Touré is the founder of one of the most influential faith and empowerment congregations in the world, The Potter’s House at One LA. Recently, he also took the helm of another prominent faith and humanitarian organization in Colorado, the Potter’s House of Denver.
Pastor Touré Roberts explains how his inconsistent vision casting impacted his ability to deliver results.
Think of a person you know who seems to have a job that perfectly fits them. You wonder: How did they find that? How did they find that unique fit for them, their lifestyle and their individual strengths?
I’m going to tell you their secret: They didn’t find it, they built it. Little by little, they took the best of their job and made it the most of their job. They took the role they started in and molded it, day by day, to fit their strengths. We know that 73% of the American workforce believe they have the opportunity to modify their job to fit their strengths better, but only 18% say they play to their strengths every day. So, while the majority of us know we can mold our current roles, most people still don’t.
Here’s the simplest way to start: Spend a week in love with your work. Start with a blank pad of paper, make two columns, one labeled “Loved It” one labeled “Loathed It.” Anytime during the week when you do an activity and you feel a sign of love (you look forward to it, time flies by, you’re in flow, you’re energized), write it down. Anytime you feel an aversion to an activity in your day (you procrastinate, push it off, time drags on while you’re doing it) write it down under the “loathe” column. Stay alert, be present and take emotional stock of the week.
Then, deliberately fill your week with the activities you love. Use it as scaffolding to elevate how you spend your time, until gradually you’re doing more and more of what you love. It doesn’t need to be exponentially more. In fact, researchers at the Mayo Clinic found that doctors who spend just 20% of their time doing what they love have a far lower risk of burnout. And while there is a linear increase in burnout risk as the percentage point drops below 20%, there isn’t a commensurate decrease in burnout above 20%. Which means: a little love goes a long way.
To build a job that is the best expression of the best of you, spend a week in love with your work and tilt your job to those loves. You can be in the 18% who finds love-in-work.
Effective leaders tell compelling stories.
You may not think of yourself as a storyteller, but leaders tell stories every day, from vision-casting new projects, to quarterly reviews with stakeholders, to regular staff meetings. Some stories happen over the course of a few hours. Some unfold over the course of months or years as you lead your team through a capital campaign or a pivot in your team structure.
You may not think of yourself as a storyteller, but leaders tell stories every day…
Each of these critical moments is a story; the question is, “How are you telling it, and is it working?”
Think of the last time that you were on the edge of your seat during a movie, or the last time a book had you captivated to the point where your surroundings disappeared. What if we were able to lead our teams in a way that caused them to lean in, to focus, and to fully engage?
For the last 7 years, our team at OX Creative has been telling stories in partnership with The Global Leadership Summit. Our journeys have taken us from Jordan to Uganda, Chile to Portugal, and beyond. We’ve told direct, personal stories of leaders compelled by a “Grander Vision,” and introduced the Summit audience to each year’s speaker lineup through an artist’s paintbrush or the shifting of tectonic plates.
In my experience as a filmmaker, I’ve learned four key lessons about what makes a compelling story, and I believe these principles can be applied in every space, from the screening room to the board room.
The way you begin a story is the most critical part. Research has shown that you have only 10 seconds to captivate your audience with a video before they click away. How can you structure your next meeting in a way that captivates the room right from the beginning – before people start checking out? How will you grab their attention and clearly show “You’re not going to want to miss this…”?
Every good story has tension. There is a problem that your organization, project, or meeting exists to fix. What is that problem? Why is it critical that it gets fixed? What are the earth-shattering consequences that could arise if your team fails their critical mission? Create tension and inspire the need for a solution.
When we’re editing a film, if there’s a shot, a line, or a pause that doesn’t intentionally serve a purpose, we cut it. This can be a tough call, but as Jim Collins taught all of us, “good” can often be the “enemy of great.” Unintentional content creates subconscious confusion and disengagement, so if there’s not a reason for it, just cut it. Otherwise your risk doing damage to what really needs to be communicated.
In today’s world, if you can get a viewer to stick around all the way to the end of a film, you’ve earned their trust. You better make it your goal to pay off that trust with a memorable finale. Your stories are the same. Maya Angelou famously said “People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” If you want people to remember what you are communicating, then you need to leave them feeling.
Stories carry power. They carry influence. If you want to be a more effective leader, you must learn to tell more compelling stories, in your work, your organization, and your life.
In our work with the Summit, we’ve seen first-hand their genuine fight to make our world better through better leaders. They believe, as we do, that there is a story in every leader, in every force of influence, that has the potential to change the world.
The world needs your story. Tell it well.
OX is a full-service creative agency based in Chicago, IL, dedicated to maximizing the impact of brands doing good in the world through effective storytelling. Their work includes partnerships with National Geographic, Lululemon, World Vision and the Global Leadership Network. Find more insights on leadership, storytelling, and the creative process at: oxcreates.com
Every Tuesday and Thursday morning at 8:30 am CST, our staff gathers together to pray for our partners across the globe.
Please join us in prayer as we lift up the international Summit events happening this month. Pray for God’s anointing on every detail and that those who attend would leave feeling equipped, inspired and encouraged to lead the change they long for in their communities.
And if you have a prayer request, please share it with us in the comments. We would be honored to pray with you!
Niamey, Niger
Accra, Ghana
Davanagere, India
Jaipur, India
Ahmednagar, India
Aurangabad, India
Accra, Ghana
Johannesburg, South Africa
Windhoek, Namibia
Lagos, Nigeria
Lekki, Nigeria
Lafia, Nigeria
Sokoto, Nigeria
Dunedin, New Zealand
Kampala, Uganda
Vijayawada, India
Mangalore, India
Vijayawada, India
Chennai, India
Abengourou, Ivory Coast
Glen Iris, Australia
Bell Post Hill, Australia
Chennai, India
Hyderabad-East, India
Hamilton, New Zealand
Akure, Nigeria
Durban, South Africa
East London, South Africa
East London, South Africa
Somerset West, South Africa
Vanderbijlpark, South Africa
Durban, South Africa
Walvis Bay, Namibia
Serekunda, Gambia
Lagos, Nigeria
Abuja, Nigeria
Kirrawee, Australia
Kearneys Spring, Australia
North Lakes, Australia
Mombasa, Kenya
Port Harcourt, Nigeria
Yaba, Nigeria
Akute, Nigeria
Ado-Ekiti, Nigeria
Eldoret, Kenya
Cape Town, South Africa
Tam Ky, Vietnam
Belfast, United Kingdom and Ireland
Bolton, United Kingdom and Ireland
London Battersea, United Kingdom and Ireland
Dublin, United Kingdom and Ireland
Orpington, United Kingdom and Ireland
Porirua, New Zealand
Madurai, India
Kumasi, Ghana
Kathmandu, Nepal
Junortoun, Australia
Myitkyina, Myanmar
Cotonou, Benin
Brassall, Australia
Auckland, New Zealand
Port Elizabeth, South Africa
Kotu, Gambia
Hope Valley, Australia
Launceston, Australia
Burlington, Canada
Caronport, Canada
Sherwood Park, Canada
Kingston, Canada
Langley, Canada
Oshawa, Canada
Ottawa, Canada
Regina, Canada
St. John’s, Canada
Vancouver, Canada
Winkler, Canada
Kelowna, Canada
Fort McMurray, Canada
Fort St. John Alliance, Canada
Victoria, Canada
Nairobi, Kenya
Bauchi, Nigeria
Calgary, Canada
Guatemala City, Guatemala
Tauranga, New Zealand
Wolaita Sodo, Ethiopia
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Ballito, South Africa
Durban, South Africa
Richards Bay, South Africa
Rustenburg, South Africa
Windhoek, Namibia
Malabo, Equatorial Guinea
Springwood, Australia
Girraween, Australia
Kampala, Uganda
Agbado, Nigeria
Ibadan, Nigeria
Lagos, Nigeria
Ifo, Nigeria
Port Harcourt, Nigeria
Taunggyi, Myanmar
Dennington, Australia
MarÃlia, Brazil
Belo Horizonte, Brazil
Bishop’s Stortford, United Kingdom and Ireland
Stockton on Tees, United Kingdom and Ireland
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Mekele, Ethiopia
Gondor, Ethiopia
Yola, Nigeria
Kotu, Gambia
Sivakasi, India
Tiruvallur, India
Goa, India
Birmingham, United Kingdom and Ireland
Kampala, Uganda
Cape Coast, Ghana
Cape Coast, Ghana
Dharan, Nepal
Cape Town, South Africa
Kenmore, Australia
Makeni, Sierra Leone
Ilorin, Nigeria
Aberfoyle Park, Australia
Lauro de Freitas, Brazil
Piracicaba, Brazil
Sao Paulo, Brazil
Vila Velha, Brazil
Medan, Indonesia
Ngozi, Burundi
Kigali, Rwanda
Bahir Dar, Ethiopia
Jimma, Ethiopia
Woliso, Ethiopia
Wondo Genet, Ethiopia
Bloemfontein, South Africa
Goodwood, South Africa
George, South Africa
Klerksdorp, South Africa
Ongwediva, Namibia
Korogho, Ivory Coast
Sango Ota, Nigeria
Ibadan, Nigeria
Aarhus, Denmark
Robina, Australia
Lagos, Nigeria
Kericho, Kenya
Lisbon, Portugal
Kuching, Malaysia
Joinville, Brazil
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Guatemala City, Guatemala
Preston, United Kingdom and Ireland
Quito, Ecuador
Santa Ana Jilotzingo, Mexico
Sofia, Bulgaria
Kingston, Jamaica
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Bantu, Tollee, Ethiopia
Lagos, Nigeria
Port Harcourt, Nigeria
Cagayan de Oro City, Philippines
Ukhrul, India
Mysuru, India
Trichy, India
Kukatpally, India
Mumbai, India
Cape Coast, Ghana
Dosso, Niger
Singapore, Singapore
Seremban, Malaysia
Puerto Vallarta, Mexico
Ouaga, Burkina Faso
Sunyani, Ghana
Jaigaon, India
Todd Henry explains how to confront invisible narratives that may be limiting your organization’s effectiveness.
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