Determining when to make change and when to leave things the same is one of the most delicate decisions of leadership, but I know one thing for sure:

“It’s working” should never be the primary reason to avoid change.

It could be a reason. Not everything needs changing. Some things are timeless. Change for change sake sounds good but isn’t always the best idea. (I wrote about it HERE.)

But organizations and teams need change…

Change keeps momentum going. It builds a culture of change. It keeps leaders on the team motivated. And, sometimes, you discover something wonderful you would have never discovered without change. (I wrote more about that concept HERE.)

So while change isn’t always necessary, “it’s working” shouldn’t keep you from considering change either.

Which makes the decision of when to change that much more difficult…doesn’t it?

One rule of thumb for me…

If there hasn’t been any change recently…

Chances are it’s time…

I am always reminded that leaders want to be in environments of change. Leaders are most comfortable when they can explore, take risks, and keep things stirring. There’s a reason marketers are always changing things…it’s not just leaders who want change…people tend to like change too.

Sometimes leaders need to create change before change is needed…even though things are working.

Are you a fan of change, or do you resist it?

What change do you need to make just because you can?

You’ve heard silence is golden…and that’s true…

…but sometimes silence can also be deadly…

Especially in a team environment…organizational structure…relationship setting…

When working on a project, implementing change, planning for the future…

Keep people updated with what you know…

Even if you don’t have all the answers…

When people don’t have information, they tend to invent their own scenarios…

Silence can fuel rumors…

Fear, tension, and frustrations rise…

Those invested often become discouraged…

Morale is injured and enthusiasm wanes…

All emotionally driven reactions fueled by the unknown…

People will be more patient if they receive adequate communication while they wait for the final details…

If you want to keep progress moving forward…

Break the silence and share information, as you know it…

Have you experienced the pain of silence in a team, organizational, or relationship setting?

Share your story to improve this post.

I read an interesting story from the life of the Biblical character of David again recently. The story says a great deal about leadership and what is required to successfully lead.

Here’s what I read:

When David was told, “Look, the Philistines are fighting against Keilah and are looting the threshing floors,” he inquired of the LORD, saying, “Shall I go and attack these Philistines?”The LORD answered him, “Go, attack the Philistines and save Keilah. But David’s men said to him, “Here in Judah we are afraid. How much more, then, if we go to Keilah against the Philistine forces!” 1 Samuel 23:1-3

Notice David had a vision…a word from God. This was a bigger request than David and his men probably felt capable of doing.  They were still a young army. This was prior to David reigning as king. He had been anointed king by God, but did not yet have the position. He was hiding from Saul. He didn’t have a king’s palace.  He spent much of his time in a cave.  This new assignment was scary, his army was questioning him, and the future was unknown.

Have you experienced a situation like this as a leader?

Thankfully David’s story had a happy ending: (Imagine that…since God put him up to it.)

Once again David inquired of the LORD, and the LORD answered him, “Go down to Keilah, for I am going to give the Philistines into your hand.” 5 So David and his men went to Keilah, fought the Philistines and carried off their livestock. He inflicted heavy losses on the Philistines and saved the people of Keilah. 1 Samuel 23:4-5

This story prompts some thoughts on leadership:

We seldom get to rest for long - I told our staff recently, as we’ve rounded our fifth year as an explosive growing church plant, that there is no promise that there is coming a season of rest. The next five years are likely to be as wild as the last five years. In my experience, growing organizations are always changing, new challenges come often, and people frequently feel stretched.  I might write more about this thought later, but that means we have to get better as individuals to face the difficult days to come.

Next steps are scary - If they weren’t, again, people wouldn’t need a leader. Next steps involve risk, require faith, and the future is an unknown.

Leaders lead - That’s what leaders do…they take people where they need to go, maybe even where they want to go, and sometimes where they are hesitant, afraid or may not yet be prepared to go. People don’t need a leader to stay where they are currently.

Big visions require faith – God doesn’t call us to that which is easy. He would receive no glory in us doing things we can naturally do…and seriously…What kind of a dream is it if it’s easily completed?

Victory won’t come unless we move forward – You can’t realize the rewards of a God-given vision until you take the required actions. Standing still is safer, but it doesn’t bring the satisfaction of a well-executed, bold move of faith.

What are you being called to these days that is bigger than you?

Does any of this ring true for your organization or time in leadership?

We have a healthy team. It’s full of grace, which works well, since that word is in our name. We consistently laugh together. We encourage each other to accomplish our goals. As a leader, I solicit feedback consistently. (I even allow the staff to anonymously evaluate me each year. Read about that process HERE.) We are generally flexible and laid back as an organization, yet we accomplish much towards our mission. I’ve worked in lots of environments and this is a good one…a healthy place to work. I’ve written articles about healthy teams, many of them based on the team on which I serve. (Read some of them HERE, HERE, or HERE.) I think our team would agree we are a healthy environment.

With that being said, I’m not sure we have eliminated what I call organizational fear. I’m not sure there is 100% freedom to share what’s on a person’s heart. I consistently address this concern. I’ve even said that sometimes we are too “nice” as an organization. We need to challenge more, even enter into healthy conflict, but sometimes it seems we are timid towards sharing our true feelings; especially some on the team. Problems exist…people see them…they continue for months…everyone recognizes something is wrong….yet no ones brings them to the surface. This is not a huge problem, or we wouldn’t be as healthy or successful as we are, but for whatever reason, some I may not understand, team members at times shy away from sharing what’s really on their mind. I know this is not something unique to our organization.

Why is that? Have you ever been afraid to share what you were thinking in an organizational setting? What caused that fear in your mind? Help me figure out why organizational fear exists, especially why it exists in a church or ministry setting.

Is it because of:

• A team member’s fear of making a mistake?
• Controlling leadership?
• Fear of taking a risk?
• Apathy?
• A false notion that conflict shouldn’t exist in a Christian organization?
• Other?

Also, help me understand how to address this issue.

What does it take to remove this fear from an team or organization?

Let’s discuss organizational fear today.

Do you ever struggle to complete a project?

You have a goal, you may even know what needs to be done for the goal to become a reality, but you never seem to accomplish the necessary tasks that will bring you success. Your dreams remain simply dreams and you remain frustrated with yourself.

Sound familiar?

Let me share a quick tip to help you avoid this scenario.

Many of us, perhaps even most of us, work better under a little pressure.

Earlier this year I wrote about writing a life plan. (You can read that series of posts HERE.) I’ve found that setting a deadline for the specific action steps in a plan like this helps me be more productive…

If I have a major project I need or want to complete I will:

• Schedule each step on my calendar…
• Set an alarm on my smart phone to alert me the week the task is scheduled…
• Set another alarm to remind me the day the task is due…

I still have to be disciplined enough to complete the task, but having the deadline provides me some accountability to complete an action step towards attaining my goals. It brings me closer to realizing my dreams.

You know yourself better than I do. Do you work best under a little pressure?

What tips do you have to help you stay on target towards reaching your goals?

Recently in Costa Rica I saw a tradition that’s common in my country too.  A child was placed in time-out…  For a certain amount of time, a child is not allowed to play with the other children, has to sit in a corner and is basically ignored. I’m certainly not critical of the form of discipline. It works well for some children. We had one for which it would work and one for which it wouldn’t.

I definitely, however, believe there is a time when a “child” outgrows the effectiveness of the practice.  I don’t know that “time out”, for example, works for adults, yet I see it frequently.

Have you ever been placed in leadership time-out?

Leadership time-out occurs:

• When a leader ignores you because of a mistake you’ve made…
• When a leader avoids you after a difference of opinion…
• When a leader is threatened by you so he or she keeps you at a distance…
• When you have no relationship with the leader other than professional…
• When a leader acknowledges you only when it’s beneficial to the leader…
• When a leader has a set of “favorites” on the team…and you’re not included…

After my examples, let me ask again, have you ever been placed in leadership time-out?

In my opinion and experience, leadership time-out is often due to poor leadership skills on the part of the leader.  The leader operates more out fear or control than out of respect and empowerment.  The leader plays games more than he or she leads strategically.  The leader doesn’t have the maturity to lead effectively.

Great leaders learn to push through the emotional aspects of leadership so they can treat people as adults in every situation.

What other examples would you add to my list?

Recently I was speaking with someone about their experience with a controlling leader. My friend said, “He’s just one of those humor him and move on kind of guys.” I thought to myself, “What a sad commentary to be said about one’s leadership!”

It reminds me of a similar experience I had with a controlling leader…

You see, I once had an idea…

It was a dream…a big vision…

I knew it would require risk, extra energies, and the assistance of others, but I was confident this was something worth pursuing…

I even felt it was a call of God for my life…

I was a volunteer for the organization, not an employee, but I had been given a certain amount responsibility and authority…

The only problem…

The leader of the organization was a controlling leader…

That fact alone changed the way I approached (or didn’t approach) the opportunity…

Many controlling leaders receive that kind of attention…

I’ve noticed from my own experience and watching others, that there are certain ways we tend to respond to controlling leaders…

Here are 7 examples:

• Ignoring them instead of confronting…
• Asking forgiveness instead of permission…
• Keeping our best ideas until we are certain they’ll work…
• Being afraid to share new ideas because we know they’ll be shot down…
• Feeling the need to build a coalition of support before approaching…
• Hiding our true thoughts and opinions rather than sharing them…
• Keeping our relationship to “strictly professional”…

Leaders, do any of those describe how people respond to your leadership?

Don’t be that guy!

In my specific situation described above, the result was one of the 3 ways listed HERE in a previous post. Which do you think was the result?

What would you add to my list of reactions to controlling leadership?

One of my pet peeves in leadership is the controlling leader.  I recently wrote some warning signs that indicate a leader may be one.  You can read that post HERE, but I keep seeing the type.  Controlling leaders are in every type of organization, including in the church.  (I also wrote about the difference in leading people versus controlling them HERE.)

I recently saw a controlling leader firsthand while working with another organization.  It reminded me of the main reason I’m so opposed to controlling leaders is that it is counter-productive to healthy organizations…and I love healthy organizations.

In fact, here are 3 results I see in teams and organizations with a controlling leader:

Leaders leave – You can’t keep a leader when you control him or her…at least not for long.  Leaders need room to breathe, explore and take risks.  Controlling leaders stifle creativity and a real leader will soon look for a place to grow.

Followers stay…many times…But they are often miserable – There are people wired to follow a controlling leader.  If i were using counseling terms is call it co-dependency. Sometimes due to fear of venturing out on their own or because of a false sense of loyalty they stay, but the controlling leadership makes them miserable.

Organizations stall - Controlling leadership always limits the organization to the strengths, dreams and abilities of the controlling leader.

Dear leader, take it from a leader who has to discipline himself not to control, controlling leadership simply doesn’t work. Have you learned that principle?

Have you worked for a controlling leader?  What would you add to my list of the results of controlling leadership?

I am frequently asked when is the right time to leave a leadership position.  I once wrote 8 Ways to Know It’s Time to Quit.  It’s still one of my most requested blog topics.  This is a hard decision for many leaders.  Thankfully, there are still leaders with a sense of loyalty, who want to do the right thing, and they simply do not know how or when they should leave.

I love hearing how one leader’s tenure carried the organization from infancy to maturity….

I am always impressed to hear of a long term pastorate…

The healthiest way, organizationally speaking, is to have a long-term leader, one who goes through seasons with the organizations, who carries the vision forward over a long span of time.

It should be noted, however, that sometimes a leader is just for a season….

• Some leaders get things started…
• Some leaders guide the organization through transition…
• Some leaders only handle the tough times…
• Some leaders help organizations start again…
• Some leaders close things out graciously….

And then they move on…

If a leader does what he or she has been called to do, there is no shame in doing ONLY what the leader was called to do…

Have you ever been the leader for a season?

What other example would you list?

My mind thinks a lot about leadership.  Leadership is hard… If it were easy, everyone would be doing it…and everyone is not.  Leading well is even more difficult to do.  Not all my thinking fits into a specific post.  That’s one good aspect of the 140 characters of Twitter.

Here are 8 random leadership axioms that came to me recently. Some have been Tweets…Others I saved for this post:

• Part of leadership is the willingness to make hard decisions no one else on the team wants to make…
• Sometimes a leader’s worst day is the organization’s best day…
• Leaders initiate needed change, even uncomfortable change, in the organization…
• The leader has a responsibility to do the right thing for the organization, regardless of whether it brings instant popularity….
• Loneliness in leadership often comes with the position of leader…
• Don’t stop doing the right thing even when the wrong thing is receiving more celebration. That party won’t last.
• Some of a leader’s best work is not what the leader does but what he or she inspires to be done…
• Leaders don’t shy away from hard conversations, conflict or challenges…

Do you have any to add to the list?  Which of these, if any, should I expand into a blog post?