On December 31st I finished reading the bible cover to cover for the um-teenth time. Spiritual discipline or spiritual rut? I meet for breakfast every Thursday with two trusted Christian friends for prayer, encouragement and accountability. Spiritual discipline or spiritual rut? Each of these practices can be good and important components to a Christ-centred life.…
RE-POST – Are You Developing a Farm Team for Your Organization?
Every leader needs to build a farm team. If you follow pro sports you already know what I’m talking about. A farm team is the minor league talent pool from which a pro team draws its future players. When the pro team’s ranks are diminished by injury or retirement, the general manager dips into the…
RE-POST – Is Your Organization Doing 90 on Empty?
In his book Seinlanguage, comedian Jerry Seinfeld makes an insightful, and hilarious, observation about perspectives. “My parents had two constant arguments while they were driving, over how fast my father was going or how much gas was left in the tank. My father had a standard defense for either one of these. It was always,…
When It’s Okay to Punt a Core Value
Take out a copy of your team’s core values. You know the one I mean. It’s either filed away in a folder called “Documents”, or perhaps it’s in that binder labeled “2007 Off-site Retreat”. It’s possible that it’s framed and posted on the wall in your staff coffee room. I’ll give you a minute while…
Why Leaders Need to Think Beyond the Group
In any organization one of the most potent threats to clear, effective leadership can be “groupthink”. And perhaps no organization is more susceptible to groupthink than the local church. The term and concept was coined in the early ’70s by social psychologist Irving Janis, and refers to what can happen when judgment is short-circuited through…
