A long time ago someone told me that average was really just the “best of the worst and the worst of the best.” That’s an interesting way to look at it for sure. That view has helped to shape the way I think about average. In fact, I pretty much am hardwired to go for more than average. I look at mediocrity the same way I look at average. Mediocrity is not my goal in life.
Best selling author Seth Godin writes about the four horsemen of mediocrity: Deniability, Helplessness, Contempt and Fear. They are also the four horsemen of average. Godin often writes how the industrial age brought us a culture of compliance. Compliance brought fear. Fear brought mediocrity. We’ve all seen mediocrity and average abound in nearly every imaginable environment—business, customer service, retail, churches, leadership, government, education, marriage and parenting—just to name a few.
There are a lot of ways to express mediocrity and average but Godin refers to the symptoms showing up most often in these “four horsemen:”
Deniability —It’s the basic problem most humans are born with, “it’s not my fault.” Deniability shows up in organizations through phrases like, “they decided, they created or they blocked.” When we make excuses for lack of excellence and progress, we are denying our responsibility to act or to make changes. How many times have we heard, “that’s just the way the system works. There’s nothing I can do about it.” That’s average. That’s mediocrity.
Helplessness —Here’s another one similar to deniability, “My boss won’t let me.” Compliance and settling for average is a clear path to mediocrity. Excellence is found only when we become solution focused. There will always be problems. There will be glitches. There will be mistakes. Those who rise above all the rest are the creative problem-solvers. “I can’t” should be eliminated from our vocabularies and replaced with “let me see what I can do.”
Contempt —Already disillusioned and discouraged to the point of no longer caring, this average mentality is expressed by, “they don’t pay me enough to put up with this kind of stuff.” Mediocrity oozes out of the pores of those who degrade their bosses, their organizations and their associates with condescension. Even an outside observer can tell that an unhealthy culture exists in that particular environment when disdain and poor attitudes are expressed out loud or through body language.
Fear —The fear of failure is probably the biggest enemy of excellence. If organizational workers or leaders feel it is not worth the risk, mediocrity has invaded the culture. It may be the fear of what others will say about your success or the “what ifs” of failure. Some environments become so toxic that excellence is quickly shot down and those who start rising above average are pulled back to “reality” so everything stays “normal.” Fear is a powerful persuader toward mediocrity and average.
The great news about fear is that once you see it and dance with it (as Godin says), you have a huge opportunity! A chance to make it better. An occasion to bring change. A prospect of hope. An incident for excellence. A cause to shoot for the moon. A reason to live with brilliance. Neither mediocre or average.
QUESTION: What helps you to rise above mediocrity? Please share it with our readers below. Thank you!
Have you been in one of those situations where you are not the leader but you just want to make a difference and help something to happen? Sometimes it’s because you are new on the scene or it may be due to a vacuum of leadership among those who are assigned to lead. Other times you simply are a member of a team and have limited authority.
I love the philosophy of leadership that Gary Hamel and Polly LaBarre espouse in a Harvard Business Review article I recently stumbled across. The blog title was How to Lead When You Are Not the Leader. I loved the idea they were promoting when they stated, “you have to assume you have no power—that you aren’t ‘in charge’ of anything…if, given this starting point, you can mobilize others and accomplish amazing things, then you’re a leader. If you can’t, well then, you’re a bureaucrat.”
Wow! If you have to rely on a position or a role to define your leadership, you are just exercising bureaucratic power. Bottom line, authentic leadership is all about influence and inspiring others toward change or accomplishment. I totally agree.
Hanel and LaBarre write about the 8 attributes of individuals who inspire others and multiply their impact. In the above referenced article, they highlight these eight: Seers, Contrarians, Architects, Mentors, Connectors, Bushwhackers, Guardians and Citizens.
I quickly discovered that I lead best through being a Mentor and a Connector. I also have Seer and Architect attributes which have helped me envision what could be, then design and build an organization with systems that adequately helped it to grow and function. But that’s not the center of my sweet spot. I’m at the top of my game as a Mentor and Connector.
Hanel and LaBarre describe me this way. Mentors, rather than hoarding power, give it away. They believe and act as if the primary role of a leader is to create more leaders. Connectors have a gift of spotting the right people who can combine ideas and visions with available resources. They also help others achieve their dreams. Spot on. When I reflect, I think those two strengths and leadership attributes are my greatest legacy in the organization I started 28 years ago.
How about you? Are you a leader or a bureaucrat? Are you able to lead through influence and inspiration when you aren’t the leader? Which of the 8 attributes are most typical of your leadership? Your leadership can leave a significant impact and legacy.
QUESTION: Which attributes do you lead best with? Please share them below.
The last 14 months have been personally filled with anticipation, planning, waiting, wondering, worrying, relief, profound gratitude and now, anticipation all over again. It was 14 months ago that I made a decision to apply for the 2013 National Clergy Renewal Program grant funded by the Indianapolis-based Lilly Endowment Inc. Thirty-five years of being on-call nearly 24/7 and working most every weekend of the year, can take its toll. Walking with people through their gut-wrenching, life-altering experiences of pain and grief has a cumulative impact on even the care-givers. So I decided to take action. I’m happy to report to you that I am blessed beyond measure.
My wife Linda and I and the congregation we founded were awarded a four-month fully funded sabbatical by the Lilly Endowment. Cape Christian Fellowship is one of 87 congregations across the country selected to participate in this competitive grant program. Starting May 1, we will be taking extended time to rest, recharge, retool and reconnect.
We will begin our sabbatical with five weeks of travel in Austria, Switzerland, and Germany, where we will visit many places connected to our family and spiritual heritage. Our activities will range from spending a few days in a monastery to hang gliding in the Swiss Alps. After these initial weeks, we will experience a five-day Greek Isle cruise tracing the journey of the Apostle Paul, a prominent first century Christian leader.
Following the cruise, Linda and I will return to the United States, where we will spend the next 10 weeks on a road trip from Florida to my home state of Oregon and back to Florida again. Since one of the intentions of the grant is to strengthen and refresh the pastor’s family, we will be spending a week on the Oregon Coast with our three adult children, their spouses, and our four grandchildren. Our stateside activities include a week in the Canadian Rockies and a five-day workshop for me with a professional photographer in Glacier National Park in Montana to nurture my hobby—nature photography. The sabbatical starts winding down in August with a four-day marriage retreat in Colorado and then it wraps up with a reflection time in a cabin in Georgia.
“Lilly Endowment intends for this program to enable pastors to live for a while at a different pace and in a new environment, in Sabbath time and space,” said Dr. Christopher L. Coble, vice president for religion at the Endowment. “We can think of no better way to honor these hardworking, faithful men and women than to help them experience personal growth and spiritual renewal in ways that they themselves design and find meaningful. We regularly hear that these renewal experiences are transformative for pastors, their families, and their congregations.”
Linda and I are anticipating growth and renewal during this upcoming time away. We feel blessed beyond all measure. I’m still working on how I might do some continued but limited blog posts while I’m away to keep you connected to our journey and experiences. These next 90 days before we leave will be filled with much preparation to make sure all the details both for our travels and for what we leave behind, are covered and taken care of. But everyday is filled with incredible thankfulness and gratitude for God’s blessings and the foresight of business leaders like the Lilly family who are using their resources to bless people like our family.
QUESTION: Have you ever taken an extended time away and what did you learn about the experience that you would be willing to pass on to us? Share it in an email to DGingerich@capechristian.com or in the comment section below. Thanks!
This weekend when the final ticks of the second quarter game clock fade and over 100 million people are watching Super Bowl XLVIII on their high-def flat screens, most of us won’t be thinking about what will happen next in the Denver Bronco and Seattle Seahawk locker rooms. We’ll be watching the endless stream of multi-million dollar commercials and hopefully a decent half-time show. But maybe, there will be a miracle happening in the locker rooms.
Interestingly, the NFL highest-scoring second-half teams of the 2013 season are the Denver Broncos with an average of 26.8 points and the Seattle Seahawks with 17.8 average. Is it coincidental they are the Super Bowl contenders?
We’ve all witnessed a team return from halftime now jacked up beyond all recognition. Suddenly that team that couldn’t put any points on the board in the first two quarters is now a scoring machine. Could this dramatic alteration of energy and execution be the result of an amazing miracle of coaching or the manifestation of some bold speech delivered by an emotional leader? Maybe it’s some combination of both along with other less tangible factors.
The reality of this weekend, Coaches John Fox and Pete Carroll will have a bit more than double the normal 12 minutes between the end of the second quarter and the beginning of the third. With the walk to and from the field chewing up some of the time, the Super Bowl game actually will have a 31 minute halftime. Of course toilets will be flushing, ankles will be taped, energy drinks will be gulped, Ibuprofen or stronger will be popped, torn jerseys will be changed and more. Offensive and defensive coaches will huddle with their players. An influential player may give a pep talk. And no halftime is complete without short motivational speeches by Fox and Carroll to their respective teams.
For the most part, only slight variations in the game plan can realistically be made. An entire two weeks worth of prep cannot just be thrown away or replaced. But somehow it seems like miracles are created in those few minutes of down time between halves. Energized, recharged and ready for battle, the teams charge the field. Final outcome? Unknown.
My point is, halftime matters! It matters in our lives as well. Honest reflection on what was effective and what was ineffective in the first half are both important. Looking ahead is vital. Adjustments to the game plan are crucial. I’m grateful for a friend like Lloyd Reeb of the Halftime organization that has helped me immensely while in the locker room catching my breath. I’m blessed with my own personal board of directors—a group of peers whom I’ve met with nearly every single week for the last 18 years. I’m thankful for my wife who has encouraged me and helped me to see both my strengths and my weaknesses.
The miracles that happen in the locker room at half time are rarely about one person, one speech or one new game-changing idea. Those second-half miracles are about intentionally understanding your 3 C’s: Core, Capacity and Context; knowing what drives your life, grasping your purpose and developing a clear personal mission statement. All of these I’ve written about before at the above respective links.
What steps have you taken recently to get off the field regularly to rest, reflect and refocus for the second half? There are no lack of resources to get started. The truth is this. If you are going full speed for all four quarters, you will totally miss the miracle in the locker room, and likely, the trophy at the end of the game.
QUESTION: What have you recently learned about yourself in the locker room? Share it in the comment section below.
The big game is coming up this weekend! Millions will watch. They may be avid or casual fans. Or they might be curious as to what kind of advertising creativity could possibly be worth $4,000,000 for 30 seconds of fame. I guess Bank of America, Cheerios, Coca-Cola, Doritos, GoDaddy, Pespi and Toyota are all interested in playing the game. They and many more will pony up millions for their 30 or 60 second spots during Super Bowl XLVIII and we will share our favorites on social media or around the water cooler on Monday morning.
For those actually interested in the Denver Broncos and Seattle Seahawks play on the gridiron, there are tons of statistics that show first half performance can get you in the game, but second half play will determine who leaves the field with the trophy. It’s a lot like life. What happens at halftime, matters.
Halftime is when the best coaches and team leaders assess and adjust. If you’re behind, you look at what’s gone wrong and rework your game plan. If you failed to prepare and got thumped, you change it up.
That’s the tactical approach. There’s also the emotional inventory because it may be that the other team is doing nothing to you. You’re doing it to yourself. You may adjust there too.
Coming out of halftime, it comes down to how badly you want something and what you’re willing to do, mentally and physically. Sacrifice and selflessness factor in because winners always come in a group package. Peyton Manning’s or Russell Wilson’s are nice to have but it’s teams that win, not stars. Besides that, every team has a surrounding cast of coaches, leaders, assistants and counselors. It can go either way.
As a pastor, I’ve had 50-yard line seats on the lives of men and women who have come out of halftime to finish well. They leveraged their first half success for second half significance. I’ve also been on the sidelines helping pick up the pieces of those who built a lead and then somewhere dropped their guard. It can go either way.
Someone did a study of the lives of men and women in the Bible. Where there was sufficient data to track, the study concluded that two-thirds of the biblical characters finished badly. If only a third of them made it past the two-minute warning and finished strong, that should tell us something. We humans are prone to blowing the game.
Richard Rohr writes in, “Falling Upward: A Spirituality for the Two Halves of Life,” about every life’s second half: “In my opinion, the first half of life is no more than finding the starting gate. It is merely the warm-up act…We are summoned to [the second half], not commanded to go, perhaps because each of us has to go on this path freely, with all the messy and raw material of our own unique lives. But we don’t have to do it, nor do we have to do it alone.”
So the second half is no promise, no guarantee. It’s just a chance to redeem ourselves or to ruin all we’ve gained so far. The first half gets you in the game; the second half is for your best plays.
QUESTION: What helps you most to keep your game sharp in the second half? Please share it below.
One of my favorite bloggers had this title recently, “Gradually and Then Suddenly.” Seth Godin writes mostly about marketing and business but his points are applicable across the whole spectrum of life. So many things happen gradually and then suddenly.
Most things don’t happen suddenly. We just notice suddenly. It usually happens gradually. After ten years of foundational erosion, cutting corners here, inattention to details, opportunities missed, quite suddenly it all falls apart. It didn’t happen suddenly, you just noticed it suddenly.
This principle of truth is seen in business, in marriage, in churches, in careers, raising children and more. Everything is going along with just tiny incremental changes and then suddenly. The good news is, the flipside works the very same way. After ten years in business, we suddenly notice an overnight success.
Godin writes, “This is the way it works, but we too often make the mistake of focusing on the ‘suddenly’ part. The media writes about suddenly, we notice suddenly, we talk about suddenly.” Jim Collins in his Good to Great book uses the image of the “Flywheel Effect”—the additive effect of many small initiatives continued with intentional discipline over time act like compounding interest and lead to great success. It’s much the same as the Bamboo Principle.
I’m reminded of the Scripture: “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up” (Galatians 6:9). Life is mostly about a lot of small day-to-day decisions that morph into one big direction of life. We look for the big break-through to success moments. We watch for the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. We anticipate our moment in the spotlight.
I reflected on this principle yesterday while remembering and celebrating Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Dr. King didn’t just give an “I Have a Dream” speech and everything changed. He made day-to-day decisions to speak out, to march, to write letters, to preach sermons—which led to years of hardship, jail time and non-violent confrontations. Civil rights changes were so very gradual, but then suddenly.
What small thing do you need to do or change today in building your character, your marriage, your business, your faith, your career or your organization so some day, it will suddenly be everything you want it to become? Gradually is the only part you can actually do something about.
QUESTION: What examples of gradual and then suddenly would you add? Please share them.
A headline in the USA Today sports section of our local paper this week was “Chase for Fame A-Rod’s Shame.” Baseball star Alex Rodriquez is suspended for the entire 162-game 2014 season. It will cost him his $25 million dollar salary, every ounce of his reputation, credibility and likely a shot at the Hall of Fame. It’s a loud crash heard in every corner of the baseball kingdom.
Bob Nightengale reflected in the USA Today article, that Rodriquez was always the best from teen to major league. Even though he dated celebrities and was the highest-paid player in baseball history, it wasn’t enough. His 654 home-runs were inadequate. He wanted to join the 800 home-run club. Nightengale concludes his article with this sobering comment, “Alex Rodriquez, the person, is no longer famous. A-Rod, the disgraced ballplayer, will forever be infamous.” Indeed, a very loud crash.
One of the great books I’ve read in the last five years is Jim Collin’s book, “How the Mighty Fall.” Collins four-year research of top-tier businesses who skidded to the bottom of the pile reveals a pattern of five commonalities in a specific pattern of decline. Stage 1: Hubris Born of Success. Stage 2: Undisciplined Pursuit of More. Stage 3: Denial of Risk and Peril. Stage 4: Grasping for Salvation. Stage 5: Capitulation to Irrelevance or Death. Right now, A-Rod is in stage four, still fighting, still trying to be heard. Nightengale predicts stage five is just around the corner.
Success in any individual, any career, any organization has the same temptation. I’ve watched it in others and fought it in myself. I’m vulnerable and you are vulnerable. The higher we climb on the ladder, the more precarious the balance.
Here are a few things I’m learning that I believe can help avoid a loud crash or even a slow slide.
Stay God-focused – Stage one kicks in when we become arrogant, gravitate toward entitlement and lose sight of the true underlying factors that created success in the first place. When I fail to recognize God’s providence, His grace, His blessing and His provision in my life, my footing is already becoming unstable. I remind myself often that every good and perfect gift comes from God (James 1:17). I seek to remember that life is a gift and I’m a steward of God’s stuff (Psalm 24:1 ).
Stay Grateful – It’s so easy to start viewing my success as deserved rather than a blessing. Staying God-focused helps me to stay grateful. I’m reminded to proclaim often that I’m blessed more than I deserve. I try to give thanks each day that God has gifted me and shaped me for His purposes for this time and place. I’m incredibly thankful for the amazing diversity of people who’ve contributed to my life and my success. Other self-sacrificing partners in ministry have made me look far better than I really am.
Stay Growing – Leaders are learners. They never know it all. The moment I start thinking I have nothing more to learn and now I should be the teacher because I have figured out the key to success, I’m on shaky terrain. I have started to succumb to hubris. I want to continue learning because it was inquisitiveness that contributed to my success in the first place. Leaders who stay successful keep growing at every age and stage of life.
I feel saddened by A-Rod’s dilemma. While it seems obvious to me, he may not even be aware of how it happened. I’m not writing to humiliate or to judge. I’m writing this so I can learn and not repeat the same pattern in my own life. And maybe, just maybe, someone else will be saved from a loud crash.
QUESTION: What would you add that has helped to avoid the hubris brought by success? I’d love to hear it below.
It’s easy to take risks when you don’t have anything to lose. But success can stifle your risk-taking. It’s counter-intuitive, but it’s true. Success is an anchor. You don’t move ahead for fear of losing what you have.
I’ve seen it happen in businesses, churches and other organizations. The founding leader risks everything to launch it, build it and establish it. But once the organization is solidly successful, everyone fights to keep it just the way it is. They don’t want change. They don’t want to lose what they have. It’s comfortable. It’s secure. It’s familiar. Risk-taking is stifled, shunned and feared. Institutionalization sets in. Maintenance is the norm. A long-slow death is inevitable.
I’ve personally had the thrill of being the founder of an organization that has charted an up-and-to-the-right growth curve for nearly three full decades. Of course, we’ve had our dips and setbacks. But here’s the big picture. From six to over two thousand. From a staff of one to over fifty. From a budget of tens of thousands to millions. It continues to thrive. Why? How?
Number one above all else, there is the God-factor. His providence. His blessing. His calling. His wisdom. His provision. His power. His grace. No doubt about it.
Yet every other church has the same access to God and His resources. As I’ve reflected many times over the years, here are the additional factors:
Risk is Good – From the get-go, calculated risk has been in the DNA of our organization. Problems are viewed as opportunities not obstacles. Roadblocks force you to find a new road to your destination. A new road brings new discoveries. Fear of taking risks destroys dreams. The dream in your heart is worth the risk.
Embrace Failure – Failure is never final. You never know how far you can go until you’ve failed. Every successful leader has a bucket of wisdom filled with things that didn’t work. We’ve started things and shut down things. We’ve regrouped and reorganized. Failure that comes from pushing too far is a gift. It shows you who you are and clarifies what matters.
Resist Security – With success always comes the temptation to build walls, fences and security systems to protect the accomplishments. It is natural to try to safeguard that which is proven. We drift toward comfort and status quo. Leaders cast a vision of new opportunities. Leaders must be willing to risk leaving the comfort-seekers behind to take the adventurous toward new territory.
Release Control – Leaders who focus on keeping everything in their grasp will eventually become the ceiling for their organization. Find other people more talented than you and empower them to fully engage their gifts. Expect untested people to step up. Call tested people to step up in untested areas.
T.S. Eliot said it best, “Only those who will risk going too far can possibly find out how far one can go.” What risk will you take today, this week, this year?
QUESTION: What would you add? I’d love to hear your comments below.
As one in the business of listening to those in crisis, guiding those off-track, restoring those who are broken and inspiring others to transformissional living, I’ve never known a single person who made one bad decision. Everyone I’ve ever coached or counseled over the past 35 years can point to a series of bad decisions. Their lives gradually unraveled. Yet, I realize that I’m always just one stupid decision away from destroying my life and legacy!
We all encounter regular crossroads where we have to make decisions. They are usually small decisions. Tragic stories of iconic heroes who morally crash and burn always happen in slow motion. I’ve never heard of a politician, a sports figure, a spiritual leader or a celebrity who woke up one morning and thought: “I think I’ll have an affair with a woman half my age. It will be fun for a few months. But then she will kill me, then herself. Everyone will wonder why I risked my role as a superstar NFL quarterback. My wife and my kids will spend the rest of their lives trying to forgive me.”
No, we never have that kind of clarity at the beginning. Instead, we make some small decision. Perhaps it is a simple choice to flirt with an attractive person at our place of work or to have a one-night fling while out of town on a business trip. Then it snowballs from there.
One bad decision becomes two. Two becomes three. And eventually it cascades into an unexpected end. Twenty years from now, our family and friends will still be trying to get over the betrayal and the crazy unfathomable culmination of stupidity
Here’s what I’ve been learning to keep me from making a bad decision:
We never make decisions in nothingness. Everything matters. Our words and actions will resound on into eternity.
One bad decision will be remembered forever. We can have a lifetime full of good deeds and behaviors but it can be wiped away and forgotten with one misstep.
We are all vulnerable. If we think we are not vulnerable to lapses in judgment, we are fooling ourselves. In fact, we are setting ourselves up for failure. I always have at the tip of my tongue these words, “Except for the grace of God, go I.”
We need intentional accountability. It won’t happen by accident. I have built a group of close friends whom I’ve given permission to challenge me if I veer off course. Who will do that for you?
We need to live our lives on-purpose. If you don’t have a road map, you could end up about anywhere. Do you have a clear mission? Do you have a plan to help you out live yourself?
The good news is, we can determine our legacy. We can decide how we want to be remembered. But we all encounter crossroads with small decisions. It’s not a single choice. It is a series of choices. And the best news is, if you’re still alive and reading this, it’s never too late to change course and make your life count. What one decision do you need to make today?
QUESTION: How do you want to be remembered? You can leave a comment below.
I couldn’t help but notice the North Dakota personalized license plate in the Florida restaurant parking lot. It said, “Werdone.” As the 60 something couple got out of their SUV, I asked them if I could take a picture of their license tag. “Sure,” they said. “You aren’t the first one who has asked.” I told them this would be a great topic for my blog. And as we walked together with them toward the restaurant door, I clarified the intent of their mobile message. They indeed were communicating a message that they were retired—we are done.
I regret that I didn’t get to have significant conversation with this North Dakota retiree couple who were enjoying the warmth of our Florida winter. I’m not sure if they have clarity about their calling and purpose in this season of life or if their whole lives have been focused toward the finish line of retirement. In my brief 30 second interchange with them, I got the impression it was the latter.
Having lived in Florida for nearly three decades now, I’ve repeatedly encountered people who have seen retirement as the finish line. They have the “werdone” mindset. They’ve completed their years of service in a particular career and now they will focus their lives on rest and relaxation. No agenda. No schedule, except maybe a tee time. Every day will be free for golfing, boating, fishing, or travel.
Yet with a “werdone” mentality, I’ve seen large numbers of retired people who are unhappy, depressed, grumpy and even suicidal. They have no mission. No purpose. No reason to get out of bed. Little to nothing to live for. They become angry, often lashing out at younger people. I’m sad every time I see it happen.
However, I rub shoulders every day with so many who live in contrast to the “werdone” crowd. Yes, they’ve broke the tape at the end of their career journey. They’ve officially retired. But they’ve retreaded. They’ve discovered a clear purpose for living. They use their expertise, experience and wisdom to mentor younger generations. They volunteer their time, investing in things that will outlive them. They use their talent to contribute to projects and ministries that are impacting others. They leverage their resources for maximum influence. They love to make a difference.
I’ve noticed that this second group of retirees are finding significance and meaning in life. They aren’t struggling with depression. They aren’t wondering if they matter or if anyone will remember them. They have joy in the journey. They are making a contribution. They feel fulfilled. They are energized. They love life. They look forward to each new day.
If you are in that “werdone” mode and struggling, it’s a new year. Make a change today. Volunteer at your church, synagogue, hospital, hospice, school, soup kitchen, or favorite non-profit. Read a stimulating book like Halftime or a practical get-started book like Success to Significance. Keep exploring options and possibilities until you find just the right fit. Of course, use the more relaxed environment of retirement years to do the recreational things you love to do but make sure you are living with a focus and purpose that guarantees you will out live your life.
QUESTION: What have you discovered that has helped you live with significance? Please share it in the Comment area below. Thank you!
