Reinforcing and Modeling Behaviors: You are all together the team

It was our second game day with my U7 team yesterday.  We split our team up to be an Away and Home team. I got to coach the home team which consisted of four players--four players are also needed to form the basic diamond formation.  Our technical trainers have drilled into the coaches’ heads the importance of the diamond formation.  In our training sessions and in our recent game day we began to also instill in the players' minds and in game play to form the diamond shape–reminding them consistently and often, as this is still U7.  My co-coach and I agreed to focus on our diamond formation this week–communication with the co-coach and having consistent coaching plan is also essential.  Then make sure to clearly communicate the goal and desired behavior to your team. 

During the games, I would encourage the boys to get into their diamond and complement them when they formed one. This is an example of where praxis is important–it's not enough talk about it–we (as coaches for these young players) need to be on the field, show them, and to point them to look at each other.  When we had water breaks, I would complement each and everyone individually on a job well done and praise them on the wonderful diamonds they were creating on the field. Reinforcement of the goal and desired behavior matters.  As an aside, I would say, focus only on the positive at this level.  And I must again complement these kids because by the end of game day, they played hard, they had fun, scored a bunch as a team; impressively, these boys got into their diamond formation at the sound of my voice.   They even figured on their own to always have one person stay behind (as the other 3 played offense) in event of a sudden breakaway from the opponents.  I thought the other team would demolish our team because they were physically bigger than my boys; however, the other team were disorganized and simply became demotivated due to the lack of instruction and coaching that was taking place.  After the game, my co-coach shared with me how impressed the other team's coaches were with our teams because of our ability to organize.  Secretly, I felt a bit like Leonidas from 300.  This was a stark reminder of how important having a coach is in not only the soccer game, but also strong leadership on ANY team for that matter.  

This leads into my second point.  As coach (or managers), we are not only dictating instructions or shouting commands from the sidelines. We cannot be hiding or highlighting only the negatives and failures.  We need to BE the extra player on the team.  In soccer, there are 11 players (10 plus goalie); Coaches are like the 12th player.  This is going to be different for older kids and other parents and coaches will probably see me running around like a madman.  If you know me, you will probably hear me from a kilometer away.  And when the players are running up and down the field, I’m right behind them and cheering them on. You cannot help yourself to be excited when you see these players play! They are simply amazing to watch.  Others can say what they want, but my philosophy is the same whether it is coaching a U7 team or in the workplace–managers and leaders need to be part of team. They need to know you got their back.  The team needs to know that you are there for them, care for them and work with them in training and while on the field.  Leaders/Coaches are on the field; they are always energetic, energized and ready to celebrate with the players and always ready to encourage them.  Also, always be ready to tie the laces of one of your players–they are your All-stars.  Contrastingly, when the coaches are unenthusiastic and lacking passion, these players at this young age will feed off that energy and passion.  Moreover, we need to model the behavior we want to see in others.

Another tip for coaches–when you see the other team demoralized cheer them on too because it is not about winning; next season, some of these players could be on your team.  In the end, we are all playing a part in coaching the future superstars of team Canada and the Vancouver Whitecaps.  Be proud of your team but also be proud of all these players.  Celebrate them and motivate them through engagement, encouragement and empowerment.  

When you are having fun, everyone will have fun too!  

Are we making work overtly complicated? Faith Work and Soccer

I signed up to be an assistant coach for a U7 soccer team.  Also known as "football" in other parts of the world.  We are the Orange Panthers.   I've never coached soccer nor have really played the game.  Always trying something new and push ourselves by doing something new right? Absolutely and I'm super excited for the upcoming season.   First off, do not under estimate what kids at this level can achieve; they are truly amazing to watch.  I'm constantly surprised by how they have become more confident in themselves and their abilities in the very short time together.   

Last week was our first Training Day where we learned some of the drills.  But the highlight for me, and what got me started in writing this post, was when we played a few short games of some 2 on 2, 3 on 3 scrimmage.  This was my first opportunity to coach players in a game; it was a practice game, but it didn't matter to these kids.  

In the workplace today, we're inundated with reports, metrics, process, procedures, policies, and progress updates-- the list goes on of the numerous tasks we need to complete.  People are less engaged with what they do, they're increasingly confused by the goal and objective of the company, they're burnt out, they need to attend countless meetings, and are often taken away from doing the "real" work.  Sounds like your work place?

With 3 boys on one side, and 2 boys on the other.  I gave my two teams the exact instructions with equal excitement and enthusiasm.  1) Work together  2) Score in the net!  When it was their turn to play, I cheered them on and shouted out a loud "Go!"  These kids ran out there, performed, and celebrated as they jetted back with giant smiles after scoring a goal.   We did high-5s, low-5s, anti-gravity-5s and celebrated every goal together.  And before the next team ran out on the field to play the next round, I reinforced how amazing they were, repeated the same instructions, and cheered them on.  We had fun!  And I only got one question: What's the score?  (We're not suppose to keep score, but let's say we did well). 

This brings us back to the question.  Are we making work overtly complicated? How different would our work environments be if we, as managers and leaders, practiced giving clear and short list of goals, empowering and encourage our teams to do it, and finding ways to celebrate our successes (and misses).  This means we celebrate regardless how big or small the task may be or even when we don't score.  And remember to have fun while doing it! 

It works with a U7 soccer team, and I have a hunch that it would likely work with adults too.  

MVP (Mission, Vision, Plan): Leading Change and Building for the Kingdom

An organization's longevity is dependent on having a strong Vision, Mission, and a Plan for execution. I will refer to these three elements as MVP. The MVP will face the greatest test when an organization, company, or church community is in the midst of transition.  Businesses desiring to grow or attract increased funding will also need a compelling MVP.  Before starting a new venture, it is also important to clearly write down the MVP and invite others to critique it.  I argue that all corporate decisions need to be made with the MVP in mind. Without these key elements and constant reinforcement and review of them, especially if there isn't clarity around the MVP, the company will inevitably face turmoil; for those who are part of these communities will likely leave it frustrated or lost.  Or if they decide to stay, they will likely either be disengaged or worse, attempt to sabotage it from the inside.  Therefore, the leadership responsible for carrying out the MVP have a crucial role–they need to believe it, live and breathe it, and are willing to carry out the organizations MVP even when the risk of failure is high.  More, they are responsible for communicating the MVP to all levels of the organization; we'll talk about how to create greater engagement in another post but communitas begins with a clear MVP. 

While I titled the acronym MVP for easy memorization, Vision comes first.  

"Where there is no vision, the people perish." Proverbs 29.

VISION: When crafting the vision, our eschatology (e.g. end-purpose and belief of future new (renewal) heaven and new (renewal) earth, coming down of the new Jerusalem to earth, re-purposing) in relation to "Genesis-intent" (Genesis 1 and 2, creation mandate pre-fall) may help shape the organization's vision; considering the grand narrative of God's past, present and future plan may help inform our vision.   If we are to be faithful stewards of creation and shalom-makers, the vision needs to connect with the missio Dei (God's mission). Ask yourselves, Who is God, what does God care about, what will God do in the end, and what does God desire for creation. Hence, I contend that the vision must include aspects of shalom– shalom of persons and creation in light of God's shalom and telos (end-purpose and ultimate glory).  Seek to clearly articulate how the organization's vision of the future better the lives of people in way that they flourish, thrive, and become more whole persons, how the organization will improve the relationships between people and with God, or help humanity become better stewards of creation.  The vision doesn't have a time limit; and it is best that it doesn't. All to say, when crafting the vision statement, dream big and be open to the possibilities; more often than others, the vision will not be achievable pre-parousia.  While the vision is a big, it includes clarity of what the organization is specially called to do. Be attentive to what particular area of that vision God is calling the group to. It may include a statement of the problem in which the organization is desiring to solve.   In addition, it may reflect what a changed society, people, persons and so forth could become when the vision is achieved. Essentially, the vision should include why the organization does each day matters–its purpose for existing, raison d'être, and/or purpose for serving others. 

MISSION: Vision and mission can often sound the same. For me, they are different but are intricately connected and interdependent; I make the distinction by stating that vision is future oriented and our hope for the future.  Mission brings greater focus by helping us to understand who we are today and what we are to do specifically in light of that grand vision. In other words, what does God desire for us to do today. Both vision and mission are therefore important.  It is, if you will, our mission-role in the inaugurated Kingdom as we set a course towards the vision. The mission clarifies what the organization is called to do today as we participation with God's work in the world through the power of the Holy Spirit collectively and in each of us.   Our mission arises from God and stirs our hearts and calling us to join Him in the work--it is our response and how we are to engage and participate.  More, the mission is how that vision is incarnated in our context, in our organization or business. Moreover, the mission is for understanding the purpose for the day-to-day.  But while the vision is big and bold the mission has to be realistic and practical; individuals within an organization should not find it too hard to connect with the organization's mission.  Thus, it is important that when crafting the mission statement, involve as many people from within the organization in the discernment process, to gather other perspectives, and to listen (and to listen well) to what others and essentially what God is saying; further, allowing others to weigh in will receive greater buy in later on. 

"Mission, then, is ultimately not about getting individuals right with God but about incorporating them into a new community that partners with God in redeeming social structures and healing the world." - Tim Keller, Center Church.

PLAN: Before we Plan for execution, come up with the map of how we plan to reach the vision and create structures for implementing the mission, we need to have clarity and focus on our mission.  I occasionally run into questions of why actions are being undertaken; when this occurs, it is because people are confused and asking how actions are in line with the mission (and vision).  The mission needs to be front and center in the day to day operations. Decisions and organization goals should be considered in light of the mission.  There may be many opportunities that arise, but if it doesn't align with the mission, we can say "NO" and not pursue. Having the ability to say "NO" to things should liberate rather than limit us.  When establishing the Plan,  create a timeline as best as you can to accomplish milestones and goals established by the leadership.  Identify strengths and limitations and resources necessary to accomplish the tasks. This is the time to craft the strategy for execution and implementation.  Include specific actions and S.M.A.R.T goals for tracking progress.  Establish checkpoints for when to evaluate progress and for when to discuss recourse and actions when there are hurdles.   In the beginning, it is important to review more frequently but as a "groove" is established, let things simmer. More, in the Planning stages identify key players and ensure clear accountability structures and escalation points.  Importantly, listen to feedback from the constituents and reassess if we are detracting from our mission--being attentive to God's voice always.   Ask questions or ask around if you are not sure.  

There is a tension during the execution.  We have to remember that we are participating with God in God's mission and work in the world. We need to hold lightly to our agendas.  Ultimately, it is for God's glory.  Failure is an option--it's reality because we are still in the moment of the "now but not yet".  But on this side of eternity, we focus on doing our best and remember that all we do is for God. We are to be good stewards of God's resources in our businesses and communities that we lead.  This is another way of saying that we must allow God to be God; allow the process to take its time--enjoy the process and journey.  It is about working with God through it all, so remember to not take yourself too seriously. 

The Theology of Hiring and Firing

If you are running or managing a business, you will need to hire and (hopefully only on the rare occasion) fire an employee.  As a follower of Jesus, how do you approach these scenarios? How do you make the right decision? Is there such thing as hiring and firing well? These are massive topics and there are countless books written on each subject. Both have its unique challenges.   In reality, every hiring or firing situation is different from the next.  Today's post on the subject is not intended to be a set of rules to follow or does it include everything that is needed when faced with the decision; rather its intention is to help us make better decisions and be faithful to who we are as Christians and leaders in the workplace.   I will also do my best to succinctly highlight the theological implications.

In beginning, we need to remember who we are as our identity matters. We are loved by God and His grace is enough. God has given us the ability to think, reason and discern--we are empowered to decide and decide well.  We are vice regents in God's Kingdom; again empowered to make decisions with God and to be stewards of God's resources. More, we work in participation with God in the world, and in our businesses, to maximize God's shalom. 

It is important that we ourselves are committed to making the decision as managers or business owners; while you may consult others, we need to make the final decision ourselves as responsible, accountable, mature adults and mature followers of Christ. To not make a decision is an avoidance and abdication of responsibility as a manager. Good management requires us to decide well since we represent the company. Further, when we demonstrate good management, we demonstrate good stewardship not only of the company's resources but also God's resources because we also represent God in the world. 

It's key to remember that it's not about being or making the perfect decision.  The reality is that it is impossible to make the perfect decision--we can only do our best for the moment we're in.  And once the decision has been made-made in and at peace and joy with our decision- we commit to it, and accept it as the best decision; we cannot at a later time regret our decision as it is almost always an imperfect situation. Remembering also that hindsight is always 20-20.  Importantly, the Holy Spirit (along with our business community) is with us throughout the decision making process--we are not alone in making the decision.  The goal, in most decisions is to aim for a win-win-win situation where you, the other party, and God win and win together.

As an aside, I think our culture has adopted a false understanding of love where we accommodate and tolerate inappropriate behavior because accepting their behavior is the "loving" thing to do.   However, the loving thing to do may in fact be to correct and reprimand the behavior--including firing.  It may be the right thing to do because you love the person.  As a father, I will put my boys in time-out or restrict television time if they disobey mom or dad; To ignore or tolerate their disobedient behavior would in fact not be the loving thing to do.  In fact, when I am impartial, they definitely know and will behavior differently knowing that I am.  Maybe a post on minding children some day.   

We also need to be reminded that the person we are hiring or firing is also made in God's image--someone God deeply cares for.  He or she is also on a journey to discover who God is, and who and what God has called them to.  We get to journey with aiding that individual in that journey--it is a indeed a privileged and why it is such an important task for us as managers and employers to do our best to discern well. As such, we must always treat him or her with respect, dignity, and agape-love.  We are to always act justly, fairly, honorably and with grace. 

Hiring

Hiring is about building a flourishing community where individuals can flourish.  Hiring is also bringing along side others who are committed to serve a mission and purpose. 

It is often helpful to begin by understanding what are the budget constraints for the position. Most positions have a limit; if there isn't a limit I'd like to know what company doesn't.


I prefer an interview process that involve multiple interviewers--it helps alleviate biases and potential conflicts of interest.  As the hiring team, it is important to talk before the interviews to understand what is required and what are nice-to-haves in a candidate. Also, certain positive or negative characteristics may be observed by other interviewers that we miss which may be important to determining who you hire in the end. More, as hiring is about building community, the interview process should involve those from the community-managers and future team-members. 

Hiring often is about looking for potential and possibilities--not only what and who they are today, but what they can become in a few years time in both skills and character. Hiring someone strictly based on skills for the job may give the team temporary relief and lighten the workload; however, from experience hiring based on character, integrity, virtues, teach-ability is of more importance--skills you can teach, character (being) is much harder to shape.  That said, we also believe that the Holy Spirit can transform anyone; so i'm not saying its impossible, just takes longer and patience. What i'm also not saying is to ignore skills and competency and hire only based on character; we want to hire those that have relevant skills and demonstrate competency, however, we want to ensure the candidate we're hiring is a fit for the team and community--specifically, culture fit.

Building community requires finding the best candidate who will best serve the customers, the team and company, and the community.  Will the clients trust him? Will she be capable of building relationship and collaborating with the team?  Is she interested in their personal success only or are she interested also in success of others and the client? What are the motivations for getting the job? A suggestion would be to look for individuals who are interested in investing in others and the success and flourishing of others in addition to achieving personal success.  Furthermore, look for candidates who exemplify the company's culture and can add to the existing culture--a person who can flourish in the existing culture, and reinforce the existing culture and promote a culture that is consistent with the vision of the culture and where you desire to see culture become. 

If possible we also want to understand the person's purpose and passions, their strengths, and talents so that we can do our best to facilitate them in fulfilling their vocation. We want to hire someone who will thrive in what they do, and also elevate the flourishing of those that he or she works with whether its with people inside or outside the company. It's a great feeling to see a person who we hire succeed, grow, and become who God created them to be. 

There is no perfect candidate and we need to be reminded that we are to do our best.  As a cautionary note, do not hire simply to fill a position; there may be challenges later which will impact the team dynamics or morale.  There is always (at least there should be) the option to not hire at this moment and wait with the intent to continue searching for additional candidates.  Again, being aware of the reality that we must decide and cannot delay our decision indefinitely; Also being aware that when we delay the process we could be negatively impacting the team productivity and team morale.  Unfortunately, we can also loose the position due to budget or business changes.  


Hiring is two ways; the person being interviewed is also looking for a match.  As you are getting to know the other person, they are doing the same.  Don't be disappointed if he or she turn your offer down--it happens. And if you find a candidate, congratulations! Celebrate and welcome them--seriously welcome them! 


While we hope to hire someone for the long term, there may come a time where they may leave the business for another opportunity, or lay the person off. Sometimes, it means we need to fire them.

Firing

There comes a point when a manager needs to decide whether to terminate the employee from the company. Firing is never easy--if it's easy, something is wrong.  As a Christian, we often are unsure of what to do in these situations because the Bible says that we should love our neighbors and we should have grace.  Right? At the same time, we are also stewards of the resources of the company and it is our responsibility as managers to represent the interest of the company. But we also want to be faithful and loving follower of Christ.  We can be stuck between these tensions.   As managers of the business, we can experience decision-paralysis around firing. 

Firing often has a negative connotation and being fired is often associated with failure. Firing someone is neither a reflection of your character nor connected with your identity.  Neither is a person who is fired a bad and evil people--people are intrinsically valuable. There may be all sorts of reasons why the person is not performing at the level expected for the job. Sometimes the reason is a poor choice in making a decision. We won't go into all the possible reasons for firing in this post.   


Again, good management is good stewardship of the company's resources as well as God's resources. 


Whether its negotiating a deal or firing, we need to prioritize the relationship; at the beginning, during, and after the process, the relationship between the the manager and employee (or those involved in the process) must be maintained or better.  Grace and dignity matter profoundly in these situations. 

Alright, here are some considerations:

1) What is the reason for firing? Are laws being broken? Breach of contract? Breach of work relationship?

Is the individual not meeting the requirements of the job? Is the employee aware of the requirements of the job and have those requirements been communicated clearly and understood?  As managers, we need to confront the issue as soon as possible.  If possible, collect data to substantiate the reason and to eliminate any subjectivity.  Some reasons are immediate grounds for termination, some are not; consulting or getting a second opinion is always a good idea in these situations. 

2) How has this employee performed in the past? Is the behavior out of the ordinary for this person? Is he going through a transition outside of work that is affecting his performance? 
Is their performance improving just slower than expected--they may be struggling to learn something.  Be sensitive to cultural differences as some people from other cultures are more vocal about expressing their challenges--some not as much. Some employees will be satisfied with meeting the requirements of the job and it is possible that she peaks at some point; remembering also having such individuals on the team bring stability to the team.  Coaching the employee may help them break-through the hurdle. 

3) Check your emotions.
Consult with another manager colleague who you trust to understand if they are observing the same behavior.  The intent is not to gossip, but to have a trusted colleague give feedback and shed any wisdom on the situation.  Is there data to substantiate the problem you are observing.  Make sure you are at peace before addressing the concern with the employee and/or when making the final decision; if you are not at peace, wait or take a break.  Take a walk, make sure it is not "emotional leakage" from some else that's happening in your life or from a previous incident.  Understand the situation at the moment.

4) How is the individual's behavior impacting the rest of the team. 

If you notice a problem, the rest of the team is definitely aware of the problem.  They are observing your leadership and how you address the situation.  How you address the situation (or if you choose to ignore) will positively or negatively impact the morale of the team.  Once trust is broken with the team, it will be very challenging to regain trust with the team which will be a challenge on its own. 

5) Is there a position in the company where the individual may thrive?
There are people that I've worked with who thrive once they move to another team.   This should always be considered especially if the person demonstrates commendable character, integrity and work ethic and is a positive impact to the culture of the company.

6) Do they need additional training and coaching?  
Listen and try to understand why the individual is under-performing; it may be an opportunity to pastor.  Do they feel they are contributing to the success of the business? Do they understand the business and the purpose of the business.  Are the goals of the company clear?  Do they have S.M.A.R.T. goals? Setup a performance improvement plan for the next few months and plan to coach them to achieve the level expected. If she continues to not meet expectations, your decision to terminate their employment should not come as a surprise. Opportunities to coach and mentor,and discussions around their performance should have been exhausted before going forward with firing. 

7) Is the job they are doing the individual's calling? A job isn't necessarily their calling; they may be experiencing a transition point in their life.   Future post coming on calling.

The decision to hire or fire is never easy. There is great honor in participating with God in His work in the world.  It's also important to remind ourselves that we still work and live in the messy middle between the now and not yet.   Colossians 3:22 states that "Bondservants, obey in everything those who are your earthly masters, not by way of eye-service, as people-pleasers, but with sincerity of heart, fearing the Lord."  We may very well need to obey our bosses, even with great reservations, their orders to hire or fire--we need to follow through. Lord have mercy for we redeemed-sinners.  In addition, we can have having faith, hope, and love because the Holy Spirit is with us at each moment as we maximize God's shalom in the world.  Do your best.  It will require boldness and courage as we integrate faith and work and life. 

For Goodness' Sake - "You don't need to be the CEO...(Telosity)

Chris Houston on making a difference wherever you are in the company doing what you do already-You don't need to be the CEO to make a difference.  You can influence and be an agent for change today.

http://www.telosity.net/you_don_t_need_to_be_ceo_to_make_your_company_better

Head to the link above and get his free Ebook on Telosity.net

Join the movement in transforming our workplaces!

7 Questions to Ask yourself when Engaging "Millennials"

While a catchy title for today's blog post, I find categories such as "Millennials" unhelpful especially when the term has more of a negative connotation today.  Our society is increasingly marginalizes people (and groups) by creating these categories.  There is a deep need for communities that exemplify encouragement, support, collaboration, and empowerment at its core--fundamentally, communities built on trust and authentic relationships.  We are all made in the image of God.  Categories and labels seek to divide and separate. 


In Scripture, we read of the relationship between The Apostle Paul and his young disciples Timothy and Titus who traveled, ate, and spent life together.  Because of Paul and his investment and pouring his life into in these two young men, Timothy and Titus became heavyweights (in their own ways) in proclaiming the gospel to the people of their time and building up the early Church. 

Today we are faced with a challenge of how to work together--cross-generations.  There is also a significant need for mentors and coaches.  In order to create more engaging work environments and church communities, we need to make a dramatic shift in our cultures.  I've compiled a list of seven questions to help spur dialogue for moving forward together.   Actually, I don't think these questions are specific to "Millennials".  Importantly, the questions are to help us listen better to each other and listening together.   Here we go:

1.  How well are we communicating the purpose and why?

Rather than telling others what to do or dictating how another should live their life, how are we helping others discover for themselves who they are and who God has called them to be and do?  Rather than tell them what needs to change, begin with explaining the Why and implications, but let the other person come up with the action plan and application. Simon Sinek Start with Why: How Great Leaders Inspire Everyone to Take Action and Ken Costa Know Your Why: Finding and Fulfilling Your Calling in Life have books on the subject.  More, we also need to be communicate the vision and bigger picture of God's mission, and how we participate in God's mission. 

2.   How are we creating a work environments and faith communities that value people as inherently valuable? 

People (not their wallets, not their gifts, not talents and abilities) are not a resource and a means to an end.  Are we valuing each person as an individual created by God and in God's image? Are we valuing their individual gifts and strengths--there is no hierarchy of skills that God appreciates more or less.  We are the body of Christ.  Do others feel that they are valued? It's not good enough that they know--they really need to experience it.  Importantly, while we are a body/community/team/company, we are also made up of individuals made uniquely by God.  Everyone is a child of God.  

3. Do we trust others and empower them to do it? 

Trust and empowerment is essential for developing people to become mature followers of Jesus and grow into confident mature adults.  This means believing in the person, and allowing the person to carry out what they believe to be the best actions forward.  I say "best" because in reality, there is no "right" action forward.  In other words, to empower them to make a difference and release them to do it.  I believe that those same individuals, when empowered, will commit to the initiative and find ways to make it happen when they believe in the purpose themselves and when others believe in them.  This also means providing the support, resources, and encouragement when the other encounters failure.   As part of this, how are we coaching and mentoring others--investing in them as they discover God's calling for themselves?

4.  What are their values and what do others actually value? What is their passion and God's calling for them as best as they can discern at that moment?

Everyone's values are different.  What we think is important to another person, is likely not what is important to them.  This requires listening--really listening.  This means understanding the ways a person is appreciated, motivated, and rewarded; this requires knowing them as individuals.   For example, While I enjoy a cup of espresso, don't buy a coffee card for someone who doesn't drink coffee.  More, God's calling for everyone will also be unique and it is important to understand (and help others to discern) God's calling for them as best as they can discern at that moment and to support them in their calling; The big mistake is to impose or rush a person into what we think God is calling the other person to.  Be patient with others.  It's a life long journey. 

5.  Are we creating environments where each person has a voice and creating spaces where new ideas can be expressed and questions can be asked? 

Environments that exude trust, collaboration, and openness allow for a free-flow of ideas and individual expression of who we are uniquely created by God.  This includes, creating spaces where people can practice their craft. More, to create spaces where people can ask questions without being judged or criticized. Learning includes learning about failure and how to fail well. Learning is also more effective when a person discovers the answer themselves rather than having answers fed to them all the time. 

6.  Do we invite those on our communities to help define what the path forward looks like?  

Rather than having an agenda and setting a path for others to follow; sometimes leadership does require that, however, how are we facilitating in those discussions for how to move forward together before presenting the path forward? How are we discerning God's call for the community together and coming along side each other for the journey forward.  This includes listening to the cries and concerns of the people.  

7.  Lastly, how are we living out these values and being a positive influence to those around us?  

This is about having integrity and being authentic persons.  Our theology and what we believe informs our actions, and our actions demonstrate what we believe.  More, we need to have the courage to demonstrate vulnerability, humility, and openness with our lives. 

I hope the list of 7 questions is helpful; definitely not an exhaustive list.  

Who are the Paul's in your life? Who are the Timothies and Tituses who are in need of a mentor and coach?  Who are your co-partners in the journey?

"Be the change that you wish to see in the world." - Mahatma Gandhi

V is for Victory -Leadership of Geese

From experience, leadership is knowing when to lead and when to be a follower.  If a leader is always in front, they will burn out.  When leaders are always in front, others are less inclined to grow because they are always depending on the leader to make the decisions--it only builds dependency on the leader. Leaders are always looking for opportunities to develop other leaders and empowering others to step up to lead.  A healthy balance of knowing when to lead and when to follow is always necessary especially if the intention is to journey together for the long haul.  When leaders are following, they don't disappear but are cheering others along, supporting the team, and serving them along the way. Importantly, willing to take the blame even when others fail and to work together to make things right when things do go sideways.

This is best​ illustrated by geese flying in a V formation going south every winter.  I love watching them every winter--hundreds of them--take off and begin their long journey.  The leader leads in front, taking the brunt of the wind for a while.  The rest of the flock draft behind the leader.  When the leader becomes tired, another steps up almost without hesitation and goes to the front.  As they fly, they call out to one a other as if to cheer each other on and to let the current leader know they are ready to step up to take on the challenge.  They're always ready to support each other. They need each other.

It's okay to take a break and let someone else lead for a while.  Be a cheer-leader! It takes genuine humility in order to be a follower. We're in it together for the long journey. When we do so, we are also putting our trust in God-God is sovereign and works even when we're not.  It demonstrates that we also trust those whom we work with.   And when Spring comes, we do it all over again.