LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT @ IMPACT

Leadership Skills: Transformative Leadership and Managing Change

March 9, 2010

Wilson, Michael Todd and Hoffmann, Brad; Preventing Ministry Failure; Intervarsity Press; copyright 2007; pp. 230-44.

Last time we looked at…

• Transformative leadership – This maximizes our effectiveness in ministry.

• Our leadership quotient – A combination of our personality, practice of integrity, and ministry placement (including experience).

• Anticipating and preparing for change in our ministry environment.

• Wise ways to implement change.

Today we will look at…

1. The five most common leadership styles.

2. Determining your leadership style(s).

3. The importance of modeling in leadership.

4. Other necessary ingredients for effective leadership.

Our Leadership Wardrobe

Styles of leadership can resemble styles of clothing in our wardrobe; some styles may not even be found in our wardrobe.

It is important for us to identify our leadership style and recognize its inherent weaknesses.

1/5 “FIELDMASTER” ADVENTUREWEAR

• DEFINED: “See themselves as guides to the next level God has in store for the ministry.”

• SKILLS: Clearly see the trail ahead; can create the map to get there and bring others along.

• NEEDED RESOURCES: Vision is their fuel.• IDEAL SETTING: A brand-new or stagnant

ministry.• DANGERS: May lose sight of the present for

the sake of the future.

2/5 “BLUE COLLAR” WORKWEAR

• DEFINED: “Rolling up their sleeves, they value the collaborative process, serving alongside others.”

• SKILLS: Great people skills, model cooperation, solicit input, and value each perspective.

• NEEDED RESOURCES: Good communication platform.

• IDEAL SETTING: A new ministry, or one recovering from conflict and/or tragic loss.

• DANGERS: Forgetting that not all decisions require everyone’s input.

3/5 “CORPORATE” BUSINESSWEAR

• DEFINED: “Helping others develop skills for becoming what God has called them to be.”

• SKILLS: They see undeveloped talents in those they lead, helping them to identify and achieve personal goals.

• NEEDED RESOURCES: A work environment that prioritizes development, allocating the time and space for it.

• IDEAL SETTING: One that isn’t “plagued” with crisis (i.e., development wanes when crisis is present).

• DANGERS: By prioritizing others’ development, they may neglect their own.

4/5 “DINNER PARTY” FORMALWEAR

• DEFINED: “Values the quality of relationships over individual tasks and accomplishments.”

• SKILLS: They understand the power of well-connected relationships, focusing on the worth of an individual.

• NEEDED RESOURCES: Easy access to various levels of leadership and influence.

• IDEAL SETTING: This style can be very effective in resolving relationships or situations buried in conflict.

• DANGERS: Allowing the goal of harmonious relationships to overshadow the stated goals of our organization.

5/5 “EMERGENCY RESPONDER” UNIFORMWEAR

• DEFINED: “Leading others to safety”; this is the most directive style of leadership.

• SKILLS: Effectively challenges the values and practices of an organization during a crisis; takes charge, comforts, and provides clear direction (Acts 27:27ff).

• NEEDED RESOURCES: The trust of fellow leaders and those they lead.

• IDEAL SETTING: Places in crisis; the need to protect and care for others energizes them.

• DANGERS: If they lead on a longer-term basis, they can be perceived as controlling.

Reflection Questions: Set #1

• Which leadership style is your best fit?• Fieldmaster * Blue Collar * Corporate * Dinner Party * Emergency Responder

• Which other styles are in your “leadership wardrobe”?

• Which are clearly not your style?

Reflection Questions: Set #1 (con’t)

• Who on your team might more easily fulfill the roles that aren’t your style? How could you better partner with them?

• How is your leadership style being used now?

• How could it be used further? Who would be appreciative of your ability to serve in this “new” way?

Regardless of our style, MODELING is a must.

• It must be authentic, flowing from the heart.• It must also be transparent, allowing others to

see us work through our successes and failures.• The level of our credibility will be in direct

proportion to to quality of our modeling.• We’re not attempting perfection. We deal with

our failures honestly, rather than minimizing or covering them up.

Reflection Questions: Set #2

• How do you currently model well? In what areas is there room for improvement?

• What changes could you make for your modeling to more authentically reflect your personal faith?

Four key ingredients…

• Regardless of our leadership style!• LOVE – Loving God and His people are non-

negotiable, fueling our capacity to care for others. How do we cultivate this love?

• Connecting daily with the Lord is the foundation from which we love our teammates well.

• Our capacity to love is also born out of personal brokenness and deep surrender.

• Don’t be detached in short-term ministry assignments.

Reflection Questions – Set #3

• In the past, what things tended to stir your passion for God?

• In what ways might your love for God have grown cold in recent days?

• How might you demonstrate your love to those you serve?

2/4 Four key ingredients…

• VISION – Dreaming about the future. It is realized in five stages:

• Birth – It’s initiated and revealed by the Lord.• Incubation – Asking the Lord to give direction.• Presentation – Sharing our vision with key people,

inviting their involvement.• Commitment – Officially sharing your vision with the

governing board and receiving their endorsement.• Realization – The team and/or organization lives out

this vision!

Reflection Questions – Set #4

• What dream has the Lord given you for your ministry?

• At what stage is your vision?• Birth * incubation * presentation * commitment * realization

• What might your next step be in taking the dream toward realization?

3/4 Four key ingredients…

• CONFLICT RESOLUTION – We need to differentiate between peace-keeping and peace-making.

• Seeking to avoid conflict vs. Seeking resolution.• PAUSE Principle: Prepare yourself, Affirm the other’s

worth, Understand their interests, Search for creative solutions, Evaluate options objectively and reasonably.

• FOUR KEY PROMISES: a) “I won’t dwell on this”; b) “I won’t bring it up again”; c) “I won’t tell others about this”; and d) “I won’t let this stand in the way of building a relationship with you.”

Reflection Questions – Set #5

• List areas of conflict you’re presently facing: a) within personal relationships; b) with other ministry leaders; and c) with those you lead.

• Of these, what do you perceive would be the cost of peace-making rather than peace-keeping? What’s the benefit?

4/4 Four key ingredients…

• TEAM-MINDED MINISTRY – This environment values other people and their input.

• A group of people with complementary skills commit themselves to a:– Common purpose (consider our Strategic Planning Process).– Performance goals (Position Focus).– Approach for which they hold each other accountable.

• Teams provide a great platform for:– Accountability– Creativity– Trust and camaraderie– Mentoring opportunities – which builds new leaders!

Reflection Questions – Set #6

• What areas of ministry are you doing alone? Why?

• How might a team-minded approach prove beneficial for you and those you lead?

• What might be the first step toward making such a transition a reality?