Leaders

I am approaching twenty years of service at the Georgia Baptist Mission Board in a few months and preceded that with fourteen plus years in a local church. I am somewhat familiar with long tenure. As I approach the milestone of twenty years, I am having a conversation with myself. I do not want to be that person that hangs on so long that people are whispering and wondering “when will he step out of the way?” I want to lead effectively, make a positive impact, and leave at the right time whether it is a year from now or a decade from now. Therefore, I am refreshing myself with some thoughts on the upside and the downside of a long tenure.

If you have been at your place of service or leadership for more than a decade, you would do well to ponder alongside of me. If this is your first week on the job, the points can be likewise instructive. I want to share my top five thoughts on the upside of long tenure and then my top five on the downside with a very brief comment on each. Here we go:

UPSIDE

1. Deep relationships. Friendships grow strong when you work day in and day out with a group of team members over the course of many years.
2. Stability. You and your family stay rooted in a community and disruptions are minimized to some degree.
3. Ability to Mentor. You know where the landmines are. You have seen people fired, failed, and get in hot water. You know very well how to avoid those landmines and can help others avoid the same fate.
4. Benefits. In most organizations, benefits accumulate with longer tenure, whether it is salary, eligibility for additional time off, or special advantages that come with both tenure and sometimes advancement.
5. Satisfaction. Perhaps you are stuck. But more likely in the American economy you have stayed because you enjoy your work and get great satisfaction from what you do and who you work alongside.

DOWNSIDE

1. Unhealthy Repetition. If you are not careful, you will rely on yesterday’s victories for tomorrows battles. It is too easy to rely on what happened last time without taking a fresh look and improving the process for the next implementation whether it is budgeting, events, strategy, or annual obligations.
2. Skills Isolation. What if the role you have now disappeared? Have you developed skills that make you valuable in a variety of contexts or have you isolated your skill set?
3. Complacency. The longer you are in one location, the greater the temptation to “coast” instead of “innovate.” It takes no energy to “coast.”
4. Stunted Personal Growth. At the point you fail to grow, you forfeit your right to lead. If you are not careful you will mistake tenure for growth. They are not the same thing.
5. Arrogance. Arrogance in this instance occurs when you feel like the processes, standards and rules do not apply to you. Those are for the “rookies” and the other staff who don’t know how to get around them.

I am committing myself to avoid the downside of long tenure as I bust through the twenty-year mark. I am talking to myself and inviting you to listen in and I have no one else in mind. But I know how it goes when I write articles like this. “Is he talking about me?” No, but as the proverb goes, If the shoe fits, wear it! Because if you do, you are on the path to maximizing your leadership.

“There is no future in any job. The future lies in the person who holds the job.” – John Maxwell

Leadership exists on multiple levels. You can lead your family, lead your team, lead a small group, or lead people to go through a buffet line. Leading a larger group or organization calls for a higher level of skill, knowledge, and influence. Some can lead tens, some hundreds, and some thousands. What does it take to provide leadership on a macro level where you are not simply leading hundreds or thousands of people, but providing leadership for multiple teams, multiple organizations, or in the case of denominational work, hundreds and thousands of churches? The difference in helping a church advance and helping hundreds to advance requires different skill sets.

I have been blessed to observe some leaders who are very effective on the “macro” level over the past twenty years. Here are the qualities I find evident in the life of a MacroLeader.

Multi-Level Thinker- The ability to think big, plan big, strategize big, and to inspire leaders to move their group or organization forward.

An Intimate Relationship with God- If you fail at this point you cannot succeed. An intimate relationship with God is the only hope to lead a movement rather than an institution.

Communication Skills- The expectations are higher and the skills must be undergirded with passion.

Relationship Builder- This does not change at any level. It is about people and being personable and developing relationships increases effectiveness.

Overcomes Negativism- Instead of dozens you deal with hundreds… meaning you’re likely to encounter larger amounts of cynicism, negativism, and criticism. Don’t become a cynic yourself!

Long-Term Commitment- You can move a person forward today. Moving multiple groups, organizations, or churches forward can take years and the results are harder to measure. MacroLeaders are in for the long haul.

Experience in a Healthy Church- You cannot likely take people where you have not been yourself.

Ability to Manage Time- The demands pull from multiple directions. You must work hard without neglecting the priority of spiritual growth and healthy family life. You better have a system to manage your time or you will not be effective.

Does What He/She Teaches- No one cares what you did ten years ago. What are you doing now shows that you can be effective on any level. Be a practitioner or else you lose your credibility.

Evolving Expertise- You are viewed as an “expert.” You must stay up-to-date and that means you continue to read, attend seminars, take classes, and do everything possible to continually expand your knowledge base.

Responsiveness- A MacroLeader has a system that ensures calls are returned, emails/texts/letters receive a response, questions are answered, and concerns are addressed in a timely manner. While the resolution make take time, the response is quick. You can use these qualities to evaluate yourself on any level.

You may or may not be a MacroLeader but these qualities can help you grow your leadership no matter what level you lead from at this time. Which area is your weakest? Start there and you will be on the way to maximizing your leadership.

Thanks for joining me on this journey as I lead an initiative to help churches in reaching the next generation. I imagine you are familiar with the book Good to Great by Jim Collins. In the fourth chapter, he points out how organizations that excel take into consideration “the brutal facts but they do not lose faith.” How does a church do that and how can it help? This week I submit to you video number three (3) of six (6) which addresses the second phase of a church strategy to reach the next generation. You will discover in this seven minute video the next step which is self-evaluation. A church must know where they are right now in order to map out a plan to get to their desired destination. That can be tough to acknowledge shortcomings but that type of transparency can serve to propel the congregation forward. This video lays out a quick template that can be used by any church and provides some immediate ideas for the beginning of resolution. You can view all the videos at www.reachingnextgen.com.  Here you go…

 

When [Jesus] had stopped speaking, He said to Simon, “Launch out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.” Luke 5:4

I suppose you are familiar with this story. You may recall how Jesus got into Simon Peter’s boat and pushed back a short distance from the shore to teach the multitude of people who had gathered. Following the message, He turned to Simon, and asked him to take the boat into deeper water in order to catch some fish. Simon responded that they had already fished all night and were unable to catch anything. It is clear that Simon was tired (he had fished all night) and that he was frustrated (we toiled all night and caught nothing). Nonetheless, he deferred to his leader and headed into the deeper water. Do you recall the result of his obedience? The scripture says that, “they caught a great number of fish.” They caught so many fish that their nets began to break and they signaled to their partners in the other boat to come and help.

Despite his fatigue and frustration, Simon Peter launched his boat into the deep and went fishing. Here is a question that I want you to consider. Why did he do it? I am looking for the most elementary explanation. Here it is: He went fishing because his leader asked him to! I realize that there are a variety of possible answers, but this is the simplest interpretation. I believe this account is literal, but I also believe that it paints a picture of what the church is supposed to be doing. This story is illustrative of the Great Commission. Every church is a fishing boat that should be intentionally launching out into the deep (going) letting down their nets for a catch. Likewise, every Bible study group is a fishing boat. Jesus said, “Follow Me and I will make you become fishers of men” [Mark 1:19].

One of the drawbacks to effectiveness in evangelism in churches today is that they have converted their fishing boats into houseboats. What do you do on a houseboat? You relax, fellowship, and enjoy those on the boat with you. You do have work to do, but it is centered on maintaining an environment of leisure. You, likewise, have work to do on a fishing boat, but the objective is different. A fishing boat exists to assist you in catching fish. A Bible study group exists to help you to grow personally as you partner together to reach out to the lost and unchurched. It is organized around affinity groups to assist in the endeavor. Middle school students reach out to middle school students, college-age young adults to college-age young adults, senior adults to senior adults, etc.

Why is it that some churches use their groups as tools for evangelism and others do not? It is because in some churches the leaders ask them to. Are you challenging your groups to be “fishing boats?” Are you equipping your groups to go fishing? Are you intentionally leading your groups to reach out to the lost and unchurched? I want to challenge you to make a commitment to convert your houseboats into fishing boats. The possibility: “For he (Simon Peter) and all who were with him were astonished at the catch of fish which they had taken” [Luke 5:9]. I pray that this verse will reflect the testimony of your groups in the years to come. For in doing so you will have maximized your leadership.

 

 

Dear fellow leaders and workers;

Since you work so hard accomplishing your tasks day by day, I thought you might appreciate a little humor to launch your week.  Did you know…

The population of the United States now stands at 326 million. One hundred and fourteen million are over 60 years of age, which leaves 212 million to do most of the work. People under 20 years of age total 140 million, which leaves 72 million to do most of the work. Thirty-two million are employed by the government which leaves about 40 million to do most of the work. Almost two million serve in our Armed Forces leaving 38 million to do most of the work.

Deduct about 22 million who work in state and city government offices and that leaves 16 million to do most of the work. Currently there are 2,220,000 people in jails and prisons leaving 13,780,000 people doing most of the work. There are over four million people who are hospitalized or severely ill leaving only 9,780,000 to do most of the work.

Another 9,768,000 are on disability bringing the available workforce down to only about 12,000. Of those remaining there are at least 11,998 currently taking a nap. That tells us that most of the work is up to you and me and please help me because I am getting tired of doing everything myself.

Adapted from chapter one of Developing The Leaders Around You by John Maxwell.

Have you ever walked along minding your own business only to be unsuspectingly stung by a bee or a wasp? Ouch! Getting surprised with a sudden sting is one thing, but why would you knowingly put your hand on a bee’s nest? Getting stung by the loss of a job is an unpleasant experience no matter what the circumstances. We all know people who lost jobs and appear to have been treated unjustly. In the world of church leadership I have seen pastors lose ministry positions for doing what I perceived to be undeserved reasons. Sadly, some pastor’s lose their jobs for doing the right thing. In addition, you probably have acquaintance with friends who lost jobs because of layoffs due to budget reductions. Those types of things are out of one’s control and you can only trust your competence and personal faith to overcome these types of losses.

Sadly, others lose jobs because of mistakes that get them into hot water with their employers. Can you minimize the possibility of losing a position? You can when you understand five of the top six reasons employers elect to part ways with employees. According to Robert Half International, a San Francisco based consulting firm, the top reasons people get fired are as follows:

• 30% for incompetence
• 17% because of inability to get along with team members
• 12% because of dishonesty or lying
• 10% because of negative attitudes
• 7% because of lack of motivation
• 7% because of insubordination (failing to follow instructions)
• 8% for all other reasons.

John Maxwell rightly points out that “although incompetence ranked first on the list, the next five were all attitude problems.” Attitude is everything to an effective leader. Maximizing leadership takes place when you purposefully tune your attitude by being authentic, exercising good people skills, having positive expectations, expressing passion, and being a team player. While a person with a good attitude can get stung it will not be because they foolishly put their hand on a bee’s nest. How do those around you view your attitude. Always be attentive to it and you will maximize your leadership!

Adapted in part from chapter six of Developing The Leader Within You by John Maxwell.

Yogi Berra, Hall of Fame baseball player and coach, once commented upon arriving late to an event: “We were lost but we were making good time!” It really doesn’t matter how fast you are moving if you are not closing in on your destination. Leaders deal with details, problems, and people day in and day out. How can you maximize your work each day to be more productive while getting home for dinner on most nights? It is not always a matter of working harder. Sometimes you need new tools to work smarter. That brings me to this question: What is your method of time-management and task-management?

 

First, if you don’t have a system that may be your problem. Second, if you have a time-management system and fail to have a task-management system, you will head in the right direction but you will be much slower in getting there. Here are five ideas to improve your task-management on workdays (I use it every day) that will help you get more done:

 

1. Make a daily “to-do” list. Don’t tune me out yet, just because that sounds too obvious. The list can be on a piece of paper, in a time-management notebook, on your computer or tablet, or in my case as part of your Microsoft Outlook dashboard. You are more likely to get things done if you write them down and check them off. You are less likely to leave something undone or to miss a deadline when a task is written down. As elementary as it seems, make a list each day. Ideally, make it at the end of the day and have it waiting for you in the morning.
2. Make your “to-do” list horizontal instead of vertical. A vertical list would be represented by everything you need to do this week…or this month. You look at 50, 60, 70 items in front of you and immediately discouragement sets in and you feel tired before you even begin. A horizontal list is different. I make a different list for every day. Again, technology makes this easier if you use it but a piece of paper will do. Instead of looking at 70 things I need to do, I look at 12 for Monday, 10 for Tuesday, 15 for Wednesday, etc. I only have 5 for Friday with built in time to catch up or knock off early if everything is up to date. [Note here: Don’t get distracted by the “number” of items I suggested. This is for illustration only. One person might have four longer tasks for the day while another has over 30 shorter ones. It all depends on what your job assignment is.] I see my list of 12 items on Monday and I knock out 8 of them by early afternoon. I feel like I’m on a roll. The horizontal list gives me momentum and I do not feel overwhelmed. However, if I get distracted and only finish 10 of 12 items by the end of the day, no problem. I saved the less urgent items for the end. I roll one over to Tuesday and another over to Thursday.
3. Begin the day with the “quick and easy items ” I have 12 things on my list. One of them will take four hours. Five of the items can all be done within an hour. I start with items each day that takes five to ten minutes or less no matter where they fit with my priorities. Within 90 minutes of each a day I feel like I am being productive because I cut deep into my list quickly. Some would argue you tackle the toughest task first and get it out of the way. You choose. You know yourself better than anyone else. Do what works best for you.
4. Take five minutes to save hours by prioritizing the list at the beginning of the day. Suppose I have 12 items on my “to-do” list. The first thing I do in the morning is to give them a You can use letters, numbers, or colors. Let me use letters as an example. I will put an “A” beside every item that must be done today before I leave my office (barring an extreme emergency). I place a “B” beside items that must be completed before the weekend, even if they do not get done today. I place a “C” beside items that can wait another week in a pinch. Here is how I proceed: First, knock down a few “quick and easy” tasks no matter how they are coded. Next, work on items that are labeled “A” and must be done today. I almost always have these done prior to lunch. Next, work hard to get all of the “B’s” done since my weekend will be interrupted if they do not get done. When I get to my C’s, I am working in a very relaxed way.
5. Build in time for interruptions. When you are working on your calendar (i.e.: time-management), do not schedule yourself “bell to bell.” Build in time for interruptions, unexpected calls, emergencies, etc. Another way to look at it: If you have an eight hour workday (which would be highly unusual for a leader), only schedule six and a half hours of meetings, ministry, or tasks on your “to-do” list. Otherwise, you will miss dinner once again.

 

I gave you a snapshot of the way I manage my tasks via a “to-do” list. People tell me I am productive, and I do tend to get a lot done. I write an article every Wednesday (like I am doing now) and check it off of my list. The article will not be released until Monday. If I had been distracted by some urgent matter, I would still have Thursday, Friday, Saturday, or Monday to write. My sermon is done for Sunday (I am a preacher), I am prepared for an Executive meeting on Thursday and Friday, and Saturday I am on schedule to hang out with the family for blessed leisure time. What is your system? You need one to maximize your leadership!

Why is it that some leaders excel, solve problems, inspire people, and make a difference? The answer to that question could fill an entire book. One thing I know for certain about effective leaders is that they are students of leadership. They seek to understand the nuances that separate leaders who make an impact from the ones who simply occupy a position. Let me share some personal observations about effective leaders:

1. The know when to shut up. While I am being blunt with the first statement you can be assured that no offense is intended. This happens occasionally and I have no doubt that you have experienced it also. It happens when you have a lunch appointment or attend a meeting and quickly find out that the other person has a lot to say. He or she talks and talks and talks and you get the picture. They have been speaking four, six, eight minutes or more and you cannot get a word in edgewise. By saying “shut up,” I am not suggesting that you should not talk. I am reminding you that a discussion involves two or more people. Be sure that you listen as much as you talk whether meeting over a meal or around a conference table. Share the conversation and listen as much as you speak. That is what leaders do. Also, in larger settings, take note of the number of people present. Suppose you are in a thirty minute meeting and the leader asks everyone to weigh in on the topic. If ten of you are present, do the math. You should only take about three minutes or so. If six people take five minutes, you have bumped four others out of the conversation. One other point, you don’t always have to weigh in. I have noticed that if 100 people are present, you can count on one or two people to say something whether their comment has relevance or not.
2. They know when to speak up. In reference to the first point, do not misunderstand. The point is not that you should never talk, but that you should be more strategic and purposeful about when you do and when you don’t. Always keep this in mind; silence is consent. It is not appropriate for a leader to go into a meeting, hear a proposal or a decision, remain silent, and then complain afterwards. Speak up if you do not agree. A leader is skilled at doing this. They know how to disagree without being offensive. While they may be passionate they are also measured, seek points of agreement, seek to characterize issues in a positive tone when possible, and attack the problems rather than people. While a skilled leader knows when to shut up, they never hesitate to speak up.
3. They know when to speed up. Effective leaders do not tend to waste time. They move meetings along covering the material without wasted time. They will cancel a meeting from time to time and seek ways to communicate efficiently. Sometimes meetings can be done online, via email, or on a phone call with equal effectiveness to a live gathering. In addition, they keep things moving forward like projects, strategies, action plans, and team tasks. They serve as the engine driving the team forward by motivating, providing guidance, and ensuring accountability. If there were a pill that could be given to learn and apply “pace” in leadership, everyone would be a dynamic leader. There is no such pill. However, effective leaders are wise and know how to keep everything moving forward. They know when to speed up.
4. They know when to back up. Leaders do not like to do this. But effective leaders are good because they are willing to do things they do not like to do. That is why some people never progress in their job or ministry. They do not like to give energy or time to things they do not like to do. A skilled leader is often ahead of his or her team, company, or congregation in terms of vision, knowledge, and desire to get to where the group needs to go. However, you do not move an organization forward by frustrating people. The skilled leader knows when to back up a step or two to get everyone on board. Sometimes the way forward is to back up a little bit.

Do you want to maximize your leadership? Know when to shut up, speak up, speed up, and back up. That is a small sampling of what separates great leaders from the rest of the pack!

Leadership is an adventure that both exhilarates and exhausts. The exhilaration tends to be high on the front end and at the pinnacles of milestones accomplished along the journey. The exhaustion comes with the length of time and frustrations, let downs, and unforeseen forces and circumstances that serve like anchors to forward progress. How can you be refreshed during those seasons of exhaustion? Bob Buford, author or Half-Time: Moving from Success to Significance suggests that it is important to pause and take stock. This exercise becomes critical as you face exhaustion and discouragement in your leadership. As you take stock:

1. Make peace. Life is too short to carry grudges. Who is it that you need to be reconciled with? Reconciliation brings refreshment and renewed energy.

 

2. Take time. Are you taking time off each week? Are you utilizing all of your vacation time? Are you spending time with your spouse, children, grandchildren and other family members? While the temptation is to think that you are missing “work” to attend to personal time, the reality is that investing in personal time and family time makes you more productive and effective when you are “on the job.” The result is that a leader can accomplish more in less time if he or she disciplines themselves to take time for personal respite and family time. More importantly, it strengthens your family. I have often heard it said that no one on their death bed reaches up to a beloved family member and says “I wish I had spent more time at work!”

 

3. Be deliberate. Have you ever been on a retreat? A retreat is a time to reflect, grow, and evaluate away from the normal hustle and bustle of responsibilities. While you are away from your work or ministry, the intent is to recharge you for the mission and work before you. A retreat can be a week or a half day experience. When you are exhausted, do not wait on your ministry or organization to take a retreat. Take one for yourself, albeit short. That one day away can refuel your tank and get you prepared for the next steps in your work. The deliberate part is based on the fact that you do not get away to “nap all day.” You purposefully spend time away from all of the noise of a common work day to honestly assess where you are, where you need to go, and brainstorm new ideas to get there. When I say “you” I am referring to both you personally and your ministry or organization.

 

4. Go to the well. Sometimes a cold drink of water on a hot day is all that you need to make it for a couple of more hours. Go back to the well to cap off the day and you leave with a thirst that is quenched. The water that a leader needs if he or she desires to maximize his or her leadership comes from the Bible, the Word of God. If you neglect it you will thirst and grow weary. If you drink from it you will be encouraged and your energy will be renewed. I have found that the best way to do this is daily. But there is no wrong time to “go to the well.” While the word “leadership” is not found in the Bible, the concepts are sprinkled throughout. It encourages, convicts, enlightens, and inspires. It shows the pathway to a relationship to God and brings the believer into a closer relationship to God. Are you regularly “going to the well?” Those who do so are not immune to exhaustion but they do have added strength. Leaders need an “edge” and there is no better “edge” than spending time in the presence of the Creator of the universe.

 

Are you exhilarated or exhausted in your leadership? Either way, these words of wisdom can help you to maximize your leadership.

The four points are adapted from Chapter Seven of Halftime by Bob Buford.