I call it the 1-3-5-7 Method – the leadership work of building a sustainable creative culture that thrives beyond an individual leader’s influence. The premise of the method is that it takes a minimum of seven years to build something that lasts.
We Often Miss the Most Obvious Part of Our Message
It’s amazing how easily we lose track of the main thing. Branding is all about recognizing your distinctive element of grandeur, beauty or interest, and building around that. Like the people who built the Chicago World’s Fair learned.
Your Origin Story is Sending You Clues
The origin story sets the ground rules for the story of the life that follows. Sometimes, though, the story’s caretakers lose sight of the origin. Rediscovering and knowing your origin story in a deep way provides a key to understanding your identity.
You Have a Creative Vision Already. It Just May Not Be a Positive One.
It is wrong to say that we must create a vision of the future. The truth is, everybody has a vision of the future. Everyone lives out the images they have in their mind about their own future. Some are just destructive.
My 2017 Church Creative Goals
I work as a church creative director. A lot of people ask me what that means. To give you a glimpse, here is a list of organizational goals for my creative team and I for 2017.
Information Alone Isn’t Enough
Some people call this the age of Big Data. We’re swimming in data. But if there’s one thing the information age has taught us, it’s that information alone isn’t enough.
Five Approaches to Discover Your Creative Brand
Figuring out your brand can be a challenge. Here’s a set of questions to help you discover your brand, also known as what burns in you.
A Brand is What Makes You Burn
A good brand is not calculated. It is simply the ability to clearly communicate what burns inside you. Here’s my definition of a brand, with a stunning example.
The Five Steps of My Communication Strategy
My simple five-part checklist that will help you deliver your message more effectively. This model is what I use every day when making strategic decisions.
Help the Message Make the Journey
In church we’re taught about the power of the Holy Spirit when we share a message. In seminary we’re taught about the importance of theological integrity when we share a message. What we’re not taught, and what we desperately need, is a deeper understanding of the influence of our communication – our language, symbols, and signs – when we share a message.
Top 25 Fastest Growing Large United Methodist Churches, 2017 Edition
How do churches grow? The best way to know this question may be to look very closely at churches that are growing the best. Learning from other good ideas, or what’s called “Small I” innovation, can help. But in my annual list of the top 25 fastest growing churches, most don’t just practice Small I – they pursue Big I innovation, which is something totally different.
5 Rules for Work: What it Takes to Get More Creative
Coming up with creative ideas isn’t magical. It’s a skill to develop. Some people have been working on it for a long time, like TV Producer Shonda Rhimes. Here, she highlights 5 quick tips for creative productivity in the middle of a busy life.
