Leaders know how to read people emotionally, and how to help people feel safe enough to not be driven unconsciously by emotions. Leaders help people understand how to appropriately express emotions and to use them as forces to move the congregation forward, rather than trapping them in the past.

Leaders are aware, or becoming aware, that much in their world is based on cultural assumptions of the dominant groups, rather than simply “the way things are;” they understand that congregations must work to determine how they will be—that commonality in values is either created, discovered, or negotiated, and they are learning skills to be able to work more competently across any of the differences that make a difference.

Leaders understand what they believe or don’t believe and are aware of their need for connection to something larger than themselves; they are aware that they need to connect with a deeper core that gives them balance, intuition, and commitment.

Leaders know why they are active, and how they are seeking to make a difference in the world; they understand that congregational life is not about making people “happy,” but by knowing how the congregation is called to serve their community, and are then faithful to that calling

Embodying Unitarian Universalist (UU) "DNA"—one of the recommended leadership development competencies— includes: Developing and embodying faithfulness to core UU values and theology. Knowing UU history and traditions. Core Values Integrity in our faith. Practices Covenantal relationships within...

Being Spiritually Grounded—one of the recommended leadership development competencies—includes: A clear, positive understanding and personal practice of one’s own faith in our liberal religious tradition. Being able to “translate” and not be reactive to the language, beliefs or practices...

Emotional Intelligence—one of the recommended leadership development competencies—includes: Forbearance, e.g. having self-control, especially when provoked. Presence and functioning, i.e. a high level of self-awareness with an alignment between the body and the mind. Knowing and taking...

Change Skills—one of the recommended leadership development competencies—include: Understanding the difference between unhealthy and creative conflict. Being knowledgeable about change theories and strategies. Understanding the difference between technical and adaptive challenges. Core Values We...

Communication Skills—one of the recommended leadership development competencies—include: Understanding different styles of giving and receiving information. Being able to communicate across different communication styles. Understanding differences in communication across cultures Developing the...

Conflict Skills are part of the recommended leadership development competencies. Conflict Skills include: Understanding the difference between unhealthy and creative conflict. Being able to diffuse unhealthy conflict. Being able to be present to and engage in healthy conflict....

Skills to Grow Other Leaders—one of the recommended leadership development competencies—include: A generosity of spirit and collegiality in identifying and mentoring potential leaders. A commitment to shared ministry. Identifying and developing training experiences. Supporting the development...

Generational Sensibility—one of the recommended leadership development competencies—includes: Understanding that along with life-stage differences, there may be differences in generations based on the societal shifts they experience during their different life stages. Understanding that...

Multicultural Sensibility—one of the recommended leadership development competencies—includes: Understanding how race and privilege operate in our lives and institutions. Actively working to dismantle racism, especially in our institutions and systems. Understanding how culture affects beliefs,...

Contextual Sensibility—one of the recommended leadership development competencies—include: Understanding what is happening in the world around us. Understanding how changes in society and demographics impacting our congregations, e.g. in today’s world each congregation has to make a case for...

Systems Sensibility may be the most important of the recommended leadership development competencies—it includes: The ability to understand that we are all interconnected and interrelated. Understanding that a change in one part can have an effect on the other parts, even if we can’t see direct...

Leadership development in our congregations should be an extension of faith development. But our congregational leaders need more than technical training, they need a combination of skills, sensibilities and internal qualities to enable them to be both effective and faithful....

Learn how the human brain is impacted by anxiety in organizations like congregations.

CAR Care Leads to Trust Based on https://books.google.com/books?id=s3n-LlLkGIcC&lpg=PP1&pg=PP1#v… Thin Book of Trust by Charles Feltman When assessing trustworthiness in yourself and others, there are four major qualities to look out for: Competence ability to perform a task or get a job done.

What is the difference between a technical challenge and an adaptive challenge? Rev. David Pyle gives a helpful example.

Serving on a congregational board can be both rewarding and stressful. Some stress is natural, but certain kinds of stress can lead to burn-out.