Today I’m guest posting over on the Catalyst blog. They talk mostly about leadership. And the church. And personal development. It is one of my favorite resources. But when they asked me to share something I was stumped. I quickly realized I am more comfortable talking about all the things I don’t know, instead of the things I do. So I decided to write about a great piece of advice that I learned from my boss and resident leadership expert, Michael Hyatt.

I work for a leadership sage. Really, I do. Five days a week, I roll out of bed and stumble to work where I have the opportunity to learn about publishing, communication, and life from a man who has earned every bit of his extraordinary influence.

And so I hear a lot of nuggets.

I should do a better job of documenting the greatness, of soaking up every word he utters. Unfortunately, like anything that is bestowed in abundance, most days his words are digested and not properly savored.

But one day, several weeks ago, as he spoke to a group of Owen Graduate School of Management students, Michael Hyatt shared the best piece of advice I’ve ever heard, (click here to continue reading).

Have you ever met someone who was a brilliant storyteller? Someone who at the mere mention of “once upon a time” transported you into an epic adventure? Someone who introduced characters so real that you couldn’t help but imagine yourself walking in their shoes?

I have. And when I am in the presence of a great storyteller, I find myself spellbound. Simply spellbound.

Storytelling is a powerful gift. A gift that should be cultivated. A gift that should be cultivated for the Church. That is why I am so excited about Story, an event created by creative genius, “dragon slayer” and author Ben Arment.

Story is an intimate conference for the creative class in ministry on September 23-24, 2010 at Park Community Church in downtown Chicago. Created with the sole purpose of fueling the church’s artists, writers, and producers in communicating the greatest story ever told. Some of the best creative practitioners in both ministry and the marketplace, from filmmakers and authors to actors and musicians, will share about their craft.

For more information about this incredible event and to register, visit www.storychicago.com.

Would you like to be a better storyteller?

This just might be your chance…

I apologize for this brief interruption to the previously scheduled programming. I just had to get something off my chest.

There are very few things I am fanatical about. I guess I am just not wired that way. I appreciate most things in a more sedate way. But over the last year I have found one thing I have “an obsessive enthusiasm” for…Catalyst.

Maybe it is the shear fact that every fall they gather over 12,000 young Christian leaders in Atlanta, GA?

Maybe it is how their conferences entertain me with two days of content from some of the best speakers the world has to offer?

Maybe it is how their resources equip me with sound spiritual and leadership wisdom?

Maybe it is how their team continually introduces me to new thoughts, ideas, and voices?

Maybe it is how Catalyst ALWAYS manages to exceed my expectations?

Regardless, I am ready to admit it. Me = Catalyst freak.

So, naturally I feel compelled to tell you that you don’t want to miss Catalyst Conference this year. It is October 6 through 8 in Atlanta, Georgia. It truly is an experience unlike any other.

This year’s main stage line-up includes Andy Stanley, Seth Godin, TD Jakes, Craig Groeschel, Francis Chan, Beth Moore, Perry Noble and Christine Caine.

And on the 6th, the Catalyst Labs will give you a chance to hear from some of today’s innovative thought leaders like my boss Michael Hyatt, my pastor Pete Wilson, my new favorite leadership guide John Ortberg, and my friend and blogging mentor Anne Jackson.

The best rates on Catalyst tickets end tomorrow (Thursday, June 24th), so register NOW. You can call 888.334.6569 to speak to a Catalyst Concierge, or register online at www.catalystconference.com. Use Rate Code FOB for an additional discount off your ticket price. And as always, Catalyst will sell out so don’t dawdle, register NOW.

So, what do you think? Will you join me in Atlanta this October?

Original Disclaimer: Let me start off my saying I would never consider myself an activist on behalf of women’s rights. In fact, I generally consider myself in fairly conservative camp.

Updated Disclaimer: This is obviously one of those posts where I did a TERRIBLE JOB of communicating what I wanted to get across: that the articles referenced had me thinking about women in the workforce and what I could do to help empower other women to lead. Guess I won’t try to write any more posts before work? I would erase it but I have a feeling an interesting conversation will come out of it. Everyone, please play nice….

Yesterday I stumbled upon this post by Chris Brogan about “Women in the Workplace.” And something about it ruffled my feathers.

New data from the Center for Work-Life Policy demonstrate that while 47% of college-educated entry-level corporate professionals are female, women comprise a mere 21% of senior executives, 17% of Congress and 15% of board directors.

After citing the above statistics, Brogan made the point that, “maybe they [the numbers] point to the fact that it’s not always the position some women seek to attain.” That not “all women want to lead.” Which I’d have to wholeheartedly agree with, but think it is important to point out that surely not all men want to lead either. So I’m not sure if that explains some of the discrepancy in the statistics.

It seems obvious that the real question is how can we equip the women who do want to lead to succeed.

This morning I dug a little deeper and read the two must-read Harvard Business Journal articles that Brogan cited “What the U.S. Can Learn From Europe About Gender Equality in the Workplace” and “Can She Lead?” (I wish I could have recorded the argument that these thoughts ignited inside my head. Fascinating. I’m still trying to figure out which side won.)

As I stew on on all this, I’m left wondering:

If the solution lies more in creating a safe space for women to discuss issues and struggles, hopes and dreams, and champion one another THAN in quotas, targets, and legislation?

What I can do to empower the next generation of women to be more effective leaders so that they naturally rise to the top?

Curious, what do you think about all this?

But do you know what my favorite thing about her is?

Alece is Ordinary.

When you meet Alece, you meet a girl who is instantly relatable. You meet a girl who seems just like you and me. A girl who seems ordinary.

You don’t feel uncomfortable being real with Alece. You aren’t constantly worrying about if you are smart enough or Godly enough. Alece makes you feel completely at ease. It’s as if she is nothing out of the ordinary.

But then you start asking a few questions and Alece’s story comes out. And you realize that she is not, in fact, ordinary. She is actually quite the contrary.

Alece is Extra. Ordinary.

You see Alece picked up and left her comfortable life in the United States at 19 (yes, that is right 19, the age I was worrying about boys, keg parties, and the seemingly unavoidable freshman fifteen) to move to South Africa. This self-proclaimed “city girl” felt God pushing her to love on the people of Africa. Now years later she has built a successful ministry in South Africa, Thrive Africa.

Thrive Africa’s vision is to disciple Believers, equip leaders, and strengthen the Church in Southern Africa. We accomplish this through AIDS prevention, pastoral development, discipleship classes, youth camps, mission trips, and more.

In addition to what Alece has created at Thrive, Alece ministers to thousands of folks each day through her blog. She talks about her very real struggles, her very real divorce, and her very real feelings. Some days her writing brings me to tears and some days she leaves me laughing out loud.

I have no doubt that God is looking down on Alece with a huge smile. He is loving watching her put the talents and passions He gave her to work.

All this to say, spending time with Alece was an apt reminder that extraordinary people are not created differently. Extraordinary people are simply ordinary people doing extraordinary things. Extraordinary people live in their “sweet spot.” Extraordinary people use their God given gifts and passions to seek out the life God created for them.

So what are you waiting for? Don’t you know that God has created you with extraordinary in mind? Don’t you know that He keeps hoping that you will put your talents and passions to work?

When I was in school, I was kind of a “crammer.” You know…I’d wait until a few days before the test, try to jam everything I might possibly need to know into my brain, ace the test (this might or might not be an exaggeration), and then forget everything?

All this to say..I remember very few facts or formulas that we were taught in school. (Don’t ask me to list the state capitals, Presidents, or chemical elements. All those things went in one ear, hung out for awhile, but then flew out the other.)

But there is one formula I remember. And truth be known it has helped me out of a pinch or two.

I took this peer counseling class and they taught us a quick, but very helpful, formula for assertive communication (aka how to get your point across without offending friend and colleagues).

(click here to read more…)

But, well that is just not the case. I can’t believe how much has already happened in 2010. And get this…it is only January 13.

Here’s a quick peak into my last few weeks:

• We introduced a new social media hub for Thomas Nelson. The goal is that this will be a one stop shop for people to get connected with our people. You can keep up to date on Thomas Nelson bloggers, twitterers, our latest YouTube videos, and much more. Go check it out.

• We put the finishing touches on the “Cultivate Her” blog. With bi-weekly posts from an incredible team of women (like me ), this blog is sure to be a wonderful resource for women in leadership. And aren’t we all really in leadership somehow…at home, at work, or at church?

• We relaunched our “Thomas Nelson Book Review Bloggers” site under the Seth-Godin-inspired name “BookSneeze.” The program gives bloggers books for FREE in exchange for an honest review. Say what you want about the images it conjures, but I can promise you this, you won’t forget it!

Whew…I am exhausted just thinking about all that.

How is your 2010? Off to a hectic start?

It kills me because even though I agree with everything Colt shares, it usually quite awhile after my dreams are shattered to remember to “never question why things happen the way they do” and to “always give God the glory.” I am so impressed with his maturity and his boldness.

Go Colt…you will be blessed abundantly if you continue to walk through life with that attitude. You are an inspiration.

Here’s more information about StrengthsFinder from Strengths.Gallup.Com

Here my top five Strengths:

Focus
People strong in the Focus theme can take a direction, follow through, and make the corrections necessary to stay on track. They prioritize, then act. (If you want to drive me completely crazy, just tell a long drawn out off-subject story during an important meeting.)

Context
People who are especially talented in the Context theme enjoy thinking about the past. They understand the present by researching its history. (I never understood this one until I moved to a new job in a new field in a new city and felt utterly clueless.)

Responsibility
People who are especially talented in the Responsibility theme take psychological ownership of what they say they will do. They are committed to stable values such as honesty and loyalty. (Positives of this one include being diligent about getting things done. Negatives include feeling guilty and stressed about things that are completely not my responsibility.)

Individualization
People who are especially talented in the Individualization theme are intrigued with the unique qualities of each person. They have a gift for figuring out how people who are different can work together productively. (I love this one, I see people’s uniqueness, and most of the time, appreciate it.)

WOO (aka Winning Others Over)
People who are especially talented in the Woo theme love the challenge of meeting new people and winning them over. They derive satisfaction from breaking the ice and making a connection with another person. (Maybe that is why I do stupid things like sharing a completely embarrassing comment on this post?)

If you have not taken the StrengthFinder test, I obviously highly recommend it.

You will understand yourself in a whole new way. Encourage your friends to take the test and share their results. And you will understand them in a whole new way.

Here’s how to get started:

1. Visit to your local bookstore and buy StrengthsFinder 2.0, Strengths Based Leadership, or Now, Discover Your Strengths.
2. Find 30 minutes of peace and quiet with just you, your laptop, and some internet access.
3. Go to www.strengthsfinder.com and take the online test.
4. Come back here and share your Strengths. (Selfishly I would love to know what your strengths are and what you learned about yourself in the process.)
5. Dig deeper into Marcus Buckingham’s Strengths’ based leadership with The Truth About You and his latest release Find Your Strongest Life, a book written specifically for women. In these books, Buckingham goes a step further and hones in how to embrace specific activities that make you “feel strong.”

As you can imagine, I need some time (like a year) to process everything I experienced, but here are some quick highlights:

• Hanging out with friends, new and old at Brad Ruggles’ Bloggers Meetup. The event was a wonderful testament to how powerful social media in building community.
• Hearing some strong and passionate Christian voices like Matt Chandler, Reggie Joiner, Andy Stanley, Dave Ramsey, Louie Giglio, and Priscilla Shirer. Each left their “mark” on me.
• Worshiping with 13,000 believers. One of the most moving moments of the entire conference was when Todd Fields led us in his beautiful rendition of It is Well.
• Spending time with my boss, Michael Hyatt, and his daughter, Megan, and the entire Cross Point Church staff. I am so blessed to have all these people in my life and I am thankful for every moment that they invest in me.
• Watching a grown man in a leotard dive (or more accurately perform a belly flop) from 35 foot high platform into a baby pool. Don’t take my word for it, you can watch it here.

And some quick pictures:

More details about Catalyst ’09 aka #cat09 to come. I promise.

If you attended, what were some of your highlights?