Leadercast 2014

Andy Stanley appearing on the big screen at the Conyers-Rockdale Leadercast

This is my third consecutive year attending Leadercast and my second year hosting a simulcast in Conyers-Rockdale.  When I think of Leadercast, the first thing that comes to my mind is Andy Stanley.  To me, Andy Stanley is synonymous with Leadercast.  Before my first Leadercast in 2012, I had never heard of Andy Stanley.  When he was introduced in 2012, I thought, “why would they have a preacher on stage for a leadership event? A sermon?  Really?

For three consecutive years, thanks to Andy Stanley,  I have three concepts imbedded in my mind.  First in 2012, “Never make a choice in the moment that makes you a liar for life, make decisions that create a story that you are proud to tell.  What story do you want to tell?”  I think of my children when I remember this quote.  There are parts of my life that I have to skip over because it’s not the story that I want to tell them.  Sad.

In 2013, Andy made it simplistic.  He said, In everything you do ask yourself these three simple questions.  What am I doing?  Why am I doing it?  Where do I fit in?”  So this is what I ask myself when I’m doing something that’s counter productive or will not help me achieve my goals.

In 2014, he made it even simpler by saying, “the value of a life is always measured by how much of it was GIVEN away.  When I attend funerals, we never discuss money or their things.”  If your leadership isn’t about you, then it will live beyond you.” Andy said something else that really surprised me, “Make as few decisions as possible. Empower others by letting them decide. You make sure it’s the right decision.”

Here is another good Andy Stanley quote from 2013, “you never know who you can trust until you trust them.”  This is my way of sending out a world wide web thank you to Andy Stanley.  I’m certain he will never read this blog post, but it was Andy that inspired me to be a better leader at home and at work.