More changes

We are in this together

As you know, I am asked to do a variety of consulting projects to help with many different areas of Cru.  Usually these revolve around coaching leaders, strategic planning, or lately, succession planning.

In May I was asked to do something very different...a 2+ year project to transform our world headquarters to a Neighborhood Choice Environment.  This design aspires to provide the workspaces we need to foster a more collaborative and effective workplace.

What this means practically is that only about 20% of staff will have their own desk!  As you can imagine, this kind of change can trigger strong emotional responses!  It’s a high risk project that represents a significant cultural change for Cru in how we use the space together. 

I said yes because it is something that can make Cru more effective and communicate care to our staff.   Lake Hart will be a much more welcoming and inviting place that communicates, "there is a place for me here."  This decision also saves Cru tens of millions of dollars by not having to build a new building on the campus.

Over 1,200 staff work out of Lake Hart, our world headquarters, and we are beyond capacity with our current use of the space.  With all of the travel and meetings our staff do, an average desk is occupied only about 35% of the time (This is actually average for most workplaces). 

So, we have begun.  I'm leading a team that does the work of  designing, planning, managing and communicating about the project.  We have cleared out the first of four wings to begin the transformation. 

I know many have prayed for me and our family after the loss of my Dad in March.  We are all doing better, but are still grieving...it comes at unexpected times!  We have sold his house and almost all of his estate is settled. Macy wrote a very moving paper about her experience with my Dad through his hospital stay and with her permission I posted it here.  Get your tissues!  Thank you for the care many expressed to us, and for your prayers.

Thank you for investing in our ministry with Cru.  We are humbled and grateful by your faithfulness to our work.  We are praying for you!

With love and thanks,

P.S.  Our family is looking forward to being together for Thanksgiving in Irvine, CA at Cara and Perry's new house.  You can see why we are excited for that!  

Future Leaders

Moving Day!

First, the exciting news!  Cara and Perry, our California kids, moved to Irvine where Perry will work as an associate professor at UC Irvine.  And even more exciting, Cara told us that she is expecting her third child in April!  She will have three kids 3 and under!  We are excited for them and already planning our rotation for traveling out to help. 

A few years ago Cru’s Board of Directors required Cru to create a succession planning process for the Vice President level.  I was asked to help create the process to identify and develop future organizational leaders.  Since last December, I have worked with both Athletes in Action and The Jesus Film Project to improve and refine that process.  Something I almost always do with projects like this is involve someone as a developmental experience and exposure to other leaders, so I invited Chelsea with the JFP to learn with me.  

The recent work that we have done to develop the Leadership Pipeline connected to our executive level bench has provided rich learning for our Executive Team.  We have never discussed, debated, deferred or submitted with one and to one another over such an extended period of time as we did in this process.  Our team’s character and culture has grown!  We learned to trust one another as we needed to come to agreement on criteria and people.  I am thankful that Barrett and Chelsea provided outside advice and expertise.  We need them, and I would not do this process without them!  We have more to learn, but creating a bench of executive level leaders that will help produce a surplus of AIA leaders for the mission will be an ongoing priority for our Executive Team.  —Mark Householder, President, AIA.

Cru has just entered a series of leadership changes.  In September the Board named a new President, and this week we learned of our new US Director and Campus Ministry Director.  These transitions emphasize the importance of this kind of process.   The qualities we look for in emerging leaders include a healthy walk with the Lord, relational strength, a commitment to develop others, authenticity, learning agility, as well as other leadership competencies.  This process facilitates honest conversations about the kind of leaders we want to lead Cru in the future, and helps current leaders fulfill their responsibility to identify and develop them.

It seems unusual that this is missionary work, but when you think about how large Cru is, and all it takes to support the field work that happens around the world, how we develop leaders is crucial.  Thank you for investing in the future of Cru with us.

At home we continue to work and do school from home.  Macy is considering colleges and some are offering only “virtual visits!”   We hope you are managing this new world well.

With love and thanks,

The Year of the Unknown

What kind of challenges have you faced this year?

My second cousin Sam graduated high school with a drive-thru graduation, and now is starting college from home because his campus virtual this fall.  

Macy is taking her junior year high school classes all online and has to be with her parents almost ALL THE TIME.

And then there is Cru.  What does ministry look like...

• when campuses are closed or restricted?  
• when conferences and retreats are canceled? 
• when travel overseas is not permitted?  

The reality is, no one really knows exactly what to do in this situation.  But there is a lot of innovation occurring on campus and inside Cru.

Staff are using social media to make connections with students.   Campus ministries are meeting students through Instagram and Facebook groups and organized by colleges for incoming freshman.  This summer students connected with students in an eastern European campus this way to help launch a campus ministry.  And Cru is holding all of its New Staff Orientation conferences virtually, including an online course that I created in May.

One big change for Cru is that Steve Douglass is stepping down as President, and Steve Sellers will be Cru’s new President beginning in October.  Steve Sellers is a friend that I trust and respect for his walk with the Lord, his kindness, and wisdom.  You can read more about this transition at cru.org.

Thank you for your faithful partnership with us, 

P.S.  Figuring how how to work from home has led me to work more than normal.  There is a certain pace of life that is supported by driving to work and leaving work.  Yesterday I broke the routine and got up early to kayak on a nearby lake.