Wayne Hedlund

Category: LEADERSHIP

Leadership Articles prior to 2016

  • One Sentence Can Change Your Life

    One sentence. That shouldn’t be too hard to write, right? It’s just a handful of words. If you are reading this right now, it’s likely you could be writing a sentence. So I have a challenge for you. Some of you will probably read this challenge and think it’s an interesting idea – but not do it. You are busy and although this is a good idea (perhaps even a great one), it’ll save for a rainy day when you have the time. We all know when that day will come. So try this out, right now if possible.

    The Challenge: Write out your job description in one sentence.

    I think you should be able to do that. If you can’t, then I respectfully suggest that you are very likely busy doing a lot of things that may not be touching the most important thing. Remember Jesus’ words to Martha?

    “‘Martha, Martha,’ the Lord answered, ‘you are worried and upset about many things, but few things are needed – or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken from her.’” Luke 10:41-42

    How many things are you ‘doing’ that aren’t really needed? How would you know? One of the best ways is to write out your primary purpose in the ministry context you find yourself in (whether you are a pastor, elder or usher). You should do it in one sentence though. It needs to be short, clear, and concise.

    You’ll need to think about it a lot first. You’ll probably start with a paragraph (or maybe a page); but don’t break the rule – one sentence only.

    Here’s what I think you’ll discover about yourself and your ministry, perhaps even your calling...
    A lot you didn’t realize. I think you’ll discover that you are doing many things you shouldn’t. I think you’ll find out that the things that are really important for you to do are sitting on the shelf to get done, ‘someday’. Here’s a scary thought: you might actually find out that you really don’t know what your supposed to be doing.

    Try it. If you succeed, please either post your sentence here or email it to me at transformingleader@elimgospel.org. I would love to read it and celebrate with you.

    Note: Andy Stanley talks about this very idea in his podcast entitled, “High Performance Teams“. Good stuff.

    Image compliments of floortje at istockphoto.com.

  • Creating a Trust Culture

    Have you ever had a volunteer, employee, or friend tell you she would do something, and then totally bomb out and not do it – even to the point of not TELLING you she wasn’t going to do it? Have you ever done that yourself? When that happens, trust is broken. Trust should be an extremely important and well-guarded part of your church and ministry. If you don’t have it, then I respectfully submit that your ministry is in a very dangerous place.

    Jesus highlighted how important it is that we be in honest and open communication when he said in Matthew 5, “Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to your brother; then come and offer your gift.” Jesus is expressing here that the broken trust in this relationship is critical to fix, right away. Stop what you are doing (even worship) and go reconcile.

    I listened to Andy Stanley talk about this yesterday and felt the need to encourage you to listen to it as well. Please consider taking 25 minutes out of your day today (before you forget and get too busy) to listen to this podcast by Andy entitled, “Trust vs Suspicion”.

    Click Here to Listen to “Trust vs Suspicion” by Andy Stanley.

    If you are interested in subscribing to Andy Stanley’s Leadership podcast you may do so right here.

  • Make it so.

    “Make it so.”

    Back in the day I was a big fan of Star Trek: The Next Generation. If you watched the series at all you will remember Captain Picard’s famous line, “Make it so.” Leadership gurus all around have gotten tons of mileage out of that little line. Let’s get it done. Do what you need to. Let’s stop talking and start doing.

    Here’s the thing. In the church world, we like to talk . . . a lot. Probably too much. This is especially true when it comes to mission, vision, and values. In my last post I wrote a quick and informal definition for each of these three concepts. Here’s what I said,

    “Your mission can help you and your congregation clarify WHO YOU ARE. It can play a huge role in focusing your leadership on your church being the church the way God designed you to be. Your vision can become an expression of what you believe that will look like one day. It is your hope for the future. Your values can act as your guide, or the guardrails, as you walk down the path from where you are to where you are going.”

    Please note the word, “can” in each of those sentences. That was intentional. I really, really wanted to say, “will”. That wouldn’t be realistic. When you finish figuring out your ministry’s mission, vision, and values you are hardly done. In fact, you’ve reached ground zero.

    Now you’re ready to create a culture that revolves around your mission. You’re ready to begin the strategic process to see your vision fulfilled. You’re ready to roll-out to your leadership your ministry philosophy in such a way that it becomes part of your language throughout the week, on Sunday mornings, and even in the homes of your church attendees. Now it’s time to, “Make it so.”

    How about you? As Andy Stanley has said, “Is the statement on your wall happening down the hall?”

  • Critical Thinking in a Nutshell

    This post has been removed. It is now part of my new e-book entitled:

    Thinking for a Change:
    a fresh look at critical thinking

    I’d love it if you would consider purchasing the book and letting me know what you think. You can learn more about this e-book right here or feel free to purchase it right now! Cost is only $3.99. Thanks!


  • Thinking for a Change

    This post has been removed. It is now part of my new e-book entitled:

    Thinking for a Change: a fresh look at critical thinking

    I’d love it if you would consider purchasing the book and letting me know what you think. You can learn more about this e-book right here or feel free to purchase it right now! Cost is only $3.99. Thanks!


  • Pastor Jack Oats

    image compliments of Matthew Stumphy

    I know you have a given name and title at your church. I’m sure you are proud when you hear them spoken (most of the time at least). However, is it possible that you could also go by the name Pastor Jack Oats. If so, you are very likely ignorant of the fact. If you aren’t ignorant of the fact, then perhaps you need therapy.

    OK. That wasn’t very helpful. You are free to go by the name “Pastor Jack Oats” if all or most of the following is true:

    • You preach every Sunday of the year.  Bonus: you lead worship each week too.
    • You teach every Wednesday of the year.
    • You also teach a Sunday School class almost every week.
    • You create the bulletin and/or sermon note-taking guide each week. Bonus: you make the PowerPoint too.
    • You run sound on Sunday mornings.
    • You count the offering each week (with or without someone else present).
    • You are available 24/7 to your congregation in case someone needs to talk.
    • You order and organize the Sunday School curriculum. 
    • You provide ongoing counselling to several people each week.
    • You lead the youth ministry on Friday nights.
    • You created and maintain the church website.
    • You organize and run VBS every summer.
    • You do a lot of the cleaning and mowing around the church. Bonus: shoveling too.
    What do you think? Does that hit pretty close to the mark? Does this describe a good chunk of your weekly activities? If so, then I hereby dub you, Pastor Jack Oats. How did I know? Just check out the first word of every bullet above. You.
    Andy Stanley has said, “Devoting a little of yourself to everything means committing a great deal of yourself to nothing.” 
    Here’s the deal, YOU can’t do everything Pastor Jack Oats! (aka: Pastor Jack Of All TradeS)

    “WAIT! You don’t understand! I serve in a small church and have to do all of those things!”

    I know there’s a chance I may have just offended a few of my readers. Please understand that I’m not trying to offend. I am trying to challenge. I know you have a lot of responsibility and there are a lot of things you need to do. I know that often you are the ONLY person who can or will do them.

    However, sometimes it’s easy to get into a rut in thinking that you are the only one. The fact is, if you have a congregation of 12 people, it’s possible to ‘spread the responsibility’ of ministry around. (I didn’t pick the number randomly . . .) I’ve come across a few pastors over the years who:

    • Have gifted people in their church, but don’t think to ask them to serve.
    • Assume everyone is too busy to do some of the things they do.
    • Are afraid to ask others to get involved.
    • Enjoy doing lots of things and are unwilling to give them up to others.
    • Want to be in control and prefer to do things themselves.
    • Don’t trust others to do things the way they want them done.
    • Believe they don’t have time to recruit and train others to do things. It’s easier to do it themselves.
    • Believe they don’t have anyone in their church who can do the necessary tasks.
    Friend, if this is you then I urge you to reconsider. There are gems sitting in your pews and in your communities who God has called and gifted to serve His body alongside you. It is His plan that you equip your people to do the ministry. That is what you are called to do. It is a holy and biblical mandate from God himself (remember Ephesians 4:11-13). 

  • Pastoral Ministry by Paul

    Have you ever talked with someone about something and just assumed they knew what you were talking about? Probably. I suppose you wouldn’t know if you think they know what you’re saying. Hopefully, that’s not a ‘weekly’ experience for your congregation on Sundays! I was reading 1 Corinthians the other day and came across the below passage. It’s a great Scripture full of all kinds of good stuff. However, I stopped and began reading between the lines, specifically asking myself the question, “What can I learn about pastoral ministry from this excerpt?” I was mildly surprised with what I learned.

    6I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God made it grow. 7So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow. 8The man who plants and the man who waters have one purpose, and each will be rewarded according to his own labor. 9For we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s field, God’s building. 10By the grace God has given me, I laid a foundation as an expert builder, and someone else is building on it. But each one should be careful how he builds. 11For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ. 1 Corinthians 3:6-11

    Putting the passage in context, Paul was reprimanding the Corinthians for acting like babies (verses 1-2). Evidently, they argued a lot over who they should really be ‘following’, Paul or Apollos (verse 4). Paul was reminding the church to get their priorities straight and set their sights on Jesus Christ.

    OK. So that’s the context. Now I’d like to pull out a few interesting facts (and raise a few questions) out of the content.

    1. Paul acknowledges that man has an important part to play in the work of God (verse 6) In this case, planting and watering. If you were to take a guess, which part do you think YOU play in the ministry you help lead? Planting or watering?
    2. The church body should not consider the planter or the waterer as the focal point of their attention or lives – but God alone (verse 7) Paul considered this attitude an immature one. Earlier in the passage he said that they could only be given milk, not solid food, because of their pettiness in these areas. Does your congregation spiritually rely on you as their pastor, or on God?
    3. Only God can prosper the work of man (verse 7) In Isaiah 30:1 God warns, “‘Woe to the obstinate children,’ declares the LORD, ‘to those who carry out plans that are not mine.’”  It is quite possible to be planting and watering seeds, and staying quite content and busy while we are at it, but NOT see anything grow. Is God making things grow in your ministry?
    4. The planter and waterer have unique roles and purposes in the church (verse 8) I suspect it would be easy for us leaders to fall prey to thinking that the role we serve is the most important or perhaps even the only role there is. I think it’s also possible that we leaders may try to take on both the role of planter AND waterer. Paul seems pretty adamant that they are unique functions. Are you making room in your ministry for differently gifted people to shine and fulfill their calling?
    5. There are rewards associated with the work of the ministry (verse 8) Cool. We all like the idea of having rewards for our work. Of course, this passage also implies a judgement. In verse 14 Paul writes, “If what he has built survives, he will receive his reward. If it is burned up, he will suffer loss, he himself will be saved, but only as one escaping through the flames.” Umm. Can I just say, he’s talking about you and me here. Are you giving your all for the work of God or do you take your role for granted?
    6. The work of the ministry is just that . . . work (verse 8) Paul states pretty simply that it’s work. Ministry is not a walk in the park. He called it “labor”. The thing is, many pastors have a choice whether or not they will actually ‘work’ or not. I know it’s not true for most, but I’ve come into contact with enough to know that ‘work’ for some pastors takes place Friday through Sunday and the rest of the week is counted as an extended sabbath. Do you serve your church body with integrity? Are they getting everything you have to give?
    7. God is working alongside us (verse 9) How humbling to realize that, according to Paul, we are God’s fellow workers. I love that. It means God is on staff too. He’s working right alongside me. He’s not doing my job, He’s doing His job. I get to be part of what He’s doing by partnering with him and fulfilling the function He designed me to fulfill. Do you acknowledge, honor, and call on God as an integral part of your ministry each and every day?
    8. God has included us in the building of his church (verse 9) Again, how humbling. The object of God’s attention in this passage is HIS field or HIS building. Paul is talking about the church right there; that’s the bride of Christ, His beloved. And God has invited US to participate in preparing His bride for her wedding day. Do you view your congregation through your own eyes, or the eyes of Christ each day.
    9. We are to serve as experts in God’s work (verse 10) Paul described himself as an expert or wise builder. I suspect he considered Apollos in the same light. Experts don’t come cheap. Experts are the result of thousands of hours of learning and experience. Experts are rare. Most people stop at the Novice phase because it’s just too hard and too uncomfortable to press through to become an expert. Are you an expert in your role as a minister of the gospel? If not, why not?
    10. The work of ministry MUST be taken seriously and carefully (verse 10) Be careful how you build! Watch your doctrine closely. Serve the church humbly. (Proverbs 16:18 “Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall.”) Keep Christ central. This passage also says in verses 12-13, “If any man builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, his work will be shown for what it is.” If Christ visited your office today and told you what you were building on his foundation with, what do you think He would say?

  • Leaders are Readers

    There was a time when I absolutely dreaded reading anything besides fiction (including the Bible, I am embarrassed to say.) I would occasionally be assigned to read some book on leadership by my boss at the time, Mike Cavanaugh. It would sit on my desk at work or my nightstand at home unread for weeks at a time. Every once in a while I would open it up and give it a token effort, perhaps getting through the first 2 or 3 chapters. Then Pastor Mike would kindly but firmly give me some extra incentive, like remind me that quarterly reviews were coming up soon. Ugh. So I would finally plot the appropriate hours and plow through.

    As is often the case, the book usually ended up being a great help to my life and ministry; but it was a bear to get through! Perhaps you relate. Maybe it’s not a motivation issue so much as a life management issue. When are you supposed to find time to read in the midst of everything else going on in your life!

    You’ve probably heard people quote Harry Truman, “Not every reader is a leader, but every leader is a reader.” I would qualify that statement by adding, “every growing leader is a reader.” I am so glad to say that I’ve finally figured out ways to incorporate reading into my life and ministry. I’d like to share some pointers with you; perhaps one or more of these ideas will help you as well. Some of you may be interested to know that I don’t set time aside specifically  to read each day or week, yet I get a lot of reading done each month.

    Learn how to skim.
    This is a skill I have developed over the years that has served me very well. For some books, blogs, or articles, I will simply skim over them. I have successfully “skimmed” 300-400 page books in just a couple of hours and sometimes less than that. I can still tell you today what I learned from some of those books. Sometimes I will skim a book first, and then read it word for word later. Skimming is a lot easier than you think (as opposed to speed reading, which is an acquired skill.) Here are two articles I would recommend that will give you the basics:

    Determine when to read and when to skim.
    I evaluate every book I read to determine if it’s a “really read this book” or a “skim and get the meat book”. Sometimes I will decide to skim a book and realize within the first chapter or two that this is a “really read this book.” At other times I will “try” giving a book a solid word for word and find I am just not interested or motivated, so I switch to the skim method. Here are a few of the criteria I use to make this determination:

    • A leader I highly admire/respect requests or recommends the book: READ. (Pastor Josh suggested I read the book, Next Generation Leader, by Andy Stanley. I read it and now highly recommend it.)
    • The content is very engaging and interesting to me: READ. (I started to skim the book, Crucial Confrontations and found it so engaging that I ended up reading through it word for word.)
    • The content is important to me (though not necessarily engaging): READ. (I found the book Getting Things Done sort of hard to read, but I knew the information was important and would help me, so I read it all the way through.)
    • I want the information, but don’t have time for a full blown read: SKIM. (Sometimes if I’m preaching or teaching in a few days I may skim to get some extra info on a topic. If I found the book really engaging, I’ll set it aside to read through more in-depth later.)
    • The author hasn’t impressed me in the past, but I know he/she has something good to say: SKIM. (For whatever reason, I’ve never been able to get into Max Lucado’s books, though he’s a best selling author, so I’ll often skim his books for the good stuff instead.
    • I have already read the material before, but want to remember what it was about or get some quotes/illustrations: SKIM. (I recently skimmed the book, Thinking for a Change, by John Maxwell which I read last year in order to prepare for a lesson I was about to teach.)
    • The topic is something I am already very knowledgeable in or the material is stuff I already know: SKIM. (I read a blog a while back that was talking about a key principle I’ve already learned and implement from the book Eat That Frog, I skimmed through that article.)
    • The topic is not something I need to be well-versed in or I already know the gist of the book: SKIM. (I have the book Drive, by Daniel Pink on my reading list. I’ve already watched him present the content from this book, so I’ll likely just skim it.)
    • The book has been sitting on my bookshelf forever and I’m dreading reading it: SKIM. (I purchased the book, Brain Rules more than two years ago. If I actually get to it, I’ll likely skim it. If I don’t read this book within the next year I’ll likely just give it a 15 minute leaf through and either sell, give away, or throw away.)

    Notice that I have more criteria for skimming than reading. You’ll also realize that not only do I skim quite a few books, but I also read more than just books every week. See below.

    Strategically mark up books when you can.
    I know and have used a myriad of methods for tracking information in books, or marking them up for future use. I’m still not sure which methods are the best. I have taken notes from books and created my own “cliff notes” on some books. For others I’ve highlighted/underlined and placed a number next to sections with notes on the back inside cover telling me what that particular section/highlight was about for future reference. I am a big believer in underlining key sentences, highlighting headings or sections I want to stand out, and writing in the margins several words that summarize the selected text for easy retrieval. The point is, find a method for marking up books so that you can quickly get the meat out of it when you need to.

    Go digital.
    If you already own an Blackberry, iPhone, Android phone, an iPad or a phone with regular internet access, then I urge you to begin taking advantage of the digital options available to you. For example, you have the basic tool you need to begin reading blogs (see next point). Additionally, Amazon will let you download kindle apps for free on your blackberry, iphone, ipad, or Android phones, which can then be used to purchase and read audio books. This year alone I have read about 5 books on my phone using the kindle app. In fact, I read the entire book, Crucial Confrontations, on my phone each night during a 15 minute slot in my day when I was doing nothing else, but didn’t have a book handy nearby.

    Discover the power of blogs.
    This is the original reason I wrote this blog today. I know many pastors and leaders who are afraid of the word “blog”. It’s an unknown so it’s intimidating. It’s something for the younger generation, right? Not true. I’ve discovered that reading blogs is one of the best ways to stay fresh on just about any topic or issue without stealing time. In fact I read an average of 10-12 blogs a day (sometimes as many as 25), all within chunks of time when I wasn’t going to be doing anything else important anyway. Here’s a couple ideas to get you started:

    1. GOOGLE READER: If you aren’t a blog reader yet, then I recommend you start with Google Reader. Yes, there are a myriad of other readers out there, but you’re already intimidated so just trust me and start here. It’s very easy. If you already have a Google account then just log in and find “Reader” on the “More” drop-down. If you don’t have an account, it’s free to set one up. Once you get to the reader, just click on the “Add a Subscription” button and perform your search and then subscribe (for example, type ‘transforming leader’ or ‘Wayne Hedlund’ to find my blog). Once you start playing around with it you’ll discover it’s quite simple to use. You can then set the page up as a shortcut on your desktop or a favorite you visit regularly and wala, you’re on your way. You can also download an app on your phone giving you easy access to your blogs.

    2. Blogs and Email: Let me just say something about the idea of subscribing to blogs via email. Just about any blog worth reading will give you that option. If you really don’t have regular internet access, then this is the way for you to go. A couple of suggestions:

    • If you use Outlook 2003 or earlier for email, create a folder labeled ‘blogs’ and then create a rule that pops all your subscribed blogs into that folder. If that’s too complicated for you, simply drag the blogs into that folder for reading later when you have time, instead of mucking up your inbox.
    • If you use gmail, then do the same thing but with the label functionality. I don’t know about other email applications on the web, but most of them will allow you the ability to create rules, filters, folders, and labels.
    • If you use Outlook 2007 or later, read more about the built in RSS reader. This is how I got started as a blog reader. Again, don’t worry about the intimidation factor. Like just about everything these days, once you’ve learned how to do it, you’ll be amazed that you waited so long to take advantage of it. Try this online training to learn more.

    Here’s the main thing you should understand about blogs if you are new to them. Don’t read every one. That’s right, unless you’re only subscribed to mine (joke) you’ll want to look through the list of blog titles that pop up in your reader or email each day or week and decide which ones sound or look interesting to you. You’ll then skim or read those as you see fit and mark the rest read. Every once in a while (almost daily for me) you’ll find one you really like and want to either forward or keep for future reference. If that happens, I recommend you take care of it right then, or it will likely not happen at all

    Take advantage of dead time.
    This may seem obvious, but it actually takes diligence, preparation, and intentionality to take advantage of the dead time in your life (time that you aren’t really doing anything valuable). One of the best ‘dead time’ tools is, as I already mentioned, a phone with reading materials available on it like e-books or blogs. If that’s not available to you, I recommend you try to keep one or two books with you at all times that you can pull out to read whenever you have a few minutes. If I stay focused, I can read a whole book in one month just by taking advantage of the white space in my life.

    Become a bathroom reader.
    Uh, well I just covered this above, but thought perhaps it was worth mentioning specifically. Most of us can often spend anywhere from 4 to 24 minutes on the throne. Other than the obvious, there’s not much else to do in there. It’s a great place to get some reading done. Even the four minute sessions can be valuable if you pick the right kind of book – one with short chapters. For instance, I read Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff and Axiom from start to finish in the bathroom. Find a good book that will work, or some magazines that are relevant to your life or ministry, and just leave them in the bathroom. Don’t read them except when you’re umm, you know, busy in there.

    Kill your guilt.
    I used to get so frustrated with myself if I didn’t finish a book or if it took forever to read. I’d even feel guilty if I was reading the book (which someone else told me was awesome) but thought it was real boring. My suggestion . . . don’t be so hard on yourself. Some books are going to hit you as amazing, relevant, and inspirational, others won’t. Don’t worry about it.

    Read a whole book in 8 pages (or listen in 20 minutes.)
    OK, I guess you won’t actually read the whole book, but there is an awesome way to get all of the relevant highlights and major points of hundreds of popular books on leadership, management, marketing, etc. Last year we stumbled across www.summary.com. It’s not a christian organization, so far as I can tell, but it has been an awesome resource to our team at Elim Gospel Church. Basically, you pay the fees you feel are appropriate for your situation and find yourself with access to all sorts of great book reviews. You can download them as pdf’s – each one being 8 pages long or you can listen to someone read the summary in a 20 minute period by downloading the mp3 version. You can even subscribe to them in a blog if you want. For me, I occasionally walk to work. It takes me almost exactly 20 minutes. I can listen to one book review in that one walk. It’s awesome.

    Read while exercising or commuting (audio-books).
    You already know about audio-books. I actually don’t utilize them myself too often, but have several friends who do very successfully. Audio-books are perfect for your 15 – 45 minute commute, for when you exercise, or when everyone else is watching that program that you just aren’t interested in. I also know that the national literacy rate is about 14%, which means some people just don’t read very much. Additionally, I have friends who can read fine, but hate doing it. Audio-books are a great alternative.

    How about you? What other ideas might you suggest on how we can stay sharp as readers and leaders?

    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.”

    Images courtesy of istockphoto

  • The Meeting Professional

    Photo courtesy of ©iStockphoto.com

    The last few weeks I’ve explored the idea of teams; specifically getting the right people on them. But what about leading teams? What would happen if hired a professional to lead your meetings. How would it look compared to how YOU lead them?

    Seth Godin wrote a blog about this recently entitled “Making Meetings More Expensive“. He didn’t suggest hiring a professional though. He recommended a meeting fairie.

    Click this link to see what he had to say. You’ll be stretched.

  • The Strategic Personality

    This month I’ve been talking about the importance of getting the right people on the right seats in your bus:

    • In ‘The Chicken or the Egg‘ I asked the question, “Which should come first, your strategic team or your vision?”
    • In ‘The Seats of the Bus‘ I explored who should sit where on the bus.
    • In ‘What’s the Big Deal About a Wrong Seat?‘ I showed you what it might look like having the wrong person in the wrong seat – especially on your Strategic Team.
    • Finally, in ‘The Four C’s‘ I gave you permission to evaluate your team selection through the lens of four specific criteria.
    I want to zero in on one of those “Four C’s” a little more today; specifically in the area of Competency. Let me ask you a question. How do you know if a person has the right personality to serve on a Strategic Team? You may not think it’s a very important question. I can assure you that it is. I’ve learned through the school of ‘hard knocks’ that certain personalities generally just don’t fit on a Strategic Team. He may have great character, awesome chemistry with you and your church, and feel called to serve in leadership. He may even be one of your leaders or elders.
    If you were looking for someone to manage the finances in your organization, I think it’s safe to say that an area of competence for that role would include someone with an analytical personality. If you decided to recruit someone to teach a class you would hope the individual was good with people – another personality trait. In the same way, people who serve on the Strategic Team should lean in a particular direction regarding their personality. This is an area of competence which is very easy for us to overlook.
    I’ve already shown you what it might look like if you have the wrong person in the back of the bus right here. Now I’ll show you what personality best fits in those seats. Check out this chart.

     

    The upper right quadrant will tend to be your leaders and visionaries.
    The upper left quadrant will often be your thinkers and analytically inclined.
    The lower right quadrant will likely be your communicators and your fun people.
    The lower left quadrant will usually be your faithful and loyal workers who just want to use their gifts to serve.
    The closer to the outer edge, the stronger their personality in that quadrant. The closer to the center the more ‘well-rounded’ they tend to be in all of those quadrants. I recommend you try out the online personality profile at www.leadingfromyourstrengths.com/purchase-lfys-profiles.php. You’ll have to pay a $25 fee to take the test, but in the end you will have a 25+ page summary of your strengths & weaknesses. On the very last page you will find a chart similar to the one above with an indicator of where you fit.
    Does this mean that people who tend toward the bottom left shouldn’t be on your team? Not necessarily. What it does mean is that certain strategic discussions will likely be more of a stretch for them to engage in. You will probably see them struggling or need to give them more time to process or catch up than you would those whose personalities lean towards the upper right. Some of these people may contribute very little to the conversation as well. I happen to know that those with a strong bottom/left personality also have a very difficult time with confrontation and conflict. Two important elements in strategic discussions.

    What if you find yourself in one of that bottom left quadrant? In that scenario I would recommend that you work extra hard to ensure you don’t fill your Strategic Team with others of the same personality. In other words, be sure to recruit team members who lean to the upper right. You may also want to consider asking someone else to lead the team meetings. You should definitely be present and have a voice in the discussion, but it would probably be easier for you if someone else focused on leading so that you can give more of your energy towards processing the discussions in the room.