Search Results for: covid-19

Episode 069: Craig Groeschel on Leading from Home

Posted on April 8, 2020 by - Change Management, Leading Organizations, Podcasts, Productivity, Resilience

The Global Leadership Summit Podcast

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SUMMARY:

During the COVID-19 crisis of early 2020, many teams are working remotely from home. In this season, meetings are over video, communication is sometimes indirect and leadership has unique challenges. In addition to the physical differences and requirements of working from home, team members may also feel emotionally disoriented. For some team members, they may be stressed because they have even more work than normal—and for other team members, they may feel guilt over not having enough to contribute.  In this cross-over episode from the Craig Groeschel Leadership Podcast, Craig shares his top tips for Leading from Home.

 

KEY TAKEAWAYS:

Tips for working and leading from home:

1. Go to bed on time. The temptation is to stay up late, watch TV or hang out with the kids—because you’re all at home. Don’t do it. To be effective, continue to lead with normal routines. In the morning, set your alarm and get up on time, or even get up early.

2. Get dressed. Even if you don’t see anyone, or you turn the camera off on your video calls, getting dressed sends your brain a cue that it’s time to go to work. Get dressed and be in the mindset to be productive.

3. Set three goals each day. Name the top three priorities for today and focus on them. Do them first. There will always be other tasks, emails, calls, etc. that crop up, but you’ll continue to be effective if you complete the three most important things each day.

If you’re among the group that has little to nothing to do—perhaps your work is dependent on you being in the office or yourr skills aren’t needed right now. Continue to stretch your mind. Read a book, listen to a new podcast or try something new.

4. Exercise. What we’re fighting against during this time is the monotony of being cooped up in the house all day and the tendency to sit and veg out. If it’s nice, go outside. Or, do a workout from a video. Here’s one I love: go2.lc/homeworkout

5. Designate a workspace. Trying to work in the same spot on the couch where you relax sends mixed signals to the brain. Designate a spot at the kitchen counter, at the desk in your bedroom, on the back porch or in a home office to work.

6. Take breaks. Without any of the normal office cues—like a group lunch, a certain meeting, or a coworker stopping by to chat—it can be hard to remember to take breaks. Depending on your personality, you may need to set an alarm; get up every hour for a five minute walk around the house. Step outside for some fresh air. If workload allows, take a day off—let your team know what day that will be and completely unplug.

7. Tips for working with kids. Much like how you’re going to lead yourself to be regimented, disciplined and effective, you can help your kids do the same while they’re out of school. If their school has provided work for home, set a start time for school work. School begins at, say, 8:30am. Set requirements that your kids be dressed and at the kitchen table by then. Continue to reinforce discipline and dedication to schoolwork—set the expectation that the kids cannot play, go outside, go online, etc. until the schoolwork is done. Make them stay focused. If you have doubts about your ability to homeschool during this period, don’t worry. You’re not going to ruin your kids with six or eight or ten weeks out of school. In fact, if you can devote certain time slots to them, help them learn to focus and push through their schoolwork, they may come out ahead of where they might normally be. But, give yourself grace. It’s hard work to try to do your own job while teaching your kids or minding toddlers. Do your best.

8. Win the battle in your mind. The hardest part of any crisis is the battle that roars in your mind. Even though it may be hard, and you’ll face tough decisions along the way, tell yourself over and over that this will pass. You can’t control everything, but take control of your attitude. Don’t let your mind wander. Don’t dabble in “what-ifs.” Don’t dwell on excuses about why you can’t lead in your current situation.

Remember, you can make excuses or you can make progress, but you can’t make both. When you lead, you can expect to face a significant crisis perhaps once every ten years.

Learning now to master leading through a crisis will serve you for the rest of your life.

 

ACTION STEPS:

Make a plan to EXERCISE each day for the next week.

LIST OUT your top three goals that will make the biggest impact.

1.

2.

3.

 

RESOURCES MENTIONED:

Free Church Resources & Tools

Craig’s Recommended Video Workout

Carey Nieuwhof’s “How to Lead Through Crisis”

John Maxwell Facebook Live: “Leading in Crisis”

The Global Leadership Network’s Free Leading Through Crisis Resources

 

RELATED LINKS:

craiggroeschel.com

The Craig Groeschel Leadership Podcast

Life.Church

GLN’s Leadership in a Season of Crisis

The Global Leadership Summit

 

Click Here to Download Episode 069 Show Notes >>

5 Critical Behaviors of Leaders in a Crisis

Posted on April 7, 2020 by - Articles, Change Management, Leading Organizations

Hand holding a navigational compass

The last time we had a national crisis of disproportionate magnitude, I was not on the sidelines. I was right in the thick of it. In these days, from the perspective of leading my own small business, I have thought a lot about the leaders I know. While the circumstances are different, I can imagine what they must be going through to keep their employees engaged and their organizations afloat.

During the 9/11 disaster and crisis, I observed the leaders around me. Like the current situation with the COVID-19 pandemic, most of us had never been in the situation where we now find ourselves. Their cues taught me a lot about leading in difficult circumstances.

 

These are the 5 behaviors I observed that great leaders do in a crisis:

1. They embrace reality and translate it into a vision.

When times are tough, these kinds of leaders keep looking forward. Their experiences have taught them that the situation will eventually change. So, they want to focus on the next opportunity and be ready for it. They have the ability to recognize the seriousness and dire needs of the present, but at the same time, envision a different future. They project hope, positivity and optimism, but not in a foolish or naive way. They know how to strike the balance between reality and an improved future state.

 

2. They prioritize the issues quickly and reprioritize as often as necessary.

These leaders determine what needs to happen first and then next. They also understand that in a crisis, circumstances can change quickly, and they have to be prepared to pivot to a new priority. They use those priorities to create a strategy, and they adjust the strategy with additional information and insight.

 

3. They communicate to their employees and customers with crystal clear clarity.

They are transparent and provide people with the information they need to know, and they are confident enough to admit what they don’t know. When they have a plan, they share it with the stakeholders. They speak truth but layer in encouragement and grace too.

 

4. They focus on the concerns of others above themselves.

These leaders are skilled at empathy, and they gravitate to an attitude of “how can I help you,” instead of self-protectionism and preservation. They recognize that others are suffering just as much or more than they are. They don’t use their position to take advantage of others, but rather use the opportunity to help others.

 

5. They lead from the front.

These leaders don’t ask their team members to do anything they are not willing to do themselves. They stay in the trenches and on the frontlines. If circumstances prohibit in-person connection, they reach out constantly and listen to the concerns of those serving the organization and serving the clients and customers. They remain as visible and accessible as possible, even if only virtually.

 

The call to leadership is often greatest in a crisis. As goes the leader so goes the organization. Many leaders have gained followership in the crucible of a crisis. This is not a time for leaders to retreat into the chaos, but instead to rise to the moment and display the behaviors that will help their organizations not only survive, but even thrive in the aftermath.

Part 2 Notes—Leading Through Crisis with Craig Groeschel: Tiers of Effectiveness

Posted on April 6, 2020 by - Articles, Leading Organizations

Craig Groeschel digs deeper into leading through crisis.

We are all leading in a complicated, unprecedented season of our lifetime! You are facing massive challenges.

There are no clear answers, and we’re navigating uncharted territory. And many of YOU have an extra layer of pressure.

You aren’t just worried about your job. You’re also concerned about your business, your church, your employees, your families and those that depend on you. The weight you are carrying is hard—you’re thinking about things that not everyone is thinking about.

So, what do we do? How do we lead through uncertainty? Lead during crisis?

Leadership is always important—it is more important now than ever.

As we dive in, first, I want to review what I talked about in Part 1, and then I want to dive into more of the 4 Tiers of Effectiveness.

 

Let’s review Part 1.

Perspective here is important. We’re facing a very real global crisis. Leadership has never been never more important than it is today.

This is not the first crisis in the history of world, and it won’t be the last. I want to remind you that we will get through this. Later, this will be a memory. We will reflect on what we learned and we will reflect on what we lost.

 

I had a mentor that told me I would face a crisis at least once in every decade of my life. And so far, that is true.

  • Alfred P. Murrah building bombing–This happened in my 20’s, and my church was across the street. My office was one of the closest adjacent structures and thankfully I wasn’t there that day. That time for our little church was devastating. We couldn’t meet in our church building for two years. That was before online church or online giving. It was massively devastating for us.
  • September 11—Many of you helped lead through that season as well. I was in an airplane when the planes hit the twin towers. When my plane landed, the world was different. And many parts of the world became different that day.
  • 2008/2009 housing crisis—It was very real where I lived. The economy was struggling. Businesses struggled and we helped lead through that.
  • And now, the 2020 COVID-19 Global Pandemic—We’re all leading through difficult times now too.
  • And we probably will have two or three more challenging seasons to lead through in our future.

Is it difficult? Yes. Will we get through this? Yes.

It is important to remember the problems and opportunities we’re facing in the midst of this crisis.

  • Every major crisis creates unexpected problems
    • More and different problems today than a month ago.
  • Every major crisis also creates unprecedented opportunities
    • More and different opportunities today than a month ago.

 

To review, there are three different types of opportunities—practical, financial and missional.

1. Some opportunities are practical.

Now you have an excuse to make some changes you should have made.

I had a mentor who always said, “Don’t ever waste a crisis.” Go in and fix the problems that should have been fixed before.

 

2. Some opportunities are financial.

Those who can see needs and respond quickly can build businesses.

There are lots of financial opportunities for the few that see them and seize them. While some people go broke, others will add a lot of value. Let’s have eyes to see the opportunities.

 

3. Many opportunities are missional.

There are new needs and new opportunities to meet those needs. And there are people in need today who weren’t in need a month ago.

  • As a pastor—Know some people are more open spiritually.
  • As business leaders—Some are refocusing their resources on different needs. Where some were focused on manufacturing one thing, they are now manufacturing another to meet a need.
  • Some churches are opening doors as day care or testing centers for COVID-19.

Don’t let the crisis rob you of seeing the opportunities that are in front of you.

 

Create a Short-Term Plan

When you are devising a plan expect to get it wrong and think long term.

1. Expect to get it wrong.

There is no road map. You will have lots of false starts. Things are changing too rapidly.

 

2. Think long-term but plan short-term.

How long is this going to last? Will this be over in a few weeks? I don’t know. I hope so, but we’re not planning on it. We’re going to think worst case scenario. I’m projecting longer-term. I’d rather be pleasantly surprised than constantly disappointed. If I project short-term, I will be continually devasted. It helps me be more conservative. If I’m conservative, I might miss a few opportunities, but we will be alive as an organization. If you’re not conservative, you might not have a church or a business.

Under normal conditions, you can predict longer projections, but right now, you can’t. You have to cast strong. Be lean, and nimble. Think week-to-week or even day-to-day. Things can change on a dime. The mood changes hour-by-hour. We have to think long-term but plan short-term. Lower your expectations of how often you’re going to get it right. We can’t project forward.

So, here is a tool to determine what you need to be working on.

 

Diving Deeper: 4 Tiers of Effectiveness

You have difficult decisions to make at home and at work, and there aren’t enough hours in the day.

We need to ask ourselves, what do we know? What’s one of our primary tasks as leaders?

One of the primary tasks of any great leader is to direction attention.

Leaders focus attention and activity toward a desired result. Your team needs your leadership to make the next right decision.

But first, the most challenging attention to direct is your own. You are the most difficult person you’ll lead. Why? You have so many things to do—You have so many urgent things to respond to right now. What’s urgent always screams louder than what’s important.

If you’re always responding to what’s urgent, you will inevitably sacrifice what’s important!

My team is a group of world-class leaders. They are overwhelmed. There is so much volume coming in. The increasing demands have outgrown our ability to effectively manage. Can you relate? We don’t want to overwhelm the team—we want to redeploy our resources and redeploy the team.

Essentially, we had two options:

  1. We could expand our team.
  2. We could redefine our priories.

So, we developed the 4 Tiers of Effectiveness:

 

TIER 1—Absolutely mission critical

If we don’t do this, the boat doesn’t float! This is what must be done.

 

TIER 2—Very important and strategic

These priorities matter a lot, but they are not mission critical. They’re very important and matter to us, but if it doesn’t get done, the plane won’t crash.

 

TIER 3—Meaningful but not vital

These priorities are meaningful, but not essential. They are what we would like to do, but nothing significant would be lost if we don’t.

 

TIER 4—Externally initiated and lower priority

These priorities may be meaningful (maybe not). They are not only NOT vital, they are not our ideas—they’re externally initiated, and someone else (outside) wants us to do them.

 

Here’s your assignment:

Take note of what you do in normal week. This might feel tedious. Document what you do! Write down.

Try to list everything you do. Don’t think about it a lot, just start writing.

 

What do I do? Here is an example of my list to give you an idea:

Message Prep—Coach Campus Pastors—Lead meetings—Oversee the board

Podcast—Others’ podcasts—Visit campuses—Coach communicators

Pastoral care—Hospital—Follow up—Meet key leaders in church—Out

Mentor Senior Pastors—Round tables—High level view of budget

Deep dive into dashboards for whole organization—Leadership Direction

Write books—Champion of the GLN—Speak with Businesses/CEO’s, Churches

Coach team members—Welcome new staff—Approve Social Media

Endorsements—Respond to letters—Emails—Texts

Lots of videos—(LG content, Campuses, Pastors, Dozen/more week)

Plan upcoming messages—Additionally, I Decline things people ask of us

The vast majority of what’s in front of me defines itself in Tier 4—tons of outside stuff.

I asked my whole team to do this exercise and define what should be in Tier 1, and many of them said our Leadership Podcast, but no, it is not mission critical. If it goes away, the boat still floats. Another person said, visiting campuses, and there were other things they listed as Tier 1.

But for me, there are only two things, maybe one, in Tier 1. If it’s two, it’s preparing the weekend messages (though that’s debatable, because someone else can do that), but the other is that I’m the only one who can provide the leadership direction for our church. Without that, our team will stray, we won’t stay focused and we’ll do too many different things.

Your importance isn’t measured by how much you do but by how much what you do matters!

If you list more than 5 things on your Tier 1, you’re listing too many! If I’m not getting Tier 1 done, I’m not doing Tier 2.

As a leader, in this season, you will never maximize your effectiveness by responding to other people’s priorities. Don’t let lower tier activities rob you from higher tier effectiveness. You determine what’s important, and you do first what matters most.

In this season—Almost everything should be in Tier 1 or Tier 2.

The reason I like this concept so much, is when someone comes to me with an idea, I can ask, what tier is it in?

My Tier 1 in this season is providing spiritual direction when we cannot meet. The only tool we have is connection. Everything else goes by the wayside. We’re an online church. That is our full-blown strategy. We are building the plane while we’re flying it. We’re 100% committed to connecting people spiritually and relationally. We’re recreating the church as we speak. We’re changing our evangelistic strategy. That’s my Tier 1.

Tier 1 for you in this season might be not laying off employees or recreating your business. Whatever is Tier 1, live in it.

 

Note: Q&A varies depending on which webinar time you attended, refer to the webinar for the Q&A.

 

 

Watch the full video of Part 2 Leading Through Crisis with Craig Groeschel: Tiers of Effectiveness.

Click here to view now

 

 

 

Part 1 Notes: Leading Through Crisis with Craig Groeschel

Posted on March 30, 2020 by - Articles, Decision-Making, Leading Others, Learning Agility, North America, Supervising People, The Global Leadership Summit, Wellness

Craig Groeschel dives into leadership during a crisis via a live webinar.

My original talk was about defeating the four enemies of growth, but I couldn’t predict the fifth enemy—COVID-19. This is a complicated and difficult time. It is an unprecedented season in our lifetime! There are no clear answers and we’re in uncharted territory.

Most everyone is experiencing varying degrees of discomfort about the future:

  • Some (more vulnerable) are terrified of getting sick.
  • Some are afraid of losing their job.
  • Others have already lost hours or lost their job completely.

 

Many of YOU have an extra layer of pressure:

  • You aren’t just worried about your job.
  • You’re concerned about your business or your church.
  • You’re concerned about your employees—their families—people who depend on you!

 

What do we do? How do we lead through uncertainty? Lead during crisis? How do you lead when you’ve got no clue what’s coming? How do you lead when you are afraid? Unsure? Lacking confidence?

Leadership is always important—more important now than ever. 

Today I want to give you a perspective, some suggestions and encouragement.

Let’s start with some perspective…

This is a very real global crisis. It’s not the first in the history of the world and it won’t be the last. We will get through this. Will it be hard? Yes, it already is. Will things be different? Likely so! Will we get through this? Eventually!

Also, important to remember…

  • Every major crisis creates unexpected problems. (Too many to count)
  • Every major crisis also creates unprecedented opportunities.
  • We have more and different problems today than a month ago.
  • There are more and different opportunities that we had a month ago.

 

3 Different Types of Opportunities We Should be Looking For:

Some opportunities are practical.
  • Now you have an excuse to make some changes you should have made.
  • I had a mentor who always said… “Don’t ever waste a crisis.”
  • What’s confusing during good times becomes clear during bad times.
  • A crisis often creates clarity!
  • It might become clear to you that you need to adjust expenses, eliminate fluff, close, depart, redeploy or narrow your focus.
Some opportunities are financial.
  • This will create investing opportunities or business opportunities.
  • Those who can see needs and respond quickly can create value, build business and develop ministry.
  • There are lots of financial opportunities for the few that see them and seize them.
Many opportunities are missional.
  • There are more people in need today who weren’t in need a month ago and there are new opportunities to help them.
  • If you’re a pastor, some people are more open spiritually today than they were a month ago. It’s an opportunity to speak into people’s lives.
  • Businesses can meet needs too. GM and Tesla are providing respirators; commercial airlines are providing cargo; a local trucking department is using trucks to ship groceries, food and supplies where they’re needed.
  • Churches are opening their doors as a day care for hospital workers or testing centers for Covid-19!

Let’s remember, every crisis creates problems and opportunities, but most people just see the problems. Leaders must address the problems and seize the opportunities!

Continuing our thoughts about perspective, let’s not miss the obvious—that as leaders, we must clearly define the problems we are facing. This seems insultingly obvious, but many leaders don’t do this!

Some leaders just start diving in without clearly defining the problem. It’s important to step back to be proactive instead of reactive to problems.

 

Defining the 4 Problems:

What are our current problems? This is different for all of us depending on what country, state or industry we’re in, but there are some similarities.

1. COVID-19 is a problem!

We don’t want people to get sick.

2. Fear and panic are problems.

I heard one person say we have two pandemics. We’ve got a viral pandemic and a social pandemic—and everyone is spreading fear. The virus is a problem. Fear is a problem. We have to name it.

3. Cascading economic impact is a problem.

Some people I trust are projecting the physical pain and trauma may be worse from the economy than the virus. As the economy falls, despair increases. The economic hits lead to depression, mental health challenges, substance abuse, potential domestic abuse, potential rise in suicides… and then when you think about already impoverished countries, the lives hurt could be devastating.

4. Public perception is a real issue.

Once you start to identify the problem, you’ll want to create a short-term plan. During the early season of this crisis there were two cases in my home state. Would have it been safe for us to meet? What’s right is that we could have met, and we might have been safe. But even though what we could have done could have been safe, if we are not aware of public perception, we could have had a real problem. If we communicate that we value our gathering over keeping people alive is a real issue. It’s important to communicate that safety is more important. You’ll have to deal with when to re-open your church or organization and how your team and community will respond to that.

 

Priorities:

It should become clear that there are only a few things that matter!

4 Tiers of Effectiveness:

  1. What is mission critical?
  2. What is strategic and important?
  3. What is important but not essential?
  4. What is externally initiated?

Clearly define your tiers. Keep focused on tier one and tier two topics right now. Focus on mission critical things. You’re going to be tempted to do lots of things. Don’t. Everyone is going to have ideas—good ideas. Focus your energy toward the biggest priorities.

Create a plan around these mission critical things.

 

Do these 2 things when you are devising a plan:

1. Expect to get it wrong.

There is no road map. You will have lots of false starts. Things are changing too rapidly. Tell your team you’ll be adapting.

2. Think long term but limit your plan to short term.

People ask me, how long is this going to last? Will this be over in a few weeks? I have no idea. I have to plan to do church online long term because I’d rather be pleasantly surprised than constantly disappointed. How long? I’d be foolish to predict that, but I’m thinking long term and deciding day to day, hour by hour. Things are changing every day. Be wise to think worst case scenario, but don’t create fear.

 

Do these 3 things when you communicate:

1. Communicate Empathetically

Unfortunately, most of your team members first thought isn’t about your business, your nonprofit or your church. By nature, they are asking, “How will this impact me? My family?” They are understandably afraid.

You will want to acknowledge their fears and speak to them. Help them know you understand what they are feeling. Don’t be afraid to say what people are thinking. Do everything you can to value your employees. They won’t follow you if they don’t believe you understand. Help them know you genuinely care about them!

 

2. Communicate Truthfully

Tell the truth, even when the truth is negative, uncertain or scary. This is so important.

I’ve seen some leaders say, “It’s going to be fine! It’ll be over in no time.” But as leaders, we don’t motivate through a crisis, we lead through a crisis. This is not a time for motivation, this is a time for wise decisions, and leading through the crisis. Be realistic and truthful.

Jim Collins writes about this in Good to Great. He talks about Admiral Jim Stockdale, the highest-ranking U.S. military officer in one of worst POW camps during Vietnam War who survived an 8-year imprisonment. He was tortured 20 times with no certainty of living, no promise of freedom and no hope of surviving. Even though he was a prisoner, he was in command and helped other POWs survive.

When people asked him, “Who didn’t make it out? Who didn’t survive?” He said, “The answer is easy—the optimists” It was those who believed they’d be out by Christmas. Then by Easter—they couldn’t take the devastation.

“This is a very important lesson. You must never confuse faith that you will prevail in the end–-which you can never afford to lose—with the discipline to confront the most brutal facts of your current reality, whatever they might be.” 

Tell your team the truth, even if truth is negative, uncertain or scary. People can handle bad news better than no news and the fear that comes with not knowing.

So, tell them, you don’t know—you aren’t sure. The only thing you want to promise them—whatever you decide—it’s going to change. So, adjust. That’s why you speak confidently, but not definitely. You are certain your team will make wise decisions as you know more, but you don’t know enough to project way into the future today. We’re not making promises. We’re confident, calm—we’re leaders.

 

3. Communicate Frequently

You cannot over-communicate. Every day, things are changing, sometimes by the hour. Every day, they have new questions, concerns and fears. Our various campus staff normally meet all together four times a year. Now we are meeting online every week—sometimes twice a week. Our church normally works on the weekends, but we also added a midweek service and our normally monthly communication is now weekly. Our campus staff team is calling every member of our church asking them if they need anything. We’re increasing the frequency of communication.

With every communication explain “why” as often as possible. People will go along with the what when they understand why! You’re going to make a lot of decisions based on the information you have, but your team might not have all that information. That’s why you need to be clear about the why before the what.

 

Practical advice:

1. Cut any unnecessary expenses. Cash is king. We have no idea how long this will last or how bad will be. Cash to your business is like oxygen to your body. If your team is going to need to make sacrifices, you go first, and you sacrifice the most. If everyone is taking a 20% pay cut, you take 40%.

2. It may seem obvious—take care of yourself! Like many of you, I haven’t had a real day off in weeks! Sleep, unplug, walk, laugh, see your kids! Put your own oxygen mask on, and then put it on others.

 

Q&A

What’s your highest priority in a time of crisis?

My first priority was how we minister to people. How do we bring the meat of what we do to people digitally? When we created the Church Online platform, we didn’t realize this, but we built a boat before it started to rain, and now 18,000 churches who have come on board to the church online platform. So, now we’re helping thousands of people do church online. We had to reallocate resources, because that was top priority for us.

Outside of my industry, having current and real information to make necessary decisions in the moment. Answer the question, based on what we know, what is right, now? Don’t let all the other energy take you away from those things. Let’s do the things that impact the most. What creates the most revenue or margin?

How do we care for people and extend compassion while still needing them to lead our business forward?

I would start every bit of communication with a you-centered message instead of a me-centered or business-centered message. Let people know you understand what they’re going through. Acknowledge the difficulty, and then speak to what is important to them. Let them know you’ll work together. Don’t tell them you need them to keep your business afloat, it’s about being in this together. Let people know you want to do everything you can to help them be successful. Together, we all end up in a better place. Trust your instincts. If you’re asking the question, it means you care.

Any tips for making video conference meetings more meaningful?

Give yourself permission to meet outside of making decisions. Try to make it social. Get into their world. Feel what they’re going through. Be empathetic.

When you are making decisions, be efficient with your meetings. Add value. Answer the question, so what?

How do I work with my team who is struggling with how rapidly things are evolving?

Think differently about how you think about change. People don’t dislike change; they don’t like how we try to change them. People change their haircuts, shoes, where they live, what they eat, lose weight, what they learn. During this time, let people see why staying here is not acceptable. Help people see why we can’t stay the same. We need to help them understand why where we’re going is better. You’re going to have your critics, your advocates and bystanders. Your why is important and will help move people along.

When this is over, work on creating a culture that doesn’t resist change. The only thing that is certain is that things are going to change. We don’t improve without change. The why is the key to empowering a team to make the move toward change.

What systems are being maximized during this crisis?

Tech deliverables to thousands and working remotely. Driving culture where we are not. Email lists are more important. Podcasts and video devotionals on social media. Some things became obsolete like physical groups. A system is how things get done. Be clear as to what is expected and correct if it’s not working. Celebrate when it’s done well.

How can I ask for the sale if this is needed without sounding to greedy?

It should sell itself if it is viable. Don’t be afraid to ask for the sale if this really is a viable service that is still needed. Continue to close the sale if adding value. People still pay for things they value.

What’s the best way to lead your team when some are skeptical to the new procedures?

Be clear and walk it through as to the why you are leading this way. Acknowledge the why to protect people. Thank people for being flexible. If you’re clear about how you got to the decision, they’ll be more likely to buy it. There’s no perfect decision to make right now. If we err on the side of caring for others, and explain it like that, reasonable people will go with that. We don’t like it, but we can not like it together.

To what degree of vulnerability should we share?

Practicing calculated, strategic vulnerability is key. Be wise. Be selective in how you say it. Don’t fall apart in front of them but empathize with them. You want to be vulnerable to connect with their hearts. Tell people what is appropriate but with a posture of confidence that we will get through this. Connect with their head and their heart. It’s empathy and confidence.

 

Closing thoughts:

I’ve worked hard to not talk about layoffs… Many of you will be making those decisions, which is the hardest part of job! When you do make those decisions, they know you will be as generous as you can! Don’t feel bad when you feel bad about. Give your permission to hurt—cry! Be prepared to hurt. Don’t run from the pain! Step into it! Step into the pain—Lead! Some businesses won’t make it. Some ministries will shut the doors. If you do, remember it’s not over. Just because a business fails—doesn’t make you a failure! Failure is an event—never a person. You can rise again!

If you’re scared, welcome to the party. We’re all scared. I believe you are where you are because you were chosen to be where you are. You don’t have to k now it all, but you just have to show up and make the wisest decisions you know to make. You won’t get it all right but be honest. Try to make the best decisions you can. Create value. Leadership is not about you, it’s about the people you lead. It’s going to take crazy courage and difficult decision. you’ll question yourself. But recognize you are chosen for this. We will get through this.

 

Watch the full video of Part 1 Leading Through Crisis with Craig Groeschel

Click here to view now

 

Free Leadership Resources for Pastors Leading in a Season of Crisis

Posted on March 30, 2020 by - Articles, Change Management, Leading Organizations

Social networking concept from a distance away

With the outbreak of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) on the rise, pastors and church leaders are asking, what do I do next? Many are looking for guidance and direction to make the next best decision to protect, encourage and equip themselves, their families, their staff, their church members and their communities.

As our team has been engaging with our partners around the world, we’re starting to receive so many helpful resources. We’re also hearing incredible stories about how they are leading and living in this new reality. As we curate these stories and resources, we will be sharing them here on our website to continue to remind you and encourage you with what is happening throughout God’s Kingdom, even in the midst of uncertainty.

Here are just some of the resources we’ve received so far, with more to come!

 

Dr. Katurah York Cooper served as a pastor on the front lines of the Ebola Epidemic in Liberia. Find her excellent post 5 Leadership Tips from a Pastor Who Battled the Ebola Epidemic in Liberia here.

 

Joanna La Fleur is a church communications expert who helps churches implement digital evangelism and discipleship. Some ways to reach into her expertise are:

 

Ed Stetzer, the executive director of the Billy Graham Center, along with Rick Warren, have recently created the website coronavirusandthechurch.com to serve as a hub for content related to this crisis.  Some helpful resources on this site include:

 

Pastor Max Lucado is offering free, open access to his five teaching videos in the Anxious for Nothing Bible Study to help people and groups riddled by anxiety in these turbulent times.

 

The Spire Network did a training on Discipling People Online. Watch it here.

 

Stadia Church Planting has set up a page Coronavirus & Online Church Resources that includes many helpful links and a video entitled Coronavirus: Inability to Meet with Jeff Reed.

 

Dr. Henry Cloud’s webinar on The Psychology of Crisis is available on-demand. He dives into how leaders can manage their own fears and uncertainties while also guiding their people through theirs. Henry provides practical and biblical encouragement for the Christian leaders who are courageously shepherding their communities in these uncertain times. For more information, click here.

 

Sound leadership in a season of crisis can help prepare us for a new reality, solve difficult problems and provide hope. Let’s persevere, together.

 

 

If you’re looking for additional resources to support you in your leadership, visit theglsn.org/crisis-leadership/. We are honored to serve you during this season.

Click here to view now

Reading Resources for a Season of Uncertainty

Posted on March 23, 2020 by - Change Management, Learning Agility, News & Updates, North America, Relationship with God, Resilience, The Global Leadership Summit

A man reading a book at a coffee shop.

With the outbreak of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) on the rise, people are asking, what do I do next? Many are looking for guidance and direction to make the next best decision to protect themselves, their families, their staff and their communities. Below, we’ve curated several incredible books we’ve read over the years from our GLS faculty alumni who can offer you a sense of clarity, direction and peace during this season.

 

For those seeking to deepen their faith in God in the midst of uncertainty:

 

 

A Beautiful Mess: How God Re-creates Our Lives

By Danielle Strickland

 

 

 

 

 

Hope in the Dark: Believing God is Good when Life is Not

By Craig Groeschel

 

 

 

 

 

God is Stranger

By Krish Kandiah

 

 

 

 

 

The Way of the Warrior: An Ancient Path to Inner Peace

By Erwin McManus

 

 

 

 

 

The Land Between: Finding God in Difficult Transitions

By Jeff Manion

 

 

 

 

For those who are facing challenging conversations with co-workers and loved ones in this season:

 

 

Difficult Conversations

By Sheila Heen

 

 

 

 

 

Crucial Conversations

By Joseph Grenny

 

 

 

 

 

For those who realize they need to make shifts in their leadership in changing times:

 

 

Leader Shift

By John C. Maxwell

 

 

 

 

 

Necessary Endings

By Dr. Henry Cloud

 

 

 

 

For those who want to develop self-leadership skills in resilience and bravery in this challenging time.

 

 

Grit: The Power of Passion & Perseverance

By Angela Duckworth

 

 

 

 

 

Braving the Wilderness

By Brené Brown

 

 

 

Please note, we would love to be able to offer these book resources for free but are unable to. Know that we are not making any gains by promoting these books, but simply want to provide you another opportunity to access the supportive materials we’ve found to be most helpful.

Best Practices for Crisis Communication

Posted on March 19, 2020 by - Articles, Communication, Leading Others

Video Call Chatting Communication Concept

We are facing global leadership challenges that most of us have never experienced. Within the last week, the response to COVID-19 (coronavirus) has led to closing borders, canceling major global events, sports leagues postponing all games, prominent companies moving all their employees to work from home and a panicked shortage of toilet paper.

Just within the last few days, the conversation has escalated dramatically as politicians, health experts, academics and faith and business leaders respond to the latest information. The coronavirus is now at a level of “pandemic” that has overwhelmed some nations.

 

How should leaders communicate in an unprecedented crisis?

1. Courage

It is the job of a leader to be a “non-anxious presence” in times of crisis. We may have our own fears or concerns for vulnerable loved ones at this time, but as leaders our actions should model courage in the midst of fear, calm in the midst of chaos and compassion for those who need comfort.

…as leaders our actions should model courage in the midst of fear, calm in the midst of chaos and compassion for those who need comfort.

Now is not the time to appear unaffected, nor is it appropriate to succumb to panic. Leaders must make courageous, proactive decisions to consider the most at-risk populations in our society, even at the cost of doing business. We must have the courage to practice empathy in our posture towards those who are afraid by acknowledging their fears. We must lean in, presenting ourselves as actively engaged and visible. Leaders do not hide away in crisis, they communicate courage.

 

2. Common Sense

Business and faith leaders do not need to become health experts and should not position themselves this way when they communicate.

We should be actively engaged in learning from the experts and official sources to make leadership decisions, and point people to reliable resources.

Leverage governmental organizations like the Center for Disease Control, the World Health Organization, or trusted medical experts, such as Johns Hopkins University. When communicating on social media or email, stay away from sharing sources that are opinion-based, political or controversial.

Common sense is to learn from what has happened in other nations with COVID-19, and to take precautions. Leaders understand their responsibility to others and do not wait to take action. As leaders, we can make organizational decisions that can help slow down the spread of the virus and “flatten the curve” by avoiding public gatherings. According to the experts, this will save lives, and as leaders, we can help.

Leaders understand their responsibility to others and do not wait to take action.

 

3. Communication

Try these three practices to communicate in the midst of the COVID-19 crisis.

  • Overcommunicate. As leaders we must communicate well at this time, or it could be viewed as negligence. Communicate updates regularly to your staff and stakeholders as the situation evolves. Communicate more than you think might be necessary.
  • Let’s get Digital. If you aren’t closing your doors completely, give people the option to stay home and connect from there. Move to digital platforms for events and meetings and communicate as much as possible.
  • Pivot. Emphasize your online giving or purchasing opportunities. Try livestreaming or Facebook Live at predictable times throughout the week to build relationships and keep momentum with your stakeholders. If you’re the upfront leader, be visible on social media platforms to engage questions, share your teaching/expertise, gather community in online forums and encourage people in isolation.

5 Leadership Tips From a Pastor Who Battled the Ebola Epidemic in Liberia

Posted on March 16, 2020 by - Africa, Church & Faith-Based, Decision-Making, Healthcare, Leading Organizations, News & Updates, Resilience, Servant Leadership

Leaders attending the GLS in Liberia during the Ebola Epidemic

About six years ago, I found myself immersed in the Ebola Epidemic that claimed about 4,000 Liberian lives. During the crisis, I would sign in to Facebook and become inundated with an avalanche of pictures of the diseased and dying. I also saw the spewing out of negative, angry comments. Liberians were sliding down the treacherous slope of defeat and hopelessness. Fear was in ample supply. Confusion was everywhere. Entire families came down infected. Children became orphans, businesses laid off workers, not a single child or adult was sitting in a classroom, and the country was in a State of Emergency.

It is 2020 and the Coronavirus (COVID-19) is spreading rapidly in North America, Europe and Asia. My focus is on the escalating level of fear, confusion, helplessness and panic among millions, especially in the United States of America.

I saw my congregation go through this in Liberia. Week after week, I stood at the pulpit and looked into terrified eyes and prayed that no one had become infected or had lost a family member to Ebola. I was on the front-line of the fight; but a major part of our fight was striving to maintain a positive attitude even in the face of proof that conditions were worsening. That was the most difficult side of my pastoral work.

Let me share how I led my congregation into maintaining a positive, calm and result-oriented attitude during the Ebola crisis in Liberia.

These are my 5 top leadership tips that may be useful for pastors during this Coronavirus pandemic:

1. Find Daily Antidotes for Fear.

I posted many positive messages on social media about Ebola survivors. I looked for news that would stimulate hope and restoration. I asked my congregation to avoid overdosing on negative news and rumors.

2. Keep Awareness High.

I stayed informed. When members called me with questions, I was able to give answers and point them to credible sources. I organized a team of health professionals with the task to assemble and share important updates to our members.

3. Preach What I Call “Crisis Sermons”.

My members needed to see me exhibit courage in the face of this situation. I searched the Bible for scriptures on plagues, national disasters, hope and deliverance. I trusted the Holy Spirit to give me messages of hope.

4. Preserve the Church Community.

Coronavirus like Ebola fosters anti-social behavior. People are asked to do social distancing. To minimize the negative impact of this behavior, I organized an ongoing prayer initiative with groups of 20. In the American context, conference prayer calls work. Check on the most vulnerable and most isolated. Home visits are permitted as long as there is no health risk. In Liberia, we remained connected to poor families and quarantined families. We provided food and other essentials for quarantined families. We organized activities for small groups of children out of school.

5. Practice Self-Care.

This is a very stressful situation. As a pastor, I had to deal with my personal fears, concerns for your family’s safety, the fiscal and spiritual health of my church, as well as the emotional care of my members. This was psychologically draining. Because I was spending more time at home, I increased my prayer and devotion time. In addition, I carved out more recreational time with my family, caught up on my reading and just did some fun things I never had the time for.

 

Presently, there is no corona virus case in Liberia; but we are not waiting until the first case hits Liberia. At my church, information dissemination is ongoing. Preventative protocols are in place. We are not feeding our fear, rather we are talking to each other about following the protocols. We are praying for this pandemic to end and we have a testimony that this virus cannot survive in an environment of faith, hope, facts, healthy interventions and community care. Pastors, stay positive and help your congregation survive and thrive.

16 Free Resources for Leadership in a Season of Crisis

Posted on March 13, 2020 by - News & Updates

Introducing Global Leadership Network

With the outbreak of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) on the rise in many places around the world, people are asking, what do I do next? Many are looking for guidance and direction to make the next best decision to protect themselves, their families, their staff and their communities.

While we at the Global Leadership Network certainly make no claims of healthcare expertise, we recognize that sound leadership in a season of crisis can help prepare us for a new reality, solve difficult problems and provide hope.

To serve you in this season, we’ve curated 16 free leadership resources to equip and inspire everyone to use their influence to make a positive impact in our world.

Part 1: Practical Steps When Facing Difficult Decisions >>
Part 2: Practical Tools for a New Working Atmosphere >>
Part 3: Overcoming Fear & Embracing Both Reality and Hope >>

 

If you’re looking for additional resources to support you in your leadership, visit the Grow section on theglsn.org. We are honored to serve you during this season.

Practical Steps When Facing Difficult Decisions

Posted on March 13, 2020 by - News & Updates

Introducing Global Leadership Network

This is part one of a three-part series which includes 16 Free Resources for Leadership in a Season of Crisis.

With the outbreak of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) on the rise in many places around the world, people are asking, what do I do next? Many are looking for guidance and direction to make the next best decision to protect themselves, their families, their staff and their communities.

While we at the Global Leadership Network certainly make no claims of healthcare expertise, we recognize that sound leadership in a season of crisis can help prepare us for a new reality, solve difficult problems and provide hope.

Below we’ve curated 5 free leadership resources from our GLS alumni faculty and guest leadership contributors who share practical steps for facing difficult decisions as you start to engage with a crisis.

 

6 Ways to Prepare and Lead Through Chaos

ARTICLE

Bishop Walter Harvey shares practical tips on how he prepared for and handled crisis when chaos hit his community. 

 

Bend the Curve

ARTICLE

Craig Groeschel dives into how to make decisions under pressure and how our limitations often lead to innovation. 

 

7 Crucial Steps to Lead Others Through Change

ARTICLE

Dee Ann Turner provides 7 crucial steps to successfully manage change within your team by providing clarity.

 

Leading and Succeeding in the Age of Disruption

ARTICLE

Learn from Ben Sherwood’s practical advice on how to get going and start moving when you’re faced with disruption in your organization. 

 

4 Ways to Control Your Emotions in Tense Moments

ARTICLE

Joseph Grenny helps us recognize, own and shape our own emotions so that we don’t make impulsive decisions in intense moments. 

 

If you’re looking for additional resources to support you in your leadership, visit the Grow section on theglsn.org. We are honored to serve you during this season.

 

Part 2: Practical Tools for a New Working Atmosphere >>

 

Part 3: Overcoming Fear & Embracing Both Reality and Hope >>