Building great teams isn’t just something that happens on the football gridiron, basketball court, or baseball diamond.
Whether in the office, at home, classroom, boardroom, or field, great teams can be built anywhere. One building block of all great teams is great team chemistry.
And I know what you are thinking, “what is this mysterious thing called, ‘team chemistry’?”
In the words of Pat Bloom Head Baseball Coach/Wisconsin-Stevens Point, team chemistry, “can be defined as a group dynamic that occurs when members of the team work together and make a united effort to accomplish the goals and objectives of the collective whole.
A team’s ability to stick together can prevent the team from falling apart in times of great distress and turmoil, and can also be the “X factor” that propels a team to victory over an evenly matched opponent.”
But great team chemistry doesn’t happen by accident. It happens on purpose. Though great teams can be reproduced anywhere, truly great teams are extremely rare. The time and effort that is neccessary to create a great team is difficult.
So how are great teams created?
How do you get great chemistry?
Great teams have three components that produce team chemistry and establish foundation where greatness can be accomplished.
Component #1:
Great teams communicate HONESTLY in times of conflict.
This is often a challenge for us. External conflict is one thing (every team deals with external conflict, that is why a team is formed), but internal conflict is something else entirely. We would rather avoid internal conflict than embrace it.
But great teams can’t neglect internal conflict. Internal conflict is inevitable.
Misunderstanding, miscommunication, the idiosycracies of different teammates are common causes of internal conflict. This conflict will either destroy the team (or dramatically limit its effectiveness) or propel the team to a much higher level.
Great teams are gut-level honest with each other. And as uncomfortable as conflict resolution can be, when done with honor and respect it brings teams closer together.
Question: Does the team that you lead or you are a part of engage conflict honestly?
Then the LORD said to him, “What is that in your hand?”
“A staff,” he replied.
The LORD said, “Throw it on the ground.”
-Exodus 4:2-3
What do ya got?
That was essentially the question that God asked Moses after sharing a glimpse of the destiny that he had created him for:
To free a nation from slavery and bring them into God’s promise.
And as is the custom of unbelieving human beings, Moses questions his qualifications, skills, and resources to accomplish the task.
Rather than get into a lengthy debate, God asks “What is in your hand?”
Moses answers, “A staff.”
After the Lord tells him to throw it down, his eyes are opened to the power of God.
Taking Moses’ common staff, God performed uncommon miracles, signs, and wonders.
As a result, a nation bound in slavery for 400 years was freed.
A magic stick wasn’t neccessary. Bulging muscles weren’t needed. A million bags of gold couldn’t help.
A yielded staff in the hands of God was more than enough.
So what has God called YOU to do?
What edict of greatness did He create YOU for?
Yeah I know, I know….
You aren’t smart enough. You aren’t networked enough. You aren’t wealthy enough. You come from the wrong family. You went to the wrong school (or didn’t go to school at all!). You live in the wrong neighborhood. Your skin is the wrong color. You are too old. You are too young. Too much of this. Not enough of that.
Excuses, excuses, excuses…..
When exposed to God’s vision we are all tempted to do exactly what Moses did:
Make excuses why we aren’t the one that God is looking for. And the root of our excuse can be summed up in one sentence:
We don’t believe we have what it takes to accomplish the task.
But if God’s destiny relied on our resources, then we’re all in a ton of trouble.
God is not asking for extraordinary things to do extraordinary stuff.
He is just asking for extraordinary willingness. Extraordinary obedience. Extraordinary abandonment. Extraordinary surrender. Extraordinary worship.
He is simply asking for what is in our hands and our heart.
If we will zealously commit ourselves to His task and the little we have to Him, He will bless and empower us beyond our wildest dreams.
God has created you for greatness.
God has destined you for an amazing calling.
Stop making excuses.
He already knows what you DON’T have.
He wants to see what you DO have.
He is asking, “What do Ya Got?”
Now take what you’ve got and give it to Him.
When you give God what you’ve got, you get to see what He’s got.
And He’s got ALOT.
Just wait and see.
He used a dude with a stick and transformed a nation.
There are only 2 reasons why we resist God’s amazing plan for our lives:
1. Pride- (What will I look like? What will they think? What will this do to my reputation?)
2. Fear-(If I obey, what is going to happen? How will this affect me? How am I going to make it?)
There are only 2 reasons why we pursue God’s amazing plan for our lives:
1. Humilty-(Seeing ourselves the way God sees us)
2. Faith-(Seeing reality the way God sees it.)
The first set of reasons focuses on us. The second set of reason’s focuses on God. The first set of reasons focuses on earth. The second set of reasons focuses on heaven.
“One thing I ask of the LORD, this is what I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD and to seek him in his temple.”
-Ps. 27:4
What is the One Thing God is asking you to do? The One Thing that He is asking you to give up? The One Thing He is asking you to embrace? The One Thing that He is imploring you to seek?
Most of us get overwhelmed with the 2 million things that we need to do that are not done.
But God is not asking us to tackle 2 million things at once.
He is asking us to address One Thing.
One priority, one focus, one area.
When we are consistently faithful in the One Thing, we can get to everything if we learn to be patient.
By this time it was late in the day, so his disciples came to him. “This is a remote place,” they said, “and it’s already very late. Send the people away so they can go to the surrounding countryside and villages and buy themselves something to eat.”
But he answered, “You give them something to eat.”
They said to him, “That would take eight months of a man’s wages! Are we to go and spend that much on bread and give it to them to eat?”
“How many loaves do you have?” he asked. “Go and see.”
When they found out, they said, “Five—and two fish.”
Then Jesus directed them to have all the people sit down in groups on the green grass. So they sat down in groups of hundreds and fifties. Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke the loaves. Then he gave them to his disciples to set before the people. He also divided the two fish among them all. They all ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces of bread and fish.
-Mark 6:35-43
We often speak of ‘thinking outside the box’. By thinking outside the box, we become more innovative, creative, and more cutting edge. I sincerely believe in all these things.
I like to consider myself an outside the box thinker.
But sometimes thinking ‘outside the box’ gets us into trouble.
That’s the problem in the above text. The discipes couldn’t keep their thoughts ‘inside the box.’ They kept thinking outside the box. Their response to the directive of Jesus was to think, “if only”.
If only we had more bread we could obey your command and feed this huge crowd of people.
When Jesus commands us to do something, we often say the same thing.
If only:
We had more supply.
We had more money.
We had more help.
We had more talent.
We had more training.
We had more connections.
We had more time.
We had more education.
If only. If only. If only.
If only we had something ‘outside the box’, we could obey the commands of Jesus.
But if we could keep our thinking ‘inside the box‘, we would easily become witnessess to the power of God. When the disciples finally trusted Jesus with the little that they had, a miracle happened right before their eyes.
If only the people of God actually trusted Him for outside the box provision by staying faithful with what was inside the box.
Because of a strange quirk in the warranty, we had to wait 2 months before the dryer could be serviced.
So for the past 2 months we have been taking wet clothes to the homes of relatives and friends, in addition to going to the landry-mat (where ladies look at your underwear!).
This has been a inconvient and at times, frustrating process.
Until yesterday.
Yesterday it ceased to be frustrating and quickly became embarrassing.
Yesterday we diagnosed what our dryer’s problem was.
It wasn’t a mechanical issue where trained professionals needed to be called.
It was the result of a breaker switch that simply needed to be flipped on.
That was all.
We flipped one switch and everything wass different (at least in the Newman home!)
In many cases, change is simple.
It doesn’t require complex analysis, or extensive research.
It just takes one simple decision.
Though simple, it still may be difficult.
It may require courage.
Sacrifice.
Challenge.
Endurance.
But though all this maybe true, we can take solace in the fact that by one ‘flip the switch’, everything can be different.
In pro football after assessing opposing defense prior to the snap, a quarterback determines which defender is the “Mike”. The “Mike” is football parlance for middle linebacker or captain of the defense.
The “Mike” acts as the defense’s center, the primary pivot point upon which everything turns. By identifying the “Mike”, accurate blocking assignments can be given and a better understanding of how the opposition will potentially attack (with blitzes, stunts, different coverages, etc).
Before a first down can be made, or a touchdown is scored, a quarterback must find the “Mike”.
This gridiron principle of finding the Mike also applies to our leadership.
Before we can change the culture of our church, business, or organization we must find the “Mike”. The “Mike” is the root cause of resistance, problem, or issue in need of change. Though many symptoms can manifest, there is always a foundational challenge that acts as fuel to the fire.
Suggestions on how to find the “Mike”:
1. Take a step back- Stop fighting the daily battles for an hour or two and make space to think.
2. See the Big Picture-After making space to think, take a mental picture of your organization/team. What are the strengths? Weaknesses? What do you notice?
3. Find the Links- What is the common link between the smaller battles and fires you face on a regular basis?
4. Ask God for Guidance- God will always give wisdom when we ask for it. (James 1:5)
Ex: A certain pastor assummed leadership of an incredibly dysfunctional church. Volunteers were unreliable, complaining was common, and enthusiasm was nowhere to be found. There wasn’t a single area that functioned properly.
After using some of the above tools to find the “Mike”, this pastor came to realize that the issue wasn’t complaining, unreliability, or any of the things that were most easily seen. The “Mike” in this case, was a collective disregard for the pastoral office. Though there were many ugly expressions of the “Mike”, this was the “Mike” that was fueling all the dysfunction.
As leaders, our leadership will have limited impact if we can assess the situation and find the “Mike.”
Carve out some time in the next 7 days and find the “Mike”. You’ll be so happy that you did.
Building great teams isn’t just something that happens on the football gridiron, basketball court, or baseball diamond.
Whether in the office, at home, classroom, boardroom, or field, great teams can be built anywhere. One building block of all great teams is great team chemistry.
And I know what you are thinking, “what is this mysterious thing called, ‘team chemistry’?”
In the words of Pat Bloom Head Baseball Coach/Wisconsin-Stevens Point, team chemistry, “can be defined as a group dynamic that occurs when members of the team work together and make a united effort to accomplish the goals and objectives of the collective whole.
A team’s ability to stick together can prevent the team from falling apart in times of great distress and turmoil, and can also be the “X factor” that propels a team to victory over an evenly matched opponent.”
I would add that great teams with great chemistry can often beat teams with vastly superior talent (Duke over UNLV in 1991 NCAA Tournament is great example).
But great team chemistry doesn’t happen by accident. It happens on purpose. Though great teams can be reproduced anywhere, truly great teams are extremely rare. The time and effort that is neccessary to create a great team is difficult.
So how are great teams created?
How do you get great chemistry?
Great teams have three components that produce team chemistry and establish foundation where greatness can be accomplished.
Component #1:
Great teams communicate HONESTLY in times of conflict.
This is often a challenge for us. External conflict is one thing (every team deals with external conflict, that is why a team is formed), but internal conflict is something else entirely. We would rather avoid internal conflict than embrace it.
But great teams can’t neglect internal conflict. Internal conflict is inevitable.
Misunderstanding, miscommunication, the idiosycracies of different teammates are common causes of internal conflict. This conflict will either destroy the team (or dramatically limit its effectiveness) or propel the team to a much higher level.
Great teams are gut-level honest with each other. And as uncomfortable as conflict resolution can be, when done with honor and respect it brings teams closer together.
Question: Does the team that you lead or you are a part of engage conflict honestly?
Posted in Leadership, Transformation | No Comments »
Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ.
-1 Corinthians 11:1
Would you take swim lessons from someone who didn’t know how to swim?
I wouldn’t either.
But when we attempt to point our followers to places we’ve never been, we become swim teachers that don’t get in the pool.
We preach on prayer but rarely pray.
We teach on serving but never serve.
We tell others to share their faith in Jesus but don’t follow our own advice.
We talk about worship but never spend time in the presence of God.
We speak about generosity but keep our cash to ourselves.
When our leadership is not rooted in reality, it has no power to change lives.
We don’t have to be perfect, but we must be reaching.
Reaching for obedience.
Reaching for His presence.
Reaching for God.
Those that reach for God will find Him, and can lead others there too.
Posted in Leadership, Discipleship | No Comments »
Then the LORD said to him, “What is that in your hand?”
“A staff,” he replied.
The LORD said, “Throw it on the ground.”
-Exodus 4:2-3
What do ya got?
That was essentially the question that God asked Moses after sharing a glimpse of the destiny that he had created him for:
To free a nation from slavery and bring them into God’s promise.
And as is the custom of unbelieving human beings, Moses questions his qualifications, skills, and resources to accomplish the task.
Rather than get into a lengthy debate, God asks “What is in your hand?”
Moses answers, “A staff.”
After the Lord tells him to throw it down, his eyes are opened to the power of God.
Taking Moses’ common staff, God performed uncommon miracles, signs, and wonders.
As a result, a nation bound in slavery for 400 years was freed.
A magic stick wasn’t neccessary. Bulging muscles weren’t needed. A million bags of gold couldn’t help.
A yielded staff in the hands of God was more than enough.
So what has God called YOU to do?
What edict of greatness did He create YOU for?
Yeah I know, I know….
You aren’t smart enough. You aren’t networked enough. You aren’t wealthy enough. You come from the wrong family. You went to the wrong school (or didn’t go to school at all!). You live in the wrong neighborhood. Your skin is the wrong color. You are too old. You are too young. Too much of this. Not enough of that.
Excuses, excuses, excuses…..
When exposed to God’s vision we are all tempted to do exactly what Moses did:
Make excuses why we aren’t the one that God is looking for. And the root of our excuse can be summed up in one sentence:
We don’t believe we have what it takes to accomplish the task.
But if God’s destiny relied on our resources, then we’re all in a ton of trouble.
God is not asking for extraordinary things to do extraordinary stuff.
He is just asking for extraordinary willingness. Extraordinary obedience. Extraordinary abandonment. Extraordinary surrender. Extraordinary worship.
He is simply asking for what is in our hands and our heart.
If we will zealously commit ourselves to His task and the little we have to Him, He will bless and empower us beyond our wildest dreams.
God has created you for greatness.
God has destined you for an amazing calling.
Stop making excuses.
He already knows what you DON’T have.
He wants to see what you DO have.
He is asking, “What do Ya Got?”
Now take what you’ve got and give it to Him.
When you give God what you’ve got, you get to see what He’s got.
And He’s got ALOT.
Just wait and see.
He used a dude with a stick and transformed a nation.
He’ll use what you have to do wonders too.
So…What do Ya Got?
Posted in Leadership, Transformation, World Change, Faith | No Comments »
There are only 2 reasons why we resist God’s amazing plan for our lives:
1. Pride- (What will I look like? What will they think? What will this do to my reputation?)
2. Fear-(If I obey, what is going to happen? How will this affect me? How am I going to make it?)
There are only 2 reasons why we pursue God’s amazing plan for our lives:
1. Humilty-(Seeing ourselves the way God sees us)
2. Faith-(Seeing reality the way God sees it.)
The first set of reasons focuses on us. The second set of reason’s focuses on God. The first set of reasons focuses on earth. The second set of reasons focuses on heaven.
Posted in Leadership | No Comments »
The laborer’s appetite works for him;
his hunger drives him on.
-Prov. 16:26
Have you ever wondered where your life was headed? How things were going to turn out? Whether you were going in the right direction or not?
A simple way of determining of where you’re going is to examine your appetite. What do you desire? What are you hungry for? What do you have to have?
If you are hungry for the presence of God and the things of God, then you are headed to the right place.
If you are hungry for all the things that you know you shouldn’t be connected to or involved with, then you are definitely headed for trouble.
To simplify it further, if you have an appetite for the right stuff…then your destination will be right.
If you have an appetite for the the wrong stuff…then your destination is guaranteed to be wrong.
At the deepest level, our appetitie sets the course of our life.
So…what are you hungry for?
Posted in Leadership, Discipleship | No Comments »
“One thing I ask of the LORD, this is what I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD and to seek him in his temple.”
-Ps. 27:4
What is the One Thing God is asking you to do? The One Thing that He is asking you to give up? The One Thing He is asking you to embrace? The One Thing that He is imploring you to seek?
Most of us get overwhelmed with the 2 million things that we need to do that are not done.
But God is not asking us to tackle 2 million things at once.
He is asking us to address One Thing.
One priority, one focus, one area.
When we are consistently faithful in the One Thing, we can get to everything if we learn to be patient.
If you don’t know what the One Thing is, ask Him.
He’ll let you know.
God has One Thing for all of us.
Posted in Leadership, Discipleship | No Comments »
By this time it was late in the day, so his disciples came to him. “This is a remote place,” they said, “and it’s already very late. Send the people away so they can go to the surrounding countryside and villages and buy themselves something to eat.”
But he answered, “You give them something to eat.”
They said to him, “That would take eight months of a man’s wages! Are we to go and spend that much on bread and give it to them to eat?”
“How many loaves do you have?” he asked. “Go and see.”
When they found out, they said, “Five—and two fish.”
Then Jesus directed them to have all the people sit down in groups on the green grass. So they sat down in groups of hundreds and fifties. Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke the loaves. Then he gave them to his disciples to set before the people. He also divided the two fish among them all. They all ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces of bread and fish.
-Mark 6:35-43
We often speak of ‘thinking outside the box’. By thinking outside the box, we become more innovative, creative, and more cutting edge. I sincerely believe in all these things.
I like to consider myself an outside the box thinker.
But sometimes thinking ‘outside the box’ gets us into trouble.
That’s the problem in the above text. The discipes couldn’t keep their thoughts ‘inside the box.’ They kept thinking outside the box. Their response to the directive of Jesus was to think, “if only”.
If only we had more bread we could obey your command and feed this huge crowd of people.
When Jesus commands us to do something, we often say the same thing.
If only:
We had more supply.
We had more money.
We had more help.
We had more talent.
We had more training.
We had more connections.
We had more time.
We had more education.
If only. If only. If only.
If only we had something ‘outside the box’, we could obey the commands of Jesus.
But if we could keep our thinking ‘inside the box‘, we would easily become witnessess to the power of God. When the disciples finally trusted Jesus with the little that they had, a miracle happened right before their eyes.
If only the people of God actually trusted Him for outside the box provision by staying faithful with what was inside the box.
What amazing things we would see.
If only.
Posted in Leadership, Discipleship | No Comments »
For more than a week, the sports world has been in an uproar over ‘The Decision’:
Lebron James leaving Cleveland to become a member of the Miami Heat.
But was it so bad? Did Lebron commit a crime? Did he break the law? Is it a sin to relocate and take another job in the same field?
Most of us would admit (even those in Cleveland), that no crime was committed and no laws were broken.
So if that was the case then why are jerseys being burned and letters like this being written?
Why has the reaction been so incredibly negative? Why has this ‘Decision’ rubbed so many the wrong way?
I think this situation provides us with an incredible leadership lesson.
What Lebron got wrong was:
1. He didn’t convey sincerity when he acknowledged his supporters.
2. He didn’t provide the professional courtesy in communicating with his former employers what his final decision was.
3. He didn’t seem into account how his decision would impact others.
4. He seemed to only think of himself and his personal happiness.
What can leaders learn from this?
1. As leaders we must take the time to communicate.
2. As leaders we must graciously acknowledge the sacrifices others make to strengthen our leadership.
3. As leaders we must take into account how our decisions effect others.
4. As leaders we must understand that leadership is our God-given opportunity to serve.
Posted in Leadership | No Comments »
Our clothes dryer broke about 2 months ago.
Because of a strange quirk in the warranty, we had to wait 2 months before the dryer could be serviced.
So for the past 2 months we have been taking wet clothes to the homes of relatives and friends, in addition to going to the landry-mat (where ladies look at your underwear!).
This has been a inconvient and at times, frustrating process.
Until yesterday.
Yesterday it ceased to be frustrating and quickly became embarrassing.
Yesterday we diagnosed what our dryer’s problem was.
It wasn’t a mechanical issue where trained professionals needed to be called.
It was the result of a breaker switch that simply needed to be flipped on.
That was all.
We flipped one switch and everything wass different (at least in the Newman home!)
In many cases, change is simple.
It doesn’t require complex analysis, or extensive research.
It just takes one simple decision.
Though simple, it still may be difficult.
It may require courage.
Sacrifice.
Challenge.
Endurance.
But though all this maybe true, we can take solace in the fact that by one ‘flip the switch’, everything can be different.
Flip the Switch.
Posted in Leadership, Discipleship | No Comments »
In pro football after assessing opposing defense prior to the snap, a quarterback determines which defender is the “Mike”. The “Mike” is football parlance for middle linebacker or captain of the defense.
The “Mike” acts as the defense’s center, the primary pivot point upon which everything turns. By identifying the “Mike”, accurate blocking assignments can be given and a better understanding of how the opposition will potentially attack (with blitzes, stunts, different coverages, etc).
Before a first down can be made, or a touchdown is scored, a quarterback must find the “Mike”.
This gridiron principle of finding the Mike also applies to our leadership.
Before we can change the culture of our church, business, or organization we must find the “Mike”. The “Mike” is the root cause of resistance, problem, or issue in need of change. Though many symptoms can manifest, there is always a foundational challenge that acts as fuel to the fire.
Suggestions on how to find the “Mike”:
1. Take a step back- Stop fighting the daily battles for an hour or two and make space to think.
2. See the Big Picture-After making space to think, take a mental picture of your organization/team. What are the strengths? Weaknesses? What do you notice?
3. Find the Links- What is the common link between the smaller battles and fires you face on a regular basis?
4. Ask God for Guidance- God will always give wisdom when we ask for it. (James 1:5)
Ex: A certain pastor assummed leadership of an incredibly dysfunctional church. Volunteers were unreliable, complaining was common, and enthusiasm was nowhere to be found. There wasn’t a single area that functioned properly.
After using some of the above tools to find the “Mike”, this pastor came to realize that the issue wasn’t complaining, unreliability, or any of the things that were most easily seen. The “Mike” in this case, was a collective disregard for the pastoral office. Though there were many ugly expressions of the “Mike”, this was the “Mike” that was fueling all the dysfunction.
As leaders, our leadership will have limited impact if we can assess the situation and find the “Mike.”
Carve out some time in the next 7 days and find the “Mike”. You’ll be so happy that you did.
Posted in Leadership | No Comments »
Be generous with yourself by giving yourself to others.
Bless someone, encourage someone, invest in someone today.
Do it without expecting anything in return.
Give your best.
Share your mistakes, experiences, and wisdom you have gained.
Pray for them.
Listen to them.
Give to them what you would want someone to give to you.
Be generous.
With you.
“A generous man will prosper; he who refreshes others will himself be refreshed.”
-Prov. 11:25
Posted in Leadership | No Comments »