I am disappointed and sometimes even disturbed when leaders speak disparagingly of other leaders. Now, let me set the record straight, I too have been guilty of this culpability. Leadership requires growth. Great leaders want and strive to grow, constantly reading, attending improvement workshops, surrounding themselves with mentors and other leaders who have complementary gifts and traits. We all have our weak spots and our comfort areas of leading. Some need a little more prodding or nurturing than others for growth.

As a leader it is my obligation and responsibility to assist other leaders in striving for improved leadership skills. If they are within my area of influence, I can and should offer (formally or informally) assistance. In my particular role I am privileged to coach leaders. Included in the coaching role you will find some mentoring and leading by example. As I coach, I should be demonstrating quality leadership traits. Some leaders that enter a coaching relationship with me catch it. Perhaps one of the greatest compliments received in this type relationship is, though you have never talked about the coachee improving his leadership, he states, “He changed my style of leadership for life.”

Regardless of our position in life, one objective should be to have something similar said of us. There are people watching us at all times. If we are in an official position of leadership or not, part of our daily living should be to aid in the betterment of everyone in our influence. A good question to ask ourselves is, “How can I offer encouragement to this person in personal leadership skills growth?”

Not all persons in leadership have the desire to grow, but all leaders do. There is a difference. Persons in leadership positions are not always leaders. A title does not make a leader. Willing, teachable persons can grow in their leadership skills, and it is my obligation to help him/her. Not only obligation, it should be my pleasure. I like to use the statement, “What God has given me, He gave it not for me to hoard, but to share, to give it away.”

I will never force my leadership training on anyone. Quality Leadership cannot be force fed. It must be delivered in a manner befitting of the learner’s appetite. Jesus taught His original Disciples by having them follow Him in His daily routines. They did life together. It is not necessarily yours to spend 24 hours a day with those you are training in leadership, but are you living life together? Little about effective leadership is taught in the classroom. We can read and be instructed of the principles and manners of leadership in a classroom type setting. Yet, the adaptation of leadership traits only takes place as we interact with others in real life situations.

As a leader what will you do to assist someone in growing in his/her leadership abilities? What will you do this week to redeem a struggling leader?

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

There once were two armies encamped on either side of a valley. They were to face off against one another, but the battle was postponed each day. On one side was an army of fighting men from a nation known historically for their victories in battle. Their victories had been credited to their God. On the other side was an army of strong fighting men, each one three and four feet taller than their opponents. From this camp each morning a lone warrior would walk into the valley and challenge the other army to send out its greatest warrior to do battle. But each day not one of the soldiers would go out to do battle with this giant.

Then one day a young teenage boy came to the camp, bringing provisions for his brothers. He was astounded to find that not one man in this camp would trust their God to deliver the giant into their hands, giving them victory over the other army. Trusting his God this young boy took on the giant himself, not with a sword and shield. Not with a bow and arrow, the weapons of the time. He was not practiced in the use of these weapons.

This young boy walked out of the camp to face the giant with nothing but a sling. Bending over he picked up five smooth stones (4 more than he needed). He placed a single stone in his sling, twirled it over his head a few times and let the stone fly. It struck the giant in the forehead and killed him instantly. After he had killed this giant his nation’s army were emboldened to chase after the army of remaining giants who fled in fear.

The moral of this story is not to kill someone, but that it only takes one man (or boy, woman, girl) with courage and belief to accomplish the desired task. Thomas Jefferson once said, “One man with courage makes a majority.” With his courage this young teenage boy saw victory where all the other soldiers and their king saw giants. Courage can overcome the giants in your life. When you add courage with a belief in the true God, all things are possible – according to His will.

Facing the giants in your life as a leader, housewife, student, factory worker or any other position, requires courage. The courage you display could also encourage and embolden others.

First, you must make the commitment to step out into the valley where the giant stands.

Second, go with the arsenal you are familiar with, the gifts and strengths with which God has blessed you.

Third, put to use, to the best of your ability, what God has given you.

What will you do this week to demonstrate courage against the giants in your life? And how will you embolden others to do the same? Remember, “One man with courage makes a majority.”

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

It’s been happening for ages. Perhaps since the beginning of mankind. Or at least since mankind has taken on responsibility. Even in scripture, John chapter 5, Jesus asks a simple, straight-forward question in verse six. “Do you want to get well?” The paralytic man of which the question is asked, does not answer the question. In fact, he does not even attempt to answer the question posed to him. Look at his response, “Sir, I don’t have anyone to put me into the pool when it is stirred up, but while I am coming, another steps down before me.”

Where in this man’s response do you see an answer to Jesus’ question, “Do you want to get well?” It is not there, is it? Not even an attempt. If I am sick with a cold, or any minor ailment, much less a terminal disease, and someone asks me the same six word question, I know my response. It will always be an emphatic, “YES!”

It seems today, that no matter our life situation, we are much like the paralytic man in the story above. We are more prone to give excuses than we are to accept responsibility. In individual lives people pass the blame on their employer not paying enough, the government or other group holding us back, other races, cultural groups, on and on. In the church and other organizations it is similar. It is the economy, the big church that moved in down the street, the neighborhood has changed. These are all outside circumstances over which we have no influence.

You cannot change that over which you have no influence. Since you have no control over those outside circumstances, stop using them as excuses. Look around and inside yourself to find the greatness God has placed in you. These are the only items that you do have control over. These are the things you can act upon.

Passing the blame, will never advance you or your organization. It will only lead to more muck and mire. Accept who you are. Discover who God made you to be. Then strive to become that person whom God desires and declared you to be.

As a church or organization, you can do the same. Discover what God has placed within your employees/members. Learn how to effectively put those gifts and resources to use to be exactly who God created you to be. I can help if you will contact me.This is how God has gifted me, and who He created me to be! Also, pick up your copy of Reaching the Summit. The premise of this book is to help you do exactly that – become who God created you to be.

This year, will you make a commitment to stop making excuses of things out of your sphere of influence and control? Instead of passing the blame will you accept responsibility for your part in moving your organization, your life, forward? That’s who God created you to be. What is your first step?

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

Is my church healthy? Can the church in general in America today be considered healthy? What percentage of the population would need to contract a disease or infection before the Center for Disease Control (CDC) declares an epidemic? While it is not clear to find a specific number, the reality is in many cases less than one percent of a given portion of a localized population.

With 65- 85% of our churches plateaued or declining in North America today, we are well beyond epidemic proportions. Certainly we could find indicators of poor health in declining churches, but are there indicators of positive health in a church? Yes! The following are some of the indicators of a healthy, effective church.

Enthusiasm for Kingdom results – Many churches today have bought into the idea that action and busyness are evidence of kingdom work. Too often the focus is on what we are giving away; oil changes for single mothers, food and candy at fall festivals, bounce house fun, free water at a parade. These may be good intentions, yet they are not indicators of kingdom advancement or fulfilling the Great Commission.

Healthy churches focus on engagement in the community resulting in kingdom results. Rather than providing clean oil for a single mother’s car, healthy churches are making inroads with that mother to receive a clean heart from God. Instead of handing out free candy and hotdogs at block parties and fall festivals, the members of healthy churches are focused on feeding the starving souls of their neighbors and co-workers.

Outward Focus– As early as 6-8 years in a church’s existence, the natural tendency is to turn inward, focusing more on what ‘we’ can do for and with each other. Not realizing it, this often comes at the exclusion of the surrounding community. The farther a church falls into decline, the more in-turned the church becomes to the point of maintaining facilities and remaining members.

Healthy, effective churches focus on the outside world, reaching out to the community, seven days a week. The focus is being intentionally engaged with the daily struggles and trials of the people God places around them, with an intent to help those in need spiritually.

Jesus always met people at the point of need. He never told anyone to go clean yourself up and then come back to see me. Healthy churches move believers from spectator to engagement. Millions of people watch the Super Bowl each year, yet less than 100 are actually engaged in playing in the Super Bowl. Healthy, effective churches have learned to move people to be intentionally engaged in God’s kingdom work.

Starting New Units – It is said that the one common denominator of all healthy growing churches around the globe is starting new units, new Bible study classes and new churches. Healthy churches plan ahead for the next new units. You cannot wait until you need another class. You must continually pray, plan and prepare for the next new Bible study classes. In healthy churches this is part of their make-up. Every teacher and leader knows his/her responsibility is to train people to go out and be part of some new work, new class.

Capture Principles – In many of our churches we attempt to copy models. We see or hear of some good thing another church did, and we try to do it at our church expecting fantastic results. A copy is never as good as the original. Healthy churches understand the importance of capturing principles. Instead of focusing on what kind of food to give away or how many bounce houses to have at their next event, healthy churches focus on touching the heart and soul of those who will attend and how to engage them following the event.

Purposeful, renewed, compelling vision – The missed opportunity in most churches today is there either is no vision in front of the congregation or the vision has no compelling component. In other words there is no part of the vision that compels the church to get out of their seats and be the church God has called them to be. Healthy churches have a compelling image of an achievable future in front of their people at all times. Find out more about vision in Reaching the Summit: Avoiding and Reversing Decline in the Church.

This is only a brief descriptor of five indicators found in healthy churches and is not an all-inclusive list of healthy church indicators. However, these are critical for churches to become and remain healthy, fulfilling the God given purpose for each church.

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

Exchanging gifts, giving presents these are among the first thoughts we have when thinking of Christmas. Certainly, giving is at the heart of Christmas. The Christmas story is – God gave his only son, Jesus. Giving is a central theme of Christmas, both biblical Christmas and worldly Christmas as celebrated today.

For most of us Christmas reminds us of the joy of giving. Oftentimes springing from our childhood and the gifts we received, be it candy and fruit or the toys of our dreams, we were on the receiving end of someone else’s giving. From the good feelings of childhood receiving at Christmas we grew into wanting to be part of the giving. We began giving to our parents (usually with their money). Then we progressed giving to our siblings, closest friends, and later with our teen sweethearts.

As our giving continued to grow it also has taken on a different role than our childhood. The spirit of Christmas and the joy of giving, for many, has been replaced with the mentality of duty or obligation. Much of our giving today is done because we believe it is expected of us – and for many it is expected.

Regardless of our current role in life each of us has much we can give. A single, struggling mother may not have a lot of money or time, but she has love, compassion, and wisdom to share. The CEO has much more than money and power, he has the power of encouragement and influence, wisdom to share, and a listening ear. Church members, you have time, prayer, wisdom, and your obedience to God’s directives. Employees, you have dedication, commitment and wisdom to pass on to your peers and new hires.

Perhaps you noticed one common attribute in each of the above scenarios, wisdom. Regardless of who we are, where we’ve been, or the amount of education we have, God has granted us wisdom through our life’s experiences. When we do not learn and share from our life’s experiences, we are wasting the wisdom of God’s teaching. And wisdom is only one attribute that we each have to give.

Let us return to the joy of giving at Christmas time. Leaders, pastors, members, employees, volunteers, neighbors, slow down this week and think of all that you have to give that does not involve money or wrapping paper. This Christmas week remember, God gave His one and Only Son, Jesus Christ, for you. This is a lesson we ALL can learn from a Bethlehem stable.

Merry Christmas to one and ALL!

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

It matters not if we are cooking a special meal, decorating a new house, sculpting a hedge, or completing an assignment at work or church, wouldn’t you agree that it is a human trait to want people to take notice. If we never say a word out loud, we like to think that we deserve compliments and comments on our talented accomplishments. Let’s face it we want praise.

Yet the Bible teaches that praise belongs to the Lord and we should humble ourselves in all things. Desiring to receive credit is opposite of humility. At work, church, home, the clubs we join, the committees on which we serve, when we seek gratification for what we do, should we not ask ourselves about our motives behind what we do?

Our human nature tells us to seek gratification from others. Yet, we must be careful lest we cross the line of glory-seeker.

A physician and God admiring author, Luke, wrote in his gospel account of a virgin girl named Mary. This teenage girl, engaged to be married, was visited by an Angel of God and given the news that she would be the one to give birth to the long-awaited Messiah. When Mary received the news that she would give birth to and mother the Christ child, her response was almost opposite of our current day mindset. Hers was that of undeniable humility.

She could not believe that Almighty God would choose to use her in such a role. With a very low view of her own ability (humility) Mary accepted God’s call on her life, knowing He would have to carry her through this enormous assignment. She never boasted, never bragged, never wanted the attention of being “The One”. She stayed focused on loving and raising God’s Son. Her role was not in the spotlight, but to be the very best Mother possible, never casting a light on her or her special role in history.

In the home, workplace, church, or other venue, we should approach every task before us with the humility of Mary. Your assignment is not about you, your glory or giftedness. Your readiness to give your best without reserve, without self-centeredness is your first step to serving in humility. What will you begin to work on this week to become a more humble servant/leader as was Mary from her teen years until the death of her Son on a cross?

How will God use you this Christmas and holiday season to help others and bring focus to God Himself?

Merry Christmas!

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

In a recent advertisement on television, employees are sharing benefits of working for this particular company. One young lady says, “They’re gonna pay for me to go to school so I can eventually leave the company. Like that’s insane!” Undoubtedly this was an unbelievable benefit as far as she was concerned. There are very few companies who do pay for college or trade school educations for employees, with the understanding most employees will leave the company after finishing school.

This sounds a little unusual, yet I contend it should be more of a norm than abnormality. Effective leaders know helping employees/volunteers in their self-improvement is one of the greatest benefits that can be provided by any organization. If I as a leader I am not assisting my employees/volunteers to improve and reach for his/her greatest potential, I am doing each one a disservice and our organization as well.

Paying for schooling may not be possible in your organization. That is okay. It is not about diplomas. It is about people’s self-worth. There are many, many items you can offer to assist people in self-improvement. One that costs you nothing but a few seconds of time on a regular basis is encouragement. Find out people’s interests and encourage him/her to strive for improvement in that area.

A person will always serve in more productive ways when he/she believes the organization cares for his/her future and effectiveness in life. An organization that creates an environment to help everyone expand on his/her personal skills for a better future, will embolden that person’s commitment to the organization’s goals. Is one of your organizational goals to help all involved to improve his/her skills to serve him/her for the rest of life?

From the candidate or employee’s perspective, everyone should ask him/herself, “How will working here increase my ability and skill preparing me for a better life?” If each of us will ask that question for every organization we are involved with (work, church, civic organization), we can find the right place to serve according to God’s purpose in our life. In that “right place” we will work for self-improved skills and effective service.

As an employee/member, you might be in the right place. You might be the one person who needs to bring to your organization the opportunity to assist others in self-improvement. Think on that thought right now. What can you do, even if you are not in leadership, to assist others in reaching for their God-given purpose? This may be your first step in fulfilling your own God-given purpose.

As a leader, what will you do this week to provide a better environment for self-improvement of every person associated with your organization?

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

Violin virtuoso Joshua Bell performed an experiment for the Washington Post a few years back. Joshua Bell, masterfully plays a Stratovarius built in 1713. The Stratovarius is known as the very best, top of the line violin ever constructed. And Joshua Bell plays it in front of hundreds of people at some of the biggest music venues worldwide. He is perhaps the most famous and sought-after violinist alive today.

The Washington post’s experiment had Bell wearing jeans, long-sleeved t-shirt, and a baseball cap enter one of the Washington D.C.’s subway stations, open his case and begin playing his Stratovarius. His 43 minute performance was recorded by the Post. Of the 1,097 people filing by in that time only seven stopped to listen to some of his performance. Only one recognized Bell. As street performers do, Bell turned his open violin case toward passers-by so they could contribute if they so desired. Bell received $32.17. Just weeks before, Bell had played the exact same repertoire in front of hundreds of well-dressed patrons earning thousands of dollars. The difference – value attribution.

Value Attribution is the importance or significance we tend to assign to a person, object, or service without objective observance. In the subway, over one thousand people passed by what they deemed just another street performer. Perhaps a want-to-be musician hoping people will drop enough change and bills to feed him another day. .006 percent of the people passed by the most sought after and highly paid violinist in the world without notice. A free concert was theirs to be had. But their value assessment of him was just short of “ unemployed bum.”

We all have a tendency to place value attribution on people before getting to know each person. We subconciously place a value on people based on how they dress, who they are with, whether or not he/she is pleasant to look at, and other outward factors. Often our value assessments are wrong in that they do not account for the person’s true worth in skill, talent, and attributes he/she can bring to our organization.

Unfortunately, we seldom give that person an opportunity to prove himself or to fully engage in all he can to assist our organization in fulfilling its purpose. Our value attribution holds him/her back from using his best abilities, and we do not even recognize we are doing such. Yet, because our value assessment says this person could never be a leader, we never assign any leadership tasks to him/her.

A person who is held at a lower level than he can achieve will seldom strive to fulfill his greatest potential for your organization. Thus, your organization will not be able to reach its full potential. Multiply this by the number of people in your organization that you have wrongfully placed a value attribution and you multiply the level of lost potential.

Your value attribution of each individual connected to your organization will determine the extent of excellence of your organization. What will you do this week to alter the way you attribute value to others? After all, you may be overlooking the world’s best right in front of you.

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

Thanksgiving week is here. Frantic shopping, cooking, and house cleaning abound. For most, this is a happy time with family. For others it carries a sadness with it. Thanksgiving around our house will be different this year. My father-in-law passed away four days prior to Thanksgiving and we will lay him to rest on Thanksgiving eve. While it is a sad time, we have much to be thankful for. Be yours happy or sad, there are a few keys to having a successful Thanksgiving Day and these same keys relate to your business as well.

Proper Planning – As in business, Thanksgiving comes with unforeseen misadventures; undercooked birds, travel hazards, last minute store runs. Many of these can be avoided with some proper preplanning. Map out not only your travel routes and times, but also your meal and the preparation time needed for each portion. In business, proper planning is essential for success. Thinking and brainstorming with others can help your organization/team avoid the unforeseen. Proper planning turns the unforeseen into the foreseen.

A Harmonious Team – You can’t always choose who you want to attend Thanksgiving dinner – family is family. You can, however, choose how you interact with those you have disagreements with every year. The same is true in business. You may not always be able to choose everyone on your team, or your temperament may not align with one or more of your team members. You make the decision on how to relate and react to them. As leader, you set the tone and your interaction can determine outcomes.

Exceed Expectations – Whatever your part is this Thanksgiving Day, preparing the whole meal, the turkey or some other part, hosting, or entertainment, strive to exceed expectations. I hosted part of my family twenty-some years ago. Those who attended still talk about that meal every year, at Thanksgiving and every other time I cook for them. In your business do the same. If you want people to strive for success, you must willingly do everything you can as a leader to exceed their expectations in the workplace. You may need to ask what they desire in the workplace. Actually, that is a great place to start.

Gratitude Exuberance – While the name still holds the meaning of this holiday, it has certainly been over-commercialized. Be certain this Thanksgiving to let your gratitude genuinely shine to those you share the table with. God, our creator, has blessed each of us immensely. May we show Him our gratitude by sharing with others. In the workplace as well, the more you genuinely show gratitude for those who work for/with you, the more efficiently they will work toward success.

There is a fifth key – Prayer. Spend time with our Creator, God, this Thanksgiving weekend, around the table and some one-on-one time thanking Him for His blessings of family, friends, health, and success. He is a great God and He blesses greatly.

Happy Thanksgiving

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

“Treat a man as he appears to be, and you make him worse. But treat a man as if he were what he potentially could be, and you make him what he should be.” Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

I’m not certain that I fully agree with the first part of von Goethe’s quote. You may not always make him worse, but you certainly do not help him improve when you treat a man as he appears. On the other hand, when you treat a man as if he were what he could be you do help him move toward his potential.

Any man or woman who hears enough times, “You are not good enough,” and he or she will begin believing it. Moving forward seems to be impossible. “After all everyone else knows it, it must be true.” Rare is the person who pulls out of this mentality without the input of a positive influencer.

Negative influencers abound. You have the potential to be a positive influencer for the people in your life. Whether you are a boss, parent, sibling, or friend, why not encourage people to reach for their potential.

I’m not advocating that you tell everyone to reach for his/her pie in the sky dreams. But you can help those you know to reach beyond a dead-end or flat-lined life. After all, you cannot have a million-dollar dream on a minimum wage work habit. Everyone has a next step toward improved skills, a better life. You can be the one, perhaps the only, positive influencer in other’s lives.

Leaders should have the resourcefulness to encourage and influence all people in their charge (impact) to always be reaching for the next step of self-improvement. This could be furthering education, improving physical ability, mental capacity, personal competency or any number of personal advancements. Not only resourcefulness, every leader, pastor, manager should have the ambition to assist others in striving for a more self-improved tomorrow. It should be our responsibility and our aspiration every day.

When we treat those in our charge as who he (she) could be, we help move him (or her) toward the person God intended. Don’t hold others back. Determine in your heart to be a positive influencer. Be the person who sees greater potential in others and inspires them to move in that direction.

Looking back in your life, I guarantee someone was that positive influencer speaking into your life. Can you name him/her. Likely, you’ve had more than one. What will be your aspiration tomorrow for moving others toward a better future?

“…treat a man as if he were what he potentially could be, and you make him what he should be.”

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