Thanks to The Rocket Company, I am attending the Willow Creek Global Leadership Summit for the next two days.  In an effort to help fulfill our mission of helping churches succeed, I will be bringing some of the top leadership lessons from the incredible faculty the WCA has assembled.

The session’s second speaker was former Secretary of State General Colin Powell.  The following are leadership quotes and lessons from his session.  You can get his new book It Worked For Me: In Life And Leadership by clicking here.

  • I was raised in a loving immigrant family.
  • A city/state has nothing more important to do than educate the next generation.
  • We are all creatures of God.  We are important.  We all deserve the right stewardship and caring.
  • Leadership is getting more out of people than the science of management says you can.
  • Leaders inspire people to reach beyond themselves.
  • Even though I am a leader, I’m not getting the work done.  The followers get the work done.  You get nowhere without followers who want to follow you.
  • Give them a sense of purpose.
  • Purpose is what are we doing this for?  How are we making a contribution to society?
  • I could not achieve my purpose as Secretary of State if she doesn’t achieve her purpose in arranging my room.
  • You have to constantly show people they are important.
  • It is the collection of individual purposes that make the overall purpose a reality.
  • It was the early shaping that I got that made me who I am.
  • I trust people to do things without all the times bringing it to me.  Get the people I could.  People I trusted but more important trusted me.
  • Always empower.  Empowering means taking risks.
  • Trust is the glue that will hold an organization together and the lubricant to move it forward.
  • Leaders have themes people understand.  They constantly refresh them and repeat them.

And now the 13 Rules from his book:

  • It ain’t as bad as you think.  It will look better in the morning.
  • Get mad, then get over it.
  • Avoid having your ego so close to position that when your position falls, your ego goes with it.
  • It can be done.
  • Be careful what you choose: you may get it.
  • Don’t let adverse facts stand in the way of a good decision.
  • You can’t make someone else’s choices.  You shouldn’t let someone else make yours.
  • Check small things.
  • Share credit.
  • Remain calm.  Be kind.
  • Have a vision.  Be demanding.
  • Don’t take counsel of your fears or naysayers.
  • Perpetual optimism is a force multiplier.

Bill Hybels then joined Gen. Powell on stage for a Q&A period.  Here are those thoughts:

  • Soldiers want to talk about their experience.  They’re not looking for sympathy.  They want their service recognized and respected.
  • These youngsters will do anything for their buddies.
  • Never say “sorry”.  I say to wounded soldiers, “I know it was tough.  Thank you.”
  • I came along as the nation was making historic changes.
  • As a practical matter, a segregated Army made no sense.
  • If I’m a good brigade commander, I don’t care how I got it.  I have to take advantage of the opportunity.
  • As we move forward let’s not leave anybody behind.
  • Successful leaders infect their people.
  • In the military we’re always looking for force multipliers…One of the ways to make them more powerful is to be a perpetual optimist.
  • People look to leaders to optimism and confidence.
  • You have to convince people it is in their best interest to share the corporate interest.
  • Mad is a bad attitude.
  • You can’t stay mad because it contaminates the entire organization.
  • I’ve always tried to adapt my personality to the personalities of my subordinates.
  • You have good followers in an organization and they don’t like bad followers getting over.
  • Leaders are people who solve problems.
  • If you’re not solving problems, people stop bringing you problems.  That’s when you should watch out.
  • Ego…Somewhere along the way no one taught them humility or consideration for others…I can’t work with them.  I can’t deal with them.
  • Everybody ought to know when it’s time to get off the train.
  • You have to create an environment where people can tell you where there is trouble.
  • I’ve chosen to spend the rest of my life serving others, especially younger people coming up.
  • We come to church to hear the lessons.  We come to church to learn more about our faith and the bible.  Tell us how our faith and bible are relevant to the world.
  • I respond to challenges.  I get challenged every day of my life.
  • Challenges are part of life.

Keep checking back as I will be updating this site throughout the conference.  Can’t wait for Patrick Lencioni.

SystemsWebinar

Click here or the image provided to register for a FREE webinar  put on by The Rocket Company on August 20th where we will teach on creating and implementing healthy systems in your church.  Healthy systems are the #1 thing needed for your church to grow and reach its full redemptive potential.

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