BIG IDEAS

Becoming A Transcendent Leader

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Leadershift by John Maxwell

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Infinite Vs Finite

Developing People Over Profit

LINKS

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FREE GIFT – “Servant Leadership Questions” – Click on the icon at the bottom of the page

Executive Coaching Service– Private message me for details on this customizable service

Birkman Assessment

Leadershift by John Maxwell

Q&A – Contact me at ShepherdsAdvantage@gmail.com

Game Theory

Infinite Minded Leadership

Bibliography of Resources

[1] Sinek, Simon, The Infinite Game. Penguin Random House LLC. Ó2019.

[1] There is a great Bibliography list located at the conclusion of the article, Game Theory Explained, by Professor Avinash Dixit. Accessed 20, January 2019, https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/features/nash-game/

[1] Carse, James. Finite and Infinite Games. Free Press, 2013.

[1] Simon Sinek, The Infinite Game (Penguin Random House LLC Ó 2019), pp28-49.

[1] In chapter six pages 91-102 of The Infinite Game, there is a great discussion of the currencies of Resources and Will. How do you apply these concepts to the Spiritual Leader? What assets could be considered as Resources? What exactly is Will as it pertains to Faith initiatives?

[1] In Chapter 10 of The Infinite Game, there is a good discussion of Existential Flexibility – p.181ff.

[1] The Decline of Kodak – What Happened? Accessed 20 January 2019 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eVrmFgvEnAA

[1] Simon Sinek, The Infinite Game. (Penguin Random House LLC. Ó2019) Pp.200-201.

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FREE GIFT – “Servant Leadership Questions” – Click on the icon at the bottom of the page

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Birkman Assessment

Leadershift by John Maxwell

Q&A – Contact me at ShepherdsAdvantage@gmail.com

4 Keys of Active Transcendence

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Birkman Assessment

Leadershift by John Maxwell

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Qualities of Transcendent Leaders

SA Leadership Short-Cast

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FREE GIFT – “Servant Leadership Questions” – Click on the icon at the bottom of the page

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Birkman Assessment

Leadershift by John Maxwell

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Transcendent Leadership 2022

SA Leadership Short-Cast

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FREE GIFT – “Servant Leadership Questions” – Click on the icon at the bottom of the page

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Birkman Assessment

Leadershift by John Maxwell

Q&A – Contact me at ShepherdsAdvantage@gmail.com

Who Is Influencing You?

As we face the beginning of 2022, we are staring at irrelevance in all 8 streams of Influence in every society and nation on the planet. That is a huge statement to be making. However, if we simply focus on the current trends over the last 20 months, it is not hard to see irrelevance in all major streams of influence within every society. Allow me to mention these 8 streams of influence: 

Government, Business, Education, Faith, Healthcare, Media, Arts, & Sports

It seems that every stream of influence is pushing a moral/cultural agenda that no one is buying. We have lost common-sense because or wokeness and political correctness. Left is right and down is up! That said, this is not the worst thing to be focusing our attention. What could be worse you ask?

I do not see a concern that is sufficient for transformation and rehabilitation to occur. Currently, we are not even concerned at all about selling what the public is not buying. We are not concerned about being relevant!

So, allow me to personalize this Podcast by asking a piercing question – Are you relevant in your community & industry? Are you hanging with people that have a bigger vision? Is the room that you are in stretching you or suppressing you?

I want to give you 4 questions that will challenge your thinking about the people that you are currently allowing to influence your life.

The People Influencing Your Life Today…………

Are They Grounded? – As you consider who these influencers are in your life are they solid? Do they have their feet on the ground? Are they flighty? Are they leading with integrity?

Just remember that you can only grow based upon the foundation that has been dug and poured. Small-minded thinking, dreaming, acting, and influencing will not build lasting significance.

Are They Growing? –  Growth is not automatic! Intentionality is required. Aging is automatic – Growth is optional! Do your current influencers have a dream of being an Infinite-Minded Leader? In other words they are more interested in developing people who will take the dream far beyond your life-span. Trophies do not matter – Legacy is what matters! If these influencers do not have this type of mindset, you may be allowing and idol instead of a mentor to influence you.

Are They Grateful? – If the individuals that are influencing your life act without gratefulness – find somebody new to influence your life. You cannot go through life with an ungrateful attitude! Gratefulness celebrates “WE” and not “me.” Grateful leaders will hold you accountable for an attitude of gratefulness. 

Are They Generous? – Generous Leaders are not worried about if your success goes beyond theirs. They embrace this types of wins in other people. If those who are your influencers teach raw competitiveness and winning at all cost, remember this; A competitive spirit will always cause you to shortchange someone.

In such turbulent times we need Transformational Influencers that will impact others so they can impact their sphere of influence. We need these types of leaders to influence our speech, thought patterns, and actions in such a way that we become a positive transformational person for others.

The 8 streams of influence in every society is in desperate need of transformational leadership. WHY? Relevance is at stake! Without Relevance the 8 streams of influence are at great risk in holding our community together.

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Birkman Assessment

Leadershift by John Maxwell

Q&A – Contact me at ShepherdsAdvantage@gmail.com

Music: “Gratitude Mood” by David Arivett. You can learn more about his music by clicking on his name. THANKS DAVID!

Transcendent Leadership 2022

Here are six qualities of Transcendent Leaders according to Dr. Gregory Stebbins.

ACCEPTANCE – Unconditional acceptance is not acquiescing. Culture wars occur when arguments are reduced to right Vs. wrong over value differences. Simply embrace the value differences but stay committed to cultural values.

REVERENCE – This is simply a state of AWE for another “SELF”. When you embrace another “SELF” you are reaching deep within you and becoming aware of higher creative purposes and skills that has been given to each of us.

PRESENCE – Wisdom guides us to stay present when we interact with our stakeholders. Practicing unconditional positive-regard strengthens our capacity to connect with others and yourself in new and fresh ways. Presence requires discipline.

COURAGE – it takes great courage not to label people as good Vs. bad. Instead see people with a potential of growth. Transcendent leaders will facilitate opening the process within and between stakeholders. This lessens your need for autocratic control.

GRATITUDE – Operating from a consciousness of service, transcendent leaders being the wisdom of showing appreciation for ”SELF” and all stakeholders. The essence of gratitude comes from GRACE. Leading and living from a context of graciousness increases optimism and compassion with the organization.

HIGHEST GOOD – One of the major challenges of Transcendent Leadership to operate from a consciousness of “highest good of all concerned.” The key issue is to define who the stakeholders are. How you define stakeholder will force you to redefine traditionally held beliefs and practices.

LINKS

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FREE GIFT – “Servant Leadership Questions” – Click on the icon at the bottom of the page

Executive Coaching Service– Private message me for details on this customizable service

Birkman Assessment

Leadershift by John Maxwell

Q&A – Contact me at ShepherdsAdvantage@gmail.com

The State of Pastors 2021

A Crisis on The Horizon

YES we have moved from 3-n-10 to 2-n-5 pastors are giving serious consideration of leaving the ministry completely. This is a vocational exodus! When you consider there are approximately 350,000 protestant churches in America  with 38% considering leaving, this will become a crisis of spiritual leadership within our nation. This is 133,000 Pastors considering their departure today. To give a perspective on this number consider there are approximately 35,000 McDonalds in America. The possibility of spiritual leadership loss in American is greater than the iconic McDonalds fast food chain. 

Let’s examine some of the underlying points of data and discussion.

•We must reach back to 9/11 to see demographics at this level where people are considering leaving their current career.

•Understand, this is not a FAITH EXIT. It is however a career exit•Bi-vocational ministry has real potential for the future. There are huge pressures being exerted on pastor’s families and futures. This could be a beginning of significant changes in shaping what church looks like and how it will be conducted in the future.

•Currently, Pastoral Ministry is VERY HARD work with only ½ or less return for such incredible effort being exerted. Hard work with ½ return creates frustration.

•Pastors that are under the age of 45 have a 46% likelihood of quitting. Pastors over the age of 45 are 36% more likely to quit the ministry.

•When it comes to “Well-Being” there are six categories: Relational, Spiritual, Physical, Emotional, Vocational, and Financial well-being. One-third of all ministers stated they were below average to poor in these six essentials of Well-Being.

•Only one-n-three pastors say they are healthy in terms of Well-Being matrix.

•Healthy Pastors are defined as those who selected “Excellent” or “Good” as their response to the Well-Being matrix.

•Overall, the Pastors that are contemplating quitting are less healthy in all the well-being categories compared to Pastors who not contemplating quitting.

•We need to be careful about allowing correlation to be a means to causation. 

•The warning bells started sounding in the 2017 State of the Pastors study.

•After 18 months of the pandemic, along with congregational divisions, financial strain an alarming number of pastors are seriously leaving the vocational ministry for other pursuits in life.

David Kinnaman, President of Barna Research states that now more than ever, the church needs resilient leaders who are humble, agile, rooted in prayer and those who are committed to being healthy as an essential aspect of effective leadership.

LINKS

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FREE GIFT – “Servant Leadership Questions” – Click on the icon at the bottom of the page

Executive Coaching Service– Private message me for details on this customizable service

Birkman Assessment

Leadershift by John Maxwell

Q&A – Contact me at ShepherdsAdvantage@gmail.com

Music: “Gratitude Mood” by David Arivett. You can learn more about his music by clicking on his name. THANKS DAVID!

Inspirational Leadership 2022

Napoleon Bonaparte stated that Leaders are dealers in hope. So how do we inspire those who need to inspire? Inspiration is more than words on a wall. We begin by reconnecting people around the purpose of the organization. PURPOSE is timeless! VISION is time balanced/seasonal! 

2022 must be a year that we as leader embrace the true definition of leadership: Leadership is not being in charge, it is caring for those in your charge,

While it is true that leaders spend exorbitant amounts of time to enact the latest and greatest strategy. The downside to always chasing the trends is the very people we need to become our torch bearers for this new vision are being ignored. The primary thought to keep from ignoring people is to make sure we are developing people around our purpose first! Visionary strategies have a limited shelf life. Significance is where the real excitement is at.

Let’s focus upon the 4 Needs of Followers if we are to become the Inspirational Leaders for 2022.

Trust – Trust is an outgrowth of honesty, integrity and being a believable leader! Nobody desires to follow dishonesty and fabrications of reality. People desire honesty now more than ever. It feels at times that we have become a nation of lies and manipulated news. As a nation we have become tired and frustrated. We are searching for honest leaders that lead with integrity. Followers are looking for a person that inspires and that we can aspire to become.

Compassion – Coming out of the pandemic  we all are asking 3 very important questions: (1) Do you know me? (2) Can you help me? (3) Can I trust you? If the answer is yes then our need for emotional connection will be satisfied. Pre-pandemic there was a crisis of loneliness. We are more disconnected socially now than ever.

Stability – As a leader in this pandemic world with its multiple agendas, we need to demonstrate Calm, Clarity, and Purpose in the face of chaos! As a leader, when you are stable, you are in position to inspire others, Communicate clearly, and to effect change in your orbit.

Hope – Hope in this sense is not pie in the sky statements about I think – I feel. Rather it is more about declaring I see a way forward and I can see good times just ahead.

LINKS

Shepherds Advantage Leadership Podcast is now on iTunes – SUBSCRIBE

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FREE GIFT – “Servant Leadership Questions” – Click on the icon at the bottom of the page

Executive Coaching Service– Private message me for details on this customizable service

Birkman Assessment

Leadershift by John Maxwell

Q&A – Contact me at ShepherdsAdvantage@gmail.com

Music: “Gratitude Mood” by David Arivett. You can learn more about his music by clicking on his name. THANKS DAVID!