When leaders become focused on the fruit instead of the root and worry about the outcome instead of the process of developing team members, they may survive in the short run, but they will not thrive in the long run.

I found out the hard way that if we don't disciple people, the culture sure will.

Delegation—either to time or to other people.… Transferring responsibility to other skilled and trained people enables you to give your energies to other high-leverage activities. Delegation means growth, both for individuals and for organizations.

But, then, that's the point. In leadership, success is succession.

Initially, your vision will exceed your competency.

Vision always precedes preparation. Initially, your vision will exceed your competency.

No one is born a CEO, but no one tells you that.

Our nettlesome task is to discover how to organize our strength into compelling power.

You don't build a business --you build people-- and then people build the business.

If it's the last thing I do, I will give every ounce of the rest of my life to helping leaders and churches get better.

Just as the true fruit of an apple tree is not an apple, but another tree; the true fruit of a small group is not a new Christian, but another group; the true fruit of a church is not a new group, but a new church; the true fruit of a leader is not a follower, but a new leader; the true fruit of an evangelist is not a convert, but new evangelists. Whenever this principle is understood and applied, the results are dramatic.

Good ball players make good citizens.