First Day Leadership Summit Top Four learning points Day 1

A very high quality learning day, beginning with a brilliantly graphic and moving Video/rap production that told the story of Church as lived reality. Sadly it doesn't seem to be on Youtube... yet! It's called Fast Forward

1. Activist Leaders don't like it, but the only way to cast visions that amount to anything is PROCESS. Solo "Mount Sinai" styles of vision casting make people feel undervalued. They undervalue people and wreck teams!
   Bill Hybels
   
   
2. The Hireling looks just like the good Shepherd (the one with ownership, for whom it's personal) and in normal circumstances may well do pretty much the same things. When things hot up, the differences of motive and outlook will show up. The single most determining factor in people owning the vision is whether they really believe you own it. They'll only take a bullett for it if they believe you will...
   Bill Hybels
   
   
3. Carly Fiorina talked us through her famous HP Shenanigans, with a moving clarity, honesty, and realism. She seemed remarkably calm unrancorous. The core of leadership was about Character and authenticity. It requires both passion and dispassion. She also raised some teasing gender issues around work and business. There is gift in everything, if only we will see it.
   Carly Fiorina
   
   
4. Marcus Buckingham rekindled my interest in the positive psychology movement, and basing my view of people on their strengths, not their weaknesses. He drew attention to three ghastly lies, and the truth about them:

• RUBBISH — "As you grow your personality changes"
  TRUTH — "As you grow you become more of who you really are"
  
  
• RUBBISH — "You grow most in your areas of greatest weakness"
  TRUTH — "You grow most in your areas of greatest strength."
  
  
• RUBBISH — "Working as a team requires I lay aside my strength and do whatever it takes to help the team."
  TRUTH — "The best way to help the team is to volunteer your strength to the Team as a resource"
  
  This has radical implications for Ministry Review schemes, and for the way we take responsibility for our own development. It's important not to infantilise people, but to build people's sense of responsibility for their own growth. Emergencies apart, we need to play to our strengths, not centre our attention on remedial action.

I also got a new Pat Lencioni book with a kind of Joy at Work theme — a must read for plane trip home.