Posted by Rescue Mission Team on Wed, May 15, 2013
The idea of benchmarking, looking at other companies and industries to see where you relate according to their level of excellence, has been around a long time but that doesn't mean it's grown stale. In fact, it may be more important than ever.
With the pace of change due to technological shifts happening ever faster, we need to keep our eye on where trends are headed - and there's no better way to do this than to look at a few excellent outliers to see where you might develop and improve.
Even though I run a non-profit organization I have found it helpful to study great companies from totally other industries. Here are a few of them and what I've studied and examined to better our organization, or at least to build my understanding:
Apple - There are many lessons here - Their commitment to quality, retail model, genius bar, handheld checkouts, self-checkout apps, launch strategy, willingness to eliminate and simplify their product lines & products. I could go on and on.
Wall Street Journal - Their online strategy, video strategy, and content layering (print, video, analysis layer so that you can get content how you prefer it).
Coffee shops - Starbucks Roy St. Coffee model store was an inspiration for some of our classroom redesigns.
Magazines - There's only been two magazines launched in past few years that have made any money...Monocle is one of them. I picked up so much from them on how they are using content to connect with subscribers at different levels. It's euro-centric and not my kind of magazine generally, but it's well done on that point.
Metropolitan Market - Every time I go into this market I'm impressed at how different they run it, present the food, and curate for the customer. It's not your average grocery store... I wish there were more like it.
What are you learning? Who are you learning it from? If you have any great companies - big or small, that you are benchmarking pass it on so we can all learn from it.
David Curry
Read all of David Curry's blogs at
http://blog.rescue-mission.org or visit the Rescue Mission at
http://www.rescue-mission.org
Posted by Rescue Mission Team on Thu, Apr 18, 2013
Do you know what your actions, life, family, business or organization is communicating?
Every thing you do says something about what you value and believe.
Recently I've been so impressed by the actions and message of Pope Francis. Coming into a difficult and unhealthy situation he has managed to hit all the right notes. He seems to understand the message the official catholic church has been communicating through it's actions...and how that is in conflict with the timeless message of Jesus. Pope Francis has communicated love, forgiveness and acceptance by washing the feet of a Muslim prisoner and by eschewing some of the stiff formal trappings of power in order to connect with the poor. He said this recently in response to his leadership,
"The church exists to communicate this: Truth, goodness and beauty personified. We are all called not to communicate ourselves, but his essential trio" Pope Francis
In our own lives we are challenged to step back and examine whether we are contributing and communicating these same essential truths.
Am I truthful in all I do? It's possible to be truthful and loving. When you avoid truth you are not living authentically and are always holding back.
Is what I say and do full of goodness? Goodness is all about moving towards what is right, what builds others and is good in the long run. Just as good food will sustain you longer than fast, processed food, so goodness in action will last over the long term.
Are my words and actions easily described as beautiful? Seldom do we experience beauty, but when we do we recognize it. Beauty requires effort, an extra touch of consideration, care and thoughtfulness. Do these things and your life will be significantly more beautiful.
What feedback do you have when posed with these questions? Are there other more important questions? Let me know.
David Curry
Read all of David Curry's blogs at
http://blog.rescue-mission.org or visit the Rescue Mission at
http://www.rescue-mission.org
Posted by Rescue Mission Team on Tue, Apr 16, 2013
Jeff Bezos, CEO at Amazon, has famously said, "It's not an experiment if you know how it's going to turn out."
Experimenting as a leader and manager - trying out projects, products, programs, systems, and theories - is a necessary tool to build great and enduring organizations. Yet leaders often fail to test their theories, programs, and ideas "off Broadway", instead choosing to lurch from one extreme idea to the other.
Often we are tempted to do the following:
- Follow untested fads.
- Go big on an idea without first trying it in small doses.
- Put our teams through change before first trying it ourselves.
- "Bet the farm" on an idea without doing small, measured roll-outs.
Personally, I love experimenting with ideas, concepts and programs in small, personal ways. It keeps me fresh, makes sure I'm learning and growing, and ensures I understand potential obstacles to success if the ideas go to a bigger stage.
Leaders like Steve Jobs, Jeff Bezos and others have made experimentation a regular part of their strategy to keep their companies growing, fresh and flexible.
Do you like to experiment as a leader? If so, what are some things you've learned along the way that could help us all as we move forward? I'd love to hear your ideas.
David Curry
Read all of David Curry's blogs at
http://blog.rescue-mission.org or visit the Rescue Mission at
http://www.rescue-mission.org
Posted by Rescue Mission Team on Wed, Apr 03, 2013
This spring we're doing something we have never done before in 100 years of existence at The Rescue Mission: We're having our own leadership conference!
The Rescue Mission Leadership Conference is composed of two specially designed half-days, full of inspiration and teaching on leadership, personal development and team discussion. The conference is open to all staff, board, volunteers and interns of The Rescue Mission. Our goal is to focus on personal growth of each individual within The Rescue Mission team and to learn the values essential for real, meaningful success as a leader and in serving others.
Here's the lineup of speakers for our conference:
Dr. Jospeh Castleberry - President of Northwest University
Sanjay Singh - Chief Internal Auditor, Starbucks Corporation
Dr. David Curry - CEO, The Rescue Mission
Breakout Sessions:
Brian Sonntag - CFO, Rescue Mission, Former State Auditor
Gary Benton - Life Center
Marlene Hamilton - Womens New Life Program Director, The Rescue Mission
Chris Croft - Director of Adams St. Family Campus, The Rescue Mission
Katie Corrigan - Outreach Director, Life Center
Michelle Cox - COO, Life Center.
Location: Life Center Church, 1717 S. Union, Tacoma, WA
Date/Time: April 11&12, 8:30am-1pm.
*Continental Breakfast each day.
If you are a volunteer and are interested in attending, please contact Todd Corrigan at Todd.Corrigan@rescue-mission.org. All interns and staff should coordinate with the Director at their Rescue Mission campus.
I hope everyone on our team will schedule to take part in this event. See you there.
DC
Read all of David Curry's blogs at
http://blog.rescue-mission.org or visit the Rescue Mission at
http://www.rescue-mission.org
Posted by Rescue Mission Team on Tue, Nov 27, 2012
Many people believe they are operating at their highest possible level yet when you look at the things they control, those they surround themselves with, and the standard to excellence they enforce on their own life, it is clear that something doesn't match up. Let's think for just a moment on friendship and the way that your peer group influences you for good or evil.
It has been said that when you pick your goals, you pick your friends. Once you determine to be a leader, and to aspire to excellence, those goals will begin to weed out friends and acquaintances that cannot tolerate the new you. Your excellence threatens them, it reveals untapped potential in their own lives and often that makes people uncomfortable.
Unfortunately, many people cannot tolerate the idea of outgrowing any "friend", so they stay stagnant in their life. In essence, they are choosing unhealthy relationships over success. If the relationship is healthy it will allow you to grow, and it will grow with you. This is why so many people who are in recovery struggle: they refuse to release that their friendship were all based around the goal of medicating themselves with a substance, and as soon as that goal is taken away-the friendship is over.
It's not just addicts, we all do this to some extent. What is the answer? Choose worthy, life affirming goals for yourself and invite others to go along for the ride. Be prepared to loose some friends, but be open to accepting new friends who share you goals. Don't worry, it won't be too long before you have a group of healthy people around you to share life with.
What are the goals you have in your life? What kind of friends do you have? Reflecting on those you surround yourself with, what does this tell you about your goals?
-David Curry
Read all of David Curry's blogs at
http://blog.rescue-mission.org or visit the Rescue Mission at
http://www.rescue-mission.org
Posted by Rescue Mission Team on Tue, Oct 23, 2012
What are people you interact with each day looking for from you? Some seem to want you to solve their problem, others want to entertain you or sell you something. What everyone is looking for from you is attention. No matter what the situtation, you can make it better by being attentive. Often you can't solve someone's problem, or even begin to please all the requests you may get in a day, but you can be attentive. Unfortunately, with modern life and technology being attentive is getting more and more challenging.
Admittedly, attentiveness is a challenge for me, and so I've given lots of thought to it. Those of us who are always moving onto the next thing need to focus on attentiveness intentionally, while those who are more naturally attentive perhaps don't need to make such an effort.
Here are a few experiments to help yourself be attentive:
1. Make an effort to never bring out your cell phone in another's presence. It's so second nature for us to pull out phone out and glance at it that we don't even notice we are doing it. By making a game of never pulling out your phone to look at Twitter, Facebook, emails, and texts unless you are alone you will notice how often you do it, and begin to see how you could be more attentive.
2. Try squaring your shoulders towards those you are talking with, instead of moving right past them. People often don't want much of your time, but they still want you to be attentive. By stopping and squaring up to them you are signaling them (and yourself) that you will be paying attention.
3. Don't start conversations until you can be attentive. Often I will have people stop me to talk, but I don't have time at that moment. It's important to try to schedule times to really engage and talk, and not try to cram it intot every little space.
What are some others ways you can practice attentiveness?
-David Curry
Read all of David Curry's blogs at
http://blog.rescue-mission.org or visit the Rescue Mission at
http://www.rescue-mission.org
Posted by Rescue Mission Team on Wed, Sep 26, 2012
Here at the Rescue Mission we are striving towards a healthy leadership culture where leaders at all levels of the organization are getting experience and training to run effective organizations in the future. Why? Because non-profits needs more GREAT leaders and the more leaders we produce here the better the world will be. To my great encouragement we have several leaders in our organization who will in my estimation will make great CEO's and Executive Directors in the near future. With that in mind, for the next few weeks I'm going to focus on 10 behaviors which are key to creating healthy leadership cultures. It will certainly be something we talk about and try to example within the Rescue Mission, but I am sure it will encourage others as well.
There are some behaviors which are characteristics of healthy leadership cultures which are openly discouraged in the majority of organizations because they are either seen as anarchical or at best a waste of time. Yet to have a healthy leadership culture you need these same key behaviors accepted, and even promoted. The first week the subject was Questions, week two was strategy and if/then scenarios followed by Mentoring.
This week we will focus on the importance of a Point of View
There are a lot of differences from leader to leader, but one thing every leader has is a point of view. Leaders know how to take a position on any given subject. They may av oid taking a position too soon, or even be willing to change their opinion once they learn more information. Even with those factors it remains clear that leaders don't stay on a sideline, they take a position.
Even more notable is how few people outside of leadership positions are trained, rewarded or expected to have a point of view. Most systems reward those who try to fit in, keep their head down, don't make waves. Once we have beaten all the opinions and individuality out of people we wonder why they don't have the ability to lead, take chances and innovate.
Healthy cultures encourage people to give their opinions, give honest feedback without fear of reprisal, respectfully question and push those in positions of authority, and come prepared with a point of view on the issues they are dealing with on a daily basis. If you want to create a healthy leadership environment encourage, even teach, young leaders to create and defend a point of view. Are they thinking about why systems work, don't work or are fatally flawed? Do they have a theory on how to build their department, or to help build the organization? Are they willing and able to defend their point of view?
Help others sharpen their mind, their critical thinking skills by encouraging a point of view.
Do you know how to take a position on a subject? What makes that difficult? Why is it easy for you?
David Curry
Read all of David Curry's blogs at
http://blog.rescue-mission.org or visit the Rescue Mission at
http://www.rescue-mission.org
Posted by Rescue Mission Team on Mon, Sep 24, 2012
One of the overlooked principles of success in any arena is practice. We expect that athletes need practice to attain excellence, but somehow when we want get started in business, non-profit management, leadership, politics, or anything of value, we want to start at the top.
Would you start a bakery before you baked your first cake? Would you fly a jetliner without first getting hours of training in smaller planes? Would you drive a race car without first having a learners permit to drive on the road?
Don't neglect practice. Start small, learn and grow. He who is faithful with little...
David Curry
Read all of David Curry's blogs at
http://blog.rescue-mission.org or visit the Rescue Mission at
http://www.rescue-mission.org
Posted by Rescue Mission Team on Wed, Sep 05, 2012
Here at the Rescue Mission we are striving towards a healthy leadership culture where leaders at all levels of the organization are getting experience and training to run effective organizations in the future. Why? Because non-profits needs more GREAT leaders and the more leaders we produce here the better the world will be. To my great encouragement we have several leaders in our organization who will in my estimation will make great CEO's and Executive Directors in the near future. With that in mind, for the next few weeks I'm going to focus on 10 behaviors which are key to creating healthy leadership cultures. It will certainly be something we talk about and try to example within the Rescue Mission, but I am sure it will encourage others as well.
There are some behaviors which are characteristics of healthy leadership cultures which are openly discouraged in the majority of organizations because they are either seen as anarchical or at best a waste of time. Yet to have a healthy leadership culture you need these same key behaviors accepted, and even promoted.
This week we will focus on the importance of curiosity and persistence:
Ask Questions. So many leaders and managers suffer under the expectations that they will have "the answer" to the challenges they face. Instead, think of being the one who asks the most questions of those around you. Great leaders probe for understanding and have an insatiable curiosity. They are curious about why some people succeed and others fail. They are curious why some departments have high turnover or huge amounts of people taking sick leave. They can't stop wondering why innovation and creativity comes from one group and the other is always silent and reclusive.
Understanding comes through curiously seeking root causes and pushing for answers. I suggest that leaders ask no less than 5 questions on every troubling subject they are dealing with. In 5 questions you can get to the bottom of almost any problem. Try it. Don't give up after two questions, which is usually where people start to feel uncomfortable, but instead push through and keep asking. If you do it politely and without malice you will be helping uncover the real issues at the bottom of your systemic problems. Lead through asking questions. While people may wince at the idea (we don't like to be questioned) responsibility requires a leader know and understand what they are ultimately responsible for. If you are accountable, you have the right to ask those you lead lots of questions.
Likewise you need to be willing to accept and field lots of questions. You can't make decisions that affect others without being asked why you did it and what your plan is.
Question: How many questions do you ask in a meeting before you start to feel uncomfortable? Do you just accept statements from your team without questioning? Do you feel like asking questions is rude?
Let me know what you think.
DC
Read all of David Curry's blogs at
http://blog.rescue-mission.org or visit the Rescue Mission at
http://www.rescue-mission.org
Posted by Rescue Mission Team on Tue, Sep 04, 2012
This summer I was blessed by the Rescue Mission Board of Directors with a Summer Study Break to celebrate the completion of my 7th year of service. As described in a previous blog I divided my time up in three areas: Study, Service and Rest. Having never had a study break I wasn't sure what to expect. Here are a few lessons I learned during my Study Break:
1. Power of environment: One of the blessings of my study break was the Executive Leadership course I took at Harvard Business School. It was certainly the highlight as I was surrounded by smart people, brilliant professors and a beautiful campus next to the Charles River. The experience at HBS underscored for me the importance of environment. Not only in the sense of your location, but also in terms of your emotional and mental surroundings. Every once in a while it's important to step outside your normal confines and get into beautiful, inspiring, unusual settings. The change alone will do you good, but if it's educationally beneficial it's exponentially powerful.
2. Activity is refreshing. I was a little worried that I wasn't scheduling enough rest in break- I only had 3 days of what might be called vacation- but I found that motion itself isn't the problem. Often what wears us down is the daily grind and getting outside your daily routine to do something different is refreshing itself. On my break I served in volunteer projects, painted, gardened, and various other stuff. It was all good.
3. Study Breaks are great for you team. Leaders, when you leave, it's a blessing to your team. It allows them to spread their wings and have a little room to breath. I was happy to see that my team thrived while I was on my break. That was part of the point after all, to allow room for growth in those that are expanding their leadership. I am blessed to be a part of a great leadership team here at the Rescue Mission. It's not an accident, I have worked hard to find the best possible group and it's taken lots of time and hard decisions. When I am around the natural default is to ask me. This means that other leaders don't get the opportunity to make as many "high quality" decisions as they need for their development.
4. I love what I do. I was blessed to take a study break, but I am REALLY glad to be back at the Rescue Mission. Thanks to the Board of the Rescue Mission for believing in me and allowing me this chance to grow.
Questions: Have you ever taken a study break? If so, what did you learn? What did you do during your summer vacation to refresh and reset?
DC
Read all of David Curry's blogs at
http://blog.rescue-mission.org or visit the Rescue Mission at
http://www.rescue-mission.org