We all love our gear.💖
Obviously. We can sit with our teams and friends to talk for endless hours about cameras, lenses, lights, audio consoles, microphones, whatever. We’re passionate about the tools we use and the methods too. Any production leader worth their salt carries a deep understanding of the principles and theories that define their skill and craft.
But we can get lost in the techie stuff too often and too easily, all the while forgetting that we’re overseeing people who need to grow as creatives, people who need the presence of Jesus, people who need an example of a life with God, people who’s souls are hungry and often starving. How do we prepare ourselves not only for creative excellence but also to lead well?
We’ve collected a few resources for you to help you grow as a leader, so let’s jump into them.
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Emotional Intelligence 2.0
This little book points out how the difference between mediocre leaders and good leaders is emotional intelligence. The authors compare emotional intelligence to regular intelligence, guiding readers through a test that helps them understand their emotional quotient (EQ) in the same way one would understand their intelligence quotient (IQ). They follow this test with ways to understand and process emotions in meaningful ways that improve not just leadership skills, but relational and emotional health as a whole.
>> You can find the book and test here.
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Managing Leadership Anxiety: Yours and Theirs
It is overflowing with practical steps to recognizing and managing an ever-present problem for many leaders: deep, unending anxiety.
Steve Cuss started ministry fresh out of seminary as a trauma chaplain at a large hospital, finding himself thrown into the deepest end of ministry mayhem with little training for it. In this book, he shares his search for how to manage anxiety in everything from exceptionally tough leadership pickles to ordinary conflict. It is overflowing with practical understanding and steps to recognizing and managing an ever-present problem for many leaders: deep, unending anxiety.
>> You can find the book here.
>> Steve also hosts a great podcast when he’s not pastoring full-time.
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Executive Leadership Institute
We’re all probably familiar with Gateway Church in greater Dallas, Texas. Tom Lane served there as the executive pastor for many years but as since transitioned into a new ministry that focuses on equipping and growing faith-based leaders within and without the church. Executive Leadership Institute (ELI) offers shorter intensives, multi-month cohorts, leadership consulting, and a podcast if you’d like to just get your feet wet.
For what it’s worth, our church (LifeMission Church in greater Kansas City) is mentored by Tom Lane and his ministry. Our experience has been outstanding and we can’t recommend ELI enough.
>> You can find all of ELI’s resources right here.
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The Emotionally Healthy Leader
...Leadership starts inside of you, and until you get you figured out, your leadership will suffer…
This might be the most important resource on this list. It takes similar principles found in the aforementioned Emotional Intelligence 2.0, but goes deeper into our relationships with God, our families of origin and our closest friends and family. I’ve read a lot of leadership books, and nothing has deeply changed my outlook on leadership like this one. The very-watered-down gist is that leadership starts inside of you, and until you get you figured out, your leadership will suffer across the board—at work, at home, and within yourself. It is absolutely essential for any leader looking to meaningfully increase their leadership capacity and personal health.
>> You can find the book here.
>> You can find more resources at the author’s website, where he has created an encompassing space called Emotionally Healthy Discipleship.
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Capture Summit ‘24
“This conference is fantastic....Every session has been on point....Pastors, Worship Leaders, Communications, Media People, Techies and Creatives would all benefit. Definitely want to come back!”—R, Dickerson, Attendee
Capture Summit '24 is returning to Cottonwood Creek Church in Allen, Texas. Super Early Bird tickets are still available at Capturesummit.com.
What if you could get the best of both worlds—leadership and craft? Well that’s our goal with Capture Summit. Church Production wants to equip you to be the very best leader you can be, and we’ve built Capture Summit around that concept, loading up our sessions with both practical tech know-how as well as leadership teachings from some of the best production leaders in the church today.
>> Capture Summit '24 Updates and Details
>> Super early bird pricing is still active, so grab your tickets now and don’t miss Capture Summit '24.
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