Highlights from the Leadership Summit

Here are some highlights from this year’s Willow Creek Association’s Leadership Summit held on August 6-7, 2009 that I thought were enlightening.

Bill Hybels:
• Jim Collins’ new book, check it out “How the Mighty have Fallen”
• Pastors rather work with souls rather than spreadsheets
• Golden rule of staff reductions: give lots of notice: months, be very clear what the reasons are for the reductions, and be generous with severances
• God works through people who yield to him; 2 Chronicles 16:9
• People are hungry for money management during economic downturn
• People will still give generously during a downturn if you ask them to

Henry Cloud, Carly Fiorina, David Ireland, Patrick Lencioni:
• Boards: Dysfunctional boards exist because they have no values. Boards need to decide what kind of tone they want to set, they need to have trust and build on that.
• People need to humble themselves when in a time of need
• Those who are not affected by the downturn need to step up in many ways
• There is nothing like the local church when it is working like the local church

Gary Hamel:
• Churches must innovate and adapt
• Internal change lags behind external change, in both nonprofit and for profit industries. Change brings opportunity. The problem in the church is not unique.

Jessica Jackley:
• The poor will always be with us
• A loan with a purpose
• Just do it, don’t just talk about it. Don’t be afraid to start small, focus on one thing, think of scale in terms of building on the success

Harvey Carey:
• Most leaders think too much, thus they are hindered from doing God’s work
• Detroit has the most churches than any other city in the world, yet it is the poorest
• Prayer meetings versus strategic meetings, which do you have more of…it should be more strategy

Dave Gibbons:
• Margins move the masses
• Look at the person’s story, not just their strength tests
• Obedience more than passion
• 4 acts of obedience
1. deeper collaboration
2. Communal living
3. Prayer & the power of the Holy Spirit
4. Radical sacrifice for the outsider

Andrew Rugasira:
• Trade not aid!
• No country in the world was developed on handouts, why is Africa different?
• Aid is conditional, the host country will then focus their own money somewhere else
• Farmer networks are the key to growth

Wess Stafford:
• Give up your right for revenge
• If there’s a person who has hurt you, forgive them…otherwise you will carry this burden the rest of your life, “you can not have tomorrow”

David Gergen:
• Leaders who confuse motion with progress, great leaders think carefully about how and what to do with feedback all along the way.
• Someone who can see further back is able to see further ahead
• If you want to go fast, go alone, if you want to go far, go together
• Coming to church provides an inner peace, learn something from the Pastor or from the readings, and building your moral compass, students are finding that church can nourish these qualities. Your ego needs to be kept in check. Anchor your life is your faith. Be the change you want to see in the world.

Tony Blair:
• How do you handle doubt; think through the decision, put aside the fear and be willing to take responsibility
• Strategic goals is based on principle, tactical goals is about give and take
• Leadership is a blessing and a gift that you can use to help others, it is valuable and it’s your duty to serve

Leadership Summit, Session 1

Here's some thoughts from Bill Hybel's session titled "Leading in a New Reality".

- Check out Jim Collins' new book titled "How the Mighty have Fallen"
- People need to humble themselves when in a time of need
- Those who are not affected by the economic downturn need to step up in many ways
- There is nothing like the local church when it is working like the local church
- Seminaries don’t teach pastors business survival skills

So far it's been a very enlightening session, Hybel's hasn't held anything back!

The Leadership Summit

I’ll be at the Willow Creek Leadership Summit on 6-7 August. Check out this years schedule out at: http://willowcreek.com/