Day Two

What another great day at the Leadership Summit. I am so excited about Leadership Development, but my only regret is not taking some members of my congregation with me. I need to refocus sometimes and think about continuing education, or leadership development from a congregational level sometimes.

Friday we heard from Harvard Business School's Michael Porter on Strategy and Leadership. He was first of all, very learned. He is widely regarded at the leading authority on Strategic Planning. His primary focus for the day was to focus in our institutions where we can have most value. Social benefit per dollar = value. In order to do this we need to think strategically with goals. Strategy and goals can not be confused. I enjoyed this lecture.

Secondly, we heard from Colin Powell. Powell has always operated on a set of axioms that he uses. He shared some of these in a conversation with Hybels. It was really great. All I can say at this moment is that the United States lost a great chance at having him as our First African American President. I have a lot, and I can not stress that enough, a lot of respect for this man. What passion! What conviction!

Finally for the afternoon (we missed the last one due to an Ingomar Commitment) was John Ortberg. Wow, what an inspirational and powerful speaker. His conversation was on a Leader's Greatest Fear. Leaders have many fears, fear of failure, fear of mutiny, fear of criticism, but he talked about the greatest fear - the fear of something that can happen in all of us as leaders. Our greatest fear in our ministry is moving from our mission to what he called a shadow mission. Shadow missions are the ones in our lives that are not that different that our primary mission, but they are self serving and self-destructive. He reminded us that Jesus' shadow mission was to be the messiah without suffering, Lordship without the cross. Jesus faced this shadow mission with the devil in the desert, with Peter, in the Garden, and even on the cross as others called for him to save himself. Powerful stuff.

Well the drama continues at the Cox Household. Elisabeth got sick last night at the aforementioned Ingomar Function. Yes, my worst fear came true. She vomited buckets in public at the Heinz History Museum, right in front of a huge room of people who were eating. Yup, I felt like Gil in Parenthood. So I am home, and Tracy is off to hear Jimmy Carter and Bill Hybels again on the last day.

I can't wait till next year. I think that this should be one of the events that our Annual Conference should be promoting for leaders throughout our connection!!!