One of the most quoted leadership axioms is this gem from Max Depree, a former leader of Herman Miller furniture. DePree famously said: The first responsibility of a leader is to define reality. The last is to say thank you. In between, the leader is both a debtor and a servant. In this one pithy…
Leadership Communication
8 Ways to Treat your Successor
We are only eight months in to the transition at Mariners Church between Kenton Beshore (long-time senior pastor) and me (the new guy). But we are frequently receiving phone calls from churches that see succession from a long-time senior to a new leader in their not-so-distant future. The healthy relationship Kenton and I share is…
3 Things That May Be True if People Are Constantly Complaining to You
In my first full-time ministry position, right out of college, I learned so much because I served with a leader who loved me enough to confront me and tell me the truth. He coached me on developing other leaders for ministry, and he encouraged me in my personal development. And I still remember one interaction…
Don’t Compliment by Comparing
Compliments via comparisons are too common. If you are a leader you have likely received them and given them. “My son is learning so much more in your class this year than he did last year.” “It is great to finally have someone who executes well in this role.” “For the first time in a…
4 Ways to Recognize Team-Members Without “Skin in the Game”
We are not sure where the phrase “skin in the game” originated but it is commonly used to describe someone who is connected to the results of the game, someone who is not just watching but who is deeply connected to how it is played and what the results are. People on a team, whether…
If You Preach Like Whitefield, Think Like Wesley
In his highly popular book, The Tipping Point, Malcolm Gladwell contrasted the ministry of George Whitefield and John Wesley. Gladwell articulated that Whitefield was the better communicator, a more powerful preacher than Wesley. Whitefield was also known as a more capable theologian than Wesley, more likely to be compared to Luther or Calvin than Wesley would…
“Why Do You Mainly Quote Dead People, Eric?”
Someone on my team recently asked me why, of all the people I quote when explaining a passage or a topic, I mainly quote dead people. I don’t exclusively quote dead people. And I don’t reference other’s thinking in all my sermons and definitely not in every point I am attempting to make. But it…
4 Signs of Unhealthy Communication on a Team
A team that trusts one another is a team that moves quickly. That is the premise of the book, Speed of Trust by Stephen Covey, which builds the case that trust is one thing that changes everything for a team. The inverse is also true; a lack of trust and a lack of clarity slow…
3 Reasons Gratitude Makes Leaders More Effective
Gary Vaynerchuck is a successful entrepreneur, author, and CEO of VaynerMedia. Among marketing professionals, he is known for his skill in social media marketing and brand building in the digital space. He is also known for tireless work ethic. He has frequently pointed to gratitude as his motivation. He wrote: Knowing that I was born…
How Should I Confront My Leader?
In my latest book, How to Ruin Your Life, I share how isolation typically leads to destruction. Leaders are not the only ones who face the temptation to abandon community, but the temptation for isolation is strong for leaders because they can use the guise of “it is lonely at the top.” Since writing the…