I am excited to share that my new book The Lens of Leadership is out TODAY! The book is all about shifting our perspective on life and leadership.

When you hear the word perspective, I want you to think about how each of us can see things differently. Consider an ocean view. It could be from the window of a hotel condominium; it could be with scuba diving gear on about to plunge into the deep; or it could be from a helicopter with the waves rolling below. In each position, you are looking at the same ocean, but when your perspective shifts, you see the same ocean in a totally new way.

In the book, I unpack nine areas that deserve a shift in our perspective, and my hope is that each reader will see familiar things in a new way. By simply changing the way we view things, it can radically alter how we do things.

Perspective is important because the way we view things changes how we do things.

In the introduction of The Lens of Leadership, I unpack theologian N.T. Wright’s explanation that the greatest lessons in the world are learned through contrast.

For example, look at the way Jesus taught. He didn’t just say, “I’m going to look for one little sheep that’s lost.” He asked us to imagine a shepherd that has 100 sheep and loses just one. That shepherd leaves the 99 to find the one that’s lost. A shepherd going to look for one sheep is kind of interesting, but when you think about a shepherd leaving 99 to go search for one, you feel the deep compassion and care that the shepherd has for one individual sheep. Through that lens, we see the story in a whole new light.

The same is true in Jesus’ parable of the talents. One man buries talents entrusted to him and simply brings them to the owner upon his return. In isolation, it’s not all that significant, but compared to the other men who invested their talents for the owner, the first man is shown to be lazy and a bad steward.

When you look at a concept, a principle, or an idea against the backdrop of something different, it helps us understand and see it more clearly. In the book, you’ll see that "gaining a clearer, wider, more accurate perception creates profound changes in every area of our lives." Everyone can benefit from seeing more clearly!

Check the book out, apply these principles to your life, and please share it with the people you love.

CLICK TO ORDER The Lens of Leadership

One of the most interesting things about writing a book is asking people for endorsements. You’re not only asking to put their name on the back of your book; you’re asking them to lend their credibility to you. You’re asking someone to leverage their name, their reputation, and even their company’s reputation to be an advocate for you. It’s true—endorsements are essential to successful book publishing and promotion. But endorsements also play an important role in many areas of our personal and professional lives.

We’re all looking for someone to endorse us, aren’t we? We desire for others to use their name on our behalf. We need references when we’re applying for a job or seeking new work. We need someone to vouch for us in our personal lives when we are trying to get a date. We need someone to recommend us when we’re trying sell our products and services. Whether it’s a business meeting or a conversation in the carpool line, we’re often asking or needing one person to speak on behalf of someone else. In fact, endorsement is one of the most powerful tools we can use to build our businesses or careers.

So, if endorsements are so important, how do you earn them? How do you find someone willing to stand up, speak on your behalf, and provide a testament about who you are and the work that you do?

I believe earning endorsement comes down to two essential elements: the quality of your work and the emotional connections you create.

1. The quality of your work.

People are not willing to put their names on something that’s not good or sub-par. One of the best ways to gain endorsement in life is to do good work. If you’re a painter, it means your workmanship is precise and consistent. If you’re a graphic designer, your artwork must be effective and unique. If you’re a writer, your words are clear and engaging. If you’re a restaurant owner, you create food that is satisfying and delicious. In your personal life, it means you live in a way that is above reproach. So in your work, are you producing something that is worthy of endorsement?

2. An emotional connection.

Most of the time, quality alone won’t compel someone to endorse you and your work. They might approve of it, but it’s unlikely they will go to the effort to speak on your behalf unless they feel connected to you. For me, there has to be something beyond a “job well done” that compels me to spend my time, my energy, and my relational capital to promote a product or a person to other people. People make the mistake of believing their quality work is enough, but it takes more than that for somebody to be your advocate.

Are you making connections that compel people to endorse you?

If endorsement has been important to you in your journey, consider using your name to advance the career of somebody else. Who are you endorsing? Your endorsement can have a profound impact on someone’s professional success. We could take an extra step to speak on someone’s behalf, and it could be the missing piece that gives them an opportunity for a promotion at their company, it could change the trajectory of their career, and it might even dramatically improve the financial situation of their family.

This week, consider the people in your life who are willing to endorse you and your work. At the same time, think about someone you can promote and encourage by lending your name and reputation. Try to earn endorsement more often and try to give endorsement more freely. We’re all on different personal and professional journeys, but each of us have the power and opportunity to help one another move forward.

I have a new book coming out on June 26th called The Lens of Leadership. It's all about perspective because I believe the way we view things changes how we do things.

PRE-ORDER The Lens of Leadership

A few weeks ago, there was a heated debate about athletics and salaries in the state of Georgia. The football coach from my alma mater, the University of Georgia, just received a raise after an incredible season this past fall. Kirby Smart is a public employee that works for a public university, and he just signed a $49 million contract—that’s $7 million a year for 7 years. The same day this contract was announced, Matt Ryan, the quarterback for my professional home team—the Atlanta Falcons—became the highest paid NFL player, receiving $30 million for one season.

I’d be willing to bet that many of you reading this have the same gut reaction that I did when I heard these numbers for the first time:

I can’t believe they make this much money. That’s insane. What is wrong with our world? It’s just sports! There are people doing real, meaningful work for almost nothing.

These are all thoughts that ran through my head, but after a moment, I realized that my way of thinking about this was all wrong. Do I believe that a football coach or football player is “worth” $30 million a year? Absolutely not. But is there a reasonable justification for them to make that amount of money? Absolutely. Here’s why: What they do, their skill set, and what they bring to the table is unique. I love educators. I am grateful for teachers. But, in our world, there are simply more people that can teach than throw a football accurately, make plays with precision, and physically do what Matt Ryan does. I’m thankful for medical professionals, but more people can become successful doctors and nurses than national championship-winning football coaches.

Lawyers can be incredible problem-solvers, case-makers, and advocates, but more individuals can serve the justice system effectively than successfully compete as a professional athlete or elite college football coach.

I know this is not a popular opinion. Don’t get me wrong; there are numerous professions that are good and valuable, but what the market is paying for—whether we agree with it or not—is not the value of the work but the uniqueness of a person’s skills and offerings. With this in mind, here’s the challenge for me and for you: What are you bringing to the world that only you can offer?

No, you and I will probably never get paid $30 million a year for what we do. But there is something more important here than money. We all have something unique, even remarkable, to bring to the table, and every day, we are in conversations and interactions where the world wants us to bring this thing to light.

It might be a something you do in your company that no one else in the organization can do.

It might be a unique way you serve your church week after week.

It might be a specific gift you use to serve your child’s school and make it a better place to learn.

It might be a distinct role that only you can play in your family.

Comparing ourselves to others can be frustrating. When other people receive more recognition, credit, or money for the things they do, we often get discouraged. But that’s not what matters. If we take the unique gifts God has given us and leverage them to give the world the best we have to offer, we become faithful stewards of the talents and abilities that he’s entrusted to us.

Our abilities might not earn us as much money or recognition as a professional athlete, but we should still focus on what we can do uniquely better than anyone else in order to positively impact our spheres of influence. If we focus more on that than how much money someone else is making, our world will be a better place.

So, let’s stop complaining and start contributing.

Let’s stop complaining and start contributing.

Every single one of us has been on a team. Whether it’s a little league sports team, a group working on a school project, a corporate team working on a sales strategy, or a rock ’n’ roll band, we will all experience excitement or disappointment as we work with other people to accomplish something. And undoubtedly, on every single team, there is a star—a front person, a leader, and a face of the team.

In NSYNC, it was Justin Timberlake. For many in the Civil Rights Movement, it was Martin Luther King Jr. In your corporate office, it might be your CEO. On your state championship-winning high school football team, maybe it was your quarterback. In every group, there’s a star, but teams would not exist, and certainly wouldn’t succeed, without the other contributing players.

I want this post to serve as a reminder to all of us that teams are made up of many valuable members. If you’re the star of your team, you need your teammates to make things happen. And if you’re in a supporting role, the work you do is important and vital to the success of your team.

Right now, the NBA finals are happening, and it reminds me of an example of the ultimate team player who you may have never heard of. Most people agree that Michael Jordan is one of the top basketball players of all time (we won’t argue the Lebron/Jordan debate here). One night, Jordan scored a career high of 69 points in one game. That same night, there was a rookie on his team named Stacy King that scored one point.

After the game, they interviewed King and asked him about the game and Michael Jordan’s remarkable performance. I love his response: “I will never forget this game. This was the night that Michael Jordan and I combined the score at 70 points.” Each of us can laugh at that statement, but it serves as a strong reminder. King was not put on the team to score a lot of points. His role was to rebound, play defense, and fill in the gaps, so his contribution played a role in one star getting to stand out. Yet, the whole team benefited. His efforts made the whole team succeed.

For some of you—on your team at your office, in your church, on your kickball team, in your nonprofit—you’re the star. Don’t forget the people that help support what you do. For others, you know what you do is important, but you get discouraged when the work you do is thankless, and you don’t get recognized for your efforts. Remember, your work is important. All of us, regardless of our role, play an essential piece in putting together a team, especially a team that’s going to win.

All of us, regardless of our role, play an essential piece in putting together a team, especially a team that’s going to win.

I have a new book coming out June 26th called The Lens of Leadership. It's all about perspective because I believe that way we view things changes how we do things. You can preorder the book here!

What in the world should I do with my life?

In the work that I am privileged to do, that’s one of the most challenging questions I get.

It’s daunting, both because I feel ill-equipped to answer, and even a little scary to think I might have the power to speak into someone’s life and influence what they do. In the past, I’ve been asked this question primarily by young people—high school students, college students, and young professionals—but now, it’s happening more with seasoned adults who are “successful” by the world’s standards but feel like they should be doing something different.

Unfortunately, this issue is sometimes even more complicated and challenging for Christians that have grown up in the church. We’ve been told that God has a plan for our lives—which is true—but we sometimes feel like it’s this elusive thing that we can’t quite grasp.

Candidly, I don’t have a magic formula to give you to figure out your purpose. However, I have found a successful rubric to help anyone get started. It’s less of a prescription that tells you exactly what to do and more of a lens to look through when you think about a plan for life.

The path to purpose is often found at the intersection of ability, affinity, and opportunity.

‍1. Affinity:

‍What do you enjoy doing? Fifty years ago, nobody would have asked you what you wanted to do; you would have rolled up your sleeves to complete the task at hand. But now, we’re frequently asked, “What are you passionate about?” And I think this is a good thing. I believe that God gives us desires and dreams, so when you’re looking for what to do with your life, your affinity (something that brings you joy) is a great place to start.

‍2. Ability:

‍I think far too many people stop at affinity. I am sick and tired of people telling young students, “Find whatever you want to do, and do it for the rest of your life.” In isolation, that is terrible advice. Some people want to do things that they aren’t good at, and if you have an affinity but lack ability, that should never be a career—it should be a hobby! Affinity is important, but you must couple that with ability to develop talent and pursue a trade.

‍3. Opportunity:

‍This element can be discouraging to people, but it’s the practical reality of the world we live in. It’s not enough that you enjoy something (affinity) and are good at it (ability), but is there an opportunity to put that talent into practice. Said another way, does the world need what you are trying to offer? If you’re in business, is there a need for your passion and skill set? This is especially true within organizations. I find so many professionals who are frustrated in their roles, but their organization doesn’t have an opportunity for them to pursue what they want to do. Rather than resenting your organization, I encourage you to go and find the place that has the opportunity you desire.

If you don’t find opportunity intersecting with your affinity and ability, it’s probably time to move down the list and find something else you can become passionate about and can develop an ability to do. Oftentimes, finding your God-given purpose in life won’t happen with a lightning flash from the sky. But if you’re seeking for what to do next, particularly in your career, this a good place to start. What are the desires God has put in your heart? What are the giftings he’s given you? And what opportunities do you have to step into these two things? Where affinity, ability, and opportunity intersect is where we find ourselves in our element.

For a number of years, I’ve worked in businesses that I’ve helped start. And I have no doubt that in my early days of entrepreneurship, my parents would probably have said the same thing Ted Turner said about his son, “My son is now an 'entrepreneur.' That's what you're called when you don't have a job.”

There are exciting things about entrepreneurship, and there are scary things about it. But ultimately, I became an entrepreneur because I believe like John Mackey, CEO of Whole Foods, that “the best way to solve the world’s most pressing problems is to start a company.”

Fortunately, that's the work we get to do every day at ADDO, so I want to talk about three problems our company is solving that I believe other companies can solve as well.

1. Education:

As a business, we get to sell products and services that meet needs, and one area of focus for us is education. Unfortunately in education, people are often forced to choose between something that is effective and something that is affordable. I think for too long those terms have been mutually exclusive, so that’s why we’re creating high-quality products and making them accessible to schools. It's why we created an elementary school program called The Voyage. It’s why we partner with Chick-fil-A to promote high school leadership. We’re trying to change education because education, in many ways, is the great equalizer.

2. Empowerment:

Another way we’re changing the world is through empowerment, and we believe one of the most effective ways to empower people is through job creation. It’s not just the customers you serve and the content you create, but it’s providing opportunities for individuals to support themselves and their families. It’s giving people a chance to do a job that has purpose. I think there are many selfish people working to change the world because they only create ways for themselves to make a difference. It’s important to invite people to join you on the journey, so more people get to play a part in changing lives, and in doing so, they provide for themselves and their families. And as an added bonus, because you put people around you and empower them, your reach is much greater.

3. Equality:

At ADDO, we want to use the programs we create to level the playing-field. We want to give all students opportunities and skills, so they can explore things that may not have previously been available to them. It’s why we believe helping businesses engage and train people early in their careers is critical, because one job could be the difference between someone who spends their career stuck on the lower end of the socio-economic spectrum and someone with the skills necessary to catapult them to a whole new level. Ability is spread equally across society, but opportunity is not. We want to play a pivotal role in providing opportunities for people, and we’re doing this through education and empowerment. By educating people and empowering them, we’re working toward creating equal opportunity for all.

Ability is spread equally across society, but opportunity is not. We want to play a role in providing opportunities for people, and we’re doing this through education and empowerment.

I know a lot of people who are passionate about making a difference, but too few of them see business as a mechanism to do that. Business is not just a way to change the world—I believe it’s the best and most effective way to change the world. If you’re in the business world right now and think you need to quit and join a nonprofit to change the world, you need to think again. You can make a difference in your company. If you have an idea, a burden, or a vision to start something new, what’s holding you back?

Get to work. Start your business. And invite people to join you on your journey to change the world.

I want you to take a journey with me back to your childhood. What was the most ridiculous gift you ever asked for? If you really think about it, you probably remember some pretty outlandish requests. In fact, I’d be willing to bet that 90% of the people reading this asked their parents for a horse at some point, even though you grew up in the city or the suburbs and owning a horse wouldn’t be practical at all.

When we were children, we asked for whatever we desired, regardless of feasibility or cost. However, as we get older, we become more self-aware, so we stop making crazy requests. While that can certainly be a good thing, too often we allow embarrassment or fear to keep us from asking for what would make a huge difference, both for us and others.

One of the greatest lessons that Garrett—my good friend and business partner—has taught me over the years is to not be afraid to ask. When he started a non-profit, he was a 22-year-old recent college graduate and asked the head football coach at the university to join his board. When we started a business together, Garrett wasn’t afraid to ask for the money we needed to get going. When he wrote his most recent book, he asked for endorsements from some of the top celebrities in the world. (Many of them said yes!) I admire his bravado and lack of fear.

For too many people reading this, there is something you have always wanted, and you’ve been too afraid to go for it or ask for it.

I hope this blog will push you out of your comfort zone and challenge you to make the ask.

John D. Rockefeller Jr. challenged this fear when he said, "Never think you need to apologize for asking someone to give to a worthy cause, any more than as though you were giving him or her an opportunity to participate in a high-grade investment. The duty of giving is as much his or hers as is the duty of asking yours."

There are people who have always wanted to go on a mission trip, but they’re afraid to ask family and friends for money. If that is you, don’t wait any longer.

If you’re passionate about feeding the hungry, send the email, make the call, and don’t be afraid to ask people to support you by donating food, service, or time.

If there is a mentor you’ve been seeking, ask them to spend time with you, so you can learn from them.

If there is a project you’d like to work on at your job, don’t be afraid to ask your manager to let you join the team.

I’m not promising that someone will always say “yes.” But when you actually have the courage to ask, two things happen: 1) a surprising amount of times people do say yes, and 2) hearing “no” doesn’t hurt nearly as much as you think it will. In our minds, somebody saying “no” feels like the sky will fall, our ego will permanently break, and we’ll have to wear a sign around our neck that says, “Somebody said ‘no’ to me.” In reality, once someone says “no,” you realize it’s not that bad, and in some strange way, it gives you more courage to ask more often.

When you actually have the courage to ask, two things happen: 1) a surprising amount of times people do say yes, and 2) hearing “no” doesn’t hurt nearly as much as you think it will.

The people that I’ve met who have the biggest impact are the people who have gotten over their fear of what everyone else thinks about them. These people are not afraid to ask, especially when what they are asking for is good, valuable, and worthy.

Do you remember show and tell?

Imagine yourself as a kindergartner, and your teacher explains that there will be no more “showing” in show and tell. You would be outraged. How boring would it be if there was no showing? You would stand at the front of the class by yourself and tell your classmates about something you had to leave at home. It would cause every student to beg for nap time. Kindergartners with the most exciting show and tell presentations have the coolest things to show the class. The telling is secondary. In fact, none of the other kindergartners will remember what’s being said. Surprisingly, the same basic principle applies to business and life.

We recently updated ADDO's website to reflect the trajectory of our business and the people involved in our work. Throughout this process, we worked with a website development company called Whiteboard, and they challenged me to think differently about this new iteration of the website.

They explained that websites work most effectively if they show rather than tell. In the past, you told the customers visiting your site what you could do for them with catch-phrases, buzzwords, and well-crafted marketing language detailing your products and services. But today, the most effective sites do a lot less telling and a lot more showing. They show the work you’ve done and how you’ve achieved success through real-life examples with other clients and trust the person viewing your website to do two things:

1) See how you’ve made a difference for somebody else.

2) And look through the lens of the work you’ve done for another client and see that your company can serve them too.

By showing stories of success and the ways we’ve made a difference, we empower potential clients to make a well-informed decision for themselves. That’s why we’re so excited about our new website. We have more work, credibility, and success to share and used half the words we did last time because we’re making the decision to show rather than tell. Showing rather than telling is not only a great idea for a website; it’s a great idea for life. We spend so much time telling people what we can do, but it’s far more effective to show them.

We spend so much time telling people what we can do, but it’s far more effective to show them.

Instead of telling your boss you’re committed, show up early, do the extra work, and add value to your company. It’s great to discuss the importance of character with your kids, but it’s far more effective to model it to them.

It’s good to be passionate about improving your local community, but it’s far more impactful to organize a team, pick up a rake, and clean up your favorite park.

It’s important to know and share what you believe, but it will fall on deaf ears unless it changes the way you live your life.

It’s one thing to tell someone you care about them, and it’s another to show up in their time of need.

Benjamin Franklin said it best: “Well done is better than well said.” Telling is good, but showing is better. So save your words, and make a difference in the world around you.

When I look out at the landscape of society, it seems like people are getting pushed into opposite corners. Years ago, before social media, we used to be friends with all kinds of people, discovering some of our differences as relationships progressed and, sometimes, never even knowing where each other stood on polarizing issues. Now, we know everyone’s political party affiliation, religious beliefs, and how they feel about the latest news or controversy from their new profile picture, updated status, or latest post.

I recently had a conversation with a friend who admitted that there are many people she meets that she likes, but once she sees their social media activity, she develops a negative opinion of them, and, honestly, doesn’t want to be friends with them anymore. More issues increasingly push us in different directions. Politics is the clearest dividing line, but it’s not the only one. In our churches, we’re divided over the best style of worship music for our Sunday services. In our schools, we’re divided over the most effective ways to teach math to elementary school students. Even in our workplaces, we find ourselves divided over issues.

The worst part about the division is that it typically forces individuals to have one of two reactions:

1). They are loudly passionate about their convictions.

2). They are compassionate to the point of cowardice.

I find that that the individuals who appear firm in their convictions, often come across as angry. Their tone is harsh, and they talk like they have a bone to pick with anyone who disagrees with them. They are certainly firm in what they believe, but they’re unloving and, sometimes, flat out rude.

On the other hand, my friends who display more compassion on the surface, seem like they don’t have a spine. They are kind and loving to other people, but they waver in their beliefs, neither unsure or unwilling to actually stand for something. Rick Warren diagnoses this problem and offers a solution for us: Our culture has accepted two huge lies. The first is that if you disagree with someone’s lifestyle, you must fear or hate them. The second is that to love someone means you agree with everything they believe or do. Both are nonsense.

"You don’t have to compromise convictions to be compassionate." - Rick Warren

This post is a plea for all of us to exercise compassionate conviction. I believe it’s possible to stand for what we believe and still love people well. In fact, if we are serious about our beliefs, this is the only way we will ever win others to our side.

Don’t buy the lie that you either have to compromise your convictions to be compassionate, or that you must distance yourself from anyone who disagrees with you.

Compassionate Conviction. Convictional Compassion.

Call it whatever you want; our world needs more of it.