21 comments (+ Add)
Leadership Lids 2 (of 5)
Stagnant Styles of Leadership
When I find something that works, it is tempting to stick with it. In leadership, we must walk the fine line between staying with our strengths and becoming stagnant.
Most of us settle into comfortable leadership routines and styles. People generally do well under leaders when they know what to expect. Organizations can thrive in predictable routines. They also can become flat and stagnant.
As a leader, I constantly work to grow and allow God to evolve my style of leadership.
Here are a few examples of what I do to shake things up:
- Invite outside feedback. Those who work closely with us quickly lose objectivity.
- Ask peers and/or direct reports for suggestions. Those around us often hope for the chance to make suggestions for improvements but may not mention their ideas unless asked.
- Follow a leadership hunch. This might be a theory or idea that may or may not work. Following the hunch may lead us into a short-term failure. Small failures are great at spurring growth.
- Disrupt the rhythms. Working in different places and at different times changes our perspectives.
- Traveling. Seeing more of the world and meeting other leaders is invaluable.
- Probing the organization. Leaders can become isolated from those who are on the ground making things happen. Digging for ideas, information, and insight from people we rarely interact with is vital.
- Work the “change” muscles. Changing anything is better than changing nothing. Eat at a new restaurant. Read a different kind of book. Hang out with someone outside your normal circle. Preach on something you’ve never preached on before.
What keeps you from becoming stagnant? (Or… are you stuck in a leadership rut?)
Visit 
Commit to asking God what He wants me to do with today. If you end up going to the same job (most likely) great, but at least be willing to do what HE asks…really be wiling. Life 100% under Him.
True that - stagnant leadership sucks! I’ve found that leading in a totally different venue gives you fresh ideas too. For example, when I coached U6 soccer last year it gave me a whole new perspective. Dealing with kids on this level (and their parents) gave me a fresh take on some leadership principles. (Mainly, always be close to a restroom…but that doesn’t really apply here)
Change, disrupting the rhythms and outside feedback!
I personally enjoy spending time with leaders outside of the ministry circles. There is so much to learn from a wide-range of leaders, such as: business, politics, sports…. it keeps me fresh.
I think that it’s important to ask those following: Is what we are doing becoming old, is what we are doing the best, how ca we do it better….
The customers or congregants are generally a good gage of stagnation.
Good Stuff!
For me, I find being in environments where I am not the leader helps me keep from being stagnant as well. I can get perspective on bad habits I may see in other leaders (that I may have too), and also learn valuable lessons from observing their styles. I play softball for a city team that I don’t coach, and I also am in a study group led by another pastor.
Sometimes we will have staff meetings in different places…like the mall. It really gets us to start thinking different. It’s those different energy levels that help us think creatively.
I Try and Keep My Life Current from getting plugged up by being deliberate! Stagnant water stinks… gets moldy, and “creepy crawly” things start living in it YUCK!!! I don’t ever want to be like a dormant cesspool so I shift with the tides!
Thanks for the reminder to “get out of the rut”. This principle should apply to all of us, whatever our role in life!
Aaron, Good words.
Bryan,Coaching kids sports (and dealing with parents) would test anyone’s leadership!
Scott, I agree.
Jarret, You are very right. Learning to follow helps you know how to lead.
Troy, That is a great point. Thank you.
Jenn, If you are still being deliberate at the end of January, you are probably doing better than most.
Robin, You are welcome.
I love to travel, and would love to be able to travel to more Kingdom-advancing churches (LC in OKC is still on the short list :)).
But…money and time keep me from doing the amount of traveling I would like to do. So, I do the next best thing - listen to other teaching pastors/leaders on-line!
The key - for me, at least - is to limit my listening/viewing to a small number of folks. I am kept sharp these days by:
- Mike Breaux
- Craig Groeschel
- John Ortberg
- Andy Stanley
These folks help keep this leadership “lid” from closing!
For me it is having a vision that is larger than what “I” can do. This always drives me, personally, to not remain stagnant.
There are many times that it has driven me more to my knees, more into the word, more to develop myself, and more to trust in the people around me.
I constantly read Leadership books. listen to CD’s & podcats & go to conferences to learn from other leaders.
outside of the things you mention, i love spending time out with people. kind of people watching, kind of interacting, but mainly trying to see the world at large. for some reason that just stirs the brain cells up a bit, and i’m challenged and inspired to approach things in new ways!
I suppose people could also get in a rut if all they did was to change for change sake. The problem with changes for change sake is that God might be a million miles from that change. That’s why I think change has to come from faith. Craig, I’ve heard you teach that faith is listening to what God wants and then obeying the direction he’s leading. That is what faith is all about, listening to Him and then putting into action His change. Staying focused on God and His leadership will keep us out of the problems that can be created with change merely for change sake.
John, Listening to others is very helpful. (I like your list! :))
Jason, The big vision will keep you on your knees before God. Good stuff.
Kevin, I’m with you. I love listening to great leadership podcasts.
Anne, I bet you love hanging out in airports.
D.A., I agree that changing randomly can be stupid (my words, not yours). I do think that changing some things can keep us fresh. It may be that we simply change the way we drive to work or where we study.
I have really enjoyed the list the last two days- looking forward to more leadership lids. I could especially indentify with the last thought about change. As the associate minister at my church, I am in hte process of organizing change for a couple of our key events- Bible Bowl and VBS, as well as adding Easy Worship into our service presentations. It seems like the easy part is developing the ideas for change, the hard part many times is implementing them!
This post is great.
Yes, to all the leadership books, conferences, exposure to great leaders. I do the same…
Two things that keep me out of the ministry rut:
1. Travel (as Craig mentioned). When I go to a church conference. I seek out a number two or number three guy(a key staff member of the hosting church) and try to pick his brain on some ideas or direction that have come from the top.
2. Once a year, I go away to a remote place for 7 days to reflect, plan, fast, and pray. No cell phone, no email, almost no outside human contact except for a nightly call to my family. It sounds old fashioned, and some of my peers think I’m crazy, but each year this time narrows my focus, detoxes my mind, and keeps me fresh.
off topic but maybe “Invite outside feedback”, my family so enjoyed seeing you with “satan” at last weekends message. it’s never stagnant.
Changing the rhythms is key for me… it’s easy to get stuck in a routine…
JD, You are right. Implementing change can be grueling in the church world. I pray God blesses your ventures.
Travis, Picking the brains of staff members (as opposed to the senior leaders) is brilliant. Our staff members here can often give you much better answers to questions than I can.
Richard, Glad you liked the video. (For those of you wondering why I’d be talking to Satan, you can watch this…
http://www.lifechurch.tv/Default.aspx/p/39?SermonID=130&CategoryID=2
Thanks, Anna.
Does reading heavy doses of Kierkegaard count?
Our team loves to bring ‘classics’ into the mix and compare them with today’s voices… amazing how similar they are at times!
[...] Leadership Lid 2 [...]