Leader Lab with Andy Bruce

We've all seen it. The woman we've invested in stalls out in her spiritual growth. Or disappears altogether. Or panics when, after a long season of intense and enjoyable spiritual growth, suddenly comes to an end. Why faith doesn’t seem to stick for some people? In today's episode, we're talking about spiritual growth. This stuff is so important because, as leaders, we see the problems, but if don’t know what’s causing them, we won't be helpful in solving them. So let's talk about a really helpful filter to understand spiritual growth, then let's get practical about what this means for the women we serve, and for what this means for us as leaders. 

I know you’ve been there. You are leading with men - you’re in meetings, you are a supervisor, you implement the vision of the guy at the top, you collaborate with guys - whatever it looks like, it’s pretty inevitable that you do or will lead with men. So, as women who love Jesus, what’s the deal? How do we do this?

For the last month I’ve been chewing on some stuff and I’m thrilled to share it with you because there are so many implications for us as women leaders. So here’s our plan. Let’s spend a few minutes talking about what we know about Phoebe from the Bible. Even though there are only 2 verses, we can learn or at least infer a lot. Then, I want to look at 3 or 4 really interesting words that Paul uses to describe or refer to her. Whoa! This is where this stuff gets juicy! I don’t know about you, but I’m all jazzed up about this.

You know the group you lead or are a part of that doesn't seem to catch traction? Or that relationship that isn't cutting it? Let's talk about 3 SIMPLE ways to open your mouth and invite others into the process. These 3 SIPMLE things are my go-to when it comes to leadership. And over the years as I've taught them to friends and leaders, their stories of group shift are the proof in the pudding. Join the conversation!

As a leader, I need to be able to lead myself, not just other people. And we all know leading ourselves requires discipline, planning, follow through, integrity, etc. But catch this. If we struggle to lead ourselves - i.e. we don’t follow through on personal goals, we’re struggling to read Scripture, there’s a gap in how we behave at home and at church - we will struggle with impostor syndrome. You know what I mean by that, don’t you? Impostor syndrome is a mindset that says, “I’m a fraud. I can’t really do this. If people knew what I was really like… I shouldn’t be here.” Here’s the thing about imposter syndrome. Women who love Jesus really struggle with this. And then the internal dialogue really goes sideways: “I can’t do what God asks.” This is big stuff, my friends! So yeah, being women who finish what they start really matters. So let’s talk about personal momentum because when you know how to leverage it in your personal disciples and your new thing for the year, you don’t have to work so hard.

Today we’re talking about what you can do when you experience a tension that creates anxiety. For me, when I experience anxiety, my default is to disappear from people. Today on the podcast I’m sharing 5 experiments, a metaphor, and some ideas on how to overcome disappearing/taking steps back. Let’s do this!

It’s a new year, which means most people have a new goal they are working toward. Bad news: stats say less than 10% of those who start a new thing won’t finish it. But not me. I’ve learned through lots and lots of failures, and a good handful of successes how to finish personal goals. On today’s episode I’m sharing a few principles on starting something new/changing something and the 5 steps I use to implement a change. Because learning how to cross the finish line on the small things matters.

Okay my friend, confession time. Every year I do this weird and annoying thing right after Thanksgiving. I put a lot of pressure on myself to REALLY experience Jesus during Christmas time. The problem is, it never quite works out, leaving me feeling guilty and bummed. BUT…. this year, I’m having a BLAST engaging with the nativity story, doing new spiritual reflections, all the while having a great time. So, take a listen to Andy’s version of the 12 Days of Christmas - which by the way has nothing to do with the song - that has been a game changer.

Hey gang. So it’s Christmas time right now which means my family and I are doing all our favorite traditions, and just to warn you - we have a lot of them. And I bet you do too. This episode is filled with practicals to incorporate when your family/team/friends/etc. do your fun and meaningful traditions. So let's talk about what makes traditions work, why they matter, what kills traditions, and how to start them.