Competencies

The effective leader will focus on three time horizons simultaneously: 1. Cultivating current responsibilities, extending and defending the core existing ministries. 2. Tending and nurturing emerging ideas, strategies, and processes. 3. Planting seeds for tomorrow. This pattern encompasses the mature, emergent, and embryonic phases of an organization’s life cycle. The leader is responsible to see that they are all addressed effectively.

Just because someone has experience living cross culturally does not mean they understand the concepts of cultural intelligence and cross cultural values. More importantly, it doesn’t mean they can apply their understanding to coaching, and to coaching unfamiliar cultures!

A rope bridge is probably one of the most precarious tools to use while crossing a gorge or river because you trust your life to the rope’s strength. Solomon compared humans to a single-strand rope. Weakness is a human characteristic, and the Bible tells us that alone, one is weak, and two walking together are not easily overcome, but a three-stranded cord is hard to break (Ecc. 4:12). Dionna points out there are some weaknesses that God allows in order to help us become stronger in Him.

Churches need to take many factors into consideration when hiring more staff. The decision is not based simply on congregation size. Leaders must consider the context of the need for new staff, paying attention to this list of reasons not to hire more people.

Awkward moments feel like we’re stepping off the edge of a cliff. Peter, the Apostle is quite famous for his awkward moments. Three times he was interrupted by God – by the Son (Matt. 16:23), by the Father from heaven (Matt. 17:5), and by the Holy Spirit (Acts 10:44). Yet Jesus made it clear that He believed in Peter and assured Peter of his usefulness to care for the flock of God (John 21:15-19; 1 Pet. 5:2-3).

Learn how to turn a difficult situation into an empowering one through collaborative leading. Who says you should feel drained and defeated by the people you work with?

Bats and owls have the best hearing in the animal kingdom. They can hear, but if they are not listening and paying attention they will go to bed without their dinner. Listening is deciding that the other person is important, and what that important person is saying is more important than what you are doing. Listening, coupled with periods of reflection, is essential to the growth and well-being of the servant-leader as well as the organization.