Catalyst 2011 – Dave Ramsey Takeaways

Bar none, there is no one on TV who makes as much common sense as Dave Ramsey…pure genius…brutal honesty about finances, stewardship and life.  Here are some of my favorites from today’s session:

• In the marketplace, Christians should be “roaring lambs!”
• In order to be present, you have to know that people matter.
• You have to stop in our TRANSACTIONAL CULTURE to be relational!
• People matter.
• Go relational!
• Treat people well…opportunities come through people.
• If you are going to put a fish on the back of it, you better drive it right.
• Excellent people love working in excellent environments.
• Leaders should probably spend double or triple the amount of time they are presently spending on staffing.
• You’re hiring the spouse too…do spousal interviews to weed out the talented people you want to hire who don’t have adequate support form their spouse.
• Slow and steady matters.
• If you don’t have the resources to fund it, maybe that’s God saying you shouldn’t do it.
• When you are growing faster than your money to sustain it, you are growing too fast.
• Do’t advance past your supply lines.
• He who is impulsive exalts folly. -Proverbs 11:29
• Don’t blame your impulsiveness on the Holy Spirit or Jesus.
• Put a spirit of generosity on your ministry.
• Look at your work as an act of worship.
• How to leave a bad job -> -> -> Be so excellent that the competition steals you away.
• If you tell the truth and show up on time, you’re ahead of 80% of the rest.

OTHER PEOPLE’S NOTES:

Tim Schraeder’s copious, super-detailed and overly excellent notes!

Catalyst 2011 – Jim Collins Takeaways

Perhaps the only leadership guys I enjoy more than Jim Collins are Ken Blanchard and John Maxwell.  Jim Collins is purely genius though.  His books, Good to Great and How the Mighty Fall have been substantial books in my life.  So, any time I get to pick up some nuggets from him like I did today at Catalyst is a real treat!

Here are my takeaways:

• Greatness is not the sole result of circumstance but also a direct result of conscious decision.
• Try to change every “what” question into a “who” question.
• Your strategy for climbing a mountain isn’t nearly as important as who your climbing partner is.
• Darwin Smith, CEO of Kimberly Clark: “I was just trying to become prepared for the job.”
• It isn’t about personality. It’s about humility. <-leadership begins here.
• But, humility combined with will power is the essence of where leadership begins.
• Bad decisions taken with good intentions are still bad decisions.
• Never grow beyond your ability to preserve your culture! -Southwest Airlines
• Fanatic Discipline is discipline on the tough days to move ahead AND discipline on the good days not to overreach.
• Herb Kelleher, CEO of Southwest Airlines: “We’re so paranoid that we’ve predicted 11 of the last 3 recessions!”
• The only mistakes we learn from are the ones we survive.
• The signature of mediocrity is chronic inconsistency.

OTHER NOTES:

My top 10 takeaways from Jim Collins’ book, “Good to Great.”

Others’ Notes from Jim Collins at Catalyst 2011:

Ron Edmonson on Jim Collins’ Talk at Catalyst

Brian Dodd on Jim Collins’ Talk at Catalyst

Tim Schraeder on Jim Collins’ Talk at Catalyst

Catalyst 2011 – Andy Stanley Takeaways

Andy Stanley, senior pastor of North Point Church in Atlanta, GA opened Catalyst 2011.  He’s an exceptional leader/communicator. He shared about accessibility, success, engagement, and being present…very good stuff as always.  Here are a few thoughts that stood out to me:

• The more successful you are, the less accessible you become (whether you like it or not).
• You can’t be fully present with more than a few people.
• As you wrestle with the reality of not being able to engage with everyone who needs engagement, you ought not to stop engaging altogether.  Instead, “Do fo one what you wish you could do for everyone.”
• Don’t be fair. Be engaged.
• Go deep rather than wide. (relationally)
• Don’t be involved everywhere. Be involved somewhere.
• When you do for one what you wish you could do for everyone, you usually end up impacting more than just the one.