It’s Christmas and great gifts are about to be given. I think there is no greater gift a group can receive than passionately honest leaders. I was thinking about some of the more pressing ideas that would make a leader a gift to their organization. I have mapped out a few thoughts on the topic that I hope will fit under your tree.
I am pretty sure most organizations of limited size have 90% or more of their decisions made for them by the realities of the times. I have worked with 100’s of churches (maybe more) and many non-profits. I don’t think I have seen many organizations or churches that don’t spend huge amounts of pointless energy on issues that are never going to happen anyway. Or, if they do, the options are so limited as to response that it would best be left in the hands of competent detail people.
Patience is the highest of virtues for ministries. Decisiveness is vital but it is only needed about 10% of the time. I see so much time spent on trying to be clever or keep from having trouble it’s troubling. Most things about organizations and ministry are meat and potatoes issues. The really big question leaders keep before an organization is what are the essential things we are called to do and how can we do them better? Anything beyond that is wasted energy.
One of the best descriptions of organizations I have heard is stated in a simple analogy. Some organizations are “red light†organizations. By this we mean everything is a no until the leaders say it’s a go. This mode leaves everything stymied and usually held hostage in the hands of the few. Talented people just won’t hang in there on this kind of MO.
The second kind of leadership and organization is “green light.†This is meant to describe an organization where everything is a yes until something comes up that causes a no. Ideas are friends and threats are expected and worked around in the latter organization. Talented people love this kind of environment.
Its amazing how good organizational behavior works well in the home as well. When children feel trusted they usually do better. Parents who make their yeses many and wide get heard when the red light comes.
If more time were spent on finding what we want to give a green light for there’d be more people stay in leadership. People who want to do something tend to start their own thing or stay clear of church ministry. And fearful personalities that are trying to protect the organization from wrong begin to take over.
There are also two basic kinds of leaders. There are permission-givers and trouble-avoiders. I ask the question, “Is the primary purpose of boards and leaders to keep an organization from doing bad stuff?” I don’t think so. I see boards and leaders as serving to make certain the essential aims are accomplished.
No organization has been deemed great because it avoided all trouble. Maybe going through deep trouble is part of the process of achieving success. Leaders who are “trouble avoiders†rarely see victory. Essentially because trouble is unavoidable no matter how good you are. And even rarer is reaching the top of the mountain of their highest dreams.
Permission-givers are looking for ways to say yes to those they lead. The louder the yes the clearer the red lights are when needed. Tell a group what they can do and they will do it. Try and get a group to not make mistakes and you get nothing.
I asked one board to tell me what their core essential value was. They said, “Reaching unchurched people.†I said ok it’s easy then, give the ministry team permission to do it. Let them find with your help the best path to this aim. Your yes will naturally make the no’s real clear.
One of the problems of leading is the amount of review it takes. No one is as good at leading themselves as leading other people. I mean this sincerely. It is easier to give you better guidance than I give myself. Hence, no one rises above the need for input. I am regularly amazed at the number of things I have forgotten.
No one can lead without constant pop quizzes. This is the purpose of leadership teams. We all get in the rut of doing the same dance. Others who change the music on us help us get into a new step. I have also found its one thing to give advice it’s quite another to take the advice and actually work it out. There is a huge difference. It’s one of the reasons I am reluctant to take much advice from someone who isn’t presently doing the thing.
As we move into a new year I think many leaders are going to learn some new plays. It isn’t just the economy that has changed. The mode and fear level of those we lead will effect everything. We will need to be leaders who can quickly get to the essential aims and keep things heading that direction. Options may become fewer but dreams don’t need to be smaller.
And remember the most negative guy in the room always sounds smarter. But the really bright guy is the permission-giver.
My deepest wish is that you will have your very best Christmas ever. And I pray for new faith and great anticipation to fill your heart as you think of the new year ahead.
