Leadership – From the Center

Energizing the church begins with spiritual renewal, but it will also require us to re-think some issues of leadership. How we lead - and structure - the church will impact our effectiveness either positively or negatively. We may facilitate or inhibit the renewing, energizing work that God wants to do in and through His church. Good intentions and spiritual fervor are not enough.

I want to explore two types of leadership, leading from the center and managing the boundaries. While effective leadership is always some mix of these two skills it is important to consider which tends to form, even dominate, our leadership.

Leadership from the Boundaries

We have typically approached leadership is terms of boundary management. This approach is expressed in terms of institutional or management control. The leader functions as a "gatekeeper" who guards the boundaries. This takes the form of approval, permission and resource allocation. We ensure that persons in leadership or positions of influence can "pass" the clearance of theological orthodoxy or organizational loyalty. I can manage the direction of ministries by requiring their clearance as a requirement of their placement in those positions.

For instance, we might ensure the missional fidelity of the youth ministry by making sure that I have the "right person" in charge. By reassuring myself of his/her doctrinal orthodoxy and organizational loyalty, I can have a level of confidence that he/she will lead in a way that will not deviate from the character of the community or intentions of the pastoral leader. I can further reinforce that guarantee by maintaining active levels of control over issues like budgeting or programming. Because these leaders must routinely return for approval, validation, or resources the leader can guarantee that they won't get out of hand.

This is leadership from the boundary. It can effectively ensure that the life and activities of the organization (church) remain within appropriate boundaries. There is freedom for ministry leaders - within the boundaries. The effective goal is ministry within the boundaries.

One of the weaknesses of this leadership style is that it focuses on limitation rather than direction. It is more effective at limiting deviations than producing a coherent direction. In a sense, it moves a community in a common direction by ensuring that people don't get off track. It is a "herding" approach to leadership. It manages deviations.

Another weakness is that it focuses on control rather than empowerment. Approval and permission are management functions that say "yes" or "no" to specific initiatives. The gate is open or closed. The freedom to lead within the boundaries is corrective. The charge to leaders is, effectively, "stay within the boundaries" with less emphasis on what their leadership should produce (within the boundaries).

This approach to leadership tends to be de-energizing, inherently remedial or negative. The leader functions as a "judge" who gives a thumbs up or thumbs down on people, plans, or resources. That is usually only energizing to those who receive a consistent thumbs up. This creates a problem for leaders who struggle, caught between the responsibilities of leadership (to protect the boundaries) and a desire to affirm and encourage leaders, or at least avoid damaging conflict. The enforcement of boundaries tends to become inconsistent and selective under the pressure of these relational and power dynamics.

Leadership from the Center

Leadership from the boundaries is not our only option. It is possible to lead effectively from the center. However, it does require re-thinking how leadership works.

Leadership from the center re-focuses our attention from the boundaries that mark unacceptable deviation to the center, the essential values or character that define an organization or community. Critical to this kind of leadership is a clear and compelling identification of the core values that stand at the heart of who and what we are. This offers a clear direction as the most important contribution of leadership.

This core definition serves as a formative principle for the varied activities or ministries of the church. Everything the church does is directed by these values or missional definition. The activity of the church is not merely "within" acceptable boundaries but it is moving in a common direction.

In one sense this imposes a higher standard on leaders because it identifies what their leadership should be about, what it should do. It is not enough for leaders to meet acceptable minimum criteria, they are expected (required) to lead in certain direction.  The freedom of leaders is not at the level of determining the core values but in how to accomplish them.

For leadership from the center to be effective, it requires accountability to the core defined values or mission of the church. However, clear accountability to the core values allows greater organizational freedom in the ways different groups or ministries work to realize those core values. Having ensured a common direction, it is less important to maintain operational boundaries. Permission and resources can be released when accountability to the core values or mission is ensured.

Lay Empowerment

This model of leadership works effectively as an empowering approach to leadership. Sharing (and being accountable to) a shared vision of ministry values or mission allows broader lay (or staff) initiative in accomplishing that vision. But expect the process to be "messier." It won't fit as neatly in an organizational chart or top-down ministry plan. Expect initiatives to draw outside the boundaries of our expectations. At the same time, expect the process to be energized. When people are commissioned to accomplish a shared vision of ministry - and when the strategies are shaped by their interests, ideas, and passions - you can expect the energy levels to rise.

We need to move beyond "zero-sum" thinking. Zero-sum thinking assumes that there are fixed resources available. We have "X" amount of time and money, so we need to use it as efficiently as possible. That's why we manage boundaries, to ensure that valuable resources are not "lost." But leadership from the center is not bound by zero-sum limitations. Energies and resources increase when people are tapping into their personal visions and passions.

Leadership from the center can be a little crazy. When folks are released to actualize the gifts God has given them they will take us places we never envisioned. But because their liberty is directed by the vision from the center we can be confident that the places we discover are taking us to the destination we are jointly committed to. It can be a wild - and wildly exciting - ride.

Leadership Changes

Leadership from the center requires different things from leaders. At least three are key:

1) Clear and compelling articulation of the core values & vision. This will require collaborative development and shared ownership so this is not a vision the pastor can create alone in the study. It is also not likely to emerge out of congregational suggestions or focus groups. An effective center leader needs to be able to give effective leadership to the collaborative process of identifying core values. The end result must be biblically and missionally faithful while being winsome enough that the congregation willingly "owns" it together.

2) Clear and effective patterns of accountability to the core values and vision. The ability to constructively release ministry depends on an effective pattern of accountability to the core values. Without it lay empowerment becomes ministry chaos. Leaders and ministries must be held accountable to expressing and effecting those values in their ministries.

3) Visionary influence leadership. The effective pastoral leader from the center exercises leadership of influence rather than control. He or she effectively calls the church to the vision of what they are to do or be. The leader from the center points effectively in a direction. This can be uncomfortable for leaders accustomed to managing by control. But if we can make the shift it is more energizing for the pastoral leader as well as those involved in the ministries of the congregation.

Conclusion

This discussion will be heard in different ways. For some, it will only be an echo of leadership patterns you have been practicing for some time. For others, it will be a call to patterns of leadership that you find difficult, if not impossible, to envision. For all of us, I am convinced that a shift in our approach to leadership is inevitable if we hope to move effectively into the emerging culture. This article is part of the conversation trying to move us into that future. Re-energizing our doctrinal conversations is part of that conversation, but not the only part. Leadership and structure matters, too. Faithfulness to the message also calls us to be attentive to the patterns of leadership.