Summit Day 3

Today wrapped up the summit with an interview with Jimmy Carter and a final session by Bill Hybels. Again, too much to comment on, but here are the highlights:

Jimmy Carter:
- Need to have an inner circle of staff with integrity, compatability with core principals, extends knowledge & capability in their given area of expertise, and willing to have & share conflicting ideas.
- There is a growing chasm between the rich & the poor along with an attitude that "we" don't want to be burdened by "their" problem.

Bill Hybels (Whatever you do, inspire me!)
- There was a ton in here, but basically it is each leader's responsibility to inspire themselves. It is critical that we do whatever we need to do to be inspired and motivated. A leader's motivation is a "force multiplier" (to use a phrase utilized by Collin Powell yesterday). When a leader is motivated and inspired it multiplies the leaders effectiveness in motivating and inspiring others thereby multiplying production.
- The leader must find out what motivates and inspires each person on their staff; people are not all motivated in the same way.
- The leader must surround themselves with EIPs (Exceptionally Inspiring People)

The question I am now wrestling with after being challenged to up my leadership and to get into deeper into the battle is, "Why did God give me the spiritual gift of leadership?" What am I supposed to do with that?

I've got a ton rattling around inside my pea-brain right now and I'm sure it will come out over the following days & weeks. Sorry the past few days were like a seminar rather than a blog.... we'll see what the next few days hold. I preach tomorrow so better get workin' on that. Later...