1. Dale Partridge- CEO and Chief Word Changer at Sevenly, plus die hard entrepreneur and writer.

2. Jeremy Lin- recent phenom and point guard for the New York Knicks. Linsanity!!

3. Justin Buzzard- pastor of Garden City Church in Silicon Valley, author of soon to release book Date Your Wife.

4. Beth Redman- author, songwriter, worship leader, wife of Matt, and part of 27 Million movement – releasing the hit song on Feb 27.

5. Matt Barkley- quarterback for the USC Trojans, and Heisman Trophy leading candidate for 2012.

6. Dhati Lewis- Lead pastor and Church planter for Blueprint in Atlanta, and founder of The ReBuild Initiative.

7. Jen Hatmaker- mom, speaker, and entertaining author of nine books and Bible studies, including her most recent book Seven.

Let me know if you have recommendations for future Young Influencers Lists, and give these folks a follow on Twitter!

But I learned some solid leadership lessons playing the point, and when I watch great point guards play basketball still today there are lessons that emerge. Here are a few that we can apply to our own leadership paradigms:

1. Making a great pass is as important as making a great shot. Helping someone else on your team succeed is in many ways more important than you being the star.

2. Know the team better than anyone else. Point guards have to be aware of the strengths of each member of the team and understand how best to motivate them and bring out their best.

3. Preparation, knowledge and awareness. As a point guard, you have to be a coach on the court. An extension of your head coach. Part of your responsibility is to read defenses, set up your own defense, and adapt. Being prepared means being knowledgable and smart.

4. Keep your offense in rhythm and on task. Point guards distribute the ball to the playmakers. You have to understand who’s hot and make sure they get the ball, while keeping everyone still involved in the rhythm of the game. This is a tough skill to master.

5. Call the play, and execute the game plan. Point guards must be prepared, but also must make it happen and execute. Ultimately, the point guard has to be a Catalyst and get things done.

6. If needed, take over the game and make a play. Great leaders and great point guards can do this on command. Spread the offense out and take the game winning shot. Steal the ball. Start a fast break. Get the crowd involved. Put the team on your shoulders if needed.

For you basketball experts, what other lessons have you noticed from the great point guards? 

All of us greet differently. There is no right or wrong.

These are a few of my thoughts on Greetings that might create a few laughs. Most of these are related to greetings within the office, but a few are appropriate anywhere.

Enjoy these and add more below in the comments section!

1. If I don’t know you, we’re probably not going to hug. Let’s stick with a firm handshake for the first introduction. And no fist pumps if we don’t know each other.

2. If I’ve already seen you that day, we don’t have to regreet each other. Regardless of in the office, at an event, or at a social gathering, we’ve already established a connection, so no need to have to re-establish that. Stick with a simple head nod or a thumbs up, or just walk by like gunslingers in an alley.

3. When greeting, avoid using nicknames that you think are funny and the other person doesn’t. Not necessarily a good way to build a bridge.

4. For greeting those you know, I prefer the clasp and hug, not just the straight hug. Straight hugging can get awkward, but when you go to the clasp handshake first, it establishes a point of contact to then hug from.

5. When in doubt, the high five still works. Especially for those you know well or work with. No words, just a high five. The fist bump can also be substituted in here.

6. Unless you really want to know, don’t ask me how I’m doing. Just make a statement instead, a statement that stands on its own, that doesn’t require a response from me. Something like “today’s the day” or “there he is!” or “you’re the man!”

7. Greet with a compliment whenever appropriate. Such as “I really like that shirt!” or “I appreciate you!” or “that jacket looks great on you!” Those who greet with compliments are always remembered and someone you always like seeing.

8. If we are just exchanging friendly passerby greetings, don’t ask me something deep, or something that requires me to necessarily stop for a complete conversation. Again, I love conversations, but if we’re passing by, that probably means we are both on our way somewhere.

9. If I know who’s calling me on my phone, because of caller ID, I’ll usually greet them with a customized greeting vs. a standard greeting. You should do the same. If I am confident of who is calling, I don’t need to say “This is Brad.” But maybe “what’s up bigtime” or “where are you?” or “you ready to go?” Feel free to say the other person’s name in your customized greeting.

10. The holy kiss only works in the following scenarios: 1. family, 2. older women or men, 3. spouses of close friends as long as the close friend is present. Always on the cheek, never on the lips.

If you are considering attending, you’ll want to go ahead and REGISTER TODAY to get the BEST RATES on tickets.

TODAY, February 16th  is the early registration deadline, so go ahead and get your team or staff signed up at the lower prices. And when you register, use Rate Code FOB for an additional 10% off. Just for being a part of this blog community.

Here are 10 reasons why I am excited about Catalyst West, and why you should attend:

1. The speaker lineup- Andy Stanley, Erwin McManus, Tony Hawk (skateboard legend), Marcus Buckingham (Strengthsfinder), Craig Groeschel, Brenda Salter McNeil, Nancy Duarte, Donald Miller, David Platt, Dave Gibbons, Charles Jenkins, and Bob Goff. This lineup has me jacked. Seriously. I’m pumped!

2. Gungor- one of my favorite bands on the planet.

3. Tripp and Tyler- funny guys. funny videos. they will be funny.

4. OPEN YOUR FREE PRESENT- there are 30 songs and other great resources available to you for FREE on the Catalyst West Website. Go and open your free present NOW!

5. BE PRESENT- this is our theme. And I love it.

6. LABS- wow, the wisdom and know-how that will be presenting on LABS day is humbling. Come a day early and hear from thought leaders like Michael Hyatt, Jon Acuff, David Kinnaman, Rick McKinley, Charles Lee, Jeremy Cowart, Bob Goff, Lysa Terkeurst, Chris Seay, Carlos Whittaker, and many others!

7. Opening and Closing Session at LABS- Jon Acuff will be presenting in the opening session of Labs, and Britt Merrick will be presenting in the closing session. Jon is the author of Quitter and Stuff Christians Like, and Britt is the author of Big God and soon to release God Speed.

8. 3500 Leaders- Catalyst attracts the doers, the influencers, the cultural architects, and change agents. And when you get 3500 leaders and influencers who are intent on making a difference together, great things happen.

9. Mariners Church- a breathtaking campus in Irvine, CA. Lots of green space, and a staff that is incredible to work with. The Mariners team is family, and we love working with them!

10. The Unexpected- Our prayer is always that God would move in the hearts of the leaders who are part of Catalyst in ways we don’t expect or plan for. We love creating what we consider to be a great event, but we trust and know that God shows up in unexpected ways and meets each leader in specific ways. We love hearing stories of life change, of moments of clarity, of great conversations, of powerful times of renewal, of leader’s walk with Jesus becoming stronger, etc. The experience of Catalyst is what we all look forward to.

Make sure and Register TODAY. Can’t wait to see you there!

However, most of us, at the end of the day, default towards INACTION. We lean towards giving up, quitting, stalling, “redirecting” our attention, or procrastinating. We start with a great idea, but getting to the finish line and “shipping” as Seth Godin likes to say is a rarity.

One of the things I love about our Catalyst team is that we have team members who get it done. Action and execution is one of our core values. Action and completion is what drives why and how we do what we do. I love being around leaders who are passionate about making ideas happen and moving the ball across the finish line.

So, a few points on being a leader of action, and not inaction, and making sure this permeates through your organization:

1. create a plan and stick to it.

2. set up a culture that is motivated towards completion, not just idea creation.

3. find doers, not talkers.

4. as the leader, let your team manage up way more than you manage down. Reversing the micromanaging system that many type A leaders automatically set up can free your team up to get things done. Make sure your team knows that on projects they are leading, you are just as accountable to them on getting things done as they are to you on projects you are leading.

5. if a project or initiative needs to be dropped, kill it immediately. Don’t hesitate in freeing up your team to focus on the things that are truly important and need to get done.

6. Reward and celebrate action. Constantly. Let your team take pride in getting things done.

7. Model it. Ultimately, the best way to create a culture of action is to show and tell. You have to live this out as the leader. If you are motivated towards execution and getting things done, your team will be as well. I know many leaders who talk a lot about getting things done, but think that it’s ultimately someone else’s job on the team. This won’t work.

In thinking about the best personal advice I’ve ever received, here are a few that stand out:

My dad’s advice- “Never let someone out work you.”

My mom- “present yourself with excellence, including your appearance and your words.”

And St. Francis- “Preach the Gospel at all times, and if necessary, use words.” He actually didn’t tell me this one in person, and could be used by many others…. But it is such a good statement I had to include it.

Another one for me is “Listen way more than you talk. Be the best question asker in the world.” And “Do what you love” and “Keep it simple.” 

How about you? What’s the best advice you’ve ever received?

2. Fake plants in the office

3. Radio Stations

4. Salvation Bracelets

5. Fax Machines

6. License plates on your front bumper

7. Home Phones

8. Blue tooth earpieces

9. Local news

10. Church Bulletins

11. Phone holsters

12. Doc Martins

13. Pleats

14. Your name plate on your desk

15. CD’s

16. Trust falls

17. Nickelback

18. Combovers

19. Pennies

20. Encyclopedias

21. Phone Booths

22. Feauxhawks

23. Newspapers

What else would you add to the list?

I’m a little late to the game in reviewing 2011 since it’s now already the first part of February 2012, but oh well.

Here you go:

Favorite new band: Seryn

Favorite new artist: Josh Garrels 

Favorite song: 10,000 Reasons by Matt Redman

Favorite organization: Atlanta Mission

Favorite movie: Moneyball 

Favorite book: Unbroken

Favorite TV Show: Gold Rush

Favorite App for iPad: Fruit Ninja and Netflix

Favorite new person: Katie Davis, founder of Amazima Ministries and author of Kisses from Katie

Favorite sports figure: Tim Tebow. Duh.

Favorite Catalyst moment for me: tie between John Perkins and Eugene Peterson- presenting the Catalyst Lifetime Achievement Award to them individually at Catalyst Dallas and Catalyst West.

Favorite video: all the antics from Tripp and Tyler in 2011. Too many to list!!

One thing I’ve noticed about those who have “arrived” in terms of influence, and stature, and credibility, is that they are usually the kind of leader who authentically takes an interest in you when you first meet them. They ask good questions, and are genuinely interested in talking with you and learning more about you. They look you in the eyes. I noticed this with several leaders I met for the first time last week, as well as friends who I got to catch up with and hadn’t seen for a while. They didn’t gaze around the room looking for someone else to talk to- they truly engaged in conversation with me. Very authentic. Very real. Interested and eye to eye.

Then there’s the “posers.” John Maxwell categorizes these kind of folks as “climbers.” As with any other gathering, party, function, or event, everyone wants to see who else is in the room. Especially those who aren’t as “well known.” And they are way more interested in climbing than connecting. Talking to you is just simply a step in the right direction to someone else who is way more important.

That really bothers me. And I know I’ve been guilty of doing this before. And that bothers me even more.

So let’s all commit to truly being present in conversations, especially with new folks. Last week, I was reminded of how important it is to focus on who and what is in front of you. Being present. Whatever environment you are in, it’s way more important to be a concerned connector rather than a climber.

Reality is, most people shouldn’t fly on airplanes because they simply lack airplane etiquette. I have flown in the last 16 years around 850,000 miles, on basically every carrier, and visited 14 countries and almost every US state. Many of you have flown much, much more than me, and have way more experience and insight, so feel free to add your own points to this ever evolving list. Power to the flying people on this one. Will make a good coffee table book in the future…..

The 14 people I try and avoid when flying……

1. The middle armrest hog Harry- here’s the deal, middle seat boy always gets first right of refusal on armchair left and armchair right of their seat. If someone is sitting in the middle, the least you can do is allow them to have elbow space. Leaner Larry sitting in the aisle seat has no right to invade your space, nor does Window Wally.

2. Quick draw cellphone Charlie- seriously, this annoys me to no end. Wheels down and cellphone on. Can you wait at least a few minutes before getting on your cell phone and talking as loud as possible so that you seem somewhat important to those around you, when we all know that all you did was just call the person most likely to answer so that you could act like something was incredibly important and couldn’t wait. Give me a break. How about 5 minutes of downtime before you jump back into cell phone land- and start making calls once you are off the plane.

3.  Can’t quit chatting Cathy- is it really necessary that you talk on your phone until the flight attendant has to tell you to turn it off, at which moment you act like you are done and then jump right back on the same phone call. You are such a rebel…. Stop it. Whatever it is can wait. Stop it now.

4. Move forward 1 or 2 rows when you are in the back Marvin- there is an unwritten rule in airplane etiquette- upon arriving at the gate, you cannot advance more than one row past where you were sitting, unless previously allowed through announcement or special circumstances authorized only by the senior flight attendant or captain. Otherwise, stay in your row, and beyond that, just stay in your seat. Is it really that important that you save 7 seconds by moving forward and hacking everyone off? Foreigners are the typical culprits on this one…. there needs to be an international handbook on etiquette written immediately, if not sooner.

5. Nothing to read, write, or do Danny- honestly, you are on a three hour flight and brought nothing with you to work on, watch, read, write, or listen to. Are you serious? So the entire flight you try to sleep, but can’t, so instead you just annoy everyone around you. Buy an ipod, or a walkman, or at least a newspaper.

6. Tommy Turnaround- the guy in front of me on a number of occasions actually turned around and sat on his armchair facing me, sitting high and looking over the back of his chair. He was reading a book, but it was still creepy.

7. Larry the shoulder Leaner- Larry is in the middle, I am in the aisle, and he leans on me as he falls asleep. All over my shoulder. Actually all over me in general. Multiple elbows, throat clears, and side swipes don’t seem to alleviate the issue.

8. Wrong Way Wes- so you know how everybody stands up when the plane gets to the gate, even though you still have 5 minutes before you are even thinking of exiting the plane. So Wes decides to stand up, and then instead of facing towards the front of the plane like everyone else, he decides to stand and look in my direction, towards the back of the plane. Multiple minutes of trying to avoid eye contact at close range is a difficult task!

9. Pulls on my seat to get up Paul- this guy kills me. The headrest part of my seat is not designed for you to grab when you are getting up out of your seat behind me. And it’s also not meant to grab when you are walking down the aisle to the bathroom.

10. Butt in my face Barry and Carry on Carrie- Usually they are together, or even the same person. Can you please be conscious of where your rear end and other parts are being placed when you are lifting that 100 lb carry on bag up into the luggage bins. And while I’m at it, your carry on is supposed to fit neatly in the bins above, not fitting by spending 15 minutes cramming it in using all possible means necessary, along with two flight attendants with hammers and wrenches…. And finally, your carry on luggage is not meant to be rolled down the aisle like you are in the Airport lobby. Pick it up and carry it. You hit everyone in the knees and the feet on the way down the aisle and also catch the carry on bag strap 13 times on the arm rests.

11. My kids are your kids Kelly- you know this one, right? The parent who changes the dirty diaper right next to you, as well as naturally feeds their children in clear sight, and also allows them to basically make your flight a complete living hell for 3-4 hours because of screaming, crying, crawling, grasping, and sucking all life out of you.

12. No touch Norm- a simple problem. Norm thinks that by pushing much harder on the monitor display (on the back of your seat) with his fingers, that somehow the channels will change quicker and the volume will adjust easier. He also fails to show any sense of touch when readjusting his trayback table into the back of your seat.

13. Bad Attitude Amanda- the flight attendant who thinks it’s his or her job to make your experience on the flight like going through basic training at Fort Bragg.

14. Up Every Five Minutes Mike- drives me crazy. Down the aisle to talk to their friends, go to the bathroom, chat up the flight attendants, ask for some extra pretzels, get their bag out of the overhead bin, and on and on. Sit down! And stay seated!