The response to the Drucker remembrances and quotes has been heartening. Readers asked for a few more.
The remembrance is at the end of the article since it is a bit focused on me. Let’s start with the quotes.
~824 words - 3 minutes, including the personal story
1. “When a subject becomes totally obsolete, we make it a required course. ”
This is a common issue across many fields. As a former team member of what was often described as a “church think tank,” one could see this in many innovations that spread through the protestant church ecosystem.
What started as a genuine innovation that led to a higher level of effectiveness spread over the years through the practitioners. Often starting in more independent and non-connectional churches, the practice would then penetrate more evangelical traditions, eventually coming onstream with mainline friends.
Our organization was designed to help speed that cycle through relationships between the groups and research and publication strategies.
When the situation was well defined and codified, it would make its way to training institutions such as colleges, seminaries, and courses.
That is not all bad, as scholars can often then study how a particular practice has changed the landscape and look at the variety of adaptations that certain groups have applied. They make for exciting reading, mind you.
But assuming that what is taught now is the standard practice and state of the art is where the institutionalization tends to fail.
True, some profs and scholars are always trying to see and study new developments, but the systems supporting those institutions don’t tend to reward those teachers and their products.
Bottom line: By the time the scholarly books are written on a practice and taught in standard courses, know that it is probably behind the times of what effective practitioners are doing.
Photo credit: Manutr, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
2. “The problem in my life and other people's lives is not the absence of knowing what to do but the absence of doing it.”
Isn’t that the truth?
I love how Peter ascribes the fact to his one life as well. We should all do the same.
This quote strikes me as to a recent conversation with pastors when thinking about discipleship. The challenge in encouraging people toward Christ-like behavior is rarely a lack of knowledge in doing the right thing.
More importantly, it is moving toward action and supporting people through relationships in that action.
The majority of life changes are always relationally supported. Finding the right personal partner or group to help a life change makes all the difference.
Bottom line: First – for yourself. What change do you need to make, and who will you partner with to hold you accountable? Second – for your church discipleship processes – how can you support people that want to take the next step of faith by pairing them with a mentor or group?
One more after the ad
This month, we have a new webinar available: Nine Basic Statements about Senior Pastor Smart Succession.
It covers a few things every church should know about dealing with the topic (and help you avoid some trainwrecks.)
It’s less than 11 minutes long, and you can watch it now.
Just click here. It’s instant and on demand.
We will leave it up for a few weeks, but then it goes away. So take a look this week.
There are some freebies offered after you watch as well.
Share with your board or other pastors.
3. “It is more productive to convert an opportunity into results than to solve a problem - which only restores the equilibrium of yesterday.”
“We have this problem…” begins many conversations I have with prospective clients. The following description is often a significant issue for their leadership and the congregation. I don’t deny that.
But the question then becomes two-fold.
What is the opportunity here?
If we solve this, does it move us forward or backward?
I agree that sometimes a half step back enables us to take leaps forward in the next season, but don’t waste opportunities to move things forward.
This is prevalent thinking among many churches right now that state formally or unintentionally – “We want to get back to our pre-pandemic way of doing things.”
Drucker’s comment on whether I should get an MBA (the personal story)
After several sessions with Peter, Bob Buford asked Peter: “I think Dave could lead our organization someday, but I want him to be fully prepared. Should I send him to get an Executive MBA out here at the Drucker School?” (now known as the Peter F. Drucker and Masatoshi Ito Graduate School of Management)
“No.” was Peter’s emphatic answer.
“Dave has a natural curiosity and ability to learn things for himself. He already reads enough and asks good questions of people. Plus, he learns every day from people all around the country. That is worth 100 times an MBA.”
“A good MBA program helps people who need to read more and form better networks. But it would just slow him down.”
That message freed me. It was a blessing to continue to pursue my learning and development and not worry about a credential or status.
Peter always said to take up a new field every three years and dive deep with your reading, thinking, inquiries and reflections. Then move to something else.
I value those that pursue further formal educational opportunities. (One of my daughters has an MBA) Peter’s encouragement was to continue on my path to find the resources needed to get the job done.
Bottom line: How are YOU pursuing continued intellectual and other learnings to be better equipped for the challenges ahead?