Life happens. Death happens. Unfortunate circumstances incapacitate leaders. We’ve all heard of sudden death, long-term debilitating illness, moral failure, deviance from doctrine and mission, and unforeseen resignations. Most organizations do not have a plan or a process to deal with such...

If you’re succeeding an outgoing leader, you may already know that the bookshelves lack specific guidance for your situation. Highlighted here are some ideas and thoughts for your consideration.

Don’t expect things to be the same for you as they were for your predecessor. If people...

A church's core values are like the ballast in a ship. Although storms may buffet a vessel above the waterline, it is the weight of the ballast in the hull of the ship, beneath the waterline, that allows it to weather the storm and reach its destination safely. Likewise, when a church faces...

For many years, I was the primary leader of a successful organization. Until I hit a plateau. It took me 20 years to reach a pinnacle of my dreams-come-true and then nothing. I was still dreaming new dreams, yet hit wall after wall. I was stuck, unable to move forward and refusing to move...

About a year ago, I received a phone call from David, who was an executive director of a nonprofit organization. David expressed frustration with the lack of progress in his professional life as well as feeling ineffective in his personal life. He shared with me that, although he had been leading...

It is inherent in the role of leadership to create tension. By definition, leaders take people to places that are unfamiliar, often uncomfortable, and even threatening. We might even say that the first job of a great leader is to increase the level of stress. Some might even call it chaos. If we...