Experience & Innovation

I came across a great article today that really resonates with where I am at in my journey of leading a student ministry. After 10 years I am wondering where my experience is becoming a stumbling block in my leadership. Is my experience getting in the way of being innovative? Where's the balance?

Towards the end of the article this quote got me, "There's nothing wrong with experience," said Mr. Marino, the company's president. "The problem is when experience gets in the way of innovation. As founders, the one thing we know is that we don't know all the answers."

I want my next ten years of leadership to be characterized by not having all the answers and empowering those around me. Do I have the right leaders around me? Am I the right leader?

I don't want to be the only big idea guy who makes everyone do what I want. I want shared leadership. Shared ideas. Shared vision. Shared values. Shared successes.

New York Times writer, William C. Taylor wrote this piece, "Here's an idea: Let everyone have ideas" which I read in the Herald Tribune.