The Leadership Challenge

THE LEADERSHIPCHALLENGECreating an enduring & sustainable pathway

for developing and releasing leaders.[ [

www.careforce.org | www.rohandredge.com

www.careforce.org | www.rohandredge.com© 2012 Rohan Dredge. All rights reserved.

THE LEADERSHIP CHALLENGECreating an enduring & sustainable pathway for developing and releasing leaders

IntRoDucIng RohAn

Rohan became a Christian at the age of 15 and spent the next 5 years negotiating exactly how much of his life he could keep as his own and still look like he was following God wholeheartedly.

That game plan didn’t work very well at all and at the age of 20 Rohan made a decision to follow God with everything he was and that set the direction for the rest of his life.

Rohan Dredge has been in Church ministry since 1996 and has only ever attended three local Churches! His passion is to be able to engage and inspire people to reach to new levels and new heights in their own personal and spiritual journey. Rohan loves the Church and believes IT should be full of people who lead the way in every area of society.

In January 2009 Rohan had the privilege of accepting the leadership of Careforce Church in Melbourne, a significant Church in Australia with a great past and trusting God to have an even brighter future. It’s a humbling and exciting opportunity to lead a Church and Rohan, along with his wife Megan, continue to be overwhelmed by God’s grace as He prepares the future of the Church.

Rohan’s Ministry is characterised by:

• A love for God & people• A leadership bias in everything!• Transformational communication• Focused, relational disciplemaking• Coaching & Equipping• A consuming passion for the Local Church• A desire for Churches & Christians to think AND act Globally.

Rohan believes everyone has in-built purpose and magnificence and he speaks to individuals and groups in order to draw out that potential. He holds a Bachelor of Arts, Diploma of Education, Masters (Educational Psychology), Certificate IV in Workplace Training and is completing a Diploma in Coaching.

Rohan has been married to Megan since 1997 and is overwhelmingly in love with her, when not inspiring people to live to their potential he loves the Missions, Aid and Development work he does in Asia, investing in property, the stories movies tell, wakeboarding, Road & Mountain bike riding, Golf, fascinating books, and great coffee. In February 2010 they welcomed their daughter Zarriah Grace (Zarriah means princess of God) to the world and in May 2012 their family was completed with the arrival of their son, Maddox (Maddox means generous & blessed of God) The adventure continues.

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Leadership by design or default?

I had three defining leadership experiences before I became aware that I had the spiritual gift of leadership. that came much later when I stumbled upon a spiritual gifts survey and completed it alongside the reading of c. Peter Wagner’s book, “Your Spiritual gifts can help Your church grow.”

the first defining experience was at seventeen years of age. I was asked to organise and lead an overnight trip for the youth ministry I was attending. I remember it as a challenge, but not one that couldn’t be worked out. We transported a large group of loud, over excited and enthusiastic teenagers from one side of our city to the other. using three forms of public transport and camping (in the rain) at the other end by the beach, I organised it all as a teenager never once stopping to think I couldn’t do it. I’m forever grateful for the opportunity.

the second experience was more personal. In my early twenties I picked up and the read the book “Developing the Leader Within You” (by John Maxwell) and felt like I could fly around the room. the ironic thing was, I didn’t know why. I knew the content had gripped me, the topics inspired me and the overall experience left me deeply determined to go on a leadership journey. But I still didn’t know WhY. I was in some way inspired and motivated by the whole experience but needed something more to give me foundation, context and direction for leadership.

the last experience was more existential. As a reward for finishing an academic year of postgraduate study I attended a conference that had an emphasis on Worship. I had to pre select the afternoon seminars and three out of four were in the leadership stream. I still remember the mantra from the speaker twenty years later. he said “Excellence is doing the very best

you have with what you have got.” What I found most amazing was my selection of topics. three quarters on leadership, and I still didn’t know why 75% on casting vision, creating culture and leading change. And I still had no context for why those kinds of topics motivated, stimulated and inspired me so much.

nothing changed until one day I discovered I did actually have the gift of leadership and I also had the corresponding responsibility to steward this gift for the benefit of others.

As a result of the years of my leadership journey, I have read, experienced and implemented a variety of ways to “do leadership.” Model one provides a leadership matrix outlining some of the lessons I have learned.

Leadership is about influencing people for purposeful & meaningful activity. christian Leadership is about influencing people for purpose and meaning in a christian way. Bearing “Fruit that will last” (John 15:7 nIV.) Simply stated ask these two questions:.

1. Are we being fruitful?2. Is that fruit lasting?

or to rephrase in the language of leadership.

1. Are we developing leaders?2. Are those leaders leading? For a long time?

LEADERS CREATE LEADERS!Not more followers.We need an enduring & sustainable pathway for developing and releasing leaders.



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MoDEL oNE - LEADERSHIP MATRIx

Investigating the correlation between hoW you do Leadership and for hoW Long

Model One – Leadership MatrixThis matrix demonstrates what different styles of leadership accomplish over time and how each can be utilised



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QUADRANT oNEBy you, for a long time = StagnationAction: Shake things up

I discovered this style of leadership in my early years of youth ministry. I had a fantastic team that I simply wouldn’t give any of the responsibility of the ministry to. It had to be my decisions, my ideas, my way. In debriefing with my youth pastor at the end of the year he pointed out that we had had a great year but I simply wasn’t allowing others to do the ministry. And that is the point. Ministry build people and leadership builds ministry.

At the first stage of this matrix is the foundational leadership experience where you are going it alone. You are the solo leader or pastor in the particular organisation, or as I was, a leader not willing to trust others with ministry.

I have observed that the average Australian church has slipped into a similar pattern of believing and behaving. the average church size in Australia is seventy (ncls.org.au.) Just about big enough to keep one person busy looking after the ‘flock’. I suggest this is not leadership. It is Pastorship. good in and of itself, but not conducive to vibrant and enduring churches.

this model of leadership begins well, then quickly then plateaus. the end result is stagnation with most of the ministry being done by the only leader and very little leadership being done by anyone. Activity replaces effectiveness, there is little or no compelling vision and things continue in a state of rest as newton’s second law states.

the leadership response is to “shake things up” Something MuSt change, and often times it’s the leader that needs to move aside and allow a fresh new sense of energy, direction and vision to infiltrate the environment. other times it is a case of ensuring ministry is in the hands of the people, not dominated by just one leader.

When stagnation has occurred, change must take place. change what you are doing, who is doing it or both. Leadership cannot be effective by one person for a long time..

QUADRANT TWoBy you, for a short time = InitiationAction: Get things started

often times it takes a leader to show what needs to happen and to set the standard for action. I now know this is modelling. In 1996 I had an opportunity to assume responsibility for a youth ministry that had been suffering for quite a period of time. At the time of taking on the role it had dwindled in numbers, even more in morale, and even more I discovered, in finances.

I was given a clear directive from our Business manager that it was my responsibility to cover the several thousand-dollar shortfall. Looking back, it wasn’t a lot of money. however, it may as well have been multiplied millions from my limited perspective. Several thousand, several hundred thousand, several million, I didn’t have any of it!

What did we do? We created a fundraising day where we served the community at the same time. It was the first of it’s kind for a ministry in our area. to this day I can still remember doing all the planning, all the administration, all the liaising, all the preparation, all the communication, all the follow up, all the feedback, all for a few thousand dollars. Was it worth it? Absolutely. the event is still going over 16 years later and is considered one of the better service activities in the wider community, albeit with many changes from the original day.

Sometimes leadership requires you to take all the initiative, all the responsibility and all the risk. In doing so you can initiate and create something at a level that inspires others to be part of, often for longer than you are.

Unpacking the Leadership matrix: What does it mean?



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QUADRANT THREEThrough you, for a short time = RegenerationAction: Fix things fast

From time to time a leader needs to step in a gather a group of people or a team to make something happen, right then and right now. It might be as a result of a staff change, a strategy change, a direction shift or any combination of a number of things.

Annually I teach a Leadership Intensive to bible college students. I share this time with one of my colleagues who consistently excels in interactive leadership experiences with the students.

one of the most helpful experiences is when the class debriefs on the specific kind of leadership that is needed in specific circumstances. For example, in a crisis or emergency, strong directive leadership is required, not consultative pastoral leadership. Make the wrong call with the leadership style, get entirely the wrong outcome.

In this instance you are able to show strong leadership through others to fix things, and fast. this has proven to be helpful in the early stages of a leadership transition that I have been part of. others with history, relationships and much more credibility and influence can change or transition a situation much faster.

QUADRANT FoURThrough you, for a long time = MultiplicationAction: Make things happen

Every great leader’s dream, consistent steps in the right direction. two critical facts play out for leaders in this the fourth and most important quadrant: Direction & consistency.

Are you and is your organisation pointed in the right direction? Andy Stanley rightly states that “direction beats intention, every time.” As we experienced significant growth in the life of a youth ministry I was part of we began to get asked what it was we were doing. I simply said “We’re taking consistent steps in the same direction.” Leaders must be clear on their direction and take consistent steps to get there. one of the ways the multiplication of leaders occurs is through consistency. consistent emphasis on disciplemaking, consistent emphasis on evangelism,

consistent emphasis on integrating new people, activating service and releasing people to ministry. consistency in leadership development is essential. Simply changing the game plan to the most exciting new venture, the most talked about activity or the next good idea won’t create or sustain an enduring leadership pathway.

In attempting to develop an enduring leadership pathway throughout the past several years of ministry I will offer a few practical insights that add clarity and focus to the momentum aspects of leadership.

Firstly, you have to believe and behave as if leadership development is important. Many of us are confused between leadership and ministry. Ian Jagleman accurately defines activities of ministry as those that “build people” and activities of leadership as those that “build the church.” Leadership builds the people that do the ministry. It forms character, creates capacity and shapes the future by engaging in and developing people to lead in any and every sphere of life.

Secondly, you need a pathway for people to be developed as leaders. organisations must answer in simple and obvious steps “how does someone mature into leadership?” Is it obvious to those attending? What steps do they take to grow in both their character and their capability? Does the equipping pathway take into account the variety of learning styles? Is enough time given for opportunity and reflection? Leadership must be by design, not default. An outcomes based pathway can aid in the development of that culture.

thirdly, you need an ongoing relational environment for leadership to stay and keep healthy. Rather than ‘set and forget’ there needs to be an ongoing, dynamic, relational culture that allows for the ebbs and flows of life, seasons, experiences and opportunity to outwork leadership. Just as life happens, leadership needs to be able to flex around and with it.

I best experienced this when, in a strategic planning session in our ministry, we identified Leadership as one of our top three issues to solve. As a result we developed a 10 month Leadership training course that had a combination of training, mentoring and opportunity to outwork the newly acquired skills. over three years it radically reshaped our leadership culture and practice of the ministry, and taught us valuable lessons in the process.



PRoBLEM oNEAn over-emphasis on vision

the exact opposite is also true though isn’t it? Many organisations fail without a clear, compelling, ongoing vision of the future to rally around. however, over time more is required than just vision. What is also needed are clear and decisive steps towards the vision becoming a reality. one of the most challenging lessons of the last few years of leadership has been reading, understanding and applying Packard’s Law in Jim collins’ book “how the Mighty Fall.”

Packard’s Law States:“no company can consistently grow revenues faster than its ability to get enough of the right people to implement that growth and still become a great company. [And] If a company consistently grows revenue faster than its ability to get enough of the right people to implement that growth, it will not simply stagnate, it will fall.” (collins; how the Mighty Fall p55-56 bold added.)

I summarise this law in this way: “the leader’s role is to develop people who can fulfil the vision.” People make vision a reality.

Putting vision out there and expecting people to simply get it, run with it and radically reshape their lives around is as ineffective as no vision at all.

It’s not JuSt about the vision. It’s about the vision followed by intentionally developing people with the character and capability to see that vision become a reality. Vision is just the beginning.

PRoBLEM TWoover emphasis on THE leader

I have only ever attended four local churches in my life. After completing an eleven and a half year season in one particular church I moved on to prepare for the next phase of my life and ministry. In that season of preparation I stayed at my previous church as an attendee and held no leadership roles. After a several week break I returned to a weekend service and met a person who had been attending the church for less time than I had been gone. our conversation went something like this:

It was a disconcerting and empowering experience all at the same time. note to self: It’s not about you: it’s about the activity of god through you, for others.

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how do we get in and out of these quadrants? the cause of this dangerous and unfruitful “By you” method of leadership can be observed by the four things in this non-exhaustive list.

“Hi, I’m Rohan, how long have you been coming here?” She replied “Three weeks.” In an instant I had the following series of thoughts that have positively shaped my leadership from that point on.

“She doesn’t know who I am. She doesn’t care who I am. But I have done so

much for this church. I have been on staff for nearly twelve years! Right now that doesn’t matter.

The church will be fine without me. She doesn’t need me to be on the team to be who God has

called her to be. God’s Church advances without me. God doesn’t NEED me, He gives me grace to

be used at this time and place. WOW.”



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PRoBLEM THREEover emphasis on gifts oTHER THAN LEADERSHIP for leadership responsibility.

churches should be lead by leaders. Full stop. those leaders need to have the gift of teaching but that gift should not be elevated above the capability to lead. the more emphasis that is placed on gifts other than leadership the less likely the organisation is to be enduring and sustainable. Why? the person at the helm will at some point run out of the capacity to keep leading.

A better approach would be to emphasise the importance of the leadership gift and everything else that is required to ensure the character and capability of that leaders will continue to grow and develop. Leaders lead. Let them.

PRoBLEM FoURUnder emphasis on SUCCESSIoN

In twenty years of ministry I have never personally experienced a leadership transition that I would define as healthy. And in twenty years of ministry I have only seen one that I would point to as a model to learn from. the rest are a combination of overlooked to awkward and downright toxic transitions.

one day each of us will be replaced. how ready are we for that day? In various reading and anecdotal discussions, it seems the transition and succession process takes five to seven years to effectively move a ministry. that takes courage, humility and a whole lot of planning. Leaders, teams and boards must grapple with the issue before it becomes an issue; the ministry demands it from us all.

An enduring pathway of leadership development doesn’t guarantee a smooth succession, it does however, create options that lean towards more positive than negative.

What then can create an enduring pathway that develops and deploys leadership? Model two is a model based on Psalm 78:72 which reads “David shepherded Israel with integrity of heart, with skilful hands he guided them” and dissects the equally important attributes of character and capability. the dynamic combination of these two elements creates a foundation for all leadership development, in any context and any mode.



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MoDEL TWo - CHARACTER & CAPABILITy MATRIx

Responding, Identifying & Developing Leaders.creating an enduring leadership pathway.

Model Two – Leadership DevelopmentDemonstrating the relationship between character and Capability in Leadership



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QUADRANT oNELow character and low capability - DamagingLeadership Response - Remove Them

Sometimes a subtraction is an addition. Lose a few extra kilograms and add to your quality of life. Lose a headache and add to your concentration. Lose an unhelpful person or group and remove a blockage to the culture of the organisation. Sometimes a subtraction is an addition. toxic people need to be removed from leadership quickly. the damage of them staying is too great. A person of underdeveloped character and poorly developed skills is simply not well positioned for effective ministry. Remove them. Fast.

Alternatively, reposition them in a place where they are able to start or restart a process of leadership and slowly increase in authority and responsibility based directly on their maturity. Develop first, position second.

QUADRANT TWoLow character and high capability – WaywardLeadership Response – Disciple Them

how do you handle those really gifted people with whom you have some questions over their character? Life has woven into its tapestry more gifted people that have derailed through an undeveloped character. the church is no exception. the adage “your gifts take you further than your character can keep you” is absolutely true. Many of us have more capability and potential than we do the character to build on.

think for a minute, the people you most admire. Why do you admire them? Every single time I do this exercise I land on a person’s character and rarely stay

enamoured by their giftedness over time. character really does count. And it counts for a long time.

In finding a person in a leadership role beyond their character, the key response is discipleship, often without an ongoing role for a period of time. Firm, kind and strong leadership is required here. holding the mirror up in uncomfortable ways may also be necessary. You will need to show this person the impact of their underdeveloped character and behaviour on others and that there is a clear pathway of maturity and growth for them. this is by no means easy but it is essential.

QUADRANT THREELow capability and high character – IneffectiveLeadership Response – Equip Them

“But they have a good heart” is the refrain that plays over and over again in underdeveloped leadership cultures. When someone is a person of high character and is placed in a role where they are nice but not effective, delicate leadership needs to step in and identify that training or transitioning is the most appropriate way forward. this can be one of the most challenging leadership calls in a local church. A good person, a nice person, a person everyone gets on with; repositioning this person is somewhat of a challenge.

In this instance the leaders response is to equip them. Employ coaching & mentoring methodologies and be specific about what skills to work on together. It requires time, effort, and humility from everyone involved. As you are equipping remember you can’t hire character but you can help them learn new skills. Add new skills to a person with character and you have a 4th Quadrant Leader.

THE MATRIx ExPLAINED organisations must find a pathway and process that engages, guides and develops people through these quadrants successively. they must assess and identify where each individual (or organisation) is and then create a dynamic and flexible pathway that develops and releases people to sustainable and enduring leadership in all spheres of life.

Model two provides a framework for how an enduring and sustainable pathway can be developed. It provides a matrix of assessment, and offers immediate action and ongoing processes that, over time, can shift people to a place of high character and high capability to be encouraged to many years of effective leadership.

thE MAtRIx WoRkS AS FoLLoWS:



QUADRANT FoURHigh character and high capability – FruitfulLeadership Response – Release Them

character develops over time, but not by accident. Skills develop over time, but not intentionally. our objective and our responsibility as leaders is to disciple and raise up people who have solid character AnD growing skills. It’s these people who carry vision and culture further faster.

our whole purpose as leaders is to get to this quadrant in our thinking, our culture and our practice, to create an enduring pathway of leadership development that sees people of mature character and effective skills released to be as good as possible at what they were designed for.

this kind of person doesn’t happen by accident, they are discipled by design. Disciple them into christ, not into a person or an organisation. their discipleship will be expressed in service to people and most likely through an organisation of some kind, but our focus is christ. When this person is discipled faithfully and consistently they are sharpened and encouraged and give back in far greater measure.

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concLuSIon

Leadership by design or default?

It’s time to be deliberate about the spirit and practice of leadership. To create an enduring pathway of leadership development that is flexible enough to focus specifically on character and capability and inflexible enough to create and protect culture could do more positive change to the Church and community than we have seen for some time.

Our leadership challenge is to create a leadership pathway for subsequent generations. Create a vortex they can step into and truly do more than the people they lead. Creating inter generational lines of communication, discipleship and mentoring. Create a rock solid character and learning machines that grow and develop and pass it on.

In all things let this be true. If a person’s gift is to lead,

do it diligently(Romans 12:8 NIV)

Documents

The Leadership Challenge