Wayne Hedlund

Category: GENERAL

  • Time Management 101: Get Meeting Happy

     

    I have a recommendation for you. FILL UP YOUR CALENDAR WITH MEETINGS! That’s right. I believe this can be a very powerful tool to help you stay focused, use your time wisely and get things done. Since I’m sure you don’t want to be stuck in any more meetings than I do, I guess I better explain myself. The point of this basic time management principle isn’t to get more busy, but LESS busy, by ensuring you schedule out your week and days in advance.

    Here are the different kinds of meetings you should fill your calendar with:

    • Team Meetings.
      A team meeting is any meeting that includes more than two people. It’s important you connect with the team(s) you work with. That doesn’t mean you should be in team meetings all day, every day. Limit team meetings as much as possible so that you have the time/energy in your week to process and get done what you’ve been dreaming and talking about in team meetings. I also recommend you clarify the type of team meetings you participate in. I lay out the three basic kinds of meetings in the post: The Seats of the Bus.
    • One on One Meetings.
      One on One meetings include any meeting between just you and one other person. If you manage people (staff or volunteers) you should be holding 1on1 meetings with various people in order to encourage, evaluate, and equip them for ongoing ministry. If you have a boss (or direct report), hopefully you are invited to similar meetings with him or her (if not, I encourage you to setup a 1on1 with them to talk about it). Finally, 1on1 meetings will include counselling sessions, lunch appointments, time with key staff to connect or troubleshoot problems, etc. Check out Tactical Tip: Moving to Eye Level.
    • Self-Appointments.
      The rest of your calendar should be filled in with self-appointments. These are blocks of time that you have dedicated to getting things done. Most people don’t fill their calendar in with self-appointment time. As a result, the tyranny of the urgent rules the day. Long term projects, study time, prayer time, and admin time get squeezed in wherever it will fit in – and often it doesn’t fit in. I recommend you protect self-appointments like you would 1on1 and team meetings. That doesn’t mean you become legalistic about it, just protective. For example, you might create a weekly self appointment on Mondays for 1-2 hour slot that is specifically set aside for reading or study; or perhaps a 5 hour chunk for sermon prep on Tuesdays. You could slot off a 2 hour chunk on a Thursday to work on a long term project or something that is coming up later this month. I often create self-appointments prior to 1on1 and team meetings so I can prepare for them properly.
    Additional Suggestions:
    Here are a few more random suggestions in regards to filling your calendar with meetings.
    • Schedule ‘Off Time’ Too.
      It’s just an idea, consider scheduling what your off hours (that means hours you don’t work – for those of you who keep hours like that) look like too? This is where you would include the obvious, like Doctor appointments and kids games. But it could also include specific time with the whole family or individual family members, down time, TV time, exercise, and more.
    • Block Flexible Hours.
      If you are a pastor, you know that any given week you need to be available to meet with people, even if those meetings aren’t setup today. Block the hours and days you will be available for 1on1 meetings. If you don’t have meetings during that block of time, work on other things. The key is to keep most of your meetings within those blocked times and protect the rest of your week’s self-appointments.

  • Mission, Mission, On The Wall

     

    Andy Stanley once asked, “Is the statement on the wall actually happening down the hall?” Asked differently, “Is your mission statement simply a bunch of words that sound great or do they represent the heartbeat of your church at every level of ministry?” It can be very satisfying to develop your ministries mission, but it is ultimately a waste of time and energy if it just becomes empty words that are rarely mentioned in the context of weekly ministry.

    I wonder how that applies to you? Has your mission been successfully integrated into everyday life in your organization? Here are a few indicators that may help you evaluate whether your ministry mission is simply a ‘On The Wall’ mission (words but no action) or a ‘Down The Hall’ (words and action) mission.

    ‘On The Wall’ Indicators:
    If any of the following are TRUE then it may indicate missional slippage. In your next Strategic Meeting discuss how you can reintegrate your church mission into everyday ministry.

    • You can’t quote your mission from memory.
    • You haven’t personally quoted your mission statement in the last 3 weeks.
    • You haven’t mentioned your mission from the pulpit in the last month.
    • You haven’t “preached” your mission in the last 9 months.
    • You don’t teach your mission to new members in the membership class.
    • Your mission isn’t posted prominently somewhere in the facility and/or on your website.
    • Your mission is long – more than two short sentences.
    • None of your key staff, elders, or board can quote your mission.
    • Your ministry leaders have never heard you talk about how the ministry they lead fits into the church’s mission.
    • When someone introduces a new ministry idea you don’t automatically ask the question, “How will that help us fulfill our mission?”
    • You have never tried to evaluate your effectiveness through the lenses of your mission.
     
    ‘Down the Hall’ Indicators:
    If any of the following are TRUE then it may indicate missional traction. In your next Strategic Meeting discuss how effective this has been and what else you might do to strengthen missional momentum. Obviously these indicators will seem familiarly similar but altogether different from the ‘On the Wall’ indicators.
    • You can quote it from memory right now.
    • Your leadership team has strategically discussed your church mission within the past year (to either develop it, evaluate it, or consider how effectively you are fulfilling it).
    • Your staff, elders, and board can quote your mission or something that closely reflects your mission.
    • Someone has mentioned your church mission in some form from the pulpit within the last three weeks (a worship leader, emcee, during a testimony, on the screens, or in the sermon).
    • You have ‘preached’ about your church mission within the past 9 months (that is, you have preached a message that directly points to why your church exists and/or how you are fulfilling your church mission).
    • Your mission is prominently displayed on your church website.
    • Your mission can be found in several places throughout the church (on the wall, church letterhead, business cards, bulletin, etc.).
    • Your Head Usher (or worship leader, children’s director, etc.) understands how the ministry they lead is fulfilling the church’s mission.
    • Every new member learns about the church’s mission and why it is important.
    • Your church mission reflects a deep passion within you personally. You get excited and emotional when you talk about it.

  • Tactical Tips

    I believe that small changes can often create a big impact. The Tactical Tip series is designed to give you ONE practical idea in each post that, if implemented, can help build positive momentum in your ministry and life. Enjoy.

    Common Sense Tips:
    • Return Emails Within 24 Hours
      Basic email etiquette says that individuals should not have to wait for a response from you for more than a day. That’s not always practical if the email will require more time or information that you have at your immediate disposal. This Tactical Tip outlines a simple way to always respond to emails.
    • Teach Yourself To Smile
      You’d think smiling would be a natural skill that every leader possessed. Wrong answer. Many leaders aren’t even aware of the scowl and frown they wear every day. This tip explores simple ideas to build new habits that will bring people’s perception of you just a little bit closer to reality.
    • Moving to Eye Level
      I ‘get’ to hang out with some tall people sometimes, and I’m not short. I’ve discovered that communication goes so much better when I’m not looking down or up while talking. This tip will explore why this is important and ideas on how to make it happen in everyday life.
    • Say ‘Thanks’ In Your Email
      It can be so easy for us to get into ‘work’ mode and forget that the person on the other side of our emails has feelings too. It takes 3 seconds to type, but often we don’t even think about it. This tip is a great reminder to add value to the conversation with one little word.

    Leveraging Technology:

    • Backup Your Files!I’ve learned over the years how important it is to backup computer files. I also know a lot of people don’t do it. I’ve discovered a great and simple way to ensure you’ll never lose your files again.
    • Build Momentum & Create Unity With A Blog
      As an avid blogger and blog reader, I’ve become convinced that a great blog can become a powerful communication tool. It may not be for everyone, but it certainly CAN be a game changer in certain situations. This tip is the beginning of several posts that will help you understand why a blog can make a difference as well as how to get started.
    • Email Signature
      There is absolutely no reason why I should ever have to wonder WHO just wrote this email or HOW I can get hold of him over the phone. This tip gives a few pointers on building a signature for your emails. 
    • Reminder Calendar
      Pastors and leaders in general can be notorious for forgetting things. Especially little details. I discovered a method by which a Google calendar can act as a reminder to me on things I don’t want to think about. This tip will show you how to leverage this idea for your purposes.
    • The Embedded Hyperlink
      Nobody likes to get a hyperlink in the email only to discover it doesn’t work. Additionally, we don’t really care about the actual address. We just want to know WHAT we are clicking on and we want to GET there. This tip will give practical advice on expanding your professionalism and honoring your reader with the embedded hyperlink.
    • Internet Passwords
      Nearly every month I hear about someone who got ‘hacked’. I finally did some research and came up with a system to better ensure I don’t become one of those statistics. This tip will walk you through a strategy that, once learned, can help your passwords be much more difficult to be hacked.
    Building Great Systems:
    • Saying ‘Thank You’ Systematically
      Everyone knows it’s important to thank volunteers and leaders. Most people just don’t take the time to do it. We’re too busy. This tip will walk you through each step of a system whereby you will always thank the people you need to thank both systematically and consistently.
    Check out my Resources Page to see other past series.

  • One Minute of Bible Reading on YouVersion!

     

    I ran across this awesome infographic from the YouVersion blog posted by ChurchMag the other day. This graphic represents ONE MINUTE of what happens in the YouVersion community. Totally awesome!

    If you don’t know what YouVersion is, check out my review here or better yet, just go on over to www.youversion.com and check it out today!

  • Get with YouVersion Today!

    YouVersion

    Hopefully, you’ve heard of this great website by now. I’ve blogged about it before but feel it’s worth bringing up again. www.youversion.com is a free website that offers a myriad of tools to help you and your congregation integrate the Word of God into daily life.

    It’s not just a Bible Website! It’s much, much more. It’s a place for people to gather to talk about Scripture – and what it means to them. It’s a place for accountability and encouragement. It’s a place to journal & remember what you are learning.  YouVersion is fast becoming the primary means by which this generation interfaces with God’s Word.

    FOR YOUR CHURCH
    First, let me give you some examples of how this website can serve your church. With a little focused attention on your part and regular attention each week, you may discover that your congregation reads the Bible more than ever! Let me show you how:

    • Read a Bible plan together.YouVersion has over 150 different reading plans. Some are devotional plans from well known leaders like Rick Warren. Most are Bible reading plans that range from 7 day plans to year long plans. Some of the plans are even topical in nature and would go perfectly with a sermon series. Individual’s can subscribe to plans via many different methods. We encouraged our congregation to join the “New Thru 30” plan last year when we did a series on the New Testament. Check out the Bible Reading plans here.
    • Create a Group & Live Events
      You can create a group just for your church and encourage your congregation to join. Once your group has been created, it can be used for encouragement and unified activities. As an example, click on THIS LINK to see a Live Event I created for a group I created for my blog readers. Note: This Live Event is simply one example of what you might consider doing with your congregation. 
    • Encourage Accountability
      YouVersion recently released a new feature that allows individual users to pick another YouVersion user as an accountability partner with a Bible Reading Plan. YouVersion will send email updates to the accountability partner on the individual’s progress in the plan, including whether or not they are getting behind in their reading. You might consider challenging your congregation, Sunday School classes or small groups to partner together.
    • Advertise YouVersion RegularlyThis website is free to everyone, compliments of the people at lifechurch.tv. Your congregation can only benefit from it’s use. Find ways to regularly advertise the website to your church. Put links on your website, make announcements, place ads in your bulletin, maybe even add a link to the site on your email signature.


    FOR INDIVIDUALS
    There are many other great features in YouVersion that will help you and your congregation stay rooted in the Word. Here are a few of them.
    • My Notes & Community Notes
      You can attach as many personal or private notes to individual Scriptures as you want. This takes ‘writing in the margin of your Bible’ to a whole new level. Notes can be kept private so that only the user sees them, or they can be made public for everyone to view when they browse to that particular passage. 
    • Bookmarks & Labels
      You can bookmark as many verses as you want to allow for easy access later on. Additionally, YouVersion has announced a new feature that should be rolled out very soon. The new feature will allow you to create labels for each individual bookmark. So for instance, you will be able to bookmark James 1:19 and then create labels like ‘anger’, ‘listening’, ‘patience’. Over time, those labels will come in real handy when your trying to look up passages you’ve bookmarked as relating to ‘anger’!
    • Pick Your Version & Parallel Bibles
      YouVersion boasts more than 100 different versions of the Bible in multiple languages. Pretty much, it’s highly likely your favorite version exists. Additionally, the ‘Parallel’ button will let you view a particular passage in two different versions at the same time.
    • Audio Bible
      Have a few moments to spare while driving to work, taking a shower, or mowing the lawn? Listen to the Bible, again in several versions. You can even listen to your daily Bible reading plan! Personally, this feature alone has increased my diet of the Word of God.
    • Go Mobile
      YouVersion is available for just about every mobile option out there. I have YouVersion installed on my phone and enjoy almost all of the functionality of the website at the touch of my finger. You can create widgets for the verse of the day or even your Bible reading plan.
    • Twitter & FaceBook
      YouVersion makes it real easy to post a Scripture to Twitter or FaceBook. Did you read something profound? Let all your friends read it too!
    There’s more. Signup for YouVersion today and fall in love with God’s Word all over again!

  • Tactical Tip: Internet Passwords

    A while back I had been getting nervous about all the websites where I had to enter passwords. What I was nervous about was the fact that I was using the same password on almost all of them. This always bothered me but I never did anything about it.

     
    Then one day when I was talking to a friend who is a security guru at RIT, I realized how easy it would be for someone to hack into a sensitive account and totally break the bank. For instance, I might give my password to a small time business who then has access to that password in their database. How easy would it be for someone on staff there to snag that password and try it out on my eBay, Paypal, or Amazon accounts. For that matter, any online store that has my credit card information saved would be fair game!
     
    Thankfully, I decided to learn my lesson the EASY way, instead of the HARD way. I instituted a new system for passwords that is working well for me and doesn’t require me to memorize more than one password. I recommend you try it out too. 
     
    Note: it will sound somewhat complicated at first. However, I guarantee that once you’ve learned how to do it, you’ll remember it AND be safe.
     
    Tactical Tip: Internet Passwords
     
    Here’s what you do:
    The following suggestion will be applicable to probably 95% of the passwords that you use. Most secure passwords require at least 8 characters and must also include letters, numbers, upper case, lower case, and a special character.
    • Define a Core Password:Define a password that you can easily memorize that is six characters long and includes at least one number and one special character like a question mark, hyphen, or period.  Now, for every website you go to these six characters will be six of 8 characters in the password. Just memorize them and the next step and you’ll be all set. Example: You might pick r7.ite as your core password.
    • Define a Special Rule:Next, create a rule that only you know that incorporates the site name into your password. For example, you may choose to use the first two letters of the site name or site web address – or the first and third letters, etc. and add them to the beginning, middle, or end of your predefined password. Example: Let’s say you choose to use the first two characters of a website and you will place it at the beginning of your core password. So you’re Google password (www.google.com) might look like this: gor7.ite. 
    • Capitalize a Character in the Special Rule:Finally, capitalize one letter in your special rule. This will add additional security to your overall password. Example: Now I will choose to capitalize the second letter in the website I am visiting. Here is what it would look like: gOr7.ite.
    • More Examples: Here are a few more examples using this rule: (1) www.amazon.com = aMr7.ite. (2) www.paypal.com = pAr7.ite. (3) www.twitter.com = tWr7.ite.
    Password Resets:
    Now, every once in a while you’ll run across a website that requires you to change your password every 6 – 12 months. For example, your financial institution may require this. One goal of this Tactical Tip is that you don’t have to rely on your memory anymore. So you’ll need an additional rule that you can use in these unique cases. Unfortunately, you will need to find a way to remind yourself that this particular website password will be different than the rest. I recommend you put the year of the reset into the password. Example: Let’s say it’s the year 2012 and the website is www.hsbc.com. Your password might be hSr7.ite12.
     
    The Three Time Reset Rule:
    Any website worth going to will give you the option of recovering your password if you’ve forgotten it. I strongly recommend you click the button to reset or recover your password after your SECOND failed attempt. Many websites will lock you out and require a phone call after three failed attempts.
     
    The Behind the Times Website:
    Finally, some websites just won’t stick to the standards. They ask for some odd rule that doesn’t fit the national standards. The other day I ran across a website that wouldn’t allow a special character in the password. After a few choice words, I decided to go back to my ‘old’ password that I used for all my other websites before I instituted this much more secure method. It’s not foolproof, but it sometimes works.

    Image compliments of Salvatore Vuono at freedigitalphotos.net

     

  • Tactical Tip: The Embedded Hyperlink

    Have you ever received an email with a link that could probably be published as an eBook? Besides taking up valuable space in the email and looking ugly, half the time the link doesn’t work! You know exactly what I’m talking about. Here’s an example just to be sure:

    Hey Jim. Check out this great article about “How to Coach Your Boss” – http://michaelhyatt.com/how-to-coach-your-boss.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+michaelhyatt+%28Michael+Hyatt%29 ~ Wayne

    Frustrating. Let me help you help others with a few simple tips to clean this mess up. This email could look like this instead:

     Hey Jim. Check out this great article: “How to Coach Your Boss“!  ~ Wayne

    Tactical Tip: The Embedded Hyperlink

    Most people don’t want or need to see that hyperlink. Probably the biggest exception to that rule is if you are trying to tell someone the actual name of a website. For example:

    “Hey Jim. Check out this great blog for pastors and church leaders I found at www.transformingleader.com!” 

    Even in that example I embedded the actual web address so that people don’t see the http:// at the beginning. This simple task will take you approximately 10-20 extra seconds, but it will be well worth your while.

    • Your readers will be less distracted or frustrated.
    • You will be able to represent yourself and your church with a greater degree of professionalism.
    • You will feel personal satisfaction in upping the excellence of your communications.
    So take a few moments right now to figure this out and send yourself (and me) a test email!
     
    How It’s Done:
    We all use different kinds of email software and programs, so HOW to do this will vary slightly depending on your email carrier and software. That said, these steps should lead you down the right path. If you get stuck – just Google: “How do I embed a link in email using X?” with X representing your email carrier.
    • Copy Web Link
      Your first step is to copy your web link. In your web browser, go to the exact page you wish to send people to and highlight/copy the entire address in the web address field. Note: you will also find that some websites will offer to copy the appropriate address for you. For instance, youtube.com offers a ‘Share’ button that will then give you the best link to a video clip.
    • Switch to Your Email Client
      Now that the web link is copied to your computer clipboard, go to your email page or program (like gmail.com or Outlook).
    • Write Your Email or Document
      Now write your email (or document) the way you want it to appear. Don’t worry about including the embedded link yet. Just write it the way you want to say it. You may consider helping the reader know that you’ve embedded the link, depending on how the email is written. If you’re referring to a website using the web address, like www.transformingleader.org then you’re fine. Sometimes, you’ll want to give instruction to your reader though. For instance: “Learn about creating an email signature right here.” Of course, sometimes it’s just obvious: “I recommend you read this email tip: Tactical Tip:Say ‘Thanks’ in Your Email.” 
    • Highlight Your Text
      Now highlight the text where you want the link to appear. Don’t forget this step!
    • Embed Your Link
      Now it’s time to embed your link. You need to teach yourself this short step depending on your email client. There are two popular ways that links can be embedded that I’ll outline right here.
    1. Right Click. One popular method is to right click on the highlighted text and select a menu option that says something like “hyperlink” or “link”. This will bring up a dialog box where you can paste your copied hyperlink.
    2. The ‘Link’ Tool. Many web clients, like gmail.com, offer a button or menu item that should be clicked after you’ve highlighted the text. This should bring up a dialog box where you can paste your copied hyperlink. Note: sometimes the dialog box will be in two parts. One part should include the actual hyperlink text and the other part should include the actual text you highlighted or want people to see.
    • Format Your Link
      To add an extra layer of excellence to your communication, format your link appropriately. If the link is the main focus of your document, then you may want to bold it. You may also want to check the other colors in your document and make sure the hyperlink colors don’t clash or disappear. Finally, whenever possible, underline the text (I’m breaking my own rule on this blog. There’s something wrong with the template I’m using that won’t reveal underlined hyperlinks.)
    • Test Your Link
      This is an important step we so often fail to do. After your link has successfully been embedded into your text, double-check to ensure it actually works and goes to the appropriate page. 
     

    Image compliments of ‘ideago’ on freedigitalphotos.net

  • Tactical Tip: Say ‘Thanks’ in Your Email

    Everyone knows that email is grossly inadequate in communicating emotion, motives, and attitude. The ‘stories people tell themselves about you’, the content of your email and how good a communicator you are will all shape the overall ‘tone’ that the reader picks up – whether it’s true or not.

    For example, consider the following email:

    “The office will be closed and locked all day on Monday. However, I will be in my office. If you need to get hold of me, do not knock on the doors or call the office. Shoot me a text or ring the doorbell instead.”

    There’s not a whole lot wrong with that email. It presents the information that the writer wants to communicate and states clearly what not to do and what to do if someone wants in the building. However, it’s kind of abrupt and assumes the reader isn’t reading between the lines. There is one very small thing you can commit to do in the majority of your emails starting today that will help soften your digital tone of voice.

    Tactical Tip: Say ‘Thanks’ at the end of your email.

    That’s it. It’s so simple, yet we often just end our emails with no closing line, like the example above. Consider that same email with that one extra word added:

    “The office will be closed and locked all day on Monday. However, I will be in my office. If you need to get hold of me, do not knock on the doors or call the office. Shoot me a text or ring the doorbell instead. Thanks!”

    Image compliments of scibak on istockphoto.com

  • Tactical Tip: Moving to Eye Level

    I have a friend who is very tall. Tall like I stare at his chest when I talk to him. I know he isn’t necessarily smarter, healthier, or generally better than me. He’s just bigger than me. I have to be honest. It’s intimidating. I have to fight through several internal dialogues before I can have a face to face conversation with him and not be distracted. Several weeks ago we decided to meet for breakfast. As soon as he sat down I discovered something – I didn’t have to fight through my intimidation. Sure, he was still taller in the restaurant booth, but not as much as when I’m standing next to him. The simple act of him moving to my level bridged the gap and cleared the air for conversation. It was awesome.

    It also highlights a very simple tactical move you can make every single day when meeting with people in small groups and 1 on 1. I believe it can make an appreciable difference in coaching, mentoring, counselling, and leadership conversations with others. It’s something that will take you approximately four (4) seconds to accomplish. It’s so simple and so obvious that many people never think to do it.

    Tactical Tip: Move to Eye Level

    That’s it. Simply do whatever you can to get on or near the same level as the person(s) you are talking to. (Note: I’m not talking about speaking to large crowds.) Moving to eye level will help to remove psychological barriers that neither of you probably even know exist. It unconsciously communicates equality and acceptance. On the other hand, NOT moving to eye level may create emotional barriers that can cause either you, or the person(s) you are meeting with to feel mildly uncomfortable.

    • When You Are Above Eye Level
      When you remain above eye level with people you may be unintentionally and unconsciously communicating that you are above or better than them in some way. At the very least, you may be increasing the potential for them to be intimidated, especially if you have an intimidating personality or are in some form of authority over them.

    NOTE: Just to clear things up. Whether you are in authority over them or not, you are certainly not better than them – at least in God’s eyes. If you ‘like’ the feeling of looking down on people then I suggest you do some self-evaluation. That could be a sign of an unhealthy insecurity or pride on your part.

     

    • When You Are Below Eye Level
      When you remain below eye level you risk doing the exact opposite. It’s possible that you are unintentionally communicating that you are lower than or not as good as they are. Additionally, you may also be communicating that same thing to yourself. Personally, I don’t think you are communicating humility so much as insecurity – even if you don’ t mean or want to.

      NOTE: Again, just to clear the air, it’s not healthy to convince yourself or others that everyone else is better than you. That’s simply not true. God didn’t pick you ‘last’ for the game as if He didn’t have any other options. You have a holy calling just like the next guy/gal and it’s OK for you to live and act as someone of value in God’s sight. After all, He died for you so that you can live in complete freedom and authority.

     

    How To Do It.
    If you don’t normally move to eye level when talking to others, then it might feel awkward for a while until you develop the habit. For me, I often move to eye level unconsciously, without even realizing it.

    Let me give you some practical examples of how to move to eye level.

    • Meet Sitting Down.
      If you know your conversation will be more than a few minutes and you are considerably taller or shorter than those you are meeting with, consider asking them to sit down with you. It doesn’t matter where. You can sit down at a conference room table, on the seats in your sanctuary or the front steps of the church.
    • Adjust Your Chair.
      Most of us have an office chair that adjusts up and down. If you don’t, then I recommend you invest in one if you are in the habit of meeting with others in your office. Adjust your seat immediately after they sit down to the most appropriate eye level. If they are taller than you, move your seat up; if shorter, then move your seat down. Don’t make a big deal out of it and don’t spend more than four seconds making the adjustment.
    • Remove Furniture That Forces Awkward Eye Contact
      Years ago I had a couch in my office. Everyone who sat in it would sink far down into the couch. Even after moving my chair to the lowest setting I would still find myself peering down at my visitors. I eventually got rid of it and have never regretted it. If you have a couch or chair in your office that is extra plush, then consider replacing it with something else or sit in a similar seat in the office that will place you near their same eye level.
    • Small Group Settings.
      If you are leading a small group discussion or meeting and plan to sit together at a table or in a circle, try to adjust your chair to the average height in the room. For example, I lead a team meeting every Tuesday at Elim Gospel Church. I sit at the head of our conference room table. One of my first acts while everyone is getting settled and before the meeting begins is to adjust my seat to a comfortable eye level with most people in the room.
    • The Wheelchair Bound
      The rules don’t change when someone is bound to a wheelchair. In fact, it may be even more important to find simple ways to meet them at eye level. They spend the majority of their time looking up at people and will very much appreciate the extra effort to meet them at their level. It will communicate volumes to them.
    • Talking to Children.
      I am a firm believer that the best way to greet a parent is to first greet his/her child. The best way to do this is to simply kneel down to their level while you are greeting them. Of course, it’s important that you maintain a safe distance from young children or kids that don’t know you so you don’t freak them out. However, children will almost always light right up when they see you stoop down to their level to talk with them. I’ve never met a parent who didn’t appreciate it either (unless you totally ignore them after you greet the child.)
    Disclaimer: Please understand that I am not suggesting that you become legalistic about this tactical tip. I’m simply trying to empower you to care for, honor, and show respect for others in one very simple way whenever you can. I am also not trying to burden you by causing you to become self-conscious about eye levels when you meet with others. Just remember this tip and adjust to eye level if and when it’s most appropriate.
     

  • Tactical Tip: Saying Thank You Systematically

    Children know how to say the words ‘thank you’. Believe it or not, they even know when they are supposed to say them. But most parents know that expressing gratitude is not at the top of their list of things to do. Mom puts yet another meal on the table and rather than a ‘thank you’, the classic “eat your vegetables” battle ensues. Dad allows the kids to stay up late to watch a great movie and rather than a ‘thank you’, everyone just mosey’s on to bed when it’s over. Mom cleans up a messy bedroom and the child acts like he doesn’t even notice (he probably didn’t). That’s not to say that kids won’t say ‘thanks’ from time to time. No. Every once in a while it explodes from them like a burst of fresh sea air on a late afternoon day!

    We all know the importance and value of gratefulness. In fact, the Bible is full of verses exhorting us to thank God Himself in all things. Paul declares in 2 Timothy 3 that ungratefulness represents a quality of ‘terrible times in the last days’. Unfortunately, and like our children, expressing gratitude is often not at the top of our list of things to do!

    So in today’s Tactical Tip I am going to suggest a simple SYSTEM that will give gratitude a more prominent place in your regular routine. This system shouldn’t represent everything you do to thank your leaders and volunteers, but it’s probably more than you’re doing right now!

    The Thank You System
    To begin, you will need to collect a few resources. I suggest you add these to your shopping list right away or ask your spouse, secretary, or a volunteer to pick them up for you this week. Here’s what you will need: 

    • Four $40 gift cards.
    • A small notebook. 
    • Thirty stamped ‘Thank You’ cards.
    Now you are ready to begin. Follow these steps to setup your ‘Thank You System’. This should take you no more than 15 minutes to complete.
    • Place one gift card into four separate ‘Thank You’ cards and wrap a rubber band around them. Place a sticky note on the wrapped bundle that says “Gift Cards”.
    • Write at the top of the first page of the small notebook the words, “Thank You Log”.
    • Place the stack of ‘Thank You’ cards, the bundle of ‘Thank You’ cards including the gift cards, and the small notebook in a convenient location near, in or on the desk in your office.
    • Create a recurring reminder using your reminder system (if you don’t have a reminder system, then check out: Tactical Tip: Reminder Calendar) to send you a reminder every OTHER Monday morning at 9am or pick the day/time of your choice. I recommend a reminder no less than once every 14 days. Your reminder should say: “Write a Thank You card TODAY!”
    • Create another recurring reminder using your reminder system to send you a reminder once every 3 months to send a Thank You card with enclosed gift card. Your reminder should say: “Write and send a Thank You card with Gift Card TODAY!”
    • Create one last recurring reminder using your reminder system to send you a reminder once every YEAR beginning 11 months from now. Your reminder should say: “Evaluate and Setup your ‘Reminder Thank You’ system for this upcoming year.”
    You’re all finished! Your ‘Thank You’ Reminder System is now in place. Here is how the system will serve you:
    • When you receive your ‘Thank You’ reminder, STOP whatever you are doing or schedule a slot THAT DAY to follow up on this important task.
    • Stop and think of which leader or volunteer you want to encourage that week. Pull out your ‘Thank You Log’ and look down the list of names written there. Make sure you don’t pick someone you’ve already sent a card to, unless you specifically want to. Ensure you aren’t just thinking of the ‘obvious’ people all of the time.
    • Once you’ve decided on a person, write their name in the ‘Thank You Log’.
    • Write a heartfelt and meaningful ‘Thank You’, address and mail.
    Follow those same steps when you receive the quarterly ‘Thank You’ reminder including the gift card. When you receive the annual reminder, evaluate and revise your system as needed, shop for the next year’s ‘Thank You’ cards and gift cards and set them aside for when you run out of your current supplies. I suggest you use a different ‘Thank You’ card each year.
     
    If you decide to adopt this system or one like it, do me a favor – send me a ‘thank you’ via email at transformingleader@elimfellowship.org. I would love to know that this Tactical Tip has served you and your church! “Thanks!”