Live Blog From 2014 Orange Conference – 41 Leadership Quotes From Jeff Henderson

Back for Day 2 of the Orange Conference!  Just a reminer, in an effort to grow in my skills to better add value to pastors and church leaders I am being dispatched by Injoy Stewardship Solutions (ISS) to attend this amazing event.

The afternoon’s first breakout session was conducted by Jeff Henderson, Campus Pastor of Gwinnett Church, entitled Developing Leaders For The Next Generation.  The following are 41 leadership quotes I captured during this challenging session:  

1. I’m not as smart as all of us.
2. I’ve never heard someone say, “My first sermon – I nailed it.”
3. Leadership development takes time and you and I don’t have time.
4. Walt Disney and Jesus.  There’s a gap there.
5. What would Walt (Disney) do?  This question tethered Disney to the past and it almost bankrupted them.
6. The question you should ask young  leaders – What do you think you should do?
7. God’s thumbprints on you is a picture of His plans for you.
8. My job is to make those thumbprints come alive in you.
9. My goal is when I leave Gwinnett Church no one knows…And that’s the win.
10. Their success (his successor) is part of what I’m trying to do.
11. One of the most important (but never urgent) tasks of a leader is replacing yourself.
12. You replace yourself by developing others not replicating yourself.
13. Many church staff cultures are completely dysfunctional.  That’s dangerous because that flows through the church.
14. When Jesus-people show up there should be an outbreak of joy.
15. America’s Best Places To Work never includes a church.
16. If you have a bad culture you’re not going to be develop great leaders.
17. All leaders should ask, “What’s it like to be on the other side of me?”
18. Great leaders never have to demand loyalty.  People want to follow great leaders.
19. We can’t afford the staff to burnout.  Emotional and spiritual is on my watch at Gwinnett Church.
20. I want people to be self-aware.  I want people to know what it’s like to be on the other side of them.
21. If you’re not interested in growing, if you’re not interested in learning, Gwinnett Church is not for you.
22. Four Staffing Questions of Gwinnett Church – What are your 5 strengths?  Who are you learning from?  What is your ideal job description?  What is your favorite organization?
23. You create leaders by creating a great culture and recruiting great leaders.
24. My strategy is to recruit amazing people and get out of their way.
25. Coach vs. Director.  I’m the question man.  I’m not the answer man.
26. I don’t want to throw hammer down often.  When I throw the hammer down I feel like I’m not leading them, I’m directing them.
27. Rhythm – Annual, Quarterly, Weekly, Daily.  Annual – casting vision for the year.  Quarterly – Experience trip.  Go see something outside of the church world.  Weekly – Staff meetings.  Share stories.  Daily – coaching opportunities.
28. The reason we’re not as creative as we could be is we keep thinking the same way.
29. 10 minutes into your talk your brain asks, “When is this going to be over?”  This is because one of the exhaustive things a brain can do is listen.
30. I am doing life with my staff.
31. If I’d got to choose working with friends or working with strangers, I’ll choose friends everytime.
32. It’s my responsibility for people to love staff meetings.
33. I’ve realized that many times when they say the wrong answer (when asked “What do you think?”) they’re actually right.
34. I’m the CEO – Chief Encouragement Officer.
35. The international sign of if someone needs encouragement is if they’re breathing.
36. One thing I ask everyday, “What did I do today to cast vision for our church?”
37. I’ve shockingly discovered everybody’s not a reader.
38. I reward my staff for the behavior I see.
39. When I see someone intentionally undermining our culture it’s time for them to go.
40. I can’t sacrifice the organization for one person.
41. “Make your mistakes in front of the least amount of people.” – Jim Collins

As a gift to everyone reading this post, ISS would like to provide everyone a FREE copy of the Ebook 5 Mistakes That Will Kill Your Church Fund Raising.  Simply click here or on the image to the left to receive your complimentary resource.