Bill Easums Observations

On November 11, Leadership Network is hosting a live, online event on the topic of Leaders & Readers. Six authors will share their thoughts on the role that reading has played in their leadership experiences, drawing content from their latest books. On that day, the audience will be able to participate in the conversation through live Q&A.

I was invited to share my thoughts on the following three questions…

1. “I feel that reading is valuable to leadership because…”   the worst thing that can happen to “would-be” leaders is to get cloistered away in their church to the point that they never are challenged beyond their own small world.  Reading opens up a much wider range of experiences and opportunities and exposes readers to ideas and issues they might not have on their own.  Reading is crucial since most leaders are what I call “adaptive leaders.” Adaptive leaders can see what others are doing or thinking and adapt it to their situation. I’ve found over the years that if I don’t read at least two hundred books a year I get behind in the thinking and practices of world class leaders. 
2. Do leaders read differently than non-leaders? How?  Yes. I don’t know about other people but I never read for fun. Since I’m dyslexic I have to really focus on keeping the words from flying off the page.  Still I think even if I weren’t dyslexic I would read more out of curiousity than fun or enjoyment. I think most non-leaders are more likely to read for fun or enjoyment than are leaders.  The same is true with most life experiences.  Most leaders never see a book, a movie, a TV show purely from the standpoint of enjoyment, although that is a part of it. Instead, they are always asking how what they are reading or seeing can be used as a cultural window into the lives of the people in their community who either need God or need to grow in their faith.
3. What are 3 books that have most influenced your leadership and why?  This is the hard question. Lately their have been so many books it’s hard to list only three, but here goes.  Missional Renaissance by Reggie McNeal, Exponential, by the Fergusons, and Sticky Teams by Larry Osborne.  

Of course I would be amiss if I didn’t mention my latest two books, Ministry in Hard Times and Preaching for Transformation, both out within the last 12 months.

Be sure to join us on November 11 for Leaders & Readers, you can register free at http://leadersandreaders.leadnet.org

Leaders and Readers

Heads Up.  The National Outreach Convention is just around the corner in San Diego, CA.  An incredible line up of speakers is scheduled including one dud named Bill Easum.

Seriously it is a great line up.  And I will be speaking , this time on Leadership in a Wildcard World, one of the training sessions most asked for since my book came out this year titled Ministry in Hard Times.

21st Century Strategies will also have a booth there  # 332.  Bil Tenny-Brittian, his wife Kris of  Church Talk, and I will be at the booth, so come by and see us. We have some great give aways so look us up.

See you there!

More and more churches are asking me how to break the 1,000 barrier in worship. At present, I’m coaching 14 such churches.  Here are a handful of the basic questions I ask the pastor to consider:

• Have you indentified your three or four key staff who will become the coaches of leaders?
• What systems do you have in place to assimilate people and close the backdoor?
• Do you have any staff that is holding you back?
• Do you have the ratio of one program staff person for every 100 in worship including children?
• Do you have the appropriate number of parking spaces?
• How about the Lobby, Hallways, and entrances and exits? Do any of them need some help?
• Have you set clear expectations for all of your staff?
• Do you hold them accountable for doing what is expected?
• Do you spend the time needed to coach them?
• Do you need to improve your coaching skills?
• Do you have a leadership multiplication pathway in place

Here is one version of a Leadership Pathway