The problem with engines is that they create friction. The problem with friction is that it kills engines.

Every engine generates friction, no matter how well engineered or manufactured. And ultimately, there are only two ways to overcome the deadly heat caused by that friction: shut down the engine or use oil.

Engines in open-wheeled Indy cars—those high-tech multimillion dollar marvels—operate at over 10,000rpms. They can fly around the two and one-half mile oval of Indianapolis at speeds over 220mph. That translates into lots of heat. Yet, with the miracle lubricant of oil they can endure that heat and sustain that speed for 500 miles!

In any organization, the very things that create your capacity for accomplishment, progress, impact, etc. create friction. That friction is often experienced as miscommunication, agenda-confusion, administrative frustration, the tensions of growth, etc. I don’t know the culture of your business or organization, but in ministry settings—the place where most of my leadership energy is focused—it seems like personal conflict or is one of the common crippling forms of friction. And, we are so afraid of conflict that our knee jerk reaction to friction of any kind is try to make it go away.

What if you can’t make that heat go away? What if it is fundamentally impossible to move forward without creating heat? What if as the power of your engine increases—your capacity for great things—the heat you are create increases as well? And, what if shutting down “your engine” to make all friction subside is the wrong way to go?

There is no way around it, every organization requires oil and that oil is vision.**

Vision puts everything in perspective; makes sacrifice palatable; and provides something much bigger than personal preference as the governing focus. Vision has a way of lifting people’s attention to a higher plane. Vision gives everyone and every challenge you face a compelling reason. A reason to look beyond the temporary friction.

Now, by vision I am not talking about the caricature of polished pointless words or some wild-eyed plan that is out of touch with reality. Real vision is anchored in reality in a way that connects real need with real opportunity. Vision disconnected from reality is only a fantasy. Vision disconnected from urgency is just another idea in a mind-numbing world of ideas. Vision anchored in reality and motivated by urgency is compelling.

A simple definition: vision describes a picture of what the future could be like.  It describes a picture of the future in terminology so specific that you can actually measure progress toward it.

• it is deeper than a motto or slogan
• it need not fit on a t-shirt
• it gives people a sense of destination that is clear enough to understand and pursue
• it is not powerful because of its packaging, but is made powerful by the compelling nature of what it describes
• it is concrete enough to fail at!, even simple in nature can be the most compelling

This issue of noREDcapes is dedicated to the topic of vision. If you peruse the articles you will find practical perspectives as well as tools to help you develop and communicate your vision. Behind it is the desire to help you infuse fresh oil into the capacity of the people you lead.

Each issue will focus on a theme and resources you can use with those that you lead. It is my desire to empower men and women like you who lead teams, churches, businesses, schools, even families. It is for people like you who are given daily opportunities to shape the lives of others and through them the world.

How I got started journaling the lessons that will populate noredcapes.com is another story, but it is my hope that over time you will add to this effort. I would love to see this site serve as a catalytic hub of collaborative learning with many contributors and that it resources leaders in a profound way. So, add your comments regularly and when you find you have a journal entry to submit, send it to me. I actually believe that God never teaches us anything for our benefit alone. What he has entrusted to us is meant to be given away to others.

And I guess I should be forthright. While I think that most of the lessons to appear here should apply whether you are a business owner or a bible-teaching pastor, I believe the intersection of life and leadership is a deeply spiritual place. These lessons were learned as I have sought to follow and learn from Jesus-the greatest leader of all time. That bias will be evident-some times more than others-and I make no apology.

Just as blood carries oxygen and nutrients to the organs and muscles of the human body, the process of communication infuses every aspect of an organization with life. And, just as blood carries away spent cells and impurities, so too, the return loop of communication does a healing work.

Leaders understand how important good communication is and how much our media savvy culture creates the need for an ever-increasing skill set.

Like me, you communicate every day through the conversations, presentations, emails, writing assignments, and meetings you are responsible for. Like me, you are always looking for ways to improve and methods for sharpening your skills.

This inaugural issue of noredcapes.com focuses on the theme of communication. Like the issues to come, this one includes a combination of articles, downloadable resources, and book reviews that orbit around the hub of communication. I hope they stimulate new thinking and new behavior in you.

Specifically, check out the article, “The Power of Airtime.” It takes a fresh look at how the substance of corporate communication shapes your organizational culture. The resource: “Leaders Connect the Dots” unpacks the essence of a simple practice that can radically shape the awareness and ownership of your vision among your people. I’ve also included reviews of two books I recommend which will inform your communication practices.

The subject of communication is clearly much bigger than these few initial offerings. But at the same time, I hope these ideas start your wheels turning in new ways.

Some specific implications of this principle:

• Airtime is not neutral. How you spend it will shape perceptions and expectations throughout your business, church or organization-either positively or negatively.
• Don’t give away airtime indiscriminately or to placate people. Others will read into your decision an intentionality you never intended.
• Tell stories about the behavior, character, and experiences of those whom you would like others to emulate. Be intentional about making heroes of those whose lives and contributions you would like multiplied.
• Treat the airtime available to you as a precious commodity. You can only spend it once.
• Unlike money, airtime cannot be saved and stored up. However it can be protected and spent wisely.
• As the most precious commodity in the organization, we should not be surprised when people fight for it.

PERSONAL REFLECTION

• Thinking about the things you talk or write about in public within your church, business, or organization…what are the subjects that regularly receive attention and which subjects are typically ignored?
• Which people or type of people are you most often telling stories about? (What are these stories or announcements telling people that you value?)
• What behaviors or values would you most like to see replicated by people in your organization? Who best models it and when could you have them tell more of their story in front of your people?
• Whose stories or announcements do you need to cut back on?
• When is the next opportunity for communication with a larger group of your people? (Newsletter, church service, staff meeting, ??) What are the top 1-2 issues that need to be placed in front of your congregation and who best embodies those issued.