Einstein on Influence

Setting an example is not the main means of influencing others, it is the only means.
- Albert Einstein (here sporting his 'regular guy at the beach' look).

General George S. Patton gave his version of 'management by walking around by saying - "no good decision was ever made from a swivel chair."

Phil Cooke on Superstars

"For years, ministry leaders have used a business model in managing their churches. It's a legitimate attempt to get religious organizations working at a more efficient level and trying to make them more productive. But ultimately that won't work. Writer and consultant Jim Collins, author of Good to Great, says a business ins driven by profit, but a nonprofit is driven by mission. The two cannot be confused."

- Phil Cooke, Ph.D., is a media consultant to ministries and churches worldwide. Find out more at www.philcooke.com.
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For years I had this ache in my gut (something stuck in my craw) regarding the Campus Crusade leadership model. Well intentioned as it is, I feel it falls short of expressing a viable leadership framework for this spiritual / mission focused endeavor.

Some people are bothered by the business language - that is not that big a deal to me. The two things that do disturb me are:

• The inability of the model to account for a leaders' primal spiritual gifting. There is no reference point for how spiritual gifts influence how we think and operate. I don't care how much leadership model you digest, if you gift is primarily teaching, you will see the mission through that lens.
  
• The institutional framework of the model (notice there is not category for entrepreneur) - the model is built from the perspective of running an organization (institution) not unleashing the chaos of a mission focused endeavour.

But maybe it is just me.

Lead Like a 5 Year Old

Sometimes it is profitable to lead like you are 5 years old . . . . not the tantrum part, but asking a lot of 'why' questions?

When we question what we have, it forces us to think toward broader solutions.

Here are some of mine. So, if we are moving toward movements everywhere . . . . then . . .

• Why do we allocate staff at all? Why don't we allow people to allocate themselves? (because everywhere is everywhere)
• Why do we determine the number of summer projects? Why cant anyone lead one?
• Why do I tell people where to go for the summer?
• Why do we hire people on a national level and place them from a regional level but have them answer to people on a local level? Couldn't we do all of this from a local level?

Just a few things to ponder.

King George III

"To be a subject of Great Britain, with all its consequences, is to be the freest member of any civil society in the known world.”

This is King George III speaking to the British Parliament in regard to the American colonist . . . . just before the American Revolutionary war.

People in power often feel that they are running open and beneficial systems. Often times leaders do not fully understand the constructs that others are asked to live under that they themselves do not seem subject to. In King George's case, he made a very factual statement, but missed the point entirely. It is not about the ability to live under a fairly free system, but the ability to design and build a system of your own, that works for the goals and dreams of the people it represents.

Hang with me now - I think this is the essence of what must happen for us to move forward in reaching students of all kinds in the US and all over the world. Good leadership must be freed up to build independent constructs (or not) to get the job done in various student categories. For 50+ years we have tried to do it all under the umbrella of the 'white middle class way' - and lets face it, it simply has not worked.

However, the Impact Movement and the Korean version of Crusade have found fertile new ground in the US by playing by rules that they themselves have created. Impact has gone from 30 movements 3 years ago, to well over 140 now (Impact was stuck at under 30 for the first 10 years of its existence under the USCM). KCCC (the Koreans) entered the US with a special dispensation from Dr. Bright to do whatever they wanted. When I first heard about this, it really trouble me (since I was to be leading the charge in this area). But, it turns out they are doing fine (shocker) - in fact, we would love to have the success they are having (no recent numbers, but they will have over 2,000 students at their conference in LA - with about 40 total staff).

Leadership in both of these student groups would be quick to tell you that everything is not perfect, but their problems are their problems to solve - and they are capable of doing it.

So here is the axiom: Good leaders, with freedom, accomplish great things.