Ego Hurts Others (& Ourselves)

People don’t like to be tricked. We can forgive many things, but we do not like to be fooled or hoaxed. Richard Heene of “balloon boy” fame proves this point emphatically.

In a world filled with tweets, blogs, and reality shows, so many of us are seeking 15 minutes of fame rather than recognizing the the same spiritual principles that work in the real world still hold true in the virtual world.

“All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because, ‘God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.’ Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time.” – I Peter 5:5-6

Not only does God oppose the proud, so does the general public.

In a post called “Notice Me,” Seth Godin wrote:

“Attention is fine, as long as you have a goal that is reached in exchange for all this effort.

Far better than being noticed:

* Trusted
* Engaged with
* Purchased from
* Discussed
* Echoed
* Teaching us
* Leading”

Scot McKnight pointed out on twitter: “Why is our news fixated on the balloon boy and ignoring the judge who refuses to marry an interracial couple?”

A weather balloon reveals a perfect analogy of our efforts to get attention for all the wrong reasons. We may have a quick meteoric rise, but invariably we will come crashing down.

Ironically, just as quick as we are to knock proud people down, we are quick to forgive people who humble themselves.

“Thanks for Leading” by Seth Godin

At Mosaic we seek to reach people and raise up leaders.  Our staff mentoring process remains a big part of our efforts in equipping people to make a difference.

Seth Godin’s book Tribes is a nice little read filled with helpful insights.  He writes:

“Leadership is scarce because few people are willing to go through the discomfort required to lead.

It’s uncomfortable to stand up in front of strangers.
It’s uncomfortable to propose an idea that might fail.
It’s uncomfortable to challenge the status quo.
It’s uncomfortable to resist the urge to settle.

When you identify the discomfort, you’ve found the place where a leader is needed.

If you’re not uncomfortable in your work as a leader, it’s almost certain you’re not reaching your potential as a leader.”

(For my notes on Godin’s book Tribes, send an email to me at eric@mosaic.org with “Tribes Notes” as the subject.)

For those of you willing to serve others by leading – thanks!

“You Matter” by Seth Godin

I enjoy Seth Godin’s daily posts! Here is a recent one called “You Matter.” Seth writes:

  • “When you love the work you do and the people you do it with, you matter.
  • When you are so gracious and generous and aware that you think of other people before yourself, you matter.
  • When you leave the world a better place than you found it, you matter.
  • When you continue to raise the bar on what you do and how you do it, you matter.
  • When you teach and forgive and teach more before you rush to judge and demean, you matter.
  • When you touch the people in your life through your actions (and your words), you matter.
  • When kids grow up wanting to be you, you matter.
  • When you see the world as it is, but insist on making it more like it could be, you matter.
  • When you inspire a Nobel prize winner or a slum dweller, you matter.
  • When the room brightens when you walk in, you matter.
  • And when the legacy you leave behind lasts for hours, days or a lifetime, you matter.”

For some of the best quotes from his recent book Tribes, go here.

Live Teleminar with Catalyst’s Brad Lomenick!

phone200Our next LIVE teleseminar will take place on Tuesday, April 14 at 1:30pm – 2:00pm PST (4:30pm – 5:00pm EST).

I will interview Brad Lomenick, the Executive Director of Catalyst. During the call we’ll talk about leadership, some of the things Brad and his team are learning, and the evolution of Catalyst growing from one event to a multi-impact organization. We’ll also dive into what it’s like, from Brad’s perspective, to be mentioned in Seth Godin’s popular book, Tribes.

Make plans to join us for this LIVE teleseminar event. Time permitting we will open the lines up to allow you to ask questions and interact. You can also submit questions in advance of the LIVE call via email that we’ll try to address.

SIGN UP NOW — CLICK HERE

You can listen to audio recordings from previous teleseminars at https://ericbryant.org/teleseminar/, including our most recent conversation with TWLOHA (To Write Love on Her Arms) and Urban Youth Workers.

Join us next week in Orange County for Origins and Catalyst West Coast!