Blueprint Feedback…Don Green
V.P. of Development
Lincoln Christian College & Seminary
Lincoln, IL
Since participating in
the seminar, Your Leadership Grip enhanced by the Birkman Method, in May
2003, the personal insights from the Lifestyle Grid and affirmation of my
own leadership contribution as an equipper from the Spiritual Gifts Triangle
have been of great benefit to me. In addition to using Your Leadership Grip
in an introductory seminary course, I have used the assessment with the
Birkman Method in a week-long intensive seminary course on The Dynamics of
Effective Leadership Behavior in January 2004. The assessment served to
help the students gain an appreciation of their own leadership contribution
and preferred style as well as an appreciation of different styles and
preferences for working in groups. The information was a foundation for
better understanding one's own leadership behavior and for proactively
preparing for leadership interactions with others.
The other context in which
I have used Your Leadership Grip enhanced by the Birkman Method is in the
context of a local church staff retreat in February 2004. In preparation
for the all-day retreat, each staff member did the assessment. My role was
to share the results, offer some insights into the implications, and lead
the staff in affirming each other and appreciating the team contribution of
each staff member. The assessment tool provided a remarkably accurate
portrait of the multiple staff as each staff person shared his/her
Leadership Grip and Lifestyle Grid with the others.
Based on my use thus far of
Your Leadership Grip enhanced by the Birkman Method in both the classroom
and congregational setting, I appreciate this resource for several reasons.
First, it is affordable. The depth of information it provides far outweighs
the cost in comparison to other assessments I have used. Second, it is
holistic. Unlike most spiritual gifts inventories and personality
assessments, this one integrates personal style and spiritual gifts in a
holistic manner. The very idea that God gifts us for powerful service
through and beyond our personalities is both simple and profound. Third,
the entire process provides a window for seeing one's unique contribution in
leadership and the team setting without elevating some gifts over others or
denigrating certain personality profiles as less than ideal.
I would recommend this
resource for churches that desire to develop a multiple staff team which
maximizes the strengths and minimizes the weaknesses of each staff member.
I would also recommend its use in Christian colleges and seminaries as a
tool for providing vocational counsel to students in preparation for
leadership ministry.
