New York Times bestselling author, Donald Miller, discusses the surprising (and at times confusing) journey from being the well-known, well-loved author of Blue Like Jazz to becoming the founder of Business Made Simple, a wildly successful company that helps businesses succeed.
Carey and Don discuss why he’s made the multiple transitions he has, how it’s all part of the same journey, common mistakes leaders make, as well as how to drop a victim mentality.
Welcome to Episode 468 of the podcast. Listen and access the show notes below or search for the Carey Nieuwhof Leadership Podcast on Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts and listen for free.
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Pro Media Fire
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CDF Capital
As the church shifts away from lockdowns and uncertainty, the questions that lie ahead have not changed.
Now, more than ever, learning from each other is critically important.
CDF Capital’s XP Summit 2022, on May 24th and 25th, provides an opportunity to learn from some of the top global ministry leaders. This year’s theme is The Post-Pandemic Church. Be inspired and gain practical tools to help you navigate this season.
As part of your registration, you will get access to an exclusive digital library curated just for you. Additionally, you can extend your summit experience by joining an XP Summit Leadership Cohort. An exclusive opportunity to grow and connect in a small, intimate setting with other like-minded leaders.
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Conversation Links
Hero on a Mission by Donald Miller
Business Made Simple by Donald Miller
Building a StoryBrand by Donald Miller
Blue Like Jazz by Donald Miller
Traveling Mercies by Anne Lamott
Man’s Search for Meaning by Viktor E. Frankl
Yes to Life by Viktor E. Fankl
At Your Best by Carey Nieuwhof
Get Carey’s Content Straight to Your Inbox
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Insights From Donald
1. The business community has much it can learn from the Church
Donald Miller—author of the Christian bestseller Blue Like Jazz and the CEO of Business Made Simple—has his feet planted firmly in both the business and church worlds (which makes him a perfect guest for the podcast).
One of the most striking things Miller said during the interview was that he believes the business world is doing itself a disservice when it dismisses “church” as a place to learn incredibly rich lessons in business and leadership. For example, no other cultural institution on Earth is producing and distributing as much new content to a global audience as the Church does on a weekly basis.
2. Likewise, the Church can learn a lot from the business community
While some people may bristle at the idea of thinking about church “as a business,” it’s important to recognize there’s much to learn from modern business practices that cultivate brand awareness and customer loyalty. After all, the internal and external messages drawing someone into boutique fitness studies are very similar to the unmet needs and expectations that may attract someone to a church.
Additionally, people want to see vulnerability and authenticity from business leaders and brand ambassadors. A pastor who preaches on the importance of loving one’s neighbor on Sunday who also treats their staff like dirt probably won’t hold onto their platform for much longer.
3. Every day, we live as the hero, villain, victim or guide of our own story
In Donald Miller’s new book, Hero on a Mission, he breaks down the four major characters in every story—the hero, villain, victim and guide—that also define how we approach life. When you see yourself as the hero, life becomes a series of challenges to overcome and moral character to develop. When you’re the villain, you see people as obstacles to overcome and control.
If you approach life as a victim, you’ll view yourself at the mercy of forces totally outside of your control, doomed to a life without agency. And finally, the guides see themselves as dispellers of wisdom and clarity as a result of their hard-fought experience. Heroes and guides often experience life with a deep sense of meaning. Villains and victims don’t.
Quotes from Episode 468
The business community has more to learn about content creation and distribution from the Church than any other institution in the world. - @donaldmiller Click To Tweet The one thing they don’t teach you in business school is how to run a business. - @donaldmiller Click To Tweet The fact that life is meaningful is very hard to defend unless we agree on certain theological principles, but it's even harder to experience. - @donaldmiller Click To Tweet When you live as the hero and a guide, you experience a deep sense of meaning. When you live as a villain or victim, you don’t. - @donaldmiller Click To TweetRead or Download the Transcript for Episode 468
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Read or download a free PDF transcript of this episode here.
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Next Episode: Mark Sayers
Mark Sayers joins us for a wide-ranging conversation about the profoundly disorienting change leaders have been experiencing over the last two years, future church trends and what to expect in 2022 and beyond.
We cover supply chain disruptions, critical race theory, the revenge of nature, deconstruction and the challenge of control. This is part one of a six part Future series on the podcast.
Subscribe for free now so you won’t miss Episode 469.
