I have added some clips that came from the Upstream Collective Dinner that we had at Exponential 09.  Go to videos and enjoy...

I got to meet Alex...finally.  I loved this dude.  A genuine creative spirit.  We did an interview together on his radio program.  You can check it out here.

It was Harvard's Ronald Heifetz who initially made the distinction between "technical (i.e., operational) leadership" and "adaptive leadership". He noted that…

The former entails the exercise of authority and is an entirely appropriate response in conditions of relative equilibrium. Operational leadership works best when the problems faced can be dealt with by drawing upon a pre-existing repertoire. Operational leadership goes hand in hand with the tenets of social engineering. A solution is devised from above and rolled out through the ranks. If an organization is in crisis; if downsizing, restructuring, or reducing costs is called for; if sharpened execution is the key to success then operational leadership is probably the best bet.

Operational leadership describes well the predominant approach to church leadership with its emphasis on pastoral care, nurture in the faith, and church growth with its strong emphasis on management, technique, and programs. And in many cases it works. But as Pascale et.al. recognize…

In living systems problems arise, however, when a species (or organization) misapplies a traditional solution to an adaptive problem. In this situation, the current repertoire of solutions is inadequate or just plain wrong. In nature, the alpha male silverback mountain gorilla draws its troop together in a tight circle and behaves aggressively toward rival males or other natural threats. This traditional solution works effectively - unless the troop is facing poachers armed with guns, tranquilizer darts and capture nets.  

All the apelike bravado in the world will not stop a bullet. Now the gorillas face a genuine adaptive challenge, and unless they learn to adapt to the new threat and find new responses, they are history. It’s not hard to see the relevance for us as we face the challenges of the 21st Century..

We saw in previous discussions how the come-to-us Christendom mode worked well in a society where all were considered Christians and church attendance was kind of compulsory, but it doesn’t quite work in situations that require a go-to-them missional approach.  It also highlights the different kind of leadership that needed to drive the different paradigms of church. This is a classical example of operative v. adaptive leadership and organization.

According to the authors of Surfing the Edge of Chaos, the central assumptions of operative leadership are:

• “The Leaders are the Head, the Organization is the Body.”   In this view corporate intelligence is concentrated at the top of the organizational structure. (In contrast, the livings systems approach recognizes that every living system has what is called ‘distributed intelligence’ throughout the organization.  The aim of leadership in the new paradigm is to identify, cultivate, and unleash that distributed intelligence. This is precisely what I mean when I suggest that our task is to unleash Apostolic Genius which is ‘already there’ in the ecclesia)   
•  “A Promise of Predictable Change. Implementation plans are scripted on the assumption of a reasonable degree of predictability and control during the time span of the change effort.”  (In contrast the organic approach asserts that life is unpredictable (watch the atom or a swarm of bees at work) and that at best you can disturb, generally direct, but you cannot fully predict the outcome of a living system.)
• “An Assumption of Cascading Intention. This simply means that once a course of action is determined by leadership, initiative flows from the top down. When a program is defined, it is communicated and rolled out through the ranks. Often, this includes a veneer of participation to engender buy-in.”  (In contrast, the organic approach says that real change, especially lasting change, comes from the bottom up and it is the task of leadership to create the conditions that foster imagination, initiative, and creativity.)  

It is easy to see these assumptions about organization working in the way we generally operate in leading and managing churches and related organizations. But that these assumptions are not compatible with the way living systems generally work becomes self-evident the more we grapple with the way God has structured life itself. But, this is not to say the more mechanistic, operational form of leadership does not have its place. But we must recognize that the tools and methods generally associated with this type of leadership work well “…only when the solution is known in advance and an established repertoire of choices exists to implement it.   They are not appropriate for situations of unpredictability which requires innovative thinking and adaptive forms of leadership.

A note of warning for those leading in established churches: what Western Christianity desperately needs at the moment is adaptive leadership—people who can help us transition to a different, more agile, mode of church. Such leaders don’t necessarily have to be highly creative innovators themselves, but people who can move the church into adaptive modes—people who can disturb the stifling equilibrium and create the conditions for change and innovation.  By and large many leaders in church organizations, particularly those with strong caring and teaching gifts, can exhibit a tendency to avoid conflict and too easily soothe over tensions.  Left unchecked, this can be lethal because it caters to equilibrium and therefore ultimately to death.

In the swirling world of living systems thinking there are comparison of two types of leadership: between what is called operational and adaptive leadership.  Essentially, operational leadership is suited for organizations that are in relatively stable environments where maintenance and development of current programming is the core tasks of leadership. This form of leadership is built on the assumptions of social engineering and is thus built squarely on a more 'mechanistic' view of the world.   And it does work, and is entirely appropriate for some organizations (as we shall see in the next post).  Adaptive leadership on the other hand, is the type of leader who develops learning organizations and manages to help the organization transition into different forms or expression where agility, responsiveness, innovation and entrepreneurship are needed. Adaptive leaders are needed in times of significant threat or considerable new opportunity, or both.  This has direct relevance to our situation at the dawn of the 21st century.

More about this to follow...

As part of Skye's blog tour, we were invited to submit a question for Skye to respond to.  As I do believe that discipleship is a frontier issue for the church in the West, and given our massive accomodation to the 'spirit of the age' - consumerism.  I decided to ask him what he thought of our chances.  Here is the question:

Alan: "Are you hopeful that we can recover an authentic discipleship ethos in the church given our enculturation by consumerism?" And here is his answer....
 
Skye: Yes, I am hopeful. I’m an apprentice of Jesus Christ—hope is what we bank on. As I outline in The Divine Commodity, I believe the church in North America is dreadfully imprisoned by the worldview of consumerism. But as the church continues to lose its privileged position in our culture, as outlined in the much talked about Newsweek article last week, I believe an opportunity for renewal is occurring. But this renewal will not come through massive upheaval or aggressive church initiative within the political, cultural, or commercial spheres. I believe the recovery of authentic discipleship will happen life-to-life, relationship-to-relationship, disciple-to-disciple. (Sounds familiar, doesn’t it?)
 
The overwhelming witness of Scripture is that God transforms the world using the smallest and most unlikely methods—the outcasts, the underdogs, the forgotten, and the under-resourced. Last week was Passover and Easter. In one story the most powerful empire on earth is defeated and plundered by a band of poor slaves in communion with God. In the other story, the powers of evil and hell are defeated by the death and resurrection of a poor itinerant preacher from the backwaters of Galilee.
 
Beyond the testimony of Scripture, a glimpse at the state of global Christianity shows that many of the places where the faith is growing most rapidly are also where it lacks a privileged position. China may be the most vivid example, or among the Dalit (Untouchables) of India.
 
For those church leaders that have great concern over the “decline” of Christianity in America and the lack of genuine discipleship, I believe The Divine Commodity carries a message of enduring hope. God may be simply refining his church and burning away the cultural dross that we’ve acquired from our wandering in the Constantinian wilderness. This refining may be painful as we lose institutions, facilities, and even some previously impactful ministries. But in the end I have great confidence that Christ’s Church, even in America, will prevail and disciple will be made. For when we are weak, then we are strong.

to take the blog tour where Skye responds to many other questions, go to previous post and click away...

Skye Jethani, Managing Editor of Leadership Journal, agent provocateur of Out of Ur fame, and author of the new book, The Divine Commodity, will be visiting over 20 blogs this Thursday, 16 April to talk about his book, and consumerism’s effect on Christianity.

In the book, Skye interacts with both consumerisms’ grip on American culture as well as the artwork and life of Vincent van Gogh and connects the two.  In the end, Skye offers a way to break free of the grip of consumerism by practicing several spiritual disciplines. I must admit that I like the book a lot.  Skye is a great writer and the content is solid and engaging.

Please visit this blog and the others linked below to read Skye’s answer to some great questions.  Also, post your comments and questions as well to the respective blogs, as Skye will also be interacting with commenter’s on each blog.  For more about The Divine Commodity, visit Skye’s blog (SkyeJethani.com).  Here is a list of the blogs involved this Thursday:

• Out of Ur (http://OutofUr.com)
• Flowerdust.net (http://www.flowerdust.net/)
• Stuff Christians Like (http://stufffchristianslike.blogspot.com/)
• Ragamuffin Soul (www.ragamuffinsoul.com)
• Monday Morning Insight (http://www.mondaymorninginsight.com/)
• Mark D Roberts (http://www.markdroberts.com/)
• Ben Arment (www.benarment.com)
• Church Relevance (http://churchrelevance.com/)
• Bob Franquiz (http://bobfranquiz.typepad.com/)
• Bob Hyatt (http://bobhyatt.typepad.com/)
• Cole-Slaw (http://cole-slaw.blogspot.com/)
• The Forgotten Ways (http://theforgottenways.org/)
• Reclaiming the Mission (http://www.reclaimingthemission.com/)
• The Shlog (http://www.shaungroves.com/shlog)
• Frank Viola (http://frankviola.wordpress.com/)
• The Gospel-Driven Church (http://www.gospeldrivenchurch.blogspot.com/)
• Christina Meyer (http://w2christina.blogspot.com/)
• Lee Coate (http://leecoate.wordpress.com/)
• Preaching Today (http://blog.preachingtoday.com/)
• Gathering In Light (http://gatheringinlight.com/)
• Off the Agenda (http://blog.BuildingChurchLeaders.com)
• Take Your Vitamin Z (http://takeyourvitaminz.blogspot.com)
• Staying Focused (http://kimmartinezstayingfocused.wordpress.com/)
• ZonderFann (http://zonderfann.com/)

I came across this Newsweek article recently...It talks about the fact that the percentage of self-identified Christians has fallen 10 points in the past two decades and how that statistic explains who America is now—and what, as a nation, it is about to become.

To read the full article, go here...

Yes, at last, the Handbook is in my hot little hands.  Arrived today. I really am excited about this as it will take the frameworks and paradigms of TFW and apply them in churches and organizations that want to transition towards becoming missional movements.  It will be a great guide for church planters in particular.

Amazon (USA) would have got the delivery today like me and it might take a few days to register on the site, but delivery should be very soon from here on in. Aussies and Europeans, I am not sure when it gets to you, but give it about a month I guess.

Some endorsements…

It seems that in every book he writes, Alan Hirsch puts into words what God’s Spirit is breathing into the church today. The Forgotten Ways Handbook is a wonderful tool to help leaders translate the timeless truths on which the Church is built into anointed actions that bring the authentic church to life again in this generation.

—Steven M. Pike, Assemblies of God Church Multiplication Network

My friend Alan is a true genius. In The Forgotten Ways he set out for us the needed impulses and environmental ingredients that can catalyze a true missional movement. In this handbook, he breaks it all down into simple steps that can open our eyes to see what is missing, and what is working. This is not just another repackaging of content to sell more books. This is actually advancing the concepts and bringing them down into the place where they can truly ignite change. If you read The Forgotten Ways and found yourself excited but were left wondering how do I do this? You need to read and distribute this book.

—Neil Cole, author of Organic Leadership

The Forgotten Ways Handbook is a crucial tool for every church planter and missional leader.  This is a must read for every leader and team who wants to develop the necessary habits and practices to insure your community is on the Jesus Mission. I’m looking forward to going through this with my team!

—Dave Ferguson, author of The Big Idea

I came accross this article in the Wall Street Journalist and writer Gary Hamel.  Thought it well worth the post. 

The experience of growing up online will profoundly shape the workplace expectations of “Generation F” – the Facebook Generation. At a minimum, they’ll expect the social environment of work to reflect the social context of the Web, rather than as is currently the case, a mid-20th-century Weberian bureaucracy.

If your company hopes to attract the most creative and energetic members of Gen F, it will need to understand these Internet-derived expectations, and then reinvent its management practices accordingly. Sure, it’s a buyer’s market for talent right now, but that won’t always be the case—and in the future, any company that lacks a vital core of Gen F employees will soon find itself stuck in the mud.

With that in mind, I compiled a list of 12 work-relevant characteristics of online life. These are the post-bureaucratic realities that tomorrow’s employees will use as yardsticks in determining whether your company is “with it” or “past it.” In assembling this short list, I haven’t tried to catalog every salient feature of the Web’s social milieu, only those that are most at odds with the legacy practices found in large companies.

1. All ideas compete on an equal footing.
On the Web, every idea has the chance to gain a following—or not, and no one has the power to kill off a subversive idea or squelch an embarrassing debate. Ideas gain traction based on their perceived merits, rather than on the political power of their sponsors.

2. Contribution counts for more than credentials.
When you post a video to YouTube, no one asks you if you went to film school. When you write a blog, no one cares whether you have a journalism degree. Position, title, and academic degrees—none of the usual status differentiators carry much weight online. On the Web, what counts is not your resume, but what you can contribute.

3. Hierarchies are natural, not prescribed.
In any Web forum there are some individuals who command more respect and attention than others—and have more influence as a consequence. Critically, though, these individuals haven’t been appointed by some superior authority. Instead, their clout reflects the freely given approbation of their peers. On the Web, authority trickles up, not down.

4. Leaders serve rather than preside.
On the Web, every leader is a servant leader; no one has the power to command or sanction. Credible arguments, demonstrated expertise and selfless behavior are the only levers for getting things done through other people. Forget this online, and your followers will soon abandon you.

5. Tasks are chosen, not assigned.
The Web is an opt-in economy. Whether contributing to a blog, working on an open source project, or sharing advice in a forum, people choose to work on the things that interest them. Everyone is an independent contractor, and everyone scratches their own itch.

6. Groups are self-defining and -organizing.
On the Web, you get to choose your compatriots. In any online community, you have the freedom to link up with some individuals and ignore the rest, to share deeply with some folks and not at all with others. Just as no one can assign you a boring task, no can force you to work with dim-witted colleagues.

7. Resources get attracted, not allocated.
In large organizations, resources get allocated top-down, in a politicized, Soviet-style budget wrangle. On the Web, human effort flows towards ideas and projects that are attractive (and fun), and away from those that aren’t. In this sense, the Web is a market economy where millions of individuals get to decide, moment by moment, how to spend the precious currency of their time and attention.

8. Power comes from sharing information, not hoarding it.
The Web is also a gift economy. To gain influence and status, you have to give away your expertise and content. And you must do it quickly; if you don’t, someone else will beat you to the punch—and garner the credit that might have been yours. Online, there are a lot of incentives to share, and few incentives to hoard.

9. Opinions compound and decisions are peer-reviewed.
On the Internet, truly smart ideas rapidly gain a following no matter how disruptive they may be. The Web is a near-perfect medium for aggregating the wisdom of the crowd—whether in formally organized opinion markets or in casual discussion groups. And once aggregated, the voice of the masses can be used as a battering ram to challenge the entrenched interests of institutions in the offline world.

10. Users can veto most policy decisions.
As many Internet moguls have learned to their sorrow, online users are opinionated and vociferous—and will quickly attack any decision or policy change that seems contrary to the community’s interests. The only way to keep users loyal is to give them a substantial say in key decisions. You may have built the community, but the users really own it.

11. Intrinsic rewards matter most.
The web is a testament to the power of intrinsic rewards. Think of all the articles contributed to Wikipedia, all the open source software created, all the advice freely given—add up the hours of volunteer time and it’s obvious that human beings will give generously of themselves when they’re given the chance to contribute to something they actually care about. Money’s great, but so is recognition and the joy of accomplishment.

12. Hackers are heroes.
Large organizations tend to make life uncomfortable for activists and rabble-rousers—however constructive they may be. In contrast, online communities frequently embrace those with strong anti-authoritarian views. On the Web, muckraking malcontents are frequently celebrated as champions of the Internet’s democratic values—particularly if they’ve managed to hack a piece of code that has been interfering with what others regard as their inalienable digital rights.

These features of Web-based life are written into the social DNA of Generation F—and mostly missing from the managerial DNA of the average Fortune 500 company. Yeah, there are a lot of kids looking for jobs right now, but few of them will ever feel at home in cubicleland.

So, readers, here’s a couple of questions: What are the Web-based social values that you think are most contrary to the managerial DNA one finds inside a typical corporate giant? And how should we reinvent management to make it more consistent with these emerging online sensibilities?

The orginal article is here.

A guy who is starting a missional cafe like Elevation (the one we started in Melbourne) asked me some advice recently.  I thought it worth sharing given that I do believe that "third places" do provide us with the most fruitful context for incarnational mission in the West.    

1. Develop an excellent, professional, business plan --one that will pass muster with a stingy bank manager.  Don't shirk on this. You are not convincing him, you are developing your own grasp on the various aspects of the business. A good business plan involves anything from budgeting to market research and positioning, unique selling proposition (USP), and everything in between. 
2. Hire only people who are (a.) capable and understand the nature of the hospitality industry (b.) stakeholders in the outcome [in other words, don't let people make money decisions if they don't have to somehow wear it themselves].  And (c.) don't just stick with Christians if you can't find believers that can really do the job--get the right people in there and you can sort the culture out as the director/leader as you go.  Besides, its a good place for non-believers to hang out and work with believers.  We made biiggg mistakes in this area. 
3. Start small and build organically to larger operations.  We started way too big.
4. If its going to be a good proximity space (a genuine neutral ground for engaging missionally with people) make sure that is doesn't simply become a "front" for the church or a place where local zealots come to to "bible-bash" customers.  If you do this you won't have any customers except the said, over-zealous, Christians--not a pretty sight!!  A proximity space should have a neutral-normal atmosphere about it with an invitation to journey...nothing too pushy. Be patient in making relationships and sharing meaning.  Incarnation takes time.  Use art classes, philosophy discussions (not debates), guitar workshops, fund-raisers for social justice issues, poetry readings, etc.  And for goodness sake--don't let anyone call it "cafe church" or anything like it!  This would be an open invitation for genuine non-Christians will avoid you like the plague. 
5. There are benefits to owning your own business (profit, stakeholding, excellent way to incarnate into an area) but there are problems involved as well (losses, worries, staffing, etc.) You might wish to consider using someone else's place on a regular basis.  Just frequent it regularly as a group of people, eventually you won't be there simply to reach the locals, you will become the locals.  An idea I thought about at the time (and I wish we did it now) was to rent a space next to another working cafe--make a win-win deal with them to provide the food,  bash a hole in the wall to serve it, and do the drinks yourself (they are more profitable whatever you serve--alcohol or coffee.)  And you can create a red-hot (or ultra-cool whatever you prefer) missional proximity space without all the worries of staffing!!

By the way, much of this kind of advice is built into the new workbook for The Forgotten Ways.  It will be out in about 10 days!  (yay! at last) You can find it here or here.

Get to it then!