Running towards Creativity

I don’t know about you, but one of my favorite things to do is find media that gets my creative juices flowing. Of course, most of what I find today I could never dream of replicating, but it always inspires me to do better in what I do.

This is one of those videos that just makes you sit in wonder and amazement. My jaw hung open for the majority of it. In fact, a lot of the videos from the RE:PLAY or F5 Film Festivals will do that to you.

RE:PLAY FILM FESTIVAL: Shilo “Still Run” from F5 on Vimeo.

Interpret this as you may, but let me ask you: 
Are you running toward creativity like this?  Or have you given up on moving forward with dynamic strides? 
What does this video emote in you? 
When was the last time you were truly inspired?

Leadership and Car Fresheners…

I have this love/hate relationship with car fresheners.

I always enjoy having that new car scent when I step into my vehicle.  There’s just something about that smell that makes me feel like my granny car is actually a brand new beamer.  Of course, when I try accelerating to 60 in under 5 minutes, I’m reminded of my humble estate.

Despite enjoying the rush of a fresh smelling car, I often forget that weekly maintenance is required for a lasting aroma.

Sooner or later, a different kind of aroma sets in…Something quite different all together. One day the stench of last week’s Big Mac meal mixed with sweaty gym clothes mixed with mushy banana peels hits me like a tidal wave. 

Looking up and shaking my fist at my worthless car freshener, I realize it’s been 4 months since I followed the instructions printed clearly on the back. Something about opening it gradually each week?  Little lines marking the little tree’s trek to freedom…

In my frustration, I tug on the plastic and what do you know…it comes all the way off.  Now, I know I’m not the only one that deals with this because try as I might, the same thing happens to me every time.

And really, here I must pause and thank whomever the flip it was that decided car fresheners had to be in the shape of little trees.  Ya, they’re cute.  Sure, I imagine the shape of an old sock wouldn’t sell as well.  But seriously, that has GOT to be the most impossible shape to re-insert into a skinny plastic preserver!

So there I sit; plastic cover in hand and the overwhelming scent slowly permeating my car.

Everyone who takes a ride with me holds their nose or rolls down the window. I even become nauseated while driving. The freshener has outdone its purpose and my impatience and need for change has driven it past its usefulness.

I’m convinced that many of us unknowingly approach leadership in a similar way.

Some of us approach our next position of leadership–whether in ministry or in corporate America–with an idea that we’re going to change things for change’s sake.  We’ve got grand visions for freshening the air and bringing a newer, more innovative scent to our church/company.  Especially for those of us of a younger persuasion—we despise the stale smell of stagnant strategies, old-fashioned philosophy, vague vision, and empty purpose statements.  The tendency is to make a drastic tug in hopes of seeing sweeping changes…

Unfortunately, we end up with similar reactions to those of my nose-plugging passengers.  The lack of tact, grace, and propriety leaves our would-be supporters scrambling for the exits.  If we do not walk into change with an understanding of proper timing, we end up swinging to the extremes.

As we all know, too much of a good thing is not much of a good thing at all.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m a huge proponent of change, innovation, and creativity. But timing, discernment, collaboration, and intentionality must be at the bedrock of the changes we make. 

So it comes down to this:

1)       Be attentive to the fragrance of your environment—This requires regular and deliberate evaluation.  Follow the directions for consistent maintenance.

2)     Don’t pull too hard at the protective packaging—When the need for change is apparent, consider the appropriate course of action that doesn’t shift to an opposite extreme. Don’t overcorrect.

3)     Consider your passengers—In humility, value the wisdom and insights of others on the road to accomplishing your vision.  Not only that, but recognize how your decisions will impact them along the way.

If you find yourself out of balance on any one of these points, take some time to pause.  Remember that it’s a whole lot harder to put the wrapper back on than it is to rip it off.

Next time you glance at that little tree hanging from your rear-view mirror, remember the lessons that even the simplest things in life can teach us about leadership.