One of the greatest mistakes you can make in any relationship is to assume that the other person knows how you feel without telling them.  This is true in marriage, parenting, business, church and every other environment I can think of.

When your spouse does something nice, acknowledge it.

When a team member goes the extra mile, acknowledge it.

When a donor sends their check, thank them.

Tell the people in your life how much they mean to you and tell them often.  There is a short supply of praise and appreciation while the demand is off the charts.

Who do you need to acknowledge today?

So, I thought I’d share that my wife and I are starting the adoption process. We’ve been praying about it for years and think it’s time to put James 1:27 into practice.  We’re not sure of dates and all the details at this point, but I will keep you updated as much as possible.

We would appreciate any prayers (and donations ) that you can offer. We are very excited about what God has next for us!

Having no ideas is a problem.

Having too many ideas could also be a problem.

Knowing which ideas to pursue is crucial.

One of the keys elements in successful change, whether business, ministry, church or even government, is the pursuing the right idea at the right time.

Pursing the wrong idea at the right time will get you no where.

You pursing the wrong idea at the wrong time will be disastrous.

Pursing the right idea at the wrong time is frustrating.

Pursing the right idea at the right time is magical.

So, how do you know when its the right time and the right idea? I have no idea. There’s not a formula or Kelley’s Blue Book of Ideas. You have to be ready and you have to have ideas. That’s about as close to a formula as I can get.

One way to stay ahead then is to keep your ideas with you. If you have ideas with you, then when the opportunity comes, you’ll be ready. This means NEVER THROW AWAY AN IDEA. This is a rule I live by. Any idea I get, I write it down and it stays with me.

I’ve found that my best ideas are separate ideas from different times that find a way of meshing into a much better idea. The only way that can happen is if you keep your ideas handy. Don’t throw them away. This does not mean that you have to pursue them, just save them. You never know when the dots of your ideas will start connecting.

New Backstage Leadership podcast is up. In this episode, we talk about the principles of Making Ideas Happen with Scott Belsky in a guest interview. Scott is the founder of Behance and author of Making Ideas Happen.

What did you like about Scott’s interview?

I love maps. I love globes. I love seeing where I’ve been and where I want to go. But maps are not the friend of the leader, innovator and entrepreneur.  If you are looking at a map, it means you’re managing not leading.  The essence of a map is that someone has already been there and the map can prove it.  Leading requires you to go somewhere no one has been before. There are no maps to lead into the unknown.

As a leader, innovator or entrepreneur, what you need is a compass. So, toss the idea of a map and start looking for a compass. A compass points you in a certain direction, that’s it. When you are out in front, this is the tool you need to lead. The most accurate compass will point to true north every time.  Your job is then to lead in a way that stays on the path of true north by walking where the compass is pointing.

Decide what North is for you in the areas of your life and then find a compass to point you in that direction and get going. Find north for your character and get going. Find north for your marriage and keep going. Find north for your business and keep going.

A compass will not show you what is around the bend like a map. But a map is not for leaders. Ditch the map. Get a compass. Find north and start going!

I had a meeting with a great mentor and influencer in my life this past week. He dropped a wisdom bomb on me and I thought I’d pass it along. Here’s what I learned:

The right vision will allow you to say No. A vision that is too broad allows far too many Yes’ to be effective. By saying No, you are giving your vision more clarity, focus and eventually  you’ll see greater results.

This does not mean that you can not have a huge vision. This just means you need a focused vision.

What can you say no to? What ideas are automatically cast aside because they don’t fit into your vision? What opportunities do you turn down because they don’t align with your vision.

If you can’t say No, it might be time to take another look at your vision.