Leaders, Don’t Get Numb
When did you go from being burned out to being numb? How long did it take to digress from burned out to numb? Did he just get numb and stop caring? Those are questions I have asked in conversations with leaders, and those alongside them, who have taken themselves out of leading or have been […]
4 Ways to Handle Your “Boring Job”
Since being in ministry for the last twenty years, I have heard comments from people with “regular jobs” comparing the significance of what I “get to do” with what they “have to do.” Some have commented that “their job doesn’t matter as much” or “isn’t as spiritual” as those in vocational ministry. I am always […]
100 Points in a Game and a Leader’s Willingness to Look Foolish
On March 2, 1962, Wilt Chamberlain’s NY Knicks beat the Philadelphia Warriors 169-147 in a professional basketball game, and Wilt himself scored 100 points. The closest anyone has come to that unbelievable feat is Kobe Bryant, who scored 81 points in 2006. One of the fascinating subplots in the storied 100-point game is that Chamberlain […]
4 Wins of a Consistent Mission Lens
It is one thing to have a mission and quite another to have a mission lens, where all activity is viewed through the lens of that mission, where all decision-making is filtered through the lens of the mission. It is one thing to have a mission hanging on the wall and another to work hard […]
Aristotle, Ministry, and a Microphone
Because speaking is both powerful and fearful, a plethora of “speaking resources” have flooded the market to help some maximize their speaking and to help others overcome their fear of it. If you type in “public speaking” at Amazon.com, nearly 25,000 books are offered. While many of these books may be helpful, the first classic […]
6 Types of “Dangerous Charisma”
“He has a charismatic personality.” “She is such a charismatic leader.” Those phrases are often credited to leaders whom others line up to follow, who are seemingly able to alter any room they enter, and who are able to quickly rally people around a vision or direction. Charisma is often defined as “compelling attractiveness or […]
3 Better Alternatives to Playing “Devil’s Advocate”
“Can I just play devil’s advocate?” Not sure why someone would want to advocate for the devil, but “devil’s advocate” is a common phrase. Too common. The phrase is usually muddled by someone after a leader has passionately presented a new idea or a possible direction to explore. The thinking might be, “Now that I […]
4 Ways to Recognize Lazy Leadership
Lazy leadership is unfaithful stewardship. Instead of wise stewardship, lazy leaders foolishly squander resources, gifting, and opportunities rather than make the most of the brief season in which they are privileged to lead. When attempting to uncover and address laziness, people often look in the wrong places. Lazy leadership is not about office hours, email […]
3 Mistakes Leaders Make When Starting a New Year
Here is a typical scene the week after Christmas… A leader gets some rest, feels rejuvenated, and the burden to lead the team better in the New Year starts to grow. The leader reads a book, favorites a dozen blogs, listens to some leadership training on a variety of topics, and is fired up for […]
3 Risks of Personality Tests
As I recently wrote, utilizing a personality test with the team you lead can foster a greater appreciation and communication among team members. But there are some cautions. Here are three ways we can misuse personality tests: 1. Justify unhealthy approaches. One pastor joked about the proclivity of tests to justify a person’s unhealthy behavior […]