Category Archives: Leadership

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The Fog Has Lifted – What Do You See? Pt. 4

The Resilient Leader

Now that we are on this side of the so-called pandemic, religious leaders are asking some very hard questions on where we go from here. Truthfully, attempting to measure our purpose and mission by pre-pandemic metrics does not make sense any longer. Please do not misunderstand my comment. I am not saying that our pre-pandemic efforts had zero impact. Let’s face the fact that we all have been traumatized on several levels and we are trying to make sense of what it is that we see now the fog is lifting. What I can say is that things appear vastly different today.

How do we assess the health of our church? Barna Research has been an invaluable resource for those leaders who desire to present a passionate vision that is spirit led and data informed. While the religious landscape appears vastly different there are metrics that remain true even though we are shell shocked by the rapid change of our world and nation. Here is a set of metrics that is worth the time and effort to engage for clarity and the rediscovery of purposeful community mission.

Metrics for Flourishing Churches

These metrics are meaningful to worshippers that attend our churches and activities. As you examine this set of metrics you will notice the absence of program driven agendas and the focal point of celebration – “Look at what we have accomplished!” Rather, this metric set is all about formation of the worshipper and the team members that serve the church. It answers the three crucial questions of a post-pandemic society; Do you know me? Can you help me? Can I trust you?

While we are all rubbing our eyes in disbelief at the accelerated changes in our nation and churches, perhaps we should realize the amazing opportunity being presented. Re-evaluate our Biblical mandate of spiritual formation of Christlikeness in the lives of worshippers that call our church home should become the front and central passion. The pandemic has not caused our concerns, rather, it has revealed what was occurring previously. Utilize this metric set as a focal point of evaluation for our current agenda and our preferred agenda for tomorrow’s worshippers.

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Socialism

Cultural Transformation

Is this a leader that you would follow and espouse their ideology? Consider this leaders work-ethic; Was evicted because of excessive alcoholism, tobacco use, never exercised, suffered from warts, and boils due to a lack of proper hygiene, his body odor was atrocious. The apartment was completely broke, smashed, spilled, busted, falling apart from toys to chairs, plates cups, and tables.[1] His wife thought of suicide daily and his two daughters fulfilled their mothers desire with both committing suicide – one at 43 and the other at 66. The leadership principles espoused by this individual would have a near 50% approval rating in America in 2020. 40% of Americans, 47% of Millennials, and 49% of Gen-Z’s would state this ideology is not only believable but should be advanced. Who is this individual you asked? His name is Karl Marx!

Erwin Lutzer writes in his book We Will Not Be Silenced, discusses the type of Marxism that we face currently called Cultural Marxism. This is not being imposed on the battlefields, instead, it is a form of Marxism that wins the hearts and minds of people incrementally by the gradual transformation of our culture. Bombarded with exaggerated and illusionary promises, people accept it because they want to, they welcome its benefits. It promises hope and change, income equality, racial harmony, and justice based upon secular values rather than Judeo-Christian morality.[2]

Biblically speaking, “The whole world marveled…and gave allegiance to the beast…And he was given authority to rule over every tribe and people and language and nation. And all the people who belong to this world worshipped the beast” (Revelation 13:3,7-8 NLT). “Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the traditions of men, according to basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ” (Colossians 2:8). Since the Bible pre-dates Marxism, it would be safe to say the interpretation of scripture theologically, apologetically, and linguistically communicates to us a period will arise in which there will be efforts made to control and equalize all things for the global population. This has been fore-told ancient history. History is filled with illustrations of socialism even to our current day. There is more of an alignment of the present-day trajectory of socialism and biblical prophecy than at any other time. Argue against it if you will, but there is no denying of ancient fore-telling and current events of social cultural Marxism and the end of days than right now!

The real argument is no longer about political parties, we are in a war for the heart and spirit of nations. This is about control, submission, and dominance. The New Testament Gospel book of Mark 13 is loaded with last days prophetic imagery. Read it if you dare! Open your mind to ancient wisdom. Socialism is not new but ancient going all the way back to Noah and the post-flood era of history. Today’s leadership strategy calls for an infinite mindset. We are not leading for short-term accomplishments. We lead from a legacy viewpoint. I lead today so that my work and mission survive well beyond my tenure and accolades. This style of leadership gives purpose, reason, and hope for those currently and future members who join your team. Lead from a position of strength and a compelling vision for a brighter tomorrow.

[1] Kengor, The Devil and Karl Marx. P.72

[2] Erwin Lutzer, We Will Not Be Silenced: Responding Courageously to Our Culture’s Assault on Christianity (Eugene OR: Harvest House, 2020), p.21.

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Your Ability To Think Effectively

LEARN IT

  • You must increase your thinking potential for increased success
  • Success requires action, but action has its limitations
  • Great lives are created by taking good actions on great ideas

LIVE IT

  • Value your thinking
  • Clarify your thinking
  • Capture your thinking
  • Evaluate your thinking
  • Verbalize your thoughts
  • Own your thoughts

LEAD IT

  • Do you have a system of capturing your thoughts?
  • Who in your inner circle can help you improve your ideas?
  • Do you have a greater bias toward action or thinking?
  • What would happen if you could harness action and thinking?

Shepherds Advantage provides Servant Leadership that helps people close the gap between where they are and where they want to be. Shepherds Advantage closes that gap by providing Leadership Development, Keynote Speaking, and Executive Coaching. 

Shepherdsadvantage@gmail.com

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Lessons From The Thanksgiving Table

Today is THANKSGIVING! My hope is that today will be filled with family, friends, and laughter. Most of all today is about recognizing thankfulness as the center-piece of the day. The holidays can be quite stressful for many people. Instead of family, friends and laughter, it has become dreadful, anxious, and depressing. Engage family and friends to list their blessings and use these as a time of reflection and joy.

Thanksgiving can be filled with a time of learning also. Here are some lessons from the Thanksgiving Table.

  • Plan Well – Thanksgiving day is not a microwave day. Advance planning is needed.
  • Keep Good People Around You – Life is pleasant in the presence of good company.
  • Meet and Exceed Expectations – My childhood memories were ones of being wowed at the dinner table preparation. Best china, silverware, glasses all worked together to create an amazing visual.
  • Establish Limits – Gluttony is not pretty. Set boundaries for yourself and stick with them.
  • Keep Perspective – Emotions can run high on these special days. Lead from a position of calm and candor.
  • Put Your Gratitude On Display – This is a day of thankfulness. Be a leader, communicate sincere thanksgiving to family and friends
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DNA of Great Leaders

There are certain qualities of great leaders that all seem to exhibit. They certainly seem to be visionaries – seeing opportunities before others see them. They also are not afraid to act upon those opportunities – they thrive on “making things happen!”

On a more deeper level there are certain DNA qualities of great leaders. Here are seven qualities that are embodied in great leaders

SELF-STARTERS – They start early, start first, and stay fast. There is something to be said about helping others first before other people realize there is a need that needs attention. Being first to start gives you a distinct advantage over others.

WORK-HARDER – Find your passion and it is easy to work harder. Passion does not even feel like work. Realize that everything worthwhile in life is UPHILL!

STRONG-DESIRE – Great leaders want to win more than anything at times. They hate losing. Realize that everyone will lose sometime. Great leaders do make a habit of losing and they will not settle for average. Kevin Myers stated; Most of  us have uphill goals, but we have downhill habits. 

PROVE THEMSELVES – There is something to be said about the drive inside of you that desires to prove that you have the right stuff. You are not afraid of putting it on the line. TIP: Prove yourself before you attempt to prove others. Pay attention to the difference between “I think” verses “I know.”

PRESS FORWARD – There are going to be difficulties in life. You must press forward in spite of those difficulties. We all experience them. The difference is that some never get back up. If life knocks you down six times – get up seven times!

VALUE OPPORTUNITY – Attempting to stay secure allows opportunities to pass by you to someone else. I am not saying that security is not important, but I am saying that opportunities can be better than security at ages and stages in life.STAY CREATIVE – Creativity starts with good questions that probes the unconventional – which leads to seeing possibilities – which leads to creative solutions.

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Great Leader Series – Ralph de la Vega

From Cuba to CEO

What can great leaders teach us?

I recently had the privilege to listen to a presentation by Ralph de la Vega now CEO of the De La Vega Group. I must admit that he presented his life in a colorful way that simply captivates you. As an immigrant he was born in Cuba and his family had an opportunity to leave right after the revolution in Cuba. The family arrives at the airport to leave for America and the security personnel made a life changing statement; “Only the boy can go!” due to complications in the paperwork the parents were not permitted to leave and as parents they had to make a split second decision to allow their son to go ahead of them alone. It is hard for me to imagine the difficulty of such a decision to allow a child to go ahead of you alone to a new country – new everything. What was anticipated to be only a few weeks turned into 4 years before he would see his family again.

His education started in mechanics because that is what a guidance counselor told him that he would be good for that type of work. However, his grandmother told him to not allow anyone to place limitations upon his abilities. From the turning point he would go ahead and become the CEO of Bell South Latin America. During his early days in this position he would face 5 Presidential changes and the currency value plummet causing this company to go from $1 billion to $250 million overnight in net worth. The solution was to merge the 11 enterprises of Bell South Latin America into one company. They would turn this division around in one-year.

In the third phase of his leadership he would lead the merger of AT&T and Cingular in the largest cash purchase in history. This move would position AT&T to get in on the ground floor of the iPhone technology, Ralph de la Vega would be instrumental in explosive for AT&T. His leadership integrity was such that the Board of Directors bought into the idea of the iPone solely on the conviction and belief that Steve Jobs was going to be part of something revolutionary. AT&T would set a record one quarter earning of $50 billion and lead the company 9 years in a row for customer satisfaction.

What are the takeaways From Ralph de la Vega’s life story? To start with Ralph’s enthusiasm is riveting. SHARE your hopes and dreams with those you lead – Show (What do I want them to see) – Help (what I want them to do) – Amplify (What I can imagine) – Relate (What I want them to feel) – Enjoy (What do I want them to love).

Dream big and believe in yourself

Hoping is not a strategy

Be willing to unlearn what you have learned to embrace new things

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Is Leadership A Pipeline?

The Leadership Pipeline concepts usually center around various architectural systems that enable companies to perform at a more efficient level of influence in their industry according to the Leadership Pipeline Institute. For example, these systems can range from…..

  • Accounting systems for efficient control of expenditures, expansion, and exploration
  • Human Resource systems that set boundaries and growth markers within a given company
  • Succession plans on how the next leader will be chosen
  • Managerial layers of function and responsibility within a company

Well, I think that you get the idea. You would think these suggestions of systems are basic 101 Corporate Leadership, However,  many of these systems are nonexistent or feeble at best.

The title of this blog begs the question and definition of Leadership. I do not believe that anyone would argue against the need for efficiency of operation that maximises the use of resources. Is this the definition of leadership – systems, proficiency, stewarding resources? Is there something that is missing in that definition? My answer is YES!

HU is not an official element on the periodic table. The HUman element is more than proficiencies and performance measurements. The Human Element is more emotional and relational than quarterly performance markers. It is about the journey of LIFE in the context of other human beings in which laughter, tears, and accomplishments are shared on the human level of relationships.

As a leader, here are some questions to ponder.

  1. Are performance markers more important that relationships?
  2. Have you bought into the adage, “Leadership is lonely at the top?”
  3. Describe your relational skills?
  4. Define leadership?
  5. Assisting people in reaching their potential _______________________. Fill in the blank.
  6. Do you consider people to be too sticky?

Leave a comment, share an opinion in the comment section below.

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They Said It Was Impossible

Here’s the quick story from the book: “‘Select your purpose,’ Gandhi challenged, ‘selfless, without any thought of personal pleasure or personal profit, and then use selfless means to attain your goal. Do not resort to violence even if it seems at first to promise success; it can only contradict your purpose. Use the means of love and respect even if the result seems far off or uncertain. Then throw yourself heart and soul into the campaign, counting no price too high for working for the welfare of those around you, and every reverse, every defeat, will send you deeper into your own personal resource. Violence can never bring an end to violence; all it can do is provoke more violence. But if we can adhere to complete nonviolence in thought, word, and deed, India’s freedom is assured.’

The historian J.B. Kripalani, who became one of Gandhi’s closest co-workers, has said that the first time he heard Gandhi talk this way he was so shocked that he went up to him and told him point-blank: ‘Mr. Gandhi, you may know all about the Bible or the Bhagavad Gita, but you know nothing at all about history. Never has a nation been able to free itself without violence.’

Gandhi smiled. ‘You know nothing about history,’ he corrected gently. ‘The first thing you have to learn about history is that because something has not taken place in the past, that does not mean it cannot take place in the future.’”

Here is the principle for living today: Just because something hasn’t taken place in the past doesn’t mean it can’t happen in the future.

Go out today and change your world!

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Leaders Touch A Heart Before They Ask For A Hand

The Law of Connection

Definition of The Law

People in  leadership communicate in a variety of ways. Some lecture. Others bark out orders. Some assume their people already know what to do. And yet others hide out in their office, refusing to communicate until follower track them down and ask directly. These communication styles are unproductive. They all lack one thing – a failure to connect. For leaders to be effective and move their teams forward, they need to connect with team members. WHY? You first have to touch people’s hearts before you can ask for their hand! The old adage is true – People do not care how much you know until they know how much you care!

Ways To Connect

Be Relational, Not Positional – Barking out orders is positional. It assumes your employees will rush to obey simply because you are in charge. Do not lose sight of the fact that leadership is INFLUENCE first and foremost. People will ultimately follow you because they want to. Key question: have you taken the time to get to know the people you work with outside the office? Who are they, what are their dreams? Knowing this information allows you to tailor your communication on a very personal level.

Take The First Step – Many leaders make the wrong assumption that connecting is the followers responsibility. After all, I am the boss and it is their job to figure out what I want. Effective leaders make the first move in connecting and offering guidance always. This in turn empowers and encourages the team.

Be Authentic Offer Real Help – Do not act like you care – CARE! Believe in the values of your Team. Make sure that your words are authentic and match your behaviors. You gain credibility with your Team