Archive for the ‘Leadership’ Category

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A Little Good Leadership Pays Dividends

June 16, 2014

A friend recently posted on Facebook a note about how hard it is to be a teacher these days. Public education has become so political that education policy is driven by the latest whim. Everyone is critical of teachers, yet very few know anything about what really goes on in the classroom. Yes, we’ve all been students. But things are always different on the other side of the desk.

During my time on the local school board, I discovered that programs were faddish that everyone was trying to find the latest nirvanna yet neglecting the fundamentals of good instruction. Management was also sorely lacking. Leadership was often nonexistent. Control was the keyword—teachers were expected to control classrooms, principals to control teachers (and parents), superintendents to control principals (and parents and school board members).

Principals would complain that they couldn’t fire incompetent teachers because of contracts and tenure. Nonsense, we replied (a board composed of business managers and leaders). There are procedures. Follow them. Observe, document, offer corrective suggestions, terminate if no improvement is observed. It was possible in 1985, it’s possible today. It’s work, but it is the work principals are expected to do.

This applies not only to teachers, but everywhere.

But this all implies inheriting problems. If you can develop an area with your own hires, you can avoid these problems with astute hiring (finding motivated, adaptable people) and team building. Inspiring a team to work together is a great experience. I’ve had the opportunity to do that a few times. Watching people grow and succeed is among the most satisfying experiences you can have.

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What Do You Want To Be When You Grow Up

June 9, 2014

Do you have long-term goals? Can you visualize yourself twenty years from now?

How does the long-term goal that you have set for yourself or for your organization affect your daily life?

I’m reading and reflecting on Daniel Goleman’s latest book, “Focus: The Hidden Driver of Excellence.” Goleman presents and discusses a wealth of research into brain functions and resulting human behaviors.

Self-help and motivational gurus have told us for at least the past 30 years to set long-term goals for ourselves and for our organizations in order to be successful.

Yet for most of us, it’s hard to get past today’s goals–or even today’s to-do list. Let alone think about this month’s goals, or this year’s goals, or our goals for five years out.

If you are in business or leading an organization, it’s hard to think even a quarter out. Thinking this month can be a challenge.

Goleman points to research about the human brain. It is still wired to respond just as it did for our ancestors on the savannahes of Africa–totally focused on immediate threats. There is nothing in our brain that is wired to respond to distant threats of which we may be aware. Therefore the lack of concern about climate change–it’s too far away.

The successful leader and person is one who is able to keep the future in mind, though, and can juggle the immediate while also working on the future.

In terms of Spiritual development (which Goleman does not discuss), this involves understanding not what we want to be, but who. The purpose of pursuing intentional Spiritual practices such as prayer, meditation and study is to mold us into the kind of person we wish to be. We are building our future selves.

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Just Stubborn or Unwilling to Grow

May 22, 2014

A trait in successful leaders is the willingness to continue growing as a person. It’s something we should all work at our entire lives.

I think about all the people who came to Jesus for advice and went away sad because they could not do what he advised. Just think, the person best fitted to help people grow, the person filled with the Spirit of God, gave personal advice and often the other would walk away sad.

I’ve come across people–leaders–who seem to have no capacity for growth. Some don’t even seem to acknowledge that there is even any room in them for more growth.

Just had dinner with a man from Scotland. He said he was from up north, not the south like Robert Burns. His comment reminded me of the famous line in a poem, which I will not give in the vernacular, that went Oh what a gift he gives us, to see ourselves as others see us.

Do you ever, like me, walk away from a situation thinking, God, what a jerk I was? I’ll reflect and swear I’ll change. Which I don’t enough. I’m just a work in progress.

So, I wonder. Are some people just stubborn? They refuse to listen to others or acknowledge the need to change? Or, when the Clue Train stopped, did they just fail to accept a delivery?

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Share The Wealth With A New Generation

May 21, 2014

Yes, I am traveling again. This week two conferences in two cities. Actually, I found two additional conferences at the Houston Hilton Americas and the George R. Brown Convention Center. So three so far. Today driving to San Antonio for another conference. Then home for a little while (most of a week).

Last weekend I recruited and organized referees for a youth soccer tournament. For the first time in my career I heard the vast majority of coaches actually giving instructions to their players. Usually they just scream at them from across the field to do things that I bet they had not practiced.

As far as referees, I had a mixture of experienced adults and beginning youth. I had an opportunity to work with a young lady who had a grand total of one game of experience. She was great. There were opportunities for me to chat with her and give her encouragement. Then I could write to the referee leaders in her area to suggest they work with her to bring her along.

I heard several of the young referees talk about how much they learned during the two days.

That’s why I’m involved. I love the sport, of course. But I love to see people develop. I teach the skills of soccer refereeing, but I also teach life skills about decision making, being strong, getting into physical shape, working with a team.

Andy Stanley (on this podcast) talks about “Sharing the Wealth.” What are we doing to help the next generation take our place–and do it better? Teaching, mentoring, encouraging, providing experiences are some things we can do.

We are not here to live only for ourselves like so many unfortunately believe and preach. We are here to help other humans develop and grow. What are you doing?

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Doing What God Calls You To Do

April 28, 2014

The city was known for its violence and cruelty. Its treatment of outsiders was known and feared.

It had gotten so bad that God decided to act. It was either that the city, meaning the attitudes and orientation of all the people in the city, change its ways or it would be destroyed.

God called a man to take this message to the city. He went to the city and preached what we would call repentance. That means he called the people to change the attitude of their hearts from one of cruelty and violence to one oriented toward walking with God. This attitude would be reflected in the way that they lived, such that instead of a reputation for cruelty, they would gain a reputation as God-followers.

The man went, he preached, they changed. Great story.

Except.

The man did not want to do that. The city was his people’s archenemy. He wanted it destroyed and all the people who lived there.

So he did what anyone would do in that situation. He fled. He ran away from God. But God cannot be escaped. He caught the man and pretty much forced him to go to the city and preach. And the man was successful. The city and all the inhabitants repented and changed their ways. God did not destroy the city. The man sat outside and pouted. He wanted destruction. God wanted a right life.

The man’s name was Jonah. God caught him with a fish who grabbed him and took him back to the land. The story isn’t about the fish. The story is about repentance. About how God wanted everyone (not just the Hebrews) to repent and follow Him. It’s also a story about call.

Do you feel a call. It weighed on my soul for a long time that I should have a ministry. Didn’t know what it would be. I thought I knew. But then came a call. Actually, I was called for the same ministry many years ago. Said I couldn’t do it. God waited. He struck. I’m stuck.

How about you? What is weighing on your heart? Or maybe it’s a clear voice that you’re trying to ignore. Don’t ignore. In the end, God wins.

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Perseverance and Perspective

April 25, 2014

Sometimes I like to touch on leadership issues. Several months ago, I took on a couple of leadership roles where some roadblocks popped up on the path. I’m still fighting through some. But I was reminded of two words that have stood me well over the years.

Perseverance. Perspective.

Someone asked me earlier this week how one of the roles I had undertaken was going. Moving along, I replied. I guess you just need perseverance. Sometimes you just have to keep moving, no matter what. Obstacles are those frightful things you see when you take your eyes off the goal. — Henry Ford.

Perspective means keeping the scope of live in mind. What does it all mean in the timeline of your life? There are things I’m taking on where I’m re-evaluating what the situation means in the scope of my life. Is this what I want to be doing? What is the importance relative to other things I’m doing?

I often ask the perspective question to dads and coaches (and sometimes moms) in youth soccer. The result of the 10-yr-olds game is not going to mean the difference of a World Cup draw seeding. Mostly they perspective of the kids is on the ice cream at the end of the game–win or lose.

Perspective will help your perseverance when your goals are aligned. When you are doing what you feel called to do. It will keep you going when obstacles seem like barriers rather than problems.

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Facing Conflict

April 11, 2014

Facing conflict in a positive manner is a skill that many of us fall short of possessing in sufficient amount.

The situation most often arises when you have teenaged children. Work situations are full of situations where conflict can fester and grow. Conflicts within groups in your church or other non-profit volunteer work are often difficult.

Some of us shy away from conflict for fear of making things worse or rupturing a relationship or out of regard for the feelings of others.

Some people, on the other hand, love creating conflict. These are abrasive, pushy, argumentative types.

Thinking about this, both of these types are self-centered approaches. Neither is healthy.

I’m reading in the Gospel of John these days. John builds his story around conflict. Almost every scene shows Jesus in some sort of conflict with the authorities (Jewish, not Roman). What can we learn from John’s description of how Jesus dealt with the constant conflict.

  • Strong resolve that the direction you’re going is right. You must have confidence that you’re doing the right thing and moving the organization ahead in a positive manner.
  • Understand the Other. Aren’t we often guilty of ascribing motives to other people that they, in fact, do not have? We assume facts not in evidence. Some of us are very good at reading people’s motives. Others of us need to ask a few more questions.
  • Understand yourself. Understand your own strengths and weaknesses. Know where you need help–and ask for it.
  • Speak softly, firmly, with confidence. I would say speak clearly, but if we follow Jesus’ example, we’d speak in riddles at times. But for us, clear communication spoken with a firm but quiet voice is most effective.
  • Don’t doubt your own authority. If you have the authority that comes with leadership, then use it. But don’t abuse it.

The world needs good leaders. Be one.

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Power of Imagination and Vision in Leadership

April 4, 2014

In “Mastermind: How to Think Like Sherlock Holmes,” Maria Konnikova discusses the power of imagination for solving problems. One of the traits of Holmes was to be able to separate facts from conjecture. Then, he used the power imagination to assemble and re-assemble the facts until he hits upon a solution.

Bill Hybels, founder and leader of the Willow Creek Community Church, discussed a couple of weeks ago his vision of a way to build community (or communities) among the 6,000 or so people who attend each of the three weekend services.

Backing up a little, when Hybels was in his early 20s, he was captured by a vision of how a church could be. Called an Acts 2 church, it was an organization that spread because of the changed lives of the people. As he executed the vision over the past 30 years or so, he continues to hold the vision and to try to keep it going.

Another vision came to him. People usually sit in the same section. Ever notice that even in large conferences, people will sit at the same table each day for the keynotes? Well, Hybels noticed it. Fact plus imagination plus vision.

Why not build communities of the people who always sit together, but who probably never interact more than to say, “Hi?” He imagined a gathering of the people in the group periodically. A leader of the section who would assume the leadership role of welcoming people, organizing short small group gatherings.

Then Hybels took the next step of leading the effort himself. He has a large staff. He could have delegated. He had a personal vision of the community he imagined.

They began to recruit section leaders. Every week, he teaches and interacts with them. This was how he implemented the vision.

Vision, imagination, action. A powerful combination.

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Leaders Take Care of Themselves First

March 12, 2014

The Bible tells the stories of many interesting and powerful people. Daniel has long stood out as one that I admire as much as any. He was a leader in two empires. He had to be good to survive the conquest of the Babylonians by the Persians and be a top leader and advisor to the kings of both.

One of the first things we learn about Daniel is that already as a young man he was focused and grounded. When he and his friends were chosen for the management intern program under the king of Babylon, he refused the diet of the royal household. They chose to eat a simple diet, low in fats and alcohol.

I have a friend who, the last time I saw him, was on the “Daniel diet.” We know even today that a diet filled with fruits and vegetables is healthy. Reduce the amount of fats and “bad carbs” in your diet and you will feel much better.

An acquaintance told me this week that she is practicing the Blood Type Diet to lose weight. I was curious, so I Googled it. Many years ago, a book became popular in Japan that did personality type by blood type. I am B+. Supposedly that’s one of the best (according to the secretary of the president of the company I worked at then, who told me to tell Alex right away to get on his good side). I’m not going to follow that diet necessarily. but it had interesting stuff. I’m not to eat corn and wheat and also avoid chicken. Whew, that’s a good thing. I haven’t eaten poultry since a bad experience around 60 years ago.

Daniel also took time out to pray three times a day. Some people today practice taking an afternoon nap. But I find, like Daniel, that taking regular times out to meditate helps both energy and focus.

Speaking of focus, I don’t think the ancient writers used that term, but I have to believe that Daniel was one focused individual. As Qui-gon said to Anakin Skywalker in Star Wars Episode I, “Remember, your focus determines your reality.”

When you choose to do something, give it the benefit of your focus. We cannot really multi-task, but we can practice like a microprocessor–time slicing. We can juggle many things, but we have to give focus to each in small bursts.

Focus, diet, quiet. Three keys to taking care of yourself.

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Teach Them Well

January 27, 2014

Paul’s letter to Titus came up last week in my reading and listening. It’s been a while since I read it. There’s a wealth of information for leaders and others in that little piece of writing.

If you step back and look at the entire thing, you can see that Paul expects Titus to be a teacher as a leader. Many years ago I read about how legendary basketball coach John Wooden compiled such a winning record over so many years. He was observant of the strengths and weaknesses of his players. He devised ways for them to be successful. He put them in the situations where they could become successful. And he taught them what it took to be successful.

Paul expected the same from Titus. Teach the people well. Put people in a position to be successful. Even though Titus was on an island where the people were evidently looked down upon by the rest of Roman society. But Paul believed in Titus’ ability.

In whatever leadership position that we have, we need to remember Paul’s thought–to lead is to teach. Even in the largest corporations when leading extremely driven people, there is still the need to teach everyone about the mission of the organization (company, church, committee), why it matters, how to behave, where to focus.

We tend to forget these things. Even leaders tend to forget. That’s why Paul is reminding Titus, the person he left behind in Crete to lead the new Christian community there.

The song recorded by Crosby, Stills and Nash years ago keeps popping into mind. “Teach…your children well.” Followed by “Teach…your parents well.” We all have something to teach. We’re all leaders in some contexts and followers in others. When you lead, teach…them well.

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