Helping Churches Make Vision Real

4 steps to effective vision casting

Tuesday, July 31, 2012

An old Japanese proverb says, “Vision without action is a daydream. Action without vision is a nightmare.” Many churches are stuck not because they don’t have a dream or a vision, but rather because they don’t know how to break that dream down into tangible implementable steps that build culture and drive the church towards a preferred future. Then when stuckness begins to settle in, the leaders in the room start doing what they are wired to do, they lead. But when there is no clearly articulated unifying vision all of those leaders leading the direction that they think is best turns into a nightmare in a hurry. Below are 4 steps you can take to be more effective in casting vision and avoid that nightmare scenario:

Posted in Leadership

3 steps to developing your team and building a leadership culture

Sunday, July 29, 2012

Few churches have an established culture of Leadership and Staff Development. There are a lot of reasons why this happens but; it’s primarily driven by a natural drift that takes place from leading people to doing ministry. Once that shift takes place developing people takes a back seat to getting tasks accomplished and it becomes a downward spiral. Below is a 3-step process that you can begin to use to build a culture of Leadership Development on your Team and break the vicious cycle:

Posted in Leadership, Staffing

death by meeting

Tuesday, July 24, 2012

This past week on vacation I took advantage of some down time to catch up on some reading and even had the opportunity to go back through one of my favorite books about meetings. Yes…a book about meetings. No, I’m not crazy. I’ve had the tendency to despise meetings just as much as the next guy. I mean who wants to go to another meeting right? But Patrick Lencioni’s “Death by Meeting” has become one of my go to resources when it comes to meetings. Not only is it full of great concepts and ideas but; they’re accessible and applicable for real world work place solutions. Below is an overview of the four kinds of meetings that Patrick Lencioni creatively discusses in his book Death by Meeting.

Meeting Type: Daily Check-in
Time Required: 5 minutes
Purpose and Format: Share daily schedules and activities
Keys to Success: Don’t sit down. Keep it administrative. Don’t cancel even when some people can’t be there.

Meeting Type: Weekly Tactical
Time Required: 45-90 minutes
Purpose and Format: Review weekly activities and metrics, and resolve tactical obstacles and issues
Keys to Success: Don’t set agenda until after initial reporting. Postpone strategic discussions.

Meeting Type: Monthly Strategic
Time Required: 2-4 hours
Purpose and Format: Discuss, analyze, brainstorm, and decide upon critical issues affecting long-term success.
Keys to Success: Limit to one or two topics. Prepare and do research. Engage in good conflict.

Meeting Type: Quarterly Off-site
Time Required: 1-2 days
Purpose and Format: Review strategy, industry trends, competitive landscape, key personnel, team development
Keys to Success: Get out of office. Focus on work, limit social activities. Don’t over structure or overburden the schedule.

Continue reading below for more highlights and take aways from Death by Meeting:

Posted in Leadership

5 reasons why you should participate in a leadership coaching network

Tuesday, July 17, 2012

There are all kinds of reasons why you should participate in a leadership coaching network, but here the five that standout to me!

1. Structured Learning Pathway

Learning and growth just don’t happen. It’s an intentional process. Participating in a coaching group will push you to systematically work through leadership concepts, organizational systems, reading assignments, and leadership exercises that are intentionally structured to help you grow.

2. Fresh Eyes

Every time you bring a new staff person into your church or organization you’ve got a widow of opportunity for learning. They are seeing everything for the first time and with fresh eyes. They haven’t acclimated to the new culture that they’re swimming in, and as a result they view everything from a different perspective, which provides a great opportunity for learning…if you take advantage of the moment. Participating in a coaching group allows people with fresh eyes to take a look into your life and leadership and offer a fresh and different perspective.

3. Our Best Growth doesn’t happen Alone

I’m intentional about building an annual reading plan and I love the inspiration that comes from national leadership conferences. But nothing beats wrestling ideas to the ground, digging through best practices and what it takes to make concepts become reality with a group of peers. Participating in a coaching group allows your ideas, thoughts, and concepts to be challenged.

4. The Discipline of Submission

Great leaders make great followers because they properly understand and have a healthy view of authority and submission. While most of you are used to leading at a high level, participating in a coaching group is a way for you to intentionally place yourself under the leadership of others.

5. You’re not done yet

It may be a bit cliché, but it’s true, leaders are learners. Unfortunately I’ve discovered along the way that many leaders also have a “more than healthy ego.” It kind of comes with the territory. Participating in a coaching group is an intentional way to remind yourself that you still have a lot to learn, and that we can learn something from everyone.

Interested in joining my next coaching network? Get all the details here!

Posted in Leadership

3 lessons i’ve learned from 16 years of marriage

Sunday, July 15, 2012

I can’t believe Lisa and I just celebrated 16 years of marriage! It feels like everything is going in fast forward these days! The relationship is getting richer and I’m learning to soak up incredible moments that I would have skimmed over just a few years ago. While I could write out a grocery list of the things I’ve learned through the years, here are the three that are at the forefront currently:

1. When you love someone, you love what he or she loves

In the book of Philippians the Apostle Paul puts it this way: “Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.” As we mature in our relationship with Christ and our spouse that maturity drives us towards love and love is the opposite of self-centeredness. Marriage simply isn’t about us, and the deeper that truth sinks in the better our marriage becomes.

2. The depth of love in a relationship shows up in the subtleties

Anybody can plan big the moments and save up and drop a lot of dough on a special occasion. But it’s the everyday glances, touches, words, tone, body language and subtleties that set the temperature of a marriage. Do the small stuff everyday.

3. The Principle of Compounding Interest

Nobody’s marriage falls apart overnight. Just like no one builds a great marriage overnight. It takes a commitment to consistent behavior demonstrated over an extended period of time. To rip off a line from Denzel Washington in Remember the Titans, “It’s like Novocain, just give it time, it always works.” The payoff comes from consistently doing the right thing everyday.

Interested in more tips on marriage and learning from my mistakes? Check out 14 Lessons from 14 Years of Marriage

Posted in Family