Shannon Chapman

Direction pt.2

Having and giving direction to your team does NOT mean barking out orders.  It simple means that you and I have to call people and inspire people to go with us where we feel that He is leading.  The reality is as leaders we can do more with a team that is 100% committed to the direction than just having qualified people on the team.  

I would rather have a team committed to the direction any day than to have a bigger team with professionals on it that are pulling the team in the wrong direction.  Leaders are called to set direction and to build a team that will lead in that direction.  It's hard work but when you see it done that way it is a beautiful thing.

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Shhhhh don't tell anybody but I am trying to get our Creative Director to start a blog :) It would be amazing stuff!!

Direction

Like I said a few days ago I have somethings in my head that I must get out about the idea of leadership.  The first "d" for now is the idea of Direction.

As a leader it is very important that you can set direction for your team or your organization.  I am convinced that people are looking to their leader to set direction.  They are not looking at leaders to sit in their office and say yes or no to questions.  They want their leader to set direction.  People rally around vision.  People rally when they know where you as a leader are going.

This sounds very easy but in reality its hard.  But as a leader we must build in time into our life just to listen to God and build strategy for the future.   I would like to say that this is for me but it is a struggle to set direction.  Well, that's it for now...I am off to have some to think and create the future.  

PS I have discovered that when your team knows the direction everyone is going in creativity flows like never before.  

The Three D's

Ok so over the next few days I am going to unpack some of what I think are the very important strategies of a leader.  Oddly enough they all start with D's.  These are by far not complex ideas but just a few things that have been going through my mind lately.  

More to come very soon!  Getting ready to head to small group.

Sunday REwind

Today at Ethos was great!  Here are a few highlights:

• Bryant Underwood did a great job last week and this week in our series Polluted.  It was great for me to get 2 weeks off!
• The band keeps blowing me away like crazy.  I feel so blessed to have them leading us in worship every week. 
• Our attendance is up like crazy.  I am really wanting to challenge our community to keep pushing through the summer even though most of the time it's a down time, lets keep reaching people. 
• The energy in the room was high today! 
• God really stretched me today at the end in our prayer time.   
• What I am finding is that if your authentic people will see your heart and they will be willing to go with you. 
• Also, I am more convinced after today than ever that if you do what God tells you to do it will all work no matter how scared you are.  

June 7 we start our new series called simple question.  I don't know about you but sometimes the simple things speak the loudest.  I can't wait to kick off this series.  Looking forward to a great week back in the office.  Hoping to get a lot done!  

Final Thoughts from FL

WE MADE IT!!!!  After a week in FL, and four days at Disney World we are headed home in the morning.  I must say this trip went WAY better than I ever expected.  The boys did great!  Mande who is 27 wks pregnant blew my mind at how she just keeps up with all of us.  Without her I probably would have lost one of the kids lol. 

This is our last vacation with all boys.  The next vacation we go on I will have a “dad’s little girl.”  I must admit that I am so excited about having a girl.  Overall I think this was the best vacation we have ever had.  Last night as we were walking out of the park in the rain I look at Mande and they had tears running down her face.  I said what is wrong she said, “there is something just magical about this place.”  The best thing for both of us was watching out kids eyes get big and seeing them smile at things in the park. 

At the same time I am ready to be back home.  Getting away for me gives me perspective.  I love the fact that God has called me to work at CC and for sure I am blown away that people would trust my leadership to lead ethos.  Ethos is truly one of the blessings in my life.  You don't know how much your friends mean to you until you don’t see them for a few days. 

Most of all I feel very connected to God.  I have had some time to just listen to his voice.  He has confirmed things in my heart this week.  I am ready to get back and take things up a few notches.  See everyone in chatty very soon!

Day Six Highlights

Sorry to those of you that have been keeping up with the highlights, last night I was way to tired to blog.  We got back in from the parade and fireworks in the rain at like 11.  This has been the best vacation ever!  We have today and then we will leave at530 am in the morning.  Until then there is still much to do!  Have a great day everyone! 

Day Five Highlights

All I can say about today is the rain did NOT stop the Chapman's.  The Magic Kingdom was a blast today! 

Day Four Highlights

Due to the fact it has rained all day we went to Festival Bay Mail.  Well, we actually slept in this morning until 830 which felt like forever.  Today, was very relaxing to say the least.  It has literally rain nonstop here since last night at 930.  We are hoping to go to Magic Kingdom tomorrow but we will have to wait and see.

Now off to watch the NBA finals.  Let's go Cavaliers!

Scared

Tonight we ate at T-Rex Cafe and it was a blast.  The boys were not sure at first but they warmed up to all the Dinosaurs.  I talked Jonah into getting his picture with one of the the small ones and as you can see he was super scared.  As soon as I took the picture the thing moved toward him and he screamed and I laughed until I almost cried.  

But don't worry by the end of the night he asked me if we could take one home with us.

Day Three highlights

Today we got up and almost didn't got out.  The weather forecast was rain all day!  So, what do we do we came down here to go and play not to say in the condo with three boys.  But in the end we decided to go.  By the grace of God we somehow missed the rain.  Don't get me wrong it rained like crazy but somehow we were in the right place at the right time.  

Jonah's favorite thing was the parade,  JJ's favorite was getting his pics taken with the Power Ranger, Judah favorite this was playhouse Disney, and mine and Mande's was just seeing the boys smile all day!  We had a blast today and are now at the condo relaxing.