It's Tuesday at 2:00pm! (PST Time: I live and work from Southern California)
Greetings to you!
Each week I send out a short leadership blog that's called "Tuesday at 2:00pm". The purpose of this is simply to provide a brief thought on leadership that you can read and think about in just a few minutes. I send it out every week at 2:00pm (PST) and encourage you to make an appointment with yourself to pause and think about the thing I'm writing about.
Russ...
LEADERSHIP QUOTE:
"To gather is to risk. You're asking people to trust you, to come together for something that might change them." Priya Parker*
What does this stir up? Either write me HERE or comment at the end of the blog post HERE.
A LITTLE BIT DEEPER:
This month, I'm going to dive into a few quotes from Priya Parker, the author of the book, The Art of Gathering. I've been talking about this book for the past few months, and I thought I'd choose a couple of her quotes on the importance of gathering together just to encourage you to explore the book more deeply.
To read past quotes & thoughts.... CLICK HERE.
This quote has been adapted by a number of things Priya Parker said, but it's been attributed to her. The line, "To gather is to risk" is 100% Parker. She raises the bar for every gathering and reminds us that bringing people together is a privilege and that we are asking people to trust us enough to come.
Years ago, I was invited to travel to Cuba to see what was happening in the church and to be available to do some teaching and training. I took with me a young guy from my youth group, and then 2 youth workers from Ecuador. We took off, by invitation, to meet with leaders and young people in Eastern Cuba. Santi, Ivet and Danny came with me because they trusted me. The truth though, is that this was a big step. I was taking people someplace I had never been before, and that challenged my sense of responsibility and it pushed my leadership. I had to in turn trust Francisco, our friend and partner in Santiago de Cuba, and he assured me that all would be fine.
Off we went.
I wish I could share the many stories that came out of this first-time trip to Cuba. We were challenged when our visas were cancelled, I was not allowed to teach and train with a cancelled visa, so Santiago and Ivet had to carry the load. We had some travel problems, some money problems, some food issues, and we were all living on the edge for a week of our lives.
However...
We were changed forever. Changed by the generosity and hospitality of everyone we met. Changed by the young people following Jesus through some really difficult circumstances, and we were changed as we contemplated how God might use us in Cuba and outside of Cuba investing in the lives of leaders.
27 years ago, we took a risk to pursue a really unique gathering, and as the quote points out, each of us were radically changed.
This led to many other trips to Cuba for us and a long-lasting partnership with leaders there who continue to serve with generosity in difficult circumstances, who reflect hospitality to everyone they come across and who relentlessly pursue Jesus, their hope and their life.
I had no idea that this little adventure to the island would mark me in ways that I am still discovering.
Don't underestimate the power of gathering people together, inviting them to trust you and taking a risk to enter into an opportunity for growth and impact.
Think of a time you stepped out and took a risk to engage in something unfamiliar or unknown? How did that impact you?
DEEPER STILL:
I wasn't going to teach the book, but was going to just grab some quotes, but Parker talks about risk so well, I want to highlight 4 things she challenges us to think about as we plan gatherings.
• Gathering is an act of Courage
Hosting a gathering isn't about logistics, it's about leadership. Inviting people into an intentional experience means you're taking responsibility for how it unfolds, and that's risky.
• Playing it safe leads to Forgettable Gatherings
She warns that most gatherings fail not because they're badly planned, but because they're too safe, polite or generic. "The opposite of risky is not safe - it's forgettable."
•Productive Discomfort can Deepen Connection
Parker encourages hosts to create "good controversy" - structured moments where people can express differences or truths in a way that leads to understanding rather than division.
• The Host must Risk, too.
The host's willingness to be vulnerable and to take social or emotional risks sets the tone.
Parker goes on to say: "Risk, isn't about danger - it's about depth. It's the creative tension that transforms a gathering from just another meeting into a memorable, human experience."
When was the last time you took a real RISK with a gathering, a meeting, an event you were responsible for? What happened?
Things I'm Reading, Listening To and Watching This Week:
The Art of Gathering by Priya Parker I encourage you to read or listen to the book. It will get you thinking!
I attended an event this week with Hope International. I love the work they're doing globally through savings groups to help people get themselves out of poverty. I'm inspired and challenged!
We're in the midst of Regional Leader Mundial Summits this month. Men & Women in leadership gathering together in Ecuador, Philippines, South Africa & EuroAsia. These leaders represent many organizations, many countries and they are changing the world! What a privilege to walk with them in Community!
I love this little book by Joey Asher called 15 Minutes including Q & A. A great book for anything that presents on a regular basis!
We got pulled into the Netflix series called The Diplomat. Now watching season 3.