Leadership Lessons from Catalyst 2009: Malcolm Gladwell with “The Mistakes That Leaders Make”

• Humans tend to overestimate the value of information.
• We think that if we have more information we will make better decisions…but that’s not always true.
• It is true that we will have more confidence in our ability to make better decisions when we have more information.
• The more information we have, the more confident we are in ourselves.
• Overconfidence in our own knowledge and abilities can lead to disastrous mistakes.
• “When you are trapped in overconfidence, the world can change around you and you won’t see it.”
• “In times of crisis, we think we need daring, overly competent and bold leaders. We don’t. What we need is humility.”
• Action Item: Humble myself and declare my dependence on God each and every day.
• Action Item: When faced with decisions, seek advice from others.

Next up in the Leadership Lessons from Catalyst 2009 series: Shane Hipps with “The Medium is the Message”

It’s impossible to adequately portray the experience known as Catalyst so I won’t even try. I would, however, like to pass along a few leadership tidbits from various conference speakers. I won’t recap each discussion; that has been done excellently here (look at the “Latest Articles” section”). Instead, I just want to pass on a few 3×5 card-sized bits of usable information. My hope is that they will challenge you and help you move forward as a leader as they continue to do the same for me.

Over the next few weeks, I’ll post similar “3×5 card” summaries of the messages that impacted me the most. Here is the first one.

Leadership Lessons from Catalyst 2009: Andy Stanley and “Making a Mark”

• Most people worry about who’s on their side.
• The question, however, should not be “who’s on my side” but “who’s side am I on?”
• God has invited us to play a part in his story
• Will I submit to play whatever part God has for me?
• Will I seek to make my own mark or have God make his mark through me?
• What will you do? Whatever you decide, you must choose who you will serve (ref: Joshua in the Bible).
• Action Item: Wake up each day and ask myself, “Who’s side am I on?” and remember that God takes full responsibility for a life fully devoted to him.

Next up in the Leadership Lessons from Catalyst 2009 series: Malcolm Gladwell with “The Mistakes Leaders Make”