Imagine that you are driving down a highway at about 60 miles per hour daydreaming and listening to your favorite radio station. Suddenly, and without warning, a ball rolls into your path with a small child following darts into the road. While you only have a split second to determine whether to apply the brakes and strike the child or to swerve around the child knowing that you will collide with some object and perhaps suffer some injury to yourself as well as damage to your vehicle, your instincts kick in. You calculate in a millisecond that the damage to the child is greater than the risk to your own life or property. The foremost thought in your mind was not the decision making process but rather the implications of your actions.

Organizational leadership, whether with a small team or a large business, puts you in the driver’s seat of frequent decision making. Occasionally you will be compelled to make immediate instinctual decisions but rarely will you find yourself having to make a split second decision like in the illustration above. When you have an hour, a day, a week, or a year to make a decision, you should take advantage of time. Effective leaders excel because they take the time to consider the implications and consequences of the decision to be made. I would also add that time allows the luxury of seeking the counsel of team members, staff, trusted advisers, experts, and sometimes your community to make the best possible decision. I learned a tool some years back that is very helpful in weighing implications before making a big decision and I wanted to share a simple version of it with you. You can do this exercise mentally in the course of an hour, spend a two day retreat with a staff combing through each element, or something in between. Do you have a big decision to make? Go through this process to make the wisest and best decision possible:

1. Make two lists. One list should contain all of the possible positive results that could come from this decision. The second list should contain all of the possible negative consequences that could result. There is no wrong number of items to include on either list but the larger the decision, the more comprehensive you should seek to be.
2. Take each item on the positive results list and rate each one on a scale of +1 to +5. Plus one means it will make a mild positive impact and a plus five means it will be a game-changer for your organization. Do likewise for the list of possible negative consequences on a scale of -1 to -5. A minus one means a mild negative impact will possibly occur and a minus five means that the consequence could severely damage your organization, customers, or community. You should also rate both list with 2’s, 3,s, and 4’s if the impact falls somewhere in between.
3. Take each item and determine the likelihood that the positive or negative result will occur. Use a scale of 1 – 5 with one being a mild possibility and five being that it is almost certain to occur. Use 2, 3, and 4 also if the likelihood falls somewhere in between. For positive results, make it +1 – +5 and for negative results use -1 to -5
4. Evaluate the implications based on steps one, two, and three. Adding up the scores is not the way to evaluate in this instance. Look at the severity of any potential negative consequences and the likelihood that they will occur. It may be that you have to move forward with the decision but the exercise will show you where work needs to be done in advance to prepare.  You may realize the decision needs to wait. It could be that you change your mind if you see that the likelihood of negative consequences are severe and the likelihood is high.

A couple of other quick notes: Be reminded that you can conduct this exercise formally or informally. You can do it mentally, on a piece of paper, or on a whiteboard or wall. The bigger the decision, the more formal and detailed you should be. Second: For the faith community, what about prayer? That element is not absent but should be obvious to spiritual leaders. You begin with prayer, you proceed with prayer, and you process with prayer all the way through. Ineffective leaders make bad decisions because they don’t weigh the implications. Maximize your leadership by thinking through all of the consequences and not just the immediate outcomes.

Note: This is my last post for 2016. Look for my next Leadership Post on January 9, 2017. Merry Christmas!

I like change as long as I agree with it.

I’m not the only one. That seems to be part of human nature. It is interesting to observe how some organizations embrace change while others are extremely resistant. Why is one group open and the group right around the corner opposed? The attitude of the group can create momentum or kill progress. As a leader, what steps can you take that creates a climate through which your followers embrace needed changes?

1. Change moves at the speed of trust. Therefore, the leader(s) must invest time in personal relationships with the followers. Members or employees have a greater interest in adapting to change when they genuinely love, respect, and therefore trust those leading the way.
2. The leader must model willingness to change. You cannot take others where you are not willing to go. What changes have your followers seen in your life in the last couple of years?
3. The leader understands the history of the group or organization. Change and openness to change is somewhat contagious. Resistance will be greater if few or no changes have taken place in recent years. Constant change and adjustment can actually become part of the culture if it occurs gradually and continually.
4. Solicit support of influencers before introducing change to the whole organization. They will multiply “buy-in” through personal engagement and leadership within the group.
5. Attend to timing and to pace. Change comes easier when it moves forward slow and steady rather than suddenly and quickly. In addition, waiting a few more weeks can make a difference if the issue is not urgent. Time allows you to build momentum and to account for any potential negative implications.

In John Maxwell’s book, Developing the Leader Within You, he provides great detail and additional wisdom on the process of leading positive change in chapter four. I imagine there are changes that need to be made in the organization or on the team you lead. Be purposeful in creating the climate needed to move everyone forward.

Adapted from Chapter Four of Developing the Leader Within You by John Maxwell.

Some people are blessed to be natural born leaders. Good for them. The good news for all others is that leadership skills can be developed. While everyone cannot be a five-star leader, everyone can be a more effective leader than they are right now. Effectiveness requires growth whether you are a natural born leader or a learned leader. The leaders that progress in their skills will likely meet with these three people in the next few months:

1. Someone who is already where they aspire to be in their leadership skills. Leaders learn from other leaders and take the initiative to seek out and spend time with others who are ahead of them on the same pathway. What is it that you need to be better at? What is it that needs to happen in your church or organization in the next couple of years? Who is it that innovates and can charge you up with new ideas for what you are called to do? Do not wait on that person to come looking for you. Take the initiative and glean from someone who has walked your path and is already several steps ahead.
2. Someone who is an effective leader from a different generation. Leaders understand that generational differences are real. However, an effective leader uses those differences to his or her advantage instead of ignoring or complaining about them. A wise leader seeks out influencers who are twenty plus years older and twenty plus years younger to gain better understanding of generational perspectives that strengthen their own leadership and decision making. Obviously, I am not speaking of meeting with five year olds here but within the perspective of where you personally fit in your life stage. Who will you be meeting with soon?
3. Someone who has the potential to be a great leader. Ordinarily this will be someone who is younger but not necessarily. The key task of any leader is to develop more leaders. Of the three leaders, this is the one where the effective leader will purposefully pour much energy and effort. In addition, it will be with multiple prospective leaders because effective leaders understand the power of multiplication over addition. Who is it that you will be meeting with next?

One final word. Meeting? That can be formal or informal. It can be in an office, in a coffee shop, on their turf, in a home, or even in a recreational setting so long as the conversation is intentional. But, it will not be spontaneous (though it may be occasionally). Effective leaders are intentional in what they do and that is why they are able to maximize their leadership.

 

Does the name Babe Ruth ring a bell? The avid sports fan certainly knows who that is. Even the less acquainted are likely aware that he held the Major League Baseball record for home-runs for almost forty years before being surpassed by Hank Aaron. During the three years prior to Ruth’s dramatic hitting career, a young pitcher on the same team recorded a 2.28 earned run average as a starter and had a winning percentage of .671. Do you happen to know who that was? Yes, you sports geeks know exactly who I am talking about. The young pitcher was none other than Babe Ruth. Ruth was on his way to perhaps becoming a Hall of Fame pitcher with stats like those.

However, he did not continue to serve the team as a starting pitcher. The coach determined that he would be more valuable playing every day, going to the plate four to six times per game, to drive in runs and give the offense a punch. He did not know that he would set the record for home runs when the change was made. What if he had balked at the decision? (I could not resist the pun.) You may have never heard of him. Who knows how the rest of his career may have gone as a pitcher. He may have excelled or he may have flopped. We will never know. What if he said, “I don’t want to play every day. I like pitching every fourth game.” What if he liked the spotlight of being before the crowd for every pitch instead of only five or six plate appearances?

What about you and your role? Do you like your position in the organization? You should at least have some affection for it and there is no harm in aspiring to greater things. However, a leader should never have the attitude of “I don’t know what I would do if I could not do this job (hold this position).” A growing leader is capable of holding several different positions with a degree of effectiveness and will excel where he or she is placed in the existing organization or in another organization for that matter. For one to possess the attitude that they cannot thrive in any other positon or any other place than where they are is not flattering. Hyper-specialization should not be confused with limited skill sets and lack of personal development. You serve your organization to help accomplish the mission. The mission must be superior in priority to your position. Otherwise, unhealthy internal competition, diminishing competence, and the undermining of your own credibility will result. You will best help those you serve now and in the future by placing more emphasis on the mission and less emphasis on your position. It is commitment to the mission that will get your organization to where it needs to be no matter what your position may be. The mission must take precedence over your position!

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.

One of my favorite sayings about idea generation is as follows: Every good idea eventually degenerates into work! That is so true. In organizational life, great ideas require the time and energy of team members to prepare, promote, implement, and maintain. You need to ask some questions prior to the investment to maximize the likelihood of success or effectiveness. Begin by recognizing three myths about new ideas:

• If the idea is new, it will work.
• If the idea is creative, it will work.
• If prominent organizations or churches are doing it, it will work.

I have seen so many ideas flounder in my years of leadership simply because the thinking was that newness, creativity, or what turned out to be an anecdotal success story were indicators of a “no miss” idea. When an idea does take root and flourish, it Is not because it is new, creative, or because it worked somewhere else. It is important to ask the right questions before implementing a new idea. The answers can save headaches, false starts, failures, and wasted effort. Here are the first two with others to follow next week:

1. How will the new idea help you to accomplish your purpose? I served as a student pastor for over a decade. I often received requests and suggestions that the group conduct fundraising activities for a variety of needs ranging from cancer research to assistance of wounded veterans. These causes are certainly compelling and worthy of the time of volunteers. However, I never allowed these types of ideas to take root. Why not? It was outside the scope of the ministry that I was called to lead. The purpose of the ministry was to make disciples with an emphasis on evangelism and spiritual development of teenagers. While it may have been a good idea, it was not a good idea for the ministry I was called to lead. Effective leaders only accept and generate ideas that are consistent with the purpose of the group or ministry.
2. What is your process? Some ideas need to be vetted through others. In your organization or church, does the idea need the approval or consent of anyone else? Is there an executive leader who needs to sign off on it? Is there a team that you are accountable to? If so, how do you get their permission or affirmation? How do you present the idea to them? How is your relationship with them? That really matters because the better the personal relationship, the greater the trust, and in turn the faster and more likely the idea can move forward. The process can also add accountability and perhaps enhancement to the idea. Some ideas will work best with an overwhelming “buy in” from the members of the organization. How will you make that happen? What is the process?

The point of this is not to “throw cold water” on your ideas. The point is to get you prepared for success. Anybody can have an idea. It takes an effective leader to make it happen. Check back next week as I share four other important questions to ask before adding something new.