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It’s a big week for Catalyst. Catalyst West is  happening out in SoCal and they just released a new digitial magazine called Catalyst Leadership.

I’ve been browsing the online mag over at catalystleadershipdigital.com and I really like it.

Here’s why….

- Love the hybrid format. A website, but with the look and feel of a traditional print publication.  Built on technology from Virtual Paper.  I’m wondering if other traditional print publications will go this route.

- Great leadership content from great leaders.  The first issue has content from Andy Stanley, Francis Chan, Bobby Gruenewald, Steven Furtick, and more.  Really enjoyed the Mastermind Q & A piece on innovation with Bobby Gruenewald.

- Killer design.

- Interactive content.  Embedded video.  Links to blogs.  Clickable advertisements.

Already looking forward to Issue #2.

I recently finished reading an early copy of Tony Morgan’s new book, Killing Cockroaches.

Here are 10 reasons you should read this book…….

1) The book contains lots of Top 10 lists

A few of my favorites…..10 Stupidest Leadership Mistakes I’ve Made, 10 Signs Your Not Ready For Change, & 10 Easy Ways to Make Church Services More Boring

2) Andy Stanley wouldn’t write the foreward for a bad book

3) The foreword is sandwiched between ‘Enter at Your Own Risk’ and ‘Prepare for an Adventure’

4) The book actually contains 4 easy steps for killing cockroaches

5) Tony is not your ordinary pastor

Tony rejects the status quo and takes an innovative, creative, and cutting-edge approach to ministry.  Naturally, that makes some in the church world a little uncomfortable.  Seth Godin might even call him a “heretic”.  Fortunately, in today’s world “heretics” have popular blogs and get their books published.

6) Tony’s church is not your ordinary church

Newspring Church, led by Senior Pastor Perry Noble, exists for one simple mission:  To make Jesus famous, one life at a time.  Perry and Tony have a passionate and strategic laser-focus on that mission and, as a result, Newspring Church is making a big impact in Anderson, SC and beyond.

7) All of the 100+ blog post-like chapters are in alphabetical order

How did he do that?  Also, many of the chapters are creatively titled.  The titles make you want to read more.  A few of my favorite titles…….Actions Speak Louder Than Advertising, Christians Sound Different, Giant Inflatable Blue Monkeys, How Would Apple Do Church?, and I’m Just Not That Interested In God

8) Tony has a great blog.  This book reads like a series of blog posts.  That makes for a great book.

9) This book has lots of great interviews

A few of my favorites……..Seth Godin, Guy Kawasaki, Penelope Trunk, Mark Batterson, Steven Furtick, and Craig Groeschel

10) This book is not just for church leaders

Tony is in the church world, but he keeps a close eye on the strategies, marketing, branding, communications, and innovation of America’s businesses.  I’m in the business world, but I keep a close eye on what is happening in the church.  I believe the business world and the church world still have lots to learn from each other.  The “scattered musings on leadership” contained in this book are for leaders of all types.

Get your copy of Killing Cockroaches here.  Also available on the Kindle here.

I gave up on impossible a while back.

Impossible has a really poor track record.

Walking on the moon was impossible, but then we did it.

An African-American as the President of the United States seemed impossible to many, but now we have one.

Things start out as impossible, but they just don’t stay that way.

That is why I like this question from Andy Stanley in his book, Next Generation Leader…..

What do I believe is impossible to do in my field…but if it could be done would fundamentally change my business?

During times like these of limited resources and shrinking budgets, it can be tempting to turn our thinking to what’s possible.  Courageous leaders never stop thinking about the impossible.

What do you believe is impossible to do in your field, but if it could be done would fundamentally change your business?

Yesterday, I posted a quick recap of some of the books I read in 2008.

Here is a list of some of the books on my wishlist that I plan to read in 2009.

Reality Check: The Irreverent Guide to Outsmarting, Outmanaging, and Outmarketing Your Competition // Guy Kawasaki

Groundswell: Winning in a World Transformed by Social Technologies // Charlene Li, Josh Bernoff

The Divine Conspiracy: Rediscovering Our Hidden Life In God // Dallas Willard

The Dip: What Winners Know About Quitting // Seth Godin

Wide Awake: Start Dreaming with Your Eyes Open // Erwin Raphael McManus

The Three Big Questions for a Frantic Family: A Leadership Fable…About Restoring Sanity To The Most Important Organization In Your Life // Patrick Lencioni

The Reason for God: Belief in an Age of Skepticism // Timothy Keller

Next Generation Leader: 5 Essentials for Those Who Will Shape the Future // Andy Stanley

Visioneering: God’s Blueprint for Developing and Maintaining Personal Vision // Andy Stanley

1776 // David McCullough

What books are on your wishlist for 2009?

Complexity.  It’s a silent killer in many organizations.

It leads to organizational confusion.

Complexity gives birth to organizational problems.  And those problems often get solved with complex solutions.  It’s a complexity snowball.

I’ve seen organizational complexity paralyze organizations.

Change often seems impossible in the shadow of complexity.

Complexity is an enemy of momentum.

Andy Stanley said this yesterday at Catalyst One Day……..

Complexity works against momentum. The process of tearing down complexity is painful, but it must be done.

Leaders of newer organizations would be well served to build simplicity into the DNA of the organization.  Before complexity takes root.

Simplifying an organization that is already plagued by complexity…..the work to do that is very complicated.  But like Andy says, “…it must be done.”