(New York: American Management Association, 1995) 240. Obtain from AMA: 1-800-262-9699
Blanks draws nine leadership essentials from his understanding of quantum physics. His connection of leadership with quantum physics makes this a complementary book to my book, Sacred Cows Make Gourmet Burgers. The most interesting twist is that Blank describes leadership as an event that […]
By: John Laster
From “Gaining Traction” (Chalice Press, 2007)
Do some informal research the next time you as a leader can procure about 5 minutes in a gathering of a cross section of the congregation (a class, small group, town hall meeting, fellowship gathering, or other setting).
• Let people know you need their input on a quick […]
Without apologies, I’m a bit of a Trek fan … both the bicycle kind and the sci-fi kind. Most of the time I indulge my Trekness for pure fun and escape; however, I’m a believer that if you keep your eyes open there’s something to be learned in and from almost everything.
And so, it […]
From “Gaining Traction” (Chalice Press, 2007)
Leadership teams are too busy “doing,” and rarely spend enough time thinking and sharing with one another about who God has called them to be and how they are functioning together. Use this Field Exercise as a catalyst for some needed heart level conversation in your team.
Foster an open […]
Leading congregational leaders to deepening their spiritual discipline and breaking through to a new sense of mission…a story…
What happens when denominational issues impact upon the local congregation? What happens when these issues cause people to leave and de-stabilize the congregation? What happens when the Senior Minister decides to leave and takes significant leadership and […]
I like metaphors because they encourage the imagination to run wild rather than just focus on a definition. In the case of leadership, I like three primary metaphors that shed light on the role of a leader without confining leadership to the definition. Here they are.
Shepherd
Let your imagination run wild here. Do you think […]
Most churches underestimate the importance of the board members as “spiritual leaders”. Board members are often elected or appointed because of specific skills (teaching, finance, property management, etc.). However, as management responsibilities are delegated to a trusted, gifted few, it becomes more important that the board members be models for the spiritual life. They need to […]
I recently received a note with a question that I’m sure most pastors have asked themselves at one time or another.
I’m afraid there are many answers to this question.
The congregation is paying the pastor’s salary – so they’re the boss (or at least they think and act like they are).
The congregation is an all-volunteer organization – if they […]
Search committees are always looking for pastors and additional staff, but they need to know the difference between mission-driven leadership and maintenance-drive leadership. Here is the first set of distinctions you need to make in your interviews:
Maintenance Mission
Serving the church Serving the Mission
Serving the membership Serving Christ
Care Taking for members Care Giving to strangers
Equipping to do […]
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