One of the greatest sins a “leader” can commit is to work alone. Good leadership equips, empowers, trusts, and releases. The best way to do this is through teams, and this is a good definition of team. “A team is a group organized to work together to accomplish a set of objectives that cannot be achieved effectively by individuals.”
Teamwork is the wisest means by which to contribute to an organization. An organization that does not use teams is limited by the capabilities of its weakest or most fearful leader.
Weak leaders function like log jams that slow everyone else down or even prevent forward motion. Fears, vested interests, ego, or prejudices can hamper the health and effectiveness of an organization.
That’s why teams are important. In teams, everyone has a vital role to play, everyone is empowered to contribute, and every opinion is important in the formation of direction. Teams also require humility to function correctly. A “leader” with huge ego issues will not be able to function in a team setting; it will be too threatening.
The same article about teams, quoted above, has a set of guidelines for team membership. The whole list is not printed here, but note the emphasis on individual contribution in the items listed.
- Contribute ideas and solutions
- Recognize and respect differences in others
- Value the ideas and contributions of others
- Listen and share information
- Be flexible and respect the partnership created by a team — strive for the “win-win”
Autocratic and egotistic leaders are only able to reach to their personal limits. In team work, individual commitment usually transcends the team. A team outperforms an individual and all reasonable expectations given to its individual members. That is, a team has a synergistic effect…one plus one equals a lot more than two.
Jesus understood the importance of “team” and its ability to transform individuals. He took 12 men who, individually, could never have accomplished what they did as a team in a few short years. During his three years with them, he empowered them, allowed them to fail, and when needed, supplied specific teaching.
Teamwork is vital to healthy organizations, business or religious. An individual that tries to “lead” by himself is a danger to progress and growth, because he will function like a governor on a motor and slow the organization to his own limitations.
I was working on a sermon recently that was exploring the idea of being prepared for the Second Coming, whenever that happens. The language of the New Testament seems to indicate that the First Century disciples believed that the Second Coming was imminent. Some were, apparently, quitting their jobs in order to wait. Others were afraid that it had already happened and they had missed it.
Last night, around 8:00, I was sitting on our couch-recliner, and it started vibrating. It felt so eerie, I actually got up to see if there was someone behind the couch. This was an irrational act since I was the only one at home at the time. The movement lasted long enough for me to wonder what was causing the motion.
Last week I accompanied Bev to Sunnyvale where she was going to attend a workshop for speech-language pathologists. The workshop was on Friday, so we went a couple of days early to have some much needed time off. The time away was valuable and restful.
Sunday is the date of our annual Kiwanis pancake breakfast. It occurs on Sunday, so I’m unable to participate in the event.
Marketing is a huge puzzle to me. Classic church planting models often employ heavy use of direct mail and other forms of mass advertising. But LifeSpring didn’t have anywhere close to the amount of money that approach would take. Later we got a one time infusion of $4000 cash that was earmarked specifically for marketing. We gave direct mail a try, but it was very costly and a poor method.
On Monday my Friday was wide open. The only thing I had scheduled was a hair cutting appointment at 11 AM. But that was five days ago.
MonoLogue 