Contrary to the belief of many, leadership is not something to be lorded over the masses. Looking down on those who work for you will only bring bitterness and low morale. Yet, I am confounded at many leaders who hold this position. Successful leaders are not those who reach quotas and meet deadlines. Truly successful leaders are those who strive to raise up others by helping them to find and develop their abilities. It is then that people work together for the good of the organization.

Leaders expect, even demand certain objectives and targets from their workers. Leaders believe because a person is making a wage, he/she is obligated to have a hunger for accomplishing the company objectives. This is a dangerous and fallible way of thinking. Yet, too many leaders and organizations follow this thinking as if it were a holy grail.  Workers want to know that leaders share the same hunger.

Unfortunately, much of what is seen by workers of their leaders is completely different. They see higher-paid, controlling managers, closer to slave owners than leaders. Controllers waiting to pounce on the slightest error or productivity let up. I trust this is not the type leader you wish to be. If my assumption is correct, here are three features you can undertake to become a truly successful leader.

1. Show vulnerability; You are not perfect. Admit your own mistakes. Demonstrating vulnerability validates your understanding of work and related skill. Revealing vulnerability is not a weakness. Rather, it is indeed a strength and a tool for strengthening others. It may be difficult at first, but learn to display true and tangible vulnerability. Watch production of your workers soar.
2. Act according to shared values. The values of the organization should be the same for every person within, from the CEO to the newest, lowest line level worker. Organizations where leadership has a differing set of values than the employees, cause disunity and distrust between the ranks. If lower line employees are expected to work 60 hour weeks or produce x amount, then leadership at all levels should have like expectations.
3. Always find avenues to improve yourself as a leader and provide for others to improve themselves. Every leader should have a plan for self-improvement; improving your leader and people skills as well as the skills required to perform your job at your very best. Successful organizations observe, interview, and assist employees (volunteers) in seeking out and providing opportunities for self-improvement. This can come from mentors, books, seminars, training, cross-training, and more. As a leader your self-improvement should always make others’ lives better in the process.

If you want to be a truly successful leader, commit to these three features. You will never stop growing, learning, and assisting others in self-improvement as well. And I can assure you, no financial remuneration can ever come close to the delight and contentment of the outcome of this style leadership!

George Yates is an Organizational Health Strategist and coach, assisting churches, organizations, and individuals in pursuing God’s purpose for life.

A few years ago, cartoons and movies came out featuring trucks and other machines that would convert themselves (transform) into massive superpowered robots. Or at least that’s my recollection. I grew up a couple decades prior to these “Transformers”. I grew up with cowboys and Indians. Therefore, I admit I do not know much about these transformers. The word transform means to change. To transform is to make a total change, more than superficial, it is a radical renovation from the inside out. So, how do we apply this to leadership?

Transformational leadership consists of initiating this same type of change. It is setting out to make a conversion from the inside out, a radical and complete conversion. Transformational leadership works toward bringing change not only in the organization itself. Transformational leaders lead with the objective to empower teams, individuals, and the leader himself to do more than improve. The objective is for a radical renovation from the inside out. When a transformation like this takes place in one’s life, it normally spills over into other areas of life. Making a transformation like this at work, will overflow into one’s home life and other areas as well – positive overflow.

Transformational leaders motivate others to do more than they originally intended and more than they thought possible. Transformational leaders help others to set more challenging expectations for themselves and their teams. When encouraged and empowered like this by a transformational leader, people typically achieve higher performance and greater effectiveness. Again, this will overflow from the workplace into other areas of life.

Transformational leaders tend to have more committed and satisfied workers/volunteers. Why? Because transformational leaders empower and encourage. When we empower others, we are encouraging them by saying we believe in you and that you can “do this”, “rise to the challenge”. Empowering another person is not only encouraging them, it is giving them the authority to run ahead and accomplish the task at hand. It also means we are giving the authority to make mistakes without undue punishment or belittlement.

Empowerment is tough for some leaders, but it is necessary for transformational leaders. You cannot be a transformational leader without empowering others. Teach them what is expected, show them what can be done. Empower and encourage them to reach for heights they never dreamed possible. Then watch the transformation take place. But don’t rest on your laurels. Plan and empower your own transformation as well.

George Yates is an Organizational Health Strategist and coach, assisting churches, organizations, and individuals in pursuing God’s purpose for life.

Dan Rockwell (Leadership Freak) once wrote a piece titled, “7 Principles of the Pig.” In the article he was using pigs as an analogy for a team of workers. While some might take offense to being referenced as a pig, Rockwell did make good use of some principles. Perhaps my favorite went something like this: No matter how badly you want eggs, if all you have is pigs, you’ll get lots of bacon, but no eggs. In the article, he is saying, do not try to make people into something they are not. Utilize those on your team for what they are and what they can produce.

One lesson to take away from this is to learn who is on your team. Learn who they are. What are their specific gifts and talents? What in their personal lives will help the organization? What might hinder their work in the organization? And most importantly, “What can I do to assist in their skills growth and each one becoming more effective in growth and production.

When leaders focus only on production, the personal side is eliminated. Therefore, growth of the individual is also eliminated. When this happens, morale drops, and people cannot get excited about their work or the organization for whom they are working.

Get to know the people in your organization, the people on your team – paid or volunteer. The only way to help them is to know them. The more you get to know the people working for you – those on your team – the more effective your organization will be. The more effective your organization is, the more your people will desire to stay. And good, satisfied people draw more good people as well.

Now that’s what I call making bacon!

George Yates is an Organizational Health Strategist, coach, assisting churches, organizations, and individuals in pursuing God’s purpose for life.

About halfway through Sunday service at Friendship Missionary Baptist Church, as worshipers passed around the collection plate, a chorus of screams pierced the air. Chunks of the ceiling in the 52-year-old church came crashing down on the crowd of about 200, striking about 14, who were later treated and released from nearby hospitals. A jagged piece of the ceiling, roughly 10 feet by 10 feet, dangled from exposed wires over the back pews as deacons struggled to guide panicking worshipers from the building. “My jaw just dropped,” the Rev. Antonio Logan said. “I thought, ‘This can’t be real.'”

Parts of this post are adapted from an article posted to the Associated Press by One News Now on July 7, 2010

Caring for old church facilities is an increasingly acute problem. As membership declines and budgets shrink, the beautiful edifices of American Christianity can feel like weights dragging down churches that are forced to spend money on maintenance and repairs instead of ministry, charity and other Gospel-derived imperatives.

A church can be an anchor for a whole neighborhood, and its loss can hurt beyond the borders of a single congregation, as a coalition of residents and preservationists in Charlotte, NC discovered when they tried to save the old Garr Memorial Church from the wrecking ball.

The building had stood for nearly 70 years, with its iconic rooftop “Jesus Saves” sign, a beacon that locals used as a landmark when giving directions. On a Wednesday in July, the old building came down after its new owners, the New Bethel Church of God in Christ, couldn’t justify refurbishing the building. “It’s regretful, but the economics, just the roof repair cost was just excessive,” said Bobby Drakeford, a real estate developer and consultant for New Bethel.  New Bethel plans to develop the property, but for churches that try to stay in their old buildings, even necessary upkeep can become a burden.

It is important for churches to plan ahead for maintenance and repairs. I encourage every church to have two special accounts set up for unforeseen expenses. First, each church should have a minimum of three months of expenses in the bank. As communities and churches have been devastated in some of our southern states by tornadoes, hurricanes or even fire, it takes several months to get back to normal. Having an emergency/contingency fund is critical.

The second account that each church should have is an emergency repair and replacement account. A roof replacement, an air handling unit or similar needed repair can cost up to $25,000. I have worked with quite a few older churches that need to have brickwork pointed and other repairs to the century old buildings. Yet, no money has been set aside.

It is difficult for some pastors and other leaders to set aside money for these type repairs when that money could be used for ministry purposes. Though, what generations past have not realized, that by setting aside some funds each year while continuing to do ministry, will assure future generations will also be able to carry on the legacy of ministry with the burdensome financial responsibility of needed repairs.

Work as if Christ is coming back today. Plan as if He is not. Do not neglect what future generations will need from your generation in ministry and resources.

George Yates is a Church Health Strategist, coach, assisting churches, organizations, and individuals in pursuing God’s purpose for life.

There was a certain old recluse who lived deep in the mountains of Colorado. When he died, distant relatives came from the city to collect his valuables. Upon arriving, all they saw was an old shack with an outhouse beside it. Inside the shack, next to the rock fireplace, was an old cooking pot and his mining equipment. A cracked table with a three-legged chair stood guard by a tiny window, and a kerosene lamp served as the centerpiece for the table. In a dark corner of the little room was a dilapidated cot with a threadbare bedroll on it.

They picked up some of the old relics and started to leave. As they were driving away, an old friend of the recluse, on his mule, flagged them down. “Do you mind if I help myself to what’s left in my friend’s cabin?” he asked. “Go right ahead,” they replied. After all, they thought, what inside that shack could be worth anything?

The old friend entered the shack and walked directly over to the table. He reached under it and lifted one of the floor boards. He then proceeded to take out all the gold his friend had discovered over the past 53 years – enough to have built a palace. The recluse died with only one friend knowing his true worth. As the friend looked out of the little window and watched the cloud of dust behind the relative’s car disappear, he said, “They should have got to know him better.”

I began my message with this story last Sunday. Then shared, I have a friend, a family member, who has riches beyond this world’s imagination. He wants me – and many of you – to inherit those riches. All you need to do is get to know Him better.”

My friend, my family member, is Jesus Christ. To get to know Him better I must understand Him. He went to synagogue every sabbath. He learned as a child and beyond. He watched and prayed to His Father every day to know His Father’s will. In today’s society, we want to say this is what we do. Yet, how much of our spiritualness is superficial, based on what someone else told us, or what our particular brand of religion prescribes.

Jesus spoke differently. When people heard Jesus speak, they recognized a difference in His speech than the religious leaders and Rabbis (teachers). Jesus was aware that popular applause was of little value. He spoke the truth, and it caused people to turn against Him – even those in His own hometown who had watched Him grow up.

Today, many Christians, even preachers and priests want to receive the applause and comforting strokes of man. This wasn’t Jesus’ model. He modeled teaching the Love of God coupled with the justness of God. God’s greatest attribute is love. Therefore, He must also be a “just” God. As a loving parent will not allow a child to eat only candy and ice cream due to unhealthy consequences, God acts in a just manner to protect and grow His children.

How about you? Are you getting to know Jesus better – each day? What is your daily practice to grow in relationship with God? From this day forward, will you be like the prospector’s family who drove away thinking there was nothing of value. Or will you be like the trusted friend who knew all about the vast riches and where to find them?

Sitting in my hotel room Wednesday evening, my cell phone rang just after 8:00. The caller ID showed a pastor who is taking his church through Reaching the Summit. In fact, I had been with his team just two nights prior. Reaching the Summit is a year-long process where I meet once a month with the pastor and a team from his church, looking at various principles and practices of reversing declining trends in the church. Included is a Vigorous Face to Face Summit with Reality. This church (as many do) realized their need to get into the community and be the hands and feet of Jesus.

On Monday evening we had discussed the church’s discovery of their perceived strengths – what they are godly-gifted at doing as a body of believers. The pastor had led the church members to determine and list these in the previous month. The church had also reached out to school administrators and the local Sheriff’s office asking for their opinion on the greatest needs in the community. These  are two parts of a four quadrant matrix in helping the church in determining that one thing it can do better than anyone else in the community.

Knowing the pastor was to address the church on this particular evening with the results of their community assessment (sheriff’s office & school report), I presumed he might be calling for clarification about something that had been brought up in the church meeting. I was wrong.

Instead, the pastor, with controlled delight in his voice said, “I wanted to tell you what happened tonight.” He went on to tell me that as they were discussing the findings in their community assessment, which included helping the poor in the community and praying for individuals in the community, a lady unknown to anyone in the church and of a distinguishingly different ethnic background walked into the church meeting.

“She came in, walked towards the front of the room, and I asked her if I could help her.” The pastor shared.

Her reply was, “Yes, I need you to pray for me and I need $94 for rent.”

The pastor said he froze for a moment. He realized immediately, this was God. His actual words to me were, “George, this was a test from God on the very night we were discussing what we could do for the community.” My reply was, “It was not a test. It was an opportunity.”

On the very night they were speaking as a church family about becoming God’s witness to the community by relieving some of the true needs of the community, God sent this lady into their midst to give the church an opportunity to join God in His work.

The pastor stopped his presentation and discussion, prayed for the lady. The church then took up a collection for her and collected $146.

I do not think it will be difficult for this church to find their way to serving God in the next few months.

What a blessing! God will give us the desires of our heart when we seek Him. And His desire is for us to join Him in His work. How about your church? Are you seeking to truly join God in His work to the people around you and your church?

To learn more about Reaching the Summit: Avoiding & Reversing Decline in the Church contact George Yates and visit SonC.A.R.E. Ministries.

In the church as in many organizations leadership fails to recognize the potential of the workers/volunteers. Perhaps we are afraid “they” will not do the job the way we would. Leaders (managers) assign a task and fail to empower the people to accomplish said task. Successful leaders – true fruit producing leaders understand Empowering Leadership.

Empowering Leadership is critical to productivity, higher retention and greater morale. Empowering Leadership is more about the workers than the leader. It is empowering the people assigned a task the leverage to accomplish the task. Here are two key factors for developing an Empowering Leadership model.

1. There is no other factor where such rapid progress can be made in a relatively short time frame.

The expectations for “empowering leaders” change rapidly and consistently in growing churches/organizations.

Every leader should have an apprentice. The Apostle Paul was always looking to train the next generation of leaders. Multiplication of leadership is a great growth factor.

Every leader that invests himself into other people needs mentors who invest themselves into him or her. Even the Apostle Paul had Barnabas, Silas, the other Apostles.

2. Gift oriented leadership will produce more positive results than any other.

The more extensive our responsibility the more we need people who are interested in our personal growth, and bringing out more and more of that God-given potential. It is important that every leader has a clear understanding of his/her gifts and limitations.

We need to know our gifts and limitations because it is our responsibility to lead others to works of service using their gifts and special abilities.

We are to lead them to ministries and areas of service that fit their gifting and abilities.

If you are not willing to realize the need of others in your organization/congregation you are living in a very narrow self-minded realm. You are not trusting God and His gifting of others.

Your employees/volunteers may not come at the task the exact same way you would. – They might have a better way. Do not get wrapped up in a “my way” syndrome. Guide them, but don’t rule over them with an iron fist or suppressing thumb. Empower your people to take on the task with personal pride. Then allow them the freedom to accomplish the task. You will see greater productivity, personal growth, and higher morale.

To learn more about Empowering Leadership for your organization, contact George Yates, read more of these blog posts from George, and visit SonC.A.R.E. Ministries.

George Yates is an Organizational Health Strategist and Life Purpose Coach , assisting individuals, churches, and organizations in fulfilling their God-given purpose.

Leadership cannot be practiced in a vacuum. It is not effected alone. Leadership requires others, multiple people. To be an effective leader you must have people following your lead. Position doesn’t make a leader. Just because you were elected or appointed to a leadership position, does not make you a leader. As a person in leadership you should ask yourself, “Are people following me because of my leadership personality, or because of position?” If they are following because of the position or title you hold, you need to seriously consider your leadership skills and ability.

Truly effective leaders understand effective leadership stems from the followship of others. The success of any leader depends upon those who will follow.  When people see value in your abilities and skills, they will follow. When people follow in this manner, you will see a productive workforce (team) and high morale amongst employees/volunteers. Retention rates soar while turnover shrinks. Every leader should have three groups of “others” assisting him/her in leadership.

First, someone to whom he or she is responsible. Every leader is responsible and accountable to someone or some group. In large corporations most leaders have a “higher up” or up-line supervisor. The CEO or president has a Board of Directors. Even the founder and owner of a small business is accountable to someone. If no one else, his business clients. Without accountability he will not keep clients. I have had pastors tell me they are accountable to no-one but God. This is dangerous, and not the plan I read in God’s word, The Holy Bible. Most churches, like other organizations have a leadership accountability ladder. Every person in every organization from family to a fortune 500 corporation is accountable.

God has positioned these accountability systems in place to allow us the ability to grow and learn from others. Even if you are in an organization where you hold the highest position of leadership, find other leaders to whom you can learn and be held accountable. You will see your leadership ability grow.

Second, every leader needs a group of peers for support and discipleship. If you are a leader, you should be a disciple of leadership – healthy leadership practices. Your peers hold similar positions, either in your organization or similar organizations. These peers face similar trials and successes as you. They also can spot your weaknesses and support you in growing through those weaknesses. Your peers can be a great learning and building resource. However, a word of caution; do not build a volley of peers who will only be sympathetic moaners, agreeing with your grievances. Your group of peers should be supportive encouragers, who care enough to correct you and assist you in strengthening your effective leadership.

Third, every leader must have followers. Too many leaders see these as underlings or subjects. A leader should always view the people serving under our leadership as the individuals who will make or break our leader potential. When we view and treat these as lesser than ourselves, we are setting the organization and our own leadership on the course of failure. As a leader, your greatest desire should be to elevate the people you lead to their greatest potential. You are leading people, not numbers or statistics.

Leadership is not done in a vacuum, nor can it be accomplished alone.

For more on strengthening your leadership contact George Yates and visit the resources pages of SonC.A.R.E. ministries.

George Yates is an Organizational Health Strategist and Life Purpose Coach , assisting individuals, churches, and organizations in fulfilling their God-given purpose.

This is a repost from April 2013 and one of the most important and critical items needed to transform your organization and reverse declining trends.

One of the major ways to begin assessing the reality of your situation is to take a vigorous look at the truth. Most people do not like confrontation. However, confronting is a good term to use, because to reverse decline in your organization, you must be willing to meet head on the things that may be detrimental and causing decline. A vigorous look at all the truth of the reality of your ministry situation will be essential in reversing or avoiding decline.

With the phrase a vigorous face-to-face summit with reality we are speaking of a completely open and honest assessment—a vigorous face-to-face meeting with reality as the result of an intense investigation of who we are and how we arrived where we are today. It is my belief that a church cannot successfully and thoroughly conduct this assessment without the assistance of an objective experienced and qualified person from outside the church.

If you are serious about turning your church around or even avoiding decline, you should seek a church consultant and coach with experience in assisting churches in growth and reversing decline. Appendix 2 in Reaching the Summit is written as a help with choosing a consultant or coach for your church. You want someone on your turnaround team who does not have the biases that you and your church members have but has a passion to see the church thrive in building God’s kingdom.

For more information on conducting a Vigorous Face to Face Summit for your church or organization purchase a copy of Reaching the Summit: Avoiding and Reversing Decline in the Church or contact George Yates at SonC.A.R.E. Ministries.

George Yates is an Organizational Health Strategist and Life Purpose Coach , assisting individuals, churches, and organizations in fulfilling their God-given purpose.

I recently watched an episode of Undercover Boss, Epic Bosses. This particular episode looked back at some of the former participants to see how their lives continue to be impacted since appearing on the show. I noticed a common theme in the lives of these bosses. Each of these bosses identified how he/she realized the need to spend time with their employees. The greatest insight for them and change in their life and leadership was to reinvest in the greatest company resource – its employees.

This is a very valuable lesson for all leaders to capture. Unfortunately, in our society today, greed has replaced value in corporate America. Not only greed, but it has steered leadership into lower standards of operation. Yet, those leaders who recognize their people as the greatest resource of the organization, will likely have not only quality production, but also, higher morale.

One general rule of human nature is to know that someone cares about me. When people realize you care, they pay more attention and respect to you. Therefore, their performance will be of greater interest toward the organization’s interests. I often share with churches and church leaders, “You’ve got to show them that you care.” If you expect people to be their best for you and your organization, show them that you care – for them.

There are varying ways to show you care and caution is to used in how you choose to show you care. One way certainly is through gifts; financial rewards as raises, bonuses, special dinners, etc. But as we’ve shared in an earlier post, throwing money at employees is not a cure all. Any morale boost from financial reward is most often short lived. While these are good and should be practiced as can be afforded, it is not the best way to show you care.

Continued safety improvement and care for employees (volunteers) is a good way to show you care. Safety includes providing proper equipment and proper rest periods for employees. Some companies in Silicone Valley provide on-site childcare, free cafeterias, and game rooms for employees. Some of these can be good, some perhaps habit forming expectations. The point is they are relating to the morale of their employees. (There are valid reasons behind the game rooms for some of these particular companies)

On the Undercover Boss episode, some of these bosses continue to return to the trenches, traveling to spend the day with some of their ground forces. This has been known for years as “walk around management.” They are not doing this to manage. These bosses realized the need to walk with and amongst the ground forces of their business. They interact and find out about the employee’s job and personal lives. This perhaps is the number one morale builder any leader can undertake. Show them that you care. Your organization will flourish and, You’ll be glad you did.

George Yates is a Life Purpose Coach and Organizational Health Strategist, assisting individuals, churches, and organizations in fulfilling their God-given purpose.