Teams by Stuart Macklin by Centerpoint School of Ministry

TEAMS excellence and agape

this book belongs to ___________________________________________________________________ quarter start date / quarter end date ___________________________________________________________________

AU T H O R ’ S N OT E

I believe that healthy teams are built around two things: a high value for excellence, and the daily practice of sacrificial love. A healthy team can take a dream or a vision, create and build momentum, and achieve great things. What seems impossible becomes possible when people work together towards a singular purpose in unity. Teams have the potential to reveal the fullness of God’s beauty as nothing else can. Teams are God’s idea. He calls us ‘living stones’, designed to play an important part in His body. There is 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, marveling at the work of His perfection in awe and wonder. It pleases Him to watch our joy as we discover how powerfully He can use a surrendered, laid down life — a life that acknowledges the Artist directing the strokes. The world around us watches in awe at the beauty and wonder that unfolds.

S T UA RT M AC K LI N CPSOM HEAD OF SCHOOL

My prayer is that this curriculum 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 will 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 both. What starts as a single person’s idea can become an enormous move of God with hundreds, thousands, or even millions of people multiplying the vision — not for their own glory, but to glorify Him who in grace birthed the idea in the first place. I bless you to build community, to build justice, to build His church, and to bring His heart into every sphere of life. Stuart

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

CONTENTS WEEK ONE start where you are: identifying gifts and limitations

W E E K T WO clarity and strategy: identifying roles

WEEK THREE discipline and training: let’s talk about your team

WEEK FOUR loving and leading: character development

W E E K FI V E belonging on the team: creating team culture

WEEK SIX motivation: physiology and management tools

WEEK SEVEN God’s intent for the team: scripture and structure

WEEK EIGHT thriving: excellence and agape

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one start where you are: identifying gifts and limitations

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A T E A M S TA R T S W I T H A P U R P O S E the reason for which something is done or created, or for which something exists. At Centerpoint church, our lead pastor John Hansen defined his team’s purpose as “loving and leading people to a life-changing connection with Christ.” 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 join his staff team, in part because they want to 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 they 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 him. Because of that dynamic commitment, God does incredible things at Centerpoint. Pastor John is clear about his mission — and he has a strategy and a team to achieve it. The hardest part of the commitment to a purpose is often the “stepping out in faith.” It takes courage to hear what God is calling you to and stay faithful to that vision. It takes a Noah-type mentality and a refusal to let the world tell you that you are incapable or unworthy. Purpose is the difference between a group of people being a team and becoming a family. Purpose is the nucleus of every healthy team — and that nucleus is protected by two essential elements: a high value for excellence and a daily practice of sacrificial love. Most of us lean one direction or the other — we’re either 100% focused on our goals and haven’t built the agape side of our leadership, or we love our team members well but haven’t intentionally identified their gifts and gotten them into the right roles to craft a powerful and effectice team. How does one intentionally address both of those issues in a holistic way? How do we identify and address our own leadership limitations, and those of the team? This curriculum is full of practical tools to help you identify and build excellence on your team while you practice sacrificial love for your team members. But whether you are able to build a healthy team is largely dependent on your level of humility — your willingness to identify your limits, and bless your team to feel safe to identify theirs as well. As we navigate this course, you will be challenged to become more teachable and to prize a growth mindset. You will have multiple opportunities to write the correct narrative about yourself and your team — to identify your gifts, talents, and potential, to discover how to make your team healthy, and then to continue to thrive in that place. The sacrifice is that you have to lay down your old narrative — the one that has been holding you back from experiencing the fullness of God’s plans for you and your team — to make room for the “abundantly and exceedingly more” that Heaven is waiting to release. “...and they will do even greater things than these...” John 14:12 NIV

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L E T ’ S TA L K A B O U T YO U F O R A B I T

LET’S CREATE A PROFILE OF YOU Where does your general passion lie? Enneagram number: High-5 characteristics (High5.com): 1. 2. 3.

4. 5.

Do you prefer to be in a leadership or a support position: Prioritize these from 1-15 ( 1 = highest, 15 = lowest): Leading a team Talking to people Completing the details Pioneering a team Speaking on platform

Designing a product Identifying a problem Promoting a product Writing a book Giving

Building a system Administration Time outdoors Empowering others Developing strategy

Myers-Briggs type: What scores do you get when you answer the fivefold ministry test (www.fivefoldministry.com): 1st 2nd 3rd

4th 5th

What results do you get from the DISC test? These results are not meant to create a box for you to exist in, but are intended to help you understand your strength and weaknesses. On the intrapersonal level, humility involves an accurate view of the self. On the interpersonal level, humility involves a stance that is other-oriented rather than self-focused. // Psychological Science

............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. • How do you imagine .......................................................................................................... using your gifts to build God’s house? .......................................................................................................... • .......................................................................................................... As a leader, do you tend to prioritize excellence or sacrificial love? .......................................................................................................... • .......................................................................................................... What skills would be helpful in building the vision? .......................................................................................................... • .......................................................................................................... How would you go about finding people with these skills is .......................................................................................................... resources were not an issue? .......................................................................................................... ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. .............................................................................................................................................................

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B U T FI R S T - A N SW E R T H E C A L L “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 God is calling you to something and it’s your responsibility to respond. Consider this invitation found in scripture. When you go to a friend’s home and share a meal together, you talk about dreams, hopes, desires, what’s important to you both, and so much more. This is what Jesus desires to do with you as you hear God’s voice and seek His purposes. For your work to be fulfilling it needs to start as God’s idea, discerned through intimate conversation with Him as a trusted friend and lover of our souls. He is always knocking at the door, desiring to draw near to you and share your time. He wants to give you the guidance and goals you need in order to create a beautiful vision and a healthy team. A leader or a team focused on the desire to become rich and famous will be hollow and can ultimately become destructive. Humans are meant to be expressions of God’s love. We are created in His image and that means we are designed to reveal sacrificial love, creativity, and truth to the world. As we build the kingdom in our own unique ways, we must allow God to speak our team’s purpose to us, so that the team and the work can be an expression of love from Him and to Him. When His purpose is your foundation, trials and difficulties become a stage for love to break through. Alternatively, when others encounter incredible breakthrough and joy because of your work and idealize you, His purpose keeps you grounded in the knowledge that your success is an outpouring of His love and grace. God’s purpose allows us to be grateful when times are good and resilient when times are hard. Bear in mind what Jesus taught about sacrificial love and His upside down kingdom as you listen to God’s plans and purposes for you and your team. That’s not to say that the lucrative business idea or the dream to be famous is not from Him — it very well could be. Continuing to learn God’s character and nature will help you discern and refine your plan to walk out His purposes. 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

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GAINING CLARITY ON PURPOSE Do you remember a day when, after completing all your tasks and the day was finished, you were filled with joy? Maybe you had a creative day — a day where you built elaborate sandcastles or wrote some poetry at your favorite coffee shop; maybe you won an academic award at school or attended a worship experience that changed your life; maybe you saw people supernaturally healed or you told a story that you loved to see others enjoying. These moments are the times we should notice and remember as we discern what God is calling us to. The clues are in your story! Ask yourself: What motivates me? What captivates me? I believe God has got something special for you and all you need is a willing spirit. Consider Charles Mully, who felt God’s call at the age of 40 in Kenya; 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. I come alive when I am building things, and I love seeing God’s Spirit empower and raise up new leaders. I love dreaming something up and then seeing it become a reality. My wife and I believe that God has called us to bring the life of Jesus into everything we do. I love the process of dreaming up what could be, and 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 to fruition and watching as God encourages them and uses them to do something new and exciting. Where do you find yourself coming alive?

I find joy when I...

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

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D I S CE R N I N G

PR AY E R

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?

Who should I speak with about the things You are laying on my heart?

Write out what you would love to be a part of in the future...

Do you feel led to join a team that already exists, or create a new one?

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THE ESSENTIALS BEFORE THE CALL • • •

• •

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 woman with the issue of blood is healed as she grabs Jesus’ coattails. Again and again, Jesus commends them for their faith in action. Insecurity, doubt, and fear prevent action and stop you from living your fullest life. “You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.” Remember that His Spirit empowers us to surrender the idols inside our hearts.

Play It Out Imagining the outcome of the decisions we make can help keep us on track. Imagine if the husband about to give 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. Conversely, when we choose to see from the perspective of faith, we encounter God’s heart and can hear what He is calling us to. We must choose to do what is uncomfortable again and again until His kingdom comes, not just in our own lives, but in our ministries, our businesses, our workplaces and every aspect of the society surrounding us. Passion Arising to undergo or endure, normally in terms of physical suffering It was Christ who gave us a clear understanding of God’s passion for us, and for this world He created: He loved us so much that we were worth suffering physical torture, emotional rejection, loss, poverty, misunderstanding, and much more for. So what are you passionate about? What to you believe is worth suffering for? ............................................................................................................................................................... ............................................................................................................................................................... ............................................................................................................................................................... ............................................................................................................................................................... ............................................................................................................................................................... ...............................................................................................................................................................

It’s helpful to carry an awareness that God’s priorities do not always line up with ours. Your idea may be heaven-sent, 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 build His kingdom, but rather faithful hearts that turn to Him and turn up for Him. Remember that God’s lessons of character and faithfulness are being achieved even if your dream does not immediately manifest into reality — and your heart is His priority. Don’t Overcomplicate It When I was starting out in the business world, I often got caught up thinking about all the technical aspects of launching a project. 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 and point of sale systems to make money, and then I’d tackle stock control systems. The list was endless, and 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 mindful of your hidden insecurities — it is often these insecurities that derail a 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. For you, it might manifest as procrastination, or hyper-independence; it might feel like fear of others judging you, or poor financial management, or over-optimism. Bring these things into the light and let God and others help you. This choice will help you learn to depend on God and fellowship with grace as your foundation.

“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 If you formed a team now, what would be its purpose?

Who would you need on your team to achieve its desired purpose?

What character traits and values are most important for your team members?

Do you embody these character traits and values?

What do you need to do to embody any of those traits or values?

How can you best clarify and communicate these traits and values?

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EMBR ACING THE OPPORTUNIT Y “Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.” Philippians 4:8 Building and leading a team requires 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.

Inside every strong teambuilder is someone who refuses to give up — someone who finds solutions to the problems being presented to them. The difference between success and failure is often a simple refusal to quit or allow disillusionment to get the best of you. You may learn and amend your approach multiple times, and through that process you will begin to reframe each problem as an opportunity to learn.

OPPORTUNITIES FOR GROWTH Below is a list of subject areas where you might consider improving your knowledge to help grow your team and advance your mission. • • • • • • • •

Fundraising techniques Time management Vision casting Design and packaging Effective communications Tax issues Marketing strategies Cash flow management Technical support Legal issues Financial management Manufacturing expertise Strategy formation Wholesale expertise Overcoming insecurities Location requirements

From the above list, which three areas do you need to prioritize as opportunities to learn? Priority One: How can you take responsibility for your growth in this area?

Priority Two:

How can you take responsibility for your growth in this area?

Priority Three:

How can you take responsibility for your growth in this area?

THE PARKING TEAM SCENARIO Your leader at church takes you aside 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 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 your church. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. • How could you .......................................................................................................... frame this as a great opportunity for .......................................................................................................... yourself? .......................................................................................................... • What would you need to envision happening .......................................................................................................... in the future to make this project worth your .......................................................................................................... time and energy? .......................................................................................................... • How much of what you‘ve written here .......................................................................................................... is about internal development and how .......................................................................................................... much would you need to ask for help from .......................................................................................................... others? ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. .............................................................................................................................................................

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A new team is most often started by one person willing to say ‘yes’ and step out in faith. They discern God’s call, get clarity on purpose, look to recruit others onto the team, and cast a strong vision. But it’s the people who come first alongside these leaders who are the most crucial in the formation of the team. It is here that the team is tested most as the dynamics of two unfold. The leader must look to pass off what they can to the ‘first follower’ 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. What creative ways could you think of to appreciate and value your first team members as your team grows from infancy into stability? ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. In what ways have you had value placed on you by a leader or a teammate? What did you learn from those experiences? ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. .............................................................................................................................................................

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AC T I VAT E E XCE L L E N CE Compile your answers from page 8 (Gaining Clarity on Purpose) below, and choose two of the activities you listed to intentionally engage in this week. As you do, notice and record how you feel in your heart, mind, body, and spirit. How are you experiencing joy in these places? Putting clear language around this will help you refine your ability to discern where God is leading you. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. .............................................................................................................................................................

PR AC T I CE AG A PE This week, find one person you work with and call out the gold in them using clear language. Encourage them in their identity using phrases like “I see in you…” or “I notice you come alive when…” Record some of the language you used below, as well as how you experienced them, and how they received your encouragement. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. .............................................................................................................................................................

two clarity and strategy: identifying roles

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WHAT’S MY ROLE IN ALL THIS the function assumed or part played by a person or thing in a particular situation Team members need clarity around the team’s purpose and their role in that purpose. This can be achieved most effectively by writing out: •

THE MISSION - what God has called you to.

•

THE VISION - what you see happening as you advance and achieve the mission.

•

THE VALUES - the set of core beliefs the team will hold to while achieving the mission.

•

THE STRATEGY - a plan for achieving the mission.

•

THE LOCATION - where you will work to advance the mission.

•

THE DEMOGRAPHICS - who you will serve and connect with.

As you start a team or organization, write out your thoughts on the vision, mission, values, strategy, location, and demographics. This document doesn’t have to be perfect — it’s just a starting point. Remember that you can always go back and edit it as the mission 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. Which of these feels the most challenging for you to identify? What questions could you ask others to help you get clarity? ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. .............................................................................................................................................................

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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 importance of their role and your ability to deliniate how and why they fill that role is a vital component to their success. Your ability to duplicate the team’s purpose and culture inside each person will play a key role in future success or failure of the team. God’s house is built when each person owns their part and works to support others. If one part of the body is unhealthy, the whole body’s vitality is challenged. God gave us an image of how a healthy team operates in scripture:

“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.” 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 mission God gives us. As we look to Him to reveal gifts and grow our character, we become 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 how .......................................................................................................... would you describe your mission? .......................................................................................................... • What other parts of .......................................................................................................... the body would you be dependant on? .......................................................................................................... • What other parts of .......................................................................................................... the body would be dependant on you? .......................................................................................................... .......................................................................................................... ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. .............................................................................................................................................................

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VISION Once you know the mission and your part in it, the next aspect is to understand the vision. Aubrey Malphurs describes vision as “a moment of clarity”. The mission is taught while the vision is caught. A clear vision gives a team confidence and synergy as they work towards the common goal. Each person needs to know where they are heading individually and where the group is heading corporately. This helps the soul feel safe and gives us direction, as well as an ability to sacrifice for the mission that has been laid out by God. Ambiguity and uncertainty always have negative repercussions — confusion around the mission increases chances for miscommunication, overstepping roles, and much more. A powerful vision statement can operate like a map for a team of people on a pioneering mission. An additional one-page business plan for each person creates more safety and empowerment, allowing them to take ownership of their destiny. It clarifies roles, giftings, and desired outcomes while bringing peace and personal clarity about the future. Many major business consultation companies point to the implementation of the one-page business plan as the turning point for 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 teammates clarity about how their role fits in with the overall objective of the organization. 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 his ‘team’, the Israelites. A good vision should excite you and others. After you cast a vision with your team, ask your teammates 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 paint a tangible picture of a successful mission’s outcome(s). But remember, the timing of the vision coming to pass is often outside of our control. Almost every ministry leader has experienced challenges similar to the ones that Moses navigated.

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? // John R.W. Stott

Moses experiences feelings of inadequacy. Exodus 3

He is fearful and hesitant, leading to:

The Isrealites not crossing the Jordan. Numbers 13 His ‘teammates’ complaining about provision. Numbers 11 The creation of idols instead of representing God’s image. Exodus 32

Pride makes him believe that he can lead in his own power. Numbers 20

He communicates ineffectively and needs Aaron. Exodus 4

His followers and team act disobediently and dishonorably. Exodus 7

The vision doesn’t come to pass in the original timeline.

Moses gets overwhelmed by his workload. Numbers 11

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GAINING CLARITY ON VISION God told His people that they would be different. He placed value on them through a long narrative of faith, encounter, and covenant. They knew the ancestry of their father Abraham and believed that God had called them out of the darkness through the faith Abraham had shown God. They also knew the vision God had for them as a people: “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. Similarly, if you make people feel special, valued, and well-loved then your team is more likely to be successful and united. What are some verses where you feel God placing value on you?

Aubrey Malphurs identifies the benefits of a powerful vision: Clarifies the direction Invites unity Facilitates function Enhances leadership Prompts passion Fosters healthy risk-taking Offers sustenance Creates energy Provides purpose Encourages giving Motivates others

Jesus replied, “ You are favored and privileged Simeon, son of Jonah! For you didn’t discover this on your own, but my Father in heaven has supernaturally revealed it to you. I give you the name Peter, a stone. And this rock will be the bedrock foundation on which I will build my church— my legislative assembly, and the power of death will not be able to overpower it! I will give you the keys of heaven’s kingdom realm to forbid on earth that which is forbidden in heaven, and to release on earth that which is released in heaven.” Matthew 16:17-19

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D I S CE R N I N G

PR AY E R

Thank you for removing scales and healing my capacity to see. Father, you know where my vision has been limited or muddied. I believe that there will always be room in your house for my unique expression of your vision. Holy Spirit, would you bring to mind a vision of what God is doing through me? Write down any thoughts that come to mind as you seek God’s heart for your life.

CONTINUING WITH VISION

A good vision will capture a person’s heart and mind; it will excite them and motivate them into action. At the same time, 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. 2. 3. 4. 5.

Is the vision clear? Do people understand it? Is it exciting? Does it motivate people to pursue the mission? Does it create a picture in people’s minds? Can they envision it clearly? Is it future-oriented? Does it present a picture of the ministry’s future? Am I convinced it must be? Am I passionate about it?

Throughout the vision process, there will be certain key people on the team who are responsible for making the vision a reality. 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. This 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: “Go and make disciples of all the nations.” Think of all the unique ways the first disciples would outwork this. In Acts 2:1-31, God brought people to Him from all over the world. They returned to their countries and talked about how the Messiah had 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 experience and receive it — and realize that you are still being invited and involved in God’s vision for His kingdom. I wonder how your specific gifts could bring heaven to earth? Perhaps the kingdom will be activated through your teaching, your gift for communicating, or your determination to restore land; perhaps it will be your ministering to hearts and lives, bringing joy or fun, placing value on others, empowering them or helping them birth their dreams; or maybe you will build God’s house for others to encounter Him 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?” ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. Jesus, thank you for opening my eyes.

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Q UA L I T Y Q U E S T I O N S the degree of excellence of something Bill and Melinda Gates identified one enormous challenge that they felt called to take on: after discovering that, worldwide, one in nine kids will die from diarrhea, they made it their mission to eradicate this problem — they envisioned a better reality, and pioneered a new way of building sewage systems for developing countries. The Gates’ asked a great question about an existing problem and went on to make a huge change for the good of the world. As you can see, the success of the vision can be largely impacted by the quality of the questions that get asked. For example, you might initially ask the following question: •

How do I develop a business that resources churches and missionaries worldwide?

This question is well-intentioned and reveals a desire to build God’s kingdom, but it will not help you get clear about a vision or strategize well. 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?

What great questions can you come up with about your mission and vision that you need to answer to build a great team? “Ask, and the gift is yours. Seek, and you’ll discover. Knock, and the door will be opened for you. For every persistent one will get what he asks for. Every persistent seeker will discover what he longs for. And everyone who knocks persistently will one day find an open door.” Matthew 7:7-8 TPT

STRATEGY Great questions will result in clear, actionable answers. This, in turn, 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 reach your goals. This strategy needs to be simple and easy to catch. Grace Bradley started a movement out of Centerpoint church called ‘Kind Girls Win’. She says, “It’s about proactive community that cultivates kindness and inclusivity.” As a result of her powerful vision paired with the simplicity of her slogan, Grace has launched a movement that is successful and spreading rapidly. It’s important to summarize what you are about in a slogan. The simplicity of your message makes your strategy more inclusive — meaning more people in more places can catch on and connect. Other examples of simple slogans are: • • • •

Nike: Just Do It M&M’s: Melts in Your Mouth, Not in Your Hands Apple: Think Different De Beers: A Diamond is Forever Coca-Cola: Open Happiness Wheaties: The Breakfast of Champions L’Oreal: Because You’re Worth It Chick-Fil-A: Eat More Chikin

A few simple words create imagery in your mind: “Just Do It” activates the overcomer in you; “Think Different” communicates being uniquely and courageously yourself; L’Oreal places value on the customer, and so on. These companies have identified a mission and then built a simple, powerful slogan to communicate it effectively. What would your slogan be?

What human experience does it touch on or inspire?

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B U I L D I N G A S T R AT E GY The art and science of planning and marshalling 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 strategic plans, from Nehemiah rebuilding Jerusalem’s walls to the many battles fought. Most often it comes down to asking God, “What should we do?” Almost every failed strategy is rooted in pride — either the leader thinks he knows best and has neglected to ask God, or they have failed 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 mission of providing God’s people safety from their enemies, as well as drawing them into closer relationship with Him. Because he takes on this mission, God blesses him: “‘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 ever-changing, always achieving the larger purpose of bringing safety and drawing the people closer to God. However, when David desired to shift his mission 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 David’s son to be the one to be entrusted with that mission. (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 Successful communication strategies start with WHY, not with WHAT. This is the simple strategy that leading organizations use worldwide. When we start with the WHAT, our message gets drowned out. In his book Start with Why, 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, the need envisioned and met, you can talk about HOW you did it. Starting with WHAT you made = no one cares. Explaining your WHY leads to 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 that 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? 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. Selfbelief is one of the most important traits of the team leader and you should do everything you can to grow 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

PRIORITIES When developing a strategy, determining a team’s priorities 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 reader resolve this problem? ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. 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? What are their shared traits, hobbies, views, etc? ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. 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. At every stage of your strategy, you will 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 each team will be held together by the 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 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 where God leads you.

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T E A M B U I L D I N G G O D’ S WAY And He said to them, “Follow Me [as My disciples, accepting Me as your Master and Teacher and walking the same path of life that I walk], and I will make you fishers of men.” Matthew 4:19 AMP 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 be and what we need to run them well. Jesus has a clear purpose: saving the lost and those distant from God. To fulfill this purpose, He recruits a team of twelve to go into all the earth advance the mission. His example leads you to... 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 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 Heaven’s vision in their hearts and their minds to see that there is a better path to truth, love, and freedom. 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 spiritually separate us from the enemy 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 separate the children from the demonic, the sickness from the soul, death from life, and the turn 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 empowered His team by dying on the cross and destroying the power of death and sin over man. He also reconciled man and God through His blood and made a way for all to encounter His freedom. The power of the Holy Spirit (a holy consuming fire) then descended on the disciples and they cast out the darkness from others through the power that had 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 about the freedom that has been made available to them.

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DEMOGRAPHICS AND COMMUNICATION 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 with your team. Once you have this clarity, you can then identify needs, build a strategy, and bring others in to assist in the growth and achievement of the mission. All of these are tools to help clarify your strategy and relay it clearly and effectively. This 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 it is to clearly communicate your vision. 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. As you build, 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 your mission, communicate the reasons why you believe it can be achieved along with a personal invitation to partner with you. 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 the mission. 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 our Entrepreneurship course.

CR E AT E A V I S I O N B OA R D “Write this. Write what you see. Write it out in big block letters so that it can be read on the run. This vision-message is a witness pointing to what’s coming.” Habakkuk 2:2 MSG 1. Identify a problem you would like to solve. 2. Set up a Pinterest board revealing the problem you have identified and add pins. 3. What actions are you going to take to solve the problem?

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

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AC T I VAT E E XCE L L E N CE In your current role on whatever team you are a part of, what is one area in which you could elevate your excellence this week? How can you reinforce that team’s purpose to the rest of your teammates from your current role? Record your answers and experience below. (This can be at your place of work, a volunteer team at your church, or even your family!) ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. .............................................................................................................................................................

PR AC T I CE AG A PE Make plans to get coffee with a friend and ask them a few quality questions about themselves. You can adapt some of the questions from this chapter, or ask Holy Spirit to prompt you with questions that will bring their joy and purpose to the surface. Listen intentionally, with no motive other than to know your friend better. Write about your experience on this page. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. .............................................................................................................................................................

three discipleship and training: let’s talk about your team

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S H A PI N G T E A M VA LU E S A person’s principles or standards of behavior; one’s judgment of what is important in life. In his essay entitled How Are Values Formed?, the author of The Dissident writes 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” “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. The ability to embrace each member’s unique perspectives and value them (even when they are contrary to our own) brings connection, safety, and wholeness to the team.

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

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VALUES AND CULTURE What values would you like for your team to have? List them below and explain. “Rather love your enemies and continue to treat them well. When you lend money, don’t despair if you are never paid back, for it is not lost. You will receive a rich reward and you will be known as true children of the Most High God, having his same nature. Be like your Father who is famous for his kindness to heal even the thankless and cruel. Overflow with mercy and compassion for others, just as your heavenly Father overflows with mercy and compassion for all.” Luke 6:35-36 TPT

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. How could you build a culture with these values? ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. • Which of these values .......................................................................................................... are your two primary values? .......................................................................................................... • How do these values .......................................................................................................... help you and your team make difficult .......................................................................................................... decisions? .......................................................................................................... • Do these values .......................................................................................................... represent you at your best? .......................................................................................................... • Which, if any, of these .......................................................................................................... values have you been coached to prize? Do .......................................................................................................... you need to reevaluate? ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. .............................................................................................................................................................

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CLEAR COMMUNICATION For most leaders starting out, a dedicated human resource department is not a feasible option. So where do small businesses or leaders start when looking to grow a team? They must first identify their role and then evaluate how to hire, disciple, train, and encourage the individuals that make up the team. An accurate and detailed job description will help you clearly communicate your expectations. Below is a sample job description 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 are 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

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 userfriendly 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. 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.

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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. 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

Now may the God who brought us peace by raising from the dead our Lord Jesus Christ so that he would be the Great Shepherd of his flock; and by the power of the blood of the eternal covenant may he work perfection into every part of you giving you all that you need to fulfill your destiny. And may he express through you all that is excellent and pleasing to him through your life-union with Jesus the Anointed One who is to receive all glory forever! Amen! Hebrews 13:20-21

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D I S CE R N I N G

PR AY E R

Holy Spirit, you are my Advocate and Counselor. Thank you for the ways you have led me in the past, and gone before me to the future. I believe you have been preparing the teammates I need just as you have been preparing me. I believe that your intention for us is greater than anything we could ask or imagine. Holy Spirit, would you bring to mind the kind of people I need to seek out? Write down any thoughts that come to mind as you seek Holy Spirit’s plans for your team.

ADMINISTRATIVE QUESTIONS Once you have hired a person, you will need to turn your attention to a myriad of administrative questions. Here are some to consider as you begin building: 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.)

After hiring a new staff member, how do you plan to ensure they build connections?

After hiring a new staff member, how do you plan to keep them motivated?

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A H E A LT H Y T E A M H A S N E E D S a state of physical, emotional, mental and social well-being According to Anthony Robbins, healthy teams have six basic needs: connection, growth, certainty, variety, contribution, and significance. What would you do for your team members to improve or grow: CONNECTION

GROWTH

CERTAINTY

VARIETY

CONTRIBUTION

LOVE

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: 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

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BUILDING

S A FE T Y

Emotional intelligence is the ability to sense, understand, and effectively apply the power and acumen of emotions as a source of human energy, information, connection, and influence. // Robert K. Cooper, PhD 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:

Can you clearly state the purpose and mission of each of these teams? Would you say the team leaders have done a good job of explaining the WHY behind the team and its purpose? Explain your answer. .......................................................................................................................................................................... .......................................................................................................................................................................... .......................................................................................................................................................................... .......................................................................................................................................................................... .......................................................................................................................................................................... .......................................................................................................................................................................... .......................................................................................................................................................................... ..........................................................................................................................................................................

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N OT E S

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AC T I VAT E E XCE L L E N CE Which of your two primary values have you found most challenging lately? What are two ways you could plan to support yourself as you do the hard work of living into these values? Rewarding yourself will encourage you to be consistent in your efforts! Write out your plans here, and then walk it out this week! ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. .............................................................................................................................................................

PR AC T I CE AG A PE Identify someone on your team that you could encourage or motivate this week through sacrificial love. How can you build safety for them on the team this week? Can you affirm them through words, or a small gift, or even just getting to know them better? Write out what you plan to do on this page, and then return to write out your experience with them and what you learned. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. .............................................................................................................................................................

four loving and leading: character development

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DEVELOPMENT AND LOVING WELL the act or process of growing or causing something to grow or become larger or more advanced 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. Arguably even more important, however, is developing a deep understanding of the individuals on your team and honoring their original design. Humans beings are complex and each individual carries a unique set of experiences and values. Each person also carries a unique vision for their own life, as well as desires and dreams, experiences and losses. One of the things I love about working in ministry is the opportunity to respond to God’s intention 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 according to their giftings and grace zone. This can be wonderful when you are at a large church and you can identify someone’s gifting in media, the creative arts, teaching, or evangelism and incorporate it into an existing roster with a support system to help grow and encourage them. However, many churches do not have that luxury. More often than not the tech person is also the greeter, the janitor, the screen-lyrics person and sometimes the pastoral care person, too. The spirit of WHY we build the church must remain so much more important than the emphasis on achieving the task at hand. Developing teammates in their giftings and grace-zone leads to a deeper experience of God’s abundant love in their lives, as well as a higher standard for excellence in their work. When team members are regularly challenged without being stretched and panicked (too far outside of their capacities), we see greater longevity in roles as well as deeper satisfaction at work. Peter Platzer, the 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. His 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

Each of these factors affects the soul and overall health of a person, and by extension, whatever team they join.

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ONBOARDING At Centerpoint church, we prioritize simplicity to join a team. We have one centralized onboarding program called CP101, a 30-minute tour of the campus that includes a brief history of the church, an introduction to the staff, and a video from our lead pastor about our values and an invitation 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. After this warm but concise welcome, 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.

What will your onboarding process look like?

BUILDING WALLS At Hillsong church, a team was created 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 set up and tear down walls. However, a couple of students volunteered to do it. They identified that their challenge was rooted in perception: no one thought the walls team was worth joining. So the leaders added a five minute prayer time before starting their work. They prayed for their volunteers’ families and 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 placing walls into a character development opportunity. Their care for their team members and intention to bring fun and humor into the group led to its growth. Word of what was happening spread, and everyone wanted to be apart of the family that these leaders built. 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 team culture and character development through love and faithfulness are 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. What small task do you need to reframe today? How can you do it with great love? ......................................................................... ......................................................................... ......................................................................... .........................................................................

Anyone who has grown an organization, church, or business from the ground up will tell you how indebted they are to a myriad of people who offered their services for free and helped them until the organization was large enough to support and pay others a moderate amount. Accepting help — especially volunteer support — can be challenging for a leader struggling with insecurity and broken identity. This can often leads to overfunctioning and 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 often 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 you recognize any of that struggle in yourself, 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 good news is that Christ has made a way for health and wholeness through His Spirit and our adoption into His family. 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, “God’s got you! You belong! God loves you no matter what you do. Stop striving, stop trying, and just let your Father love you.” We are the recipients of His love and through this, His goodness flows. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. .......................................................................................................... Write out a note accepting God‘s love, .......................................................................................................... and affirming your original design. Release .......................................................................................................... any insecurities here and see how your Father .......................................................................................................... meets you in your “weakness” with His .......................................................................................................... strength. ..........................................................................................................

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IDENTIFYING YOUR METRICS Identifying your metrics for success means you must first have clarity on your purpose and identify what strategic goals you have set out to achieve the mission. I often ask the question, “What need are we meeting?” For example, Centerpoint church has a mission of “loving and leading people to a lifechanging connection with Christ.” The church lays out its metrics to monitor the following: • • • • • • • •

The number of people asking Jesus to be their Lord and Savior The number volunteers on teams The number of people in small 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 make adjustments 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, or 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 with whom we are communicating. What ideas would you suggest to help measure your team’s mission success? We measure...

through this/these metrics...

Once you have laid out your purpose, identified what your strategic goals are, and developed your metrics for success, 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 most difficult: you are almost always underresourced, 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 — it’s easy to become disheartened through the process of trial and error. The young team members are not yet capable of doing the work required to the level of excellence you might have accomplished yourself, and yet you still must delegate in order to allow the team and mission to grow. 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 encounter 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, what matters is how well you care for and look after those He has immediately entrusted to you. In Leaders Eat Last, Simon Sinek explains that 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.

“So devote yourselves to lavishly supplementing your faith with goodness, and to goodness add understanding, and to understanding add the strength of self-control, and to self-control add patient endurance, and to patient endurance add godliness, and to godliness add mercy toward your brothers and sisters, and to mercy toward others add unending love. Since these virtues are already planted deep within, and you possess them in abundant supply, they will keep you from being inactive or fruitless in your pursuit of knowing Jesus Christ more intimately.” 2 Peter 1:5-8 TPT

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BUILDING A HEALTHY TEAM IS BASED ON CARING 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. 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.’ ” When I was 16, I was sent to rugby camp in 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 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 our best for the sake of the others. We were a family that trusted each other, and we were committed to training and learning what our role was on 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?

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

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D I S CE R N I N G

PR AY E R

Jesus, you cared deeply for those you called to work alongside you. Thank you for the ways you have modeled loving leadership. Holy Spirit, I believe you will empower me to develop those you entrust to my care with the same affection, intention, and sacrificial love that Jesus shows me. Father, would you show me what Your love looks like in action? Write down any thoughts that come to mind as you seek your Father’s heart.

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.” That’s not to say that conflict is shied away from. Indeed, great teams know that conflict can be addressed and resolved and that the team can grow from open communication.” 2 What qualities do you think a great team exhibits?

Gordon, Jon. The Power of a Positive Team. Wiley, p.66 77

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THE LOVE OF A LEADER A leader is anyone who takes responsibility for finding the potential in people and processes, and who has the courage to develop that potential. // Brene Brown

“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 should be our heart posture towards everyone who is called to follow Jesus into 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 personally received from Jesus and His sacrificial life and death for all. Who are you most grateful to for assisting you in your personal growth and why? ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. .............................................................................................................................................................

PROCESSING PAIN AND SUFFERING Teammates who are navigating personal trouble, illness, stress or other struggles will likely trigger you. They will cross your core values and make you wonder whether you are on the right track. You may be unable to see the big picture of their hidden pain through the lens of God’s love. You may mistakenly process their pain through your own limited framework and come up with unhelpful solutions. You may bring brave communication to them about how you are struggling with their attitude. You may even try to change jobs or protect yourself from interacting with them. 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. To makes matters more challenging, at any one time there may be more than one person navigating difficult circumstances (depending on the size of the team). The suffering may affect 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 desire to protect others from their pain, a coping mechanism often based in a family of origin system. Ironically, teams grow in strength and grace when we 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 of us have some 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 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? ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. .............................................................................................................................................................

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“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 to escape suffering, but we often miss the opportunity in our pain. The married couple who refuses to separate in spite of their difficulties sets a precedent. The parent who chooses patience with a troubled child grows in love and demonstrates God’s character. Pain and suffering reveal love and dedication, providing 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 brings restoration, healing, covering, or a listening ear. Even if you think others are causing pain, we cannot escape that they are made in the image of our One true love. In Walking with God through Pain and Suffering, Timothy Keller writes: “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 his book 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.

He also shares this key to a healthy team: “They have to know I care about them and not just corporately. In Relational Intelligence, Steve 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 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.

Saccone, Steve. Relational Intelligence. Jossey-Bass, 2009. p. 174 81

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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.

CLARITY WITHIN THE TEAM In Church Unique, Will Mancini writes the three main areas for sideways energy: Mistrust What ideas do you have to build trust within a team?

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

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

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AC T I VAT E E XCE L L E N CE Think about the week ahead of you. What task are you excited to complete in the days ahead? Before you get to work, write out your success metrics on this page. How will you know that this task was completed with excellence? Once your task is done, return to this page and process your work through your own standards. Celebrate your win! ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. .............................................................................................................................................................

PR AC T I CE AG A PE Think about a task you have to do this week that you would normally avoid or put off. How could you frame that task through the lens of sacrificial love? Use what you learned in this chapter to think about making the worst task of your week an opportunity for God to move through you. Write about it below. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. .............................................................................................................................................................

five belonging on the team: creating team culture

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CULTURE IS CRUCIAL TO HEALTH the set of shared attitudes, values, goals, and practices that characterize an institution or organization Great team management is based on the leader’s ability to create a healthy culture, which requires intentionality. So what makes for a healthy culture?

Working with a team can be one of the most rewarding human experiences, but it also has the potential to be one of the worst. The relational requirements magnify your individual potential and limits, but there is a power in a team that an individual cannot match. As the well-known African proverb suggests, “if you want to go far, go together.” Teamwork will reveal what you actually value versus what you claim to value. Every team member will eventually discern the level of fear their leader actually has, how much they love money, their heart posture towards their teammates, 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? How will they champion their people while outworking the mission? 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. Losing sight of this will make building a healthy team very difficult. But ultimately, the leader’s 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? ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. 88

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AGAPE IN TEAM CULTURE 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 this desire frames 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. Through Jesus, we are made perfect through sacrificial love rather than punishment. Many case studies have put forward that creating safety should be an organization’s highest priority to ensure healthy teams. What this means is that the team that builds trust and unconditional acceptance, that 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 both dynamic and corporate, and is always dictated by what the group agrees to implement. A leader cannot implement a culture by themselves; they can cast vision and outline values, but they cannot create a culture until the influencers in the group catch the vision and adopt those values. This means that your team culture will naturally ebb and flow as new team members are added, bringing in 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 due to a lack of communication of the team’s values. The culture of the group creates a lens to look through. For example, your team’s core value might be caring for members of the team through ensuring financial provision and safety for them and their families. This means you will need to allocate fifty percent of your time to increasing financial provision. By prioritizing this, your fundraising efforts will elevate related tasks, making you less available to your 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 fifty percent of their time to ensuring their members are well-covered. Leaders must also allocate resources for training, time in team evaluations, and identifying needs and opportunities for 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. Vulnerability requires physical and emotional safety first. We share with people who have earned the right. Safety and trust. // Brene Brown

THE INTANGIBLES OF A HEALTHY TEAM 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 aspect of provision, but the spiritual aspect of being cared for. While fear and control might hold a team together 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 after their family matters. The more you genuinely care, the more the loyalty of the team grows. In Leaders Eat Last, Simon Sinek makes the same point by looking at the example of 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.

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How much does the team eat together? Food has power. It builds community and helps knits the team together. Jesus uses it in the last supper to communicate His love and peace, and 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 agenda become so much simpler. When you eat together you release dopamine in your brain which builds the neurological pathway that associates the group with family and safety. The Alpha course created in England has been used by God to bring over thirty million people to Jesus. The teaching is simple and clear, and they start every session with a group meal. They build connection through the simple act of eating together and studying the Word together. They intentionally tackle the issue of creating a safe atmosphere 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 accepting 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 and pass on authority achieve incredible success. 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

Level 2

Level 3

Level 4

Level 5

Do exactly what I have asked you to do.

Research the topic and report back to me.

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

Make a decision and tell me what you did.

Make whatever decision you think is best.

This method 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 — along with increased staff retention and loyalty — as teams were empowered to make important decisions. Craig Groeschel 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 half 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. 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, each team member needs to own a certain level of spiritual, physical, and mental wholeness. The team can carry one or two team members struggling for a season, but wholeness needs to be sorted out intentionally, otherwise bitterness, unhealthy ambition, pride, or worse will grow. Consider the hugely successful advertising campaign run by Domino’s Pizza in the early 2000’s, which largely featured the company’s CEO stating openly that their pizza tasted like cardboard and was generally pretty terrible. The company owned their mistakes and explained how they were changing to improve. Domino’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 also explains why Mickey Mouse is one of the most trusted brand ambassadors in the world. As a result of Mickey’s wholesome consistency, 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 $185.00 in May 2021. This is what brand recognition is all about. It says, “You can trust me because I am safe.” The brands that form successful trust strategies 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. For when you demonstrate the same love I have for you by loving one another, everyone will know that you’re my true followers. John 13:35 TPT

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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 an average human being can handle being in connection 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 have access to an organization’s financial information. 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 MinistryGrid online portal where church leaders and pastors can access all the teachings created by our school, while also allowing them 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. 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 $

Year 1

499

3493

120

9600

13,093

Year 2

499

12,475

200

16000

28,475

Year 3

499

37,425

300

24,000

61,425

Year 4

150

499

74,850

500

40,000

114,850

Year 5

450

499

224,550

900

72000

296,550

Year 6

900

499

449,100

1500

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 provided, allocate a portion of the money into the different categories.

Revenue

13,093

28,475

61,425

114,850

296,550

569,100

Year

Year 1

Year 2

Year 3

Year 4

Year 5

Year 6

Staff Costs

Marketing

Entertainment & Meals Taxes

Insurance

Travel

Fundraising

Retained

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Would you tell your team members why you allocated out the funds this way? Explain your answer. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. • How would you settle .......................................................................................................... each team member‘s .......................................................................................................... mind about their own security and safety in .......................................................................................................... terms of provision? .......................................................................................................... ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. 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 create clear expectations around the role’s requirements, as well as your plans to meet their need 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. The driving motivation should not be the success or failure of your leadership, but safety and success of your team. If you are the leader, you must answer to God as His ambassador on how well you cared for His kids. 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. 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

Encouragement and Positivity Matter Reminding ourselves of our purpose and the way the team accomplishes its mission is so important when building momentum. Remind people of who they are to God, where they have come from, and the impact they are having on others. Remember, we proposed that safety is a core need at the heart of everyone — we need to remain aware of this and take every opportunity to encourage one another and reinforce safety. 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 Emphasize the wins Have an opportunity spirit Be active in building trust and actively delegate more authority to others

These are just a few examples of how confidence and safety are communicated through our actions. Leaders are often unaware of just how much fear they are carrying — fear of rejection, of failure, of missed opportunities, of insufficiency, and more. They talk to the team unaware that their spirit of fear is actually what they are relaying. An unhealthy obsession with financial figures and “being brutally honest” often 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.

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D E A L I N G W I T H T H E V I C T I M S PI R I T For God did not give us a spirit of timidity or cowardice or fear, but [He has given us a spirit] of power and of love and of sound judgment and personal discipline [abilities that result in a calm, well-balanced mind and self-control]. 2 Timothy 1:7 AMP 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 they have been hurt by the actions of another, 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 dangerous for themselves and those they love. List five things you could do or say that could comfort and encourage Peggy:

If Peggy continued to be negative after your intentional efforts and a prolonged period of time, what action(s) would you take?

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BEING EMPOWERED LOOKS LIKE OWNERSHIP 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. Brene Brown’s research on shame, vulnerability, and courage in the workplace supports this practice. In her book Rising Strong, she shares a story about Andrew, a high level employee at an ad agency who was well-liked and trusted by his colleagues. When given the opportunity to create a pitch for a client that Andrew had heard could be very difficult, he ignored his judgement and joined the rest of his team in a “we can do it!” moment. Months later, when his physically and emotionally exhausted team encountered the rude, dismissive client and had a deeply demoralizing experience, Andrew felt shame for letting his teammates walk into a situation that he felt he could have prevented. He wanted to find a way out, to find someone to blame, to figure out how to stop hearing the voice in his head that was saying, “I am a screwup.” But instead of doing that, he got in front of his team, took ownership, and asked how he could regain their trust. The team then unanimously rallied together and chose to forgo any further work for the difficult client, choosing the team’s safety and culture over a financial success. Brene Brown writes: “Here’s a person who didn’t have to own anything—a leader who could have shifted the blame to his own team or to the brand’s disrespectful team. But instead, he had the courage to feel pain, to recognize that he was feeling shame, to reach out and be vulnerable with a friend, to own his part, and to stand in front of his team and be accountable. The difference between I am a screwup and I screwed up may look small, but in fact it’s huge. Many of us will spend our entire lives trying to slog through the shame swampland to get to a place where we can give ourselves permission to both be imperfect and to believe we are enough. Failure can become our most powerful path to learning if we’re willing to choose courage over comfort.” 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 improving each day by one percent will fundamentally change the outcome of a team’s performance for the better.

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

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E N CO U R AG E M E N T Use this space to record some of the encouraging words you’ve received in the past. Ask the Lord to encourage you in this season, and remind you of your identity and your belovedness.

God didn’t set us up for an angry rejection but for salvation by our Master, Jesus Christ. He died for us, a death that triggered life. Whether we’re awake with the living or asleep with the dead, we’re alive with him! So speak encouraging words to one another. Build up hope so you’ll all be together in this, no one left out, no one left behind. I know you’re already doing this; just keep on doing it. 1 Thessalonians 5:11 MSG

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AC T I VAT E E XCE L L E N CE What is one thing you’ve experienced on a previous team that you noticed created difficult situations or unhealth? What did you learn from that experience, and how will you work against that on your own team? What is the opposite spirit of that thing, and how can you carry that into your team this week? Write about it below, and then execute that plan on your team. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. .............................................................................................................................................................

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PR AC T I CE AG A PE Who on your current team makes you feel safe? How have they earned the right to hear your story? This week, express your gratitude to that person for the safety that they helped build in your life on your team. Write down some of the ways that they have shown up for you with agape love, and how you plan to model those same behaviors to other team members. Choose one small behavior and implement it this week. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. .............................................................................................................................................................

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six motivation: physiology and management tools

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YO U R B R A I N O N (I T S OW N) D RU G S Stop imitating the ideals and opinions of the culture around you, but be inwardly transformed by the Holy Spirit through a total reformation of how you think. This will empower you to discern God’s will as you live a beautiful life, satisfying and perfect in his eyes. Romans 12:2 TPT Understanding what creates positive and negative feelings is incredibly important when considering how we manage teams. The brain releases chemicals according to the circumstances and situations we experience. There are just four chemicals that affect positive feelings — endorphins, dopamine, serotonin, and oxytocin — and each one serves a primitive survival mechanism. Endorphins and dopamine will reward actions and accomplishments, like catching a fish or landing a promotion. 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 experience as we work to 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 in response to a perceived threat (usually indicated by pain or fear) to ensure survival; for example, while laughing, endorphins are released to cover the pain of the organs moving. 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 humor can help us navigate difficult circumstances, 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. My fellow believers, when it seems as though you are facing nothing but difficulties, see it as an invaluable opportunity to experience the greatest joy that you can! 3 For you know that when your faith is tested[a] it stirs up in you the power of endurance. 4 And then as your endurance grows even stronger, it will release perfection into every part of your being until there is nothing missing and nothing lacking. James 1:2-4 What could you do to manage the release of endorphins in your own life? ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. .............................................................................................................................................................

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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 more difficult 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, this neurochemical 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; too much of a good thing can leave us 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 beginning to heal. This is the same with our teams: setting ambitious yet realistic goals according to each person’s capacity is vital. Without challenging your teammates, disillusionment will set in and damage the culture of the team as indifference and apathy set it. Team members need to be equipped and encouraged to achieve what was formerly thought impossible. Only then can the team function in the capacity it is designed for. I know what it means to lack, and I know what it means to experience overwhelming abundance. For I’m trained in the secret of overcoming all things, whether in fullness or in hunger. And I find that the strength of Christ’s explosive power infuses me to conquer every difficulty. Philippians 4:13 TPT What could you do to manage the release of dopamine in your own life? ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. .............................................................................................................................................................

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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. The Lord your God is with you, the Mighty Warrior who saves. He will take great delight in you; in his love he will no longer rebuke you, but will rejoice over you with singing.” Zephaniah 3:17 NIV What could you do to manage the release of serotonin in your own life? ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................ .............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. 111

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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. When Jesus arrived at the upper room, he took his place at the table along with all the apostles. Then he told them, “I have longed with passion and desire to eat this Passover lamb with you before I endure my sufferings. I promise you that the next time we eat this, we will be together in the feast of God’s kingdom.” Luke 22:14-16

What could you do to manage the release of oxytocin in your own life? ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................ .............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. 112

Brainstorm ways you could help build your team’s Endorphin levels

Dopamine levels

Serotonin levels

Oxytocin levels

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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: •

The winning of the battles Israel faced

•

The rewards from the spoils of war and the expansion of Israel’s land

2. Endorphins: •

Training for battle

•

Conquering Jerusalem and strengthening their land

3. Serotonin: •

Celebrating what God had given them

•

Belonging in God’s chosen family and caring for each other

•

Making plans to build God’s temple

•

All nations bowing down in the preparation for the building of God’s house

4. Oxytocin: •

Sacrificing to serve King David

•

Sacrificing their lives to go against the enemies of God

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 loss 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.

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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? Scenario 1 Joy had controlling parents. They believed they were keeping her safe by 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 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? ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................ .............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. .............................................................................................................................................................

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THE SAFETY OF CHRIST AND 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 the Lord and caring for each other because of the grace received through His sacrifice. Jesus says, “You will do greater works than me.” Our 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. 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.

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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 problem(s)

1. 1. 2. 2. 3. 3. 4. 4. 5. 5. Demographic targeting

What are their habits and interests?

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We are connecting to them by...

Challenges to overcome are...

We believe in it because...

People making it happen: TODAYS TO DO LIST

ACTIONS TO IMPROVE THE PLAN

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M A N AG E M E N T TO O L S 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 ¼ of a 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 twothirds 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.

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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, they 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 focused 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 frequently will you assess progress? How will you define progress?

•

What variables will affect the result?

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 ups, 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.

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N OT E S

Laying your life down in tender surrender before the Lord will bring life, prosperity, and honor as your reward. Proverbs 22:4 TPT

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AC T I VAT E E XCE L L E N CE Choose one of the ideas you had to increase endorphins in your life and walk it out this week. Write about your experience on this page. Were you successful? How do you know? Did it improve your experience on your team? Why or why not? ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. .............................................................................................................................................................

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PR AC T I CE AG A PE Share a meal with someone on your team this week. Actively engage in building your oxytocin levels and notice how it motivates you on your team and in the rest of your life. Extra credit: make all your meals screen-free this week. Even if you’re eating on your own, make it an opportunity to break bread with Jesus and receive His love. Write about your experience on this page. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. .............................................................................................................................................................

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seven God’s intent for the team: scripture and structure

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T E A M S A R E G O D’ S I D E A Make every effort to keep the oneness of the Spirit in the bond of peace [each individual working together to make the whole successful]. Ephesians 4:3 AMP The word “team” 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 to survive towards creating individual safety through self-gain. Remember the beauty of God’s design and the truth that safety comes as we lay our lives down for our brothers and sisters in a close community.

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What ideas could you come up with to inspire the hearts of the people on your team?

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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? ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. 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? ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. .............................................................................................................................................................

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Overconfidence because of who we’re associating 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

Jesus’ response: But He turned and rebuked them, and said, “ You do not know what manner of spirit you are of.” Luke 9:55 NKJV

What is Jesus saying here? ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. Teaching: 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 judgment when He desires mercy and love. They have not yet caught what God is about and how He desires to outwork the mission. Notice however it does not stop Him sending them out as the representatives of His Kingdom: “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 When a team member makes a mistake, often 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 God’s perspective. What does this mean to you personally? ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. .............................................................................................................................................................

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Thinking we are better than we 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

Jesus’ response: Jesus turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind the concerns of God, but merely human concerns.” Matthew 16:23 NIV

What is Jesus saying here? ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. 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 selflessness. What does this mean to you personally? ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. .............................................................................................................................................................

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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

Jesus’ response: Jesus answered, “The one who hands me over is someone I eat with daily, one who passes me food at the table. In one sense the Son of Man is entering into a way of treachery well-marked by the Scriptures—no surprises here. In another sense that man who turns him in, turns traitor to the Son of Man—better never to have been born than do this!”

Then Judas, already turned traitor, said, “It isn’t me, is it, Rabbi?”

Jesus said, “Don’t play games with me, Judas.” Matthew 23-25 MSG

What is Jesus saying here? ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. Teaching: 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 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. What does this mean to you personally? ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................ .............................................................................................................................................................

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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 — 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 to beliefs that the local Egyptians had, and served as stark reminders to avoid worshipping or valuing what the Egyptians valued. Solomon forgot how important this is to God as he mixed Israel with other cultures. Most of the times that the Israelites found themselves heading into captivity, the root cause 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

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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. A team’s holiness and ability to accept differences makes it a light to other teams. As team leaders, we do well to emphasize what makes us different from the world. 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? ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. .............................................................................................................................................................

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As we celebrate our different ways 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 do you create a .......................................................................................................... culture that helps team .......................................................................................................... members understand they are part of .......................................................................................................... something different? .......................................................................................................... • How could your weakness be an .......................................................................................................... opportunity for God to move? .......................................................................................................... • What kinds of .......................................................................................................... differences might you struggle to accept? .......................................................................................................... How can Jesus lead you in that place? .......................................................................................................... ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. .............................................................................................................................................................

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S E E K W I S D O M FR O M T H O S E W H O C A R E If you wait at wisdom’s doorway, longing to hear a word for every day, joy will break forth within you as you listen for what I’ll say. For the fountain of life pours into you every time that you find me, and this is the secret of growing in the delight and the favour of the Lord. Proverbs 8:34-35 TPT As your team 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? What could you do to overcome those concerns?

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ETHICAL ISSUES WITH TEAM MEMBERS moral principles that govern a person’s behavior or the conducting of an activity 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…. •

An employee takes a few pens home

Y N

•

An employee goes on social media less than 30 minutes per day while on the clock

Y N

•

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

Y N

•

People of the opposite sex within 10 years of age go on a road trip together

•

One of the boys on the team calls certain girls ‚babe‘

•

A team member always brings up politics in discussions

•

You find out someone smokes on their own time

•

You hear that a team member is drinking and partying on their own time

A racist comment is mentioned by a team member

Y N

•

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What did you use to guide your answers to these questions? .......................................................................................................................................................................... .......................................................................................................................................................................... .......................................................................................................................................................................... .......................................................................................................................................................................... .......................................................................................................................................................................... .......................................................................................................................................................................... A simple correction that clearly states what was said or done is not in line with the company’s standard is often enough to correct inappropriate 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.

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N OT E S

Do not forsake wisdom, and she will protect you; love her, and she will watch over you. The beginning of wisdom is this: Get wisdom. Though it cost all you have, get understanding. Proverbs 4:6-7 NIV

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AC T I VAT E E XCE L L E N CE Seek out feedback from someone you trust this week. Ask them to identify the places where you are doing well in your life, and for specific ways they see you growing and improving in your walk with the Lord. Identify one battle you’re facing where you need wisdom, and ask for their insight. Record what they say (after your time together) in this space. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. .............................................................................................................................................................

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PR AC T I CE AG A PE Take one of your ideas for inspiring the hearts of the people on your team, and implement it this week. Choose one person at work, on a volunteer team with you, or in your family, and see if you are able to inspire them with your idea. Record your expectations and the outcome on this page. Will you use this strategy in the future? ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. .............................................................................................................................................................

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eight thriving: excellence and agape

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TEAM DIAGNOSTICS AND RESOLUTIONS Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their labor. For if they fall, one will lift up his companion. But woe to him who is alone when he falls, for he has no one to help him up. Again, if two lie down together, they will keep warm; but how can one be warm alone? Though one may be overpowered by another, two can withstand him. And a threefold cord is not quickly broken. Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 NKJV

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

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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 develop a treatment plan to achieve health. The doctor will generally test and measure the body 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? ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. .............................................................................................................................................................

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“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? ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. .............................................................................................................................................................

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

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Our desire to please God can become just as challenging to manage as our indifference. When God’s children are eager to please Him, the outcome can look like striving toward excellence — how big the church is or who has the fastest growing ministry — and neglecting the agape love that is the necessary counterbalance to keep us in health. Rather than supporting one another and using our gifts and resources to help the other parts flourish, we can become preoccupied with achievement and accolades. 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. When something threatens the relationship, such as in the temple which had been corrupted by mammon, He is fierce in His leadership. He is always teaching and demonstrating the way, 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 How do you imagine the Father is revealing to Jesus everything He should do? ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. .............................................................................................................................................................

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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?

Identify three ways that directive impacts the team you are creating?

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How to diagnose and resolve a dysfunctional team While you can facilitate for a dysfunctional team to move towards health, only the members of the team being in agreement can actually resolve the issues they face. The goal is to cast a vision of a healthy team through general consensus. 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.

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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

•

Focus on activities instead of outcomes

•

Lack of trust within the team

•

Blame focused on external factors rather than personal responsibility

•

Giving permission to unhealthy habits

•

Systems are dysfunctional

•

Lack of honor and respect

•

Complacency kicks in

•

Selfish ambition and personal agendas

•

Striving, lack of boundaries, and trying to do too many things

•

A lack of innovation within the team

•

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: a healthy, robust culture can withstand the pressures of 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.

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Accepting grace and building confidence 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. How could you model grace — given and received — to help your team build confidence and resilience?

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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

3. Lack of commitment

2. Fear of conflict

4. Avoidance of accountability 5. Inattention to results

Rate the following questions by the following scale: 3 = Always 1. As a team member, how often do the following occur?

2 = Sometimes 1 = Rarely

2. You feel comfortable sharing personal issues with another member on the team. 3. Team members call out one another’s deficiencies or unproductive behaviors. 4. Team members know what their peers are working on and how they contribute to the collective good of the team. 5. Team members quickly apologize to one another when they say or do something inappropriate or possibly damaging to the team. 6. Team members willingly make sacrifices in their departments of expertise for the good of the team. 7. Team members openly admit their weaknesses and mistakes. 8. You feel safe to talk about difficult issues that arise.

9. 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. 10. Morale is significantly affected by the failure to achieve team goals. 11. You tackle the most difficult issues on the agenda during meetings. 12. Team members are concerned about the prospect of letting their team members down. 13. Team members socialize together outside of the work environment. 14. Team members achieve what they set out to do from the clear goals laid out before them. 15. Team members hold each other to a place of accountability in achieving goals set. 16. Team members are slow to seek credit for their own performance but celebrate others’ successes.

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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 13

Statement 14

Statement 15

Total

•

8 to 9 scores: team is working well

•

6 to 7 scores: team needs work

•

3 to 5 scores: team need help

Total

Additional team support can be found at www.tablegroup.com/dysfunctions 4 Accurate diagnostics Pina Tarricone and Joe Luca of Edith Cowan University describe the characteristics of a successful team: 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. 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.

4 5

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. 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. 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

Lencioni, Patrick. Overcoming the Five Dysfunctions of a Team. Jossey-Bass. p. 116-17 http://www.unice.fr/crookall-cours/teams/docs/team%20Successful%20teamwork.pdf

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LESSONS FROM LEADING ORGANIZ ATIONS “Every company, organization or group with the ability to inspire starts with a person or small group of people who were inspired to do something bigger than themselves.” // Simon Sineck 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?

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•

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?

•

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?

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

T E A M B U I L D I N G E X E R CI S E S

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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 triple-braided 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

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AC T I VAT E E XCE L L E N CE Think prayerfully about your relationships with your teammates. Is there someone you need to have a brave conversation with in order to resolve something in your own heart? Using the outline provided in this chapter, set up a time to take responsibility in this area. Activate your leadership potential through humility, clarity, and connection. Write about what you process and experience below. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. .............................................................................................................................................................

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PR AC T I CE AG A PE Model grace for your team this week. Choose kind language toward yourself and others, and refuse to partner with a self-critical spirit. Watch how this has a ripple effect on your team, and write about it below. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................................. .............................................................................................................................................................

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T E A M B U I L D I N G AC T I V I T I E S MAKING MEANING Build consensus and connection on your team. Gather your teammates together and give each person several sticky notes. Have them write out ways that they know their work is meaningful, or what kinds of things bring meaning and joy to their lives. Put all the sticky notes on the wall and then discuss. Benefits: builds trust, common language, connection, and understanding MEMORY LANE This activity helps to build camaraderie on your team. Give everyone paper and pencils, and take 15 minutes to write down positive memories of shared experiences and moments while working together. Choose a few of the memories, and have those involved work together to sketch out the memory. Benefits: build camaraderie and a value for play, and reinforce positive memories WHAT MAKES YOU TICK Choose a personality test to take as a team, and then share your results as a group. Sit together and watch a podcast or presentation on the test and possible results, and discuss as a group. If time and interest allow, discuss the ways that each team members’ results could be honored by the rest of the team. Benefits: creates compassion and clarity around behaviors and connections BUILDING BLOCKS Create a fictional problem to solve — this can be a brain teaser, a design challenge, a new theoretical product — anything that needs a solution. Have one person write down an idea on a large sheet of paper. The idea should be expressed concisely — just a sentence or two. Have them pass the paper to the person on their right, and have that person use that idea to build another solution. Continue to the right, and see what your results are. Benefits: This shows the value of everyone’s ideas. Brainstorming sessions often empower vocal and dominant personalities, so this activity demonstrates the contribution of each team member. MAGAZINE COVER In this activity, your team creates an imaginary magazine cover story about a successful project or achievement. The team has to find images, come up with headlines, formulate quotes, etc. The creativity required will inspire your team to work from your expressed vision and mission toward a powerful success story. Benefits: This activity helps your team dream together and builds consensus that you are actually headed somewhere exciting and successful. 166

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R E FE R E N CE B O O KS 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. Sineck, Simon. Leaders Eat Last. Penguin Books 6. Malphurs, Aubrey. Developing a Vision for a Ninistry. Baker Books

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