What you are in the middle of today is preparation for what you will do next. God has designed each of us with a purpose in mind. While He knit us together in our mother’s womb, He continues to build within us using our life’s experiences. Your prior experiences, jobs, relationships have all been building your strength and skill set for what you are doing today. Today’s experiences are building you for tomorrow, next year, and the rest of your life.

As we surrender our lives to Christ, we still must, in obedience to God, pursue improving our skill set, education, and strength of service. I often wonder if at the end of this life a question we will each hear from God is, “What did you do with what I gave you?” In a sense, coming from God that can be a startling question.

Regardless of who we are or what we accomplish in this life, God is the All-knowing God. He knows how much more we could do with His provision. I do not know how much I will miss, but I want to continue to build on what God has given me, striving to learn and improve in every area of life, as God wills. What I do today, I would never have dreamed of 25 years ago. God has brought people into my life to mentor, guide, and teach me, to strengthen me for today. He has provided opportunities for learning and equipping that would physically, mentally, and spiritually strengthen me for today. He has allowed me to walk through the events and situations of these past years, both good events and trials, to build me into His design that I might fulfill His purpose.

As we openly avail ourselves to God, He will continue to strengthen and prepare us for even greater things than our past. He wants our availability and our obedience. On the other side of obedience there is always a blessing. Each time we follow in obedience to where God desires to lead us, we will always find a blessing. Those blessings are part of the strengthening and building process of our lives.

Whatever your lot in life, wherever you find yourself today, thank God for all that He is allowing in your life because He is using every piece to build you for a fruitful tomorrow – fruitful for His desire, His plan, and purpose. Reach for your full capacity today, for God is wanting to use it to build you into your full God-given potential in your future.

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.

You’ve likely heard the adage, “You never get a second chance to make a first impression.” But have you ever considered how long it takes to make that first impression? Person to person that first impression is made in the initial ninety seconds. That’s right, less than two minutes. Each individual begins making an impression based on his/her life’s experiences and perceptions, even before the first words are interchanged.

In business and the church world we might have a little breathing space in the time that first impression is made. In the church, and the same is true with any business, there are four sets of firsts. With each one of these any newcomer will have an impression of your organization within the first three minutes.

The first is turning into your property. The first things a guest sees is making a lasting impression. How is the curb appeal, neatly landscaped, colorful, clean, or shabby, run down trashed? Three minutes is a long time. In most cases you will have made a lasting impression on a new comer in less than three minutes.

The second is signage. Is it clear to a newcomer where to park and where to enter your building? If they must drive around with no clear sign for point of entry, and a clean looking entry, some will keep on driving, looking for something more appealing.

The third is entering your building. People want to be greeted. Even Walmart learned this years ago, though they have gotten away from the original intent of their greeters. I’ve seen greeters in churches standing talking amongst themselves while ignoring guests walking in the door. This does not make a good impression.

Another important factor for guests entering your building is signage inside the building. Once inside is it clear where to go? Where are the restrooms, nursery, worship facility? Once inside a store is it clear which way to turn to get to the department or line of products desired? If not greeted, made to feel welcome with clear direction in three minutes, you’ve likely lost a returning guest.

The fourth area in the church is in the worship center. Is it warm and inviting? Are guests being greeted? Are members speaking to guests, welcoming them or staring at them? Within three minutes guests will know if this is a place which they desire to return.

It takes less than three minutes to make a first impression. Fortunately, you have four opportunities to make a good first impression in the church and other businesses. If you fail in any one of these, the other three may not be strong enough to garner a return visit.

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.

“Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country.” This famous quote by U.S. President John F. Kennedy requires a paradigm shift in one’s thinking from the normal. Culture has taught us to use a rank and order mode of leadership with children, students, employees, co-workers, and volunteers. And it is not something that has happened in the last few years. Even when Kennedy made the above statement, he was stepping out of the paradigm of normalcy.

Parents, managers, bosses, and teachers all have a deep-rooted conventional drive to tell instead of asking. When we do use questions, the ones we ask seldom allow growth potential of the individual. When presented with a possible better approach, many people  in leadership roles will reject or run from the needed change.

The paradigm shift in Kennedy’s quote was giving permission for each individual to break the chain of waiting to be told what to do and how to act. It actually shifted the responsibility of reaching potential onto the individual. Many people in leadership have a fear of making this type of shift. It is the fear of losing control.

Ironically, this shift can produce the most effective swing in any organization, from family to church to a fortune 500 company. Children learn responsibility, workers and volunteers learn accountability and capacity. Our nation has moved away from instead of embracing Kennedy’s mindset when he made the statement quoted in the opening of this article. Rather than empowering people to reach for their potential, we are building generations of restrained thinkers.

As leaders we should be asking ourselves, “What must I do to empower others to reach for his/her potential?” It is when we empower others that we become true leaders instead of managers and rulers of people.

Sample generic questions that empower toward reaching potential:

What steps would you consider critical for you to complete your task?

How will you include the input of others to help you accomplish this feat?

How should leaders and members share in the responsibility of forward progress?

What equipping provisions could be implemented for leaders of your team?

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.

Have you ever walked in the dark carrying a light behind you? A light behind you will not light the path in front of you. Thes same is true with a light focused on you. To make forward progress, to advance in the dark, you must remain behind the light. To see the path in front of you must remain behind the light. When walking a dark path, we all know to keep the light focused on the path in front of us.

Leaders will do well to take a lesson from walking a dark path and the shining light concept. Effective leaders never shine the light on themselves. This should be understood as common practice, yet often it is not. Too many people in leadership positions have as their first priority to always have the light shining on themselves. This habitually comes from the lack of understanding the shining light concept.

A light shining on yourself will not only not illuminate your path, but it will also blind you to the obstacles along the path. It is also easy to be blinded in life and leadership when we desire the light shining on ourselves instead of focusing the light on the path ahead. Society has trained us to shine the light on ourselves. In doing so, it has failed to equip us with the knowledge needed to turn the light to guide us on the path ahead.

An effective leader will always keep the light in front of himself and focused on the path ahead, not turned to illuminate the leader. When the light is focused on the path ahead, everyone walking with the leader sees what lies ahead and the entire group makes forward progress. In this situation, the person with the light is truly leading with the light focused as it should be – for everyone’s benefit.

When you remain behind the light allowing it to light the path, everyone benefits, including the leader. This leader not only has a title, he/she is truly leading others by guiding them with the beam of the light casting forward. The leader benefits as people and the organization moves forward. All following the light will begin to trust and respect the leader for his/her role in the organization’s progress.

In your roles of leadership, at work, home, church, and other areas, where is the light focused? Is it on you as you attempt to climb the ladder of success, or as you try to prove why you are better than others? If so, I pray you will see the light (pun intended) and turn the light around, insuring you stay behind the light, illuminating the way for every man, woman, boy, and girl who look to you for leadership. Stay behind the light, positioning it so that all will have a safe and confident journey, making forward progress.

As we stay behind the light, we are always able to walk toward and into the light.

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.

Mr. and Mrs. Styles decided to have Mrs. Styles homeschool their children – all eight of them. While she knew that each of her children had individual personalities, Mrs. Styles soon realized they not only acted differently with different personalities, they also had differing approaches to learning.

The oldest two children were twins, Vanessa and Veronica. Vanessa prefers to experience learning with words. She enjoys group discussions and doing word studies. Her twin, Veronica is a visual learner. She learns best by physically seeing the lesson in front of her. Veronica experiences learning through object lessons, videos, and posters or maps. Vanessa is a Verbal learner, Veronica is a Visual learner.

Larry is the oldest son of Mr. and Mrs. Styles. Larry takes after his father. He functions best through well thought out processes. Mr. Styles helps his wife design Larry’s learning experiences to include outlines, notebooks, and well-structured short lectures. Larry, is a Logical learner.

Paul is the next in line and Paul has an active personality. It is more difficult for Paul than others to learn from one stationary sitting position. Paul likes to move around and enjoys movement in the room. Mrs. Styles always gets Paul involved in acting out situations and playing active games. Paul is a Physical learner.

Michael is next and he has a gift of musical talent. His mother knows that Michael learns best through Musical activities. She plans his learning activities around listening to music, writing lyrics to accommodate the learning experience, or researching songs to highlight a lesson. Michael is no doubt a Musical learner.

Robin is a young lady with a highly active social personality. She loves being actively involved around other people. Her mother understands Robin functions well in a learning experience that includes other people. Mrs. Styles plans Robin’s learning experiences around activities that include, small group studies, exploring case studies, discussion panels, and role playing. Robin is a Relational learner.

Nathan, the youngest of the male siblings, has a preference for things of nature. He has always had an affinity for collecting things of nature. Nathan’s best learning experiences come from being outside, planting, cultivating, discovering things outside or discussing God’s creative work. There is no doubt Nathan’s learning preference is that of a Natural learner.

And then there is Rebecca, the youngest and quietest of the eight. Rebecca approaches learning quietly. She works well alone, in a contemplative state. Rebecca is a thinker. Her mother often plans Rebecca’s learning experiences to include times for Rebecca to sit alone, quietly contemplating, thinking about the truths of a lesson and what it means to her in this learning situation. She enjoys writing in a journal, answering opinionnaires, and keeps her own diary. Rebecca is a Reflective learner.

As Bible study leaders this is what we are challenged with every week. The eight learning preferences listed above are not eight Styles children, they are the learning styles behind the faces in your Bible study each week.

Though they may have different names you have in your classroom every week:

Vanessa the Verbal learner

Veronica the Visual learner

Larry the Logical learner

Paul the Physical learner

Michael the Musical learner

Robin the Relational learner

Nathan the Natural learner &

Rebecca the Reflective learner

While you do not need to plan a different lesson for each learning style, you should include teaching methods that highlight various learning styles for each session. If you only use one teaching method week after week, you will never see the growth potential of your class members, spiritually or numerically.

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 objective of any educational setting is not to teach but that the learners learn. Christian education must move beyond the telling plane and allow our listeners to become active learners. We want the listeners to learn and we must utilize the different methods available to ensure learning takes place every time we meet.

A doctor will prescribe an antibiotic for an illness. If that antibiotic does not bring about restoration of health, he prescribes another one, something different. If the first one did not bring about the desired change, the doctor does not continue to use the same prescription.

We need a teaching prescription to restore the health of the church. A prescription to bring about life-change in our learners. If our teaching does not affect change in our listeners, what are we teaching? In some of our churches the same prescription has been in use for forty or fifty years to no avail.

The concept behind a medicine is to bring about change in a person’s health. If a medicine does not bring about the desired change a different prescription must be tried. In Christian education, the inspiration behind teaching is to bring about change in the learner’s spiritual health. If life-change is not occurring, a different prescription (teaching method) must be tried.

I contend that much of the “Christian education” in our churches is not affecting the life-change desired. If it were would the majority (90%+) of our churches be in decline? What is the evidence of effective, life-changing teaching? Would it not be found in people’s lives being radically changed, sharing the gospel and the love of what God is doing in their life and the life of the church? Would we not see our members bringing new people into the fold of Christ?

One place to start is with active learning. Active learning will only come to pass when learners are allowed to participate in the learning process. Active learning helps people use their natural God-given learning abilities. Each time you deliver a lesson there are up to seven different learning styles sitting in front of you. As a teacher using only one method of delivery, you may only be reaching one-seventh (1/7) of the potential learning in your classroom pupils. That means, at best you may be affecting only 14% of the learning potential in your classroom. Actually, 14% is likely a stretch.

Spending time studying learning styles will make you a more effective teacher. Developing and using different teaching methods will make you a more efficient teacher. Prepare your lesson with each of your class members in mind, then build your lesson using various methods that engage the different learning styles. Introduce different methods in your teaching and you will see your class begin to learn at an increased level, and with greater enthusiasm!

Allow God to stretch you in the way you teach and He will pour out blessings on you and through you.

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 computer stopped. It froze up and would not respond to any keystroke or click of the mouse. Being new on the job and not well-versed in computer technology, the receptionist did not know what to do. Once she realized the computer would not respond, and fearful that she would lose all of the report she had been working on, she asked for help from one of the more experienced secretaries. The secretary walked over, sat down at the receptionist’s desk, made a few quick keystrokes, stood up and said, “There you are,” and walked away. The receptionist was relieved and went back to work. Within a couple of hours the same thing happened to the receptionist’s computer. The same scenario played out. The next day came and went and the receptionist’s computer locked up again. Once again, the experienced secretary came to the rescue of the new employee.

Each time the receptionist was embarrassed and did not like pulling the secretary away from her workload. She tried to watch as the secretary freed the computer. But it was to no avail. The secretary would come in, make a few quick keystrokes and be off again. The secretary was very knowledgeable in the workings of the computer. In her mind, she was doing what needed to be done. She was correcting the problem. Or was she? Was she really correcting the problem or just the symptoms?

Frustration was setting in for both ladies. In the secretary’s mind the new receptionist was not learning to avoid making the error that was causing the computer to lock up. The receptionist’s frustration was with the system and that the secretary wasn’t taking time to teach her how to correct the problem or to avoid it. Had the secretary taken the time to explain the unlocking procedure and possibly tried to help the receptionist discover what she was doing to cause the computer to lock up, time and frustration could have been saved for both ladies.

The teacher (secretary) was very knowledgeable. Yet one thing she was overlooking was the student (receptionist) did not yet know the basics of computer operation. Many times we do the same thing in Christian education. It is easy for those of us who have been around Christianity for a lengthy period of time to forget that many of our listeners may be new Christians or non-Christians. We must continually ask ourselves, “Do they know the essentials yet?” Many of today’s Christians and church attendees exhibit biblical illiteracy and a shallow faith because we assume they know, understand, and apply more than they actually do. I attribute much of this to the teaching methods we have used for many years. We can never revisit the basics too often.

In teaching or leadership in general, we need to revisit the basics of our own leadership to insure we are teaching/leading, not simply treating the symptoms. You can purchase an air freshener for your home, or you can purchase an odor eliminator. Their packaging looks very similar on store shelves. One, the air freshener sprays a heavy scent on top of the existing odors attempting to mask or hide the odors. This is treating the symptoms. It does not eliminate the original odor.

The odor eliminator (as Febreze) actually has molecules that encapsulate the hydrocarbons of odors eliminating them from the sense of smell. This is treating the cause. In your leadership and teaching are you treating the symptoms or the cause?

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.

External or Internal Motivators Which works Best?

There are two ways to motivate people today. External and internal motivation. The one used most frequently in our society is the one least used by effective leaders. The one most used, external motivation. External motivation most always has a personal, tangible benefit attached. In the professional world it might be a financial bonus, a vacation trip, a meal for two at an expensive restaurant, or any number of other carrots dangling in front of employees/volunteers.

This external motivation starts at a much younger age than the work force. We tell our kids, “Finish your chores and you can watch TV a little longer. “ or “Brush your teeth and you can play an extra 15 minutes.” As children grow we offer them rewards for getting good grades.

External motivation may seem to work, yet it is fleeting, only for the task immediately in front of us. One person wrote, “That’s scratching people where they itch, externally.” The downside of scratching an itch is it never lasts, it is fleeting relief.

Effective leaders develop means of internal or intrinsic motivation. This type motivation appeals to the inner person. A trip to Hawaii sounds really nice and certainly would motivate most people for the immediate task or time period. Intrinsic motivation on the other hand fuels a desired challenge from inside the person. Internal motivation will appeal to the competitive or cooperative drives that reside inside all people. Internal motivation will also quench the thirst of the person who desires recognition and appreciation for a job well done. Internal motivation tends to support long-term noble, selfless rewards.

I realize external motivation has its place, yet it also has its consequences, short-lived. Then the next motivator has to be equal to or greater than the last. Effective leaders will also use external motivators, but not as a primary source. Effective leaders get to know their people and discover what drives each of them. For some it might be a sense of competitiveness. For others a sense of cooperation among all involved. Most people appeal to a conglomerate achievement.

An effective leader favors internal (intrinsic) motivators and balances those with only enough external motivators to spur the internal motivators. Get to know those you work with or those in your charge (care). Explore their internal motivators, they will reveal these motivators in casual conversations. Then develop motivations that appeal to their zeal for satisfaction and accomplishment. You will be glad you did, and those in your care will elevate their opinion of your leadership.

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 our society today, generally speaking, top-down accountability is expected. Yet top-down accountability, being held accountable by your supervisors, actually breeds unhealthy organizations. When a team member is not meeting expectations, others await the team leader or company supervisor/manager (pastor) to step in and correct the issue. When the supervisor does not, morale and productivity drop throughout the team affecting the entire organization.

We all need accountability and accountability is good. It can keep us on track with our purpose. If any team or organization is going to stick to its decisions and goals accountability is a must. In some instances, people will drift away from the team’s plan, not necessarily intentionally, but due to life’s circumstances. Other times a person may deviate from the team orientation seeking personal gain or gratification.

When a person gets off-track, deviates from the organization/team plan, or simply slacks off from his/her responsibility, accountability must enter into the situation. However, as mentioned above, top-down accountability does not build a healthy or best situation. Most often resentment and suppression become the biggest outcome.

Instead of top-down accountability, a much more effective approach is peer to peer accountability. Every person on each team and in every organization must buy into peer-to-peer accountability. Even if every person does not buy in, it will always produce greater results when done with respect and friendliness. I like to refer to it as friendly accountability. Patrick Lencioni, in The Advantage says “Peer-to-peer accountability is the primary and most effective source of accountability on a leadership team.”

I believe it to be true and have taught it for every team and organization for effective friendly accountability. When team members know that each one is committed to the fulfillment and productivity of the team, they will be more confident in approaching one another with friendly suggestions and offers of assistance.

Fred admitted in one of the team sessions that he had failed to make the three phone calls assigned to him at the previous meeting. Janet, a fellow team member steps in for the accountability. “We all have things get in the way sometimes, Fred. How can I help you to be sure to take the time to make those phone calls this week? Also, what can we do as a team to help you build into your schedule the time needed for this team’s assignments?”

Notice no harsh treatment, no rebuking, no belittling words were used. Only words of, first recognition of the deviation, then offers of assistance for reconciliation to the task, not necessarily to the team. Janet did not take on Fred’s responsibilities, neither did she excuse them. What Janet did through their peer-to-peer association was ask Fred what it would take to get back on track with the team.

This is friendly accountability. What steps will you take this week to build friendly accountability into 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.

In his book, See You at the Top, Zig Ziglar shares this story; “Several years ago in Columbia, South Carolina, a young cookware salesman sat In my office. It was in early December and we were talking about plans for the next year. I asked him, “How much are you going to sell next year?” With a big grin on his face he said, “I’ll guarantee you one thing; I’m going to sell more than I sold this year.” My comment and question was, “That’s wonderful. How much did you sell this year?” He smiled again and said, “Well, I don’t really know.”

Somewhat intriguing, yet sad at the same time. Intriguing that this man wanted to better himself – raise his goal from year to year. Yet, it is sad that he knew not his current position nor where he had been in terms of sales. Ziglar wrote, “Here was a young man who didn’t know where he was, and no idea where he had been but, with the confidence that generally goes with ignorance, he knew where he was going.”

Upon reading this story again this morning the question came to mind, “Are God’s children, God’s church today living much the same? As we plan for this year, our stated plans are to reach more people, grow more disciples, have more in attendance…yet we fail to elicit “more” than what.

Before we can set a goal of more, we must first understand where we are at – our true net worth on the subject and on God’s scale. Like the young man in our story, if we do not know how many pots and pans we sold last year, how can we say confidently that we plan to sell more this year? We must first understand the reality of our present situation. Many churches do not. We know we can do better, but we focus on being alright.

The general perception is, “It’s okay. This is a new year. It’ll be a better year.” While we are called to “wait on the Lord…” we are not expected to sit back, fold our arms, and wait for God to do the work that He has called us to. Understanding the true position of where we are individually and as a church body is only the first step and generally due to our own biases not unearthed without the assistance of an outside unbiased coach.

Let us not continue to act out of our own ignorance (not knowing), rather let us seek to understand the reality of our current position. It is then alone that we will be able to move forward with a true plan to glorify God as should be our ultimate goal.

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.