Posts by Mark Howell
Thinking Thursday: Taking Imagination Seriously
Janet Echelman found her true voice as an artist when her paints went missing — which forced her to look to an unorthodox new art material. Now she makes billowing, flowing, building-sized sculpture with a surprisingly geeky edge. A transporting 10 minutes of pure creativity. Can’t see the video? You can watch it right here.…
Read MoreHas Your Mindset Trumped Your Skill Set?
We’ve tried that before…and it didn’t work. I know it works other places, but there are just some things culturally here that keep it from working here. Heard these? Said them yourself? Can I suggest something? It’s almost never your skill set that keeps you from breaking through barriers. Instead, it’s almost always your mindset.…
Read More4 Ingredients that Generate Intense Focus and Lead to Momentum
Yesterday I wrote about creating momentum by adding the game-changing power of intense focus. All of us hope for momentum and some of us have felt it from time to time. What if we could learn to do the things that would produce an intense focus that leads to momentum? Here are the key ingredients…
Read MoreAdd the Game-Changing Power of Intense Focus to Create Momentum
Do you know about the power of focus to create momentum? You certainly know the word focus. You probably know the definition of focus. But have you ever really seen focus in action? Have you ever seen the game-changing power of focus to create momentum? Focus is almost always the opposite of what ministry looks…
Read MoreDilbert on The Power of Written Goals
Sometimes you just need to laugh. I don’t know about you…but I was over do! You can see the rest of Dilbert’s thoughts right here.
Read MoreThinking Thursday: The way we think about work is broken
What makes work satisfying? Apart from a paycheck, there are intangible values that, Barry Schwartz suggests, our current way of thinking about work simply ignores. It’s time to stop thinking of workers as cogs on a wheel. Can’t see the video? You can watch it right here. Every week I choose a video that I…
Read MoreHow I Choose Studies for Small Group Connecting Events
I get a lot of questions. And a very frequent question is, “What are the best studies to use for small group connections?” Let’s just say I have my favorites. And I’ve listed them from time to time. But today I want to tell you how I choose studies for small group connecting events (i.e.,…
Read More4 Practices of an Effective Small Group Ministry Point Person
The small group ministry point person comes in many shapes and sizes. Some are solely small group pastors or directors (it’s all they do). Others wear many hats and the role of small group ministry point person is just one of the things they do. Some are on the paid staff while others volunteer their time.…
Read More4 Problems I’d Rather Have
One of the 10 assumptions that shape my small group strategy is that there are no problem-free strategies, systems or models. Instead, every strategy, system and model comes with its own unique set of problems. Wise leaders simply choose the set of problems they’d rather have. Every strategy, system and model comes with its own unique set…
Read MoreAdd “Thanks for the Feedback” To Your Must-Read List
If you haven’t picked up Thanks for the Feedback: The Science and Art of Receiving Feedback Well, now is the time. In my mind, Sheila Heen gave one of the best talks at the most recent Global Leadership Summit, and it was based on the learnings found in this book. As I listened to Heen’s…
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