You cannot give ownership. That may seem like an odd statement. If so, then this next one will also seem odd. Ownership must be taken. Putting those together; You cannot give ownership. Ownership must be taken. Let me clear this up for you. In certain areas of life, yes, you can give ownership. You can give someone ownership of a car or a home. However, in leadership and responsibility, you cannot give ownership. In these two areas, one must take ownership. Not taken as in stealing, but as in accepting.

While speaking with a pastor recently, the terminology in those two statements above became more real to me than ever before. A leader desires all his/her reports to take ownership of their duties and responsibilities. When a person slips or does not live up to expectations a good leader will work with the individual to improve. A fruitful leader will guide and assist the individual in finding the course to effectiveness.

Part of this restoration process requires guiding the person to take ownership of expectations and responsibilities. If satisfactory progress is not being made in an appropriate timeframe, some managers/leaders create a list of necessary corrections for the individual and expect that person to take ownership of each item on the list. The reality is they cannot take ownership. Ownership belongs to the creator of such documents.

Is it not better to schedule a time to sit down with that person and create a list/document together? You, the leader, guide the conversation allowing the individual to make the suggestions for the list. By guiding, you both become creators and benefactors of all items you settle on for the document. Ownership now belongs to the individual because it was designed by him, for him. People take ownership if they have helped create.

The outcomes from these two approaches are almost mind-boggling. The second one, guiding the conversation for creating the document, provides a much greater proficiency of fulfilling the necessary responsibilities and obligations to the organization. What may seem small and insignificant to many leaders can be one of the most fruitful benefits of leading/guiding others in your organization.

Do you have a group of people who need a set of expectations? Why not set up a meeting and guide them in a conversation of what you as a leader for your organization should expect. Again, this sounds odd because it goes against corporate culture and what we’ve been taught in “management” classes and settings.

In churches I have used this process many times. The first couple of times I used this approach I was impressed with their answers and their follow-through afterward. For instance, I asked how many weeks each year should I expect you (Sunday School teachers) in class with a well prepared lesson, leading your class (allowing time for vacations and other absences)? If I was thinking 46, they said 48. If I was thinking 48, they said 50.

Please hear me, I know there are times for managing and creating vision and plans. However, guiding others is bringing them along on their development track of God-given personal potential.  What if we, as leaders, cease taking the manager role, expecting everyone to take ownership of our creations and instead begin guiding and enabling others in creating the paths to unlock their giftedness and potential. This is where we see people flourish. This is where people TAKE ownership.

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.

We’ve all heard the mantras and clichés for teams, “Together Everyone Accomplishes More” or, “no one person on a team is more important than any other.” And perhaps, “As a team, we work as one unit.” These are well meaning thoughts, but is togetherness enough? Does the spirit of togetherness of a team equate to a fruitful team? My thought is no.

While Moses was on Mount Sanai receiving the Ten Commandments, the nation of Israelites, God’s team, was together in their decision, though their togetherness was to have Aaron build an idol and to turn from God. The religious leaders of Jesus’ day were together, but they were not together for God’s purpose. On and on we could go, the truth is, togetherness is not all that is needed. Togetherness does not equate to fruitfulness.

Not even building a “team spirit” guarantees a fruitful and prosperous venture for a team or organization. In building a team and a positive forward-moving team spirit there are certain things to include. Each team member must:

• Selecting the right members for the team. Here are four characteristics I always look for and instruct leaders in using. A productive team member will be, 1) Open minded, 2) forward thinking, 3) ready to speak, 4) willing to listen. If all four characteristics are not within the individual, that person does not make the team.
• Number three above is to be ready to share all thoughts and ideas freely with the team, even if all others are speaking the opposite.
• Number four above means each member must also be willing to listen to every other team member with the same courtesy he/she expects from others.
• Team members should ascertain they need each other – every member on the team.
• Be willing to embrace the thought and practice of change and be willing to undertake leadership responsibilities with other team members in effecting change.
• Be an encourager through the highs and lows of the teams purpose and the organizations progress.
• Work cooperatively with all team members for the goal of reaching the best forward movement for the organization.
• Continually, positively convey to others within the organization forward progress of the team for the future of the organization.
• Have a growing passion for the work of the team and the mission of the organization.
• Maintain a Christ-like spirit.
• Pray for every member of the team, including your own behavior and attitude.

Team building requires more than working together. Fruitful, effective teams join in spirit for the betterment of the organization in accordance with God’s Will. What is within your power to be a better team member for 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.

God created you with a purpose in mind. Then He gave you a passion to pursue that purpose, to learn and develop the skills to excel at your passion and purpose. Regardless of our calling in life, there are times when we feel discouraged, even ready to quit and find something else. In these times, have you ever wondered if you could recapture the joy and passion of your calling?

Your occupation is not your purpose. Your occupation is the means (tool) God has gifted to you to work out your purpose.  Hitting those low times does not necessarily mean it is time to quit. Look for God in those times. Ask Him to give you direction   When you hit those times, and we all do, follow these four steps to recapture the passion of your purpose.

First, pray. Not just once. Not for 30 seconds. Commit to pray daily, multiple times a day. Every time God lays that burden of your passion and purpose on your mind, Pray. Commit to one time during the day when you will be able to spend 10-15 minutes minimum in prayer, without interruptions, every day. Pray for the recapturing of your passion and pray that your passion in the days to come will surpass any you have experienced in the past. Also, pray for your co-workers, your family, and your purpose, be it in ministry, working in a factory, as a driver, or whatever trade you are in to fulfill your purpose.

Next, Commit to Love. Recapturing the passion for your purpose requires returning to loving what you do and where you are in life. To recapture your passion, you must love, not only the thing that allows you to fulfill that passion, but also the people around you. Commit to loving each member of your family, all the people you serve, those you serve/work with, and those you work for. Without the commitment to love you cannot return to your full God-given passion.

Third on the list, be an intentional mentor, discipler, builder of leaders. Recapturing your passion requires understanding that your purpose is to help others reach their full potential. Whatever your level of experience is, there are others you can pour into, men and women you can influence and empower to reach for heights beyond where he/she stands each day. Be a mentor. Be a discipler, be a builder of leaders.

Most of all always follow God’s direction. He is the God of all creation. He created your most inward being, all of you. He knows your potential. He designed a purpose specifically for you and as a parent desires his/her child to excel, so the God of the universe desires for you to excel at your purpose. And He desires for you to excel with a passion that exceeds earthly realms.

Copy this blog post to your files and save it for when you have one of those low times of discouragement. Re-read it then and say, “Yes Lord, we can do this!”

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.

Recently, in a small group setting a conversation broke out between two individuals. I have written much about asking the right questions and how to properly formulate those questions. It is my belief that we are oftentimes asking the wrong questions, in church, in business, and in our personal conversations. As long as we’re asking the wrong questions, we’ll never get to the right answers. Learning to ask properly formulated questions is a great start.

While it is a start, good questions are not enough. In the conversation I mentioned in the first sentence of this article, person number one was asking questions to ascertain information from person two. Acquiring information is one of the four purposes of a question and perhaps the most used. Some of the questions in that conversation were descent to good questions. Yet, I recognized an issue in this conversation.

The main issue in this conversation was not the questions being asked. It was the refusal of the questioner to accept the answers given. Some of person 2’s answers were perfectly legitimate answers. Instead of accepting the answer and asking a follow up question, the questioner would not let up, pressuring for the answer he wanted.

This type of questioning is not leading. It is a team buster and a morale killer. Every person on the team will pull away from open dialogue, fearing similar treatment from one or more team members.

People you are leading or partnering with on a team may not always give the answers you desire. Within a team that should be okay. One purpose of a team is to gather possibilities from multiple sources. At the first meeting with any new team I share four reasons they were selected, four characteristics they must live up to. 1) Open minded, 2) Forward thinking, 3) Ready to speak, 4) Willing to Listen.

Everyone has an equal voice and is expected to speak freely, even if his/her thoughts are opposite of what everyone else is sharing. The team needs all the information and insights God may be giving to each individual. On the flip side, because everyone is expected to speak, then all must also be willing to listen with patience and openness.

Perception is reality. What a person perceives is her reality. We must accept her response as her reality. Then, if pertinent, we need to use properly formulated questions (asked in the proper tone) to help her in understanding the truth. On the other hand, we must also be willing to listen as her perception may be closer to reality than we want to admit.

Asking properly formulated questions and being willing to accept answers go hand in hand. We can and must do both. Are you open-minded enough to listen to the answers of your questions even if they are not your anticipated answers?

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.

Leaders are made, not born. While it is true that not everyone is a natural leader, everyone can lead in some capacity. In fact everyone does lead in some capacity, even if it is leading in negativity, which is easy to get people to follow. All people have natural gifts and abilities that can be developed. In addition to these gifts, believers, followers of Jesus Christ also are blessed with Spiritual Gifts. Each of these gifts can be developed for use in leadership roles. Consider these following suggestions for identifying leaders.

Begin with prayer, regardless of your organization, begin with prayer. I am a firm believer in prayer as I have witnessed it firsthand in praying for leaders and leadership positions. God knows better than any of us how to fill positions with the right people.

Always be observant of the people in your organization. Watch for what people gravitate to naturally. In the church is he always hanging around the kitchen looking to help out? Is she always making her way to speaking to guests in a friendly, welcoming manner? Listen to what people enjoy speaking about and which conversations they engage in. Observation can one of your greatest recruitment tools.

Identify upcoming positions that need to be filled. Every organization should always be thinking ahead. What are the next two to three positions that we will need to fill. As you identify these begin watching for the right person (praying and observing).

Resource for Success every person you identify as a potential leader. Provide quality training on-site or away. What other resources are necessary for the right person to have success in this position? What additional resources will be beneficial?

Remain open and available for communication. Empower people to lead and give them freedom to lead, while remaining open to communication between you and all levels of leadership in your organization. As you approach potential leaders, they already know if you are open to assisting them in fruitful leadership. The way you assist and treat current leaders impacts how open potential leaders are to serving in leadership within your organization.

Here are characteristics found in fruitful leaders.

• Positive attitude in all things,
• know how to positively lead people,
• teachable,
• willing to learn and attend training.
•  Spiritual leaders must have a deep conviction and commitment to the Holy Spirit’s leading.

Identifying potential leaders is the responsibility of every leader. What are you doing to identify and develop new leaders? How will you improve your identification of new leaders this week?

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.

Fred was one of the leaders in his business and his church. Working 55 plus hours a week and serving in several positions at church, Fred was lucky to have two nights at home each week. Those two nights were consumed with yard work, needed tasks, and repairs. His quality time with family usually consisted of breakfast on Sunday morning- each member running in and out of the kitchen as they prepared for church, and the drive to church and back home – when the kids weren’t going home with a friend.

A schedule like Fred’s can have several devastating consequences and will lead to burnout. Eventually, the proverbial well will run dry. Every person needs not only to pour out into life’s arenas, but also to be poured into. It is great to be busy, in-demand, and hard working. Yet, staying busy at the expense of your own physical, mental, and spiritual health will have devastating consequences.

When the well is empty, you feel you have no more to give. You are physically, mentally, or emotionally exhausted, or all three. It is wise to take inventory of your schedule from time to time. Here are a few tips to help avoid running the well dry.

• Understand yourself. Know your strengths and your limits.
• Realize it is okay to say “no” to things not in your strength mix.
• Plan and protect personal time, daily if possible, or at least three times per week. Even 15 minutes can give you a fresh start.
• Find something you enjoy doing that has no relation to your job or other obligations, – a hobby, sport, or relaxation event.
• Avert situations and people who drain you, leaving you frustrated or exhausted.
• Build relationships with people who are positive and encouraging.
• Build quality family time into your schedule, at least weekly. A date night, family outing, or game night.
• Acknowledge when you need help and voluntarily ask for help.
• Have a prayer partner or two with permission to challenge you about your well running dry.

Perhaps most importantly,

• Start your day with a minimum of 15 minutes with your creator, God Almighty and His Word, The Holy Scriptures.

Perhaps you have built-in other ways to keep your well from running dry. Share them with me and others. Whom do you know who does a good job at keeping the well from running dry? What will you commit to today to ensure your well is not running dry?

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.

Having an effective, fruitful organization (church, ministry team, business) requires more than pulling a group of people together and calling them a team. Effective organizations create a culture within that cultivates successful fruit bearing results. Here are some components for that type of culture.

1, A continuing system of training. Leaders are made, not born. Train up everyone to be a leader of their own abilities. Not everyone can be the leader, but everyone has the potential to be a leader. Provide quality ongoing training that assists each person in rising to his/her potential. Training is a key component missing in many churches and organizations today. Provide ongoing training and resources that enable each person to be equipped for the task and furthering their personal growth.

2, Open avenues of communication – from the start. Open, two-way communication is vital to the effectiveness of any organization. Many leaders stifle two-way communication, wanting only top-down communication to get the job done. This stifles communication and effectiveness. Two-way communication means observing, listening, adhering, and implementing wise and usable input from anyone on the team.

3, Improve the environment. Regardless of your length of existence, age of facilities, or size of your organization, there is always room for improvement. Every member’s desire should be to provide the very best environment possible, for everyone. One person should not desire a plush comfy, $200 chair to sit in while everyone else is expected to sit in metal folding chairs. Provide the best quality furnishings and resources to be afforded on your existing budget.

4, Cultivate a team approach to leadership. Whether you are the pastor, CEO, or top person in your organization, or you are the newest member of an organization, opportunities for shared experiences and responsibilities are critical. Teams provide support for one another. Also, fruitful teams provide friendly accountability. Friendly accountability is not holding others oppressed under your thumb. It is lifting their tired arms in Aaron and Hur fashion (Exodus 17:12-13). A team approach always holds each member in equal esteem assisting each one to perform at his or her best.

5, A positive, caring atmosphere. People will always perform at higher levels when in a positive, caring atmosphere. Knowing that we are accepted and cared for fulfills one of man’s basic needs and it breeds fruitfulness. A caring, positive atmosphere removes anxieties and stress allowing each person to work/serve without many of the stresses of life.

Certainly, these are not all inclusive of the makeup of a fruitful team. However, build these into any team and you will have an effective, fruitful team. Which of the five components will you focus on first, this week, with the teams to which you are affiliated?

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.

Can people really be motivated to do something they are not prone to otherwise undertake? Can one person really motivate another – especially volunteers? The truth is only God can motivate a person to undertake something that person is not prone to willingly undertake. Yet, there are some key prompts for different people that will get the motivation juices flowing – and not one of them is money, though in some cases, money may motivate for a short time.

Here are seven motivation prompts to keep in mind.

1. Motivation is prompted when a personal connection is made with the task to be undertaken. If you are asked to contribute to the purchase of new seats in your church, you may not be quickly prompted to comply. However, when it is shared with you of the plush comfort of the new seats in contrast to the existing seats you sit on, your motivation factor is prompted to join in.
2. Motivation is prompted from inside an individual. External motivators are fleeting, while internal motivation brings action. The scenario in number one above is an example of an internal motivator.
3. Motivation comes from past successes. Jane did not want to make personal visits for our church, but agreed to help with childcare so others could go. Within a few months, after hearing testimonies from friends Jane asked to serve on the card writing team. A few months after this Jane asked to accompany others on some in-home visits. The testimonies and successes advanced Jane’s motivations to serve.
4. Motivation is prompted from a culture of love, acceptance, and concern for others. This one is self-explanatory, build a culture of love and you build a culture of acceptance and care. It is within everyone’s nature to be a part of this type culture and to do likewise.
5. Motivation is prompted through caring relationships. When you first learned to ride a bicycle, there was likely someone right there with you, holding the bike up while you learned your needed balance. Even when you failed the first few attempts, that person was there encouraging you. One of our greatest motivating prompts comes through caring relationships.
6. Motivation is prompted through acknowledgement of appreciation. Heart-felt expressions of appreciation are high currency (big money) for motivation.
7. Motivation is prompted at the point of realization that people spiritually separated from God are truly condemned to a horrible Hell for eternity. I saved this one for last because it is likely the most forgotten, and underrealized factor of our existence. We have pushed this so far back in our mind that the thought of our neighbors and loved ones being condemned to this horrific eternity, is non-existent. When a believer comes to this realization you can see the motivation factor kick into gear.

Everyone has motivation prompts. The key for leadership is understanding the various prompts and with whom to apply the differing prompts. Strive for accomplishing number seven, then the first six will no longer be needed. Until then, use all seven at appropriate circumstances.

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.

Robert found himself at yet another crossroad on his journey. With four options in front of him, which would lead to where he needed to go? A decision must be made. Going straight will keep Robert on the same path he has been traveling. Turning left will take Robert west, a right turn will have him heading east. And of course, if he is unsure, he could always turn back and retrace where he has come from.

Throughout our lives as well as in the life of the church we come to many crossroads. At each crossroad or intersection a decision must be made. In which direction will we proceed? Each of the intersecting highways leads not only in a different direction, each leads us distinctly away from the point of intersection – the point of decision.

The decision to be made takes into consideration…

1. North – straight – Does the path we are on take us to where we want to go should we continue straight ahead?
2. West – Left – Turning left (west) leads to new horizons. Are we pioneers heading off into new territory with a great sense of adventure or simply heading off into the sunset?
3. East – Right – Will this bring the spectacular sunrises and new dawning we are seeking and need?
4. South – U-turn – turn around and go back – live in the past and stay in familiar territory.

Assessing each we find:

South – Our history, where we have been, no forward progress.

North – Is the same course we are currently on going to provide what we need to sustain our future or future life of the church and kingdom growth?

East and West – These are different for every individual, church and ministry. Are we pioneers, ready for blazing a new trail or looking to fade away like the sunset? Are we ready for a new beginning, the dawning of a new chapter in our lives?

In all of our lives these crossroads come. We must make a decision at each one. The decision we make leads us towards the next crossroad intersection. The decision we make determines the next leg of our journey. Will we be moving forward or retreating to what we know, where we have already traveled?

Are we ready to strive for new horizons? Is what we are looking for a new beginning like the dawning of a new day, a new journey? Then we are turning east. Perhaps the idea of pioneering, heading west is appealing. Or a west turn could have us coasting for the sunset of our lives.

In life you have just come through a crossroads, you are at a crossroad, or you will soon be approaching one. What are you contemplating as you decide the next leg of your journey? How will you determine which is the best path for your journey?

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.

We all have what we might consider empty parts of our lives. These leave holes in our heart. I have friends and family who have lost children in the womb or shortly after birth. That loss leaves a hole in the heart that is carried for life. I have friends who have lost young children, teenagers, and even lost their children in the adult years. All of these leave empty spots, a hole in the heart carried for life. My wife and I can sympathize but not empathize with these, because we have not experienced the same. Yet, we too have a similar hole in the heart. We have no children. Ours was by choice due to health-related issues in our younger years. The empty spot, the hole in our heart is real and engenders similar emotions to those of our friends.

My wife, Pam, and I had the pleasure of visiting with friends in Tennessee this past weekend. We always enjoy their encouraging company. While this weekend was a busy, harried, and tiring one for our friends, she, suffering and awaiting surgery from a torn meniscus, he with a busy work schedule, we still had a great God-blessed time. Before we left the church parking lot Sunday to head home, I shared the following with our friends. My greatest, God moments for the weekend did not come through our friends but through their grandchildren.

When we arrived Friday evening a little after six o’clock, Rebecca, Pam’s best friend through junior and high school, was in a play area of their well-shaded side yard with her two grandchildren. The six-year-old granddaughter we had met before, we had not met the eighteen-month grandson. While we were talking and the kids were playing, I was leaning against a playset. I felt the little boy’s hand on the calf of my leg. He had reached through the playset to reach my leg. I guess realizing I was a real person, he came right away in front of me and looked up as if wanting to be picked up.

I lifted him up and he instantly laid his head on my neck and chest as if to find rest and security. It made me melt. His grandmother stood up from her seat on a swing and captured the moment in a photo. Perhaps, this would melt any heart, but to someone who has no children or grandchildren, I realized it as an act from God, stating, “I know the hole in your heart. I have you, you are my child.”

I had a similar experience with his six-year-old sister the next day as we took her home and said good-bye. More than the words she said, “Good-bye George” was the voice tone and inflection and the look in her eyes. Once again, instantly I realized the voice of God with the same message, “I know. You are my child and I fill the hole in your heart.”

We all have areas in our lives that seem empty, leaving a hole in the heart. God is the only source that can fill that hole and take away the emptiness. I do not live in depression for not having children because I have a God, a risen Savior who fills the hole, the emptiness with love and compassion. If you do not know God in a personal, intimate way, let me encourage you, try Him. He alone can fill the emptiness of any heart. And sometimes he’ll use an eighteen month or six-year-old child to say, “I know, and I love 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.