dkholvig | Dave Holvig

October 29, 2024October 29, 2024

How To Beat Protect-Your-Own-Butt Leadership

Part 4 of Speaking Up

Welcome to Part 4 of this growing mini-series aimed at convincing you that protecting your career path is killing your potential.

If you’ve been following along, hopefully, you’ve identified your primary method of preservation—the one that sabotages your decision-making and causes you to shrink back when you should speak up. You are doing the work to suppress that internal urge to put yourself first. Well done!

If not, click here to read Seven Deadly Methods Of Self-Preservation, then come back! By the way, this is not just a “YOU problem.” This is a human problem, a shared instinct every leader must defeat.

It’s only when we let go of the illusion of job security that we can lead with the kind of reckless vulnerability needed to make a difference.

And when I say vulnerability (in this case), I don’t mean sharing embarrassing feelings; I mean putting your neck on the line for someone else.

This blog is for you…

IF you’re afraid to do what you (and everybody else) know needs to happen.
IF you worry about what others will think if you address the elephant in the room or tip the sacred cow.
And finally, IF you’re tired of playing it safe and ready to make an elephant-sized impact, this blog is for you!

This blog will help you understand your desire to self-protect so you can rewire it. Because playing it safe is riskier than you think, it's costing you influence.

Let’s dive in!

August 9, 2024August 9, 2024

The 7 Deadly Self-Preservation Tendencies And How To Overcome Them

Part 3 of Speaking Up

So why is speaking up REALLY becoming a “lost” art, increasingly rare, borderline extinct? One word (with a hyphen): Self-preservation.

So far, we’ve covered the importance of speaking up—reasons we don’t, reasons we should—and the influence that follows. Click here to read Part 1, Part 2.

Now let’s probe a layer deeper into the thing behind the thing that’s keeping you from speaking up, sabotaging your decision-making, and “protecting” you from LEADING!

This blog will outline 7 deadly self-preservation tendencies that hold us back from maximum impact so you can identify yours.

May 24, 2024May 24, 2024

Why Speaking Up Is The One Skill That Will Separate You As A Leader

PART 2: Reasons TO Speak Up

Welcome back to part 2 of my first-ever quad blog. Why four? Because in my experience, speaking up is the most underused and overlooked skill every leader must learn. Let’s change that.

But first…

I was saddened to hear how many of you feel unsafe being honest in the aftermath of PART 1. That is beyond tragic. So many organizations are leaving so much on the table thanks to a few insecure leaders who would rather feel in charge than face reality. And yet, I still believe it’s a win to say what needs to be said. Let me explain…

Speaking up will either lead to influence OR information.

How it’s received speaks volumes. For example, “Thanks for sharing, we are better for it” or “Please don’t share cuz’ we don’t care” are both helpful. One encourages you to keep going; the other confirms you should get going—update your resume, get coffee with a connection, finally join LinkedIn. (If you do, I’m @dkholvig. Let’s connect!)

Second, I want to acknowledge that speaking up is a layered skill that requires more than just a willingness. However, this blog series is more about noticing the current vacuum around speaking up and the direct connection to leaders who feel stuck.

This blog will outline 3 reasons TO speak up and what can happen when you DO.

We’ve already discussed the reasons we don’t speak up, the complexity of not speaking up, and the paradoxical reality of raising your voice. If you missed that, click here.

Now, I present the 3 biggest reasons TO speak up…

May 10, 2024May 10, 2024

The One Skill That Will Separate You As A Leader

The Cost Of Silence

Nine times out of ten, a lack of leadership plays out in silence, not mistakes. It might be a quiet submission, but the impact is loud.

For some of you, staying quiet IS the reason you feel stuck—wondering why you still don’t have a seat at the table—after years of faithfully showing up.

Truth is, you’ve been a conduit of other people’s instincts, a messenger of decisions, and a “loyal” employee. But you haven’t been leading because you haven’t been sharing YOUR UNIQUE INSIGHT.

Part 1 of this "quad-blog" will begin to make the case that NOT speaking up IS keeping you from maximum impact.

October 6, 2023October 6, 2023

7 Reasons Ministry Leaders Are Burning Out And How To Run The Other Way Part 3

PART 3 “Mission Failure”

Welcome to part 3 of this ministry leader trilogy! If you missed the setup, click PART 1 or PART 2 now. Let’s tackle the final reason we are struggling with burnout and what to do instead.

REMINDER: This blog is geared for leaders in the Church. If that's not you we'll be back soon.

Also, this next one could offend some. But I gotta go there because it’s present everywhere there’s turnover. K-here goes nothing.

September 19, 2023September 19, 2023

7 Reasons Ministry Leaders Are Burning Out And How To Run The Other Way Part 2

PART 2

Welcome back to part two of this ministry-specific trilogy. If you missed part 1, click here and come back. Friendly reminder: These examples are geared towards leaders in the Church. Still, there is a definite corporate parallel if that’s you.

Now for reason #4.

September 12, 2023September 12, 2023

7 Reasons Ministry Leaders Are Burning Out And How to Run The Other Way!

Part 1

Last fall, I was denied entry into a breakout at Salt Conference called “Before You Quit: Avoiding Ministry Burnout” because it was full! But not just every seat kind of full; we’re talking every square inch on the floor was spoken for.

According to the most recent Barna survey, almost 40% of people who work in ministry are planning their exit strategy. That’s tragic! And based on recent conversations with fellow church leaders, it’s 100% true AND the reason I decided to fast-track this “ministry-specific” blog! I couldn’t not.

The Church should be the best place on earth to work. It’s not… yet.

So, what’s the problem, and why are so many leaders in the Church opting out, or worse, burning out? But first, I must disclaim this blog because it’s a definite departure.

Disclaimer: Although these struggles are not unique to the Church, this blog trilogy is custom fit for ministry leaders. I'll be taking dead aim. If that's not you, this might get a little weird… (Back to our regular programming next month.)

K—For the remaining brave souls, let’s go! After twenty years of hypothesizing, here’s what I’ve concluded (so far)…

July 11, 2023July 11, 2023

Leading Different Lightbulbs: How to get the most out of your team based on their capacity.

Capacity Reality

We all have different capacity. What makes one person sweat is a warmup for another. We all have “40 hours,” but what gets done can be lightyears apart. At my best, I have the power to light up the midnight sky. A lightning bolt. At my worst? A candle blowing in the wind, a flickering votive (about to go out).

Balance of Power

Thankfully the goal of a dynamic team is not to all be 100-watt high beams. That’s not only NOT possible but would be totally annoying! Great teams are a mix of role players and stars, desk lamps and fog lights.

Look no further than the 2023 New York Rangers playoff bid for proof. As a die-hard Rangers fan, I watched with excitement as we signed one star after another leading up to the playoffs. And just when I thought we couldn’t add any more star power, we landed Patrick Kane, a bonified superstar. Here we go!

The best teams include brights, lights, dulls, and darks.

The problem? We had stars. We needed a grinder—someone who could create space for the other stars to shine by skating hard, hitting harder, and getting off the ice. That’s not what we got. Turns out Patrick also had a bad hip. But ultimately, the reason we blew it in the 2023 playoffs is clear: Not enough role players, too many stars.

Unlike the Rangers, when we strike the right balance, all the individual lights create one big spotlight of focused light. I call this “dynamic capacity.”

This blog will help you:

1. Embrace your team's capacity—so you can get more done as a team, NOT at the expense of your team.

2. Assess your team’s current capacity—so you know what’s true and possible in this season.

3. Teach your team how to think—so they don’t need YOU to know what to DO!

Let’s get practical. (My specialty.)

April 14, 2023April 14, 2023

Beat Burnout AND Supersize Your Influence With One Simple Mindset

Leaders Are Languishing

Think about your last few 1:1’s or heart-to-hearts with other leaders. How are they doing? How are you doing?

Crash and burnout

I’ve vacillated between the edge-of-glory and the brink-of-burnout for almost 18 years at a large church. Pretty standard stuff.

It’s been a steady ride of learning, listening (sometimes squirming), and occasionally watching someone crash. That is until a few years ago when the whole world changed.

Feelings of burnout are as common today as pensions were back in the day. There is a distinctly different despair in the air.

Can you feel it?

None of us are immune; we ALL need tools.

This blog will give you 6 mind shifts that helped me through seasons of insanity.

You heard me—six, one better than five! (spinal tap fans?)

More importantly, these same shifts supersized my influence! I just didn’t know it till later. I want that for you. As always, I’m writing to myself too… Let’s go!

February 27, 2023March 1, 2023

How To Lead Friends And Fools (Without Losing Your Cool)

The transition.

I can’t think of a more awkward transition than friend to boss. I’d rather have adult braces. Which I do! If you haven’t experienced this unique discomfort yet, you will. Just wait. (not the braces)

And…

Leading a fool will make you feel CRAZY; it’s a fast-track to questioning your own sanity.

Answer: “No, you’re dealing with foolery.”

Lead people long enough and you will lead friends AND fools. This blog will give you the tools to navigate both (without losing friendships or your mind).

Each requires something different:

Fools need “rules,” and friends need “real.”

Let’s dive in, friend first. (It’s easier.)