By unSeminary: Thanks so much for joining us for another unSeminary podcast. Today we’re talking with Benjamin Windle. A native Australian, Benjamin has worked as a youth and young adult pastor in the US and currently helps churches develop Generational Intelligence in reaching Millennials and Gen Z through an assortment of resources, coaching, and speaking.

According to Barna research, six out of every ten millennials who grew up in the church have dropped out. Americans 18-29 years of age who have no religious affiliation have nearly quadrupled in the last thirty years. By 2030 millennials will represent 75% of the global workforce—will they represent 75% of your church? Listen in as Benjamin shares how we can close the gap and reach younger generations in our churches.

Develop generational IQ. // Millennials, Gen Z and the generations coming behind then have only ever known a digital world. This means their worldview starts at a very different place than all other generations and that fundamentally changes the way we relate. Additionally because life expectancy has grown, up to five generations can be living at the same time and they are marked by very different things. Businesses, community groups, charities, families, and churches are needing greater generational IQ because we are relating to such a diverse range of cultures.Focus on leadership style and church culture. // We can’t close the gap in attracting younger generations just by having a “cool church” with sophisticated branding, cool music, and so on. Instead focusing on church culture and leadership style will direct you to new ways of talking and relating with younger generations, giving you a place to start. Benjamin has a book called “8 Innovations to Leading Millennials: How Millennials Can Grow Your Church and Change the World” which is available on Amazon and as a free PDF on his website. It goes over everything from the use of technology and social media to what to do with your organizational structure and how to have a relational leadership style.Focus on children’s ministry. // Another area that is key for connecting with millennials is investing in children’s ministry. Right now a lot of millennials are in their 30s and are raising their own children. Being family-focused ministers to the parents because of the importance you are placing on their children’s spiritual health and growth.Focus on truth. // We may put all our focus on giving younger generations entertainment as a way of attracting them to church, but we really need to focus on things of substance. The message of scripture shouldn’t change, but methodology and church culture need to. Have total clarity on what is the unchanging doctrine in your church and how you can be faster at changing the things that do need to be changed.Focus on depth. // In a culture that’s shallow, depth is attractive. Content-driven depth influences our preaching, programming, small groups and more. Equip generations coming up to read, study and understand the Bible for themselves because we’re talking largely about biblically-illiterate generations. Focus on depth in community because younger generations are craving these things. Focus on empowering young leaders. // We need to be putting 20-somethings in genuine leadership positions even before they have all of the qualifications and experiences. Take time to coach and mentor them. Ask how you can move younger people into leadership roles faster. Don’t keep them in the background because they don’t have all the competencies you may think are needed.Resources for reaching Millennials and Gen Z. // Benjamin has wrote a few white papers for churches including “The Promise of Pain: Seven best practices for pastoring Millennials and Gen Z.” and “8 Innovations to Leading Millennials: How Millennials Can Grow Your Church and Change the World”. These resources and more can be found on his website.

You can learn more about Benjamin and his resources at www.benjaminwindle.com.

Thank You for Tuning In!

There are a lot of podcasts you could be tuning into today, but you chose unSeminary, and I’m grateful for that. If you enjoyed today’s show, please share it by using the social media buttons you see at the left hand side of this page. Also, kindly consider taking the 60-seconds it takes to leave an honest review and rating for the podcast on iTunes, they’re extremely helpful when it comes to the ranking of the show and you can bet that I read every single one of them personally!

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Thank You to This Episode’s Sponsor: Plain Joe Studios

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Source: Millennials, Gen Z and Your Church with Benjamin Windle

The post Millennials, Gen Z and Your Church with Benjamin Windle appeared first on Passion for Planting.

By Carey Nieuwhof: When you’re in the middle of a disruption, it’s hard to know exactly what’s changing, let alone how deeply or permanently things are changing.

As 2020 soon draws to a close, there are three numbers that, at least for me, show how quickly, radically and perhaps permanently the church is changing.

As you look through these numbers, you may feel the temptation to explain them, dismiss them or even come up with reasons why the trends don’t apply to you.

I get it. And I empathize.

I’ve heard so many leaders spend 2020 saying things like

People have always gathered in person, and they’ll gather again as soon as possible.

I’m the exception to the rule. I can get people to come back. 

This is the CHURCH…in-person gatherings are here forever. 

These numbers below paint a different story. One that wise church leaders may want to act on now while there’s still time to pivot.

In this post, I shared 5 reasons the church has left the building and where future church attendance is heading.

Even when the truth isn’t what you want to see, the truth is still your friend.

There are so many numbers floating around right now, but these three in many ways clarify the trends we’re seeing right now. And, as shocking as they are, they can help you prepare for a very different, but also very promising, future. At least that’s my hope.

Even when the truth isn’t what you want to see, the truth is still your friend.

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1. 36%: The Average In-Person Attendance For Reopened Churches

In Tony Morgan’s Q3 UnStuck Church Report, he shares that among churches his team surveyed, in-person attendance is 36% of what it was pre-COVID.

No leader entered 2020 saying “I hope we’re at 36% of where we are right now by the end of the year.” But that’s exactly what’s happening.

No leader entered 2020 saying ‘I hope we’re at 36% of where we are right now by the end of the year.’ But that’s exactly what’s happening.

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What makes this more interesting is who was in the survey.  Of the 261 churches Morgan’s team surveyed, 34 churches were under 100 in attendance and 34 were megachurches. The average pre-COVID attendance of the surveyed churches was 961. This means that the report skews to much larger churches than average (961 is more than four times the size of most churches in America), and perhaps churches that were experiencing more momentum than average (being previously at almost 1000 in attendance).

For sure, you can find cases of churches who have seen 50% in-person attendance rates, and I’ve heard of a few that top 70%. But again, no one started the year thinking “losing 30% would be such a win”.

I’ll also give you the fact that at some point, those numbers will rise again after COVID disappears.

But before you pull out the streamers and party hats, read a little further. Other trends from our friends at Barna show more deeply seeded trends that will play out in the future.

The Q3 Unstuck Church Report also revealed that only 21% church leaders agreed that they have a “well-defined digital ministry strategy to engage with people who are outside the church and outside the faith.” In other words, almost 80% don’t.

Only 21% church leaders agreed that they have a well-defined digital ministry strategy to engage with people who are outside the church and outside the faith. In other words, almost 80% don’t.

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There’s a lot of work to do here.

There is evidence a lot of church leaders are stuck right now in the emerging trap of doing nothing well as they straddle both in-person and online ministry. I outline 3 reasons why that’s such a dangerous trap in this post.

So what’s the take away?

Most church leaders have the highest levels of staff and budget going to an area where they are seeing the lowest returns. That’s not a sustainable long-term strategy.

Most church leaders have the highest levels of staff and budget going to an area where they are seeing the lowest returns. That’s not a sustainable long-term strategy.

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2. 41%: The Percentage of Gen Z who primarily prefer physical gatherings post-COVID

So how many people are coming back to in-person gatherings when COVID is over?

Apparently fewer than you think. And fewer than you’d hope.

According to a Barna/Stadia survey, only 41% of Gen Z say that when COVID is over, they want to return to primarily in-person worship. 42% of Millennials say they prefer primarily in-person worship. Which means, of course, that the majority don’t.

41% of Gen Z say that when COVID is over, they want to return to primarily in-person worship. 42% of Millennials say they prefer primarily in-person worship. Which means, of course, that the majority don’t.

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It’s easy to think “Well, this is just an unprecedented year. Things will get back to normal soon.”

Maybe, except it’s hard to go back to normal when normal is disappearing.

It’s hard to go back to normal when normal is disappearing.

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The very low attendance numbers that many church leaders often dismiss as medical (i.e. caused by COVID) may actually be a much deeper cultural and generational shift than we realize.

A further drill down shows that parents are looking at hybrid options (combination of in person and digital) more seriously than non-parents. And that women are more open to digital church than men.

The very low attendance numbers that many church leaders often dismiss as medical (i.e. caused by COVID) may actually be a much deeper cultural and generational shift than we realize.

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Crisis is an accelerator, and so many of the trends we’ve been seeing over the last few decades are now happening faster than ever, in real time.

The digital genie is out of the bottle.

Your church is still around. The church is still around. It’s just  leaving the building.

Here’s the challenge with not changing: vaccines can’t solve cultural and generational shifts. Innovation will, but vaccines won’t.

The digital genie is out of the bottle. Your church is still around. The church is still around. It’s just leaving the building.

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3. 30%. The Percentage Point Gap Between Boomers and Gen Z

Have another look at the chart above in point #2. You know who really desires physical gatherings?

Boomers.

71% of Boomers say they want primarily in-person church attendance after COVID is over. For Gen Z, only 41% prefer primarily physical gatherings in the future. That’s a 30 point gap.

71% of Boomers say they want primarily in-person church attendance after COVID is over. For Gen Z, only 41% prefer primarily physical gatherings in the future. That’s a 30 point gap.

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A 30 point gap is a large gap…and here’s how it might be impacting your leadership.

First, the average senior pastor is a Boomer. According to a Barna survey, the average age of the senior pastors in America in 2017 was 54. That’s an almost four year old statistic, which would now push that average age into the late fifties.

Look at the composition of many church boards, senior leadership teams and key donors (or even volunteers), and you might get some group-think going based around your own personal preferences: doesn’t everybody want to come back to attend in person?  According to this research, that’s exactly how older adults would think.

Except it’s not reflective of anyone under age 55.

If you think Gen Z is an anomaly, again, look at the chart. Only a minority of Millennial, GenZ and even Gen X want to primarily gather in person in the future.

The changes happening right now in church attendance preferences are not just cultural, they’re generational.

The changes happening right now in church attendance preferences are not just cultural, they’re generational.

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So what can you do?

First, get some young leaders around your table. Don’t just get them sharing opinions…get them making decisions.

Second, rethink the allocation of resources you’re spending on in-person gatherings versus online ministry. You’ll make your own choices, but most churches are spending less than 10% of their time and budget on the very thing that will probably give them the greatest potential for the future—a strong online presence.

In many ways, this confirms what you already know. Regular church attendance has been dropping for decades. The crisis appears to have accelerated that.

In person isn’t going away. But it likely won’t play the role it used to even as recently as a year ago.

If your mission is to fill buildings, then keep going with your current strategy. But if your mission is to reach people, it might be time to rethink things.

For the full Barna Report how the generations are processing this moment and the future,  you can go to Barna.com/DigitalChurch and download the “Six Questions About the Future of the Hybrid Church Experience” research report  (Using the code CAREY10 will give you a discount on the report or Barna Access. Thanks to Barna for providing this for our leaders.)

If your mission is to fill buildings, then keep going with your current strategy. But if your mission is to reach people, it might be time to rethink things.

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Flex, grow and thrive moving into 2021

Yes, there’s a ton of change happening right now. And it’s exhausting.

There are 5 different ways a leader can respond to change, and each means a different outcome for their organization. With the free Pivot-Ready Cheat Sheet, you’ll find out: Which kind of leader you areWhat it means for your organization; andThe mindset that will propel you into a new (and better) future

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Flex, grow and thrive moving into 2021

Yes, there’s a ton of change happening right now. And it’s exhausting.

There are 5 different ways a leader can respond to change, and each means a different outcome for their organization. With the free Pivot-Ready Cheat Sheet, you’ll find out: Which kind of leader you areWhat it means for your organization; andThe mindset that will propel you into a new (and better) future

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What Do You See?

I know this is really tough stuff…I get it. And nobody signed up for it.

But here we are together trying to figure it out, so let’s focus on the possibilities and potential of the future.  I’d love to hear from you!

What are you watching right now that’s helping you get ready for the future?

Scroll down and leave a comment!

The post 3 Shocking Statistics That Show How Quickly, Radically (and Permanently?) Church Is Changing in 2020 appeared first on CareyNieuwhof.com.

Source: 3 Shocking Statistics That Show How Quickly, Radically (and Permanently?) Church Is Changing in 2020

The post 3 Shocking Statistics That Show How Quickly, Radically (and Permanently?) Church Is Changing in 2020 appeared first on Passion for Planting.

This post on influencing Gen Z is written by Shane Sanchez. Shane is The InsideOut Director for Gwinnett Church (a campus of North Point Ministries.) I recently interviewed Shane on ChurchPulse Weekly. You can listen to the interview here. 

By Shane Sanchez

Does the idea of influencing the next generation (Gen-Z) ever overwhelm you?

Chances are for the last decade you’ve spent time learning how your church can increase influence with millennials. You’ve tried new methods, and done your best to refine a ministry approach that connects with Generation Y. And just as you started feeling like you’re gaining traction with millennials, here comes Generation Z!

Pew defines Gen Z as individuals born between 1997-2012. What’s quickly becoming clear is that they are very different from older generations. Just look at these extraordinary insights from Barna’s Gen Z research project:

Gen Z is…

Recession Marked – Born in the midst of the early 2000’s recession.
Wi-Fi Enabled – Common Sense Media found that teens spend 9 hours a day online.
Multiracial – Most diverse generation in American history.
Gender Fluid – 48% say gender is based on “sex a person was born as”.
Post-Christians – 78% believe in the existence of God but only 41% attend weekly religious services (and that was before the COVID disruption).

If we’re going to influence a generation marked by recession, the attention economy, unprecedented diversity, identity fluidity, post-Christianity, and now a global pandemic, we’re going to need to try things we’ve never tried before.

If we’re going to influence a generation marked by recession, the attention economy, unprecedented diversity, identity fluidity, post-Christianity, and now a global pandemic, we’re going to need to try things we’ve never tried before. – @shanesanchez

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Well, good luck with that…

I’m kidding. I’m right there with you! In fact, I might be an eternal optimist but what I’m already seeing in the emerging generation causes me to believe that the best days of the local church are still ahead of us.

It’s easy to take Gen Z at face value and simply dismiss them due to attributes we don’t understand. However, dismissiveness doesn’t build disciples. As a millennial, I’ve heard plenty of knocks and dismissive generalities about my generation from pastors, thought leaders, and older adults. So here’s what I will ask on our behalf: Please don’t do the same thing to Gen Z. It’s time that we seek to understand what makes younger generations so unique and look at their attributes as opportunities for the gospel to work in new ways.

Dismissiveness doesn’t build disciples. – @shanesanchez

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If you seek to understand someone and assume to believe the best about them, it’s amazing how much influence you can gain with them.

Jesus took this approach with tax collectors, zealots, and prostitutes…at very least; we can do this with kids and teenagers.

This means that if you and I want to go where God is leading the church of the future, we have to choose to open our hearts and minds to methods that are built for a generation unlike any before.

Here are 3 foundational ideas to jumpstart your approach to influencing Gen Z:

Jesus looked to understand tax collectors, zealots, and prostitutes…at very least; we can do this with kids and teenagers. – @shanesanchez

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1. Develop a strategy that outlasts your personality.

It’s time for you and I to confront an underlying issue that has existed in next generation ministry for decades: the personality driven model. You know what this is. It’s the kind of kids or student ministry that dissipates as soon as the key leader moves on to another opportunity. We can do better.

The next generation doesn’t need more big personalities, they need leaders who think strategically.

There are plenty of charismatic YouTube stars and social media Influencers that can entertain and draw a crowd of kids and students to their platform…Gen Z doesn’t need ministry leaders to try to do the same.

Now, I’m not saying that you shouldn’t be the fullest of who you are or that good old-fashioned charisma isn’t important in next generation ministry, I’m just saying that these things cannot be the only things.

If you think the effective church of the future will be able to hang on the personality or speaking ability of a person, you’re missing the point. For older generations, the charisma of leaders and “cool” factor of the experience was often times more than enough to pique interest. Yet, Generation Z is growing up with unrivaled access to the greatest entertainers on the planet.

Personality can’t be our knockout punch anymore.

Instead, we need to be leaders who put as much emphasis on strategy as we do charisma. We should be inspiring but we should also be focused on playing the long game of building a sustainable ministry. One that continues helping kids and teenagers own their faith, far beyond our tenures.

Are you building a ministry that will last beyond your personality? Are you hiring leaders for how they think or simply how they speak? The local church needs more leaders who are willing to dive into the deep end of strategy and have thoughtful and nuanced dialogue about the best methods, means, and models of the local church for the next generation.

If you don’t have a strategy or have been banking solely on personality, it’s time to start thinking strategically. Charisma has a place in leadership but it’s only as powerful and effective as it is coupled with an effective strategy.

How much time do you spend strategizing methods for a new version of the local church (like digital reach, implementing daily faith practices, and vocational discipleship) rather than just an upgraded version of the current one?

Ok, now that you’re thinking strategically, it’s important to consider the people who are making your strategy possible, the volunteers.

We need to be leaders who put as much emphasis on strategy as we do charisma. – @shanesanchez

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2. Build a system that attracts adult leaders that are worth following.

My pastor, Andy Stanley, has said that one of the biggest steps for someone exploring faith is “trusting a Christian”. What does it look like to build a volunteer system that is focused on finding, training, and supporting the kinds of small group leaders (SGLs) you want kids and students to trust and model their lives after? (Note: Groups aren’t going anywhere. 81% of Gen Z say that community is part of their “ideal church”.)

Let me ask you something: Are your current adult volunteers the kind of adults you want students to become someday?

I know we always need more volunteers, but what if the truth is that you need the right volunteers rather than just more of the mediocre ones? This may sound a bit harsh, but the next generation deserves adults worth following.

I can tell you from personal experience that I’ve seen small group leaders take kids away from church, leave leadership vacuums that kids dissolve in when they leave unexpectedly, and create drama that rivals that of 7th graders.

On the other hand, I’ve seen adult volunteers who have engaged entire families in the local church, helped kids navigate extreme crisis, and breathed momentum into the vision of the ministry. This is why doing the hard work of identifying, recruiting and developing adults worth following is so worth the effort.

Are your current adult volunteers the kind of adults you want students to become someday? – @shanesanchez

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Here are a couple of tips for building a system that attracts the right people:

Set a high bar

I truly believe that volunteers will rise to the level of expectations you set for them.

It’s why years ago our small group leader roles shifted from a year-by-year commitment to a 4-year commitment for high school leaders. Additionally we asked all of our SGLs to commit to embodying the principles laid out in the book, Lead Small. Yes, over the course of implementing new expectations, we saw about 80% turnover of our team. However, within a couple of years we re-staffed our SGL roles with quality, consistent, and mission-oriented leaders.

As I said earlier, the truth is, leaders will rise to the level of the bar you set…no matter how low or high that is. Our adult volunteers will almost always respect what we as ministry leaders expect and inspect. Don’t expect extraordinary results when you set ordinary expectations for volunteers.

Don’t expect extraordinary results when you set ordinary expectations for volunteers. – @shanesanchez

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Develop them spiritually

One of the most important roles for next-gen ministries of the future is to create volunteer systems that help adult leaders grow spiritually.

Many of the volunteers we’re recruiting nowadays are millennial adults. Millennials are the most biblically skeptical people on earth today (even more so than Gen Z).

This means that we can’t millennials to be biblically founded spiritual mentors for Gen Z by default. Instead, what if we started taking the spiritual development of our volunteers just as seriously as that of our kids and students? What if we gave our volunteers spiritual mentors? What if we created environments where they could build their theological foundation? Or what if we wrestled with and studied the Bible alongside them instead just hoping it happens as a part of their daily routine?

We have an opportunity to help Gen Z build a faith of their own, but we also know that we cannot do this alone. We need incredible adult small group leaders that kids and students can trust. When we set a high bar and choose to believe that fostering the spiritual growth of our leaders is our responsibility, we’ll start heading in the right direction.

3. Change your perception of parents.

Ok, let me talk about the elephant in the room. Kids and student ministry leaders just wished parents would care about the spiritual development of their children a little more.

Not to pick on student pastors (I am one), but Barna’s research shows that:

68% of youth pastors say their biggest struggle is parents who don’t prioritize their teen’s spiritual growth.

Maybe you feel this deeply. Well, you’re not alone. However, if you stop here you may also be missing one of the greatest opportunities for building a next gen strategy that reaches Gen Z. Here is another fascinating insight from Barna’s research:

4 out of 5 Christian teens say they can “share honest questions, struggles, and doubts with their parents”. (79%)

This is a really big deal. Christian teenagers feel incredibly safe sharing some of their most personal and pivotal perspectives with their parents. This means that it would be foolish for us to discount the influence of a parent in the spiritual formation of a child or teenager. So, if we want to be strategic about reaching Gen Z, we have to be strategic about including their parents on the journey.

If we are going to strategically prioritize parents we have to genuinely change our perceptions.

We must choose to believe that parents care about the faith of their kids.

If we make this assumption, it means we will also take the time to build a strategy for resourcing, supporting, and encouraging parents of kids and teenagers. There are so many ways we can act out the assumption that parents care about their kid’s faith. From resources that help them navigate social media with their children, to gift cards for a hot coffee on a weary day of parenting.

If we want to be strategic about reaching Gen Z, we have to be strategic about including their parents on the journey. – @shanesanchez

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The Online Church Engagement Summitnn

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So you’ve got people watching your church online. How do you turn them into engagers?nnnn

On October 8th, 2020, Carey Nieuwhof is hosting The Online Church Engagement Summit. It’s a free, 90-minute value-packed event where Levi Lusko, Nona Jones, and Bobby Gruenewald will give you their best practical strategies to turn viewers into engagers.nnnn

If you feel like you don’t even know where to begin, or if you’ve had success but want to reach and engage more people, this is for you and your team. nnnn

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The Online Church Engagement Summitnn

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So you’ve got people watching your church online. How do you turn them into engagers?nnnn

On October 8th, 2020, Carey Nieuwhof is hosting The Online Church Engagement Summit. It’s a free, 90-minute value-packed event where Levi Lusko, Nona Jones, and Bobby Gruenewald will give you their best practical strategies to turn viewers into engagers.nnnn

If you feel like you don’t even know where to begin, or if you’ve had success but want to reach and engage more people, this is for you and your team. nnnn

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What matters to you? 

These are 3 ideas to jumpstart your church’s influence with Gen Z but we could process 300 more. Continue the conversation by commenting with what you think matters most as we build ministries that will influence Gen Z.

The post 3 Ideas For Increasing Your Influence With Gen Z appeared first on CareyNieuwhof.com.

Source: 3 Ideas For Increasing Your Influence With Gen Z

The post 3 Ideas For Increasing Your Influence With Gen Z appeared first on Passion for Planting.

By: Carey Nieuwhof

As a leader, you’ve likely looked back at a decision another church or organization made and thought to yourself, “how could they not have seen how bad that decision was…I mean, didn’t anybody realize where that would take them?”

And of course, the answer is no…they didn’t see it.

Which is the point of this post.

Five years from now, what will declining churches have done that pushed them into…well, decline? Because right now, their leaders are making the decisions that will lead them there.

Right now, in the midst of all this uncertainty, you’re making decisions that will shape the future. We all are.

How do you know you’re making the right ones?

As you look back over the last few decades, it’s not that hard to see that churches who refused to change, embraced blended worship (out of fear of offending people), didn’t make tough staffing calls, failed to plan for timely succession, got weird theologically or made a myriad of other unfortunate decisions generally faced decline rather than growth as their dominant story.

While the future is impossible to predict accurately and anyone who tells you they know where it’s all going is either lying or deluded, there are often clues as to what’s ahead.

So very tentatively—and with an openness to being very wrong—I want to offer 7 new characteristics of churches that will be in decline five years from now. I say new, because all of these factors are tied to real-time decision making that’s happening in light of the coronavirus, meaningful cultural change and the dislocation that has become life today.

Again, five years from now, we’ll see how accurate these were, but for those of us making decisions today, here are the characteristics and patterns to watch.

The decisions you make today impact the future you lead live tomorrow.

So, with all that said, here are 7 new characteristics of churches that will I suggest lead them into decline in the future.

The decisions you make today impact the future you lead live tomorrow.

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1. The leaders bet everything on a physical return to church

Is physical church coming back? You bet it is. As long as there are people, people are going to want to connect in person.

Is in-person church the whole future?

Well, that’s a very different question.

These are hardly perfect conditions, but the few leaders who are seeing 70% of their pre-COVID attendance back at in-person services are declaring victory.

I don’t want to rain on any parades, but when did reaching 30% fewer people became a win when there’s a world desperately in need of the Gospel?

I’m talking to a growing number of leaders who are seeing 20-40% as the new normal for physical attendance, and while that might indeed improve in the future, there’s also growing talk of sizable groups of people who have just disappeared from church altogether.

Indeed, according to the Barna Group, the number of pastors who believe their church will grow after the pandemic has dipped to 13% from a high of 34%. 33% see it being the same, and fully 49% believe it will be lower.

If that’s the case, churches that invest all of their time and energy on in-person gathering may not see the impact and reach they’re hoping for.

I outline more reasons I’m wary of wagering your entire future on in-person facility-based gatherings in these posts.

When Your Church Re-Opens, What Will Be Left and Who Will Still Come?

In-Person Attendance v. Online Attendance and the Emerging Trap of Doing Nothing Well

When did reaching 30% fewer people became a win when there’s a world desperately in need of the Gospel?

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2. Success was measured by the number of people who attend physical locations

What you measure as a leader influences what you value.

For years, pastors (for better or worse) measure success by the number of people who attend weekend worship.

If that was a problem in the last, it will be an even bigger problem in the future.

If people engage with church differently via digital, home-based or community-based gatherings, the leader who defines success by worship attendance alone in a church building or campus will grow more and more frustrated.

What you measure as a leader influences what you value.

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So pick some new metrics. Measure what’s really happening online (this will help you do that). Count engagement. Figure out how to measure spiritual growth. Look at your actual impact, not just pure attendance numbers.

Although written pre-COVID, here a post that outlines 7 ways to grow engagement.

If growing churches in the future will be digital organizations with physical locations, then leaders who focus only on physical locations will see a tougher future.

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3. Online ministry is viewed as an afterthought or lesser form

It’s not that most churches won’t have an online ministry. Almost every church does now thanks to COVID-19.

It’s just that in the future, declining churches will see it either an afterthought or a lesser form of ministry.

I know there are genuine theological questions that have yet to be answered. And we’ll figure that out as we go along. If that statement bothers you, just read the New Testament. The Gospel moves forward, and the leaders figure out what it means in real-time.

It’s not that most churches won’t have an online ministry. It’s just that, in the future, declining churches in the future will see it either an afterthought or a lesser form of ministry.

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Meanwhile, people keep moving on.  People are living more digitally than ever, and most businesses continue to rethink their strategy in light of it, reducing physical locations and pivoting to online.

You can see online church as an obstacle or an opportunity. And everyone you want to reach is online, that makes it a pretty big opportunity.

Again, physical gathering will always plan a role in the future of the church, but wise churches will realize there is much opportunity beyond that.

You can see online church as an obstacle or an opportunity. And everyone you want to reach is online, that makes it a pretty big opportunity.

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4. All the feedback comes from their echo chamber

Leaders who are looking for ways to confirm their biases have never had more ways to do it.

Social media is designed to give you more of what you want, and, apparently, we love it that way.

So many pastors feel the pressure from their members to reopen and reopen fully. And that’s predictable. People always crave what they’ve known. In fact, even when it comes to food, you’ve never craved anything you haven’t tried.

You’ll also be highly motivated to return to the way things were because that’s what you know. And, as I shared here, those who succeeded most in the past are most motivated to preserve the past or recreate it.

All of which puts leaders at risk of listening only to their echo chamber.

Church people are going to love in-person worship because that’s all they’ve know. You are going to love it because that’s basically what you’ve led.

You are naturally surrounded by people who will tell you you’re right, that others are wrong, and the algorithm that controls your social media feed will automatically find you more content that agrees with you. Here’s the irony: in an online culture run by algorithms, you don’t actually get more choices, you get fewer.

In an online culture run by algorithms, you don’t actually get more choices, you get fewer.

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Wise leaders expose themselves to different voices: voices: outside voices, younger voices, varying opinions and voices beyond their field or discipline.

Different opinions lead to better decisions.

Leaders of declining churches surround themselves with like-minded voices and influences,  convinced they’re right and everyone else is wrong.

Leaders of declining churches surround themselves with like-minded voices and influences, convinced they’re right and everyone else is wrong.

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5. They quickly went back to 3 songs and a message as their service formats

Even pre-COVID, it was becoming clear that attractional churches were past peak and more charismatic churches were growing (here are 5 reasons why).  Recent research confirms that.

But the COVID disruption and mass move to online has meant most churches quickly discovered that what ‘worked’ in terms of in-person weekend services didn’t translate online, and many pivoted to shorter services, less music and more engaging, interactive formats to engage people.

Some pastors even hired YouTubers to help with message creation and delivery.

It’s still uncertain what the future design of church services online or in-person will reveal, but if this crisis is the accelerator and disruptor most think it is, then a return to a format that had stopped resonating deeply before is likely not the best move.

The key is to keep faithfully experimenting and exploring what helps people best connect with God.

What’s happened so far in the crisis isn’t innovation, it’s adaptation. Most of the innovation lies ahead.

If you’re already thinking, well, everyone I know likes it that way, see point 4 above and point 7 below.

What’s happened so far in the current crisis isn’t innovation, it’s adaptation. Most of the innovation lies ahead.

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6. The church building, not the home or community, was re-established as the sole locus of ministry

One thing this crisis has revealed is how facility-centric the dominant model of ministry has been for generations in the Western Church. Take away our buildings, and we’re all a little lost.

One trend developing before our eyes is the home as the new center of life. In the last six months, work, food preparation, entertainment, school, and shopping are now more home-based than ever.  And for 6 months, that’s been true of church.

Some of that will shift. Not all work will stay remote, but my guess is online shopping, working from home, take-out food, and entertainment will long term trend toward home-based ventures.

A few churches have already pivoted toward moving from a church with 5 locations to a church with hundreds or thousands of locations—those being peoples’ homes.

Wise church leaders will cooperate with this trend rather than compete with it.  They’ll get over their building addiction and the ego boost of full rooms and work on reaching people, which is kind of the point anyway.

In the future, dying churches will see their building—not the home and community—as the primary locus of ministry. Growing churches won’t.

In the future, dying churches will see their building—not the home and community—as the primary locus of ministry. Growing churches won’t.

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7. The leaders excluded Gen Z from the inner leadership circle

Whether you think generational difference are overblown or not, just because you have a 30-year-old on your staff doesn’t mean you’re ready for the next generation.

Gen Z is now graduating college and they’re distinguishing themselves from Millennials, sometimes giving Millennials the same slamming the rest of the culture gives Boomers. While this sounds trivial (and in many regards it is), every generation is defined by something a little different.

Gen Z is the first truly digital native generation to emerge, and their cultural formation is being shaped by all kinds of things like Corona-virus, racial justice, climate change and much more.

Plus, the oldest Gen Z was only 10-years-old when YouTube was born and 12 when the iPhone was launched. They have always consumed and created content differently than any other generation.

If you’re wondering how the thinking and experience between generations varies, enjoy this video of Fred and Tim Williams, twenty-two year-old twins hearing Phil Collins In the Air Tonight for the first time.

The average senior pastor is 57 these days. Surrounding yourself with leaders two or three generations below you and giving them actual influence, authority and responsibility is one of the best ways to keep you and your church young.

And if you’re worried they’re not ready of that kind of responsibility, neither were you when someone handed you the keys. Neither was I. We figured it out. They will too.

Mentoring doesn’t just happen older leader to younger leader; it happens the other way around too.

Once I turned 40, one of the best decisions I made was to keep young leaders at the senior leadership table.

Keeping young leaders around your leadership table is one of the best ways to keep the next generation in your church.

Mentoring doesn’t just happen older leader to younger leader; it happens the other way around too.

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Help Your Team Crush Their Goals As You Move Into the Future (FREE TRAINING)

The future won’t be easy, and many leaders fear their team isn’t up to the challenge.

If you’re ready to change that, I have a simple strategy that will help your team crush their goals in a new free two-part teaching series.

The series consists of two short videos and two free PDF guides to help you hit objectives and create a better team culture.

This isn’t just another goal-setting methodology… there are so many great ways to go about setting goals. It’s a system you can use for real accountability so that you and your team actually hit the goals that you set.

On top of that, I’ll show you the 3-step process that completely transformed how I go about creating a healthy team culture.

Learn more and get free, instant access to the teaching series here.

What Are You Seeing?

I hope this is helpful. I am not saying I know the future. No one does.

But I think we have clues as to how decisions we make today impact the future we live tomorrow.

What do you see? What are some decisions leaders will regret five years down the road?

The post The NEW Characteristics of Churches That Will Be In Decline Five Years From Now  appeared first on CareyNieuwhof.com.

Source: The NEW Characteristics of Churches That Will Be In Decline Five Years From Now 

The post The NEW Characteristics of Churches That Will Be In Decline Five Years From Now  appeared first on Passion for Planting.

By: Carey Nieuwhof

This post is written by Dillon Smith, a Gen Z team member of mine.

There’s no doubt that Gen Z has some different habits than previous generations.

Thanks to the internet and smartphones, the environment that we’ve grown up in is completely unique, and unlike any generation before.

We spend more time online, go outside less, and care about wildly different things than our parents did when they were kids.

You might look at these habits and think that these habits are “just a phase” or that we’ll “grow out of it.”

We won’t.

I’m 22, and I still watch A TON of YouTube. Even post-graduation, my classmates still spend a ton of time on Instagram and TikTok. None of us plan on making any of these a smaller part of our lives.

So for the church: How do you become a bigger part of our lives online?

Well, first, I think you need to be aware of how and why we behave and think the way we do.

I’m seeing 7 habits of Generation Z that your church might be ignoring. Here’s the list:

1. I watch who I want, when I want

The internet has given me the freedom to watch exactly who I want, when I want.

So, the only reason my friends or I are watching your church online is either because our parents are making us, or because we deeply care about what you have to say.

There are just too many other appealing ways to pass the time for us to waste our time on something that isn’t helpful or fun to watch.

So what does this mean for teaching pastors and service programming directors?

10 seconds of boring is enough to lose a Gen Z viewer.

Every second of online content you produce needs to add value in an efficient and engaging way.

10 seconds of boring is enough to lose a Gen Z viewer. Every second of online content you produce needs to add value in an efficient and engaging way. @Dillon_M_Smith

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2. If you want me to follow you for a long time, I need to get to know you

Our spirituality is one of the most sacred and private things we have, and if you want Gen Z to trust you with our time and subscription, we need to trust you.

And, a weekly sermon just doesn’t cut it for us.

In this digital era, churches should be producing more personal content online, not less.

There are tons of Twitch streamers and YouTubers who are doing this well. As church leaders, it’s about time that we start learning from them.

The single best YouTuber I’ve found at building a feeling of community and trust is a guy named Matt Carriker. Matt (who happens to be a Christian) has built three massively successful YouTube channels that have a combined total of 15.26 million subscribers.

His OffTheRanch channel is a personal vlog, and his fastest-growing channel that allows his viewers to see into his family, his hobbies, his character flaws, his ideas, and his work. By taking us into his real life, it builds more trust and community within his audience.

I think churches could do something similar.

Lead pastors could take the vlog camera home and show some of how they parent, or the staff could bring the vlog to worship practice or community service projects to show how the church is run throughout the week.

It’s just an idea, but ideas like this are going to reach my generation.

If you want more on how to create videos that people love to watch and engage with, Sean Cannell’s Video Influencers would be another great channel to check out. Here’s Sean’s recent interview on Carey’s podcast.

In this digital era, pastors should be producing more personal content online, not less. @Dillon_M_Smith

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3. I’ve been trained to view myself as a brand

Thanks to platforms like Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok, I’ve grown up viewing myself as my own brand.

I don’t think this mindset is healthy, but I do think it’s accurate. And as the church, we’re called to reach people where they actually are, not where we would hope they’d be.

If you want to reach a “me-centered” generation, show us what’s in it for us.

One biblical angle to take with this is to change your church’s focus from the Sunday experience to what the church is doing throughout the week. Show us how we can join your movement and not just build your platform.

This might be a bit closer to how the church was designed to function anyways. ?

If you want to reach a “me-centered” generation, show us what’s in it for us. @Dillon_M_Smith

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4. Gen Z would prefer to avoid our parent’s generation on social media

When I look back at my time in school, new social media apps like Vine, YikYak, Kik, and TikTok would come up in popularity in phases.

The life cycle of a new app would look like this:

A new app would release
It would become popular because our parents had no idea about it yet
Our parents would find out about it and create an account or have the school block it
We would all abandon it for the next app
Repeat

I think this is part of why TikTok exploded like it did, and why many of the young people I know are spending less time on Facebook and Instagram and more time on TikTok. It’s still cool to avoid our parent’s generation online.

So, for you and your church, I’ve got a few strategies to think about:

Even as new apps become popular, I still follow Craig Groeschel on Instagram and YouTube. I follow him because I trust him, and I’ll still watch him on those platforms because I know he’ll be there. If you’re a senior pastor, stick to where your people know you are, and double down.
For taking new ground on new apps (like TikTok), let a young staff member or young volunteer take the lead. Let the student ministry put effort towards experimental apps, and as the average age of an app’s users increases, begin to add adult-focused content.
No matter how old you are, don’t try to be someone you aren’t. If I see John Piper dancing on TikTok tomorrow, I’m going to be more concerned and less likely to follow him. No matter the platform, being authentically you is the best way forward.

No matter the platform, being authentically you is the best way forward. @Dillon_M_Smith

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5. Diversity isn’t optional

A couple of years ago, Greg Atkinson told me that if you want to reach the next generation, having a diverse church isn’t optional. He’s right.

Our schools are diverse, our workplaces are diverse, and our friend groups are diverse. If your church isn’t at least as diverse as the school we grew up in, we will question you as an organization.

As Derwin Gray and Darryn Scheske pointed out on a recent ChurchPulse Weekly podcast episode:

“Young adults aren’t leaving the church, they’re leaving the white church.”

If you want more on leading a diverse church, this interview is a great place to start.

If your church isn’t at least as diverse as the school Gen Z grew up in, we’ll question you as an organization. @Dillon_M_Smith

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6. My mental health issues aren’t going away

One of the biggest issues facing the next generation is a sharp decline in mental health.

Here’s the strange part: We’re fully aware of the mental health crisis, and what’s causing it, but our phones are too good to give up.

The rewards of the internet outweigh the risks for us.

So, how can you help?

Sadly, a sermon series once a year isn’t enough to reach a generation plagued with anxiety. The church needs a better solution.

Maybe it’s opening a counseling wing attached to your church. Maybe it’s making mental health a regular focus of your young adult ministry or small group or something else entirely. Whatever it is, this is a felt need that we have year-round that the church can’t ignore.

A sermon series once a year isn’t enough to reach a generation plagued with anxiety. The church needs a better solution. @Dillon_M_Smith

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7. When I talk to my non-Christian friends about church, I usually need to lead with an apology

During my first couple of years of bible college, I was a server and bartender at a restaurant in downtown Omaha.

All but two of my coworkers were 16 to 30-year-olds who were either atheist or agnostic, and almost all of them had stories about how the church had hurt them or their families.

So, if I wanted to have any form of evangelistic/spiritual conversation with them, I had to first apologize (for something I had nothing to do with) and convince them that not every Christian is judgmental or abusive.

This is true for most of the people my age.

If the church wants to reach the next generation, justified or not, you’ll need to apologize to most of the next generation first.

I wish this weren’t true. And I wish it were just an isolated thing, but it’s not.

As evidence that this wasn’t just my experience, I posted a tweet last week in a moment of stress that I would not be so quick to post again. The tweet said;

“As a 22-year old Christian, too often it feels like I’m a Christian in spite of the Church rather than because of the church.”

Again, if I could go back in time I don’t think I’d tweet this again, but one thing that shocked me was the response I saw.

It was by far the most liked and retweeted tweet I’ve ever shared.

And you know who did nearly all of the liking and retweeting?

Gen Z Christians.

They responded with things like

“Oof, I feel this.”
“This is sadly true.”
“Same.”
“I would share if I didn’t think it would create a storm I’m not prepared to tackle.”

This massive response tells me that the emotion I was feeling when I originally posted the tweet is hitting a chord with the rest of my generation. It’s telling me that the tweet might be more right than I know.

As the Church, we need to get ahead of this.

We need to follow Jeff Henderson’s advice and make sure our communities know what we’re FOR rather than what we’re against, and we need to apologize to those we’ve hurt, even if it wasn’t us who did it.

If we don’t do this, more and more irrelevance and hate await the bride of Christ.

If the church wants to reach the next generation, justified or not, you’ll need to apologize to most of the next generation first. @Dillon_M_Smith

Click to Tweet

END .ss-ctt-wrapper

If You Don’t Have A Healthy Culture, You Won’t Reach Us Either…

Want to improve your team culture?

Better team culture gets fueled by better value statements.

But how to do create them can be so complicated.

How:

Do you know which values to choose?
Do you avoid creating value statements people roll their eyes at or think are so obvious they mean nothing?
Can you be sure the values are accurate but still stretch you?

I spent years reading books and studying how to create value statements until I had a breakthrough on how to create cultural value statements that were both accurate and aspirational, and that the entire team embraced.

I’ve broken that process down into three simple steps that can get you improving your organization’s culture and values today.

You can get free instant access to The 3 Step Guide to Developing Better Value Statements here.

Is there more? 

Did I miss anything? Are there other habits of Gen-Z that we’re missing? Did you find this article helpful?

Leave a comment below and let us know.

The post 7 Habits of Generation Z That Your Church Might Be Ignoring appeared first on CareyNieuwhof.com.

Source: 7 Habits of Generation Z That Your Church Might Be Ignoring

The post 7 Habits of Generation Z That Your Church Might Be Ignoring appeared first on Passion for Planting.

by Carey Nieuwhof: As you may have noticed, there’s a bit of tension in the workplace and in the culture these days.

Younger leaders are complaining (a lot) about older leaders (who are often their bosses).

Older leaders are complaining (a lot) about younger leaders.

The ‘Okay, Boomer’ moment happening in our culture right now is just the tip of the iceberg but it crystallizes what young leaders are feeling about older leaders.

I’m one of those older leaders. As a Gen X myself, I’ve been at countless breakfasts and meetings with people my age or older who, about a decade ago, started complaining about younger leaders.

More recently, I’ve heard an equal number of younger leaders (the bulk of my readers are leaders under the age of 40) complain about their bosses and how frustrated they are with older leaders.

It shouldn’t be surprising then that, as revealed by a Gallup study, 70% of US employees are disengaged at work.

So, I decided to do a survey to get more feedback on what’s really going on.

According to the recent Gallup study, 70% of US employees are disengaged at work.Click To Tweet

I Surveyed Over 900 Leaders

I recently survey over 900 leaders about their experiences with the opposite generations at work. Rather than trying to get statistics, I solicited feedback. Attitudes. Stories. Perspectives.

And I did I get an earful from all sides.

I heard from CEOs, entrepreneurs, engineers, pastors, lawyers, office managers, teachers, accountants, project managers, church staff, EAs and many other kinds of leaders.

I asked younger leaders (Gen Z and Millennials) to tell me what frustrates them about older leaders (Gen X and Boomers), and older leaders to tell me what frustrates them about younger leaders (that post comes out next in this series).

To get us started, I asked Millennials and Gen Z respondents to complete this sentence:

My biggest complaint about older leaders at work is…

Well, they told me. Wow.

I mean I knew anecdotally from conversations with leaders that there were challenges. I just had no idea the animosity and frustration ran so deep.

So what’s going on?

Honestly, some of these criticisms hurt. But if you ignore feedback that hurts, you’ll stop growing. Leaders, being willing to hear what’s wrong is a first step toward making things right.

There’s a lot of misunderstanding, tension and miscommunication in the work place. I’ll share some strategies at the end of this post on how to handle that.

Ready to hear the complaints?

Brace yourself. Here we go…

Leaders, being willing to hear what’s wrong is a first step toward making things right. Click To Tweet

#1 They’re Not Open to Change 

When you read through the hundreds of responses I got from younger leaders about their bosses, the refrain was almost unanimous.

The #1 complaint about older leaders by younger leaders (by FAR) is that older leaders aren’t open to change.

Here are just a smattering of direct quotes from  young leaders about their bosses and older co-workers:

Stuck in their ways with tons of blind spots and no willingness to listen or learn. Which breeds no hope for change.

Not willing to let go of the way things were done 30 years ago, let alone 10.

Most of them what do to do it the way it always been done. I actually heard that from them.

They want everything done the way they did it in the 80’s and 90’s while saying they want innovation and freshness.

They have so much history behind them, they don’t want to try something because they did before and it didn’t work.

Living in the past, as if it were better than the future possibilities.

Change is a dirty word for older leaders.

The #1 complaint about older leaders by younger leaders is that older leaders aren’t open to change. Click To Tweet

To a certain extent, I get it. Older leaders bring a lot of experience and wisdom to the table.

At least I hope I do as a 50+ leader myself. So it’s easy to want to think we know what someone 20 or 30 years our junior doesn’t.

But, you have to admit leaders…things are changing quickly.

Two quick realities about change.

First realize the past has a nostalgia the future never does. You remember the good parts of the past, but tend to minimize the bad parts or how challenging it was.

Change takes as much courage now as it did then. Change may have been easier then because you were younger, but it’s just as important now as it was when you were 23. Maybe even more so. Why?

Because the gap between how quickly you change and you quickly things change is called irrelevance. And things just keep changing faster and faster every year.

Ignore that and you lose out on more than you think.

Guess what young leaders who see older leaders as irrelevant tend to do? They leave.

Which explains a lot of what’s happening these days. If you won’t change, young leaders will find someone who will.

If you won’t change, young leaders will find someone who will. Click To Tweet

#2 Older Leaders Are Inflexible

Again and again, young leaders complained about how inflexible their bosses and older colleagues were. Again, here are some direct quotes from young leaders:

Set in their methods, not flexible in how work gets done.

They refuse to let go of their power/authority/decision-making rights.

On the occasion that they do give up their rights, they are quick to take them back when things don’t go exactly the way they wanted.

Not forward thinking, not engaging the next generation, not adventurous.

Inability to be flexible and understand that a flex schedule, working from home, having informal meetings to discuss ideas are all a benefit to productive work, and that doesn’t mean that I’m not a hard worker or slacking off.

While there’s a lot in these comments, read that last comment again.

There’s a rising tide of young leaders who want a flexible workplace.

For so many reasons, 8-4 doesn’t work anymore in an era of wifi, cloud-based computing and smart phones. In an age where you don’t have to go to the office because the office goes to you, way too many leaders are still living like it’s 1997.

Why do you need to be in at 8 when there’s no need to be?

Tomorrow on my leadership podcast, I’ll bring on two of my young team members and we’ll talk about how to lead a thriving team with no office, timesheets, or regular in-person meetings.  Believe it or not, it works. Amazingly well. (You can subscribe for free to my podcast here. Watch for Episode 306 when it goes live.)

A virtual office or team may not be right for you, but just know this: the future workplace is a flexible workplace.

If you don’t flex your methods, you’ll sacrifice your mission.

The future workplace is a flexible workplace. If you don’t flex your methods, you’ll sacrifice your mission. Click To Tweet

#3 They Think They Know Everything

This was a surprising finding on both sides. Young leaders think older leaders are arrogant. Older leaders think young leaders are full of themselves (more on that in the next post).

Here’s what young leaders wrote about older leaders:

Their way is the ONLY way.

They rarely understand what I’m saying.

A lack of curiosity — they’ve figured a lot out already.

They mention my age a ton. They’ll make off-handed comments about me being young. Though they have more experience than I do, they think they know more about social media than I do. There’s not an acknowledgment of areas where I have expertise where they don’t.

They don’t ask good questions or hear all the voices in the room.

Pride is a problem for so many of us in leadership.

Note to self: Older leaders, if you think you know all the answers, don’t be surprised if the next generation stops asking questions and simply leaves.

Older leaders, if you think you know all the answers, don’t be surprised if the next generation stops asking questions and simply leaves. Click To Tweet

#4. Too Many Rules

Ah rules. Chances are you didn’t like them when you were a young leader.

The next generation feels the same way.

Here’s what young leaders said about their bosses:

They’re more concerned with policy than people.

They are hesitant to make changes and try out new ideas. They are led more by policy and procedure than by passion.

Develops and mandates policy to manage exceptions.

Their rigidness on older rules . i.e. Tattoos in the work place.

I’m not against all rules or guidelines. You need to have a few parameters.

But here’s what’s true: Rules are often a substitute for real leadership and open conversations. They’re also a substitute for trust.

Rules are often a substitute for real leadership and open conversations. They’re also a substitute for trust. Click To Tweet

More and more organizations are moving to flex hours, flexible holidays (pick your own vacations), and outcomes-based leadership. In other words, they’re dropping old rules.

Regardless of where you land on that (I keep rules to an absolute minimum, or have none), just know that a high rules organization is usually a low trust organization.

And a high-trust workplace is a healthy workplace.

A high rules organization is usually a low trust organization. Click To Tweet

#5 Too Slow

A final complaint about older leaders is that older leaders are too slow. Again, some direct feedback from younger leaders:

They are slow.  Slow to change. Slow to adopt new technology.

They are slow to make decisions

Always feeling like older leaders are moving (not literally physically moving) too slow, and that younger leaders are expected to slow down to match them.

If you’re worried about being too slow as a leader, surround yourself with younger leaders and give them permission to lead and experiment.

The best older leaders don’t restrain the next generation, they release them.

The best older leaders don’t restrain the next generation, they release them.Click To Tweet

What Should You Do About This?

I am a fan of all four generations currently in the workplace, this is far more fixable than you think.

As you’ll see in the next post, older leaders complain that younger leaders are lazy, entitled and think they know everything.

Here’s what’s true: so much of the misunderstanding between the generations in the workplace is about how we work, not whether we work.  The solution is not to clear house and get rid of older leaders, or frustrate younger leaders so badly they leave or start their own thing (which more and more are doing, by the way).

I’ll be sharing a lot of new content on how to lead and manager better in your company, church or organization over the next few weeks.

And I have a brand new course launching Wednesday called the High Impact Workplace: How to Lead and Motivate High Capacity Leaders in a Changing World.

Introducing The High Impact Workplace (and My Free Coaching Guide)

There’s a talent war going on for the best leaders, a generational divide at work, and, according to Gallup, 70% of all workers are disengaged at work (meaning that they show up and only do the bare minimum.)

The High Impact Workplace will give you the edge you need to create the best team you can moving forward in an age where 8-4 doesn’t work anymore (just ask any young leader about that).

You can join the waitlist here, and get my free Coaching Guide called The 5 Questions Every Great Manager Asks.

Enrolment opens Wednesday, December 4th. And in the course I’ll give you the exact strategies you need to:

Attract and keep high capacity leaders who would otherwise start their own businesses.
Identify and leverage the currency that motivates young leaders.
Navigate flexible work arrangements that result in deeper productivity.
Master the 5 questions every great manager asks their team for deeper engagement.
Discover how to create workplace environments that multiple generations can thrive in.
Learn how to keep your company or organization relevant to the next generation of leaders.

Sign up for the waitlist, get the free coaching guide, and you won’t miss a thing.

What Are You Seeing?

Well, I know this is a loaded post. The goal is to be helpful. If you don’t see the problem, you can’t fix the problem.

And remember, older leaders have just as many complaints about younger leaders, which we’ll get to in the next post. So play nice.

The goal is to get us all working together well to move the mission forward.

So with that in mind, anything else you see or want to add that can help us create workplaces that have a much higher impact?

Scroll down and leave a comment!

The post 5 Things Younger Leaders Can’t Stand About Older Leaders appeared first on CareyNieuwhof.com.

Source: 5 Things Younger Leaders Can’t Stand About Older Leaders

The post 5 Things Younger Leaders Can’t Stand About Older Leaders appeared first on Passion for Planting.