Leadership development is not just adding another programme!

A great post by Mac Lake - Thanks for being real!

Just Add Water

Those church leaders who are seeking to get better at leadership development tend to look for a “just add water” solution.

“Give me the right program to add to my church.” Or “Give me the right curriculum to add to my ministry.” In other words, give me something so I only have to put in minimal effort.  But the level of difficulty of leadership development isn’t the problem.

Leadership development isn’t difficult. How hard is it to have someone read an article, observe you in action, ask some debrief questions, and then let them give it a try themselves?

The problem is leadership development is messy. And we don’t like that.

Potential leaders come in with different backgrounds, various levels of competency, and their own set of questions.

Their schedules don’t always line up perfectly with ours. They don’t always “get it’ the first time you tell them. You spot character issues you must address. They forget to do their homework. They ask you a question about something you already taught them!  I could go on.

This approach to leadership development isn’t a “just add water” scenario.
So what are the ingredients for developing a leader?

• A big dose of patience and understanding
• An abundant helping of questions 
• Add a lot of time
• Several servings of failure
• And a small pinch of sharing your expertise. 
• Then cook til ready.

You can’t just add water and magically produce a highly competent leader. Each person is unique. Our role is to guide them toward maximizing their God-given calling as a leader. 

4 WAYS TO TAME THE STRESS MONSTER

A Great post by Dan Rockwell!

Stress isn’t a germ you catch from an uncovered sneeze. Stress isn’t a thing. Scientists examine the results of stress, but they can’t examine stress itself.

Stress is a monster that rises inside you.

 4 ways to tame the stress monster:

#1. Understand stress.

Stress is deadly because it’s cumulative.

A friend of mine in banking notices that people are losing it more quickly these days. When you’re stressed about politics, racism, job security, and a pandemic, small things light you up.

You’re stressed because you:

1. Care but aren’t sure what to do.
2. Feel responsible but powerless. If you feel relaxed when the house is on fire, its probably not your house.
3. Try to control things beyond your control.

Stress is inside you, not out there.

#2. Find your power.

Feeling weak is stressful.

Stress is about what you CAN’T do. Power is about what you CAN do.

The ability to choose is at the heart of feeling powerful.

The most important choices are about attitude and response. There are always choices.

#3. Choose how to show up.

Stress is your powerless self saying, “I can’t.”

Show up to care. What does your caring self tell you to do next?

Show up with empathy. How might you show empathy to others? You might be surprised to know that empathy for others lowers stress in you.

#4. Choose to connect.

Stress hates it when you connect with others. I’m learning to seek advice from many sources when the stress monster grips my thinking.

The problem with advice – when you’re stressed – is it usually sounds stupid.

Stress makes you stupid. While stressed, the creative part of your brain shuts down. The best you have are fight, flight, or freeze.

Pay attention when trusted advisors say, “You don’t want to do that.”

Stress invites you to matter less.

What stresses you out?

What suggestions might you offer for taming the stress monster?

Bonus material:

8 Tips for Dealing with the Stress of Leadership (CCL)

10 Ways Strong Leaders Manage Stress (ManagerSkills)

How Chronic Stress Changes the Brain – and What you can do to Reverse the Damage (TheConversation)

Marks of a Healthy Team

Love this!

Everyone would like to be a part of, or lead, a healthy team. But what does a truly healthy team look like and how does such a team function? Ron Edmondson shares 10 phrases that point to a healthy team!

Originally posted by Ron Edmondson

Do you want to be a part of a healthy team?

Marks of a healthy team

Do you like simple?

Maybe we’ve made this more complicated than it has to be. I think there are values we can strive to attain which can help make our teams healthy.

Let’s be honest, in team dynamics – just as in relationships – there are seasons when things are better than other times. But, over the course of months and years we should be able to identify a healthy team. You certainly know one when you serve on one.

I have noticed a few key things which are taking place when I’m on a healthy team.

Here are 10 easy phrases which point to a healthy teams:

1. Relationships matter way more than structures or systems.
2. Titles never determine the importance of a person’s voice.
3. Good communication is highly valued.
4. Conflict is never avoided and used to make the team stronger.
5. Everyone embraces and loves a common interest and goal.
6. A person’s character is as important as their intellect or abilities.
7. The team rallies when times are tough.
8. No one gets all the recognition.
9. Enjoying the journey is part of the plan.
10. There are no minor roles or minor players.

How many does your team score?

Which of these does your team most need to improve upon?

And, if we do it right, we may be able to stop at number one!