Developing Kingdom Leaders – Tom Yeakley

Taking the Mystery out of Leadership

Archive for the tag “leader development”

02 Mar 2015

Development Through Tough Relationships

DAVID – LESSONS FROM RELATIONSHIPS: SAUL
1 Samuel 16-26

Character: Christlikeness; the fruit of the Spirit

“Character is developed in community, but tested in isolation.”
Bill Thrall

Lesson #1      Trusting God’s Sovereignty

1 Samuel 18:28-29
When Saul realized that the LORD was with David and that his daughter Michal loved David, 29 Saul became still more afraid of him, and he remained his enemy the rest of his days.

1 Samuel 19:9-10
But an evil spirit from the LORD came upon Saul as he was sitting in his house with his spear in his hand. While David was playing the harp, 10 Saul tried to pin him to the wall with his spear, but David eluded him as Saul drove the spear into the wall. That night David made good his escape.

David was approximately 20 years of age when he fled from Saul and for the next ten years, until anointed in Hebron as king, he was on the run from Saul (2 Sam. 5:4).

1 Sam. 19:1-2 – Jonathan warns David of Saul’s plot
1 Sam. 19:4 – Jonathan defends David to his father, Saul
1 Sam. 19:11-12 – Michal warns David of Saul’s plot
1 Sam. 19:23 – God spares David
1 Sam. 20:32-35 – Jonathan again warns David of Saul’s plot
1 Sam. 23:9-13 – David delivered through ephod warning at Keilah
1 Sam. 23:14 – God continually spares David from Saul
1 Sam. 23:26-29 – David delivered because of Philistine attack on Saul

Lesson: People, leaders, governments, or organizations can’t frustrate God’s plan for my life (cf. Genesis 31:6-7)

Romans 8:31
If God is for us, who can be against us?

Lessons #2      Submission to Authority

1 Samuel 24:5-7
Afterward, David was conscience-stricken for having cut off a corner of his robe. 6 He said to his men, “The LORD forbid that I should do such a thing to my master, the LORD’S anointed, or lift my hand against him; for he is the anointed of the LORD.” 7 With these words David rebuked his men and did not allow them to attack Saul. And Saul left the cave and went his way…May the LORD judge between you and me. And may the LORD avenge the wrongs you have done to me, but my hand will not touch you.

1 Samuel 26:9-11
But David said to Abishai, “Don’t destroy him! Who can lay a hand on the LORD’S anointed and be guiltless? 10 As surely as the LORD lives,” he said, “the LORD himself will strike him; either his time will come and he will die, or he will go into battle and perish. 11 But the LORD forbid that I should lay a hand on the LORD’S anointed. Now get the spear and water jug that are near his head, and let’s go.”

1 Samuel 26:22-24
“Here is the king’s spear,” David answered. “Let one of your young men come over and get it. 23 The LORD rewards every man for his righteousness and faithfulness. The LORD delivered you into my hands today, but I would not lay a hand on the LORD’S anointed. 24 As surely as I valued your life today, so may the LORD value my life and deliver me from all trouble.”

Lesson: Leaders are God-appointed and therefore I submit to them, even if they seek to do me wrong, trusting that God will remove them and/or correct/repay them at the proper time (cf. John 19:10-11; Romans 13:1-2; Hebrews 13:17)

What difficult relationship has God placed you into that He means to use for good and for your development as a leader?  Are you embracing this or fighting against it?

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23 Feb 2015

God’s Use of Isolation

DAVID – GOD’S USE OF ISOLATION
1 Samuel 20-31

Isolation: when God sets a leader aside from their destiny process to develop deeper, heart issues dealing with their inner spirit; our “doing” for God ceases and we are forced to focus on our “being” with God.

“God develops our character in community and tests it in isolation.”
Bill Thrall

God develops our spirit in isolation and tests it in community.

Spirit: relating to and loving God, rather than doing something for God; knowledge and understanding of God, confidence in God, surrender to God

During isolation periods, God develops a leader into a channel for His power to be displayed. We learn to boast in weakness for we know God will work through our weakness for His glory.

2 Cor. 12:9-10
But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. 10That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

Examples of Isolation:

Jesus – 40 days in the wilderness Luke 4:1-14

Luke 4:1,14
Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit in the desert…. Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit, and news about him spread through the whole countryside.

Moses – 40 years in desert tending sheep Acts 7:23,30

Paul – time in Arabia after conversion; years in Tarsus Gal. 1:17, 2:1

David – running from Saul in the desert ( +10 years ) 1 Sam.20-31

Leaders can anticipate times of isolation when God sets them aside from the activities of leadership in order to develop them in deeper ways.  Don’t be surprised by this, in fact, know that God is using this to develop you as a better leader.  Lean into it and don’t rush back to the action.  Let God have His way and His timing in your development.

Posted in #1 KNOW- How a Leader Thinks, #2 BE - Who a Leader Is and tagged , , , , , , , , , , ,
16 Feb 2015
2 Comments

A Leader’s Calling

Below is a bible study on the call of God. I used it myself when trying to discern whether God was leading me/us out of a vocational career in veterinary medicine and into a ministry with The Navigators. This was one source of input that the Lord used to guide us in that decision.

Key Attitudes for Following God’s Calling
1. Trust God – Proverbs 3:5-6
2. Living sacrifice – Romans 12:1-2
3. Willingness to obey – John 7:17

Leaders God Called
Abraham – Genesis 12:1-5

Moses – Exodus 3:1 – 4:20

Samuel – 1 Samuel 3:1-13

Isaiah – Isaiah 6

Jeremiah – Jeremiah 1:1-19

Ezekiel – Ezekiel 1-3

Jonah – Jonah 1 – 3:3

Peter and Andrew – Mark 1:16-18; Luke 5:1-11; John 1:35-42; Matthew 4:18-20

James and John – Mark 1:19-20; Luke 5:1-11; Matthew 4:21-22

Matthew – Mark 2:13-17; Luke 5:27-32; Matthew 9:9-15

Paul – Acts 9:1-20

Principles of God’s Calling
1. Makes sure it is God calling and not your idea – Galatians 1:1

2. God takes volunteers – Isaiah 6:8

3. The call is often a call to “go” with no geographical limitations – Jonah 1:1-3; 3:1-2; Hebrews 11:8

4. God clarifies His call as we walk in obedience – Genesis 12:1-4; 17:1-8; Hebrews 11:8

5. Failure to respond can bring chastening or loss of opportunity – example of Jonah, rich young ruler

6. Responding to God’s call may mean a change in lifestyle – Exodus 3:1,10

7. The call of God is a call to serve – Mark 1:16-18

Without a clear calling from God the pressures and challenges faced by leaders will cause one to want to give up.  Sustainability in leadership can be helped by knowing that one is called to lead.  It is out of obedience to Him that we stay and serve.

Are you sure that the Lord has called you to serve others by leading?

Posted in #1 KNOW- How a Leader Thinks, #2 BE - Who a Leader Is and tagged , , , , , , , , , ,
02 Feb 2015

Don’t Chase Leadership Fads

General Colin Powell [Chairman (Ret.), Joint Chiefs of Staff] in his work, “A Leadership Primer” describes the following principle:

“Fit no stereotypes.  Don’t chase the latest management fads.  The situation dictates which approach best accomplishes the team’s mission.”

When one begins to focus on the subject of leadership you will notice that many are talking about the latest leadership book that they have read.  Through these conversations certain leadership phrases become part of our everyday vocabulary – “get the right people on the bus,” “you have to think systems,” “change management,”EQ,” “be proactive, instead of reactive” – the list is endless.

Now books and their contents are not necessarily bad (I write them myself), but it’s what we do with them that can make them helpful or harmful.  We leaders can get very excited about a new idea or concept from a recent book.  That quote or concept now becomes part of our everyday conversations and we spread that influence among those we lead or interact with indiscriminately.  But often we do so without any sense of context or without thinking carefully  about our audience.  It has been said, “When all you have is a hammer, the whole world looks like a nail.”

A good leader stewards their influence wisely.  While we may be helped by some thought from a recent read, we should ask ourselves, “Will this truly help this person?  Is it appropriate for them or their leadership context?”  If not, then keep quiet!  Put yourself in their situation and ask yourself what do they need to hear from me that fits them and where they are in their context or stage of development.

Books come and go in their popularity.  Few stand the test of time.  Be careful not to be always chasing the latest leadership fads or what’s trendy.  You will miss the timeless truths and wisdom that comes from the Lord.  Yes, read leadership books and think about what you read.  Don’t just accept it because it’s in print.  Yes, read critically and compare what you read with the Bible.  The Bible is a kingdom leader’s primary textbook on leadership.

The Bible contains ageless leadership principles and wisdom.  The Bible is cross-cultural and cross-generational.  Always share thoughts and insights from God’s Word as the Holy Spirit helps you discern the need of those you are influencing.  Listen carefully to Him and He will guide you.

What have you been talking about recently.  Is it a recent fad or what’s popular?  Or have you been sharing with others God’s truths and His wisdom for leaders?

Posted in #1 KNOW- How a Leader Thinks, #3 DO - What a Leader Does and tagged , , , , , , , , ,
26 Jan 2015

Simple or Simplistic?

General Colin Powell [Chairman (Ret.), Joint Chiefs of Staff] in his work, “A Leadership Primer” describes the following principle:

“Great leaders are almost always great simplifiers, who can cut through argument, debate, and doubt, to offer a solution everybody can understand.”

Complexity and its accompanying confusion are often challenges for good leadership. The more responsibility one has the greater the challenges one must address. These challenges are frequently very complex with multiple consequences both real and imagined. How does a leader lead with simplicity without becoming simplistic?

A leader must listen carefully to all sides of a complex issue, not jumping too quickly to conclusions or solutions and thinking through possible consequences. It is a must to withhold judgment on a matter, especially for the intuitive leader, until others on the team have weighed in with their thoughts or have had time to input their ideas. Bringing the team to a point of decision together is an art form to be developed. Know your team members and their respective styles and lead accordingly.

Practice speaking is short, concise sentences. Try to use fewer words. Think in terms of memorable sounds bites and share accordingly. Speak in terms of word pictures that can create mental images for others to clarify the complex and make it simpler and memorable.

Beware of becoming overly simplistic on an issue. The simple becomes simplistic when we leave out essential points or ignore key factors. Simple is good….simplistic is bad!

It addressing complexity seek to break the issue into more manageable parts. Address some of the easier parts first to create a sense of progress and momentum on the team so that you can have more confidence when dealing with the more difficult pieces. Work off of the 80/20 rule where 80% of a solution can be enough to move forward, rather than spending a lot of time and energy to hammer out the final 20%.

Are you communicating in a way that leads to simplicity or complexity and confusion? Ask your teammates for some feedback on your communication.

Posted in #3 DO - What a Leader Does and tagged , , , , , , , , ,
19 Jan 2015

A Leader’s Optimism

General Colin Powell [Chairman (Ret.), Joint Chiefs of Staff] in his work, “A Leadership Primer” describes the following principle:

“Perpetual optimism is a force multiplier.”

People and ‘smell’ a phony a mile away. A leader who is out of touch with reality, denying the obvious, or living in a fantasy is quickly dismissed.

But a leader who acknowledges the real challenges faced and sees a bigger solution is one who builds confidence in those they lead. Romans 8:31 says, “…If God is for us, then who can be against us?”

This was the situation Elisha faced when surrounded by an army whose mission it was to capture him. His servant could not see any resources available to deal with this real threat. Elisha however saw God’s resources and pointed his servant to the answer that was right in front of him. He said, “Don’t be afraid. Those who are with us are more than those who are with them.” (2 Kgs 6:16)

A leader’s optimism and confidence is God will ripple into the hearts and minds of those around them. It will energize and inspire those who we follow to keep moving forward when we all feel like giving up because of the difficulties we face.

Likewise, pessimism and doubt from a leader is also multiplied as it ripples to those we lead. Those we lead do not necessarily have the experience, maturity, or understanding of the context that we do. Therefore they hear a discouraging word from us their leader and run to the end of their “what if” thinking, spiraling downward as they go. “Well, if this happens, then this… And then this….and this…” Those scenarios almost always are negative and leading us to thinking about the disaster that awaits us.

An optimistic leader is one whose confidence is in God and His resources, not is our own abilities or the resources that we can see. Being confident that God is with us and not forsake us is enough.

What’s the image you are projecting around you? Is is an optimistic tone and environment you are creating?

Posted in #2 BE - Who a Leader Is and tagged , , , , , , , , , , ,
12 Jan 2015
8 Comments

Recruiting and Retaining the Best

General Colin Powell [Chairman (Ret.), Joint Chiefs of Staff] in his work, “A Leadership Primer” describes the following principle:

“Organization doesn’t accomplish anything. Plans don’t accomplish anything either. Theories of management don’t much matter. Endeavors succeed or fail because of the people involved. Only by attracting the best people will you accomplish great deeds.”

How does a leader attract and recruit the best people to accomplish great things? Here are several of my thoughts:

1. Ask God to give you people to help you accomplish what He has asked you to do. People are a gift from Him. John 17:6

2. Have a clear and compelling vision that is big enough to grab someone’s attention, challenge their status quo, and attract them to join you in making that vision a reality.

3. Recruit to vision, not activity!

4. Don’t be afraid to ask busy, competent people to join with you in making this a vision come true. Be bold! James 4:2

5. Promise to lead and care for them well. Deliver on your promise.

6. Promise to develop them for contribution, not role or title. Deliver on your promise.

7. Trust that God will sovereignly bring people across your path to help you. 1 Chron. 12:22

8. Ask people to make a decision – does God want you with us or not? What does God want you to do with this decision?

9. Don’t let the decision linger with not deadline. Don’t rush it, but don’t let it go on forever either.

10. Celebrate the person’s response. If with you – great! If God has said no to this offer –great! We only want what God wants for you!

Are you asking God for the best possible people or are you simple looking for anyone with a pulse? Ask Him to give you His best!

Posted in #2 BE - Who a Leader Is, #3 DO - What a Leader Does and tagged , , , , , , , ,
05 Jan 2015

Learning from Your Mistakes

King David had a great idea…let’s bring the ark of God back to Jerusalem to the place it rightfully belonged.  So, he consulted with his leadership and they all agreed that this was a wonderful idea.

They got a new ox cart (this certainly would be God-honoring) to carry the ark and a great procession was planned to bring the ark to its new home.  Things went well until the oxen stumbled and Uzzah reached out his hand to steady the ark and God struck him dead.  This tended to throw a cloud of gloom over the entire event and David decided to end this procession, being frustrated with God his failure to accomplish his plan (see 1 Chronicles 13).

Sometime later David is now well established as king in Jerusalem and he once again remembers that the ark of God is residing in a tent outside of Jerusalem.  With this idea in mind, he again confers with his leaders, but note the difference.  He acknowledges that previously that had forgotten to ‘inquire of the Lord’ as to their plans.  This time they realize that the ark is to be carried only by the Levites and that it is to be carried with poles inserted along the sides.  This time the procession goes to completion with great rejoicing (see 1 Chronicles 15).

David had learned from his previous mistake.  He acknowledges that they did not consult the Lord on their prior attempt and they ended in failure.  As leaders we all make mistakes, just like David.  The key question is do we learn from them?  Do we adjust and continue to move ahead?  Do we own our mistakes?

How about you?  Made any mistakes recently?  Welcome to humanity!  Now, what are you learning from them?

Posted in #1 KNOW- How a Leader Thinks, #3 DO - What a Leader Does and tagged , , , , , , , ,
29 Dec 2014

Happy New Year!

As we come to the end of another year and look ahead to the beginning of a new one, it’s a great time to stop and reflect.  Put aside that busyness and reflect upon your life past, present, and future.

Some questions to help with your reflection:

1.  What has God been speaking to you about during these past few months?  Are there general themes or topics that seem to be repeated?

2.  Is your life in alignment with the general purposes of God and does it reflect an eternal value system?

3.  Are you at peace?

4.  Are you contributing in your strengths and operating out of your passions?

5.  Does your lifestyle model something that is attractive for others to imitate?

One of my favorite passages on new beginnings is Isaiah 43:18-19  –

“Forget the former things;
    do not dwell on the past.
19 See, I am doing a new thing!
    Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?
I am making a way in the wilderness
    and streams in the wasteland.

May this be the year of new beginnings – a year that brings Him glory!

Happy New Year!

Posted in #1 KNOW- How a Leader Thinks and tagged , , , , , , , , ,
01 Dec 2014

Developing More Leaders – REPRODUCE

We continue to reflect upon a good way to organize our understanding of the complex subject of leadership.  Using the simple outline of Know – Be – Do – Reproduce we can categorize the important functions of this vast subject called leadership.  Today we will address the category of “Reproduce – Developing More Leaders.”

An essential part of your leadership is to multiply more leaders.  Yes, we must accomplish mission and task, but don’t overlook the very important task of leaving behind more leaders.  Be intentional about developing those leaders on your team to ensure the are reaching their potential for contribution.

Some leaders are so personally insecure that they avoid developing those on their team.  They see their team member’s development as a threat to their leadership, thinking, “If they reach their potential, they could take my role and then what would I do?”

The reality is that all leadership is temporary.  We lead for a while and then transition our leadership to another.  We can make this transition healthy and positive by intentionally planning our transition.  Or we can ignore it and wait until a crisis occurs and then leave the work ill-prepared for the next leader.

Here’s some practical reminders about developing the leaders on your team.

  1. You don’t personally have to do the development of your team members, just lead your team in their development
  2. Be intentional about your team’s development as a whole and as individual members
  3. Model intentional, individual leader development for your team; set the pace
  4. Make leader development fun and interesting, not a duty!
  5. Make sure that the Scriptures are central in your team’s leader development
  6. Reading a book or and article on leadership together as a team and then discussing how it might be applied in your context is an easy way to lead your team in development
  7. Bring in outside resources (people and tools) to help your team grow and develop
  8. Development is a part of your regular team meetings, but can become a focus for an extended team retreat
  9. Have your team members set 6-month personal development goals related to their development as a leader and then hold them accountable for them
  10. Remember to keep this question before your team – “Development for what?”  Their personal leader development and the development of your team is to help you all accomplish your God-given mission or task.

Are you being intentional about your personal leader development?  Are you leading your team in development?

 

Posted in #4 REPRODUCE - Developing More Leaders and tagged , , , , , , ,

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