Reprimand at the Moment or Look for a Teachable Moment?
If you lead people in any way … in a church, a business, or a team, those you lead will screw up, fail, and often disappoint you. When that happens, and that employee or team member needs correction, when is the best time to correct? In the past, when a staff person who reported to me made
8 Indispensable Qualities Every Leader Needs
Israel’s second king, King David, poses a question about character in Psalm 15.1, “God, what do you look for in those who draw close to You?” He them summarizes the answer in the first part of verse 2 with the words ‘blameless’ and ‘righteous.’ The NASB version uses the word ‘integrity’ for ‘blameless.’ These eight
Do these 4 Steps Lead to a Pastor’s Moral Failure?
Each year it seems that another famous pastor steps down due to moral failure. As I’ve read about these falls, I’ve often wondered if there are threads common to these falls. Several years ago H. B. London interviewed Archibald Hart, author and Dean Emeritus at Fuller seminary, on this subject. He suggested four steps that lead
3 Simple Questions that Can Make or Break Leadership Effectiveness
Sometimes leaders can view their role only encompassing the big-picture, long-term, and strategic kind of stuff. I’ve learned, however, that how I treat simple one-on-one encounters with others may impact my leadership and my church in greater ways than my big-picture stuff. I suggest silently asking yourself these three questions when you’re with another person at your church or organization. 3 Key Questions
What this Leader Learned about Life from 10 Kindergarteners
Several years ago I visited the pre-school that my church ran. It included a kindergarten class. The morning I peeked in I noticed that all 10 kids were sitting in a circle holding hands. Their teacher, Autumn, invited me in to join them in their morning prayer. Delighted to do so, I sat between two dainty girls, one with
Is this the Holy Grail for Effective Leadership?
The term ‘holy grail’ is often used to describe something highly sought after or earnestly pursued and perhaps when we think of leadership. Whether you are a leader in a ministry environment or a business environment, great leaders are always looking for ways to lead better. But is there such thing as a ‘holy grail’
Need More Energy? Five Ways to Build It.
Energy management is the new time management. And I’ve asked my friend, Tom Harper to share his insight on that crucial subject. He just released his latest book, Servant Leader Strong which is the result of his three-year search through the Bible for wisdom on how to achieve results through servant leadership. It is a
What Mac & Cheese Taught me about the Needs of Others
A very successful businessman inadvertently taught me a lesson about paying attention to other people’s needs … with mac & cheese. Several years ago I ate breakfast at my favorite diner with one of our church’s key leaders. He owned a flourishing business and gave quite generously to our church. As I enjoyed the blue plate special of eggs,
Leaders Need Adequate Sleep: 10 Ways to Get It
Get your thoughts out of your head and onto paper. Decreased light at night. Use ambient noise machines or smart phone apps. Try to get at least 7-8 hours each night. Don’t work in bed. Don’t bring your iPad or smart phone to bed. Stick with the same routine each night. Don’t use caffeine more
7 Holes that Can Swallow Ministry
I have four earned degrees and my toughest by far was an industrial engineering degree from Ga Tech. That degree taught me to think systematically. In addition, I’ve added to my competency tool box many books on church planning plus two churches where I’ve served have engaged in year-long visioning processes with church consultants. So, I’m
