Lead Well

So far we’ve looked at 4 ways to become a better leader. These aren’t the end all but they will help us go a long way to becoming a level 5 leader . You can read more about them here and here . Today we finish our series and look at the final two ways to become a better leader. Find the right people. Major Dick Winters of Band of Brothers fame once said, “If you are leading and no one is following, then you are only taking a walk.” When we lead others we have to build a team to help us lead. Level 5 leaders in Good to Great by Jim Collins searched for a long time before they hired a new executive, but when they found a good person, they hired them, even if they didn't have a position. Recently, one of my ministry leaders stepped down from her duties for maternity leave. She asked one of her volunteers to take her place. That volunteer took that ministry and ran away with it. She conveyed mission, reminded her volunteers why they do what they do, and worried about vo

I have a confession to make.  I'm a procrastinator.  I'm in recovery, but it's been a long road.  In high school, I was king of homework in homeroom.  In college, term papers were written the night before, and, when I first started leading children's ministry, the best time to plan for kids church was an hour before service. I knew I couldn't continue this way, and to be honest, I still struggle from time to time.  So here's some easy thing you can do today  to help you better prepare for tomorrow. Start planning just one week ahead.  When I first started out in ministry, I would plan for Sunday on Thursdays.  It worked for several years, but then one week life happened, and it all fell apart.  My volunteers were mad and confused, and I looked stupid.  It was not a good day.  Now I plan three weeks in advance, but I got there by simply planning two services in my planning time instead of just one.  I did that for two weeks, and I was there. This step has

Last week we talked about the first two ways to become a better leader, develop humility and ask for help. You can read more about that here . Today, we will look at the next two ways to become a better leader. 1. Take Responsibility When I was younger, I hated being wrong. I hated being wrong so much so that I always looked to blame someone else for my shortcomings. This attitude frequently hurt my influence as I would throw those I led under the bus just so that I could look good. Thankfully, I have wise advisors in my life who pointed out my error. I learned that a true sign of a leader is one that’s not afraid to back away from taking responsibility. John Maxwell is known for saying “everything rises and falls on leadership.” Once we take responsibility for our actions and the actions of those we lead, the morale and overall performance of the team will rise. There is always something you could have done differently to make the outcome better. 2. Develop discipli

I love to invest in others.  There's a certain joy in seeing someone grow because of the investment I've made in them.  Recently, I was angry because I couldn't invest in young leaders.  I thought I needed to start a ministry college or even a Master's Commission. As I looked at our church situation, the budget, and my time commitments, I realized that this probably is not the right time.  I went to God and began to whine. I complained that the opportunity didn't exist. That the students won't come, and that I can't use this desire He placed in my heart.  Then, he bopped me upside my head. I do have people, leaders, in my ministry right now that I am neglecting.  I've given them some ministry opportunities.  I've trusted them to handle certain elements of the service, but I never really challenged them. God told me to look around and be faithful with what I have. At the end of the Parable of the Talents in Matthew 25 , the Master tells his

Last week we asked the question, “What kind of leader are you?” You can read more about that here. Ultimately, we should all work to become better leaders, but how do we do that? Over the next 3 weeks, I will outline six ways we can become better leaders. As we become better leaders, our influence will increase, our organizations will be stronger, and we will be more successful. Develop Humility The first thing we must do to become better leaders is to develop humility. I know; it sounds counter-intuitive. Many of us got into leadership because it makes us feel good. We like the power and the responsibility. I know when I first started to lead, I did it because I thought I was better than everyone else in my group, and they needed my “exalted wisdom and guidance.” As I continued to lead with this higher sense of myself on into the professional world, my senior pastor challenged me. Our church was looking at multi-site, and I was excited for the new position, power, an

It's a simple formula really. I heard a story once about a Jewish Rabbi.  On the first day of school he would pour honey on his pupils' desks and then tell the kids to lick up the honey.  As they licked it, the Rabbi would tell them that the Word of God is like honey and should be a sweet taste in your mouth. King David says in Psalm 119:11, "I have hidden your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you." How can we get our kids to hide God's word in their hearts? I don't know about you, but some days it just seems impossible. Over the past few years, I've challenged my kids in kid's church to memorize a certain passage of scripture, and if they do, they get to go to a local build your own frozen yogurt place on me. Last year I challenged our kids to memorize the Lord's Prayer and over half my elementary students and a third of my preschoolers learned it.  This year we're learning the 10 Commandments. I want the Word of G

What makes an organization great? What separates two companies that sell the same product to the same people where one is incredibly successful and the other is a dismal failure? Several books, including Jim Collins classic, Good to Great , explores these questions and attempts to answer them. John Maxwell says that everything rises and falls on leadership. Show me a strong organization, ministry or business, I can show you a strong leader at the helm. Collins says a level 5 leader is what takes an organization from being just good to great.  While few of us will every reach level 5, we can all endeavor to be better leaders, and in turn, make the ministries and businesses we serve in better. So here are the 5 levels of leadership as outlined by Collins. Highly Capable Individual : This is the most basic level, where we start out and people start to give us more responsibility and tasks to complete. These people don’t really lead others, but they are beginning to lead themselv