'20 Retreat Session 2

Teamwork

The structures we need to build into the ministry at LWC over the next couple years will mean nothing if we are not all on board and willing to help each other.

Your idea of teamwork has so many unique pictures connected to it in your mind, that it may be hard to meet your personal expectations of what teamwork at LWC will look like for quiet some time. Today I want to talk a little about how we are wired individually and how we fail to work well as a team.

I’d like to use Patrick Lencioni’s book “5 Dysfunctions of a team” for this. If you are not familiar with it I will give you a very brief overview as we focus on the pyramid from that book.

Now I realize this may sound like it is simple to see what is wrong with a team, run some diagnostics, and prescribe the appropriate medicine in order to fix everything and make life better for everyone… That is too pie in the sky talk for me.

We also shouldn’t talk about our teams as if they are making widgets in a production line of a random factory. We are talking about how every member of the church gets involved in serving on a team, and those teams being under the oversight of us as leaders. But to be more specific we are talking about how we are going to “Form passionate followers of Jesus by declaring the gospel and the glory of God”.

And if we can do this then we will see the “Multiplication of gospel saturated churches among all peoples starting in Vancouver”

That is what our team is working towards. We have no time to “lack trust” with each other because someone doesn’t want to be vulnerable, especially the leaders.

Leading means you are willing to be hurt. It doesn’t mean you will like it or ask for it but it does mean that you accept that is part of it and you are willing to endure it for the cause of Christ being glorified!

Lack of Trust is the basis for everything else and we need to figure out how we are going to get past that. Well I have the first step in a solution to getting past that, hold that thought...

I want to do a quick exercise by asking some questions about you as an individual. I am going to ask you to identify with one of two options about yourself

It will require you all to participate.

Can every one please stand in a group in the center of the room?

When I give you an instruction you will move to the part of the room I say… ready?

If you are “Ok with taking risks” move to the RIGHT vs “preferring security” move to the LEFT

If you tend to be more of a “Thinking” Person Move to the TOP vs more of a “Feeling” Person move BOTTOM

Remember your place… go back to the center

If you tend to be a “fast” paced move RIGHT vs a “slower” pace move LEFT

Are you more “task”oriented move to the TOP vs “people” oriented move to the BOTTOM

Remember your place… go back to the center

If you are more “outgoing and extroverted” move RIGHT vs “reserved and introverted” move LEFT

Do you tend to be more “questioning and challenging” move to the TOP vs more “accepting and agreeable” move to the BOTTOM

Remember your place… go back to the center

Now go to the quadrant you landed in most - top right or left - bottom right or left

(have someone write down all the names of the people in each section)

Everyone go back to your seats.

If done properly this should show me your most natural style. Briefly explain the difference between natural style and adaptive style. the difference between the two styles is what we would call stress.... when you have to move from your natural style in order to adapt to situations. the more you move the more stress you are under.

Our goal is to have people placed in the right place for their natural style. Some are natural trellis builders and others are natural vine workers. Our objective is not to make people fit into a “system”, but rather to build systems around the people the Lord has already brought to us.

Now remember when I said I have an idea for building trust. Well it would be easy for us to dismiss and have you all go to lunch together how ever you want but I would like to make a suggestion. Go to lunch today with someone who is in the opposite section from you. Meaning do not just go to lunch with the people you were standing closest to. Take some time at lunch to get to know each other better and even be willing to share something personal about yourselves with the group or individual from that other group.