Chris Marshall Resources

I’m going through one of those times in my life when I’m pressing through a short season of working ridiculous hours on a home project, because of a deadline Nancy and I have set for finishing our basement. While we’re having outside contractors do several tasks that require expertise I don’t have or who simply can do it more effectively and faster, I’ve been spending substantial hours in the basement to see the project through. I’m sure Michael Hyatt would tell me to hire it all out and use the time to work extra hours to pay for it, but because I’m a pastor working extra hours doesn’t gain me extra dollars.

I’m not complaining, simply pointing out that sometimes as leaders we need to press through in particular situations to accomplish a task at work, home, or in some other avenue of life. I actually enjoyed the five hours I worked moving furniture, then painting a section of ceiling and eight doors, because I was able to listen to about a third of an audio book, reflect on what needs to be done to complete the project before our December 14 deadline, and to consider various aspects of the ministry at New Life. Nancy’s appreciation for the extra effort is a blessing to our marital relationship, and after nearly 38 years together as husband and wife that matters more than ever to me.

You may have a project at work where you’re pressing through, or you may have a situation with your spouse or a child that requires you to press through. Whatever it may be, times come when we need to expend extra energy and effort in the short-term, and in some cases for a longer season than that in order to gain a long-term benefit. All great leaders have this ability. The key is not to let the pressing through mode become our default mode. We all need rest. We need sleep. We need all seven of the aspects of Life Management that we reviewed over the summer. Right now, for me, I’m giving up some sleep and my daily exercise routine for about a week, in order to press through the project.

That means I’ve been making some adjustments in when I pray (since I usually pray during my exercise bike time), and what I eat (because I am committed to the goal of weighing 190 by the end of February. I hit 200 today, and it’s a good thing, because my better physical health has a corresponding addition to my stamina and ability to perform the tasks required for the project.

I hope you are prepared for the next project or situation that requires you to press through, or are at least preparing for it. Preparing for it means resting appropriately, praying, eating well, investing in your vital relationships and managing your life well. Then when the situation calls for pressing through for a week or two you’ll be ready. If you are already facing such a season remember to be intentional about a starting and ending time for it. Pressing through can degenerate into being a workaholic without a lot of effort, particularly if you have an addictive personality as I tend to have.

As with everything when it comes to leadership, we need to stop and examine what we’re doing and why we’re doing it. That way we’ll be better equipped to make good decisions and commitments, and take effective action. Whether it’s pressing through, or maintaining what you’re doing, or even backing off a bit, the key is to know why you’re doing it, and what it will do to advance your effectiveness in leading.

Here’s to leading better by pressing through or not, but being intentional either way–today!

Do the holidays impact your leadership? Have you ever considered that question? Many folks take Christmas very seriously either from a faith perspective or a cultural one, and the activities of the season can be quite distracting to our businesses or other organizations. So what is the best approach for us to take through the season? You may already have some company policies or traditions that dictate what you do between now and the end of the year, but if you don’t let me suggest a few ideas for how to address it.

Celebrate the season. Don’t fight the “distractions” that the season brings. Notice them and celebrate the ones you can. If you have the ability to have a party for either you entire organization or key staff do so. At the party let folks know how much you appreciate them and their work. Be sure to celebrate who there are as well as what they do. If your organization is too big to include everyone, consider making a general holiday announcement celebrating their part in the blessings of 2016, and let them know you are looking forward with anticipation to the New Year!

Do for one what you can’t do for all. I learned this one from Andy Stanley. Our church has grown significantly over the past several years, which means as much as I would like to sit down with all the individual members and participants over the Christmas seasons it is impossible. That doesn’t mean I can’t sit down with one or a few and let them know how much they mean to me and to our church. If even that seems like too much, write a few handwritten notes to celebrate folks who have made an impact in the past year. In this era of form letters, e-mails and twitter, people appreciate hand written notes, as they are nearly a lost art form.

Make sure everyone knows what you’re expecting of them through the season. Whether it’s more or less productivity time off, etc… make sure everyone is on the same page. Sometimes our team will actually work harder if we let them know, we need to push it for the next week and then we’ll take it a little easy the week or so before Christmas and then take a real break for the holidays.

Since Christmas is on Sunday this year, figure out what you’re going to do with the time between Christmas and New Year’s. December 26 is a federal holiday, so do you take that day and get right back to work on Tuesday? Do you take more time than that? Again if you don’t have a company policy, and you haven’t decided this yet, now is the time. It’s likely that many on your team already have plans, so be sure to be clear about what you expect.

Leaders set the tone as much by what we do as by what we say, if not more so, so be sure to pause today and make sure you’re clear on what your expectations are, and what you’re going to do to live them out effectively.

Finally, I find taking some time between Christmas and New Year’s to review the year just past, and to set some new goals for the year ahead is a great way to lead better in the year ahead. Be sure to take enough time to both review and dream. It will give you the best opportunity to learn from what didn’t go well as well as to plan some changes for the coming year that will improve your leadership, which will improve the organization you lead.

Here’s to leading better by recognizing the holidays are upon us and impact each of us in ways that will call us to be more intentional and effective in our leadership–today!

As we conclude our week of focusing on finishing strong, today’s topic is “the ultimate transition.” This is where belief systems determine what we think the ultimate transition will be. Three basic belief systems exist when it comes to the ultimate transition: some believe when this life ends that’s it. Life simply ends. Others believe in cycles of rebirth after this life, and the way we live this life determines what type of life we live in the next life. Others believe in some form of eternal life in heaven or paradise.

While many say it doesn’t matter what we believe or whether we believe anything at all about God and the after life, how we approach this life is determined by those beliefs and particularly how we think about finishing strong, when it comes to the ultimate transition. I have examined the three major belief systems when it comes to the ultimate transition, and my faith perspective is that of eternal life in heaven with God. I can speak and write best from that frame of reference, so for today that’s the frame of reference from which I write.

When one looks forward to the ultimate transition as a transition from being a spiritual being with a physical experience here on earth, finishing strong means living more and more consistently in the presence and power of the Holy Spirit. As I have moved from childhood, through adolescence into adulthood and am now on the threshold of my sixties, my perspective about finishing strong has become more and more about living my life consistently according to my belief in Jesus Christ as Lord and particularly in letting the Holy Spirit have control in my life. While many understand what I just said, others cannot. The perspective takes faith, but is based a great deal on life experience as well.

For example, one must believe that Jesus Christ is God in order to hold the perspective I hold, and at the same time my life experience has demonstrated that Jesus Christ is God that He lived a perfect life, rose from the dead, returned to heaven and sent the Holy Spirit to indwell us who trust Him as Savior and Lord. The terms Savior and Lord mean one who saves from sin and death, one who is the “owner” of our lives. As I live that reality, finishing strong means I awake each day and ask God for His indwelling presence to lead and guide me. I base my words and actions on the truth I have been reading and living from the Bible over the vast majority of my life. When I fail to be consistent with those beliefs, rather than live in hypocrisy by denying the failure, I admit my shortcomings and repent, which means to change my mind, to turn around and move back toward God.

As you can see, this belief system moves me to a greater and greater integrity in my life as I move toward the finish line. It doesn’t mean I am better than anyone else, or that my leadership will necessarily be more effective than others, although my life ought to reflect the truth and love of Jesus more and more and my leadership ought to be the same kind of servant leadership that marked Jesus. Living this type of life means that when the ultimate transition from this life to the next (or to the end) is one that I face with calm and confidence. While I hope to live for at least several more decades, I am prepared to face the ultimate transition today. The Apostle Paul wrote about this perspective in a single verse in his letter to the Philippians when he said, “For me to live is Christ and to die is gain.” (Philippians 1:21)

While some may laugh at such a perspective, it is that perspective that gives me the ability to lead effectively into my sixties, if God wills, and beyond. My prayer for each of you is that you base your ultimate transition on a saving relationship with Jesus Christ. If you are not going to do that, my recommendation is to live consistently according to your belief system, whatever it may be. After all, we all have a belief system even if it is the denial of any belief system. That consistently will allow us to approach life with a kind of integrity that is not seen in those who merely drift through life. Then again, the drifting life is seldom a life of leadership.

Here’s to leading better by living our life consistently with our worldview and belief system determining how we will finish strong–today!

As we continue our focus on finishing strong, today’s topic is finishing strong during transitions. Most of us will not be leading in only one business, church or other organization in our lifetime. In fact, the younger you are the more likely you are to go through many transitions through your lifetime. So, how does a person finish strong during a transition? Obviously we could offer dozens of ways to accomplish that important process, but today let’s limit ourselves to three: 1) Leave as few loose ends as possible; 2) Set your successor up for success; and 3) If feasible, be a resource for your successor.

When we leave one place of leadership, we will undoubtedly leave some loose ends. We won’t have finished every project or accomplished every goal, but we don’t want to leave glaring loose ends for our successor to tie together. Of course, the type of transition we’re going through will dictate this to some degree. If you were fired or your position was eliminated there may well be more loose ends than if you simply moved to a different position, because it was a step forward, a new call, or for some other positive reason. Even if you were fired, you can help your successor by leaving good records of your work and projects so he or she can pick up where you left off. Make sure your paper trail (or electronic file trail) leads your successor to be able to accomplish unfinished projects.

In addition, if you have treated those who worked for you well, that is a major benefit to your successor, because they will be in a position to help with the new leader’s transition. We’ve already mentioned that in prior posts, but it is worth mentioning again, since one of the most challenging loose ends for a new leader to face is a dissatisfied follower/ worker.

Treating your workers well is part of setting your successor up for success, as is having written processes and procedures for the various activities over which you held leadership. This has always been a growth area for me, as I have “filed” most of my projects in my mind rather than on paper or a computer file. I’ve been working at developing better written processes so when I transition out of New Life in the future, my successor will have a clear understanding of what I have done. While the new leader may choose not to follow the direction or directions you have chosen at least you will help to ensure it’s possible to do so.

Another way to set your successor up for success, if you are going through a positive transition is to let your team know their new leader is going to be a blessing to them. This will only be possible if you have had some input into selecting your successor, or have at least met with him or her during the transition. If you have a lot of personal capital in your organization, transferring it to the new leader will be a major benefit.

Finally, if you can be a resource to your successor, volunteer to do so. Even the best paper trail can be difficult to follow, and having the person who started the project or set the goal explain the original intent can be a great help. Of course, you can’t be expected to invest a great deal of time in being a resource if you are moving on to another leadership position, but any time you can give will be helpful.

Because our focus has been finishing strong during transitions, I haven’t emphasized your new start, but that is an important aspect of finishing strong over the long haul. Every transition we make offers us the opportunity to start finishing strong, and to eventually have lived a life of effective leadership.

Here’s to leading better by doing what it takes to be ready for your next transition–today!

 

As we continue this week’s focus on finishing strong, today we pick up the topic of finishing strong at year’s end. In another day we enter December, the final month of 2016. The end of the year is a great time to take a longer view look at how you have been doing in your life overall and in your leadership in particular. How have you been and done in 2016? Has this been a great year, a good year, a bad year, or a terrible year? Whatever your response, why have you labeled it the way you have? What does your response have to do with your overall goal and plan for finishing strong?

That’s a lot of questions, let’s pause a moment to respond, in general to them. If this has been a great year, what has made it so? In the same way if you answered it was a good year, a bad year or a terrible year why did you give that answer? Wherever we are on the continuum from great to terrible for 2016, what has that done to ensure you will finish well one day? Even if 2016 has been a terrible year, there are different kinds of terrible, right? It could have been terrible from a physical health standpoint. It could have been terrible from a relational standpoint, or a leadership standpoint. The reason or reasons we give for labeling the year as great, good, bad or terrible has a lot to do with whether we are moving toward finishing strong.

For example, let’s say it was a terrible year from the standpoint of your health. In the midst of health problems we sometimes find it easier to follow God than when all is flowing smoothly. On the other hand, if it’s been a terrible year, because you have had a number of relational blow ups that’s different. Or if you lost your job. In those cases it will be more difficult to keep your focus on God. You may even blame God for the problems you face in that case. If you’re not a person of faith, that will make it even more challenging to move forward toward finishing strong, if any of the obstacles mentioned turns your year terrible.

At the same time, whatever our year has been like, taking the time to sit down, reflect on it, and consider what we can learn from the ups and downs of the year, is a step toward finishing strong. After all, as we always say around here, “The unexamined life is not worth living.” When we stop to reflect on where we’ve been, and the results we’ve gained from how we’ve done what we’ve done, we can also make mid-course corrections so the year ahead will be more effective, and will move us toward our goal of finishing strong.

I know folks who take several days at the end of each year to evaluate every area of their lives, then to make corrections and plan for the next year. I’m not saying that you or I have to do that in order to finish strong, but I do recommend taking at least a day to sit down, evaluate the year we’ve just lived, and then assess what went right and wrong in order to move into 2017 with our eyes wide open. Then set some annual goals, and keep your eye on that overarching goal of finishing strong.

A lot of these posts emphasize the importance of self-analysis. That’s because nothing is more important in moving us forward as leaders than having a sane estimate of our own value, and moving forward based on what ever that estimate shows us. For example, if I know I do my best work in the morning and that I make bad decisions after 9:00 pm, it would make sense for me to be in bed by 9:00 am. so I can get up 5:00 fully rested and ready to attack the day, the week, the month–you get the idea.

Here’s to leading better as we move to the end of 2016, by taking the time to consider where we’ve been and where we’re going-today, or sometime in the next couple of weeks!

As we continue our focus on finishing strong, today’s installment is “Finishing Strong Today!” What I mean by that is while it’s vital to have a goal and a plan for finishing strong over the long haul, it’s also important to finish strong each day. After all, if we finish strong every day when our last day comes, we will have finished strong.

Yesterday was a project day for me. While many folks in western Pennsylvania were in the woods hunting a white-tailed buck, I was in my basement doing some wiring, some painting, and some planning for Friday’s project, which is building an entertainment center with Kenn, my younger brother. I also made a trip to Mars Lumber, where I bought some wood for the “barn doors” for the entertainment center, and my friend, K. C. Matus brought me the remaining lumber for the project, which he had purchased and cut to size for me, since he is a wood worker by trade. I decided to farm out that part of the job, because I want the project to be as close to perfect as possible, and I knew if I hired K.C. for the job it would be.

What does that have to do with finishing strong today? Quite a lot actually. I woke up with a plan for the day, and a to-do list that was as long as my arm. I know better than to make such a long to-do list, because even if I got 2/3 of it done, which would have been quite an accomplishment, it could have still felt like “failure.” Making sure I was aware of that, I tackled the list, and completed it. It took me from my six o’clock start with prayer and exercise, until 11:15 pm when I put the finishing touches on this blog post, but the list was complete. That’s finishing strong today. (Or yesterday as the case may be, but finishing strong yesterday, holds promise for finishing strong again today.)

Today is actually going to be a “normal” work day for me, so finishing strong will be different. I’ll only put three items on my to-do list, but they’ll be significant ones, and when I accomplish them, I will count that as finishing strong for the day. Am I sure I’ll do it? No, at any moment a phone call could interrupt the whole process, and the list will go out the window. That’s the life of a pastor, but it’s also the life of many leaders. We plan our work, but we can’t always work our plan. In those cases finishing strong means choosing the best tasks to do or relationships to build among many different choices.

Part of finishing strong each day is not necessarily doing many things, but doing the right and most important ones. Of course that’s  judgment call, but much of leading is making judgment calls. So what’s your plan for finishing strong today? Do you have one? If you don’t why not take ten minutes right now and ask yourself, “What would it look like to finish strong today?” Then pursue that. Taking the time daily to consider what a strong day would look like for that day and then pursue it is a sure way to finish strong most days.

I hope if you  haven’t already planned for a great finish for today, that you’ll take a little time to do it, and then live a great day and finish strong.

Here’s to leading better by finishing strong–today!

As we conclude our focus on thanksgiving, today we turn to An Attitude of Gratitude. As leaders, and really as people, each of us needs to develop a grateful attitude, because it leads to so much more positivity in our lives, and in our leadership. We’ve focused on the being thankful for the opportunity to lead, being thankful for those we lead and being thankful in all circumstances. The reason for this weeklong focus is unless we learn to be grateful as leaders, we’ll never be as effective as we can be, because gratitude enhances every person’s effectiveness.

Let me explain. If we’re not thankful that we are leaders, we’ll either assume we’re owed our positions, take our roles for granted, or perhaps assume we aren’t really capable to be leaders. When we’re grateful for our roles, we won’t let pride get in the way of our leadership. Nor will we take anything for granted, because gratitude is the opposite of taking things for granted. The additional benefit of being grateful when we’re leaders is while we won’t be overconfident, neither will we assume we don’t deserve to be leaders. Gratitude is the great motivator, and the great humbler of us all. The assumption when we’re grateful is there is someone to whom we owe thanks for who we are and what we have.

If we’re people of faith, we’ll assume that someone is God. If we’re not, we’ll credit parents, teachers, mentors, and others with our development as leaders. I give credit to God and so many others who have paved the way for may being an effective leader. If you take a moment right now to reflect on your development as a leader, to whom do you owe a debt of gratitude? Taking the time to reflect on this question, will give you a reason to be grateful.

Developing an attitude of gratitude for those who follow us assures that we will hold greater compassion for them, as well as letting them know when we are grateful for what they have done. We can’t assume they’ll know we’re grateful. We must say, “Thank you,” and show our gratitude in tangible ways. I recently made lunch for the staff at New Life, because I wanted them to know how grateful I am to serve with them, and for all they do. They were grateful themselves, because they know this is a particularly full time in our life together. That I invested the time in them, and served them in this way, meant a lot to them. When was the last time you either said, “Thank you,” or did something to show your gratitude to those you lead?

Having an attitude of gratitude means waking up each day and saying, “Thank you,” for another day. It means stopping to notice and appreciate the small blessings that happen daily. It also means finding a way to say, “Thank you,” when things don’t go well. After all, as we noted on Wednesday when we talked about being thankful in all circumstances, it doesn’t mean we’re thankful for everything that happens, but being thankful no matter what.

As you and I remember to be thankful, and have or develop an attitude of gratitude, we will become more effective as leaders, and those we lead will become grateful to serve with us. It’s a win-win situation for everyone involved, and it starts with saying, “Thank you,” no matter what.

Here’s to leading better by developing and living an attitude of gratitude–today and every day to come!

Happy Thanksgiving to each of you! God’s richest blessings as you pause to reflect on all of your blessings in life. Why not take some time today, perhaps right now, to stop to say, “Thank You,” for every blessing you have in your life?

I am grateful to God for His great love shown in Jesus and His great presence through the Holy Spirit. I am grateful for Nancy, who has been beside me through wonderful and terrible circumstances for more than four decades. (We’ve been married for 37+ years, and we dated and were engaged for 4 years before that!) I’m grateful for Abby and Emmy our daughters, and for the opportunity to have reared them in the Lord’s ways. While they aren’t walking the path we mapped out for them, which is challenging for us, we love them all the more. I’m grateful for the opportunity to serve the people of New Life Christian Ministries as their lead pastor. God is doing so many amazing things through New Life, and I’m grateful to God that He has provided this opportunity for me to serve Him, through serving so many wonderful people.

I’m grateful to you who read my blog and even more so if you gain something for you leadership effectiveness through it.

Here’s to leading better, by pausing to say, “Thank You!”–today!