Book Report: The Four Obsessions of an Extraordinary Executive, by Patrick Lencioni

Well, I might as well admit it. I'm a sucker for this genre. The novella has proved to be a powerful medium for business writers. I love the stories, but beyond that I love the lessons they teach. All the way from Ken Blanchard's The One Minute Manager to the latest, hot off the press volume I find the management and relationship principles conveyed through these little books both fascinating and inspiring.

Now, if I could just learn to apply all this inspiration . . . .

The Four Obsessions of an Extraordinary Executive, by Patrick Lencioni doesn't disappoint. The storyline takes some unexpected twists along the way, but the underlying lessons are framed and focused. The four principles Lencioni teaches in this book are:

1. Build and Maintain a Cohesive Leadership Team


2. Create Organizational Clarity


3. Over-Communicate Organizational Clarity


4. Reinforce Organizational Clarity Through Human Services

Of course, this is all written with the business community in mind. I read these books through the lenses of a church pastor thinking, "How can this be applied to church organizations, and specifically to MY church?" I'm thinking, that shouldn't be so hard, but inevitably it turns out to be much more difficult in real life than on paper.

If anybody actually reads this note, how about it? Give me some brainstorm ideas of applying those four principles of a healthy organization to a local church. I would really be interested in your thoughts.

Loren

Links to Akrana.com

I've updated the links on the left side of this page to the Teamnet Ministries pages on the new Akrana.com website. I hope to begin adding regularly to the Teamleader101 Resources page with recommended materials for team leadership. If you come across something you would like to have added, please let me know.

It's Alive!!

The new website is up and running. I have quite a bit of work to do on it still, but for now you can reach the Teamnet Ministries page by going to www.akrana.com and clicking on the Teamnet Ministries tab at the top of the page. While you are there, you might want to take a look at some of the other pages i.e. Akrana Music.

I'm really pleased with the progress at this point. Hope to see the site develop as time goes on.

New Website -- Almost ready to go live

Getting a LOT closer. Stay posted!

New Website Coming

I'm working on some new things for the Teamnet Ministries website. Lot's to learn yet, but eventually I'm sure it will all get put together.

Discipleship of New Members Through Teamnet Ministries Teams

During the calendar year 2009 Canyonville Church plans to conduct a minimum of two full-message evangelistic series. These meetings will be conducted by our Evangelism Team leaders and members. Canyonville Church is organized as a networking system of individual teams focused on various aspects of church life.
The team responsibilities relating to discipleship of new members are as follows:

• The Evangelism Team will lead out in continuing personal Bible studies with the new members, utilizing the Good News for Today Bible study guides and the gift NKJV Bibles.

• Discipleship Team will encourage new members to active participation in the Pastor’s Bible Class during Sabbath School time.

• Ministry Team will give support to health education, lifestyle changes, and group clinics for victory over destructive habits and addictions as may be needed.

• Fellowship Team will foster integration of the new members into the fabric of the church family by providing safe and wholesome social events and encouraging healthy relationships.

• Worship Team will encourage worship leaders and “up-front” participants to always be sensitive to the needs of new members and guests who may not be familiar with in-house “Churchese.”

• New members will be immediately included in one of the 12 Pastoral Care Parishes led the church elders, deacons, and deaconesses.
It should be noted that although the organizational structure is in place, the responsibilities and relationships outlined above are still somewhat formative. We are growing in our understanding of these ministries, but we believe that by God’s grace we can truly make a kingdom difference in the lives of people in our communities who are hungering and thirsting for the gospel.

SGST Yahoo! Group -- New!

I've just created a new group on Yahoo! Groups for discussion of spiritual gifts. It is primarily for members of the Spiritual Gifts Support Team at the Canyonville Adventist Church, but we will gladly allow others join in the discussion. Our motto in Teamnet Ministries is "None of us is as smart as all of us!"

You can visit the Yahoo! group by clicking HERE

I've also posted a link on the left in the "Related Links" box.