Today’s guest grapples with big life questions and tries to make the answers he finds, through his careful research, accessible for all people. He is currently the Executive Director of Social Research Lab at University of Northern Colorado, Director of The DeChurched Project, and an associate professor of sociology.
He studies institutional participation in America, and helps organizations to understand why their customers, clients and members have left… and what they can do to get them back. His research has appeared in numerous academic and trade publications, including a 2015 entry in the “Leadership Journal” titled, “Meet the Dones.” This refers to the growing number of people who have moved away from organized religion, but not from God. But, you don’t have to be an academic to read his work, his first book from The DeChurched Project, called “Church Refugees” is available on Amazon. He regularly speaks, consults and takes on research projects for clients who seek a better understanding of why people are just not enamored with large institutions anymore.
We met when he presented on the main stage at Influence 2016, the annual conference of the National Speakers Association. He was there to relay the news that we have to rethink our relationships in order to fully understand authority and influence in the modern era. It’s not just one industry that has declining membership – trust in institutions of all kinds are at an all time low.
Please join me in welcoming Dr. Josh Packard.
In this episode we explore:
- his thoughts on leadership – “In some ways, if you have a really great answer about why you’re a great leader, you’re probably not a great leader.”
- how as an untenured professor he found relationships to help him work through bureaucracy at a university to set up an innovative program
- how he manages the aspects of his work that aren’t his strengths.
- how he and his family approaches managing their busy schedules and finding ways to incorporate self-care
- how he approaches networking so networking relationships feel more like authentic relationships
Stay tuned until the end of the episode to hear what I thought were the key take-aways you could put into practice this week and benefit from for years to come.
LINKS
- Dr. Josh Packard on LinkedIn and Twitter
- www.joshpackard.com
- Social Research Lab
- The DeChurched Project
- Buy “Church Refugees” book
- Contactually (free 30 day trial) – questions about this? I'm happy to help you get set up for success.
- @RobbieSamuels on Twitter and Instagram
- Connect with me on LinkedIn
- New to my website? Start here.
- Hire me to speak at your company: learn about my Art of the Schmooze session on inclusive networking and the other sessions I offer.
- On the Schmooze podcast archive
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