The podcast discusses the importance of excellence in church staff and leadership. It includes personal stories, a humorous incident with BB guns, and examples of individuals striving for excellence. They explore the impact of excellence in service and leadership, including its contagious nature and the need to prioritize and invest in what truly matters.
Excellence should be pursued in church staff work to honor God and inspire others.
Excellence requires investment and prioritization to build trust and achieve fulfillment.
Continuous improvement is key, seeking feedback, and anticipating and overdelivering.
Excellence fosters trust and positive perceptions, distinguishing teams and individuals from mediocrity.
Deep dives
Excellence in Practice: The Importance of Excellence
Excellence is discussed as one of the staff values in this episode of the Church Leadership Podcast. The speakers emphasize the significance of excellence and what it looks like in practice. They highlight the need to constantly strive for improvement and ask how things can be made better. Anticipating and overdelivering on people's needs is identified as a key aspect of excellence. The episode also emphasizes that excellence builds trust and that lack of excellence erodes trust. The speakers highlight that excellence requires investment, prioritizing where to put time, attention, and resources. Lastly, they stress that being excellent is more fun and fulfilling than just getting by.
Motivation for Excellence: Serving the Lord
The motivation for excellence is discussed, emphasizing that it should be rooted in serving the Lord. They encourage listeners to remember that whatever they do, they are serving Jesus and should strive to do the best they can with what they have. The importance of a proper foundation for the motivation of excellence is highlighted, drawing from biblical examples and teachings.
Striving for Improvement: Always Ask How to Make Things Better
The episode emphasizes the importance of continuously seeking improvement by always asking the question, 'How can we make this better?' They discuss the importance of investing time and effort in making things excellent, both before and after the completion of tasks or events. They encourage seeking feedback, being open to constructive criticism, and constantly evaluating how things can be improved.
Anticipate and Overdeliver: Going Above and Beyond Expectations
The speakers discuss the concept of anticipating and overdelivering, emphasizing the importance of going above and beyond people's expectations. They stress the need to put oneself in the position of the person being served and to exceed their needs and desires. Examples are provided to illustrate the impact of anticipating and overdelivering in various contexts.
Building Trust: Excellence as a Trust-Building Factor
The episode highlights that excellence is crucial for building trust. They explain that when someone consistently delivers excellence, others automatically assume that everyone else associated with them also operates at the same level. The difference between a team that is excellent and one that is just getting by is discussed, emphasizing that excellence fosters trust and positive perceptions.
Cost of Excellence: Choosing Where to Invest
The cost of excellence is explored, emphasizing that choosing where to invest time, attention, and resources is essential. They discuss the need to prioritize and determine where one's strengths and unique contributions are best placed. The importance of recognizing that excellence is not evenly distributed across all aspects and focusing on areas where one can make the greatest impact is emphasized.
The Joy of Excellence: Pursuing Excellence as a Source of Fulfillment
The episode concludes by highlighting the joy and satisfaction that comes from pursuing excellence. They explain that being excellent is more enjoyable, fulfilling, and rewarding than just getting by. By bringing one's best for the Lord and constantly striving for improvement, individuals can experience a greater sense of purpose and achievement.
Churches that do not encourage their staff to excel are missing an opportunity to honor God and inspire others. On the other hand, churches that pursue excellence for the wrong reasons have made an idol out of something that should be an offering. On this week’s Church Leadership Podcast, Watermark teaching pastor John Elmore joins John McGee to talk about faithfully executing our work to the best of our abilities without losing sight of our mission.
