Your Succession Journey: New Coaching from the Clarity Thought Leaders at Auxano

by: Will Heath

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Auxano’s succession planning service is designed to help ministry leaders navigate the following questions.

What leadership transition process makes the most sense for our situation?

There are three basic ways leaders transition. We refer to these as the Stop-n-Go, Intentional Interim, and Overlap. Each is a valid option, but used for different reasons. Knowing the pros and cons for each will help you make an informed decision in selecting the option that best fits your unique situation.

What types of questions should we be asking as we develop our succession planning strategy?

There are five critical areas every succession planning strategy needs to consider.  Developing a plan that addresses each area (we refer to them as “Signposts”) impacts the overall health and effectiveness of your strategy. The five Signposts are Pisgah (see Deut. 3:23-28), Teams, Search, Authority, and Ceremony.

How prepared are we, from an organizational structure standpoint, to navigate a season of leadership transition?

It’s not uncommon for things that have no direct correlation to the succession planning strategy itself to cause significant disruption. For example, a lack of documentation in your governing documents can become the basis for confusion and possible division. With appropriate planning there is no need for this, or other areas, to become a stumbling block.

How do we prepare and lead our people through a season of significant leadership transition?

At its core, succession planning is about preparing so they know what to expect during a season of transition.  Having an intentional strategy won’t alleviate every challenge, but will go a long way in soliciting their commitment through the process. This is an important way to fight the tendency for people to become disengaged.

Auxano will guide you through a journey of “Checkpoints” to develop your comprehensive succession planning strategy. Our Succession Journey will help your team navigate the core issues outlined above in a thorough, meaningful way.

Read more from Will.

Want to know more about our Succession Journey? Contact us to start a conversation.

Tags: Will Heath, succession journey, succession planning

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5 Critical Conversations in Succession Planning

by: Will Heath

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When the topic of succession planning first landed on my radar (early 2007) there were very few ministry leaders that would entertain the conversation.  This was true at both the denominational and local church level.  There just wasn’t a sense of urgency on the topic.  Fast forward to 2016, and the tone has changed considerably.

As this conversation has come to the forefront of leadership thought and conversation I have noticed a concerning pattern develop.  The term “succession planning” is being used as a catch phrase for what is actually five distinct conversations.  This creates a challenge in implementation as there are multiple agendas attached to the same word.

To bring clarity to this conversation we are launching a series that brings codified language to to help distinguish what people mean when they reference “succession planning.”

Here are the five different conversation of succession planning.

• Succession Planning as Protecting Organizational Continuity
• Succession Planning as Emergency Transition Management
• Succession Planning as Leadership Pipeline Development
• Succession Planning as Proactive Exit Planning
• Succession Planning as New Leader Hiring

Succession Planning as Protecting Organizational Continuity

When navigating a intentional leadership transition careful thought and energy is focused into what I refer to as the “7-Year Window.”  This is the period of time that extends anywhere from 3-5 years before the current leader formally transitions to 2-4 years after.  The time preceding the current leader’s formal transition is spent planning, preparing and implementing a transition strategy.  The time frame after the formal transition date is focussed on settling into life with a new leader.

A brief survey of ministries in the “Succession Planning as Protecting Organizational Continuity” reveals several high level questions that ministry teams wrestle with.  Here are five of the fifteen most commonly asked questions during this time.

• Do we have a clear sense of what makes us unique?
• Do we need to address issues related to our governance structure?
• What impact will the transition have on our giving?
• What is the best way to involve our people in the process?
• How can we ensure the successor starts well?

Succession Planning as Emergency Transition Management

Emergency Transition Management is a formalized process of making key decisions before an unplanned transition presents itself.  I estimate that 80% of the decisions that need to be made in the wake of an unforeseen transition can be decided ahead of time with the right tools in place.

Succession Planning as Leadership Pipeline Development

Most secular organizations use the phrase “succession planning” almost exclusively to reference their process of identifying and developing employees that have potential for increased levels of responsibility.  Leadership development in a nonprofit context is generally weighted towards equipping volunteers to manage various aspects of program implementation.  Increasingly, local churches are focussing on building a leadership culture that equips people to serve both inside and outside their programming structures.

Succession Planning as Proactive Exit Planning

Exit planning conversations in the business world tend to revolve around issues related to asset valuation, ongoing ownership structures, and liquidity events.  In a nonprofit setting, both secular and sacred, exit planning revolves around funding deferred compensation and determining what a key leader’s area of focus will be once they have transitioned out of their current role.  This often involves developing a platform to facilitate ongoing coaching, mentoring, or consulting activities.

Succession Planning as New Leader Hiring

Ministry leaders often use succession planning as a reference to the search process.  Efforts here focus on the developing a profile, identifying and vetting candidates and negotiating offers.  Some churches will engage in a professional search firm while others will manage the process on their own.

Many Elders and 2nd Chair leaders feel uneasy about talking with the Senior Leader about their eventual retirement.  Conversely, many Senior Leaders become very defensive when the topic of “succession planning” is mentioned in reference to them.  This is often tied to the fact people are defining succession in terms of search.  In my experience, having language that allows the succession conversation to shift from “search” to “Intentional Leadership Transition” or one of the other three conversations highlighted is all that is needed for the senior leader to engage the process.

Read more from Will.

Do you have questions about starting the succession planning conversation? Talk with an Auxano Navigator to learn more.

Tags: Leadership Transitions, Will Heath, pastoral succession, succession planning

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Succession Is: A Shift in Stewardship

by: Will Heath

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The farmer’s day-to-day activities look different from season to season.  Sure, some things are the same, but his changing priorities have a significant impact on how he manages his time from season to season.  The activities required to plant a field are very different than the things required to harvest it.  The various activities that demonstrate a farmer’s stewardship in one season are different than the activities that demonstrate his stewardship in the next.

This is easy to understand, right?  Let me ask you a question.  Would you consider the farmer to be a good steward if he plowed his field during a time of harvest?  Of course not.  Why?  Plowing the field is what you do to prepare the soil for seed.  Plowing at harvest would destroy the crop.  This isn’t stewardship, it’s stupidity.

Here’s the point.  A commitment to stewardship implies a willingness to allow the change in season to result in a change in activity.

To illustrate further, let’s take a look at how the Bible exposes us to two distinct aspects of time.  Kronos is measured time.  This is where we derive our modern word “chronology.”  The Bible expresses Kronos with references to hours, days, months, years, etc…  Kairos, on the other hand, is seasonal time.  Unlike Kronos, Kairos is not constrained to specific measurements.  Here is an example.

For David, after he had served the purpose of God in his own generation, fell asleep and was laid with his fathers…Acts 13:36, ESV

The “in his own generation” is a reference to the kairos in which God placed David in history.

One of my frustrations with the capital campaign industry in the church space over the past 30 years is that it has fostered a teaching of stewardship that predominately followed the categories of time, talent and treasure.  These are all Kronos expressions.  What has developed is a limited sensitivity and discernment for what stewardship actually is and how stewarding one’s kairosimpacts their life.  To illustrate my point, ask someone at church to illustrate the topic of stewardship with a picture.  I’m willing to bet 80% would draw a dollar sign or some other representation of currency.

What does this have to do with succession planning?

Everything!

The Church in America is experiencing a seismic shift in leadership.  Pastors, by the thousands, are aging into a new season of influence.  They are about to enter their retirement years.  As with the farmer, the leaders that do not adjust their activity (Kronos) to the reality of their changing season (Kairos) will no longer demonstrate good stewardship.  Indeed, succession planning is one of the biggest stewardship challenges the Church in America will face over the next 5-7 years.

In the same way the capital campaign industry helped foster a narrow perspective on stewardship, the search industry is fostering a narrow perspective on leadership transitions.  As I wrote in the first post of this series, succession planning and replacement planning are not the same thing.  Trying to navigate a planned leadership transition through the lens of replacement planning is like using a dollar symbol to define stewardship.  Yes, it is part of the conversation, but there is so much more to discuss and account for.

We are at a time where pastors need to be like the men of Issachar; men who understand of their times and know what they ought to do. (1 Chronicles 12:32)

Or, to say it another way, we need pastors who are willing to allow the reality of their changing kairos to determine their kronos.  We need pastors to shift their stewardship.

> Read more from Will.

Want to learn more about pastoral succession? Connect with an Auxano Navigator and start a conversation with our team.

Tags: Will Heath, pastoral succession, succession

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When Your Tank Runs Dry… Sustaining Healthy Ministry by Making a Pit Stop

by: VRcurator

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Below is a weekly series posting content from one of the most innovative content sources in the church world: SUMS Remix Book Summaries for church leaders. SUMS Remix takes a practical problem in the church and looks at it with three solutions; and each solution is taken from a different book. As a church leader you get to scan relevant books based on practical tools and solutions to real ministry problems, not just by the cover of the book. Each post will have the edition number which shows the year and what number it is in the overall sequence. (SUMS provides 26 issues per year, delivered every other week to your inbox). 

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More days than we would like to admit, church leaders face the necessity of leading on an empty tank. The ever present needs of the body, the ongoing call to lead our families through challenging or exciting seasons, and the every day mechanics of ministry leadership compound to drain even the healthiest leader. In fact, the question is not will you ever lead from an empty tank, but HOW will you lead from an empty tank. More importantly, what should a Pastor do when that season emerges?

A pastor’s greatest leadership tool is a healthy soul. Our concentration on skill and technique and strategy has resulted in deemphasizing the interior life. The outcome is an increasing number of men and women leading our churches who are emotionally empty and spiritually dry. – Lance Witt

It is time to face the reality that no numeric or other measurable short-term success in ministry can ever offset the long-term consequences of leading from an unhealthy spirit. What do you do when your tank runs dry?

Solution: Make a pit stop to replenish and recalibrate.

THE QUICK SUMMARY – Replenish, by Lance Witt

Every leader functions on two stages-the front stage or public world, and the back stage or private world. One cannot lead successfully front stage when one is completely depleted back stage. In a time when pastors are leaving the ministry in record numbers due to cynicism, disillusionment, weariness, health crises and personal scandals, there is an urgent need for soul care in the private lives of leaders.

Replenish helps leaders focus on the back stage, the interior life, in order to remain spiritually healthy. In a caring, encouraging tone, Lance Witt, former Executive Pastor at Saddleback Community Church shows pastors how to prioritize matters of the soul. Urging leaders to develop healthy spiritual practices and address problems that lead to burnout creates a healthy rhythm in their lives, improves their people skills and the spiritual climate of their team, develops better systems in their churches, and discovers how to lead an unhurried life.

For the many ministry leaders feeling alone, in over their heads, or simply worn out, this book will offer welcome relief and a healthy path forward.

A SIMPLE SOLUTION

In NASCAR, the race is won or lost in the pits. With a well-trained crew following the strategy of the crew chief (tasked with constantly adjusting to the realities of the race), a driver’s chances of being a winner are greatly enhanced.

Without a pit stop, though, it’s going to be a short race.

The same is true for leaders who think they can keep going and going, and going…

Instead of feeling constant pressure to be “on” all the time, leaders need to learn how to flow in a rhythm and pace themselves in between intensity and renewal. You really can’t balance the two, but you can work over a period of time to develop a rhythm where allowing for planned, intentional “pit stops” enables leaders to not only race strong, but finish well.

If you could plot the trajectory of your soul, where is it headed? Where you end up in ten or twenty years is largely determined by how well you manage what’s going on inside you now.

Leaders who stay spiritually healthy long term are those who learn the sacred rhythm of advance and retreat. There are times when we’re focused on the mission and taking the next hill for Christ’s kingdom. But you can’t stay on the front lines forever. You have to rest and regroup. In fact, the more fierce and intense the battle, the more you have to retreat.

Times of retreat have two powerful benefits:

Replenishing my soul. When I’m on retreat, something happens inside me that’s hard to explain. I have learned to slow my spirit, and I now realize the world can get along just fine without me for a little while. I am learning to “be” with my heavenly Father, and my soul is replenished in the process.

Recalibrating my perspective. As I ponder and pray, God regularly shifts my outlook by reminding me of what is really important. He regularly convicts me of getting so worked up over things that just aren’t that important. On retreat I have removed most of the white noise form my world, and I can be quiet enough to hear God’s voice.

– Lance Will, Replenish

A NEXT STEP

How do you know when you need a pit stop?

People who dream big and execute well run into particular hazards that most people don’t encounter.  Will Mancini has discovered that it’s not uncommon for a true ministry visionary to be tired. He has developed five causes that block the future-minded leader from feeling 100%.

At your next team meeting, write the following “formulas” on a white board or flip chart:

• #1 God’s Vision + Man’s agendas  = Too much work
• #2 Personal Driven-ness + God’s Vision = Too much work
• #3 God’s Vision – God’s Timetable = Too much work
• #4 God’s Vision – Empowering Others = Too much work
• #5 God’s Vision – Personal Growth = Too much work

Reflect on each formula individually and discuss together as a team the extent that each formula is sapping the healthy lifestyle, mental sanity or energy-filled style that faithfulness to God and his vision deserves.

Create action steps to help each team member rewrite the formula in their own life, producing replenished leaders and a team built to finish the race.

Closing Thoughts

Godly leadership is always inside out. God has and always will choose to smile on men and women who are healthy, holy, & humble. – Lance Witt

By making a pit stop to replenish and recalibrate, leaders will help themselves and their teams keep a “full” tank and be healthy emotionally, physically, and spiritually.

To learn more maintaining a healthy ministry, start a conversation with the Auxano team today.

Taken from SUMS Remix 14-1, published May 2015

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Tags: Lance Witt, Replenish, SUMS Remix, healthy ministry, leading on empty

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3 Reasons Groups MUST Be a Big Deal

by: Eric Geiger

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While one person can make a significant impact on each of us, we tend to be much more influenced by groups of people. Here is a fascinating example: The Petrified Forest National Park in Arizona has often faced a crisis as people can steal petrified wood at an alarming rate. Some researchers tested what message would motivate people to respect the forest and not steal wood. Three different tests were conducted:

• Test 1: No sign posted.
• Test 2: A posted sign with a picture of one personpicking up petrified wood with encouragement not to take wood.
• Test 3: A posted sign with a picture of three people picking up petrified wood with encouragement not to take wood.

So what were the results?

When there was no sign posted, people stole 2.9% of the wood. When there was a sign showing only one person taking the wood, 1.9% of the wood was taken. When there was a sign showing several people taking wood, 7.9% of the wood was taken. Clearly people were much more willing to follow the lead of a crowd than a single person. * A group can impact people much more than one person can.

The people in your church will be much more influenced by a group of people than they will be by one person, by even one pastor. While a pastor can make a significant impact on a person’s life, the impact of a group is much more sustainable and reproducible.

Here are three reasons groups must be a big deal at your church this fall. (I am using the term groups, but the same applies to Sunday School classes, Bible fellowships, etc.)

1. A group provides encouragement that no one person will ever be able to provide.

We are all limited in the number of relationships we can have. Thus, a church that does not value groups acts as if they foolishly believe that a pastor/leader can deeply relate to a lot of people. Without groups, ministry leaders can run feverishly in futile attempts to relate deeply to lots of people.

2. A group illustrates the faith in multiple ways.

One person can provide an incredible example of faith and godliness, but it is one example. A group of people provides multiple expressions and illustrations of how the Christian faith is expressed in different spheres of life.

3. A group of believers provides a counter culture.

People in your church are going to be impacted by some group of people. The wisdom writer wrote, “The one who walks with the wise will become wise, but a companion of fools will suffer harm” (Proverbs 13:20). The groups of people we surround ourselves with either help or harm us. By offering and emphasizing groups, churches offer an opportunity to walk with the wise. If people don’t walk with the wise, they will be a companion of fools and suffer harm.

Here is my observation: A church that does not emphasize groups tends to put way too much burden on a weekend worship service and too little trust in the power of Christian community.

* The research is cited in the book “Social Psychology and Evaluation,” page 277.

> Read more from Eric.

Learn more about the importance of groups in the big picture of Discipleship at your church.

Tags: Discipleship, Eric Geiger, Small Groups, groups

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5 Bible Truths to Help You in Succession Planning

by: Will Heath

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I’ll never forget my very first observation about succession planning.

Succession planning is personal long before it becomes tactical.

This was the “big idea” God used to get my attention in this area. A mentor of mine trusted me enough to open up and talk through the fears he had about his eventual retirement. At the time he was over 10 years away from retiring. The conversation was personal and left a deep impression.

Since that moment, this principal has become a primary filter for serving leaders in seasons of transition.

I like what Marshall Goldsmith wrote in his book Succession, Are You Ready.

“Academic” literature generally ignores the fact that CEO’s – and their successors – are human beings. Very little of what is written deals with the “soft” personal issues like relationships, self-interest, ego, or (God forbid) feelings! – Preface: Memo to the CEO, page XIV

His book is written to those in the “C” Suite, but his comments apply to leaders in both secular and sacred nonprofit organizations.

To help you process the personal side of succession planning, here are five biblical passages to read and reflect upon. Take one at a time. Read them slow and in context. Reflect on specific, personal applications. Record your thoughts in a journal. Pray with your spouse.

A Pattern to Follow – Numbers 8:23-26

This is the only passage in scripture that speaks directly to the topic of retirement based transitions. It is God’s instruction to Moses on how to manage the Levite work force as they age. The insights in this passage stand as a stark contrast to how retirement is viewed by those of us living in a western, capitalistic culture.

A Lament to Wrestle With – Ecclesiastes 2:18-21

It seems understandable, natural even, for the leaders that invested their lives to build something would lament the fact that someone else would eventually step into their shoes. Solomon’s concerns expressed in this passage seem to resonate in the hearts of many leaders today.

A Change in Identity – Deuteronomy 3:23-29

Mount Pisgah marked a profound shift in Moses’ identity as leader. Climbing the mountain, his primary identity as leader was centered around leading Israel into Canaan. Coming down, his primary focus was preparing Joshua and Israel for the day he would no longer be with them. A careful look at verses 23-26 reveal this had been something Moses struggled with for quite some time.

A Desire for the People – Numbers 27:12-23

Numbers 27:12-23 and Deuteronomy 3:23-29 are parallel passages that provide different insights into the same moment – God confronting Moses with his need to implement a succession plan. Even though Moses experienced great frustration in leading Israel, this passage spotlights his genuine concern for their well-being. He was concerned more for their future in his absence than his personal legacy.

A Passion to Protect – 2 Kings 20:16-19

To truly appreciate this specific passage you must read the full account – 2 Kings 18 – 21:9. Hezekiah’s story stands as a profound example of how zeal and passion can diminish over time. At 25 he had the audacity to destroy the Bronze Serpent that Moses build some 700 years prior (2 Kings 18:4). By the end of his career he was willing to trade his personal comfort for the future of Israel. His zeal was gone.

As you study this passage pay special attention to 2 Kings 20:6 and 2 Kings 21:1. God extended Hezekiah’s life 15 years and moved the nation into a season of peace and prosperity. It was during this time his son, his successor, was born. Manasseh was 12 when he became King. The son’s perspective of God was shaped by his father’s leadership while in a season of peace. He never knew his father as man that depended on God. One can’t help but wonder how much that played into his attitude towards God during his tenure as King.

A Prayer of Reflection – 1 Chronicles 29:10-19

This is the last, or one of the last, recorded prayers of King David. Unlike Hezekiah, David’s passion for the Lord burned bright to the very end. It is not the words of this prayer that make it unique. It is not so different that many other prayers of reflection that can be found throughout history. No, what makes this prayer special is the point in David’s life in which he uttered it. Indeed, there are certain prayers that can only be voiced by those who have given their life, their length of days, to the service and glory of God.

I pray these passages would serve as both a source of encouragement and warning as you reflect upon the reality of your eventual transition.

Succession planning isn’t the last great thing you will do as a leader.  Succession planning is the gateway to your greatest season of influence.

Let me know if there is any way we can serve you in this season. Let’s start a conversation.

Tags: Will Heath, succession planning

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