Archive for the ‘Leadership’ Category

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Leadership: Vision and Problem-solving

January 30, 2015

The Apostle Paul was a doer. A leader. A problem-solver.

Did you ever think that it was interesting, or even meaningful, that Paul only wrote letters?

He didn’t write a philosophical treatise. He didn’t write a scholarly book of theology (not that that subject existed in his time). He also didn’t write (to the dismay of many of my legalistic friends) a book of laws and rules.

Paul founded little communities of Christ-followers. Many of them. His letters reflect the problems presented to him by these various communities as they sought to live out this new life in the spirit.

Leaders must have a vision. We can see glimpses of Paul’s vision in his letters. Often, I think, he assumed knowledge on the part of the listener–knowledge we don’t have 2,000 years later. But his vision is clear.

How God revealed his “glory” through Jesus. How Jesus was killed and then resurrected. How the spirit came to dwell in believers. How we should live in community.

As his followers struggled to live in a multi-cultural and often hostile world, Paul wrote to them to give guidance and reproof as necessary. Sometimes we see the questions they asked. Sometimes it’s implied.

There were many other leaders in the movement at the time. Paul stands out, his writings are timeless.

Paul shows us the example of great leadership–a vision planted deep inside articulated clearly and often; action bringing the vision into reality; follow-up, care, and nurturing of followers; development of the next generation of leaders. And, like all great leaders, often misunderstood by outsiders.

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Coaches Help Us Train

January 26, 2015

Athletes even at the highest levels practice constantly. They train both their bodies and their minds. They intentionally develop “muscle memory” such that the muscles act and react in the heat of the competition in the correct way just as trained.

Minds must also be trained. Focus on the important things is required. The higher the level of competition, the more intense the focus. An offensive lineman in American football may be trained to focus just on the position of the feet of his opponent whom he must block before the ball is put into play.

Many athletes have talent. Many also never develop that talent. They don’t practice. They fail to focus. They don’t care to learn.

There are few things more disappointing than to see someone who has talent, gifts, and opportunity, and fails to achieve what could have been.

Often it is simply due to laziness. They just don’t do the work. Sometimes, it is due to a misplaced or mistimed word. Someone says something negative that the person just cannot overcome.

If we know someone who is not developing, it is our duty to mentor that person. Say the appropriate word. Give a supporting comment. Or give the appropriate “kick in the pants” to get them off the lazy, unfocused path.

At the end of Chapter 8 of 1 Corinthians, Paul talks about being aware of our brothers. Instead of thinking “it’s all about me,” he encourages us not to do something (or say something) that would cause a brother or sister to fail. I think this applies often to us today. We know the power of words and relationship. We know that by considering others instead of just being wrapped up in our own cares we can save many a person from a path of destruction and despair; instead freeing them to fulfill their potential.

All great athletes have great coaches who guide them; all Christ-followers need a mentor to encourage them.

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Leadership For Tense Meetings

January 23, 2015

“The challenge of leadership is to be strong, but not rude; be kind, but not weak; be bold, but not bully; be thoughtful, but not lazy; be humble, but not timid; be proud, but not arrogant; have humor, but without folly.” — Jim Rohn

Have you ever participated in a meeting where decisions must be made to move an organization (department, business, church, association) forward? And there are at least two strong points of view regarding the direction of the decision. Sometimes these decisions are so important that the outcome will determine the direction of the organization for years to come. And the goal is to not let the organization splinter.

Have you ever had to lead such a meeting?

This quote from author/consultant Jim Rohn hit a couple of items that directly affect the successful outcome of such a meeting.

Let’s tackle thoughtful. The leader beforehand must understand the necessary outcome of the decision. She must also understand the competing points of view. The leader must be able to fairly summarize for the group the issue and each side. This starts the conversation on a level platform focusing on results, not personalities.

Then there is strong. Taking control of the meeting means taking control of speakers in the sense of encouraging people to speak, but to speak civilly and orderly. The strong leader intervenes to keep the conversations focused. She assures that while only one person at a time speaks all sides are heard and all questions asked.

The leader is not rude. The meeting will take its tone from the leader. A weak leader relinquishes control of the meeting to the loudest voices. Meanwhile, a rude leader cuts off people in mid-sentence, makes cutting comments, ignores some perspectives. On the other hand, he is courteous. Has a firm but gentle voice. Treats every member with respect. So this category also includes kind and not weak.

There are times when humor is not only appropriate, but also it lightens the tension and, like a deep breath, allows everyone space to calm and refocus.

I’ve seen these discussions go downhill in a hurry where just about everyone goes away angry. I’ve seen these meetings go well.

This is a lot like the work of a professional soccer referee who successfully orchestrates the game, but in the end all the focus is on the players. And the players determine the outcome. The focus of a successful leader is on everyone else, not on themselves.

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Healing Divisions in the Church

January 21, 2015

Paul was concerned deeply about unity in his little chain of ekklesia gatherings. I think many of his “rules” were written with the deep knowledge of human interactions that would cause divisions, drifting, jealousy, and the like.

I’m finishing N.T. Wright’s Paul and the Faithfulness of God where he expounds at length on the subject of unity.

Recently I was with a small group of people who had perpetuated and instigated divisiveness in their organization.

I open up scripture and read from the first two chapters of 1 Corinthians.

If you are not familiar with that section, I urge you to read it for yourself. This is one place where Paul really expresses his human disappointment at people who spread divisiveness.

I meet with a group of men on Tuesday mornings. With around 14 of us, we may have 15 different theologies (OK, that’s a joke, probably only 3 or 4). We do all agree on certain fundamentals–especially the resurrection of Jesus. That is the core gospel. And with it, the coming of the spirit to feed us and guide us. And we can work through some diversity of opinion without losing our heads and dividing the group in hatred and bad feelings.

That’s the core of Paul’s message. We are all to come together in great diversity (for Paul to go to the lengths to describe it as much as he does, you just have to know it was revolutionary). Male and female; Jew and Gentile; free and slave. All are one in Jesus the Messiah.

He had so much trouble in his small groups, I wonder what he would think today about trying to achieve unity among millions of Christ followers.

He’d probably just get on his jet and try to visit everyone and preach the gospel. And write more letters. I imagine that he would be strongly emotional in the letters today. What do you think?

Note: I wrote on this topic a few days ago. Obviously dear to my heart right now is the achievement of unity through diversity.

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Treat People With Respect

December 12, 2014

Often on Fridays, I write about leadership. An incident occurred this week that jogged my thinking into leadership mode. Treating people with respect.

I have been “fired” many times. In the 1980s it averaged every two years. OK, obviously it wasn’t because I was reliving my old civil-rights-protester-rebellious phase. Usually, the company was going out of business. Once a boss and I tangled. I lost. He lost. (They fired him shortly after, but I was already gone and never returning.)

Almost all were handled with some measure of tact. There were a  couple where the president of the company went back on promises. But I had already taken the long view that the company was failing and that I already knew the president was a jerk. Although once I was fired by voice mail. That was interesting.

A friend went to work recently. Opened email. Message from the president (pretty much a jerk), “Clean out your personal possessions and leave the premises. You are fired.”

It’s a people business. It’s not that big of a business. How can someone run that sort of business with that sort of attitude?

But I’ve seen it often. Schools and churches have some of the worst supervisors I’ve ever seen. People can be mistreated in those organizations and the ones in charge seem to take a perverse delight in mistreating people. Smaller businesses come next. But I’ve seen real, er, jerks, in corporate America, too.

If you are in any kind of leadership whether in business, non-profit or church, remember that you are dealing with fellow human beings. Everyone deserves to be treated with a measure of respect.

Heck, surveys of people constantly return with the feedback that people prefer to feel respected and appreciated beyond the amount of money they receive. A bonus is nice and appreciated, but a compliment and fair treatment is remembered forever.

As a manager or supervisor of any organization, remember that we are taught to love our neighbor as ourselves.

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Diversity Triumphs

December 1, 2014

It was once said that the most segregated hour in the United States was 10 am on Sunday morning. Very few churches have a diversity of people in their congregation. Even today.

Of course part of the reason is style of worship. But that is not the entire reason. The question is—do we reach out to only those like us? Or do we reach out at all?

One reason we still seem to have racial troubles some 50 years after Martin Luther King had a dream (mine, too) is that at a personal level too many of us just don’t like people who aren’t like us. Most white men around me hate powerful women. (Another latent problem.) They may get along with an individual black person, but black people as a whole are still regarded suspiciously. Oh, and the other way around.

Trust is a commodity on the endangered list in too many places. This lack of trust, maybe for good reason, is a cancer.

I look to Jesus for examples. He lived during his ministry in a predominately Jewish area. But there was diversity even within the tribe. He dealt easily with women—not a rabbi-like action. He socialized easily with all social strata of the Jews. He had no problems interacting with Romans and Greeks. His inner circle contained people of differing politics, geographies, backgrounds.

Paul reflects the teachings found in Deuteronomy 30 and Isaiah 40 ff where God talks about rulers ruling with justice and mercy. That is probably the way we should read Romans 13. (He just made a personal mistake about the future rulers of Rome.) If you read Paul carefully without pulling quotes out of context, he pleaded with his followers to seek unity amongst their diversity—and some of the ekklesia knew tremendous diversity.

Study after study reveals the benefits to an organization that accrue from diversity.

Why aren’t we trying?

An organization practicing diversity among its teams wins over time.

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Weak Leaders

October 21, 2014

Weak leaders

Weak leaders rule through fear. Other weak leaders fail to lead.

There is a leader who likes to keep everyone guessing about where they stand. He moves people to different positions continually in order to keep them off balance.

This leader has a few favorites. They know it. This breeds internal dissension. There is no team. No coordinated moving toward a vision. There is only keeping your head down and hoping not to be noticed.

There is another weak leader who actually is not a leader. She may have the position, but she refuses to guide the team. She lets them go wherever they may. Some of the followers are frustrated by lack of team. Others are happy to be left alone to do their own thing.

Similarly, there is the leader who cannot make a decision. Things are always unsettled in the organization because no one knows the direction they are going.

Strong leaders

Strong leaders cast a vision of the meaning and purpose of the organization or team. Strong leaders guide the members of the team in growth and direction as a skilled horseman can guide a horse with the most subtle of touches with the rein or knees.

Strong leaders grow other leaders. They counsel and mentor helping the leaders under them to grow strong as leaders. She provides correction as necessary in order to keep the organization moving in the right direction. And everyone adding to the success of the mission.

Strong leaders do not let followers flounder in loss of direction.

Strong leaders devote much of their focus and thoughts on others on the team.

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I’m Wrong And I’m Sorry

September 22, 2014

Five words that every leader show know and use. Indeed, five words for us all to use appropriately.

“I’m wrong, and I’m sorry.”

When is the last time you heard a leader, especially a political leader or a church leader or leader of a large organization, say that publicly?

They almost always say, “I made a mistake.” And that’s it.

Sorry should always imply a repentance. An acknowledgement that I was going down the wrong path, that I see clearly that I am on the wrong path, and that I have decided to travel on the right path.

I have read in developmental psychology, but I can’t remember everything I’ve read. I do know children for whom the phrase “I’m sorry” has no meaning except maybe “Please don’t punish me.”

It is true that words can be used with no emotion behind them. So, we, the ones who have been offended, have only to wait and see if there was true repentance and change of heart, or if it was merely a use of words because the PR people said you’d better use them.

Last Friday I happened to be by a TV when the commissioner of the National Football League, or the National Felons League as a friend of mine puts it, finally had to face the public music.

Suddenly the cover over the actions of the athletes who participate in a sport made increasingly violent by people like the Commissioner was blown by one, then many, stories about domestic violence. The Commissioner initially made a pathetic statement that entirely missed the target. Then he went into hiding.

Friday, he came out to say something. He began, “I was wrong, and I’m sorry.” His media relations people learned the lesson of appropriate language. Now we’ll see if he has truly repented.

But how about us? How often do we use the words to get ourselves out of a jam? How often do we repent, ask God for help, and try again to get on the path of walking with Jesus? These are important questions to reflect upon daily.

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Choosing The Right Advice

September 12, 2014

Fools think their own way is right; but the wise listen to advice.

I have had a very busy week with little time for reflection except in snippets. My own advice I should have listened to–as Yoda might put it. I took the last flight out of Chicago Wednesday. Delayed an hour. Arrived home Thursday morning at 1:15 am. Not conducive to getting up at 5:30 and meditating and reading.

What has been on my mind this week is puzzling out people who do not seek the facts of a situation, but proceed on rumor and innuendo. On the other hand, I’ve also run into people who go the other way and wait for all the facts to come in to make a decision.

The quote comes from Proverbs. Those who proceed to action from their feelings based on information that comes in that they feel disposed toward believing, will make bad decisions. And they will stir up divisiveness.

These people reflect what happens when a personality type tips out of balance. It’s when the “feeling/judgmental” type as described by Myers-Briggs goes to excess. This is where the wise seek out and listen to good advisors. They remind themselves that they don’t know everything and that maybe they should still learn.

The other type, meanwhile, is when the opposite, the “thinking/perceptives”, need to take in more information and more information and have trouble acting. That’s when you test your advisors, trust the proven ones and finally decide “I know enough to take action” and do so.

Philosophers have taught us from ancient times that balance is all important. We need to seek balance in our lives. We need to seek balance in our personalities. We need to study, think, act. Not act, think, study.

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The Listless Leader

September 5, 2014

There are two types of dysfunctional leaders in meetings. One dominates every discussion. Pontificates about everything he knows. Makes all decisions before discussion starts.

We read in Proverbs that a wise leader seeks advice. I’ve experienced many of these leaders. They are easy to understand. They are just so full of themselves they call meetings just to have an audience. The same book of advice counsels us to hold our tongue, keep silence. That’s a good meeting strategy for a leader. Except that the leader should ask questions.

The other type is harder for me to fathom. She sits slumped in her chair. Seemingly distracted. Discussion is held. Some decisions are made. But everything is tentative. No definite direction is formed. The leader may say something. He may “wake up” long enough to make a contribution. But the meeting goes on as if the leader (or the person who holds the title of leader) offers nothing.

In the recent history of business, we’ve seen examples of leaders, perhaps trying to avoid responsibility as in the Enron debacle, who described themselves that way. Aloof. Letting subordinates do whatever they wish.

This is a path to ruin.

Is this because some leaders are like the first one who needs affirmation but who don’t have that dominating personality? They need the conversation to be all about them, but expect others to do the affirming?

This type of leader could use some of the energy of the first type. A leader who does not show energy does not show interest. A leader not interested is not doing her job. Energy breeds energy. From the energy of the leader comes energy of everyone. From lethargy of the leader comes indecision and incomplete decisions. And subordinates left to go their own way.

A good leader shows interest and energy, bringing the energy level of the entire meeting up to where everyone is involved. Then decisions are made and everyone is clear what the direction of the organization is.

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