May 23, 2017 0 As diverse and idiosyncratic voices become a part of our external community, leaders have the challenge of cultivating communities where trust binds people together and diverse views are welcomed.Hayim Herring and Terri Martinson Elton
May 23, 2017 0 All of us have a bias toward the familiar. Chip Heath and Dan Heath suggest questions that can mitigate against doing only what first comes to mind. How can you expand your set of choices? How can you get outside your head and collect information that you can trust? How can you overcome short-term emotion and conflicted feelings to make the best choice? How can we plan for an uncertain future so that we give our decisions the best chance to succeed?
May 17, 2017 0 When we have been in a leadership role for a while, it becomes harder to see things with fresh eyes. We keep working within the bounds of what we have done to address challenges. Try this question to get a different perspective.If someone new took over this position today, what would they probably do that we’re not doing now?
May 17, 2017 0 Without change, we live in a stagnant pool of water. Without continuity, we are in permanent white water, without a paddle or a raft.Kenneth H. Carter, Jr.
May 10, 2017 0 It is impossible to overstate the importance of the leader to the high performing organization.Paul C. Light
May 10, 2017 0 Getting started in a new role or place can be a challenge for leaders. While you want to respect current practices, you also want to use this moment as a chance to encourage creative alternatives. Terry J. Fadem suggests these questions:How does this work?What do I need to know about this now that I’m here?Who else might be able to help us?How has this problem been resolved before?Who has the most experience tackling this problem?
May 3, 2017 0 Weak leadership does not promote vital lay ministry; it compromises the health of the entire body by failing to provide laity with the basic spiritual guidance they need in order to be effective leaders themselves.Christopher A. Beeley
May 3, 2017 0 When discussing what to do next in a ministry area, these discussions often sound much like previous conversations. A way of changing the dynamic is to ask the group (or, even better, divide and use multiple groups) to pretend that they are consultants engaged by the congregation to do an analysis of the ministry topic at hand. They are to prepare a response to this question:Given what you have learned about our church, what are your most objective observations and what are your best recommendations for the next steps our church might take?
April 27, 2017 0 When did you ever learn the most in your life? What experience? I guarantee you’ll tell me it was a time you felt at risk.Ginni Rometty
April 27, 2017 0 A fruitful exercise is to name as a group where you most hope God will lead your church in this next year. What will be different a year from now? What will increase? What will change? After doing this exercise, then you are ready to use this question to see how much attention you have given those things you most want to happen.What do we monitor regularly?
