Jim Collins, author of “Good To Great,” shares this analogy:
You are a bus driver. The bus, your organization, is at a standstill, and it’s your job to get it going. You have to decide where you’re going, how you’re going to get there, and who’s going with you.
Mo
st people assume that great bus drivers (leaders) immediately start the journey by announcing to the people on the bus where they’re going—by setting a new direction or by articulating a fresh, compelling vision.
In fact, leaders of great organizations start not with “where” but with “who.” They start by getting the right people on the bus, the wrong people off the bus, and the right people in the right seats. And they stick with that discipline—first the people, then the direction—no matter how dire the circumstances.
Great leaders understand three simple truths. First, if you begin with “who,” you can more easily adapt to a fast-changing world. Second, if you have the right people on your bus, you don’t need to worry about motivating them. And third, if you have the wrong people on the bus, nothing else matters.
Great vision with mediocre people still produces mediocre results.
Is it any surprise that the top five hiring skills are (on a 5-point scale):
- Communication- 4.69
- Honesty/Integrity- 4.54
- Teamwork- 4.54
- Interpersonal skills- 4.50
- Strong work ethic – 4.46
So, how’s the culture in your church?
How about your home?
Good thoughts for many scenarios, but
a bus is not a church and a business is not a church.
How does that translate to an arena where we are to bind up the wounded and broken hearted, encourage the weak, condescend to those of low estate and caution the high minded, etc….. where we are to be a body of charity ? Obviously the top 5 ‘hiring skills’ if you will would apply to church leadership and to mature believers, along with humility,
but not so easy to just chart and graph the rest of the body, is it ? Maybe I am missing something here.
I do like applying it to the home, exampling basic Biblical principles of service, honesty, people skills (fruit of the spirit), etc. I am still learning/being reminded ‘more is caught than taught.’
Lib,
Great questions.
I’m referring to the church leadership team here. Often we find leadership teams locked up over organizational incompetence, selfish ambition or fear.
As a result the leadership is unable to provide a clear Biblical message and example (yes…more is caught than taught) that frees the spirit. Frees it to transform the hearts and mobilize the congregation to, as you suggested…bind up the wounded and broken hearted, encourage the weak, condescend to those of low estate and caution the high minded, etc…..
Its heart wrenching to see the potential of a church squandered because of an ineffective leadership team. And we see it all the time.
Thanks for jumping in!
Ed