Dan Gould

Tag: Leadership

  • Session #4 – Andy Stanley – The Upside of Tension (Leadership Summit 2010)

    THE UPSIDE OF TENSION
    The right amount of pressure & tension can be used to pick up a contact lens and/or throw a baseball. The key is to leverage that tension appropriately.

    1. Every organization has problems that shouldn’t be SOLVED and tensions that should be RESOLVED.
    A. For example: Whats more important?
    *Working and/or Family
    *Preaching inspired by the Holy Spirit and/or getting kids back from volunteers on time.
    *Excellence vs Sound Financial decisions
    *Theology and/or Application
    B. If you “resolve” any of those tensions, you will CREATE new tensions.
    *We have to learn to manage these problems and tensions … not solve/resolve them.
    C. If you resolve any of those tensions, you create a barrier to progress.
    D. Progress depends not on the resolution of those tensions but on the successful MANAGEMENT of those tensions.
    *When there are two opposing forces, you must create a third option/category, otherwise you end up with a win/lose. Or a lose/lose situation

    2. To distinguish between problems to solve and tensions to manage, ask the following:
    *Does this problem or tension keep resurfacing?
    *Are there mature advocates for both sides?
    ex. Keep church safe for seekers vs need to mature Christians
    *Are the two sides really independent?

    3. The role of leadership is to LEVERAGE the tension to the benefit of the organization.
    A. Identify the tensions to be managed in your organization.
    B. Create TERMINOLOGY EVERYONE KNOWS.
    C. Inform your CORE.
    *Key players must understand the principle or catch the vision.
    D. Continually give VALUE to both sides.
    E. Don’t weigh in too heavily on your personal biases.
    *Understand the UP SIDE of the opposite side.
    F. Don’t allow strong personalities to WIN the day.
    *You need passionate people to champion a side, but also a mature person that realizes it’s a tension that won’t ever be resolved.
    G. Don;t think in terms of balance. Think RHYTHM
    *Don’t try to be fair. – not we did x last year so to be fair lets do y this year.
    *Understand timing, time to learn, time to serve, time to preach/time to sing.
    *Identify tensions (not solvable) … and identify problems that do NEED to be solved.

    CONCLUSION: As a leader, one of the most valuable things you can do for your organization is differentiate between tensions your organization will always need to manage vs problems that need to be solv

  • Session #3 Adam Hamilton – When Leaders Fall (Leadership Summit 2010)

    WHEN LEADERS FALL

    *No-one is immune from a failure
    *Every Situation is Unique

    How do you approach this as Leaders and a Church?
    1. Ignore it
    2. Blast it, by Blasting them
    3. Just Fire them and Move on with out a lot of discussion
    4. Acknowledge it and talk about how we should deal with it
    *Help Unpack feelings that
    *It allows you to show the people who you really are

    How do you attempt to safeguard this from happening in your church
    Develop Policies
    *staff covenant that the staff signs every year
    *Policies of where you can go with people of the opposite staff
    *If it looks like a date, smells like a date, it probably is a date
    *Meet with staff about these policies
    *Remind the staff that we are all Human beings
    *We are wired for reproduction
    *We are wired for a intimacy and companionship
    *We are all sinners and these things lead us to do things we didn’t plan on doing
    *Paint a picture of Sin
    *The moment of the maybe – “What would it be like if …?”
    *We don’t ask the question “How does this end happy?”
    *What is it going to look like when you have to tell your spouse?
    *Even if you have feelings, never share them with the other person
    *Remind them that God id a God of Second Chances but it’s extremely hard to go for plan B

    5 R’s for RESISTING TEMPTATION
    *REMEMBER who you are!
    *RECOGNIZE the consequences of your actions!
    *Try to fan
    *REDEDICATE yourself to God
    Stop, Drop, and Pray
    *REVEAL your struggle to a trusted friend
    *REMOVE yourself from the situation
    *Sometimes there are radical things you have to do to avoid temptation
    *REMEMBER the Gospel is for Sinners

    BIG iDEAS
    *The aim of the Christian Life is Sanctification! AS LEADERS WE ARE CALLED TO HIGHER STANDARDS!!!
    1 thes 4:3-5&7
    *All of us are tempted as Human Beings

  • Session #2 Jim Collins – How the Mighty Fall (Leadership Summit 2010)

    To be of GREAT use and to Do GREAT work

    Good is the enemy of great
    *How do you make the leap to GREAT performance?
    *Greatness is largely a matter of choice and discipline!

    How do the mighty fall
    *If it can happen to them, it can happen to anyone! Anyone can fall and many do.
    *You can be sick on the inside and still look strong on the outside!

    5 STAGES OF DECLINE

    1. HUBRIS BORN OF SUCCESS
    *outrageous arrogance to neglect our life calling and failure to renew that everyday with the same passion as if when we first began
    *Bad decision made with good intentions are still bad decisions!
    *Three leaders described everyone of them understood that it’s not about them!!!!
    *Good to Great leaders are different they are level 5 leaders not level 4 leaders
    *What separated the #4 leaders from the #5 leaders was their Humility.
    *The greatest leaders signature was their humility!
    *It’s their drive to do whatever it takes for the advance of the organization and vision

    2. UNDISCIPLINED PURSUIT OF MORE
    *The mighty fall by going to far, by over-reaching
    *They break packards fall
    *Do we have all seats filled with fantastic leaders, if not, we are on the brink of falling

    3. DENIAL OF SICK AND PERIL
    *you look good on the outside
    * Look at handbook:
    *Teams on the Way up vs Team on the way down
    *Stockdale paradox
    *you must never ever confuse faith and facts
    *never give up but face the facts

    4. GRASPING FOR SALVATION
    *Looking for something to save the day
    *they look to the outside instead of from within
    *greatness is an accumulative process, not a single bullet, single event, single person.
    *every day, every week, every person matters.
    *You have to make the choice to continue to get better, and better, and better

    5. CAPITULATION OF IRRELEVANCE OR DEATH
    *It’s over, you are ready to give up, you’ve lost your influence

    What causes companies to stand strong and long
    *They had a reason for existence
    *They answer the question what would be lost if we disappeared
    *They are driven by purpose beyond money and success
    *They will not compromise product quality
    *They understand that they have to have the ability to change
    *They understand the power of AND when asked a this OR that question
    *There is a core that has to be held tight!
    *Preserve the core and stimulate progress
    *Hold the value constant

    TO DO
    1. Do your diagnostics (jimcollins.com) Good to Great diagnostic tools use it with your team
    2. Count your Blessings – don’t stop till you get 100
    you see all the good things that happen that we didn’t create
    3. What is your questions to statements ratio … can you double it in the next year
    *Ask the right questions
    *Invest more in being interested instead of interesting
    4. Answer question how many seats are on your bus
    5. Do the inventory
    6. Create an inventory of the brutal facts
    7. Create a Stop Doing List
    8. Define Results and Focus there
    9. Double your reach to young people by changing your practices without changing your core values
    10. Create, and/or Chase your Big Harry Audacious Goal

  • Session #1 Bill Hybels (Leadership Summit 2010)

    When leaders learn and grow, everyone wins!!

    The Leadership Slump …
    every leaders experiences it at some point. It causes us to doubt ourselves and our calling.

    LEADERSHIP FUNDAMENTALS

    1. LEADERS MOVE PEOPLE FROM HERE TO THERE!
    *We are here – current reality … but if we work hard we will move here.
    *You have to paint the picture for people to see so they can take steps to get there
    *Expect others to say, we like it here, we are staying here. Why mess with something thats not broken?
    *The first play is not to make THERE sound wonderful, the first play is to make HERE sound horrible.
    *Build the case of why we cant stay HERE.
    *People are ready for the THERE Speech because they have heard all the speeches saying why they cant stay here! Staying here Breaks the HEART OF GOD!

    *If you are a leader your job is to figure out where God is moving and get others to move there also!

    2. IT GONNA TAKE FANTASTIC PEOPLE
    *One of the greatest jobs and roles of leadership is establishing teams that move in the direction that God is calling us.
    *The 3 C’s of recruiting staff now the 4 C’s
    Character
    Competence
    Chemistry – do they get along with everyone
    Culture – What kind of person connects with the culture of our team. Will they fit into our culture
    Sacrifice

    *A fundamental of leadership is to attract people who will flourish in your leadership culture.

    Reactions to team members resigning
    * Relief
    * Oh No
    * Read it, read it again, and then realize that you might be losing someone that is irreplaceable.
    *Do you view this as a privilege or a hindrance to your movement of the organization?

    3. MILE MARKERS and CELEBRATIONS
    *When you are on the journey make sure to refill the vision bucket so you continue to move forward
    *Celebrate every mile marker on the way. Make sure you put them in to rejuvenate the team!
    *What keeps people on the journey is the sense of hope that they will get there someday!
    *Point out that you are no longer HERE you are halfway THERE!
    *The power of inspiration – 40% differential in the productivity of an inspired volunteer and an un inspirited volunteer!
    *When was the last time you through a party to celebrate the progress you have made thus far. Doing this keeps people on the journey.

    4. WHISPERS FROM GOD
    *JOHN 10:27 – My sheep hear my voice and they listen
    *You want to hear God, you have to read the Bible!!!!! Read it!
    *Do you listen to Gods promoting? It’s the feeling that allows you to see the unseen!
    *Do you believe that God still speaks today?
    *What is God whispering to me? Am I listening? What will I do? What will we do?
    *REALITY: Sometimes God speaks and we don’t hear Him because the other noise is so loud in our lives.
    *Will you do everything in your power to hear from the Lord?
    *If leaders world wide, would listen to the Whispers of God, it would radically change the coarse of history.

    LEADERSHIP WHISPERS FROM GOD
    *DONT QUIT!
    *STEP UP
    *TAKE THE RISK
    *APOLOGIZE NOW
    *MAKE THE TOUGH DECISION
    *GET HELP
    *STOP RUNNING FROM GOD
    *SLOW DOWN
    *SHOW YOUR HEART
    *LET OTHERS LEAD
    *FEED YOUR SOUL
    *BLESS THE TEAM
    *MAKE THE ASK
    *DO SOMETHING MORE IMPACTFUL
    *COME CLEAN
    *EMBODY THE VISION
    *CELEBRATE VICTORIES
    *COUNT YOUR BLESSINGS
    *END THE SECRET
    *CHECK YOUR MOTIVES
    *SET PACE
    *GIVE GOD YOUR BEST
    *GET PHYSICALLY FIT
    *SERVE YOUR SPOUSE AND KIDS
    *PRAY
    *HUMBLE YOURSELVES
    *SPEAK LORD YOUR SERVANT IS LISTENING

  • Stirring – Character

    “As a face is reflected in water, so the heart reflects the real person.” Proverbs 27:19 (NLT)

    Let’s face it, we have learned to play the game. “Fake it till you make it!” has become our motto in life. At a young age we learn to adapt to situations, groups, lifestyles and so on. We even learn to look good on the outside and hide what going on on the inside. Jesus addressed this when he confronted to the Pharisee’s in Matthew 23. Check it out here:

    “What sorrow awaits you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees. Hypocrites! For you are so careful to clean the outside of the cup and the dish, but inside you are filthy—full of greed and self-indulgence! 26 You blind Pharisee! First wash the inside of the cup and the dish,[i] and then the outside will become clean, too.” Matthew 23:25-26 (NLT)

    If God is stirring that means He is going after your heart. What is in your heart will eventually be seen in your actions and lifestyle. A person of Character is consistently evaluating the condition of their heart and mind. Their desire is to be like Jesus more and more everyday. Here are some qualities of people who have High Character:

    • They are people of integrity (their public and private lives are consistent)
    • They are truthful
    • They are authentic (what you see is what you get)
    • They stand up for truth, their convictions, and their commitments
    • They are self-controlled
    • They know when to talk and when to be silent
    • Their words and their lifestyle are consistent
    • They are letting God transform them from the inside out

    Being a person of Character simply means doing what is right because it is right. For a Christ Follower, that starts by allowing God to work on the inside, so the inside is revealed on the outside. Please understand that Character development is an ongoing process and doesn’t happen overnight! Everyday we have the opportunity to be transformed. So, with that being said, here’s the bottom line: If God is stirring, and we desire to be used by Him in supernatural ways, we have to become people of Character by allowing God to transform us from the inside out! It starts and ends with Romans 12:1-2,

    “And so, dear brothers and sisters,[a] I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him.[b] 2 Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.” Romans 12:1-2 (NLT)

    Today, let’s ask God to change us from the inside out, that we would posses these qualities and become people of character that can be used by Him.

  • Stirring – Accountability

    “As iron sharpens iron, so a friend sharpens a friend.” Proverbs 27:17 (NLT)

    When I was 18 this verse was grained in me by my Youth Pastor. He modeled and taught me how important accountability is.  When we look at this verse, it sounds simple!  We all want and have friends.  But this verse goes deeper than just a simple Friendship.  For iron to be sharpened it has to have some kind of friction that make it sharper.  For you to be the person God has created you to be, and then to do the things he is calling you to do, you need to have people in your life that can and will hold you accountable.  These are people you trust. People that love you unconditionally.  These are people you give permission to ask you the hard questions.  You need people that create Godly friction in your life so you will become more like Christ.

    The fact is, we need these people in our life.  Our relationship with Jesus is a personal one, but it’s not intended to be a private one. We need people to help us see the things we don’t see.  We need people to help us own the things that we want to hide.  We need people to hold us up, when we are fighting sin and feel weak. We need people to encourage us with words of life!

    I have been blessed with some great men of God that have held me accountable.  I am in a group right now that is holding me accountable to these 10 things:

    • Have I spent daily time in the Scriptures and in Prayer?
    • Have I had any flirtatious or lustful attitudes, tempting thoughts, or exposed myself to any explicit materials which would not glorify God?
    • Have I been completely above reproach in my financial dealings?
    • Have I spent quality relational time with family and friends?
    • Have I done my 100% best in my job?
    • Have I told any half truths or outright lies, putting myself in a better light to those around me?
    • Have I shared the Gospel with an unbeliever this week?
    • Have I taken care of my body through daily physical exercise and proper eating/sleeping habits?
    • Have I allowed any person or circumstances to rob my joy?
    • Have I lied on any of these answers today?

    Accountability is risky! It makes you vulnerable!  But it doesn’t work unless you are truthful and ask for it.  I can tell you several stories of people, men and women, who have fallen because of a lack of accountability.  Some of these people even had great, Godly people in their lives, but they didn’t allow anyone to love them, ask the hard questions, and help them become the person God created them to be. But I can also tell you stories of victory.  Where someone seeks accountability and God changes that person from the inside out and goes on to use them in great ways.

    Here is the point, God is more concerned with Who you Are, than what You Do!  Many times we forget this and miss the most important things in being a Christ Follower . . . becoming like Christ ourselves.  We need each other and together we can be the people God has created us to be.

    “Two people are better off than one, for they can help each other succeed. 10 If one person falls, the other can reach out and help. But someone who falls alone is in real trouble.”
    Ecclesiastes 4:9-10 (NLT)

    Today, will you be a person that tries to do this on your own, or will you invite others in so you can be the person God has created you to be?

  • Stirring

    “Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think.” Ephesians 3:20 (NLT)

    Have you ever had this feeling that God was about to blow you away?  I’m not talking about striking you down or writing you off.  I’m talking about blowing you away by something He does in you, around you, and possibly even through you.  Has it happened before?  Could it happen again?

    Every time I see this verse I am blown away by Gods ability to use a person like me to advance His Kingdom. I mean, he knows all my failures, the things I wrestle with, and despite all these things, he uses me.  This in itself is a miracle.  However, I believe it is the desire of Gods heart to move through his people and do what we think is impossible.

    Luckily for me I have had some great people in my life that have challenged me, loved me, encouraged me, and held me accountable.  God has used these people in huge ways.  But just like God has used these people in my life, He wants to use me in another persons life.  This is where the stirring begins to happen.

    Being aware that the creator of the universe, loves me, has a purpose for me, and  desires to use me, is the stating point for you and I to see God do the impossible.  It’s the starting point to see Him do infinitely more than we might ask or think.  Have you come to this awareness?  If so, how are you responding?

    I feel that God is on the verge of doing something big in my life, I have no idea what that might be, I just know that He is stirring my heart and my thoughts.  Yes there are times it’s scary.  Sometimes it’s going to be scary because I (we) have to rely on His voice, His power, His wisdom, and His provision.  Peter was scared to step out of the boat, but when he did, he walked on water. Here’s the lesson, if I (we) want to see God sized results, it must not be about me (us) it has to be about Him, and I (we) must keep my (our) eyes on Jesus.

    Over the next couple of days I want to break down some of my thoughts and desires on what God is stirring on the inside of me.  If it can be an encouragement to you, great!  But to be honest, this may be more for me than for you, but you are welcome to join me in this journey … who knows, maybe God is stirring you in the same way He is stirring me.  If that’s the case lets take serious this verse and ask God to prepare us for to be blown away by what He Chooses to do!

    Today, lets ask God to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think.

  • Our Early Time

    This morning as we were getting ready Josiah said something that really caught me off guard but encouraged me also.  As he was in the shower he said, “Dad, we haven’t had our early time yet.”  I had to ask him what our early time was and this is what he said.  You know that time you get up early to talk with God.  WOW!

    A couple of weeks ago Josiah got up a little after I had and came out in the living room to ask what I was doing.  I told him that I get up early to read my Bible and talk with God.  I had no idea that it totally registered with him, but after today I understand that it has.

    Here is the lesson for me . . . He is watching everything that I do!  I know I have a lot of bad traits and habits that unfortunately Josiah and Jackson will probably pick up.  However, what I model for them is impacting them in real ways.  Nothing humbles me and yet excites me more than what Josiah shared with me today.  It almost like I was being held accountable by a 4 year old.  But he is watching, and as he grows, he will remember that his dad would get up early to spend time with God, and hopefully he will do the same thing because I modeled that for him.

    This song captures what I am feeling right now!

  • Donald Miller Prays at the DNC

    Well since we spent the last week in the hospital with Jackson I missed some of the news and coverage of the Democratic Convention. However, my good friend Tyler and our new Student Worship Coordinator showed me these two videos yesterday take a look

    Vodpod videos no longer available.

    more about “Donald Miller Prays at the DNC“, posted with vodpod

    Wow, what a great prayer, wish I could have heard all of it without the sound going out!  Was he censored? Before his prayer he did this interview with Christianity today!

    Vodpod videos no longer available.

    more about “Donald Miller“, posted with vodpod

    — What do you think?  Have you read any of Donald Millers books?  Do you agree with what he says? Why or why not?

  • Life In Transition 5 – Giving Away Ministry by Empowering Leaders

    One of the greatest ways to hit a glass ceiling in your ministry is to try to do it all yourself!  Trust me I know!  I struggle with this daily . . . but I am getting better!  Over the last year I have had the privilege of being involved in some intense leadership training.  One of the things I learned during this time was the difference between an Achiever and A leader.  I learned that I am more of an Achiever than I am a Leader.  That’s doesn’t sound too bad, right?  Well, let me define these two for you:

    An Achiever – Gets the Job Done.
    A Leader – Gets the Job Done Through Other People!

    Based on this definition, which one are you?  Well if you are shocked like I was and you find yourself more of an achiever than a leader . . . there is good news.  The good news is that all of us can learn to be leaders and even be better leaders.  The reality is this, as we become better leaders, more people are going to follow our leadership.  When more people follow our leadership, it produces more needs, thus, requiring us to give away ministry opportunities by Empowering other leaders to meet those needs.  I wish I could say I have this all down, but this is still real raw in me and something that I am learning as I go.  But here are some things that I would say are important to every leader if they want to see their ministry to go to the next level!  As a leader you must . . .

    Cast the Vision Often
    It is important for your team to know where the ministry is headed and why.  This will help answer questions about why you are doing certain things a certain way and not doing some things that may have been good in the past.  It also allows them to begin to tell others about what is going on in your specific ministry.  This keeps you from being the only voice speaking on behalf of your area of responsibly, in my case, students!

    Recruit/Hire the Right People
    This may sound harsh but it is crucial.  The health of your ministry is going to be dependant on the volunteers you recruit or inherit, and the people you hire.  Make sure you do your homework before turning someone loose.  Empowering the wrong leader can be very destructive and might take months even years to recover from.  Getting the right people on the team may take time.  Be patient and don’t rush it.

    Empower Leaders to Lead
    Once you recruit that new volunteer or hire that new staff member, empower them to lead a specific area of ministry.  If you have a job description for that specific ministry, communicate those expectations and r responsibilities.  However, if you don’t have a job description, don’t feel like you have to know how to do that specific ministry before you hand a ministry off to someone.  Maybe you have an idea, but someone else has the expertise, allow them to tell you how their talent or giftedness could be used to enhance, broaden, or deepen your ministry.  You will be better off letting them develop the “how” after you share the “what” with them!  Remember, the human body is made up of different parts for a reason.  The important thing is that all the parts work together to achieve the overall goal, your ministry needs to function in the same way, different parts working towards one goal.

    Create an Environment where Failure is OK
    Yes I said it.  Great successes, many times, comes from several failures.  Don’t let the fear of failure keep you from having the faith to try something new.  However, if failure happens, learn from it so you don’t repeat it.  Developing this type of environment will allow others the ability to be more creative, to try new things, and to take bigger risks!  However, navigate wisely, encourage and evaluate often!

    Celebrate Victories Together
    It’s easy to always talk about the things that need our attention, the areas that need fixed, the opportunities that need to be taken advantage of, and the list goes on.  But don’t forget to talk about the good things that are happening.  God is at work somewhere, so talk about it!  Maybe ask these questions, “Where is God working?  Who/What is God using? What has been happening?”  These victories, whether big or small, are easily overlooked but worthy to be talked about!  Why?  Because it validates our ministry, reminds us of why we do ministry, restores our passion for ministry, and creates momentum for future ministry!

    Provide Additional Training
    Leaders are Learners and training can come in many styles. Provide opportunities to grow as a team as well as opportunities for them to grow personally and professionally.  Remember, the health of your ministry is dependant on the health of your leaders.  Don’t overlook this area, even if it’s small, do something.  Sometimes, the best training is just doing life together!

    These are just some thoughts that I hope can help or inspire you give away ministry.  I know I still have a lot to learn and would love to learn from you, so here is the question . . .

    When it comes to Giving Away Ministry by Empowering Leaders, what have you learned?  Please share so I, and others, can learn from you!