A New chapter in my life…literally
Rewind to 2011 when I started working as a discipleship pastor at a church.
My boss, the lead pastor, and I decided that I would write some curriculum. So I dug right in. After finishing the first part of the curriculum (there were to be four parts), I sent what I had over to my boss, Rodney Hobbs.
I can vividly remember his tone and vibe with me as we discussed the curriculum.
If you have ever looked at anyone with pity and a heart that broke because you felt sorry for that person, that was how Rodney looked at me.
You see, I was a horrendous writer. Like really really bad.
NOT GREAT BUT BETTER
Fast forward to today, and I am not great but I am so much better. And I really love writing.
I write at least 4 times per week. I do what is called "morning pages" which I learned in 2017. Morning pages are essentially me sitting down and writing what comes to mind. Essentially it is a stream-of-thought exercise.
Sometimes it is personal in nature and sometimes it is a leadership topic that comes to mind. There are no rules...just sit and write what comes to mind.
Morning Pages is where I have worked out some of the frameworks and principles that I believe in. It forces me to synthesize, streamline, and make sense of my thoughts.
So in 2023, I wrote a book. It is not a best seller. Heck, it is not even an "average" seller. I didn't write it with the intent of being a bestseller... I simply wrote it for myself.
It was hard work but unbelievably fruitful. I stopped and started several times. The easy part for me was getting words down on paper. The hard part was editing, cutting, re-phrasing things that didn't make sense, etc.
This writing process helped me to clarify and organize what I was observing of elite leaders.
The name of my book is Leadership Greenhouse. It is about what elite leaders & coaches do to create an environment where their people can thrive.
MY SECOND BOOK!
I have written another book that was just released!!!
It is titled Upside Down Leadership. This one is about my faith journey and the Kingdom principles that I learned on this journey.
A year ago, I was on a walk and I sensed the Lord telling me to write this book. I wrote that day for about 2 hours. Then the next for another several hours. And then it sat for several months.
Back in early September, I felt another nudge. So, from September 2024 to February 2025, I worked hard on the manuscript.
I don't know what professional authors think...but there is a mix of excitement and dread for me. I honestly would prefer to write and then keep it for myself.
The 'releasing' of my book is the dreaded part. Call it insecurity or imposter syndrome, I'd just assume not to put myself out there.
But here we are...
I'll close my email with this:
Part of the description on Amazon is as follows "Instead of teaching you to mimic others or follow cookie-cutter strategies, it invites you to explore a new and authentic way to lead. If you've ever felt like there has to be more to leadership than copying someone else’s 'playbook', this book will help you discover a transformative way to lead."
My prayer for this book is that if you follow Jesus, your affections will be stirred for Jesus and you will see there is a different way to lead.
If you are not a follower of Jesus but are curious about what leading 'a different way' looks like, I'd love for you to check it out. If you don't want to spend money on a 'faith' book- shoot me an email and I will ship one to you - no strings attached! Seriously...It would be my honor to send you a book.
Click here to learn about/order my book Upside Down Leadership
Click here to learn about/order my book The Leadership Greenhouse
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Five Ways I Can Help:
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Speaking - During this transformative experience, I will guide you through the essential principles that lay the foundation for an elite environment in your program. Our approach is entirely interactive, ensuring an engaging and dynamic learning journey for all participants.
The Tribe - What are your pain points? What do you need to do to become a better leader? To create a better environment? Join a group of like-minded coaches who get together (via Zoom) every 2nd and 4th Monday to discuss and work through principles and frameworks to help you become a better leader.
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