Leadership Shifts to Make Progress at #GC2012 (@TheKLC: 2 of 10)

This past fall and winter, I had the opportunity to take part in the Leadership and Faith: Transforming Communities program through the Kansas Leadership Center with the Missions team at Resurrection West. I want to share my reflections and learnings from that time in light of the General Conference 2012 of The United Methodist Church.

There are at least three shifts in leadership perspective that are helpful in making progress on issues that we care about.

• Technical to Adaptive – There has been much talk about the adaptive challenges that are facing the denomination. It will be important to seek to make progress in ways that are not just rewriting rules.
• Benign to Conflictual Interpretations – General Conference does not seem to have challenge making conflictual interpretations. Focusing them on making progress will be an important opportunity.
• Individual to Systemic View – This is one of the most important leadership shifts that could help make progress at General Conference. It can be easy for delegates to take the perspective of themselves, their annual conference or affinity group. More progress will be made by paying as much attention as possible to the entire system – both during the days of meeting ahead in Tampa and the months to follow.

Have you found our denomination to be making these shifts? What else might be helpful to make progress?

Related articles

• Three Questions to Ask Yourself in a #GC2012 Committee (@TheKLC: 1 of 10) (andrewconard.com)