REINVENT YOUR FUTURE

Leading Well Community

Sabbath Rest

Worship | Rest | Recreation
  • Schedule Sabbath moments into every day.
  • Establish adequate margins for  renewal.
  • Reclaim your interests and hobbies.
  • Do less and delegate more.

Collegial Support

Befriending | Encouraging | Crowd sourcing
  • Participate in a Live Well/Lead Well cohort.
  • Connect online via the LW Facebook Group.
  • Find a mentor to support your next steps.
  • Collaborate on projects with your colleagues.

Practical Learning

Rethink Assumptions | Reimagine Possibilities
  • Attend onsite & online Learning Retreats.
  • Join Master Classes and short-term cohorts.
  • Create an annual Reinvention Road Map.
  • Meet with coach to apply learnings to life.

Meet the Leading Well Planning Team.

Jim LaDoux

Rev. Matthew Short

Director of Coaching Services, Vibrant Faith Ministries
Assistant to the Bishop,
Greater Milwaukee Synod
Jim lives in Minneapolis, has been part of the Leading Well Leadership Team since 2005, and oversees the Leading Well initiative, cohort coaching, and the Siebert grant program.  He finds Sabbath  through journaling, listening to music and podcasts. He lives out his callings as a husband, a father,  a coach, and a small group leader.
Matt lives in the Milwaukee area. He is being trained as a coach, serves as our technology guru, and oversees the Leading Well Facebook Group. Matt finds Sabbath rest through exercise, dwelling in the Word, and listening a variety of music.

Deacon Tammy Devine

Rev. John  Weit

 Coach,  
Devine Coaching
Assistant to the Presiding  Bishop, ELCA
Tammy lives in Bloomington, Minnesota. She is a Deacon, a certified coach, and works with Portico related to wholeness. She finds renewal walking, reading the Daily Text, and spending time at her cabin in northern Minnesota.
Deacon John  oversees the work of the worship team within the Office of the Presiding Bishop and provides leadership on the bishop’s behalf in churchwide matters related to worship. This work includes developing and implementing strategies and resources that support worship in synods, congregations, and other local worship assemblies across the ELCA as well as planning and worship leadership for church-wide events. John has served as a musician for congregations in Pennsylvania and most recently as cantor to Trinity Lutheran Church in Worcester,.

Who We Are

We are a collection of Christ-centered, Spirit-driven church leaders who strive to live and lead well in the midst of continuous change. We focus on what's present, what's possible, and what God is up to in our lives.

What We Do

We create in person and onsite venues for people to experience authentic relationships that spark collegial conversations around living and leading well, and God's dreams for the world. 

What's Different

We believe in whole-life discipleship, the importance to tending to body, mind, and Spirit, and the need for becoming more agile leaders who anticipate and adjust to disruptive challenges.

 LEADING  WELL  LEARNING  RETREATS

November  15 - 18,  2022  |  February  7 - 10,  2023

Onsite retreats are held at Spirit in the Desert Conference Center, located in Carefree, Arizona.  Click here to learn more or register.

UPCOMING  ACTIVITIES

2023  Short-Term  Cohort  Coaching  Groups

FEBRUARY | Skills for Selecting and Supervising Staff (PDF)

Tuesdays - February 14 & 28 (10:00-11:30am central)
  • Create job descriptions, Promote position, Interview & select candidates.
  • Onboard staff, develop support network & create 90-day plan.
  • Tips for supervising staff, staff check-ins and reporting.
  • Increasing engagement, accountability & collaboration among staff.

APRIL | Growing Generous and Joyful Givers   Enroll Now!

Tuesdays -April 11 & 25  (10:00-11:30am central)
  • Invite people into a journey of generosity.
  • Broaden people's understanding  of stewardship.
  • Growing  a culture of generosity year-round.
  • Growing additional funding streams to support ministry initiatives.

MARCH | Becoming a Welcoming Church  (Enroll Now)

Thursdays - March 2 & 9 (10:00 -11:30 am central)
  • Ways to assess Your church's hospitality.
  • List hospitality touch points and opportunities for engagement.
  • Moving people from guests, to friends, and to partners in ministry.
  • Expanding the hospitality team.

MAY | Leading Well through Living Well (PDF) 

Wednesdays -  May 17 & 31 (11:00am - 12:30pm central)
  • Using the power of small habits to improve your health.
  • Finding what works for you.
  • Stress eating; paying attention to what you eat.
  • Movement, exercise and fitness.

2023  Vibrant  Faith  MasterClasses

A 2023 Winter/Spring MasterClass Season Pass offers you free access to all of the MasterClasses offered between January and June 2023. Use it for your own development and to encourage others from your church ministry volunteers or team to enhance their skills and understanding in their areas of responsibility. You will receive a promo code for your team to be able to register for courses without charge. This season of MasterClass offerings are listed below and are free for Siebert grant recipients  |  For more details, go to https://vibrantfaith.org/masterclasses/.

Year-long Cohort Coaching Program 

(partially funded by the Siebert Foundation)

COHORT OUTCOMES
  • Discern one's leadership philosophy, styles, and strengths.
  • Develop an annual Reinvention Road Map for living and leading well.
  • Develop skills for listening, observing and experimenting.
  • Gain support and wisdom from colleagues in your cohort.
  • Create a rhythm of ongoing renewal in life and ministry.
WHAT'S INCLUDED
  • 10 monthly cohort sessions & 4 quarterly 1-on-1 sessions.
  • Assistance with developing a Reinvention Road Map.
  • Participation in MasterClasses, Reinvention Labs,  and Facebook Group.
  •  Access to Individual & congregational  assessments.
  • Participation in 1-Day, Core Competencies, and ACC-level coach training.
  • .

Monthly  Cohort  Coaching  Conversations

 Meet  via  ZOOM Call 408.638.0968 (ID: 541 252 9630) | Online: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/5412529630
Schedule a  COACHING SESSION with Jim  Schedule sessions @ https://calendly.com/jladoux
Participants are encouraged to read The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People,  A Failure of Nerve, The 5 Dysfunctions of a Team, and Crucial Conversations.
Participants are invited to join monthly book discussions, short-term cohort groups, and Master Classes sponsored by Vibrant Faith.
MONTHLY  COHORT COACHING  SESSIONS include time to: 
  • Relate:  Connect with, encourage, and pray for each other.
  • Review:  Share progress on living and leading well initiatives; share learnings.
  • Rethink:  Explore actions and  approaches that align with your preferred future.
  • Reinvent:  Share upcoming plans for living and leading well.
  • Resource:  Share ideas for living and leading well based on a monthly theme

2023  Cohort  Themes

2024  Cohort  Themes

JAN  - Measure what matters
  • Define what does success in life/ministry looks like for you. 
  • Learn ways to measure what matters.
  • Describe what will be your life and ministry legacy will be.
FEB -  Think big; start small
  • Embed the rituals that renew into your daily and weekly schedule.
  •  List which small habits have a big impact on you/your ministry.
  •  Use sprinter tasks to finish projects and make decisions.
MAR - Honor people's callings
  • Name your current callings in life.
  • Invite and equip people to live their callings.
  •  Share stories about people discerning and living their callings.
APR - Develop new leaders
  • Identify and invite people to lead.
  • Align leaders with their superpowers.
  • Create a plan for developing current and future leaders.
MAY - Position people for greater Impact
  • How can you help people find joy while serving?  What prevents people from doing their best work?  Do you help people off the bus?
JUNE - Equip people for ministry
  • What do people need to KNOW to do their best work?  VALUE?  What skills are you helping them develop?.
JUL - Build Better Teams (no meeting - interact via Facebook and blogs)
  • What does a thriving team look like?  How do you create and sustain them?
AUG - Define your leadership style
  • List your beliefs about leadership - what it is and how it's exercised. Describe your leadership style.
SEP - Talk less, listen more
  • Help leaders discern God's intentions.
  • Learn to listen, act, and learn to spark reinvention.
  •  Listen for people's hopes, challenges, calls, and wonderings.
OCT - Building a bias for action
  • What delays decisions and taking action?  What expectations do you communicate to leaders about taking action?
NOV -  Change your norms and expectations
  • Which norms do you regularly review?  Who does the reviewing?  How can  you help others imagine "what if?"
DEC - End well, start strong
  • What were the bright spots, turning points, and learnings this past year?  What will you bring with you into the new year?
JAN - Be proactive
What are your tolerating?  How can you anticipate and plan further ahead?
FEB - Begin with the end in mind
Paint a picture of what living well, and leading well, looks like for you.
MAR - Put first things first
How clear are your current priorities?  What do you need to defer or say no to?
APR  - Think win-win:
How often do you ask for help?  Seek to collaborate?
MAY - Seek to understand rather than be understood
With whom, and about what, do you need to become more curious?  Do you see others as a source of wisdom?
JUNE  -  Improve your communications (no meeting - interact via Facebook and blogs)
What bottlenecks and road blocks do you experience right now?  How might you remove them?
JULY  - Sharpen the Saw
What are you doing for self-care?  Personal growth?  Build capacities?
AUG - Plant hope
In what ways do you inspire hope?  Help others see God at work?  Bring out God's best in others?
SEP - Lead change
What is the change you're seeking?  What makes change hard?  How could you make it easier?
OCT - Change your culture
What do you need to consistently say, do, measure, and celebrate to change your culture?
NOV - Change your conversations
What do you need to talk about but rarely do?  What doesn't need to be discussed?
DEC - Slow down (to reflect); speed up  (to implement)
What would  you like to speed up?  How could you help that happen?  What does exponential change look like?

Sample  LIVING   WELL  Road  Maps 

The goals below are Jim LaDoux's actual goals for 2022 and pending goals for 2023. 
Every year, Jim selects a word that helps define his  focus  (RESET and PIVOT) and then chooses 3-4 annual goals for each of the "f" categories.
The months that are in listed in bold indicate what Jim has completed to date.

Jim's  2022  Road  Map

MY  "1 THING"  FOCUS  for  2022  - "RESET"

  • Reset my calendar to honor Sabbath, create margins, creating deep dives, have time for hobbies.
  • Reset how I manage workflow by rethinking emails, files, Reminders, Notes, and projects.
  • Reset how I re-engage friends and family members through calls, Facebook, and invitations.
  • Reset how I equip, collaborate with, and develop staff to support coaching and training.
  • Reset how I curate content for blogs, website, handout, slides, podcasts, and Youtube videos.

FAITH

  • JAN:  Schedule quarterly Sabbath "getaway" retreats ( 3+days each).
  • MAR:  Embed journaling & Daily Examen into evening routine.
  • JUL:  Start listening to the New Testament; finish by the end of the year.
  • NOV:   Attend Leading Well Retreat in Carefree, AZ.

FUN  -  WITH  FRIENDS   &   FAMILY

  • FEB:  Go skiing at Telluride  with friends from Colorado.
  • MAR:  Spend spring break in Naples/Ft. Myers Beach with Gina & friends.
  • JUL:  Attend Ben's wedding  at Ranch Bernardo Inn in July; visit Joshua Tree Park.
  • Ongoing: Call 2 friends a week; reconnect with friends via Facebook.

FINANCES

  • JUL/SEP:  Purchase new home  (Cobblestone Lake or Brandjen Farms); sell current home.
  • AUG:  Set aside funds to purchase furniture, epoxy garage floor, setup workout space.
  • OCT:  Update budget to reflect current household expenses; meet with financial planner.
  • Ongoing: Monitor FICO score; review/update budget and net worth monthly.

FITNESS

  • OCT:  Develop exercise routine for home after workout station is setup.
  • DEC:  Reduce weight to 175# by end of year; Schedule a sleep study before Christmas.
  • Ongoing:  Average 7500 steps/day (52,500/week).  Sleep 7+ hours daily.

FUTURE  (skills, capacities, transitions)

  • SEP:  Work the Ethan Miller and learn Final Cut Pro to edit Youtube content.
  • NOV:  Pilot using Udemy-style learning modules for Coaching School content.
  • DEC: Create 100 blog posts and update all Leading Well tools by end of the year.
  • Ongoing: Read one leadership, ministry or coaching book every week; summarize content. 

Jim's  2023  Road  Map

MY  "1  THING"  FOCUS  for  2023 - "PIVOT"

  • Pivot toward equipping and training coaches to work with clients and being a moderator of coaching school conversations.
  • Pivot toward curating "practical, digestible, "plug and play" content for coaching school, Leading Well, and leadership training.
  • Pivot toward creating a "semi-retirement" mindset and the space for play and reinvention in my personal life.
  • Pivot toward providing strategic rethinking of Vibrant Faith promotions and processes.
  • Pivot toward reengaging friends and family using your home as a place of hospitality.

FAITH

  • JAN:  Schedule  quarterly Sabbath retreat; rethink work schedule  to include "deep dives" the 4th week of every month.
  • JAN:  Discern who God has entrusted me to invest in this year; define what that investment looks like every month.
  • MAR: Use Enneagram as a tool to discern how God has wired me for ministry.
  • Ongoing: Continue to journal, listen to Taize music, and fast. Meet with a spiritual director once a month.

FUN  -  WITH  FRIENDS   &   FAMILY

  • JAN:  Visit Dublin/Liverpool with son, Brett; attend Everton soccer game.
  • MAR:  Schedule spring break trip with Gina.
  • JUL:  Take rail trip along west coast and along the Hudson River.
  • Ongoing: Invite a friend/family to our home for dinner/dessert once a month

FINANCES

  • JAN:  Add $6000 to retirement IRAs.
  • FEB:  Assist in-laws with navigating assisted living options.
  • JUN: Pay off car loan.
  • Ongoing:  Maintain 800+ FICO score; increase Portico retirement contributions 1% every year.

FITNESS

  • MAR:  Reduce weight to 170#.
  • APR:  Walk or bike 5 times/week with Gina after dinner.
  • Ongoing:  Weigh self daily; sleep 7 hours daily; reach 7500 steps daily; drink 64oz water daily. Intermittent fast 4+/week.

FUTURE  (skills, capacities, transitions)

  • JAN:  Populate Surface to Soul Youtube channel for ACC & PCC Coaching School.
  • JAN:  Launch Everyday Reinvention Podcast focused on coaching, leadership, and everyday innovation.
  • FEB:  Update Coaching School Manual; explore offering a Kindle version of the manual.
  • Ongoing:  Continue reading and summarizing 1 book a week throughout the year. 

2022  |   Learnings  about  Living  Well  and  Leading  Well

LIVING  WELL
  • Listening to current affairs and daily news drains my energy.
  • I need to focus as much on the journey as I do on the destination.
  • Small things, consistently repeated, result in major results.
  • Clutter distracts and depresses me. I need to remove the clutter to be creative and mentally focused.
  • Don't organize what should be discarded.
  • Make family and friends.  I need to add them to my schedule or I'll overlook them. 
  • Monthly date nights with my wife are great. We love new restaurants and going to plays
  • I underestimate the time involved in completing  my short-term goals.
  • I underestimate how much I can actually accomplish  in a given year.
  • Reviewing my goals/tasks for every night and creating a "to do" list for the next day is a game changer.
  • Only keep what delights you or is truly functional. 
LEADING WELL
  • Ask people what's working and what's not working. Build on what's working. Change what isn't working.
  • I struggle using  systems at work that I  didn't help create.  Systems needs to fit the people they serve.
  • Don't organize items that should be discarded.
  • Invite people into conversations that matter more often.
  • Leadership includes helping people live more fulling into their callings in life.
  • Use emails and text messages to be a source of hope and blessing in people's lives.
  • Pray for the people I lead and seek to serve.
  • Strive for clarity - of purpose, of preferred futures, of people's roles and individual contributions.
  • It's hard to reinvent one's life and ministry without reviewing what's present, and dreaming what's possible.
  • Look for way that allow other people to shine.
  • See everyone you meet as a friend, a teacher, and a voice o f wisdom.

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Leading Well has a very active Facebook Group where church leaders learn form, pray for, and encourage others.  Click below to check out the site!

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