Monthly Archives: June 2015

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Crisis of Character

If you pay attention to the news, you cannot ignore the recent tidal wave of scandal, deception, dishonesty, manipulation, and impropriety. It seems that no segment of our national life is immune—politics (regardless of party), government’s top leaders and seemingly every agency within, law enforcement, financial institutions, corporations, journalism/media, athletics (professional and amateur), entertainment, and even certain religious and other nonprofit organizations.

It is no overstatement that we suffer a profound crisis of character in America today. We should not be surprised, as we have witnessed the progress of cultural decline for many years. However, this trend has accelerated to a point where we simply must forge a consensus around the need for immediate and decisive action to arrest it.

Anyone who cares about our generational survival as a society, much less our prosperity, will assign solutions the highest priority. But, solutions necessarily begin with root cause analysis. Causation is fertile ground for lively debate. I believe any list of causative factors must include denial of God, rejection of absolute truth or standards, and a conviction that ideological ends justify means.

It is strong character rooted in traditional values that made America great. Research continues to show that character matters, and that sound character leads to success as well as the greater good. There have been some excellent initiatives in character education, for example:

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I am especially excited about the fact-based work by Fred Kiel and KRW International. Check out Kiel’s book, just published April 7, 2015 by Harvard Business Review Press: Return on Character: The Real Reason Leaders and Their Companies Win.Return-on-Character

The research explores the relationships among character habits and principles, leadership
excellence, and organizational results. Organizations led by those of high moral character consistently perform better. Leadership character turns out to be a critical success factor and a competitive advantage.

The book goes on to describe how character is formed, how it creates value, and how that value spreads throughout the organization. It presents methods for building your own leadership character and creating a character-driven organization that achieves superior business results.

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10 Reasons You Need an Independent Facilitator

When speaking with leaders about strategic planning, one question almost always comes up. “We can handle planning internally. Why should we use an independent facilitator?” Of course you can do it yourself. In fact, High Impact Strategy can provide you with resources to help you with that approach. However, there are many benefits to the alternative. Here’s my view of what the outside facilitator brings to the party.

  1. Guides preparation so that all necessary information is available to the planning team. Enables the team to accomplish more in the given time.
  2. Allows free and open discussion, independent of each person’s position in the organization. Enhances team ownership by ensuring common understanding, clarifying decisions, building consensus and commitment.
  3. Keeps the discussion on track, focusing on the process instead of the end result. Ensures that all voices are heard; is more likely to keep one person from dominating the discussion.
  4. Avoids participants’ concern that the internal leader has an agenda and is trying to lead them to her/his predetermined outcome. Frees the internal leader to fully participate vs. concentrate on facilitating the planning process.
  5. Increases objectivity; is more likely to distinguish between facts and opinions, and to maintain a positive tone. Helps resolve conflicts, channeling emotions into constructive problem solving.

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  6. Maintains a forward focus, against the tendency to look back on history or dwell in the present. Enforces big picture strategic thinking, when those close to the operation are drawn to tactical details.
  7. Brings fresh perspective to old challenges, generating new approaches, options, and solutions. Shares lessons learned from the experiences of other organizations.
  8. Can ask the hard questions and address delicate issues with less risk of relational conflict. May expose myths, blind spots or counterproductive behaviors that are being denied.
  9. Directs the process to the desired result—strategies and priorities that address all critical issues. Tests strategies for alignment with mission, values, and vision.
  10. Prescribes a pathway for expanding selected strategies into operational goals and objectives, specific action plans, time frames, and accountabilities. Follows up to encourage and support execution and ongoing maintenance of the plan.

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What’s in a Name?

I am sure you have noticed the trend. Churches are increasingly rebranding themselves with single, generic nouns. Their reasons vary—attracting their target audience, pointing to their compelling vision, reinforcing a change in strategy, or reflecting some attribute of their location. Two churches not far from us have adopted the names Compass and Orchard.

My wife, Katie, and I were traveling in West Michigan this past weekend. Within a short time we passed churches named Corner, Bridge, and River. We mused that our home church, recently renamed Crossview, could legitimately be River Bridge Corner. We are, after all, located at the corner of two major streets; a river runs along the east side of the property; and there is a bridge just off the corner of our parking lot.

I couldn’t help reflecting further on the notion. Not the compound name, but the exercise in strategic thinking that it offered. You could, for example, model a strategy from the components of bridge, corner, and river.

  • Bridge: Move people from loneliness, unbelief, hopelessness, and/or hate to community, faith, hope, and love.
  • Corner: Empower them to turn the corner—transforming behavior, lifestyle, values, and purpose into a growing discipleship.
  • River: Train and deploy them in flowing out to others through service and spreading the good news.

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Bridge

CornerRiver

 

 

 

 

What is your favorite church name, and why is it significant?