Why Did Our Leadership Team Fail?

from Pat Morley

Volume 148
September 19, 2005

We all have been on a leadership team that really clicked and, together, our ministry or business took a quantum leap forward.

On the other hand, we’ve all had the lamentable experience of being part of a team that failed. Why do some leadership teams fail, while others take off?

Rule numero uno for successful leadership teams -- They share a clear, exciting vision. By “vision” we mean a dream or a desired end result -- carefully captured in words crafted to give everyone involved a clear mental picture of what we want to happen. If people have to ask, “Now, exactly what do you mean by that?” instead of, “Okay, how do we pull that off?” -- you’re in trouble.

Leadership teams fail because they “plan, then pray” instead of “pray, then plan.” The foundation of a successful leadership ministry team is prayer. Prayer is the work -- it is the thing we can do.

Leadership teams fail when they underestimate opposition. The enemy opposes our “good work,” and we should expect opposition.

Leadership teams fail because of short-term thinking. Richard Foster has well said, “Our tendency is to overestimate what we can accomplish in one year, but underestimate what we can accomplish in ten years.”

Leadership teams fail when group members fail to check their personal agendas at the door or, worse, bring a hidden agenda to the table. Here’s a helpful idea that has become one of my life purposes: No agenda but God; no agenda but God’s. And, since I’m at it, here’s another idea I’ve been thinking about: Pursue God, not a specific outcome.

Leadership teams fail if they don’t have fun together. Laugh! Cut up! Joke around! Life is hard, and then you die. Don’t make it tedious. Lighten up. Don’t wear your underwear so tight.

Leadership teams fail when they don’t understand the two types of people in groups: task-oriented and relationship-oriented. They have different hot buttons. Task people are world-changers who say, “Let’s go do something!” Relationship people answer, “Okay, but first let’s get to know each other.” Build time for both task and relationship (both/and, not either/or). Sometimes the relationship is the task!

Of course, there are many other reasons Leadership teams fail. For example, they pursue too many ideas and lose their focus, which is why I’ll stop.

So what’s the opportunity from all this? Simple. Let’s have a “Wow!” vision-driven, prayer-based, opposition-expecting, example-setting, long-term thinking, kingdom-building, Christ-focused, fun-loving, relationship-based, task-oriented, can’t-wait-to-be-part-of-it leadership team.

Your brother in the battle,

Pat Morley