In this backstage interview at the Chick-fil-A Leadercast 2012, I asked Andy Stanley about making better choices in the context of uncertainty. I asked him about how he personally does this and what he has learned over the years. We also discussed his new book, Deep and Wide: Creating Churches Unchurched People Love to Attend.

This would be another great interview to watch with your team, take notes, and then discuss.

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  • Rajdeep Paulus

    Wow! That was fun Michael! My sister’s family attends Andy’s church so we had a chance to hear him during the Easter service. Thought we accidentally walked into a U2 Concert!! Love Andy’s heart! … -Raj

  • http://thoughtsaboutnothing.com @kylereed

    Thank you for sharing this. Really look forward to picking up his book. Love that he is writing church resources again. 

  • Ginny Jaques

    What helps me keep perspective when people are affirmative about something I do or say is to remember that everything I am and have comes from God and belongs to Him.  It’s a great leveller.  Brings me right down to the place I belong.  In His loving arms.

  • http://www.wevival.com/ Jason Stambaugh

    “Uncertainty gives leaders job security.” Love it.

    • http://michaelhyatt.com/ Michael Hyatt

      I know, that is SUCH a great quote.

    • http://www.junglehope.wordpress.com/ Lana

       LOVE I T!!!!

  • Tim

    I’m glad I found your interview with andy Stanley. And I am sharing it with my team.It caused me to really think about how we make decisions in uncertainty. Along the same lines, I just read Sean Covey’s 4 Disciplines of Execution and found it to be incredibly enlightening. If you haven’t read it use this coupon code and get 45% off before Friday:4DXOct19 (http://bit.ly/covey4dx). Hope you enjoy it as much as I did!

    • http://TillerFamily.org/ John Tiller

      Thanks for the recommendation, Tim!

  • Chip

    I discover you and Andy through Dave Ramsey’s Entre-Leadership podcast.  I have grown to admire both of you with your insight and wisdom. N ow it is full circle to you together! How cool is that!

  • Jeffery James

    I realize that this is a business leadership conference, but nowhere in his decision process of seeking to build two campuses at once was God. This is not a criticism of Andy, or his character.  Just a question of how we lead. How come our churches hold up having the right men with the right skills to make huge decisions but never talk about seeking to be led by the God’s spirit? It seems we  lead our churches by human striving and not by seeking guidance from God accept when a church is seeking a new senior pastor. Is that really the only time we should seek God? Business practices have a lot to offer the church, and I am not against them. But I am concerned that we are leaving God completely out of decision making process? 

    • http://michaelhyatt.com/ Michael Hyatt

      Thanks for your input. I think you have to consider the context. This was indeed a business conference.

      • Jeffery James

        Totally agree about the context, which is why I led with that caveat. Yet we are clearly holding this up as the model of how we should run our churches to be successful. Get smart people around the table, go with what they decide and the senior pastor is the man that gives voice to the vision.  

        • http://michaelhyatt.com/ Michael Hyatt

          I’m not sure who the “we” is in your second sentence. This was at a business conference. This is a business blog (though it is read by many pastors). Thanks.

          • Jeffery James

            Sorry for the lone delay. Didn’t get a message that you replied. My “we” was “Church leaders” and “pastors”, and Christian lay leaders. Andy was not talking about running a business but running the church. I didn’t research the conference and I recognize that this blog is not meant to focus on church leadership issues, but I thought it was a worthy point as your readership is often Christian leaders. I love this quote, “If we are not seeking to do the will of God, what are we doing?”  Ruth Haley Barton, Pursuing God’s Will Together a Discernment Practice for Leadership Groups.  This also comes out of my own journey as a Christian businessmen and church elder that found myself longing to lead in my church from something more than just my human striving and business know how. Not that those are not important and offer value, but in church leadership we are commanded to discern and do God’s will. 
            I don’t want to suggest Andy doesn’t care about the will of God or that his church made a poor decision, but I was just disappointed that the process he described for making a huge ministry decision didn’t include listening to God.

  • http://twitter.com/landrewchalmers Andrew Chalmers

    Thanks! I really appreciate you posting that… I love to hear Andy Stanley’s honesty. There is so much wisdom in this short video!

  • cathcartboy

    What were the three quaestions Andy Stanley left with his audience, please?

  • cathcartboy

    Must say, Andy’s beguiling youthfulness and lightness mask a very keen mind.

  • cathcartboy

    First class thinking by Andy Stanley. Superb.

  • cathcartboy

    Plus, I’m a big Michael Hyatt fan!

  • Michael Moak

    I love Andy’s TRUST in his team and the “smart guys in the room” when it came to the huge step of faith for the two campus campaigns. His honest statement that, “i’m not the smartest guy in the room” is a HUGE leadership lesson!!

    Thanks for the interview Michael.