Attention to Detail with Eric Byrd

The truth centers your compass - it is hard to lead people without truth, it is dangerous to make decisions based solely on feelings, thoughts, outside information. start with a value system and build your life on that. the truth is your integrity - people may not like you, they may not like your decision making, they may not like your leadership, but always be willing to give people the truth. If i care about you, the mission, the church, the organization i’m leading, i don’t always give you what you want to hear but I give you the truth the truth is power - rarely do I lead people out of my feelings but out of my power. And my power lies in my ability to be truthful. When I’m critical, when I’m loving, my power is in my words and those words are rooted in giving my team my people my family the truth. the truth is liberating - the truth rarely carries weight. A lie you have to live with until it’s dead. then you wonder how long do you have to keep it up, what happens when the truth is found out, etc. the truth has no expiration date - long after you have stopped leading people moved on, gotten fired, people will respect you - even love you because you gave them the truth. how awful would your family be if you only fed them ice cream and no meat to break down? www.ericbyrd.com

Always be kind Respect the other side Examine the Process Take blame, give credit Love the Greater Good free gift at www.ericbyrd.com Pass this along to someone/anyone that might need to hear it

VIP Consultant Eric Byrd speaks at the CFX Conference on Diversity Training For White churches. www.ericbyrd.com

VIP Consultant Eric Byrd speaks at the CFX Conference on Diversity Training For White churches. www.ericbyrd.com

What should families know as they navigate this time of education during pandemic times? Education expert Leslie Byrd tells you. www.ericbyrd.com

Eric's three sons - 2 in HS, 1 in MS - have been doing distance learning since the start of the pandemic. Hear them give perspective and insight on what students should do, what parents need to hear and how they are navigating such an interesting time as this.

LEADERS ARE DOING THE BEST THEY CAN IN THESE DIFFICULT TIMES If you think admins and teachers woke up today to make you miserable or they control the wifi in your home, you’re mistaken TEMPER YOUR EDUCATIONAL EXPECTATIONS Schools were never designed to teach students EVERYTHING.  This time in history is no different WATCH YOUR MOUTH - ESPECIALLY AROUND YOUR STUDENTS posting/verbalizing how stupid something is does not contribute to the long term success of your students ADVERSITY IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO SHOW HOW TOUGH YOU ARE Highlight the issues, how the odds are stacked against your students, then celebrate the wins reminding them how smart, resilient, strong they are PROVIDE PERSONAL AND HISTORICAL EVIDENCE OF HOW PEOPLE OVERCAME ADVERSITY Faith, jobs, health challenges, physical challenges, etc REMIND STUDENTS OF ADVERSITY THEY’VE ALREADY OVERCOME If you did it before??.... http://www.ericbyrd.com (www.ericbyrd.com) go to the web page to receive your free gift!

Interview: Stephanie Lippy, Conference Manager of the Church Facilities Conference & Expo Church Facilities Conference & Expo (CFX) is a new event and multimedia outlet serving the House of Worship market. Our goal is to provide church volunteers and personnel with a channel for education, information and connection with others in the industry. Partnerships with other leading media brands and companies the provide products and services to the church market create a beneficial synergy for everyone involved. https://churchfacilitiesexpo.com/cfx-virtual/ (CFX Virtual) CFX’s virtual program is an online conference platform offering learning sessions led by more than 20 industry leaders as well as opportunities for peer-to-peer connections and a chance to walk through a virtual exhibit hall featuring companies that offer products and services to help you grow your ministry. https://cfx2020-virtual.streampoint.com (https://cfx2020-virtual.streampoint.com) http://www.ericbyrd.com (www.ericbyrd.com)

Show Content JACK OF ALL TRADES, MASTER OF NONE This is actually accurate. GET BETTER AT WHAT YOU DO BEST DON’T DRILL A DRY HOLE We all have tasks we need done to be successful that may not be our strength.  Do not learn how to be better at it!  This is counterproductive. HELP - I NEED SOMEONE - HELP Find someone to do the things you can’t do well BE GREAT, NOT PRETTY GOOD Really focus on what makes you or your organization great.  Develop that! AND THE PEOPLE SAID? Ask your audience, congregation, customers, what you do really great. www.ericbyrd.com

KNOW WHO YOU ARE You’re not supposed to chase buffalo, or tigers or even whales.  You eat fish.  A lot of times we get into trouble when we forget what we’re supposed to be doing KNOW WHAT YOU WANT AND HAVE TO DO TO BE SUCCESSFUL Diving headfirst into the somewhat unknown can be scary.  But if that’s the gig, embrace the fear and move on.  The fish pelicans eat do not  get out of the water and walk around.  So if you want to eat, you gotta go after them CONSIDER OPTIONS Pelicans circle before they dive.  They consider, they look at options, they strike when they’re ready and when it’s a good idea. COMMIT 100% There is a difference between hobbyists and lifers.  Figure out asap which one are you because the paths will be significantly different.  I don’t know any successful people that don’t commit 100. SHAKE OFF THE MISSES If they come up empty handed, they don’t give up.  They don’t quit.  They go head first back in SUCCESS! NOW DO IT AGAIN Pelicans commit, dive in head first, eat, then do it all again if they choose to, in a new location in a new pattern.

REMEMBER THE MISSION I’m sure the family said ‘we’re going to the beach’ not i’m going to be on my phone for hours at a time….remember why you do what you do and keep doing it! EVER HEARD OF ‘DON’T SWEAT THE SMALL STUFF’? DON’T! Be careful you don’t make being busy your idol.  Story about WMC gospel choir and the sleepless nights...I learned to enjoy the experience because we were prepared BE STILL SOMETIMES Big momma used to say just be still and sit yourself down somewhere...enjoy the journey, don’t always be laser focused on results.  You might be missing out on something good and beautiful. PERSPECTIVE IS A GOOD THING Sometimes it’s good to remember your issues are simply not that big OBSERVATION IS A VALUABLE SKILL Somebody on your team seem down lately?  Have you noticed someone has been unusually stressed?  Late?  Upset?  If you are constantly distracted or into your own agenda you will miss valuable relational time with your team. www.ericbyrd.com

tamba be faithful over a few things little becomes much when put in the masters hands you can be talented but it’s not just that. have a relationship. the choir is your ally know your choir, know your limitations. start with easy songs, made them look good - repertoire knowing their limitations, choir music that can speak to everyone - corporate setting. know the pulse of the environment knowing the heartbeat of your pastor and your congregation how can I connect? willing to be vulnerable know what you’re good at and what you’re not good at Things the didn’t tell me about being a minister of music book know how to communicate - how to get your point across in 30 seconds book it is your ability to relate to people in an artistic way HOW HAS CHURCH WORK CHANGED OVER YOUR CAREER? the role has changed, audio design, producer, digital environment, etc. lighting is important, sound, doing it well. much more tech savvy prepare ahead of time. plan ahead. i’m in a producer mode now.

DON’T STOP It’s hard to stay motivated sometimes, especially now.  It might be exhausting when you feel like you’re the only one carrying the weight.  But don’t stop grinding, don’t stop believing, hold on to that feeling.  Remind yourself why you got in teh game in the first place.  Remember the initial spark you had which prompted you to get in the game in teh first place.  Go back to that place.  That will help during the dark times GIRD YOURSELF WITH TRUTH NOT FEAR The truth is you are probably prepared, best-equipped and qualified to lead in the season you are currently in.  You may not be able to answer every question right now, but there is a reason you are in the position you are in.  Fear can paralyze you unnecessarily.   DON’T RECREATE THE WHEEL - RESOURCE YOURSELF  Podcasts Books Blogs Friends & Family Referrals BELIEVE YOU ARE REQUIRED FOR SUCCESS You must believe in you.  Want the game winning shot.  If you don’t believe in you, why would your team? TRUST YOUR TEAMMATES You don’t have to do it alone if you have spent time cultivating a functioning team Ask your team for help when appropriate, to divide up tasks Tell your team why you’re engaged in the activity and how it will fulfill the mission Think the best of others (story of the reverb on live stream) Thank your teammates for their work, support, love,  Reward them with fun HUMILITY AND CONFIDENCE IS A TENSION WORTH HAVING Be humble enough to be a human being and not a machine, but display confidence you are necessary for the team to be successful SELF-EVALUATE Don’t spend time working on the things you don’t do well.  Spend time finding people to fill the gaps in your leadership.  Gift of administration, relational, hospitality, etc REWIND Repeat steps 1-7.  Leadership success is on-going.

THEY MAY ACTUALLY HAVE ONE Seek opinions from ‘qualified’ sources - people that have done what you are doing but doing it better, bigger, larger, faster, etc. That opinion may or may not be unbiased and helpful OPINIONS ARE LIKE ASKING FOR ADVICE Be careful asking the people you lead for advice, for you might give the impression you can’t lead and set the standard for the team INSTEAD, ASK THE WEATHER What’s the temperature of the team?  Individually ask ‘how’s the environment?’ do you know the mission of the team?  Am I serving you well?  If you were in charge what would be  INSTEAD, ASK FOR PRAYER Ask for support, ask for prayer.  Displays you take leadership seriously, you need help from God, proves you don’t have all the answers OPINIONS DO NOT EQUAL DIRECTION I may get a million opinions, while they may inform a decision they very well may not move the organization forward.  Ex.  your opinion may be dinner was awful.  I walk away taking that information personally, execution of the dinner may have been bad, food not fresh, etc.  But I may not know you’re a vegetarian.  Any meat dinner is not going to go well.  So you may spend energy getting a million opinions but they may or may not give you what you need to to lead well.  Give the school Covid example

PRAY FOR DIRECTION This is hard in every single way.  It’s turned political when it didn’t have to be, and acknowledge that, to serve God’s people with excellence, you need direction…. SETTLE ON THE FINAL PRODUCT Are you totally online?  Are you doing a hybrid of online and some sort of modified in-person worship?  Just in person?  Whatever it is settle on the medium with your leadership and try to blow that up as best as it can be DO AS MUCH ADVANCE PLANNING AS POSSIBLE Select music as far enough in advance as you can. When appropriate make sure your team is aware of sermon series or why certain selections are being made, how this will serve your people at this particular time, why the music is done in this way, etc. ENCOURAGE AT HOME INDIVIDUAL PRACTICE Make sure your team can and knows how to access the music Create demos or use online resources for demo/tutorials YOU’VE GOT A FRIEND! There is software/online resources that fill a band out if you don’t have one! I would much rather have music done well that is NOT a distraction than do worship music with a singer and an acoustic guitar if it is NOT done well.  Do what sounds good, what is not a distraction.  Psalm 33:3 - Sing to him a new song; play skillfully, and shout for joy. IT WILL LIVE FOREVER!!! Whatever you do, do it as best you can because - if you’re doing it online - it is FOREVER!! It is a living commercial for your church.  Fortunately/unfortunately it must LOOK good, SOUND good, BE good and IS good.  If not, they’ll move some place where they get it right.