4th Obsession: REINFORCE CLARITY

In his 4th Obsession Lencioni is particularly referring to human systems. It's not efficient enough to simply state the vision and over-communicate it, if it's not carried out through the people. The way he breaks this reinforcement down is: HIRING,PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT,REWARDS,DISMISSAL... Every person that inquires of joining your team should be filtered through this process. The vision should be clarified immediately, and if the other teammates don't believe the person being interviewed is capable of buying in to the vision, then that candidate is thrown out. After the person is chosen to be a part of the team, that person must be evaluated regularly to determine if the work is motivated by the vision and produces the results of the vision. The team must constantly be rewarded! I believe as leaders we fail terribly in this area!!! We tend to run our teams on empty without every filling them up, and ultimately the tank burns out. If there is 1 thing I have learned early in my life as a leader, it is to REWARD the team for their hard work and passion!!!!! If you don't THANK, they will TANK!! Sometimes people will have to be dismissed because they are preventing the vision from succeeding fully. These people aren't always horrible employees, they just never fully buy into the vision. This change doesn't always have to be negative. Most of these people need a change, they just don't know it yet. Still for the sake of the BIG VISION, certain teammates have to be benched!!!!

3rd Obsession: OVER - COMMUNICATE

How do you build a successful organization or leadership team? OVER COMMUNICATE THE VISION! If there is any truth to the research that claims it takes at least 7 times of hearing the same thing, before it really settles in your brain. Then the third OBSESSION, could be the most important. Once a leader develops a Vision he/she is elated and overly anxious to communicate it to the team. Then what happens? The leader only states the vision 1 or 2 times and then the vision is put away. 6 months later the leader can't understand why the people aren't buying into the Vision.

If you are truly passionate about your vision or the vision for the team, then as the leader you will unconsciously implore your people until they are consumed with what you believe to be the driving force behind the team! OVER-COMMUNICATE, OVER-COMMUNICATE, OVER-COMMUNICATE!!! If you don't, then accept the failure that will come your way!

2nd Obsession: BE CLEAR

According to Lencioni, the greatest leaders understand the importance of clearly communicating the Vision. The Vision must drive the leader and his team. The reason that leaders fail to communicate a Vision, is that they are not passionate about it. Vision can't be forced upon a leader, but he must consume himself with what he believes to be vital to the success of the organization. Once a leader is convinced that the Vision will succeed, then and only then, can he passionately communicate the Vision to his team. A leader who isn't consumed with the Vision, is a leader who will never inspire his team to obtain the Vision!

1st Obsession: BE COHESIVE

If you haven't read, " The 4 Obsessions of An Extraordinary Executive," I highly recommend that you do. For all of us wanting to improve and develop as leaders, I believe it is a must read! The vast majority of the book is written as a fictional account distinguishing the contrasts between A HIGHLY EFFECTIVE CEO AND an average CEO.

The first obsession of an Highly Effective leader is " BUILD AND MAINTAIN A COHESIVE LEADERSHIP TEAM." In order for an organization to be healthy and vibrant, the leadership team must be cohesively functioning as 1 unit. As leaders, we are only as productive as the teams we build and maintain. A leader who fails to build trust within his team, is a leader who is destined for failure.

As a young leader, I have the urge to do everything myself. At this point in life, I have an over consumption of ideas and nuances that I believe could or would be effective in what I am doing. However, I must understand that unless my team is as passionate about my ideas as I am, the ideas will surely fall by the side. If I believe my vision is vital to the organization, then it is my job as a leader to infuse that belief in to the people I have been called to lead!

He Masters the MASTERS

The most elegant and prestigious Golf tournament the game has to offer begins tomorrow. The MASTERS is exactly as the title indicates; a tournament only for the Masters of the game. Their is one guy who unequivocally Masters the MASTERS. Tiger Woods, have you heard of him? What a shocker, he dominates this golf tournament too. An idiot looks at Tiger Woods and honestly thinks he got this good by natural talent and working just like the rest of the players on tour. You're an IDIOT!! Please go to Tigerwoods.com and check out his daily routine. You will ask no more why he is the greatest player of all time. IMHO he is the greatest athlete of all time!

By the way, He will own another GREEN JACKET by Sunday evening!

Cranked UP

I feel like I just returned from Ampville!!! This weekend rocked, and Jesus was glorified!!! I am super-pumped about what is shaking at Harmony, but I realize there is much pursuit to be done. Jesus is rocking my world right now, and honestly I don't know that I have ever been more in love with HIM! The most poignant part of the whole weekend was seeing a woman and her daughter come to Jesus together. It floors me that God uses the foolishness of preaching to reach people.

Praise Jesus that Andrew,Denise and the teens are back from Mexico. Man our teen ministry rocks, and to God be the Glory! I am thrilled to work along side Andrew Gill (teen minister) and in my opinion, he is top notch!