Steve Parr

Maximized Leadership: Are You Setting The Tone?

Be the person that you desire for your children to become.

Great advice for parents, don’t you think? You must model for your children the behaviors, attitudes, and values that you hold dear. What would you think of the parent that opted to write them on a list and post them on the refrigerator while behaving in a contrary manner? You can apply the same principle in a church. I have often been amused to see the lengthy church covenant posted on the church wall affirming the priority of taking the gospel to the lost just before preaching to an unenthusiastic congregation, that gives little to missions, and has no un-churched people present to hear the gospel. I assume that they can read but apparently the document has not made an impression. Likewise, I go to a different church the following week and see no church covenant posted. However, a passionate pastor has invited me to share with his congregation. The church is friendly, lively, worshipful, and loves good preaching (even mine). How could this be if the standards are not posted on the wall? Hang around the leaders for a while and you will discover why. They live with a committed and passionate attitude among their congregation week in and week out. It’s true that some things are better “caught than taught.”

Every family has a culture. Every church and every organization has a culture. Attitudes, values, and priorities vary and are as diverse as personalities possessed by individuals. Every church and every organization has a culture also. It is a corporate (or combined) mindset that guides attitudes and thinking. It is critical that a cultural tone is set that benefits the organization, the individuals in the organization, the customers of the organization, but most importantly that pleases the master of the organization. Yes, the master, the Lord Jesus Christ. Here is the question. Who bears responsibility for setting the cultural tone? I’ll say it begins with me because I am writing this post. However, for you to correctly answer the question, you must reply with; “It begins with  me.”  You may think that your role is not that influential and that you do not bear responsibility. However, you are the only person that you truly have control of. Don’t wait on someone else. Be the person that you desire for everyone in your organization to become. If everyone is determined to set the tone, the tone will indeed be appealing to members and the community alike.

Dixie Chicks? Does that sound familiar? It does if you are a fan of country music. Just over a decade ago they were the darlings of the country music industry. The group consisted of three attractive, talented, country stars who produced hit after hit. They were riding high until their lead singer decided to make a political comment. Certainly she had the right and no one would deny her freedom of speech. She criticized the sitting president at the time, George W. Bush. Here is the problem…  Her audience was made up of country music fans who lean heavily conservative, patriotic, and republican. The career of the entire group went into a nosedive. They tried coming back with one more album but the damage had been done.

Whether you serve in a ministry or operate a business it is important to know who your customers and your potential customers are. Who is it that you are trying to serve? Who is it that you are trying to reach? You cannot serve an audience that you alienate. Perhaps you are like me. I have strong moral convictions, deep Biblical convictions, and clear political convictions. I believe that I am right on all points. But guess what? Not everyone agrees. You may have noticed that people can get real worked up over issues related to any of these areas. How do you express those convictions without un-necessarily alienating people? As a person who is called by God into the ministry I believe that I have a message to share. I want as many people as possible to be open to it and to hear it. As I have wrestled with how to balance being a person of conviction with the desire to keeping my message open to as many people as possible (by not alienating over half of them) I have applied the following:

1. I try to distinguish my political opinions from Biblical and moral convictions. The lines seem to be blurry to a lot of people. Though I have a strong opinion, I am not called to represent a political party but to represent the Lord. Therefore, I will discuss politics with anyone but do not take public stands on political issues, unless the issue is clearly rooted in a Biblical or moral concern. By the way… I follow politics closely and have strong opinions about which way we should go.
2. I generally try to utilize social media to be social rather than to make a point about anything, particularly political opinions.
3. When taking Biblical and moral stands, I always seek to do so with compassion. The aim of my stand is not to hurt anyone but ultimately to bring healing. The Bible calls this “speaking the truth in love.” Speaking the truth without love leads to alienation. Loving without speaking the truth leads injury.
4. Though I do not want to alienate anyone, I will stand for the Word of God on all points without apology.

Now the Dixie Chicks could still be rocking the country world today. But they chose to take a political stand by criticizing the character of a president supported by a majority of their audience. They would not have compromised their convictions by singing another song instead of making political commentary at a country music concert. The people were there for their music, not their political opinion. Take a stand, but take it at the right place, at the right time, over the right things. And when you do speak out….speak the truth in love.

MAXIMIZED LEADERSHIP: DEADLY SILENCE!

Any questions?     Are we all on the same page?      Any objection?      All agreed?      Do we have consensus?

Perhaps you have been in a meeting that concluded with that question or something very similar. There were no questions. Everyone subtlety nods their head. No objections are registered. That is…until you get on to the elevator or back to the office.

“Can you believe we’re going to do that?”

“That is a dumb idea.”

Really now? Then why didn’t you say so in the meeting? You are not only hurting the organization but undermining the leader and your own leadership as well. Always bear in mind that the “general public” sees each person as the organization. If the idea flops or lacks credibility, it reflects on everyone, including you. Speaking up three weeks later or after the fact does not count. Speak up when the issue is placed on the table!

It does take courage to speak up. That is especially true if you have an opposing view or a different perspective. But you must remember that silence is interpreted as consent. You vote “yes” when you don’t speak up. You bear responsibility for the idea if you were part of the conversation. The scripture does speak to this issue in Ephesians 4:15 when Paul exhorts believers to “speak the truth in love.” That is great wisdom when taken in the context of all five words. It is not a loving act to be silent so as not to hurt feelings if the end result is a potentially greater harm that could have been prevented by speaking up in the first place. On the other hand it is not fruitful to speak the truth if it is not done in a spirit of “love.” You can critique someone without criticizing them. The key is to speak the truth in love. The motive of “criticism” is often to tear someone down. The motive of a “critique” is to build someone up by looking after their best interest (even if it is painful to say or hear).

Let me leave you with one more thought. The way you say something is as important when “critiquing” as what you say. What would set best with you if you were leading and someone wanted to disagree?

“I disagree with you.”   OR  “Can I share another way to look at this issue.”

“Everybody is going to hate this.”   OR  “Could we possibly do some research before pulling the trigger to determine the implications.”

[SILENCE]    OR  “I hesitate to take an opposing view but I want to make sure we examine all angles so that your plan will work.”

Speak Up! And when you do….speak the truth IN LOVE!

Maximized Leadership: Four Barriers You Must Overcome to Engage a Younger Generation

My first grandchild is due in the next month. In other words, it can happen at any time. I am obviously pregnant with anticipation. I have received some insight as I began entry into this next stage of my life which actually began bubbling up in the past few years. I can best illustrate it by sharing something that happened in me when I became a parent. Though I never knew it was there, God turned on a switch of protection in my heart when my first child was born. If I was driving down the road and a car would happen to pull out in front of me, my right foot would immediately depress the brake, my left hand would grip the steering wheel, and my right hand would move to protect my child. All of this occurred in under one second and was instinctive. To prove my point, if you were with me in the same circumstance, my right foot would depress the brake, my left hand would grip the steering wheel, and my right hand would grip the other side of the steering wheel. In other words, you are on your own.

Whether or not I am old probably depends on how old you are. I don’t consider myself to be old but it is a fact that I am getting older. Aren’t we all? As I have aged, I have noticed other switches that have been activated in my heart and if I am not careful, they can be an impediment to my effectiveness as a leader with a younger generation. They are as follows:

1. Sentimentality: I get more sentimental as I get older. A part of me yearns for things to be like they used to be. Something in me seeks to return to the past but I cannot live in the past and be effective in the future.
2. Status Quo: I like change as long as I agree with it. It seems I have a harder time agreeing with change as I grow older. However, I cannot stay as I am and circumstances cannot stay as they are if I am to be effective in the future.
3. Satisfaction: I like being comfortable. I am a big fan of air conditioning, comfortable chairs, cold soft drinks, and indoor plumbing. That is just the tip of the iceberg. However, I must stay focused on the reality that while comfort can be a great blessing, it is not the mission. The mission is to influence as many people as I can to follow Jesus and to grow in their faith.
4. Skepticism: While the years are a blessing, they also come with many let downs and disappointments. It is easy to be cynical when people latch on to fads that I have seen come and go before. If I am not careful, I will not give younger leaders a chance to lead and I must if I desire to help them to progress in their journey of discipleship.

I think the key here is to know yourself and to acknowledge these barriers. I am personally more concerned that the next generation is reached with the gospel and that they thrive in their mission than have my nostalgic notions go uninterrupted. Sentimentality, the status quo, satisfaction, and skepticism all have their place. They can serve you well. But be cautions that they serve you in a way that does not hinder God’s greater purposes. Which is the greatest challenge to your leadership?

Maximized Leadership: These Meetings Are Killing Me!!!

Do you ever feel like you are a “P.M.A.?”  That would be a professional meeting attender. The fact is that any organization with more than just a hand full of members or employees has a lot of moving parts. Meetings are a necessity to enhance good communication, foster alignment, and to sharpen strategy. But, not all meetings are created equal. John G. Miller says that “outstanding organizations simply don’t waste people’s precious time with meaningless meetings. Someone once said that the worst of all murders is the killing of time.” While his second sentence is certainly exaggerated I hope you caught the key word in the first sentence….”meaningless.”

Perhaps you have responsibility for leading meetings on some occasions and granted, they are often necessary. If so, here are a few pointers to make the most of the time in your meetings:

1. Have a clear leader for the meeting. He/She should take charge, stay on point, and move toward accomplishing the goal of the gathering.
2. Have an agenda. What will you talk about, in what order will you talk about it, and can you stick with it?
3. Try to limit the list. Fewer items can actually allow for greater focus.
4. Focus on the right things. Spend time planning and problem solving. Do not waste energy discussing someone else’s job. The greatest expertise resides in knowing how someone else should do their job! Your meeting’s purpose is to discuss how to best do yours.
5. Choose the right time and place. Choose an environment as free of distractions as possible while attending to a degree of comfort. Try to schedule at a time when participants are not anxious to get out due to other responsibilities.
6. Invite the right people. One thing worse than a dull meeting is a dull meeting that is totally irrelevant to the person attending.
7. Prepare. If you are not prepared you are wasting people’s time. Get your ducks in a row in advance.
8. Be punctual. Start on time and finish on time or finish earlier. No one ever complains about finishing too early.
9. Herd the cats. If you are leading then you bear responsibility for keeping on task. Is it okay to chase a rabbit? Yes but keep him in the meadow.
10. If someone is done let them leave.

I have to lead a lot of meetings and try hard to model the best practices. But I am open to suggestions and I hope you would be likewise for those who often find themselves in your meetings. Outstanding organizations utilize meetings to energize their team members and bend over backwards not to drain team members with meetings. Let’s all take this principle to heart. I must run now… I have a meeting to attend.

 

*Adapted from Chapter Eight of John G. Miller’s Outstanding; 47 Ways To Make Your Organization Exceptional

Maximized Leadership: The Key Element in Growing Groups

I trust we can agree that the more people studying the Word of God on a regular basis, the better. In addition, as more people are studying the Word together in your church, the more lives you will see changed, the more leaders you will see developed, and the more people you will be blessed to see come to faith in Jesus. Therefore, you need not apologize for wanting your groups to grow. Please understand that there is not “a key” to the growth of your Bible study groups. I wish it were that simple and that I could share “the key.” Unlocking growth is more like a combination lock where several things must align in order to see the groups grow and multiply. You need to also understand that it is not enough to simply “teach the Bible.” Certainly that is critical but if it was the “key” then all groups that study the Bible would be thriving. Don’t get me wrong here. Good Bible teaching is essential and the effort is wasted if people are not engaging and applying God’s Word.

 

I have been helping leaders grow groups for over thirty years. The work cannot result in disciple making without good Bible study but there are skills involved in growing the number of participants in the groups as well as the number of groups that meet. For example, effectively communicating the purpose of the groups, understanding how to enlist people into the groups, how to minister to people in the groups, how to organize groups, how to develop the leadership of group members, how to engage the group members in reaching out to the unchurched, and how to get the members to help create additional groups are just a few of the skills that are needed as the group studies God’s Word together in order to open the combination lock of group growth.

 

I want to share one key skill that is like the first domino that if tipped will in turn cause the other dominos to fall. That one key is the equipping plan for your leaders. What are you doing to systematically train your Bible study group leaders to give them the skills that I just described? Trust me….the application of these skills do not occur spontaneously. Most Bible study leaders focus on…..Bible study. You can do that week after week and fail to apply the skills needed to grow the groups. What is the result if you fail at this point? The fewer lives you will see changed, the fewer leaders you will see developed, and the fewer people you will be blessed to see come to faith in Jesus. Don’t apologize for wanting to grow your groups. And trust me, it rarely happens where the leaders are not equipped. I do have research to prove my point. But, to get the Biblical underpinning of my commentary, take time to study Ephesians 4:12-16. Paul made this point long ago. How are you applying it?

Maximized Leadership: Tools Trump Slogans

“Attitude is everything!”

“Dare to Achieve!”

“Just do it!”

Statements like these can serve as great rallying points for an organization.  John G. Miller states that “slogans may sound great, but in order to take the organization to higher levels, people don’t need platitudes – they need tools.” Allow me to illustrate this premise with the job of a lumberjack. Suppose you want your lumberjacks to produce more. Therefore you develop a slogan to inspire them to chop faster.

“Swinging our axes like there’s no tomorrow!”

“The Sahara was a forest before lumberjacks moved in!”

“Lumberjacks for Jesus – Chopping until the Kingdom comes!”

The lumberjacks get inspired and begin to swing harder. They drive their trucks to and from their work with fresh bumper stickers crafted to inspire. But there is a problem. The axes are growing dull. They are swinging harder and actually producing less. These lumberjacks do not need a slogan, they need a tool to sharpen their axe. An even better resolution would be to purchase chainsaws. Mind you that the slogans are not wrong and it is not wrong to have a slogan. But, in the most effective organizations tools always trump slogans.

The easiest way to do one’s work is the way that one has always done it. But that may not be the most effective approach. It is human nature to cling to the status quo and what is familiar when a crisis is not at hand. However, failure to change, adopt, or adapt will ultimately lead to a crisis as the business or organization begins to falter and at that point the needed tools may be out of reach, unaffordable due to eroding resources, or of lesser value because the proverbial hole is too deep to dig out of.

I do not consider myself to be “tech savvy.” I have noticed that some leaders even take pride in ignoring emerging tools and technological developments. That is tragic because leadership and (personal) growth go hand in hand. I am very “tech aware” and continue to try new technologies in an effort to strengthen my leadership. What is new with you? Are you seeking new tools for your work, your leadership, your organization, your ministry? While slogans can motivate, it is the tools that allow you to do your work more effectively. Focus on getting your team the best tools possible. Or else you may go the way of the organization with this slogan: “Our buggy whips can’t be whipped!” Really?

*Adapted from Chapter 7 of John G. Miller’s  Outstanding: 47 Ways to Make Your Organization Exceptional