Wayne Hedlund

Category: LEADERSHIP

Leadership Articles prior to 2016

  • Tactical Tip: Backup Your Files!

    You’ve heard the horror stories – maybe you even have one of your own. A computer crashes and everything stored on it gets wiped out. Lost forever. In fact, this story rings true for me very recently. This past year my laptop hard-drive got corrupted and by the time I got things up and running again I discovered that my whole hard drive had been wiped clean. Thankfully, the only stress I carried was the loss of time and energy – I had a solid backup of everything.

    I have a very easy, cheap suggestion for you to backup your files. And once you’ve set it up, you’ll never think about it (unless you need it). Before I share my solution for you, I thought you might appreciate this fairly relevant and humorous clip about a time when Pixar almost lost ‘Woody’ during the creation of their hit movie “Toy Story”.

    If you can’t see this video, try clicking this link.
    Trust me. You don’t want to be caught in this scenario. I’ve discovered a great solution, but it’ll cost you $59/year. That said, the peace of mind you will receive at that cost is well worth it. I’ve successfully restored all of my files this past year alone. I’ve also been able to grab files I accidentally deleted. Even better, there have been a couple occasions when I needed to get a copy of a file from a couple ‘versions’ back – this solution even took care of that!
     
    If you balk at the cost, just consider how much time you have spent pulling together the various files you have on that computer. How much would it be worth to you to keep them safe?
     
    It’s very simple. You install a program that runs in your computer in the background all the time. You select the files you want backed up – there’s no space limit. It automatically keeps your files backed up all the time.
     
    Here’s the solution – I recommend you look into it today (Note: I’m endorsing this company solely because I believe in them, not for any personal gain). Go ahead – give it a try (click the below image).
     

    Image compliments of David Castillo Dominici on freedigitalphotos.net.

  • Thursday Quote: Enchantment – Enchanting Volunteers

    I recently heard about a gentleman who left his church (after many years) because he had nothing important to do there. While he was telling his story, he included the fact that the church he was currently involved in almost immediately got him involved in ministry and he is active, excited, and doing a lot more than he ever imagined he would. He’s also considering full time ministry as a result.

    It can be very difficult to recruit church-goers into ministry roles. Some shy away from it altogether; and many who do recruit people for ministry often do so apologetically. In today’s Thursday Quote I’d like to share an awesome excerpt from the book Enchantment: The Art of Changing Hearts, Minds and Actions by Guy Kawasaki. Although the author makes no claims to Christianity, I’ve found many of the ideas and principles in this book apply directly to Christian Leadership.

    How to Enchant Volunteers
    Volunteers help organizations all over the world, and they are essential for the welfare and success of educational, environmental, social, religious, and other philanthropic causes. While the techniques already discussed in this chapter also pertain to volunteers, these folks deserve their own rules for enchantment: 
    • Set ambitious goals. Volunteers want to know that what they are doing is important and that they are making a difference. Your obligation is to set challenging goals and not waste their time. If there’s anything worse than overusing volunteers, it’s underusing them.
    • Manage them well. When people believe, they want to help, and it’s your responsibility to enable them to help as much as they can This includes planning and organizing how you’ll utilize their activities. You may not be paying them, but their time is still valuable.
    • Enable them to fulfill their needs. Why do people join a nonprofit organization? There are three principal reasons: duty (“I should help my kid’s school”), belonging (“I like doing things with people”), and mastery (“Learning a new skill is more important than money”). Fulfill these needs, and you’re on the way to enchanting your volunteers.
    • Ensure that the paid staff appreciates them. You and your employees must believe in the value of volunteers – if you lack this belief, maybe you should not recruit them. Volunteers often give their heart and soul to an organization, so it’s important that your paid staff appreciates their efforts.
    • Give feedback. People want to know how well they are doing. With volunteers, this is doubly important because you can’t use compensation as a feedback mechanism. So after you set your ambitious goals, provide feedback, and they’ll love you for helping them learn how they are progressing.
    • Provide recognition. Recognition comes in small forms for volunteers: business cards, an e-mail address, a workspace (even if it’s shared), attendance at conferences and public and private expressions of gratitude. See anything that’s expensive on this list? Good, because there isn’t.
    • Invite them in. At least once a year, invite your volunteers into your headquarters. This enables people to meet face-to-face instead of only virtually. Remember the value of proximity to achieving likability? The same concept applies to volunteers.
    • Provide free stuff. “Stuff” means food and drink at working sessions as well as T-shirts and other forms of tchotchkes. Unfortunately, these kinds of goodies are often the first thing an organization cuts when going gets tough, but, dollar for dollar, they are among the most cost-effective forms of compensation that you can offer.
     
    Disclosure of Material Connection: Some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will add value to my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

  • This Week’s Great Links

    The Avengers’ Top 10 Tips for Building Remarkable Teams by Bryce Christiansen and Michelle Agner
    In the early 90’s I was that little boy who thought he was Wolverine. I would hack and slash my way across the playground as I stuck sticks between my clenched fists and fought trees until they were scraped up like a knee hitting pavement.  Being Wolverine, I was the best at what I did, and what I did was get cancer. My arch-nemesis quickly became Leukemia and – just like Wolverine – I planned to overcome it with my intense healing abilities.  Why the other children in the cancer ward hadn’t thought of this puzzled me. Read More.

    Five Online Giving Lessons for Churches by Matt Branaugh
    A report issued in February by a major provider of fundraising technology and consulting services offers some helpful insights for church leaders as it relates to online giving. Read More.

    Feeling Overwhelmed? by Brad Lomenick
    As leaders, many times we take on way more than we can handle. We intuitively know it’s not healthy or the best solution, but we feel like it’s “our duty.” Anyone with me on this? We feel the responsibility, so therefore we are willing to roll up our sleeves and take on more. This ends up affecting our families, our own personal life, our team, and organizations. Read More.

    3 Reasons Pastors Are More Vulnerable to Internet Porn by Eric Dye
    Pornography is a sensitive subject. Not only is it unquestionably wrong, but the statistics tell us that a good deal of men are ensnared. Pastors are not ‘above it’, they are real men with real temptations. I would even go as far to say that pastors have a harder time of things. Not only is there a lot of pressure being a pastor, but there’s a spiritual element that cannot be ignored. Strike the shepherd and scatter the flock. Here are three rectifiable reasons why pastors are more vulnerable to Internet pornography. Read More.

    Porn: The Secret Sin Destroying Your Church by Covenant Eyes
    Pornography is prevalent everywhere today. In fact, one in eight online searches is for pornography. Because pornography thrives in secrecy, many members of your congregation may be trapped in a cycle of sin and shame, thinking that they’re the only ones facing the temptation. Download our free e-book, Porn-Free Church: Raising up gospel communities to destroy secret sins, to find out how you can help your congregation find freedom from porn in the Gospel. Read More.

    Just For Fun: Cell Phones In Church


     Image from pagadesign on istockphoto.com

  • Good Is The Enemy Of Great

     

    “Good is the enemy of great.” So says Jim Collins, author of the book Good to Great. Checkout the opening lines from that book:

    Good is the enemy of great. And that is one of the key reasons why we have so little that becomes great. We don’t have great schools, principally because we have good schools. We don’t have great government, principally because we have good government. Few people attain great lives, in large part because it is just so easy to settle for a good life. The vast majority of companies never become great, precisely because the vast majority become quite good – and that is their main problem.

    This paragraph inspires me to do things great. I don’t always succeed, but I have learned to regularly ask myself if I’ve gotten into the rut of settling for ‘good’. In fact, I suspect I could rewrite that opening sentence this way too:

    Good is the enemy of excellence.

    If good represents mediocrity, sameness, getting by and ‘good enough’, then it certainly is the enemy of greatness, excellence, high standards and ‘going above and beyond’. In fact, I suspect ‘good’ is worse than ‘bad’. Everyone understands bad, poor, below average and ‘not good enough’. ‘Bad’ practically shouts, “Change!” while ‘Good’ whispers, ‘Stay the same.’

    I wonder what areas you are doing ‘Good Enough’? I’d like to challenge you to honestly ask what areas you need to pray and work towards ‘great’ this year. I’ve already identified mine.

    • Spiritual Disciplines?
    • Marriage Enrichment?
    • Parenting?
    • Health?
    • Mentoring Others?
    • Leading Meetings?
    • Overseeing Staff or Volunteers?
    • Preparing Messages?
    • Managing Your Money/Resources?
    • What else?
     
    Image compliments of Stuart Miles at www.freedigitalphotos.net.

    Disclosure of Material Connection: Some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will add value to my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

  • This Week’s Great Links

    The Power of Really Listening: A Tribute to Stephen Covey by John Hester
    One of my mentors, Stephen Covey, passed away this week. No book, other than the Scriptures, has had a more significant impact on my life than his The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. The 7 Habits is more than a business book or a self-help book. It is a book about how to be a better human being in all areas of life. And what made it even more impactful for those who knew Stephen is that he modeled what he taught. Of all of the seven habits, none has changed my life more than Habit 5: Seek First to Understand, Then to Be Understood. Read More.

    When Leadership Fails by Jeremy Statton
    Rainy days. Flat tires. The worst case scenario. As the saying goes, it happens. And so does poor leadership. Leadership failures are often the result of: Poor planning, Inexperience, Stubbornness, Lack of vision, Pride. It happens more often than we would like to admit, especially when it is our fault. Read More.

    How A Shift In Your Vocabulary Can Instantly Change Your Attitude by Michael Hyatt
    This past year I have noticed how my vocabulary impacts my attitude. Words have power. They impact others, of course, but they can also have an impact on us. For example, several weeks ago, I was headed out of town to a speaking engagement. A friend called and asked me where I was going. I said, “Oh, I’m headed to San Jose. I have to speak at a convention.” I said it with a little resignation in my voice. When I hung up, it hit me. I don’t have to speak. I get to speak. That instantly changed my attitude. Read More.

    Speaking in Tongues – Using Christianeze by Sloan Inns
    When I first moved to America from my homeland of South Africa, I was struck by something unexpected. No, it wasn’t the variety of accents, “Super Sized” foods, Humvee’s or massive shoe collections; it was something far stranger! The first instance I noticed this phenomenon was in a conversation with a potential employer whom I respected. It was an incredibly awkward moment where I almost died of embarrassment because I truly thought my ‘friend’ was a being a total jerk! Basically, he kept goading me and making fun of me … little did I know on that day I was being introduced to another new “friend”: Sarcasm. Read More.

    This is Church by Wayne Hedlund
    I stumbled across this video clip while reading my blogs last week and couldn’t help but share it with you. What a great video animation about the mission of the local church. The creators, Kelly and Niki Tshibaka own the rights to this video and have given permission for others to use it. Watch Now.

    Two Lists You Should Look At Every Morning by Peter Bregman
    The speed with which information hurtles towards us is unavoidable, and it’s getting worse. But trying to catch up is counterproductive. Strategic advisor Peter Bregman explains how two simple lists can help us organize what’s important. The world is moving fast and it’s only getting faster. So much technology. So much information. So much to understand, to think about, to react to. A friend of mine recently took a new job as the head of learning and development at a mid-sized investment bank. When she came to work her first day on the job she turned on her computer, logged in with the password they had given her, and found 385 messages already waiting for her. Read More.

    Image from pagadesign on istockphoto.com

  • This Week’s Great Links

    Johari Window For The Local Church by Wayne Hedlund
    I visited a church a while back that had a BIG blind spot. At least, it seemed like a blind spot to me. I could see the problem, but none of the leaders seemed to realize it was there. The problem was that they really believed they were a friendly church, but in reality they weren’t . . . unless you were an insider. I was greeted at the door, which was nice; but from that point forward I became invisible. People actually seemed to work hard at avoiding eye contact with me! This ‘Blind Spot’ is really hurting them – mostly because they are blind to the problem, while it’s painfully obvious to every guest who darkens their door. Read More.

    How Going To The Hospital Is Like Going To Church by Chris Ruddell
    I’m writing this article from the hospital room where my wife is about to give birth to our first child! Being a pastor, I’m no stranger to hospitals. But whenever you get to experience things from the other end you notice all kinds of things you otherwise wouldn’t have. And so it got me thinking: going to the hospital can be a lot like visiting a church for the first time. Read More.

    Reaching The Unplugged by Jon Rogers
    The rise of the Internet, new media and mobile technology has ushered church communications into a new digital era. As a result, churches have worked hard to create a flawless user experience, engaged social networks and search engine optimized websites. We’ve come far but I fear we’ve left people behind. Meet the “unplugged.” Read More.

    What Poisons A Team Quickly by Brad Lomenick
    I’ve been reminded recently of the constant tension on a team. And…. the Tension is Good. We talked about this and leaned into this phrase before, and actually dealt with it as an event theme back in 2010 at Catalyst Atlanta. The right kind of tension is important for teams, as well as for individuals. It stretches and shapes and allows for growth. But there are other things that can creep into a team and poison it quickly. Things that sneak up fast and before you know it, start to define the team and take everyone off course. In the wrong direction. Headed the wrong way. Read More.

    10 Organizations Creating Great Worship Music by Brad Lomenick
    Here are some organizations (churches primarily), that in my opinion, are writing, creating, singing and releasing great songs for the entire Church around the world to sing. This is not an exhaustive list or a top ten list. Just wanted to provide this so you will be able to check out all of their music and maybe include some of their songs into your rotation and put on your iTunes list. Read More.

    Why Go To A Church Service When You Can Watch Online? by Tim Stevens
    This was a great question posed to me last week by a good friend. He forced me to stop and think about what I believe. See if you agree or not. (Also includes, “Why Provide Online Church Services”) Read More.

  • Letting Young Eagles Fly

    Hypothetical Question. If you HAD to pick between the following two candidates to serve as the primary leader for all adult ministries in your church (Sunday services, small groups, care, special events, etc.) who would you be most likely to choose: The Young Inexperienced Eagle or The Old Seasoned Eagle?

    Your answer to that question may one day (or presently) dictate whether your church survives this decade! Last week I posted a Thursday Quote entitled, “Sticky Teams & Guarding the Gates“. Larry Osborne reminds us that finding and releasing young eagles into meaningful positions of authority and responsibility is critical to our church’s ongoing growth and success.

    Unfortunately, most of us who’ve been around for a while would prefer the safety of the known, the experienced, the tried and true. Earlier this month I was talking to a church leader who told me he wanted young people to serve in his church, but that he didn’t think they should be in charge. I reminded him that HE WAS YOUNG when he was given positions of authority. I’ve seen and heard of this happening over and over.

    So for today’s post I would like to direct my readers to another blog. I have recently become a fan of the leader of the Catalyst Conferences, Brad Lomenick. Among other things, he firmly believes that young people can and do make a difference.

    Following is a link to his massive list of what he calls, Young Influencers. These men and women are doing great things. They are young eagles that are soaring to new and greater heights. They are attempting things that us older folk never considered when we were their age . . . and they are succeeding. For me, I’m going for the Young Eagles. How about you?

    Image compliments of Tina Phillips on freedigitalphotos.net

  • Thursday Quote: Axiom – Vision Leaks

     

    axiom-hybelsLast winter I got a frantic phone call from my wife that the heater wasn’t working in our minivan. Not good when you live in Upstate New York! When we took the van to the shop, the mechanic told us that we had a radiator leak. Evidently, not having enough radiator fluid greatly impacts our heater. Who woulda thunk it! We got the leak fixed and thankfully got our heater back.

    If you’ve been in leadership for any length of time, you understand that, similarly, vision leaks make a big difference in the overall environment of the church. Today I want to share a quote from Bill Hybels from his book, Axiom: Powerful Leadership Proverbs, entitled ‘Vision Leaks’. What a great reminder to keep the vision fresh!

    Some leaders believe that if they fill people’s vision buckets all the way to the top one time, those buckets will stay full forever. But the truth is, people’s buckets have holes of varying sizes in their bottoms. As a result, vision leaks out. You or I could deliver a mind-blowing, God-honoring, pulse-quickening vision talk on Sunday that leaves everyone revved up to go change the world, but by Tuesday, many people have forgotten they were even in church the previous weekend. Unbelievable, huh?

    Something I have to remind myself of constantly is that people in our churches have real lives. You heard it here—engagements other than church. They have challenging jobs, children to raise, lawns to mow, and bills to pay. Because of all these daily responsibilities, the vision we poured into them on Sunday begins to drain out of them sooner than we think.

    When you can tell it’s time for a vision refill, use every communication means available to you to repaint the picture of the future that fills everybody with passion. And then take it a step further by reporting progress on the vision’s achievement. Trust me, when you wrap a little real-life proof around the accomplishment of your church’s vision and show that the dream really is coming true, the fog will start to clear and people’s heads will start to nod. “Oh yeah!” they’ll suddenly remember. “I get it! I get it! This is what we’re about! This is why we exist as a church.”

     
    Disclosure 0f Material Connection: Some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will add value to my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
     
     

  • This Week’s Great Links

    Why Christian Accountability Groups Are Awkward, Unhelpful, and Often Fail by Traylor Lovvorn
    I remember it well. My first “accountability group.” The church I attended during the mid-90s had just held a men’s conference and all of the men were strongly encouraged to sign up for a group where we could be gut-level honest with its other members. I was selected as a leader and remember wondering to myself how I was going to pull off leading a group of guys toward honesty and transparency without being honest and transparent myself. Read More. 

    Values, More Than Vision, Shape A Culture by Joshua Finley
    Having a lack of vision is bad, really bad.  Without vision people are stuck, literally immobilized and eventually perish. Having skill and competency is so important.  Without a skillset matching your role you and those around you will be frustrated and ineffective. Having the wrong values is deadly to a culture. Read More.

    Don’t Make This Leadership Mistake.
    Why Leaders Need to be Always in Style.         by David Witt
    We’ve all been there. Do to some mix-up or poor communication we end up being either over or under dressed for an occasion. You’re wearing something too casual for a formal event (think shorts at a client meeting) or you find yourself wearing formal to a casual event (think a business suit to an after-work event.) The same thing can happen when it comes to matching your leadership style to the needs of the people you’re leading. Read More.

    Necessary Endings – Dr. Henry Cloud by elevationchurchvideo

    Choose Stories Over Moments by Jenni Wright
    As anyone who has ever visited YouTube can tell, there are a lot of funny videos online. You could easily choose one of your favorite viral videos and show it at your church this Sunday — people will laugh and you will have created a funny moment. But what if you aimed for something deeper? What if you tried to cultivate a story? You could choose a funny (and on-topic) video by the Skit Guys or our own Johnny & Chachi that breaks the ice before you introduce a tough conversation topic. You could choose a funny (and on-topic) video that cuts the tension a little bit before you ask your audience to make a serious commitment. In each of these examples, you’re using a funny video, but you’re doing so in a way that helps you cultivate a story. The funny video is (hopefully) the start of something grander, rather than a self-contained moment of jocularity. But a funny video is just one example. What we’re really talking about is much bigger. Read More.

    5 Rules For More Effective Presentations by Michael Hyatt
    Presentation software can be a wonderful tool if used correctly. It can also be a dangerous distraction that interferes with communication rather than facilitating it. The line between the two is thin. Over the course of my career, I have sat through hundreds of presentations. Most of them were done with PowerPoint. Most of them are done poorly. I often think the presenter would be more compelling if he would ditch the presentation software and just speak. Because of this, I even thought of outlawing presentation software when I was the CEO of Thomas Nelson. Read More.

  • Famous Failures

    The people talked about in this video are famous. You probably know every one of them. They were also failures at one time or another. Like you and I, they failed, but their failures didn’t define them, they just refined them. I hope I can one day be added to this list of famous failures! How about you?

    If you can’t see this video, try clicking this link.