The Congregational Consulting Group, organized in 2014 by former consultants of the Alban Institute, is a network of independent consultants. We publish PERSPECTIVES for Congregational Leaders—thoughts on topics of interest to leaders of congregations and other purpose-driven organizations. — Dan Hotchkiss, editor
Susan Beaumont 
Chaos is a natural by-product of innovation. Innovation happens best in conditions of upheaval, disturbance, and dissonance. However, people expect their leaders to keep things calm, predictable, and orderly. How do we coax order out of chaos without squelching innovation?
How does a leader say, “I don’t know what to do next,” without seeming indecisive?
In a liminal season, it simply is not helpful to pretend we understand what needs to happen next. But leaders can still lead.
There is no one right way to evaluate the performance of a senior minister. However, there are many ways to do it that can harm the relationship between minister and the congregation and impair, rather than enhance, the minister’s performance.
Many congregations assign to each staff member a personnel liaison: a lay leader who serves on the board or personnel committee and is charged with supporting that specific team member. Few congregations manage these liaison roles well, and as a result they often do more harm than good. Congregations appoint liaisons for a variety of …
Managing polarization requires living with ambiguity and paradox.
Transforming the culture of a toxic team is hard work, and it begins with looking at the team’s behavioral norms.