Breaking 7 Leadership Barriers - Part 2
In Part 1, we talked about how growth barriers break when we equip people and build health into individuals at every level. In this resource, we continue understanding the barriers we face in the area of SYSTEMS. Do our systems, lack of systems, or how we approach planning inhibit the potential for growth in our churches?
BARRIER 4 | We Solve Problems by Starting New Things
We often respond to problems by adding more: more ministries, more events, more activities.
Do more by doing less | More doesn’t always mean better. Growth often comes from pruning, not planting. Chick-fil-A and In-N-Out became the most profitable fast-food chains not because of variety, but because of focus.
WAYS TO SOLVE IT:
1. Use an Opportunity Filter before launching anything new:
Is there a great need?
Should it replace something we’re already doing but not as efficiently?
Can we sustain it, in light of what we already do?
BARRIER 5 | We Are Measuring the Wrong Things
When our metrics don’t align with what we value or have defined as a “win”, we end up celebrating activity over impact. In fact, if we don’t measure the right things, we end up celebrating what is often subjective: how did it feel? Was the room “full”?
Find truth in the trends | If we define the win of an event or season we can organize our activity and communication toward that end. Then, by analyzing the metrics we track, we can clearly see the behavioral trends and determine if it was a win or not!
WAYS TO SOLVE IT:
Our analysis must go beyond how many attended an event. It’s about how many took the next step toward discipleship and stayed engaged.
1. Ask these key questions for your next event or activity planned:
Who is your target audience?
What are you asking them to do?
What is the one step they need to take?
How will you measure if the process worked?
BARRIER 6 | We Don’t Have a Formal Decision-Making Process
When authority is unclear, people wait instead of act. When decisions are unclear or too slow, ownership and momentum suffer.
Assign ownership and give authority | Healthy organizations push decisions closer to the problem. Teaching your team how to think, not just what to do, builds ownership and agility. Giving permission and resources for leaders to solve problems unlocks organizational efficiency.
WAYS TO SOLVE IT:
1. Target a meeting or major initiative on the horizon and practice these steps:
Define who decides what.
Create clear timelines for decisions.
Debrief big decisions: what worked, what didn’t, and what principles can we extract?
BARRIER 7 | We Don’t Have a Communication System
Without a consistent and defined communication platform and rhythm, alignment breaks down.
Adopt a central communication strategy | Healthy communication isn’t about more meetings it’s about the right meetings with the right purpose and outcomes. A central project management platform syncs work and eliminates inefficiencies. Overall, a clear communication strategy eliminates confusion, duplication, and frustration.
WAYS TO SOLVE IT:
1. Assess your current communication strategy. Ask these key questions for your next event or activity planned:
Create a meeting rhythm: weekly sync, monthly review, quarterly strategy.
Define every meeting’s purpose (e.g., “sync,” “solve,” “share”).
Establish clear communication channels (email, Slack, text, etc.) and expectations.
PUT IT INTO PRACTICE
Breaking growth barriers isn’t always about working harder; it’s about taking strategic risks and making changes that have a lasting impact. It always comes at a cost, but what we have been entrusted with is worth the investment.
Start by:
Diagnosing which barrier your team faces most often when it comes to systems and strategy.
Refocusing on the system, not just adding programs.
Building systems that sustain growth rather than stall it.
When you raise your leadership lid, your church becomes equipped, aligned, and built up, just as Christ intended.
Let us know how we can support you in building the systems that will help you bust through those growth barriers.
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