I love organizational health. I have been healthy and unhealthy – and while I learned in both – without question I prefer healthy. If truth be told I’ve probably been the leader in both. Plus, there are seasons when every organization is healthier than others. Over the years of leading, I’ve observed a few things which can be an enemy of organizational health. They keep health from happening and, if not dealt with, can eventually destroy an organization – even a local church. 7 enemies of organizational health: Shortcuts – There are no shortcuts to creating a healthy organization. I’ve known l ..read more

Can you distinguish between a boss and a leader? Better question – are you a boss or a leader? Frankly, I hate the term boss. Whenever someone refers to me as their boss I almost feel like I’m doing something wrong as a leader. I want to ask forgiveness for making me think I’m the boss. There are so many differences in a boss and a leader. A boss seems to have all the answers, even if they really don’t. A leader solicits input, leads a collaborative effort, to arrive at the right answer. A boss tells people what to do. A leader enlists the support of others. A boss can be intimidating – if onl ..read more

In this episode of The Ron Edmondson Leadership Podcast Ron and Chandler Vannoy discuss things you shouldn’t do if you want healthy communication. There are some things you simply shouldn’t do if you want healthy communication on your team. In this episode, don’ts in healthy communication. Show notes: We love hearing from leaders who enjoy these podcasts. Yes, we know they are simple. It is intended to be a quick listen to a conversation between father and son – (and in this one – father and friend) who are both struggling to figure out leadership in our individual contexts. Ron is a unique le ..read more

I have quick – but powerful reminders for pastors.  I’ve still been a pastor for less time than I was in the marketplace in my career but I’ve hit the twenty year mark. Along the way I’ve learned a few principles that help me in my work as a pastor.  The only purpose of this blog is to share some of that. Here are a few quick reminders. 7 quick – but powerful reminders for pastors.  If God is calling you the details won’t matter. Neither will the money, or the people. Or the naysayers.  Make sure He is calling you. Check with wise counsel. But if you’re sure then ..read more

Every team needs some inexpensive ways to develop people on the team. That way even when finances are tight, development keeps going. When budgets are stretched, development often is pushed to the back burner or cut altogether from the budget. This is dangerous for a team, which wishes to remain healthy and continue growing. If a team is not learning and improving it will soon struggle to maintain any level of success. So, build into your system some inexpensive ways to develop people. 10 inexpensive ways to develop people on a team: Bring in a leader – It may be cheaper to bring the expert to ..read more

In this episode of The Ron Edmondson Leadership Podcast Ron and Chandler Vannoy discuss balancing your yes and your no as a leader. Most of us prefer to say yes to the people we are trying to lead. Most leaders like to be liked. Unfortunately, because of the demand of time and resources, no gets said more often than we might like. How do we balance which to say when? In this episode, balancing your yes and no as a leader. Show notes: We love hearing from leaders who enjoy these podcasts. Yes, we know they are simple. It is intended to be a quick listen to a conversation between father and son ..read more

Tyrant leader. Ever served under one? I have worked for a few controlling leaders. The word “tyrant” in the title of this post means a cruel and oppressive leader. That may be a strong word, but I would almost place some of these within that definition. One particular season like this was hard for me and even harder for my wife. She saw me coming home emotionally drained at the end of each day. In each setting, I finally decided life was too short and I moved on from there.  Thankfully, those experiences in my career have only been for short periods of time. Looking back, as har ..read more

How do you communicate with introverted friends or family who may not want to engage as much as you do? I get that question regularly. Over two years ago now, I received an email from a reader. I saved it and changed a few details of it to keep the writer anonymous but wanted to share my response in hopes it is helpful to others. Important to know, this reader reached out to me because of my previous posts about being an introvert. My adult granddaughter is an introvert. We don’t see her often since she lives 900 miles away; however she is staying with us for a couple of months while she serv ..read more

There are some attractive traits for in successful senior leaders. If a leader has these, he or she will be more likely to have loyal followers. I’ve got a long way to go. At 60 years of age and having been a senior leader for over 30 years, I realize more of my weaknesses today than ever in my career. But I’ve also learned a few things I want to try to emulate as a senior leader.  These are some of the “best of the best” traits for those who attempt the daunting responsibility of leading others.  12 attractive traits for senior leaders: Steady – They give a calming assurance in ..read more

There are some key components if you wish to lead genuine organizational change. In my observation, many leaders want change and know they need to lead it, but they haven’t been able to actually produce change. I think there are reasons for this. The process of change isn’t easy. It doesn’t happen overnight. Some leaders move too fast. Others move too slow. Plus, not every church, business or non-profit will tolerate change – or at least to the level prescribed by a leader. The leader needs to know when to push and when to leave things alone for a while. It’s a delicate process leading change ..read more