The Leader's Journey Podcast

Join Jim and Trisha as they speak with pastors Ted and Jess from Evanston Vineyard Church about intentional change. Discover how their approach to transformation involves coaching, diverse perspectives, and the formation of clear, shared values. Ted Kim, who has been pastoring and ministering in churches for more than 20 years in Washington, California, New York, and areas outside of the US, is the lead pastor at Evanston Vineyard Church. He is passionate about leading people's hearts and minds toward Jesus. Jess, once an intern, is now also a pastor at Evanston Vineyard Church. She has been a big part of the intentional change and value focusing at the church. Conversation Overview Forming Congregational Values: Ted and Jess share their experience in leading a congregation through the process of forming and embracing core values. Navigating Resistance: The leaders discuss the positive aspects of encountering resistance during the values formation process and how it contributes to a culture of authenticity. Cultivating Team Culture: The importance of team culture values and ongoing learning in maintaining alignment with the overarching church values. Practical Implementation: Simple yet impactful practices, including regular readings of values during meetings, emphasizing the role of coaching in decision-making, and fostering a sense of agency among team members. Real Change in Action: The messy and non-linear nature of change, showcasing the genuine transformation that can occur in a congregation through intentional and collaborative efforts. Resourses Evanston Vineyard Church

Being stuck in problems and situations can be a significant hindrance to your ability to effectively lead and inspire those around you. Rather than move forward, you may find yourself focused on problems that prevent you from reaching your goals. Learn to resolve those situations so that they become a source of growth. Listen in this latest podcast as Trisha, Jim, and multiple other members of The Leader's Journey share their solutions to getting unstuck. Start your new year off with resolving to not allow the muddy moments in life to dictate the way you lead Getting Unstuck Distinguish between technical and adaptive problems. Talk with trusted individuals to process the ways you are stuck and find a solution. Shift the mood. Practice breathing in the silence to embrace and examine your emotional responses. Reject feelings of shame. Create space to pray and listen. Resources Internal Family Systems The Discernment of Spirits by Timothy Gallagher

adership, shedding light on helpful practices that can guide church leaders through the shift from an attractional growth model to a missional one. Joining them on this insightful exploration is the experienced and dynamic Mac McCarthy, Lead Pastor at Crosspoint Community Church in Milwaukee. Pastor Mac McCarthy is a seasoned leader with over 15 years in ministry. Currently serving as the Lead Pastor at Crosspoint Community Church, Mac brings a wealth of experience and a unique journey, having transitioned into the lead pastor role as the church evolved. Ordained in the Christian and Missionary Alliance denomination, Mac holds degrees from Bethel University and Trinity Evangelical Divinity School. Beyond his pastoral role and contributions of expertise as part of the coaching team for The Leader's Journey, he's a CrossFit coach and a passionate advocate for holistic health. Key Takeaways: Unveiling the missional perspective Diving into the importance of cultivating new mental models and practices in alignment with God's mission. Joining God on Mission: Listen, Discern, Experiment, and Review. Adaptive leadership in a changing cultural landscape. Resources: Crosspoint Community Church Leading Faithful Innovation: Following God into a Hopeful Future by Dwight Zscheile, Michael Binder, and Tessa Pinkstaff

What if leadership is mostly about paying attention? In this episode, Trisha and Jim engage in a thought-provoking conversation with their guest, Ann Kansfield. Ann delves into her personal experiences with leadership and how important a role focus and attentiveness plays. A primary task of leadership is to direct attention for ourselves and those we lead. At the same time, in today's world, paying attention is hard and sustaining attention in the face of distractions and anxiety is even harder. Listen as they discuss the simple but complex leadership principle in this conversation: We lead when we are able to focus our attention on what really matters and then help others to do the same in pursuit of a mission or task. Ann Kansfield, along with her wife Jennifer, serves as a pastor at Greenpoint Reform Church in Brooklyn, New York, and as a staff chaplain for the FDNY. Ann's journey, which you can read about in her book "Be the Brave One", inspires others to embrace their authentic selves and harness their innate potential. Key Takeaways: Understand the crucial role of attention in effective leadership. Recognize the importance of reflection and self awareness in managing attention. Explore the significance of building effective teams and fostering trust. Emphasize the value of routine in enhancing focus and productivity. Links and Resources: Be the Brave One by Ann Kansfield Follow Ann Kansfield on Facebook Greenpoint Reformed Church

Join host Jim Herrington and Dr. Michael DeRuyter in an enlightening discussion as they uncover the delicate interplay between individuality and togetherness forces within leadership environments. Dr. DeRuyter is a distinguished expert in Bowen Family Systems Theory and leadership development, offers profound insights and practical strategies to help leaders and organizations understand the intricacies of group dynamics. Explore the impacts of these forces on decision-making, team dynamics, and organizational relationships, providing invaluable guidance for leaders in complex settings. With practical strategies for managing heightened togetherness and fostering open communication, leaders are empowered to cultivate an environment of trust and collaboration, propelling their teams toward collective success. Join us in unlocking the transformative potential of understanding and harnessing these vital forces, igniting a passion for resilient leadership and cohesive team synergy in any organizational setting. Key Takeaways: Embrace the Complex Dynamics of Individuality and Togetherness Heightened Anxiety and Togetherness Strive for Balance Implement Effective Strategies Resources Mentioned: The Leader's Journey Website The Bowen Family Systems Theory

In this episode, Jim and Trisha talk with Chris Field, founder of Mercy Project, author, and speaker. They dive into the significance of systems thinking for leaders, emphasizing how it can address complex problems and instill hope within their organizations. Through his own journey, Chris highlights the value of long-term commitment, warns against the allure of quick fixes, and champions the enduring power of persistence. Chris's story underscores the importance of understanding the intricacies of a problem before attempting to solve it. By identifying the root cause and working towards a sustainable solution, real and lasting change can be achieved. Whether it's tackling child trafficking or any other complex issue, the principles of systems thinking, persistence, and introspection are invaluable. "Transformation happens in years, not in days." - Chris Field Key Takeaways: Origin of Mercy Project Understanding the Real Issue Systems Thinking vs. Linear Thinking Persistence – "Transformation happens in years, not in days." Chris's New Book: Chris talks about his upcoming book, which is an introspective look at his life and the importance of understanding oneself. Resources Mentioned: Chris Field: Learn more about Chris's work at meetchrisfield.com. Disrupting for Good A Billion Hours of Good Mercy Project: An organization dedicated to ending child trafficking in Ghana through sustainable solutions. The Leader's Journey: For those interested in learning more about systems thinking and leadership skills, visit theleadersjourney.us.

Leaders who rigorously practice rest and who learn to work from rest, not work for rest, move past performance and entitlement and can sustain healthy leadership for the long haul. This episode delves into the importance of rest, relaxation, and sabbaticals for everyone, especially leaders in various organizations. Rusty discusses the need for individuals and families to discern what true rest means to them and how they can creatively and collaboratively attain it, emphasizing the importance of connection, enjoyment, and minimizing distractions. Conversation Overview: True Rest: Discerning what is restful is crucial. Individual Needs and Collaboration: Balancing time alone and time with others, assessing and communicating needs clearly, and offering mutual support. Importance of Sabbaticals: Sabbaticals are integral to long-term wellness and effectiveness in ministry and other professions. Importance of Rest in Organizations: Both religious and corporate entities are recognizing the value of sabbaticals in employee retention and well-being. Ongoing Practice: Developing restful practices is an ongoing process that may need adjustment, accountability, support, and continuous effort. Sabbatical Coaching and Resources Resources: Rusty's Ministry: Steadfast Ministries Rusty's upcoming book: "The Art of Stability: How Staying Present Changes Everything" (2024) Other coaching and support resources: The Leader's Journey

If we can't or won't engage conflict, we can't lead effectively. It's as simple as that. Fortunately, managing ourselves in conflict can be learned, unlearned and re-learned as we use conflict as a powerful opportunity for growth and change. We wrapped up part 1 with a question from Trisha, how do we manage ourselves and stay open hearted even when the other person isn't? That's where we'll pick up in this episode. And we'll also explore the fascinating world of internal family systems and helping the organizations that we're leading develop more capacity for managing conflict. About Our Guests: Heidi De Jonge lives in Ontario, Canada and has been an ordained minister in the Christian Reformed Church for 17 years–serving as pastor for congregations, a seminary, a university and health care. She also works in the area of conflict transformation as a restorative practitioner with FaithCARE and a trainer with The Colossian Forum. Heidi received her doctorate in ministry from Western Theological Seminary in 2018, studying and writing about conflict as an opportunity for discipleship and transformation. She and her husband, Tim, have three daughters (Naomi, Samara and Zoe, 12 to 16) and a beloved husky-lab named Nevada. Brian Keepers has been an ordained pastor in the Reformed Church in America for 22 years. He has served three different congregations in the midwest, and he is currently serving as the lead pastor of Trinity Reformed Church in Orange City, IA. He is married to Tammy (24 years this August) and they have two daughters–Emma who is 20 and Abby who is 15 years old. They also have a granddaughter named Luna who is 2 1/2 years old. Brian loves art, reading, being outdoors, spending time with people, and getting to be "Poppy" to his granddaughter. He also loves to learn, especially at the intersection of theology, psychology and leadership. Resources & Links: The Five Dysfunctions of a Team: A Leadership Fable by Patrick Lencioni Christ the Center by Dietrich Bonhoeffer Crucial Conversations: Tools for Talking When Stakes Are High by Kerry Patterson, Joseph Grenny, et al. Fierce Conversations: Achieving Success at Work and in Life, One Conversation at a Time by Susan Scott. Leading Through Conflict: How Successful Leaders Transform Differences into Opportunities by Mark Gerzon.

If we can't or won't engage conflict, we can't lead effectively. It's as simple as that. Fortunately, managing ourselves in conflict can be learned, unlearned and re-learned as we use conflict as a powerful opportunity for growth and change. Conversation Overview: What is the goal of conflict? Mental models of conflict Formative experiences with conflict "Truth is not something in itself which rests for itself, but something that happens between two. Truth happens only in community." Crucial conversations Growing our capacity to manage conflict Container conversations About Our Guests: Heidi De Jonge lives in Ontario, Canada and has been an ordained minister in the Christian Reformed Church for 17 years–serving as pastor for congregations, a seminary, a university and health care. She also works in the area of conflict transformation as a restorative practitioner with FaithCARE and a trainer with The Colossian Forum. Heidi received her doctorate in ministry from Western Theological Seminary in 2018, studying and writing about conflict as an opportunity for discipleship and transformation. She and her husband, Tim, have three daughters (Naomi, Samara and Zoe, 12 to 16) and a beloved husky-lab named Nevada. Brian Keepers has been an ordained pastor in the Reformed Church in America for 22 years. He has served three different congregations in the midwest, and he is currently serving as the lead pastor of Trinity Reformed Church in Orange City, IA. He is married to Tammy (24 years this August) and they have two daughters–Emma who is 20 and Abby who is 15 years old. They also have a granddaughter named Luna who is 2 1/2 years old. Brian loves art, reading, being outdoors, spending time with people, and getting to be "Poppy" to his granddaughter. He also loves to learn, especially at the intersection of theology, psychology and leadership. Resources & Links: The Five Dysfunctions of a Team: A Leadership Fable by Patrick Lencioni Christ the Center by Dietrich Bonhoeffer Crucial Conversations: Tools for Talking When Stakes Are High by Kerry Patterson, Joseph Grenny, et al. Fierce Conversations: Achieving Success at Work and in Life, One Conversation at a Time by Susan Scott. Leading Through Conflict: How Successful Leaders Transform Differences into Opportunities by Mark Gerzon.

Welcome back to another episode of The Leader's Journey podcast. Today we're sharing one of our favorite episodes from 2019, Quit Getting In Your Own Way. This episode is a deep dive into the complexities of leadership and the often-overlooked reality that we can be our own biggest obstacles. Whether you're a seasoned leader or just starting your leadership journey, this episode offers valuable insights into self-awareness and the power of understanding and unlearning our behaviors. We hope this conversation is helpful on your journey to get out of your own way Conversation Overview True self and false self We all have needs and we all have wounds Meaning-making How do we learn to see ourselves? How do we reprogram the autopilot?

In this episode, we're joined by Dr. Chuck DeGroat to talk about the natural reactivity we have to anxiety. We've talked a lot about fight and flight, conflict and distancing, but we don't always add two other instinctive reactions: freeze and fawn. We may aspire to peace-making but we often settle for peace keeping and people-pleasing. When we can see our fawn response, we can stop hiding and courageously choose genuine connection instead. Conversation Overview: Chuck's tweet that inspired this conversation How does the fawn response mimic healthy connection while also undermining it? How does the fawn response show up in leadership? How do we connect the fawn response to anxiety? What might we do instead of fawning? References: Link to Chuck's Tweet Chuck Degroat Website https://twitter.com/chuckdegroat @chuckdegroat on Threads Janina Fisher The Fifth Discipline: The art and practice of the learning organization Healing Developmental Trauma: How Early Trauma Affects Self-Regulation, Self-Image, and the Capacity for Relationship The Five Dysfunctions of a Team: A Leadership Fable

We grow our emotional maturity when we see ourselves and our relationships as part of creation and stay in touch with the natural world around us. Conversation overview: Are we, humans, disconnected from nature? What is the relationship between emotional maturity and connection to the natural world? What are some practices that can bring us back into connection with nature? Links: Steven Chase called Nature A Spiritual Practice iNaturalist Seek App "To make a prairie" by Emily Dickson The Peace of Wild Things Written and read by Wendell Berry

In this episode, we continue our series on learning to managing self in triangles. Joining us for this conversation is our esteemed guest and good friend, Steve Cuss. As a reminder, this series is exploring the idea that triangles are neither good nor bad, but they are tricky and when you can see the triangles you're in and understand how they work, you have a better chance of not only surviving them but offering calm, principled leadership in the midst of them. Conversation Overview: What are some common ways that leaders in particular show up in triangles? How do we get drawn into triangles? How does being in leadership impact how we show up in triangles? What kinds of triangles are we tempted to light up ourselves? What are some basic principles–and practices– about how we can better manage ourselves more thoughtfully in these tricky triangle situations? Links: Steve Cuss Website Managing Leadership Anxiety: Yours and Theirs Family Systems and Congregational Life: A Map for Ministry

Triangles are not good or bad….but they are tricky. We're excited to kick off our new two-part series, "Managing Self in Triangles". Our guest for this episode is Dr. Jenny Brown, the founder and executive director of the Family Systems Institute and Family Systems Practice in Sydney, Australia. Dr. Brown is the author of the insightful book, "Growing Yourself Up: How to bring your best to all of life's relationships", which provides practical guidance on personal development within the context of our relationships. She is also the co-author of "Bowen family systems theory in Christian ministry: Grappling with Theory and its Application Through a Biblical Lens", a thought-provoking exploration of the Bowen family systems theory within the context of Christian ministry. In addition to her writing and counseling work, Dr. Brown is lead the Parent Hope Project. This initiative equips clinicians to effectively engage parents of symptomatic children, adolescents, and young adults, providing a roadmap for parents to discover ways they can change their part in dynamics that are inadvertently impeding their young person's development of self-regulation and responsibility. Conversation Overview: Are triangles bad? What are triangles for? What is the difference between triangles and triangulating? What are some of the predictable ways that triangles work? How do you remain in an outside or neutral position? Links and References: Growing Yourself Up: How to bring your best to all of life's relationships Bowen family systems theory in Christian ministry: Grappling with Theory and its Application Through a Biblical Len Family Systems Institute Parent Hope Project Dr Jenny Brown's Blog

In this episode, Jim and Trisha look back on The Leader's Journey, discuss key lessons and express gratitude for their clients, listeners, and the growth they've experienced through their work. We hope you'll connect with this authentic conversation. Conversation Overview: Jim & Trisha discuss their history working together The context, culture, and spaces they work in The value of collaboration in their work The learning community they have developed The importance of learning The challenges of changing behavior Accountability in the learning process References & Links: Tim McGee (personal, agency) Faithwalking The Podcast series on race Listening and Learning: An African-American Leader Shares His Story Changing Our Minds: How learning to see God and the world differently changed our view on race How We Got Here: Reflecting on our learning about race The series on trauma An introduction to trauma part 1 An introduction to trauma part 2 The series on power dynamics The Balance of Power: How trustworthy and transformative leaders balance authority and vulnerability creating space for flourishing Power Dynamics and Conflict: A conversation for trustworthy and transformative leaders Power Dynamics for Trustworthy and Transformative Leaders Using and Sharing Power to Create a More Just and Equitable Community Todd Bolsinger Juanita Rasmus Mandy Smith Phuc Luu Chuck Degrow Steve Cuss Robert Creech

Knowing and doing the right thing is hard. Staying calm and saying the course in the face of the resulting opposition can be even harder, and requires us to practice courage intentionally. In this episode, the third in our series on courage, Jim and Trisha are joined by Jessica Shults and Mac McCarthy who discuss their unique, yet similar, pastoral stories about leading congregations through hard things in different ways. Together they talk about different practices that can be used to help grow courage in challenging circumstances. Conversation Overview Being courageous in challenging established mental models can effectively lead people into new ways of thinking Having a sense of calling, utilizing the help of others, and having to revisit challenging things over and over again are all ways help us work on courage The practice of controlling our own self-care, in addition to letting other help us carry the weight of change, helps us to be able to focus in on how to handle challenging opposition in the right ways Staying connected and staying the course while defining oneself are two styles of leadership that we can learn from to grow our emotional maturity Links & References Edwin Friedman Books Speeches By Martin Luther King Jr.: The Ultimate Collection Todd Bolsinger Books The Colossian Forum Crosspoint Church Podcast and Blog The Leader's Journey Website The Leader's Journey E-mail List

Facing trauma and pain in constructive and redemptive ways requires us to practice courage intentionally. With David Zailer, author of Death of a Fisherman, Trisha and Jim continue their series on courage. Together they discuss an important question from David's life and book: "How will you and I grow through hardship and suffering?" Conversation Overview It takes courage to face our past traumas in order to grow emotionally The path to healing from addiction Connection and heal from pain The willingness to do small things Links & References Death of a Fisherman by David Zailer The Allender Center National Domestic Violence Hotline Child Abuse Hotline Suicide and Crisis Lifeline Alcoholics Anonymous Narcotics Anonymous Operation Integrity The Leader's Journey - An Introduction to Trauma for Leaders Series The Leader's Journey Website The Leader's Journey E-mail List

Podcast guest Nathan Herrington helps Jim and Trisha explore practices that can sustain courage in the third episode of a series that focuses on growing our emotional maturity. By saying yes to life on its own terms we lean into how we can learn to be courageous, and essentially more effective leaders through working on intentional focused practices. Conversation Overview Demonstrating courage by saying yes without knowing the outcome How body-based practices and body awareness can help our reactivity First action steps when starting a yoga or meditation practice Living a fully alive life by being brave Noticing growth through practice over time Links & References Nathan Herrington's Listening to Leaders Podcast Brené Brown – Quote from "The Gifts of Imperfection" Nathan's LinkedIn Nathan's Instagram The Leader's Journey Website The Leader's Journey E-mail List

In today's podcast, we discuss how leaders often live in a pace that stands in the way of being able to grow our emotional maturity. Our guest, April Fiet, is a pastor and author whose book The Sacred Pulse: Holy Rhythms for Overwhelmed Souls posits that the process of slowing down helps us live into our callings by tapping into holy rhythms which help pattern our days according to God's desires for our lives. The second episode in a series revolving around practices that help us grow our emotional maturity. Conversation Overview Learning to slow down to help us tap into rhythms of well being Chronos time vs kairos time Our longings to create space to be fully human How creativity and handcrafting helps us focus and ground Slowing down to examine our own selves and how we make time for others Links & References The Sacred Pulse: Holy Rhythms for Overwhelmed Souls by April Fiet Together: The Healing Power of Human Connection in a Sometimes Lonely World by Vivek H. Murthy M.D. April Fiet's Blog April Fiet's Free E-Book Whispers in the Wilderness: 7 Devotions for Hope in Uncertain Times April Fiet's Twitter April Fiet's Facebook Thank you for listening. If you enjoy listening to The Leader's Journey Podcast, the best way to support us is to take just a few seconds and leave a rating and/or comment over on iTunes or share it with your friends on Facebook … Thank you!

The only way to be different is to do different—seeing our autopilot ways of being and disrupting them is the only way change happens. I rarely struggle to know what I believe the right thing to do is but I often have the inability to do the right thing…I normally know the right things about how to relate, how to do relationships, and when I get anxious sometimes and maybe some people would say often the anxiety gets in the way of my ability to do the right thing" This is the first episode in an ongoing theme we'll be exploring the rest of the year about practices that help us all grow our emotional maturity. Conversation Overview Why is it so hard? What is an autopilot? How can we learn to see our autopilot? Do we really want to change? Ways we can learn to change our autopilot Organizations (teams and families) have autopilots References: Immunity to Change Hunger for Healing by Keith Miller

As a learning community, we want to share some of our best resources with you, let you get to know our team a little better and give you a peek into what we're learning. We hold a shared belief that, especially in a context where the pace of change is so rapid, ongoing learning that is fed by curiosity about what's happening in our ministry context, is an essential way of being. In this episode, we've gathered a handful of our teammembers toogther to talk about what we learned last year, to share a resource that will be helpful to our listeners, and to let us in on what they want to learn this year. Trisha Taylor Learning to see her autopilot and intentionally disrupt it to "live more consciously, more thoughtfully, more awake." Two tools that have helped Trisha do this have been journalling and a "professional who knows how to hold space and listen." Don't Look Up [movie] Aundrea Baker Learned about emotions, the science behind emotions, and practiced "allowing myself in certain situations to feel the feelings and pass through them and get to the other side." Two books were primary for me in this learning, one was Emotional Agility by Susan David, and the other one was, It's Not Always Depression by Hilary Jacobs Hendel. Mac McCarthy Over the past year Mac has been learning "how to process pain in ministry" and setting appropriate boundaries. Two resources that have helped Mac work through this learning has been a coach and resources from Dan White Jr. and The Kineo Center This year he is planning to do a deep dive with his team into a leadership model that includes both men and women working together using Better Together Tim McGee This past year Tim has focused a lot of his learning on the power of clarity on communication and design. "Clear is Kind" by Brene Brown A book that has helped Tim process and practice this over the past year was Strategy is Your Words by Mark Pollard Dawn Bird This past year Dawn has been learning to be compassionate with herself around patterns in some of her closest relationships. Two resources that have helped Dawn explore this has been an episode of the We Can Do Hard Things podcast titled Breaking Cycles & Reparenting Yourself with Dr. Becky Kennedy and the book Good Inside by Dr. Becky Kennedy Hello, Molly! [memoir] Victor Chiao Victor said this past year he has been learning how to practice courage and draw from his guiding principles in the face of anxious situations. And while he says he didn't have any tangible resources he offered these thoughts, "find others with a shared vision, a community that fosters safety, that allows you...to lean into those areas of discomfort and to have a chance to choose courage." Another way he is planning to lean into discomfort is by up Jiujitsu this year. Jim Herrington This past year Jim has been deepening his learning around trauma and exploring the connections between trauma and family systems. A couple resources Jim mentioned in the episode were, In The Realm of Hungry Ghosts by Gabor Mate M.D., The Wisdom of Trauma by Gabor Mate M.D., and Amazing Place Family Caregiver Support Resources Thank you for listening. If you enjoy listening to The Leader's Journey Podcast, the best way to support us is to take just a few seconds and leave a rating and/or comment over on iTunes or share it with your friends on Facebook … Thank you!

The gold standard of leadership is calm, principled presence in the face of challenge. This requires commitment and practice to do the inside-out work of growing a calmer self. About Nate Pyle Nate is an author, blogger and ordained pastor in the Reformed Church in America. In 2015, Nate released his first book, Man Enough: How Jesus Redefines Manhood, with Zondervan. He contributed to Learning Change: Congregational Transformation Fueled by Personal Renewal. Nate's second book, More Than You Can Handle: When Life's Overwhelming Pain Meets God's Overcoming Grace, released in March of 2019 with Zondervan. Currently, Nate serves as the pastor of Christ's Community Church in Fishers, Indiana where he lives with his wife and three children. "And so the biggest growth edge for me when it comes to growing a calmer self was growing my understanding of myself and who I am, and who I believe I've been created to be and what my values and beliefs and principles are and that's still an ongoing learning, but before I could ever grow a calmer self, I just had to figure out who my self was." – Nate Pyle Conversation Overview What is the role of self? Managing yourself vs changing others behavior Calm vs reactive Examples of calm leadership Growing our capacity to manage ourselves Examples of calm leadership Links and references Murray Bowen Edwin Friedman Steve Cuss book, managing Leadership Anxiety Nate Pyle Website Nate Pyle Books Chronically online Better Together https://twitter.com/NatePyle79

Learning to Surface and Test the Mental Models: Part 2 When you are leading off map, learning to surface and test the mental models—yours and those of your team—that guide your decision-making is an essential leadership skill. In this episode, we are going to name what we believe to be the dominant mental model and then compare and contrast it to what we see emerging. As you listen, join us in asking how is the new mental model similar to what we are currently practicing and how is it different? Listen to Learning to Surface and Test the Mental Model Part 1 Conversation Overview Definition of a mental model Shift in the mental model of leadership style Shift in the mental model of discipleship Shift in the mental model of success Disorienting shift in influence many pastors are facing Links & References Mac McCarthy Praxis Podcast with Mac McCarthy Crosspoint Community Church Learning to Surface and Test the Mental Model Part 1 Alan Roxburgh Fifth Discipline by Peter Senge Tod Bolsinger, Canoeing the Mountains Dallas Willard

When you are leading off map, learning to surface and test the mental models—yours and those of your team—that guide your decision-making is an essential leadership skill. Click here to learn more about and get access to Better Together Conversation Overview What is a mental model and why is it important to know what one is? What are some biblical examples of mental model shifts? What is the connection of chronic anxiety to mental models? How do leaders function when there are a variety of mental models in the organization? What are some of the major mental model shifts that we see clients having to engage? References: Better Together Fifth Discipline by Peter Senge Mark Sayers Renewal in the Grey Zone Tod Bolsinger, Canoeing the Mountains

We believe that it is God's design for men and women to collaborate as equals in the missional life. We believe living according to God's design is a matter of justice and a matter of missional effectiveness. Learn more and get access to Better Together here. Conversation Overview How Jim & Trisha started working together Some of what we've learned over more than 20 years of working together Our commitment to an egalitarian vision What if our church isn't egalitarian? What about the risks?

Burning out is not an inevitable part of leadership but it is a common one; leaders can care for themselves and each other as they avoid burnout where possible, heal from burnout where necessary and use burnout to learn new ways of life. Subscribe to our newsletter Conversation Overview What is burnout? How do we distinguish between burnout, stress, depression, fatigue, etc.? How do our mental models and vows contribute to our tendency to burn out? How can we recover from burnout? How can we protect ourselves and those we lead from burnout? Links Faithwalking Canoeing the Mountains: Christian Leadership in Uncharted Territory by Tod Bolsinger A Non-Anxious Presence: How a Changing and Complex World will Create a Remnant of Renewed Christian Leaders by Mark Sayers Burnout: The Secret to Unlocking the Stress Cycle by Emily Nagoski & Amelia Nagoski Emily & Amelia Nagoski on Unlocking Us podcast with Brene Brown Generation to Generation: Family Process in Church and Synagogue by Edwin H. Friedman Thank you for listening. If you enjoy listening to The Leader's Journey Podcast, the best way to support us is to take just a few seconds and leave a rating and/or comment over on iTunes or share it with your friends on Facebook … Thank you!

Leading from the Second Chair with Mike Bonem Leadership is not just about being in charge. The best leaders know how to use influence and relationships to lead up, down and sideways in order to shape the things they care about. Subscribe to our newsletter What is a second chair leader? "a person in a subordinate role whose influence with others adds value throughout the organization." Conversation Overview: What is a second chair leader? Joseph as a biblical example of a second chair leader 3 apparent paradoxes of leading from the second chair Leader and subordinate Deep and wide Contentment and dreaming "How do we dream, and yet, not get so wrapped up in making my dream happen tomorrow that we lose contentment today?" Consider some resistance to leading from the second chair Deep change is a process and takes time About Mike Bonem: Mike Bonem is a consultant, coach, author, speaker, husband and father. He offers a unique mix of world-class consulting and executive leadership experience to help churches, ministries, and their leaders turn vision into results. Mike holds an MBA, with distinction, from Harvard Business School. He was a senior manager with McKinsey & Company, one of the world's leading management consulting firms, and held executive leadership roles in two businesses. He subsequently served over 10 years as the executive pastor of a large Baptist church in Houston. Links: https://mikebonem.com/ The Art of Leading Change by Mike Bonem Leading from the Second Chair Thriving in the Second Chair Leading Congregational Change Genesis 37-50 Jim Collins - https://www.jimcollins.com/ Leading Change, With a New Preface by the Author by John Kotter

Leadership is not just about being in charge. The best leaders know how to use influence and relationships to lead up, down and sideways in order to shape the things they care about. Subscribe to our newsletter Conversation Overview What are some of the frustrations and challenges that come with trying to lead in an organization where you're not in charge? What does it mean to lead up? What are some mental models we need to let go of to effectively lead up? What are the practices of leading up? The importance of learning to lead myself Influence and systems thinking Continuum of commitment Emotional bank accounts Links: How to lead when you're not in charge 7 Habits of Highly Effective People The Fifth Discipline: The Art & Practice of The Learning Organization Leading from the Second Chair: Serving Your Church, Fulfilling Your Role, and Realizing Your Dreams

In this episode, we talk with Ben Sternke and Matt Tebbe authors of "Having the Mind of Christ: Eight Axioms to Cultivate a Robust Faith". During the conversation, we explore deconstruction, how our response to it impacts those we lead, and much more! Subscribe to our newsletter Conversation Overview: Ben & Matt's Book: Having the Mind of Christ: Eight Axioms to Cultivate a Robust Faith "Lenses don't change the world, but they change how we see the world." What is deconstruction? Is deconstruction a bad thing? Code-switching "We have to abandon the pursuit of the one universal way of describing everything. I think we have to abandon that because it just doesn't exist." The mental model shift in the book of Acts "The kind of deconstruction we're talking about is necessary." Links: Having the Mind of Christ: Eight Axioms to Cultivate a Robust Faith Nate Pyle Gravity Leadership, gravityleadership.com theleadersjourney.us/newsletter [email protected] [email protected]

Today we're talking about what it means to be coachable and what it means to have a posture of coachability. Subscribe to our newsletter! Leaders who learn to lead through coaching and who develop a culture of coaching in their organization will effectively raise up people who can consistently be the healthiest, most effective version of themselves and do their best work. Conversation Overview Overview of episodes in the series so far What does it mean to be coachable? Reflecting on our own coachability The importance of being coachable at every level in an organization Developing curiosity The value of an organization or community committed to personal growth and development Links Faithwalking The Leader As Coach: Five essential skills The Leader As Coach: Developing People Giving and receiving feedback Defined and Connected Learning is Imperative for Effective Leadership: Part 1 Two Feet Walking Workbook Coaching description on our website Our Love Hate Relationship with Goals (podcast episode) Two Feet Walking Podcast Series

The five skills that leaders can start to work on today to become more effective leaders through coaching are deep listening, inquiry, giving clear feedback, guiding focus, and doing your own work. Subscribe to our newsletter! Leaders who learn to lead through coaching and who develop a culture of coaching in their organization will effectively raise up people who can consistently be the healthiest, most effective version of themselves and do their best work. Conversation Overview Coaching is "deliberately providing a safe and challenging environment where change is possible" Deep listening "Being profoundly heard by another person is a transformative experience." – Jim Herrington "The experience of being deeply listened to makes us different." – Trisha Taylor Inquiry One reason we get bored listening is because we're not actively asking questions. We're not really all that curious, we're busy, and we're distracted. Giving clear feedback Guiding focus Part of the skill of guiding focus is helping people pay attention to the things they need to be paying attention to. Doing your own work Links: The Leader As Coach: Developing People Giving and receiving feedback Defined and Connected Learning is Imperative for Effective Leadership: Part 1 Two Feet Walking Workbook Coaching description on our website Our Love Hate Relationship with Goals (podcast episode) Two Feet Walking Podcast Series Thank you for listening. If you enjoy listening to The Leader's Journey Podcast, the best way to support us is to take just a few seconds and leave a rating and/or comment over on iTunes or share it with your friends on Facebook … Thank you!

Leaders who learn to lead through coaching and who develop a culture of coaching in their organization will effectively raise up people who can consistently be the healthiest, most effective version of themselves and do their best work. Subscribe to our newsletter! Conversation Overview: Leadership mental models What do we mean by coaching? Coaching styles and approaches How will leaders need to change in order to take on coaching as a key method of leading? Feedback and accountability Working from a shared vision Developing a culture of coaching in an organization Links: The End of Leadership by Barbara Kellerman Two Feet Walking Workbook Coaching description on our website Our Love Hate Relationship with Goals (podcast episode) Two Feet Walking Podcast Series Thank you for listening. If you enjoy listening to The Leader's Journey Podcast, the best way to support us is to take just a few seconds and leave a rating and/or comment over on iTunes or share it with your friends on Facebook … Thank you!

In this episode of The Leader's Journey Podcast, Trisha and Jim are reflecting on the past two years, what they've learned, how things have changed, and what they can see differently now from a different vantage point. In part of the episode, Jim and Trisha reflect on a few podcasts and blog posts they shared during the early stages of the pandemic. We wanted to encourage you to review those resources and reflect on the leadership challenges you've faced in the last two years to learn from them and take that learning into the future. Here are a couple of those resources: ​Systems Thinking in Anxious Times​ ​Leading in Uncertain Times (COVID-19)​ ​After the Adrenaline: Self-care in a Time of Crisis​ ​The Big Picture: Pandemic, Anxiety, and Society In our most recent newsletter, Trisha shared three things she hopes people will reflect on as they read and listen to the resources above and this episode of the podcast. After reviewing the resources above and listening to this episode of the podcast, we want to hear from you. What do you notice when you reflect on your role as a leader over the past two years? Conversation Overview: So is the pandemic over? Where are we now? Reflecting on a few of our podcasts and blogs from early stages of the pandemic What do leaders know now that we didn't know before? What systems principles do we need to remember in this time?

To navigate the storms in our systems it is important to be able to notice and identify them as ambient anxiety from a culture in chaos, a crisis eruption, or the conflict that shows up as a symptom of the anxiety in our system. Subscribe to our newsletter! The Leader's Journey Book Series The process of researching, studying, and writing the book The Leader's Journey changed the trajectory of our lives. In this series, we are joined by our co-author Dr. Robert Creech and together we'll be going over some key ideas from the book and the impact those ideas have had and are having on our lives. Conversation Overview The storms that arise in a system: ambient anxiety from a culture in chaos The storms that arise in a system: when crisis erupts, often without warning The storms that arise in a system: the conflict that shows up as a symptom as the system experiences anxiety Tammie Jo Shultz story How the practice of the spiritual disciplines moves us toward transformation Why is a focus on learning so crucial? Thinking systems as a Christian Family Systems and Congregational Life Links: The Leader's Journey Tammie Jo Shults air traffic control audio Dr. Robert Creech on Amazon Family Systems and Congregational Life Edwin Friedman-Generation to Generation and A Failure of Nerve Victoria Harrison Family Systems and Congregational Life Thank you for listening. If you enjoy listening to The Leader's Journey Podcast, the best way to support us is to take just a few seconds and leave a rating and/or comment over on iTunes or share it with your friends on Facebook … Thank you!

What does our family of origin or our nuclear family have to do with how we lead? In this episode, we explore that question as we discuss the third section of our book entitled Family Patterns. The process of researching, studying, and writing the book The Leader's Journey changed the trajectory of our lives. In this series, we are joined by our co-author Dr. Robert Creech and together we'll be going over some key ideas from the book and the impact those ideas have had and are having on our lives. Conversation overview: What do you consider to be a connection between your own call to ministry and the family you came from? What is the value of a family diagram? How does working on our emotional maturity within our family system impact us outside of our family system? Links: The Leader's Journey Dr. Robert Creech on Amazon Family Systems and Congregational Life Edwin Friedman-Generation to Generation and A Failure of Nerve Victoria Harrison Flawed Families of the Bible by David and Diana Garland Family Ties That Bind by Ronald Richardson A Family Diagram Workbook by Israel Galindo Extraordinary Relationships: A New Way of Thinking about Human Interactions by Roberta Gilbert

To think systems, we have to give up cause-and-effect thinking. Everyone in a particular system is influencing and being influenced all the time. The process of researching, studying, and writing the book The Leader's Journey changed the trajectory of our lives. In this series, we are joined by our co-author Dr. Robert Creech and together we'll be going over some key ideas from the book and the impact those ideas have had and are having on our lives. Conversation Overview: What is a living system? How does systems thinking differ from other ways of seeing the world? What is the effect of systems thinking on leadership? How can a leader learn to manage self in those predictable triangles? What are some ways we can practice emotional maturity while we're under pressure? Links: The Leader's Journey Dr. Robert Creech on Amazon Family Systems and Congregational Life Thank you for listening. If you enjoy listening to The Leader's Journey Podcast, the best way to support us is to take just a few seconds and leave a rating and/or comment over on iTunes or share it with your friends on Facebook … Thank you!

"An effective leader, one who can galvanize individuals and groups and who has the potential to help transform society is a person who has the capacity to know and do the right thing." – The Leader's Journey The process of researching, studying, and writing the book The Leader's Journey changed the trajectory of our lives. In this series, we are joined by our co-author Dr. Robert Creech and together we'll be going over some key ideas from the book and the impact those ideas have had and are having on our lives. Conversation Overview What does it mean to be a leader who has the capacity to know and do the right thing? What are living systems? How does looking at living systems change our thinking about leadership? What do we believe about how change takes place in a person's life? What have we learned about this in our own lives? How does Jesus serve as a mentor for us as we grow our capacity to "know and do the right things?" What can we see in Jesus' life about how to show up in the systems we are part of? How can listeners/readers use this book? Links: The Leader's Journey Dr. Robert Creech on Amazon Family Systems and Congregational Life

How can leaders use the power they have on behalf of others and share their power with others in order to create a more just and more equitable community? We are joined by Dr. D. Z. Cofield and Deborah Pulis for this conversation. In this series, we are exploring the inherent connection between leadership and power. We hope to help leaders better understand the dynamics of power in their organizations and in themselves and develop some principles and practices that help them use their own power wisely. Conversation overview Dr. D.Z. Cofield, Pastor of Good Hope Missionary Baptist Church Deborah Pulis, Executive Director of Body Oak Cliff Sometimes, our intentions may not be as good as we think they are Learning to recognize your power "True power is given to you, it's not taken from them." – Dr. D.Z. Cofield "Live boldly and clean up your messes as you go along." – Deborah Pulis Being stingy with power "I wonder what would happen if everyone in this country that had a spare bedroom used it to house someone" – Deborah Pulis Learning to be sensitive to how I apply power in different contexts The story of The Well Using power FOR vs. WITH others Stories about sharing power Entrusting others with power prematurely The role of mentoring in sharing power "Trust that something bigger can come out of divergent voices." – Deborah Pulis About our guests: Dr. D.Z. Cofield is Senior Pastor of Good Hope Missionary Baptist Church in Houston's Third Ward. He has a Master's Degree in Theology at the Dallas Theological Seminary and a Doctor of Ministry Degree at Faith Evangelical Seminary in Tacoma, Washington. You can read his full bio here . Deborah Pulis is the Executive Director of Body Oak Cliff where they work to see the Body of Christ united and working together. She and her husband Joel live in community with a very diverse group of people and have been key leaders at The Well in Dallas, a community for adults who struggle with severe and chronic mental illness. Links: Faithwalking The Well Good Hope Missionary Baptist Church Body Oak Cliff

In this episode, we explore how trustworthy and transformative leaders carefully balance authority and vulnerability to create space for flourishing. Conversation overview What comes to mind when you think about authority? What comes to mind when you think about vulnerability? The vulnerability to tell the truth Having conviction and humility The importance of loving the people that we serve What might it look like to be out of balance? Listener question: what do forgiveness and reconciliation look like when we're thinking about using power wisely? The skill of holding tension When is the right place and who are the right people to be vulnerable with? How can we learn to balance authority and vulnerability, to hold the tension? Links: When Narcissism Comes to Church: Healing Your Community From Emotional and Spiritual Abuse by Chuck DeGroat Crucial Conversations: Tools for Talking When Stakes are High Dare to Lead: Brave Work. Tough Conversations. Whole Hearts. by Brene Brown The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen Covey Strong and Weak: Embracing a Life of Love, Risk and True Flourishing by Andy Crouch Dr. James Furr Psalm 8

A conversation about leadership is inherently a conversation about power, and a conversation about power is inherently a conversation about conflict. In this episode, we explore how trustworthy and transformative leaders understand how power dynamics are always present in conflict and how they can be navigated wisely, creating the results we want. Thanks for listening! Summary: Assumptions about power Having power exposes our values Power determines the terms of a conflict Power as dominance Hidden expressions of power When powerful people feel powerless Passive Aggressive power How conflict helps us reach our goals Links: 5 Dysfunctions of a Team by Patrick Lencioni Explore the various forms of power in this download from Brene Brown Giving & Receiving Feedback Effective and Empowering Accountability How did Jesus deal with Conflict? Dare to Lead by Brene Brown Defined and Connected Applying Systems Thinking Bowen Family Systems Theory Series Spiritual Practices That Lead To Breakthrough The Importance of Emotional Intelligence Quit Getting In Your Own Way

Trustworthy and transformative leaders understand the dynamics of power in their organizations and in themselves and they have developed principles and practices that help them use their own power wisely. "Power is the ability to achieve purpose, power is the ability to effect change, and we need power." – Martin Luther King Jr. Leaders will too often use their power in ways that produce outcomes counter to their stated vision or goals Misusing and not exercising power Power is neutral Power dynamics exist regardless of whether we intend to use them or not Dare to lead by Brene Brown Power over or positions of power Power with or the power to collaborate Power to or the power to accomplish and take action Power dynamics are both subjective and objective

It's the new year and some of us have been planning our new year's resolutions for months, some of us haven't and feel guilty about it, and some of us very strictly don't do resolutions. Our culture is very keen on goal-setting and yet, we wonder how effective that is. In this episode, we got our whole team together to have a conversation about goals, when they work for us, and when they dont. - Tying goals to guiding principles and core principles - 12-week or quarterly goals - Setting goals out of a false self - Can goals be too specific? - "If goals are tied to my worth, then I'm going to be in trouble." - Setting goals around roles and goals. - Begin with the end in mind and plan backward - Daily to-dos focused on making progress toward long-term goals - Tying goals to my dreams for my life - Framing goals for learning and not achievement - Recognizing underlying systemic obstacles - Being goals and doing goals - Extrinsic and intrinsic - Goals as a practice References Click here to check out our team 12-week year Atomic habits Your Theme by CGP Grey Doing the Math of mission 7 Habits by Stephen Covey Goals: It's Complicated - The Leader's Journey Setting Goals that Disrupt Habits and Utilize Systems - The Leader's Journey

We wanted the last episode of this year to be a little different. There will not be a leadership principle, and there's not going to be a question that we're trying to answer. But in this episode, I think we want to talk to each other and talk to our community as the year winds down. To give us the opportunity to reflect a little bit on this last year. Conversation overview: We're not designed to live disconnected over the long haul What is normal? Societal upheaval Considering family systems Resilience and reframing what success might look like Doing hard things well The power and importance of authentic relationships Parting thoughts for our community as we wrap up this year References: Churches learning change Faithwalking AA Family systems theory Your Labor Is Not in Vain (Live) (feat. Paul Zach)

Today Jim is joined by our colleague and fellow coach, Dr. Michael De Ruyter. Mike and Jim are facilitating a learning community for 10 pastors this fall and today's podcast is a conversation between us that we prepared for one of the gatherings of this group of pastors, the topic is systems thinking and how we utilize this way of thinking and highly complex and emotionally charged leadership situations. We invite you to listen. Conversation overview: - The mental model of systems thinking - Cause and effect thinking - What is a system? - Why systems thinking - How systems change - How anxiety shows up in a system - Recognizing anxiety in ourselves

How do we implement accountability strategies that are actually empowering and effective? In our efforts to lead a group of people toward a shared mission or vision, we must find ways to overcome our negative experiences with accountability and learn to hold ourselves, each other and our organizations accountable in collaborative, grace-filled and practical ways. Summary: Reactions to the idea of accountability from our experiences and our first formation Accountability and performance appraisals and feedback Using meetings to hold ourselves accountable Accountability for ourselves and to each other--accountability structures in The Leader's Journey 200% accountability -- Accountability in a collaborative context Distinguishing accountability from blame Practices for accountability in complexity--being accountable for being accountable Resources: 2FW Workbook Renovare Resources for effective feedback: Radical Candor & Crucial Accountability Our past podcast on feedback: Giving & Receiving Feedback Resources for the structure to support accountability: Traction & 4 Disciplines of Execution The Rise and Fall of Mars Hill The One Thing by Keller and Papasan, especially Fig. 24 and Fig. 32

Many organizations have plenty of great ideas and plans for the future but they struggle to focus everyone in the same direction and goal setting always seems to fall flat. How can we do strategic planning in a way that will help us get where we're trying to go? That's the topic for this episode of our series exploring questions we get from leaders about that second set of leadership skills--the collective skills it takes to lead people. Download the Two Feet Walking Workbook Conversation overview: What are the different components of strategic planning? How does strategic planning fit into what we know about adaptive leadership? Is strategic planning different for churches and ministries and nonprofits? How? Why do organizations sometimes resist strategic planning? What are some concerns about the strategic planning process? If someone is just beginning to think about strategic planning, where should they start and what should they remember? Other episodes in this series can be found here at theleadersjourney.us/2fw Thank you for listening. If you enjoy listening to The Leader's Journey Podcast, the best way to support us is to take just a few seconds and leave a rating and/or comment over on iTunes or share it with your friends on Facebook … Thank you!

The question we are exploring in this episode is, "So I believe that God is doing a new thing, how do I help people let go of the past so that we can move toward a different future?" Conversation Overview The nature of change The nature of grief How do we help people name and grieve their losses without getting stuck in them? What are the skills and practices for this work? How is this work similar and different with a group of people as opposed to individuals? How do I know when it's time to "move on?" Download the Two Feet Walking Workbook

I understand that I'm supposed to be leading toward God's emerging future, mobilizing people toward a shared vision. But honestly, it's like herding cats! How do we know where we're supposed to be going? Download the Two Feet Walking Workbook Conversation Overview: What makes this difficult? What are some different ways to look at collective discernment? What do we believe about the process of collective discernment? What are some practices and skills leaders can develop to help this process?

We live in a culture that is drowning in emotion and at the same time we are emotionally numb and cut off. The church is no different. In order to have something compelling to offer in our culture, in order to work together in ministry, we have to learn how to name and manage our emotions. This episode is about understanding and managing our emotions from our six-part series on leadership practices that lead to breakthrough. If you'd like to learn more about this series or our organizational coaching and leadership development services you can contact us using our website, https://theleadersjourney.us/contact Conversation Overview Spiritual life vs. emotional life Learning to feel his feelings What are feelings good for? Disrupting old ways of thinking Thank you for listening. If you enjoy listening to The Leader's Journey Podcast, the best way to support us is to take just a few seconds and leave a rating and/or comment over on iTunes or share it with your friends on Facebook … Thank you!

This episode is about learning to master transformation conversations from our six-part series on leadership practices that lead to breakthrough. If you'd like to learn more about this series or our organizational coaching and leadership development services you can contact us using our website, https://theleadersjourney.us/contact Change happens at the speed of conversation God created with God's words What do our words enroll people in? Enrolling people in hope The 3 parts of a transformation conversation How are you going to practice?