Spectator Or Participant

For the first time on 20+ years, I will not be participating in some form of Christmas musical production. I have either produced, written, directed, acted, played in the band/orchestra, set-constructed, staged-handed or some combination of those. I miss it.

I truly hope that I can say with all honesty that the main thing I miss is not the spotlight, the applause, and my name in the playbill. Rather, the thing I miss most is being a part of a multiple-entity that joined together, produces a grand display for others to be challenged by, encouraged, and moved by.

Is this because I am a creative, and I desire to invest my creativity into other's lives? I'll admit that is a great part of it. But I also believe that people desire to be a part of something greater than themselves, something that joins multiple people and giftings, and creates an entity bigger than them.

Which leads me to the question: Why are so many people content with being spectators, rather than participants? I am not referring to musical productions. But rather to life. Why are many people satisfied with watching the parade instead of marching in it?

Or are they satisfied?

Perhaps deep down everyone longs to be a part of something big, something that combines them with others to produce a greater whole. If that is true, then I hope I can be one who motivates others to take that first step.

Find people who share your passion or gifting. Join yourself to a cause that fulfills your desire to contribute. Align yourself with an organization that invests into others, and seeks to change lives.

This year I plan to attend a production written by a friend and former collaborator. I will sit in the audience, but I will not be satisfied with being a mere spectator. Instead, I plan on encouraging and motivating those who are involved, and therefore becoming a participant.

Question: What are your thoughts on people desiring to be participants rather than spectators? Share your thoughts below in comments.

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ThanksGiving Or ThankSharing

For as long as I can remember, I have sought to go against the status quo, to buck the system. Instead of doing what everyone else is doing, I desire to make my own way. Some call it rebellion. I like to think of it as creativity.

Oftentimes when we redefine something in new terms, we find ourselves rediscovering something that we already knew, but have become so familiar with that it no longer carries the weight it once did.

Automobile manufacturers redesign the same model of car every few years. Worship leaders are doing this with the old hymns, singing them with a new style or writing a chorus that complements the original song.

It's not reinventing the wheel. It's putting an alloy rim and a low profile tire on it.

So consider ThanksGiving. What does it mean to you? How do you celebrate? Has it become solely a day of stuffing more than the turkey and watching football on TV?

I have renamed it ThankSharing. Not a change-the-culture move, but only for my personal benefit. Why: To refocus it away from just the prayer before the "big meal" to asking myself, What can I do to share the blessings that I have?

I'm probably not going to volunteer at a soup kitchen or give the homeless guy with a cardboard sign on the corner extra money. Rather, I am going to share more: Encouragement, kindness, food, possessions, hope. And not just to make me feel better. But as a way to really give thanks.

Question: What can you do to redefine ThanksGiving in your life? Share your thoughts below in comments.

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Managing Projects Or Leading Creatives

Many times I have been asked about a good way to manage creatives. Anyone who works with people knows that working with a group of creatives is like trying to pilot a ship with sails, engines, and six rudders. The resources are there to capture the wind, to produce power, and to go in six different directions... at the same time!

Let me first say that I shy away from the term manage, but rather adopt the term lead. Managers oversee projects, leaders develop people. Even if your title has the word manager in it, you can still be a leader. It's how you view your role: bottom lines or better people.

Most of my experience in leading creatives is in the music world. Here is a place where creativity and artistry abound. So does individuality and pride.

I understand the mind and heart of a musician-creative, because I am one. For over 30 years I have personally navigated the tension that is produced when a creative works with other creatives. Each has their idea, style, and concept, and most think theirs is the best.

As a  leader-creative, the tension is even greater because my own energies are seeking an audience, while at the same time my leadership heart is desiring to allow others to reach their full potential. This can become powerfully destructive, or powerfully creative.

Here are some things that I have learned in working with creatives:

• Leading creatives is a delicate and changing process. There is not one general leadership style that applies to all creatives. Rather, we need to know the strengths and weaknesses of each person, and lead them in a style that they would best respond to. This requires work on our part.
• We can never sacrifice character for creativity. Overlooking character for the sake of the project will eventually become a liability. Too many creatives have "crashed and burned" because they were allowed to "be themselves" to the detriment of others, and of relationships.
• We don't have to be the best creative to lead creatives. Early in my work with musicians I was driven to be the best keyboardist, guitarist, bassist, and vocalist (I gave up on drumming - too much to think about) among those that I led. I realized that my effectiveness was multiplied as I sought to lead those who carried superior skill and gifting, rather than trying to be better than them. I was released to encourage and challenge them to be better, thus making the whole better. (A side benefit: my involvement with them raised my skill level in the gifting where they excelled.)

Leading creatives is much more challenging and involved that simply managing a project. But the results in terms of personal growth, project excellence, and character development are well worth the investment in the creatives we lead.

Question: How have you navigated the delegate world of leading creatives? Share your thoughts below in comments.

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Chaos To Creativity

Have you ever looked at something, and at first glance it appears chaotic: your desk at work, your closet at home, your 'junk drawer' in the kitchen?

If you are like me, some areas of your life are not completely ordered. Your workspace may feel cluttered, your car is a collection of parking receipts and empty water bottles, your desktop is a collage of icons. Chaos.

What about your life? For me there are times when there is simply too much stuff piled up, with no appearance of order and no encouragement to work through it. Chaos.

Chaos defined is a state lacking order or predictability. Does that sometimes describe your life?

Here are a few things we can do when confronting the chaos in our lives:

• Correct - Is there something you are doing or not doing that is leading to a chaotic life? Are there choices you are making or simply avoiding that add to the 'mess' you are trying to move through?
• Convert - What can you take that is currently adding to the chaos in your life and change into something productive: Are demands being put on you at work? Delegate. Too much 'stuff' and possessions? Downsize.
• Create - Many creatives start with a blank sheet and write a song, draw a picture, or choreograph a dance. Yet some creatives produce new works out of old, used, and piled-up stuff. Kind of like beauty for ashes, a trademark of The Creator. Is there something in your chaos that you can use to create something new?

My wife loves to play Words With Friends on her iPhone. She's pretty good at it because she has the unique ability of seeing a group of random letters (chaos) and creating words with them. Most of her opponents resign. I simply avoid playing her.

Step back and look at your chaos. If you observe with a new perspective you might see something new, fresh, and beautiful... and something that works for you!

Question: What is chaotic in your life that you can create from? Share your thoughts below in comments.

 

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Encouraging Dreams: Our Children

I am listening to an MP3 of a colleague's daughter singing at an Arts Expo done by their church. Good stuff. A young, aspiring musician: The kind of person I love to encourage.

I noticed three things in the process of me receiving this audio clip:

• How proud my colleague was when she began talking about her daughter, and her daughter's dreams.
• The fact that the daughter (a young adult) was willing to put herself out there in a situation where she could fail, face humiliation, and discouragement.
• That were others involved in her daughter's life (her Youth Pastor) who were encouraging and influencing her.

Good lessons here. A proud parent is an encouraging parent. No soapbox here, but don't just let your encouragement to your children only be about sports, talent, and looks. Be proud of who they are. Highlight their character over looks and ability, especially sports. One injury and it could be over athletically for a child. Then what?

Encourage your children to dream, to take risks. To follow a dream one must move, pursue, and strive. That means leaving a comfortable place. Be ready to help them pick up the pieces of disappointment when dreams are not immediately realized, or a disappointing experience happens to them.

Allow others to pour into and encourage your children. Mentors and other influential adults go a long way toward helping our children pursue their dreams. A collective motivation and influence is a good thing. Allow your children to share their dreams with others who will help them fulfill those dreams.

Question: Who was influential in your life, encouraging you to pursue your dreams? Share your thoughts below in comments.

 

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