Tag Archives: Questions

The Question Behind the Question

Posted on January 8, 2012 by in Book Reflection, Books, Idea Sharing, Leadership

QBQ! : The Question Behind the Question:

Practicing Personal Accountability in Work and in Life.

By John G. Miller

New York: G. P. Putnam’s Sons, 2004.

The great thing about QBQ is it teaches us a better way to think and process situations. I highly recommend it to everyone. It is a easy read with only 115 pages.

“The Question Behind the Question is built on the observation that our first reasons are often negative, bring to mind incorrect questions.” (Page 17)

It teaches us how to ask better questions that can result in real progress and forward direction.

The books jacket cover says it well:

“The lack of personal accountability is a problem that has resulted in an epidemic of blame, complaining, and procrastination. No organization-or individual-can achieve goals, compete in the marketplace, fulfill a vision, or develop people and teams without personal accountability.

John G. Miller believes that pointing fingers and blaming others cannot solve the troubles that plague organizations. Rather, the real solutions are found when each of us recognizes the power of personal accountability. In QBQ! The Question Behind the Question, Miller explains how negative, inappropriate questions like “Why do we have to go through all this change?” and “Who dropped the ball?” represent a lack of personal accountability. Conversely, when we ask better questions-QBQs-such as “What can I do to contribute?” or “How can I help solve the problem?” our lives and our organizations are transformed.

This remarkable and timely book gives a practical method for putting personal accountability into daily action, with astonishing results: problems are solved, internal barriers come down, service improves, teamwork grows, and people adapt to change more quickly. QBQ! is an invaluable resource for anyone seeking to learn, grow, and change. Using this tool, each of us can add tremendous worth to our organizations and to our lives by eliminating blame, complaining, and procrastination.”

I encourage you to get and read this very helpful book.

11 Questions Church Leaders Should be Asking

Posted on January 2, 2012 by in Church Development, Idea Sharing, Leadership

As we start a new year, I though these 11 questions from Tony Morgan were worth reflecting on.

Have a missional 2012!

Mel

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“11 Questions Church Leaders Should be Asking”

January 23, 2011 in Growing Strategies,Leadership

By Tony Morgan

A friend in ministry recently asked me what questions church leaders should be asking…. Here are the first questions and some bonus thoughts that came to mind:

  1. When was the last time I heard from God? Am I doing what he called me to do? This is the “Acts 6″ question. Acts 6 is a great reminder that it’s possible to be doing the ministry of God without doing the ministry God has called us to do.
  2. What should our church be known for in this community? For a moment, ignore anyone who attends your church. What does the rest of the community know about your church? That’s a better reflection of whether or not you’re really accomplishing your vision.
  3. Are we really focusing our time, money, leadership, prayer behind the things that will produce life change and community impact? If not, there’s a good chance that “fairness” is driving these decisions. Fairness never produces revolution.
  4. Is our church growing both spiritually and in numbers? Churches that are stuck and not bearing fruit hate this question. As I’ve shared before, I don’t believe healthy churches are necessarily big churches, but healthy churches are growing churches.
  5. Is there a clear path to help people take steps in their faith with the ultimate goal of them becoming fully-devoted followers of Christ? Having a vibrant Sunday worship experience is only one component of that. I’m amazed at how many churches haven’t really established a discipleship strategy beyond Sunday morning.
  6. Have you taken the time to identify what a fully-devoted follower of Christ looks like? Most churches haven’t done this, so they end up just “doing church” without any intentionality of purpose or process.
  7. Are you empowering the people of God to do God’s work? This is the “Ephesians 4:12-13″ question. Declining churches pay people to do all the ministry. Growing churches challenge people to use their gifts.
  8. Are you developing leaders? This includes both spiritual discipleship and leadership mentoring, and I think it’s what’s going to distinguish the churches that last longer than one generation.
  9. Is my community any different because of my ministry? We may need a whole new set of measures to confirm whether or not our churches are really making an impact.
  10. Do believers see their ministry happening only at the church or have they become missionaries to their families, their neighborhoods, their workplaces, their schools, etc.? Honestly, I’m really tired of Christians thinking God saved them to go church on Sunday and then eventually experience Heaven. Our purpose is much bigger than that.
  11. Do I have the right leaders around me to accomplish the vision? Read Exodus 18:18-23. This isn’t some new business leadership principle. This is biblical advice that’s been around for thousands of years and still applies today.

What are the questions you are asking as a leader in the church?

Coaching Questions

Posted on November 23, 2009 by in Church Development

Eddie Hammett, a Ministry Partner with The Columbia Partnership wrote that Coaching is about asking powerful questions more than offering advice or counsel. Some of the powerful questions I’m working with these days seek to move churches to live out a missional lifestyle and ministry.

1. What’s working?

2. What’s not working?

3. How does what you do and who you are line up with your divine mission?

4. What’s missing?

5. What adjustments is the Holy Spirit calling you to make now?

6. What is needed to make the needed shifts?

7. Who can help make this happen?

8. How does our God evaluate our effectiveness in today’s mission field?

9. What would please Jesus more?

10. Who is God calling us to be now?

11. How does this differ from who we have been?

12. What kind of leader do I need to be to make this happen in the next 6 months? 1 year?

13. How would we define success for our church?

14. How successful are we being in light of this definition?

15. What is needed now?

As you help others or evaluate your own ministry, these are good questions to consider.