A church will often say, "We want a strong leader." But does they really know what they're saying when they say it?
In ministry planning, the answer is within the team, but obstacles like not listening to the Spirit, wrong team composition, excessive deference to the pastor, and lack of outside perspective can hinder progress.
I've been competing all of my life. It seems like the very air we breathe pushes us toward individualism, not cooperation.
How do you decide when to stop and when to keep pressing ahead?
How can oversight be done as a healthy partnership? These seven questions can create a rich dialogue that moves well beyond a typical “performance review.”
What characteristics are most valuable for a leader? Scores of leadership books offer lists with the 5 or 7 or 10 (but never 11 or 13) attributes that successful leaders must develop. How often have you seen “adaptability’ on one of these lists? Not often enough.
When a transition of first chair leaders takes place, the rest of the team knows that the game will change, but they’re uncertain what the new rules will be. Leadership transitions can be particularly difficult for second chair leaders as they try to understand and adapt to these new rules.
“Micro-fractures” are inevitable in ministry leadership. How should a pastor or ministry leader respond?
Mistaking gifts for givens has many implications for me, and perhaps for you as well. I am grateful for gifts, but the givens (like air conditioning) are taken for granted.
This is not how we typically write a leadership script in the western world. Leaders are supposed to continue moving up, right? They’re not expected to step aside, especially not when things are going well. What might we learn from Barnabas?
The primary skill of a point guard in basketball is to keep “eyes up.”
It is a vivid reminder of how something can be crystal clear to two people and yet have completely different meanings.
Attempting to take control when we shouldn’t is a serious leadership mistake.
Many difficult leadership situations are not the result of powerful opponents but are caused by unforced errors. So how can you avoid unforced errors in your leadership?
Should I be hopeful or concerned? Happy or sad?
You genuinely thought it was an interesting idea, but you certainly weren’t giving them a green light. What happened?
What happens when a person’s sincere words don’t seem to match their later actions?
Every church and ministry should have a compelling, God-given mission that reflects its context.
A job title does not make someone a leader.
The heart of the book describes ten perspectives on leading change. In this chapter, author Mike Bonem writes: "Overcoming resistance anchored in traditions can be a challenge in any organization. But in churches, traditions are often infused with theological rationale that gives them even greater power."
