Blueprint Feedback…Don Green
V.P. of Development
Lincoln Christian College & Seminary
Lincoln, IL
Since participating in the seminar, Your Leadership Grip enhanced by the Birkman Method, in May 2003, the personal insights from the Lifestyle Grid and affirmation of my own leadership contribution as an equipper from the Spiritual Gifts Triangle have been of great benefit to me. In addition to using Your Leadership Grip in an introductory seminary course, I have used the assessment with the Birkman Method in a week-long intensive seminary course on The Dynamics of Effective Leadership Behavior in January 2004. The assessment served to help the students gain an appreciation of their own leadership contribution and preferred style as well as an appreciation of different styles and preferences for working in groups. The information was a foundation for better understanding one's own leadership behavior and for proactively preparing for leadership interactions with others.
The other context in which I have used Your Leadership Grip enhanced by the Birkman Method is in the context of a local church staff retreat in February 2004. In preparation for the all-day retreat, each staff member did the assessment. My role was to share the results, offer some insights into the implications, and lead the staff in affirming each other and appreciating the team contribution of each staff member. The assessment tool provided a remarkably accurate portrait of the multiple staff as each staff person shared his/her Leadership Grip and Lifestyle Grid with the others.
Based on my use thus far of Your Leadership Grip enhanced by the Birkman Method in both the classroom and congregational setting, I appreciate this resource for several reasons. First, it is affordable. The depth of information it provides far outweighs the cost in comparison to other assessments I have used. Second, it is holistic. Unlike most spiritual gifts inventories and personality assessments, this one integrates personal style and spiritual gifts in a holistic manner. The very idea that God gifts us for powerful service through and beyond our personalities is both simple and profound. Third, the entire process provides a window for seeing one's unique contribution in leadership and the team setting without elevating some gifts over others or denigrating certain personality profiles as less than ideal. I would recommend this resource for churches that desire to develop a multiple staff team which maximizes the strengths and minimizes the weaknesses of each staff member. I would also recommend its use in Christian colleges and seminaries as a tool for providing vocational counsel to students in preparation for leadership ministry.
