With Skillful Hands

Whac-A-Mole Leadership

September 14, 2023 By Mike Leave a Comment

As a kid, I loved playing Whac-A-Mole at the arcade (yes, I was a child of the 80s). In this game, moles pop up randomly out of various holes in the ground, and you have to smash them on the head with a mallet before they go back underground. The longer you play, the faster and more frequently they pop up, which makes the game as challenging as it is fun. For the purpose of this post, let's let the moles represent problems that pop up in our leadership. When problems rear their ugly head, … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Leadership

Avoiding Misunderstandings in Your Preaching

September 8, 2023 By Mike Leave a Comment

I recently finished Timothy Keller's biography, written by Collin Hansen. In the bonus material was a lesson taught by missionary Elizabeth Elliot. She said "The speaker has three speeches: 1) The one he prepares, 2) the one he actually delivers and 3) the one his audience thinks it heard. And there's not necessarily any relationship between them." I got a real kick out of hearing her say this. It's not just funny, it's true! It's unfortunate, but what we say is not always what people hear! … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Preaching

Principles and People

August 31, 2023 By Mike Leave a Comment

As a supervisor you have to care about principles and people. It's imperative that you find an appropriate balance between caring about principles and people. Historically I've tended to lean towards caring more about principles than people, but have found a healthier balance by learning to ask three important questions anytime someone fails to live up to one of my principles. If the quarterly stats for the church are good and the quarterly stats for that person's department … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Leadership, Management, Staff, Volunteers

Setting the Example: Conduct

August 24, 2023 By Mike 2 Comments

The apostle Paul instructed a young pastor named Timothy “Let no one despise you for your youth, but set the believers an example in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity.” 1 Timothy 4:12 ESV This is the same instruction the apostle Peter gave. Addressing pastors he wrote “As a fellow elder, I appeal to you: Care for the flock that God has entrusted to you. Watch over it willingly, not grudgingly—not for what you will get out of it, but because you are eager to serve God. Don’t … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Leadership, Scripture, Staff

How to Develop Strong Culture

August 17, 2023 By Mike Leave a Comment

In Reed Hasting's No Rules Rules he defines culture as a group's particular way of life. I like that definition and in this post want to answer the question: How do I develop my group's particular way of life? … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Culture, Leadership

Say It Over And Over And Over

August 3, 2023 By Mike Leave a Comment

Former president Richard Nixon, in a speech to the National Press Club in 1972 said "When I say something so much that I am tired of hearing it my staff has heard it for the first time. When my staff is tired of saying something over again the press is hearing it for the first time. When the press is tired of saying something the public is hearing it for the first time." I love this quote because it reminds me of how important it is repeat (often) whatever it is that's important for my staff … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Culture, Leadership, Management, Staff

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