Tag «Conflict»

Is Voting the Best Way to Make Collective Decisions in the Church?

Voting is part of the organizational culture of many congregations. But it can create winners and losers, leaving a bad taste in people’s mouths. While there are times when voting is necessary and even desirable, churches should consider, explore, and adopt other methods of collective decision-making whenever possible, according to Mary Gladstone-Highland, Katy Stokes, and […]

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The post Is Voting the Best Way to Make Collective Decisions in the Church? appeared first on Lewis Center for Church Leadership.

3 Key Skills for Leading in Today’s Argumentative Climate

Joel Snider says church leaders need new skills to move people toward common goals in a time when conflict surrounds so many church decisions. Rather than leading by force, he suggests building consensus one person at a time, probing ideas through questions rather than criticism, and responding respectfully to the ideas of others. Leadership comes […]

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Mediating Conflict in Congregations: An In-Depth Interview with Charlie Pillsbury

How can church leaders address conflicts? Jessica Anschutz of the Lewis Center staff speaks with attorney and mediator, Charlie Pillsbury, about mediating conflicts in congregations. Listen to this interview, watch the interview video on YouTube, or continue reading. Jessica Anschutz: Welcome, Charlie. I’m grateful for your willingness to share some of your conflict mediation wisdom […]

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10 Dos and Don’ts for Handling Difficult Conversations

No one looks forward to dealing with difficult issues, but confronting problems is an essential part of being an effective leader. Chris Sonksen outlines four wrong approaches and six more constructive ways to handle difficult conversations if division, dissention, mission drift, or other difficulties plague your leadership teams or staff. You know in your heart […]

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