The Leadership Triangle Presbytery of the Cascades
Kevin Ford
October 2011
Leaders Come From Everywhere
From Beauty Pageants
• QuesDon: If you could live forever, would you and why? Answer: "I would not live forever, because we should not live forever, because if we were supposed to live forever, then we would live forever, but we cannot live forever, which is why I would not live forever," -‐-‐Miss Alabama in the 1994 Miss USA contest
From the Music Industry
• "Whenever I watch TV and see those poor starving kids all over the world, I can't help but cry. I mean I'd love to be skinny like that, but not with all those flies and death and stuff." -‐-‐Mariah Carey
From Television
• "Smoking kills. If you're killed, you've lost a very important part of your life," -‐-‐ Brooke Shields, during an interview to become spokesperson for federal anD-‐smoking campaign
From College AthleDcs
• "I've never had major knee surgery on any other part of my body," -‐-‐Winston BenneY, former University of
Kentucky basketball forward.
From DC
• "Outside of the killings, Washington has one of the lowest crime rates in the country," -‐-‐Former Mayor Marion Barry, Washington , DC
From Texas
• "That lowdown scoundrel deserves to be kicked to death by a jackass, and I'm just the one to do it." -‐-‐A congressional candidate in Texas
From the White House
• "It isn't polluDon that's harming the environment. It's the impuriDes in our air and water that are doing it.." -‐-‐Al Gore, Former Vice President
From Either California or Arizona
• "I love California . I pracDcally grew up in Phoenix " -‐-‐ Dan Quayle
From the AutomoDve Industry
• "We've got to pause and ask ourselves: How much clean air do we need?" -‐-‐Lee Iacocca
From the NFL
• "The word "genius" isn't applicable in football. A genius is a guy like Norman Einstein." -‐-‐Joe Theisman, former NFL football quarterback & sports analyst.
From the Military
• "We don't necessarily discriminate. We simply exclude certain types of people." -‐-‐ Colonel Gerald Wellman, ROTC Instructor.
From Your Federal Government
• "If somebody has a bad heart, they can plug this jack in at night as they go to bed and it will monitor their heart throughout the night. And the next morning, when they wake up dead, there'll be a record." -‐-‐Mark S. Fowler, FCC Chairman
And Even Your Local Government
• "Your food stamps will be stopped effecDve March 1992 because we received noDce that you passed away. May God bless you. You may reapply if there is a change in your circumstances." -‐-‐Department of Social Services, Greenville South Carolina
Session Goals
• Understand the Leadership Triangle – Strategic OpDon – TacDcal OpDon – TransformaDonal OpDon
• Learn the Key AdapDve Issues facing the Church Today (at least in developed countries)
• Understand My Own Hindrances (Red Zone) to Leading Change
The Miracle at East Lake
Miracle at East Lake"• Discuss Tom Cousin’s core values – what moDvated him?
• What was his vision and key elements of his strategy?
• What do you think stood in the way of his vision?
• How do you think he overcame those obstacles?
Not all challenges are equal!
If the only tool in your toolbox is a hammer…
The Leadership Triangle"
Endorsements “I love this book!” Ken Blanchard, C-‐author of The One Minute Manager. "The Leadership Triangle effecDvely illustrates how the role of the 'transformaDonal leader' is increasingly important in today’s world. No longer can we afford to lead with a one-‐size-‐fits-‐all mentality and expect to succeed or contribute on a professional/personal basis. This terrific book offers clear and precise "opDons" that a leader can choose in order to successfully transform their organizaDon to meet the challenges of these uncertain Dmes. It also provides many insighpul examples from key leaders who model these concepts themselves. The result is a powerful read." Stephen M. R. Covey, author of The New York Times and # 1 Wall Street Journal bestseller, The Speed of Trust
Strategic – The leader is a synthesizer, idenDfying paYerns and trends. The strategic leader sees beyond current realiDes.
Leadership Option"
Tac1cal – The leader is an expert. The tacDcal leader approaches problems with a parDcular knowledge base, or skill set, to solve specific problems.
Leadership Option"
Transforma1onal – The leader is a facilitator. The transformaDonal leader doesn’t make decisions or establish strategic plans but, instead, facilitates a series of conversaDons among key stakeholders.
Leadership Option"
The Leadership Triangle
Tactical Strategic Transformational
Role Expert Synthesizer Facilitator
Tone Confident Vision-casting Creative
Key Question
What’s wrong? What’s the objective?
What’s the question?
Problems are to be
Solved Anticipated Re-framed
Interaction Training Inspiring Free flowing and robust
The Strategic OpDon: Alignment
Strategy
Structure and Process
Culture
People Reinforcers
Why Aren’t Older Churches Growing?
Sigmoid Curve
"The right place to start that second curve is at point A, where there is the Dme, as well as the resources and the energy, to get the new curve through its iniDal exploraDons and flounder-‐ings before the first curve begins to dip downwards" Charles Handy
ExegeDng Culture
• The gospel is always contextualized! • Demographics of community begin to form the target audience, or gaps in ministry.
• Felt needs of target audience (our primary mission field) begin to uncover the opportuniDes for the strategic plan.
A Word About Process
• Through surveys, focus groups and interviews…
• Discover what shouldn’t change • Show that you value members
• Determine strengths and weaknesses
• IdenDfy opportuniDes and threats
What It’s Not…
• Long-‐range planning • The vision of one person (or a few people) • A detailed document
• An answer to every problem
Preserve The Core • Values What makes us unique? • Beliefs What are the non-‐nego1ables of our
theology? • Mission What do we do and what do we not do? S,mulate Progress • Strategy Where do we focus our resources? • Vision Where we’re going and how we’ll know we
arrived? • Ini1a1ves What ac1on will we take?
Key Visioning Components"
Core Values
• The current and historic posiDve elements of our church’s personality… – Not beliefs – Not aspired values – Not negaDve norms – Think “right brain”
• No more than 4-‐5
• They capture our personality and tell our story
FPC Bend
• AccepDng and honoring people as they are. • Nurturing each person’s God-‐given purpose and call to serve.
• Embodying the pioneering spirit of Central Oregon.
• ConnecDng in a caring community.
Mission Statements
• Mission = purpose + result/benefit + beneficiary.
• It must be short and concise!
• It is a tool for leadership, not a moYo.
• It defines what we do. But it also defines what we don’t do.
Mission Examples
• The SalvaDon Army: To preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ and to meet human needs in His name without discriminaDon.
• Southwest Church: Sharing Jesus with unchurched people in Southwest Ohio and leading them to become wholehearted followers of Christ.
• US Army: To fight and win the naDon’s wars. • Disney: To make people happy. • Merck: To preserve and improve human life. • Paw Creek Presbyterian: Joining with our neighbors to
meet the needs of those in our community as we walk together in Christ.
What is Strategy?
• In business terms, strategy is a systemaDc method of differenDaDon from the compeDDon. It is based on priority acDviDes, performed in unique ways, reinforced by current pracDces, to produce a disDnct result.
• Anyone can operate effecDvely and sDll go out of business!
• For the church, it is about how we will use our resources to accomplish our mission.
FPC Bend’s Strategic Focus
• Connect children, youth and their families to the uncondiDonal love and compassion of Jesus.
• Connect ourselves more deeply to the uncondiDonal love and compassion of Jesus.
• Connect the disconnected in Central Oregon to the uncondiDonal love and compassion of Jesus.
St MaYhew in Renton WA • We partnered with our Mother church the ELCA and our local
Synod along with Compass Housing Alliance (Lutheran Ministry) to building a four story building with the top three floors providing 58 Units of Housing for homeless Veterans and their families.
• Luther’s Table occupies about 4,000 square feet of retail space on
the ground floor. We are a café/coffee shop by day and a pub/wine bar by night. We have a great stage area which we were use as a music venue for local performing arDsts. are trying to do a great deal with volunteers. We are a no Dp house and instead encourage people to give to our outreach ministry. We in turn are supporDng a variety of ministries in the area. This month it will be the SalvaDon Army community dinner.
ConDnued • Our dream is to build intenDonal community and discover where
God is already hanging out in the community. We want to dismantle the false walls that exist between what we call the sacred and the secular. It is our aYempt to overcome a growing impression that the church is nothing more than a gathering place of mean spirited, judgmental, closed minded people who are totally irrelevant.
• A colleague of mine just yesterday said that the primary piety that
exists in the Northwest is irreverence. We trust Luther’s Table will be able to intersect with this.
• We have had our fair share of resistance from our own members
and community members and had to fight hard to get a beer and wine permit.
Vision
• The vision is a picture of what the church could be in 10-‐15 years.
• It is not the monopoly of the senior pastor. • It typically emerges over Dme as a church focuses on its strategies. (Oxen reflects the “targets” from the strategies).
• Example: We will be… – 5 sites covering the enDre county – 30% of congregaDon is Hispanic/LaDno – 80% of members in small groups
Reminder: Alignment
Strategy
Structure and Process
Culture
People Reinforcers
Love the World Fellowship
One of MBC’s Focus Areas
People with disabili,es. • Access Ministry started in 1996 – 4 children in 1 room.
• PrioriDes: – Spiritual formaDon
– Physical needs – EmoDonal needs – Social connecDons
Today
• MulD-‐faceted ministry serving over 500 families annually;
• 75 families of children in “BeauDful Blessings” between the ages of 2-‐15 are served each week by 60 volunteers;
• Summer camp
• The Friendship Club (65 people over 16 years old)
Today
• Access Ministry Performing Arts (performing at reDrement homes, etc.)
• Saturday respite • Signs of Life Deaf Ministry
Jill’s House
• Jill’s House is designed to provide short-‐term, overnight respite care for children with intellectual disabiliDes.
What is a “Respite Resort?”
Jill’s House is designed to thrill the children from the moment they enter.
Pool. Murals.
The architecture of Jill’s House includes a vaulted A-‐frame design to create a “mountain lodge” atmosphere.
The “Wilderness Island” pool always includes a lifeguard for every child to maximize fun and safety.
Murals throughout the building reiterate the idea that children are on vacaDon, enjoying new experiences with new friends.
Each pod has a state-‐of-‐the-‐art sensory room in which the children can enjoy sights, sounds and textures.
Agenda: JH Defined > PopulaDon Served > Respite Resort > Safety > Planning
56
Core Values
• Transforming the Family Through True Rest in Christ. Transforming the Family Through a “Wow” Customer Experience.
• Transforming the Family Through Available and Affordable Respite.
• Loving Children Through Impeccable Safety. • Loving Children Through Outstanding Staff and Volunteers.
• Loving Children Through Engaging AcDviDes. • OperaDng – as a Team – in Radical Dependence on Jesus.
Jill’s House Mission and Vision
Mission: To transform families in Christ by loving children with special needs.
Vision:
…families of children with special needs will enjoy a rhythm of frequent respite,
…children with special needs will have safe, loving places to play, learn, and laugh together,
…God’s people will be known for their passionate remembrance and acceptance of those whom others
forget and reject.
The Leadership Triangle"
The TacDcal OpDon: Aligning People
Life As We Know It
School -‐ Grades
Life As We Know It
Work -‐ Performance Appraisals
But first, a word from our aYorneys…
Legal Disclaimer (The Fine Print)
Screen Beans® is a registered trademark of A Bit BeYer CorporaDon
All animaDons are licensed through the AnimaDon Factory to CoreClarity, Inc. www.animaDonfactory.com
The 34 Clixon StrengthsFinder ® theme names are trademarks of Gallup, Inc.
TAG ConsulFng, LLC is not affiliated with CoreClarity, Inc.
CoreClarity, Inc. is not affiliated with The Gallup OrganizaFon ("Gallup '') and that Gallup owns all right, Ftle, and interest in all of its trademarks and copyrights relaFng to CliPon StrengthsFinder ®, Gallup ®, StrengthsFinder ®, and the 34 CliPon StrengthsFinder ® theme names.
Gallup does not cerFfy any external consultants to interpret CliPon StrengthsFinder ® or the CliPon StrengthsFinder ® themes and the non-‐Gallup informaFon being presented has not been approved and is not sancFoned or endorsed by Gallup. The opinions, views and interpretaFons centered on CliPon StrengthsFinder ® are solely the opinions of CoreClarity, Inc.
Except as stated herein, all other materials are copyrighted or are the trade or service marks of CoreClarity, Inc. and cannot be used without the express wriXen consent of CoreClarity, Inc.
Don O. Clixon, Ph.D.
• Known as “Father of Strengths Psychology” • Wondered what makes people successful -‐ not what makes them fail
• 50 years systemaDcally studying excellence • 2 million+ high-‐performance achievers • Asked open-‐ended quesDons • 1988-‐1992 – SRI purchases Gallup • 1998 – Marcus Buckingham
Successful people understand their talents and strengths
and build their lives upon them.
Successful churches don’t just accommodate
differences in people, they capitalize on them.
How Are Talents Developed? • 42 days axer concepDon
– First brain cell formed (neuron)
• Next 120 days – Over ½ million neurons created every minute
– More than 100 billion in all
• 60 days before birth – Neurons start trying to communicate with each other
How Are Talents Developed? • Between 0-‐3 years of age
– Each neuron creates approx. 15,000 synapDc connecDons
• Age 3 – Nature & nurture step in – Reinforced connecDons (talents); ignored connecDons (not talents)
• By age 16 – Half of network is gone – and they are actually smarter!
What is the difference between talents and strengths?
Talent Naturally recurring paYern of thought, feeling or
behavior that can be producDvely applied
Strength = Talent + Use + Skills + Knowledge
Strength Consistent, near perfect performance
in an acDvity you love doing
Clixon StrengthsFinder®
• IdenDfied 34 prevalent talent themes • More than 33 million potenDal combinaDons
• PosiDve language to describe: – How we think – Why we behave in certain ways
– What’s great about us!
The 34 Talent Themes Achiever Connectedness Futuristic Maximizer
Activator Consistency Harmony Positivity
Adaptability (Fairness) Ideation Relator
Analytical Context Includer Responsibility
Arranger Deliberative (Inclusiveness) Restorative
Belief Developer Individualization Self-Assurance
Command Discipline Input Significance
Communication Empathy Intellection Strategic
Competition Focus Learner Woo
Categories of Talents
• Connect – used to create, develop and sustain relaDonships with others over Dme
• Reflect – involves the way people gather, process and make decisions with informaDon and mental images
• Energize – the way one pushes oneself toward results
• Mobilize – used to moDvate others to acDon
The CoreClarity® Key
CoreClarity
• 2 Dmes the number of Strategics -‐ 5 out of 11 -‐ hard to get mulDple Strategics to agree on the goals.
• 3.5 Dmes the number of Achievers -‐ 5 out of 11 -‐ same problem.
• 1.5 Dmes the number of Relators -‐ 5 out of 11 -‐ each one has a different set of rules about who they trust.
CoreClarity
• 3.5 Dmes the number of AcDvators -‐ 5 out of 11 -‐ each one wants to take acDon on different things.
• 6 Dmes the number of Self-‐Assurance 4 out of 11 -‐ each one thinks they are the measure of what is right. Can't be told what to do.
• 3 Maximizers -‐ passionate and uncompromising.
CoreClarity
• 2 with CompeDDon -‐ not a desire to win -‐ but a need to win and hate to lose.
• 1 Significance -‐ wants recogniDon, to be in charge and to only do things that are big.
• 1 with Focus -‐ once locked on the target will not let go.
CoreClarity
• 0 -‐ PosiDvity • 0 -‐ Woo
• 0 -‐ Harmony
• 1 -‐ Empathy (probably taking Prozac)
The Results? 1/29/11 Amazing things have happened here at our church over the last few years. You came
approximately 2 years ago. At that Dme I'm not sure I understood we had any problems or even what you were trying to do. I remember when you lex that I felt like things were finished and that we were lex somewhere in midair. Now axer two years, I believe that your impact was enormous. Not so much the actual events as the hand grenade that broke things up around here. All kinds of things have happened for good on our leadership team. Gradually the new team began to take over. We are younger, more hungry, and more excited then any team I've ever had.
Overall I think we're in the best place we've ever been and were actually beginning our new “S” curve. I have vision and focus for the next 10 years. I keep hearing God say the best is yet to come.
I realize this is a very brief version of all that has happen. However I want you to know
how appreciaDve I am of the work you did for us. You began a major process of opening my eyes and causing me to look deeply into what I was doing with my role as senior leader. It is amazing also how you worked with (key lay leader) to help us. Blessings!!!
Learner “The journey from ignorance to
confidence begins with one course.”
Database 29 %
“I crave the process, not necessarily the result.”
Intellec1on “I like to think.”
Database 11 %
“I need my solitude.”
Harmony “Let your fric1on generate light,
not heat.”
“Live and let live.”
Database 18 %
Input “I collect: therefore, I know.”
Database 20 %
“Inquiring minds want to know!”
“I am driven. Every day starts at zero and I have to accomplish something!”
Database 32 %
Achiever “I call it my divine restlessness.”
Who Am I?
John Mahon
Okay, but I’m SDll Stuck
• I’ve got a clear vision and strategy. • I’ve put people living their strengths. • But something is sDll wrong!
The Leadership Triangle"
The fundamental task of
leadership is to disDnguish between what needs to be preserved and what needs to change….
Preserve Change
Know Who You Are
Lots of Types of Codes
• Zoning codes • Health codes • Secret codes • Zip codes • Source codes • Morse code
• GeneDc code
OrganizaDonal Codes
The invisible rules that define us as a collecDve – defined by:
• The passions of our heroes; • The myths that have become larger than life;
• The tradiDons that we pass on; • Decisions that helped us move through a transiDon;
• Visuals that represent us to the world.
What Do You Think Of?
What About with BK?
And Now?
Worst Training Idea?
Worst Ad Campaign?
The HP Way
“The essence of the idea, radical at the Dme, was that employees' brainpower was the company's most important resource. One of the first all-‐company profit-‐sharing plans... gave shares to all employees... among the first to offer tuiDon assistance, flex Dme, and job sharing... Today, the behavior of the two founders remains a benchmark for business..." Business Week
Key AcDviDes
Interpret
Intervene
Observe
Observe
• Two people observing the same event see different things based on their past experiences and perspecDves.
• Get on the balcony. Gain distance. Look for paYerns.
• Avoid jumping to interpretaDon too quickly.
Interpret
• Hold onto more than one interpretaDon at a Dme. An interpretaDon, even a good one, is always a guess.
• Always quesDon the prevailing interpretaDon. Its usually wrong.
• Look for the most deeply held values and loyalDes that are at stake.
• Experiment unDl you find one that resonates.
Intervene
• Take into account resources and capacity. • Experiment and take smart risks smartly.
• Engage above and below the neck. Leadership is necessary when logic is not the answer.
• Connect to purpose.
The Tenacity of the Status Quo
• Over Dme, the structures, culture, and defaults that make up an organizaDonal system become deeply ingrained, self-‐reinforcing and very difficult to reshape.
• Most organizaDons get trapped because these ways worked in the past.
Recognize Defaults
• Defaults are ways of looking at situaDons that make people comfortable and have worked in the past.
• They can blind people to a wider array of soluDons and ideas that could create more value.
How You Know Its TransformaDonal
• You have a cycle of failure. • Dependence on authority. • Complaints are increasingly used to describe the current situaDon.
• Rounding up the usual suspects to solve the problem hasn’t worked.
• Increasing conflict.
Four Types of AdapDve Challenges
• Gap between espoused values and behavior • CompeDng commitments
• Speaking the unspeakable • Work Avoidance
– DistracDng – Blaming
The Transforming Church Index
• Community – Shared Lives
• Code – Shared IdenDty • Calling – Shared Leadership
• Cause – Shared Mission • Change – Shared TransformaDon
The Five AdapDve Issues
• Community vs. Consumerism • Code vs. Mimicry
• Shared Leadership vs. Top-‐down Leadership • Outward vs. Inward • ReinvenDon vs. Maintenance
Managing the Process"• Do it at a rate that people can tolerate.
Low Anxiety
Moderate Anxiety
High Anxiety
Authority Zone (Meeting Expectations) - Fix Technical Problems - Establish Basic Order
- Manage the Tasks
Leadership Zone
Competing Values
Power Zone
Abuse
Uni
nten
tiona
l Intentional
Embracing Conflict"• Conflict is your friend. It means you’re exercising leadership.
Red Zone/Blue Zone
Healthy Conflict Personalized Conflict
1. Data
2. Filtering
3. InterpreDng
4. EmoDng
5. AcDng
6. ReacDng
7. DistracDng
The Red Zone Cycle
Red Zone / Blue Zone
• EmoDonally charged • Personalized conflict • Unresolved issues in self • DisproporDonate intensity • Conflict is unsolvable • Its never about the other
person
• Values are in conflict • About issues • Self-‐awareness is key • ProporDonate intensity • Conflict is solved • Its never about “me”
Issue Message Positive Negative
Survival "I must take care of myself.” Responsible Lack of trust
Acceptance
"I will do anything to be
loved and accepted by
others.”
Service-oriented Rescuers
Control "The world is a
threatening place.”
Strong Walled-off
Competence
"I am loved only on the
basis of my performance.”
Achievers Perfectionist
The Leadership Triangle Presbytery of the Cascades
Kevin Ford
October 2011