There are a lot of varying percentages when it comes to averaging the number of people that are successful in achieving their New Year Resolutions. Generally speaking, most people don’t achieve their resolutions and more often than not, most fail before they start. It’s an unfortunate statistic but does this mean that New Year’s Resolutions are not worth it? When setting personal resolutions, studies show that those set within a collaborative working environment where others can help hold one accountable will have a greater success rate than those just setting personal resolutions to achieve on their own. Here we will look at: 1. Benefits of Setting Goals In The Workplace In any successful workplace you will see goals being set for both the individual and the team. Setting goals provides everyone with a clear focus on what they are trying to achieve and how they will go about achieving it. They clearly lay out the step by step process that breaks down how the overall can be accomplished and in ways that are achievable for everyone. They also provide guidance so everyone can stay on track and keep a steady forward movement. All of this is what leads to an increase in work performance. Even if goals are set on an individual scale, everyone working together to achieve their goals creates a motivated work environment where accountability is a catalyst to success; causing everyone to perform with greater productivity. Not only are individuals and the team as a whole successful but so is the company or organization. 2. What About Resolutions In The Workplace? Resolutions in the workplace function a bit differently than the resolutions we commonly think of come New Year’s. Unlike a resolution created to improve or better an individuals personal life, resolutions set in the workplace are more unified. They’re a way of uniting everyone as a whole which potentially produces a more cohesive working environment and ultimately a successful one. Keep in mind that resolutions within a workplace are not the same as goals. Goals typically center themselves on numbers. Resolutions however, focus more on things like improving communication within the workplace and/or clientele, making it a point to celebrate team successes, creating a greater level of community within the work space, etc. They tend to have a personal edge making them more about quality, rather than quantitative value. That being said, they can still function in similar ways to typical goal setting methods. As mentioned above, goal settings has its benefits. These very benefits are an outline to successful workplace resolutions as well. Providing clear focus on what the workplace desires to create, keeping everyone on track and working together with the component of accountability, mapping out a plan of attack on how everyone will achieve the resolutions they have set forth and gaining increased productivity while working towards these resolutions are all ways resolutions function in similar ways to goals. The difference is the collaborative effort and energy that comes from setting resolutions in the workplace. 3. How To Ensure Resolution Success Goal setting is more often than not, a short term process where resolutions are about long term results. This is the first thing that needs to be understood when it comes to ensuring resolution success. The other is acknowledging that a successful resolution will always be about the process rather than the outcome. Whether its goals or resolutions, we often focus on the outcome, which is why most people end up failing their resolutions. We need to train our thoughts to look differently at these systems in order for us to achieve them. They need to be simple, measurable and achievable. Here is a list of ideas on how to set achievable resolutions in the workplace. Determine Your Course: Break it down into steps. Make sure they are simple and our set up to create a habit rather than just a task. Habits stick with us. This equates to long term results. Setting practical resolutions will always increase the odds that they can be achieved. Create Incentives: Giving someone or the team incentives to work towards, produces motivation. Not only are they pursuing the overall, they are enjoying themselves in the process. This can be done in simple ways like distributing gift cards to individuals/teams or taking everyone out for happy hour as a way to say, ‘ good work!’, ‘lets keep it up!’. Put A Time On It: It’s important to have an end date for everyone to work towards. Think of these as steps. Each step can be broken down by giving it a time in which it needs to be met. Accomplishing small steps one at a time is highly effective in meeting the overall goal. Make It Fun: Setting resolutions on their own isn’t what typically excites people. A small level of competitive play can be engaging and has the potential to create community. Ultimately, your looking for it to be a collaborative effort but this can be done not just by having everyone work towards specific goals but doing it together. Breaking people within the team into teams is one idea of implementing this. It also allows for accountability which is an influential factor in team success. Take Notes: There’s always a new time for everything and the best way to go into something new is taking what you’ve learned from previous experience with you. Taking notes on what worked and what didn’t will help everyone the next time they create new resolutions. Remember, it’s not about the overall outcome as much as it is about the process it takes to get there. Focusing on the day at hand and what it brings is the best thing one can do. The future will always be there. Todays moments, however, will not. Take each day one step at a time and you’ll find that your New Year’s resolutions do matter.
Pastors should always be seeking growth and if that’s being done, conferences and seminars will be a part of what they take the time to pursue. If one is not, however, it’s never too late to start! Here are some key reasons why pastors should attend leadership conferences and seminars. Strengthen Leadership Skills Leadership conferences and seminars are a great way to sharpen your skills and gain new ones. These are the places where you will hear thoughts and ideas from leaders in your wheelhouse who know exactly what you face on the daily; giving you an opportunity to learn something new and be reminded of important principles that may have fallen from your forethought. You’ll gain practical and relevant advice that you can implement in your own leadership, allowing you to grow as a leader and as an individual. Fresh Perspective Everyone benefits from fresh perspective. Fresh perspective keeps things from becoming stagnant and stale. It allows for change, so that one doesn’t fall into the trap of doing the same thing over and over. A pastor knows that their congregation needs to be inspired and it’s fresh perspective that can provide that inspiration. Attending such things as conferences and seminars allows for opportunities to hear new perspectives on challenges leaders may be currently facing. It’s a place to gain insight on how to approach certain situations and issues; hearing from other leaders that can inspire breakthrough. Connection and Inspiration One of the perks with attending conferences and seminars is the networking piece. Connecting with those you may already know but don’t always have the time to see, as well as meeting new faces. Gathering with like minded leaders can be a breath of fresh air; knowing that there are others who understand your day in and day out. Some of the most valuable relationships come from these meetings; impacting who you are as a leader. Relationships offer support, accountability, encouragement and can lead to new opportunities. On top of all this, connections are where we learn and grow. It’s through connections that we become inspired by others. There will always be new ideas, new information and new trends setting and it’s up to the individual as to whether they keep up on them. However, it’s important to keep in mind that a growing leader will impact those they lead to grow as well. People are not static. They want to be inspired. They appreciate fresh perspective, so pastors and leaders of all capacities can be more effective in their roles when they are pursuing growth and new inspiration.
The Christmas season is upon us and there is much to be thankful for. It’s a time of celebrating the birth of Christ, enjoying the company of family and friends and taking the time to give a little extra during this season. It can also be a busy season filled with shopping, festivities, traditions and more, which is why the term presence holds so much meaning. Our Savior Was Born When thinking of this season we reflect on the story of the birth of Jesus Christ. The scene we are commonly familiar with, the Nativity scene, depicts baby Jesus asleep in a manger as animals and others come in to see him. Just within this scene we can’t help but to feel the significance of His presence. Watching how others came far and wide just to take a look. It was His presence that brought the three wise men to come and bring him gifts. Following after a promise and a star they set foot in search for this newborn King. Others had heard of such a king being born that even the thought of Jesus’ presence caused King Herod to order all males under the age of two to be killed because of his fear that another king would be greater than himself. Yes, the presence of Jesus did not go unnoticed. Not at His birth or after all the years to follow. His presence was known long before His birth in the hearts of those that believed and when he fell asleep in a manger, His presence became known among all the earth. Coming Into His Presence As we get closer to Christmas day, our daily schedules can start to build up. Wrapping up our work weeks in preparation for the new year, finishing up our shopping for loved ones and even attending those late season Christmas parties can leave us feeling rushed in one direction or another. It’s easy to get caught up in the energy of it all and it’s part of the fun! But even with all the fun, we can find ourselves feeling burnt out even before Christmas day arrives which is why it’s a good reminder to take the time, whatever it may be, to come into His presence.
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Leadership skills will define whether an individual in leadership is successful or not. So where do you go to find the principles needed to ensure successful leadership? There are many sources but the truest source is the word of God. Here we will look at what scripture says and talk about how it relates to walking in Christian leadership. Is A Servant Matthew 20:26 says (paraphrased), “ whoever wants to become great must first become a servant” Often times when we look at the natural order people follow, whether it’s with a job, a volunteer position or staff at church, we see individuals starting with smaller tasks and working their way up to overseeing larger ones. Parallel to this is leadership. It’s easy to envision ourselves overseeing large groups of people or fulfilling important tasks, but what we don’t always think about when it comes to being a leader is that in order to be a good leader we must learn to serve. Serving usually requires doing the jobs that go unseen. It exists in the giving of our time and energy where recognition is not usually given. It’s doing the tasks that others never want to do. It’s something that requires heart, rather than talent or gifting or more often the case; becomes about the heart, rather than our talents and gifting. God is always after the heart and even in leadership He is looking for the heart to be in the right place because He knows that everything will flow from there. (Matthew 15:18 “but the things that proceed out of the mouth come forth out of the heart”) Looks To Other Leaders Hebrews 13:7 “Remember your leaders who spoke the word of God to you. Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith” It’s of great value to have people in your life who can speak into you; providing you wisdom, counsel and direction. Just having them in your life provides an example for you to imitate and live by. There are many great leaders out there. Some without holding that title publicly and it is worth your investment to build relationships with those who will not only lead by example but even greater, are willing to mentor you as a leader. Much of what we learn comes through experience. Even if we go to college and finish out our degrees, it’s taking what we learn and living it that truly provides us with knowledge and understanding. This is exactly what leaders in your life will provide you. Their experience, which in turn will give you a greater knowledge and understanding of things that you may have never learned or even thought about on your own. A common saying, ‘always respect your elders’ has existed for decades because someone knew the value that others can share in our lives. People who have walked different walks of life, have lived longer or simply just have a lot of life experiences have so much to offer if we are willing to listen. When we pair that with integrity, trust and like minded faith there is gold to be discovered. Places Their Trust In God Isaiah 41:10 “ so do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” What would Christian leadership be if it were not for our faith in our Creator. As much as this saying is true, we struggle sometimes when it comes to having faith in different areas of our lives. Being a leader doesn’t mean that we will not come across struggle or hardship. Gods word tells us to actually expect it. (John 16:33 “ Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows…) Being a Christian leader does mean however, that though there may be hardship we are to turn our sights to Him, trusting that He will make a way where we can’t. (John 16:33 cont. “…But take heart, for I have overcome the world”) Walking in leadership will have its ups and downs. There’s a lot of responsibility to carry. For yourself and for others. Challenges will come, but as leaders who have faith in God we must always remind ourselves that we can lay it down at His feet and trust that He will make a way.
Ownership is the act, state or right of possessing something. In the case of leadership, ownership is where one acts decisively, looks to solve problems, delegates tasks, abstains from blaming, takes responsibility and is objective when evaluating their own actions or events they are involved with. Leaders who operate within this context are committed to the process of learning, which attributes to the desire in others to step up and do the same. Leadership inspiring leaders. Here we will discuss why ownership is important and ways you can encourage those you are leading to take ownership. The Why The reason taking ownership is so important in leadership is because it begins a chain reaction amongst those you are working with and when others start to mimic this function, the organization, business or group environments performance is improved. Relationships amongst co-workers are strengthened which in turn boosts morale and overall work atmosphere. A cohesive partnership begins to develop because trust is established. A culture of learning becomes a catalyst for others to look for ways to carry new responsibilities. Tensions lessen, daily performance rates increase, organizational methods are enhanced and people begin to operate within new strengths because they’ve increase their learning potential through carrying out responsibilities that they wouldn’t have in the past. On the flip side, when leaders shrink back from taking ownership for responsibilities, in which case blame is often a factor; employee morale is damaged, tensions rise, trust becomes obsolete, relationships are no longer healthy, organizational chaos ensues and performance rates plummet. Leaders who do not nurture colleague relationships, avoid delegating tasks, are indecisive, micromanage or do everything themselves will almost always fail to deliver. Healthy leaders proactively seek personal feedback and correct mistakes through taking a problem solving perspective rather than a judgemental one which helps everyone involved to learn from the experience and make the improvements needed for next time. Any environment where people are involved will grow, develop and achieve success if they lead through applying ownership in their daily tasks and decisions. 5 Ways To Encourage Others To Take Ownership Let Everyone Have A Part In The Goal Setting Process When those you are working with are able to be a part of the goal planning process they will naturally take ownership in completing the needed tasks to accomplish the goals. Combining efforts to set goals, plan activities and accomplish the vision at hand allows for individuals to step up and take ownership of what they feel they can successfully complete as well as stepping up in areas where they believe they can take on a challenge. This produces a stronger team bond as individuals thrive in completing tasks with the knowledge that they are all working together to achieve a common goal. When everyone comes together to share ideas, insights and creativity, the end product of their efforts is always more successfully played out than those who are mundanely carrying out tasks with no ownership in what they are doing. Productivity rises and so does the morale.
Are character qualities something you look at when it comes to the idea of leadership? Whether it’s yourself or a leaders influence over your life, character is more valuable in the role of leadership than power, position or influence. Here are just some of the character qualities that principled leaders can apply within their roles of leadership. Strong Convictions What does having a firmly held belief or opinion have to do with character? Strong convictions are the mindset of an individual; meaning everything they say and/or do originates from their convictions. Convictions guide us in our pursuits, giving them meaning and purpose. When you feel strongly about something, you find yourself personally committed to sharing, exercising and fulfilling that ‘something’ through. Everything we say and do becomes purposeful. Purpose is what keeps us going. It’s what keeps us pushing through even when we face opposition. Our ‘why’ is essential in carrying out the responsibilities we have as leaders so in order for those ‘whys’ to be carried out, we must be certain in our pursuits and commitments. Having strong convictions is an important character quality. Accountability Accountability is a responsibility. Whether it be to ourselves, others or to our Creator; accountability reflects our commitment to our own personal integrity. This speaks highly of what kind of leader we are or who other leaders are to us. Being accountable means one is willing to submit themselves to being evaluated to one or more individuals that are qualified to examine their attitudes and actions. Where we put our trust is essential in walking out our leadership roles. Having others in our lives that can give us feedback allows us to stay on track or get back on it. It provides us opportunities to grow where we may not have seen otherwise. It’s ones own humility that allows for personal growth through constructive criticism.
Though the philosophy of servant leadership can be applied at any time, it reaches its full development over the course of stewarding specific traits and characteristics. Characteristics that are developed within each leader and then sown into the body of the organization or business. These traits and characteristics help shape the company or organization for future success. Characteristics and traits are as follows: Visionary Stewardship Community Focused Committed to Others Growth Visionary Part of being a visionary is not just imagining a bright future but foreseeing the steps it will take to get there. These steps are mapped out when one looks at past, present and future. Gaining insight by looking at growth indicators over the timeline of the company and having the ability to predict future occurrences. It’s important for a servant leader to imagine the possibilities of the future so that goals can be set and achieved as well as being able to reconcile with current realities when necessary. Having the intuition to step through a new door and close another is influential in the decision making process of a company. It’s also inspirational to the team as not everyone has the natural ability of a visionary. Where one has ideas, others have the capacity to implement them. Working off of one another’s strengths is what helps produce cohesiveness amongst a team as responsibilities are distributed according to everyone’s capabilities. Stewardship A servant leader is one who assumes the role of a steward over an organization or companies resources. It’s a role that takes responsibility for the planning and managing of all available resources so the organization or company prospers. Particularly, when it comes to team management. Stewarding personal responsibilities as well as relationships; stewardship is applied by focusing on uplifting the well being of each person within the organization ensuring an overall happiness in the working environment. Servant leaders who model this stewardship well are committed to selfless service, practice inclusiveness, embrace innovation and change, are team players and are quick to give others credit where it is due.
Servant leadership is exactly just that. A leader who looks to serve others as their first priority. It’s about building up your team by placing their needs first in order to help develop them that they may be able to perform responsibilities at a greater level. Some believe that the most successful businesses, companies and organizations are ones that are built on the philosophy of servant leadership. Unlike traditional leadership, where the main focus is the thriving of the company based on the ideas and goals from the top of the pyramid, servant leadership focuses on personal development with the belief that this will ultimately pour out into individual performance creating a thriving atmosphere as well as a successful company. It negates the idea that one person operates in a position of power and instead collaborates, by sharing power amongst the team. Keep in mind that servant leadership is not just something you do. It’s something you become. To be a servant leader one must embrace a different mindset for success. As a servant leader one must demonstrate certain traits and characteristics in order to successfully serve and grow their team. Some of these characteristics are as follows: Empathetic Active Listener Awareness of Self Promotes a Healthy Well Being Empathetic By definition, empathy is the ability to understand and share the feelings of another. In order to accomplish this one must develop enough of a relationship with someone to know what is going on in their world. Through relationship we are able to see into one another’s lives, sharing our experiences which provide us understanding. From here we are able to care and help one another as we empathize with what they are going through. People long for acceptance and to be understood. They want to be recognized for who they are. Building relationships where we can grow to understand one another allows us to encourage and lift others up, helping them to grow and thrive in every area of life. Developing the skill set of being an empathetic listener attributes to being a successful servant leader. Active Listener Often we hear of the values of communication but do we realize that one of the greatest components of communication is listening? Active listening, a skill in which one listens intently to what is being said and unsaid, is essential when it comes to developing good habits of communication. By listening to others you can help to resolve conflicts, offer counsel and impart training. Skilled communication and decision making are grounded in a commitment to actively listen to others. This allows for the leader to have a complete understanding of interpersonal situations and guides leaders in making the best decisions based on what they are dealing with. Along with listening to others, periods of reflecting on what is being communicated aids in the growth and well being of both the leader and their team.