Blog
On airplanes, adults are told to put their mask on before helping others so they will be fully conscious. In churches, adults need to attend to their own spiritual consciousness before they can ably assist children and youth with faith formation. Unfortunately, the way in which we structure our staff teams reinforces semi-conscious adult faith […]
Read MoreConsider the last slate of candidates nominated for leadership in your congregation. What attributes were sought when recruiting this group? Perhaps you looked for potential leaders who were: invested, good decision-makers, strategic, prayerful, respected, effective communicators, with strong personal boundaries. How did the actual list of nominees compare to your desired list of attributes? Did […]
Read MoreThe problem with most planning is that people simply don’t do what they have declared they want to do. There is a goal setting technique that claims a 300% increase in the likelihood of goal attainment. It is called the if-then plan. Heidi Grant Halvorson, the associate director of Columbia Business School’s Motivation Science Center, […]
Read MoreOur unstated and unexamined assumptions about supervision prevent us from being more effective in the role of supervisor. Myth #1: If I could just get the right people on my team, I wouldn’t have to spend so much time supervising them. The Truth: If you lead a congregation with more than 400 people in average […]
Read More“We are an organization based on volunteerism, what can you expect? We don’t have money to pay or reward our employees fairly, what can you expect? We are covenantal communities, and as such we are meant to extend grace and mercy to our members and staff, so what can you really expect?” In the world […]
Read MoreI was not surprised by the call. I knew that this pastor had been struggling for some time with a problem employee that he could not bring himself to fire. The employee was at times brilliant in her work, fulfilling most of the essential functions and duties of her job with polish and excellence. However, […]
Read MoreI spend a lot of time on airplanes. It is one of the side effects (benefits?) of being a national consultant. We all know that flying is a high tech endeavor. Commercial aircraft are complex machines guided by sensors, backup systems and safety features that boggle the average mind. The process of checking in and boarding […]
Read MoreWhat words would you use to describe the ideal staff team? I frequently pose this question to church leaders and the two words most frequently offered are collaborative and accountable. We want our staff teams to be cooperative, to demonstrate an ease and naturalness in working together that capitalizes on the strength and ingenuity of […]
Read MoreThe large church is managed through five interdependent leadership systems. When change occurs in one system, it tends to produce change in the others. These systems include: Clergy Leadership Roles Staff Team Design and Function Governance and Board Function Acculturation and the Role of the Laity The Formation and Execution of Strategy As daily changes occur […]
Read MoreMany of the senior clergy leaders I encounter are overburdened with administrative detail that they can’t figure out how to delegate. The common battle cry is, “It’s just easier to do it myself.” Many administrative assistants report having excess time on their hands, but they can’t get their clergy leaders to give them more meaningful […]
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