For me leadership involves a constant willingness to be asking the questions. One of the challenges though that comes with this is figuring out what the questions are that need to be asked. You can always start with the standard questions that shape and form any story: who, what, where, why, and how? But after those starters, I have a few that I have found … Continue reading Asking the Questions
The Lutheran World Federation (LWF) hosted a virtual conference on Diakonia* today (June 5, 2013). The conference included participants from around the globe (including from the Philippines, Sweden, Norway, Germany, Switzerland, Mexico, the United States and many other locales). For purposes of shared learning and collaboration, I wanted to catch some of the resources from today’s conference. I have linked to a few that particularly … Continue reading Diakonia Conference Resources
A pastor friend of mine posted the following question today. “With regard to new people coming to church: Do we want to assimilate or integrate? Assimilation means that ‘you’ will come and become like ‘us’ (or the other way around). Integration means that we will both be transformed and the Spirit will create something new among us.” The post went on to have an extensive … Continue reading Assimilate and Integrate
In the previous post I mentioned some thoughts that came out of the article, “Moon Shots for Management.” There are a couple other quick thoughts that I would like to mention in the following two posts. First, there is the idea that incentives need to provide for the long term! “Stretch executive time frames and perspectives. Compensation and incentive systems often truncate executive time horizons … Continue reading Need for the Longer Term View
I had the pleasure of being able to take some time out of my work day to attend chapel at Luther Seminary yesterday. I felt it was important to do so as this was the final chapel service of the academic year, and it was a special one of “Farewell and Godspeed” for a place itself that is in the midst of great transition and … Continue reading Leadership and the Church- Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow
Continuing in my series of reflections from reading Anthony B. Robinson’s Transforming Congregational Culture, today we turn to chapter four which he titles, “From Assuming the Goods to Delivering the Goods, Part One: Worship.” This chapter offers some thoughts, perspectives, challenges, and questions around what is worship. Robinson makes a number of assertions in this chapter and asks some very important questions. I was particularly struck … Continue reading “From Assuming the Goods to Delivering the Goods”
I have decided to pick up and read a decade old book, Transforming Congregational Culture, by Anthony B. Robinson.* As I move through this book, I intend to write a few posts along the way about either quotes that resonate with me, or about pieces I see that have especially changed (good or bad) since Robinson wrote this. So, in this line of reflection, from the beginning … Continue reading “The Challenge We Face, Part I”
Two years ago, I wrote a blog post about “multi-layered leadership.” Given the transition the congregation I am employed at is in, I thought it might be worth another look. Reading this 2002 article, “Multi-Layered Leadership: The Christian Leader as Builder, Shepherd, and Gardener,” almost convinces me that its author must have been in conversation with Peter Drucker. It’s not that hard to believe that … Continue reading Revisiting Multi-Layered Leadership
(Written on Thursday March 28, 2013) For those of us in the so-called “Mainline” Christian faith, today we observe Maundy Thursday. This is the day we remember Jesus’ last supper with his disciples, its from this event that comes the sacrament of Holy Communion. But also on this day Jesus is said to have washed his disciples’ feet, showing and displaying the repeated gospel theme … Continue reading Maundy Thursday
In my previous post, I raised two questions. The first, “what perplexes you most about leadership?” will help shape coming posts, but will not be considered here. The second question though, “for those of you who are Christian, what is on your mind at the start of this Holy Week,” I reflect on myself here. I am not sure that Holy Monday inspired me to … Continue reading The Start of Holy Week
Timothy Siburg 