The Homer Hargrove Podcast: Recent Episodes
Homer Hargrove
In this episode, Homer shares three transformative tips for effective leadership. Tune in to discover how staying busy, bouncing back from setbacks, and embracing the belief in your success can elevate your leadership and ministry.
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In this, Homer dives into the essentials of building your online presence with a focus on website creation and social media strategies. Learn practical tips on choosing the right website template, optimizing for mobile, understanding your audience's social media habits, and creating authentic connections both online and offline.
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In this episode, Homer discusses how to anticipate and prevent problems before they arise. Learn strategies for event planning, managing staff and volunteers, and protecting against burnout, with three actionable takeaways to boost your leadership skills.
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In this episode, we discuss the problems of people pleasing in leadership. Learn how to recognize it, avoid it, and apply three key takeaways to stay true to your mission.
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In this episode, we explore the art of speaking with no preparation, discussing strategies for seizing opportunities and always having a message ready. Tune in for practical tips on crafting a compelling message using your best content, and learn how regular practice can prepare you to thrive outside your comfort zone.
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In this episode, we go into the recent Driscoll & Stronger Men’s Conference, as I share my thoughts on it from a leadership perspective. We'll discuss the nature of the accusations made and talk about the necessity of such events in today’s context.
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In this episode, we discuss ten foundational principles that enhance leadership qualities, emphasizing the importance of presence, problem-solving with trust, and prioritizing growth over perfection.
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In this episode, we dive into the art of growing your network through the power of presence, support, and collaboration. Learn how to make impactful connections by attending industry events, volunteering your services, and inviting others into your space, all aimed at enhancing your leadership and ministry impact.
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In this episode, we talk about the complex world of emotional disappointments in leadership and ministry, offering insights on acknowledging our feelings without becoming overwhelmed by them. We explore practical steps for moving forward, culminating in three actionable takeaways to empower listeners in managing their emotional responses to setbacks.
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In this episode, I have a conversation with Jaden Munoz, a bible college student from Christ Mission College about spiritual and practical steps to preparing a sermon.
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Learn to amplify your reach across platforms with minimal effort. Gain insights on leveraging AI and establishing smart routines to maximize your content's impact.
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In this episode, we delve into four unexpected habits that have profoundly impacted my leadership journey, enhancing mental clarity, discipline, and focus. Tune in to uncover how these morning rituals can transform your daily routine and leadership approach.
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In this conversation, I talk with Evita Morin about small triumphs to building leadership. Evita is the CEO of Rise Recovery, and she has over 15 years of experience in the civic and nonprofit sector with vulnerable and marginalized groups. Under her leadership, Rise Recovery has thrived, raising $8.5 million for San Antonio's first family and youth support center for recovery. She spearheaded initiatives like the 24-Hour Bexar County Helpline and partnerships with local schools, driven by a mission to impact behavioral and mental health policies and services. Beyond her professional achievements, Evita is recognized for her community service and leadership, serving on several boards and receiving accolades from prominent publications and organizations. She finds joy in her family, married to her best friend and raising two vibrant children.
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Connect with Homer or become a Support Member by visiting https://www.homerhargrove.com
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In this conversation, Eric Campos interviews me for his research assignment in Bible College about the topic of intimacy relative to church members, leaders and even in marriage. We talk about what it practically looks like and how it can be made sustainable. Eric is a youth pastor and minister with over 13 years of experience.
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In this episode, I talk with Sergio Torres about becoming an authentic leader. Sergio is the lead pastor at Somos Church (www.somoschurch.cc).He was born in El Paso, Texas, and raised in Juárez, Mexico. Beyond his passion and dedication to the church, he is a loving husband to Beatriz and a proud father of three wonderful children. Sergio is passionate about building a multicultural and multigenerational church that reaches those who are far from God.
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Connect with Homer or become a Support Member by visiting https://www.homerhargrove.com
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In this episode, I have a conversation with Chuck Skarin about the power of building leaders. Throughout his journey, Chuck has initiated and led various ministry sites, spanning diverse settings from rural areas to mid-sized cities and is currently leading as the Chief Ministry Officer at Southwest Texas Youth for Christ office in San Antonio, Tx. This diverse experience has brought him into close collaboration with individuals, volunteers, and staff from every generation and a multitude of ethnic backgrounds. Through these experiences, he has not only acquired valuable skills and knowledge but also demonstrated a consistent track record of effective leadership. His focus has always been on developing leaders and equipping them to, in turn, nurture more leaders. He also just released a book on leadership called “Atomic Leadership.”
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Connect with Homer or become a Support Member by visiting https://www.homerhargrove.com
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In this episode, I interview a good friend of mine, Jarred Moss. He is a Pastor at The River church in Searcy, Arkansas and has occupied several leadership roles and responsibilities in his 14 years of ministry experience. He has completed several ministry and Biblical education programs such as 220internship at Bethany Church, Destiny Leadership Institute, and Pastors University. Prior to serving in senior leadership at his home church, The River, he was a local church youth pastor for 7 years. He has also led a national youth program for Destiny Leaders. He is married to Evelyn, has three daughters.
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Connect with Homer or become a Support Member by visiting https://www.homerhargrove.com
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Big thought: Some of the most difficult moments in ministry and leadership is when you feel like you’ve hit a wall and feel like you’re not seeing the results or fruits of the hard work that you’ve been putting in. It may come in different forms. It may be that you have been working at it for a long time and now feel like you’re just beating your head against the wall. Or you may have started to see some of the growth that you were praying and working for, but then, as if from one night to the next, it seems like everything just stops and feels like all of the growth just disappeared. Whatever the details, going through those tough times can make a lot of great leaders want to quit. But if you manage to endure the drought, you will see a payoff.
In today’s episode, we’re going to talk about how to rediscover the reasons that you started ministry and leadership in the first place. We’re going to unpack what it means to bounce back. And we’re going to learn how to build support through community and collaboration.
The reason that this topic is so important to talk about is because these times of unexpected famine can ruin the great potential lying inside of your ministry or organization, and even more so, it can completely wreck your identity as a leader. Not only can it make you want to quit even though you’re doing a good job, but it can also make you fall into a deep depression. And there are too many incredibly sad stories of great leaders who struggle with thoughts of suicide because of the weight that comes with these trials. My heart in this episode is to encourage you in your difficult season, but even more so, it is to remind you that your value and worth is not summed up by the current state of your ministry or organization. Your potential, your purpose and your life is so much greater than what you may be seeing in front of you right now.
- Rediscovering Your Why.
While there are situations in which it feels like we almost fall into leadership positions, there is typically a reason why that draws you into becoming a leader. It’s the “why” that inspired you and made you feel passionate enough to step into a place of weighted responsibility. And when you lose your “why,” you lose your motivation to keep going through the storm. If you want to push through, you have to rediscover your reason why.
- Bouncing Back.
Once you have re-solidified the motivation for your soul to keep going, you need to get your mind and body back up to speed. You have to learn how to harness your inner strength and resilience to have more of a bounce back instead of a slow limping return.
- Building Supportive Networks.
Once you have put all of these things back into motion, you should establish some safety nets as you learn to both collaborate and diversify your efforts. When you make yourself a lone wolf in ministry, every loss or slow period feels personal. But when you connect yourself with other people and leaders, you’re able to feed off of their encouragement, ideas and resolve. You also position yourself to be able to be creative in opportunities that could involve other groups to do things that you normally wouldn’t be able to do on your own.
Take away:
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Define what your original “why” was when you started and ask yourself if it’s the same now. Establish your current “why” motivation and write it down to hang somewhere you will constantly see.
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Write down whatever self-defeating thoughts have been replaying in your head and label them as “lies.” Then write down what you believe and are hoping to happen in comparison to them.
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Examine your current network and reach out to groups or people to meet with in order to have conversations about growth and collaboration.
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Connect with Homer or become a Support Member by visiting https://www.homerhargrove.com
Follow on YouTube, Instagram, Facebook and TikTok by searching @homerdh3
SHOP merch on https://www.homerhargrove.com/shop
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Big thought: Many people allow their years to somewhat fold over on each other as they are in a constant state of playing catch up. Without having a clear process of building their plans and goals, they feel overwhelmed at the thought of planning for the year because they struggle with simply planning their week. But if you want something to change in your organization, it requires you to make a plan with certain goals. In order to make this more approachable, you have to simplify the process of planning and goal setting for your year.
In today’s episode, we’re going to talk about how to map out your calendar year in order to be more effective and intentional. We’re going to talk about the process of planning monthly series and initiatives, as well as how to have quarterly milestones. We’re also going to talk about how to build loyalty and investment from the people involved in your organization.
- Chewable Goals.
The Year. You should first start by looking at what is a general tone or goal that you want to achieve by the end of the year. This may not always be necessarily quantifiable but observable.
Every Quarter. Once you have your year direction/goal, you can break out each quarter into achievable milestones. These should have clear and distinguishable wins, each of which are walking you towards your year vision. You can also break it out into having three tiers to best fit your direction. Those three tiers of goals and milestones could be something like: Spiritual, Financial and Physical.
- Monthly Series & Initiatives.
Now that you have the bulk of your year’s heart mostly laid out, you can start breaking down the details through the month’s series and goals. Rather than looking at the entire 12 months with an overwhelming vision, you can look at 3 months at a time with a more focused goal. As you start with the month, you can also go week by week to consider certain special holidays, community events, etc.
- Building Loyalty & Investment.
One of the simplest and quickest ways to build loyalty and investment is by communicating parts of your vision and goals with the people connected to your organization. It requires you to be clear and consistent with what you believe and what you want to happen. You may want to consider doing a Vision/Business meeting in which you share what you have planned for the year, and you could also open the time up to feedback from the people there.
Take away:
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Go through the process of planning out your year for your organization/ministry with the processes we talked about today.
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Meet with someone or with your entire team to go over your initial draft and ask for their feedback and revisions.
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Establish clear language and lingo that incorporates your core values/mission and vision for the year.
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Connect with Homer or become a Support Member by visiting https://www.homerhargrove.com
Follow on YouTube, Instagram, Facebook and TikTok by searching @homerdh3
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Big thought: Every year people typically like the idea of having a type of reset in their lives through a New Year’s resolution. One thing that I like to do is have an end of the year reflection to look back and critically think about what lessons I have learned. Each year, I feel like I am able to grow as an individual and leader as I consider these different kinds of life experiences, and I am able to use them to shape myself into the kind of person that I want to become.
In today’s episode, I’m going to talk about five major lessons I learned from this past year. We’re going to learn why it’s important to not wait too long to act and why you need to make the time to connect with people. We’re going to talk about being consistent in small beginnings and how that kind of discipline can bleed over. And we’re going to talk about how meaningful it is to enjoy what you’re doing.
- Don’t wait too long to act.
There were some things that I knew that I needed to do but procrastinated too long to actually act on them. The longer that I ended up waiting to do something, the more people ended up being affected in a negative way. Once I finally acted on what I knew that I needed to do, even though I felt super anxious about it, it was abundantly clear that it was the right thing to do and that I should have sucked it up and acted at the very beginning.
- Make the time to connect with people.
Most leaders are straight out busy and continuously have things pile up to where their workload seems to never slow down. I definitely felt like that this year! There were certain moments in which I kept putting off meeting with people and other leaders because I felt like I needed to catch up my workload before I could go to network or connect with others. But the weeks quickly turned into months where I still hadn’t met with anyone. When I finally just threw my hands up and decided to make the time despite how busy I was, it always ended up being a more productive use of my time.
- Be consistent even in small beginnings.
A lot of people have good ideas and intentions to do something meaningful but are usually discouraged when it doesn’t seem to have taken off after launching their initiative. The reality is that a lot of things take time to grow. If you really want to see something work out, you have to have the understanding that it may take several years to really see the results that you’re wanting to see.
- Discipline bleeds over.
Similar to making time for connection, it’s important to learn how to make time for certain disciplines. It’s easy for us to be in a state of being overwhelmed, to the point where we neglect taking care of ourselves because we feel like we need to catch up on our work. But the truth is that you will perform better and be more effective with less time if you take better care of yourself.
- Do what you enjoy doing.
I think that doing what you “have” to do and doing what you “want” to do can either be the same thing or completely different. For many people, they spend their day doing what they feel is necessary even though they don’t enjoy it. They work to live but don’t live for their work. While this is pretty consistent with the majority of people, I think that actually enjoying what you do for a living is an essential secret to feeling fulfilled in life.
Take away:
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Write a list of lessons that you’ve learned over this past year.
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Critically think and write down ways that you can apply 1-3 of the lessons I talked about today to your own life.
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Do the same thing from take away 1 and 2 but apply it to your ministry/organization and go over it with your team.
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TAP HERE to connect with Homer or visit https://www.homerhargrove.com
Follow on YouTube, Instagram, Facebook and TikTok by searching @homerdh3
SHOP merch on https://www.homerhargrove.com/shop
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Big thought: One of the hardest parts about becoming a leader is the weight of responsibility that comes with it. It can feel overwhelming to feel like different initiatives or even sometimes the entire organization is relying on you. It can feel either frustrating or discouraging when you run into problems or failed goals with all of that pressure coming down on you and your ego/identity. Learning how to handle those challenges and situations is something that takes humility and experiences of lessons learned.
In today’s episode, we’re going to talk about the importance of taking responsibility as a leader and how to navigate it in an authentic way without feeling like you have to apologize for everything. We’re going to break down the essence of taking responsibility and then talk about when you should and shouldn’t apologize. And we’re going to finish by talking about the necessity of being genuine in the midst of mistakes or goals unmet.
This is important to talk about because it can feel incredibly confusing in the moment when wondering what to do. Whether it’s addressing someone else as the blame or going through the motions of apologizing, there’s not a one size fits all approach. You have to learn how to assess each situation and critically think about what happened and what should be done next.
- Taking Actual Responsibility.
As a foundation to what we’re going to be talking about, it is our job as leaders to take responsibility. That means setting the culture for your team and organization and also teaching your people how to take responsibility themselves. You need to do your due diligence in interviewing, training, correcting and rewarding people. If your team is making the same mistakes over and over, it’s your responsibility to correct the course and show people accountability. You end up hurting good staff and volunteers when bad ones are left with no responsibility for their actions.
- When To Take The Blame.
Even while you’re trying your best to not make mistakes, mistakes are going to happen. Whether it’s on you or someone else. It’s our job to learn from them, correct the course and move onward. Apologize to your team when you feel like you made an oversight or mistake, but don’t feel the need to apologize for the things that were genuinely out of your control. If there was a power failure or unexpected technical issue, you don’t have to take the heat for it. And if it was someone else who dropped the ball entirely, you don’t have to steal the blame from them. Your team needs to learn how to grow and take responsibility too if you ever want to grow as an organization or ministry.
- Be A Real Person.
When you position yourself as a leader always apologizing for things that aren’t even your fault, you unintentionally portray yourself as either an insecure or ingenuine leader, both of which come across as being a weak leader. When you seem like a weak leader, the best people on your team will eventually leave to find a strong leader.
Take away:
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Do an internal assessment of yourself and how you handle the direction for your ministry or organization. Do you blame your staff, your consumers or yourself for where you’re currently at? What can you do to fix the course?
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Assess your type of apology behavior. Do you own up to your mistakes? Do you take the blame for others? Do you deflect the blame to chaos? Adjust your behavior to be both reasonable and responsible.
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Practice being a real person who leads. Be intentional about building morale in the midst of mistakes. Practice addressing people who’ve been slacking and encourage others who have been grinding.
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TAP HERE to connect with Homer or visit https://www.homerhargrove.com
Follow on YouTube, Instagram, Facebook and TikTok by searching @homerdh3
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Big thought: One of the biggest mistakes that ministers and leaders make is making their desired audience too broad. If you try to reach everyone, you’ll often reach no one. But if you try to reach someone, you’ll feel like you’re reaching everyone. This all boils down into finding out what your niche of expertise is in.
In today’s episode, we’re going to talk about how to find your niche when it comes to ministry. We’re going to talk about practical ways to discover what your niche may be. We’re going to talk about how to grow in your niche once it’s found. And We’re going to talk about how to brand your niche to your ministry.
When you find out who your type of message is best suited for, you will be able to focus on that specific type of audience and reach them in a way that is genuine. Rather than spreading your message in hard to grow places, you will be planting your seeds in soil primed to bear fruit.
- Your Specialty.
The first thing that you have to do is narrow down your target audience. I know that your message is for “everybody” but there are certain types of people that will respond better to your message in a way that others won’t. Focusing on those people will make you more effective in your message and help you to bring about more ability to reach other people in the future. To find out your niche, you have to narrow down two things about yourself and your message: Your Experience & Your Excitement.
- Get Better.
Once you get your niche audience and message down, you need to get better at it. Remember you are trying to get better at getting your message across and it being received. You need to reevaluate what your message is and how you deliver it. Then you need to zone in on how to best reach your new target audience and get creative on how to reach out to them rather than expecting them to reach out to you.
- Be Clearly Seen.
One of the last things you need to do is make it abundantly clear what your specialty is. This is actually easier said than done, but the goal is for people to hear of you or see your instagram and know exactly what problem you solve and who your message is for. This is in a sense building your ministry brand, but you should see it as you becoming a specific type of lighthouse for your niche of people to see and know where to dock.
Take away:
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Narrow down your specialty by combining what gets you excited and what you have experience in.
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Once you label your niche, examine and change your language and strategy to better reach those specific people.
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Work on your ministry brand and create a mission statement that clearly and quickly shows what problem you solve for people.
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TAP HERE to connect with Homer or visit https://www.homerhargrove.com
Follow on YouTube, Instagram, Facebook and TikTok by searching @homerdh3
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Big thought: The longer that you are a leader, the greater demand of your attention grows. It can feel overwhelming as you begin to have too much on your plate, and with feeling exasperated comes feeling confused on what you should be doing first. On top of that, the minute that you finish one thing, it seems like three more things arise asking for your focus again.
In today’s episode, we’re going to talk about how to discern what you should and shouldn’t give your attention to. We’re going to discuss how to build a process of deciding a yes or no for your time and energy. We’re going to unpack the difference between things that are important and urgent. And we’re going to talk about building boundaries with people when it comes to giving your time.
Learning how to discern what you should say yes or no to is pivotal to keeping your composure and sanity as a leader. It takes some hard work and intention to begin the journey organizing your attention span, but before long, if you don’t give up, it will become like a second nature art form. We’re going to break up this episode into three categories: energy, tasks and people.
- Energy
The first thing that you have to do is learn how to discern if whatever is on your plate is something that you should be doing in the first place. Oftentimes we say yes to things initially out of politeness and wanting to please people. If you want to be able to actually grow your organization/team/ministry, you’re going to have to learn to not waste time on things that are not necessarily important.
- Tasks
Once your attention list is narrowed down, the second thing you have to learn to do is categorizing your tasks into either “urgent,” “important” or “passive” categories. This will help you to see what is actually time-sensitive and help you to navigate a snowball effect by knocking off the quickest tasks first.
- People
The final and possibly the most important thing to learn about choosing what you give your attention to is when it deals with people. There are some people who seem to be self-maintenance and others who seem like they need round the clock attention. You’ll get to a place where you have to start limiting who has full access to your time by implementing boundaries.
Take away:
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Go through your duties and filter out things that you don’t need to be doing or someone else could be doing.
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Categorize your tasks by either: urgent, important or passive.
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Begin implementing boundaries with people and reasonably limiting the access people can have with you.
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TAP HERE to connect with Homer or visit https://www.homerhargrove.com
Follow on YouTube, Instagram, Facebook and TikTok by searching @homerdh3
SHOP merch on https://www.homerhargrove.com/shop
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Big thought: Most leaders start out with a simple aspiration to make a difference by stepping up in some way shape or form. As simple as it starts, there are so many complex situations and ideas that we run into along the way. At the same time, there are different levels of leadership and different things that you should practice depending on how far into it you are. What you do at the beginning of your leadership journey is very different from what you do as a seasoned leader.
In today’s episode, we’re going to talk about three key pillars you should build in your leadership early on. We’re going to talk about what it is to work hard while being teachable in the process. And we’re going to unpack what it is to connect as a leader and how you can practically do that.
Take away:
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What should you be saying yes to or volunteering for right now? Act on it.
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Examine your teachability and pick a source talked about today to use to grow your knowledge.
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Consider when the next opportunity for you to be able to connect yourself is and act on it.
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TAP HERE to connect with Homer or visit https://www.homerhargrove.com
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Big thought: It’s easier now than ever to project a message for others to hear because of online platforms. You don’t need anyone’s permission to start a live video or launch a podcast. Any person who is convincing enough can create an online following that goes to them for guidance, lessons or advice. The only problem is that if your only experience is online experience, you will run out of relatability and sound perception quickly. Without actual in person ministry experiences, you will be limited in tested and tried feedback. You run the high risk of pretty much making things up as you go. And if your messages and posts become unhinged like that, you’ll end up being a story of the blind leading the blind.
In today’s episode, we’re going to talk about how important it is to have in person ministry. We’re going to talk about the value of having both an online and face to face presence. We’re going to also unpack the necessity of building person to person experiences and how they build your character, perception and skills.
The reason that this is important to talk about is because not only are there so many aspiring leaders who give up because their following outgrew their ability/maturity but there are many people who were following that person who end up hurt or led astray because that person didn’t really have the experience to what they were talking about.
- Face Value.
Online Presence: You still need to make the effort to have an online presence in order to market yourself so that you have the possibility to reach more people. An online presence is your informal introduction to any person that may have interaction with you. Whether it’s a potential follower or future partner, you should try to make yourself available online so that people can know who you are and what you do.
In-Person Presence: As much as online influence is meaningful, there is nothing like being there in person. It’s one thing to talk about something but another level when you’re setting the example by being in the thick of it. And when you are seen at actual events by people, other ministers and decision makers, you are showing evidence to your message. There is a greater impact when you’re seen in person compared to when you’re seen online.
- Building Blocks.
Doing ministry in person builds a sense of resolve as you interact with people face to face. While talking into a mic or a camera takes skill, it doesn’t compare to talking and working with people who are right in front of you. Simply put, if you want to really take ministry seriously, you have to get in front of people. Online isn’t enough.
Take away:
-
Do a self inventory on your face value when it comes to your online and in person presence by rating each of them on a scale of 1-10. (Ask someone close to you to rate you as well).
-
Review your building blocks (character, perception and skills) and determine which one you should focus on developing through in person ministry events.
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Network and participate in someone else’s in person ministry event.
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Big thought: A person’s own personal transformational experience with Jesus Christ can be one of the most powerful tools one can use in bringing others to Christ. But the problem is that many people struggle to go through their story in an effective and easy to follow way. Learning how to sharpen your testimony can dramatically alter how you’re able to use it.
In today’s episode, we’re going to talk about how to perfect sharing your testimony. We’re going to learn how to break down the order in which you should share your story and how to add a call to action to it. We’re also going to unpack how to build both a short and long version of your testimony. And we’re going to talk about how to adapt your story to your audience.
- Organize It.
Just like any other message that you’d share, you need to organize it. What’s special about your testimony is that you don’t have to re-learn anything about it because you're sharing from memory and heart rather than mind and knowledge. Building your story through points can really help you to compartmentalize better what you want to share and help you to know what you don’t necessarily need to share.
- Multiple Versions.
Everyone’s story is meaningful and unique, and a lot of people don’t want to leave out possible important details when they’re sharing it. You have to learn to discern how much time you should spend on a case by case basis. That’s why you should have a long version, lasting about 20 minutes, and a short version, lasting about 2 minutes.
- Adapt To Your Audience.
While at first glance, you may think that you can’t necessarily change your testimony because you can’t change your experiences, you are able to change what you emphasize in your story. If you know that your specific audience has a general experience that you’re able to relate to, you should hone into that. Do what Paul says and become all things to all people.
Take away:
-
Write down key points to your testimony and organize it in a way that you feel is effective.
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Work on making a short and long version of your testimony.
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Practice role playing with someone by sharing your testimony and ask for their feedback.
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- Make Your Message More Approachable
Big thought: So many times, we have a great life giving message that can truly help impact a person’s life and soul, we’re left deflated and confused when people reject that message on the spot. While saying things like, “they just can’t handle the truth” lets us off the hook, being better at how we say certain things can make our messages more effective and receptive to people.
In today’s episode, we’re going to talk about how important it is to meet people where they’re at with your language in order to help them to be more open to hear what you have to say. We’re going to unpack why and how it’s so meaningful and effective to consider your message’s approachability. We’re going to talk about some examples of certain things to avoid. And we’re going to look at some tips and ways for you to build your own unique language that’s approachable without compromising on the principles of your message.
- Don’t Be Obnoxious
It is hard to listen receptively to someone who is being rude, and I find that most of the people who think that they’re “just being real” can’t typically take their own medicine. And sadly within Christian culture, a philosophy was born at some point that appears to believe that if you are condescending, obnoxious or rude in your punchline style message, your message is somehow more fire. But the reality is that kind of dialogue will only cause people who already agree with you to listen to you. Meaning, you aren’t necessarily changing any hearts with your message. The only thing that you end up doing is create a mini cult following that butters you up to feel more superior than you really are. And there are many problems that come from that (besides the one of pushing people away who may have agreed with you if you said it in a different way). The biggest one is that you end up limiting your potential to collaborate and make a greater impact than what you’re currently doing.
- Talk Their Language.
It’s not necessarily what you are saying but how you’re saying it. Paul tells us in 1 Corinthians 9:22 that he becomes all things to all people. When he was with the Jews, he would talk and act like a Jew. When he was with the gentiles, he would talk and act like a gentile. He adapted his language and interaction to whatever group he was trying to impact so that his message would be more approachable and receptive to them.
In the same way, we need to throw off our idea of the truth is just too hard and people who can’t accept it are too stubborn or weak. No other successful organization operates like that. If you want to grow and reach other kinds of people, you need to work on your communication skills.
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3 Tips To Help Your Approachability
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Speak as “we” instead of “you” and “I”
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Be genuine and talk in a way that is both relatable and reasonable.
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Don’t make yourself out to be Jesus or superior.
Take away:
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Do a self-analysis and scale your approachability on a scale of 1-10, and then ask your team or someone close to you to rate you as well.
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Make a list of the types of people that you are currently sharing your messages with and then make a list of types of people that you want to reach but haven’t been able to yet. (Simplistic example: List 1: people who go to church; List 2: people who don’t go to church).
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Brainstorm creative ways to adapt your message to be more effective and approachable to reach those new types of people.
—
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In today’s episode, we have a conversation with Pastor Mario Nava. Mario is married to his beautiful bride, Irma, and the father to Rebekah and Andrew. He leads and pastors the church Living Faith in San Antonio, Texas. His church is outreach minded and holds true to the idea to “BE THE CHURCH." His messages are inspiring and uplifting as he challenges people in thought provoking ways. He teaches The Word of God in a way that is easy to understand without ever compromising Biblical principles.
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Big thought: It’s common to read even passages of scripture that are powerful yet feel like your audience isn’t connecting to it. Oftentimes it’s not as much as what we are talking about as it is how we are talking about it. As leaders and communicators, we have to learn how to better develop our storytelling abilities so that we can help people to visualize what the passage is saying.
In today’s episode, we’re going to learn how to utilize moments and stories in a way that is memorable and meaningful. We’re going to learn how to connect people's emotions to the story by building value through context. And we’re going to unpack ways to make these different stories relatable to calls to action.
The reason that this topic is so important is because we are able to make substantially more impact through our stories across the board. Whether it’s recruiting volunteers, getting people to sign-up or inspiring people to donate, meaningful and connected stories have been proven to bring about greater participation. And on top of that, if there was any chance of increasing the odds of somebody choosing Christ from your dialogue, wouldn’t you want to take it?
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Ways to utilize a story.
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Tips to tell a captivating story.
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Connect a call to action to the story.
Take away:
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Make a personalized list of 1-3 call to action moments you could use a story for.
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Choose a story and derive a method of sharing it with a call to action at the end of it.
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Practice your story and call to action with somebody.
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Big thought: Many leaders carry vague ideas of different recordable metrics in their heads, and many times their ideas of these numbers give a false perception of what success looks like. A leader can be making a valuable impact in people’s lives while thinking that they aren’t making a difference at the same time. Someone can go through a slow down period and think that all of their efforts were for nothing just because of their confusion on how numbers work.
Today we’re going to talk about the importance of recording and understanding numbers. We’re going to talk about the ways that it is helpful and how you can use them to your advantage. We’re also going to talk about the mental dangers of recording numbers and how to avoid common mistakes.
This topic is so important to talk about because many people have an idea about recorded numbers but don’t really fully understand how to utilize them. And many have replaced their whole spiritual motivation by chasing after the numbers instead. We have to learn how to use them in a healthy way without letting them fully dictate how we make decisions.
- How they can help.
Once you start recording different metrics like: attendance, financial receivables, volunteers, donors, recurring donors, baptisms, decisions for Christ, etc. You can lay them out over the weeks, months and years. When you do that, you’re able to see different trends and build foreseeable expectations within reason. From there, you can better plan for the following months and years with more of a strategic impact.
- How to record them.
There are a lot of different ways and softwares that you can use to record these different metrics. The most important thing to consider when choosing a method is ease of access and data entry. The second is how clearly the data can be recognized. And the third is how you most feel comfortable.
- How they affect your judgment.
While these different numbers can really help your planning and potential for impact, they can easily damage the vision to your organization by replacing your motivation to make a difference. I’ve seen time and time again, and I’ve made the mistake myself, of chasing after a higher number rather than being guided by my core values. Simply put, WHY you do something matters.
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Take away:
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Make a list of different recordable data that you feel could be important and useful to reference.
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Choose a method in which recording said data and break it out to be seen according to timelines that best make sense for your organization. (days of the week, months, quarters, years).
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Make an annual calendar and forecast your next quarter or year using a general expectation of number data, and when the time comes, compare that forecast with the actual data so that you can narrow down a more accurate forecast.
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In this episode, we're joined by Abe McIntyre, a remarkable individual who, after overcoming addiction, became a leader in the field of recovery at the San Antonio Recovery Center. Abe's personal journey as a recovering addict has uniquely positioned him to provide leadership and inspiration to others on the path to recovery. Discover how Abe leverages his lived experience to lead and guide individuals through the recovery process. We explore the challenges and opportunities of leadership in this human-centric field, shedding light on the potential for compassionate leadership to enhance organizational outcomes and provide unique care for people. Tune in to learn some valuable insights from Abe's personal transformation and leadership in recovery.
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Big thought: Connecting with people is often easier said than done, and many people psych themselves out of it before they even get the chance to try. Building rapport is one of the most coveted skills in almost any business or organization. It seems to be the essence of being a people’s person, but it is actually so much more than that. It is building trust for the brand in which you represent. It is helping connect people’s needs to a solution. It is even simply being a genuine friend who cares.
Today we’re going to talk about the practical ways to connect with people by building rapport with them. I’m going to show you why building authentic connections is so important. I’m going to share with you helpful tips on how to build trust before even using any words. And I’m also going to give you a four step formula that you can use on your own to build rapport with new people you meet.
The reason that this topic is so important to talk about is because so many people struggle with the idea of building rapport with others, thinking that they’re being ingenious or simply because they don’t know how to initiate different conversations. So many meaningful opportunities are lost because of the fear, anxiety and feelings of not being equipped to talk to people. It is so much simpler and easier than people make it out to be in their head!
- Why it’s necessary.
Not only do nearly all organizations need a growing influx of connections in order to sustain itself and to grow, but we do as ordinary people. People are community centered beings, and it doesn’t matter if a person is an introvert or an extrovert, we need connection with other people. When you connect with a stranger, you simply do not know the hidden potential that relationship can form into. And when it comes to connecting people with your mission or your organization’s mission, all that you’re doing is sharing your life with someone else. And for many people, you just may be sharing a solution to a problem that may have been heavy on their heart.
- Looks matter.
Most communication and rapport is built within the first seconds of someone meeting you before any words are even spoken. People have a natural tendency to judge a book by its cover, so you should make every attempt to not get counted out before you ever really get the chance to say anything. If you want to have the opportunity to have your words received or trusted, you have to pave the way by how you dress, your body language and your face.
- Form conversations.
I believe every conversation should feel genuine. No one likes the feeling of being fake talked to or like someone is just trying to sell them on something. You should try to separate in your mind that the person you’re talking to or about to talk to is simply a real person that you have the opportunity to get to know better. And after that, whatever happens happens. When it comes to initiating those conversations, I almost always use the formula of FORM:
3.1. Family
3.2. Occupation
3.3. Recreation
3.4. Message
Take away:
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Rate your rapport building skills on a 1-10 scale and write down what you feel like you’re best at and worst at when it comes to connecting with these people.
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Review your looks and pick 1-3 things that you can improve on with how you visually present yourself to other people.
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Practice the FORM formula with somebody this week.
—
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Big thought: Deciding whether you want to stay or leave a workplace is one of the most difficult and confusing decisions you can make. It’s easy to feel overwhelmed and lost as to what to do as you go back and forth between what you think are the pros and cons. And it’s even more confusing when you’re wondering if you’re supposed to stay or go according to God’s will. You ask yourself over and over, “what if God wants me to stay?” or “what if I’m supposed to leave and just trust God?” The “what if’s” seem endless as you feel like you’ve made no progress closer to making a decision even though you’ve spent so much time thinking about it.
Today we’re going to talk about the moments in which we struggle with the decision to either quit or stay at their current job. We’re going to unpack how to identify when you’re unhappy at your current job and why. We’re going to talk about the differences between gaining experience and establishing a career. And we’re going to talk about how you should never exchange your dreams for a paycheck.
The reason this topic is so important to talk about is because the solutions to these problems and questions can be a lot simpler than we make it out to be in our heads. You don’t have to spend so much time in anxiety and confusion because we can bring the direction and train of thoughts back down to earth and break it down in a logical and reasonable way so that you can make a rational decision.
- Are you happy there?
There are so many high potential leaders who are unhappy with the positions that they hold. A lot of the time it’s not as much as the actual work of what they’re doing but the environment that they’re doing it at. There are several factors to look at when considering if you’re happy at your job or not, but I’m going to break it down into 4 categories:
1.1. Culture
1.2. Values
1.3. Purpose
1.4. Leadership
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- How long do you want to be there?
Is this job a temporary place for you to gain experience or is it a place that you would like to establish as your career path? Do you really want to be working there in 10 years from now? Or would you jump at the opportunity for the same job somewhere else? Answering these kinds of questions can help you to know how your heart really feels about your role there.
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- Is this really what you want to do?
Five years can go by extremely fast. And if you keep putting off what’s in your heart, that time is going to go by and you’re going to feel like you wasted prime years of your life in a place that you don’t even like. It will make you feel sick to your stomach as you wished that you would have pursued your dream instead of a paycheck. That’s why you can’t keep putting off these kinds of questions or analysis of risks and rewards when it comes to your career. Money comes and goes, but time is something that you never get back. You will regret risks not taken more than checks not cashed.
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Take away:
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Answer the three questions from this episode and make a new pros and cons chart with your answers.
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What can you do right now, regardless of staying or going, to grow your experience level?
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What is the big risk in your heart that would take you closer to your dream?
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Big thought: A leader’s organizational skills are pivotal within an organization or ministry because everyone else that you’re leading is dependent on your level of clarity and sophistication in handling business. When you finish something last minute, someone else is now more stressed over their role because you didn’t organize enough time. Your level of organization affects your volunteers, staff, marketing opportunities, potential impact and so much more.
Today we are going to talk about the aspect of personal organization as a leader. We’re going to learn about how it can either stall or accelerate your success. We’re going to talk about specific areas that you should get organized in and why, and I’m going to give you 7 practical tips to help you get organized.
So many high potential leaders end up settling for mediocrity because they never changed their level of organization or implemented systems in order to sustain moments of growth. It’s not that they are bad leaders, it’s simply that they needed to get better organized. When the leader gets better, the organization gets better.
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Like Driving a Car.
Most leaders' personal organization can be seen by how they keep their car. If you got trash, paper and cups all over your floor board, you’re likely a moment to moment kind of leader who is always playing catch up. And just like a car, you can still get from point A to point B regardless of how unkempt your car is, but you won’t be able to seamlessly take passengers with you or always be on time. Lack of organization makes you forget to fill up gas the day before, check the tires, clean out the mess, top off your oils. There’s always something unexpected that comes up and hinders you from where you were going.
In the same way, you can still get things done successfully being unorganized, but you will hinder the potential impact that could have been made if you were just a little more organized. You could seamlessly handle changes and even growth when you’re organized. But when you’re not organized, you end up not having the capacity to get where you want to go in an efficient manner because you have to keep playing catch up.
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Where It Counts.
There are four major areas that you should strive to get organized:
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Forecasting
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Systems
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Communications
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Contingencies
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7 Practical Tips.
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Start each day with a week at a glance
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Use automations
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Keep a clean workspace
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Create a time block schedule
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Set timers/alarms for your time blocks
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Set specific times to organize your workflow
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Create a 3 tiered task list (urgent, important, passive)
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Take away:
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Do a self-evaluation of your organization skills and rate yourself on a scale of 1-10 (keep in mind that your car most likely reflects how organized you are).
-
Determine what areas you need to improve your organization in the most.
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Choose 2-3 practical tips from today to start implementing in your workflow.
—
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Big thought: Procrastination is one of the most damaging traits to have because not only does it typically stain your presentation, but it builds up anxiety for a special moment that you should actually be excited about. Instead of being able to appreciate the privilege of responsibility, you feel like an imposter who isn’t ready for the task.
Today we are going to talk about how to find your mental zone when preparing for a talk, big event or anything meaningful that requires a good head space. We’re going to unpack the practical things that you can do to help stifle procrastination and writer’s block. And we’re also going to learn some tips and tricks that will help you on the day of whatever you’re preparing for.
People don’t typically put off preparation because they don’t care about it. They actually care so much about what they need to prepare for that they feel overwhelmed and stuck, to the point of feeling like they aren’t ready enough in the single moment to begin preparing for something so significant. They put it off for the next day when, hopefully, they will be more in the zone. But that “in the zone” moment doesn’t normally happen, so it gets to the point of being the day before and they HAVE TO prepare something. Luckily, the mix of adrenaline and understanding that there is no other option gives them the grit they need to throw something together, and it ends up being decent enough for the event.
It doesn’t have to be like this! We all just have to learn how to get into the zone when it comes to mental readiness and preparation. So many people have amazing potential to present something that is amazing and stands out, they just have to learn how to prepare ahead of time. You don’t have to let anxiety and pressure be your only motivation to throw something together that hopefully works out.
- Just start and wait.
The most important thing to start with is the simple fact of starting itself. Once you are given the assignment, choose your day to start preparing and follow through with it. Give yourself enough space between the event and your prep day to have a reasonable amount of grace and time to have an additional catch-up day.
- Catch the vibe.
People are very sensual beings. Nearly everything affects our mood, train of thought and even creativity. When you become conscious of that, you realize that you’re able to somewhat build your capacity to hold inspiration while minimizing distractions.
- Don’t mess up.
The most deflating thing to experience is to actually go through good preparation, be excited about what you have to share, but have something go unexpectedly wrong and feel like it all got messed up.
Here are five tips to help you stay in the zone during the actual delivery of what you have to share:
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Review your notes beforehand or do a runthrough.
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Have a backup and trust paper before a program.
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Verify your equipment and how to use it.
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Get there extra early.
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Choose your battles and let things go.
Take away:
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Create a time standard by which you have your next assignment completed and ready to go ahead of time. (Ready a week ahead, 4 days ahead, etc.).
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Do a self-evaluation of what helps you to get in the zone and start implementing.
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Make a checklist of Big Day Readiness that you can use to stay on top of the game during your actual presentation.
—
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Big thought: One of the biggest mistakes that I made early on in ministry was neglecting the potential of meaningful relationships and networks of people that I was a part of. At the time, I had a mixture of trauma led isolation and pride that made me believe that I didn’t necessarily need other people in my life to do what God had called me to do.
While that can be true to some extent, the reality is that no one is meant to do things alone. When we allow ourselves to connect with other people, w e are able to have exponential results and possibilities for ourselves and our ministries. The combination of servanthood, humility and collaboration helps build bridges between where we are and where we want to be.
Today We are going to learn different reasons as to why growing a network is helpful. We are also going to unpack the idea of building your network in a healthy and practical way. And most of all, we’re going to look at how growing your network can be edifying to both you and your organization.
- Collaborative Potential.
Whether it’s working together for combined events, to meet new people that could potentially collaborate in the future, or to simply help solve problems and achieve goals, growing a healthy network of people helps you to be able to find unique opportunities that you wouldn’t have been able to find just on your own.
- Genuine, not sleazy.
Authentic networking is seeing the value of someone and respecting their potential to be able to make a difference in your ministry/organization in some way. It is seeing others as real people and believing that they have the ability to make a positive impact in your life as God’s vessel and creation.
- Wholistically Healthy.
Growing your network is healthy for both you and your organization. When you allow yourself to be in community with other people, you in turn will sharpen. If you’re a leader and you connect with other leaders inside a network/group, you will be sharpening your mind by your environment. You inevitably gain insight and edification in that area because of the opportunities of specific and engaged conversations.
Take away:
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Get a grasp of where you're at currently by doing a self-inventory and rate your authentic networking on a scale of 1-10. Then ask your team to rate you.
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Create a list of people who you can reconnect with in order to grow your network, and be sure to not ask anything of them! This is just to grow genuine relationships with people.
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Find a group that meets regularly of people similar to your role to join so that you can begin sharpening yourself and connect with more people.
—
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In this episode, we talk with Harry Benard about how he found his unique niche of ministry after he combined student ministry and his barbershop.
For the past 14 years, Harry's journey began with cutting hair, evolving into a seasoned barber with 2 years of professional expertise. Beyond being the proprietor of Lifestyle Haircare, he proudly spearheads Madison East High School's inaugural barbering introductory course, nurturing the aspirations of budding students keen on mastering the art of barbering.
Celebrating 11 years of marriage as of December 11th, Harry finds himself a doting father to five daughters, each bearing a middle name whose initial comes together to spell his own name, H.A.R.R.Y. Amidst these fulfilling roles, he serves as a devoted youth minister within his local church, seamlessly blending his role as a barber with his passion for guiding and inspiring the youth.
You can connect with Harry by following him on Instagram @lifestyle._.haircare
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Big thought: Many times in early leadership, we want to break the status quo by shaking things up. We feel ambitious and determined as we are set on making a difference. But, it’s easy for that passion to fizzle out once nothing necessarily seems to change and the people around us are more irritated by us than grateful for us.
Today, we are going to talk about the power of consistency and how it should be the foundation to keep you grounded amongst opposition and difficult times. Consistency helps you to endure when it seems like nothing is changing or working.
The reason that this is so important to talk about is because many leaders are doing the right things, or at least trying to, but doubt themselves when they don’t see the results and give up prematurely. I want to help you to see the light at the end of the tunnel by showing you the strength and connection of consistency with faith.
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- Understanding Raw Consistency
Consistency is enduring the course that was set no matter what. That means when facing extreme opposition and it means when it seems unfruitful. It is deciding that this is going to happen even when it seems illogical. It is choosing to rebel against the grain stubbornly.
- The Ripple Effect of Consistency.
We often don’t anticipate accurately how long something takes to actually work. We expect it to take time, but we don’t expect it to take that much time! It’s in the absence of results and through the moments of waiting in which we begin to doubt if what we thought would work is really going to work.
- Cultivating Consistency Through Habits.
Establishing good habits is a great way to build your endurance of consistency. Consistency in one area of life bleeds over to the next. When you practice consistency on the small and basic levels, it will help you to sustain consistency in the difficult levels.
- Sustaining Momentum and Long-term Consistency.
The biggest takeaway from this episode should be that consistency is a mindset and a decision. It’s choosing to be illogical at times because of the fact that you chose a path and are going to stick with it no matter what. Whatever time frame you had in mind, you may need to double or even triple it. This is why you need to really make sure that your beginning motivation is strong and pure before you start.
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Take away:
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Grade your level of consistency on a scale of 1-10 and then ask your team or people close to you to grade you.
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Examine your personal life and choose one habit to keep so that you can practice the bleed over concept.
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Reflect on where you’re at in your leadership and honestly and prayerfully ask yourself whether or not you need to quit something or be steadfast in it.
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In this episode, I share an audio excerpt from a talk that I gave at a secular recovery event. Not only do I share my own story of recovery, but I share the Gospel through my story even though I wasn't technically allowed to preach the Gospel.
Take away:
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Think creatively about how to present the Gospel in ways that fit into limiting spaces that typically don't allow it.
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Be open minded in HOW you communicate. Learn the language of your audience so that you can better connect with them.
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Be respectful of the time that you're given! Practice your talk and delivery so that you do not go over the time limit that you were trusted with.
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Big thought: Meetings within organizations can feel like life or death! While it sounds overly simple at first, learning how to hold and lead a productive meeting is crucial to your leadership. When done effectively, it can help build clarity, community and collaboration. When done dis-orderly, it can drain vitality, discourage morale, and distort the vision of the team.
In this episode, we’re going to unpack the ways in which meetings can make or break your team. Then, I’m going to give 7 tips to help you with your next meeting!
The reason that this topic is so important is because many times we somewhat fall into leadership and were never necessarily trained on how to do the in-between stuff. While you may just figure it out on your own, a lot of leaders still struggle with the seemingly mundane yet necessary parts of leadership like meetings. My goal in this episode is to equip you in the basic elements so that you can continue to excel in the unique elements that are specific to you.
The Unexpected Potential of Meetings:
The bad.
You never want people to dread your meetings, and if they do, you need to change how you run them. But you need to change them on a systematic level, not a “let’s change things up” level by implementing team building or a fake fun activity. That stuff doesn’t make people feel like anything’s changed and can make people feel like you are more out of touch than before. You have to learn how to fundamentally change the way you plan and discuss things with your team.
The good.
Now a good meeting is one where people feel like they have better clarity and direction after attending it. When people feel productive after meeting, they feel inspired and they feel like they’re a part of something bigger than themselves. It makes them feel useful and like they are making a difference. This is all that is able to happen when we begin to take these basic elements like meetings seriously. Meetings are essential to effective planning and team morale. It is not just a time to say what could be said in an email. Take them seriously by being intentional and you will see it inspire your team.
7 Tips to lead a meeting effectively:
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Know what you’re going to discuss beforehand.
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Organize your topics and flow.
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Give opportunities for feedback.
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Give opportunities for ideas.
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Stay on point.
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Have an allotted time and stick to it.
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Take notes.
Take away:
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Do a self-inventory and examine how you’ve led meetings, and determine what could be improved or eliminated.
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Take a survey from your team about their general opinions and thoughts on how your current meetings are run in order to examine where your meeting health is in your team’s eyes..
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Plan your next meeting using the tips that we discussed today!
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Big thought:
Ministry can quickly take a toll on your marriage if you’re not careful. Many marriages experience difficult times, regardless of you doing ministry or not. But, there are certain aspects of ministry that have the potential to create specific problems within a marriage. Many great marriages have been damaged and even broken because of the unexpected toll that ministry brought into it.
Today, we are going to talk about common pitfalls within marriage that can be caused by ministry life. I’m going to share with you some tips to help you avoid these problematic situations and I’m going to give you direction on how to respond to certain issues when they come up.
The reason that this is so important is because your marriage should be your safe haven from the stress and demands of this world, but if left unprotected, it can easily turn into a swamp that collects all of the negative emotions and junk from life and ministry. You must learn how to protect yourself and your marriage so that you can experience the joy of marriage along with the joy of ministry. If not, they both will feel like a living hell.
- Protect your privacy.
a. Date night. Just like ministry success requires you to put in the time and effort, so does marriage success. Having a regular date night is pivotal to developing endurance and passion in your marriage.
b. Don’t talk trash about your spouse. Your spouse isn’t a means to an end, nor are they a prop for your sermon. I’m not saying that you can’t share personal stories in your message, but I am saying that you shouldn’t share stories that give a bad impression of your spouse. There are plenty of other ways that you could support your point while still supporting your spouse.
c. Limit your availability to others. Maybe start by choosing only certain days/evenings that you are able to do meetings or counseling sessions, even if you’re technically free on the other days. You have to give yourself breathing room through the week because before you know it, you will be overwhelmed and your marriage will feel overwhelmed too.
- Don’t play with hoes.
a. Pay attention to weird vibes. I’m not going to necessarily go into all of the different motivations behind why certain people hit on or flirt with ministers, so just know that it’s a thing, even in ministry. Sometimes it’s emotional, sometimes it’s spiritual, and sometimes it’s just people being lonely or horny. No matter what’s driving them, you have to be aware of it and ready to divert from it.
b. Run from opportunities. Whenever you pick up on this kind of vibe, you must limit yourself to them and only allow access when there’s somebody else present. Don’t put yourself alone with them or in intimate situations like one-on-one counseling or prayer. Don’t make excuses as to why you should just minister to them anyway, it’s a trap for you. You simply just have to back up and let someone else minister to them if you have to. It is not worth ruining your life and marriage over.
c. Be transparent with your spouse. The best way, in my opinion, to guard yourself against hoes in the world is to be fully transparent and even accountable with your spouse. Talking to them about potential weird vibes or asking them their perspective on certain interactions will help strengthen the trust in your marriage as well as your integrity to resist temptations to flirt with the idea.
Take away:
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Establish a regular date night with your spouse. Even if it has to be at home, set specific times to have intimate one-on-one quality time with your spouse.
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Create boundaries for yourself and marriage by choosing specific times that you are available and unavailable for ministry and others.
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Lay it all out and set parameters of transparency with your spouse. Ask them if they have felt weird about certain people and their interactions with you. Decide what your accountability will look like within your marriage.
Big thought:
One thing that comes with the role of being a leader is being heavily criticized. You become the focal point of the organization with a fish bowl effect, and some people will feel no hesitation in voicing their disagreements on how you handle certain things. While many aspiring leaders expect some criticism from the role, I think that many are surprised by who ends up getting upset, what they’re upset about and how they go about voicing their criticisms.
In this episode I’m going to unpack some clearer expectations that you can have as a leader when it comes to criticism, I’m going to show you how to filter the criticism in a healthy way, and I’m going to share my ideas on how you should respond to these instances.
The reason that this is so important to talk about is because many leaders end up getting blind sided by certain criticism. It’s easy to respond out of emotion in a way that doesn’t necessarily positively represent your leadership. And even worse, many leaders get overwhelmed at the criticism to the point where they give up a role that they were actually great at.
- I just didn’t know.
You must guard your heart by knowing that there is constructive criticism that comes from people that either care about the mission or care about you. And then there is other “criticism” that is really just people talking trash because they think they would do it better than you. Those people often think that they’re more superior than others and spend their time casting judgment on those whose role they’re jealous of.
- Now you know.
Once you realize that not every voice is necessarily a voice that you need to take too seriously, consider what people are saying and perceiving from your leadership. When someone shares something to you one-on-one, you should consider the weight of what they’re saying and consider it in your mind and heart.
- Let them know.
I think that the way that we respond to criticism speaks the loudest. It is the opportunity to either show confidence, resolve and maturity or insecurity, ego and immaturity. With any response you must know that it’s not as much what you say but how you say it.
Take away:
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Examine your most recent criticism to find an area to grow as a leader. Whether it’s from their feedback or if it’s from how you responded.
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What is a 2mm shift that you can make in your leadership style this month?
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Develop your go to response when receiving hash feedback. Decide in your mind and heart to be kind no matter what they say.
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Big thought:
An important aspect of leadership is recognizing how others perceive you. You should actually care about how others see you (to some extent) because, to some degree, it reflects your leadership.
Today, we are going to talk about how to build part of your personality and rapport as a leader. We are going to talk about how to balance being authentic while still being gracious, we are going to unpack how to take responsibility without always taking the fall, and finally, we’re going to talk about how to be confident while still being humble.
- Please use discretion.
A lot of people think that in order to be “real” you have to be rude. It’s simply not true. Learning discretion is pivotal if you want to become a leader that people can have respect for. This also goes hand in hand with learning how to say what you want to say in a way that is appropriate. It requires you to really think before you speak, but the more that you practice this kind of discretion, the quicker and better you will get at it.
- You’re not the punching bag.
One of the biggest mistakes that I learned early on was thinking that taking responsibility meant apologizing for things that were not my fault. The difference is that you can take action to correct something that is wrong while at the same time communicating if something was not necessarily in your hands. As a leader, you should strive to take responsibility when you recognize you could have done something differently or better, but you don’t need to become the fall guy for other people who were a part of it.
- Surround confidence with humility.
I believe that the best leaders are those who are confident but humble. Not many people like an arrogant know-it-all as a leader. But on the flip side, not many people like soft push over as a leader either. There is a simple balance that you can have by being confident with yourself while still having a verbal reserve of caution/humility. The best way to cultivate this is by having accountability and mentors in your life. And by remembering that no matter how good you are right now, you have a lot to learn.
Take away:
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Practice discretion this week by holding back your next 3 negative opinions. Save them and think of ways that you could share them with grace or consider if they needed to be shared at all.
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Don’t be quick to apologize for the next thing that comes up. Consider your role in the matter and decide whether or not it was truly something that you should say sorry for.
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Choose 1-3 things that you are confident in within yourself, your skills or your role, and then write down 1 reservation or humble statement about things you are confident in.
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BIG THOUGHT:
It’s easy to feel overwhelmed from all of the suggested advice or steps when it comes to experiencing success in leadership or ministry. You can truly waste hours, days and months chasing the “new” idea on ministry or leadership but I believe there are simple and consistent principles that you can apply to your role without having to compromise your character, personality or vision.
Today, we are going to unpack 3 of these principles that will help you to form a foundation of leadership while still keeping your own creative individuality.
- SHOW UP.
When it comes to showing up, I believe the 80/20 rule applies. While this philosophy is pretty common, it’s surprisingly accurate. 80% of success can be achieved by simply showing up. That’s it. If you show up consistently, you will see results. You’d be surprised how many people simply can not do this. I’ve seen it in blue collar workplaces, sales, and ministry. Many people simply don’t show up enough consistently. But when you show up enough times, you inevitably show out.
- PAY ATTENTION.
The other 20% of success is found in what you do after you show up. It’s one thing to be present, but it’s another level when you are paying attention to the details once you’re there. Look for things that need to be done and do them, even if it’s not necessarily your job. Just look for things that either need to be completed or need to be made better.
- BE AUTHENTIC.
Last but not least is being authentic. No one likes a slime ball who is always trying to use people as a means to an end. If you allow yourself to be honest in the way you treat people, you will go far. You make people learn to trust you when they realize that you are genuine, and having people’s trust mixed with your other qualities of showing up and showing out will lead you to have exponential success through opportunities.
TAKE AWAY:
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Make your commitment and determine to show up to it. Come hell or highwater, be there. Extra credit would be to be the first one there and last one to leave.
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At your place of commitment, choose 1-3 things to redirect your downtime into by doing something else productive or making something better.
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Practice being your genuine self with people and places that you usually put on a show for.
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Big thought:
Accountability usually sounds restrictive to the person who is being accountable because can make you feel like you are putting yourself in a box or positioning yourself to having to ask permission. But that is not what we are talking about today. Choosing to find someone to be accountable to is choosing to ask someone to help you achieve greater results in your life and leadership.
In today’s episode, I’m going to explain what healthy accountability should look like (and not look like) and then I’m going to unpack the two main reasons as to why you should seek out accountability.
- What Accountability IS and ISN’T.
In order for accountability to really work, you have to actually talk to someone on a regular basis. You may even want to have different layers of accountability, each with a different person who helps you. For example: someone you check-in with daily via text; someone you check-in weekly with a 30 min phone call; someone you check-in monthly with an 1hr phone call; someone you check in quarterly with a video call; or someone you check-in with annually with an in-person meeting. All of these are simply examples to help get you started. I would suggest that you start with someone weekly talking on the phone and adapt from there according to your needs and ambitions.
- Accountability Protects You.
Just knowing that you’re going to talk to someone about what you may or may not do helps motivate you to make more rational choices. Especially if you’re struggling with giving into temptation, having accountability will help strengthen your will-power. Your level of transparency will determine your level of victory.
- Accountability Helps Drive You.
Again, we’re not talking about someone who beats you up if you fall short. We’re talking about someone who cares about you and wants to see you win. Yes, you can still achieve your goals just on your own, but having accountability simply helps you in the moments that you are tired or feeling off. And we all get days and seasons in which our game and motivation feels off. Accountability is simply helping assure that you’re going to achieve what you want.
Take away:
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Write down a list of 3-5 things that you want to protect yourself from through accountability.
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Write down 3-5 habitual or accomplish centric goals that you want to achieve.
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Establish 1-3 people to be accountable to with a frequency and type of communication.
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Big thought:
One of the most common pains in leadership is IMPOSTER SYNDROME. People constantly think that they have to be somebody else in order to be successful, but it’s simply not true. The more that you try to pretend to be someone else, the more stunted your leadership impact will be. When you allow yourself to be authentic, you will reach people who only you would be able to reach.
“People would rather follow someone who is always real rather than someone who is always right.” - Craig Groeschel
There is a healthy balance of being genuine while still working to become a better version of yourself. We can pursue change while at the same time remaining true to ourselves. In Today’s episode, I’m going to share from my own experiences of imposter syndrome and unpack some guiding principles to help you navigate your own journey of becoming an authentic leader that reaches the people that no one else would be able to reach.
- Break the mold.
It’s easy to fit in when we deny who we are. Learning what guides your soul and passion is pivotal when learning how to be a genuine leader. You have to dig deep by understanding exactly what it is that you believe, and, even more importantly, WHY you believe what you believe. Once you find out who you are, don’t conform to the mold around you.
- Imposter syndrome.
Every leader who has any healthy sense of self-perception experiences insecurities and fears about their own abilities to lead successfully. It’s not bad to have those initial fears because it shows that you recognize the gravity of doing something significant. But you can’t allow those fears to own you or stop you from pushing the limits of who you think you can become.You are not just “faking it till you make it” you are sharpening the best parts of yourself in order to achieve something greater than ordinary.
- You Belong.
It’s incredibly easy to get lonely as a leader. Especially if you are striving to achieve things outside of ordinary expectation. There will be times where you will feel like no one understands you or even believes in you. It will make you feel like you don’t fit in anywhere because of the fact that you were willing to be unique. Don’t allow the rejection of some to convince you that you are rejected everywhere. You may not belong everywhere, but you belong somewhere.
Take away:
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Write down three guiding principles that are pivotal to who you are and what you believe in.
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Own who you are and write down 10 self affirming statements that define who you want to become.
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Identify what kind of person you lead best and list three people that you can confide in transparently who will encourage you.
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Big thought:
Hosting an event can be either exciting or terrifying depending on whether or not you know what you're doing. When you lead your first event, you quickly realize that it's a lot easier said than done because of how much work it takes and because of how many details are easy to forget about.
Today, I'm going to give you some essential event planning lessons to help you in making a greater impact with your next event! It will equip you in both regular event that you have and potential bigger stand-alone events that you may have in the future.
The reason this is so important is because there are many events (and I mean MANY events) that appear to be out right sloppy and uninspiring! Not only is it a disappointing for the people that you want to reach, but it is discouraging for you. Even though individuals put so much work, time and energy into it, they almost feel like it was for nothing or not worth it because it didn't meet the expectations. You have VISION, you just may need some help in articulating that vision into your event effectively.
- Planning.
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Start broad and work your way down to the details. Begin with identifying your reason of WHY your event would be good to have by listing what your overall goal is for the event. Then workout whether or not you have secondary goals to achieve. Next, show WHAT it is that you're wanting to do and explain HOW this would be able to fulfill these goals through your event.
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Preparing
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Now that you have everything planned out, it's time to start putting it into motion! Just like before, start big and go small. Knock out the essential parts of your event first and then fill in the gaps. This means booking the location, transportation and other key components of the event. Make sure these things are all set first because everything else has to fit into them. If your work the other way around, you will end up doing twice the work if a date didn’t work for the main thing.
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Promoting
- Some of the most effective forms of promotion is personal invite and posting online. Depending on how big your event is, you want to plan it to be far enough in the future for you to have enough time to promote. If it's less than 50 people, 3-5 weeks is reasonable. If it's around 100, 6-8 weeks. If it's more the 200, 3 months minimum. If it's more than 500, you should shoot for 6 months. And 9-12 months if it's more than 1000 people in attendance.
Take away:
- If you haven't already, write out the planning process for your regular events in order to refine and make better what you already do.
- Plan your next event! Get your feet wet by switching things up with goals to break out of your ordinary routine.
- Make a promotion schedule on social media to post for 5 days a week for a month for your organization.
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Big thought:
One of the first things that generally happen when a new person is put in charge is them changing the name. Our first instinct is to take a sense of possession over the organization or ministry by renaming it and changing it to fit our personality. The reason this can be very unproductive and even dangerous is because it is done out of ego rather than critical thinking.
Today we’re going to unpack some of the first things that you should do (and not do) within your first year of being in charge. This is such an important topic because it will save you loads of time and energy, making you more efficient and effective during your intro season to leadership.
We’re going to focus on 3 major aspects of this kind of introductory leadership: Time Investment, Culture Molding, and System Efficiency. While each of these topics could be individual episodes of themselves, today I’m going to give you a simple overview to get you started.
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Time Investment - Understanding your timeline better helps you to understand how you invest the limited time that you have. You will make much more focused and effective decisions when you’re thinking about years down the road rather than just the moment you’re currently living in.
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Culture Molding - Rules without relationship lead to rebellion. Just because you have earned a position doesn't mean that you have necessarily earned the people’s trust and respect of whom you will be serving/leading. So often, young leaders come in hot and want to throw around their new authority by changing things left and right that don’t even necessarily need to be changed.
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System Efficiency - The systems of an organization is where you can truly shine as the new leader in charge! This is taking a deep dive look into how things are run and finding ways for it to be better. This is where the initial changes can actually make a real difference. Changing the name of an organization has never saved it from self-destruction, but changes in the systems in which it operates can have incredible results.
Take away:
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Do a time inventory by listing out realistic goals you want to accomplish with your new position within the first 6 months, 12 months, and 3 years.
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Identify 3 cultural behaviors that you want to keep and 3 that you want to mold into by setting the example.
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Do an analysis of your organization or ministry and identify 5 steps or systems that can either be eliminated or simplified.
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Leave a rating and review for this show!TAP HERE to connect with Homer or visit https://www.homerhargrove.comFollow on YouTube, Instagram, Facebook and TikTokSHOP merch on https://www.homerhargrove.com/shop
Big thought:
Depending on where you’re starting out in ministry or business, learning how to delegate tasks and responsibilities is key to being able to grow. There is always something more to be done, and if you don’t learn how to put people in the right places, you will be the cap to your own success.
Today, we are going to talk about the right mindset of delegation, the actual practice of it, and how to best communicate it.
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Understanding Your Role - If someone is able to do what you’re currently doing, you will be able to do something else that needs to be done or could be done. You will begin to experience exponential results!
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How To Delegate - You must get organized. So many times, we think that leader have it all together! Or maybe you think that everyone has it together except for you! Trust me, none of us know what we’re doing. But getting organized is more talked about than actually done.
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Communicating Clearly - What you can’t overlook in this process is giving them the tools to succeed and know that they’ve succeeded by offering clear communication and instruction. I think that it is best to sometimes give written instruction along with verbal in effort of giving an abundance of clarity.
Take away:
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Write out all of the tasks that need to be done and identify the ones that need to be delegated.
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Ask your team members what areas of your organization they want to work in or grow in.
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Find one person that you can mentor and teach how to lead with you so that you can delegate a responsibility to.
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Big thought:
Student ministry is one of the most meaningful and necessary components of church, yet it is often used as the guinea pig for ministers to cut their teeth with. In fact, most leaders learn their biggest mistakes in youth ministry! While no leader is perfect, we should strive to do better than the past. Youth ministry shouldn’t be looked at as a preparing stage for “real” ministry. Every soul is valuable no matter how old they are.
In today’s episode, I'm going to share with you the top 6 mistakes that I made as a youth minister. While we could spend an entire month just talking about what youth games you shouldn’t try, I’m going to focus more on the ideological mistakes that I made and why I think they should matter to you.
6 Mistakes I made in youth ministry:
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Replacing the parent.
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Pretending to be a youth.
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Being too intimate.
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Becoming their emotional savior.
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Centering service around fun.
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Dumbing down the message.
Take away:
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Identify 1-3 things from this list that you are currently doing but want to change.
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Meet with your team and ask them to share their opinion on what top 3 things would be for your youth group.
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Out of the three most voted areas were chosen, list out 3 things that you want to start doing and 3 things that you want to stop doing in order to make real changes in your culture.
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In this episode, Andy Howard leads us in a conversation about overcoming depression and discouragement. Andy was born in Bryan, Texas and currently lives outside Dallas, TX with his wife Tiffany and their three beautiful daughters Payton, Parker, and Presley. For over 20 years, Andy Howard has served in ministry as a youth pastor and marriage ministry pastor. He has found that not much changes in each role, just that some come with more wrinkles and less hair. Andy is an advocate for mental health awareness as he has known the heaviness of depression himself. He is passionate about fighting against the awful attack of mental health issues that are running rampant across the human race.
To connect with Andy, you can follow him on Instagram @andybhoward or you can visit his website www.andyhoward.com
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Big thought:
One way to experience burnout is by having your personal life invaded by your work life. It’s easy to feel completely exasperated due to the additional efforts or pressures from work or ministry, and if left unchecked, it can totally ruin your potential as a parent, a spouse or as a minister. Because ministry is so personal and unpredictable, one of the biggest challenges is learning how to balance your personal life and the ongoing demand of ministry.
In today’s episode, I focus on learning how to balance as a parent. I share my own personal experiences in an effort to give you a heads up of mistakes to avoid and tips to help you better tap into your potential as a parent and minister.
Lessons from my kids:
With my 1st kid, I learned: You ONLY have 24 hours in a day.
With my 2nd kid, I learned: You ONLY have 100% to give.
With my 3rd kid, I learned: You should ONLY say “yes” when it is truly a right fit.
Take away:
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Write down and list 1-24 hours for your day and do a time assessment. Block off your time for ministry and time for your kids. (Time blocks are a great way to organize your days).
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Make a list of your current ministry duties/roles and grade each of them with a “+” or “-” in order to understand what drains you and what gives you energy. If you have way more “-” than “+” then you may need to make necessary changes to eliminate the drains. (Consider this also when planning your work schedule so that you can attempt to not transition to your kids after a big draining task).
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Write down 2-3 ways that you can minister to your child and make them your #1 priority in ministry.
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Big thought:
Community culture is present within every formation of people and it can either make or break any organization, church, workplace or family. Which is why it is so important to know how to foster healthiness, as well as, how to throw out toxicity.
In today’s episode, I’m going to give 5 healthy components for a healthy community culture, and then I’m going to show you how to handle potentially harmful traits and people as a leader.
5 Healthy Traits:
- Freedom
- Inspiration
- Friendship
- Confidence
- Authenticity
How To Handle Toxicity:
- Always check yourself first.
- Take divisiveness and gossip seriously.
- Protect your people by not being passive.
Take away:
- Do a community inventory by rating your culture on a scale of 1-10 for each of the five traits discussed in today’s episode.
- Ask your team, or those close to you in your organization, to do the same thing as Take away #1 and then compare the results together in order to form an action plan of improvement.
- Identify potentially harmful and toxic components within your organization’s culture and begin taking the necessary steps to handle it.
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In today’s episode, I’m sharing with you a clip from an interview, conducted by Aurelio Arias from Christ Mission College. In this Interview, I share spiritual and practical aspects of ministry, pastoring, sermon preparation and more.
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In this episode, Grace Buckman leads us in a conversation about finding your calling. Grace is a Christian woman from Australia who leads the Hallelujah! podcast. Her show was born out of her passion to encourage young women, spread the gospel, and share the truth of God’s word. The Hallelujah! podcast is designed to inspire and equip you to walk out your faith in a biblical way as you seek God in all things.You can connect with Grace Buckman by following and subscribing to @hallelujahpodcast on Instagram, Spotify and Apple podcasts. You can also visit http://www.hallelujahpodcast.com to learn more.
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Big thought:
Many people have a passion to say something meaningful but struggle with being able to articulate it in a clear and understandable way without it sounding like a regurgitated thought they heard from someone else.
Today, I'm going to teach you three methods of creating a talk. But before we get into that I want to start with two things you need in order to develop the right mindset for a talk.
The Right Mindset:
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Have DIRECTION for your talk.
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Be GENUINE for your audience and in your content.
Three Methods of Creating a Talk:
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Bible story based. This is the method of using scripture to either paint a story, share a lesson or invoke a challenge. This method is incredibly versatile because you can either use a single verse to unpack a concept, a person as an example to follow or be weary of, or full passages of content to show depth and reasoning. This is powerful way to connect with people at a spiritual level (and all other levels).
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Principle based. This is the method of having a principle, thought or belief as your silver lining through out your talk. It's like having a single nail that you hammer on with each of the points. This is a very effective method when trying to change the way people think or behave by tapping into their heart.
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Information based. This is the method of educating people through facts and statistics. Using information to develop reasoning and logical changes. This is a great way to inspire the "need" to act or change with in the mind.
Take away:1. Clear your head by writing down your intentions as to why you want people to listen to you in the first place.
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Write down what experience and call to action you want your audience to have from your talk.
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Identify areas where you best receive ideas and inspiration for original content, and then challenge yourself with the question of "why do I believe this?"
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Big thought:
Discouragement can be one of the biggest stumbling blocks for someone who is close to break through, and if left unresolved, can completely change the course of someone’s future.
Not only can discouragement demoralize you and set you off course, but it can also be an unrealized killer in your satisfaction and joy. There are many times people are genuinely and deeply discouraged without and even realizing it.
So whether you’re currently discouraged or you want to know how to overcome it for the future, here are 7 tips to help you overcome discouragement:
- Recognize you’re not alone or the only one.
- Expose and stop self-defeating thoughts.
- Identify possible sources of your discouragement.
- Make any possible changes to your circumstances.
- Engage with a trusted community with transparency.
- Start a gratefulness journal.
- Journal your true thoughts prayerfully.
- Find output focused activities/hobbies to practice.
Take away:
- Find a person or counselor to confide in on a regular basis. Not just for your bummers but to celebrate with too.
- Make a list of possible healthy changes to make.
- Start declaring positive affirmations over yourself in the mornings.
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Big thought:
Sometimes, the pain that we're persevering in ends up becoming our purpose and calling. In this episode, Simon Andrade shares his experience of finding his purpose as he learned the power of perseverance through struggle. He also shares practical advice on how to overcome disappointments, as well as, how he began to navigate the early stages of stepping into his current role.
Simon is the host of the free and redeemed podcast speaking to men and women who are struggling in their Christian faith. He is also a committed member to the Limitless church (formerly known as House of Prayer Church). His passion is hoping to impact leadership for other believers by helping them know the truth with daily partnership with the Holy Spirit.
Follow Simon Andrade on Instagram @simondanielboy
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Big thought:
The very things that we view as weaknesses in our personality often reveal what our strengths are but because those traits have got us into trouble, we think that we are supposed to avoid or hide those traits all together. I have found, time and time again, that those highlighted “weaknesses” are simply disguising our unrealized strengths. When you lean into these traits, rather than away from them, you will tap into your hidden potential like never before.
So here are 5 steps to help you identify and utilize your weaknesses as strengths:
- Identify areas of “trouble” and lean in.
- Clarify your passions and marry them.
- Identify areas of mental neglectfulness.
- Establish automations or people for what you neglect.
- Start saying no to the things that don’t meet your passion.
Take away:
- What is your secret strength, and when can you first recognize it in your childhood?
- What changes in your life or role do you need to make in order to better utilize your personality strengths?
- After identifying your passion, how can your passion be used to make a positive impact in others?
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Big thought: One of the best ways to tap into your hidden potential is by learning how to see problems before they become YOUR problems. History repeats itself because we don't take the time to learn from the mistakes of people before us. Rather than waiting for someone to give you unsolicited advice, go out and ask people whom you admire about their lives and what they’ve learned.11 questions to ask your mentor or role model What was your greatest obstacle? Who else would you recommend for me to connect with? What mistakes have you made? What's one question you wished you asked earlier? What accomplishments are you most proud of? What's the greatest piece of advice that you've gotten? What's the greatest lesson you've learned from a failure? What are you learning right now? What advice would you give to someone just starting out? What is the greatest change you've made as a leader? If you could do anything differently, what would it be?Take away: Make a list of 3-5 people to set up 1-on-1 meetings with in order to ask these questions. (Bring a visible writing notepad to take notes). Out of the people you listed, ask their permission to set up recurring meetings so that they can coach and mentor you. (If they all decline, make another list and repeat the steps until you have 1-3 people who agree to coach or mentor you.) Answer these questions yourself and make tangible decisions and changes in your life according to your answers.Leave a rating and review for this show!TAP HERE to connect with Homer or visit https://www.homerhargrove.comFollow on YouTube, Instagram, Facebook and TikTok
Big thought: In today’s world, workplaces desire for us to have two things. That is EDUCATION and EXPERIENCE. So many people strive to get the education but are then shot down for not having the experience.
Today I’m going to show you some real and available options for you to, not only gain experience, but to begin making an impact in your community NOW.
Volunteer Somewhere.
- Local Church. This is probably the easiest place to start (depending on your church) because there is a variety of areas that your can dip your toes into.
- Faith based organizations. No need to re-create the wheel! There are so many different ministries outside of the “church” that help and support people within the community.
- Secular organizations. This area has incredible potential because it has a great need and a unique aspect in the fact that you will have to get creative in how you present the gospel while ministering as a volunteer.
Find a mentor
- More specifically, find an actual person to help mentor and coach you. It’s not always easy to find someone willing to invest in you, so don’t take it personal.
Learn from others
- Dive into books, podcasts and any other forms to learn from other people’s experiences.
Take away:
- Where can you start volunteering next week? Once you decide, sign up TODAY.
- Who could be a possible mentor for you in this stage of your life? Message them TODAY.
- What is the next book/podcast/etc. you are going to dive into?
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Big thought: An organization’s culture is built by the values that are either intentionally made or neglectfully allowed within the teams who are leading.
With so many different personality traits and characteristics, what are some of the most valuable ones to have for your team?
- Authenticity. This boils down to trust and believing “who” you’re talking to.
- Teachability. This boils down to having emotional maturity and being able to be guided.
- Loyalty. This boils down to commitment and being willing to stick things out when times are confusing or difficult.
- Brokenness. This boils down to having a sense of experience and ability to overcome.
Take away:
- Which single trait do you align with the most? Once you identify it, lead with it.
- Without limiting it to the four values discussed today, evaluate the individuals on your team and distinguish which single character value they each identify with the most.
- How can you practically start imparting these qualities within your team or organization?
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Big thought: In order to be effective, avoid burnout and be emotionally healthy, you must understand and recognize what season you're in.
In this episode, Eric Campos shares shares some of the struggles and accomplishments he has faced over the last 13 years of being an active ministry leader.
Eric Campos has been in ministry for more than 10 years and has received multiple ministry certificates through internships/seminaries and an associates in ministry. He spent nearly half of his time in ministry as a children's pastor and the other half as a youth pastor. He currently serves at Living Stone Worship Center in Del Rio, TX.
Take away:
- "Don't take yourself too seriously."
- "I'd choose heart over talent any day."
- "Pay attention to what season you're in."
Follow Eric Campos on instagram @the_fields23
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Big thought: Learning from someone else’s story and experiences catapults you forward if you apply the lessons that they learned.
- Desperation is what led me to change.
- Servanthood quickly turned into ministry.
- Hands on experience was the best way to learn how to do ministry.
- Showing up consistently is what promoted me to a place of positional authority.
- Clear, simple and obtainable vision is what made us successful in ministry.
- Spiritual Devotion is what made me sensitive enough for our next steps.
- Grit and aspiration is how we experience growth now.
Take away:
- What stage of ministry or leadership are you currently in?
- What is it that you should focus doing right now?
- Ask someone close to you within your ministry or organization to sit down and discuss lessons learned from your own past.
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Most of us assume that people understand what we have communicated, and other times we assume that we don’t need to communicate because people already know. But more often than not, people feel confused and desire more clarity.
Take away:
- List at least 3 areas of moments and times that are lacking communication in your team. If not sure, ask your team members.
- What is one thing that you need to start communicating to your team today?
- Is the culture of communication in your team healthy or unhealthy? Write down 3 values that you want to be in your team’s culture of communication.
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Vision is what causes people to buy in while trust is what causes them to stay. Today we are going to talk about three important factors that are needed in order to build a trust that will keep and grow a healthy and reliant volunteer team. To support this ministry click here: bit.ly/2FaVlrX
Burnout is usually a term that we use to describe overworking ourselves, but often is just us feeling busy yet unproductive. To support this ministry click here: bit.ly/2FaVlrX
Leaders are the ones that should lead with responsibility, yet teams are often frustrated by not knowing who is responsible for what. To support this ministry click here: bit.ly/2FaVlrX