Last week Augusta, Georgia hosted one of the world’s most prestigious golf tournaments, The Masters. Tiger Woods, a four-time winner and arguable today’s most talented golfer made the cut. He entered the tournament hoping for a strong showing. Unfortunately he finished tied for 40^th.

What happened?

Neuroscience gives us clues not only to Tiger’s downward spiral that began when his personal foibles became public in 2009, but to how leaders lose their effectiveness when they don’t lead themselves well.

Leaders need at least three components to self-lead: competency, composure, and concentration. These three brain structures influence these qualities. (more…)

Einstein was right.

If we want our churches to make the greatest kingdom impact, we must help facilitate change or else we become “insane” leaders. However, we often don’t manage change wisely.

I’ve listed 10 change blunders leaders make.

1. Force the change no matter who resists.
2. Marginalize those who resist change.
3. Don’t tolerate anything less than 100% success.
4. Blame others when the change doesn’t go well. (more…)

Recently I’ve been reading about a leadership concept called ‘adaptive leadership.’ I’ve just started an excellent book by Heifetz-Linsky-Grashow called The Practice of Adaptive Leadership. A great read.

One short article by Susan DeGenring on the subject lists 5 decisions great leaders must make. I’ve summarized them below. You can read the full article here.

1. Shift focus and reframe your job from that of problem-solver, to that of developer of problem solvers.
2. Give the work back to the people.
3. Ask the important, and sometimes, tough questions, and don’t give all the answers.
4. Know how to help people learn, not by telling, but by understanding the perceptions, beliefs and values that drive their action, and help them plug into alternative, more agile ways of thinking.
5. Accept that heartache is inevitable and courage is essential when you lead.

Related post: Leading in Turbulent Times.

I’m a leader. I pastor a church of over 1,000, lead a staff of 20, and lead a volunteer base of several hundred. As leaders we help those who follow us to accomplish goals, move forward into a preferred future, and make progress. Thus we often do a lot of telling.

We cast vision by telling

We craft strategies by telling

We set goals by telling

We recruit leaders by telling

We manage staff by telling

Our fast-paced world often tempts us to give quick answers. Followers expect good leaders to act decisive and quick answers can make us appear so.

Unfortunately, we can tell too much and miss one of the most amazing leadership tools: the well placed question.

This morning as I read Mark 2, I noticed a pattern in Jesus’ response to those who questioned Him. That chapter records four unique questions posed to him. Three out of four times Jesus responded with at least one question. In those responses He didn’t immediately tell them an answer to their question. Rather, He sought to make them think about what they asked by asking them a question.

When we build a culture into our churches and ministries that encourages questions, these benefits result.

1. We see reality more clearly. One more well-placed question may surface an important issue you otherwise might have missed.
2. Innovation. Questions can spur new ideas and solutions to problems.
3. Self-reflection. Simply telling someone an answer may stifle his/her need to think through the answer for himself.
4. Perspective. A good question can open up a fresh perspective to a perplexing dilemma.
5. Focus. Questions can help a group or person focus on the real issue.

However, when we use questions as we lead we must avoid these unhealthy patterns.

1. Defensiveness-using questions as a defense mechanism, a ‘tit-for-tat’ response.
2. Aloofness-using questions to avoid answering a valid question because you think it is beneath you to answer.
3. Ignorance-not answering a valid question about which you have no knowledge in order to hide your lack of knowledge. In that case it’s best to say, “I don’t know.”
4. Controlling-using questions to put another into a corner to embarrass him or shut him down.
5. Deflecting-using questions to move a valid conversation to another subject.

Asking questions can become a potent tool in our leadership toolbox.

How have you used questions in your leadership?

Related post: 5 Questions to Help You Clarify Your Leadership Strengths

I love Henry Nouwen. When you read his books you realize this man walked with God and oozed wisdom. I ran across this quote that caused me to think about my leadership.

“There is within you a lamb and a lion. Spiritual maturity is the ability to let lamb and lion lie down together. Your lion is your adult, aggressive self. It is your initiative-taking and decision-making self. But there is also your fearful, vulnerable lamb, the part of you that needs affection, support, affirmation, and nurturing. When you heed only your lion, you will find yourself overextended and exhausted. When you take notice of only your lamb, you will easily become a victim of your need for other people’s attention.

The art of spiritual living is to fully claim both your lion and your lamb. Then you can act assertively without desiring your own needs. And you can ask for affection and care without betraying your talent to offer leadership. Developing your identity as a child of God in no way means giving up your responsibilities. Likewise, claiming your adult self in no way means that you cannot become increasingly a child of God. In fact, the opposite is true. The more you can feel safe as a child of God, the freer you will be to claim your mission in the world as a responsible human being. And the more you claim you have a unique task to fulfill for God, the more open you will be to letting your deepest need be met.

The Kingdom of peace that Jesus came to establish begins when your lion and your lamb can freely and fearlessly lie down together.”

Henri J. M. Nouwen, The Dance of Life: Weaving Sorrows and Blessing into One Joyful Step, ed. Michael Ford (Notre Dame, IN: Ava Maria press, 2005), 156.

When I read this quote, I asked myself which do I neglect, the lion or the lamb. How about you?

Related post: What Pastors should look for in Safe People

Kevin Cashman wrote a great book every leader should read, Leadership from the Inside Out: Becoming a Leader for Life. Essentially he challenges leaders to lead from character (the inside). If you’ve not read it, I highly recommend it.

In an early chapter he lists several questions that can help clarify where our leadership strengths lie. I’ve adapted his questions into five below. Read these questions slowly and reflectively.

1. What would your dearest friend say in moment of deep admiration of you?
2. When you feel energized and fully alive, what strengths and traits do you exercise?
3. What circumstances bring out your strongest character traits?
4. What experiences in your life have caused you to feel most completely yourself?
5. If you witnessed your funeral, what do you hope people would say about your life?

When we discover, develop, and deploy our strengths and gifts, we maximize our Kingdom impact and experience the greatest joy.

Are you leading from the inside out?

Related post: Guilt Producing Questions Pastors Secretly Ask Themselves

I’m currently in a coaching relationship with seven other pastors through Will Mancini’s organization, Auxano. It’s a great experience and I highly recommend it to pastors who want to get clear on their vision and want to lead their churches well.

In Will’s seminal book on how to capture and lead through vision, Church Unique, he lists 9 benefits of being clear as you lead your church.

Here’s why he says we must lead with clarity.

1. Clarity makes uniqueness undeniable
2. Clarity makes direction unquestionable
3. Clarity makes enthusiasm transferable
4. Clarity makes work meaningful
5. Clarity makes synergy possible
6. Clarity makes success definable
7. Clarity makes focus sustainable
8. Clarity makes leadership credible
9. Clarity makes uncertainty approachable

How would you rank your clarity using these 9 as a benchmark?

Related post:  Strategic Planning for Dummies

As a Pastor, if you lead, you will face turbulence in your ministry or organization.

One of the most revered men in history, King David, constantly faced turbulence as he led. When King Saul died, Israel faced a leadership future fraught with obstacles.

I Chronicles 12 describes how many groups stepped up to help David make this transition. The Scriptures describe one group, the men of Issachar, in this way.

(they) understood the times and knew what Israel should do — 200 chiefs, with all their relatives under their command…. (v. 32)

All these were fighting men who volunteered to serve in the ranks. They came to Hebron fully determined to make David king over all Israel. (v. 38)

This group modeled what every leader and pastor must live during turbulent times.

As leaders and pastors, the 4 four essentials we must model in turbulent times, as did the men of Issachar, are…

1. Define reality
2. Shape your vision
3. Develop a coherent strategy
4. Implement your strategy with passion and courage

Related post: 8 decisions leaders should make during a crisis

Kevin Cashman wrote the book Leadership from the Inside Out: Becoming a Leader for Life. I highly recommend it. I’m reading it for a second time.

In one chapter he writes about managing change in an organization. His change mastery  shifts below apply to church leadership as well.

1. Focus on Opportunities vs. Problems
2. Focus on Long Term vs Short Term (don’t lost sight of your long-term vision in the midst of change)
3. Focus on Purpose vs. Circumstance (keep focused on your and your church’s purpose and values to avoid being mired in difficult circumstances)
4. Focus on Adaptability vs Control (control will only yield a certain degree of results; good leaders must remain agile, flexible, and innovative to sustain results over the long haul)
5. Focus on Service vs. Self (serve your leaders during the stress of change)
6. Focus on Listening vs. Expertise (effective leaders stay open and practice authentic listening to stay connected to others and to remain open to other innovative solutions)

Other related posts:

• Etch-a-sketch Church Planning

For more Help and Resources for Discouraged Pastors, visit Pastor Stone’s main site.

Kevin Cashman wrote an outstanding book on leadership called Leadership from the Inside Out: Becoming a Leader for Life. I’m reading it a second time.

In his book he writes about conscious beliefs and shadow beliefs. He defines a shadow belief as a belief we hold deep inside, outside of our conscious awareness. He contends that these beliefs often hinder leaders from being their best. For example, one shadow belief might be that subtle voice inside that constantly says, “You must perform better than everybody else for people to like you.” For me, one shadow belief I discovered was this: “Everybody around me needs to be happy for me to be happy. Therefore, I must try to make everybody happy.” That belief stifled my joy and peace as I tried to lead our church.

Cashman says, however, that we must bring those shadow beliefs into the light so that we can become our best as leaders. He gives seven clues that can bring these shadow beliefs to light.

1. If other people often give us feedback inconsistent with how we see ourselves, a shadow is present.
2. When we feel stuck or blocked with a real loss as to what to do next, a shadow is holding us back.
3. As strengths become counterproductive, some hidden dynamics need to surface. (more…)