"Leadership begins the moment
someone takes responsibility for change" - Stephen Mansfield
I love learning from leaders.
Its even more fun when they become your friends.
Ken Wilson is one such leader. Heading up all things visual at NewSpring, Ken and I over the years have shared an affinity for Gen X goodness. From Star Wars to Super Mario Bros to LOST (although we have fiercely different opinions on the LOST finale!), Ken is a great leader with an awesome family.
While I was in town for Perry's Coaching Network last week, Ken graciously took me on a backstage tour of NewSpring's visual arts department... and gave me the go-ahead to blog it (actually it felt more like an Obi-Wan-Kenobi-using-mind-control-with-a-wave-of-his-hand-trick).
The new video wing under construction greets visitors with a big whiteboard. The method to the creative madness is simple: write down tech requests for upcoming Sundays ahead of time.
As Ken put it, "Everything COSTS you something." Writing down tech needs prioritizes. Creativity pow-wows are often held in the hallway with the whiteboard:
We're totally stealing this idea.
Next Ken took me into the Nerve Center. I think I saw this room in The Matrix once.
During each service, highly-trained volunteers direct the live cameras from this black box. With video graphics enhancing worship and teaching, this is where the magic happens. Notice the large red LED clock that keeps all tech cues timed out and coordinated precisely:
If I wasn't a pastor, I'd be a Secret Service Agent.
And if I weren't an agent, I'd be a Videographer
(true story: I actually went to college in Chicago on a film scholarship).
Perhaps this is why I enjoyed visiting one of the many editing suites. This staffer creating a piece for the I Love the 80's teaching series allowed Ken, Will Rodes, and Yours Truly to share ideas on the VH1-themed video bumper:
With caffeine running low, our tour came to a close.
Three takeaways I gained from Ken's tour:
- Quality requires investment.
It costs money/takes time/requires skill to pull off quality worship experiences. And it pays off when lost people are found. - Artists need self-discipline.
Ken doesn't micro-manage; he trusts his staff's work is getting done by deadline. This pushes artists to not only create, but also manage themselves in the execution process. - Fun relieves stress.
Glimpses of personality in the office spaces bring relaxation for the mind while concentrating on work.
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