RELATIONAL INTELLIGENCE Reading Schedule

About Leadership Network, Foreword, Chapter 1 - January 31
Chapter 2 - February 28
Chapter 3-4 - March 31
Chapter 5-6 - April 30
Chapter 7 - June 30
Chapter 8-9 - August 2

Mike's First Blog

1. Why did you agree to be a part of Signet at this time?

There are times in life when I feel things have become somewhat stale. During those times, a person usually gets by day by day, but looses focus of the big picture. Shortly after going through a time like this, Annette mentioned Signet and asked if I wanted to be a part of it. I accepted the opportunity.

2. What do you think it means to GROW as a leader?

Once we reach a certain level in our various areas in life things may become like a status quo. When that happens, we should see what can be done to help improve things. Just like our walk with the Lord, it is not a destination but a journey. We need to be open to change that will stretch us. But I also believe that with change there needs to be balance. If some thing is working - stick with it. You need to lead by example. It can be hard to lead someone where you haven't been yourself. Any insights or lessons learned during the growing process can then be passed on to others.

Randy's 1st Post

1. Why did you agree to be a part of Signet at this time?   I became a part of Signet because I want to be challenged and belong to a group that is like minded.
2. What do you think it means to GROW as a leader?   The expansion of knowledge concerning leadership and then taking that knowledge and applying it.

Signet Goal Setting

Setting goals is not a process that most leaders enjoy.  But good leaders have bit the bullet and learned how to discipline themselves to do it.  We are going to learn this art together!  We will be setting 30-day, 60-day and 90-day goals.  Here are some tips to help you start thinking about your first goal. 

MEASURABLE:  Your goals should be measurable - not too abstract or broad. To say you need to improve your communication is pretty generic.  But to say you need to improve the way you facilitate a meeting or Bible study is more on target.  In order to complete a goal, you will need to identify action steps to take. 

PRACTICAL:  Set a goal that addresses a current need in your leadership life.  If you have an event coming in a few months, you should be setting goals that will help you prepare for that!

ACHIEVABLE:  Each of our goals will have a specific time frame.  Make sure your goal is possible in that amount of time.  For example, you can't efficiently plan a banquet for 500 people in 30 days.  That would be unreasonable.  Or if it's a 60 day goal and you know you have surgery scheduled during that time, don't bite off something that can't be interrupted during your recovery.  One of the major barriers to goal setting is that we don't think ahead - and it's one of the fruits of goal setting - to LEARN to think ahead!



Format Example (one of mine from last year):
Goal for Jan-Mar:  Plan out my own leadership development process for 2010.  What am I going to do to spur on my own growth?

Action Steps:

1. Facilitate a Signet group with AYM sponsors.
2. Request transcripts from Trinity.
3. Apply to take correspondence courses to pursue my state ministerial credentials.
4. Select 6-8 books to read this year and order them.
5. Talk to Pastor about accountability in my own leadership development (give him my book list).
6. Prepare information for the board about continuing education expenses.

Goal Examples (just to get the juices flowing):

• Time management with specific projects or events
• Developing an annual schedule for a specific area of ministry you’re leading
• Injecting creativity in how you lead your team or group
• Taking someone else under your wing in ministry
• Improve communication with those you work with
• Find a new way to serve the leader you’re working with (I love this one – haha) to add some variety and help them out
• Identify a task or duty that has been inefficient in your leadership life and find a way to improve it

Personal Growth Book

Assignment: Identify an area of personal growth that you'd like to address.  Select a book (preferably Christian author) that addresses this area. 

• It can be related to your leadership life, but something more specific than what we will cover.  We are addressing overall leadership issues, but you could narrow it down more.  For example, if you struggle with communicating, you could select a book about that specifically.
• It can also relate to an area of your personal life, i.e. marriage, finances, emotional health, parenting. 
• You will be responsible to purchase the personal growth book.  http://www.christianbook.com/ is a great resource and offers very reasonable prices.
• You need to have the book in your hands by March 1st. 
• You will need to complete the book by November 30th. 
• Only two blog posts are required for the personal growth book.  1) What book you've selected and why.  2) Final book review  But you can opt to post multiple times as you read through the book if you like.  That gives us a glimpse of how it's going through the year.

2011 Signet Blogging Instructions

Here are some basic blogging instructions for new users - and we also want to be sure everyone uses the same format.

1. You will start at your dashboard.  Mine looks like this. 
2. Then you will click on "NEW POST".
3. For future reference, if you want to edit a post, there's a link there to do that.

1. Then a new post box will open.  It looks like this. 
2. Always add a Title that includes your name, the time frame, and what kind of post it is (i.e. Book Review, Goals).  So a good title for me would be "Annette's January Book Review".
3. Then the box for text is used to type in.  As you can see, it's very similar to Word.  You can bold, italicize and underline.  You can change the color, add a picture, etc.  Pretty simple!
4. It automatically saves your posts as you work - in case you'd lose your connection or get distracted.
5. At the bottom right, you'll see "Labels".  This is also very important for you to use.  If you click on "Show all", it will open what labels are available.  Please don't create any new labels because it gets cluttered.  Just use the label that is applicable.  Your name should ALWAYS be one of the labels.  That helps us when we're looking back at just your posts.  And, again, use the label that describes your post.
6. When you've finished your post, you click "Publish Post".
7. That's it!

8. Anytime you're in the blog itself and you want to get back to your dashboard, just go up to the right hand corner and click on the blogger button (see icon right).

2011 Signet Leadership Group

I am super excited to begin a Signet Leadership Group with lay leaders at Yankton 1st Assembly next month! I have invited people that are currently involved in leadership in our church, and those that have accepted have a desire to GROW in the calling that God has placed on their lives. Here's the info...


1 Corinthians 9 says... 24 Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. 25 Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. 26 Therefore I do not run like a man running aimlessly; I do not fight like a man beating the air. 27 No, I beat my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.

To me, this verse speaks of being INTENTIONAL in our spiritual growth! We can't just sit back and hope it happens. We must PURSUE Jesus Christ and His work in our lives! My desire for each of you, as we work together in ministry, is that we don't just run aimlessly. That we're not just showing up to our church activities and "beating the air" - just following what's on the schedule. My desire is that we are seeking supernatural intervention in every opportunity! That we follow God's leading in how to minister to the people we've been entrusted with...and what we need to do in order to bring other people to Christ. We all know that doesn't happen by accident!

Can you look back at the last 6 months and identify areas of your life in which you made specific effort to grow? That’s a very pointed question. To be "realistic", I know that we cannot continuously strive, and wrestle, and struggle...we would burn out pretty quickly. But we should be able to identify some things that we are doing to GROW OUT LOUD and on purpose! So in January, we are going to begin a Yankton 1st A/G Signet group. It will last one year and will include lay leaders who are currently active in leadership.

Here are some of the expectations over the course of this year:

1. The purpose of this leadership development group is to grow as Christian leaders and increase our level of influence in the areas we lead.
2. We will read 2 assigned books during the year together. You will not have to purchase these books, and I'm working on selecting those books right now and will develop a reading schedule.
3. You will also select a personal growth book to read during the year. That will be your choice – and your expense. It should be a book that focuses on something that you feel is an area that you need to improve in.
4. You will be asked to blog about the reading once a month. For those who are not "computer savvy", you can email your thoughts to me (or call me, or keep a journal of notes and give it to me) and I will post them on the blog for you. Just because I get wordy in my blogs, you are not required to have a certain number of words or anything. :o) I am just asking for at least a couple of thoughtful sentences about what you read...why it was significant to you, if you think it will change your spiritual life in any way, if you disagreed with anything you read, etc. The purpose for blogging is two-fold: accountability and to stretch one another! Proverbs 27:17 says "As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another."
5. You will be asked to set goals at various times – it will vary – 30, 60, 90 day goals. The goal should be focused on your own personal growth and your growth in leadership. I will give some examples, and I can help you formulate one if you need it. The goal should be measurable and provide action steps for how you will work on it.
6. We will have a Signet conference every 3 months. Typically, we will meet for lunch after a Sunday morning service (since we all eat at that time anyway). At the conference, we will discuss the book in more detail, we will talk about how we're living the values of Hunger, Humility, and Excellence, and we will give an update on our goals.

Why “Signet?” (copied from the District Signet blog which is where I first encountered this process)

At the end of Haggai, the Lord speaks directly to Zerubbable and says “I will make you my signet ring.” I believe he says this for three reasons.

• A Mark of Envelopment: Having the signet ring meant you knew who you worked for. You belonged to the king and represented him when he was not visible. Lest we forget that we are representatives of the Most High, we are enveloped in His purpose for our life and ministry.
• A Method of Encouragement: To know you are the “signature of God” is encouraging. Many leaders today simply need encouragement. Participants of Signet may be challenged and stretched, but we are here to encourage each other in leadership development.
• A Means of Empowerment: Having the “signet ring” meant power or authority. Signet should provide a sense of empowerment that says to each leader “I can do this.” As we grow together we should become more confident of leadership abilities that we are developing. (Thanks Pastor Mark.)

Well, by now, you're probably either feeling invigorated for the challenge...or a bit overwhelmed. I truly do not intend this to cause you stress, but it will be inconvenient at times. Growth always is. I guess I don't apologize for that. When I look back on the years I spent as a volunteer, I can definitely say I was under-challenged. There were very few opportunities available to develop my leadership life. It's just something most people either do on their own, or they don't, and they end up stuck in the same spot for years. So I present this opportunity to you...it will be good for you. And it will probably be hard sometimes. But I look forward to the sharpening process! Prayerfully prepare yourself...this is gonna be quite a ride. :o)