Healthy Teams
After a recent staff meeting, I was thinking about what makes our team at Grace Community Church healthy. I think healthy teams are intentionally created, so I’m consistently trying to make our environment better.
My current thoughts have led me to believe that in our case, it’s as much about what we don’t have on our team as what we do have. I think our team works well together because we get along well with each other. (Most of the time.) It may have to do, however, as much with what we don’t bring to the time we spend time together, as it does what we bring to the that time.
Here are 7 things healthy teams check at the door:
- Egos
- Closed minds
- Domination
- Selfishness
- Negativity
- Personal criticism
- Stubbornness
As I’ve said before, we aren’t a perfect team, but we work well together, we accomplish a great deal, and we enjoy what we do. (Most of the time.)
Do you currently serve on a healthy or an unhealthy team?
What would you add to my list?
Courageous Leaders
Recently I posted 7 Characteristics of Cowardly Lion Leadership. In that post, I discussed the characteristics of leaders who fail to have the courage needed to lead well. I thought it only fair to share the reverse post. There are many courageous leaders in our world today, as shown by the strong organizations that thrive even during difficult economic times.
Here are 7 traits of a courageous leader:
- Doesn’t bail on the team when things get difficult…
- Not afraid to make big requests of others…but willing to pull equal weight to accomplish them…
- Willing to take the first move into unchartered territory…pursuing the unproven by willingly taking risks…
- Moves forward by faith…even when the outcome is unclear…
- Makes hard decisions regarding people…trusting responsibilities to others early and acknowledging when a team member is no longer a good fit for the team…
- Protects the God-given vision in the midst of criticism, hard economic times, and setbacks…
- Implements needed changes even when they are uncomfortable or not immediately popular…
Thanks to all the courageous leaders who are leading well! You are making a difference!
When you think of courageous leader, who comes to your mind?
What would you add to this list?
Shallow Leadership
Growing in our leadership abilities, knowledge and relationships should be a goal for every leader. Many leaders settle for status quo leadership rather than stretching themselves as leaders. They remain oblivious to the real health of their leadership and the organization. I call it shallow leadership. Perhaps you’ve seen this before in leadership. Maybe you’ve been guilty of providing shallow leadership. I certainly have.
Here are 7 characteristics of shallow leadership:
- Thinking your idea will be everyone’s idea…
- Believing that your way is the only way..
- Assuming you already know the answer…
- Pretending to care when really you don’t…
- Giving the response that makes you most popular…
- Refusing to learn something new…
- Ignoring the warning signs of an unhealthy environment…
Have you seen shallow leadership before?
What would you add to my list?
Stellar Leadership
Leadership is abuzz these days. Everyone is talking about it, yet it appears many organizations and churches are consistently looking for leadership. In my conversations with other churches, people want to know how to find, attract, and train leaders. Apparently it is far easier to call oneself a leader than it is to actually be a leader.
Perhaps we need to do a better job distinguishing what leadership actually means. Without great definitions of leadership, we almost need to talk about what makes up great leadership. I wonder if there is leadership…the kind anyone can do…and there is stellar leadership…the kind only great leaders provide.
The word stellar means: pertaining to a preeminent performer…or…outstanding or immense…
Isn’t this the kind of leadership we are seeking? Stellar leadership?
I am still a leader in training…not sure when I’ll “get there”, but I know I’m not looking to be an average leader. I want to be a stellar leader.
7 Definitions of Stellar Leadership
With that in mind, here are 7 definitions I think we find in stellar leadership: (The words are mine, but I got the definition from dictionary.com)
- Consistency – steadfast adherence to the same principles, course, form,etc
- Follow-through – the act of continuing a plan, project, or the like to its completion
- Respectable – worthy of respect or esteem
- Truthfulness – telling the truth, especially habitually
- Valor – boldness or determination in facing great danger; courage
- Trustworthy – deserving of trust or confidence; dependable; reliable
- Authentic – not false or copied; genuine; real
In my opinion, stellar leaders would possess ALL of these attributes.
What words/definitions would you add to my list?
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Ron Edmondson is Co-Pastor at Grace Community Church
He specializes in Communication, Strategy, Org Behavior, Mgmt and Marketing
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