An Open Learning Posture

On our InterVarsity Divisional Leadership Team we have been doing something very powerful.

The last few times we have met we have asked a leader to come prepared with a scenario in their ministry that they want to let the other people on the team speak into and give them advice about.

This might seem simple, but it has been so powerful!

Today was my turn to go and I presented a case study about Greek Ministry in LA and how I am doing with hitting my goals. I am in charge of starting new ministries to Greek students on 17 campuses in the Greater Los Angeles area. It is a giant planting mission and we have some great stuff going on two campuses and a couple of others emerging after just a few months. There are a couple of complexities bubbling up and some decisions to make about how I should use my time best.

So I presented the scenario to the team and they broke into twos and talked about and messed with my plan for 15min. Then we gathered back and team by team they offered me up their thoughts.

They encouraged me about what is going well
They questioned some of my judgments
They asked hard questions
They asked me to change how I spent my time
They told me to stop doing some things and start doing others.

They showed me clearly that I didn’t have some of the answers and they did.

Later in the day my supervisor asked me how I felt about that exercise.

I told her that I loved it and was blown away at the insight of my team and the great feedback they gave me.

But as I reflect on this now, I can see how easy it would have been to miss this opportunity for coaching and feedback. I am thankful to my boss for setting up our meetings in such a way that we can coach each other and work on real problems. I am thankful for teammates that have great insight, and even though they don’t know much about Greek ministry, they know a ton about planting and growing ministry.

I am thankful that I was open enough to lay my plans before them and let them do surgery.

And I think that is the key: An Open Learning Posture

I wasn’t the first to go on my team and I wont be the last. But what I am realizing about my team and why I love it so much is the open learning posture.

When we put aside ego, comparison, needing to be right, and truly lay ourselves before people we trust to speak into our lives and work, we can accomplish great things.

Today I had six extra pairs of eyes on my ministry and I received ideas that totally are changing the way I will do my work tomorrow.

Where would I have been without this insight? Much less effective…that’s for sure.

But my concern tonight is with A.P.E. leaders.

Are A.P.E. Open Learners?

I am not certain that many A.P.E. leaders are this open before people. I know some of you are, but I have seen many A.P.E. with egos that get in the way. They have things to prove, people to impress and results to get. A.P.E. leaders are dynamic because they are generative in nature…they start things and catalyze works of God. They tend to be the spark in many cases.

But are A.P.E. leaders open in their learning posture?

Not many. At least not many that I have seen.

You might have a closed learning posture if you feel like this

I can’t look weak in front of people
I can’t be wrong in front of people
I don’t really think others have much to offer
I really think I have this figured out
Ya you can tell me what I think, but I probably won’t change

But what I love about my team and the learning posture they have and are bringing me into is this

They want to be better more than right
They want the most effective way
They believe that someone else probably has a great answer
They present real problems that they don’t have answers to
They assume they are wrong in some areas and look forward to feedback

If we are going to be great A.P.E. leaders then we have to be this second list. If we are going to create, catalyze and push forward many things, then let’s be humble and learning and on a furious pursuit for the best way, not just our own way.

Lets have an always open learning posture!