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We’re kicking off another year – another chance to create, a fresh canvas, and new opportunities to do things that have never been done! So today I ask you to commit with me to have the most creative year possible.

Together, we will commit to:

When we make this commitment together, we can hold each other accountable.

What do you want to add to this list? Will you commit with me? #CreativeCommitment

Here is the 8th most popular post of 2012!

Leadership is intangible, and therefore no weapon ever designed can replace it. – Omar N. Bradley

Here are a few traits I have learned working for and with some amazing leaders. (with the obvious Christian focus removed):

1. Set the tone and set it with passion and audacity.

2. Avoid drama and create peace.

3. Think positive, but realistic.

4. Lead by serving.

5. Act as much as they talk.

6. Ensure that their words and actions align; own and correct it when they don’t.

7. Plan.

8. Know they don’t have all the answers all the time.

9. Ask questions more than you make statements.

10. Trust their team to do their jobs.

11. Set and articulate expectations.

12. Insist on results.

13. Delegate. Then, delegate more.

14. Give others credit.

15. Listen. Listen. Listen. Then respond.

16. Have compassion, but don’t be fooled.

17. Respond instead of react.

18. Hire talented, young, future leaders and trust them even when they fail…and never stop investing in them.

19. Know their idea is not always the best idea.

20. Never stop learning.

What are traits you look for in a leader? What traits are you attempting to model?

The 9th most popular post from 2012.

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It has been said that the difference between creativity and imagination is action. Action is more than talking about our creativity or idea. Action is putting our creativity into motion. We have to build solid habits that help us move our creative ideas from the imaginary to the activated. What are some of the ways we can do this?

• Create something everyday. / This keeps us prepared and in a creative space. It helps us avoid getting lazy.
• Share our ideas with people who will hold us accountable to them. / There is a pressure that comes when we are accountable for our great ideas. A lot of time, fear keeps us from sharing these ideas, but we have to share them in order to “get them out”. An idea that is in process has the potential to change lives. An idea in our head is equivalent to no idea at all.
• Don’t be afraid to fail. / Learning to conquer our fear helps us to engage our creativity. We have to understand that creativity and love have a lot in common. One never experiences love in its fullness until we take the chance to be hurt. The same goes with creativity. The hurt of failing is not dull, but the regret of not trying will haunt us forever.
• Prepare a plan./ Make a plan that is FULL. Define expectations. Delegate. Create action items in the plan and attach dates to those plans. Leave no stone unturned in the process. Define the goal and make sure every action is leading to that goal. Planning is the not-so secret power for creative people. Great creative professionals embrace planning. Also, planning and preparing allows us to finish on time – which actually provides us the flexibility to adjust. When we can adjust, we are able to be our MOST creative.
• Be concerned with execution. / Ideas are not worth a dollar without execution. No one is going to care about YOUR thing as much as YOU do…and if at some point they do, you need to move on. Artists have to understand and embrace the business of their art: be concerned enough to – at a minimum – build a team that can help them manage the execution and be willing to not ignore the importance of “GETTING THINGS DONE.”
• Stay focused on the goal. / The biggest temptation for an artist or creative person is to allow the next idea to steal our focus. Document the next idea, but stay on task and don’t lose focus of the potential we have to complete what we are working on today. Tomorrow can be for the next thing…today is about what is in front of us.
• Control what we can control. / Stop worrying and buying excuses. We have areas which we can control. Maximize those spaces. The areas for which we do not have control, we can not waste time or energy worrying about. We will navigate around those when the time is right. Today, control what you can control.

Revisiting the top 10 posts of 2012!

Number 10 was a fun piece about the relationship between Creative people and their pastors.

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I am so blessed to get to work with a Pastor who is not only a great pastor, but a great man and an awesome friend.

As a creative arts pastor, I understand what is needed in the relationship between the Sr. Pastor and the CA Pastor. Lets look at 5 core elements that creative team need from their pastor:

• 1. Permission to fail. No one enjoys failure, but the reality is if we want amazing and really creative experiences there is a very solid chance that at times we are going to fail. Real art is not safe. Safe stuff is created in the middle, but really amazing stuff, the stuff people remember and can’t ignore is created on the edges. Sometimes when we are creating on these edges, we may fall in the ditch. Knowing that we are allowed to fail from time to time creates the safety to really experiment. That does not give creative teams permission to be lazy, but really places a healthy pressure on us as creative teams to create unforgettable vehicles for the amazing content that pastors are communicating. We have the greatest story of all time to tell, we should utilize the greatest vehicles for that story.
• 2. Communication. Never be afraid to communicate what you like and what you dislike. Be clear and very candid. Being aware of expectations helps to create clarity for what should and should not be created inside your organization. Another key in communication is the ability to articulate where you are headed with your content. Give as much info as you can, as early as you can, so that the creative team can dig in and find the best tools to help share the amazing content God is placing on your heart. When a team has a week to execute your vision they will not create as great of an experience as they would if they had a month.
• Also key in healthy communication is to celebrate victories publicly and criticize in private. Creative teams by nature are going to be emotional and get attached to their creations. Besides you as a communicator, no other department in your church leaves as much personal DNA on a weekend as your creative team. Criticism is healthy and necessary, but protect your team and it will build an amazing amount of equity between both parties. Communication will make or break your creative process.
• 3. Trust. We have to trust each other. There is a song that we have in our rotation right now that is not Pete’s favorite. I love the fact that he trusts us to continue to try to work the song and he trusts that we have a purpose behind why we are trying to make the song work. Pete also trusts that if the song does not work, we are going to pull it and not risk negatively impacting the momentum that God is building around Cross Point. Trust goes beyond music. It is also vital to external communication, creation of vehicles for content, and the hustle both parties are putting into what is being created. Trust is also necessary in the creative meetings. In our meetings we need to make sure the playing field is level and everyone is trusting, not focusing on titles or position. If that trust is not there people will be afraid to communicate their true feelings about ideas, concepts, and impact.
• 4. Inclusion. Pete is great at this. Keep creative arts included in the conversation. Knowing what is going on and eliminating surprises as much as possible helps everyone plan, be prepared, and create our best stuff.
• 5. Space to create. As a Pastor and a boss, be as involved as you can be in the process, but once you feel you have contributed to the process, allow the team to create. If you walk by the creative suite and wonder why half the team is laying on the floor with Hillsong music playing and the other half of the team is playing ping pong, understand that may be part of their process. When expectations are set and clear, allow the process to be worked out in the methods that allow creative teams to be their most creative. What works for one person may not work best for the next.

Pastors, what are some of the things that you need from your creative teams?

Creative team members, what have I missed on this list?

“The edge of uncomfortable is where you find greatness.” – Unknown

Uncomfortable can look like a lot of things:

• Being pushed to do something you didn’t think possible.
• A lack of resources.
• A sideways teammate.
• Relationships.
• Being out of our comfort zone.
• Breaking “the norm.”
• Taking chances.
• A boss/employee/teammate who pushes your buttons.
• Expectations.
• Deadlines.
• Challenging tasks.
• Information, or the lack thereof.
• Voices in your head.
• Disrespect.

Truthfully, anything we add to this list that makes us uncomfortable is actually a chance to confront something great. The edge of greatness – the place where we feel we could lose as much as we could win – is where greatness lives. It doesn’t live in safe places, it lurks where risk runs wild. Greatness is rare because it costs more than the average are willing to pay to achieve it.

So the next time we confront uncomfortable, acknowledge it for what it is – not an invitation to quit, but an opportunity to be great.

There are two types of people in the world: those who love Christmas, and those who don’t.

Each year, we’re working to build momentum and worship culture inside our services. We want people to have the chance to experience God and understand the value of worshiping our Heavenly Father. For eleven months, we pine over this process. Then, for five weeks, we have to abort because it’s Christmas time. If you’re like me, you LOVE Christmas – probably not as much as THIS GUY – but still love it and you want to sing Christmas songs.

Well, Jarrod, our worship leader is a little more scrooge than Santa and he wishes we would never sing Christmas songs. With that thought in mind, we went into the lab a few months ago to dream up what it could look like to make both sides happy. We came up with these mash-ups that have worked GREAT in our services. They’ve allowed us to celebrate the season without sacrificing the momentum and culture of worship. Check ‘em out.

*Artistic disclaimer – these are work tapes we’ve created for our bands to practice with. Feel free to use these songs if it might help your service. Also, we’ve added an original worship song to this list that has been working well for us.

Merry Christmas!

PS. If you need charts Email: Ali@Crosspoint.tv

Have you ever wondered why areas are losing momentum, why expectations aren’t being met, or how we can make things better? Too often, the answer is in the amount of attention we are dedicating to that area.

Attention matters.

Where we put our attention creates momentum.

At the end of the day, we only have so much attention to spread around. So it’s important that we’re assigning our attention to the areas of utmost importance. The ability to prioritize resource, assign attention, and create momentum is an art form.

As we create art, experiences, or departments, we need to make sure we’re allocating attention in areas that move us forward. Unfortunately, we sometimes slip into the trap of our attention going only to areas where there are problems or to employees who require a lot of management. At times, this is important. But when more of our time is spent giving attention to problems and not possibilities, we risk stalling momentum.

Dream and put attention to your dreams.

Where are you allocating your attention today?

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Our greatest ideas – the ones that move our message forward – are not born inside of process, procedure, meetings, systems, or mantras, they’re born inside people and out of inspiration. Without the soul of the creative person, our greatest ideas will never impact our message or our methods. It’s so important that we FIGHT to stay open, keep our antennas up, act curious, ask questions, be imaginative, and stay connected so that moments of inspiration can be birthed.

While ideas live all around us, we often miss them because of the pace and habits we cultivate. Creativity is not magical – it requires labor.

To master our moments, we have to:

• Slow down – Pause creates perspective. Slow down a little. Take a minute to evaluate all the data.
• Change perception – Look at things differently – intentionally – to make sure we’re getting all the angles and perspectives.
• Listen more & talk less – Start trying to hear what others are saying rather than waiting to talk. Sometimes what you hear will not be comfortable, but often it makes us better.
• Question everything – Why? Why are we doing this? Why do we do it this way? Why have we not tried another way? How are we going to do this? What do we want to accomplish? When are we doing it? What are the action steps?
• Revisit the Expectation – What’s the expectation? When it’s defined, revisit it often during the project to avoid drift.
• Seek feedback – It helps. Find it. Accept it. Digest it. Find answers and moments in it.
• Appreciate the opportunity – Never take for granted the fact you GET to do what you’re doing. There’s someone who wishes they had the opportunities that you have. Appreciate the chance to work, create, innovate, and make a difference.
• Study – Do the research. Find out what’s working and working for others. Study your industry. You can’t be better if you don’t know what others are doing.
• Refuel – Be intentional in refueling. No one is going to refuel you, so it’s your job to make sure you do it on your own. When you’re empty, you discredit yourself and your influence.

When we’re prepared to master the moment, it doesn’t get too big for us and allows us to feed momentum. What would you add to this list?

Identity clarifies the details.

We cannot become the leaders God created us to be until we have identified what it takes to be a leader in the first place. In her new book, Leading So People Will Follow, Erika Andersen dug deep into the qualities necessary to identify a leader. After extensive research to identify leadership “maps,” Andersen reasoned that what people look for in a leader is actually what people need in a leader. That’s not necessarily that novel, but sadly it’s often overlooked.

Through her studies, Andersen observed that the acknowledged leader is:

• Farsighted – Leaders who are able to acknowledge where we are today, but have the vision to see where we are able to ascend. Farsighted leaders are great at vision casting even when the current situation does not equate to the vision they see in the future.
• Passionate – Passion is not just excitement, it’s a deep commitment to the goals or vision – and it’s relentless. Every action, decision, conversation, and notion is aimed towards accomplishing the vision. Passion is truly manifested when adversity arises and the leader with passion is not dissuaded. Rather than allowing him or herself to be discouraged, they become relentless! The thought of this alone fires me up! Passion is relentless.
• Courageous – Courage is formed in conflict. When the chips are down, the decisions are hard, and leaders are confronted with the lonely truth of leading, doing the right thing and not the popular thing takes courage. The courageous leader does not back down from hard times, but rather leans in and does what is necessary. They don’t make the safe or easy decision – they make the right decision.
• Wise – Wisdom is being aware. Staying in a posture of learning, and not just from those around us but also from our own mistakes. Wisdom is learned and acquired. Wisdom is enhanced by curiosity. Wisdom is implementing the data. Wisdom requires humility, teachability and flexibility. Wisdom is shown when we remain thoughtful, kind, avoid the clutter, and accessible.
• Generous – Generosity is not just about giving, it’s about investing without the concern of ROI. It’s making the people around them better. It’s about being confident enough in people to understand the need of having the best team around them – even at the cost of their own ego. Generosity is being willing to do what’s necessary for the people that matter and the people that don’t impact the end result. It’s about loyalty and caretaking. It’s more than coaching; it wants the absolute best for others regardless of the cost. Generosity is selfless and requires a leader to lead with an open hand.
• Trustworthy – When they say it, you can believe it. You can count on them. They under promise, but over deliver. They avoid exaggeration. When they say it…believe it.

When these characteristics are exemplified in a leader, we know we can follow them – wholeheartedly – in good times and bad, for better or worse.

As artists, we’re always looking for the leader that we can believe in to the core. We understand the cost and we dive in because we know that together the artist and the leader can change the world!

Are you ready to change the world?

“Organizations don’t innovate. People do.” – M.Ditkoff

Author Mitch Ditkoff is a leading voice on innovation. In fact, Ditkoff recently was ranked as one of the top 5 speakers in the world on this subject. In a recent article, Ditkoff wrote about the “Four Currents of a Culture of Innovation.”

Through years of research and discovery, Ditkoff and his team identified the fact that if we want to innovate in our organizations, teams, or lives, we have to understand that there are four “currents” always at work and interacting with each other. These four currents are:

• Top Down – Where leaders focus on developing cultures where innovation is made a priority. Vision casting from this position is vital. Teams have to feel that leaders understand the necessity to do whatever it takes to establish climates that enhance innovation. This current allows and requires leaders to put resources towards innovation while intentionally building cultures that seek innovation at every level and every minute. The norm – or good enough – can’t be accepted. The ultimate sign that this culture war is being won is when teams love where they work, can’t wait to come in and do what they do, and don’t operate from a “business as usual” posture.
• Bottom Up – Everyone needs to desire innovation for this premise to work. Best ideas always win if they come from the “creative team” or the “finance team.” Ideas are the jump-starter of innovation. When everyone knows their ideas matter, it removes silos and empowers innovation to not just succeed, but thrive. When teams feel empowered to innovate and be creative, they don’t feel the need to wait around for leaders to permission creativity; they actually become champions for innovation, positivity, and change.
• Outside In – Innovation doesn’t matter if it does not make an impact on our end users. Customers, attendees, contributors, and tribes have to feel the difference. If we don’t know who these people are, what they want, and have taken the time to learn how to respond to their needs, we won’t know how to innovate in a way that empowers momentum. Innovation without results that move us forward is not really innovation. We have to make sure we’re finding ways to include the end user in the process.
• Inside Out – This is where we activate our teams based on their passions and desires. When we figure out what makes our teams click – what fuels and drives our teams – then we’re creating spaces where innovation can excel. When we do this, we move into a role of leadership and avoid management. Teams move and create out of passion not based on tasks.

When we find the right blend of currents, we empower people to innovate for their organizations.

As leaders we can help create clear paths for these currents when we identify and then equip each current to succeed. It takes intentionality and everyone buying into the plan. When this happens, we get to do stuff that is fun, exciting, and leaves an impact. It’s when we’re working but not going to work…and there’s really nothing like that feeling.

Are you working in a current?