First Presbyterian Church of Knoxville

Most Americans do not know what their strengths are. When you ask them, they look at you with a blank stare, or they respond in terms of subject knowledge, which is the wrong answer.

-Peter Drucker, author, professor, and leadership consultant

LEADERSHIP RETREAT
FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
“Building on our Strengths”

Friday at 7:00pm, January 23 to Saturday at 12:00pm, January 24, 2009
(Optional dinner at 6:00pm on Friday)

Click here to download Retreat Schedule, Costs, and Registration Form

MainStay Suites Conference Center
410 Pine Mountain Road
Pigeon Forge, Tennessee 37863
MARK YOUR CALENDAR NOW

Retreat Theme and Preparation
The Gallup Organization has invested years of study and millions of dollars into how organizations work well (often such studies are on what is working poorly, what is weak, what is failing). Their two guiding assumptions are that (1) people are unique and different and (2) our greatest area of growth, productivity and contentment involve our strengths.

To make these assumptions more tangible, think about who sings in the choir. One way to approach who should be in the choir is to find all the people who are poor singers and work hard to build them up! The silliness of such an approach is self-evident. Instead, we look for those who are energized by music and have demonstrated that they want to learn more…can learn more. We encourage the building up and the building upon strengths.

In I Corinthians 11, the apostle Paul developed the image of the church as the body of Christ. One of the implications is that we all have a role to play in the body. But the eye is not to try to become the stomach. The ear is not to try to become the hand. The Gallup Organization’s emphasis on strengths is complementary to this idea: we will be both more contented and productive in the body if we know our strengths, rather than concentrating on what we cannot do well. So, you are invited to join other church members in identifying and building on strengths. Soon there will be opportunity for you use the Strengths Finder inventory and become “fluent” in this language of strengths. Your church staff has already done some work in this area (ask any of them some of their strengths and they will be able to answer you!). What’s next?

1. Take the opportunity to do Strengths Finder inventory when it is offered. The Strengths Finder books will be made available for purchase at a group rate in the church office or during fellowship times on Sunday mornings or go to

www.strengthsfinder.com

2. Plan on attending the Leadership Retreat (above).

Let’s build on our strengths.

William Pender

Permanent Link | Posted in Adult Education, Calendar Items, Church News at Wednesday, November 12th, 2008