Anonymity, Immeasurement & Irrelevance
I'm still processing Catalyst. One of the dangers with conferences is that you get lots of information but it doesn't result in transformation unless you actually implement something. So you can walk away from a conference feeling less effective because you've eaten from the tree of knowledge but haven't done anything with it.
One of the sessions that was most practical and most helpful to me was Patrick Lencioni. Because I'm a Lead Pastor it hit a nerve ending because I feel a profound responsibility for the team I lead. And I don't always feel like I do a great job. Some things come easily and naturally. We have a ton of fun together. And I think we've got a great culture. But we're much better at creativity than organization.
Lencioni offered three important reminders. Job misery is the byproduct of three things: anonymity, immeasurment, and irrelevance.
Anonymity is feeling like your boss doesn't know you and doesn't care. We all have the need to be known. Lencioni said that those of us in leadership need to see ourselves as life coaches to the people who work with us. I love that perspective!
Immeasurement is not knowing how you're doing. Lencioni said we all need to know that we're doing a good job. I think this is tough in the local church context. But we've got to find ways to give feedback and evaluate.
And Irrelevence is the need to know that what we do matters! I think this is where we have a distinct advantage in ministry, but it is the job of the leader to make sure that people don't get so engrossed in what they are doing that they forget why they are doing it. Leaders are always connecting the dots between what and why! We need to let people know that they are making an eternal difference!
One of the sessions that was most practical and most helpful to me was Patrick Lencioni. Because I'm a Lead Pastor it hit a nerve ending because I feel a profound responsibility for the team I lead. And I don't always feel like I do a great job. Some things come easily and naturally. We have a ton of fun together. And I think we've got a great culture. But we're much better at creativity than organization.
Lencioni offered three important reminders. Job misery is the byproduct of three things: anonymity, immeasurment, and irrelevance.
Anonymity is feeling like your boss doesn't know you and doesn't care. We all have the need to be known. Lencioni said that those of us in leadership need to see ourselves as life coaches to the people who work with us. I love that perspective!
Immeasurement is not knowing how you're doing. Lencioni said we all need to know that we're doing a good job. I think this is tough in the local church context. But we've got to find ways to give feedback and evaluate.
And Irrelevence is the need to know that what we do matters! I think this is where we have a distinct advantage in ministry, but it is the job of the leader to make sure that people don't get so engrossed in what they are doing that they forget why they are doing it. Leaders are always connecting the dots between what and why! We need to let people know that they are making an eternal difference!
9 Comments:
dude, i'm sure you hear this all the time, but i wanted to give you another reminder. i've been reading your blog consistently for about the past month, and through your intentional blogs you've helped me TREMENDOUSLY as a husband, soon-to-be-father, seminary student and leader in my church. THANKS a LOT and i encourage you to PLEASE continue to do the things you have to do to stay letting the LORD use you to pour into SO many lives unknowingly daily! (and yes i know that was bad grammar :))
-machead guy
i forgot to add as a speaker too...
-machead guy
Great post. I'm helping an IMB team to redefine who they are and what they do. I see all three of the "mserable" qualities in this team. What are some practical things you can do to fix these things?
Camel,
Great question. I think our play and pray retreat is one of the things that we do that is so healthy. And we try to cultivate staff relationships on our team. Some happen very naturally, but we try to do "staff get togethers" occasionally too so it feels like we're not just "doing ministry" together but "doing life" together.
I think evaluations are huge. It's probably not our strength, but it helps people know where they stand. And catch people doing things right--honor them and reward them when they do a good job!
And cast vision like crazy so people get the "why behind the what."
A few thoughts...
Mark
Just browsing your blog. Thought I would leave you with a good quote.
"The great end of life is not knowledge but action"
As a leader remember relationships make life rich! Invest in people and not systems and organize round creativity and not programs. The greatest leaders are very often not great managers.
Mark,
Thanks for the ideas. We're currently in the process of developing core values for our team. We currently have none (we do but not spoken). After that I'm hoping to use these values to frame alot of other things. Quarterly self-evaluations, mentoring during first 2 years on the field, coaching after the first 2 years, annual anonymous web-based surveys to evaluate where we are as a team. The goal is ethos, a common language. We're also trying to do an annual fun retreat in the summer and an annual planning, goal setting retreat each January with church partners from the states. All of this is kind of new for the IMB so we'll see what happens.
Few questions for you....
How did you develop your core values? Who crafted them? Who had input?
Do you have a "senior" staff that develops vision and does like "Blue sky" brainstorming? If so, how do you decide who is on that team?
Jack
Jack,
Such a good question. I'll try to post on core values in the next few weeks. Is that cool?
Feel like the question warrants a post!
Mark
Sounds good Mark.
Thanks!
Jack
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