Steve Jobs: A Modern Day Conundrum?

I have many interests. Two of them include historic leaders and technology. Over the years I have followed with interest some past tech leaders (Rockefeller, oil; Carnegie, steel; Vanderbilt, railroads) as well as present tech leaders (Gates and Jobs). All five of these leaders were domineering pioneers of their times and all of them gave away vast amounts of money, except Jobs.

Steve Jobs has many similarities with other great industrialists: Visionary, determined, confident, and dictatorial. And of course, each of them had their distinctive features. Here, I want to focus on two features of Jobs that I believe are noteworthy, particularly in this day and age. These are his tendencies to be a micro-managing dictator and to be secretive. These two features are not uncommon among leaders across the ages, but today, they seem to be out of step with mainstream leadership that puts a high value on collaboration and transparency.

Steve Jobs’ tendency to micro-manage at a high level is legendary. Here I mean high level in two ways. First, he micro-managed at a high level meaning that he did it all the time. Second, he micro-managed at a high level meaning that it is unusual to see a successful CEO of such a large company micro-manage to such an extent. Details from the Apple cafeteria to the amount of memory in an iPad were all within Jobs purview. At times, he was known to control almost every detail on some projects. This is the CEO of a company that had almost 50,000 employees and revenues in excess of $100b.

Most leaders today are by personality or by necessity more collaborative than in the past. Many workers at every level want to be more involved and have more of a voice in the life of the company. Consulting gurus talk about engagement, buy-in, and teamwork as though it is today’s organizational religion. It is noteworthy that Jobs was such an exception to this rule particularly since Apple is so popular among today’s hip young workforce. Apple is often among the top companies to work for.

Steve Jobs also was known for his high commitment to secrecy. A recent Huffington Post blog started off with these words:

While at the helm of Apple, Steve Jobs was notoriously tight-lipped about his company's plans. Secrecy was of the utmost importance -- and he would lie regularly, assuring the world Apple had no plans for a certain product, just months before he'd release precisely such a device.

In a day and age when transparency is also part of our corporate cultural language, how was Jobs so successful and so revered while being so secretive?

In summary, Steve Jobs was one of the most iconic and successful business leaders of our generation. At the same time, he had a personality, leadership style, and organizational culture that are different than most other leaders and companies in their success, flair for design, and counter-cultural practices.

I have probably raised more questions here than I have answered and so feel free to join in the discussion. Is Steve Jobs and Apple the model for what we would like to replicate in the future or are they an interesting mix that is unlikely to be repeated or even undesirable in their features?

Should we continue down the path of collaboration and transparency that is increasingly common in our day or follow Jobs’ lead toward greater secrecy and/or autocratic leadership?

Yolanda Perez: A Leadership Lesson for the US Govt and Others

Every year Crown College has to remind the US Government, the State of Minnesota, The Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association (our accreditation body) of its mission. Crown’s stated mission is:

“To provide a biblically-based education for Christian leadership…”

Increasingly, the federal government is asking us this question: “Can you tell us who at your college does the Christian work?” Our reply is: “Everyone.” From their point of view, there are some faculty and staff who do religious work, but most do not. From our point of view, everyone who is employed at Crown is part of the Christian education that we provide.

Yolanda Perez, a dear sister in the Lord and employee at Crown College, passed away th is past week. At today’s memorial celebration at Crown College, you will see once again how much our students feel that Yolanda was a part of their education at Crown College. For our students, Yolanda, who worked in housekeeping, represented the highest ideals of the College: Care, compassion, teamwork, dedication, community, and service.

I wish the federal government could have learned this leadership lesson from Yolanda. She would have taught them that who you are is as important as the role in which you serve. At Crown College, when it comes to learning about life together with students, it is all hands on deck. When a recent survey asked faculty and staff why they work at Crown, their top three responses were:

• Christian Environment
• Impact on Student Lives
• Alignment of personal values and institutional mission

We will miss Yolanda. She came to my office early each morning, always with a smile, and made things look perfect. She always had a high sense of calling to Crown’s mission and to the people on campus. For her family was a high value and at Crown, everybody was family to her.

In closing, I am not always sure what to do about the federal government that presses in harder each year. At Crown, however, we will continue to come to work each day with that high calling we have in Christ and the remembrance of Yolanda’s life and leadership.

To Russia, China, and Back

Many people don't realize that over the last century, the Christian and Missionary Alliance has worked in over 70 countries and has over 100 educational institutions worldwide. Every year representatives from Alliance educational institutions gather to collaborate on their work together. I have had the privilege of chairing the committee of these institutions.

The original plan for this fall was to meet in Beruit, Lebanon. However, because of security issues, it was decided to move the meetings to the Alliance school in southern Russia. Once the dates were decided, we began to work on getting our 10 regional delegates to that location. Having met in the past in Hong Kong and Canada, we were used to pulling together letters of invitations, visa applications, and other documents. We have also learned that bringing people in from 10 different countries is invariably more difficult than it appears. Each year, we have visa issues that are challenging.

Speaking of visas, did you know that each country has a different mix of countries that require visas and those that don't. Not surprisingly, Americans need a visa to go to Russia. I didn't know that Russia has a list of preferred countries that don't need a visa. A number of former Soviet Union countries along with Cuba do not require visas, but also Argentina, Israel, Thailand, and Venezuela.

As an American, I have also always had an interest in Russia and the Soviet Union. Additionally, with a background in China, I have often been interested in the similarities and differences between these two communist countries. This trip gave me the opportunity to see how in so many ways Russia and China are similar. And in so many ways they are different.

When I was filling out the visa application, it reminded me of the early visa apps in China. Almost entirely in Russian, I found the paperwork very difficult to navigate. I had help from three angles. First, I had help from our Alliance team in Moscow. They referred me to a visa processing organization in the States. Lastly, Sasha, our Crown student from Moscow helped me with the language.

Once in Moscow, I was surprised how much it reminded me of Chinese cities of a decade ago. Today's buildings are not like Russia's and China's buildings of 30 years ago which were more grey and stoic, but today's buildings in Russia are plain and utilitarian in many cases. China's buildings in the major cities today are fancier and more elaborate. Of course, there are many exceptions to these simplistic generalizations.

I had been warned that the people of Russia are not outgoing, particularly in street settings. In several instances, I smiled and/or said hi to people and the response was serious, sober, or in some cases stunned. I asked some Russian friends what locals thought of Americans and most said that Americans are more optimistic than Russians, more open with Russians being more cautious.

One significant difference between China and Russia is the presence of the Russian Orthodox Church. When I visited Red Square, it reminded of Tiananmen Square in Beijing. It was not surprising to see the Kremlin on one side of the Square. What was surprising was to see the famous St. Basil's Cathedral on another side of the Square. This would have never happened in China.

When we went to an evangelical church, we found Russian believers very warm and inviting. The church service we attended had contemporary music and several people raised their hands in worship. It is encouraging to see how Russian evangelicals are touching the lives of so many.

In both China and Russia, the impact of communism is still being felt. At the same time, the evangelical church in both countries seems to be growing and I believe that Christians are increasingly seen as part of the solution rather than part of the problem. We can thank God, many tireless international workers, and a sea of believers for that.

Some 9/11 Reflections

I am not sure if I have a lot to add to the 9/11 conversations, but I will share some reflections. First, I can still remember that day. Gary Benedict was the president of Crown College at the time and I was the VP/Academics. We were in the mountains of Colorado at a MidAmerican District meeting of pastors. Gary and I were up in our hotel room getting ready for the day and watching the morning news. That's when the news began to hit. We gathered with the other pastors as the horror continued to unfold. A day we will never forget. On the practical side of things, we had to tag along with several others by car because air travel was shut down. Eventually, Dennis Ingolfsland, Director of Library Services, drove down to Omaha to pick us up.

How has the world changed? For all of us, the world will never be the same. We recognize that the safety of the world around us is in question everyday. We feel vulnerable. We recognize that at any moment we could face a significant security danger. That watershed date along with the student shootings at Columbine and Virginia Tech reminds us of the danger around us. We all feel more vulnerable. Even at a place with an impeccable safety record like Crown College, it is impossible to rule out every possible act of violence.

What are some of the takeaway from this day? One is the reminder that our fallen world will continue to experience heartache. Second, we as believers can engage the world around us for peace. Christians have across the ages been agents of peace whether it is through hospitals in war-torn areas, the care of orphans, or work to eliminate slavery and human trafficking. Lastly, we do look forward to that day when there will be justice and peace forever.

We read in Revelations, “Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. 4 He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”

A day to remember. A day to look towards.

Sailing Lessons

As many of you know, I have always had an interest in adventure sports. As a child I had done a bit of sailing and so this summer I decided to take some sailing lessons. One of the reasons for this is that Minnesota is a great sailing location and so it wasn’t hard to find a place for lessons.

I knew that sailing was a complicated endeavor. What I didn’t know was that there would be many spiritual metaphors. At the beginning of the first lesson, the instructor says, “The first and most important thing you need to know is where is the wind coming from?” Time and time again he would ask me “Where is the wind coming from?” All things sailing are oriented in reference to the direction of the wind. What I began to realize is that I rarely think about the wind. I go to work. I go home. I even go water skiing. But I rarely think about the wind and its direction.

In the same way, we can be unaware of God’s presence and work in our midst. Do we constantly ask ourselves, “What is God doing and where is He moving?” Unfortunately, I don’t. A.W. Tozer, in his book, The Pursuit of God, writes an entire chapter on The Universal Presence. He emphasizes how we as Christians believe the God is present, but don't always experience the reality of that presence.

Additionally, the Spirit of God is often referenced to wind. In the third chapter of the Gospel of John, we read “I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit. 6 Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. 7 You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You must be born again.’ 8 The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.”

We read in Acts 2, “When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. 2 Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3 They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. 4 All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.”

As my sailing lessons continued, I began to realize that the wind is important because it is my only means of power. The goal of sailing is to engage the wind in a way that drives the boat forward. This process may seem simple at first, but the actual work of sailing is a mix of skill and feel.

Once I got the hang of getting the wind and sails to work together, the instructor said “look across the lake and see the puffs of wind coming?” I said “I don’t see them.” He said “see the dark spots on the water, those are puffs of wind.” Okay. It was hard at first, but over time I could begin to see the wind at work in ways I had never noticed before. Lesson after lesson, the instructor helped me to see how the wind and the sails could work together in powerful ways.

My prayer for you and for me is that 1) we can become more aware as to the direction of the wind and God’s work in our midst, 2) we can partner with the wind of God’s Spirit to see his full manifest power in our midst, and 3) we can enjoy the majesty of his presence in giving energy that we can experience in our lives.

The Journey from age 13-30: Part 3

This summer I have been speaking on the topic of helping teens and young adults on their journey from age 13 to 30. Everywhere I go, I find many people who have high interest in this topic. Parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, pastors, and many more understand how important these years are in the life of an individual. Here are a few of the insights I have been discussing:

Vision
Most would agree that many teens and young adults are adrift. Leonard Sax, MD, PhD, author of Boys Adrift, highlights these issues. This year, we have also seen the popular books, Guyland, by Michael Kimmel, and Manning Up, by Kay Hymowitz. This issue is not just for males. Many of our teens and young adults, male and female, are struggling with a sense of purpose and direction. In Proverbs 29:18 we read, "Where there is no vision, the people are unrestrained (NASB)." We need to help those around us understand that God loves them and has a wonderful plan for their lives. In Deuteronomy, God invites the people of Israel to enter into a covenant relationship with him. In the New Testament, that covenant relationship is offered as a blessing to all people (Acts 3:25). Just as a marriage covenant gives direction to a newly married couple, so God's invitation to a relationship for life and eternity can give a child, teen, and young adult vision, purpose and direction for their future. Let me encourage you to speak often of God's destiny for your 13-30 year-olds. This will give them a sense of vision and strength when the winds and waves of our culture buffet them about.

Teaching
Many of you may be familiar with the research of Christian Smith, a sociologist at Notre Dame and the author of Souls Searching and Souls in Transitions (Some good reviews by Scot McKnight). These two works come out of the largest research project ever done on spiritual development in the lives of teens and young adults. One of the most surprising findings by Smith is the fact that adults are so unwilling to talk with teens and young adults about their faith. This is unfortunate because Smith emphasizes over and over again that the biggest influence in spiritual development of children, teens, and young adults are parents. He writes, "The best way to get most teens more involved in and more serious about their faith … is to get their parents more involved in and serious about their faith (p. 267)." Deuteronomy 4:9 emphasizes this as well, "Only be careful, and watch yourselves closely so that you do not forget the things your eyes have seen or let them slip from your heart as long as you live. Teach them to your children and to their children after them." When should you teach your children, teens, and young adults about your faith? Deuteronomy 6:7 gives us some direction, "Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up." We know that American adults get nervous talking about politics, religion, money, and sex, but our young adults want to have meaningful and authentic conversations about all of these topics, particularly our faith.

Caution
Deuteronomy 5:9 reminds us to be cautious regarding our faith journey, "You shall not bow down to them [idols]or worship them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me." We don't know exactly how the sins of our fathers are passed down through the generations, but most of us would agree that this truth affects most all of us. Just as a couple needs to enter into a marriage covenant with a sense of joy and optimism, they also need to be cautious to guard the exclusive nature of that relationship. In the same way, God wants our children, teens, and young adults to guard their relationship with God and not to allow other things (e.g. idols) to distract them from all that God has for them.

The journey from 13 to 30 is an exciting and dangerous journey. Let's do all we can to help our children, teens, and young adults to successfully navigate the high seas of this important passage. We as older adults can share, support, and encourage them along the away reminding them of all that God has done and will continue to do.

Joshua 4:4-7
So Joshua… said to them, "Each of you is to take up a stone on his shoulder…to serve as a sign among you. In the future, when your children ask you, `What do these stones mean?‘ tell them…
These stones are to be a memorial to the people of Israel forever."

Why I Love Crown Birthdays

As president of Crown College, I have a wide range of responsibilities. Some are work. Some are just plain fun. One of those is handing out birthday cards. I inherited this duty from Crown’s previous president. It works like this. My Executive Assistant gives me the cards for a given month with names and dates. Before the dates arrive, I write notes to the faculty and staff members, a small gift certificate is included and off I go to deliver the card to the appropriate office.

You might ask why this is so much fun? I do a lot of work that is not very personal. Things like reading reports, analyzing data, reviewing financials, reading trade journals, etc. Each card I pick up gives me the opportunity to think, pray, and write about the person. This is a personal experience because every person at Crown is different and each year the circumstances surrounding that person change. For example, one year a person may be right in the middle of helping Crown to develop a new program. The next year may involve a serious illness. Each year is different.

When I first started at Crown, I wrote a note to the person and put the card in campus mail. Somewhere along the way, I decided to try and hand deliver the cards. It proved to be harder than I thought. Meshing my schedule with others so that we end up on the right day is tricky. What I realized is that this gave me an excuse to see people in their world. Birthdays often include co-workers, decorations, food, and fun. It is wild to see the variety. Also, some people engage birthdays with great gusto! Others look like it is a bit of a downer. Regardless, it is an opportunity to share our lives together around a special day. I don’t get to every person on the right day as I would like, but overall it is a lot of fun, especially when the winters get long.