The Goehner Group

MISREAD THE CULTURE

I am sending you out like sheep among wolves therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves. Matthew 10:16

In more than twenty years of executive search and forty plus years of ministry leadership this issue has come up over and over.

In The Goehner Group we have learned “fit” is almost more important than any other ingredient in choosing a new leader. Many times a leader comes to a new organization, does not fit but is unaware until the first difficulties arise and it is apparent that he or she has misread the organizational culture. Culture also includes geography and often people from one part of the country cannot really effectively serve in another geographical location because they simply don’t fit.

A second issue is unbridled change e.g. making change for change sake, rather than reading the culture and understanding the organizational heritage, history, landmines and barriers before initiating any type of change.

The two issues I’ve discussed: “lack of fit” and unbridled change, normally result in pain for the relationship and an ugly departure.

Jesus sent out his disciples to be servant leaders but also to be shrewd, strategic and to read the culture before proceeding.

Remember-it’s about fit and when things don’t fit, such as a bad pair of shoes, pain is the ultimate result.

Hello Don,

Thank you sharing your gifts and expertise on board development.
The session on Thursday provided practical help that has given us hope in our current situation. Thank you on behalf of the UMC in Latvia and all the kids who will experience love and hope
Thank you!

In Peace, Dan Randall

FAILURE TO LEARN TO BE ALONE

Be still and know I am God. Psalm 46:10

Leadership is lonely. The longer I live and the more I lead the more cognizant I am of this reality.

Good leaders make decisions. Decisions that are difficult, and often misunderstood. In these economic times, those decisions may affect someone’s livelihood and family.

Those are times when you walk alone. However, you are not alone. God wants to be your constant companion. A Christian leader has the incredible gift of the Father. The One to whom you can turn when it is impossible to go anywhere else.

Many leaders fail because they don’t take time to get away. Those can be times of fasting, silence, devotional and scripture reading, prayer and journaling. When Bev died, just over two years ago, I began a practice of personal retreats that allowed me to grieve, to grow and to move forward. I would not trade those times for any experience in my Christian life. God has met me in special ways.

Test me O Lord and try me; examine my mind and my heart. Psalm 26:2

But He knows the way that I take; When He has tested me, I will come forth as gold.  Job 23:10

IMMATURE HUMAN BEINGS

I could not speak to you brethren as spiritual men, but as to men of flesh, as to babes in Christ. I Corinthians 3:2

Some people never quite “grow up.” The adolescent attitudes demonstrated by some Christian leaders are hard to observe. These individuals are insensitive to people, defensive to any questions and ultra sensitive to any criticism with the result that they often play the power chord-”I am the boss and that’s the way it’s going to be.”

Years ago I read a book called the Addictive Organization. The authors contend dysfunctional organizations are lead by dysfunctional leaders who are often addictive in their behavior. They mention such addictions as: work, power and bad health habits, like as obesity.

Some of the results of such behaviors are a life style of “blaming and keeping score.” R.T. Kendall, in his book Total Forgiveness describes the need to forgive and let go of all blame. When that occurs there is no need to score-that is God’s responsibility.

It’s imperative in our dysfunctional culture of today that our Christian ministries are lead by people who are emotionally and spiritually healthy. Paul had to warn the Corinthians about immature leadership and those of us in leadership today need to seek the attitude described in Philippians 2:5-8; namely “servant leadership.”

Though by this time you ought to be teachers, you have need again of someone to teach you the elementary principles of the oracles of God… Hebrews 5:12