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Sixteen Lessons For Leadership Decision-Making: Pastoral Reflections on Thomas R. Horton's, The CEO Paradox: The Privilege and Accountability of Leadership. (Amacom, 1992).*

Thomas F. Fischer, M.Div., M.S.A.

Lesson One

Effective pastoring demands special qualities. You must be willing to be accountable. You must be able to let others "run with the ball." Sometimes you have to even let them "call the shots." The hardest thing is to trust them. But that is effective pastoral leadership. Trust them. Lesson Two

Your style will be different than other pastors' styles. Yours is not necessarily better or worse than anyone else's. You may be impulsive, decisive and energetic; others may be more contemplative, analytical and methodical. There is no essential difference. God created these styles; He can use either just as effectively as the other. Just lead. Let God give the results.

Lesson Three

You will learn your job on the job. There is no other way. Thus, trial and error will become a familiar pattern and your constant companion. As you gain experience, the challenges will become greater. The trials will require great risk. They will undoubtedly entail possibilities of great--even tragic--error. Confront the challenges in faith and learn those lessons God has planned for you.

Lesson Four

From God's perspective, perhaps the most important thing is not so much what happens in the organization called the "church" so much as the transformation which ministry will effect in you. God will send the testing of adversity. Satan will send the heartache of antagonism. On your own, you will undoubtedly mess up...repeatedly. But, under the gracious, watchful and caring eye of God, such circumstances of trial will be the circumstances which God may use to transform you to higher levels of spirituality, connectedness, and faith. This experience will be repeated throughout your ministry as God leads you to experience greater transformation.

Lesson Five

Now that you've made it to the "top", remember who you are. People may take more note of you. They may treat you as if you have a special spiritual "aura." Remember who you are. That's why you don't have a limousine and executive trappings. Remember the words of Tom Watson, Jr., former CEO of IBM, "I think a sense of humility is vital to running [IBM]...well," he said, "and the more humility the better." A good rule for pastors, originally stated in Thomas Horton's The CEO Paradox (New York, Amacon, 1992) is, "Though you may seem different to others, try not to be different. Be yourself."

Lesson Six

Don't abuse the "silent pause." There's a mystique about the ministry. There's a mystique about pastors. You will have access into the personal, confidential areas and times of people's lives unlike any other individual on earth. Because of your ministry, some will think you are a "god". Seeing you, they will have a "silent pause" as you pass by. Don't let them fool you. You are nothing but yourself. Be yourself.

Lesson Seven

Though over-simplistic and unjustified, people will judge you unfairly. They will do so because they will believe they "own" the church. Though they don't own the church, it is important that the people know what is happening in a timely, forthright fashion. The best operating rule is to have no surprises. Let's say it again. No surprises. None!

Lesson Eight

The world honors explorers, risk-takers, adventurers, entrepreneurs, and rugged individualists. The church does too. Unfortunately, the honor only comes from a historical perspective. Thus, don't expect accolades for the amazing breakthroughs which occur in your ministry. Don't expect the crowds to follow and applaud those new ministry initiatives.

By the same token, when the Lord raises up others to bring up these initiati ves, don't squash out those effective individuals either. You, pastor, can succumb to the same "honor comes only from a historical perspective" phenomena. Give others the same length of rope to carry out their ministry initiatives which you desire for you ministry.

Pastors, be the first in your congregation to give present and instant encouragement to those who fail, those who succeed, and those who try. Celebrate them. Celebrate God's power working in them. Celebrate. Celebrate. Celebrate....and rejoice in God's working in you and them!