Three Indicators Your Meeting Should Have Been an Email
Last week I gave indicators that your email should have been a meeting. There are times when a push for efficiency via email backfires and actually creates more work. In those times, a meeting would have been more effective and more efficient. However… there are times when a meeting is really a waste of time. […]
Four Ways to Adjust Your Leadership Style to Fit Your Team
Great leaders are servants of those they lead. Because each person on a leadership team is unique, wise leaders lead each person differently. Instead of insisting that every person adjust to the leader, great leaders adjust to those they lead. Here are four practical ways to adjust to those you lead: 1. Communication If you […]
Four Huge Distractions in Meetings and How to Fight Them
Disengagement in meetings can quickly snowball. You have seen this. When a few people disengage in a meeting, others are soon to follow. One of the biggest culprits of disengagement in a meeting are distractions. Distractions can steer emotional energy, creative thinking, and collective wisdom away from the important matters being discussed. Here are four […]
Four Reasons Burnout Is More Prevalent in Ministry Leadership
I recently recorded another 5 Leadership Questions podcast on the subject of burnout. We talked about leadership, burnout, and caring for yourself. One of the questions was “Is burnout more prevalent in ministry leadership?” I believe burnout is more common in ministry leadership for multiple reasons: 1. The burden of ministry Serving others in ministry […]
Four Practical Ways to Avoid Burnout
After posting a blog called “Four Warning Signs You Are Approaching Burnout,” I heard from several friends and leaders who were struggling with burnout or felt they were headed in that direction. They wisely recognized warning signs in their lives and were committed to making adjustments. Self-leadership is critical. We must lead ourselves well, and […]
Leaders Must Create More Capacity, But How?
Wise leaders apply their best thinking to the most important things. This is, of course, easier said than done because of the sheer volume of things that leaders are asked or required to think about. Because we are finite and flawed, we have a limited amount of mental capacity. For a leader, there are always […]
Five Ways Leaders Can Get “Fresh Eyes”
There are a plethora of upsides to tenure. You learn the organization over time. You understand the context better and better. You build relationships with the team and the people you are serving. For the most part, tenure makes leaders more effective. But there is a major downside to tenure; leaders can lose their fresh […]
Five Thoughts on “Makers” and “Managers”
As we are considering what a new facility will look like at LifeWay, some of our leaders recently toured offices throughout Nashville to gain perspective and insight on structuring work environments. The good folks at Red Pepper (a marketing and advertising agency) were very gracious with their time and gave a few of us a […]
Four Ways to Be a Less Bossy Boss
As I recently shared, some bosses are leaders, but not all of them. It is possible to be a boss and not be a leader, or be a leader without being a boss. A person may be in positional authority but not have influence, respect, or the ability to lead. And many people are able […]
Ten Differences Between a Boss and a Leader
Some bosses are leaders, but not all of them. It is possible to be a boss and not be a leader, or be a leader without being a boss. Someone may be in positional authority but not have influence, respect, or the ability to lead. And many people are able to lead and influence others […]