In her interview for director of our town's community education program, Chris was asked by the hiring committee, "What's the hardest thing you've ever had to do in management?"

Her response: "Fire a volunteer."

She got the job.

Which of us hasn't struggled with the need to replace or reassign a volunteer who doesn't want to move? That's why I appreciated last week's comments regarding Jim Collins's book Good to Great and the idea of "leadership by the bus." The idea of reassigning seating for some passengers on my bus is quite appealing—maybe too appealing. (At our last stop a few reassigned themselves right off the bus—a move I applauded.) As Kevin Miller suggested, however, it can be difficult applying Collins's principles to the church, made up with volunteers. However, the other side of the challenge can be equally as difficult—motivating the right volunteers to board the bus and sit in assigned seats. That's why, as I see it, there are at least a couple ways that leadership ...