July 10, 2006
Last Thursday Laurie shared with us the concept of balcony people vs. basement people. Balcony people are those individuals who encourage and affirm us while basement people are those individuals who drag us down through discouragement and unconstructive criticism.
Balcony people are more than just encouragers; they are the individuals who see who we are in Christ and they hold us to that standard. Sometimes their words may be hard to hear, but they’re always shared in love and with the goal of building us up and helping us to live the life we have been called to live.
The number of people in our balcony is limited. Not everyone can be a balcony person in our life – no matter how much we want them there. True freedom comes when we stop looking for the basement people in our lives to be in our balconies.
We all need to recognize and appreciate the balcony people in our lives and strive to live as balcony people to others.
This week Chris Ward from Chapel Hill Fellowship will talk to us about being teachable. See you all Thursday!
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June 30, 2006
We all have something to say. Whether we represent our respective organization, church, business or ourselves, we have some message that we want to convey to the world. If we’re going to be effective, we have to communicate clearly.
Thursday’s session discussed what clear communication looks like. Kirk Longhofer did a great job, describing the value of clear, concise statements.
He highlighted National Community Church, which has developed a number of great value statements. Those value statements are derived from who they are at their core. If we’re going to develop value statements for our organizations or for ourselves, they must originate from within.
Kirk recommended having three to five core messages that you want to deliver. To wrap up, Laurie suggested that as individuals, we need to have these three questions answered and, if answered honestly, they can serve as our core statements.
1. Who are you?
2. Where are you going?
3. How are you going to get there?
Thanks to everyone who came, both old and new.
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June 30, 2006
Last week, Matt Shepherd shared the idea of permission to speak. We looked at several dimensions – permission from God and permission from those to whom we are speaking.
This idea of permission to speak isn’t radical, but it’s something we must be mindful of. We’re operating in a new social and cultural context where permission isn’t as freely given as it once was. Just because you’re in a place of authority (whatever that might look like) doesn’t mean that you’re automatically granted permission to speak your mind.
We all have a message, whether we represent an organization or ourselves. We must be mindful of our audience and make sure we have permission before we start sharing that message.
See you tomorrow!
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June 20, 2006
This week we had David Rogers, a partner at Foulstin Siefkin, share with us the power of passion. David started by defining passion, stating that the original definition, suffering, is considered obsolete. He explained that we often confuse energy or enthusiasm for passion, but that it is much deeper and profound than that.David says that passion is conviction of the heart that produces Godly action.
David then broke down the pieces of that definition. He said that conviction is the certainty that convinces you to get up and go every morning; it’s force that provides the drive to move us forward.
David then highlighted the fact that passion cannot be divorced from our vision or calling. To explain this, he told the story of David Brainard, a brilliant man who became a missionary to the Native Americans. His calling/vision provided a passion to serve those individuals. That passion developed compassion – the idea of suffering with another person or situation – which David argued always follows passion. He said, “The life (passion) of Christ was the compassion of Christ.”
But how do we get passion? Christ must come alive in us. If we are living for ourselves, pursuing our wants and desires, passion will never fully develop. “Christ lived for you, so he could give his life to you, to live through you,” David said. If we want passion in our lives, we’ll have to adopt the life of the one who truly lived a passionate life.
God doesn’t want to just use our gifts or talents — He wants to transform us. If we allow His transforming power in our lives, our passion will come alive.
So, has passion come alive in you?
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June 9, 2006
Today, Cheryl Doll, VP of Marketing and Distribution for Lodgeworks, shared her journey discovering who she is not. If you’d like a copy of the PowerPoint, pop me an email or leave a comment below and I’ll get it to you.
Additionally, I shared several questions that we should ask ourselves to help draw some personal boundary lines. Take time to honestly answer the questions in two or three points. The questions are:
- Who do you think you are?
- Who do you think you’re not?
- Where are you going?
- Where are you not going?
- What are you passionate about? What makes you come alive?
- What do you hate doing?
- What are your strengths/spiritual (God-given) gifts?
- What are your weaknesses?
- What are some opportunities that are laid out in front of you?
If you can, walk through your answers with your mentor or someone who knows you well. It will be an incredibly beneficial exercise.
Thanks to everyone who came today. I look forward to seeing you (and those who didn’t make it) at next week’s session, The Power of Passion. (I mispoke in today’s session, Personal Branding is the week after next. Sorry!)
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June 5, 2006
What is the Creel Institute?
We’re a division of The Strategy Group LLC, a full-service strategic marketing firm established in 1990.
What is the thinking behind it?
It’s not just a new thought. It’s an insistence, a value that goes to our core that national-quality excellence and critical thinking should be as available to Christian ministries as to large, multi million-dollar companies! Churches and ministries, large and small, often subscribe to the sad idea that if their identities are too vibrant, their constituencies won’t give. If they have the money to create this beautiful new brochure, they don’t need my money. The reality is that ministry must compete in a noisy, saturated marketplace to gain the attention of its publics. It is also true that organizational health increases public confidence in giving.
So the Creel Institute will focus on marketing?
Marketing puts a winsome face on an organization, and that’s really important. But The Creel Institute is designed to drill way down to the core of an organization to help it find true relevancy by asking the question, “What is God’s vision for this organization?” With that question solidly answered, an organization can move on to commit critical resources to effectively work within the scope of the vision.
Explain the Creel ModelSM.
The Creel Model was inspired by reading a passage from the book of Exodus in the Bible. It was one of those landscape view, wow kind of moments where you see something with soft eyes. Written in the margins of my Bible in this chapter are the words “Vision. Specification. Equipping. Accountability.” The more I thought about it and talked about it, the more it made sense. It’s amazing to read other passages of Scripture and see the same pattern.
Here’s the idea and the supporting Scripture:
God had a vision for His sanctuary on earth.
“Then have them make a sanctuary for me, and I will dwell among them. Make this tabernacle and all its furnishings exactly like the pattern I will show you.” Ex 25:8
He provided the specification for that vision down to the smallest detail.
“Have them make a chest of acacia wood—two and a half cubits long…Overlay it with pure gold, both inside and out…” Ex 25:10-30:38
He equipped His people to fulfill His vision.
“I have chosen…and I have filled him with the Spirit of God, with skill, ability and knowledge in all kinds of crafts…Moreover, I have appointed…Also I have given skill to all the craftsmen to make everything…” Ex 31: 2-6
He then held them accountable.
“They are to make them just as I commanded you.” Ex 31:11
How do you know if your vision is God’s vision?
This is the most challenging question an organization can ask. We believe vision is found in passion. I love the Scripture in Luke where the disciples talk about their hearts burning within them. That’s the Holy Spirit pressing on them. Or where Paul says in 1 Corinthians, “Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel.” That’s passion. Where is God pressing on your heart? Where do you come alive? Where is there confirming Scripture? Where are there confirming circumstances? Where is there risk? Where will God have to come in power for anything extraordinary to happen? If you can answer those questions in a meaningful way, we think you’ll find God’s vision.
Why do you think there’s a need for The Creel Institute?
We’ve served churches and ministries for many years. We see the same needs again and again. Leaders are overwhelmed and forced in multiple directions. Vision is not broadly understood or articulated. Organizational core messages do not exist. Resources are scattered. Staff are not well trained but nevertheless held to high expectations. Communications materials are poorly concepted and created. Decisions are not strategic. Efforts are not directed. Precious dollars are thrown to the wind in a shotgun fashion instead of allocated in a meaningful way to a targeted audience. The people in key roles are tired and frustrated. Energy is spent on false starts rather than bearing fruit.
What is your hope for The Creel Institute?
To see passion lived out and hope ignited. The creative director of the universe is author and perfector of the most amazing purposes. Our desire is to be invested in helping Christian workmen lay claim to His vision and equip them to fulfill it with grace, skill and precision. When men and women catch fish, He triumphs.
— Laurie Carney, partner/principal, The Strategy Group LLC
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