This is a guest blog post from Ben Reed. Ben directs Community Groups at Grace Community Church in Clarksville, TN.

I was playing golf with a friend of mine the other day.  He pulled his shot off of the 4th tee box, and it flew into the bunker in the left rough.  He was pretty upset, and was dreading his next shot even before he got into the cart.

“I have no idea how to hit out of a bunker.  Do you?”

“Actually, yes.  It’s easy.  I used to practice at it.”

Even as the words came out of my mouth, I was laughing at myself.  Who practices out of a bunker? I mean, shouldn’t we all practice from the tee box and the fairway?  Because if we get better and better off of the box, we’ll never be hanging out in bunkers.

Apparently, I was never good enough to steer clear of the traps.

Which means I’m just like the best players in the world.

You see, it doesn’t matter how good you are at the game of golf, you’re going to have to hit from the bunker at some point.  You’re not good enough to avoid every trap.

In our small group meeting this week, we talked about our weaknesses.  It wasn’t what I would call a joyous occasion.  But it was really good.  Some of us could easily identify areas where we’re weak.  For others, it was a bit tougher.  But we didn’t stop there.

Identifying your weaknesses is like saying, “I don’t know how to hit the ball from the sand,” but not planning to do anything about it.  That statement needs to be followed by, “Can you help me?”  Because hitting the ball from the sand is tough.  And it’s an art form.  And it takes somebody being patient with you and helping you figure it out.  Showing you where to stand.  How to stand.  How to swing.  And the thought process that goes into blasting one out.  You don’t just innately know how to hit a sand shot.  You need a patient coach.

God allows us to be weak.  Because if we weren’t weak, why would we need Him?  And if we could figure out this life all on our own, we’d have no need for Him and His people (the Church).

How do you grow through your weaknesses?

1. Identify your weaknesses. You have to start with this.  If you’re having trouble doing this, just ask some of your friends.  Or, better yet, if you’re married, ask your spouse.  They’ll have no trouble identifying them for you.

2. Come up with an action plan. Write out tangible goals that will help you grow through these weaknesses.  Without tangible goals, achievable goals, how will you know if you’re ever making progress?

3. Identify a person who’s strong where you’re weak. Share your weakness(es) with them, and your action plan.  Let them know that you’re going to be a work-in-progress, but that you’d like them to know where you’re headed.

4. Be open and honest about who you are and ways you still fall short. You’re going to mess up.  Again and again.  And while that’s not okay, it puts you in company with guys like the apostle Paul.  (Philippians 3:12-13)

You need to find somebody who is strong in areas where you’re weak.  Lean on them.  Let them into your struggles.

If you never work on your weaknesses, you’ll find yourself in the bunker one day with no idea how to get out.

Do you find it difficult to identify your weaknesses?

Or is it more difficult for you to actually do something about them?

This is a guest blog post from our friend Ron Edmondson. For more great leadership content, visit RonEdmondson.com

If your organization expects to grow, you’ll need to attract, develop and retain quality leaders.  One of the highest costs an organization has is replacing leaders, so ideally once a leader is hired, you’ll want to keep them.  I was reflecting recently on why leaders tend to leave an organization, apart from finding a better opportunity.  I don’t want to stand in the way of a leader leaving to an opportunity I can’t match, but I don’t want to lose them because of something the organization did wrong.

Here are 7 reasons leaders tend to quit your organization:

1. They couldn’t live out their personal vision – Leaders are internally driven. They have personal visions in addition to the vision of the organization.

2. They were told no too many times – Leaders have ideas they want to see implemented.

3. They felt unappreciated/never recognized for their abilities -– This goes for all team members.  People need to know that what they are offering is valued.

4. They were given no voice – Leaders want input into the direction of the organization.

5. They were left clueless as to the future of the organization – Leaders need inside information so they feel ownership in the overall direction of the organization.

6. Their vision doesn’t match the vision of the organization – This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but is best discovered before the leader joins the team.

7. They were micromanaged – Leaders don’t need managing as much as they need releasing.  Leaders need to help chart their future.

You can allow leaders to work for the good of the organization or stifle them, discourage them and spend valuable time and effort consistently replacing them.  If you want to keep leaders…let them lead!

What would you add to my list?

Which of these reasons would be/has been/is going to be your biggest reason for leaving an organization?

This is a clip from a past Catalyst Conference where Andy Stanley interviews Jim Collins about having the right person on the bus.

(NOTE: some people have said they can't view it :( Go here to watch on vimeo or youtube)

Do all of your team members understand their responsibilities? Do you know their responsibilities? If not, how can you make this clear?

Hey, real quick, we're giving away 5 FREE TICKETS to Catalyst ONE DAY in Seattle, August 26th!

(from Invisible Children)
"On July 11th, 2010, we lost our friend Nate "Oteka" Henn.

Nate dedicated his life to peace and education in central Africa.

Nate worked without pay for a year and a half as a Roadie and an intern at Invisible Children, a non-profit organization raising awareness about the use of child soldiers in Joseph Kony's war and raising money to build schools and provide education to Northern Uganda's war-affected children.

Nate's family wants other people to have the opportunity to speak with their life the way Nate did; to speak with their hands and feet and humble service. They ask that if you feel compelled to act, honor Nate and donate to the Nate "Oteka" Henn Memorial Fund. This money will be used to support the Roadie internship and the awareness efforts that Nate made his life.

Blessed are the peacemakers.

We love you Nate."

natehenn.com

"Oteka," which means STRONG ONE, the name given to Nate by his Ugandan friend, Innocent, shortly before they were both killed...

What will your legacy be?

Thank you Invisible Children for this powerful tribute.