Archive for October, 2016
30 Lessons I Have Learned in Leadership Through Leading the Same Organization for 30 Years
ESPN produces a series of documentary films entitled 30 for 30. They highlight important people and events in sports history. Each of these is powerful and highly engaging.
Today, I want to share with you my own 30 for 30. I want to call it 30 LESSONS I HAVE LEARNED IN LEADERSHIP THROUGH LEADING THE SAME ORGANIZATION FOR 30 YEARS. Many people have led organizations for 30 years. Yet, only a few have led the same organization for the past 30 years.
905 For and 12 Against
As a kid preacher, I came to be the pastor of our church on Sunday, October 26, 1986. Before we began our third of the five campuses we now have at Cross Church, our church was called First Baptist Church of Springdale, Arkansas.
In September of 1986, I came to preach in a view of being called as pastor. After an extended weekend, the church voted to call me as pastor. The vote was 905 for and 12 against. One month later, our very young family left our home state of Texas and arrived in Arkansas driving an old orange suburban. On the last week of October of this year, I will have served as Senior Pastor of Cross Church for 30 years.
I have learned much about leadership by serving and growing with this region called Northwest Arkansas. This region has been filled with a strong innovative leadership culture, producing powerful corporations with global headquarters here. Walmart, J.B. Hunt, Tyson Foods, and the University of Arkansas have anchored this Northwest Arkansas region. Surprising to most, somewhere between 1,200-1,400 national and international companies have a presence here to service their Walmart account. This presence may be from a few employees to hundreds. Additionally, private business, law, education, and politics are thriving here. In reality, the world comes here to do business. That is one way this region has taught me so much about leadership.
Simultaneously, I began serving in all kinds of roles and with many responsibilities in the Southern Baptist Convention. In the most recent two years of my life, I served as the President of the Southern Baptist Convention, the largest Protestant denomination in America. Additionally, the Lord has graciously given me all sorts of opportunity to minister to many evangelicals outside of our Southern Baptist Convention.
Through all of these things and life experience, I have learned plentiful lessons on leadership. I want to share just 30 of these lessons on leadership.
I will only list these lessons in this article today. Perhaps in the future, I will write something on each of them. They are not listed in any order. I will stay with only 30 lessons to represent my 30 years here, but in writing, I initially listed at least 60 lessons on leadership I have learned these past 30 years.
30 Lessons on Leadership I Have Learned in 30 Years Leading the Same Organization
#1 Leadership is rallying people to a better future.
#2 Vision is seeing it before you see it.
#3 All people matter.
#4 Put change in your pocket in relationships so you will have something to spend when you lead people.
#5 Walk slowly through the crowd.
#6 Limit time with people who deplete you, but expand time with people who replenish you.
#7 Enjoy the special moments.
#8 Learn from your defeats but celebrate the victories.
#9 Stay out of the ditches in your leadership.
#10 Truth guides great leaders, not trends.
#11 Do what is best for the organization.
#12 Who surrounds you will define you.
#13 Hire people slowly but fire people quickly.
#14 Wisdom, discernment, and timing are critical in decision making.
#15 Do not sell out to keep any staff member.
#16 Transition is inevitable and strategic change always has a cost.
#17 People who are highly critical of others will also be critical of you.
#18 Never let anyone outside of your circle of love.
#19 You can go faster alone but farther with others.
#20 Invite your opponents to help you formulate the future.
#21 Lift the principles high and do not lose the vision on details.
#22 Beware of mission drift; confront mission rift.
#23 Investing in leaders strategically ascends the organization and extends your leadership influence.
#24 Never believe all the good people say about you or you will also have to believe all the bad they say about you.
#25 Leadership is comprised of various seasons.
#26 Leadership longevity is possible when you learn to surf the waters of cultural and leadership change successfully.
#27 Always start your day with God.
#28 Generosity sets a leader apart from other leaders.
#29 Build exercise and fitness into your life five to six days a week.
#30 Not every hill is worth dying on.
You Have One Shot
You have one shot in your life. Live enthusiastically. Lead passionately. Make a difference. Make it count!
Now is the Time to Lead,
Ronnie W. Floyd
Senior Pastor, Cross Church
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Dr. Ronnie Floyd is the Senior Pastor of Cross Church, immediate past President of the Southern Baptist Convention, and founder of the Cross Church School of Ministry.
To request an interview with Dr. Ronnie Floyd
contact Gayla Oldham at (479) 751-4523 or email gaylao@crosschurch.com.
Visit our website at http://ronniefloyd.com
Follow Dr. Floyd on Twitter and Instagram @ronniefloyd
Dr. Ronnie Floyd is the President & CEO of the Southern Baptist Convention Executive Committee.
Grace in the Fire: How Pastors Navigate Through the Tough Times
Ministry is tough, real tough. Leadership is tough, real tough. When a pastor leads his church with clarity and conviction toward a compelling vision, he will need grace in the fire.
Just because ministry and leadership are tough, it does not mean any pastor is given permission to whine and complain. Grace lifts us through even the most challenging days in leadership.
Therefore, how do you navigate through the tough times in ministry? The answer is not a geographical change, but God giving you the grace to see it through. Never shy away from who God has made you to be and how He wants you to represent him.
This month, I am nearing my thirtieth year in the same church in Northwest Arkansas. Trust me, I have gone through tough times, and will go through more in the future, I am sure. I want to suggest these things for you to consider in how to have grace in the fire.
1. God is speaking to you.
Pastors ask people who are walking through tough times, “What do you think God may be saying to you through this time?” The next time you walk in difficult times in ministry, ask yourself: “What is God saying to me?”
Trust me, He is speaking. It is grace that will give you the ability to hear what God is saying to you. Once you hear what He is saying, shape your life and leadership to it. It is always important to hear other perspectives through problems, but the most significant voice you need to listen to is the Lord Himself.
2. Never fire back.
Hurt people hurt people. There are many hurt people in the church. God has not called you to ignore them or run from them, but to minister to them. Hurting them back is senseless and costly. Never fire back at others. God will take care of you and the situation.
Never fire back at people on social networking. This media can be meaningful and even fun at times; but when it points its gunfire toward other people, it is the work of the evil one. It is not about what they are doing to the culture, toward others, or our country, what matters is how you respond to it.
Pastors and Christian leaders are continually losing their testimony with, at times, a self-serving, senseless, pious, and arrogant condescension of others via social media. It is amazing how courageous one can be behind a computer screen when writing, tweeting, or posting statements on Facebook. A personal, one-on-one conversation oftentimes leads to a modification in both parties’ demeanor. Furthermore, firing back never brings unity in the church and the greater body of Christ among fellow brothers and sisters in Christ.
If disagreement occurs between you and someone else, call or write them a real letter or better yet, go sit down with them personally. When you sit in the presence of someone, you may discover their heart and reason they responded the way they did. Share your concern. Then, pray together. Maturing believers take mature actions, especially when issues of disagreement or concern occur.
3. Do what is right.
Leadership is not about having the last word, but about doing the right thing. Spiritual leaders are not bound to live by the expectations of the world, but by the Word of the living God.
When our flesh rises up and wants to declare its independence and rights, we need to remember we are crucified with Christ. It is not about us, but Christ who lives in us. (Galatians 2:20)
The depth of our walk with God oftentimes determines the influence of our life and ministry. Yet, this breadth of influence is enhanced, limited, or forfeited due to a lack of our personal relationships with the people or ministries we are charged to lead in the future. Therefore, do what is right.
Grace is Possible Through the Fire
Going through fiery ordeals is a part of life and ministry. Another church or ministry is not your vaccine to prevent problems.
Grace is there. Reach out. Receive it. It is always commensurate with your need.
Grace is the power to live the Christian life and to lead the people of God forward.
Now is the Time to Lead,
Ronnie W. Floyd
Dr. Ronnie Floyd is the President & CEO of the Southern Baptist Convention Executive Committee.