Searching For Eagles?

Today I had my first staff meeting with the youth department staff and interns.
I always find the new year so exciting... we are filled with hope and vision for the future. I'm so proud of the team... I really know that God has brought this group of people together to do some exciting stuff for the Kingdom.

With all this in mind I thought I'd share with you some more of John Maxwell's thoughts. The points that follow come from an INJOY tape club lesson called, 'Searching For Eagles.' These are John's top 10 characteristics of 'eagles':

• They make things happen
• They see opportunities
• They influence the opinions and actions of others
• They add value to you
• They draw winners to them
• They equip other eagles to lead
• They provide ideas that help the organization
  
• They possess an uncommonly great attitude
• They live up to their commitments
• They show fierce loyalty to the organization and the leader

What are your top 10 characteristics that mark a leader?

Lessons From The Eagle

Ethan, my 5 year old, is doing an oral presentation on the African Fish Eagle tomorrow, so I thought I'd share some amazing lessons that we can learn from these amazing creatures.

Eagles live up to 70 years. At around the 40 year stage the eagle must face a great challenge if it is going to continue to be effective. The challenge is uncomfortable, but if the eagle wants to continue to live, it is also a vital step.

At the 40 mark eagles start to feel the burden of aging. No longer are they in their prime.
Their talons are becoming too long, yielding them unable to pick up their prey.
Their beaks become too bent.
Their wings get too heavy and their feathers become stuck on their chest, making flying difficult.

So the eagle must either change... or die!
The eagle flies up the mountain to its nest. It then proceeds to knock its beak against rocks until it can pluck it out.
The eagle waits for a new beak to grow back.
Once that happens, the eagle then pluck out its talons.
Once these have grown back the eagle then starts to pluck out its old age feathers.

This whole process takes 5 months!
But once it is done, the eagle sets out on its rebirth and lives for another 30 years.

How open am I to change?
Do i only embrace change when it is my idea?

Kaizan is the Japanese word for continual improvement. May we be like the eagle that no matter what the cost, we pursue growth... continual improvement.

Which of your idea's or ways of doing / seeing things needs a plucking?

I look for ward to your ccomments!