The Art of Leading Change
Leading change is difficult. The hardest part is not deciding which path to follow. The bigger challenge is found in the messy human dynamics throughout the journey of change. Many resources for leading change focus […]
Resisters Are Not the Enemy
This article is adapted from Mike Bonem’s forthcoming book, The Art of Leading Change: Ten Perspectives on the Messiness of Ministry.
In many arenas of life, we neatly divide people into two groups: friends and foes. […]
From Business Executive to Executive Pastor
A variety of paths can lead to the role of executive pastor (or executive director) in a church. One of the most common is the businessperson who is already a volunteer leader in the church […]
Clarifying the XP Role
“And all other duties as may be assigned.” This is commonly the last line in a job description, but the practical reality for many second chair leaders is that this is their first responsibility. This […]
Organizing Selectively
“To organize or not to organize? That is the question.” While this may be a bad take-off on Shakespeare, it’s a key issue for second chair leaders. One possible response to this question is, “Don’t bother […]
The Ultimate Leadership Paradox
Whether you realize it or not, being in the “second chair” is the ultimate leadership paradox. You are a leader: mentoring staff members, overseeing the day-to-day operations, and ensuring that the organization is running smoothly. […]
Hiring an Executive Pastor?
A couple of months ago, I was asked to give a presentation entitled, “Executive Pastor: If, When, Why, How?” As you can guess from the title, the focus was on churches that were thinking about […]