“The synagogue is not a business,” contends Alban Senior Consultant Bob Leventhal, “but it is in great need of the skills and tools that many business leaders have. It is in great need of leadership and management. It is in great need of financial planning, operational procedures, human resource development, and marketing. It must work with these tools in the context of the congregation’s tradition to create a unique synagogue leadership agenda. Synagogues may not have the time, skills, or resources to do exhaustive strategic planning, but they will find it helpful to develop some basic strategic working ideas.”

Working both in the business world and with congregations, Leventhal has gained insights and experience that led him to develop 12 guiding principles for cultivating effective congregational leadership.

Click here to read the Spring 2005 Congregations magazine article The Synagogue Leadership Agenda.

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Featured Resource

AL158_SMTransforming Church Boards into Communities of Spiritual Leaders by Charles M. Olsen

Board meetings that are structured more like worship services than business meetings result in less conflict, more valuable service for board members, and better spiritual leadership for congregations.