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    7 Questions about the Way People Approach a Leader

    By Leadership, Organizational Leadership, Team Leadership

    A couple of young guys made an appointment and came to my office recently to pitch me an idea for a new ministry they hope to start. They had been told I have a passion to empower people to follow their dreams and callings. I instantly loved their heart and the new ministry, but what intrigued me was how nervous they were making the presentation. I understand, because any kind of presentation like can be nerve-racking, and we are a large church, but I’m also their pastor. It made me wonder if I had ever done anything to make them nervous about approaching me. I concluded that it was just the situation, and not our relationship, but it caused a healthy reflection for me for other areas of my leadership.

    It forced me to ask how the people on our staff…the people I work with everyday…the ones I call a “team” feel about approaching me with an idea, an issue, or even a criticism or concern. That’s one reason I periodically ask our team this question as part of an annual evaluation process. (Read about that HERE.)

    In my opinion, if you are a leader, the way the people you lead approach you says much about the quality of that leadership.

    Here are 7 questions to consider about the way people approach you as a leader:

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    Laughter Yoga: Are You Doing This?

    By Culture, Encouragement, Funny

    I saw a news report on this recently.  I laughed. No pun intended.

    There are clubs like this around the world. Laughing yoga has become somewhat of an institution. In fact, there’s an International Laughing Yoga association. See it HERE. Go to YouTube and you’ll see all kinds of reports on laughing yoga.

    Here’s an excerpt CNN did recently:

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    The Changing Role of a Leader

    By Leadership, Organizational Leadership

    As the organization grows, a leader’s role begins to change.

    I have a friend who leads a growing organization. The speed of the growth could easily rouse my friend’s controlling nature, but he’s a good enough leader to recognize his weakness in this area. He knows that in order for the organization to continue to grow, he must resist the tendency to direct every decision.

    How does a potential controlling leader handle a situation like this?

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    Close the Temple Doors

    By Devotional, God

    “Oh, that one of you would shut the temple doors, so that you would not light useless fires on my altar! I am not pleased with you,” says the Lord Almighty, “and I will accept no offering from your hands.” Malachi 1:10

    What a powerful and scary verse!

    Let me set the stage…

    Times were hard for the Israelites. The land was dry. The crops were barely producing. The animals and people were suffering. The enemies of the Israelites were prevailing in battle. The people, who had time after time seen the delivering hand of God, were wavering in their faith.

    They went to the altar of God, but instead of sacrificing their very best, they gave God their rejects. If they had prize sheep or goats, they kept these for breeding. It was their way of protecting their own investments. Afterall, they must have thought, in hard times, it didn’t make sense to waste the best, of which they had very little, on God? (Oh Lord, forgive me for even having to type that…but it’s true!)

    God would not accept their half-hearted worship!

    God said He would rather see the church doors closed than to be worshipped in such a way. Whew! That’s tough stuff!

    I don’t know about you, but

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