Tony and Sheryll:
This is a challenging chapter, especially if you are a business owner or leader of a non-profit. Everybody makes sacrifices to get things going—I had one restaurant owner tell me it was over 2 years into their business before he ever received a paycheck. As our business or ministry grows, it is important to re-evaluate on a regular basis to continue bringing loyal staff and employees up toward their market value. I don’t think there is a godly business or ministry leader out there who wouldn’t like to pay everyone more.
On the other hand, there is the tension as an employee/staff member to always be worth more than what you are being paid. This is a principle my dad taught me throughout my life. He said, “You have entered into a contract with someone—you will exchange your work for their money. Always make sure you give them more than they paid for.” Because of that training, I have always found success as an employee. Even when the company I was working for was in the middle of layoffs, they found a way to keep me.
For those of us who lead volunteers, we must practice the same fair value principle by acknowledging efforts, giving praise, and embracing ideas. Most studies show that recognition rivals money as a motivator. Don’t be stingy in giving it where it is due. Heap praise on those around you who are exceeding expectations. Find something to praise in those who are not meeting expectations. Look for something good and don’t let it go unnoticed.
Sheryll and I look forward to the day when we, and those who work with us, are paid more in line with the market. But until then, we all have our eyes set on the bigger prize—transformed lives. I have yet to be able to put a price on that!
Friday, July 24, 2009
Thursday, July 16, 2009
Axiom Chapter 8--Hire Tens
Sheryll:
Two things really jump out at me on this:
1) We, as individuals, must never be satisfied with our level of leadership. We must continually be improving our skills. This can be done by reading books, attending seminars, online searches, connecting strategically with people who are better leaders than we are, watching people lead and learning both what to do and what not to do. I think we sometimes forget that the reason for being the best leader we can be is because lives hang in the balance every day. Our goal should always be to reach as many of those people as we can. In order to have continuing influence and connection with those who have developed their skills to the 10 level, we need to be a 10! Let’s go for it!
2) Don’t be intimidated by people who seem smarter. It is sometimes human nature to back away and even get jealous of those who may have skills we don’t think we have. Look for the best for your teams and allow them to use their gifts. Of course, we will always have people at lower levels of leadership skills and that’s perfectly okay. Our job is to put people where they are best suited to serve. But look for those who are 8, 9 or 10 levels and find out what their gifts are. Always encourage everyone on your team to develop their skills. Give them ideas for books to read, share leadership tips with them on a regular basis, celebrate with them when you catch them doing their job well, encourage them to attend ARC conferences with us, etc.
Excellence draws people!!! God loves people and wants to change their eternal destiny. That’s what this is all about. Let’s go for it! Never settle for what we are not-there is always more.
Tony:
This chapter highlights that great leaders are not born, they are made. No matter what level of leadership ability we see ourselves as having, we can always become stronger. It is so important to read, to listen to teaching, and to have mentors that continually move us forward. Hybels lets us know that when we settle for less than the best in our own leadership, we are negatively affecting the whole local church. With all the excellent materials available to us today there is no excuse for settling for less than an 8 to 10 level in our leadership. Maxwell says everything rises and falls on leadership. I don’t know if that is completely true, but I do know that when it comes to teams and those around us it is definitely true. CAML will only be its strongest and best when its leaders are focused on being the best and attracting the best. The best leader in the history of the world is Jesus and He lives inside of us. Be intentional about tapping into His leadership expertise.
Let’s hear your comments.
Two things really jump out at me on this:
1) We, as individuals, must never be satisfied with our level of leadership. We must continually be improving our skills. This can be done by reading books, attending seminars, online searches, connecting strategically with people who are better leaders than we are, watching people lead and learning both what to do and what not to do. I think we sometimes forget that the reason for being the best leader we can be is because lives hang in the balance every day. Our goal should always be to reach as many of those people as we can. In order to have continuing influence and connection with those who have developed their skills to the 10 level, we need to be a 10! Let’s go for it!
2) Don’t be intimidated by people who seem smarter. It is sometimes human nature to back away and even get jealous of those who may have skills we don’t think we have. Look for the best for your teams and allow them to use their gifts. Of course, we will always have people at lower levels of leadership skills and that’s perfectly okay. Our job is to put people where they are best suited to serve. But look for those who are 8, 9 or 10 levels and find out what their gifts are. Always encourage everyone on your team to develop their skills. Give them ideas for books to read, share leadership tips with them on a regular basis, celebrate with them when you catch them doing their job well, encourage them to attend ARC conferences with us, etc.
Excellence draws people!!! God loves people and wants to change their eternal destiny. That’s what this is all about. Let’s go for it! Never settle for what we are not-there is always more.
Tony:
This chapter highlights that great leaders are not born, they are made. No matter what level of leadership ability we see ourselves as having, we can always become stronger. It is so important to read, to listen to teaching, and to have mentors that continually move us forward. Hybels lets us know that when we settle for less than the best in our own leadership, we are negatively affecting the whole local church. With all the excellent materials available to us today there is no excuse for settling for less than an 8 to 10 level in our leadership. Maxwell says everything rises and falls on leadership. I don’t know if that is completely true, but I do know that when it comes to teams and those around us it is definitely true. CAML will only be its strongest and best when its leaders are focused on being the best and attracting the best. The best leader in the history of the world is Jesus and He lives inside of us. Be intentional about tapping into His leadership expertise.
Let’s hear your comments.
Tuesday, July 7, 2009
Chapter 7 AXIOM
Chapter Seven Axiom
Sheryll:
I love that it never occurred to Paul not to go to Jerusalem. He had heard clearly from God and what else was there? Paul was totally sold out to God’s vision for His people and there were no other options. I want to be like that. It seems to me as though Paul was able to do that because he had taken sole ownership of the vision. It didn’t matter to him who agreed with him, who was with him. He was an owner and he must go. We can be totally in love with God and still not be an owner. Loving God is step one, but loving what He loves, taking ownership of it, is what will take us from a hireling to an owner. Let’s always find out what He loves and go for it.
Tony:
Each of us has probably already been at the crossroads Hybels talks about on page 37. And, as leaders, we will come to it again. However, we get to decide how often we come to that crossroad. If we are not sold out to the vision God has given us and those we are doing life with, those crossroads will come often. If we will make the decision that we are in this for the long haul, even life, then the crossroads will occur less in our lives. The more variables we allow to effect our commitment to the vision, the more we move toward hireling. Variables like recognition, work required, team members who quit, etc.
There are also indicators to tell us when we are drifting toward hireling and away from owner: walking past a piece of trash instead of picking it up, arriving late and leaving early, looking for ways to avoid continually connecting with new people, or becoming so absorbed in “my team” I lose touch with what is going on with the church.
Dana pointed out how important it is to treat the people we lead like owners and not hirelings. Take ownership of God's vision for our church and your life. Encourage those you lead to move from hireling to owner. Let’s be finishers.
Let’s hear your comments.
Sheryll:
I love that it never occurred to Paul not to go to Jerusalem. He had heard clearly from God and what else was there? Paul was totally sold out to God’s vision for His people and there were no other options. I want to be like that. It seems to me as though Paul was able to do that because he had taken sole ownership of the vision. It didn’t matter to him who agreed with him, who was with him. He was an owner and he must go. We can be totally in love with God and still not be an owner. Loving God is step one, but loving what He loves, taking ownership of it, is what will take us from a hireling to an owner. Let’s always find out what He loves and go for it.
Tony:
Each of us has probably already been at the crossroads Hybels talks about on page 37. And, as leaders, we will come to it again. However, we get to decide how often we come to that crossroad. If we are not sold out to the vision God has given us and those we are doing life with, those crossroads will come often. If we will make the decision that we are in this for the long haul, even life, then the crossroads will occur less in our lives. The more variables we allow to effect our commitment to the vision, the more we move toward hireling. Variables like recognition, work required, team members who quit, etc.
There are also indicators to tell us when we are drifting toward hireling and away from owner: walking past a piece of trash instead of picking it up, arriving late and leaving early, looking for ways to avoid continually connecting with new people, or becoming so absorbed in “my team” I lose touch with what is going on with the church.
Dana pointed out how important it is to treat the people we lead like owners and not hirelings. Take ownership of God's vision for our church and your life. Encourage those you lead to move from hireling to owner. Let’s be finishers.
Let’s hear your comments.
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Bold Move
Axiom—Chapter 6: Bold Move
Sheryll:
The difference between maintaining and exploding-it takes bold moves to go where God wants to take us. In our human minds, we may not see the big picture. God has huge plans that taking baby steps will never lead us to. We must be willing to make bold moves, in spite of the obstacles, to be able to celebrate the victories God has in store.
We have seen so many bold moves in our daily Bible readings-it is a bold move for a few men to go up against thousands; it is a bold move for a little girl to agree to give birth to the Savior of the world; it was an incredibly bold move for one Man to say He would die on a cross, descend to Hell and come back with the keys to life and victory. Bold moves change the world forever. Let’s be a people who are always listening to God as He tells us what our next bold move will be.
Tony:
I remember hearing a teacher years ago say, “Faith is spelled R-I-S-K.” As leaders, we must always be assessing the effectiveness of what we are doing. Jesus put it this way, “You can tell a tree by the fruit.” Are the things we are doing producing the right kind of fruit? Are we getting the kind of harvest we believe God wants? If not, we must be willing to make some bold moves or we end up in a rut or becoming stale. It is easier to just keep doing what we are doing, especially if it has seen some success. But our God is a bold, audacious, dynamic God, always on the move. If we are going to lead effectively, we must keep pace with Him. Learn to continually challenge your processes and you’ll find out that it is a lot more fun to lead than maintain.
Let's hear your comments.
Sheryll:
The difference between maintaining and exploding-it takes bold moves to go where God wants to take us. In our human minds, we may not see the big picture. God has huge plans that taking baby steps will never lead us to. We must be willing to make bold moves, in spite of the obstacles, to be able to celebrate the victories God has in store.
We have seen so many bold moves in our daily Bible readings-it is a bold move for a few men to go up against thousands; it is a bold move for a little girl to agree to give birth to the Savior of the world; it was an incredibly bold move for one Man to say He would die on a cross, descend to Hell and come back with the keys to life and victory. Bold moves change the world forever. Let’s be a people who are always listening to God as He tells us what our next bold move will be.
Tony:
I remember hearing a teacher years ago say, “Faith is spelled R-I-S-K.” As leaders, we must always be assessing the effectiveness of what we are doing. Jesus put it this way, “You can tell a tree by the fruit.” Are the things we are doing producing the right kind of fruit? Are we getting the kind of harvest we believe God wants? If not, we must be willing to make some bold moves or we end up in a rut or becoming stale. It is easier to just keep doing what we are doing, especially if it has seen some success. But our God is a bold, audacious, dynamic God, always on the move. If we are going to lead effectively, we must keep pace with Him. Learn to continually challenge your processes and you’ll find out that it is a lot more fun to lead than maintain.
Let's hear your comments.
Thursday, June 25, 2009
Casting Vision
Axiom-Chapter 5
Tony and Sheryll:
This is a great chapter. Our favorite line in the whole book is “Cancel your career…”. The Bible makes it very clear how important vision is and how important it is to cast vision with clarity and passion. If we are not passionate about the vision, those we are leading will not be either. And the vision of the local church is the most powerful and exciting vision possible. How could we not be excited about it? It is God’s plan for the world and He has given us the privilege of partnering with Him in it.
Our job as leaders is to make sure the passion we feel for what we are doing is transferred to those we are leading. When I arrived at our campus early Sunday morning and it was already buzzing with volunteers who were happily giving up their off day morning, it was obvious we are doing a good job of casting the vision with passion and excitement. They were there because they believe they are changing the world with what they do. Make sure your team members never minimize their gifts and talents as they serve the Lord. Everything counts and everything moves us forward toward God’s dream.
Let's hear your comments.
Tony and Sheryll:
This is a great chapter. Our favorite line in the whole book is “Cancel your career…”. The Bible makes it very clear how important vision is and how important it is to cast vision with clarity and passion. If we are not passionate about the vision, those we are leading will not be either. And the vision of the local church is the most powerful and exciting vision possible. How could we not be excited about it? It is God’s plan for the world and He has given us the privilege of partnering with Him in it.
Our job as leaders is to make sure the passion we feel for what we are doing is transferred to those we are leading. When I arrived at our campus early Sunday morning and it was already buzzing with volunteers who were happily giving up their off day morning, it was obvious we are doing a good job of casting the vision with passion and excitement. They were there because they believe they are changing the world with what they do. Make sure your team members never minimize their gifts and talents as they serve the Lord. Everything counts and everything moves us forward toward God’s dream.
Let's hear your comments.
Thursday, June 18, 2009
Axiom Chapter 4
Axiom—Chapter 4
Sheryll:
Once again, this chapter reinforces being a proactive rather than reactive ministry. For example, team leaders need to be expanding their teams NOW for the fall growth season.
The Church needs to be a shining example of the love of Jesus. When we aren’t prepared for those He sends through our doors, we do damage to His people. We, as leaders, need to always be thinking of not only this week and month, but next month and next year. We should:
Be:
God-oriented
People-oriented
Detail-oriented
Tony:
Chapter 4 is about being strategic. Being finishers and big picture people who get excited about lives being transformed and sustaining that transformation by being prepared.
Jesus teaches 4 laws of harvest:
1: See the harvest
2: Go into the harvest
3: Have the right tools for the harvest
4: Have a safe place to bring the harvest
This chapter is all about making sure we have #4 right. If we do the first 3 right and blow it on #4, we blow it and make all the hard work of no avail. It is not enough to be a great place to invite our friends, family and associates. We must make sure we are a great place for them to stay. That’s why the details are so important.
2 Corinthians 6:1 Message—“…Our work as God's servants gets validated—or not—in the details…”
Let’s hear your comments.
Monday, June 8, 2009
Axiom-Week 3
We were unable to post last week due to a wonderful vacation in a place with very limited phone or internet access. So here is our post for Chapter 3. Hope you are enjoying the book.
Sheryll: This is proactive instead of reactive. Proactive leaders make their teams feel safe by defining the seasons. If a leader is able to correctly identify the current season, that leader will be able to identify the next season and help equip the team for that season. Knowing the seasons empowers the leader to be strategic. For example, recognizing the summer months for a church as an opportunity to strengthen your existing core and identify new team members prepares us for the multiplication season that comes with the end of summer and fall. This also provides stability and gives no place to fear and worry. We recognize that attendance will be more sporadic during the vacation months, yet we still will grow, and prepare for the visible growth months coming soon.
Tony: Think about taking a group on a trip but not knowing where you were going or how to get there. The group would not be very comfortable, and you probably wouldn’t be very confident in your leadership. When we seek God’s wisdom on the seasons we are in and those coming, we are able to provide the information needed to put those we lead at ease and to make us more confident in our decision making process. Never assume that just because you recognize the season, that others will too. I have found that many times people are waiting on the leaders to identify what is going on, just like they would wait on the group leader to provide directions for a journey. Expect God to reveal the seasons to you as you seek Him. He wants us to lead effectively, not wander around. For us as a church, we are in a season of "core strengthening." During the summer months we need to focus on making the core of our teams stronger. This is a great time to have some team parties, read a book or listen to a teaching series together, etc. Toward the end of August and the start of September, the pace will quicken and you will be glad you spent the summer strengthening your team.
Sheryll: This is proactive instead of reactive. Proactive leaders make their teams feel safe by defining the seasons. If a leader is able to correctly identify the current season, that leader will be able to identify the next season and help equip the team for that season. Knowing the seasons empowers the leader to be strategic. For example, recognizing the summer months for a church as an opportunity to strengthen your existing core and identify new team members prepares us for the multiplication season that comes with the end of summer and fall. This also provides stability and gives no place to fear and worry. We recognize that attendance will be more sporadic during the vacation months, yet we still will grow, and prepare for the visible growth months coming soon.
Tony: Think about taking a group on a trip but not knowing where you were going or how to get there. The group would not be very comfortable, and you probably wouldn’t be very confident in your leadership. When we seek God’s wisdom on the seasons we are in and those coming, we are able to provide the information needed to put those we lead at ease and to make us more confident in our decision making process. Never assume that just because you recognize the season, that others will too. I have found that many times people are waiting on the leaders to identify what is going on, just like they would wait on the group leader to provide directions for a journey. Expect God to reveal the seasons to you as you seek Him. He wants us to lead effectively, not wander around. For us as a church, we are in a season of "core strengthening." During the summer months we need to focus on making the core of our teams stronger. This is a great time to have some team parties, read a book or listen to a teaching series together, etc. Toward the end of August and the start of September, the pace will quicken and you will be glad you spent the summer strengthening your team.
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