Archive for Leadership
Cracking Creativity: Part One
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Wow. I can’t believe it’s October and I haven’t blogged since the first day of school. That’s called “really behind”! But between five regional training events, my daughter’s volleyball schedule and everything in between, I’ve been a little lax in keeping up!
So, to make up for lost time, my hope is to spend the next few days downloading some things I’ve been working on. I’m teaching at the 2011 Texas Leadership Forum next February and I’ve been developing four new topics. Today, I’ll share with you some simple concepts on developing creativity in your women’s ministry.
Now, before you make the comment, “I’m not creative”, I want to remind you that you were made in the image of God and He is the ultimate Creator. Everyone can be creative. It just may manifest itself in different ways.
First, the secret to creative thinking is to start with the problem or challenge. Turn those challenges into opportunities. After that, creative ideas will surely come. What are your ministry challenges? Can’t get younger women involved? Not sure you’re getting women involved in prayer? Do your women need to be challenged to share their faith? Begin with one topic and follow these steps with your ministry team. (Creativity is best done in collaboration–not in solitude!)
1. Generate ideas. Lots of ideas. Put up large pieces of paper and write them all down. At this point, don’t allow feedback. You just want as many ideas as you can think of.
2. Prohibit criticism when generating ideas. This is not the time to shoot down an idea or give reasons why it won’t work. (or you don’t have money for it)
3. Do not stop at the first good idea. Someone may suggest a good idea right at the first. That’s great! But don’t stop there! Most of the “first ideas” are “obvious ideas.”
4. After you generate the list, pick the top five. Give each idea a “score”. I’ve been in groups when we used the “fist to five” method. Everyone made a fist if they didn’t like it and five fingers meant it was at the top. We even decided to “flush” an idea if we really didn’t like it.
5. Keep a file or notebook of ideas. You never know when you might need to revisit the ideas that were given.
6. Provide a creative atmosphere. Use objects that are colorful. Be in an image-rich environment. Go outside and get some fresh air. Whatever you do, you want the creative process to keep flowing.
Tomorrow’s blog: Tips For Staying Creative.
It’s Going to Be SWEET!
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One of the most important aspects of the Women’s Missions and Ministries Office is equipping women to reach women through their local church and community. We know leadership skills are vital to a healthy ministry. When leadership thrives, so does your ministry.
That’s why our office conducts annual SWEET events. SWEET is an acronym for Statewide Women’s Enrichment and Education Training. Sometimes these events are held on a Saturday and are conducted as a statewide conference. But, we’ve also realized the value of regional events every other year. So…this year we’re coming to five locations around the state! These are evening events designed especially with ideas to help you reach women with God’s word and to reach others with the Gospel of Christ.
Dates and locations for 2010 include:
- Oklahoma City, Quail Springs, August 10
- Guymon, Grace Southern, August 12
- McAlester, First Baptist, August 31
- Lawton, First Baptist, September 2
- Inola, First Baptist, September 9
We have six learning lab leaders who will be teaching at most locations. They are the best teaching team our state can offer, so you don’t want to miss hearing from them. In fact, you will have the opportunity to attend two learning labs out of the 12 offered. (one reason you need to bring your entire ministry team!)
Learning Labs include:
- Unhindered: 2010-11 WMU Emphasis (this is especially for WMU Directors and Women on Mission Leaders)
- Cracking Creativity: Creativity in Ministry
- Beginning, Balanced and Blooming: How to Begin a Women’s Ministry and Keeping It Balanced
- Leading to Change Lives: How to Develop a Leadership Team
- Inspiration to Application: Applying God’s Word in Bible Studies (as groups and as individuals)
- Connections and Conversations: Bridging the Generations In Ministry
- More Than a Billion Reasons to Pray and Go: Learning about our Partnership with East Asia
- Recycle, Reuse Resources: How to Do Ministry On a Dime
- I Feel Like a Woman…Let’s Go Girls: Biblical Womanhood
- In the Company of Women: How to Develop Community in Your Ministry
- A Life Set Apart: Pursuing Personal Holiness
- Electronic Gospel: Using Technology in Ministry
In addition, we are offering a special teen girl’s track in Guymon and Baby Boot Camp training at three locations. Patsy Sanders, who has coordinated Baby Boot Camps around the state, will give women the opportunity to learn how to begin this type of ministry in your area.
The cost is only $15 which includes resources and dessert. More details are on our website, so plan now to attend!
No Lone Rangers
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I guess I must be bored tonight. Why? I actually started cleaning out some cabinets in my home office. Yep, the kids are gone and the only thing on television is The Bachelorette. (oh how I could go on and on about that one!)
So, as I started cleaning out the drawers that hold random photos, copies of writing contracts and leftover Christmas stationary, I found one of my favorite teaching props. It needs little explanation. The moment I place it on my face, there is an immediate connection. And I think it cost me less than a dollar to purchase. But if I didn’t have it as a reminder, it would cost me a lot more.
What is it? It’s a little black “Lone Ranger” mask. You know, the Lone Ranger. The cowboy hero with his famous horse, Silver. And why do I own one? Because it’s my reminder that ministry is NOT meant to be done alone.
As a women’s ministry leader, do you often find yourself doing everything? Are you dreaming up the ideas for ministry and then executing the details? If so, you might be wearing my Lone Ranger mask. But if you’re developing a team who will help you pray and seek God’s will for your ministry, then hopefully you’ve found a healthy balance of leadership and collaboration.
Teams don’t always mean that execution is easier. In fact, it’s really not. If I sat in my office and made all the decisions, I could get a lot of things crossed off my “to do” list more quickly. But, because I value the input of others, sometimes there is give and take, hard discussions and creative minds focused on kingdom results. We spend time praying, creating, debating and making decisions together that I believe deliver a better outcome. And the best part is that my team has an investment in the ministry we are working on together.
In fact, I think Jesus had a similar team. They were called the 12 disciples. And while Jesus could have accomplished His purpose without them, I’m glad He chose to use them and continues to use us to reach our world for Christ.
So, no more Lone Rangers. Let’s do ministry together.
The Power of a List
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Charles Schwab, the president of Bethlehem Steel, hired a consultant and said to him, “If you’ll show me how I and other top managers in our company can use our time better, I will pay you a fee of whatever you ask within reason.”
The man said, “All right.” He then gave Schwab a blank sheet of paper and said, “I want you to write on this sheet of paper all the important things you need to do tomorrow and list them in order of their priority. As number, one, put the most important thing you should do tomorrow. As number two, put the second most important thing you should do, and so forth. Then when you go into work tomorrow morning, start with the first thing on your list and stick with it until you finish it. Then move on to number two, and so forth. You more than likely will not be able to accomplish all the things on your list in a given day, but you will have accomplished the most important thing on your list or at least made a major effort regarding it. Then tomorrow night, make a new list for the upcoming day. Do this for several weeks and let me know what happens.”
The consultant concluded, “If you find that this plan is working for you, pass on the idea to your managers. And if this is of value to your company as a whole, send me a check for what you think the plan is worth.”
Schwab did as the consultant advised, and he gave the idea to his managers, who also put the plan into action. A few weeks later, Schwab sent his consultant and friend, Ivy Lee, a check for twenty-five thousand dollars. In 1930, that amount was similar to receiving several hundred thousand dollars today.
I learned the power of a list more than 25 years ago when my first supervisor required me to do this very thing every Monday morning. Of all the leadership books I’ve read and conferences I’ve attended, this simple task that takes about 15 minutes to finish each Monday morning, has keep me organized and productive in every area of my life.
So today is Monday and I’m getting ready to make “the list.” The best part is that because I’ve been in my job for almost five years, I have kept every list I have made since August 2005. Each week I can evaluate my timelines for deadlines and evaluate where I’m behind and where I need to focus my attention.
So here’s your leadership tip of the week. Make a list. Look at it often. Evaluate your priorities and accomplish great things. Whether you’re a woman who is a homemaker, an attorney or a lay leader in your church, time is part of your stewardship to the Lord. Be effective.
(story adapted from “Success God’s Way” by Charles Stanley, Thomas Nelson Publishers, 2000. Page 193)
I am the Women's Missions and Ministries Specialist for the Baptist General Convention of Oklahoma. Our purpose is to encourage women to embrace and echo God's heart for the world.
