The Apex Project

10/30/2026

You can be on the same team and still see things differently.

One of the things I've been reflecting on during my time in Turkey is the disagreement between Paul and Barnabas.

They shared a mission but didn't always agree on the method.

Sound familiar?

Whether we're leading a business, nonprofit, church, or team, disagreements are inevitable.

What matters is how we handle them.

Strong teams don't have to agree on everything. They have to learn how to work through their differences.

Here's a question for you: Does disagreement create division on your team, or does it help you make better decisions?

Today's Apex Minute!

10/28/2026

One question I think leaders should ask more often:

Where does our organization's ability to function depend too heavily on one person?

It may be knowledge, decisions, relationships, or responsibilities.

Strong people are an asset. Organizations also need the ability to operate beyond any one person's involvement.

That's the focus of my free November 10 virtual master class.

I'd love for you to join me!

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/2001672272651?aff=oddtdtcreator

A practical master class for leaders who want to reduce leadership dependency and build greater organizational capacity.

10/24/2026

Being a leader doesn't mean having all the answers.

As I travel and explore the history of the early church, I've been reflecting on something important about leadership.

The more responsibility we carry, the more important it becomes to remain teachable.

Sometimes experience can convince us that we already know enough. But great leaders never stop learning, regardless of their title, position, or accomplishments.

Here's a thought I want to leave with you:

Preparation makes us capable, but humility keeps us teachable.

What has leadership taught you about the importance of humility?

10/21/2026

One exception may be unusual.

But when people keep making the same exception, it's worth asking why.

Sometimes the problem isn't that people refuse to follow the process.

The process may no longer support the work.

Accountability matters. So does examining whether our systems still make sense.

10/19/2026

Have you ever worked somewhere that had a process everyone knew wasn't working?

So people found a workaround.

Then another workaround.

Eventually, the workaround became business as usual.

Sometimes those solutions are necessary. But they can also hide problems that leadership needs to address.

A temporary fix shouldn't automatically become a permanent system.

What are we continuing to do simply because we've gotten used to working around something?

10/14/2026

Sometimes the person who built an organization becomes the person everyone waits on.

Not because they're controlling.

Sometimes because they're knowledgeable, dependable, and deeply invested.

But an organization cannot keep growing if everything important must continually pass through one person.

Being valuable to an organization is different from making the organization dependent on you.

That's an important distinction for any leader.

10/12/2026

One leadership challenge is recognizing that what made you successful in one season may not be what the organization needs in the next.

In a small organization, a leader can often stay involved in everything.

But as it grows, that becomes harder, and sometimes unhealthy.

Growth doesn't just change the organization. It changes what leadership requires.

At some point, the question shifts from How much can I accomplish? to What capacity am I building around me?

10/09/2026

Can a strong leader unintentionally make an organization weaker?

Absolutely, and it's something worth discussing.

Sometimes organizations become so dependent on a few capable people that decisions slow down, knowledge stays concentrated, and others struggle to develop ownership.

I'm hosting a free, live virtual master class on November 10 to explore how this happens and what leaders can do about it.

When Strong Leaders Create Weak Organizations

We'll examine leadership dependency and practical ways to build stronger, more capable organizations.

Whether you lead a business, nonprofit, church, department, or team, you're welcome to join us!

📅 November 10 | Noon–1 PM Eastern

Register here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/2001672272651?aff=oddtdtcreator

10/07/2026

I wish people would take more initiative.

I've heard versions of that statement in leadership for years.

But here's a question worth considering:
What if the organization has trained people not to?

Require approval often enough.

Second-guess decisions often enough.

Keep authority unclear long enough.

Eventually, people learn that waiting is safer than deciding.

Before questioning someone's initiative, leaders may need to examine
the environment we've created around decision-making.

What have we taught people about making decisions?

10/05/2026

Every organization has a way decisions get made. Even if nobody intentionally designed it.

Eventually, people learn the unofficial rules:

Ask her first.

Run it by him.

Do not move until they approve it.

That may work for a while. But as an organization grows, an informal decision process can become a bottleneck.

Sometimes the issue isn't that people won't make decisions.

They may have learned that they aren't supposed to.

A good question for leaders:

Have we unintentionally decided who should be making which decisions?