Building a continuous succession in a transformational organization

2019·5 MB·English

by  Rodman, Geraldine

BUILDING CONTINUOUS SUCCESSION
IN A TRANSFORMATIONAL ORGANIZATION

A THESIS-PROJECT
SUBMITTED TO THE FACULTY OF
GORDON-CONWELL THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY

IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE
DOCTOR OF MINISTRY

BY
GERALDINE RODMAN
MAY 2019
Copyright © 2019 by Geraldine Rodman. All rights reserved.
To my Mother and Father, Irene Dickson and Walter Jeremiah Rodman,
who always believed in me.
To Donna Dong, Susan Ellfeldt and Kathy Moll, who experienced much of this ministry
and supported me through the process of completing this thesis.
To Mary Anne and Jack Voelkel, who loved me, prayed for me and shaped me into the
woman leader I am today.
I hereby command you: Be strong and courageous; do not be frightened or dismayed, for
the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.
—Joshua 1:9
CONTENTS

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS ............................................................................................ vii
PREFACE .......................................................................................................................... ix
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS .................................................................................................. x
ABSTRACT ....................................................................................................................... xi

Chapter
1. INTRODUCTION .............................................................................................. 1
2. BIBLICAL FOUNDATIONS FOR
CONTINUOUS TRANSFORMATIONAL SUCCESSION ............................. 9
3. LITERATURE REVIEW ................................................................................. 42
4. METHODOLOGY OF DEVELOPING CONTINUOUS SUCCESSION....... 66
5. EVALUATING THE MODEL OF CONTINUOUS SUCCESSION .............. 87
6. CONCLUDING REMARKS AND RECOMMENDATIONS ........................ 97

Appendix
A. BIBLICAL PASSAGES ON LEADERHSIP ............................................... 110
B. SMALL GROUP ACCOUNTABILITY QUESTIONS ............................... 141
C. NATIONAL STAFF DEVELOPMENT REPORT ...................................... 143
D. STAFF SATISFACTION SURVEY 2015 ................................................... 175
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E. STAFF SATISFACTION SURVEY 2018 .................................................... 192
F. SENIOR LEADER EXECUTIVE DEVELOPMENT, MODULE 1 ............ 209
G. SENIOR LEADER EXECUTIVE DEVELOPMENT, MODULE 2 ........... 212
H. SENIOR LEADER EXECUTIVE DEVELOPMENT, MODULE 3 ........... 214
I. EMERGING LEADERS PROGRAM MODULE 1 ...................................... 217
J. EMERGING LEADERS PROGRAM MODULE 2 ...................................... 218
K. EMERGING LEADERS PROGRAM MODULE 3 ..................................... 219
L. EMERGING LEADERS INITIATIVE MISSIONAL TEAMS ................... 220

BIBLIOGRAPHY ........................................................................................................... 221
VITA ................................................................................................................................227

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ILLUSTRATIONS

Figures
Figure 3-1. Rothwell’s Ten Steps ......................................................................................46
Figure 3-2. Small Business Pipeline Model .......................................................................49
Figure 3-3. Three Types of Development ..........................................................................56
Figure 4-1. Building Continuous Succession.....................................................................73
Figure 4-2. Who We Are ...................................................................................................76
Figure 4-3. Philosophy of Ministry ....................................................................................76
Figure 4-4. Extraordinary Kingdom Leaders .....................................................................77

Tables
Table 2-1. Summary Biblical Characteristics of Leadership .............................................23
Table 2-2. Summary of Biblical Succession Characteristics and Building Blocks ...........40
Table 3-1. American Management Competencies .............................................................52
Table 3-2. United States Army Competencies ...................................................................53
Table 3-3. Skills of Emotional Intelligence .......................................................................55
Table 4-1. Five Tiers of Leadership ...................................................................................72
Table 4-2. Senior Level Competencies for Development ..................................................80
Table 4-3. Qualifications to Enter Senior Level Development..........................................80
Table 5-1. Development and Training Issues for Supervisors ...........................................88
Table 5-2. Indicators for Transformational Competence ...................................................90
Table 5-3. Indicators of Supervision Effectiveness ...........................................................90
Table 5-4. Indicators of Effective Leadership ...................................................................91
Table 5-5. Staff Composition and Leadership Training Initiatives ...................................93
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Table 5-6. Emerging Leaders Initiative Evaluation (in percentages) ................................94
Table 5-7. Senior Leaders Development and Training (in percentages) ...........................94

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PREFACE

Where are the People of Vision Today?1
Where are the young men and women of this generation who will hold their lives
cheap, and be faithful even unto death? Where are those who will lose their lives for
Christ’s sake—flinging them away for love of him? Where are those who will live
dangerously, and be reckless in his service? Where are his lovers—those who love him
and the souls of men and women more than their own reputations or comfort or very life?
Where are those who say “no” to self, who take up Christ’s cross to bear it after
him; who are willing to be nailed to it in college or office, home or missionfield; who are
willing, if need be, to bleed, to suffer and to die on it?
Where are the people of vision today? Where are the people of enduring vision?
Where are those who have seen the King in his beauty, by whom henceforth all else is
counted but refuse that they may win Christ? Where are the adventurers, the explorers,
the buccaneers for God who count one human soul of far greater value than the rise or
fall of an empire? Where are the men and women who glory in God-sent loneliness,
difficulties, persecutions, misunderstandings, discipline, sacrifice, death?
Where are the people who are willing to pay the price of vision? Where are the
people of prayer? Where are the people who, like the Psalmist of old, count God’s Word
of more importance to them than their daily bread? Where are the people who, like
Moses, commune with God face to face as one speaks with a friend, and unmistakably
bear with them the fragrance of the meeting throughout the day.
Where are God’s people in this day of God’s power?

1. Excerpt from Rev. H. Guinness, Sacrifice (London, England: InterVarsity Press, 1936), 4.
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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

This thesis-project would not be possible without the support of many people. The
lessons learned prior to this project through ministry assignments in Intervarsity USA and
InterVarsity Canada have all contributed to the completion of this project. I have had the
privilege to work with some of the best campus ministry staff in North America. Thank
you for the privilege of ministering alongside of you over all these years. In particular, I
would like to thank Al Anderson, Senior Vice President of InterVarsity Canada, for his
partnership and collaborative work in developing generations of leaders in InterVarsity
Canada. I want to thank Kim Evans, Senior Vice President of InterVarsity Canada, for
her strategic thinking, passion for the lost and partnership in ministry.
As a single woman leader, I have the privilege of living in a household
community and have done so for almost 40 years. I count it a privilege to have lived in
various households with campus ministers. I am thankful to Donna Dong, Sue Ellfeldt,
and Kathy Moll who have shaped this household for many of those 40 years along with
others. Thank you Sue and Donna for your endless encouragement to complete this
thesis-project when there was no light at the end of the tunnel. Thank you Sue for the
editorial role you played throughout the whole thesis-project. Thank you Donna, also for
the editorial role you played. Thank you Mary Anne and Kathy for the constant prayer
support during this process. I want to thank Tiffany Go for her contribution in formatting,
imaging work and for her editorial contribution.
I want to thank Dr. Bob Mayer for his willingness to become my advisor. Thanks
for your willingness and helpful direction to assist in the completion of this project.

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