Leadership Is Your Roadmap #247
I live in Canada. We have a beautiful country, 10,000,000 square kilometers of mountains, prairies, beaches, farms, rivers, lakes, large cities and small towns. Travelling from Victoria, British Columbia on the West to St. John’s Newfoundland on the East is a driving distance of 7,500 kilometers. The drive is beautiful.
No one, other than an experienced long distance driver, would consider driving across Canada without a map, road signs or a GPS. Fascinating how we take a map and directions so casually for a drive. Yet, the majority of our churches drive forward without a Vision, Mission or a Plan. Is it any wonder research illustrates 70% of churches worldwide consider themselves to be un-healthy?
In working with churches, I ask the leaders to define their current situation on a white board or flip chart. It is not a hard exercise. Just list the strengths and weaknesses. The leaders don’t need to confirm and vote. It is just their perception of the current state of church health.
Then, I ask the leaders to take a prayerful mental ride into the future and describe their ideal church. Identify missions, discipleship, attendance, community influence, monetary figures and other characteristics of the ideal church. Be as specific as possible. Now, you have two descriptions. The ‘today’ and the ‘future’.
On a white board I draw two boxes. The left is the current and right is the ideal future that God has in mind for your church in His Kingdom.
Your plan is the roadmap between the two pictures. By comparing the two pictures, you can identify the steps and prayerfully move ahead.
Break the ‘future’ description into measurable goals. List these in their logical order, building from the simplest to the most difficult. Now, by adding timelines, you have a plan.
Leadership is … discovering and implementing what God has in mind for you and your church.
Yours in Service,
Laurie D. Kennedy
Leadership Coach
ldkjethrogroup@gmail.com
Jethro Group
Serving Leaders
Leadership Is Asking Challenging Questions #230
Good morning Christ focused leaders. It is Monday morning, the start of a new week and the first day of your future.
Some of you lead in secular organizations. Others lead in church and Mission organizations. Some leaders work with a few employees and volunteers, others lead leaders who are responsible for hundreds of employees and volunteers. The size or type of your organizations is not significant.
Here is a question that I’d love each of you to think about.
What programs and activities in your church or mission organization are working effectively, supporting the Vision, Mission and Values of your organization?
Also consider the opposite. What programs are using up valuable resources but are not supporting the Vision, Mission and Values?
Then he told this parable: “A man had a fig tree growing in his vineyard, and he went to look for fruit on it but did not find any. So he said to the man who took care of the vineyard, ‘For three years now I’ve been coming to look for fruit on this fig tree and haven’t found any. Cut it down! Why should it use up the soil?’ “‘Sir,’ the man replied, ‘leave it alone for one more year, and I’ll dig around it and fertilize it.” (Luke 13:6-8 NIV)
Now, take time to seriously evaluate what fruit you are producing?
I’m always shocked that some churches continue to run programs and activities without knowing their Kingdom impact. When churches don’t differentiate the positive, growing and spiritually impacting programs from the others, the church is failing.
Once you have evaluated, prayerfully work to encourage and build those programs and activities that are leading to positive results and prayerfully phase out those that do not.
Leadership is … eliminating the mediocre and reinforcing positive spiritual growth.
Yours in Service,
Laurie D. Kennedy
Leadership Coach
Jethro Group
ldkjethrogroup@gmail.com
Leadership Is Guest Services # 224
I made a fascinating discovery this week. I found a local business that doesn’t want new customers. I didn’t say they didn’t need new customers. They don’t want new customers. In fact they don’t want new customers so much that they avoid and discourage new customers.
In your church you want new customers – right? Do our visitors feel that?
In your church or mission, we don’t use the term ‘customer’. We refer to our new customers as visitors, guests, seekers or friends. Many of these new friends do their annual visit at Christmas, Easter and Special events. That is great. But why don’t they come back on a regular basis?
Church Boards rarely focus their time on external issues. Our research suggests that 70% of visitors don’t return to your church because they didn’t feel welcomed. They received the Sunday Bulletin. An Usher shook their hand. But, the people they sat close to ignored them. Every church has a culture, a tradition, the way we have always done it. As a visitor, you are unaware of the culture and you don’t know how to break in, where to hang a coat and find the wash room.
Visitors want to feel a connection. We are in a generation where thriving churches have and live Vision, Mission and Value statements. This public information, is shared on Social Media identifying the Community, Mission and Helping roles of the church. Have you ever seen a visitor ‘customer’ satisfaction survey? You’ve heard of mystery shoppers. How about a mystery visitor to check out your church. Most hotels and venues place a high value on visitors. Does your church do the same? Do you have a Guest Services person to answer questions and encourage visitors to feel, no really feel, a part of the family?
Visitors want and need to experience, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’; and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.” (Luke 10:27 NIV)
Leadership is … being friendly and designing your church to welcome and encourage visitors.
Yours in Service,
Laurie D. Kennedy
Leadership Coach
Jethro Group
ldkjethrogroup@gmail.com
Leadership Is Christ Focused
It is an awesome privilege to lead, teach, coach and consult with Pastors and church leaders worldwide.
We can talk about Quality Circles, Vision, Mission and Value Statements. We can review Policy and Procedure manuals. We can encourage ethical standards, improved character development and integrity. We know that effective Leaders walk around listening and encouraging their people. We know that exemplary character standards are critical and we need to monitor results to ensure we are making significant progress on our plans.
We emphasize that effective Christian Leaders put significant time in prayer, reading and memorizing Scripture. It is critical to pray for those in authority and to support Pastors and Leaders. We remember to review our personal Calling and those we work with on an Annual basis.
However, all the Leadership skills and techniques aside, there is only one foundation and the only focus is and will always be, ‘A Babe in the Manger, a Christ on the Cross and a risen Savior’.
Merry Christmas to each of you.
Yours in Service,
Laurie D. Kennedy
Leadership Coach
Jethro Group
ldkjethrogroup@gmail.com
Leadership Is Following
The best leaders are great followers. They consistently follow the Vision, Mission and Values of the organization they work with. If they have the privilege of working for a Board, they follow the Boards direction. As a Servant Leader, they will also follow the needs of their followers, Team Members and Associates.
I’m always shocked (and amused) to watch strong ego based leaders try to work in a team environment. Each feels they are destined to be the “in charge” leader without asking who has had any experience or expertise in the particular situation.
“Watch the interplay of people during a meeting. In a healthy environment, different people take the lead based on the situation and the skills needed in the moment. Only egotistical leaders believe they must lead in any and every situation.” (John Maxwell, Good Leaders ask Great Questions)
An effective team has various leaders. Any particular project may have different leaders depending on the expertise required. The positive leaders know how to follow and never assume the lead role unless asked.
The best Leaders:
- Think of other people’s needs first
- Are results oriented and want the most skilled to lead in their area of expertise
- Grow other leaders by sharing responsibility
- Are accountable to the team, their people and the project
- Keep the needs of the team ahead of their own personal agenda
- Accept responsibility for the challenges and set-backs
- Encourage others to develop their individual spiritual gifts
- Are committed to their staff team
- Honestly and consistently ask for advice and feedback
- Empower the individual and collective efforts of the team
Leadership is … sharing, learning and following
Yours in Service,
Laurie D. Kennedy
Leadership Coach
Jethro Group
ldkjethrogroup@gmail.com
Leadership Is Vision, Mission & Values
This week we conclude our annual review of the organizational foundation principles. Every organization whether Business, Church or Mission needs Vision, Mission and Values statements. As illustrative material this is the published Vision, Mission and Values of the Jethro Group. This is the indispensable foundation of our Blog, Coaching, Consulting and Speaking activities.
Vision:
Our Vision is the ‘What’ we do. The Jethro Group will complete its God directed work when this statement is achieved.
“Healthy Leaders: leading, serving and caring with integrity.”
Mission:
Our Mission is the ‘How’. The Jethro Group will work tirelessly to accomplish our God directed Vision by:
“Influencing our world strategically, demonstrating God’s love, integrating, family, church and the corporate world of business into a life of integrity, excellence and Servant Leadership.”
Values:
Our Values are the ‘Foundation’ statements that are without compromise and non-negotiable statements of belief and action. All decisions and the results of the Jethro Group reflect the Values.
- Integrity
- Faith Focused
- Family Devoted
- Teamwork
- Servant Leadership
- Prayer Directed
- Demonstrating God’s love
- Excellence
Motto:
The ‘motto’ is casual. It is a tag line, an elevator speech, a reference point that summarizes everything we do. It is also designed to fit on a T shirt.
“Coaching Leaders to Serve”
Leadership is … ensuring your Vision, Mission and Values are known believed and lived daily by everyone in your organization.
Yours in Service,
Laurie D. Kennedy
Leadership Coach
Jethro Group
ldkjethrogroup@gmail.com
Leadership Is Defining your Mission
Your Vision statement defines where God wants you to be at an undetermined time in the future. Your Mission statement, shows the process you are using to accomplish the Vision. Think of it as the difference between a goal (the Vision) and the road map (the Mission). The Vision is the ‘what we are here to do’. The Mission is the ‘how we are going to do it’. We need both.
Nehemiah’s Vision could have been to bring revival to his people. Hence, his Mission statement could have been to teach and mobilize his people while building the wall.
Noah, could have had a Vision statement to change the world. Then, his Mission statement could have been to build the Arc saving his family and animals.
Joseph’s Vision statement could have been to save the people from famine. However, his Mission statement was to serve his Master by organizing and leading his kingdom.
God gave Moses a Vision of the Promised Land. Hence, his mission was to lead his people out of Egypt and into their future.
God has a Vision for us, “The Lord … is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.” (2 Peter 3:9 NIV) Therefore, our Mission statement, given by God to us could be “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, Go ye into all the world, teach and baptize.” (Matthew 28:19 NIV)
The Vision and Mission work together providing a ‘North Star’ to guide and an ‘anchor’ to keep us focused. I read somewhere that getting a satellite into orbit requires hundreds of minor mid-flight course corrections to achieve the target. Once your Ministry has these prayerful foundation statements, it just takes minor changes to accomplish what God has in mind.
Leadership is … knowing that God has directed us to lead our world to him, we are challenged to grow our Ministries in both quality and quantity of believers.
Yours in Service,
Laurie D. Kennedy
Leadership Coach
Jethro Group
ldkjethrogroup@gmail.com
Leadership Is A Healthy Church
Is your church healthy, average, mediocre or dying?
Moses, like many leaders had challenges keeping up with his work load. With some advice from his Father-in-Law Jethro, (Exodus 18:17-18) he was able to make the changes necessary and grow in his leadership.
There are an estimated 30,000 churches in Canada. A full 30% of these, based on self-evaluations, consider themselves to be unhealthy. That’s 20,000 that need changes in their spiritual and organizational health. These nine points will help our churches and mission organizations move another step towards health.
- A clear Vision, Mission and Values that are understood and lived throughout the organization.
- The Organization is known and their presence felt in their community. The message is lived. Your neighbors know there is something refreshingly different about you and your people.
- Healthy leaders who are respected people of integrity, Bible focused, friendly and realize their role as Servant Leaders.
- A Healthy church and mission never become that way by accident. It takes prayer, team work, strategy and action.
- Optimistic about the future. Your people, supporters and followers are excited about progress, talking about the future and referencing the past only as foundation.
- Active small Bible based groups. These are focused on learning scripture and building relationships with seniors, Young Adults, parents with kids, or my preference, multigenerational and multicultural groups that share, learn and pray together.
- Time with your leaders needs to feel like family and friends
- Healthy churches focus on the community outside the church building
- Positive growing staff and volunteers who pray, work and learn together.
Leadership is, watching God make difference in you, your church, community, country and world.
Yours in Service,
Laurie D. Kennedy
Leadership Coach
Jethro Group
ldkjethrogroup@gmail.com
Leadership Is... 