Dockery,
David S. Christian Leadership Essentials:
A Handbook for
Managing Christian Organizations. Broadman and Holman, 2011.
Content Analysis of Chapter 4
Written by Robert Andringa, President Emeritus
of the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities, chapter 4 takes on the
in importance of “Relations” (the chapter’s title) in nonprofit
organizations. Specifically, Andringa
addresses the role of the board in relation to the organization’s CEO as the
most vital aspect of the organization’s overall well-being and success. Nine
practical principles, each with several sub-points, are presented in a well
organized format to assist the reader in their effort to implement change.
The importance of developing a strong leadership team cannot be
over emphasized in regard to the overall success of any organization. Poor leadership results in a poor
organization and the board is the foundation of any ministry organization's
leadership structure. If those leaders
do not have a meaningful and effective role in the overall direction and vision
of the organization it cannot begin to develop a culture for success.
The structure of this article hinges upon the author’s
presentation of nine practical principles related to organizational leadership.
These principles and thus their inherent value is summarized below:
(1) Boards and their CEOs must work as one agent. (2) Boards must
take ownership of their policies in electing, placement, and mutual
accountability. (3) Boards must evaluate its own size, structure and
procedures. (4) Board meetings must be effective. (5) Roles must be clear and mutually agreed
upon by the board and staff alike. (6) Boards must be driven by their
mission. (7) Boards must organize
information to govern well. (8) Boards
must evaluate themselves and their CEO annually. (9) Both the board and staff must contribute
to leading the organization to honor God and fulfill its overall mission.
Insights from
Chapter 4
Andringa greatest take away was his challenge
to change the culture to become more “unified, forward looking, driven toward
excellence, welcoming diverse views, nurturing of staff, and engaged.” Just as they say that the three keys to
real-estate are "location, location, location;" the three keys to changing a
culture is leadership, leadership, leadership.
This chapter is a practical guide to leadership methods that change the
culture of any non-profit organization.
To change the culture of an organization the
values of that organization must be well defined and take priority in the minds
of all who hold a place of influence. There must be accountability to bring
glory to God in every endeavor with integrity and honor. If this is lost the very purpose of the
organization ceases to matter and there is no longer any reason to pour effort
into restoring it.
Once the values are established, then the
placement or hiring of staff and board members can be focused upon those who
reflect those values. The importance of
appointing mature, committed, competent leaders cannot be over emphasized. Finding
the right chemistry in leadership is paramount to the overall success of the
organization. Too often non-profits will
settle for whoever is willing to serve, but this can be detrimental. Filling a role with someone who is not going
to adequately accomplish that role is far more harmful than leaving the role
vacant for a time.
Once the roles are filled with the most
qualified and competent individuals, then invest in making them even more
qualified and competent through education.
Finding workshops, retreats and training opportunities for leaders to
attend may cost time and money, but the value of having new ideas, renewed
leaders, and a fresh vision cannot be overstated. Learning should be rewarded and evaluation
regular.
Make no mistake, it is difficult to change culture, but good
leaders will confront the problems with love for the sake of the organization. Good leaders will admit their mistakes, seek
forgiveness, apply grace, direct people to the Word, and cover all things in
prayer, according to Andringa.
Value from Chapter 4
The greatest value of this article is the
author’s willingness to boldly confront inactive, title seeking, ineffective
leaders who simply hold a position on a board.
Inactive board members who view their role as more of an honorary
position rather than a vital, productive member of the leadership team is all
too common in average or struggling nonprofit ministries.
This chapter challenges the status quo by
challenging Christians, modeling their lives after biblical principles, to be
better at governance than what the world has to offer. Christ-followers who are seeking to fulfill a
Godly mission should be all the more extraordinary in their oversight and
management abilities. The false concept
that Christian organizations can afford to be sloppy in their oversight and
leadership is attacked head on by Andringa, and rightly so. Christians should be held to a higher
standard, not a lower one, when it comes to leadership and the fulfillment of
our God given mission.
Electing quality members to the board is of
primary importance considering all that is at stake, according to Andringa. This requires clear expectations and
orientation from the outset in developing an effective board. Members must understand their roles and their
established expectations prior to being elected to the board. Meetings must be productive, engaging and
creative to tap into the board’s full potential. The author does well to give very practical
examples of how to make meetings better and more productive. These steps alone would go a long way in
establishing a new culture of accountability and excellence in ministry.
Once the board is established, regular
training, evaluation and accountability are essential to maintain a board’s
effectiveness. Procedures and policies
have an important role, but this chapter does well to remind its reader that
the driving force is the mission of the organization. That mission is best
carried out in a culture of clearly defined roles, policies and
procedures. This chapter details the ins
and outs of such principles answering much-needed questions and outlining their
processes.
Content Analysis of Chapter 5
“Managing the Organization” is the title of
fifth chapter written by R. Judson Carlberg, the President of Gordon College.
Beginning with a personal narrative of his own life lesson in management,
Carlberg begins by drawing three “basic rules of administration-board
relationships.” Those rules are
summarized below:
First, pay enough attention to the details to
be fully aware of any red flags early enough in the process to address them in
an effective manner. Leaders who are
well informed lead well. No one leads
well in the midst of stressful surprises and unexpected shortfalls. Leaders, according to Carlberg, must develop
the skill and wisdom to recognize what is essential and what is peripheral.
With the many voices vying for their attention, it is essential for great
leaders to focus on the things that matter most. Prioritizing can make or break a leader and
the organization as a whole.
Secondly, it is the job of the leader to be
informed enough about the organizational structure and daily happenings to
address concerns as they arise rather than to react after the fact. It is much more preferable to address a minor
issue before it turns into a crisis.
Thirdly, staying on top of minor problems will
keep the leader from having to be put in the awkward and potentially career
ending position of surprising the board with unexpected shortfalls or major
unaddressed problems. Trust is lost when
minor issues turn into a crisis. This
leads to overanalyzing, bureaucracy, and management redundancy. This loss of confidence affects the entire
organization, as everyone questions the ability of the leader to handle issues
that arise in an effective manner. When
there is a lack of trust in any organization everything slows down and becomes
cumbersome.
Trust can be restored as those involved become
convinced of the leader’s character and competence. People must believe in their leaders. They must believe their motives are pure, and
their integrity solid. Moreover, they
must believe in their capabilities and skill to handle the job at hand. Any crisis can cause doubt and distrust
within the organization and must be treated with the utmost care. Inspiring trust is what enables one to move
from being a mere manager to becoming a true leader.
Insights from
Chapter 5
There are three key insights this reader took
from this chapter, as outlined below:
First, the author’s willingness to be
vulnerable with his failures by reaching out for insight and participation
speaks volumes. “Leaders serve best when
they are transparent,” according to Carlberg.
Such actions build the needed loyalty and trust in the organization that
invokes the kind of buy-in necessary to make a non-profit ministry run. Ministry leaders and organizations that are
not transparent are setting themselves up for a hard fall.
Carlberg teaches that leaders must “encourage
respect by listening first.” He goes on
to say, “Leaders have little chance of succeeding if they ignore those who are
following.” Christlike leaders are reasonable, approachable people who value
the opinion and input from those around them.
Again, this is all about invoking buy-in and trust, without which a
ministry cannot survive.
Secondly, leaders must learn to walk the
balance between being passive and dictatorial.
They must give a voice to those who may not have one, while at the same
time having the wisdom to set aside the voices that are seeking self-interests
rather than the betterment of the organization. Such wisdom may come through experience;
however, a young leader who seeks the counsel of the wise has the ability to
draw upon the experience of those around who surround him or her.
Thirdly, a Christian leader may remain
compassionate while still holding employees accountable for performance. Trust demands accountability of all who work
for the organization. Sometimes a
trustworthy leader has to make the very difficult decision to terminate an
employee. This action actually
accelerates trust in the leader and the organization. Tolerating poor work ethic and incompetence,
on the other hand, undermines trust and value of the organization as a whole.
Involving employees in establishing their own
goals assists in the accountability process as it is much easier to hold
someone accountable to a goal they set for themselves than one imposed by a
boss. As mentioned in the previous
chapter, here the importance of staff placement is elaborated upon
further. A good leader must learn to
identify the best individuals for the most important roles in the
organization. Further a good leader must
enable their employees to attain their goals, resource and train them to reach
their objectives, while requiring regular evaluation of their overall
performance.
Value from Chapter 5
The most valuable information shared by
Carlberg is found in his instruction regarding a leader dealing with conflict.
Finding the value of conflict as it pertains to meetings is probably one of the
most practical suggestions that a leader can implement to affect positive
change in a timely manner. Defining the
purpose of the meeting is vital, but Carlberg challenges the reader not to
avoid tension or conflict in meetings.
He argues that this is the missing element needed to keep all
participants engaged. Encourage
passionate discussion, feedback, and critique to help move the organization to
make better decisions. Conflict is
difficult but when managed in the right context, addressed transparently and
thoroughly discussed it can become the leaders greatest tool.
That being said, prior to dealing with
conflict and strife it is important for the leader to withdraw, reflect, and
rejuvenate in order to prepare for the pending challenge. Christ did this before the cross and good
leaders will follow his example. A
leaders work should be a joy not drudgery.
Leaders should have pleasure in their calling and find their identity in
Christ, not a title. This can only
happen when a leader takes the necessary time to be filled. The leader must prepare for the battle and
enter it with his eyes wide open, his heart prayed up and his mind
focused. Failure to prepare causes
conflict to become crisis rather than an instrument of growth.
Finally, the author reminds his readers that being
a good leader has less to do with charisma, and more to do with results. In other words, it not about being born with
a natural gift, but about doing what is necessary to get the task accomplished. Good leaders encourage diversity of opinions
but distain substandard performance. They
bring vision and implementation together while always welcoming critique and
new ideas. They are transparent and
willingly to seek counsel. They admit
when they are wrong and do what is necessary to correct the problem so that it
does not happen again. Carlberg’s story
of failure and restoration gives his readers hope and practical suggestions for
becoming an effective leader and manager.
Content Analysis of
Chapter 6
“Financial oversight and budget planning,” is
the title of the insightful chapter, written by Jon Wallace, President of Azusa
Pacific University and Jim Canning of World Vision International. The authors take on the lofty challenge of
bridging the gap between the reality of a ministry budget and the ideal of
accomplishing the organization’s mission. The tension of a big vision and a
small bank account is all too common.
This chapter guides leaders to take on this challenge through vision
casting, fiscal integrity, regular communication, transparency, and evaluation.
Core stewardship values to be modeled by the
ministry organization include a commitment to honor God, establish a budget
that supports a strategic vision with measurable outcomes, unifying policies
and mission focus. With laser like focus
the vision will not be lost amidst confusing policies and unorganized budgets. Honoring God includes being committed to
excellence in stewardship according to these authors.
The three most common types of budgets are
presented as: General, Capital and Special Purpose. The authors explain each of these in detail
and give fair warning about the effects each can have on the other. Leaders must be aware of these principles and
potential effects when making financial plans which are essential for carrying
out the mission and vision of the organization.
That mission can “creep” if the leadership is not careful to measure the
success and growth of the organization against other similar ministries.
This chapter also seeks to bridge the gap
between faith and presumption. This
bridge should be built with prayer and good decision-making. Dependence on God is not an excuse to ignore
the wisdom and guidance He provides to His people. Leaders must plan contingences, seek counsel
and possibly appoint a financial manager to oversee such efforts for the
organization.
Consideration of various perspectives in the
organization is also essential when it comes to the budgeting process. This can reduce tension between leaders as
they make the difficult decisions needed to run an organization. Mutual accountability, full disclosure and
complete transparency are always the best policies when it comes to dealing
with money. Surprises kill ministry
organizations, so it is the job of the leadership to be sure there are no such
surprises when it comes to budgeting.
Insights from
Chapter 6
First, leaders must learn to always be about
measuring and evaluating needs in light of the mission. All to often the mission is lost as leaders
focus on putting out fires or handling urgent matters. Leaders must be intentional about keeping the
mission of the organization in the forefront so as not to lose direction and
purpose.
Second, budgeting is an act of faith, but it must
be coupled with judgment and discernment.
Too many mistaken blatant irresponsibility for faith while forgetting
that the scriptures teach us to plan, prepare and make wise choices. It is one
thing to depend on God, it is another to ignore God’s instructions by venturing
off into blind self-deception.
Third, safety is found in a multitude of
counselors. Often leaders fail to seek
the counsel of wise advisors out of pride or possibly a fear of what they will
be told. People do not want to be told
“no,” so instead of asking they just proceed unchecked. This is a dangerous path that can cost the
organization dearly. Anything that
cannot be done under the scrutiny of wise counselors probably should not be
done at all, especially in a ministry organization.
Fourth, regularly show your appreciation of
those who serve on the board and in the budgeting process. Many times those who are gifted in budgeting
and finance work tirelessly behind the sense without much recognition. It is the leaders job to bring such labor
into the light and show support for those who keep the organization running
smoothly. Never under estimate the power
of the words “thank you.”
Fifth, three principles that support mutual
accountability are: (1) Bad news first, (2) Full disclosure and (3) No
surprises. This is virtually one basic
overarching principle, which can be summed up with one word:
“Communication.” Leaders must keep their
board and others key players informed of what is going on in the organization
at all times. Too often leaders want to
keep the negative feedback hidden so as to avoid conflict or negative feelings,
but this most often leads to more significant issues down the road. No one likes surprises when it comes to budgeting
and financial shortfalls.
Value from Chapter 6
The authors do well to remind their readers of
the scriptures teaching regarding financial stewardship. Quoting from Proverbs 16:9 this article
reminds us to make our plans while depending on God’s guidance. The most insightful text was from Proverbs
24:3-4 which states that “any enterprise is built by wise planning, becomes
strong through common sense, and profits wonderfully by keeping abreast of the
facts.” This passage virtually sums up
the entirety of the lessons contained in this chapter.
Wise planning, common sense and communication
are the ways to success as set by God Himself.
Ministry organizations that fail to go this way and follow this counsel
cannot rightly claim to be under God’s providence. To be provided for by God presumes one is
willing to follow His direction. If an
organization chooses to neglect any of these principles they put the success of
their mission at risk. God should not be
the scapegoat for such neglect.
Understanding these valuable truths is
essential for any organization as they entertain the budgeting process. Scripture does not encourage blind
irresponsibility when it comes to faith-based organizations. In fact, just the opposite is taught
throughout the text. God will bless wise
choices, good planning, and intelligent creativity, not laziness disguised as
“dependence on God.”
The value of this biblical guidance continues
in addendum B at the end of the chapter.
Wise planning begins with seeking counsel from many (Prov. 15:22) and counting
the cost prior to beginning the process (Luke 14:28-30). As Proverbs 22:3 states, “A prudent man
foresees the difficulties and ahead prepares for them.” In doing so, one’s faith in trusting God’s
ways will be rewarded (John 6:8-9).
Going through this process with a biblical
approach will build the faith of all those involved. God’s ways will be proven successful thus
affirming the faith of everyone in the budgeting process. If the leadership team sees how the Lord
provides when they are faithful to follow His precepts they will become a life
long witness to God’s path, providence and provision.
