Always Adapting
Earlier this year I had the privilege of meeting the author Tod Bolsinger at a conference. I have ready his books and have worked with leaders who are advocates and practitioners of adaptive leadership. As I sat and listened to his workshop. I began to understand more fully the empowering nature of leading this way and how effective it can be in the ministry world. I was excited to see his book Tempered Resilience on our reading list this semester, because it was already in my nightstand reading pile. Then life happened. My family and I packed up our home, our lives and moved 1500 miles across the country. The books were all packed as well, yet somewhere along the way the box containing this particular book ended up not with all the others. Then the snow and below zero temperatures came and digging through boxes in the garage was not possible. So the book remains missing. Isn’t this part of the practice of always adapting? Life keeps changing and we keep adapting, finding ways to lead through all the life and chaos around us, pushing into the moments that refine us and strengthen us by stretching what we thought was possible. It would be easy to throw my hands up at life and circumstances, at failure and in frustration, yet that’s not what an adaptive or resilient leader would do.
Landing Somewhere New
Moving across the country this past year has led to many unexpected things. Our family has faced culture shock and obstacles that no one could prepare for. As much as I worked to prepare, to organize, to make everything work smoothly, I still misplaced a box of books, I still had days of tears from myself or my family. This was a “crucible of change”. As the heat of the moment faded, the U-Hal truck was returned and boxes where unpacked it was in the reflection of the big thing that we just did that a sense of awe began to take shape. There were moments driving the new roads to our new home where we would look out the car window and say to one another, “we live here…” nothing else would be spoken just the pause of taking in the moment. This huge risk of moving, and landing somewhere completely new that we had never even visited before, has become a catalyst and a grounding point of our resiliency as a family and as leaders in our roles, as paster, educator, athlete, and student. In his book Bolsinger says,“Tempering a leader is a process of reflection, relationships, and practices during the act of leading that form resilience to continue leading when the resistance is highest. It includes vulnerable self-reflection, the safety of relationships, and specific spiritual practices and leadership skills in a rhythm of both work and rest” (p. 5). This was the hardest, yet most life giving change our family could have made and we are still working through the pieces of the process and finding new rhythms, leaning into our relationships, and reflecting on how we all embraced and resisted the change and where we go from here.
Embracing Change
This world we live in is spinning so fast and things are always changing. This is even more evident when you make a change in your life or leadership role. Having just done both with our move I have found that I feel like I learn one thing and it changes or there is something else to try and understand. It is a constant state of change. Bolsinger writes; “And the key difference between leadership today and leadership roles of the past is that the frequency and speed of change means that leaders are almost constantly in a crucible moment” (p. 55). I know that my presence in my new congregation is also staring up change as I will most certainly do things differently and be unaware of certain traditions. These simple things are in addition to the change this is all around in the world of ministry and the survival churches. As a United Methodist Pastor it only takes reading the news to see the constant change and exodus from the denomination. It is in this “crucible’ that I lead a church healing from hurt and crying for hope.
Empowering Change
As a new leader in a new context, I am constantly reminding myself why I do this, why we chose this, and asking was this the right move? There are many ways I could go about leading from this new place but I appreciate how Bolsinger describes leadership, “Leadership is born not of the desire to lead but – at the center of our being – out of a call to service in light of the brutal facts of the world. It flows not from a desire to achieve, succeed, or accomplish, but to serve at the point of real need and experiencing that need as one’s own calling” (p. 210). This move was only possible because of a calling, the pain and challenge was only survivable because of a calling, the fear and doubt is only able to be overcome by a calling. The idea that leaders are formed through struggle is not only an Idea that Tod Bolsinger writes about but other authors we have read this semester have in their way defined the need for this pressure to create resilient, empathetic, empowering leaders. In my research it is in taking the risks that leaders find the ability to create impact. So, as I live into this life as a leader and I take huge and small risks, and humbly lead through change and the pressure and formation that occurs in the midst of fear and sabotage; my hope is that I will remember that it is a calling. May I remember that my goal is not my success but to live into my calling to meet needs and empower others to become fully who they are created to be as leaders.
I’l keep you posted on how it all turns out…
(1) Tod Bolsinger. Tempered Resilience: How Leaders Are Formed in the Crucible of Change. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2020.
About the Author
Sara Taylor Lattimore
Sara is adopted, a wife of 17 years, a mother to 2 amazing children who give her opportunities to be a cheerleader, dress up like a princess, play soccer in the mud, and go on amazing adventures. With a Bachelors in political science and sociology, Sara worked for Child Protective Services as a legal caseworker before following a call into full-time ministry in 2008. During her time in full-time ministry Sara has served in medium to large size local congregations, as well as camp ministry. Sara has a passion for serving others, writing, and speaking. In 2016 Sara worked on a joint publication as a Curriculum Writer. Sara wrote the Intergenerational/Family & Day Camp Resources in “Beyond Belief” for InsideOut Christian Resources for Outdoor Ministry- Published by Chalice Press- Release Date 2018. Sara is looking forward to writing her own book next. Sara completed her MDiv from Iliff School of Theology in 2019 and is currently working on her Doctorate in Leadership and Global Perspectives from Portland Seminary. Sara currently serves as Lead Pastor of a local church in Southwestern Montana. She has previously served in ministry positions leading congregations in engaging globally in healthy mission and outreach partnerships, living life missionally, building innovative programs, and building relationships as the Director of Missions and Outreach, College Ministry Coordinator, Family and Children’s Ministry Director, Director of Christian Education, and Camp Program Director. She is an innovator and visionary who looks to find empowering and dignity restoring ways of building communities of belonging, while listening and partnering with others to find ways to also address the needs of the communities she is planted in. Beyond her work, Sara dreams of growing her family through adoption, kayaking with Orcas, going on pilgrimage on the Camino De Santiago in Spain, traveling in an RV across North America, and traveling internationally.4 responses to “Always Adapting”
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Sara – I was just reading an article about the UMC and all the division that is happening. Combining that with your doctoral work, a cross-country move and a new job definitely requires resilience and adaptive leadership! What kinds of rythms are you hoping to create for yourself and your family as you continue to settle in?
Laura,
Thank you for your comments. At this point any rhythm would be great! Seriously though, I am hopeful to create a better rhythm between the multiple hats I wear giving dedicated time to each rather than the multi tasking approach that doesn’t seem to be as affective. Im deep in the learning phase as I learn all about where I am and who I am serving. Simple things like longer trips to the grocery store because I don’t know what isle the spices are on and then I can’t even find the spice I needed. There are lots of adjustments to make and so the biggest thing I have had to do in this season of learning is to give myself more grace. To know that I can’t and won’t know everything or do everything “right” but I will give my all and give it with a servant leaders heart.
Hi Sara – thank you for sharing the ways you see Bolsinger weaving through your recent change. I think of you being in a new situation, so many miles from where you all have been. I like how you brought your call and the why into the story. I know call stories can be complex, but is there a specific part of your story that is more fully expressed in your new pastoral setting?
Hi Chad,
Thank you for your comments! I keep thinking I should have a good answer to your question and I should know and see how this new setting is filling my call, yet I still feel in the chaos of transition. I am hopeful after Christmas to really get to sit in what is here and lean into how I live out my calling here. I have been learning, listening, and surviving. Im ready to turn the corner to thriving the new year!