Will Ferrell is hilarious. I am excited about the new “Land of the Lost” movie.  Every Saturday morning I enjoyed the 70′s TV show. I look forward to the Ferrell spin on a childhood memory.

What is your favorite Will Ferrell movie?

The leader sets the bar for the organization. If you are a leader of an organization then you have the awesome responsibility of establishing the parameters by which your organization will be successful.

My mentor always says, “Everything rises and falls on leadership”. He didn’t make up the saying, but he’s learned in his 70+ years experience how true a statement it is.  Are you leading with the idea that you are setting the bar for your organization?

The leader sets the bar in the areas of:

• Vision casting
• Character
• Work ethic
• Team spirit
• Ethics
• Completing goals and objectives
• Idea generation
• Energy and enthusiasm
• And…

Team members will seldom outperform the bar their leader sets for them.  The organization will cease to grow beyond the bar the leader sets for it.

Leaders, how high of a bar have you set for your organization?  Did I miss an area?

In some quiet time this morning, God led me to pray for some of the struggling ministers I know and work with each week.  I was reminded also of this verse:

1 Corinthians 16:8-9
But I will stay on at Ephesus until Pentecost, because a great door for effective work has opened to me, and there are many who oppose me.

Sometimes we keep doing what we are doing because God called us to do it, not because we are popular, the work is easy, or even that we are being well received at the time.  Being obedient to the call of God is sometimes painful, unpopular, difficult, and seemingly unrewarded (at the time).

I am also reminded of this passage from Mark 10:29-31 (The Message Version)

Jesus said, “Mark my words, no one who sacrifices house, brothers, sisters, mother, father, children, land—whatever—because of me and the Message will lose out. They’ll get it all back, but multiplied many times in homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children, and land—but also in troubles. And then the bonus of eternal life! This is once again the Great Reversal: Many who are first will end up last, and the last first.”

Do you need a reminder to hang tight to the call God has placed on your life?  How can I or the readers of this blog pray for you right now?

What fosters an attitude of team spirit in an organization?

Here are some elements that help build a healthy team spirit:

• An understanding of the overall goals and objectives of the team-When the big picture objective is understood each team member is more willing to pull together to accomplish the mission because they know their purpose.
• Healthy team relationships- For a team to have team spirit it needs to be filled with team members who actually like each other.
• Fun times – A team needs time just to have fun together.
• Team members who value the mission and the team – Some people are not team players.  They may be great people, but they would work better outside a team environment.
• A “we are in this together” attitude as a team – Healthy teams are those where its members are willing to do whatever it takes to accomplish the mission.  There are no turf wars on a healthy team.  (For more on this concept, read my previous post HERE.)
• Team leadership that embraces the team environment – Some leaders lead best from the penthouse suite environment.  They give orders well, but do not really enjoy playing the game with the team.  Team leadership requires involvement.

How does your organization foster a team spirit?  Do you feel you are a part of a healthy team?  What could help your team’s spirit be healthier?

Did you hear the news today? With the restructuring at General Motors the production of the Hummer is going to China. Read a news article HERE.

Please help me understand this. I love International trade. I am not opposed to buying foreign made cars (I drive one now). Is it just my ignorance though or are there some things, which should continue to be made in America?

Should the Hummer be one of them? I will most likely never own one, I have never even ridden in one, even though several friends have them and I have hinted a bunch, but when I see a Hummer on the road I see stars and stripes in the background of my mind!

What do you think?

Thanks for reading and please pass me the Chinese apple pie.

One of the most damaging expressions in a team environment is the phrase “that’s not my job” or “that’s not my area of responsibility”.  Thankfully I have never heard that said at Grace Community Church.  Sadly it is far too common in organizations that claim to be a team environment.  I talk with people on staffs frequently who feel they are on an island by themselves within the organization and no one ever helps them think through a problem, recruit volunteers for their area, or lend a hand during crunch times.

While I agree with the equally modern concept these days of job specialization, working from one’s strengths and having clear expectations of a job’s responsibility, the very concept of a team is one of shared resources and shared responsibilities.  For a team to thrive it’s members must be willing to do whatever it takes to accomplish the mission of the team.

Team leaders must foster a spirit of cooperation within the team.  Leading by example, team leaders demonstrate this concept best by willingly participating in whatever is necessary to help the team, even if that task is way out of their comfort level or interest.

Does your team need a dose of a “whatever it takes” attitude?  How does your team foster team spirit?

I was reflecting recently on bad bosses I have either had personally or that were in an organization in which I worked. Sadly in years past I may have played some of these roles as a boss.

Do you identify with any of these bad boss types:

The Bully Boss: This boss beats production out of employees.  Employees feel intimidated, which causes them to perform at less than capable performance levels.

The Passive Boss: This boss refuses to lead employees, will not confront problems, and allows dissension among employees. Employees run the show and politics destroys progress.

The Fence Leaner Boss: This boss always sees the grass as greener in another position in the organization or in another organization.  Employees feel abandoned without a voice in the organization and begin to look for their own greener grass.

The My Life Is A Mess Boss: This boss has a messed-up personal life and brings it into the office.  Employees are caught in a sea of drama, which keeps the organization in turmoil.

The Too Good For You Boss. This boss is unapproachable and never invests in employees who therefore feel unappreciated.

The Scared of Competition Boss. This boss is afraid employees will outperform him or her and so employees are given few responsibilities and the boss micro-manages all work.  The best employees feel underutilized and eventually leave the organization in search of more opportunities.

The Never Satisfied Boss: This boss is overly critical and hard to please. Employees wear out trying to make the boss happy and never feel a sense of accomplishment.

The Incompetent Boss: This boss hides behind his or her lack of qualification.  Employees suffer personally from a boss who cannot lead them.

The Aimless Boss: This boss has no expectations for the organization.  Goals and objectives are never obtained and employees are left without direction.

What’s crazy is that I learned valuable leadership principles from each of these bad bosses, if nothing more than what not to do as a boss.

Feel free to add number 10.

Have you ever had a bad boss?