The other day in our creative meeting one of my ideas for our fall series was challenged. Now, this wasn’t some video idea or another creative element…it was something that is very personal to me and that I desire to see more people engaged in for their own spiritual growth. It was something that I believe if people would try it just might radically enhance their own relationship with Jesus.

Back to the meeting… It was tense, I felt defensive and someone said, “I would never do that.”

I had a choice at that moment as the leader in the room (not the leader of the meeting); shut down debate because I was uncomfortable or rise to the challenge and defend my idea (not as the senior leader but as a member of the team). I chose to engage in the discussion.

Here’s what I believe about teams. If you shut honest discussion down because you’re threatened or you feel like it’s not going your way then you lose in the long run. You lose because the best idea’s leave the team when team member after team member leaves to create somewhere else.

Leader, if you think you’ve got good idea’s, defend them on their merit alone and not your authority. Over time the best idea’s will rise to the top and your team/congregation/company will be the recipients of this process.