11 Leadership No-No’s

As a Lead Pastor, you’re responsible for creating a culture that’s serious about reaching people for Christ.  Leadership is top down.  Your staff (paid or unpaid) are only as strong as you, and your church is only as strong as your staff.  This begs the question: What kind of culture are you creating within your leadership team?

Here are 11 No-No’s to avoid:

1. Inflexibility:  The staff person with a stiff, starchy, negative spirit.  God’s only pleased when faith is involved (Heb. 11:6).
2. Disloyalty: The staff person that’s not absolutely loyal to the vision.  It’s usually the last person that you’d ever think it would be.
3. Laziness: The staff person who cannot show up on time to save his life!  15 minutes early is on time. On time is late. Late is unacceptable.  Lazy volunteers make even more lazy staff members.  We’re in the most important business on the planet – the local church!
4. Chronic Confusion: The staff person who’s always a page behind everyone else on the team and asks a million questions – that he should already know!  Chronic Confusion is not an option!  If a staff person cannot keep tempo, switch or ditch.
5. Unmotivated: The staff person that acts as an anchor rather than a rudder.  Vision motivates a true leader, not a paycheck!
6. Nonperformers: The staff person that rarely meets deadlines, and usually has an excuse as to why.  Someone may end up in Hell because this staff guy can’t get it together! Ditch him, and trust that God will bring you three more to fill his space.
7. Informers: The staff person who’s always trying to tell you everything he already knows. He is NEEDY.  The person who’s asking the right questions is a leader.
8. Antiperspirants:  The staff person that DOESN’T sweat the small stuff!  Attention to detail reveals commitment, motivation, heart, and an understanding of the vision.   Churches with staff that sweat the small stuff grow.
9. Boxed Thinkers:  The staff person that’s always the first to say, “We don’t have the money or volunteers to do that.”  Leaders find creative ways to get the job done, even if it means thinking outside the box!
10. 3^rd Base Thinkers:  The staff person that wants to jump straight to 3^rd base and lead something big.  Get a jersey, hit the ball, and run to first base first!  True leaders are willing to be under authority before being in authority!
11. Hotel Mentality: The staff person who treats the church like a hotel.  He’s not in it for the long haul.  He wants to lead, make a MESS, and leave others to clean it up.  Influence is given to the person who has burned his resume, locked the exit doors, and is ALL IN!  Either you’re all in or you’re all out, but you can’t be both!