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Ron Edmondson Articles

Written by: Ron Edmondson

10 Steps To Replacing Leaders - Click To Read Article
If you want an organization to grow you must develop leaders. Success or failure of an organization rises and falls on leadership. I believe it is equally true that the degree of success an organization can attain is directly proportional to its leadership potential. Those can be scary words, because it means that we must constantly be finding new leaders if we intend to continue to grow as an organization.

Building Your Organization Around Strength of People - Click To Read Article
Is your strategy built around your organization’s people strengths?

5 Tips for Managing Strong Willed People - Click To Read Article
Have you ever tried to lead someone who didn’t want to be led? The same children that were labeled “strong-willed” by their parents often grow up to be strong-willed adults. Perhaps you know one…perhaps you are one. (I know one personally…me!)

Evaluating Your Vision Planning - Click To Read Article
So, here are some of the tough questions I’m asking myself. While at this point these are personal questions I am processing, yesterday I shared these with our staff for their input and to spur their thoughts in similar directions. I welcome your input if you have questions or thoughts that would be good for us to consider or if you have insight for a church at our stage of its life-cycle.

Bad Leadership - Click To Read Article
Honestly, looking back over my life, I have had periods of time where I followed bad leadership. I complained inwardly; I may have even voiced my opposition to others, but I continued to follow and for the most part did nothing to change the situation until I left the organization. In the meantime, not only did the organization suffer, but it wasted my time and energy and ultimately kept me from pursuing my own dreams and goals or from realizing my own potential as a leader.

Shotgun Vs. Rifle Approach - Click To Read Article
Too often we shot gun versus rifle our day. When we try to accomplish too many tasks in one day, we are seldom effective at very many of them. The more scattered your plans, the less effective you will appear and appearance most likely will mirror reality. With the shotgun approach, a person tends to run from activity to activity quickly, but never really accomplishing any one project well.

Time Management System - Click To Read Article
Now all you have to do is work your plan. You will be surprised how powerful this can be. For me, I like to cross off the items as I complete them and I like to schedule the difficult “have to” tasks first. That makes the end of my week work so much better.

Stress and Perspective - Click To Read Article
Then something seemed to whisper in my ear. This lady was having a stressful day. From her perspective, with what she had planned to do today, this was an interuption. It was unnecessary and stress-producing. From her perspective this was huge. I decided rather than think bad thoughts of her that I would pray for God to comfort her and turn her day for good.

Simple Strategy Plan - Click To Read Article
What would improvement look like in your organization or area of responsibility? (What would make your area or organization better?) List those items as specifically as possible.

Quotes From Great Companies - Click To Read Article
UPS The company may be 100 years old (I had no idea), but they act much younger. They are known for their“ability to combine cutting-edge technology with its own brand of ‘human engineering’ to great effect.”

Making Companies Thrive Today - Click To Read Article
I’m an observer and I read a lot. Why would a pastor care about such things? Frankly, some days I miss the business world and so thinking about it keeps me connected. Plus, much of my ministry is to people who live in this world every day, so keeping up with it makes me a better minister to them.

Leadership Today - Click To Read Article
I read lots of business magazines and blogs. I find it helps me with my own management skills. I also believe the Bible teaches us some great leadership principles. Unless you have lived under a rock then you know that today’s workplace is changing. The “new” generation of workers is more value-centered. Through my conversation with business leaders, what I have read and what I have personally observed this new generation of workers love time at home more than time in the office. They value a company that cares for the environment. They want benefits as well as pay. Fairness and honesty in the way they are treated is of utmost importance to them. They want immediate responsibility and authority in their area. They want to dress comfortably and they don’t expect to do what they are doing forever. Finally, they want to enjoy what t

Leadership Inspiration - Click To Read Article
It has always amazed me to see someone I’m supposed to be leading get their inspiration and even direction at times from someone other than me. Those type things will happen throughout your career. It’s only natural.

Leading as a Dad - Click To Read Article
Returning home my wife was prepared for us to host a few carefully selected couples who had been influential in our lives or the lives of the boys. Each was given an assignment to write a letter to our son expressing what they believe it means to be a man, specifically a man of God. After dinner, we all gathered in our living room and each couple read their letter to our son. We ended the event with a prayer commissioning the boy to Biblical manhood. At this point there was not a dry eye in the room.

Leadership or Friendship or Both - Click To Read Article
I believe I can say from my parent’s generation that there was almost a “hands-off” approach between the leader in a company and the employees; and most employees seemed to want the separation. I also know when I first entered the world of management this atmosphere was still in place. I’ve watched it gradually change over the years.

Identifying Potential Leaders - Click To Read Article
I want in on that ability. I think God is seeing that potential in our church today, but He often uses me and leaders like me to find them.

Information Demanded - Click To Read Article
Today’s “information age” workforces, especially those who have entered within the last ten years, want to be a part of something that has lasting value. In order to insure this value is met, they feel a need to understand why they are doing what they are asked to do. They want to feel they can contribute to shaping the company’s path. They want to participate in the planning of the organizations future.

Having Life Plan - Click To Read Article
People may call me lots of things, but one thing where most people will agree who know me is that I have a purpose to most everything I do; perhaps even to a fault. Playing a game of golf just for fun? Not so much. Playing a game of golf so I can build a relationship with someone or have quiet time to focus on something my mind has been racing about lately. Occasionally. (Actually about twice a year.) My life is usually aiming for something. I promise you I’m not writing this blog post just for “fun”. (What’s that?) So when I write about developing a life plan you can be sure it’s something I practice.

Guest Post: From Nateedmondson.com - Click To Read Article
I don’t want to publicly criticize anyone in particular, so I’m going to try and be careful with this explanation, but the reason I started thinking about this whole “God thing” idea is because of a recent use of the phrase that I thought seemed a little skeptical. There was an event that had been planned for months and about a week or so before a few details hadn’t been worked out yet. Thankfully everything ended up working out and the event was a success. After the event was underway and all systems were functional one of the leaders of this event made the statement, “man.. it’s just really a God thing. We had a lot of last minute details fall through on us and I’m just so pleased God worked everything out to his glory..”

Don't Quit Planning During Uncertain Times - Click To Read Article
The wise person will always plan for change and through change. The leader’s role needs to be one of keeping the organization true to the overall mission and vision of the organization while at the same time always being aware of changes on the horizon which could enhance or threaten the organization’s success in the future and, in the end, steering the organization through those changes. Plans today must be much more adaptable and flexible to change and more inclusive of others and their opinions if they will succeed; but plans must be made that serve to move the organization forward.

Can The Founder Ever Leave The Company He or She Founded? - Click To Read Article
Companies are launching into their niche faster than ever before. The information age and technology allows for growth at a pace unknown in previous generations. Much of that growth is a direct reflection on the personality and passions of the founder who is seen in the public as the chief representative of the company. I’m not sure this has always been the case.

8 Ways To Know It's Time To Quit - Click To Read Article
Please understand. I’m not a quitter. I believe, however, that the times described above are not always to be viewed as negative experiences. Sometimes God uses the difficult experiences of life to draw us to Him and to open our eyes to the next opportunity He has for us. I would have never made some of the moves I’ve made in life that I know now were of God had it not been for my miserable situation at the time.

6 Ways To Win In the Game of Life - Click To Read Article
Most winners are built through brokenness. The greatest leaders have failed many times. Before inventing the light bulb, Thomas Edison failed a thousand times. Babe Ruth had 714 home runs and 1,330 strikeouts. Abraham Lincoln was said to have failed so many times, in business, in his love life, in politics but finally became one of the greatest President of the United States. Allow failure to be your friend.

5 Steps to Take When You've Offended Someone - Click To Read Article
5 Steps to Take When You've Offended Someone

3 Questions to Form a Life Plan - Click To Read Article
People are usually pretty good at answering the questions above, or at least they have general ideas, but we don’t always plan a course of action to get there. One truth we cannot escape is that we will most likely end up in the direction we are heading. So, we don’t usually meet the goals we set for ourselves unless we aim for them. Begin to take the answers to the questions above and write some action steps to meeting them. What would you have to do differently in your life if you want to end up someday where you say you do?

3 Basic Needs of a Healthy Organization - Click To Read Article
Someone shared an article with me by Raymond P. Rood entitled “How Then Should Organizations Live”. In the article Rood makes the point that every organization has three basic needs. They are growth, maintenance, and development. For an organization to thrive it must do all three well. Yesterday at our all day staff retreat we expanded our thoughts on these three needs as they relate to the life of our church and each individual area in which we serve.

10 Steps to Recover from Failure or Loss - Click To Read Article
Sometimes life throws curves at us that take the wind from our sail. If we aren’t careful we can allow the injury to haunt us for life; never regaining what we have lost. Have you lost a job recently? Have you had a business failure? Did you suffer from divorce? Has the person you trusted the most hurt you the deepest?

10 Things I Hate In Leadership - Click To Read Article
There are some things in leadership that drive me bananas. Maybe you have your own list, but this is mine. Here are 10 things I hate (or don’t like very much) in leading or following people:

10 Principles I've Learned in Life - Click To Read Article
My life has changed. In the past few years I’ve transitioned to someone who invests in others and I have people who actually seek my advice. I know that sounds egotistical (which would not be unusual for me), but I don’t mean it that way at all. It’s just that at almost 45 years of age, with a wealth of practical experience; including many negative experiences, I am at a mid-life stage where I have learned some things and, because I believe so strongly in sharing experiences, people sometimes seek out mine. Looking back over my life I now think often, “I wish I had known then what I know now”.

10 Goals Yet to Be Realized - Click To Read Article
I’m a dreamer. I always want to do more with life. I believe dreams are a healthy way to stretch the mind, keep a person growing, and even stay emotionally healthy. (“Where there is not vision, the people perish.”) On a recent plane ride I jotted down ten goals that I still have for my life. God willing, I’m going to spend my life dreaming they come true!

The Delicate Balance Between Yes and No - Click To Read Article
As a leader, I prefer to say yes. I love when our staff comes to me with a proposal for a new ministry or a new expenditure and I can simply say, “Yes, go for it!” I love being the guy who gets to encourage another person’s big dream. I am not a fan of micro managing. Saying yes allows me to empower others to do their work well.

The Best Leaders Don't Have All the Answers - Click To Read Article
The Best Leaders Don't Have All the Answers

Leading from a Position of Fear or Security - Click To Read Article
Leaders, do you lead from a place of fear or a place of security? In my experience, leaders typically tend to lead from one or the other. The leader dominated by fear is afraid of failing, fears that people are out for his or her position, or struggles to delegate and trust others (including God). The leader dominated by a sense of security trusts his or her abilities, is confident in his or her position and has faith in other people (including God)

Are You a Credible Leader? - Click To Read Article
Credibility is important in any leadership position. If a leader desires followers to willfully work with passion to reach an established vision, then he or she must be trusted. Credible leaders have followers that share the organization’s values and work hard to achieve them. When a person’s leadership is not credible, followers are less likely to be team players and will be disloyal to the organization.

7 Times It Is Important to MicroManage - Click To Read Article
I am a macro-manager. I like to lead leaders, so I try to paint the big picture for a team and release team members to do their work carrying out the mission of an organization in his or her own way.

4 Reasons Change is Difficult - Click To Read Article
Change is necessary if organizations want to continue to improve and grow, but change instantly raising resistance from some people. Change requires a certain amount of faith. Faith is much easier to believe, and even to preach, than it ever is to live by.





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