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.

No matter how intelligent and skilled your people are, no one will ever reach his/her potential if they lack confidence. Effective, fruitful leaders always work to build and boost the self-esteem of their team members, knowing when people believe in themselves greater potential will be reached. As individuals reach their potential so will the organization.

In my opinion, the number one best way to build and boost self-esteem in others is the act of genuine encouragement. Encourage each individual member of your team or organization privately and in front of others. It is easy to be negative towards someone not matching the expectations of an organization. For most of us it takes a disciplined heart and mind to build up in these situations.

Instead of discouraging someone by verbally beating her down for what she is not doing efficiently, why not encourage her in what she is doing well. You can find the good if you look. The issue is we often refuse to look beyond the negative. Therefore, we act out of the negative which only lowers morale, not only the one person in question, but all who observe or work with this person.

I am not saying praise a person who is not performing adequately. Find something good in that person, encourage her in that area, then help her build on the needed performance enhancements. In doing this you will demonstrate that you care not only about the bottom-line of the organization, you will also demonstrate that you care for the development and the spirit of all individuals on your team or in your organization.

If the only thing you can find positive in Julie is that she is always early, why not start a conversation, “Julie, I notice that you are not only on time every day, you are at your station ready to go fifteen minutes early. I want to commend you for that. Also, I want you to know that you can come to me with any thoughts or suggestions on what we can do to build you into the very best you can be. What is the first thing you can think of right now that I can help you with?”

Julie may not respond that first time the way you need her to. That is okay. You can lead her with properly formulated questions to unearth and understand her needs to improve certain areas of her performance.

I am not writing about praising bad performance. Most people do not realize how they can improve, they need a little coaching. Sometimes, a “little” coaching is all it takes. Beating down, using disparaging comments never builds up.

If you desire better performance, always encourage. Find ways to encourage every member of your organization (family, church, team). Encouragement always builds confidence. Confidence generates better performance leading to effective results. Remember encouragement always builds confidence.

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 noticed that no one likes to be told – anything, but everyone loves to give their opinion? Since this is true in our society, why not ask people’s opinion instead of trying to tell them something. Without a little more information, that sounds a little silly or even ridiculous, doesn’t it?

What if you could take a scenario and instead of telling what needs to be done, ask properly formulated questions that lead the person(s) to make the right decision for the circumstance. You can! It takes a little training, but you can learn this invaluable leadership practice. I am blessed to work with pastors, and organizations assisting them in this leadership style.

Pastor Don called me one morning stating he had a staff member who was not performing and was causing disturbances in the church. I listened intently, wanting to learn first, is it the pastor or staff member. Is this working relationship salvageable? After listening to the history of the situation, I understood the dilemma and asked a couple of questions to before moving forward. Then I changed my line of questioning.

The pastor had said he wanted to tell her…and he listed a couple of reasons why he believed, “It was time for she and the church to part ways.”

My question was, “Why do you want to tell her anything?” Pastor Don went immediately into retelling me the same things he had previously, how she and her husband were distracting God’s people from His work.” I listened, then repeated my question with an emphasis on the word “tell”. “Why do you want to TELL her anything?”

It was then that Pastor caught it. Pastor Don and a team from his church had worked with me for about a year on a revitalization process. Don had watched my leadership. I had coached him on using questions instead of always telling. The second time I asked the question, Don got it and immediately queried, “I need to ask her, don’t I?”

I answered yes and we began about a twenty-minute discussion, formulating questions for his interview with her. We would discuss a properly formulated question which would allow her to surface the issues. After her response, a second question would help her dig for the true source of the issues. Then Don said, “Then I need to tell her…”

I stopped him mid-sentence and asked, “You need to what?” By the end of our conversation we had worked up four or five questions for him to ask her and I stated again, “If you ask the right, properly formulated questions, she will come to the right conclusion and make the decision.

Things worked out well. The staff member did come to the right conclusion for the church and her family. She realized it was not the church, it was indeed she and her husband causing the issues. She even stated, “I believe it is time for me and the church to part ways.”

When you ask the correct, properly formulated questions, people will generally make the right decisions, even in difficult discussions as the one above. Imagine what your teams and individuals could accomplish when you ask the right questions. I’m convinced, we are not asking the right questions today. What can you do to learn more about properly formulating questions to spur your team forward?

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.

Most always, the stories we hear of micro-managers are negative. Actually, I cannot think of one positive reference to a micro-manager. No one enjoys being managed this way. Have you ever thought about your own management practices. When was the last time you ran a checklist to insure you were not becoming a micro-manager?

Micro-managers, without knowing it, degrade the creativity and productivity of team members, employees, or volunteers. Below are eight characteristics of a micro-manager. Which of these characteristics have you adopted or are you flirting with?

Being never quite satisfied with results – Instead of trying to find fault or a “better way”, ask questions, seek out how the team (or member) arrived at their conclusion. What steps were taken? What possibilities were surfaced? What obstacles were faced and how were obstacles overcome?

Feeling frustrated because you would have done the task differently. I learned early on in my leadership life that not everyone has the same thought processes as me. Not everyone will approach an assignment the same way as I would. That does not make me right or them wrong. Therefore, I must pull back and allow them to work to the effective solution their own way. As long as the results are effectively fulfilling the desires of the project, then all is well.

Focusing on perfection to the detriment of completion and productivity. Perfectionism is over-rated. It may sometimes be okay to be articulate, but perfectionism rarely wins the day. I am not perfect, neither are you, nor is anyone. Assist people in becoming and doing the best they are capable of. Perfectionism will then take a backseat to a much more fruitful outcome.

Continuously monitoring employee progress each day at every turn of the project. No one, not even you, likes someone looking over your shoulder. Give people the freedom to work through the various steps of a project. It is okay and helpful to check in occasionally inquiring if your assistance is needed.

Not communicating the big picture, ensuring employees can’t do too much on their own. Communicate the big picture of what lies ahead but leave the details of driving to those who will be in the driver’s seat for implementing the project. See post “Being a Debate Baker” on this site. Like a good GPS, you can be available to give direction when needed or advise of impending obstacles. A good GPs otherwise is quiet, ready to give assistance.

Constantly criticizing how everyone works. This usually comes from someone who is afraid of his/her own shortcomings being “found-out.” Overly criticizing only weakens a team or member undermining morale and creativity.

Believing that no one else can do their job as good as the boss can. Someone else is there to complete the job because you could not on your own. Do not try to always be the smartest person in the room.

Not getting input from the team. Getting input from your team is not weakness. Instead, it is a wise leader who builds trust, accountability, and ownership in every team member through their input.

Conduct a self-inventory using the eight characteristics above. Determine working on which ones needed to improve your leadership and your organization’s fruitfulness.

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.

Eating flour right out the bag is not tasty. While I have done it before, consuming raw eggs is not recommended and not tasty. Add to these a cup of sugar, a teaspoon of baking powder, and one of vanilla extract, still is not worthy of our tastebuds. Even mixing them all together with some water or milk will not satisfy the taste palette. However, mix them all together and bake them in the oven for 30 minutes (perhaps with a couple other ingredients), and you may come out with a delicious cake.

To complete the recipe for a tasty cake you must combine all the raw ingredients then allow them to bake for a time. Only then do you have the desired outcome of something delicious to eat. The same is true with decision making. You can pull a group of people together with all the right ingredients for a successful team, but the individual ingredients does not a team make. First, they must be combined, as you would the ingredients for a cake.

However, the secret to a successful team is what comes next. Are you, as leader, a decision maker or a debate baker? Decision makers are those leaders who generally make most of the decisions for their team/organization, then call on the team to implement the leader’s decision for success. Decision makers are creativity squashers and morale crushers. The team may carry out the leader’s wishes, but with disdain and unmotivated.

Debate bakers on the other hand, know how to use the combined ingredients (creativity and experience) of each team member for a quality baking process. Without the correct baking process the cake will never develop. Good healthy debate on issues and topics are the heated oven in which to bake ideas into the desired product.

Debate bakers have learned how to draw out the best qualities from individual members, how to combine the thought processes of all members and to depersonalize individual ideas in order that the team can make great productive decisions. How?

• Learn to use questions formulated to take each mind to higher levels of thought processing. Don’t settle for the run of the mill, “How can we…” questions. Instead ask questions of, “What would it require for…” Questions are perhaps the greatest tool God has given us as leaders, yet we most often squander them on questions that cannot take us to the needed solution. Learn to develop open-ended thought-provoking questions.
• Know the natural thought patterns of all team members. Most people have a routine of thought patterns. Learn how each member thinks then develop your questions to challenge each person’s thought processes.
• Pair team members with other members who have different thought processes and have them discuss thoughts and ideas on the topic at hand. Then have each pair present to the whole team.
• List every pair’s response on a large tear sheet. Lead the entire team in a discussion of the pros and cons of each item listed using properly formulated questions. The team’s discussion should lead you to the one right idea for your organization’s pursuit.

A good healthy debate involves back and forth of pros and cons of ideas. Encourage debate without allowing anyone to belittle or degrade any person in the room or organization. This is the heat in the oven which produces the tasty outcomes that everyone can enjoy.

Be a debate baker for your organization, your team, and your family. Debate bakers will always produce a better tasting outcome than decision makers.

Learn more about formulating thought provoking questions in chapters 6-9, Coaching; A Way of Leadership, A Way of 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.

Keeping with our theme from the last couple posts, how do some leaders/organizations seem to keep members/employees? Why do some churches grow and others do not? Actually, there may be several reasons, but in this article let’s look at what you can do to keep people active and growing.

The following four steps can assist you in developing and keeping people engaged and growing into their greatest potential.

1, Observe, be observant of the individuals in your organization. Listen to what they enjoy talking about, how he/she uses his/her hands, what brings excitement to his voice, what topics does she gravitate to. Observe how each individual attacks each part of his job/ministry and varying opportunities for service. Observation is one of your best resources for helping people grow. Past performance is the best indicator of future expectations.

In your time of observation you want to look for strengths, natural abilities, and passions. These will lead you to each person’s areas of potential and fields in which he/she can soar.

2, Connect your observations of each person with areas within the organization where he/she can grow and develop skill and proficiency. When children seem to run to a particular man or woman in your church, and that man or woman seems to connect with the children, he/she might be a good person to serve in your preschool or children’s ministry. Another person with compassion for a particular group of people, may be ideal for a ministry to that people group. Many times people do not see the connection between their passions and their potential. Help people make those connections in their life.

3, Encourage, people to grow into their connection points as identified. Your encouragement comes not only from verbal communication, but also from supplying all the resources you can, including physical resources, supplies, conferences, educational opportunities and more. Follow up encouragement and asking what she has learned since her discovery period is always a good reinforcer of encouragement.

4, Acknowledge each person for his growth in the areas you have discussed and that he has undertaken. Every small stride forward is a milestone in reaching his potential and each of those small steps need to be acknowledged by leadership and others throughout the church/organization.

When you want to keep people in your organization, help them keep growing, stretching for greater potential. Great athletes never reach a point where they stop developing skill. Great scientists never stop exploring and researching after reaching a milestone in their career. Effective leaders always are encouraging people to stretch a little farther to reach a little higher, and to strive for greater heights of development.

Cause the members of your organization to continually build on their talent and you will strengthen 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.

Do you consider yourself and your organization a talent magnet? That term, talent magnet is tossed around some in the business world, but truly some pastors, church leaders and churches are also church magnets. While the term is tossed around, it is not always true of those who may claim it or to whom it is attributed.

Liz Wiseman in her book “Multipliers” and Mark Miller of Chick-fil-A in his book “Talent Magnet” both ascribe to a talent magnet as one who not only attracts best talented people to their organization, but also who keep those talented people for the long term.

A magnet not only attracts but also has the power to hold on or to keep objects attached after the attraction. Think of a magnet; hold it close enough to a metal object and the object will be drawn to the magnet, without moving the magnet. This is due to the strength of the magnetic field of the magnet. The object cannot resist being drawn to the magnet and it remains attached to the magnet.

It is easy to attract top talent for your organization. Money is a good attractant in our society. While money may attract, it is not a magnet. If you can offer enough money to hire a person of top talent, someone else can offer more money to attract them away. Money is not a magnet. A nice newer facility is certainly an attractant. Yet facilities, no matter how new or technology advanced, are not magnets. Facilities carry no power to  hold talent or attach people.

Often in the church we consider how profile, high power preachers or new, state of the art facilities can be a magnet that will draw men and women to our church. In the church and in any religious organization the need to be a talent magnet is to be able to attract and attach people to Jesus Christ. He said, “If I be lifted up, I will draw all men to me.”

To be a talent magnet ourselves, we must surrender all our self-reliant motives and desires. Surrendering our own, personal desires and wants to Christ and seeking to assist every person in our organization (church) to continually reach for his/her greatest potential will allow God to build us and our church into a talent magnet organization for His cause, the greatest cause in the world. A talent magnet acts selflessly, providing resources, encouragement, and avenues for every person to grow and excel beyond even the leaders of the organization (church). This is the attaching power of the magnet.

Are you willing and ready to surrender your position over to Christ and allow Him to draw you closer to Him so that He can reach others and grow them to their greatest potential? Attract and Attach as a Magnet!

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.