Outline of the Episode
- Learn more about Ed Brenegar [1:22]
- The purpose of the Circle of Impact [5:30]
- Encouraging leaders to take initiative [10:22]
- The role of facilitation leadership [14:41]
- Values are foundational to everything [16:41]
- Three significant points of transition [20:57]
- The third significant life transition [24:07]
- How to be more intentional with your impact [26:30]
Learn more about Ed Brenegar
Ed has been working in leadership since the mid-80s. He started his career as a Presbyterian minister doing community ministry in Atlanta. He was invited to be on the board of a business community association as a clergy representative. It was what he felt God had called him to focus on.
So he began to study leadership and took classes but quickly learned that he disagreed with everything that he read. Leadership was portrayed as a role and a title. But the people that had impacted him were leaders because they were effective. They were school teachers, coaches, friends, parents, and grandparents.
Throughout his career, Ed began to see patterns of behavior. The people he worked with didn’t have a clear purpose. Their relationships lacked respect and trust. So Ed created the “Circle of Impact.” He spent 15 years using the Circle of Impact as a problem-solving, strategic planning, and evaluation tool.
The purpose of the Circle of Impact
Ed saw that people couldn’t identify what was happening within the structure of their organizations or churches until it became toxic. The Circle of Impact is built around three dimensions of leadership and how you’re doing in each of them:
- Ideas: idea problems are based on a lack of clarity
- Relationships: Relationship problems are based on a lack of trust
- Structures: Structure problems mean things aren’t working in the structure of your organization.
If it’s a relationship problem, you use ideas and structure dimensions as tools and resources for solving the relationship problem. The solution is reached by taking a holistic view of how we function in the world.
Ed developed a set of five questions to ask:
- What has changed?
- What is my impact/Who am I impacting?
- What opportunities do I now have?
- What problems have I created?
- What obstacles do I face?
The Circle of Impact is for anyone in transition; someone who recognizes that their life needs to be different and they don’t know what that means. They have to take initiative to create impact. You’re deciding to make a change that makes a difference. You get to decide what that means. It all starts with reconnecting to what you value.
Values are foundational to everything
Ed shares that “You don’t know what values matter to you until you are asked to sacrifice something to preserve your values.” He believes that a situation like this shows you who you are and why those values matter to you. They’re foundational, fundamental, and you have to be willing to sacrifice something for them. If not, you’ll be sacrificing your integrity and authenticity as a person.
How to be more intentional with your impact
Ed encourages you to embrace a servant mindset. Put yourself in a position where you’re asked to do things and you say “yes.” Secondly, have this conversation with your family. Talk with your children about your desire to serve Christ and take initiative whenever you can. Invite them to make decisions with you.
Ed also encourages you to be careful with your money and stay out of debt so you’re financially free to do what you feel called to do. Whenever possible, write and share about what you’re experiencing. If you can articulate it, others can learn from you.
Resources & People Mentioned
- Circle of Impact: Taking Personal Initiative to Ignite Change
- The Future of Leadership with Ed Brenegar
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