#46: Whit George - Changing Roles

Leadersheep Podcast

ABOUT WHIT GEORGE Whitney George is the Executive Pastor at Church on the Move, where he oversees the operations and ministries of the church. Whitney is passionate about the local church and loves connecting with other church leaders. He and his wife, Heather, have five children and he loves Notre Dame football. LISTEN NOW iTunes - Episode #46: Whit George - Changing Roles Google Play - Episode #46: Whit George - Changing Roles GUEST LINKS Whitney George Twitter Whitney George Facebook Whitney George Consulting Seeds Blog MENTIONED LINKS CHANGING ROLES Defining your vision: Convictions are the heart of the church, giving clarity to the structure of the church. Having deep convictions (foundation in scripture) about your work can make your role & responsibilities clearer. Having deep convictions can bring clarity to difficult decisions. Working with a team: Be teachable, look for answers, try to figure out what you don't know. “Creativity is not about discovery, it's about connection.” Ideas don't come fully formed. Creativity is seeing how connections are possible, seeing something in one context and using it in another. Navigating transition in a new leadership role: Be patient. Transition can be tricky due to the temporary instability it induces. Realize that you're not as ready as you think you are. The right decision at the wrong time is the wrong decision. Acceptance: No matter what leader you work for, there will always be frustration with things you think need to change. Develop the discipline and habit of thanking God for the leader you have. Don't let petty frustrations wreck your relationship with your leader. “Be an honest critic privately but a raving fan publicly.” -Andy Stanley Use the drive for more, the dissatisfaction for what currently is, to make positive changes, but remain thankful for the current state. Don’t lean too heavily into the dissatisfaction all the time, all you will see is what “is not”. Lean toward thankfulness. A “holy discontentment” can help bring about necessary changes balanced with thankfulness. Don't let the anger/frustration become bitterness, it destroys relationships. Watch your heart. Ask yourself “Am I still called here?” Disagreement with authority doesn't equal disloyalty. Learning to lead at a new/different level: Where should your time be invested? Your role is to work on your business/church, not in your business/church. Define your operation. Build a reproducible model. Create systems that other people can run. Help create systems that are sustainable and not solely dependent on you. Advice for transition: You can only move at the speed of the leader in front of you. Be patient. God’s timing is perfect. It’s easy to think that everyone around you sees the flaws that you see, but that is often not the case. People have to buy into the heart and vision of the change before it can happen. You can only move at the speed that your team is ready to move. Don't rush. Spread your vision through one-on-one conversations, take your time, walk people through things. CONTACT [e-mail] SUBSCRIBE to the Creative Sheep Podcast On the Creative Sheep Podcast, we talk to people who are good at what they do to inspire leaders to get better. Don't miss an episode. SUBSCRIBE now!