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Growing Service in Your Kids at Christmas

By Children, Church, Culture, Encouragement, Family, God, Parenting

Tim Elmore is an incredible leader. He has one of the best understandings of how to reach the next generation of anyone one I know. I recently had dinner with Tim and can attest to this man’s incredible heart for people. I’m blessed to have Tim share his thoughts with us here today as a guest post.

In our recent work with students, Growing Leaders has drawn some interesting conclusions. We have seen a shift take place among the young people in Generation Y. (The kids born in the 80s are different than the kids born since then.) The research is in a new book called: Generation iY: Our Last Chance to Save Their Future.

One of the shifts we’ve uncovered is that kids have moved from “activists” (who want to change the world) to “slack-tivists.” They still want to change the world — but sort of. They often don’t really want to work hard or make sacrifices. They’d rather sign a petition on a website, get a wristband and then return to a video game or YouTube. They’re more self-absorbed than their earlier counterparts. So, how do we grow a heart for service in our kids today?

Try this.

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5 Suggestions for Tennessee Titans Leadership Now

By Culture, Leadership, Organizational Leadership, Team Leadership

Driving back from Nashville yesterday I listened to sports talk radio. The subject was the same I have been hearing for weeks. Everyone wants to talk about what’s wrong with the Titans. Everyone has his or her own theory. As I said in a previous post, (Read it HERE) I am a not an avid sports fan. I love sports, I love watching sports, but I don’t memorize player’s names or keep up with many statistics, I just enjoy sports.

I do keep up with leadership however, and as I said in my previous post, I think the main issue for the Titans now is a leadership problem. When leadership is uncertain or unsettled, it will impact the entire team. That’s an organizational leadership principle, and it’s true because it deals with people, which mean you can see the principle at work in business, in churches, and on professional football teams.

So, as one who does understand the subject of organizational leadership, here are 5 leadership suggestions I offer the Tennessee Titans leadership:

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The Downward Spiral of a Man’s Heart

By Culture, Encouragement, Family

I’m sick of Satan’s dirty little tricks. Criticize me all you want for the strictness of this post but I’m not taking a chance in this area if my life and I want to use this post to encourage men to do likewise. If I’ve learned anything about being a man it’s that I am weak in this area. I’m tired of sitting with couples whose marriage is rocked because of an affair. If a man without proper discipline in his life tells you he’s not tempted sexually he’s most likely lying or impotent.

In nearly every situation I encounter (all but one or two that I can remember), the affair didn’t start in an instant; it started over a series of time and moments of indiscretion by the man (or woman). I can’t intelligently speak to this issue from a woman’s perspective, but here is the progression of the sin of adultery in a man’s life:

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Don’t Be Afraid of Good Management

By Culture, Leadership, Organizational Leadership, Team Leadership

We have almost created a culture where the term management is seen as a negative term. I believe this is dangerous.

With the rising interest in the field of leadership, the task of management is starting to get a bad name. Organizations don’t look for managers anymore, they look for leaders. It seems unpopular or not as appealing to say “I’m a manager” as it is to say “I’m a leader”.

In organizations today, leadership has overpowered management as the desired function. I understand it ….But…

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Handling Calls from Obnoxious Church Members

By Encouragement, Funny

Yesterday our small groups pastor, Ben Reed, had a “fun” voicemail from church member Estavon Williams demanding he be allowed to lead a small group. You can read about that phone message here. Ben, of course, dropped everything to get him signed up to lead.

Today I got the call. Listen to Estavon’s complaint against me by clicking HERE.

How would you respond? Now keep in mind, I’m not as nice as Mr. Reed and prefer the direct response. I plan to go running soon, with my shorts (that are not that short BTW) and don’t want to feel intimidated into recognizing everyone who happens to honk. Normally, I get lots of honkers.

What would you do?

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Are We Becoming Afraid to Take a Risk?

By Business, Culture, Fear, Innovation, Life Plan, Vision

I was talking with a doctor recently. He said increasingly physicians are deciding not to attempt private practice. They are choosing to work only for guaranteed salaries at a hospital, afraid to take a risk of self-employment. In his opinion, it’s changing the way healthcare is done in America. I can’t speak with authority about the field of medicine, but I have noticed the same trend occur in other fields. I talk with people regularly who are settling for security rather than take a risk in this economy.

In a way, it’s completely understandable….

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Tennessee Titans Have a Leadership Problem

By Culture, Leadership, Organizational Leadership, Team Leadership

Yesterday I watched the Tennessee Titans seem to fall apart on the field. From being shut out from scoring to fighting on the field to the defeated look on the Titan player’s faces on the sidelines, this is obviously a team in difficult days. As a student of leadership, I have tremendous respect for coach Jeff Fisher and, although I’m a more silent NFL fan, I have enjoyed watching his team since the Titans came to Tennessee. I’m wondering now what it will take to bring the team back together. I suspect it’s more than getting a new quarterback.

I wonder if the biggest dilemma for the team these days is a leadership issue.

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