Leadership is a people business. An understanding of people and what makes them tick is essential to fulfill leadership. You have already seen that the vast majority of your time is spent in communicating with people; eliminating communication breakdowns is an important first step to improving human relationships. Develop others Your role as a leader is more than inspiring confidence …
Creating Effectiveness, Pt. 3: Honor Failure
Look at the lives of many of the great leaders throughout history and you will see a history of ‘failure.’ Leaders tend to have a unique view of failure. In fact, what most people would call failure, a true leader will seldom see that way. Leaders view failure as learning experiences. They’re not afraid to try new things. When something …
Creating Effectiveness, Pt. 2: Know Yourself
Good leaders know their strengths and weaknesses. They appreciate their own worth. They have confidence in their ability. But while good leaders recognize and appreciate their strengths, they never ignore their limitations. Henry Kaiser, who built a vast industrial empire in the early 1900s, had this to say about his business organization: ‘I make progress by having people around me …
Creating effectiveness, Pt. 1: Communicate your vision
Science and technology alone do not create effectiveness, people do’¦and for people to create effectiveness they must be well led. So how exactly does a leader go about influencing and inspiring others? Communicate your vision Having a dream is not enough; you need the help of others to make your dream a reality, and that will require making your dream …
What makes an effective leader?
Simply defined, leadership is the ability to influence or inspire others to take action toward a goal. When talking specifically about leadership in a church setting, that definition can be restated slightly to say leadership is the ability to influence and inspire others to accomplish the vision of your church. Do you have a vision? By definition, then, to be …
The #1 reason churches resist change
Resistance Is Inevitable Most pastors forget a critical principle of leading change: Church ministries don’t change; people do. We tend to think of our change initiatives in broad terms like, ‘We are redesigning the small group ministry.’ However, many of your leaders think of it differently. They may be wondering, ‘Do I keep ministering to my group or not?’ To …
Delegation is critical when growing your church
Delegation is not about ‘dumping’ tasks on others or about choosing the good projects for yourself and delegating the mundane or difficult. Delegation is about systematically assessing your work, identifying areas that can be done by others, and delegating in a systematic and process oriented manner. Delegation is more than a time management tool, it is also a motivational tool. …
Your church’s most valuable asset
What is your church’s most valuable asset? Is it your unique style of ministry? Is it the cash you have in the bank? Is it your building or your physical resources such as computers, copiers, multi-media equipment, and materials? Is it your terrific location? Your most valuable asset is none of the above — it’s your people. Have you ever …