LEADING AND COMMUNICATING TO CHANGE LIVES

INTRODUCTION:  The 2-day seminar is primarily directed to pastors and lay leaders in the Christian Church.  After discussing the seminar with numerous representatives of Injoy (the sponsoring organization) is was determined that enough leadership and organizational and personal growth material would be covered that would have direct application to the business world, MST decided to send the four managers.  As the seminar drew near two managers had conflicting work schedules, and two other MST staff were substituted.  Attendees included Bob Jordan, Greg Milholland, Jamie Gier and Dave Jordan.

SPEAKERS:  Dr. John Maxwell, founder, Injoy Ministries located near Atlanta, GA.  Recognized as a leading leadership and personal growth expert.  Author of Injoy Life Club and Maximum Impact monthly tape clubs.  Both are utilized at MST.  Dr. Bill Hybels, Sr. Pastor of the 16,000 member Willow Creek Community Church located near Chicago, IL.  Like Maxwell, Hybels is recognized as a leading expert in leadership and communication.

REPORT FORMAT:  The principles and examples taught during the seminar have been modified in this report, wherever possible, to reflect application in the business community. 

DAY ONE:

The Way Leadership Works

Dr. Bill Hybels

1.   All leadership can be traced back to an idea in the imagination of an individual.  While leadership can be learned and improved upon, leadership itself is a gift from God.  If you have the gift, you should use your gift and lead.  Leaders must lead.

2.   Leaders are forever inviting people to join what they’re doing.  Leadership calls for expertise in Vision, Relationships, Nurturing, Inspiring Hope, and Motivating.  The local church requires the most leadership abilities because it’s built on volunteers, not power and control (e.g. a paycheck).  Must use the “Principle of the Ask.”  Ask others for help, ask others to participate, ask others to …….

3.   Leadership demands the constant clarifying of the mission, strategies, purpose, goals of the organization.  This is lot tougher than it looks!  Must be vigilant to avoid “mission drift” and “fuzziness” in the organization.

4.   Leadership requires ongoing, creative problem solving.  Expect problems, anticipate them, solve them.  Most people don’t have the guts to face up to a problem in the organization.  Face problems head on.  Admit your own weakness and get help, but don’t ignore problems.

5.   Leaders elevate, motivate, celebrate.  There is much untapped potential in organizations.  Leaders instill confidence.  They make big hearts out of little hearts.  They breath life into others.

The 10 Leadership Styles

Dr. Bill Hybels

1.   THE VISIONARY LEADER  They have a clear picture of what they want and they cast the vision.  They speak it a lot.  They ask everyone to get involved.  They are future-oriented.  They may not be a manager or team builder, but they can cast a vision.  (Hybels knows people who new Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and said that though he was a pre-eminent visionary he lacked managerial skills, and others around him had to fill this gap.)

2.   THE DIRECTIONAL LEADER  These leaders have the ability to choose the right path when the organization comes to a critical decision.  They are in much demand.  To not make a decision dissipates energy in the organization.  A good decision is critically important.  They have an uncanny ability to make the right decisions most of the time.

3.   THE STRATEGIC LEADER  They have the ability to break down a vision into finite, achievable chunks. They can get progress on a vision.  Any organization needs observable steps towards the achieving of a vision.

4.   THE MANAGING LEADER  These leaders organize people, processes and systems.  They monitor progress toward vision fulfillment.  Relentless managing ability.  Good on details.

5.   THE MOTIVATIONAL LEADER  Keeps the team inspired, looks for “who needs recognition, affirmation, etc.”  Passes out the “atta-boy’s,” especially when needed.  They sense when someone needs to be “fired-up.”  Encourages others to keep going and to not quit!

6.   THE SHEPHERDING LEADER  Builds people in the organization by loving them, praying for them, encouraging and adding a sense of community with them.  People do things for the Shepherding Leader.  This leader appeals to the moment, the community or organizational need.  Works with them over the long term.

7.   THE TEAM-BUILDING LEADER  Has insight into people.  Finding or developing the leaders to grow right to meet the vision and goals of the organization.  Puts people into the roles where they can get the mission achieved.

[The next three leadership styles may have one or more of the preceding attributes.]

8.   THE ENTREPRENEURIAL LEADER  Functions best in the start-up mode.  Lots of energy and focus.  Not a detail person regarding systems, etc.  Lives for the new thing.  Starts businesses then moves on to the next business.  Caution:  Don’t let poor character be your excuse for moving on, don’t confuse entrepreneurialship for avoiding conflict and relationships.

9.   THE RE-ENGINEERING LEADER  Able to fix what’s already there.  Seeks out and solves problems (and enjoys it!).  Fixes infrastructure.

10. THE BRIDGE-BUILDING LEADER  Motivated by leading a complex organization.  Needed in large organizations.  Challenged by working with lots of leaders.

ASSIGNMENT:

• Identify your top two-to-three leadership styles.

• Share this information with others for their opinions.  (They may not agree with what you think you are!)

•  Identify your organization’s “gaping holes.”

How To Get Things Done

Dr. John Maxwell

1.   WHAT GETS PICTURED GETS DONE  Vision: a) See Clearly, b) Show Creatively, c) Say Continually.  This picture lets the organization reflect what’s s going on and why it’s important.  Put in the picture the things that they love!  “When you’re in the picture, the picture is much more interesting.”

2.   WHAT GETS MODELED GETS DONE  People do what people see.  Eighty percent of what’s remembered is what’ visual.  Too much preaching and too little modeling separates one from his credibility.  This is the #1 problem in the church (and any other organization, I might add).  If you have credibility, the longer you stay the better it is for the organization (the opposite is also true).  The Attraction Principle:  We attract who we are, not what we want to be.

3.   WHAT GETS PRAISED (APPLAUDED) GETS DONE  “Encouragement is the oxygen of the soul.”  Your strongest departments are the ones that get the most praise.

4.   WHAT GETS TRAINED GETS DONE  Where people are equipped and developed then they can get things done.  Don’t substitute “marking time” for equipping.  Make time for equipping.  Get out of your comfort zone.  When you know your gift you can go out and do it.  Train/Equip/Develop.

5.   WHAT GETS MEASURED GETS DONE  Goals, measures, accountability.  Low morale comes from not knowing where the target is and what is the measurement of it.  Are you accomplishing anything?  Expectation creates momentum, inspection creates results.

6.   WHAT GETS FINANCED GETS DONE  Check the budget.  What gets money gets done.  Stewardship.  A good financial base is required to get things done.  Plan.  Don’t be cut short by finances.

We overestimate the event, and we underestimate the process.

Three “T’s” to Presenting the Vision

Dr. John Maxwell

1. TIMING  Celebration of past victories sets the stage for presenting the next vision.

2. TEMPERATURE  Is the temperature hot?  Do you have momentum?  Are you feeling it?  If you want the organization to burn, the you burn! 

3. TIME  Is it mature?

The gift of the leader to the people is the vision.  The gift of the people to the leader is the fulfillment of the vision.

Successful Vision Casting

Dr. John Maxwell

1. CLARITY  Brings Understanding of the Vision

2. CONNECTEDNESS  Brings Significance to the Vision

3. PURPOSE  Brings Direction to the Vision

4. GOALS  Brings a Target to the Vision

5. HONEST  Brings Integrity to the Vision

6. STORIES  Brings Relationships to the Vision  (Warms the vision up, brings a personal, current aspect.)

7. CHALLENGE  Brings Stretching to the Vision  (Raise the bar, separate winners from whiners.  You choose who you loose because you’ll never satisfy everyone in the crowd.)

8. PASSION  Brings Fuel to the Vision  (This always follows the Challenge.  No more neutral!  Turning up the heat fries the uncommitted and fires up the committed.)

9. REPOSITION  Brings the Change needed to Meet the Vision  (Three times when people change, 1) They hurt enough to where they have to change, 2) They learn enough to where they want to change, and 3) They receive enough to where they are able to change.)

10. URGENCY  Brings Intensity to the Vision

11. MODELING  Brings Accountability to the Vision

STRATEGY  Brings Process to the Vision  (Heart, Hope, Help, How-to)

The quality of the vision determines the quality of the people.  Big Vision = Big People.  GET A BIG DREAM!!!

The biggest mistake made in vision casting is that it is done TOO QUICK.  Innovators need to realize that people process change differently and at different rates.  Must lay a lot of good groundwork.  Only 2% of people are innovators.  Everyone else needs some time to process change, up to the longest time-needers, the “late adopter,” who could take a very long time to embrace change.  Need to communicate what’s going on.  Going to the next level hurts, but so does staying at the same level.

DAY TWO:

Dangerous Leaders

Dr. Bill Hybels

Positive Characteristics of a Dangerous Leader:

1. They daily pay the price to be the best.  They do what it takes.

2. They establish their own performance standards versus meeting the expectation of others.  An “internal QA” process.

3. They elevate the performance and attitude of those around them.

4. Set-backs fire them up rather than shut them down.  (They don’t take set-backs lying down.)

5. They arrange their lives in such a way as to remain a threat for years to come.  Sustainable. (Example:  Tiger Woods, early 20’s, good personal habits, physically fit, sharp, well behaved.  He will be a champion for a long time, and this worries his competition.)

Negative Characteristics of a Dangerous Leader:

1. They are crown pleasers and ear-ticklers.

2. They allow themselves to fall into destructive competitiveness.

3. Infected with a case of grandiosity (they have to have the biggest, newest, highest, etc.)

4. They have lost their nerve, settled out, no fire, no energy for change.

Highly Recommended book:  The Spirit of the Disciplines by Dallas Willard

The Spiritual Gift of Preaching

Dr. Bill Hybels

Prevailing churches are well-led and well-fed.  Every teacher in the local church should have the spiritual gift of teaching, and be willing to have their teaching evaluated.

How do you tell when someone has the spiritual gift of teaching?  Do you “resonate” with the following five statements?  Those with the spiritual gift of teaching….

1. Have an unusual interest in studying and preparing messages, and they do so enthusiastically.

2. While they’re discovering truth in the Bible, they’re thinking of ways to communicate it.

3. Live with the absolute conviction that God’s word can change a person’s life.

4. Receive consistent, wide-spread affirmation for their teaching (unsolicited, also).

5. Regularly receive the quiet assurance from the Holy Spirit that they’re doing the right thing, at the right time, for the right reasons.

Teaching catalyzes the action of the church.  Do not neglect the spiritual gift of teaching.

How to Improve Your Preaching and Teaching

Dr. Bill Hybels

1. Have a sense of urgency.  A heart of flame.

2. Push yourself creatively.  Use symbols, props, aids, etc.

3. Subject it to evaluation by trusted friends.  (Start of a positive, and if you identify a shortcoming, suggest an improvement rather than just pointing out the shortcoming alone.)

How to Connect With People

Dr. John Maxwell

1.   Be “Other Person” Focused  (this is the definition of charisma, it is a mindset.)

       * People that lack charisma are “self absorbed.”

2.   Ask the Right Questions

        * The Journey Questions (where have you been, where are you, where are you going)

        * The Heart Questions (what do you dream about, hurt about, cry about)

        * Relationship Questions (who are your friends, who influences you)

        * Personal Uniqueness Questions (temperaments, strengths, weaknesses)

        * Servanthood Questions (how can I add value to you, how can I serve you)

3.   Commit Time to Developing Relationships

        * Understands others

4.   Initiate Movement Toward Others

        * They take the risk to relate to others first

5.   Add Value to Other People

6.   Share Common Experiences with Others

7.   Speak to the Needs of Others

        * All learning is based on where people are living

8.   They Offer Hope and Encouragement to Others

9.   Communicate from the Heart

10.  Make People Feel Special

The Difference Between Speaking and Communicating

Dr. John Maxwell

The subject of communication should be consistently studied by every leader.  The following 10 leaders were speaking at one event, and John Maxwell listened to them all.  The following is his assessment of their communication ability.

Non-Communicators:

1. Tom Peters (chip on his shoulder, mad, bad attitude, turns others off)

2. Gerald Ford (highly boring)

3. Cokie Roberts (spoke down to the audience, made everyone aware of her specialized knowledge)

4. George Bush (didn’t say anything)

Communicators:

1. Mark Russell of PBS (funny, answered questions)

2. Elizabeth Dole (friendly, aura of acceptance and caring)

3. C. Everett Koop (followed a logic statement with a story, greatly aided understanding)

4. Mario Coumo (passionate)

5.  Steve Forbes (informative)

6. Colin Powell (offered security and hope)

The non-communicators were all bad in a different way.  There are many ways to be a bad communicator.  The communicators were all good in different ways.  Where are your strengths?  Effective communication is not style-dependent.  Be you!  Whoever you are, you must CONNECT!

Differences:

When communicating, remember that the best illustrations are those that are out of your life right now.