Month: December 2017

Young Leaders in Zambia Form Junior Parliament to Address the Needs of their Country

Posted on December 15, 2017 by - Africa, Because of the GLS, Calling, Government, Stories

Because of the GLS, the Junior Parliament was started in Zambia by Lawrence Temfwe, director of Jubilee Center, and GLS champion in Zambia.

As a result, these young leaders are bringing change to their country. Be inspired!

“We are patriots, not because of what our country can give us, but because we can see what our country can be when we commit to its transformation.”

10 Habits of Mentally Strong People

Posted on December 14, 2017 by - Articles, Character, Emotional Intelligence, Leading Yourself, Performance Management, Resilience, Team Building

University of Pennsylvania psychologist Angela Duckworth conducted a study in which she sought to determine which cadets would make it through West Point’s Beast program—a seven-week process basic training program for cadets. The rigorous interviews and testing that cadets went through to get into West Point told Angela that IQ and talent weren’t the deciding factors.

So, Angela developed her own test to determine which cadets had the mental strength to conquer the Beast. She called it the “Grit Scale,” and it was a highly accurate predictor of cadet success. The Grit Scale measures mental strength, which is that unique combination of passion, tenacity and stamina that enables you to stick with your goals until they become a reality.

To increase your mental strength, you simply need to change your outlook. When hard times hit, people with mental strength suffer just as much as everyone else. The difference is that they understand life’s challenging moments offer valuable lessons. In the end, it’s these tough lessons that build the strength you need to succeed.

Developing mental strength is all about habitually doing the things no one else is willing to do.

If you aren’t doing the following things on a regular basis, you should be, for these are the habits mentally strong people rely on. 

  1. You have to fight when you already feel defeated. A reporter once asked Muhammad Ali how many sit-ups he does every day. He responded, “I don’t count my sit-ups, I only start counting when it starts hurting, when I feel pain, ‘cause that’s when it really matters.” The same applies to success in the workplace. You always have two choices when things begin to get tough: you can either overcome an obstacle and grow in the process or let it beat you. Humans are creatures of habit. If you quit when things get tough, it gets that much easier to quit the next time. On the other hand, if you force yourself to push through a challenge, the strength begins to grow in you. 
  1. You have to delay gratification. There was a famous Stanford experiment in which an administrator left a child in a room with a marshmallow for 15 minutes. Before leaving, the experimenter told the child that she was welcome to eat it, but if she waited and didn’t eat it until he returned, she would get a second marshmallow. The children who were able to wait until the experimenter returned experienced better outcomes in life, including higher SAT scores, greater career success and even lower body mass indexes. The point is that delay of gratification and patience are essential to success. People with mental strength know results only materialize when they put in the time and forego instant gratification. 
  1. You have to make mistakes, look like an idiot, and try again—without even flinching. In a recent study at the College of William and Mary, researchers interviewed more than 800 entrepreneurs and found that the most successful among them tend to have two critical things in common: they’re terrible at imagining failure and they tend not to care what other people think of them. In other words, the most successful entrepreneurs put no time or energy into stressing about their failures; they see failure as a small and necessary step in the process of reaching their goals. 
  1. You have to keep your emotions in check. Negative emotions challenge your mental strength every step of the way. While it’s impossible not to feel your emotions, it’s completely under your power to manage them effectively and to keep yourself in control of them. When you let your emotions overtake your ability to think clearly, it’s easy to lose your resolve. A bad mood can make you lash out or stray from your chosen direction just as easily as a good mood can make you overconfident and impulsive. 
  1. You have to make the calls you’re afraid to make. Sometimes we have to do things we don’t want to do because we know they’re for the best in the long-run: fire someone, cold-call a stranger, pull an all-nighter to restore the company server or scrap a project and start over. It’s easy to let the looming challenge paralyze you, but the most successful people know that in these moments, the best thing they can do is get started right away. Every moment spent dreading the task subtracts time and energy from actually getting it done. People who learn to habitually make the tough calls stand out like flamingos in a flock of seagulls.
  1. You have to trust your gut. There’s a fine line between trusting your gut and being impulsive. Trusting your gut is a matter of looking at decisions from every possible angle, and when the facts don’t present a clear alternative, you believe in your ability to make the right decision; you go with what looks and feels right.
  1. You have to lead when no one else follows. It’s easy to set a direction and to believe in yourself when you have support, but the true test of strength is how well you maintain your resolve when nobody else believes in what you’re doing. People with mental strength believe in themselves no matter what, and they stay the course until they win people over to their ways of thinking. 
  1. You have to focus on the details even when it numbs your mind. Nothing tests your mental strength like mind-numbing details, especially when you’re tired. The more people with mental strength are challenged, the more they dig in and welcome that challenge, and numbers and details are no exception to this. 
  1. You have to be kind to people who are rude to you. When people treat you poorly, it’s tempting to stoop to their level and return the favor. People with mental strength don’t allow others to walk all over them, but that doesn’t mean they’re rude to them, either. Instead, they treat rude and cruel people with the same kindness they extend to everyone else, because they don’t allow another person’s negativity to bring them down. 
  1. You have to be accountable for your actions, no matter what. People are far more likely to remember how you dealt with a problem than they are to recall how you created it in the first place. By holding yourself accountable, even when making excuses is an option, you show that you care about results more than you care about your image or ego. 

Mental strength is as rare as it is important. The good news is that any of us can get stronger with a little extra focus and effort.

4 Ways the Church is Changing Cuba

Posted on December 13, 2017 by - Because of the GLS, Calling, Church & Faith-Based, Culture, Latin America, Stories

Los Pinos Nuevos is a local church at Havana Cuba. Several years ago, under the leadership of Pastor Norberto, they began a leadership training center. In just two years, they began to see change as a result of pastors being empowered through the training. These pastors are completely focused on spreading the love of God and the Gospel of Jesus, and are seeing real transformational outcomes in their communities.

And it all started at The Global Leadership Summit.

“A church is working among us and is the cause that the community is improving. Something they do makes people happier, working and living differently.”

When Pastor Norberto heard about how the Church is the hope of the world, he realized there were more things his church could be doing in the community, not just within the church walls. He realized they didn’t have to have a big church to make an impact. The church could still transform the community through the Gospel.

Here are just some of the ways Noberto’s community changed in Cuba:

  1. Elderly and children are being cared for.
    They created a social project they call A Grain of Sand, which serves food to 80 elderly and 1,200 children in need on a daily basis. This has been the way to share God’s love in action beyond the walls of the church. They also hold regular gatherings where the elderly and youth come together to exchange ideas and advice.
  2. The crime rate has reduced.
    The government has recently determined the crime rate in the area has been radically reduced. When the governor asked why and how the crime rates were going down by 30 percent, the answer pointed to Norberto’s church and their activity in the community. They were having an impact. One government official said, “A church is working among us and is the cause that the community is improving. Something they do makes people happier, working and living differently.”
  3. The Gospel is transforming lives.
    Their greatest emphasis is the preaching of the Gospel of Jesus’ grace to transform the world. And there is tangible evidence.A sociologist began to investigate the situation, and discovered that Los Pinos Nuevos Church is bringing more impact to the community than any other institution. With more than 10,000 followers throughout the community, meeting in many house churches, things are changing. Pastor Norberto’s leadership is now recognized among official government authorities.
  4. The church is serving prostitutes and drug addicts.
    Right now the church is starting to serve a sector of the community at the center of prostitution and drug addiction. By being proximate to the greatest needs in their community, they hope to see transformation here as well.

Can you imagine if every church had a vision like this? Imagine what would happen in communities around the world.

The Church IS the hope of the world.

4 Counterintuitive Success Strategies for Faith-Centered Leaders

Posted on December 13, 2017 by - Articles, Character, Culture, Execution, Leading Organizations, Relationship with God, Resilience, Supervising People, Team Building

What is the key to organizational success?

Decades ago, when I was CEO of Parker Brothers and Lenox, my answer would have involved organizational restructuring, robust employee training programs, expert recruiting, maybe high-paid management consultants.

But for an organization, church or ministry that represents Jesus Christ, those methods only go so far. We’re aiming for more than success by earthly standards, but to shine a light in our world. And we know from Scripture that success flows out of our obedience and faithfulness to God. “All these blessings will come upon you and accompany you if you obey the Lord your God.” (Deuteronomy 28:2)

So the key to success lies in each of us, the individuals who make up the ministry. God’s way of living leads to success, not just because God blesses our faithfulness (which He often does), but because living out His principles leads naturally to positive outcomes. When you have an organization of employees living the kingdom way, you will quite naturally have a successful organization.

Let me explain by laying out four biblically-grounded principles that will pave the way to success for the Christian employee and success for our organizations.

  1. Commit career suicide

John 12:24 tells us, Unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds.

We all have our own career plans and goals. And we tend to bring our own agendas, for ourselves and the organization, into the workplace. But if you’re obsessed with your own agenda, you can totally miss God’s plan.

We need to die to self. Committing career suicide means putting our needs aside and submitting our will to the needs of others. It means not striving for a title or position. By emptying ourselves of pride and ambition, we become a servant God can use.

  1. Repeal the Miranda rights

Philippians 2:12-13 says, Continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose.

“You have the right to remain silent….” From the Miranda rights to the Bill of Rights. America is all about demanding our rights.

But Christianity is all about abdicating our rights. In ministry, we have no right to a promotion, to impose our agenda on others or to receive special treatment relating to rank.

Instead, it’s our privilege to serve Christ, who took on “the very nature of a servant” for our sake.

  1. Play football, not tennis

1 Corinthians 12:12 reminds us, Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ.

Tennis is a fine sport, but it’s not a team sport. The outcome is totally dependent on the individual. And “love” means you shut the other guy out.

God designed the Church differently. It was created to operate as a team. Cooperation is valued, credit is shared and individuals put the good of the team ahead of themselves if they want to win. 1 Corinthians 12:12-27 emphasizes mutual respect, valuing differences, and power through unity. Christ’s team plays by these rules rather than reaching for the solo title.

  1. Don’t worry, be happy

Matthew 6:25,33 tells us, Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life … But seek first his kingdom and righteousness.

Perhaps the greatest enemy to our Christian walk and work is anxiety. We worry about reorganizations, job changes, financial insecurity and failure.

Worry leads to dysfunction, such as defensiveness and paranoia. And it prevents us from trusting God for the outcome He intends.

The way through worry is to seek God’s kingdom. God knows what we need, even in the midst of workplace changes. By focusing on Him instead of our fears, all that we require for serving Him will come.

When we apply these strategies, amazing things happen.

  • Our ambition is replaced by servanthood.
  • We value others’ rights above our own.
  • Competition turns to harmony.
  • Anxiety gives way to peace.

And our ministry becomes a tool that is useful and pleasing to God.

4 Audiences You Wouldn’t Expect to Attend the Summit—Tom De Vries

Posted on December 11, 2017 by - Because of the GLS, Calling, Government, Military, Prison, Stories

Tom De Vries

Tom De Vries, President of Willow Creek Association, has been a church planter, multi-site pastor, and global movement leader. He is a 20-year attender of The Global Leadership Summit, and believes in the mission of the local church as expressed in the great commandment and the great commission, as well as an ever-increasing need for greater leadership skills for all who influence others.

 

After I started in my new position as President of Willow Creek Association, someone asked me very candidly, “Tom, why did you say yes?”

Well, the biggest reason I said yes is because I’ve seen God blessing this ministry in ways that are way beyond what any individual could ever do. The way this ministry has advanced forward is through the movement of the Holy Spirit.

To be a part of that—to see the Spirit at work—and to hear leaders who are giving testimony to the work of God in their country and in their churches and businesses has really been profound. So that’s why I am here.

And one of the things I’m excited about is being a part of building on this movement that God has so blessed. One of those ways is by developing new products and new audiences. Prisons, homeless shelters, youth movements … these are all new audiences for us.

New audiences in unexpected places

  1. Prisons

In 2014, the Global Leadership Summit broadcast for the first time to inmates in three U.S. prisons—Louisiana State Penitentiary in Angola, The Carol S. Vance Unit in Richmond, Texas and Folsom State Prison in California. That has now spread, and this year 60 prisons hosted the Summit. In fact, the state of Colorado hosted the Summit at every one of its state prisons this year.

Now, a cynic might say, “What in the world do people in prison need to know about leadership? Are they even capable of being leaders?” We recognize that everyone has influence—even prisoners. We want prisoners to have a positive influence in their communities.

The reality is that people can make bad decisions when they lack hope or opportunity. It happens when they don’t recognize who God created them to be. People in prison are realizing, “I could have a different life. God made me for more than what I’m doing now.” That’s important when you realize that 97 percent of prisoners will eventually be released and return to society.

One of the greatest Summit stories coming out of prisons is that the prisoners are contributing money to sponsor Summit sites in other in prisons. These guys are making 25 cents an hour and they’re coming back and contributing $500-$600 to help another prison host the Summit.

  1. Homeless shelters

This year was our second year at Haven for Hope in Texas, which has close to 350 homeless residents. The lives of men and women who are homeless are being transformed they are exposed not only to leadership principles, but to life principles that have the power to change their heart and change their situation.

 

  1. Youth

Another new audience for us is youth. There are 20 countries now engaged in deliberate youth movements. This comes as a result of people crying out and saying the youth in their countries have no examples of how to be a leader. There’s corruption. There’s poverty. Maybe they’ve been under communism. Whatever the case, there are no leadership role models to follow. They know that for their communities to thrive, they need their youth to step up and become the next leaders.

For some of the countries, the Summit is a one day of evangelism and one day of the Summit blended together. It’s exciting to see how the Summit is so translatable to the next generation. And the earlier we can begin to raise leaders at that level, the longer their impact is going to last.

  1. Military

The GLS for police officers in Brazil

We’re also finding new audience as people are saying, “I want this for my peers.” In Brazil, 1,200 military police attended a Summit.

That movement was driven by a guy who is a military policeman and was rocked by the Summit. He said, “How can I transform my peers?” That’s how people are looking at it. “How do I serve my team? How do we make ourselves better?”

We’re also beginning to see doors opening on military bases—through officers who see the value of training, as well as through chaplains. This year, we were at Wright Patterson Air Force Base, right outside of Dayton, Ohio. It’s one of the largest Air Force bases in the United States and we were there for the first time with 85 people.

 

How will we continue to develop new audiences?

We realize that as we develop new audiences for the Summit, we also need to develop new ways to engage them. The new GLSnext app is a good example. GLSnext is a free app designed to provide ongoing leadership equipping throughout the year. It updates every week with new videos from GLS faculty from around the world. You can instantly watch as many leadership videos as you want, as often as you want, anytime you want. We’re excited about expanding GLSnext to other languages outside of English.

As the Summit grows, we hope to grow to serve even more audiences, helping people realize that they have influence where ever they are, and their leadership influence matters.

If we believe that the local church is the hope of the world, and that its future rests in the hands of its leaders, we need to do the best we can to support leaders—in the marketplace, in government, in education, in healthcare, in media, etc. The GLS trains leaders to live out their faith and increase their influence in every sector of society.

To learn more about how to give to The Global Leadership Summit, go to give.willowcreek.com.