When Good Effort Isn't Enough

I've been thinking a lot about leadership and leadership development, and I am convinced that one of the biggest challenges of leadership is deciding who is going to be on your team. Not only that, but how do you cut someone who was good for your team at one point but is no longer a good fit?

As I look back at the short history of Four Corners Community Church, and especially at the way we have managed our leaders and attempted leadership development, one of the areas of growth for me is becoming more and more clear.

You ever know someone who has great intentions, who is really sincere, and who has a good heart - but they just can't get the job done? It's hard to look someone like that in the face and say to them, "thanks for the effort, but..." - and then you fill in the blank. The video above is a perfect example of a person who is trying...but it just ain't workin'.

Difficult conversations do not come easily to most of us (duh!), but someone should have sat this guy down somewhere along the way and had a heart-to-heart talk with him. So it is with some of the people we lead. Sometimes an honest convesation is not only good for an organization, but good for every person involved. In the case of the hungarian rapper, it could have save him a lot of energy and effort...as well as humiliation.

Luckily, as I look at my church right now there are no conversations like this to be had - but I have missed them in the past and more will be coming at some point in the future. I want to make sure I am quick to have those conversations when they are needed, sparing them and us the pain of letting a bad thing go on too long.