When a ministry or organization experiences growth there is simultaneously an exposing and developing of character and competence. The pressure of caring well for more people, the stress of new problems, and the weight of new decisions both exposes and develops. In the same way, when a ministry or organization experiences a challenging season there…
Discipline
4 Ways to Set Effective Goals for 2020
It is a new year and many people will take time to set new goals or make new resolutions. Goals can be helpful as they cause us to evaluate our lives, consider what is important to us, and decide what changes we need to make. Setting goals has also proven to be fruitful, as research…
4 Important Lessons From Marathon Runners About Your New Year Goals
As a new year begins there will be a lot of new goals set: physical goals about exercise or weight loss, financial goals about paying off debt or making more money, and relational goals about more time with loved ones. Setting goals can be very helpful because they force conversations about what is going to…
The Leader, Exercise, and 4 Ways to Keep Going
When I first heard, as a Christian, challenges to exercise those challenges were typically connected to taking care of the body the Lord has given, to stewarding well the one body the Lord has provided us in this life. When the apostle Paul challenged Timothy to train himself in godliness, he articulated that physical training…
What Should a Leader Do When the Team Is “at Capacity”?
A common struggle leaders face is the conflict between wanting to raise expectations that will cost people on the team time and energy while simultaneously hearing from the team that “they are already maxed out” or “they are at capacity.” It is possible that “being at capacity” is an excuse, and it is possible that…
One Trait That Links Geniuses Like Jobs, Franklin, Edison, and da Vinci
Walter Isaacson has extensively studied people known as “geniuses,” distinct from those around us who are just “super smart,” which Isaacson says are a dime a dozen. Isaacson has written biographies on both Steve Jobs and Leonardo da Vinci. And the one trait that stands out in all the geniuses he has studied is their…
Links for Leaders 8/11/17
Be Careful to Not “Use” Your Spiritual Disciplines—Michael Kelley So train yourself, Christian. But train yourself for the work of surrender. Guard against the pride of achievement that convinces you that God owes you something for what you have done. It’s Not Just You: These Super Successful People Suffer From Imposter Syndrome—Stephanie Vozza While it’s…
Links for Leaders 2/12/16
“All leaders should lead well, but when one claims to be a follower of Christ their leadership reflects on his or her walk with Christ.” Helpful, convicting words from Ron Edmondson on seven core disciplines of a spiritual leader. Everyone has different leadership styles, and we often forget that different aspects of our personality may…
6 Leadership Lessons from Being a Father
Yesterday was Father’s Day, and my daughters updated their “Daddy books.” With the help of their mother, each daughter has a “Daddy book” that they update each year with a letter to me and a list of their favorite things to do with Dad. It is an amazing gift and something I look forward to…
Links for Leaders 12/5/14
Christian leaders, in any environment, often struggle with how to think through and process the ambition that fills them. Good thoughts from Kyle Worley on leadership ambition. Leaders must be people of extraordinary discipline. But the types of disciplines effective leaders must master could surprise you. Here are four surprising disciplines from Scott Cochrane. The…