I’m gaining a ton of personal fulfillment and energy these days from coaching, developing, and leading my team.  My desire is to do whatever I can to help them succeed and win.

What drive me to do this?  Well, several things.  For one…I love my team and care about their development as leaders…or better yet – as humans!  And secondly, I know that if they succeed, so will The Orchard’s mission.  

One practical way I try and help set them up for success is by giving each of my direct reports an opportunity to give me – their leader – direct feedback on how they feel I could do a better job of leading them.  So once a month, right alongside my input and development of their leadership, I ask them to answer a very simple, three-part question:

What can I (as your leader)….START, STOP, & CONTINUE DOING…..that would help set you up for greater success?

This is an important question because it cuts out any assumptions I may have about how well I’m leading my team.

More specifically, here’s what I’m asking:

START – What am I not currently doing that could potentially set you up for greater success?

STOP – What am I currently doing that is frustrating you or that you feel could be hindering your success as a leader?

CONTINUE – What am I currently doing that is helping you to succeed?

I’m convinced that building a strong team isn’t just about the leader developing, growing, and stretching their team…..it’s also about providing that team with regular and consistent opportunities to develop, grow, and stretch their leader.

What are some of your best practices for doing this?  

Posted in Leadership |

This is really cool. It’s 12+ hours of Jackson Price’s Photoshop creation of the RESET machine that was used in the promo for a new series happening at The Orchard compressed into about 4.5 minutes.

Total Reset Promo Project hours: 80

• 4 hours – Concept/Research
• 3 hours – Stop-motion photography of the box
• 4 hours – Searching for images (68 images used – some created, some photographed, some purchased, some free)
• 12 hours – Photoshop work
• 58 hours compositing & animating in After Effects

Posted in Creativity, Videos |

Love this trailer that Jackson Price created for The Orchard’s upcoming series, “RESET”.

Posted in The Orchard, Videos |

Love these photos from our first Art of Advent weekend at The Orchard.  Photography props to Zipporah Katambwe!

(Click for larger images.)

Posted in Photos, The Orchard |

So excited for our Advent series beginning next weekend (Dec. 3-4).  We’re calling it THE ART OF ADVENT.

Here’s a video that tells more.

Click to see a few other versions of logo we’re using.

Posted in Advent, Art, The Orchard, Videos |

Here’s a few projects from some friends.  Definitely worth throwing on your radar if you haven’t already.

A NEW LITURGY - My friend Aaron Niequist’s latest project.  These are 25 minute journeys of music, prayer, scripture, and space. His plan is to release a new one each quarter.  Aaron debuted the first one (God is Love) at The Orchard this past summer.  Our community loved it!

IR-REV-REND – Greg Surratt just released his new book: Ir-rev-rend: Christianity without the pretense, faith without the facade. Greg has a lot of great stuff to say.  He’s honest and full of wisdom.  I love this guy.  Buy it here.

UNTITLED – WAY overdue mention…  It’s Blaine Hogan’s summer release, UNTITLED: Thoughts On The Creative Process.  Blaine Hogan is full of great art and ideas.  He’s the Creative Director at Willow Creek Community Church in Barrington.  He’s a great writer who always inspires me.  Check out his blog too.

Posted in Art, Books, Music |