When an organization is not functioning properly, the first factor criticized is often the people within the organization. Reality is, People rarely are the main issue or cause. Robert Watts Jr. wrote a book titled, “People Are Never the Problem.” His book deals with a different topic than this article and I deal in opportunities, not problems. Yet, I like the title and it is appropriate.

When an organization is not functioning effectively or properly, it is rarely a people issue. The issue normally lies with the processes set within the organization. That’s right. Your “problems” if you deal with problems are not the people within the organization. Rather they are likely indeed with the processes.

Why was Southwest by far the most successful airline for its first twenty-five years in business? Because it had fruitful processes, effective systems in place. How did Chick-fil-A from 2011 to 2018 increase its revenue annually by 15 percent when the market average was less than 3.5 percent? Because Chick-fil-A builds the same fruitful processes within each employee in every store.

What I refer to as processes, Craig Groeschel, in Lead Like It Matters, refers to as systems. Processes/systems are those repetitive actions you use to accomplish your goals and advance the mission of your organization. Groeschel says systems are how you accomplish your what.

Every organization has systems/processes for doing. Some processes are intentional, others are not. The processes used regularly in your organization are either moving your organization forward toward your goals and fulfilling your mission, or they are holding you back. The results you are getting right now are the precise results your processes are designed to deliver. Check your processes. It’s not your people.

When was the last time your organization’s leadership examined your processes for accomplishing your goals and your mission? If you’re not completely satisfied with the fruitfulness of your organization, before criticizing your people, begin with these questions;

1, What processes/systems are being practiced that need to be overhauled or buried?

2, What new processes need to be put in place?

3, What will the results of this new process look like?

4, What needs to happen by whom to achieve fruitful results?

5, How can we encourage and exhort the expected behaviors from members of our organization?

There were many airlines flying during Southwest’s first twenty-five years. There are many fast-food restaurants in business today. Why did these two excel far above the others? It’s Not your people.

George Yates is an Organizational Health Strategist and coach, assisting churches, organizations, and individuals in pursuing God’s purpose for life. Click here to receive this blog in your email inbox each Tuesday.

Early in my Christian, church leadership days, I had a decision to make.  A service was needed in our church which required hiring an outside para-church organization. I interviewed two or three companies. One of the men I interviewed was a member of our church. In the end I contracted with one of the other organizations, whom I thought would give us a better product.

A few people in the church were upset and queried why I would choose a company other than the one of our church member. It turns out we had members from two families in the church working for this organization. They would’ve provided an adequate product for us, yet I had made my decision. With several people in the room, including the young man whose family was negatively impacted by my decision, the Senior pastor asked me, “Are you confident that you made the right decision?” I answered, “Yes.” He replied, “Okay then. It’s done.”

Through the years, I have thought of that situation and realized, yes, I made the best decision according to my leadership training and the years I had spent in leadership in the corporate world. It was not a bad decision – for the church members, for our budget, for the resulting product. It was good in all these areas. But did I do right by my brother in Christ? Today, I would likely give the work to my fellow church member.

Both organizations did very good work and produced quality resources. I had based my decision on all corporate worldly factors, not factoring in the financial and spiritual welfare of my fellow church member. Like many younger leaders I was somewhat impetuous in my decision-making. Seasoned leaders are likely to be more sensitive to the physical, fiscal, and spiritual aspects of decision making.

Good leaders are analytical. I was analytical in my decision making, at least from a corporate America point of view. Seasoned leaders are not only analytical, they are also sensitive to areas younger leaders tend to miss. Don’t tense up younger leaders. I am speaking from experience and from reading research on the topic. Seasoned leaders are more likely to acknowledge calculated risk factors of decision making. Seasoned spiritual leaders tend to seek counsel from other wise, seasoned spiritual leaders.

My encouragement to young leaders is to yes be analytical, learn to be sensitive to the needs of all who will affected by your decision, and be certain to surround yourself with seasoned spiritual decision-making leaders. They are not all old and outdated. They can help give you wise counsel that could save some embarrassment and hardship and may be able to see beyond your blind spots. Can you name three such leaders in your life?

George Yates is an Organizational Health Strategist and coach, assisting churches, organizations, and individuals in pursuing God’s purpose for life. Click here to receive this blog in your email inbox each Tuesday.

The Pilgrims who landed at Plymouth Rock over 300 years ago knew nothing of the affluent times which you and I enjoy today in this great country of ours. During that first long winter at Plymouth Colony, seven times as many graves were made for the dead as homes for the living.

The Pilgrims didn’t have much, in fact the ship which was to bring food and relief brought 35 more mouths to feed, but not an ounce of provisions. no food.

The Pilgrims didn’t have much, but they possessed a great gratitude and it was upon this very gratitude that America was built. For years following that first winter they had a custom of putting 5 kernels of corn on each empty plate before a dinner of “thanksgiving” was served.

Each member of the family would pick up a kernel and tell one thing they were thankful for. It was to remind them that the first Pilgrims were in such dire straits that their food allowance was only 5 kernels of corn per person each day. Can you imagine living through the harsh winter conditions with only five kernels of corn to eat each day?

We have many reasons to be thankful today. Let’s take 5 kernels of corn and using Psalm 103:1-5 look at 5 kernels of blessing from God.

1 Praise the LORD, O my soul; all that is within me, praise his holy name.

2 Praise the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits—

3 who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases,

4 who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion,

5 who satisfies your desires with good things so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.

1, The kernel of forgiveness. – “Praise the lord, O my soul, who forgives all your sins.” (v 3a)

2, The kernel of redemption – “Praise the lord, O my soul, who redeems you from the pit.” (v 4a)

3, The kernel of healing – “Praise the Lord, O my soul, who heals all your diseases.” (v 3b) All healing comes from God and He has power over all diseases.

4, The kernel of love and compassion – “Praise the Lord, O my soul, who crowns you with love and compassion.” (v 4b)

5, The kernel of satisfaction and renewal – “Praise the Lord, O my soul, who satisfies your desires with good things so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.” (v 5)

We have much more to be grateful for than those early pilgrim settlers. May our sense of gratitude this Thanksgiving season be fully upon the God Almighty as was theirs. And why not place five kernels of corn on each plate and start your own thanksgiving tradition.

George Yates is an Organizational Health Strategist and coach, assisting churches, organizations, and individuals in pursuing God’s purpose for life. Click here to receive this blog in your email inbox each Tuesday.

What kind of topics of your life do you enjoy talking about? You want to talk about your victories, your strengths and accomplishments, correct? We have a tendency to broadcast our strengths, our victories and cover up our weaknesses, our failures. No one enjoys broadcasting his/her weaknesses. We want to hide them, shun them, and not talk about them.

Now, I am not one to dwell on weaknesses. But, have you ever felt like your weaknesses were overpowering your strengths? We all have at times in our lives. Can I share with you that is okay. At least, as long as we see that as an avenue for improvement and self-awareness. Understanding and acknowledging our weaknesses is a fundamental factor in growing into our full potential. God uses our struggles with weakness to draw us closer to Him and to show us our real strength is found in Him.

It has been said that our weaknesses “force us to look down into the depth of our humanity and discover the deep-seated pockets of selfishness and pride we didn’t know were there.”[i] While growing in Christlikeness this is where we learn that it is okay to admit our weaknesses. I often refer to it as sharing your vulnerabilities. If you are not willing to share your personal vulnerabilities, weaknesses, you are not willing to be a true leader.

Another lesson from the Apostle Paul, who wrote in 2 Corinthians 12:9-10 first sharing what he had learned from Christ. “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Understanding Christ’s teaching, Paul then said, “Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses so that Christ’s power may rest on me. I delight in weaknesses…For when I am weak, then I am strong.”

Realizing, and letting our weaknesses be made known allows God’s glory to shine through greater and brighter than any words or deeds we can share. Culture has told us all of our lives to hide your weaknesses. Do not put them on display. Shun them, cover them up. Jesus says, in your weaknesses my (Christ’s) strength will shine through. It is through my weakness that Christ’s strength is made known more clearly to all around.

Reading throughout the Holy Scriptures you will find God intentionally seeking out the weak to demonstrate and affirm His power and strength. God takes our inadequacies and builds upon them His majestic works. Out of my weaknesses He is making something beautiful.

Focus on building on your strengths. But do not run from your weaknesses. God gave you those so he could shine through you. Allow God to be the weakness transformer in your life.

George Yates is an Organizational Health Strategist and coach, assisting churches, organizations, and individuals in pursuing God’s purpose for life. Click here to receive this blog in your email inbox each Tuesday.

[i] Go the Distance, John Trent, Focus on the Family Publishing, © 1996

“I think I’ve taken this church as far as I can.” “I think its time for a career change.” “How did you get started? I’m thinking about doing…” Several times each year I have conversations which start with one of those three lines. Not all pastors, many are people who have been in a church I’ve served, worked with, or have attended one or more of my speaking engagements. They could be speaking about their profession, church, relationships or any number of life’s arenas.

Each one, men and women alike, are looking for a change to bring greater satisfaction. My response is to have them unpack for me what has brought them to this line of thought. Asking what I call a “Tell me more” question, without using those three words. Something as, “Can you unpack that for me? What is happening that has you considering such a move?”

In their response, I regularly hear dissatisfaction. This dissatisfaction can come in a variety of forms; a leader who feels he cannot get the support needed (from above or those serving under him). For others there seems to be no challenge in his/her work or volunteerism. Whatever the reason, there seems to be an empty spot in life.

Sometimes, there is great satisfaction in the area he/she desires to change. They equate the void in life to that area. Yet, it may not be related to that area. Stan for example: Stan’s work is going great, but he is considering changing companies or starting his own firm. Stan contacted me asking how I got started.

The first issue each one of us must address is, “Is this something I have dreamed up or is this God’s calling on my life?” If not God’s calling, even if this “thing” seems to be a perfect fit for you, it will not bring the desired satisfaction and fill that longing void. The world is filled with many good intentioned people who chased a dream that failed and brought the opposite of satisfaction.

The next idea to assess, especially if this area is going so great, is other areas of their life, relationships, recreational hobbies and pass times. Though all of these may be in good standing, I want him/her to think through and examine those areas before we move on. Then I move to the area where we often find the missing link.

This missing link is often in the spiritual realm of service. Stan had taught Sunday School for years at his former church, and after transferring to his current city with his job, his family found a church that seemed to meet their needs. They attend regularly, rarely missing. But Stan had not engaged in any ministry. As we unpacked Stan’s story we found his issue was not job related, it was spiritual service oriented. Stan, like many others, connected dissatisfaction with the physical realm, when it was actually spiritual.

God created in our DNA an innate desire and need to serve others. Yet we believe to get satisfaction, we must take care of our physical desires first. Instead of always trying to satisfy your physical wants and desires, why not examine the spiritual side of your created being? This is always the real issue.

George Yates is an Organizational Health Strategist and coach, assisting churches, organizations, and individuals in pursuing God’s purpose for life. Click here to receive this blog in your email inbox each Tuesday.

No one awakens in the morning and intentionally thinks, “Now, what can I do today to mess up my life?” Again, no one awakens with the intentional thought, “I want to see just how miserable I can make my life today.” While I believe no one intentionally has these thoughts, many people go about day by day fulfilling the requirements of these statements/questions.

I pray you are not one of them, but you do see them every day. You pass by them, or they pass by you on your morning commute. You pull up beside them at every traffic light. You meet them at the coffee shop, doctor’s office, the gas pump and even near your work station.

Many of these people have spent their entire working life reaching for what they want, only to find it is not enough. Many display the outward appearance of success, yet inside feel like a failure. No amount of success is ever enough to bring lasting satisfaction.

The bottom line is when we chase after earthly things, success, titles, position, money, even leisure, we can never attain enough. None of these earthly treasures will bring the peace and joy our hearts desire. They cannot. Reaching for these longing to find peace, satisfaction, and happiness, only lead to sorrow, misery and messed up lives. No matter how many highs and triumphs we attain, any satisfaction and pleasure is short lived.

Happiness comes from external circumstances. Happiness is always fleeting. Happiness can be wiped out in a matter of seconds. Joy on the other hand comes from inside, not from external instances. True joy comes from God above. Only God can give a person Joy because God is the creator and possessor of Joy. True joy can only belong to one who sets aside all earthly desires for self and follows after the desires of the God of the universe.

It is only when we lay aside our chasing after what we think will bring success and happiness, that we can find joy, peace, and a greater success than this earth can give. Once you have experienced this joy peace and fruitfulness that comes from God above, you want more. I have said that I am a “God experience junkie”. I am addicted. I want more. Once you experience this joy, you never want to go back to fleeting happiness.

Things to consider: 1) Am I chasing after my dreams or what God created me to be?

2) Am I living for one of those fleeting moments of happiness or for those awe-inspiring God moments?

3) How many of the items on my calendar this week are to help someone else rise above their apparent circumstances and not about me and my personal life?

4) Is accomplishing my goals as pleasing to God as they are to me?

Answering these four questions can lead you toward a peace that passes all understanding, a satisfaction greater than winning a national championship, and experiencing a Joy that is from out of this world.

George Yates is an Organizational Health Strategist and coach, assisting churches, organizations, and individuals in pursuing God’s purpose for life. Click here to receive this blog in your email inbox each Tuesday.

In the past I have written about organizational culture. Organizational culture is the makeup of all the regular, repetitive practices of those inside your organization. These practices will determine your fruitfulness or lack thereof. In most organizations (business or churches) the culture is not premeditated or developed by leadership. It forms certain practices on its own developing as it morphs. Like yeast in a ball of dough. If your existing culture is not producing as desired or needed, it can be changed, but change is slow.

In the church, you can claim your church is an evangelistic church, but if the practices of your people are not demonstrating an evangelistic fervor, you are not an evangelistic church. That is not in your culture. Likewise many churches consider themselves to be caring, yet few truly care across the board to members and all members of the community alike. These churches culture demonstrate the following: “We are a caring church for those we like and are close to, not to everyone.”

Observe highly productive and fruitful organizations and you will find an organizational culture that drives the organization to fruitfulness (success). Observing these fruitful organizations, you will see certain principles in place, but each organization will have its unique culture. In other words, no two organizational cultures are exactly alike. There is not one size fits all when it comes to organizational culture.

Developing a fruitful organizational culture will take time. To have a new, vibrant culture ingrained in the organization will take three to five years. You start with slow, small steps and slowly, but intentionally move forward. The following are three concepts to consider when trying to implement a new culture within your organization.

1, What do we as an organization value most? How should these values be demonstrated day in-day out? Have you set down and seriously thought (prayed) through the true core values of your organization? It is not a good practice to search the internet for core values. Those are not yours, they belong to someone else.

2, What consistent behaviors of our members will demonstrate the high performance to fulfill these values? Leaders need to identify the behaviors that will demonstrate high yield and then identify current behaviors keeping your organization from being a high-yielding, fruit bearing entity.

3, What would you like the number one talking point to be about your organization both from your members and the community you serve? Does the community know you exist? Do they know why you exist? How can you better assist them in understanding who you are as an organization and why you exist?

Transforming the organizational culture is not for the faint at heart, but the results can be 30-60- or even 100-fold. For the church that is Kingdom fruit bearing. And it is our mandate. Will you begin praying today about the culture within your organization (church) and pray for your part in the transforming of the organizational culture?

George Yates is an Organizational Health Strategist and coach, assisting churches, organizations, and individuals in pursuing God’s purpose for life. Click here to receive this blog in your email inbox each Tuesday.

“Mommy, I don’t know how,” little Marrissa stated pleadingly as she walked into the kitchen with her shoe laces dragging behind her feet. Within a couple of minutes another voice, Shelly, the oldest daughter, called out from another room, “Mom, do you know where my favorite jeans are? I can’t find them.” Billy, the family’s only son queried from his bedroom, “Mother, do we have to go to school today? Can’t this be another Saturday?” Emily (Mommy, Mom, & Mother), solicited of her husband, “Bob, if you will help Billy get dressed, I can tend to these other things.”

Whether you are in an official leadership position or not, every one of us has people in our lives with needs. We are all providing leadership. Ken Blanchard in Situational Leadership lists four types of leadership that every leader should learn to deploy. As seen in the first paragraph, not only in the corporate world, these four are part of our lives everywhere we find ourselves. Even at home.

Little Marrissa needed direction. She needed someone to help her learn competency in tying her shoes. In the business world and in volunteer organizations, a new person in any position needs direction. They may have desire and personal confidence yet lack the confidence and competence to complete the new assignment without being given direction.

Mom could have used directing leadership with Shelly as well. But what Shelly really needed was coaching. She had the competence to find her jeans, her end goal. By coaching her in how and where to begin her search and steps to take to find her jeans, Mom would be assisting Shelly in putting her confidence and competence together to accomplish the task at hand. This is coaching leadership.

Billy had both competence and confidence in school. This morning, Billy was being all boy. He wanted another day to play and be free to do, boy things. His mother could have given Billy direction, she could have coached him in the importance of school. But she realized what Billy needed in this instance was support and encouragement. When people have both competence and confidence in their role, what is needed from leaders is support. Knowing that leaders have confidence in my abilities gives me strength through encouragement. This is supporting leadership.

Emily was glad to have one person in the home this Monday morning who did not need directing, coaching or supporting leadership. Yet, with her husband, Bob, Emily uses the fourth type of leadership, delegation. Bob has confidence and competence to complete the task at hand without supervision. The supervision of the task has been turned over to Bob. This is delegation leadership.

Those to whom you give leadership can fall into any one or all of these categories in various areas of life and job performance. A person in an office environment may do well fulfilling his particular task, requiring only support or delegation. This same person may not be as competent or confident in operating a new copier in the office. In this case direction or coaching leadership is needed.

It is important as a leader to understand each of these four types of leadership and know when to use each one. What can you do today to begin developing these four types of leadership – whether you are a CEO or a stay-at-home mother?

George Yates is an Organizational Health Strategist and coach, assisting churches, organizations, and individuals in pursuing God’s purpose for life. Click here to receive this blog in your email inbox each Tuesday.

Pastor Ron cannot understand what is happening. He prayed about this need for the congregation. He spoke about it with three key leaders of the church and the church’s worship leader. He shared with the church last Sunday what needed to happen. Then this past Sunday he shared the change that would be taking place. We’ve prayed about this. We’ve studied and looked at possibilities. This was clearly what we need as a church. “Why don’t they understand and want to move forward with this?”

When a change for your organization is proposed that is not part of the current culture or supported within it, an adjustment of the current culture is essential and necessitated. Yet, caution is to be observed here. A major reason for failure of needed change in organizations (churches) is leadership moving too quickly without bringing the members along through the change process.

Accepting change takes time. People need to be eased into major change, especially when the change is not within their normal organization experiences (culture). A fault of leadership is thinking “We’ve been studying this for months”. Perhaps the leadership has, but the people affected within the organization have not spent the time studying, researching, and praying as have the leaders. A good factor for leaders to remember is – When you have studied and researched it until you’re tired of thinking and talking about it, the members of your organization have likely only recently heard of the change and have not had time or resources to fully process the upcoming changes.

Fruitful change in any organization happens best when leaders spend time researching all options, contemplating, praying about pros and cons of the change, exploring how to positively overcome objections from within and outside the organization. In addition to this it is imperative to slowly bring the members of the organization along – again I say slowly.

At first, they do not need to know every detail, only the reason you are researching and the benefit to the organization. Build on your reasoning slowly, adding small pieces and bits of information that will help the members adapt and adopt. You want to feed them truthfully, but not choke them with too big a bite at one time. To lead is to bring others along with you.

Another beneficial action is to pray about early adopting members who could serve on a team to help provide leadership in the research, development, and implementation of the needed change. During the process have members of the team share publicly to members of your organization. Hearing from their peers aids members in accepting needed change.

The more you can bring members along during the research and development process of any major adjustment, the greater chance of altering the culture for a fruitful future. Understanding the behavior patterns of the people who make up your organizational culture, will greatly aid in the development and implementation phases of needed change.

For more information on leading change download and read the following Microsoft Word – Understanding People and Change (soncare.net) or Microsoft Word – Understanding People and Change (churchhealthal.org)

You can lead change in your organization. Slow down, take a deep breath and follow these steps for fruitful change.

George Yates is an Organizational Health Strategist and coach, assisting churches, organizations, and individuals in pursuing God’s purpose for life. Click here to receive this blog in your email inbox each Tuesday.

Borrowing terms from a friend of his, Gary McIntosh once wrote of three kinds of leaders in the church today; risk-takers, car-takers, and undertakers.[1] While we can all understand reasons not be an undertaker leader, there is a place for caretakers in churches as this refers to taking care of those in the body of Christ. However, our leadership and our service should not be to these exclusively. Our mandate and the purpose of the New Testament church is to reach those yet to believe. Without risk-taking leadership in our churches how can we flourish and be fruitful to the Great Commission?

Moving from being a caretaker to a risk-taker is to not let our fears overwhelm us into not attempting to meet the needs (physical and spiritual) of the community around the church facility. When we allow our fears to overtake our thinking, we become emotionally paralyzed to serving as Christ served. This will keep us from empowering members to serve according to their God-given gifts and passions. Instead, we attempt to find ways for members to use their “gifts” inside the church. We must move beyond caretaker leadership.

Becoming risk-taking leaders means being willing to empower people to fulfill their purpose, each one utilizing his/her skills, gifts and talents to a lost and dying community. Healthy growing churches continuously encourage, teach, and train every member to put into practice his/her God-given abilities outside the confines of the church facility.

This does not imply that we buy into every thought of ministry to the community from church members. No church, no matter the size can meet all the needs of their community. Yet, I believe God has given every church a particular set of strengths to help meet the needs of their surrounding community. In every situation always be ready to ask: Does this ministry meet the core values of our church and does it match our God-given strengths and gift mix?

In all of his tenure, whenever anyone came to Herb Kelleher, founding CEO of Southwest Airlines, with a suggestion for a change within the airline, he always asked the following. Will this allow us to give the customer the best flying experience at the lowest fare in the industry? (paraphrased) He was asking does this meet our core values?

If a new idea does not align with your core values and encompass some of the strengths within the church, this is likely not going to be a great fruitful ministry for your church/organization. There is much to be considered in implementing any new ministry. Not all ministry ideas are God-breathed for your church. Help your church find your niche ministries. One resource to use for new possible ministries can be found at; Microsoft Word – New Ministry Questionnaire.doc (soncare.net) or Microsoft Word – New Ministry Questionnaire.doc (churchhealthal.org)

Becoming a risk-taking leader also requires creating a risk-taking culture in your church/organization. What can you do this week to explore being a risk-taking leader and creating a risk-taking culture inside your organization?

George Yates is an Organizational Health Strategist and coach, assisting churches, organizations, and individuals in pursuing God’s purpose for life. Click here to receive this blog in your email inbox each Tuesday.

[1] The Exodus Principle pg 45, Broadman and Holman