Idiation Impact: When I Learned About the ‘Single Point of Failure’
By Partner Phil Stevenson
The Barnabas Group exists to help various ministries maximize their ministry potential through leveraging the business acumen of our Partners. This typically happens when ministries ask their "Big Question" at a Barnabas Quarterly Gathering. These gatherings are then followed by an Ideation Session, where Partners take steps to help a ministry answer its Big Question.
I recently participated in a Barnabas Partner Team Ideation. We were working with Habtamu Umer. He is the Executive Director of Church Transformation Network (https://ctnpastortraining.org/). The goal of our meeting was to discuss means to exponentially scale his organization.
We were evaluating the existing organizational structure of the Church Transformation Network (CTN). The focus of our evaluation was Habatamu’s role as Executive Director. In our discussion, it became clear that he had too much on his plate. Too many things were dependent on him.
Luiz Muiz, a fellow Barnabas Partner and part of this idiation team, used the term ‘Single Point of Failure.’ It was a phrase I had never heard before. I had an idea what this might mean. But not wanting to assume, I later asked Luiz to unpack it.
The ‘Single Point of Failure’ is a bottleneck in a system. In leadership, it is when one person has too much decision making dependent on them. It is the key person condition. Everything has to be run through that person. This limits effectiveness. It limits the scalability of an organization.
The CTN board had placed tremendous expectations on the Executive Director. The Executive Director did not feel the freedom to offload some of his tasks. These two realities combined to push him toward becoming the ‘Single Point of Failure.’
A leader becomes the ‘Single Point of Failure’ when the following are in play:
A job description is not designed with input from both the Board and the leader
A leader is not fully aware of their strengths
There is limited evaluation of leader expectations as the organization grows
A leader is insecure and unwilling to delegate
A leader likes being the clearing house for all decisions
A mentor of mine told me, “You have to avoid becoming the cork in the bottle.” It was part of my leadership role to avoid becoming a blockage in the organization. I needed to function in my strengths and gifts. This demanded brutal self-awareness.
Operating within my strengths and giftedness was only half the equation. It was my responsibility to either find or raise up those who could complement me.
What about you? Are you the ‘single point of failure’ in your organization? If so, what might you do to resolve this challenge?
About The Author: Phil Stevinson
Phil retired from ministry leadership within the Wesleyan Church in July 2023. In his 48 years of ministry, he has pastored three churches. He served in various denominational positions, including District Youth President and Director of Church Planting for the Pacific Southwest District, Western Area Youth Director, District Superintendent of the Wisconsin District, and Assistant District Superintendent of the Pacific Southwest District. At retirement, he was serving as District Superintendent.
Phil has an undergraduate degree from San Diego State University in Psychology, a graduate degree from Point Loma Nazarene University in San Diego, California, and a Doctor of Ministry from Talbot School of Theology.
He has written seven books: The I in Team: The Leader’s Impact on Effective Systems (2025), You Can Do More Than You Think You Can (2024), The Ripple Church: Multiplying Churches, Five Things Anyone Can Do To Lead Effectively, Five Things Anyone Can Do To Start a New Church, Five Things Anyone Can Do To Help Their Church Grow, and How to Become a Ripple Church. He co-authored, with Dr. Gary McIntosh, Building the Body: 12 Characteristics of a Fit Church.
He and his wife Joni, live in Roseville. They have three grown kids and 8 grandkids.