Wildcat way proof v1

THE

WILDCAT WAY

PLAYBOOK

VOLUME VOLUME 11

THE WILDCAT WAY We honor CHRIST FIRST We expect the BEST from our teammates because we demand the BEST from ourselves We reject complacency and OUTWORK our opponents as we STRIVE for SUCCESS We compete with UNCOMPROMISING CHARACTER and INTEGRITY at all times We demonstrate an unwavering PURSUIT of EXCELLENCE We live THE WILDCAT WAY

The Westminster athletic department strives to create a culture of success, leadership and character among our student-athletes. One of the ways we are doing this is by committing to our mission statement called The Wildcat Way. During the 2013-14 academic year, I worked with our athletic council, comprised of our varsity head coaches, to develop the vision of what a true Westminster athlete should look like both in the athletic arena and in the classroom. The result was the development of an athletic mission statement called The Wildcat Way, which is used to encourage and challenge our student athletes as well as hold them accountable.

The goal is for our student-athletes to be intentional about their character development and the way they approach their athletic experience at Westminster. While national statistics show that only a small number of students will pursue an athletic career at the college or professional level, the values they develop on the field today will mold them into great husbands, wives, mothers, fathers and God-honoring citizens in the future.

The Wildcat Way Playbook contains excerpts compiled from Habitudes, volumes 1-4, a series of leadership book written by Dr. Tim Elmore, founder and president of Growing Leaders. Habitudes can be defined as “images that form leadership habits and attitudes’” and these devotions furnish images that help teach leadership truths that are perfect for members of any athletic team. Westminster student-athletes are leaders and should always be asking the question: How do I influence others? The five principles of THE WILDCAT WAY are supported by the images and the “habitudes” listed on the following pages. The Wildcat Way Playbook is one step forward in helping us be intentional about developing the character and integrity of our studentathletes. My prayer is that we always seek to honor Christ first and to live The Wildcat Way. Thank you to Rhonda Barinowski for her help in making The Wildcat Way Playbook become a reality and for being part of the Westminster athletic team that seeks to live The Wildcat Way. Thanks also to Erin Kirchhoff for her tireless editing and creative expertise. Thanks to my wife, Heather, and all the other coaches’ spouses that support the many hours outside of the home and allow us to impact the lives of our players. Lastly, thanks to the many coaches I have had the pleasure of working with at Westminster and for their passion to coach the hearts of our athletes, not just their talent. May God bless you as you lead your team this season.

Go Wildcats, Coach Andrew Bryan Athletic Director Westminster Schools of Augusta

TABLE OF CONTENTS FALL TIGHTROPE WALKER

FALL 1

PAUL REVERE

FALL 2

THERMOSTAT AND THERMOMETER

FALL 3

THE ICEBERG

FALL 4

THE HALF-HEARTED KAMIKAZE

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WINTER BIG ROCKS FIRST WINTER 1 HOT AIR BALLOONS WINTER 2 OPPORTUNITY STATUE WINTER 3 POCKET CHANGE WINTER 4 THE WALDORF PRINCIPLE

WINTER 5

SPRING BARN BUILDING

SPRING 1

SMALL SPROCKETS

SPRING 2

RIVERS AND FLOODS

SPRING 3

MIRROR EFFECT

SPRING 4

LIGHTNING RODS

SPRING 5

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We honor CHRIST FIRST. Do you trust your Westminster teammates enough to follow them even when things look difficult and the obstacles look too big to overcome? Will you honor Christ first, be obedient, and trust Him when He asks you to walk through seemingly impossible situations?

-Coach Andrew Bryan

TIGHTROPE WALKER

(Dr. Tim Elmore - Habitudes #2)

It’s easy to watch a tightrope walker; it’s another thing to trust him enough to climb on his back. Our world is full of people who don’t trust others. Good leaders build trust through competence. They recognize the difference between being liked as a friend and being followed as a leader.

Charles Blondin, the French aerialist, was one of the finest tightrope walkers of all time. No doubt he’s the most famous. In fact, he was sort of the Michael Jordan of his day. He is best known as the one who walked a wire across Niagara Falls. On one crossing, August 18, 1859, crowds of people watched in breathless terror as he maneuvered across the wire and back again. Finally, he returned to the American side to throngs of cheering fans.

The media caught it all. “You’re the greatest, Blondin!” they all cried. When the cheering subsided, Blondin thanked the people, then offered a challenge.

“You think I’m wonderful?” he teased.

“Yes!” they responded. “NO one can do what you do. You can do anything!”

“Good,” he replied. “Then I should have no trouble getting a volunteer for my next act.” He paused. Everyone listened. “I need someone to ride atop my shoulders as I cross back over the falls again.”

The crowd fell silent. He beckoned again that he just needed one person.

Just one. But no one volunteered. Finally, after a long pause, Blondin turned to his friend Harry Colcord and said, “Harry, you will have to come with me.”

Harry’s face turned white. (He suffered from fear of heights.) Hesitantly, he stepped forward and climbed onto Blondin’s shoulders. Charles and Harry then crossed over the wire above Niagara Falls for the next forty-five minutes.

Six times, Harry had to dismount on the tightrope for Blondin to gather his strength - but they eventually made it.

There is a great lesson to be learned from this event in history. In fact, I believe it is a leadership lesson in one sense. It is easy to watch a tightrope walker - it’s another thing to climb on his back. Similarly, it’s easy to like

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someone as a friend and say you believe in him. It’s quite another thing to trust him enough to follow him. Talk is cheap. The litmus test for a leader is this: Do people trust you enough to go with you on the journey? Do they follow your lead? Leadership is about building trust. All true leadership operates on the basis of trust. People only follow you as closely as they trust you.

So how does a leader build trust? In a word, it’s through competence.

Blondin demonstrated his ability to walk a tightrope before he asked anyone to climb on his back. If people believe you have strong competence (you can do what you say) and strong character (you will do what you say), then they just might follow you. But usually not until then.

A survey was taken among 13,000 employees across the country. The researchers found that only 39% of workers trust their senior executives in the corporate world. And that number is dropping. The sad reality is that many employees believe their leaders lack both character and competence.

I am glad to say I have seen great leadership during my career - and in many surprising places. While I lived in San Diego, I built a friendship with Dave, a sharp young leader who worked in the men’s furnishing department of Nordstrom. Nordstrom’s reputation for excellent customer service is legendary. I’ve experienced it over and over. I remember meeting Dave as I shopped for a new suit. I gave Dave all the specifications for the suit I was looking for. He ended up showing me three suits that fit my description. Dave then got very detailed about the features of each suit. I could tell he knew his stuff. After trying them all on, I fell in love with one of them. Dave, however, talked me out of it. (Yes, you read that correctly.) After seeing it on me, he realized it wouldn’t hold its shape after several dry cleanings - so he wouldn’t sell it to me. He knew he’d get some more suits in the next week and offered to call me when they came in . Wow! Now that’s a leader I will trust! He was competent, and he performed with integrity.

A Look at the Book: A vivid picture of this Habitude in Scripture is the story of Deborah in Judges 4:1-16. Deborah lives in a male-dominated culture but rises to leadership because she earns the trust of others. She is the most respected leader of her day, as a woman. Deborah offers strategy and security to Barak, a military leader. Deborah is a tightrope walker, and he trusts her. Charles Blondin and my friend Dave had people who were willing to climb on their back. Anyone willing to trust you that way?

WE LIVE THE WILDCAT WAY

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We expect the BEST from our teammates because we demand the BEST from ourselves.

Show me your friends and I’ll show you your future. Having accountability with a solid group of friends or teammates is a big deal. Who are you listening to and why do people listen to you?

I hope this season you will expect the best from your teammates and they’ll expect the best from you because you have each proven to be consistently trustworthy.

-Coach Andrew Bryan

PAUL REVERE

(Dr. Tim Elmore - Habitudes #3) Paul Revere and William Dawes both made a midnight ride, but only one was able to connect with and influence people. The test of a leader’s credibility lies in his or her ability to mobilize others.

Just outside of Boston, on April 18th, 1775, a young stable boy overheard two British soldiers talking. They hinted of an attack on the colonists in New England. The young boy ran to inform a silversmith by the name of Paul Revere. After careful thought, Revere determined to mobilize the area against the attack the British were planning. And the rest, as they say, is history.

Paul Revere made his famous “midnight ride”, which actually began about 10:00 p.m. that night. He raced on horseback to the towns and villages surrounding Boston, challenging locals to get-up and defend their country!

By the next morning, as the Redcoats secretly made their way inland, they were met in Lexington by a huge group of volunteers, American patriots. They were shocked, to say the least. The British were unprepared and outdone that morning - and the Revolutionary War was underway.

An interesting bit of trivia from this story is that Paul Revere wasn’t the only Patriot to take a midnight ride. A tanner by the name of William Dawes also took a ride. He rode a horse, covered a similar amount of territory, and carried an identical message, but Dawes had difficulty getting anyone to act. In fact, he was so poor in mobilizing folks, historians assumed for years Dawes must have traveled to pro-British towns. But, alas, he hadn’t. He simply lacked the capability to mobilize people, even for a cause they agreed with.

This contrast illustrates another important leadership truth. I call it the “Paul Revere Principle”. When you boil down the essence of leadership to its bare minimum, it’s about mobilizing others to act. Paul Revere was able to connect

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with and influence townspeople to get up and respond. William Dawes, on the other hand, couldn’t get a man to turn over in bed! (Well - that may be a bit of an exaggeration). For some reason, though, Dawes lacked the credibility, communication skills, aptitude, trust and respect to move people toward taking a risk.

So what is it, then, that enables a leader to motivate people to action? There are many answers to that question, but let me suggest a few: 1. INSIGHT-PEOPLE LISTEN TO YOU BECAUSE OF WHAT YOU KNOW. Example: Ben Franklin. Ben influenced people through his knowledge, wisdom and insight.

2. RELATIONSHIPS - PEOPLE LISTEN BECAUSE OF WHO YOU KNOW. Example: D.L. Moody. A ungifted man but folks thought he was connected to both God and influential men.

3. SACRIFICE - PEOPLE LISTEN BECAUSE OF WHAT YOU’VE SUFFERED. Example: Mother Teresa. Harvard grads and U.S. presidents listened because of her sacrificial life.

4. ABILITIES - PEOPLE LISTEN BECAUSE OF WHAT YOU ARE ABLE TO DO. Example: Michael Jordan. His credibility came from his unmatched skills on the basketball court.

5. EXPERIENCE - PEOPLE LISTEN BECAUSE OF WHAT YOU’VE ACHIEVED. Example: Colin Powell or Norman Schwarzkopf. Their credibility came from their military success.

6. INTUITION - PEOPLE LISTEN BECAUSE OF WHAT YOU SENSE. Example: Thomas Edison or Steve Jobs. They saw a new world coming before the rest of us did.

7. CHARACTER - PEOPLE LISTEN BECAUSE OF YOUR INTEGRITY. Example: Billy Graham. His sermons aren’t flashy, but he’s a man of his word. He walks the talk.

8. HUMILITY - PEOPLE LISTEN BECAUSE OF YOUR HEART. Example: Dan Cathy. The president of Chick-fil-A had great success by serving his employees and customers.

9. RELEVANCE - PEOPLE LISTEN BECAUSE YOU IDENTIFY WITH THEIR NEEDS. Example: Martin Luther King Jr. He identified with common folks; he marched and bled with them.

10. CONVICTIONS - PEOPLE LISTEN BECAUSE OF YOUR PASSION. Example: Winston Churchill. His passion and conviction stirred the Allies to fight until they won.

Let me ask you a question: Why do people listen to you? Good leaders find a way to connect with people. They earn the right to be followed. They build bridges of relationship that can bear the weight of Truth.

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When I was 23, I began working for Dr. John Maxwell. He was the new senior pastor at Skyline Church, and because he was replacing the founding Pastor, Orval Butcher, John found a number of charter members who loved “the old” and despised “the new”. He had replaced their hero. One such man was Harry Mitchell. Harry wouldn’t have anything to do with John. He didn’t respond to his sermons and would gripe about any change. Finally, Dr. Maxwell asked Harry’s wife what the problem was. She confided in him that Harry loved his former leader and since John replaced his beloved pastor, he couldn’t like him. It was at this point John took action. He called Harry and asked if they could meet, to which Harry reluctantly agreed. After some small talk, John leaned forward and said, “I have a question for you, Harry. Would you mind taking a minute and telling me about Pastor Butcher?” He lit up like a light.

Immediately, he began telling stories of how Pastor Butcher baptized, married and buried family and friends, and how he’d helped him in many tough times.

He went on for several minutes. When Harry finished, John leaned forward and responded, “Harry, I have to tell you - I agree. Pastor Bucher was, and is, a great leader. And I believe you should continue loving him just the way you do today. He deserves all that love.” This was not only liberating for Harry, but it was disarming, too. John paused and continued, “Now, I have another question for you. After you love Pastor Butcher with all that love, if there any love left over, could I have it?”

Harry’s heart began to break. He knew exactly what was happening. His new leader would let him go on with his emotional tie to Pastor Butcher, and was simply asking for “the leftovers”. He was speechless. Both of the men just sat there and cried. Harry eventually got up and for the first time, initiated a hug with his new leader. It was a breakthrough. Following that day, I got to watch Harry become active in the church and connect with John like never before.

In fact, Harry would often linger after Sunday services and once everyone was gone, he’d sneak up on Pastor Maxwell and gave him a huge bear hug, whispering, “This is the love I got left over.”

A Look at the Book: Everyone must earn the right to be followed. Consider the story of Joshua.

In Numbers 13:25-33, Joshua returns from the Promised Land with 11 other spies and challenges the people to take the land. But, alas, he couldn’t influence them. They listened to the other spies. Later, however, in Joshua 1, he took over the leadership of Israel, and this time, folks chose to follow him. Somehow, Joshua had grown into a place of influence with the new generation of Jews. Who are you going to impact this season?

WE LIVE THE WILDCAT WAY FALL 2

We reject complacency and OUTWORK our opponents as we STRIVE FOR SUCCESS. Do you want to win this season? Do you want to be the best?

Me too, but what are you going to do about it? Your actions must match your words or your words become meaningless. I challenge you this season to not just say you want to win, not just say you want to strive for success, but to do something about it. Don’t be complacent or lazy when it comes to workouts and practice. Don’t complain when your coach asks you to push yourself beyond where you think you can go. If we want to win, we must outwork our opponents in every aspect of the game. Be a thermostat and set the tone for your team this season.

-Coach Andrew Bryan

THERMOSTAT AND THERMOMETER

(Dr. Tim Elmore - Habitudes #1)

People are either thermometers or thermostats. They will merely reflect the climate around them, or they will set it. Leaders develop values and principles to live by and set the tone for others.

You may remember when you first figured out the difference between a thermometer and a thermostat in your home. As a kid, I begin to understand it when my teacher brought it to my attention in the fourth grade. Up until then, I just knew our home had a thermometer hanging outside of our back patio that told us what temperature it was outside. And I knew we also had a little box on our living room wall that Mom and Dad would fiddle with when the house got too hot or too cold. I’ll never forget when it first dawned on me that while both had something to do with the temperature, they were fundamentally different. The thermostat set the temperature. The thermometer only reflected what the temperature was.

This is a great picture of another leadership truth. Most people are like thermometers. They tend to reflect the culture around them. They buy things that others buy, say things that others say, wear things that others wear, and value things that others value. Oh, there are slight variations. But most people don’t set the climate for the world they live in; they just mirror back that climate.

Leaders, on the other hand, are people who decide to take life to the next

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level. They become thermostats, and set the social climate in which they are placed. For instance, you know people who set the spiritual temperature of a group. You might know some that determine the attitudes of others, by their presence in a group. They’re pace setters. They influence, rather than merely allowing others to influence them. My challenge to you is to move from being a thermometer to a thermostat.

So, how do we do this? Leaders who are “thermostats” have developed values and principles they live by. God calls us to be authentic. The word “authentic” comes from the root word “to author.” It means to write your own story, not copy someone else’s. When someone else owns a set of values, it’s like they have a moral compass on the inside that guides them in their decisions. Dr. Billy Graham is respected today, but not because his preaching is so flashy or insightful. It’s because people know him as a man who lives by his values and won’t drift from them. People respect those who are values-driven and principle-centered. When leaders fail to develop values, tragedy almost always follows. NBA star Kobe Bryant admitted to committing adultery when a woman accused him of sexual assault in July 2003. Ironically, just two weeks before he confessed to it, he was seen on TV talking about how important it is for athletes to be examples for kids today. Ouch. Talk is cheap. Kobe didn’t have a skill problem. He had a values problem.

Years ago, a boy grew up in the Jewish home, watching everything his father did. Evidently, his dad didn’t realize the influence he had. They attended a synagogue until their family moved to another city and there was no synagogues nearby. Dad decided to just switch religious beliefs. He admitted it was only a way of meeting business contacts anyway. This father’s failure to live by values outside of his own benefit led his son to question morality, ethics and his faith. As the boy grew up, he believed that religion was a “crutch” for the masses. He wrote that money was behind anything meaningful in the world. The boy’s name was Karl Marx, and he led millions of people into a destructive belief system during the 20th century.

The problem was simple. Karl Marx’s father had created a set of values by default, not by design. He didn’t think through what was best for his family or his community. He did what was best for himself. Young Karl was a thermometer, reflecting what his dad had modeled. Unfortunately, Karl Marx was successful at making people believe he could be a trusted thermostat.

Regrettably, many leaders share this story today. We influence others, but don’t have a compass that influences us. Philip Kennicott, culture critic for the Washington Post, says that Americans had become the “most primitive opportunists”. Senator Richard Shelby says that when leaders fail, they are “not contrite, and simply consider the fines and penalties as a means to make the problem go away.” Penalties don’t transform a thermometer into a thermostat. It’s an inside job.

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A Look at the Book: Check out a scripture in Luke 6:46-49. Jesus is speaking and He says: Why do you call me ‘Lord, Lord’ and do not do what I say? For everyone who hears these words of mine and acts on them is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid a foundation on the rock. When the flood rose, the river crashed against that house and couldn’t shake it, because it was well built. But the one who hears and does not act is like a man who built his house on the sand. The river crashed against it, and immediately it collapsed.

And the destruction of that house was great.

Jesus asked an interesting question: How can we call him “Lord” but not live by the values He lays out for us? Why is there a gap between what we say and what we do?

WE LIVE THE WILDCAT WAY

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We compete with UNCOMPROMISING CHARACTER and INTEGRITY at all times.

It’s not enough to win with talent, because talent will fade, but your character will keep you on the top of your game. Westminster athletes should compete hard each and every game, but to do so without integrity will be missing the mark. What’s below the surface in your life? Competing with uncompromising character and integrity at all times will allow you to enhance the skills God has already given you and you can have an even greater impact on your teammates and those you compete against.

-Coach Andrew Bryan

THE ICEBERG

(Dr. Tim Elmore - Habitudes #1) The iceberg represents your leadership. The 10% above the water is your skill.

The 90% below the water is your character. It’s what’s below the surface that sinks the ship.

And iceberg is an interesting picture of the first rule of leadership. There’s more to it than meets the eye. Most of an iceberg is below the surface of the water. You probably remember the awesome story of the Titanic. (Maybe you saw the movie!) The huge and unsinkable ship received five iceberg warnings that fateful night of April 14th, 1912, just before it went down. When the sixth message came in during the wee hours of the next morning: “Look out for icebergs,” the operator wired back, “Shut up! I’m busy.” These were his last words over the wire before it all happened. Exactly thirty minutes later, the great vessel - the one who’s captain said God couldn’t sink this ship - was sinking. Hundreds of passengers and crew were drowned.

What was the problem? They forgot the truth about icebergs. What they saw above the water couldn’t have sunk the great ship. Unfortunately, most of an iceberg is below the water line. They underestimated the power of the iceberg, and overestimated their own strength. What an accurate description of so many leaders today.

The iceberg is a great picture of leadership because so much of our influence

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comes from qualities we can’t see on the outside. It’s stuff below the surface.

I estimate 90% of our leadership is made up from our character. And, our character is the sum total of our: • Self-discipline (the ability to do what’s right even when you don’t feel like it) • Core values (principles you live by that enable you to take a moral stand) • Sense of identity (a realistic self-image based on who God made you to be) • Emotional security (the capacity to be emotionally stable and consistent) Many people make it into the limelight, and neglect their character. Your skill may get you to the top - but it’s your character that will keep you there. If you don’t have strong character, you will eventually sabotage your leadership. You can only fake it so long. We learned this in the 1980s when so many Christian televangelists felt morally. We learned it again in the 1990s when many politicians fell morally, including our president. We learned it again during the first decade of the new century when corporations such as Enron, Worldcom and Tyco committed moral crimes and pro athletes were taken to court due to lack of character. Even dozens of Catholic priests were charged with sexual crimes. My explanation? The iceberg. Weak character may begin with lying and cheating on tests. It eventually takes the form of fraud, sex crimes, robbery and scandals. In 2003, news became public that American Airlines, food service giant Ahold, and HealthSouth were all charged with mishandling funds. Were these companies part of the list of scandals in 2002? Nope. The scandals all happened after, and in spite of, the new legislation to combat corporate crimes. In other words, we didn’t learn learn our lesson from Enron, back in 2002.

It didn’t start with our generation, though. About a hundred years ago, a boy grew up in Europe. His father’s given name was a Alois Schicklgruber. As a teen he never learned about character. His parents never taught him right from wrong, and he began to come up with his own ideas and values. His father put him down when he talked about becoming a priest, and insulted him when he spoke of becoming an artist. He was never valued, nor taught values. One night, he heard his mom and dad argue about moving away. He was convinced they hated him and suspected they would leave him behind.

He decided to put up an emotional wall and never let anyone inside his heart.

He ran away. This boy grew up to be a man. This man became a leader. You know him as Adolf Hitler.

History proves that Adolf Hitler was a great leader, but he wasn’t a good one. He failed to use his influence well. His skill and charisma were huge.

His character was horribly flawed. He sabotaged himself - but not until he had slaughtered more than six million innocent people along the way. While leadership skills are good to have, God doesn’t want your skills at the expense of your character and integrity. Lead yourself well before you try leading others. It is interesting to me that Americans spend an average of 10% of their

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life preparing for the 90% that makes up their career. Jesus Christ, in contrast, spent 90% preparing his inward life, for the 10% that made up his career. We are in such a hurry today that we blitz through our prep work to get to the productivity. Sadly we often cannot sustain a life of character, and fail morally along the way.

The bad news about icebergs is that what it’s what’s below the surface that sinks the ship. Weak character will eventually damage our ability to lead. The good news about icebergs is that it’s what below the surface that supports the tip of the iceberg. In the same way, strong character will hold you up long enough to use your skills.

A Look at the Book: Check out Luke 6:43-45 in your Bible. It says: 43)For there is no good tree which produces bad fruit; nor, on the other hand, a bad tree which produces good fruit. 44)For each tree is known by its fruit. For men do not gather figs from thorns, nor do they pick grapes from a briar bush.

45)The good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth what is good; and the evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth what is evil; for the mouth speaks from that which fills the heart.

These words, spoken by Jesus, are loaded with meaning. We can be sure of this one conclusion: Whatever is happening on the outside of our life comes from what’s happening on the inside. When we see the fruit, we know what kind of tree it is; the outside is only a reflection of what’s on the inside.

God puts “being” before “doing.” He prioritizes taking care of the inside (our heart), because that will determine what takes place on the outside (our behavior).

WE LIVE THE WILDCAT WAY

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We demonstrate an unwavering PURSUIT OF EXCELLENCE. It seems like everyone wants to “pursue excellence” these days, but do you just want to be involved in that pursuit or truly committed to it? The Wildcat Way says we have an unwavering pursuit. Unwavering can be defined as steady, firm, unrelenting, steadfast, and unswerving. When you compete this year and pursue a season of excellence, don’t swerve to the left or to the right. Keep your eyes fixed on the target and be totally committed to being the very best you can be.

-Coach Andrew Bryan

THE HALF-HEARTED KAMIKAZE

(Dr. Tim Elmore - Habitudes #1)

Kamikaze pilots are only useful if they are committed to their mission. Leaders are the same way. You cannot have involvement without commitment and be effective. It goes with the territory.

I love the story of the kamikaze pilot, who flew in World War II for the Japanese air force. He was interviewed by a newspaper reporter after returning from his fiftieth mission. The reporter asked the pilot if he wasn’t a contradiction in terms. How can someone be a kamikaze pilot - whose mission is to fly into military bases and give up his life in the process - and still be alive after fifty missions?

“Well it’s like this,” the pilot responded. “I was very involved. Not very committed, but very involved.”

I always smile when I think of this story. A true kamikaze pilot only flies on one mission. He gives his life for that one mission. He cannot be involved without being committed. There is no such thing as a half-hearted kamikaze.

Commitment goes with the territory. And so it is with us. If we have any hope of being a successful person, much less an effective leader, we must be committed. Leaders possess commitment. They cannot be involved without being committed. The rest of the world may enjoy involvement without commitment, but we cannot, as emerging leaders.

What’s the difference between involvement and commitment? Just ask a pig and a chicken, after eating a ham and egg breakfast. The chicken was involved. The pig was committed!

The word “mediocre” was first used to describe rock (or mountain) climbers

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who were involved but not committed. The word literally means “middle of the rock.” It was used to describe climbers who didn’t finish the climb, but stopped halfway. Ouch.

Our campuses are filled with students who want to be involved, but not really committed. They want to keep all their options open, and often don’t make a decision until the last minute because a better opportunity may arise at the eleventh hour. In fact, because our world offers us so many options, we tend to not commit ourselves because we don’t want to narrow our focus. We want to do it all! The problem is - we can’t do it all. I have said many times: leaders can do anything, but they can’t do everything. Nearly every great leader in history accomplished something memorable because of a narrow focus, and a great commitment to a cause. Even young leaders have figured this out and made their mark because they got committed.

Joan of Arc knew her life mission by the time she was fifteen years old. At seventeen, she led 3,000 French knights in a battle. On one occasion, she told a military general: “I will lead the way over the wall.” The general replied, “Not a man will follow you.” Joan of Arc replied, “I won’t be looking back to see if they’re following me.”

At nineteen she was burned alive because she would not recant on her commitment to France. The British gave her a chance to regain her liberty if she would only change her allegiance, but she would not. In choosing to die at the stake, she said, “Everyone gives their life for what they believe.

Sometimes people believe in little or nothing and yet they give their life to that little or nothing. One life is all we have, and we live it, and then it’s gone.

But to give up what you are and to live without belief is more terrible than dying, even more terrible than dying young.”

John Wesley founded the organization that later became the Methodist Church when he was seventeen. He could have done many other things. He was educated at Oxford and enjoyed horticulture, medicine, journalism, and politics. But he saw the great spiritual need of England during the eighteenth century and committed himself to spiritual renewal. He traveled over 250,000 miles on horseback, teaching and organizing churches for more than fifty years. Unlike Joan of Arc, Wesley died of old age, but not until his movement had impacted Great Britain. One history book reported that John Wesley almost single-handedly saved England from bloody revolution.

HOW COMMITMENT WORKS Today, people talk about commitments they’re going to make, but often fail to keep them. New Year’s resolutions last until February or March at best. We say we believe in something or we make a promise - then we drift from it.

Half-hearted kamikazes are a dime a dozen. The reason other folks live such quality lives and possess such great influence is that they do more than make promises. They are committed to some ideals and values, and they live them out. They move from a “wish” to a “lifestyle” by surrendering to a cause along

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the way. Here are the phases we usually experience as we build commitment in our lives. It starts with an idea and ends with a conviction: Phase: Description 1. Ideas: We perceive an issue by the way we think about it. This involves our minds.

2. Opinions: We begin to express our preferences on that issue. This involves our emotions.

3. Beliefs: We conclude where we stand on the issue. This involves both mind and emotions.

4. Commitments: We begin to act on our belief. This involves our minds, emotions and will.

5. Convictions: We are ready to die for our commitment. It now is a passion in our lives.

Your commitment will mean something when you act on it for an extended period of time. When you become committed, you will notice something wonderful. The moment you make a commitment, you will find all kinds of wisdom, energy, and resources at your disposal that weren’t necessarily there before you made the commitment. Commitment opens up the floodgates to the resources you need - but they won’t show up a moment too soon.

Many people want to see everything in place before they get committed.

Unfortunately, they will never act if they are waiting for perfect conditions.

They are half-hearted kamikazes. Others wait for a feeling before they act.

They want to feel led to do something. Once again, they may be waiting for a while. We are much more likely to act our way into a feeling, than we are to feel our way into action. Get committed long enough and eventually that commitment will become a conviction you’ll be willing to die for.

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A Look at the Book: Check out Matthew 16:24: If anyone wants to come after me, let him deny himself, take up his cross and follow Me. Several times Jesus clarified what it meant to be his disciple. He wanted us to make no mistake about it: belonging to him would cost us.

Jesus gives us three simple statements that sum up commitment: • Sacrifice: Deny yourself... (Set aside your own pleasures and comfort.)

• Purpose: Take up your cross... (Find your reason for God placing you on Earth.)

• Determination: Follow me... (Follow through your decisions until they are complete.)

Will you keep your eyes fixed on the target and be totally committed this season?

WE LIVE THE WILDCAT WAY

FALL 5

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We honor CHRIST FIRST. As a Westminster student- athlete, you have a lot going on.

You are being pulled in many different directions. What is your top priority? There are so many things that want to grab your attention and your time, but honoring Christ first above everything else will allow you to have the right perspective on all of the other rocks in your life.

-Coach Andrew Bryan

BIG ROCKS FIRST

(Dr. Tim Elmore - Habitudes #3) Rocks are like priorities. Only so many rocks can fit in a jar. Only so many activities can fit in a week. The issue isn’t prioritizing your schedule, but scheduling your priorities. Put the big rocks in first.

A while back, I attended a seminar on time management. One morning, our speaker decided to give us a pop quiz. He pulled out a wide-mouth mason jar and set it on the table in front of him. Then he brought out several rocks - all shapes and sizes - and placed them arbitrarily into the jar. When no more rocks would fit, we noticed that much of his pile never made it into the jar. It was full. Afterward, he held it up and said, “This jar represents your typical week. The rocks represent the various activities in your week. When placed in randomly, everything simply won’t fit in. Looking deep into our eyes he said, “Have you found this to be true?” Each of us nodded in agreement.

What he did next was fascinating. The speaker emptied out the jar he had filled, and began refilling it with just the big rocks. He informed us that these rocks represented the “big priorities” in life: God, family, health, our studies, etc.. Once the jar looked full, the man asked, “Is the Jar full?” He received unanimous, “Yes.” “ Really?” He asked. He then put the medium sized rocks in, which were just small enough to fit between the crevices of the big ones.

Next, he reached under the table for a bucket of gravel. While shaking the jar, he dumped in the gravel, filling all the gaps. “Now is the jar full?” he asked.

The speaker then pulled out a bucket of sand and began dumping it into the jar. It filled all the remaining spaces between the rocks and the gravel. Finally, he grabbed a pitcher of water and poured it into the jar, until the jar was filled to the brim. “What’s the truth of this illustration?” he asked the audience.

“Cramming as much into one week as you possibly can!” was one response.

“No,” answered the speaker. “The point is, big rocks must go in first. When you put them in first, you’ll find there’s generally room for the smaller ones.”

The same thing is true about day-to-day living. We fill our lives first with

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trivial things, only to find we don’t have room for the most important ones.

This week, you probably have a full plate. As a student, you have tests, assignments, classes, emails and papers. As an employee, you have a job requiring even more things, like meetings, calls and follow-ups. Or perhaps you’re pulling double-duty, as both a student and an employee! How do you go about completing all of this? Some have no problem checking things off their to-do list, but others have difficulty just getting started. The real issue for either, though, falls in deciding where to start on your list.

When we have a to-do list, our human tendency is to start with the easier tasks. In fact, most people will do fun things, loud things, quick things, or easy things first. Usually, however, these are the less important tasks long term they’re the small rocks. We must learn to do first things first.

A lion tamer was once asked which weapon he would sacrifice first - his whip or his stool? He chose to keep the stool. This was puzzling until he explained why. This tool actually paralyzes the lion. When it is waved in front of him, the beast is unable to focus. The four separate legs create four separate focal points. The lion doesn’t know which leg to focus on and because he can’t decide, he can’t attack. He’s immobilized. Hmmm. Sounds familiar?

The bottom line is simple. It’s not about prioritizing our schedule - but rather, scheduling our priorities. We must choose the big rocks and place them first on our calendar.

A Look at the Book: In Mark 1: 32-38, we read how a crowd of people gathered at Simon Peter’s home to be healed by Jesus. After praying and ministering late into the night, Jesus suddenly departs (with some needs still unmet). He leaves for a solitary place to spend time with His heavenly Father. When Peter hunts Him down, He says: “Everyone’s looking for you,” to which Jesus replies: “Let us go somewhere else - to the nearby villages - that is why I have come.”

This doesn’t make sense - unless you understand the issue of priorities.

Instead of receiving his orders from Peter, or the cries of the people, Jesus retreated to a solitary place to listen to his heavenly Father. After recapturing perspective, it’s as though he says: I recognize everyone is looking for me back at your house, but I’ve spent time adjusting my priorities with my Father. He says it’s time to move on.

WE LIVE THE WILDCAT WAY

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We expect the BEST from our teammates because we demand the BEST from ourselves.

As teammates, we need each other. We need to hold each other accountable and we also need to encourage each other when times are tough. At some point during this season you will probably need to challenge your teammate to be better because you know they can be and at some point you will need “to inspire courage” in them to help them reach their highest potential.

Expect the best from your teammate and know that they expect the best from you.

-Coach Andrew Bryan

HOT AIR BALLOONS

(Dr. Tim Elmore - Habitudes #2) Air balloons rise if the burner is released... but eventually they begin to fall and need to be re-filled. They must continue to be filled in order to go up.

People are like this. They must be consistently encouraged in order to reach their highest potential.

Early one Sunday morning in 1993, five passengers and a pilot boarded a hot air balloon. Their destination was Aspen Valley, one of Colorado’s popular tourist locations. Tours like these were common, and the pilot was familiar with the area. But on this particular morning, the balloon was flown dangerously low. As the wind began to pick up, the balloon started drifting closer and closer to a group of power lines. Eyewitnesses reported that they saw the balloon begin to rise, but it was too little, too late. It collided with a power station, and all six people on board were killed. Although the pilot was experienced, he neglected to carry out a fundamental task: filling the balloon enough so it could rise to a safe altitude. If only the pilot had re-filled the balloon sooner - the tragedy could have been easily avoided.

Without being re-filled on a consistent basis, hot air balloons eventually fall and crash. Hydrogen isn’t just a nice option, it’s a necessity. It’s the same way with people - we all need encouragement. One of the most important ways we connect with others is by lifting them up.

We fill other people’s balloons by affirming them, meeting their emotional needs, and giving them hope. The word “encourage” literally means “to inspire courage.” It goes much deeper than just creating warm fuzzy feelings.

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It’s about helping others overcome obstacles, see a new perspective, and reach for their highest potential. It has been said, “Encouragement is the oxygen of the soul.”

We tend to think of encouragement like it’s a luxury. It’s nice to have... but we can get by without it. However, reports from the Korean War seem to suggest otherwise. This war produced the worst Prisoner of War (POW) stories of any war in U.S. history. The death rate of American POWs was alarmingly high, depression rates were high, and suicides were high. Interestingly, the war camp conditions weren’t especially cruel. In fact, the detainees endured relatively minor amounts of physical torture. It didn’t add up, and Dr. William E. Mayer set out to discover why. His study yielded some surprising results: The men were dying because they had simply lost the will to live. The North Koreans have discovered the ultimate weapon of war: withholding all emotional support from others. No word of encouragement was ever spoken.

Soldiers only received negative letters from home, such as news of a family member’s death or overdue bill notifications. Any positive notes were withheld. Their captors rewarded them for snitching on one another and even required the men to confess their deepest faults before the entire group. Any sense of encouragement or hope was completely torn away. The effects were devastating. Not only did the prisoners stop caring about one another, they stopped caring about themselves. It was not uncommon to see a prisoner go off in a corner, sit alone, and wait to die.

Most of these soldiers would have likely survived if they had received some encouragement. But instead, their hope slowly withered away. Their balloons were never filled. They couldn’t live off of the compliments they received in the past. Why? Because people never stop needing to be encouraged, the same way balloons need continuous air! Just because you praised someone in the past doesn’t mean that person is set for life. Others need to know that you value them right now.

Former Ford chairman Donald Peterson understood this important truth and made a practice of jotting down positive notes to his associates everyday.

He once said, “Too often, people we genuinely like, have no idea how we feel about them. Too often, we think I haven’t said anything critical; why do I have to say something positive?” We forget that without consistent encouragement, people’s balloons will slowly deflate. Get this. The #1 reason people leave their jobs: they don’t feel appreciated. 61% of Americans received no praise in the workplace last year.

Tom Rath and Donald Clifton developed a helpful analogy for understanding encouragement, which is in their book How Full is Your Bucket: Strategies for Life and Work. They describe it like this: “Everyone has an invisible bucket. We are at our best when our buckets are overflowing - and at our worst when they are empty. Everyone also has an invisible dipper. In each interaction we can

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use our dipper either to fill or to dip from others’ buckets. Whenever we fill others’ buckets, we in turn fill our own.”

It’s a simple concept, but it has some profound implications. Each time you relate to someone else, you have a choice: You can either build them up or tear them down. If you’re not intentionally “filling others’ buckets,” you might unknowingly be dipping from them. If you’re feeling discouraged, don’t go around projecting that on others. Instead, build others up. You’ll find that your own outlook will improve as you pour into others.

SOME ADVICE ON GIVING COMPLIMENTS Encouragement rarely happens by accident. Like any skill, it takes time and effort to develop. Here are a few tips on how you can improve your compliments: MAKE THEM SINCERE Don’t you hate it when someone compliments you but you know they don’t really mean it? You wish they wouldn’t have said anything in the first place because it’s just not real. Our compliments should be genuine. When they aren’t, we undermine our message and actually end up doing more harm than good. I recently ran across a story that illustrates this point well: Connie works for a major bank. One of her people did a phenomenal job, making hundreds of thousands of dollars for the bank, and Connie’s boss sent an email congratulating and thanking her. That very afternoon, he rode the elevator with her and didn’t even acknowledge her existence. It completely wiped out any good his email could have done.

MAKE THEM SPECIFIC Generic: Matt, good job on your presentation the other day.

Specific: Matt, I was so impressed with your presentation in English class yesterday! You’re a very gifted public speaker, and funny too. That story you told about your family was hilarious!

Keep in mind: it doesn’t take a lot of effort to get specific when we compliment others, but it can pay huge dividends.

MAKE THEM PUBLIC The Limited Stores have been known for going all out in their award ceremonies. One year the company invited its top 100 managers to assemble in Colorado, where they were taken via ski lift to the top of a mountain. Each one was then publicly honored for their accomplishments.

Video cameras captured the entire event, and the footage was used to inspire other employees. Memorable? You bet!

If you don’t have a mountain, that’s okay. There are plenty of ways you can honor others in public: • Affirm others when introducing them to someone else.

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• When someone compliments you as a leader, deflect that praise onto your team.

• Practice reverse gossip - say positive things behind others’ backs. It’ll get back to them.

MAKE THEM PERSONAL Complimenting someone without getting personal is kind of like sending a birthday card without writing anything inside. Oh sure, Hallmark may say it more eloquently, but the part we all look for is the little note scribbled in the corner. It may not be polished (or even legible!), but it’s the personal touch that counts.

Try to compliment others in a way that is meaningful to them. Some people respond really well to the spoken word. Others are more receptive to email messages or handwritten notes. For some, a pat on the back is far more meaningful than any sort of award ceremony could ever be. The point is, no two people are exactly alike - so tailor your compliments accordingly.

WHEN TO ENCOURAGE OTHERS Have you ever wondered how a hot air balloon reaches its destination? I mean, there doesn’t seem to be any real way of steering the thing. The answer is quite simple actually - it’s heading is determined by its height. At different altitudes the wind current changes, thus affecting which direction the balloon flies. A skilled balloonist knows this and releases the burner at just the right time. If the timing’s wrong, the balloon can drift dangerously off course.

Timing plays a big role in the effectiveness of our encouragement as well.

Good leaders know this and have an almost intuitive sense of when to adjust altitude with their people. It’s great to know how to encourage others, but it’s also important to know when.

There’s no one-size-fits-all guide to know the best time to encourage others, but here’s a starter: • After they fail - so they won’t give up hope • After they succeed - so they’ll want to win again • When they least expect it - so they’ll know it’s not an act • When they first meet you - so they won’t forget your connection A Look at the Book: The situation looks grim. One of the fiercest armies in the world has already conquered the surrounding areas and is now headed toward Jerusalem.

Outmanned and afraid, the people in the city are face to face with death and quickly losing hope. With the enemy army already offering terms of surrender,

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they desperately need a good reason to stand their ground. Enter Hezekiah, king of Jerusalem. Check out his speech in 2 Chronicles 30: 6-8: “He assembled (the people) before him in the square at the city gate and encouraged them with these words: “Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or discouraged because of the king of Assyria and the vast army with him, for there is a greater power with us than with him. With him is only the arm of flesh, but with us is the LORD our God to help us and fight our battles.”

And the people gained confidence from what Hezekiah the king of Judah said.

WE LIVE THE WILDCAT WAY

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We reject complacency and OUTWORK our opponents as we STRIVE FOR SUCCESS. As we strive for success this season we need to realize that other teams are doing the same thing. The question is, who is going to put in the most work to be the very best they can be? Will you commit to outworking your opponent this week? Will you reject the temptation to become satisfied with mediocrity? Every team we face this season will have the same amount of seconds in the day. Will you be wise or unwise with the time God has given you to prepare?

-Coach Andrew Bryan

OPPORTUNITY STATUE

(Dr. Tim Elmore - Habitudes #1)

Leaders manage opportunities. Everyone has 86,400 seconds each day to use or abuse. Opportunity is a like a statue with hair in front, but bald in the back you can’t grab it once it is gone.

In ancient Greece, there were statues everywhere. One man who lived in Athens centuries ago wrote there were more statues than people at one point. If you were to walk into Athens, you were sure to see one statue in particular. It was a statue called “Opportunity.” It was a vivid illustration of how opportunity works in our lives. It was a statue of a person who had long, flowing hair in front of their face - but was completely bald in the back.

Weird... but revealing. To put it simply, you could grab it when it was coming toward you, but you could never get hold of it once it had passed.

That’s how opportunity works. Time is fleeting. You never get it back once it is gone. Someone said to me recently: “Time is more valuable than money.

You can always get more money, but you can’t get more time.” Leaders understand this truth, and they manage their time wisely. They recognize that everyone gets the same amount of minutes each day, but not everyone make something out of those minutes. Let me ask you a question. What if I told you that someone anonymously deposits some money into your bank account every day. Each day it is the same amount: 86,400 pennies (which amounts to $864). It is yours to spend however you wish - but there’s just one catch.

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You have to use it or you will lose it. Any amount still in the account at midnight each night will be taken away. Here’s my question: how would you spend that money?

I bet you’d think long and hard about how you would spend it. You might even start making a list of how you would spend it - what you would buy, how much you’d spend, when and where. Why would you take it so seriously? Simple.

That’s a pretty good amount of money and you don’t want to waste any by the end of the day. Bingo. That’s how we need to treat our time.

I have some good news and bad news. The bad news is, no one is depositing that much money in your bank account. Sorry about that. However, each day, God gives you 86,400 seconds to spend, invest, or waste. But most people don’t look at it as anything valuable.

When I was a student in college, I learned an important lesson from an unlikely place. I was stressed from a heavy class schedule, and from trying to hold down two jobs, as well as working with a youth ministry. In addition, I was playing on our dorm intramural basketball team. I felt like I was trying to perform seventeen activities at the same time!

During that year, one of the ministries I joined was a prison outreach to a maximum security prison in town. It was there I learned this amazing lesson in time management and seizing opportunities. It came from an unlikely person... Joe, one of the inmates. Joe was in for manslaughter. He was serving several years of a prison sentence. He would be in prison for much of the rest of his life. But Joe had become a Christian in prison. While all the other inmates were playing cards or watching TV late one night, Joe was reading a theology book by Martin Luther, the great reformer from the 16th century. He was making notes on a notepad from his reading. I learned he spent most of his day doing this.

Why was he so intent on this activity? He was studying to go into the ministry.

I was a bit shocked at his intensity, so I asked him why he didn’t take a break and watch TV or play cards with the other inmates. He simply responded with a smile: “You can waste a lot of time with cards or TV.” Waste a lot of time? How could this prisoner say such a thing? Time was all he had - and he had lots of it. He might be in prison the rest of his life! I couldn’t believe it, so I asked him how he gained such a perspective. He told me he had read the Scripture in Psalm 90:12: “Teach us to number our days, O Lord, that we may apply our hearts with wisdom.” He told me he was just trying to use his time most wisely. His goal was not to stay busy or pass the time with entertainment. It was to be productive. He told me he would either use what he learned when he got out and become a minister, or he’d use it in heaven when he met the Lord, face to face. He said the prison had become a great opportunity to prepare himself for the future.

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I have never forgotten Joe and the little lesson he taught me. In the New Testament, there are two words to describe time. “Kronos” means time measured on the clock. “Kairos” means opportunity. I’ve noticed people are always looking for more “kronos.” Instead, we need to look for more “kairos” within the “kronos” God has already given us. How can we make the most of what we have? I have the ability to waste lots of time doing things that don’t matter. Sometimes I confuse activity with accomplishment. I think staying busy is the goal. And when I take a break from the busy-ness, I tend to “amuse myself to death” with entertainment. But busy-ness or amusement isn’t the goal in life. It is doing what counts, one activity at a time.

SO HOW DO WE DO THIS? Let me suggest some simple steps you can use to begin seizing the day and doing what counts: 1. Make a to-do list at the end of each day, for tomorrow.

2. From that list, set your priorities. List each activity A, B, or C based on its importance.

3. Question everything. Ask yourself: Is doing this really important?

4. Avoid clutter. Put things in their proper place. Keep it simple.

5. Do things with excellence but avoid perfectionism.

6. Use a calendar. It will help you see the big picture of where you are going.

7. Think about your long-term goals: How does doing each activity fit with your purpose?

A Look at the Book: Check out Ephesians 5:15-16: Therefore, be careful how you live, not as unwise men but as wise, making the most of your time, because the days are evil.

WE LIVE THE WILDCAT WAY

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We compete with UNCOMPROMISING CHARACTER and INTEGRITY at all times.

As a Westminster student- athlete we should always compete with character and integrity. Competing with integrity allows you to gain respect on and off the court or field. When the final second ticks off the clock and the game is over, life still goes on and your reputation will follow you much farther than a win.

Let’s make sure we play the game the right way and we will earn credibility with others that will last a lifetime.

-Coach Andrew Bryan

POCKET CHANGE

(Dr. Tim Elmore - Habitudes #2) Leaders earn credibility with others by displaying integrity and making wise decisions. This puts emotional change in their pocket and enhances their influence. If leaders fail to do this, they lose the change in their pocket with people. Leaders are constantly filling or emptying their pockets.

This Habitude explains one of the greatest mysteries of leadership. I have watched countless leaders enter a new position and go through a honeymoon period. Everything is new, people are optimistic, expectations are high. Then over time, things change. Momentum wanes. People aren’t as excited as they once were. Often, the leader doesn’t understand the loss of momentum, so he explains it away by saying, “Well, I can’t expect things to stay fresh for ever.

Honeymoons don’t last a lifetime.”

Sometimes, however, the diminishing excitement has little to do with a honeymoon ending. These leaders miss what is really happening. They fail to recognize this Habitude at work. I call it “change in your pocket”, and I first learned it from my longtime mentor John Maxwell. All leaders begin a job with some change in their pocket. You might call it “emotional change.” It’s “social capital” leaders can use in relationships to get things done, to influence others, to make programs happen. Each time leaders make a decision that involves others, some of that change in their pocket is spent. If the decision goes well - those people return the change. If things go really well, they get extra change back! In other words, leaders maintain or gain credibility with

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others when they choose wisely or demonstrate integrity. When leaders continually lead with wisdom and integrity, tons of change accumulates in their pocket, enough to endure a rainy day or two when things don’t go so well. As leaders, the name of the game and relationships is to possess lots of change.

My wife and I remember living in an apartment complex the first four years of our marriage. For a while we did our laundry at a laundromat that required quarters to wash and dry our clothes. I remember the frustration of showing up with several loads of clothes - and being just shy of the number of quarters I needed to get my clothes clean and dry. Ugh. On a cold December night, it was extra frustrating to not have enough change!

Today, I live just north of Atlanta, Georgia. I drive a state freeway every week called Georgia 400. It’s a toll road. It costs 50 cents to pass through. There’s nothing more embarrassing than arriving at the toll booth and realizing you’ve got no change in your pocket! What do you do? Do you scrounge around the car looking for dimes and nickels while the other cars wait? Do you try to back up and find an ATM? Do you break through the crossbar and hope no one sees you? Trust me; I know: This situation is embarrassing.

In the same way, some leaders enter a decision period unprepared. For instance, they may lead a committee meeting, and they want to propose a new idea. They believe everyone will just love this idea. But alas, no one votes for it. They are stunned. What happened, they wonder? Did that group of people all of a sudden turn on them? No, it wasn’t all of a sudden. Over time those leaders likely were losing change in their pocket, and by that meeting, they had no credibility to lead anyone. Usually, leaders lose their pocket change slowly over time and don’t realize it. In fact, former Secretary of State Colin Powell suggests leaders must look for symptoms of this happening among their people. What are the signs of a loss of trust? Powell remembers as a military officer, “The day soldiers stop bringing you their problems is the day you have stopped leading them. They have either lost confidence that you can help them or concluded that you do not care. Either case is a failure of leadership.”

Most leaders lose the change in their pocket by lacking integrity. Their own dishonesty becomes a hole in their pocket, and others lose respect for them. Out of history comes the story of a frontier preacher whose two sons talked him into taking in a stray dog. The dog was black as coal except for three distinctive white hairs on his tail. One day, they saw an ad in the local newspaper for a lost dog who fit the dog’s description perfectly, including the white hairs. With the help of his boys, that preacher carefully pulled out the three white hairs. Later, the owner heard this preacher had a dog and his dog’s description and traveled over looking for him. When the owner arrived, the dog showed every sign of recognizing him. Naturally the owner wanted to take him home.

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The preacher asked, “Didn’t you say your dog had three white hairs on his tail?” The owner, unable to find the hairs, was forced to leave. Those young boys watch their dad’s deception at work. Later, the preacher wrote, “I kept the dog, but I lost my boys.” The names of his two boys were Frank and Jesse James - infamous criminals as adults. During their childhood, their dad was unable to positively influence them, regardless of how good his sermons were. Why? There was a hole in his pocket, and he lost all his change. He didn’t notice because his sons still hung out with him. Sadly, they no longer respected him. Keep in mind: There’s a difference between being liked as a friend and being followed as a leader. If people don’t respect you - you won’t lead them.

So what does a leader look like who continues to accumulate change in his pocket? One example is John Wooden, legendary basketball coach for UCLA during my boyhood years. He was both capable and reliable; he did well and he did right, for years and years. He won ten NCAA championships while at UCLA. No one else has come close to that achievement. “Discipline yourself and others won’t need to,” Wooden would say to his team. “Never lie, cheat, or steal... and earn the right to be proud and confident.”

One of his rules was No Facial Hair. “Beards take too long to dry and you could catch a cold leaving the gym,” he’d say. This rule drove some players crazy.

One day, All-American Center Bill Walton showed up with a full beard. “It’s my right,” he insisted. Wooden told Walton that he admired someone who stood up for what he believed. Then he smiled and said, We’re going to miss you, Bill.” Walton shaved it right then and there. Now, Walton calls once a week to tell Coach Wooden he loves him. And he’s not alone. Of the 180 players who played for Wooden, he knows the whereabouts of 172 of them. Of course, it’s not hard since most of them call on a regular basis.

Now, what enables this kind of relationship and respect? John Wooden has tons of change in his pocket with everyone who knows him. In fact, I’d say John Wooden has the equivalent of Fort Knox in his pockets. His wisdom and integrity have kept his pockets free from any holes. Now he has credibility with anyone he meets.

A Look at the Book: Psalm 78:72 summarizes King David’s leadership in Israel. The passage describes him like this: So he shepherded them according to the Integrity of his heart, and guided them with skillful hands.

When the final second ticks off the clock and the game is over, life still goes on and your reputation will follow you much further than a win.

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We demonstrate an unwavering PURSUIT OF EXCELLENCE. Most people would say that pursuit of excellence in athletics is all about winning your last game. Although it’s something we all strive for, our final goal should not simply be to win a championship. Winning is great, but being part of an excellent team is even better. The way to do that is through serving others. As you seek to pursue excellence this season, know that it can be achieved by serving your teammates and making sure everything you do is done with excellence unto the Lord.

-Coach Andrew Bryan

THE WALDORF PRINCIPLE

(Dr. Tim Elmore - Habitudes #2)

The way to the top with people is by serving them extravagantly and sacrificially. A simple clerk did this to Mr. Waldorf, and the rich tycoon returned to make that clerk his first hotel manager in New York. People expect good service from leaders. They are surprised when we serve sacrificially.

As a communicator, I’m always on the lookout for great stories. I recently heard a story which I just knew would make it into this book, and I’d like to share it with you: One stormy night many years ago, an elderly man and his wife entered the lobby of a small hotel in Philadelphia. Trying to get out of the rain, the couple approached the front desk hoping to get some shelter for the night.

“We’d like a room, please,” the husband requested. The clerk, a friendly man with a winning smile, looked at the couple and explained that there were three conventions in town. “All of our rooms are taken,” the clerk said. “But I can’t send a nice couple like you out in the rain at one o’clock in the morning.

Would you perhaps be willing to sleep in my room? It’s not exactly a suite, but it will be good enough to make you folks comfortable for the night.”

When the couple declined, the clerk insisted. “Don’t worry about me; I’ll make out just fine,” he told them. So the couple agreed to spend the night in his room. As he paid his bill the next morning, the elderly man said to the clerk, “You are an exceptional man. Finding people who are both friendly and helpful is rare these days. You are the kind of manager who should be the boss of the best hotel in the United States. Maybe someday I’ll build one for you.”

Two years passed. The clerk was still managing the hotel in Philadelphia

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when he received a letter from the old man. It recalled that stormy night, and enclosed was a round trip ticket to New York, asking the young man to pay him a visit.

The old man met him in New York and led him to the corner of Fifth Avenue and 34th Street. He then pointed to a great new building there, a palace of reddish stone, with turrets and watchtowers thrusting up to the sky. “That,” he said, “is the hotel I’d like you to manage.”

The old man’s name was William Waldorf Astor, and the magnificent structure was the original Waldorf - Astoria Hotel. The clerk who became its first manager was George C. Boldt. This young clerk never foresaw how his simple act of sacrificial service would lead him to become the manager of one of the world’s most glamorous hotels.

The way to the top with people is not just through service. It’s through extravagant, sacrificial service. When someone goes out of their way to help you, it makes all the difference in the world.

• It’s the difference between getting a grumpy, inattentive waitress versus getting a professional, friendly server you actually enjoy talking to and who allows a special order.

• It’s the difference between calling customer support and plowing through automated menus versus being instantly connected to a live person who goes out of her way to help.

• It’s the difference between having a professor who just tolerates your questions versus having one who spends extra time and effort to help you really grasp the material.

When others do their very best to serve us, their influence increases. We don’t look down on them for serving us. On the contrary, our respect level for them rises. We are often so impressed that we start considering ways we can serve them in return! Their attitude and initiative are attractive. As I discuss this with people, few disagree with the idea. However, many don’t buy it. Most don’t serve others this way because they fear being looked down upon. They struggle with pride. They feel that serving others creates a view of them that is lower; after all - those at the top are being served! Let me play a little game with you to show how wrong this assumption is.

Question: In your past, who has served you more than anyone else in the world? The answer for most of us is our mother. Moms usually do anything to serve their kids. Now, think about this: Do you think LESS of your mother for serving you, or MORE of her? My guess is that your love and respect for her go up when she sacrificially serves.

It’s no different with us. When we serve others, our influence increases as well.

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My friend Zig Ziglar is famous for saying, “You can have everything in life you want if you will just help enough other people get what they want!” It’s true.

He’s one of the most humble servant leaders I’ve ever met, and he’s at the top of his field.

He’s not the only one. Most of the great leaders I’ve run across have embraced the Waldorf Principle. Case in point: When Michael Eisner was CEO of Disney, his job description included “trash collecting.” Imagine the CEO of a billiondollar organization picking up trash at his own theme park. Think about the kind of effect that must have had on his employees. He could have just ordered someone else to do it.

It’s ironic. You think that true influence would comes through force - ordering others around and letting people know you’re the boss. But just the opposite is true. Real influence comes through humbly serving others. It’s one of the greatest leadership paradoxes in existence.

PATHS TO POWER There are all sorts of ways you can go about achieving influence. Some of them are better than others. Take a look at the following list and see if you can identify the model(s) you use most. I’ve ordered them from worst to best.

7. Force People follow you because they feel threatened and are overpowered. They move unwillingly and are quick to rebel if given the chance. Unhealthy governments do this. It’s the worst path to power.

6. Manipulation People follow you because you coerce them. You use words to trick them and back them into a corner. They have no choice. Folks resent being used and quickly seek a healthier environment.

5. Intimidation People follow you because they’re afraid not too. They feel emotionally bullied by you and obey because they want to avoid being fired, hurt, embarrassed, etc. This is the third worst path and is often used when quick action is needed.

4. Exchange This is the most common path to power we use. People follow you because you can do something for them. Both parties receive something: you work, and your boss pays you. This path works, but it’s still temporal. It’s over when one party finds a better deal.

3. Persuasion People follow you because they are moved to cooperation. They agree because of the ideas or incentives you provide. This path now utilizes verbal expression which makes others want to follow you. Literally translated from its root words, “persuasion” means “through sweetness.”

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2. Motivation People follow you because you create excitement. Your cause and your passion move others to action. People willingly go where they would not have gone by themselves. This is an even better approach, but still not the best.

1. Honor People follow you because you honor them through service. You and your followers have a mutual respect for each other. Others submit because you’ve earned their esteem. This is the best path in the longest lasting form of leadership. It earns fierce loyalty and commitment as a result.

Think again about the night when George Boldt served Mr. Waldorf and his wife. He didn’t know who they were. He didn’t see what they could give him in return one day. He just honored anyone who came through the door. And - he won them over. When you take the path of honor, your influence increases.

Even if you don’t have a formal leadership position at your school or work, you can still influence others. Martin Luther King Jr. once said, “Everybody can be great... because anybody can serve. You don’t have to have a college degree to serve. You don’t have to make your subject and verb agree to serve.

You only need a heart full of grace. A soul generated by love.”

The Waldorf Principle reminds leaders that the way to Greatness is through sacrificial and extravagant service. In November 2005, Oprah Winfrey honored some people who practiced this principle following Hurricane Katrina. After that natural disaster, thousands of victims were displaced, without a home or food. Many Americans left their own comfort to serve them - at times at great expense. Marianne Burnham was a nurse who wanted to serve the victims in Louisiana. Her hospital wouldn’t give her time off to do it, so she quit her job. Serving the less fortunate was more important to her. Ryan Devin left Chicago to serve folks after the hurricane. How did he pay for his trip? He sold his World Series tickets - the tickets to watch his own Chicago White Sox play in a World Series they hadn’t been to in more than 80 years! He had never missed a game in 30 years. Extravagant? Sacrificial? You bet. But if you want to connect with others, be a servant to them. Forcing influence always backfires.

Earning influence through honor always pays off. Remember the simple clerk, Mr. Boldt and take the path of a servant leader.

A Look at the Book: Most leaders I know want their lives to count. They don’t wake up in the morning and think to themselves, “Hmmm...I think I’ll be mediocre today.”

Our desire for greatness is good - it comes from God. Unfortunately, we often lose sight of what greatness truly means. Jesus had to constantly realign his disciples’ understanding of greatness. In Mark, James and John ask Jesus for positions of honor next to Him. Clearly, they aren’t getting it. So He explains: You know that in this world kings are tyrants, and officials lord it over the people beneath them. But among you it should be quite different. Whoever wants to be

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a leader among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be the slave of all. For even I, the Son of Man, came here not to be served but to serve others, and to give my life as a ransom for many. (Mark 10: 42-45, New Living Translation)

WE LIVE THE WILDCAT WAY

WINTER 5

SPRING

We honor CHRIST FIRST. As a Westminster student-athlete, there are a lot of decisions to be made, but which will you make first? There are a lot of important things at school, with friends, family, and in your sport, but what is the most important? There is no higher priority than to honor Christ first in all that you say and all that you do. Matthew 6:33 says to seek Christ and His kingdom first and everything else will fall in it’s place. This season, make it your number one priority to honor Christ with your whole life and He will bless your efforts because of that decision.

-Coach Andrew Bryan

BARN BUILDING

(Dr. Tim Elmore - Habitudes #3) A farmer builds the barn on his property first. Why? Because the barn will pay for all of the other structures. Leaders determine the critical transaction that enables everything else to happen.

A farmer and his wife purchased a new property. They were excited about moving and settling down on this new land. It was just perfect. A dreamcome-true. One evening at dinner, the two of them began discussing hopes and dreams for their piece of real estate. Soon, it became apparent they needed to come up with a plan for what they would build, and when. They both wanted to build a house, a silo, a three-car garage, a shed, a swing-set and a barn. They were passionate about each structure, but... which should come first?

The decision was finally reduced to either the house or the barn. The wife wanted to build the house first. She could envision just how the living room would be decorated, and the kitchen laid-out. She knew the color schemes, the window treatments and the furniture she wanted. The farmer had to admit, it sounded great! He listened quietly, and pondered her words. But when she finished, he smiled and said they shouldn’t build the house first.

He felt they should build the barn first. She was shocked. “Why?” she asked.

“Aren’t we more important than the animals?” They went back and forth in disagreement. Their argument finally ended when the farmer played the “trump card”. He said, “Sweetheart, we have to build the barn first - because the barn will build the house.”

Do you understand how profound these words were? Like his wife, if you were developing a farm, the first item you may think you need is a house. That’s where you eat, sleep, and live. Sounds logical, right? But any wise farmer would suggest a different plan. Build the barn. The house is “overhead”. The

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barn is the hub of all of the profit-making work. The animals live there, so that produces your milk, eggs, and meat. The equipment stored there is necessary for working the fields and growing crops. Without the barn, the farm could generate little income. If you neglect the barn and build only the house, the house is all you’ll get. Build the barn, and you can build a house, shed, silo, chicken coop, and even another barn - you can build pretty much anything!

These days, the number of private farms is dwindling because of technology.

When it was more standard, however, it wasn’t uncommon for families to live in their barn. Building it was a large expense and many times, families had to save more money, before they could build their actual house. Living in the barn was an easy and affordable option. Half of the barn was reserved for the animals, while the other half served as their living accommodations. Prior to 1900, such a practice was relatively normal as families waited to build their house.

While living in a barn has become rare these days, there are still many instances where families sacrifice the comforts of a house, in order to develop security for the family. I read a story about Becky Neal and her sister Judy who moved to Sisters, Oregon in 1978 open a beauty salon. For the first nine months, the two women and Judy’s two teenage sons lived in tents. Financing the salon was their first priority, and they didn’t have enough money to also build a house. Eventually, they wanted horses. They still didn’t have a house, but you know what they did? They’re built the barn and finished half of it for living quarters! Wow. Talk about sacrifice. But they were shrewd; they knew how to reach their goals swiftly and wisely.

In almost every endeavor, there is a “barn”, or an activity that is vital to the life of the project, or organization. It’s called the critical transaction. It’s the activity that if you don’t do it, you’re “out of business”. On a farm, the barn represents the critical transaction. Without the barn, the life of the farm cannot be sustained. Similarly, the critical transaction of an airline is not when the plane takes off, but when the customer buys the ticket. A radio station’s critical transaction is not choosing songs to play, but selling airtime for commercials. When people don’t buy, businesses don’t run. Planes can’t take off and songs cannot play.

Organizations that discover their critical transaction have a better chance of succeeding. While many companies provide numerous products, almost every company has one they feature as “their” product. Many big name companies are thriving simply because they’ve discovered their critical transaction.

Hewlett - Packard makes computers, digital cameras, and scanners but they’re known for their printers. Ketchup made Heinz 57 famous, but did you know that they also produce bagel bites and baby food? Xerox discovered its niche in the world of heavy-duty office copiers, but continues to produce

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scanners and computer monitors on a smaller scale. This Barn Building Habitude helps us zero in on the one activity that helps every other activity to happen.

The concept of finding your “barn” works beyond finding a product that will earn money and a name. Any group of people working toward a purpose should discover their critical transaction. In 2000, the film Remember the Titans illustrated how one man taught his team how to play football. Coach Herman Boone, an African-American football coach, was faced with the difficult challenge of coaching a team of African-Americans and Caucasians.

Racial prejudice still existed in this small, Virginia town. Boone knew the critical transaction moved beyond the realms of football. It involved breaking racial barriers and building healthy relationships. Without that camaraderie, Boone knew the team’s performance on the field would suffer. And if the team failed, this would only add another roadblock toward gaining equal rights. Coach Boone centered on this critical transaction with his athletes, and everything else took care of itself. Good leaders always find the one catalyst that makes everything else happen.

A Look At The Book: Jesus taught this principle to a woman named Martha when she tried to get her sister to help in the kitchen one evening (Luke 10: 38 - 42). Martha was overwhelmed with all she thought she had to do.

“Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “You are worried and upset about many things, but only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.”

Jesus wasn’t saying Martha’s activity was evil. He was just reminding her she had one “critical transaction” she was forgetting. Her sister Mary was practicing it.

WE LIVE THE WILDCAT WAY

SPRING 1

We expect the BEST from our teammates because we demand the BEST from ourselves.

As a Westminster teammate - you are a leader. Each of you have a job and if your job doesn’t get done, the team suffers.

Some of you are quiet leaders and expect the best from your teammates through your action, not your words. Some of you are more vocal and use your words to demand the best from your teammates. Whether you are quiet or loud, your team needs you to lead and lead well. With each of us doing our job ,we are destined to succeed this season.

-Coach Andrew Bryan

SMALL SPROCKET

(Dr. Tim Elmore - Habitudes #3) Leaders are the small sprocket in affecting change. We must spin dozens of times before the big gear makes one revolution. It’s part of the territory. Spin like crazy and eventually others will respond.

As a high school student, I rode my bike to school - at least until I got a car.

Riding my bike was memorable because I had to ride up a huge hill called “Fletcher Parkway.” It was a solid, three-quarter-mile, uphill climb. Every morning, I was sweating by the time I reached the top. Thank God for tenspeed bikes! Shifting into low gear was my only hope. (As you know, low gears allow a biker to climb hills when there’s no momentum.) My trade off was pedaling like crazy just to move a few feet.

I suppose it’s a little like a car. When you drive, the engine revs between 1000 and 3000 RPMs (revolutions per minute), depending on the momentum you have. In other words, a car’s motor spins thousands of revolutions each moment, only to move your tires down the road just one short mile! It’s a small wheel moving a big wheel - a tiny gear spinning frantically, to move the larger one just a bit. It’s the Law of Leverage... and it illustrates the principle of the Small Sprocket.

Imagine two sprockets. One small one, one big one. It’s the job of the small sprocket to turn the big sprocket. If the small sprocket is half the size of the big one, it must go around twice before the big one completes a full revolution. Doesn’t sound too bad, does it? Now imagine that small sprocket

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is one one-hundredth the size of the big one. Now it must rotate 100 times in order to make the big sprocket complete a full revolution!

That’s how life is for the leader of an organization. Sometimes things flow smoothly and you don’t feel like you’re working too hard. Then there are times (and these are more common) when you have to work, work, work, work, work - just to feel like the team is progressing at all! You spin and spin and spin in order to accomplish all of your leadership tasks. You keep communicating the vision, but everyone still seems fuzzy on it. You tell them what needs to be done, but they need a reminder. You equip them to recruit a team, but they continue to be a one-man show. You labor and labor... anticipating seeing some results. It can be discouraging. It feels like you’ve moved ahead fifty miles, but the group is moving like an inchworm! How can this be?

Relax. It’s normal. Welcome to leadership. Leaders must spin like a small sprocket to get the larger group to spin just once. It can be tiresome. At first, the labor ratio is often disproportionate. But just wait. Continue spinning.

Good news is coming. People will eventually respond to your spinning. And you know what? Once you really get moving and have the group responding positively, that big sprocket start picking up speed from its own momentum.

In time, the group will be spinning you!

There’s a movie that was made in 2000 called Pay It Forward. Based on a true story, Trevor McKinney creates the “pay it forward” idea as a social studies project in school. The breakdown is pretty simple: do something to help someone, then ask them to do the same for three other individuals. Don’t pay the kindness back, pay it forward. The whole movie is about Trevor helping people and trying to inspire them to pay it forward. His project seems to be failing, as Trevor spins and spins...and nobody seems to join his quest to make the world a better place. He is ready to give up.

In the end, Trevor learns that he started a movement. From homeless people to corporate CEOs, his good deeds and their forward momentum reach so many people that they caught the attention of a reporter. The truth is, Trevor had been spinning a long time before he saw any results. In his eyes, the big sprocket hadn’t moved. But in reality, it was actually just picking up momentum. Hearing that his project was successful it reignited Trevor’s original desire to share kindness in the world. In the movie, there were increased random acts of kindness throughout the region. In real life, however, the movie inspired the creation of the “Pay It Forward” movement.

People are paying it forward from Washington to Florida, all the way to Singapore and Australia.

In 1809, a boy named Louie was born in a small town near Paris. His early years consisted of many difficult obstacles. Playing with his father’s tools one day, Louie pierced and destroyed his left eye. Shortly after that, his damaged eye infected the other, causing complete loss of sight in both eyes. While most blind people at the time became beggars, Louie wanted to attend school. So at the age of ten, he enrolled in a school for the blind. Students were taught

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to read raised letters, but due to the difficult process, only 14 books were available to study. Louie knew there had to be an easier way and set about creating a finger alphabet.

He began creating a system that would allow even blind persons to read, write and communicate. Early on, it had little success because the system was too complex for kids to master. But Louie experimented with more simplified systems over the next few months, finally arriving at the ideal “six dot” system. By the time he was fifteen, he had developed separate codes for math and music.

Although his creation had improved life for blind people, it didn’t catch on.

Sighted people didn’t understand how the system could be useful. One teacher even banned children from learning it. Eventually - after years of spinning like crazy - folks realized the benefits of the system. Today, the Braille system has been adapted to almost every known language, from Albanian to Zulu. Against all odds, Louie became an independent man and even went on to become a teacher in his old school.

As a pastor, I remember trying to start ministries in our church. People needed to catch a vision for world mission, and they needed to catch a vision for disciple-making. I thought my ideas were great, but few others agreed.

Fortunately, there were a few of us who began spinning like small sprockets.

We knew we couldn’t spin wildly in all directions, so we consistently spun like crazy in one direction. I’d look in the mirror each day and say, “I’m a small sprocket!” Over time, momentum picked up. People saw that our idea was good and wasn’t going away. By the time I left that church, we’d fulfilled our goal for both visions.

We were small sprockets. As leaders, if we don’t have the courage and determination to keep spinning, things will grind to a halt. Very little will change. In fact, the vision will shrivel and the team will likely suffer. It’s the leader’s job to spin like crazy and fire up the rest of the team. It’s part of the territory of leadership. Fueled by the Holy Spirit, we are the engine. We are the small sprocket.

A Look at the Book: Check out Proverbs 6:6-11. Solomon writes about learning from the ant, the smallest of creatures.

“Go to the ant, you sluggard, consider its ways and be wise! It has no commander, no overseer or ruler, yet it stores its provisions in summer and gathers its food at harvest.”

With each of us doing our job we are destined to succeed this season.

WE LIVE THE WILDCAT WAY SPRING 2

We reject complacency and OUTWORK our opponents as we STRIVE FOR SUCCESS. There are times, as a team, we say we want to be the best and we define success as winning championships. However, sometimes our focus is on the wrong thing. Winning a championship this season is a great goal to have, but focusing on that last game sometimes distracts you from focusing on the here and now. Today I must reject complacency. Today I must outwork my opponent. Today I must get better. If we clearly focus on those things today, then success will come.

-Coach Andrew Bryan

RIVERS AND FLOODS

(Dr. Tim Elmore - Habitudes #3) Rivers and floods are both bodies of water. Rivers are useful in many ways.

Floods damage. The difference? Focus. Leaders must channel people, time, and money toward one focused vision.

I have a picture indelibly etched in my memory. When I was a kid, I remember a horrifying flood sweeping through a town not far from where we lived. I watched the TV intently as reporters showed the expanding body of murky water run through streets, over yards and into houses, restaurants and stores.

The rushing water seemed to demolish everything in its path. In my mind, I can still see people standing on the tops of their cars weeping, as they watched their homes collapse and float away - piece by piece.

What started as a simple rainstorm ended up filling the nearby rivers and eventually flowing unmercifully into neighborhoods and strip malls. I remember thinking: How can such a simple thing as water do such damage?

Some of my friends took a while to recover from the flood. One of them, in fact, wanted nothing to do with water for over a year. For him, a large body of water without some boundary was a frightening thing.

This is a picture of an important leadership truth. Many organizations begin very focused, like a river. The leaders possess an idea they want to implement.

Soon, however, in their zeal to grow, they begin expanding far beyond the boundaries of their initial vision. If they are good at making widgets, they reason, why not make other products as well? Before long, in the name of meeting needs, generating revenue, or just plain growth - they become a flood

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instead of a river. They lose all focus and sprawl out in every direction. Like a flood, they end up damaging things. Floods can be shallow, unrestrained, muddy and harmful.

Far too many organizations become floods. Take IBM for instance. In the beginning, when IBM focused on mainframe computers, the company made a ton of money. By the 1980s, however, IBM expanded their product line and barely broke even. In 1991, they were making more products than ever, yet, the company wound up losing $2..8 billion. That’s almost $8 million a day!

It’s interesting. This rule of leadership works just the opposite of what we might think. It seems logical that enlarging product lines would always mean greater profit. It’s actually the other way around. Staying focused on your central vision and strength is the key to growth. The airline industry is a good example. “People Express” launched as an airline that focused on no frills, low cost flights. At the first taste of success, they decided to expand beyond that vision. They began to provide first class seats, food, etc. Their profits dropped.

In fact, they went out of business.

In contrast, Southwest Airlines entered the industry with a clear, focused vision, similar to People Express. Yet, they stuck to their strengths, and for years they’ve been the only profitable airline in the business. Southwest Airlines refused to diversify; they remained a river. Rivers are much more narrow than floods. They move in one direction. They are a source for both electricity and transportation. Why? Vision and focus. Leaders must stay focused or the organization will spill out into many directions. If the leader isn’t focused, the team will chase after every new idea, and fall prey to every vendor wanting to capitalize on the success. Clear and focused vision harnesses energy. Just watch your team for a while. People lose energy when their direction in life is fuzzy. But they get energized when they catch a clear vision.

Just over fifty years ago, Walt Disney gathered his inner-circle to share his idea of building “Disneyland”. It would be known as the “happiest place on earth.”

Walt’s vision was clear and focused. As his team began to get excited about the vision, however, one of the members asked, “Who are you gonna get to build it?” Confidently, Walt responded, “I know exactly who I want to build it.

Find me the man who helped put the U.S. Navy back in the Pacific after the bombing of Pearl Harbor. I figure he can do it.”

It didn’t take long for Walt’s team to identify this man. Joe Fowler. Admiral Joe Fowler. Retired Admiral, Joe Fowler. When Disney showed up at Fowler’s door and challenged him to build a theme park, Joe laughed. “You don’t understand. I’m retired. I’m through.” Disney quickly realized this guy was going to require some work. Placing pictures on the wall, Walt began to storyboard. Describing in great detail the feel, look, smell, sound and even taste of the park - Joe bought in. He stepped out of retirement and oversaw Disneyland’s construction.

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Twenty years later, the idea of Disney World was proposed - and can you guess who was hired to supervise the project? Joe Fowler. This time he was 77 years old. When the Disney team approached him the second time, he sighed again, “You don’t understand. I’m retired. I’m through.” But as pictures were posted and vision was cast for their biggest project yet, Joe couldn’t help but buy in.

He ditched retirement again, and oversaw the building of Disney World.

The story goes on. Ten years later, EPCOT was built in Orlando. Disney once again looked to Joe Fowler to lead the construction. He was now 87 years old.

Joe repeated his objection: “You don’t understand. I’m retired. I’m through.”

But Disney knew Joe was the man. His team communicated the clear, focused vision again. Joe lit up, stepped out of retirement and oversaw the project.

What a picture of the energy that accompanies clear vision. Joe’s favorite phrase, “I’m retired I’m through,” was changed to, “You don’t have to die ‘til you want to.” I often wonder how much energy remains bottled up in people because they never learn to focus, or they just plain fail to tap into a clear vision.

Here is the irony of this truth. My friend Mike Kendrick explained why this principle works with the following phrase: What you focus on expands. Read that sentence again. Now think about it. If I tell you to focus on finding Toyota Camrys on the road, you will notice these cars everywhere. Why? Because what you focus on expands. So, the goal of a leader is to focus, not expand.

Growth is a product of focus. Clarify the vision. Focus your people, time, energy and resources. Remember this: just because you CAN do something doesn’t mean you SHOULD. Intensity, don’t diversify.

In order to accomplish this focus, it’s important to zero in on a handful of words, in fact, maybe just one word (or concept) that becomes your own. It describes your identity and vision. Some of the best selling products on the market own such words. Crest toothpaste owns the word “cavities.” FedEx owns the word “overnight.” Volvo owns the words “automobile safety”. As they focus their energies on a single concept, these companies go deeper and expand in one area. They are a river, moving in one direction. And being a river is about clear vision and a sharp Focus.

A Look at the Book: Check out Proverbs 29:18: “Where there is no vision the people are unrestrained; but happy is he who keeps the Law.”

WE LIVE THE WILDCAT WAY

SPRING 3

We compete with UNCOMPROMISING CHARACTER and INTEGRITY at all times.

As a Westminster student-athlete, you can be confident that someone is always watching. Your friends are watching how you act. Younger students are watching how you compete and they will do what you do and they will act like you act. It’s not just that you compete and win, it’s how you win that matters. People do what people see - what will they see in you?

-Coach Andrew Bryan

MIRROR EFFECT

(Dr. Tim Elmore - Habitudes #3) As a leader, your followers will be a reflection of you. Not only will you attract others like yourself, but over time, those who follow you will mirror both your negative and positive characteristics.

Since the beginning of time, humans have been preoccupied with their looks.

Consequently, we’ve searched for ways to see our reflections and seek out available mirrors. The still water of a clear pool, in fact, was man’s first mirror.

With the rise of the Bronze Age, in about 3500 BC, polished metal had become the favored material among Sumerians in Mesopotamia, as well as Egyptians and Hebrews. By 328 BC, the Greeks had established a school for mirror craftsmanship, and by the rise of the Roman Empire, manufacturing mirrors had become a flourishing business. Eventually, gold mirrors were the craze.

In fact, head servants would even demand personalized gold mirrors to be allotted in place of their wages!

The first glass mirrors allowed for a far more precise reflection. They debuted in Venice, Italy, in 1300, under the hands of Venetian glass blowers. By 1687, Frenchman Bernard Perrot had patented a method for rolling out smooth, undistorted sheets of glass, resulting in the hand-held and full-length mirrors we know today. At last, man had fashioned an instrument that offered a perfect reflection of himself. Mirrors remain an important part of most any dorm, bath, or bedroom in modern day culture.

The mirror reminds us of a helpful leadership truth. Leaders, in fact, have their own unique mirror - their followers. I call this the mirror effect. Within

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18 to 24 months, leaders will find that they cannot blame someone else for the atmosphere and attitude of the organization. They are the reason for that atmosphere. By design, or by default, the leader has set the tone. While the speed at which they do this will vary, any leader’s example will eventually impact the entire team. Once this happens, the followers become a mirror, reflecting the good or bad values and virtues of the leader. As Rick Warren describes it, “If you want to know the temperature of an organization, put a thermometer in the leader’s mouth.”

When I was a pastor at Skyline Church in San Diego, I oversaw our intern program. We had dozens of interns serving, each of whom planned to do vocational ministry at some point. At the end of every year, it became somewhat predictable for me to hear people saying: “Hey, Pastor Tim, your intern sounds just like you.”

“I could see you in them.”

“I could tell they have been around you, Tim.” My explanation is simple. It’s the mirror effect. While each intern retained their own personality, they couldn’t help but reflect the style, values and even flaws of their leader. Dr. John Maxwell further illustrates this with the Law of Magnetism: Leaders attract who they “are,” not who they “want.” In other words, like attracts like. But there’s another law at work here beyond Magnetism. Call it the Law of Emulation. Leaders must model the life they want followers to live, because people will emulate them. In a nutshell, the top role of management is: people do what people see.

Over the years, I’ve enjoyed asking this question to audiences at leadership conferences on University campuses, or with corporations: What virtues do you wish your people possessed? On a pad of paper I jot down the responses: “I wish they were more committed... had a better attitude... possessed more passion... were more friendly…” and the list goes on. Then I take the list and and ask, “Do you have these qualities? Do you model these virtues?”

People do what people see. They are mirrors.

The Mirror Effect underscores the truth that leaders must never forget - the power of example. You can talk all you want about behaviors and expectations for your organization, But ultimately, the life you model will be the sermon that gets through. Dr. Albert Schweitzer once said, “Example is not the most important thing about leadership. It is the only thing.” Ask any manager. Ask any teacher. In fact, ask any parent. Kids do what kids see.

Recently, I was in the home of a neighbor who is teaching his son the virtue of honesty and integrity. He was so proud of their discussions over the past month. My friend was convinced he was getting through. As we were talking, however, the phone rang. As his son ran to grab it, my neighbor yelled, “If it’s for me, tell them I’m not here!”

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Hmmm. Now what do you suppose that young boy now concludes about honesty? Dad’s lectures say we should be honest at all times. But I guess for his life, it’s a different story? Chances are, this boy will grow up believing honesty is important to talk about, but when it becomes inconvenient, who cares?

“Paying the Piper” is an old, black and white movie about a father’s challenges in raising his teenage daughter. In one of the scenes, the girl asks permission to attend the high school dance with an older boy. Reluctantly, the dad allows her to go, though remains protective. He doesn’t want anything in the “real world” to harm his little girl. Waiting up for her on the night of the dance, the father is faced with his worst nightmare when the police show up at his front door. They inform him that his daughter and her date had been drinking and carelessly drove off of a bridge. Both died instantly.

The father is in anguish. How could any restaurant, bar, or liquor store, sell alcohol to a minor? He determines to find the culprit, and spends endless time and money investigating the crime, but to no avail. He failed in his search. In one final scene, he slumped in his living room chair. He is weary.

He decides a drink would help his tired nerves at this point. But opening his liquor cabinet, he’s stunned to find his bottle missing, replaced by a note that said: “Dear Dad, I know you like your Scotch to help you celebrate. I thought you wouldn’t mind sharing it with me.”

People do what people see - at home, at work, at school, wherever there is a leader. This explains why followers of Martin Luther King Jr. acted so differently from followers of Malcolm X. It explains why the Nazi regime, under Adolf Hitler, was so violent, and why the followers of Mahatma Gandhi were so peaceful. Just look at the leader. It’s the mirror effect.

A Look at the Book: Scripture illustrates this principle over and over. The Apostle Paul encouraged others to imitate his example at least four times throughout his letters. In Hebrews 13:7-8, we read: Remember those who led you, who spoke the word of God to you; and consider the result of their conduct, imitate their faith. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today, yes and forever.

This passage instructs us to imitate the faith of our leaders. Since Jesus is the same yesterday, today and forever, we can count on him to enable us just as he did in the past. But notice - we achieve this goal through His power and the example of our leaders.

WE LIVE THE WILDCAT WAY SPRING 4

We demonstrate an unwavering PURSUIT OF EXCELLENCE. It’s not always easy to pursue excellence. Sometimes you will get questioned and maybe even criticized, however the sign of a good leader is someone who can take the good and the bad. As a Westminster student-athlete you may find yourself in the middle of a storm at times, but remember to stay unwavering in your pursuit of excellence and rise above anyone who wants to bring you down.

-Coach Andrew Bryan

LIGHTNING RODS

(Dr. Tim Elmore - Habitudes #2) A lightning rod protects the building by safely taking the strike and grounding it. It channels the impact of that strike to a safe place. Leaders handle anger and criticism in a similar way. They take the heat for the team, and they find appropriate outlets for their own anger.

A few years ago, our city endured an extremely harsh thunderstorm. It was like we were in the movies. Lightning flashed and thunder crashed, trees fell down, some rooftops were ruptured, and power lines were out for days.

It took over a week to get the city cleaned up and running again. Everyone saw the power of Mother Nature, and specifically the damaging effects of lightning.

After the storm, several business owners made a smart move: They installed lightning rods. In case you’re not familiar with them, lightning rods are metal strips or rods, usually made of copper, used to protect buildings and structures from violent lightning strikes. Each lightning rod is connected by a cable to the earth below, where it can channel the charge to a safe place.

These rods are placed atop roofs to attract lightning and protect buildings from lightning strikes. In fact, they are needed most on structures that are tall or isolated. You see, lightning has a tendency to strike whatever is nearest or at the highest elevation.

The thing called the lightning rod was invented by none other than Benjamin Franklin. In fact, he experimented with these rods or “attractors” long before his famous experiment with the key and the kite. Franklin knew the metal in these rods would attract the lightning if they were up high enough, and they could spare buildings any damage. He got them working during his lifetime, and by the 19th century, lightning rods were popular and ornate, a symbol of

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American ingenuity.

Lightning rods are a picture of another leadership truth. Leaders operate like lightning rods. They naturally attract light and heat from others. They are most likely to be criticized when things go wrong, blamed if things don’t get fixed, and honored if things go well. When the storm hits, they take the light and heat for the team. Both the perks and the price of leadership are recognition. People look to you you. The downside of this is criticism. People vent their anger on leaders. If you’re leading others, you’ll be criticized and attacked. Just be ready. President Harry Truman said, “If you can’t stand the heat, stay out of the kitchen.” The key is to ground the heat in a positive way.

I don’t know of any leader who did this better than President Abraham Lincoln. It’s likely no president in American history received such criticism and dishonor, sometimes from those who were closest to him. Lincoln received much grief and bitterness from War Secretary Stanton. Once, a clerk asked President Lincoln what he thought of Stanton. Lincoln said he felt he was a good leader, straightforward, and almost always right. The clerk looked at him and said, “Mr. President, do you know that Mr. Stanton thinks you are an ape and criticizes you as a fool every chance he gets? How could you say such a thing?” Mr. Lincoln just smiled at the clerk and replied, “You didn’t ask me what Stanton thought of me. You asked what I thought of Mr. Stanton.”

Lincoln kept a level head and didn’t strike back. He took the heat for his team several times when Southerners lashed out at his cabinet. During the Civil War, Lincoln once encouraged a general to attack, but the general feared losing his reputation if the battle didn’t go well. Lincoln then did the unthinkable. He wrote the general and said, “I want you to go on the offense.

If the battle goes well, you can take all the credit for the victory. If it doesn’t go well, I will take the blame completely.”

Lincoln also found a way to build lightning rods in his own leadership, places he could vent and not damage team members. When angry with someone, Lincoln would occasionally write a hot letter to them. Then he would set it aside until he cooled down. Inevitably, he would never send it. He had a drawer of angry letters he never sent.

DEALING WITH CRITICISM Here are some suggestions on handling criticism and becoming a good lightning rod: A. UNDERSTAND THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN CONSTRUCTIVE AND DESTRUCTIVE CRITICISM (Do they want to help you or hurt you? And you see God redeeming anything good from it? )

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B. RECOGNIZE THAT PEOPLE ACT OUT WHAT THEY ARE EXPERIENCING INSIDE. IT MAY NOT BE ABOUT YOU. (Hurting people naturally hurt people. Intimidated people intimidate.

What’s inside comes out.)

C. REMEMBER THAT GOOD PEOPLE GET CRITICIZED. (Some of the finest leaders in history were attacked, including Jesus.

You’re in good company.)

D. DON’T JUST SEE THE CRITIC; SEE THE CROWD. (Don’t let minority rule. Are others feeling the same way as the critic, or is the critic isolated?)

E. EAT THE FISH AND SPIT OUT THE BONES. (Digest the criticism and act on anything that’s accurate. Improve what you can. Discard the rest.)

F. TRUST GOD, AND WAIT FOR TIME TO PROVE THEM WRONG. (Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address was considered shameful and poorly written at the time.)

G. ACT, DON’T REACT. DON’T GET DEFENSIVE. (Don’t let their emotions dictate yours. Thank them for their opinions.

Take the high road.)

H. SEEK WISE COUNSEL FROM OTHERS. (Consult with other leaders to see what kernels of truth might be in the criticism.)

I. CONCENTRATE ON YOUR MISSION; CHANGE YOUR MISTAKES. (Many leaders get so frazzled when criticized that they do the opposite.)

A Look at the Book: Scripture is full of examples of people who practice this Habitude. Read their stories.

Abigail and Nabal: I Samuel 25: 2-42 Rehoboam and Jeroboam: 1 Kings 12: 1-19 Proverbs 29: 11 Ephesians 4: 29-32 Romans 12:19 James 1:19 As a Westminster student athlete you may find yourself in the middle of a storm at times, but remember to stay unwavering in your pursuit of excellence and rise above anyone who wants to bring you down.

WE LIVE THE WILDCAT WAY SPRING 5

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