the end of David's story, he sets his heart on doing something special for God: to build a temple in which to house the Ark of the Covenant. It's a noble desire. And it's one that God doesn't allow. In fact, the prophet Nathan runs ahead of God and simply tells David to do whatever he has in mind. That night, God speaks to Nathan and tells him otherwise. (As an aside, that is a great reminder to those of us who speak on behalf of…
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As a student of leadership, I'm particularly interested in the qualities of good leadership. What are the values, characteristics, and habits that set apart the good leaders from the mediocre and unhealthy ones? Most of us could quickly generate a list like this one: Integrity Honest Disciplined Charismatic Good communicator Visionary Hardworking Humble Service-minded In both the business world and church literature, certain characteristics would overlap. Whether it's called Level Five leadership, servant leadership, or some other name ... you'll find many of the same characteristics of good leadership in each of them. But I've been thinking about one characteristic that I believe needs more attention. In fact, it may be the underlying factor that enables the other characteristics to function at their prime. It's congruence. Congruence happens when the various aspects of your life -- your beliefs and behavior - are in agreement. The root of the word traces…
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