
What’s next for the Briggs family
It’s been a disorienting season. I’m trying to get my bearings. I’ve been sensing distance and release from some of the things I’ve been part of for a long time. Like every human I have a complicated relationship with change. I described change in this post as “a...
The beautiful bummer called change
As the end of my second grade school year came to a close I was convinced of just one thing; I would never make it in third grade. Those were the big kids. It was SO much harder. I wasn’t cut out for third grade. As the freedom of summer approached the next three...
The Phoenix Fill-Up. A guest post from Aaron Shamp
My reflections on The Phoenix Fill-Up A guest post from Aaron Shamp When was the last time you really felt spoiled? If you're a ministry leader you likely haven't experienced it in a while. We spend our days and months blessing others and being poured out for a...
Five questions that every young leader needs to ask
A leader once told me “every great fall is preceded by a series of small missteps.” These words became real to me as I saw four of the pastors on our staff experience moral failures in the first two years of vocational ministry. They all exited the ministry. I...
The right way to pick a leader’s brain by Alan Briggs
Let me guess; you admire a leader and want to get together with them to “pick their brain”. You want to extract their best info, insider secrets and tips on how to get where they are. It’s a sound plan, but here’s the problem; dozens of others want to pick their brain...
What does it take to write a book? by Alan Briggs
I recently read this for a friend at his book release party... There are few art forms lonelier than writing a book. Writing a book is a marathon on a cold, dark night. You can see your breath and your feet slide across the ice from time to time. Your light grows dim...
The Enneagram: A Game Changer for Business and Ministry By Julie and Alan Briggs
“This has rocked us!” “We are having the best conversations we’ve ever had!” “We’ve had massive breakthroughs!” “I wish I would have known about this 20 years ago!” These are the kind of unsolicited comments we’re starting to get after our Enneagram...
It’s time to flip the conference model by Alan Briggs
It felt wrong. It was my first time, but since then it's become a habit. I used to think I should break this dirty habit, but now I don't want to. Here's my confession; I skip a lot of conference sessions for conversations. There, I said it. Don't act like you haven't...
I hate when pastor scandals break in the news. We’ve come to expect these headlines will involve sexual sin or destructive pride, but occasionally a story breaks of a pastor who was money-hungry. These financial scandals grieve me on two levels; the damage this causes...
We’ve heard your cries and Right-Side up Leadership podcast is live!
We've heard your suggestions for a podcast. Thanks for your persistence. Many of you have asked us to take Stay Forth Designs into your earbuds on the way to work, while you’re making dinner or while you’re at the gym. Great news; The Right-Side up Leadership Podcast...