The Leader of the Band - A.I.M.'s 16th shot.

Just watched 60 minutes, (on Wynton Marsalis - link below) and had to get a few things out...

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2011/06/26/60minutes/main20072634.shtml

Confession time.  I don't listen to Jazz.  I have a lot of friends who loooooove Jazz.  Most of them are older than me, (sorry guys), but a few of them are my age or younger.  I just never got into it.  I've wanted to for years, because I think people who listen to Jazz tend to be cooler than... well, people like me.  I own a lot of CDs, but I think the only Jazz CD I own is Kenny G.'s Christmas CD, (I know - that doesn't count.  Maybe a few of Sting's songs from the late 80's are the closest to Jazz that I own).  It's not a matter of not liking Jazz, as it is a matter of not understanding it.  In other words, I have a sneaking suspicion that if I understood Jazz, I might get into it (the same might be said for Algebra, tofu, and Christian Radio).  Anyway, one of the segments on tonight's 60 Minutes focussed on Wynton Marsalis, and his Jazz band's efforts to keep Jazz, one of America's greatest inventions, alive and well.  It was a great story.

Besides the story being good on the level intended, I couldn't help but pick up a few points on leadership as well.  Here are a few leadership lessons from The Leader of the Band.  Feel free to draw your own connections to the minstry, small group, Church/Corps, or movement for which you provide leadership.

1.  Wynton Marsalis Plays 4th Trumpet.  In the 60 Minutes piece, he mentions that he did try to actually lead the band he leads, but he knows his place is in the trumpet section.  That's where he serves best.

2.  Jazz Band Players Sometimes Sacrifice Solos.  Even I know that in a typical Jazz club, several solos can be heard on any given night from each musician on the stage.  However, in Wynton Marsalis' band, most of the musicians (many - the top players on their instrument of choice) will only get one solo per performance.  And they're okay with that.

3.  Music Fosters Community & Breaks Down Barriers.  In addition to trumpeting (sorry) the virtues of Jazz Music, Wynton Marsalis and the band he "leads" travel the globe as unofficial American ambassadors.  The 60 Minutes crew caught up with the band in Cuba where, for four straight days, musicians and listener/dancers alike celebrated the things they had in common instead of arguing about their differences.  Turns out Stevie Wonder was right in his song Sir Duke, an homage to music, and Jazz great Duke Ellington; "Music is a world within itself, with a language we all understand.  With an equal opportunity for all to sing, dance and clap their hands".

4.  Mistakes Are Integral To The Process.  When asked by Morley Safer asked how important mistakes are in Jazz, Marsalis answered; (paraphrase) If you aren't making mistakes, you aren't trying anything new - you're not doing it right.


Play (and Lead) On! 

IN CHRIST & OUTreach,

rob


One final note: 
"A real leader faces the music, even when he doesn't like the tune."   -Anon

On Ordinations, Orbiting Organizations, & Orville Wright A.I.M.'s 15th shot.

Over the June 10-12 weekend, the Birksfam joined hundreds of other Salvationists from all around the Western Territory in attending the Commencement, Commissioning & Ordination of the Ambassadors of Holiness session.  It was a great weekend, culminating in the Sunday afternoon Service of Appointments, where these newly ordained Ambassadors found out where they will begin leading & serving OTHERS as officers in The Salvation Army.  The weekend held additional significance for us, as we were able to witness the ordination of my nephew, Dan Whipple (pictured here, with his wife, Audra), my niece Ryan Boyd (and her husband Josh), my 2nd cousin Leilani Armendariz (and her husband Carlos), our "mentees" Bonita & Sean Kelsey, our new Corps Officers Sean & Harryette O'Brien, and other good friends and co-Ambassadors of Holiness.  I pray all God's best for them as they go out to do good, Kingdom work.  This particular blog post is dedicated to them.  You didn't know we did long distance dedications here at A.I.M., did you?  Hey, I grew up on Casey Kasem.

Anyway, directly following the weekend, I met with some creative types for a few days of dreaming up new ways to share the good news with the world (literally), http://tcspeak.com/blog/2011/06/14/creative-caucus/

Part of the prep for this caucus was to read the book; Orbiting the Giant Hairball, (A Corporate Fool's Guide to Surviving with Grace) by Gordon MacKenzie.  This book was first published in 1996, but somehow I had missed it.  I did attend a good workshop based on the book at Boot Camp a few years ago, but I hadn't actually read the book until recently.  Uhhhhmmm, it's good.  Really good.  It's especially worth the read for anyone who at times feels constricted and/or confined by the layers and layers of policies & procedures which can build up (thus the "Hairball" analogy) over the many years of a large organization's existence, (hypothetically speaking, of course).  Mackenzie was a creative force at Hallmark for 30 years, so he knows a bit about the potential & potential perils of large organizations.  He suggests (and its not for everybody) that instead of succumbing to the pull of the Hairball's "relentless gravity",  or escaping to other endeavors to "avoid the threatened limbo of the Hairball", it is possible to "actively engage in the opportunities" the Hairball presents, without "being sucked into" it.  (Thus, the "Orbiting" analogy).

I have to believe he's right.

Here are a few gems from the book:

"Orbiting is responsible creativity: vigorously exploring and operating beyond the Hairball of the corporate mind set, beyond accepted models, patterns, or standards - all the while remaining connected to the spirit of the corporate mission."

"Flying off on a tangent is the first step in the process of going into Orbit."

"You can Orbit too soon, and it can turn out badly.  So it is important to grow into readiness.  And you can do just that in the Hairball.  Its tangledness can serve as protection, a briar patch - a cocoon in which to prepare for the challenges of Orbit. 

A word of caution, though:

Cocoons can be paralyzing."

"It is a common history of enterprises to begin in a state of naive groping, stumble onto success, milk the success with a vengeance and, in the process, generate systems that arrogantly turn away from the source of their original success: groping."

"...find the goals of the organization that touch your heart

and release your passion to follow those goals."

I don't want to take a lot more of your time, but I can't sign off without sharing Chapter 19 of OtGH with you in its entirety.  The title of the chapter is; Orville Wright.

"Orville Wright did not have a pilot's license."

Happy & Holy Hairball Orbiting to you all.  We need you!

IN CHRIST & OUTreach,

rob

P.S.  If you can get past the narrator's voice, this video has some good thoughts on going into orbit, (or at least avoiding being hypnotized by a straight line)...

The Young and the Fearless! A.I.M.'s 14th shot.

About a week ago, my oldest daughter, Emily, graduated from High School.  It was a proud moment for Stacy and me.  Mixed in with the pride was a bit of melancholy.  Thinking of her being away at college, and not at home brings about feelings I don't think any Father can adequately prepare for.  However, I'm not worried about her.  She knows who she is.  She knows whose she is.  And she knows that God has her best interest at heart (Jeremiah 29:11).  At her graduation ceremony, one of the student speakers did a great job reminding her classmates that they are prepared to go out and make life happen.  In other words, their world had been shaped and changed by their High School experience.  Now is the time for them to shape and change the world they'll encounter after High School.  And I'm sure they will.

Speaking of changing the world.  We were on vacation during the graduation celebration week.  I read a book Emily had read called The Hunger Games (I've since read it's sequel, and I am finishing the last of the trilogy).  The Hunger Games is a futuristic story about a young girl named Katniss, who seems to have been chosen by forces beyond her control to lead a rebellion against an evil system.  No spoiler alert here.  I just wanted to mention the book because there are important themes in it that warrant inspection and reflection.  This young woman is fearless, and her fighting spirit offers hope to OTHERS.  I recommend these books for young readers and for older readers who want to fight like young warriors again.

Speaking of young warriors.  Earlier this week, in observance on Memorial Day, The History Channel aired a show called Gettysburg.  I watched it with my Son, Graham.  In addition to being repulsed by the evil industry of slavery, and reminded of the horrors of war, I was struck by how many young men lost their lives in those brutal battles.  Thousands of young men fought, bled, and died without having had the chance at making their dreams come true.  But they were brave.  Man were they brave.  Those soldiers would risk their lives just to keep the flag flying, or to help a wounded brother from the battlefield.  I hope Graham grows up to be a true warrior who fights for justice.  We need more young men like that.  Young men who answer a call to risk their own wellbeing for the wellbeing of OTHERS. Young men who lead others into the fray, fearless in their pursuit to bring down strongholds of Satan.  Not with guns so much as guts.

Speaking of young men with guts.  Two of my friends, (Thijs Arens & Andrew Smith) are going on mission trips this summer with The Salvation Army.  Thijs is headed for the Dominican Republic, and Andrew will be in India.  We're having a House Concert this Saturday night to raise funds for their missions.  We hope to raise a good amount of cash for them, but we also hope it's a night of celebration.  We want to celebrate their boldness & obedience.  We want to celebrate them giving up whatever else they would've done this summer to consider the interests of people they've never met and might never see again (this side of eternity).  We want to celebrate two young adults (and many more who will be serving on other teams) who will be serving, following and leading this summer.

Speaking of leading.  What does all of this have to do with a leadership blog?  Here it is...

1.  If you are a young person or young adult reading this, be bold! (I Timothy 4:12)  You don't have to wait until you're 30 to lead something revolutionary.  In fact, if you wait until you're 30, it will most likely be too late.

2.  If you are an over 30 ministry leader reading this;  What younger person are you mentoring?  What younger person's advice are you seeking?  What younger person are you putting in places of leadership (regardless of what those even older than you might think)? 

3.  Why does there always have to be three points.  That's so old.