What would you do? What would you do if you had a Bible study leader that needed to step down? That may be putting it politely. Perhaps action needs to be taken to remove the leader because of a serious issue. How do you remove a volunteer? Here is the first of two parts to help you navigate this touchy situation.

Diagnose the severity of the issue

The urgency of any action and the consequences of inappropriate behaviors are not the same in every circumstance. The way in which you should address failure of a teacher to show up one Sunday and a severe moral failure on the part of another teacher will not be the same. Begin by diagnosing the severity of the issue. Consider the following questions to assist in your evaluation:

1. Is the issue related to the skills of the teacher? Proceed slowly if this is the case. The objective in this situation is to provide instruction, training, and resources to help the teacher develop the needed skills. Keep the leader in place as long as there is willingness and progress in developing the needed skills. Assign a mentor or coach if needed to aid in assisting them in their growth.
2. Is the issue related to the commitment level of the teacher? Proceed deliberately with deference to your church’s written guidelines and standards in this circumstance. If your church does not have any written guidelines then their actions are not the root of the problem. You have left guidelines to their own interpretation and they may not understand that there is an issue. Meet with the leader to discuss the concerns if the guidelines are being violated and give them opportunity to explain the circumstances, to recommit, or to come to agreement if the issue is negotiable.
3. Is the issue related to a doctrinal error? Proceed deliberately with deference to your church or denominational doctrinal statements in this circumstance. The Bible itself certainly takes precedent when considering doctrinal concerns. The challenge may be one of interpretation or opinion. A summary of doctrinal beliefs can serve to clarify the understanding and conviction of your church. You should respond immediately if the error contradicts a doctrinal essential such as the deity of Christ or the exclusivity of Christ for salvation. You should respond cautiously if the error is not essential to Christian faith such as timing of events like the rapture or the meaning of symbolism found in the apocalyptic scriptures. You may need to agree to disagree while coming to an understanding that the leader will not deliberately or overtly contradict the local church’s conviction on the issue. You should respond with grace if the issue is related to preference. Believers sometimes take their own experiences or traditions and elevate them to a level of conviction that is not supported by scripture. Be cautious not to alienate a great leader over issues such as music style or preferred furniture for the worship center.
4. Is the issue related to a severe violation of scripture or moral failure? Take action immediately when a leader is involved in a moral failure or commits a severe violation of scripture. The aim should always be to bring believers to repentance and restoration. However, leaving someone in a role of leadership when they have deliberately chosen to engage in actions in direct violation of scripture can have an adverse effect on the ability of your congregation to minister in your community. Pray for discernment with the understanding that while the error cannot be overlooked an appropriate degree of privacy and confidentiality should be maintained when and if possible.

Work with key leadership through the process

Addressing the problems of volunteers is somewhat different than those who are compensated for their service. Accountability cannot be totally ignored but the leverage for dealing with difficulties is lesser with volunteers. A person who receives compensation may have a designated supervisor or team with the authority to take swift action when difficulties arise. Taking unilateral action to remove a volunteer is not ordinarily acceptable in most volunteer organizations such as a church.

Bringing key leaders into the process has several benefits. First, accountability for evaluating the circumstances with accuracy is enhanced by bringing others into the process. Perhaps other leaders have awareness of information that an individual does not. Secondly, objectivity is maximized by including other leaders. Addressing problems unilaterally may be interpreted to be personal when the actual issue at hand is sincerely the problem. Thirdly, involving others adds gravity to the concern. The fact that a group of leaders has a concern rather than an individual helps the offender understand the seriousness of the concern. Fourthly, bringing in other leaders provides protection for you as the leader of the Sunday school ministry.  Moving from inquiry to potential action may require the endorsement of the pastor or other key leaders to accomplish the task at hand.

To be continued…

This article is taken from my book Sunday School That Really Responds.

Two weeks ago, I walked you through the first two principles of what needs to happen when a church leader finds it necessary to dismiss a volunteer. While the context was specifically about the need of a addressing a volunteer Bible study leader, the concepts have wider application. Here are more ideas to work through should you find yourself in this difficult situation:

Consider implications without compromising convictions

Suppose you have been serving in your leadership role for only a few months. What if the volunteer that needs to be dealt with has been serving for fifteen years? You would do well to proceed with much caution in this circumstance. The swiftness of action will be dramatically different if you have been on the staff for fifteen years and the volunteer for only a few months. What are the implications for your leadership if you confront a long-tenured Bible study leader if you are new in your position? Do not hesitate to tackle issues related to moral failure, severe scriptural violations, or teaching that contradicts essential doctrines immediately in order not to compromise convictions. However, other issues may need to be overlooked or addressed more casually at this point so long as those convictions are not violated. You may, for example, not appreciate that a Bible study leader is often late but you may or may not want to make an issue of it at this point. Pray for wisdom in knowing which problems to confront and when to confront them.

Another possible implication is the loss of members. You always risk losing the volunteer as a leader even if the issue is minor. They may take offense at the confrontation no matter how mild. In addition, you may lose the person that is confronted as a member of your church. Is it possible that they will influence others in the congregation and that division will arise or families may be lost? I am not suggesting that you do not need to address the leader, and the more severe the issue the more important it is that corrective measures are taken. The key is to consider the implications prior to taking action. The congregation may actually be better served if the person is removed or chooses to leave. Place the protection of your church’s biblical convictions and reputation first but do not neglect to weigh implications when addressing issues which although important are negotiable in the short term.

Take caution against neglecting scriptural precepts

What does the Bible have to say about the issue at hand? What does the scripture teach about the restoration of believers who have failed? The teaching of the scripture absolutely takes precedent in all of the circumstances described in this article. The suggestions that I am sharing are based on experience, wisdom, and practical application for dealing with volunteers. Ignoring problems or failing to confront difficult situations will not make them go away. Balancing compassion and confrontation is a challenge for all leaders. Study the scripture, pray for wisdom, and seek to address problems with integrity that is Christ-honoring.

Talk through the process before there is a problem

What would you do? Confronting problems can be awkward, stressful, and detrimental to relationships and the reputation of a church if not handled correctly. Sometimes it is better to talk about a problem when there is not a problem. Consider taking leaders through potential scenarios in the absence of specific problems and discuss them at a meeting with your leaders. You can conduct the discussion somewhat more objectively in the absence of an actual real time crisis.

Get insight from your current leaders on the manner and procedures for addressing problematic situations henceforth. You might consider taking what is learned in the discussion to develop agreed upon guidelines for future reference. A team can be designated from among your leaders and in turn you can present to your volunteer the process for dealing with difficulties in the future. A process such as this will not eliminate conflict but may reduce some of the stress involved since the manner for addressing problems was developed and agreed upon by volunteers or Bible study leaders from your church.

Establish written standards and guidelines for Bible study Leaders

Written standards can assist you in dealing with problems much more objectively. Although you may be objective it is easy for someone to take your opinions as a personal attack. Applying church guidelines will lessen, though not eliminate, the personal nature of any confrontation. Do you have leaders who arrive late each week? Take a moment to find the document that describes what time their arrival is expected and underline that section. Do you have leaders that do not participate in training? Take another moment and underline the section of the document that describes the number of hours or frequency of involvement in training expected by your church. If you cannot place your hands on these documents you are postured for greater difficulty in addressing leadership concerns. Many problems that churches have with Bible study leaders and volunteers are simple failures of communication.

Call together a group of leaders to serve on a team. Assign at least one leader from all of the life stages: preschool, children, students, and adults. Ask them to develop minimum standards to serve as guidelines and expectations of Bible study leaders as well as procedures for dealing with difficult situations.

You will find that it is awkward, stressful, and unsettling to deal with most problems severe enough to consider releasing volunteer or asking them to step down. Do not neglect to address issues on one hand and do not proceed rashly on the other. Above all, pray for God’s wisdom and always remember that restoration is preferred whenever possible.

This article is taken from my book Sunday School That Really Responds.

I personally have mixed emotions about technology and social media. I enjoy the way that both have enhanced my communication (sending and receiving) and despise that I have to be married to some of it in order for it to make a difference. Someone said to me at lunch recently, “I bet you really are into technology and social media.” I’m actually impressed that he thought so because that means I am accomplishing something that I intend. Technology and social media are actually somewhat frustrating to me. However, both are emerging, growing, and becoming the reality of our culture. Any leader who chooses to ignore this fact does so at their own leadership peril. I find that leaders broadly fall into one of three categories on technology and social media.

First, those who ignore it or are “tech ignorant.” They have their excuses and justification but the reality is that their influence is waning because they are viewed more and more as irrelevant. It is sad that they are not willing to grow and learn.  Second are those who are “tech savvy.” These leaders are early adopters and know the ins and outs of the newest devices, web sites, blogs, and gadgets. For some who are younger it actually comes naturally. They are advantaged in their leadership because they can take full advantage of emerging communication sources.

I fall into a third category which I consider the minimum for a leader in today’s culture. I explained to my friend at lunch that I am “tech aware.” I am not a first adopter, I don’t know how everything works, I don’t tap into every technological option, but I do know the language, I utilize the more broadly used technical and social media sources, and I keep my ears open. I try to be coachable. Failure to be coachable is a failure to lead. I recognize that something new will emerge in the next year that I have never heard of and I will need to understand and utilize whatever it is to be viewed as relevant. Does that matter to me? It does because I believe I have a message to share and there is no point in sharing if no one will listen. I want to be coachable. How about you? The point of this post is not about technology. It is about willingness to grow and change. When you fail to do so, when you fail to be coachable, you inadvertently undermine your own credibility and effectiveness. Be coachable and you will maximize your leadership.

I will leave you with one of my recent tweets. The Lord occasionally blesses me with modern proverbs that help make my point. Here you go:

ALWAYS BE YOURSELF, BUT NEVER STOP IMPROVING ON IT.

Be coachable.

Adapted from Chapter Thirty-Eight of John G. Miller’s Outstanding; 47 Ways to Make Your Organization Exceptional

Well… at least they shouldn’t anyhow. I want to be clear that I am speaking from the perspective of leadership within the Christian realm although application could be made in business at large. If I were to beg anything of you, it would be that you embrace the gospel and trust Jesus to be your Lord and Savior. Apart from that, I have learned that effective leaders never beg.

First, never beg someone to join you. If you must beg then you are getting a half-hearted follower, member, or employee at best. I would rather have a couple of fully devoted, totally engaged, loyal, passionate members than a room full of half-hearted people that I have to beg to come alongside. In addition, they will always treat you as if you owe them something more and they will feel entitled to give you less since they sacrificed by giving in to your pleading.

Second, never beg anyone to stay.  I hate to lose good employees, faithful members, or friends (who feel called to other opportunities). When the person has talent or when you have grown close personally, it is especially difficult. I am thankful that it does not happen often and if it does you should spend intensive time in self-evaluation (of your church, ministry, or business). “I’m leaving.” Those words can hurt. Here is my typical response when those words are spoken;

“We’re going to miss you. “

“We sure hate to lose you.”

“I wish you all the best.”

If I beg them to stay and they do, I have painted one or both of us into a contradicting theological box. If I can convince them to stay then they are acknowledging that they were not hearing God clearly when they felt compelled to depart and I may be retaining someone who is not walking closely with the Lord. If I can convince them to stay, and they were hearing from the Lord, I am attempting to usurp His will and bend them to mine. People are certainly entitled to a change of heart and even if they do return after stating they are leaving, you need to spend serious time in debrief and deep consultation regarding good decision making skills and understanding the will of God.

Here is what leaders do instead of begging.

1. They share a compelling vision that people want to be a part of. People do not want to miss it. They want to be a part of a movement that is bigger than themselves. They would have to be dragged away.
2. They invest deeply in personal relationships with members, team mates, or employees. The love runs deep, the times together are filled with joy, obstacles are overcome, and departure would be too painful to bear.
3. They create an environment that is challenging and fulfilling. Every organization has a culture. That culture is created by the decisions, investments, relationships, and leadership style of those at the front. Effective leaders are in tune with the morale and culture of the organization.

Can God call someone away from an environment like that? He can and He does. And when it happens, while the parting is sorrowful, the influence of the existing organization is magnified. One more thing…People are waiting in line to fill the vacancy in that kind of environment.

I won’t beg you to follow my advice because leaders never beg. But I do hope this word of exhortation maximizes your leadership!

I wrote this article for my staff recently and I think you can easily glean an important trait that can maximize your leadership.

You should certainly have a clear understanding of who our internal and external customers are. We serve in cooperation with one another as “internal customers.” We clearly have external customers consisting primarily of Georgia Baptists but also have affiliates such as associational leaders and other denominational partners. We are blessed to have customers who are like-minded for the most part and are “Christian based.”

However, we have some other customers who may or may not be Baptist and may or may not even be Christians. They are just as important. Who you might ask? They would be our vendors, those who service us with product, resources, repairs, etc. Every week our organization has interaction with vendors providing a variety of products and services that equip us to effectively provide ministry to Georgia Baptists. Just as we treat our “external customers,” specifically Georgia Baptists, with respect and great service, we must likewise do so with our vendors. The way we interact and respond to them is important.

First, we must be reminded that those who are un-churched may be forming opinions about God and faith based on their interactions with us since we are the closest thing to church that they are experiencing. That is enough motivation in and of itself to compel us to take seriously the way we interact with our vendors. Secondly, vendors are our partners, not our adversaries. They deserve to be treated “as any of us would desire to be; as hardworking people doing their best each day.” John G. Miller points out that “treating vendors as valued is not just the right thing to do, but it is one other element that makes an organization outstanding.”

Adapted from Chapter 42 of John. G. Miller’s Outstanding; 47 Ways To Make Your Organization Exceptional

How many alarms did you hear last year? Car alarms, fire alarms, burglar alarms, weather alarms, and on and on it goes. I heard one last weekend as Tropical Storm Hermine bore down on my location in Charleston, S.C.  I heard several last year in various settings and locations. You walk through a parking lot and hear a car alarm and ignore it. Why? Not your problem and likely a false alarm anyway. Somebody turn that thing off! It’s irritating. A fire alarm recently went off at my home church during morning worship. “Is that real? Do I need to get up? Can somebody turn that thing off so we can continue with the service?” Fortunately, it was a false alarm. However, ignoring an alarm can be deadly.

It is easy to ignore alarms. John G. Miller points out that one of the great risks to any organization is “complacency.” When things are going well in an organization or a ministry it is easy to cruise along and enjoy the ride. And you should to some degree. However, the alarms that you hear are too easy to ignore when you are enjoying the ride. There is only one way to coast and that is downhill. What gets an organization to where they are (the pinnacle of success) may not get them to where they desire to be (sustained success). Do you hear the alarms sounding around you? Perhaps you have a great organization, great employees, great leadership, but the landscape is shifting right under your feet. What changes do you need to make? In your own leadership? In your ministry?

Here is Miller’s warning to organizations: “Complacency is a state of satisfaction combined with an unawareness of potential danger……..You must talk about continuous improvement and process enhancement. You must remain vigilant always knowing there is room for improvement. However you say it, the message is the same: Stay alarmed.”

Adapted from Chapter Forty-Three of John G. Miller’s Outstanding: 47 Ways to Make Your Organization Outstanding

Are you capable of multi-tasking? I imagine that you are and with the advent of technology, multi-tasking is now the norm rather than the exception. Perhaps you have been on the phone with someone before and had the feeling that you did not have their undivided attention. You may hear keys clicking, papers shuffling, or other noises that imply they are working while listening to you. It can be very disconcerting if the subject is important. Here is what we must remember. Every person and every subject is important to the person who is speaking. You must be a good listener if you aspire to “maximize your leadership.”

John G. Miller breaks down the directions from which you must effectively listen into three critical components.

Listening to one another. Are you a “good listener?” I hope you have been in some venue where “active” listening has been discussed. If you were paying attentionJ you know that body language, eye contact, and repeating back key points are good habits of active listeners.

Listening to your customers. It really matters what people think even if they are not within the organization and may not have all of the facts. External customers have a perspective that must be respected and responded to. The customer may not always be right but they do have a perspective and any organization that ignores or minimizes their opinions do so at their own peril.

Listening to your people. Employees in an organization must be “heard” and must know that leaders are responsive. Responsiveness does not require that the inmates run the asylum (don’t get offended here, just being metaphorical). Leaders and those who follow see issues from different angles and must work together to determine realities that are not always clear when only viewed from one side.

Work to listen in every direction and continue to strive to maximize your leadership!

Adapted from Chapter Thirty-Six of John G. Miller’s Outstanding; 47 Ways To Make Your Organization Exceptional

“That was a bad idea!” Those are words that you never want to hear following implementation of any initiative for which you have responsibility. But, it does happen. Ideas are important. An idea is a thought or suggestion as to a possible course of action. Therefore ideas serve as the oil that keeps the motor of your ministry or business running and the power to move it forward. You are always in need of good ideas. But, you can take steps to turn your good ideas into better ideas and here is how.

1. Give every important idea some brothers and sisters. Whenever you have an idea, take time to brainstorm at least four or five other ways to accomplish the same aim. You can do this yourself but it is best done with peers and key leaders. You may discover that one of the other ideas trumps the original. But not only that, you will likely find at least a nugget or two from among the other ideas to attach to the original which will improve it making a good idea even 
2. Filter every idea through generational filters. People do think differently and generations are a great example. Intelligence is multiplied in a group and can be magnified by involving both young and old. I am not going to quantify young and old but the point is that what you think is a good idea may not be as appealing to people who are much younger or much older than you are. In working with pastors in ministry I emphasize the importance of younger pastors enlisting at least one or more leaders or staff who are much older. Likewise, I advise older pastors to enlist at least one or more leaders or staff who are much younger. Why? They think differently. Not right thinking and wrong thinking. Not good thinking and bad thinking. Just different. Filter your good ideas through people who are much older and/or much younger and they will make your idea better. 
3. Think through implications prior to application. Failure to do this is the reason most ideas flop. It is important to ask what could potentially go wrong, who might potentially be offended, what are the potential results, and what are the potential costs as well as returns. Look at potential implications on both the positive and negative possibilities.  Follow up by determining the likelihood of the  consequences that you come up with. If the likelihood of negative results is extremely high, slow down and spend more time in preparation. If your team determines the likelihood of good results is high, move forward. Even if the likelihood of negative consequences is low, this step can help you minimize landmines moving forward.
4. See if the idea breathes before sending it to work. An idea naturally generates positive emotions when it bubbles up into your consciousness and builds through your intellect. Always remember that a great idea will still be a great idea next week or next month. If you let the idea sit for a week or so and have no excitement for it once some time has passed, you need to ask if it was really that good of an idea after all. Some decisions have to be made quickly and you have to go on instinct and experience. But, if time allows give the idea a few days to see if it can breathe on its own.
5. Don’t worry about who gets the credit. One of the best generators of an idea is a former idea. Either of these may belong to you or someone else. I have seen my ideas take shape on some occasions and no one ever knew of my role in generating or sharpening them. Likewise, I have sometimes got credit for ideas that I implemented but were actually initiated by other team members. Let the idea be the star and don’t be too concerned about who gets the credit. Over time a person’s value becomes clear and as you learn to turn good ideas into better ideas, the organization benefits and so do you.

 Time to go now. I just got an ideaJ