Yesterday, I did a workshop at the Southwest Small Groups conference in Las Vegas that my friend, Mark Howell, is hosting.  The title of my workshop was Small Group Intelligence Software.  I thought I would take a couple of weeks to share some of that content.  Today, I'd like to consider the role of software in ministry.  This diagram illustrates it well.

This was my 18th new year as the co-founder of a company working on new software.  As I was contemplating 2016 and anticipating 2017 this week, I thought about the lifecycle of software and, much like life, how it goes through several stages.  

You've probably heard of a Gratitude Journal.  It was referenced in the repost/retweet of a blog from Lifeway I sent out yesterday.  I'm looking forward to thinking more about the benefits of gratitude this week.  But for this Thanksgiving week post, I want to do a short journal of things I'm grateful for.  In no particular order, starting with the biggies:

Last week I had the opportunity to speak at our weekly men's gathering.  About 150 to 200 of us have been working on spiritual disciplines that last six weeks, my topic was reflection.  Here are a few things from 1 Timothy 4:6-16 that I think are relevant for any leader.

I tell my kids things all of the time. Over and over. And over and over. If there’s one thing I can say is always true about parenting, it’s that I repeat myself constantly.

As I coach and consult with small group point leaders and churches, I'm finding that coaching leaders is (still) a struggle for many. At the same time, I partner with several organizations that deal with coaching business leaders, and I'm applying what I'm learning in that environment to small group and church ministry.

Over the next several posts, I'll share a few of the things I'm learning. Today, I want to discuss the 10-20-70 model of leadership development and how it relates to coaching.

I work in collaboration with with a worldwide organization called Marshall Goldsmith Stakeholder Centered Coaching. It's founder, Marshall Goldsmith, recently shared a brief (less than a minute and a half) video about this 10-20-70 model and how it relates to business coaching, which you can watch here.

In the 10-20-70 model (often referred to as the 70-20-10 model for learning and development),
 

Every culture and organization has rules. Spoken and unspoken, these rules provide safety, security, and a roadmap through which everybody walks.

I get questions. A lot of questions.  Sometimes they come in by email.  Other times as a comment on a blog post.  I try hard to answer them all. When it’s a question many are asking, I try to answer them here on the blog.  I bet I’ve answered today’s question about a hundred times a year for the last 10 years. No  joke.

Leaders are keepers of culture.  They know that great team cultures require deliberate effort. Teams will work better with one another, they’ll go above and beyond the call of duty, they’ll invest themselves personally, and they’ll own their wins and their losses more honestly when they are a part of a healthy environment.

Taking time to visit other churches in your area or across the country is a great way to grow in your leadership. I love seeing a church in action and I always come away with pages of notes about things I want to do differently or consider for my church. Whether it’s a small church or a “brand-name mega church,” many leaders use these visits as a chance to grow and learn.

I know. I know.  The title of this article sounds offensive. Before you judge me too harshly, please hear me out. First, I’ve been guilty of uttering most of these things at some point in my life. I’m not pointing these phrases out with a crooked finger saying, “You’re bad!” I’m writing from the perspective of one who is growing in these areas myself. Second, let me explain exactly what I mean.