10 Things I Do to Learn, Lead and Network with Others - Jim Wideman

Today I attended my second workshop by Jim Wideman

10 Things I Do to Learn, Lead, & Network with Others

Here are my notes.

We need each other.

The human body has many parts, 

but the many parts make up one whole body.

So it is with the body of Christ.

1 Corinthians 12:12

We take the body for granted.

We sometimes don’t value one another.

Don’t try to do this alone. 

Life is too short not to spend it with others.

The real problem with leaders

- People don’t see the need to continually learn.

- Being a learner must become part of your lifestyle.

- Some leaders think they’ve arrived.

The intensity of how you pursue exploring and learning

is what sets you apart as a leader.

10 habits a leader must develop to be a master networker and learner

1. Read - (books, blogs, twitter, instagram) Look at blogs to see who they follow. Make appointments to read. Make other people’s learning your own. Have a reading list. Find out what others are reading and why. Don’t just look for facts. Look for the how and why they think something.

2. Listen to teaching - Get podcasts, buy the CD, keep your iPod loaded with teaching. Find some things that you need to hear.

3. Ask questions constantly - Jesus was the master of teaching and encouraging by asking questions.

4. Develop a relationship with people you esteem - Add people you learn from to the list. Keep those that sharpen you.  Lose those that don’t.  Spend time with people.

5. Visit creative places - Visit other churches. Go to theme parks.

6. Go to conferences - Network and connect with others. Bring someone with you. Expose them to that bigger thinking. Ask them what they saw and what they learned. Make a conference within a conference. Set up meeting with those you want to learn from.

7. Surround yourself with peers you respect - Look for ways to connect with other leaders in your area. Have coffee and lunch. Know other people who have your job. Develop a relationship with someone whose church is same size.

8. Be a fly on the wall to learn - Write stuff down that you hear said. Sometimes you just need to stand there listening and learn.

9. Study successful people - Undercover Boss and The Apprentice (great learning tools)

10. Get a coach - Everyone that is successful has a coach. Group coaching. You need a small group. You need a place where you can ask tough questions. Accountability. Iron sharpening iron.

How to make this happen

1. Get out your calendar and plan to include these networking steps

2. Set appointments

3. Make some calls and or emails

4. Start a local networking group

5. Give away what you are learning

Start writing what you’re learning.

Start looking for someone to mentor and share what you know.

You reap what you sow.

Look for ways to raise the ability of those you lead.

Look for ways to help other churches.

We are all this together.

Jim has provided all his workshop notes to be downloaded here.

Jim Wideman is considered to be an innovator, pioneer and one of the fathers of the modern children’s ministry movement. He has trained hundreds of thousands of children’s ministry and student ministry leaders from across the U.S. and around the world over the past 35 years. Jim currently oversees Next Generation & Family Ministries, which includes birth through college, at World Outreach Church in Murfreesboro, Tennessee. Jim and his wife, Julie, have two fabulous daughters, two handsome son-in-laws and the cutest grandson ever born!

Blog: www.JimWideman.com

Twitter: @jimwideman