SHIFTING THE MIND SHIFTING THE LEADERSHIP
One of the most significant shifts leaders must make is empowering the giftedness of those around them. In making this shift, leaders find that their ability to influence is not hindered but rather broadened through others. As we begin this journey, the first step is to become keenly aware of what challenges us as leaders about change. Ronald Heifetz, in his text The Practice of Adaptive Leadership: Tools and Tactics for Changing Your Organization and the World, writes, "Leadership is a difficult practice personally because it almost always requires you to make a challenging adaptation yourself.”
“Leadership is a difficult practice personally because it almost always requires you to make a challenging adaptation yourself. What makes adaptation complicated is that it involves deciding what is so essential that it must be preserved going forward and what of all that you value can be left behind. Those are hard choices because they involve both protecting what is most important to you and bidding adieu to something you previously held dear: a relationship, a value, an idea, an image of yourself.”
Ronald A. Heifetz
The Practice of Adaptive Leadership: Tools and Tactics for Changing Your Organization and the World
Nothing is more important than studying one’s mindset, analyzing, challenging, recalibrating, and reviving it so that we do not become stagnant and staunch as leaders. Whether we identify as clergy or laity, we must shift our minds to ensure our churches thrive. We must adapt or become extinct…or worse—irrelevant.
In affirmation of this, Heifetz purports, “Over time, the structures, culture, and defaults that make up an organizational system become deeply ingrained, selfreinforcing, and very difficult to reshape. That makes sense when things are going well. But when something important changes—as with the economic and financial crises that began in 2008, or in more normal times when a new competitor enters the industry, the organization’s founder leaves, customers’ preferences shift, or new laws are passed [or COVID-19 shuts down the world]— the system’s tenacity can prevent it from adapting, from learning to thrive in the new context.”
Indeed, our most recent history has shown us that we must adapt and that our assets are far more than financial. We have a wealth of faith and intellectual, social, and human capital that must be harvested for consistent development.
This session will help structure a framework for
Identify the opportunities and challenges in leadership paradigms
Recognizing and Identifying strengths and barriers to shared leadership
Empower a mindset shift from scarcity to abundance
Unearth challenges to empowering a change culture
7 Leadership Followship Paradigm
How do you best lead and how do you best follow?
Authoritarian Leadership allows a leader to impose expectations and define outcomes. A oneperson show can turn out to be successful in situations when a leader is the most knowledgeable in the team. Although this is an efficient strategy in time-constrained periods, creativity will be sacrificed since input from the team is limited. The authoritarian leadership style is also used when team members need clear guidelines.
Opportunities Challenges
Time spent on making crucial decisions can be reduced.
Chain of command can be clearly emphasized.
Mistakes in the implementation of plans can be reduced.
Using authoritarian leadership style creates consistent results.
A very strict leadership style can sometimes lead to employee rebellion.
It kills employee creativity and innovation.
It reduces group synergy and collaboration.
Group input is reduced dramatically.
Authoritarian leadership increases employee turnover rate.
Delegative Leadership (Laissez-faire) focuses on delegating initiative to team members. This can be a successful strategy if team members are competent, take responsibility and prefer engaging in individual work. However, disagreements among the members may split and divide a group, leading to poor motivation and low morale.
Opportunities
Experienced employees can take advantage of their competence and experience.
Innovation and creativity is highly valued.
Delegative leadership creates a positive work environment.
Challenges
Command responsibility is not properly defined.
Delegative leadership creates difficulty in adapting to change
Participative Leadership involves team members in the decision-making process. Participative leadership styles are rooted in democratic theory. Team members thus feel included, engaged and motivated to contribute. The leader will normally have the last word in the decision-making processes. However, if there are disagreements within a group, it can be a time-consuming process to reach a consensus.
Opportunities Challenges
It increases employee motivation and job satisfaction.
It encourages use of employee creativity.
A participative leadership style helps in the creation of a strong team.
High level of productivity can be achieved.
Decision-making processes become timeconsuming.
Leaders have a high probability of being apologetic to employees.
Communication failures can sometimes happen.
Security issues can arise because of
transparency in information sharing.
Poor decisions can be made if the employees are unskilled.
Transformational Leadership inspires others with a vision and then encourages and empowers them to achieve it. The leader also serves as a role model for the vision. Opportunities Challenges
It leads to a lower employee turnover rate.
Transformational leadership places high value on corporate vision.
High morale of employees is often experienced.
It uses motivation and inspiration to gain the support of employees.
It is not a coercive approach to leadership.
It places high value on relationships.
Leaders can deceive employees.
Consistent motivation and constant feedback may be required.
Tasks can’t be pushed through without the agreement of employees.
Transformational leadership can sometimes lead to the deviation of protocols and regulations.
Transactional Leadership uses rewards, punishments, and other exchanges to get the job done. The leader sets clear goals, and team members know how they will be rewarded for their compliance. This "give and take" leadership style is more concerned with following established routines and procedures in an efficient manner, than with making any transformational changes to an organization. Opportunities Challenges
Leaders create specific, measurable, and time-bound goals that are achievable for employees.
Employee motivation and productivity is increased.
Transactional leadership eliminates or minimizes confusion in the chain of command.
It creates a system that is easy to implement for leaders and easy to follow by employees.
Employees can choose reward systems.
Innovation and creativity are minimized
Empathy is not valued.
Transactional leadership creates more followers than leaders among employees
Adapted from https://www.imd.org/imd-reflections/reflection-page/leadership-styles/
Empowerment Reading 1
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Leadership is to be Shared
Michael Tan |August 13, 2013
In his book Empowered Leaders, Hans Finzel writes, “The leader’s first task is to build a leadership team. Yet finding the right leaders can be the greatest challenge.” The challenges, pressure, and stress that people in leadership positions face in today’s rapidly changing social, business, and political environment are enormous and overwhelming at the same time. Anywhere and in any organization, religious or secular, it is highly unlikely that a single person can provide the necessary leadership for all issues. Those in designated leadership roles need to let go of that expectation of being the top gun, top dog, or godfather and embrace new ways of leading. Mao Zedong used to say, “Beauty lies at the top of the mountain,” meaning only the leader at the top of the pyramid gets to enjoy the benefits. But even Chairman Mao needed a Zhou Enlai to make things happen. In a world of increasing interdependence and ceaseless technological change, even the greatest of men or women simply can’t get the job done alone.
Collective leadership or shared leadership is one in which each member shares the position, power, authority, and responsibility of the office equally. This type of leadership structure is also called team, corporate, or collegiate leadership. Such a team of co-leaders is possible only where there is shared power and trust. There is mutual respect and empowering. The primary leader of such a team is not the team boss. In a situation that he is not competent in, the primary leader may follow the direction of a co-leader who does. No one is after the credit; everyone wants to get the job done! The opposite of collective leadership is unitary leadership, monarchical rule, or one-man leadership. In the political realm, he is called the tyrant, the dictator, or, as in current affairs, the Supreme Leader. By the way, a one-man leadership is bad not only for any church, organization, or country but also for any man!
Shared Leadership is Biblical
Shared leadership is a biblical concept and practice even before the emphasis on such an approach by modern management and leadership gurus. Jesus was for shared leadership. He did not appoint one successor to lead His Church. In fact, by choosing and training the Twelve, symbolizing the New Israel, Jesus gave the Church a plurality of leaders. The Twelve led the first council of the Jerusalem Church and in the most exemplary way, collectively led and taught the fledging Christian community. The Twelve were called Apostles. Others were also included in this leadership circle, but there was no one who was designated Chief Apostle in their midst, only Chief Sinner, as the Apostle Paul liked to describe himself!
Shared leadership is also evidenced by the seven who were appointed to relieve the Twelve of church administration and logistics, especially the responsibility of dispensing funds to the church’s widows (Acts 6:3-6). There is also no indication that one of the seven deacons was the chief and the others were his assistants. Stephen and Philip were mentioned for their evangelistic fervor and not as leaders of the pack. The seven were a team of servant leaders before the term came into vogue.
Leadership by a council of elders is a form of government found in nearly every society of the ancient Near East. It was the fundamental governmental structure of the nation of Israel throughout its Old Testament history (Ex 3:16, Ezra 10:8). For Israel – a tribal, patriarchal
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society – the eldership was as basic as the family unit. The Apostle Paul and Jewish missionaries to the Gentiles were thoroughly immersed in the Old Testament and Jewish culture. Naturally, he followed this pattern and appointed elders for his newly founded churches (Acts 14:23). These were councils of equals. A plurality of elders is the pattern we find in all New Testament churches. In fact, there is no biblical passage that suggests that any church in the New Testament, no matter how small, had only one elder.
Shared Leadership Ensures and Sustains Growth
The benefits of team leadership are obvious. In the first place, a team of leaders can carry the load and responsibilities of leadership more efficiently and effectively. Every leader is active, but none needs to be burning out. The advice of Jethro to Moses in Exodus 18:18 is still applicable to any pastoral and leadership team today: “You and these people who come to you will only wear yourselves out. The work is too heavy for you; you cannot handle it alone.” This is not just a good management principle but a prudent and practical way to prevent leadership burnout.
Leadership is a lonely job if you are the lone leader. Sure, the buck needs to stop somewhere like in an oval office, but one person doesn’t need to make the decisions all the time. An effective leader will be wise to heed the words of Ecclesiastes 4:9-12, “Two are better than one because they have a good return for their work. If one falls down, his friend can help him up. But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up! Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm. But how can one keep warm alone? Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.”
In church, a team of leaders provides variety in ministry. As it has been said, none of us is smarter than all of us in the room. Or more creative. Or more gifted. Or more anointed. I think you get the picture. One interesting definition of TEAM is Together Each Achieves More. In other words, the overall benefit is that the team wins, the individual gets fulfilled, and the world becomes better for it.
Team leadership also provides accountability and support for leaders. The main factor for leaders, whether church or corporate, to be derailed is not immorality, greed, or pride but the lack of accountability.
The Leader in Shared Leadership
Some people have described the irony of communism that is supposed to be a totally egalitarian system as “all are equal, but some are more equal!” The biblical principle is different. It speaks of “first among equals” (1 Tim 5:17). Not all leaders are equal in their giftedness, biblical knowledge, leadership ability, experience, or communication skill. Therefore, those particularly gifted leaders and/or teachers will naturally stand out from the others. This is what the Romans called primus inter pares, “first among equals,” or primi inter pares, “first ones among equals.”
The principle of “first among equals” is practiced by Jesus in His dealings with the Twelve. He empowered all of them to preach, heal, and cast out demons, even Judas. However, Jesus singled out three for special attention – Peter, James, and John – primi inter pares. And among the three, Peter stood out as the most prominent, the primus inter pares. Peter was always acting like the head of the class! He wasn’t always the best or with the most potential, but he was really good
at putting his foot in his mouth. Perhaps his personality made him a more outspoken, confrontational, and natural-born leader in that group. Yet, Peter possessed no official rank or title above the other eleven. They were not his subordinates. They were not his assistants. He was simply first among his equals, seemingly acknowledged to be so by Jesus Himself. Anyway, it was James who headed the Jerusalem Council, not Peter.
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The “first among equals” leadership relationship can also be observed among the seven deacons, who, as we’ve seen, were chosen to relieve the Apostles of certain responsibilities (Acts 6). Philip and Stephen stood out as prominent figures among the five other brothers (Acts 6:8-7:60, 8:5-40, 21:8). Yet, as far as the account records, the two held no special title or status above the others.
The concept of “first among equals” is further evidenced by the relationship of Paul and Barnabas. They labored as partners in the work of the Gospel. They were both pioneers and leaders in missions, yet between them, Paul was “first among equals” because perhaps he was “the chief speaker” and a more dynamic leader (Acts 13:13, 14:12). Paul, the ex-rabbi, was certainly more learned but he did not boss over Barnabas who could also stand on his own ground in the matter over John Mark.
Leaders who are “first among equals” do not do all the thinking and decision-making for the church or organization. The advantage of the principle of “first among equals” is that it allows for functional, gift-based diversity within the leadership team without creating an official, superior office over fellow leaders. Just as the leading Apostles, such as Peter and John, bore no special title or formal distinctions from the other Apostles, leaders who receive double honor from no official class or receive no special title. The elders who labor in the Word and exercise good leadership are, in the words of Scripture, “leaders among the believers” (Acts 15:22).
Finally, the “first among equals” concept is practiced in the way in which congregations are to honor their elders. The Apostle Paul writes, “The elders who direct the affairs of the church well are worthy of double honor, especially those whose work is preaching and teaching” (1 Tim 5:17). So, pastors are supposed to be able to teach the Word, but it seems that not all pastors excel in preaching and teaching. Some are more gifted in counseling and pastoral care. It is the overall spiritual giftedness of the pastoral team that causes the church to grow, not just the shared leadership form of government per se.
George Barna, a respected Christian researcher, recently wrote a book entitled The Power of Team Leadership, in which he encourages churches to consider shared leadership. Barna’s primary thesis is that leadership anywhere works best when it is provided by teams of gifted leaders serving together in pursuit of a clear and compelling vision. Barna says, however, that in spite of the abundance of convincing reasons to do so, it is safe to predict that most churches will not incorporate team leadership into their ministry practices in the foreseeable future. It seems to be easier to lead without the encumbrance of other people. Some prefer to dominate rather than rely upon the breadth of experience resident in the church. Others fight hard to maintain unchallenged authority because they have a deep-seated need to be needed. Still, others feel that they are the only ones who could get the job done.
Shared leadership may not be the “cure-all” for all church or organizational problems. Yet, no [person] should have to bear the burden of leadership alone. Share it and grow!
The New International Version Bible has been referenced.
How has the pandemic impacted your plans for the use of church buildings and property?
Sanctuary
R E I M A G I N I N G S P A C E
Fellowship Hall
Gymnasium
Classroom(s)
Office Space
Kitchen
Outdoor Grounds
Parking Lot
Other Property
Which of these spaces is underutilized? Why? Reimagine what the space could become for the church or the community. What are the challenges to a shift in the use of the other space(s)?
Which space(s) could be repurposed most readily? Take some time as a team to reflect on what you have documented in this exercise.
Dream Big: If Your Goals Don't Scare You, They're Too Small
Kevin Kruse, June 7, 2017
Are your goals just too small?
If you’ve ever had that little voice in your head convince you to set “more realistic” goals, you may have fallen prey to complacency. There is a time and a place to play it safe, and setting your life or career goals is not one of them. While it’s normal to be intimidated by situations that seem risky or uncertain, wouldn’t you rather be—this time —the type of person who runs toward the roar?
Mark Batterson is the lead pastor of National Community Church, recognized as one of the most innovative churches in America, with eight locations in Washington, D.C. He is also the New York Times best-selling Author of The Circlemaker, and his new book is Chase the Lion: If Your Dream Doesn't Scare You, It's Too Small. I recently interviewed Mark for The LEADx Podcast, where I asked him all about how to aim high and run into the fray. (The interview below has been lightly edited for space and clarity.)
Kevin Kruse: Your inspiration for the book came from the story of Benaiah, who is a lesser-known figure in The Bible. Who is Benaiah?
Mark Batterson: Yeah, I mean, it’s buried about 6 feet deep in the Old Testament. The Bible says that he chased the lion into a pit on a snowy day and killed it. In my opinion, that's about the coolest verse in the Bible. If you’re going into a pit with a lion on a snowy day, you've got a problem. Probably the last problem you'll ever have. But in this instance, somehow, Benaiah kills the lion and actually becomes King David's bodyguard. And later on, becomes Commander-in-Chief of Israel's Army. But I think it traces back to this moment: are you going to run away from what you're afraid of, or are you going to "Run to the Roar?”
It’s really two different ways of living. I think you can let fear dictate your decision, and if you do, you're going to run away from a lot of things. You're going to be running your entire life. But I think there comes a moment when if you feel like God has given you a green light, sometimes you've got to go for it. Now, you’ve got to pray about it. You’ve got to do your homework. But at the same time, I think you’ve got to go after that dream that God has put in your heart.
Kruse: You say "You have to be a little bit crazy to run to the roar." What do you mean by that?
Batterson: Well, you know, I don't want people to think of me as normal. I don't know about you, but normal is a little bit of an insult to me. Go ahead and call me crazy. I've found that when God calls us to do things, oftentimes, I call it the "Crazy Test." Listen,
it's going to be bigger than you are. It's going to be beyond your resources, beyond your ability. Often, it will be beyond your education. But God just seems to love to use people who are unqualified, and so maybe a way of saying it is that he doesn't call the qualified, he qualifies the called.
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And so, I think it's this idea that "I'm not going to play defense with my life." I don't want to get overly theological, but there are Sins of Commission, and it's doing something you shouldn't have done. And I'm against those. But there are also Sins of Omission, and it's what you would've, could've, and should've done. I think that's what grieves the heart of our heavenly Father. So, in a sense, potential is God's gift to us, and then what we do with it is our gift to God.
So, Kevin, this is more than just a little mantra, "Chase the Lion." It's more than a book title. It really is the motto of my life, and I think it’s a way of life. It's playing offense with your life.
Kruse: Playing life on offense rather than defense. I think that's great.
Batterson: Yeah. I don't think I had a teacher quite that creative. Isn't it interesting? That seems to me like one of the parables that Jesus taught. You know, this parable "The Talents," where the one person buries it in the ground, they play it safe. And I think playing it safe in God's Kingdom is risky. And the opposite is true as well. That, you know, God has called us to step out in faith and take some risks. That's quite a class and quite a teacher.
If-Mark Batterson-Lesson 3
