Action Learning is more that just learning by doing, though it is certainly that. This presentation introduces the underlying theory behind Action Learning and suggests ways this approach to learning might be used in a higher education environmetn.

The church, like most organizations today, has been heavily influenced by a mechanistic view of the world in the forming of its structural models. This presentation offers an alternative perspective and may bring us closer to biblical principles.

Effective leaders identify, give form to, and communicate the vision. This presentation seeks to define the concept of vision as well as point toward some practical ways to develop your organizaiton's vision statement.

Leadership is one of the most elusive concepts in the English language. We all recognize it when we see it, but defining it is another issue. This presentation provides a brief introduction to the field of leadership studies, pointing out the complexity of the concept itself as well as suggesting some ways to approach the subject.

Action Research is a technique that can be used to gain understanding of organizational realities while at the same time attempting to influence those realities. It is especially useful for those difficult problems that seem to elude definition, let alone solution. This presention provides a basic explanation of the Action Research process.

To survive in today's environment, organizations must develop a forward-looking perspective. However, accomplishing this takes more than developing new plans; it takes a new way of thinking. This presentation lays out some theoretical foundations for developing a future orientation and describes one technique--the Futures Wheel--for helping people develop that orientation.

"When all you have in your toolbox is a hammer, then everything looks like a nail." I don't know who first said that but the proverb contains a profound truth and an unfortunate reality for many pastors. This presentation seeks to add some additional tools to the pastor's toolbox by looking at a congregations through the eyeglass of organizational alignment. It first defines alignment as it relates to the church and then prescribes a ten-step plan for helping your congregation become more aligned and thereby more effective in achieving its purpose.

A key component of the learning organization is a widespread understanding of the concept of mental models and of how they affect our interpersonal communication and understanding. This brief presentation is intended to introduce mental models. It describes how they develop and what it means to LEARN at the level of our mental maps.

If you are an American, charged with leading a team in Latin America, you may be unaware of the rules that govern how people interact in that culture. Too often aspiring global leaders work under the assumption that all people play by the same rules and their cultural perspective is the only perspective. A framework of cultural dimensions may help you to see both the similarities and also the differences between your American assumptions and those of your Latin American team. Such knowledge may be the determining factor in your success in the cross-cultural setting.

There is a word that politicians love to throw out whenever they consider that it might accrue some advantage for them. I'm talking about values. As one commentator put it: "Values, values everywhere." Then she went on to list the ways the term was used in a recent political rally: "American values, working-class values, heartland values, mainstream values, blue-collar values, democratic values" and the list goes on (Goodman, 2004). In spite of the overuse and, at times abuse, of the word, values continue to be the central issue for society today, because they give direction and meaning to our lives. In this presentation, I want us to look at what values are, what the Bible says about them, why they are important and how they become embedded in our hearts.

Burnout is a serious threat to any professional and is particularly acute to those in the helping professions. Nurses, teachers, pastors, and social workers live in a constant mode of "being available to people." If one is not aware of the danger, this constant output of physical, mental, and spiritual energy will eventualy reach its limit and burnout will ensue. This presentation identifies the signs of this danger. The purpose is to help professionals see the danger before it becomes inevitable.

To instill a culture of creativity in your congregation requires more than a series of announcements or sermons to that effect. It requires a change in the way many of your members and leaders think. In other words, it requres a re-ordering of their underlying non-creative assumptions. This presentation attempts to lay out a foundation for developing a philosophy and theology of creativity.

Dialogue is a fundamental ingredient of an organizational culture that values creativity. It is fundamental because without it, ideas are not challenged and leaders are protected from the scrutiny of diverse perspectives. Ideas become ingrained, encapsulated, and entrenched even when they have ceased to function or when new data has proven them to be obsolete. This presentation seeks to define what dialogue is. It looks at it as a process that involves six basic skills: listening, sharing, imagining, questioning, feeling, and seeing. It also outlines a simple procedure for leading your team through an exercise in dialogue.

Many leaders begin well but few end well. This is because there are forces at work in the very process of becoming a leader and in exercising that leadership that, if not addressed, will eventually cause that leader to derail. One of the essential skills for addressing these destructive forces is the ability to lead oneself into periods of personal and professional renewal. This presentation outlines the steps toward developing that ability.

Employee motivation is something we all want. I think it's safe to say that we would all agree that motivation is a good thing. It is commonly associated with several positive outcomes, including: (1) increased productivity, (2) higher profits, (3) a happier workforce, (4) more cohesive teams, and (5) reduced absenteeism and worker turnover. Fortunately, employee motivation is not a new topic and we can learn from the research, theories, and practices of the past. This presentation focuses on the early development of motivation theory as it relates to the field of management.