Teams by Stuart Macklin

ministry

TE AMS stuart

ministry

macklin

leadership

curriculum

Dear student, A healthy team can achieve anything. The seemingly impossible becomes possible when people work together towards a singular purpose in unity. We’ve built aircraft that go faster than the speed of sound and space shuttles that land on the moon; we’ve dug tunnels across seas and seen diseases totally eradicated from the face of the earth. The world is not perfect. There are endless solutions we still need to discover but together with the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, we can make an impact in the world for good.

This curriculum answers the questions of “why do I need a team?”, “ how do I put one together?”, and “ how do I successfully grow it to achieve the purpose laid before it?”

Teams have the potential to reveal the beauty of God in fullness as nothing else can. Teams are God’s idea. He calls us ‘ living stones’, all to play an important part in His body. There is a joy in being a part of God’s team. We are like paintbrushes in the hands of a master craftsman. We get to enjoy being the paintbrushes, looking to the original artist, and marveling at the work of His perfection in awe and wonder. It pleases Him to watch our joy as we see how powerfully He can use a surrendered, laid down life — a life that is being used in a significant way and acknowledges that the artist is directing the strokes. The world around us watches in awe at the beauty and wonder that unfolds. Teams magnify the dream and the vision, they create and build momentum, and achieve the unthinkable.

My prayer is that this workbook would amplify the beauty and wonder of God so others can see the work He is doing as you lead teams. I pray that you would discover a stirring in your heart that leads your life to be attractive to others, that there would be a safety and love around you that others are drawn to.

Perhaps a thought or an idea would appear over these eight weeks from the Holy Spirit that you will give birth to and build into a powerful team, carrying courage and hope to those in desperate need of it. What starts as an idea in a single person stepping out in faith can become an enormous move of God with hundreds, thousands or even millions of people being a part of it. Not for your glory, but to glorify Him who in grace birthed the idea inside of you.

“The Kingdom of Heaven is like a mustard seed planted in a field. It is the smallest of all seeds, but it becomes the largest of garden plants; it grows into a tree, and birds come and make nests in its branches.”

Matthew 13:31-32 I bless you to build community, to build justice, to build His church and to bring His heart into every sphere of life.

Stuart

TEAMS INTRODUCTION ��������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 5 Chapter 1: TEAMS START WITH PURPOSE ������������������������������������������������������������������������� 7 Chapter 2: CLARITY AND STRATEGY �������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 21 Chapter 3: SEEKING AND MOTIVATION ���������������������������������������������������������������������������� 37 Chapter 4: CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT AND CULTURE ������������������������������������������� 51 Chapter 5: BUILDING TEAM CULTURE ��������������������������������������������������������������������������� 63 Chapter 6: PHYSIOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT TOOLS ��������������������������������������������������� 75 Chapter 7: BIBLICAL TEAMS ������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������ 87 Chapter 8: TEAM DIAGNOSTICS AND RESOLUTIONS ��������������������������������������������������� 99

Introduction

INTRODUCTION A TEAM ALWAYS STARTS WITH A PURPOSE Purpose is defined - ‘the reason for which something is done or created or for which something exists.’

Our lead Pastor John Hansen laid out his purpose for all to see and hear: “I am going to love and lead people to a life-changing connection with Christ.” He then worked to achieve that purpose with excellence. Over the past sixteen years of building God’s house in Southern California, he has been able to attract some of the most talented leaders to assist Him. He forms teams in part because they want to join him and learn from him but also because they want to partake in the adventure he has embarked upon. People believe He will achieve great things and want to be a part of the significant work that transpires. But he also works tirelessly to be the best leader he can be and, as a result, others come alongside. Together, God does incredible things. While he may move into heaven a little tired one day, what joy he will have looking at all the lives transformed, all the new life that was born through the power of the Holy Spirit. He is clear about his mission; he has a strategy and a team to achieve it, a formula that works well.

The hardest part is often the “stepping out in faith.” It takes courage to consistently know what God is calling you to and to repeatedly do it. It takes a Noah-type mentality and a refusal to let the world tell you you can’t or you’re not good enough. English has always been my weakest subject. I remember being 15 in school and having no idea how to do an English assignment.

My mom had to rewrite and type up my essay so I might pass the class, an approach I do not condone these days. She ended up winning a prize for the piece that I (she) wrote and it was displayed on the wall for the rest of the year. A business gifting did come a little more naturally so I used what I did have to fill the gaps. Mum has remained on my team throughout all these years, and is responsible, along with my wife Kate, for a large part of what I have achieved and the people we reach. It is their willingness to sacrifice their time and energy that actually makes the difference and enables everything else to happen. My point is that God will use what you think is your weakest ability and turn it into a strength for His glory. But you must be willing to cast down every thought that comes against your God-given destiny. Remember there are people who believe in you, love you, and will help you step into all God desires for you as you base your calling in the love and truth of God. ~5~

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TEAMS START WITH PURPOSE

TEAMS by Stuart Macklin

BUT FIRST - ANSWER THE CALL God is calling you to something and it’s your responsibility to respond. Jesus says “Look! I stand at the door and knock. If you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in, and we will share a meal together as friends.” Revelation 3:20 Consider this invitation. When you invite a friend into your home and share a meal together, you talk about dreams, hopes, desires, what’s important to them and so much more.

When the Lord saw that Moses was coming closer, he called to him from the middle of the bush and said, “Moses! Moses!” He answered, “Yes, here I am.” God said, “Do not come any closer. Take off your sandals, because you are standing on holy ground. I am the God of your ancestors, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.” So Moses covered his face because he was afraid to look at God. Then the Lord said, “I have seen how cruelly my people are being treated in Egypt; I have heard them cry out to be rescued from their slave drivers. I know all about their sufferings, and so I have come down to rescue them from the Egyptians and to bring them out of Egypt to a spacious land, one which is rich and fertile and in which the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites now live. I have indeed heard the cry of my people, and I see how the Egyptians are oppressing them. Now I am sending you to the king of Egypt so that you can lead my people out of his country.” Exodus 3:3-10 God’s children cry out to Him and He speaks to those who respond, “Here I am. Use me.”

God has a purpose in mind and he chooses to partner with His children. For your purpose to be fulfilling it needs to start as God’s idea. A purpose centered on a desire to make myself rich and famous will ultimately be hollow and unfulfilling. Humans are meant to be expressions of God’s love. We are built in His image and that means we are designed to reveal sacrificial love and truth to the world. We must allow God to give us the purpose so it can be an expression of love from Him and to Him. This places the purpose in the right context, for when times get hard He turns the negative situations into love breaking through. When others encounter incredible breakthrough and joy and then make an idol of you, you remain grounded in the knowledge that it is because of His love. It allows us to be grateful when times are good and resilient when times are hard. That’s not to say that the lucrative business idea or the dream to be famous is not from Him — they very well could be. Don’t judge what comes to mind when you are discerning your purpose, just go with it and trust, at least initially, that it might be from God. GAINING CLARITY ON PURPOSE Do you remember a day when, after completing the tasks and the day was finished, you were filled with joy? Maybe you had a creative day, a day where you built elaborate sandcastles, maybe you won an award at school for making something, a worship experience that changed your life, maybe you saw people supernaturally healed or you wrote a story that you loved to see others enjoying. These times are the times we should remember and think about. The clues are in your ~8~

CHAPTER 1 — Teams start with purpose

story! What I’m getting at is this question: what motivates or captivates you? I believe God has got something special for you and all you need is a willing spirit. Charles Mully felt God’s call at the age of 40 in Kenya, and after responding with ‘yes Lord’ he found himself filled with joy. He went on to adopt 13,000 orphans from the slums of Africa, giving them a family to belong to.

When do you feel most alive?

For me, I love building things and I love seeing God’s Spirit empower and raise up new leaders.

I love dreaming something up and then seeing it come into reality. My wife and I believe God has called us to bring the life of Jesus into everything we do. I love the process of dreaming up what could be, I love connecting with people and developing relationships. The idea of people finding love and safety in God’s Spirit breathes life into my soul. I love serving others to help them bring their dreams into fruition and watching as God encourages them and uses them to do something new and exciting.

Because of God’s grace to me, I have laid the foundation like an expert builder. Now others are building on it. But whoever is building on this foundation must be very careful. For no one can lay any foundation other than the one we already have — Jesus Christ. Anyone who builds on that foundation may use a variety of materials — gold, silver, jewels, wood, hay, or straw. But on the judgment day, the fire will reveal what kind of work each builder has done. The fire will show if a person’s work has any value. If the work survives, that builder will receive a reward. But if the work is burned up, the builder will suffer great loss. The builder will be saved, but like someone barely escaping through a wall of flames. 1 Corinthians 3:10-15 In Ministry Life, I identified how you can be compared to an organization with different departments and how we must first learn to manage ourselves before we step into managing others. This book is about building healthy teams so you can help others step into what God has for them.

The word ministry means “to serve”. We are called to serve others as Christ served us. At the heart of everything worth building is Christ - His heart, His life, His freedom. He is the original designer of all things, the original artist that everything starts with. ~9~

TEAMS by Stuart Macklin

Prayer: Lord thank you for my story. Thank you for showing me the broken and the redeemed.

Father, you see every experience I’ve been through. Only you know how you have made me, only you know what you were thinking when you made me. Holy Spirit, would you bring to mind what you are calling me to? Write down any thoughts that come to mind as you seek the Lord’s direction for your life.

Holy Spirit, what will I need in this next season?

~10~

CHAPTER 1 — Teams start with purpose

Who should I talk to about the things You are placing on my heart?

Write out what you would love to be a part of in the future. What do you see, feel, or hear?

Don’t worry if you found this difficult. God’s grace will carry you into your destiny. We are simply called to surrender and allow ourselves to obey His directions day-by-day. I was 39 before I went into full-time ministry. David had around 15 years between the time Samuel anointed him king and the realization of his kingship. Paul (formerly Saul) studied for between 8-14 years in Antioch before heading out into the mission field.

THE ESSENTIALS BEFORE THE CALL: • Do you need to forgive, bless, and release anyone who has spoken less than God’s best over you?

• Surrender fear to our Holy God who is championing you above all else.

• Walk in faith. The sea parts as Moses walks into it, the miracle happens as Peter steps out of the boat, the food is multiplied as it is broken, the Jordan dries up as they walk across it, the woman with the issue of blood is healed as she grabs Jesus’ coattails. Again and again, Jesus commends them for their faith in action. Their faith has created the action. Insecurity, doubt, and fear prevent the action and stop you from living your fullest life. We have to count the cost of this now because the cost of inaction far outweighs the risk of action. ~11~

TEAMS by Stuart Macklin

• Jesus replied, “You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.”

• It’s His Spirit that empowers us to surrender the idols inside our hearts.

Play It Out Seeing the future of the decisions we make helps keep us on track. Imagine if the husband who gives in to the escapism of having an affair could see the impact it would have on his family ten years down the line. This practice motivates us to avoid momentary selfish desires. If the addict could see the impact and waste that came from that first drink, then perhaps they would be motivated to abstain. Conversely, when we choose to see from the perspective of faith, we see God’s heart and to what He is calling us to. The world is your oyster and we must choose to do what is uncomfortable again and again until His kingdom comes, not just in our own lives, but our ministries, our businesses, our workplaces and every aspect of the society surrounding us.

Passion Arising Passion comes from the Latin word ‘pati’ which means to undergo or endure, normally in terms of physical suffering. It was Christ who gave it this meaning: to love something so much that it was worth physically suffering for. So what are you passionate about? What for you is worth suffering?

It’s good to be aware that God’s priorities do not always line up with ours. You may have the godliest heaven-sent idea, but if God allowed it to happen immediately, the weight of the call would crush you. He has to grow our character, our trust in him, our perseverance and, primarily, our faithfulness to him. It is not skills or experience or money that builds His kingdom, but rather a faithful heart that turns to Him and turns up for Him. It’s good to be aware of this as you go through the seasons of life. Being aware that God’s lessons of character and faithfulness are being achieved even if the dream we have does not immediately manifest into reality. ~12~

CHAPTER 1 — Teams start with purpose

Don’t Overcomplicate It When I started in business, I would think about all the technical aspects of starting. I’d recruit an accountant to ensure good financial systems, I’d have lawyers and accountants for tax issues, I’d have insurance companies for the liability of the organization, point of sale systems to make money, then I’d tackle stock control systems, the list was endless. The result was an empty bank account.

I’d kill the idea before it had ever had the chance to get off the ground. Be careful of your hidden insecurities - it is often these insecurities that kill the dream before it gets going. The best thing you can do with insecurity is to acknowledge it daily and allow it to create space for God to move.

I would feel the need to have everything sorted before I started because of my insecurity. It can look like procrastination, it can look like “I don’t need help, I’ve got this”, it might be fear of others judging you, it might be poor financial management or over-optimism. Bring it into the light and let God and others help you. Save yourself the time, energy, and pain and just humble yourself now. It makes everything so much easier. It means we learn to depend on God and fellowship with grace as our foundation.

To succeed you just need an idea, direction, humility, and perseverance.

Teams always start with a purpose. If you formed a team now what purpose would you give it?

Who would you need on the team to achieve this desired purpose?

~13~

TEAMS by Stuart Macklin

What character traits are most important for your team members?

Do you embody those character traits?

r Yes

r No

What do you need to do to embody those character traits?

“If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking.� James 1:5 We need the spirit of wisdom to know what strategy to apply and how much time and energy to give to things. Pray and ask God for wisdom and He will give it to you.

~14~

CHAPTER 1 — Teams start with purpose

EMBRACING THE OPPORTUNITY The next thing you need is a resilient spirit. How are you going to see the opportunity in everything? Try turning the following lines into opportunity statements.

I don’t have any money to do that!

I don’t have the experience.

No one wants to work with me.

I’ve already tried that and failed.

I don’t know what I’m doing.

Behind every person who is a strong teambuilder is someone who refuses to give up — someone who finds the solution to the problems being presented to them. The difference between success and failure is often simply refusing to quit or allow disillusionment to get the best of you. That’s not to say that you don’t learn and amend your approach, but rather you begin to see each problem as an opportunity to learn.

Prioritize Fundraising If you are building independently, nothing will be more important than your ability to raise funds. Churches, in particular, get admin-heavy with lead Pastors having to constantly walk the line between those who are focused on ensuring the financial security through fundraising, donations, and sales, and the administrative work of running the teams.

~15~

TEAMS by Stuart Macklin

Below is a list of subject areas where you might need to consider improving your knowledge to help grow your team.

• • • • • • • • •

Fundraising techniques Vision casting Effective communications Marketing strategies Technical support Financial management Strategy formation Overcoming insecurities Other internal challenges

• • • • • • • •

Time management Design and packaging Tax issues Cash flow management Legal issues Manufacturing expertise Wholesale expertise Location requirements

Remember, don’t let your lack of knowledge hinder you, just return each time to the opportunity spirit.

From the above list, what are the three areas you need to prioritize learning about?

Priority One: What do you need to do to have someone help you with this?

Priority Two: What do you need to do to have someone help you with this?

Priority Three: What do you need to do to have someone help you with this?

~16~

CHAPTER 1 — Teams start with purpose

A great way to start building is to purchase a web domain for $5-25 based around the name or vision you have and then learn how to build a website to communicate your vision to others in a clear, concise way. This means you have to figure out how to craft the message around what you are doing. Take it one step at a time. First, navigate the purchase of the url through a domain registration site, then use Wix, Squarespace, Wordpress, Shopify, Etsy or another web platform and tackle the main subject areas. Keep in mind this exercise is about having clarity around the importance and impact this project will have and relating it so that others can understand. The greatest benefit is for you to gain clarity around the subject and this exercise ensures you do that.

If you are unsure of your communication strategy you could work with someone from fiverr.com to assist you at a very low price. Also, upwork.com can help you with any technical or design features you might require help with.

Building A Volunteer Team These techniques are relevant if you are starting a new team, but what if you are building a volunteer team for someone else? Consider the example below. How would you handle it?

The Parking Team Scenario Your leader at church takes you to one side and asks if you would start a new parking team. You know that the church is already short on volunteers and the idea of standing out in the summer heat directing cars into spots seems like something no one will volunteer their time for.

Write out the steps you would take to make this team the most popular team to join at church.

1. What would you need personally to see this as a great opportunity?

~17~

TEAMS by Stuart Macklin

2. What would you need to see happening in the future to make it worth your time and energy?

How much of what you wrote above was an internal development and how much did you ask for help from others?

The opportunity for character development is something that excites God. The children who say yes to the hardest quests know the opportunity for growth and character development that lies ahead. These people are the ones who turn into leaders and influencers for the future.

Often a new team is started by one person willing to say yes and step out in faith. They form their way of achieving the outcome, their way of doing things, and look to recruit others onto the team. It’s the people who come alongside who are the most crucial in the formation. It is here that the team is tested most as the dynamics of two unfold. The initial person must look to pass off what they can to the other person and prioritize what will grow the team and achieve the desired outcome efficiently. This involves training, feedback, and relationship investment. I would suggest that the leader’s ability to secure safety through trust is now one of the highest priorities. Ensuring financial security and a healthy environment, combined with a daily reminder of the significance of the work, will hold the team together while it grows from its infancy into stability. People will sacrifice safety if they believe the outcome is going to be impactful and significant enough to honor the sacrifice they are making.

~18~

CHAPTER 1 — Teams start with purpose

What creative ways can you think of to appreciate team members?

NOTES

~19~

TEAMS by Stuart Macklin

NOTES

~20~

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CLARITY AND STRATEGY

TEAMS by Stuart Macklin

Team members need clarity around the team’s purpose and what part they will play in it. This is achieved by writing out: • The Mission - that God has called you to.

• The Vision - what you see happening as the mission is achieved.

• The Values - the set of beliefs for everyone while achieving the purpose.

• The Strategy - a plan for achieving the outcome.

• The Demographics - who and where you will be.

If you start a team or organization, you’ll need to write out your thoughts on the vision, mission, values, strategy, location, and demographics. It doesn’t have to be perfect, it’s just a starting point.

It’s good to know that you can always go back and edit it as it evolves. These documents are the best way to communicate the team’s purpose to them and to give them clarity and understanding of their role. All team members need to know the history of when God spoke to the leader, what the leader envisions happening, the team’s values, the strategy that will be used, where it will be applied, and clear roles. When a team knows these pieces of the jigsaw puzzle, unity and synergy can be achieved and the team will begin to take ownership of the purpose at hand with excellence.

MISSION As new team members come on board, they need to know what the organization’s purpose is and how the team is achieving the mission. The weight of importance in their role and your ability to explain how and why they play that role is a vital component to its success. Your ability to duplicate the purpose and culture inside each person will play a key role in future success or failure of the team.

It’s when each person owns their part and works to support others that God’s house is built. If one part of the body is unhealthy, the whole body’s vitality is challenged. God has given us a picture of how a healthy team operates in the human body which He uses as a depiction for the church.

“The human body has many parts, but the many parts make up one whole body. So it is with the body of Christ. Some of us are Jews, some are Gentiles, some are slaves, and some are free. But we have all been baptized into one body by one Spirit, and we all share the same Spirit. Yes, the body has many different parts, not just one part. If the foot says, “I am not a part of the body because I am not a hand,” that does not make it any less a part of the body. And if the ear says, “I am not part of the body because I am not an eye,” would that make it any less a part of the body? If the whole body were an eye, how would you hear? Or if your whole body were an ear, how would you smell anything? But our bodies have many parts, and God has put each part just where he wants it. How strange a body would be if it had only one part! Yes, there are many parts, but only one body. The eye can never say to the hand, “I don’t need you.” The head can’t say to the feet, “I don’t need you.” ~22~

CHAPTER 2 — Clarity and strategy

Some parts of the body that seem weakest and least important are the most necessary. And the parts we regard as less honorable are those we clothe with the greatest care. So we carefully protect those parts that should not be seen, while the more honorable parts do not require this special care. So God has put the body together such that extra honor and care are given to those parts that have less dignity. This makes for harmony among the members so that all the members care for each other. If one part suffers, all the parts suffer with it, and if one part is honored, all the parts are glad. All of you together are Christ’s body, and each of you is a part of it.” 1 Corinthians 12:12-27 This is why we should celebrate the diversity of gifts within the church and help each other get excited about the vision God gives us. As we all look to Him to reveal gifts and grow our character, we may be a blessing to others.

How would you describe Jesus’ mission?

If you were a part of a human body, what part would you be and what role would you play to ensure it operates well?

~23~

TEAMS by Stuart Macklin

What other parts would you be dependant on?

VISION A clear vision of where the team is heading gives everyone confidence and synergy as they work towards the common goal. Each person needs to know individually where they are heading and corporately where the group is heading. This helps the souls feel safe and gives us direction and an ability to sacrifice for the purpose that has been laid out. Ambiguity and uncertainty always have negative repercussions as confusion increases around what the specific outcome will be.

Have you ever been lost in the woods? How about lost in the woods at night? Can you imagine what it would be like? Why does the scene in a horror movie always include a shot of a person running away from the killer in the woods? And why is it always dark? The music climaxes, an audible heartbeat plays in the background and then the killer jumps out at them. I use this metaphor because this is what it is like working for a company that has a leader who is fearful and doesn’t empower workers to have clarity and ownership of their future. The forest is the lack of clarity being given, the night is the fear that lies in the background leaving us wondering why it’s so hard to see where we are going.

The vision statement is a map through the woods for the team. The one-page business plan for each person is the safety that allows them to experience empowerment and ownership of their destiny. It establishes what each person has. It brings peace and personal clarity about the future. Many major business consultation companies attribute the implementation of the onepage business plan as the single reason for turning around a corporation’s overall performance.

And while a one-page business plan might seem like a corporate tool, ministries and non-profit organizations should also utilize it to give their workers clarity about how their role fits in with the overall objective of the organization.

Once you know the mission and your part in it, the next aspect is the vision. Aubrey Malphurs describes vision as “a moment of clarity”.

~24~

CHAPTER 2 — Clarity and strategy

The mission is taught while the vision is caught. Moses encounters God’s vision in Deuteronomy 8:7-9: “For the Lord, your God is bringing you into a good land of flowing streams and pools of water, with fountains and springs that gush out in the valleys and hills. It is a land of wheat and barley; of grapevines, fig-trees, and pomegranates; of olive oil and honey. It is a land where food is plentiful and nothing is lacking. It is a land where iron is as common as stone, and copper is abundant in the hills.”

Moses gains a moment of clarity as God talks about what is going to happen in the future.

Moses’ challenge was then to relay that vision to the team. Would the Israelites catch the vision?

A good vision should excite you and others. A good exercise after you cast a vision is to ask the person what they see and let them explain it back to you. Does it excite them? Could they relay it to someone else and see the excitement in others? A great leader will be able to explain what the end vision looks like.

But remember, the timing of the vision coming to pass is often outside of our control. Most church leaders encounter similar challenges to that which Moses went through.

• Moses feels inadequate. (Exodus 3:11) • He experiences fear, leading Israel to: º Not crossing the Jordan (Numbers 13:33) º Complaining about provision (Numbers 11:31-32) º Making statues to worship instead of representing God’s image to the nations • Pride makes him believe he could lead in his power. (Numbers 20:11) • He communicates poorly and needs Aaron. (Exodus 4:14-16) • His followers and team act disobediently. (Exodus 7) • The vision doesn’t come to pass in the timeline expected.

• He gets overwhelmed with the workload. (Numbers 11:16) God told His people that they would be different. He placed value on them and they knew the ancestry of their father Abraham and how God had called them out of the darkness through the faith Abraham had shown God. But they also knew the vision God had for them.

“I will cause your descendants to become as numerous as the stars of the sky, and I will give them all these lands. And through your descendants, all the nations of the earth will be blessed.”

Genesis 26:4 Notice how the Jewish people, when in relationship with God, always felt special because they had been set apart — the love of God was upon them. If you make people feel special and love them, then your team is more likely to be successful and united. ~25~

TEAMS by Stuart Macklin

Vision is powerful. Aubrey Malphurs explains the benefits as: 1. Clarifying the direction

7. Offers sustenance

2. Inviting unity

8. Creates energy

3. Facilitating function

9. Provides purpose

4. Enhancing leadership

10. Encourages giving

5. Prompting passion

11. Motivates others

6. Fosters taking risks The vision facilitates the team’s success. It helps to ensure that the mission is achieved. John R.W. Stott says of vision, “It is an act of seeing - an imaginative perception of things, combining insight and foresight. We see what it is - but do we see what could be?” See below how Disney’s Galaxy’s Edge was first envisioned on paper to later be brought into existence by architects and project managers.

CONCEPT DRAWINGS

~26~

CHAPTER 2 — Clarity and strategy

A VISION DRAWING

A good vision will capture a person’s heart and mind; it will excite them and motivate them into action. It should draw out charisma in the leader who is casting the vision. These responses are key to helping recruit and build the team. While a vision may be seeing a world yet to be created, passion allows people to feel the world that is being created.

Aubrey Malphurs suggests all ministry leaders should ask the following questions: 1. Is the vision clear? Do the people understand it?

2. Is it exciting? Does it motivate people to pursue the mission?

3. Does it create a picture in people’s minds? Can they see it in their minds?

4. Is it future-oriented? Does it present a picture of the ministry’s future?

5. Am I convinced it must be? Am I passionate about it?

Throughout the vision process, there will be certain key people in the team who are responsible for making the vision come into existence. It’s important to include them in developing the vision so they can outwork the strategy. Once those people of influence are involved in the process, they will be able to see what or who is needed to ensure the vision comes to life. It requires team cooperation and contribution. Developing a board can be a useful way to assist in the recruitment of key team members to achieve the vision.

Discovering a vision of the future starts with asking for God’s assistance. Jesus gives the disciples a mission in Matthew 28:19 - “make disciples of all the nations.” Think of all the unique ways the first disciples would outwork this. In Acts 2:1-31, God has brought people to Him from all over the world. They would return to their countries and talk about how the Messiah had ~27~

TEAMS by Stuart Macklin

overcome death and opened the door for all souls to enter into eternal life in relationship with God. Now imagine all the possible ways of revealing that joy to help others understand it. We need to remember that no matter what our thoughts are about ourselves, there will always be room in God’s house for your unique expression of God’s vision.

Partnering with Holy Spirit, what do you see God doing in the future?

I wonder how your specific gifts could bring heaven to earth? Perhaps teaching, communicating, restoring land or ministering to hearts and lives, bringing joy or fun, placing value on others, empowering them or helping them birth their dreams, or maybe building and putting together God’s house for others to encounter it in new and pioneering ways. A great place to start when you’re dreaming up what could be is to ask, “What issue do I want to resolve?” Bill and Melinda Gates identified that one of the world’s biggest problems is that worldwide, 1 in 9 kids will die from diarrhea. They dreamt of a day when this problem would be eradicated and as a result, pioneered a new way of building sewage systems for developing countries. Bill asked a great question about an existing problem. The success of the vision can be largely impacted by the quality of the questions that get asked.

For example, one question might be: How do I develop a business that resources churches and missionaries worldwide?

A better question might be: What type of person would I need to be for others to want to follow me as we identify what church leaders and missionaries need? ~28~

CHAPTER 2 — Clarity and strategy

What great questions can you come up with that you need to answer to build a great team?

STRATEGY Ask great questions and you’ll get great answers. This leads us to develop a working strategy that identifies the right team members to achieve the mission and vision that God is placing on your heart.

Simplicity is Key Once you have a defined mission and vision, you will need a strategy to help you achieve it.

It needs to be simple and easy to catch. Grace Bradley started a movement out of this house called ‘Kind Girls Win’. She says, “It’s about proactive community that cultivates kindness and inclusivity”. It’s important to summarize what you are about in a slogan. The simplicity of the message means everyone everywhere can catch it and participate in it. As a result, Grace now has a movement that is being caught everywhere.

Other examples of simple slogans are: • Apple: Think Different.

• M&M’s: Melts in Your Mouth, Not in Your Hands

• L’Oreal: Because You’re Worth It

• Wheaties: The Breakfast of Champions

• Nike: Just Do It.

• De Beers: A Diamond is Forever

• Coca-Cola: Open Happiness

• Chick-Fil-A: Eat More Chikin

A few simple words create imagery in your mind. “Just Do It” has a feeling of overcoming, “Think Different” communicates being uniquely and courageously yourself, L’Oreal places value on you, and so on. These companies have come up with a simple purpose and then built a slogan to communicate it. ~29~

TEAMS by Stuart Macklin

What would your slogan be?

Could everyone understand it and apply it to themselves?

Jesus emphasizes simplicity when he reframes 632 laws into “Love God and Love People”. Paul reiterates this in Galatians when he writes, “For the whole law can be summed up in this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”

The truth is in the Word; all the answers to building heaven on earth can be discovered in God’s word. I bless you to explore the depths of His kingdom in new ways and to see what others cannot see. There are so many helpful tools and wise ways to build found in God’s word.

TEAM BUILDING GOD’S WAY When we look at Jesus, we see the fullness of humanity. In Him we find the correct structural formation model for ourselves, our teams, and our organizations. As we seek Jesus, we see what teams can and could be and what we need to run them well. Jesus has a clear purpose of saving the lost and those distant from God and to fulfill this purpose He recruits a team of twelve to go into all the earth and fulfill this singular purpose.

His example leads you to • Know who you are and what you are called to.

• Set out when the time is right.

• Recruit a team to achieve the purpose.

• Help the team understand the purpose.

• Training the team through doing it yourself.

• Release and empower the team to fulfill the purpose.

1. Identity and purpose: Know your call and set out to achieve it. Jesus literally embodies His vision - His kingdom invading earth - and then reveals it to everyone through His life, death, and resurrection.

2. Have a strategy: Jesus’ strategy was closely linked to His purpose. He would spend time with God in His kingdom through prayer and then outwork it on earth in a broken and fallen world. He is the high priest that bridges these two kingdoms and He clearly understood what He needed to do. He needed God’s kids to catch it in their hearts and their minds to see that there is a better path to truth, love, and freedom.

~30~

CHAPTER 2 — Clarity and strategy

3. Recruit and train the team: Jesus’ disciples knew His purpose, they just didn’t know how He was going to accomplish it. Again and again, they insinuate that He will be the warrior king in the natural. The people want Him to rule and crush the enemies of Israel as David had done. They knew the promise of God for Israel but they didn’t understand the grace or love in God’s heart to separate us from the enemy spiritually which would then impact creation. It must have been slightly confusing watching the miraculous signs and wonders happen without Jesus ever raising a sword. The warrior king was in Israel’s mix. He had strategies to defeat the enemy that were simply in the unseen world.

4. Always seek excellence in yourself but be gracious to others: Jesus was filled with the explosive power of God through His spirit. He knew how to minister and separate the children from the demonic, the sickness from the soul, the death into the life, the broken into the whole. He is a craftsman, a healer, a warrior, a priest, a king, a builder. He played all these roles with excellence and He desires for you and me to be empowered in His Spirit to become excellent at what we do too.

5. Empower your team: Jesus empowers the team by dying on the cross and destroying the power of the evil forces over man. He also reconciles man and God through His blood and makes a way for all to encounter His freedom. The power of the Holy Spirit (a holy consuming fire) then descends on the disciples and they cast out the darkness from others through the power that has been given to them. Now the purpose of saving the lost and distant from God is being fulfilled in an ever-increasing manner as one teaches another of the freedom that has been made available to them.

STRATEGY DEFINED 1. A method or plan chosen to bring about a desired future, such as the achievement of a goal or solution to a problem.

2. The art and science of planning and marshaling resources for their most efficient and effective use. The term is derived from the Greek word for a general leading an army.

The Bible is full of specific strategic plans, from rebuilding Jerusalem’s walls in Nehemiah to the many battles fought. Most often it comes down to asking God, “What should we do?” Almost every time a strategy fails, it is because the leader thinks he knows best and has not asked God what to do and then fails to humbly obey Him. Start with prayer: You might know what God is calling you to, but you will still need to develop and clarify your strategy in a working document. A strategy often has layers. David had an overarching purpose of bringing God’s people safety from their enemies and as well as drawing them closer in their relationship to God. Because he makes this his purpose, God blesses him:

~31~

TEAMS by Stuart Macklin

“‘The Lord declares to you that the Lord himself will establish a house for you: When your days are over and you rest with your ancestors, I will raise up your offspring to succeed you, your own flesh and blood, and I will establish his kingdom. He is the one who will build a house for my Name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. I will be his father, and he will be my son.

When he does wrong, I will punish him with a rod wielded by men, with floggings inflicted by human hands. But my love will never be taken away from him, as I took it away from Saul, whom I removed from before you. Your house and your kingdom will endure forever before me; your throne will be established forever.” 2 Samuel 7 David’s strategy was dynamic: Against the giant, David used a small stone to bring Glory to God. Against the many battles with the Philistines, his strategy was always different, always achieving the larger purpose of bringing safety and drawing the people closer to God. However, when David desired to change his purpose to build God’s house on earth, God prevented him from actuating the end vision because his hands were full of death and destruction from all the physical battles he endured. God chose his Son to be the one to outwork this.

(My paraphrasing!) Interestingly God is using David to achieve His goal of lining up heaven and earth in the big picture.

THE MARKETING STRATEGY THAT OUTPERFORMS ALL OTHERS Why - How - What Successful communication strategies start with why, not with what. This is the simple strategy that the leading organizations use worldwide. When we start with the what, no one will listen.

Simon Sinek points out how tivo was the undisputedly superior digital video recorder. No one challenged that it was the best product on the market. Although they had built a superior product, they only communicated what it was and failed to communicate why they developed it.

The brain doesn’t make decisions based on what you have made. It makes decisions based on why you made it. Once you have clearly explained why you made it and what stirred your heart, why did you see the need for it, you can talk about how you did it. Starting with what you made = no one cares. Explaining why you made it = capturing market share and growing more products around the why. Because tivo didn’t explain the why behind their product, they were ultimately outperformed by inferior products.

It’s important to develop an overarching purpose and then a cohesive strategy to achieve the overall purpose. From my personal experience, I have found that a multitude of goals working together to achieve one common purpose works best. When I start and grow businesses, I start with the following questions: • What do I see a need for?

• What will help others grow in faith and trust?

• What will resolve the problem I am seeing? ~32~

CHAPTER 2 — Clarity and strategy

I always keep this as my starting point. This, in turn, leads to developing the best product that I believe is a blessing to others. It means that I prioritize things like excellence in design and functionality. I do this because I know if I cannot build trust and faith in the product, it will not be able to sustain itself in the future. I combine this with keeping the overheads and costs as low as possible until it has proven feasible in the marketplace.

Belief in what is possible gets easier over time. The more you step out and fail, the faster you will begin to see success. For example, I worked hard at every job I did and was promoted each time. This allowed me to see other’s faith in me grow and slowly I began to have faith in myself; I began to believe that more was possible. I believe this is why so many people who make and then lose millions often launch large businesses and recreate financial security later on. Once you have achieved it, you have more confidence that you can do it again. Self-belief is one of the most important traits of the team leader and you should do everything you can to get out of any form of self-doubt and insecurity. We must hold this in the tension of seeking God’s blessing at every stage and listening to His direction.

We can make our plans, but the lord determines our steps. Proverbs 16:9 Discovering what to prioritize is one of the hardest challenges team leaders face, and the process requires wisdom and foresight. Before building, I would strongly recommend identifying someone who has successfully gone before you and ask them for their insight on potential priorities. This will save you an enormous amount of time and energy.

Imagine you are going to write a book. What might its title be?

What problem would it address?

How does it help your readers resolve their problem?

~33~

TEAMS by Stuart Macklin

Is there a particular demographic that struggles with this problem? Speculate what their background and lifestyle might be.

What might these people have in common? Traits, hobbies, things they do?

Here is a simplified typical product development strategy 1. Test a product sample and see what people say.

2. Amend and improve the product with market research in mind.

3. Seek excellence in profiling the product by seeking great designers.

4. Build a network of partnerships and places to demonstrate the power of the product.

5. Test, measure, and improve the product further.

6. Seek partnerships and support to exponentially grow the size and impact of the product.

7. Retain earnings to invest in the next product and to support nonprofit organizations, building God’s kingdom. ~34~

CHAPTER 2 — Clarity and strategy

At every stage, you need to form teams: a market research team, a product development team, a design team, a marketing and networking team, and a financial management team. As the product or organization grows, so do the teams. Remember that each product will actively work to achieve the overarching mission, vision, and purpose. Tie these together and you will find that you build momentum. Keep your costs as low as possible and try to be realistic with what you can achieve in the short term.

Biblical Demographics Jesus knew that He was called to Israel demographically and to the people who lived there. He would later expand this field, but initially, He focused on just one area. He applied a variety of tactics to communicate and connect with different demographics. The gospel of Matthew explains how He connected with the Jewish demographic, quoting the Old Testament to help them see that He was the promised Messiah. The Gospel of Luke explains how He is not just the Jewish Messiah, but the Messiah to the world. Hence, it focuses on the Holy Spirit, the miracles, the Gentile encounters, etc. You need to start narrow and then later expand the demographic, applying multiple strategies to connect with the demographic you believe God is leading you to.

Demographic Research One of my lead pastors in Australia would always tell us to go and spend a day in the life of the person you are hoping to connect with. Ask them if you can spend time with them, do what they do, see what they see. It’s only from this understanding that you can start to connect with their hearts and minds. This practice is designed to teach us to seek to first understand so that you can clearly communicate purpose and strategy with your team. Once you have this clarity, you can then identify the needs and bring others in to assist in the growth and achievement of the purpose.

All these are tools to help identify the purpose and relay it clearly and strategically. This action of gaining clarity on the purpose will lay a foundation for the team, give it direction, and help it form as the requirements to achieve the vision are identified and the culture of the team develops into a healthy and vibrant community.

Communicating the message You cannot underestimate how important clear communication of the vision is. Once you have answered the question of why, you can tailor messages about the impact the mission or cause has on others. A vision is effectively cast when those hearing it can understand the problem being solved and connect in their minds how the strategy will indeed solve the problem. Recently, Centerpoint Church announced that we had become aware that at least 500 families in our valley would not be able to afford a Thanksgiving meal. We proposed a solution that was twofold: to sponsor a turkey meal for a family for $34 and write an encouraging note with it. The target was reached because it was simple to understand the problem and the solution.

~35~

TEAMS by Stuart Macklin

Focus on identifying the problem and relaying it clearly. You may then present your solution to the problem. Once you are sold out and extremely passionate about it, communicate the reasons why you believe it can be achieved and a personal invitation to partner with you to achieve it together. The buy-in from others will be dictated by factors such as the perceived ability of the leader to achieve the outcome, the integrity of the leader, the leader’s level of commitment to the cause, the perceived impact the investors think the idea will have, and how exciting it is to be a part of it.

The world has become increasingly aware of how successful communication works. You cannot go anywhere without being exposed to a solution in marketing each and every day. This has left the church, who has the best solution — Jesus — wondering why people seek their answers in things that are not God first. We’ll go into this in more detail in Ministry Start-Up. Create Your Own Vision Board 1. Identify a problem you would like to solve.

2. Set up a Pinterest board revealing the problem you have identified and put pictures in it.

3. What actions are you going to take to solve the problem?

4. Set up another Pinterest page showing what it will look like after you have taken these action points. ~36~

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SEEKING AND MOTIVATION

TEAMS by Stuart Macklin

Large organizations have dedicated human resource departments that are responsible for hiring, training, motivating, cultivating, and occasionally firing employees. But for most people, a dedicated human resource department is not a feasible option. The people on the team are the most valuable asset a corporation or team will have and their success or failure will determine the outcome of the purpose being achieved. So where do small businesses or leaders start when looking to grow a team? They must first identify their role and then evaluate what additional requirements the team needs. You might be a great designer but a terrible manager or vice versa.

Do you know what your strengths and weaknesses are?

LET’S CREATE A PROFILE OF YOU Where does your general passion lie?

Enneagram Number: What are your strengths?

High Five Characteristics (High5.com) 4.

1.

2.

5.

3.

Do you like being the leader or the follower: Prioritize these from 1-15 ( 1 = highest, 15 = lowest) Leading a team

Designing a product

Building a system

Completing the details

Promoting a product

Out in the wilderness

Talking to people

Pioneering a team

Speaking on platform

Identifying a problem Writing a book Giving

Administration

Empowering others

Developing strategy

Myers Briggs Strongest Communication Style (Ministry Life) What scores do you get when you answer the fivefold ministry test (www.fivefoldministry.com) 1st

4th

2nd

5th

3rd What results do you get from the disc test? ~38~

CHAPTER 3 — Seeking and motivation

How do you imagine using these gifts to build God’s house?

These results are not to box you in, but to help you understand your strengths and weaknesses.

You may need other team members to help you achieve what’s on your heart, and the strategy you apply will be important to who and how you build your team, according to your priorities.

What skills would be helpful in building the vision?

How would you go about finding these people if resources were not a problem?

~39~

TEAMS by Stuart Macklin

To accurately communicate expectations, you will need to write a job description. Below is a sample from Centerpoint Church.

Position: CARE PASTOR Department: FREEDOM MINISTRIES MISSION: To love and lead people to a life-changing connection with Christ.

VALUES: Fun – We believe that having a good time together matters!

Impactful – We’re committed to making a positive difference together in Jesus’ name!

Growing – We are always moving toward God’s best!

Creativity – We want to be imaginative, original, innovative and artistic for God’s glory!

Accepting – We understand that we’re all a work in progress, so all are welcome here!

Passionate – We insist on expressing enthusiasm and lively excitement about life in Christ!

Supernatural – We desire to encounter the presence of God and engage our spiritual gifts!

PURPOSE: The Care Pastor is responsible for leading, developing and overseeing all care ministries of Centerpoint Church.

1. Care Ministries: a. Care Team b. Good Sam Benevolence program c. Financial Peace d. Grief Share e. Celebrate Recovery f. Living Victoriously Marriage Group 2. Pastoral Support Team: a. Home and Hospital Visits b. Funeral and Wedding Pastoral Support c. Premarital Counseling d. Pastor on Duty M-F program ~40~

CHAPTER 3 — Seeking and motivation

THE WIN: All care ministries of Centerpoint will be run by lay ministry leaders who are leading teams of leaders to effectively accomplish the ministries as a healthy team. Each care ministry will be empowered and supported by the Care Pastor. All families and individuals of CP church will have access to receive care through our ministries in a timely manner, and all processes and procedures for receiving care will be streamlined, easily accessed and user-friendly for every person at Centerpoint.

KEY RESULTS: 1. Centerpoint families and individuals are able to access and receive care through simple and user-friendly processes, and by effective and empowered members of Centerpoint’s care teams. People feel cared for, valued and loved by their Centerpoint family.

2. Centerpoint Care teams are empowered and well-supported to be the church, to provide care for the body of Christ. The Care ministry leaders are developing other leaders and teams of lay ministers to accomplish the work of caring for people at Centerpoint.

3. Benevolence ministry is effectively assisting families in need, while also equipping them for financial success through simple budgeting help and/or collaboration with fpu and referral to other professional sources.

4. Families and individuals at Centerpoint are able to meet with pastors for care, counseling, and prayer with the ease of a clear and simple process and in a timely fashion.

5. Funerals are covered pastorally, grieving families receive support and care in their loss.

Couples who are getting married are supported in their pre-wedding process through effective pre-marital class or counseling processes and are wed by Centerpoint pastors.*

*This is a part-time, permanent position at 25hrs/week.

ACCOUNTABILITY:

The Care Pastor will be accountable to the Freedom Ministries Pastor.

FIT: We are looking for a strategic, responsible and empowering leader with a passion for the Lord and His work at Centerpoint. This person must be a starter who knows how to take a vision and then recruit and mobilize a team to see it happen. The right person for this role would have a passion for shepherding and caring for God’s people with integrity and godly character. This role interacts with all members of the church; staff, ministry leaders, volunteers, and attendees.

It is expected that the person in this role is a regular attendee of Centerpoint’s weekend services, is spiritually mature and able to model the Christian life and financial stewardship. This person is a Covenant Member of Centerpoint Church and volunteers on a weekly basis outside of their regular work hours.

~41~

TEAMS by Stuart Macklin

RESPONSIBILITIES: 1. Provide pastoral leadership and management for all care ministries of Centerpoint.

Meet with ministry leaders, resource and support them appropriately, ensure that ministry leaders are developing teams and leaders.

2. Create and implement new strategic processes to receive care at Centerpoint.

Oversee the triage to care process. Create process tubes that are simple, streamlined and user-friendly. Be accountable to make sure that care is happening effectively at Centerpoint.

3. Lead the Good Samaritan Benevolence ministry with financial and biblical wisdom.

4. Provide oversight and leadership to the Pastor Support Team and Pastor on Duty program with CP pastors. Be available to personally provide pastoral care as needed for walk-in appointments.

5. Provide management and leadership to pastoral presence for weddings and funerals and the process to access pastors for weddings and funerals.

ADDITIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES: 1. Conducts themselves in a Christ-like manner.

2. Is called to serve the body of believers and to encourage them in their faith as a “God-ordained minister.”

3. Counsels, prays, for and serves those in need physically and spiritually.

4. Other duties as assigned.

QUALIFICATIONS: 1. Prefer individual with a bachelor’s degree in a related field.

2. Previous ministry experience required.

3. Must be willing to work as a team with all church staff to accomplish the overall vision of the church.

4. Embrace a goal of creating an empowering hero-making culture.

5. Amenable to Wesleyan-Arminian theology.

COMMITMENTS: 1. Committing to daily quiet time with God. 2. Participating in a Centerpoint small group on a regular basis. ~42~

CHAPTER 3 — Seeking and motivation

3. Setting appropriate boundaries to protect character and integrity.

4. Developing personal evangelism opportunities within and outside the church.

5. It is expected that the person in this role is a regular attendee of Centerpoint’s weekend services, and is a member of Centerpoint Church. All Centerpoint staff volunteer to serve in some ministry area in addition to their paid position.

6. It is expected that staff of Centerpoint Church will tithe to Centerpoint Church. The unique nature of the church is that our salary comes from the worshipful offerings of all of God’s people. All CP staff are expected to participate in the same way, giving financially on a regular basis as a tither to further the mission of the church.

We will never take for granted that God’s people’s giving allows us to receive part of our livelihood - and we will participate personally by tithing 10% of our income.

This will help to create a culture of generosity, trust, and stewardship that makes our jobs with Centerpoint possible.

7. Adhere to and encompass the qualities and characteristics required of Centerpoint Church employees, as defined by the Employee Handbook.

Centerpoint Church maintains an “employment at will” policy. This means that just as you are free to end your employment with Centerpoint at any time for any reason, Centerpoint is also free to end the employment relationship with you at any time for any reason, with or without cause or advance notice, as long as we do not violate any applicable federal or state laws.

By signing below, I certify that I have read the above information and understand that my employment with Centerpoint Ministries is at-will.

Employee Name (Print)

Employee Signature

Date

Executive Pastor (Print)

Executive Pastor Signature

Date

Admin Director/HR Coordinator (Print)

Admin Director/HR Coordinator Signature

Date

Once you have hired a person, you will need to turn your attention to the administration. How will you pay and record their hours? What software will you use for this? What forms do you need to file with the IRS to accurately withhold their pay? What benefits are they entitled to?

You may outsource this to an accountant to set the systems up. Anyone you pay more than $600 in a year must be declared through the 1099 form. The W9 form is how you request a team member’s details in California to gather this information, along with a W4 form to calculate withholding tax and I9 to prove eligibility to work in the US. An accountant can help you complete these details. ~43~

TEAMS by Stuart Macklin

After you have hired a new staff member or volunteer, how do you plan to ensure they stay motivated?

According to Anthony Robbins, healthy teams have six basic needs: Connection, Growth, Certainty, Variety, Contribution, Love, Significance.

What would you do for your team members to improve or grow: Connection: 1.

2.

3.

Growth: 1.

2.

3.

~44~

CHAPTER 3 — Seeking and motivation

Certainty: 1.

2.

3.

Variety: 1.

2.

3.

Contribution: 1.

2.

3.

Love:

1.

2.

3.

~45~

TEAMS by Stuart Macklin

Good communication with your team can take on many forms. First, they must know what success in the role looks like. This can be achieved by meeting together, defining what the win will be this year, and then documenting it and returning to it throughout the year. A clear set of goals is a great way to empower team members and gives an easy way to assess the success or challenges as they work to achieve them.

Communicating with your team is vital to successful team development and should include: • • • • • • • •

Success stories Reminding them of the vision and the significant impact they are having and will have Identifying where you are in the scheme of goals and milestones Identifying the challenges Celebrating team members Building a can-do culture Keeping everyone in the loop Training and development

Here is a sample agenda for a team meeting at Centerpoint Church: TEAM RALLY Time

Element

10:00

Connection

10:05

Family Fun

Who Ann

On-time Raffle: Icebreaker Game: Prophetic welcome to SOM students 10:10

God Stories: how is God at work in and through CP, stats

John

Devotional (3 minutes): Brittany Wangler Open forum; host and solicit sharing of stories LOTS of testimonies & stories of salvation & breakthrough 10:20

In the Loop (updates, announcements and shout outs)

Kim

New Staff Introductions or Staff Changes: Rachel Hanson, CP Teams Manager Darryl Daniels, First Impressions Director Aaron Russ, CP Youth Director Silvester Magallanes, Facilities Manager Shout outs - a quick communication from any team member Fall Launches 10:35

Development/Inspire Moment

John

10:45

Prayer and Worship

John

Massimo to lead one or two songs (Brian will do tech/lyrics) John to interject time of prayer, concert of prayer style 11:00

Dismiss

John

~46~

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Jesus places love at the center of everything. We are responsible for caring for our fellow team members and seeing those near and dear to us become all they can be.

What could you do to ensure you care well for your team members?

The leading companies in the world are now prioritizing an atmosphere of safety. They do this by: • designing environments that feel safe and welcoming • letting team members know how much they care about their families and what’s important to them • celebrating the success and achievements of the company • ensuring employees have time to play and refresh, allowing creativity to flow.

Nothing communicates safety as much as playtime. Staying on top of things allows for time to rest and refresh. This prioritizes building a culture of acceptance and compassion for others.

Missing elements such as a clear strategy, agendas, financial management, or a lack of leadership integrity all create a level of discomfort; as a result, it becomes difficult if not impossible to build teams to work functionally towards a common goal. The average cost of replacing a team member in the corporate world is statistically 16% of their annual salary. This includes lost revenue, HR costs, training, etc, not to mention the impact on morale and disruption to momentum.

Name all the teams you are currently on:

~47~

TEAMS by Stuart Macklin

How many can you name the purpose for?

Would you say the team leaders have done a good job of explaining the why behind the team and its purpose? Explain your answer.

The Importance of Being Intentional with Team Values Values Defined - “A person’s principles or standards of behavior; one’s judgment of what is important in life.”

The author of The Dissident writes in his essay “How Are Values Formed?” that “value formation is the confluence of our personal experiences and [the] particular culture we are entwined in. Values are imposed from our family in childhood and reinforced through culture and life experiences. The value of, for example, kindness was imposed on me from my parents, and reinforced throughout early childhood. Then I applied that value on the school playground and experienced how it helped me create greater social bonds with my schoolmates. My personal experiences growing up reinforced the value of kindness as I experienced the adaptive effects of showing kindness and the maladaptive effects when choosing malice over kindness. All through my upbringing, both my personal experiences and cultural surroundings both reinforced the value of kindness.”

He goes on to say, “Our culture plays a huge role in our value formation. Culture gives us a community and shared reality so that we can cooperate in activities and customs that give meaning, purpose, and significance to our existence. Culture gives us prescriptions for appropriate conduct so that we can learn best how to get along with others. All you have to do is travel to another country to see how values ebb and flow with culture. You can travel to China and see how they elevate the group and family over the individual in contrast to most Americans; you can see how South Americans elevate hospitality and care for their elderly unlike most Americans; and how Hawaiians elevate relaxation and balance unlike most urban metropolitan cities in the U.S” ~48~

CHAPTER 3 — Seeking and motivation

“Who’s to say what my values will be in 2030? Or what they will be if I move to Mississippi?

All I know now is that I am guided by a value system that is surrounded by a plethora of other value systems. My value system is not the “right one,” rather, it simply speaks life into how I live and make my decisions. And when I hear competing values shouted by a person from a different culture than mine, I hope to take a deep breath, realize that he/she is simply expressing a deep need they have, and then perhaps I can share my values and needs without fostering judgement, evaluations of their character, or moralistic analysis. In the end, compassionate dialogue changes lives, not right/wrong judgement.” 1 Appreciating and discovering others’ values is vital. What culture did your team members grow up in? What was important to their families, what events impacted them the most? Great managers appreciate others’ views and are not threatened or challenged by them, but rather embrace them to build strong, holistic teams. It is the ability to embrace each member’s unique perspectives and value them (even when they are contrary to our own) that brings clarity and wholeness to the team.

What values would like your team to have?

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

~49~

TEAMS by Stuart Macklin

How could you build a culture with these values?

The culture is dictated by what the influencers in the group value most, what is in their hearts, and what they agree on. Culture is intentionally built. Without intention, it falls to the values of the strongest influencers in the group. Done well, it creates certainty and blessing for everyone.

Done poorly, insecurity and fear flourish as the leadership of the group finds itself in question.

That’s why elevating love for Jesus helps keep us on track in truth and love as He leads us along paths of righteousness. ~50~

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CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT AND CULTURE

TEAMS by Stuart Macklin

Correctly identifying the skills needed to achieve the overall vision is one of the primary challenges companies face and one of the most important things to get right. Humans are complex and carry a unique set of experiences and values. Peter Platzer, CEO of Spire, has never fired anyone. His knowledge as a career coach for business graduates has allowed his data startup company to grow exponentially. Because he never fires anyone, attention is focused on hiring people that work well into the fabric of the company culture.

Potential employees must be examined in the following ways: • Values • How they process trauma • Cultural experiences • Physical health • Belief systems • Current mentors • Spiritual practices • Criminal background These factors affect the soul and overall health of a person. One of the things I love about working in ministry is God’s heart for us to make a place for each person to participate in growing the health of His body. If a church is operating with great systems and structure, they will be able to onboard people into roles in their giftings and grace zone. This is great when you are a large church and you can identify someone’s passion in media, the creative arts, a teaching gift, or evangelism and incorporate it into an existing roster with a support system to help grow and encourage them. However, most churches do not have that luxury. More often than not the tech person is also the greeter, the cleaner, the screen-lyrics person and sometimes the pastoral care person, too. This is why the spirit of why we build the church is so much more important than the emphasis on achieving the task at hand.

At Hillsong church, they set up a walls team to assemble classrooms. It was one of the most boring tasks to do at church, requiring the team to arrive early and stay late to move walls in and out of position. However, a couple of students volunteered to do it. They identified that their challenge was rooted in perception: no one perceived the walls team to be something they would volunteer for. So the leaders added a five minute prayer time before starting. They prayed for the volunteer’s family, they started to speak out in faith God’s plan and purpose for each team member, they declared that the walls team would be the most honorable team on campus, they focused on excellence and turned it into a character development opportunity.

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Their care for their team members and intention to bring fun and humor into the group led to its growth. Those leaders created a demand for the walls team because word spread of what was happening each morning and night and everyone wanted to be apart of the family that the leaders had built. The walls team was not limited by the task and turned it into an opportunity to develop character and build the family of God. They made a profound impact on every person who volunteered, and in a world where the fall-away rate after college is extremely high, it was those leaders that successfully built ministries and grew in influence as they built churches and ministries. Those leaders had an opportunity mindset. They recognized that character development through love and faithfulness is more important than achieving the task; as a result, they were a part of God’s plan to bring the kingdom to hearts and minds. The task was achieved as part of the overflow.

At Centerpoint church, we prioritize simplicity to join a team. We have one centralized onboarding program called CP101. Its a 30-minute tour of the campus, an introduction to the history of the church, the staff, and includes a video from our lead pastor who teaches about our values and invites the church to join in on what God is doing. We want everyone who attends CP101 to know that this is their home and that we have a place for them to help build the house.

From there, they select a team that they would like to join and that team leader or volunteer coordinator then gets in touch with them directly to talk about serving on the team.

Anyone who has grown an organization, church, or business from the ground up will tell you how indebted they are to a variety of people who offered their services for free and helped them until it was large enough to support and pay others a moderate amount. One reason teams don’t grow is because of a leader’s insecurity and broken identity. This leads to an “I need to do it” attitude. This type of leader feels bad and condemns themselves when things don’t go well rather than focusing on what is right and the opportunities that lie ahead of them. They pay people more than the organization can afford and tell themselves “things will change in the future and once this is achieved we will financially be okay.” They don’t like being helped and view needing help as a weakness. While their insecurity and broken identity remain hidden in striving and overcompensating, the core belief that lies in their subconscious is that they are not enough.

If this is you, deal with it now. This will save you a great deal of time and trouble in the future, especially with financial challenges and broken relationships. The enneagram helps identify how each type of person processes the brokenness they have been through. The good news is that Christ has made a way for health and wholeness in His spirit, which carries adoption in it. I went many years as an on-fire Christian traveling the world without understanding the power of the spirit of adoption. As leaders, we must grow daily in what it means to be adopted into God’s family, to be loved and accepted, irrespective of our beliefs. The joy of being in His family needs to pour out of us and into our team. We throw off everything that tries to hinder this experience of total love and acceptance. The spirit of adoption cries out, “It’s okay, God’s got you! He says “I love you no matter what you do. Stop striving, stop trying, and just let your Father love you.”

We are the object of His love and through this, His goodness flows. ~53~

TEAMS by Stuart Macklin

Identify the need To identify the need you are meeting, you must first have clarity on the purpose and identify what strategic goals you have set out to achieve this purpose. For example, Centerpoint church has a mission of “Loving and leading people to a life-changing connection with Christ.” The church lays out its indicators to monitor the following: • The number of people asking Jesus to be their Lord and Savior • The number of people volunteering on teams • The number of people in life groups studying the Word • How many are participating in outreach events • How many people are going on mission trips • How many are attending evening or day classes • How often people attend church each month • How many people are prioritizing God in their finances While these are only indicators, they illustrate a larger window into how well the Church is achieving its mission at any point in time. From here, we can plan and theorize how to improve the mission. This could be accomplished through intuitive initiatives that connect with hearts, or by identifying the needs of people in their area, they could change their communications strategy and design to achieve greater buy-in from their church attendees. This is all subject to how well we understand the priorities of the people we are communicating to.

What ideas would you suggest to help achieve your church’s mission statement?

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CHAPTER 4 — Character development and culture

Once you have laid out your purpose, identified what your strategic goals are, and developed your indicators, you can then begin to identify what type of people might be able to help you achieve those goals. This time of team formation is the hardest part because you are almost always under-resourced, lack clarity on the marketing strategy, and have not had a chance to test and measure different strategies. The discovery of what does and does not work is why so many startups fail. Teams lose faith through discovering what doesn’t work. The young team members are not yet capable of doing the work required to the standard you need it done. This transfer of responsibility is challenging and takes humility, patience, and love towards team members as they mess up and create all sorts of problems that you didn’t have when you were doing it alone.

Business strategists and coaches emphasize the intentional development of the team culture at this point. Most goals cannot be achieved without creating a healthy staff culture. The organizations that focus on cultural development almost always outperform companies that do not. God’s priority is His children, and whether you are in business or ministry you do well to remember that in God’s eyes, it is how well you care and look after those He has immediately entrusted to you that matters. Not the finance, not the growth, not how well you are perceived by others but by how well you are caring and looking after those nearest to you. Simon Sinek in Leaders Eat Last explains how the real leader is the one who will lay his life down for the well being of others.

You might have influence and you might have authority, but if you are not leading people to truth and love by caring sacrificially for one another, you are not leading them to anything at all. This is why the real leader is the one who gives sacrificially of themselves for the well-being of others.

If I could speak all the languages of earth and of angels, but didn’t love others, I would only be a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. If I had the gift of prophecy, and if I understood all of God’s secret plans and possessed all knowledge, and if I had such faith that I could move mountains, but didn’t love others, I would be nothing. If I gave everything I have to the poor and even sacrificed my body, I could boast about it; but if I didn’t love others, I would have gained nothing.

1 Corinthians 13:1-3 Building a healthy team is based on caring In Replenish, Lance Witt writes “I’m talking about the kind of care that regularly conveys, ‘What matters most is not what we want from you, but what we want for you. We care about your marriage. We care about your kids. We care about your health. We care about your walk with God.’ I’m talking about the kind of personal care that says, ‘We care about your rhythm of life.

We want you to be at your kids’ soccer games. We want you to have your day off. We want you to take your vacation time.’ ” Developing a sense of family is the key to healthy teams. The win is spending time together, laughing together, crying together, and overcoming conflict and other issues together. When I was 16, I was sent to rugby camp to the worst place in England. We were based at the foot of one of England’s toughest prisons. It was called ‘Dartmoor Bog’. It was cold, wet, and generally pretty horrible. We spent every day for two weeks practicing boring drills, working on our ~55~

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fitness, and spending time together. We were so happy to finish the two weeks there and return to a normal warm bed. But during those two weeks, we bonded and formed relationships as we overcame the conditions together. We talked and learned more about each other and we truly became a team. When we faced opposition, we knew that we could rely on the other person to do his role. It was no longer about the individual, but about the team. It was about the purpose of being the best we could be. We were undefeated that season and it was all because the priority was not about winning games, but rather becoming the best we could be. We were a family that trusted each other, and we were committed to training and learning what our role was in the team. We were not the most talented rugby players, but together we worked the hardest, and as a result, the opposition was outworked and outplayed through teamwork. We covered each other and encouraged each other to keep pushing and to get stronger. We were a team.

When purpose and commitment to each other come together, amazing fruit grows. The more you know what’s important to those around you, the closer you’ll draw to them.

Examples of questions to help form a healthy team culture can be: • If you knew me, you’d know this about me...

• What would you like to be remembered for?

• What was the most impactful event in your life?

• What do you think is the most successful thing you’ve ever done?

• What’s been the hardest part of your spiritual journey?

• What was your view of God growing up?

• What events have shaped you?

• Who has influenced you the most in your life?

• What is the greatest challenge you’ve ever had to walk through?

Leadership and Character Development There can be little doubt that the character and values of the leader play a large part in the success or failure of the team. John Wooden, largely regarded as the best coach of all time, emphasized the development of personal character. He prioritized self-discipline and had a personal thirst to be the best version of himself that he could be. He prioritized understanding the importance of each person’s role on the team and then practice the skills needed to set the other team members up for success. He was known for implementing drills and not sweating the small stuff; he was known for benching the superstar because he knew the danger that individualism posed for the team. In his book The Power of a Positive Team, Jon Gordon talks about how important working on framing everything in a positive light has on a team: “You make it clear what a great team looks like, and that it doesn’t look like a bunch of complainers and blamers. You explain that it is unacceptable to be a source of negative energy that hurts the team. You build a culture so positive and strong that negativity can’t breed, spread, and grow.”

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addressed and resolved and that the team can grow from open communication.” 2 The idea of painting a clear picture of what a great team looks like is powerful.

What qualities do you think a great team exhibits?

“And you know that we treated each of you as a father treats his own children. We pleaded with you, encouraged you, and urged you to live your lives in a way that God would consider worthy.

For he called you to share in his Kingdom and glory.” 1 Thessalonians 2:11-12 Notice how Paul writes in Thessalonians about a Christ-follower being like a father to his children. A father wants the child to go further and do more than he ever could. The parent lays their life down so the children can become all they can be. It’s reminiscent of Jesus when he says, “I tell you the truth, anyone who believes in me will do the same works I have done, and even greater works, because I am going to be with the Father.” John 14:12 This a picture of what our heart posture should be towards everyone who is called to follow Jesus in the ways of His kingdom. We do all we can to assist in their growth, in love, in God’s spirit, affirming them, and blessing them in every way that we know how. We train not according to what we received in the world, but according to the love we have received from Jesus and His sacrificial life and death for us personally.

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TEAMS by Stuart Macklin

Who are you most grateful to for assisting you in your personal growth and why?

Processing Pain and Suffering in the Team People on your team who are suffering from personal trouble, illness, stress or other struggles will trigger you. They will cross your core values and make you wonder whether you should be doing what you are doing. You may be unable to see the big picture of their hidden pain as one of God’s children. You may mistakenly process their pain through your lense and come up with unhelpful solutions. You may change jobs or remove yourself from interacting with them. You may bring brave communication to them about how you are struggling with their attitude. But, you are unlikely to affect them in a positive way due to all that you do not see or understand about their world and the larger picture.

What makes matters more challenging is, depending on the size of the team, at any one time there is the likelihood that more than one person will be suffering. The suffering may be to the point of it affecting them outwardly, making them short with others or expressing that pain through their general unpleasant demeanor. These team members are unlikely to talk about what they are facing because they think that they are hiding their pain, and do not feel safe to share the more intimate details of their brokenness with you. This is normally done out of a motivation of not wanting it to impact you negatively. Ironically, teams grow in strength and grace when we do share our vulnerabilities with each other with wisdom and sensitivity. We are all broken and all outworking the impact the breaking of love has had on our hearts. Most people have a level of brokenness in their hearts due to a family member, friend, or from the impact sin has had on our soul. Sharing these intimate details in time outside of the work environment is one of the ~58~

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most powerful ways to build trust, especially when its held in faith that Jesus is here to comfort and bind up the brokenhearted in His love and goodness.

How do you process pain with those close to you?

Is this the healthiest way to process it ?

“Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the creation of the world. For I was hungry, and you fed me. I was thirsty, and you gave me a drink. I was a stranger, and you invited me into your home. I was naked, and you gave me clothing. I was sick, and you cared for me. I was in prison, and you visited me.’ “Then these righteous ones will reply, ‘Lord, when did we ever see you hungry and feed you?

Or thirsty and give you something to drink? Or a stranger and show you hospitality? Or naked and give you clothing? When did we ever see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ “And the King will say, ‘I tell you the truth, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to me!” Matthew 25:34-40 How you process pain and suffering will directly affect every sphere of your life. Our instinct is normally to try to escape suffering and yet, there is an opportunity in it. The married couple who refuses to separate in spite of their difficulties sets a precedent. Pain and suffering reveal love and dedication. It provides us with an opportunity to grow in our expression of love for God. When we see Christ in His children, we care for them; we care for the broken and the hurting. We fall deeper in love with who they are and wish them only blessing because we know that it is all a reflection of our love for Him. We may be used as the one who restores, that heals, that covers, ~59~

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that listens. Even if you think others are causing pain, we cannot escape that they look like and are made in the image of our One true love.

Timothy Keller writes in Walking with God through Pain and Suffering: “Look at Jesus. He was perfect, right? And yet he goes around crying all the time. He is always weeping, a man of sorrows. Do you know why? Because He is perfect. Because when you are not all absorbed in yourself, you can feel the sadness of the world. And therefore, what you actually have is that the joy of the Lord happens inside the sorrow. It doesn’t come after the sorrow. It doesn’t come after the uncontrollable weeping. The weeping drives you into the joy, it enhances the joy, and then the joy enables you to actually feel your grief without its sinking you. In other words, you are finally emotionally healthy.”

We have many opportunities to practice our response to the pain and suffering of others and may choose to grow in love and character. You can choose how you respond to pain and how you love and care for others during their times of hardship.

Building Culture through Communication In Replenish, Lance Witt explains how his church decided to clarify the culture of the team by forming a team covenant that included the following statements: • We will openly voice and express our own opinions and it is safe to voice contrary opinions.

• We will follow through with our commitments.

• We will agree to support and invest in each other personally and professionally.

• We will pray for each other and with each other.

• We will hold and respect all confidences.

• We will have a frank and open discussion within the room, solidarity outside the room.

• We will strive to help each other win.

• Silence is agreement.

• We will have fun.

• Show up on time.

• No email during meetings (except during breaks).

• Communicate often and constantly ask, “Who needs to know?”

• We will not verbally “throw each other under the bus” when we speak of one another.

Lance Witt shares the keys to a healthy team: “They have to know I care about them and not just corporately. In Relational Intelligence, Steve ~60~

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Saccone writes “Consumers always look for what they can take from others, while investors always look for what they can give to others.” Do those we lead feel like they’re invested in or like a commodity that’s consumed?” 3 Building a Sense of Family Teams are a representation of God’s family and as a result, they go through the good times and the bad times together. They learn to laugh and cry together and resolve the conflict that happens along the way. To form a family, you have to know the answers to questions like: • What was growing up like for you?

• What was the most difficult challenge in your upbringing?

• How has your relationship with God grown over the years?

• Who do you relate to most — Father God, Jesus, or Holy Spirit, and why?

• How many siblings do you have and what are they doing now?

• When do you feel most successful?

• Who has inspired you in your life?

• What experiences have shaped you into who you are today?

• What was your relationship with God like growing up?

• If you knew me you’d know this about me...

• Share a hero, hardship, and highlight.

When teams are working well together they develop trust and acceptance. The mistakes that are made are covered by the other team members. Issues that would normally create judgment and condemnation are replaced with encouragement and faith in the person. In The Power of a Positive Team, Jon Gordan talks about how he would have coaches make an energy vampire board and if players were caught speaking negatively about other players, their picture would go up on the energy vampire board. Those that were stuck and unwilling to change would sooner or later choose to walk away from the positive direction the team was going.

Clarity Within the Team In Church Unique, Will Mancini writes the three main areas for sideways energy: • Mistrust • Personal ego • Lack of strategic clarity

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TEAMS by Stuart Macklin

What ideas do you have to build trust within a team?

How would you manage someone with a big ego on your team?

How do you ensure everyone has clarity on the strategic plan?

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5

BUILDING TEAM CULTURE

TEAMS by Stuart Macklin

Great team management is based on the leader’s ability to create a healthy culture. Culture takes intentionality. If you leave kids without rules or guidance on acceptable behavior, sooner or later you will run into chaos. So what makes for a healthy culture?

Merriam Webster defines culture as “the set of shared attitudes, values, goals, and practices that characterize an institution or organization”.

Teamwork can be one of the best human experiences, but it can also potentially be one of the worst. It magnifies everything. Teamwork seeks out the truth of what you actually value versus what you claim to value. There is a power in a team that an individual cannot match. Every team member sooner or later will discern the level of fear their leader actually has, how much they love money, what their heart posture towards their members actually is and what their personal hopes and aspirations are. Will they lay their life down for their team or will they run at the first sign of danger? Leaders of teams persevere above all else. They simply don’t give up, no matter the cost. They tirelessly serve the team members so they can become all they can be. They fight for their team members’ families and for their safety. If they lose sight of this, they struggle to build a healthy team. But ultimately, the leaders belief in their members and the common values they share are what create a healthy culture.

What initiatives could you take to remind yourself and others of the team’s core values?

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SAFETY IN TEAM CULTURE Many case studies have put forward that creating safety should be an organization’s highest priority to ensure healthy teams. When we think of God, we often think through the lens of not being sure if God is safe or not. He remains incredibly dangerous to sin and the dark forces but, to Himself, He is not dangerous. He reigns supreme and carries peace; nothing threatens Him in any way whatsoever. That’s not to say He doesn’t feel the deep impact of our sin; He feels it deeply, but not from a place of being threatened or fearful. Our souls thirst for this safety and frame much of what we do to avoid pain, suffering, and judgment. That’s why Jesus brings so much peace to our souls - because in Him we are safe, and fear and judgment must leave.

What this means is that the team that builds trust, accepts one another other unconditionally, and lays their lives down for one another will create an atmosphere that addresses a need that is fundamental to all human nature: the need to feel safe and covered. These teams excel because of the common agreement to protect and cover each other.

Culture is dynamic and corporate. Culture is always dictated by what the group agrees to implement. A leader cannot implement a culture by themselves. They can suggest what it might be, but they cannot implement a culture until the influencers in the group adopt those values.

This means that culture is always dynamic and will ebb and flow as team members are constantly changing and adopting new values of their own. Hence, if values have not been reiterated and explained to new team members and existing team members, there will be no dominant corporate values held by the group. Sooner or later conflict will arise as values are crossed due to a lack of communication of the team’s values.

The culture of the group creates a lens to look at everything through. For example, a core value might be caring for members of the team through ensuring financial provision and safety for them and their families. This means the leader must allocate fifty percent of their time to increasing financial provision. By prioritizing this, the leader’s efforts for raising funds causes them to be busy with related tasks, making them unavailable to their members for unrelated matters. As a result, there is an added weight of responsibility allocated to the team members because of the value of financial safety. When a team’s priority is safety, the leader must be free to dedicate 50% of their time to ensuring their members are well-covered. Leaders must also increase spending on training, time in team evaluations, and identifying needs and opportunities of team members. This allows the team members to relax and know that the group has their best interests at heart. In turn, creativity increases, caring for others increases, and overall health of relationships inside the team and outside of the team improve.

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TEAMS by Stuart Macklin

The Intangibles of a Healthy Team How much does the team care about each other? People want to be a part of something significant, and they want to know they are building something that matters. They want to know that the leader has integrity, that he/she cares for them and would put them above their own life. They want to know that their leader cares about their well being. This is why subjects such as pay and benefits are so important to employees. It’s not just the practical aspects to it, but the spiritual aspect of being cared for.

While fear and control might work for a while, sooner or later the temptation of a better opportunity comes along and the team will break up. Caring starts with the small things like appreciation, rewards, personal cards, time off and enquiring into their family members matters.

The more you genuinely care, the more the loyalty of the team grows.

In Leaders Eat Last, Simon Sinek makes the same point through the example of looking at Costco versus General Electric. General Electric was focused on numbers. They made huge redundancies during the 2008 crash, and while materially they seemed extremely successful, their focus on the figures rather than people ultimately meant they were outperformed by Costco who choose a different path. Instead of making redundancies in 2008, Costco increased its spending on its staff during the hard times, presuming that the financial crash would make it harder for their families. They are known as a company who prioritizes their employees over results. You can see the results long term in the market price chart below. If you prioritize caring for people over the figures, you will outperform other teams and organizations in the long run.

How much does the team eat together?

When you eat together you release dopamine in your brain which builds the neurological pathway that associates the group with family and safety. Food has power. It builds community, it knits the team together. Jesus uses it in the last supper, and not only that, He uses the food and wine ~66~

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to help our minds understand that the family of God will be broken so we can enter it. When you understand the power of eating together, the rest of the teambuilding agendas become so much easier. The Alpha course created in England has been used by God to bring over thirty million people to Jesus. While the teaching is simple and clear, they start every session with a group meal. They build a connection through the simple act of eating together and studying the Word together. They intentionally tackle the issue of making it a safe place by hosting the course in home groups, community centers, business centers, coffee shops, and even English pubs. The result is an extraordinary number of people accept Jesus into their hearts. Once they have found community and fellowships within the group they then introduce them to the church weekend experience and other areas of the body of Christ.

How much trust has been built inside the team?

Teams that learn to trust each other achieve incredible success. There are many ways to build trust, but one undeniable way is to pass over authority to those who are nearest to the information which affects the organization.

Increasingly, organizations are using the five levels of delegation as a tool to improve the health of their culture. This delegation structure entails: • Level 1: Do exactly what I have asked you to do.

• Level 2: Research the topic and report back to me.

• Level 3: Research the topic, outline the options, and tell me what you think we should do.

• Level 4: Make a decision and then tell me what you did.

• Level 5: Make whatever decision you think is best.

This method is based on the original worker doing it perfectly. It creates a structure for healthy training but also allows employees to improve the existing systems, making the team versatile and dynamic as those nearest to the information have the authority to make decisions. Bob Iger did this at Disney, decentralizing the power to make decisions from one central business center in Burbank to the local offices around the world. The result was exponential growth as teams were empowered to make important decisions along with increased staff retention and loyalty. Craig Groeschel from Life Church built the largest church in America in part through communicating that at Life Church, trust is given immediately and then if broken, it must be earned. The power of trust cannot be underestimated. It communicates the leader’s thoughts towards others. A leader who micromanages does so because of his or her fear that others will not do it as well as they could. They may not realize what their actions are communicating to the team members who could possibly take on the role. Craig Groeschel says if someone on your team can do it 50% as well as you can, give the role to them. This allows the organization to be grounded in trust for each other, grow and train its staff members, and lead the team to fulfillment.

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How healthy are the individuals on your team?

When a team is operating in a healthy place of trust they know that each team member will cover and accept them unconditionally. For this to happen, there needs to be a certain level of spiritual, physical, and mental wholeness for each team member. One or two team members struggling for a season can be carried by the other team members but wholeness needs to be sorted out intentionally, otherwise bitterness, unhealthy ambition, pride, or worse will grow.

The reason we don’t like politicians is that we don’t trust them. They lack wholeness and integrity.

They say things to try to cover up what is actually going on behind the scenes. This leads to mistrust. Dominos Pizza ran a hugely successful advertising campaign by stating that their pizza tasted like cardboard and was a poor excuse for a pizza. They owned their mistakes and explained how they were changing to improve. The company’s sales increased exponentially after the campaign as the public appreciated their honesty. Again and again, businesses who own their mistakes and ask for forgiveness build trust and watch market share increase. This explains why Mickey Mouse is one of the most trusted brands in the world. Mickey is honest and can be trusted. As a result, Disney has seen its market value increase incrementally every year as the company’s share price has grown from $1.21 in 1985 to a high of $139.41 in June 2019. This is what brand recognition is all about. It says, “You can trust me because I am safe.” It is the brands that form successful trust strategies that perform best in the marketplace. The church has the actual message of truth and grace, yet it often struggles with brand ambassadors not representing the truth of who Jesus is.

Have you got a healthy size team?

God chose twelve people for His team. He chose the number when he created Israel and He chose it again when he appeared as Jesus by the sea of Galilee. That is His team number. A team’s ability to create personal connections is so vital. Most business strategists suggest you should not lead a team of more than six or seven. Anything above this number becomes convoluted.

In fact, the maximum number of people that they think an average human being can handle is 150. Companies who have created new campuses have found that any number above 150 people working together becomes detrimental, impacting creativity and a person’s ability to be productive in their work. It might also explain why the medium church size in America is approximately 75 people, with 85% falling below the 500 person mark.

Does the team have clarity on the financials?

Teams grow best when they can see the financial in’s and out’s of the organization. An empowerment culture helps team members take ownership and responsibility for the organization’s health. Our second-year program in our school of ministry has several projects designed to organically grow into healthy and thriving financially independent teams. These projects may one day be set up as independent non-profit organizations. One project is our P49 Online Portal where church leaders and pastors can access all the teachings created by our school, while also allowing them ~68~

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the opportunity to build their own training platform to equip their up-and-coming pastors, evangelists, teachers, preachers and apostles into their God-given purpose. The platform charges $499 per year for access to all material or $80 per online course downloaded. We are expecting to have the following results in the coming years.

Year

Church Subscriptions

Cost per subscription $

Revenue $

Number of courses streamed

Cost $

Revenue $

Total Revenue $

2020

7

499

3493

120

80

9600

13,093

2021

25

499

12,475

200

80

16000

28,475

2022

75

499

37,425

300

80

24,000

61,425

2023

150

499

74,850

500

80

40,000

114,850

2024

450

499

224,550

900

80

72000

296,550

2025

900

499

449,100

1500

80

120,000

569,100

The above chart is typical of an organization’s growth in terms of revenue. The team has agreed that they can foreseeably raise $15,000 in the first year to cover the initial marketing plans to get it off the ground. Using the chart below, allocate a portion of the money into the different categories.

Staff Costs

Marketing

Entertainment & Meals

Year

Revenue

Taxes

2020

13,093

-

2021

28,475

-

2022

61,425

-

2023

114,850

-

2024

296,550

-

2025

569,100

-

~69~

Insurance

Travel

Fundraising

Retained

TEAMS by Stuart Macklin

Would you tell your team members why you allocated out the funds this way? Explain your answer.

How would you have settled each team member’s mind about their own security and safety in terms of provision?

~70~

CHAPTER 5 — Building team culture

Nothing reveals a leader’s heart like their willingness to sacrifice and ensure financial security for their team members. If you lead an organization or ministry with a paid staff, you will need to not only create clear expectations of what the role requires of them but also how you will be meeting their needs for financial security. This is one reason why team leaders need a good awareness of how much money is being distributed and the reasons for its allocation which ultimately should include healthy growth, increased provision, and security for each staff member. Not because it determines the success or failure of the leader, but because others’ safety is in their hands. If you are the leader, you must answer to God as His ambassador on how well you cared for His kids.

Everyone must submit to governing authorities. For all authority comes from God, and those in positions of authority have been placed there by God. Romans 13:1 One of the most common mistakes organizations make is adding too many costs to administration, paying staff higher and higher salaries; then, when the market takes a downturn, it cannot make ends meet and is forced to make hard decisions. As a rule of thumb, every team must have at least 50% of its personnel focused on raising or generating funds for the organization. This can be done strategically, as well as spiritually, through prayer.

Encouragement and Positivity Matter The constant reminder of why the team does what it does and the way that it does what it does is so important in building momentum. Remember how we proposed that safety is a core need at the heart of everyone? We should be aware of this and take into consideration how we approach everything.

Some examples include: • How we cover each other when things go wrong

• Telling each other when you notice something is done well

• Being positive about matters because it communicates confidence and safety • Praying together and for each other

• Closing down on gossip and negative talk

• Talk about plans that breathe life and hope into the team

• Talk about hopes and dreams of what could be and the impact those things will make • Show interest in your team members’ personal lives

• Set up WhatsApp chat rooms to post positive and helpful articles • Deal with difficult subjects in accepting and encouraging ways • Eliminate fear through love

• Encourage health and activity ~71~

TEAMS by Stuart Macklin

• Emphasize the wins

• Have an opportunity spirit

• Be active in building trust and actively delegate more authority to others The above list is just a few examples of how confidence and safety are communicated through our actions. What many leaders don’t realize is the level of fear they are carrying. They talk to the team unaware that their spirit of fear is actually what they are relaying. An unhealthy obsession with figures and what leaders often justify as “I just need to be real” masks the hidden spirit of fear. A lack of confidence in their own ability can lead to aggression and striving and even blame while they remain blind to the hidden heart posture of fear that lies inside of them.

When a team leader is obviously struggling with fear, we must understand that the fear has a root of pain and suffering, be it physical, spiritual, or emotional. God does not judge the scared child in Christ, He desires to cover him and we should do likewise.

Dealing with the Victim Spirit Peggy is on your team and it seems like every time someone comes up with an idea, Peggy shoots it down. Some of her most common lines are: “I tried that before and it didn’t work very well”, “I can’t believe what they are asking of us”, “we are so short of time and resources already”, “where do they expect us to find the time to do that”, “I told them it wouldn’t work but they didn’t listen to me.”

Peggy is actually struggling with a victim spirit which she believes is keeping her safe. Often people like this have had a traumatic experience where their actions have hurt someone else, normally as a young child or they have been blamed for hurting someone else through their actions. As a result, they seek safety in negativity, seeing potential and change as a way of endangering others.

List five things you could do or say that would comfort Peggy?

~72~

CHAPTER 5 — Building team culture

If Peggy continued to be negative after a period of time, what action would you take?

Being Empowered looks like Ownership If you want to create a great culture at work you have to have a culture of safety, establishing that team members will cover each other no matter what. Bob Eiger attributes part of his rise to be the CEO of the Disney Company to his willingness to own his mistakes. When the team met to discuss the programming mistakes made at ABC, he stood against company culture and owned his mistakes. It was this posture that he believes elevated him through the ABC corporation and ultimately land him as the CEO of the organization that took over ABC (the Disney Corporation). The empowered person fearlessly looks at the problem and takes responsibility for it. They know that it is through honest evaluation that the transformation into something great takes place.

The One Percent Rule: In his book The Power of a Positive Team, Jon Gordon asserts that a team that resolves to improve one percent in excellence in energy, caring, effort and focus every day will move in a positive direction. He points out that although it cannot be measured, the intention of consciously and intentionally improving each day by one percent will fundamentally change the outcome of a team’s performance for the better.

~73~

TEAMS by Stuart Macklin

Write out your plan to create a great team culture! What could team members serving with you expect?

~74~

6

PHYSIOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT TOOLS

TEAMS by Stuart Macklin

Understanding what creates positive and negative feelings is incredibly important when considering how we manage teams. The brain releases chemicals according to the situations it experiences.

There are just four chemicals that affect positive feelings: endorphins, dopamine, serotonin, and oxytocin, all of which lead to the positive feelings we experience. Each one serves a primitive survival mechanism. Endorphins and dopamine will reward finding food and getting things done. These chemicals are released according to the work we do as individuals such as finding food, building a shelter, and other survival techniques. Serotonin and oxytocin are released as we interact socially and work together to achieve something great.

Endorphins are released to cover the pain we feel as we accomplish our goals. This is why the marathon runner finishes one race only to set out on the next or why the weight lifter pushes their body to the next level. Endorphins are released during times of trauma to ensure survival, while laughing also releases endorphins to cover the pain of the organs being moved. Laughing will actually cover the feelings of fear because you cannot experience both fear and receive endorphins at the same time. What this suggests is that in the tensest and hardest times you should try to find humor, because physiologically, it does wonders. This might also explain why scientists have seen incredible breakthroughs with people who struggle with depression and force themselves to smile in the mirror for a period of time each morning.

Dopamine is released primarily when we eat which is why we love it so much. It’s also why we should eat together because the brain will associate your friends and family with positive feelings.

It is a natural drug that releases when we hit our goals. Biologically, our ancestors’ primary goal was to find food, so their brains released dopamine when they achieved that goal. The harder the goal, the larger the release of dopamine. When we see the goal in our mind’s eye before it is achieved, our bodies will release dopamine when we achieve it. This is why a clear explanation of a set of goals created to achieve a pay increase will leave the person feeling euphoric. However, it is highly addictive. The challenge is knowing how to manage it. It means that we must be able to cross the definitive line. When we set a financial goal to save $50 our brain rewards us when we hit that goal. This can also be why people turn to work over relationships. They can understand work and the feeling of reward and success, while their family life is more complex and dynamic.

Humans are designed to constantly improve. The dopamine of the same goal achieved twice in a row depreciates slightly. This is why we must constantly be breaking new ground, and setting new goals. The human body is not wired for excess; it leaves it feeling empty, depressed, and without purpose. This is also why alcohol, drugs, nicotine, gambling, gaming, and social media are in such high demand. Our bodies are seeking dopamine as part of the way we are wired.

We are designed to be balanced, healthy and progressing, looking towards the next mountain top. It’s also why small goals at a low point can have a huge impact when achieved. The person who can’t get out of bed after a mental breakdown and achieves a short walk can find they feel better due to the high dopamine levels released. The person crushed in the car accident begins the rehabilitation process and finds hope after seeing their torn body healing itself. This is the same with our teams: setting ambitious yet realistic goals according to the person’s capacity is vital. Without challenging them, disillusionment will set in and damage the culture of the team ~76~

CHAPTER 6 — Physiology and management tools

as indifference and apathy set it. Team members need to be equipped, encouraged, and achieve what was formerly thought impossible. Only then can the team function in the capacity it is designed for.

Serotonin is released when we work together. Serotonin makes us feel connected and safe in a group or team. When we watch out for each other and help others, we feel safe, connected, and start to build trust. Serotonin is the leadership chemical. It is released as we watch out for each other. If we are not caring for each other we build selfishness and starve our bodies of serotonin.

When we perceive that others like us, we feel proud and safe. This is the chemical release of serotonin. This is why social media likes are so addictive: each one is releasing a tiny amount of serotonin. Serotonin builds the family by increasing the connections between us. This is why a parent saying, “Well done. I’m so proud of you,” after you achieve something really difficult will make you feel incredible. Anyone in a relationship who takes ownership of the other persons’ achievement will also receive a release of serotonin because it is designed to build connections as we work together to achieve success in everything we do. It’s why supporting a sports team becomes so important to people as serotonin is released as their team wins after several defeats.

Oxytocin is responsible for all the warm and fuzzy feelings of love. The release of oxytocin correlates to what we understand love to feel like. When we build lasting relationships, we receive small amounts of oxytocin. It flows through our brains as we trust and relax that someone else has got our back. It helps us sleep at night. We feel safe and accepted, and experience a sense of belonging. A lack of oxytocin will leave us with feelings of anxiety, fear, and loneliness. This will release cortisol which, in turn, blocks the release of oxytocin to the brain. Oxytocin is released when we hug each other, hold hands, fist bump, and so on. The shaking of a hand when a contract is established is a sign of the willingness to trust. It inspires us to do good for others. It will also counterbalance the addictive chemical dopamine. We build levels of oxytocin as we selflessly serve others and build relationships with people.

Working exceptionally hard to achieve a clear outcome will release endorphins. Dopamine will be released when we achieve our specific goals. Serotonin will release when you or others appreciate you or feel proud of something you or your team has achieved. Oxytocin will be released as we build relationships through sacrificially serving others to build an authentic caring relationship.

What could you do to manage the release of these chemicals in your own life?

Endorphins:

~77~

TEAMS by Stuart Macklin

Dopamine:

Serotonin:

Oxytocin:

Brainstorm ideas that would help build a team’s Endorphin levels

Dopamine levels

~78~

CHAPTER 6 — Physiology and management tools

Serotonin levels

Oxytocin Levels

King David demonstrates how to manage a team’s physiological well-being as he listens and loves God with his whole heart and mind.

Below are a few examples of how the nation of Israel would have felt blessed as their actions would have released these chemicals in their bodies: 1. Dopamine: a. The winning of the battles Israel faced. b. The rewards from the spoils of war and the expansion of Israel’s land.

2. Endorphins: a. During the battles and the training for the battles. b. Conquering Jerusalem and strengthening their land.

3. Serotonin: a. Feeling proud of what God had given them. b. Being a part of God’s chosen family caring for each other. c. Making plans to build God’s temple. d. All nations bowing down in the preparation for the building of God’s house.

4. Oxytocin: a. Sacrificing to serve King David. b. Sacrificing their lives to go against the enemies of God.

~79~

TEAMS by Stuart Macklin

However, the Israelites would have also experienced another chemical released as God’s anger stirred as they turned to their own selfish desires and forgot who they were and Whose they were. In times of death and danger, our bodies go into survival mode and release a chemical called cortisol.

Designed to facilitate survival, cortisol is released in reaction to danger and stress, and adrenaline is pumped into the bloodstream. Cortisol is not meant to stay in the system. It can damage organs and create anxiety. Cortisol builds when the brain perceives there is a danger to the body. These days, 90% of all doctors’ visits are connected to stress. The question is why do we perceive more danger now than ever before? Somehow we are feeling less supported than ever; we are unsure how the bills will be paid, are constantly watching the media or politics, experiencing the breakdown of the family unit and the isolation of social media, all causing the release of cortisol which blocks oxytocin and prevents us from building strong relationships and feeling safe. It turns off the digestive system and the immune system, creating all sorts of health issues. This is why trauma is so dangerous to your long term health — it can leave you in a place of permanent fight or flight. When someone is isolated, their body’s natural response will be elevated levels of cortisol.

Trauma freezes a person’s soul in time, and while the person continues to be present in situations that are no longer dangerous, their body continues to release cortisol into their bloodstream, leading to an array of health issues. Many people on your teams will have been through trauma and as a result, will struggle with their health. What would you do in this scenario?

The safety of Christ and how it affects our physiology When Jesus comes into our lives, He heals the relationship between God and His children, restoring the family and welcoming us into His safety and love. The judgment of fear and death is taken away for all who believe in His son. Now a new temple greater than the one Soloman finished is underway, a temple made of living stones, of people intimate with Him and caring for each other because of the grace received through the sacrifice. Jesus says “you will do greater works than me.” The original design is restored and we become aware that we are safe in His family; His presence rests upon us as we turn away from what fractures our souls and our relationship with God. We become vessels of safety to the world as we pass on the same grace and freedom to others that we have received from the Father. We get to care for and love one another. We get to sacrifice and lay our lives down, achieving things previously thought impossible as new creativity and love for each other rises while outworking the traumas and fears in our souls that have affected us so deeply both individually and generationally.

Scenario 1 Joy had controlling parents. They believed they were keeping her safe through dictating what she could and couldn’t do, and as a result, she struggled to form healthy boundaries. She now depends on the approval of others to convince herself that everything is okay while holding

~80~

CHAPTER 6 — Physiology and management tools

onto a core belief that something is fundamentally wrong with her. The person who was meant to keep her safe took advantage of her and abused her for several years. The result is ‘confused identity’. She has a warped perception of what healthy relationships look like and she struggles with numerous health issues. She joins your team and has not asked for any help or support and has no awareness that there is more freedom and a better way for her soul. Practically it impacts your team by her inappropriate actions with some team members. She is particularly sensitive and struggles to have faith in her decisions. What approach would you take in terms of training, responsibility, encouragement and ensuring she steps into who she is in Christ?

One Page Business Plan Exercise:

On the following page is a one-page business plan. Complete it with your leader, mentor, or accountability friend at the beginning of the year. Then photocopy it twelve times and complete the stats and wins each month. The second page is the to-do list which creates clarity and keeps us on track day-by-day while bringing the first page to the forefront each month. This ensures your mind knows where it is going, giving it clarity, direction, and peace.

Complete the one-page business plan as if you were the lead pastor of a church. Fill in the purpose statement and then connect a mission that could connect with who you believe yourself to be. From here, you can think about what products you are creating or a part of and how you will know if you are doing that well through your indicators of success. Then you can start to implement your practical actions on your to-do list. This system creates synergy and clarifies the direction you are going.

~81~

TEAMS by Stuart Macklin

ONE PAGE MONTHLY BUSINESS PLAN DATE: PURPOSE STATEMENT: MISSION STATEMENT: AUDACIOUS 5-YEAR GOAL: IMMEDIATE GOALS - 6 MONTH GOALS 1.

4.

2.

5.

3.

6.

Products creating

The product solves the following problems

1.

1.

2.

2.

3.

3.

4.

4.

5.

5.

Demographic targeting

What are their habits and interests?

~82~

CHAPTER 6 — Physiology and management tools

We are connecting to them by?

Challenges to overcome

We believe in it because?

People making it happen:

TODAYS TO DO LIST

ACTIONS TO IMPROVE THE PLAN

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

~83~

TEAMS by Stuart Macklin

MANAGEMENT TOOLS Managing Teams Through Asana Asana is a free online platform to help manage team projects. According to a Sapio Research global study of 10,000 office workers, 60% of the average worker’s day is now taken up with responding to emails and message notifications. Asana operates a free SaaS model with paid upgrades designed to help individuals and teams manage and collaborate on projects.

Key UK findings from the Anatomy of Work Index survey conclude that only one in four worker’s time is spent doing the job they were hired to do. Over half of their time is spent on low-value tasks such as chasing for input or responding to a barrage of emails. On average, UK office workers spend four hours a week in meetings, and they view over half that time as unnecessary. Globally, nearly two-thirds of meetings are deemed pointless by employees. Across all employees surveyed, eight out of ten believe their team isn’t as effective as they could be due to not having the right processes in place to manage and streamline their collective efforts.

However, among respondents who believe their organization is set up for efficiency, they’re more than three times as likely to feel inspired to meet their goals and be proud of their output.

How does it work?

1. Organizations are based on your company’s shared email domain and connect everybody within your company that uses Asana.

2. The sidebar is a launching point for key actions. This is where you can check and respond to notifications in your inbox, see all tasks assigned to you in My Tasks, and the location you can save reports.

3. Portfolios store groups of projects. You can use them to see all the projects and status updates towards an initiative or objective in one place.

4. Teams are functional groups in an organization that likely correspond to general teams at your company like marketing or sales.

5. Projects track all the actionable steps, information, and communications towards achieving a goal, initiative, or objective.

6. Tasks are stored in projects and make it clear who’s responsible for completing tasks and their deadlines. Tasks store all the files, conversations, and instructions related to it so the information stays in the right place.

Other platforms you can choose from include Smartsheet, Wrike, Monday.com, Workfront, Zoho Sprints, Pro workflow, Workzone, FunctionFox. All of these deliver a similar service to help manage your team and keep everyone on track towards the common goals you are hoping to achieve.

Anyone who has managed a team of any size knows that communication is the most challenging aspect to master. Managers are always walking the balance between keeping everyone informed while not tying up time with needless and unproductive meetings. Chat rooms such as WhatsApp ~84~

CHAPTER 6 — Physiology and management tools

can be a useful tool to motivate, encourage, and share personal information and bond the team together. Sharing hard things and expressing concern and care for one another is essential to bonding the team together.

Key Performance Indicators One of the main reasons the one-page business plan turns teams and organizations around so quickly is because it creates ownership and accountability. By having each team member write out their annual and monthly goals it allows each member to gain clarity on their goals and how they fit within the overall vision and mission of the organization. It also means the team members can meet and brainstorm with their managers on how to create successful strategies that can focus on the outcomes and not just on the activities.

You cannot achieve success if you have not defined it and then measured the progress towards achieving it.

Some measurables to clarify are: • What specific results do you want?

• Who is responsible for identifying the information?

• Why is that outcome important?

• How will you know you’ve reached your end goal?

• How will you define progress?

• What variables will affect the result?

• How frequently will you assess progress?

~85~

TEAMS by Stuart Macklin

Once you have resolved what you are measuring according to the strategy you implement, your task is then to create an easily accessible, clear dashboard that the whole team can easily see combined with an agreement to focus on achieving those measurable outcomes. Many companies have implemented KPI dashboards including databox, Domo, Dundas, Idashboards, Klipfolio, Qlik, Sisense, and Tableau.

KPI’s are important because over 65% of all humans are visual learners. Ensuring data is monitored in a KPI dashboard gives all members of the organization clarity on their impact and empowers them to take ownership of the outcome of the organization.

For example, a marketing manager with the strategic goal of reaching 50,000 new customers in a year can easily pull data from their social media networks and websites to see what campaigns are gaining results through views and length of interaction along with sign up and ultimately correlating it to overall attendance. When a connections manager can see how many life groups were run each week and which groups are inviting new people into their groups, they are empowered to see which groups need to subdivide. They can then build up new leaders, empowering them to be able to support groups that are growing while addressing groups that have remained stagnant for a period of time. There is no area of a ministry or nonprofit organization that will not benefit from capturing and managing data according to the strategy that is being applied for each department.

The simplest and easiest way to implement this step is to allocate a paid person to be responsible for building, developing, and training each ministry leader with their own KPI systems. This can be achieved by allocating as little as $150 per week to someone to be responsible for this role.

People who are fives on the enneagram tend to enjoy supporting others through investigating and creating systems that build and maintain strong foundations for organizations through implementing processes such as these. ~86~

7

BIBLICAL TEAMS

TEAMS by Stuart Macklin

Teams are God’s idea. The word comes from the root to “bridle together,” “to share one another’s burdens”. When you become a Christian, you are saying yes to joining Jesus’ team. His requirements are to rest, listen, and obey His direction.

Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.”

Matthew 11:28-30 Jesus is the team leader of the church and His mission is to go and make disciples of all nations.

The Word teaches us what a team should look like.

Then the Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper who is just right for him.” Genesis 2:18 Later, God would recruit Abraham onto His team and into His plan to redeem the whole world.

The nation of Israel would be brought to life, and from that family would come David, and ultimately, God Himself in the form of Jesus. We now have a leader who is on a mission, whose house and kingdom will endure forever (2 Samuel 7:16) and who can give eternal life to whoever believes in Him (John 6:47). He is building His house on earth and He is using us as a team to achieve this purpose.

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. 2 We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne.

Hebrews 12:1-2 God has designed us to work in perfect harmony together sacrificially, serving one another and looking out for each other’s best interests. God’s chosen people have understood they were called to be different, to share their wealth and burdens with those in need. At the core of dysfunction on a team is often independence and selfish gains.

All of us, like sheep, have strayed away. We have left God’s paths to follow our own. Yet the lord laid on him the sins of us all. Isaiah 53:6 Our current culture promotes independence. We have moved from working in community towards creating safety through self gain. We all struggle with fear that tells us to survive, to seek out increased wealth through selfish agendas, to distrust others instead of forming relationships to work towards common goals. We become blind from seeing the safety of the flock and the truth that safety actually comes as we lay our lives down for our brothers and sisters in a close community.

~88~

CHAPTER 7 — Biblical teams

What ideas could you come up with to overcome the selfish agendas of people on your team?

The spirit of independence is not new; Jesus dealt with it on several occasions with His team: 1. Selfish Advantage “They replied, ‘Let one of us sit at your right and the other at your left in your glory.’” Mark 10:37 Jesus’ response: You don’t know what you are asking! Are you able to drink from the bitter cup of suffering I am about to drink? Are you able to be baptized with the baptism of suffering I must be baptized with?” Mark 10:38 What is Jesus saying here?

~89~

TEAMS by Stuart Macklin

Teaching: So Jesus called them together and said, “You know that the rulers in this world lord it over their people, and officials flaunt their authority over those under them. But among you, it will be different. Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first among you must be the slave of everyone else.” Mark 10:42-43 What does this mean to you personally?

2. Overconfidence because of who you’re with: “He sent messengers on ahead, who went into a village of the Samaritans to make arrangements for Him. But the people there refused to welcome Him, because He was heading for Jerusalem.

When the disciples James and John saw this, they asked, “Lord, do You want us to call down fire from heaven to consume them?” Luke 9:53 Here James and John desire judgment on those who reject Jesus. They seek justice and judgment and overstep their position. They have a misconception about how God wants to use them as vessels of love and not judgment. They have not yet caught what God is about and how He desires to outwork the mission.

Jesus’ response: Jesus rebukes them. Luke 9:55 Notice however it does not stop Him sending them out in Luke 10 as the representatives of His Kingdom.

~90~

CHAPTER 7 — Biblical teams

“He replied, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you.

However, do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.” Luke 10:18-20 Sometimes when a team member has messed up the best thing you can do is offer a quick correction and then get back on the mission, trusting them with more responsibility. Don’t be surprised if you mess up with God and He corrects, and then His next action is to call you on mission. So often our perspective is not Gods’ perspective.

3. Thinking you are better than you are: “But Peter took him aside and began to reprimand him for saying such things. “Heaven forbid, Lord,” he said. “This will never happen to you!” Matthew 16:22 Hindsight is an amazing thing. Most of us wince these days as we see Peter rebuking God. We generally understand that trying to control God or manipulate Him is a bad idea. Nevertheless, our motives are occasionally just that. Whether it be ‘but I did everything right’ or loving Him in the hope that He might promote us or bless us. Peter has his own idea of how Jesus will rule and reign and does not understand the plan of the cross and how it will grant everyone access to God’s love and power through His spirit.

Jesus’ response: ‘Get behind me satan’ Matthew 16:23 Jesus’ teaching: Jesus knew that Peter would not understand the power of unconditional love because there was still too much pride and independence in him. He would wait until Peter had exhausted his options, after His death and resurrection, to reveal its power to impact the world in John 21:15-25. At that point, Peter’s heart was ready to receive it.

Be patient with your team. Many of them will not be able to receive the truth about the power of sacrificial love until they come to the end of themselves. Patience and perseverance are key attributes as you continue the mission even when team members may not be ready to receive the revelation of the power and impact they will have on the world through selfishness.

4. Seeking money over purpose and calling “Then Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve disciples, went to the leading priests and asked, “How much will you pay me to betray Jesus to you?” And they gave him thirty pieces of silver. From that time on, Judas began looking for an opportunity to betray Jesus.” Matthew 26:14-16 The Word doesn’t really explain what went wrong with Judas or why his heart was seduced by a desire for money. It only explains how God knew it would happen and that God is in control and used it to reveal the power of the cross. Judas was seduced by his own selfish desires and lost sight of God’s goodness and faithfulness to love and restore His kids to a right relationship with Him. Judas is a stark reminder to all of us that God is not beyond allowing us to ultimately ~91~

TEAMS by Stuart Macklin

pursue our own selfish agendas. He knows what it’s like to lose a team member to selfish desires, and should this happen to you, He will be alongside sharing in your sorrows.

God’s response to betrayal and selfish ambition: He gives His blameless life as a sacrifice so that a way back to wholeness and relationship in His perfect family can be made for each of us.

The biggest challenge with teams remains the sin and brokenness in each of us. I have always been amazed by how much grace and patience great leaders have with their team members. I would propose that it is that grace and integrity that allows their teams to grow strong. You cannot grow organizations with a high staff turnover with an average replacement cost of $15,000 through lost income, training, HR costs, etc. We are always best off improving training and investing in our staff rather than losing them. If an organization is struggling with high staff turnover, quite often at the heart of it is a leader who is carrying a selfish or independent spirit rather than one who is willingly putting their team ahead of themselves. If you start losing team members, the first thing to ask is what is the state of my heart. Is there selfishness inside of it or does it genuinely care more about the other team members than itself? Secondly, if your heart posture is correct, how well have you communicated this through building trusting relationships through vulnerability and time with those team members? This trust cannot be built in the boardroom; it comes from taking those members out to eat together. It comes from knowing how their family members are doing. It comes from listening and asking questions about their well-being and priorities. This is the biblical model as Jesus walked side by side with His disciples for three years. Perhaps we cannot walk side-by-side with our team members, but we can have hearts that demonstrate we are there for them through thick and thin.

Embracing Uniqueness Church teams must navigate the fact that God has called them to be different from the way of the world, to prioritize putting others first. There is an aspect to a church team that should be naturally different than anything else you experience in the world. Again and again, God speaks to His people explaining how important the fact that they have been set apart is to Him. “When you enter the land the Lord your God is giving you, be very careful not to imitate the detestable customs of the nations living there. For example, never sacrifice your son or daughter as a burnt offering. And do not let your people practice fortune-telling, or use sorcery, or interpret omens, or engage in witchcraft, or cast spells, or function as mediums or psychics, or call forth the spirits of the dead. Anyone who does these things is detestable to the Lord. It is because the other nations have done these detestable things that the Lord your God will drive them out ahead of you.

But you must be blameless before the Lord your God.” Deuteronomy 18:9-13 So often, God called Israel to be different from those around them. The ten plagues in Exodus all correlate against beliefs that the local Egyptians had. They were stark reminders to avoid worshipping or valuing what the Egyptians value. Solomon forgot how important this is to God ~92~

CHAPTER 7 — Biblical teams

as he mixed Israel with other cultures. Most of the times that the Israelites found themselves heading into captivity, the root was that they had found value in the local deities and idols and forsaken the One true living God. This saddens God, not because He needs to be worshiped, but because He knows what happens when we place value in things that actually have no eternal value such as wealth or power in ourselves.

Jesus calls Christians to be different from others again and again. This is shown most explicitly in His unique commands on issues such as forgiveness, loving your enemy, divorce, and helping the slave or prisoner. He mixes with sinners and tax collectors and cares not for the local customs that keep order in the Roman occupation. Jesus never went with the culture of the time. He laid out a new way of doing things, the way of sacrificial love and caring for one another, a way of accepting one another. He died a sinner’s death when He was meant to be a victorious warrior king. He forced the local people to choose His way or Rome’s way. You could not sit in between, and instead, we are called to count the cost of following His new Kingdom reign.

The culture you build in your team needs to make peace with the fact it is going to do things differently. It is its holiness and acceptance of being different that makes it a light to other teams.

As team leaders, we do well to emphasize what makes us different from others. We sacrifice for each other, we care when the world says not to, we give more, and fearlessly take on what is deemed impossible by others.

How many examples can you name that reveal how God’s way is not the same as the world’s normal way of doing things?

~93~

TEAMS by Stuart Macklin

How do you create a culture that helps team members understand they are part of something different?

As we celebrate our different way of looking at and approaching life and make peace with being different, we reveal God’s goodness on earth. We forgive when injustice says we shouldn’t, we love when it means our lives could be endangered, we talk of God’s goodness in our sickness.

Our weakness brings forth His light and strength.

How could your weakness could be an opportunity for God to move?

~94~

CHAPTER 7 — Biblical teams

Seek wisdom from those who care about you As your idea gains momentum, you’ll need to pass on responsibilities to others. This is the case for Moses in Exodus 18 as he leads God’s people.

“When Moses’ father-in-law saw all that Moses was doing for the people, he asked, “What are you really accomplishing here? Why are you trying to do all this alone while everyone stands around you from morning till evening?”

Moses replied, “Because the people come to me to get a ruling from God. When a dispute arises, they come to me, and I am the one who settles the case between the quarreling parties. I inform the people of God’s decrees and give them his instructions.”

“This is not good!” Moses’ father-in-law exclaimed. “You’re going to wear yourself out — and the people, too. This job is too heavy a burden for you to handle all by yourself. Now listen to me, and let me give you a word of advice, and may God be with you. You should continue to be the people’s representative before God, bringing their disputes to him. Teach them God’s decrees, and give them his instructions. Show them how to conduct their lives. But select from all the people some capable, honest men who fear God and hate bribes. Appoint them as leaders over groups of one thousand, one hundred, fifty, and ten. They should always be available to solve the people’s common disputes, but have them bring the major cases to you. Let the leaders decide the smaller matters themselves.

They will help you carry the load, making the task easier for you. If you follow this advice, and if God commands you to do so, then you will be able to endure the pressures, and all these people will go home in peace.”

Moses listened to his father-in-law’s advice and followed his suggestions. He chose capable men from all over Israel and appointed them as leaders over the people. He put them in charge of groups of one thousand, one hundred, fifty, and ten. These men were always available to solve the people’s common disputes. They brought the major cases to Moses, but they took care of the smaller matters themselves.” Exodus 18:14-26 What concerns might passing responsibility over to someone else create in you?

~95~

TEAMS by Stuart Macklin

What could you do to overcome these concerns?

Ethical Issues with Team Members What is right for some people is not okay for others. The organizational handbook should spell out acceptable and unacceptable behavior of employees, including what constitutes sexual or emotional harassment, stealing, bribes, toxic work culture, discrimination, questionable use of company technology, alongside other potential topics of conflict. According to the Ethics and Compliance Initiative 2018, over 30% of employees had personally been involved in misconduct within the past 12 months. Developing a robust culture of what is and what isn’t permissible is key to ensuring a healthy team.

Some questions for you to consider: You are the pastor of a church. Would you talk to an employee if… (circle what you believe to be right) 1. An employee takes a few pens home

Y

N

2. They go on social media less than minutes per day

Y

N

3. Two separately married people who like each other have lunch together regularly

Y

N

4. People of the opposite sex within years of age go on a road trip together

Y

N

5. One of the boys on the team calls certain girls ‘babe’

Y

N

~96~

CHAPTER 7 — Biblical teams

6. A team member always brings up politics in discussion

Y

N

7. You find out someone smokes in their own time

Y

N

8. You hear someone is drinking and partying in their own time

Y

N

9. A racist comment is mentioned by a team member

Y

N

10. A sexist comment is mentioned by a team member

Y

N

What did you use to guide your answers to these questions?

A simple correction stating clearly what was said or done is not in line with the company’s standard is enough to correct negative behavior. If the behavior persists, you may need to discover more of the employee’s story and learn what has formed their value system before you can ask them to change it.

More challenging issues such as theft, verbal or physical abuse, racism, and sexism are state and federally regulated and the laws must be applied according to each situation. There are many legal rights to employees especially around right and wrongful dismissal. The general rule of thumb is a verbal warning which is documented on the employee’s files, followed by a written warning advising dismissal as an option if the action persists.

When you begin an organization, many of the processes and best practices associated with the area you operate in might be foreign to you. You can outsource professional HR needs to companies such as Paychex Flex, Oasis Outsourcing, Insperity, TriNet, CPEhr, Accenture HR among others. Costs will vary depending on the requirement and are normally between $45 to $1500. You must comply with your state’s multitude of laws from minimum wage, to overtime rules and regulations, to benefits and tax requirements.

~97~

TEAMS by Stuart Macklin

NOTES

~98~

8

TEAM DIAGNOSTICS AND RESOLUTIONS

TEAMS by Stuart Macklin

A doctor learns how to diagnose the human body by learning what each part is called and its correct function. Once the doctor understands the human body, they can then begin to diagnose what is not working correctly and hypothesize how to fix it. The doctor will test and measure the body normally using the body’s built-in diagnostic tool of pain. As team leaders, we need to know what a healthy team looks like and then diagnose what is and what isn’t working through testing and measuring the various aspects of how the team is performing.

“Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ. For we were all baptized by one Spirit so as to form one body—whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink. Even so, the body is not made up of one part but of many.

Now if the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason stop being part of the body. And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason stop being part of the body. If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be? But in fact, God has placed the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be. If they were all one part, where would the body be? As it is, there are many parts, but one body.

The eye cannot say to the hand, “I don’t need you!” And the head cannot say to the feet, “I don’t need you!” On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, and the parts that we think are less honorable we treat with special honor. And the parts that are unpresentable are treated with special modesty, while our presentable parts need no special treatment. But God has put the body together, giving greater honor to the parts that lacked it, so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it.

Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it.” 1 Corinthians 12:12-28 Why do you think Paul uses the human body as an analogy for the body of Christ?

~100~

CHAPTER 8 — Team diagnostics and resolutions

List everything you see in the above scripture that might persuade someone to work with a team instead of alone.

“Now, dear brothers and sisters, regarding your question about the special abilities the Spirit gives us. I don’t want you to misunderstand this. You know that when you were still pagans, you were led astray and swept along in worshiping speechless idols. So I want you to know that no one speaking by the Spirit of God will curse Jesus, and no one can say Jesus is Lord, except by the Holy Spirit. There are different kinds of spiritual gifts, but the same Spirit is the source of them all. There are different kinds of service, but we serve the same Lord. God works in different ways, but it is the same God who does the work in all of us. A spiritual gift is given to each of us so we can help each other. To one person the Spirit gives the ability to give wise advice; to another, the same Spirit gives a message of special knowledge. The same Spirit gives great faith to another, and to someone else the one Spirit gives the gift of healing. He gives one person the power to perform miracles, and another the ability to prophesy. He gives someone else the ability to discern whether a message is from the Spirit of God or from another spirit. Still another person is given the ability to speak in unknown languages, while another is given the ability to interpret what is being said.

It is the one and only Spirit who distributes all these gifts. He alone decides which gift each person should have.” 1 Corinthians 12:1-11 How would you answer a person who asks why God has not given them the gift of tongues?

~101~

TEAMS by Stuart Macklin

What problems could you foresee with people having different gifts given to them?

Our desire to please God can become just as challenging to manage in teams as our indifference is. When God’s children are eager to please Him, the outcome can result in striving toward metrics like how big the church is or who has the fastest growing ministry rather than the focus of supporting one another and using our gifts and resources to help the other parts flourish.

A picture of the perfect team is found in the temperament and character of Jesus and in the fellowship between the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. If we break it down, we can see the priority is to serve each other with everything. Jesus does not strive or try, but rather operates from a place of identity, knowing who He is and what His mission is. He works long hours but rests extensively too. He prioritizes relationship with His team members. He ensures they are never short of provision through a variety of means including collecting offerings, supernatural multiplication, and even a coin in a fish’s mouth. He demonstrates that there is always more than one way to ensure the safe provision of the team.

He leads from a place of strength, knowing His purpose is to reveal the kingdom of heaven to God’s children. He is strong when something threatens the relationship such as in the temple which had been corrupted by mammon. He is always teaching and demonstrating the way to do it, yet He is also willing to pass over the reigns to the disciples who cast out demons in His authority. Those who know Him know His heart for them. This is why John calls himself “the disciple Jesus loved,” an example of one who has taken ownership of God’s love for them. Jesus reveals the key to His strength as His ongoing intimate relationship with His Father in heaven, based in love and obedience.

As a result, the Holy Spirit rests on Jesus and He grows in the life of the Holy Spirit, while the Father directs His steps.

“So Jesus explained, “I tell you the truth, the Son can do nothing by himself. He does only what he sees the Father doing. Whatever the Father does, the Son also does. For the Father loves the Son and shows him everything he is doing. In fact, the Father will show him how to do even greater works than healing this man. Then you will truly be astonished.” John 5:19-20

~102~

CHAPTER 8 — Team diagnostics and resolutions

How do you imagine the Father is revealing to Jesus everything He should do?

Bob Iger, Disney’s CEO, instructed all of the company’s recruitment teams to look for one quality when hiring: integrity.

What is the one core characteristic that you would ask every team member to have?

How would that directly impact the teams you manage?

~103~

TEAMS by Stuart Macklin

How to diagnose and resolve a dysfunctional team While you can facilitate for a dysfunctional team to become functional, only the members of the team being in agreement can actually resolve the issues they face. The goal is to identify through general consensus what a healthy team looks like. Once you have this picture, you can begin to identify where the team is currently at and what changes need to be implemented to benefit everyone.

The process: 1. Arrange a date everyone can attend.

2. Allocate 4-6 hours to tackle the conversation thoroughly.

3. Ensure that the venue allows the team to focus on the job at hand.

4. Clearly state the reason for the meeting.

5. Stick a large piece of paper on the wall titled ‘Our Healthy Team’.

6. Write on a large piece of paper underneath ‘Characteristics of a Healthy Team.’

Have team members suggest their ideas.

7. To the right on a large piece of paper, write ‘What Results We’d Like to See.’ Have team members make suggestions.

8. To the right of that write ‘Hindrances to Overcome’, and have team members suggest their thoughts on what is hindering the team. (This is where it will get heated.) Make sure to clarify it cannot be personal at this point.

9. To the right of that write ‘Team Resolutions’. What actions can we take to resolve this for the good of the team?

10. Once you have brainstormed with your team, prioritize the top three to action and allocate responsibility and a date to action each point. Make it clear that the responsible person is allowed to hold the rest of the group accountable for achieving the resolution.

11. Brainstorm together the direct impact it will have on each person if these results are achieved. (Future financial security, relationships, time management, moral, etc).

12. Make a date to check back on progress in three to six months’ time.

13. Post notes to everyone and then update everyone on the progress every two weeks.

~104~

CHAPTER 8 — Team diagnostics and resolutions

General areas that create dysfunctional teams include: • Resistance to change

• Personality clashes

• Lack of empowerment plan

• People in the wrong positions

• Lack of vision or mission

• Lack of integrity within the team

• You focus on activities instead of outcomes

• Lack of trust within the team • Giving permission to unhealthy habits

• You blame external factors

• Lack of honor and respect

• Systems are dysfunctional

• Selfish ambition and personal agendas

• Complacency kicks in

• A lack of innovation within the team

• Striving and trying to do too many things

• Hidden fears around safety

Building healthy teams is an ongoing and dynamic process that is never fully completed. You might reach one mountain top only to fall into complacency as you shoot for the next. This is why building culture is so important. Culture can handle change. Culture works alongside the vision and mission, and will cover broken systems for a short period of time. A healthy culture can incorporate building connections, helping individuals grow, bring about certainty for the team, prioritize variety, appreciate the contribution, build love, and recognize and support significance for each team member.

Building Ownership in the Team Human nature dictates that when things are going well and God is blessing us, we’re quick to take responsibility. The opposite happens when things are not going well; shame and blame increase and it is no longer my success, but your failure. It’s good to remember that the challenge is trying to build a culture where we take responsibility for the areas that we can influence and seek support and guidance when things are not going well. This takes a level of grace and confidence in the leader and in each other. It takes a leader who prioritizes the team members’ wellbeing over the results of the organization, something that is not very common in the workplace today.

What initiatives could you take to help the team take ownership of achieving the vision laid out?

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7. ~105~

TEAMS by Stuart Macklin

Team Assessment In the Five Dysfunctions of a Team, Patrick Lencioni puts forward a Team Assessment Questionnaire which evaluates teams based on five main areas: 1. Their absence of trust 2. Fear of conflict 3. Lack of commitment 4. Avoidance of accountability 5. Inattention to results Rate the following questions by the following scale: 3 = Always 2= Sometimes 1= Rarely As a team member, how often do the following occur?

1. You feel comfortable sharing personal issues with another member on the team.

2. Team members call out one another’s deficiencies or unproductive behaviors.

3. Team members know what their peers are working on and how they contribute to the collective good of the team.

4. Team members quickly apologize to one another when they say or do something inappropriate or possibly damaging to the team.

5. Team members willingly make sacrifices in their departments of expertise for the good of the team.

6. Team members openly admit their weaknesses and mistakes.

7. You feel safe to talk about difficult issues that arise.

8. Team members leave meetings confident that their peers are completely committed to the decisions agreed upon during the meeting, even if there was initial disagreement.

9. Morale is significantly affected by the failure to achieve team goals.

10. You tackle the most difficult issues on the agenda during meetings.

11. Team members are concerned about the prospect of letting their team members down.

12. Team members socialize together outside of the work environment.

13. Team members achieve what they set out to do from the clear goals laid out before them.

14. Team members hold each other to a place of accountability in achieving what they set out to do.

15. Team members are slow to seek credit for their own performance but celebrate others’ successes. ~106~

CHAPTER 8 — Team diagnostics and resolutions

Answers for Trust

Fear of Conflict

Lack of Commitment

Avoidance of Accountability

Inattention to Results

Statement 4

Statement 1

Statement 3

Statement 2

Statement 5

Statement 6

Statement 7

Statement 8

Statement 11

Statement 9

Statement 12

Statement 10

Statement 4

Statement 14

Statement 15

Total

Total

Total

Total

Total

• 8 to 9 scores team is working well • 6 to 7 scores team needs work • 3 to 5 scores team need help

Patrick Lencioni also points out that additional team support can be found at www.tablegroup. com/dysfunctions 4 Accurate diagnostics of an unhealthy team are essential. Pina Tarricone and Joe Luca from Edith Cowan University described the characteristics of a successful team as: • Commitment to team success and shared goals: Team members are committed to the success of the team and their shared goals for the project. Successful teams are motivated, engaged, and aim to achieve at the highest level.

• Interdependence: Team members need to create an environment where together they can contribute far more than as individuals. A positive interdependent team environment brings out the best in each person enabling the team to achieve their goals at a far superior level (Johnson & Johnson, 1995, 1999). Individuals promote and encourage their fellow team members to achieve, contribute, and learn.

• Interpersonal skills: This includes the ability to discuss issues openly with team members, be honest, trustworthy, supportive and show respect and commitment to the team, and to its individuals. Fostering a caring work environment is important, including the ability to work effectively with other team members.

• Open communication and positive feedback: Actively listen to the concerns and needs of team members and value their contribution. Expressing this helps to create an effective work environment. Team members should be willing to give and receive constructive criticism and provide authentic feedback.

• Appropriate team composition is essential in the creation of a successful team. Team members need to be fully aware of their specific team role and understand what is expected of them in terms of their contribution to the team and the project.

~107~

TEAMS by Stuart Macklin

• Commitment to team processes, leadership, and accountability: Team members need to be accountable for their contribution to the team and the project. They need to be aware of team processes, best practices, and new ideas. Effective leadership is essential for team success including shared decision-making and problem-solving.5 LESSONS FROM LEADING ORGANIZATIONS Here are some lessons from the world’s most successful teams: The Ford Company Efficiency: Ford and his team of engineers applied the lens of efficiency to all aspects of production, eventually devising the assembly line. Ford also recognized that by paying his workers twice the industry standard and reducing the length of the workday and week, he’d not only dramatically reduce employee turnover but also attracted the best workers.

The Google Team Stay lean: The team stayed small as they developed the technology, first working out of a dorm room at Stanford then a garage. When they were ready to turn their brainchild into a business, they brought in tech legend Schmidt to run the company and Kordestani — known as the first guy at Google to wear a suit — to handle sales.

Walt Disney Team Determination: Walt Disney and Iwerks were resolute in their grand vision to create cartoon stars complete with their own franchises. That vision, in turn, attracted top talent — namely the nine animators who created and popularized the iconic characters Mickey Mouse, Snow White, and Cinderella. 6 As you develop great teams, you should keep these questions in mind: • How are you developing a mentoring culture?

• How are you investing in new leaders?

• How aware is your team of the importance of embracing change?

• Are all your team members clear on the overall purpose?

• Do they have a vision that’s exciting them?

• How does the culture affect the recruiting process?

• How are you building camaraderie?

• Do you have a healthy accountability structure?

• Do you have a culture of trust and growing from brave communication?

• Do you have great encouragement huddles?

• Is there a “can do” attitude and positivity? ~108~

CHAPTER 8 — Team diagnostics and resolutions

• Is the work fun?

• Do you have healthy systems empowering every member of the team?

• Is everyone in the right position and motivated towards the end goal?

• Are they celebrating what challenges they have overcome?

Teams create wholeness and safety. They help release healthy chemicals in our brains, creating physical health benefits. They can give us a sense of fullness and purpose alongside friendship and community. They can be the greatest blessing and the greatest challenge.

“Two people are better off than one, for they can help each other succeed. If one person falls, the other can reach out and help. But someone who falls alone is in real trouble. Likewise, two people lying close together can keep each other warm. But how can one be warm alone? A person standing alone can be attacked and defeated, but two can stand back-to-back and conquer. Three are even better, for a triplebraided cord is not easily broken.” Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 When Jesus is at the center of what we do and we invite Him into our day in a corporate setting, all things become possible. I pray that God speaks to you clearly so you might have clarity on what He is calling you to, and I pray that others would come alongside you and be blessed as you work to achieve the purpose laid forth. I pray that even when you doubt the feasibility of what you think God is asking of you that you receive courage and believe that all things are possible.

I’ve always loved Mary’s response to the impossible which I think we can all learn from.

“Mary asked the angel, “But how can this happen? I am a virgin.”

The angel replied, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the baby to be born will be holy, and he will be called the Son of God. What’s more, your relative Elizabeth has become pregnant in her old age! People used to say she was barren, but she has conceived a son and is now in her sixth month. For the word of God will never fail. Mary responded, “I am the Lord’s servant. May everything you have said about me come true.” And then the angel left her.” Luke 1:34-37 I hope this curriculum book proves helpful in building and supporting every team you are a part of. If there is anything I can do to help, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Be blessed in everything; have faith in God and in how much He wants you to believe in yourself.

Sincerely, Stuart

~109~

NOTES

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NOTES

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REFERENCE BOOKS 1. Lencioni, Patrick. Overcoming The Five Dysfunctions of a Team. Jossey-Bass

2. Gordon, Jon. The Power of a Positive Team. Wiley

3. Witt, Lance. Replenish: Leading from a Healthy Soul. Baker Books

4. Walkemeyer, Larry and Todd Wilson. The Mobilization Flywheel. Exponential 5. Sinek, Simon. Leaders Eat Last. Penguin

6. Malphurs, Aubrey. Developing a Vision for a Ministry. Baker Books

ENDNOTES 1. https://dissident.blog/2018/02/18/how-are-values-formed/

2. Gordon, Jon. The Power of a Positive Team. Wiley P66

3. Steve Saccone, Relational Intelligence: Jossey-Bass, 2009, P174

4. Patrick Lencioni, Overcoming the Five Dysfunctions of a Team, P116-117, Jossey-Bass 5. http://www.unice.fr/crookall-cours/teams/docs/team%20Successful%20teamwork.pdf

6. https://www.cbsnews.com/news/four-great-teams-in-business-history

TE AMS This curriculum is designed to help you create and grow a healthy team; from foundational aspects like identifying the team’s purpose, to understanding what a team needs in order to operate and achieve its purpose, we will spend eight weeks digging deeply into dynamics, tools, spiritual formations, and leadership requirements. We will evaluate what culture is and learn how to develop it from a spiritual and natural perspective; we will look at key drivers for creating and maintaining a motivated team; we will discuss communication techniques your team will require and how to utilize tools to recruit and manage volunteers; we will consider the importance of others’ values and how to be considerate of their hopes and dreams. Ministry Teams will help leaders discover how to support their teams from a Christ-like perspective.

KEY OUTCOMES  To clarify the purpose behind God's calling on your life  Learn to identify the needs of the team  How to start and grow a healthy team  Learn the importance of intentional character development within the team  Learn how to identify the gifts on someone's life and help them release those gifts

 Develop healthy communication strategies  Learn to utilize tools to communicate clearly within teams  How to utilize the latest team management tools  Discover the key drivers for your team  How to develop training plans  How to diagnose an unhealthy team and find resolution

STUART MACKLIN Stuart had a powerful encounter with Jesus during his cancer treatment in 2008. He was miraculously healed and discovered a strong thirst to grow and learn as much as he could. He attended Bible College in Australia and then traveled across Asia and Africa on missions and with evangelism organizations. He studied at Iris Missions School in Mozambique and specializes in building teams and assisting people to step into their ministry calling.

The Lord is now using his business knowledge on organizational structure and business growth skills to serve the Body of Christ.

He currently serves as the Director of the School of Ministry at Centerpoint Church. In his spare time, he has co-authored five children's books with his wife and enjoys snowboarding, traveling, and long hikes with his Welsh Corgi dog.

C E N T E R P O I N T S C H O O L O F M I N I S T RY

PRICE: $20.00