Rabbi Einhorn’s SynaBlog is a new innovative blog that shares tips, tactics, strategies and best practices that enable Shul growth and promote Shul vitality.
When Rabbis and synagogue leaders asking what I think is the single biggest indicator of a leaders success or failure is whether they are aware of their own limitations and blind spots. As an elected or hired leader of a synagogue your job is partially to project a sense of confidence but when that confidence is too strong you tend to ignore your limitation. It’s not the specific flaw that is the problem. More importantly, it is the inability to realize that particular flaw. Managing a blind spot early enables you to stay ahead of the game and puts you in the driver seat. If, for example, you know that you are simply by nature not an aggressive person you can manage that “problem” by putting somebody in your committee who is a real go-getter. Manage the blind spot.
How do you identify a blind spot in yourself?
- Be keenly aware of what you know.
- Be keenly aware of what you don’t know.
- Attempt to analyze the areas where the synagogue is deficient.
- Ask a trusted confident to be straight and honest with you.
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Rabbi Shlomo Einhorn is a Musmach of Yeshiva University. He has served as the founder of WINGS a Synagogue Consulting group. Prior to moving to Los Angeles, Rabbi Einhorn was the Rabbi of Manhattan’s West Side Institutional Synagogue where he helped grow the membership by 70% over 4 years. Currently, he is the Rav and Dean of Yeshivat Yavneh.