Leadership Is Influence

The Five Marks of Authentic Leadership

2010-03-08T10:03:00.000-07:00

Many people have written on what it means to be a leader. Almost everyone identifies influence as the primary characteristic. By definition, this means that leadership and position are two different things. You can have a title, and a position of power, but this does not mean that you are a leader. Even people without these things can exert influence and thus leadership.

But leadership is more than influence. It certainly includes influence, but it is more. I believe it includes at least five characteristics. I call these the five marks of authentic leadership:

1.Authentic leaders have insight. Sometimes we refer to this as vision, but that usually has exclusive reference to the future. While leaders must have vision, they need more. They need wisdom and discernment. They need to be able to look at complex situations, gain clarity, and determine a course of action. In the Bible, “[The] men of Issachar … understood the times and knew what Israel should do” (1 Chronicles 12:32). This is what I mean by insight.

2.Authentic leaders demonstrate initiative. They go first. They don’t sit on the sidelines. They don’t ask others to do what they are unwilling to do themselves. Instead, they lead by example. Lt. Col. Hal Moore is a great example of this. Famously depicted by Mel Gibson in the movie, We Were Soldiers, Lt. Moore told his troops, before leaving for Vietnam, We are going into battle against a tough and determined enemy. I can’t promise you that I will bring you all home alive. But this I swear, before you and before Almighty God: that when we go into battle, I will be the first to set foot on the field, and I’ll be the last to step off. And I will leave no one behind. Dead or alive, we will all come home together, so help me God.”

3.Authentic leaders exert influence. It’s no coincidence that influence and influenza (the flu) come from the same root word. Real leaders are contagious. People “catch” what they have. People are drawn to their vision and their values. They are able to gather a following and move people to act. To change metaphors, they are like human wave pools, creating a ripple effect wherever they go.

4.Authentic leaders have impact. At the end of the day, leaders make a difference. The world is changed because of their leadership. They are able to create real and lasting change. Unless something has shifted, they aren’t leaders. They are only entertainers. There is a big difference. The measure of leadership cannot be found in the leader; it is found in the impact the leader has on his or her followers.

5.Authentic leaders exercise integrity. Not every leader is benevolent. Adolf Hitler was a leader, as was Mao Zedong and Josef Stalin. They had insight, initiative, influence, and impact. Yet their lives were not integrated with the highest values. Integrity—or the lack thereof—ultimately determines the quality of a person’s impact. In a sense, this is the foundation of authentic leadership.

Leaders must be deliberate and intentional if they are to be successful. These five qualities can guide us as we grow in our ability to lead.

By: Michael Hyatt

Organizational Slippage

2009-11-12T15:44:00.000-07:00

My boss recently gave me an article on how organizations end up in a slippage mode. This article was really focused on churches, however, I sense the same thing can apply to most organizations. So, here's the highlights of this article from Gordan McDonald entitled: How A Mighty Church Falls.

McDonald quotes Jim Collins in this article and identifies five stages in the process of organization slippage.

Stage One: Hubris Born of Success

Hubris is defined as arrogant conceit or as Collins puts it "an excessive pride"
This is a state of over-confidence in ourselves, our systems, and our successes
This often makes leaders blind to weaknesses within an organization
Reality: in this state there is a tendency to understate the problem and overstate your ability to accomplish

Stage Two: Undisciplined Pursuit of More

It is about getting larger and larger, more and more expansive, even if it costs the organization its soul
Overreaching stems from a temptation to think that if we're good at what we're doing, we can do anything else just as successfully
Sometimes this can mean migrating toward "more" and away from "wisdom"

Stage Three: Denial of Risk and Peril

Leaders and organizations ignore or minimize critical information or refuse to listen to things they do not want to hear
Collins is concerned for organizations who base their decisions on the basis of inadequate or mismanaged information
The most valuable information came through trusted, wise people who were empowered to systematically engage the community in conversation and with questions designed ahead of time

Stage Four: Grasping for Salvation

Lurching for a "silver bullet"
Betting big on an unproven product
Hiring promise-making consultants or seeking a new hero-type leader who can ride in on a white horse and singlehandedly save the day
A sense of desperation for a breakthrough victory

Stage Five: Capitulation to Irrelevance or Death

At what point did it start down the slope of organizational death?
Who missed the hidden signs?
Who ignored the core convictions?
Who misinterpreted the information?

Master Leaders by George Barna

2009-10-21T14:17:00.004-06:00

If you are like me you have plenty to read - even some books and articles which you started and have not finished. Having said that, I'm always interested in books which are useful for my personal development or professional development. Have any of you read the book Master Leaders?

George Barna and coauthor Bill Dallas invite you to imagine yourself backstage at a conference featuring thirty world-class leaders. As you join them in the greenroom, you’ll be privy to their provocative conversations on subjects including:

defining what makes someone a leader

knowing how to identify, communicate, and get commitment to vision

touchstones for leading effectively

what to look for and how to measure performance

earning and maintaining people’s trust

developing character traits that honor God, serve people, and empower self

establishing and retaining the moral authority to lead

knowing how power is derived and how to use it appropriately

These are some interesting leadership topics. This has been recommended as a good leadership read!

The Stop-Doing Discipline

2009-09-21T13:20:00.005-06:00

In this recent interview, Campbell Soup CEO Douglas Conant defined his mission in taking the helm eight years ago as being, “to take a bad company and lift its performance to extraordinary by 2011.” His strategy was simple enough: developing or keeping only products that ranked first or second in three major categories. That meant, among other things, selling the Godiva chocolate brand in 2008.

Jim Collins, best-selling author of Good to Great, commented on Conant’s sale of Godiva by saying, “That gets my attention, when someone has the discipline to let go of what doesn’t fit.”
Collins firmly believes in the power of a “stop-doing” discipline, a practice that began taking shape during his early post-Stanford Business School career at Hewlett-Packard. On a return visit to the school early in his career, Jim’s favorite former professor, Rochelle Myers, reproached him for his lack of discipline. An expert in creativity and innovation, she told him his unbridled energy was riding herd over his mental clarity, enabling a busy yet unfocused life.
Her words rang true: At the time, Jim’s life was crowded with the commotion of a fast-tracking career. Her comment made him pull up short and re-examine what he was doing. To help, she did what great teachers do, constructing a lesson in the form of an assignment she called “20-10”: Imagine that you’ve just inherited $20 million free and clear, but you only have ten years to live. What would you do differently—and specifically, what would you stop doing?
The exercise did precisely what it was intended to do: make Jim stop and think about what mattered most to him. It was a turning point for three reasons.

First, he realized he’d been racing down the wrong track, spending enormous energy on the wrong things. In fact, he woke up to the fact that he hated his job. He promptly quit and headed back to Stanford to launch a new career of research, teaching, and writing.

Second, the assignment became a constant reminder of just how important his time is. He now starts each year by choosing what not to do, and each of his to-do lists always includes “stop-doing” items. Collins preaches his practice, impressing upon his audiences that they must have a “stop-doing” list to accompany their to-do lists. As a practical matter, he advises eliminating the bottom twenty percent of your goals... forever.

Third, the strategy helped him identify what factors led the companies he was studying to become “great” while others remained merely “good.” The great companies routinely eliminated activities and pursuits that did not significantly contribute to the following criteria: profit, passion, and perfection. All three criteria had to be met in order for any activity to remain in these great companies’ repertoires.

In this editorial piece Collins said, “A great piece of art is composed not just of what is in the final piece, but equally what is not. It is the discipline to discard what does not fit—to cut out what might have already cost days or even years of effort—that distinguishes the truly exceptional artist and marks the ideal piece of work, be it a symphony, a novel, a painting, a company, or most important of all, a life.”

In an economic environment where time, money and attention are fixed or decreasing, where we must achieve maximum effect with minimum means, having a good stop-doing strategy may hold the key. At the very least, it will allow us to make more room for what really matters by eliminating what doesn’t.

When You Want To Call It Quits

2009-08-31T16:38:00.004-06:00

All of us have probably had days where we wanted to call it quits. This is usually a quick response when things are not going well. There is great value in persevering as leaders - even when things get difficult. This article by Wayne Cordeiro has a little humor and a lot of truth. I hope you enjoy it as I did.

"My friend Gary enjoyed telling me about the time he ran a quarter-mile relay race. It's basically once around the track—with teammates at each quarter-mile waiting for the baton. The entire race usually ends in less than a minute. That's fast!

The relay Gary told me about was a big track-and-field event in a small town, and the grandstands were overflowing with friends and fans. The weather was chilly and the runners were still wearing their warm-up "sweats." Gary, running anchor, was the last team member to be in the box. When the gun went off, his role was to remove his team's starting block from the track and get to his spot where he would wait for the baton to hit his hand—all within seconds.

Sprinting to the Finish
Bang! The starter's pistol resounded through the stadium, and Gary ran to remove the blocks. Usually he had plenty of time, but the foot pegs fell off the block, leaving him only seconds to grab them and run back to make his start. Gary suddenly remembered that he still had on his sweats. He saw his teammate flying around the corner, so he whipped off his sweatpants as fast as he could and rushed to his position on the track. He made it just in time to feel the slap of the baton hitting his hand and then started sprinting. With his heart pounding, straining toward the finish line, he noticed that it felt colder than it should have. Gary glanced down, only to make a startling discovery: In his haste, he had taken off a lot more than just his sweatpants!

At that moment, Gary said he was caught between two bad options: One choice was to continue and the other was to quit. In a split second, in front of the astonished onlookers, he had to make a decision. As he recalled to me later, "I faced the option to either hightail towards the lockers or make a mad and daring dash to the finish. I chose to cut left to the safe harbor of the lockers."
I rolled with laughter when he told me the story!

Perhaps you, like Gary, have been faced with difficult choices — far more weighty than avoiding embarrassment:
Should I shade the truth to protect a friendship?
Should I remain in this job, when I know the boss is involved in unethical business practices?
Should I blow the whistle about an ineligible player on the team?

Ever feel like you were caught between two bad choices? What do you do when you're ready to call it quits? It's one of the toughest things we face, yet oddly enough it is also one of the most common. We all go through times when we want to chuck in the towel. But does giving up make the situation any better? Not really. Misery may love company, but have you ever noticed that company sure doesn't love misery!

So what do you do when you're stuck between a rock and a hard place and you just want to call it quits? Look at some of the "greats":

Joseph—a cocky upstart abandoned by his family. He became a slave and was then thrown into jail and forgotten in his cell. He learned humility and was finally promoted to Prime Minister over mighty Egypt.

Moses—an extreme introvert who stuttered. Not only that he was a murderer — a fugitive on the run in the desert. He led God's people out of Egypt and to the Promised Land.

Ruth—a foreigner and a widow following a depressed, "down-on-her-luck" mother-in-law. She was also a brand-new believer yet she kept her heart humble and became one of Jesus' ancestors.

The woman at the well—a divorcee who had slept around and was the talk of the town. She became the first evangelist after meeting "the Man."

The Bible's casting call for heroes reads more like a "Least Likely to Succeed" rap sheet. Yet this list of the least likely is the foundation of Hebrews 11—a commemoration of God's most faithful men and women across time—and is most often referred to as "The Hall of Faith."

Don't be surprised—"the last and least" in man's eyes are often "the best and brightest" in God's plans." Be careful not to quit because quitting seems to be the easy response - persevere!

Leadership - a Labor of Love and Respect

2009-08-13T16:45:00.003-06:00

In the 1970 essay "The Servant as Leader," Robert Greenleaf wrote, "The servant-leader is servant first... It begins with the natural feeling that one wants to serve, to serve first. Then conscious choice brings one to aspire to lead."

The basic tenets of servant leadership call for leaders to:

Devote themselves to serving the needs of organization members

Focus on meeting the needs of those they lead

Facilitate personal growth in all who work with them

Listen and build a sense of community

Leading as a servant will have a strong impact on you as an individual and your organization. Give it a try and see what happens!!

Wise Words for Leaders

2009-06-15T09:26:00.003-06:00

Dr. Leland Eliason is retiring from Bethel Seminary in August. He was asked to share some words of wisdom or advice to those who will continue to lead after him. His words are very profound so I thought I would share them in this blog article.

These are his words to us as leaders:

Learn to live outside of comfort zones. God is often found in the places we run away from - places we fear most, places we are sure we don't fit into, places that call for humility and more growth.

Expect God to show up - His ways are not our ways, and His timing is often not ours. But when God shows up, then all the pieces of the puzzle that didn't seem to fit begin to come together.

Don't quit. Perseverance is so necessary.

Sometimes the greatest step of obedience is simply to show up.

Curiosity is one fo the most under-rated qualities for nurturing growth and development. Let your curiousity guide you to ask appropriate questions of those around you. Cultivate a curiousity about Christ - "in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge" (Colossians 2:3)

Learn to be joyful. Our leadership is serious. The world's problems are massive. But "the joy of the Lord is our strength." So in the midst of life, nurture joy in your relationship with the great and good God. Look for humor, laugh with abandonment, and cultivate joyfulness.

These are great words of wisdom for us as leaders. I hope we all can practice these just as Dr. Eliason did during his faithful years as a leader.

Resistance as Feedback

2009-05-19T16:19:00.004-06:00

The Harvard Business Review posted an article that talked about resistance and change. Often leaders perceive resistance to change as a threat to their leadership and their vision. What if this is not always the case? Can resistance be a resource? The answer to this question is "yes!" Here's a few things to consider as you get resistance to change:

View resistance as feedback instead of a threat. What is the feedback you are receiving with your change proposal?
Boost awareness. As the initiator of change you have probably spent a lot of time processing this change. Keep in mind that the individuals hearing about this change have not had the same amount of time for this processing. In other words, you have internalized the change but others have not.
Change the change. If you view resistance as feedback you may end up with some good input and decide to adjust the change.
Build participation and engagement. Buy-in often comes from listening to concerns. Allowing people to share their concerns can open the door for partnership.
Complete the past. Change often has a dismal rate of success. It is not surprising that people expect history to repeat itself and resist going through it all over again. Help people understand how this change will be different from the past.

Resistance properly understood as feedback can be an important resource in improving the quality and clarity of the objectives and strategies at the heart of a change proposal. A growing understanding of this will help with a successful implementation of change.

Exerpts from Jeffrey D. Ford and Laurie W. Ford

Sandberg Story

2009-04-29T15:45:00.004-06:00

Good leaders are humble and humility is attractive!!

Jim Collins in his book Good to Great says that Level 5 leaders exhibit some common qualities. He explains that great leaders are humble, they have an intense resolve, their first priority is the institution and not themselves, they tend to be quiet and modest.

Humble leaders are careful to stay focused and review their motivation in decision making. With humility comes a consistent heart check with regards to priorities. The bi-product of humility in a leader is that they don't pretend to be something they are not. They are real, authentic, vulnerable, and have a sincere concern about doing the right thing - not for self, but for the organization.

Ryne Sandberg, the all-star second baseman of the Chicago Cubs once had the opportunity to display humility. During his playing years he was well paid for his skills. Unfortunately, one year Ryne was in a hitting slump and wasn't playing near to his potential. He was very disappointed in his performance especially since he was being paid so well. So, how did Ryne handle this situation? In addition to working hard at improving his swing and taking hours of batting practice, he also met with the general manager of the Cubs and offered a large chunck of his salaray back to the team. He told the GM that he didn't feel right about taking millions of dollars whn he wasn't performing up to his potential. Through this humility he won the hearts of his team members and the fans of Chicago.

I recently read this quote from Dr. Tim Elmore - "Humility doesn't mean leaders think less of themselves. It means they think of themselves less."

The Indian Talking Stick

2009-04-08T10:17:00.003-06:00

When I was growing up my mom frequently told me this - "you have two ears to listen with and one mouth to speak, this means you should listen twice as much as you speak." For those of us who like to talk and share our opinions this can be a difficult practice. However, listening is a critical leadership principle.

The early Indians had a way to deal with this and it was called the Talking Stick. Here's how it worked. Durng a meeting, the Indian Talking Stick is passed around from one person to the next. Only the person holding the Talking Stick was allowed to speak. The stick remains in the person's hand until everyone in the circle understands what has been said. Once this person is fully understood the stick is handed to the next person. There is an interesting result of this method of listening - as the tribal members pass the stick around, they slowly become less combative and more cohesive.

Often, as much as 50% of leadership is about listening, observing, and interpreting what you see and hear. So, how do we listen well? Here's a couple of suggestions:

1. Show Empathy - what this means is entering into another person's situation. This could be a family member at home, this could be a co-worker or employee who may be having a difficult time. The key is understanding how this person feels and then showing genuine care for them.

2. Ask Good Questions - this is my favorite. I enjoy asking questions in order to get a person thinking about a certain subject. When we ask questions we are opening the door for us to listen carefully and connect with people. As we listen we are able to better understand where they are coming from.

Through the art of listening your relationships with be strengthened and your influence will increase.

Top 10 Ways to FAIL as a Leader

2009-03-23T15:22:00.003-06:00

If you want to sabatoge your team just follow these simple guidelines:

10) CONSERVE AFFIRMATION. You don't want your team members to become arrogant. Use affirming remarks sparingly.

9.) HAVE A CLOSED-DOOR POLICY. Openness to feedback is a slippery slope. One day you're listening, the next day you're on the verge of a teachable spirit.

8.) MAKE SURE NOBODY APPEARS SMARTER THAN YOU ARE. Nobody has more knowledge or experience than you do. That's shy you're in charge, right?

7.) FOSTER AN ATMOSPHERE OF PARANOIA. Nothing puts a better positive filter on incoming information than a renowned fear of your response to bad news.

6.) MAKE SURE ALL IDEAS ORIGINATE WITH YOU. Good ideas come from the top, not the team. Shared credit is for couples with debt problems.

5.) EXERCISE HIGH CONTROL. Remember, you're the team leader, and it's your way or the highway.

4.) LOOK OUT FOR #1. When in doubt, ask yourself, What's best for me and my interests? Don't underestimate the value of manipulation.

3.) DON'T TRUST ANYONE. If you refuse to trust them from the start, you don't give them the opportunity to disappoint you.

2.) ASK SOMEONE TO DO A SPECIFIC JOB, AND THEN DO IT YOURSELF. Micromanagement is on of the surest ways to fail as a team leader. If you want it done right, you've got to do it yourself.

1.) FILL YOUR TEAM WITH PEOPLE JUST LIKE YOU. Could there be a more ideal team than on made up of multiple versions of you?

Excerpted from an article in Idea Depot.

Follow Your Dreams

2009-03-12T15:29:00.003-06:00

The game of golf can teach us a lot of great principles. Principles like: determination, patience, focus, and fun. This video uses the story of a golfer to drive home a different set of principles which are very important - principles such as: being persistent, being courageous, and following your dreams.

These are important leadership qualities for all of us - persistence in your character, courage in your decisions, and thinking big even when others are thinking small.

I hope you enjoy this video (click on the link below)!!

Walk On - ESPN Video Video

Advise From A Man Who Knows...

2009-02-23T17:15:00.003-07:00

I've been reading a new book entitled: Leading on Empty by Wayne Cordero. The focus of Wayne's book is leadership and the reality of burnout. Burnout can happen in the life of any leader - not just those of us who are in full-time ministry. Below is an interview with Wayne on his reasoning for writing this book. I think you will find this interesting.

Q: This book comes from your own experience with burnout and overcoming it. What factors led to the burnout and how did you begin the healing process?

WAYNE: I couldn't see the symptoms coming on. They arrived like an uninvited thief that came in the back door and before you knew it, you were captured. At first, all I wanted to do was to get free from the disintegration that was slowing taking place on the inside. You always burn out on the inside much sooner than you do on the outside. I kept my pace the same but I was like a wounded long distance runner. My life was bookended by weekend services, and ministry needs kept me ransomed. So I kept pressing forward hoping for the symptoms to leave. But they didn't. They only worsened. My first step was finally confiding in a few people what was to me a "weakness" that I should have been able to resolve on my own. You cannot resolve burnout on your own.

Q: What are some of the more common warning signs of burnout and how might readers avoid burning out?

WAYNE: Things that once came easily to me became increasingly more difficult such as decision making, problem solving, people challenges and preaching. I found myself getting irritable and impatient at little things in life. Joy was leaking and ministry wasn't fun anymore. People were becoming problems to be avoided. Decisions came hard. I deliberated until I was polarized and paralyzed. Creativity flagged. I duplicated rather than incarnated. I began losing vision for the ministry that was once vibrant and thrilling. Physical symptoms started bothering me as well. I had trouble breathing. My heart began to beat erratically.

Q: While this book was written with pastors and church leaders in mind, do you see it branching out to people in other professions?

WAYNE: Yes, I do see it branching out to people in other professions. Many leaders struggle with feelings like they cannot take a break. Burnout is no respecter of persons. I just write this from a minister's perspective because that is my calling, but I also write this as a human being, a father, a leader, a person who was committed to God's best. This book will help all of us live more wisely and accurately.

Q: In one chapter you discuss the differences between concern and responsibility, and solitude and isolation. Can you briefly explain what those differences are as they relate to burnout and recovery?

WAYNE: Concern might include those things that happen in other's lives that cause me some unrest and might even distress me emotionally. However, the responsibility to rectify it is not mine to take. Those things that are my responsibility are those areas and relationships in life that God will hold me accountable for. As an example, the health of my marriage is my responsibility as a husband, but my boss' condescending style of leadership is not. It might be a concern but it is not my responsibility. I must be able to differentiate between the two lest what should be only a concern, I begin to see as my responsibility, and what should be my responsibility, I see as a concern. Solitude and isolation are two other words that we must also distinguish. Solitude are intentional times factored into my life in order to be alone with God. Solitude helps me recalibrate and heal, be restored and made whole again. It smoothes the wrinkles that come with incessancy or commitment. On the other hand, "isolation" takes place when I have violated the first. It causes me to want to withdraw, but it doesn't necessarily heal me. It is a reaction to an overextended life that has gone past fatigue and is now into exasperation. It is the painful beginnings of a wounded wearied soul that has lost its resilience.

Q: What is the most important message you hope to convey to readers?

WAYNE: The most important message is this: when burnout hits and you feel lost at sea, it will be too late to anchor our buoys to find your way back. Those navigational disciplines must be established now, long before your soul is famished and your winter goes long. I had driven deeply the pillars of a disciplined daily devotions and an accountability to elders in my life, so that when the roof blew off, I could still keep my wheel on the track because those were life habits I had established. Even when I couldn't see or even hear, I could trust the rails upon which I was being guided. And let me reiterate, one of the most important buoys that helped me in the healing process was my daily devotions ... sitting before His feet on a daily basis, reading through the Scriptures and journaling. I don't know where I would be if I hadn't established that one discipline. I don't think I would be in the ministry today.

Q: What are your hopes and prayers for Leading on Empty?

WAYNE: There is no pill that would remove every storm and help you to avoid burnout. But what I CAN do is to help the reader recognize the early warning signs, what to look for, and how to be resilient. My hope is to help those who are held in the bondage of depression and vision loss, and I can guarantee that there is a way through. I found it and I am leaving road markers to those who will come behind.

Q: How did God bless you while you were writing Leading on Empty?

WAYNE: Writing this book forced me to record, in an understandable order, the faltering steps that led me to despair and it compelled me to recount how I built every stair step as I found my way back to the surface. Through this, I realized how grateful I am to a Mentor God, a Grace giving Shepherd of my soul who would never let me go. I have come through this a different person with an ever grateful heart that now gushes with thankfulness that I get to help others find their way out of the valleys.

Q: Just for fun, what's one little-known fact about you?

WAYNE: I guess most people know that my loves are my grandkids (I have two and one on the way) and my motorcycles. I love to ride. It clears my head and lets me think. I also enjoy farming. Yes, farming! We own a small family farm in Oregon where I enjoy working with animals like cattle and sheep, chickens and dogs. And I have yet much to learn about tending to a garden. I have learned to pray for rain, and during the time I bale hay, I have learned to pray for sunshine. It's there that I take time to ponder deeply the things of God. I have come to realize that when leaders get too busy with the work of God around them, it can begin to erode the work of God inside them. The tail wags the dog and we find that we have become adept at giving quick answers but not insightful ones. We have become skilled in giving acceptable responses but none that are adequate to touch people's souls enough to affect their lives. On our farm, I get to work with my hands which keeps me attached to the dirt so I can realize daily what I am made of. It restores humility and it keeps me close to Him who chose to be a Shepherd of sheep.

Order your copy online today at: New Hope Life Resources

Driver or Passenger

2009-02-11T08:49:00.004-07:00

Our church staff is going through a book entitled - Habitudes. This book is designed to help grow us as leaders. During our discussion time yesterday we talked about the difference between being in the drivers seat and being a passenger. When you put this in the context of driving a car the driver should be in control and the driver has the responsibility for what happens with the car.

The same is true for us as leaders. If you are in a position of leadership - someone has asked you to be in a driver's seat with responsibility. I asked this question of our staff - What are the characteristics of a driver? Here's their response:

Responsible by taking the lead - ownership
Face what needs to be faced and do what needs to be done
Follows the rules and does not compromise
Knows the direction and what needs to be done to get there
Quick thinking - good problem solver
Not distracted
Above reproach in character
Owns his or her mistakes
Long-term commitment
Loyal
Care-taker of those who work for you
Consistent
Humble
Knows his/her weaknesses
Discerning
Change agent

How does this driver handle mistakes or failures?

Character is built by how you handle failure
Be quick to own the mistake
Make corrections as is needed
Learns from the mistake
Doesn't blame others - in fact, takes the blame
Handles these with integrity

So, being in the driver's seat has many responsibilities. Remember, your passengers are counting on you to lead the way, give direction, and care for them!

A Level 5 Leader by Another Name

2009-01-27T15:08:00.004-07:00

Jim Collin's term Level 5 leader is similar to servant-leader, a term coined by Robert Greenleaf to describe someone who encourages collaboration, trust, foresight, listening, and the ethical use of power. Would your board and organization be more effective if servant-leaders were intentionally recruited?

The servant-leader is servant first...It begins with the natural feeling that one wants to serve, to serve first. Then conscious choice brings one to aspire to lead. He or she is sharply different from the person who is leader first, perhaps because of the need to assuage an unusual power drive or to acquire material possessions. For such it will be a later choice to serve - after leadership is established. The leader-first and the servant-first are two extreme types. Between them there are shadings and blends that are part of the infinite variety of human nature.

The difference manifests itself in the care taken by the servant-first to make sure that other people's highest priority needs are being served. The best test, and difficult to administer, is: Do those served grow as persons? Do they, while being served, become healthier, wiser, freer, more autonomous, more likely themselves to become servants?

Excerpted from Servant as Leader by Robert K. Greenleaf

Offering Hope

2009-01-12T09:57:00.003-07:00

It is always good to start the year with an inspiring story. This story reminded me of the importance of reaching out to others. As leaders we will always have opportunities to influence those around us in a positive way - showing them hope in a hopeless world.

The story comes from Rick Reilly at ESPN Sports.

They played the oddest game in high school football history last month down in Grapevine, Texas.

It was Grapevine Faith vs. Gainesville State School and everything about it was upside down. For instance, when Gainesville came out to take the field, the Faith fans made a 40-yard spirit line for them to run through.

Did you hear that? The other team's fans?

They even made a banner for players to crash through at the end. It said, "Go Tornadoes!" Which is also weird, because Faith is the Lions.

"I WOULDN'T EXPECT ANOTHER PARENT TO TELL SOMEBODY TO HIT THEIR KIDS. BUT THEY WANTED US TO!"

It was rivers running uphill and cats petting dogs. More than 200 Faith fans sat on the Gainesville side and kept cheering the Gainesville players on—by name.

"I never in my life thought I'd hear people cheering for us to hit their kids," recalls Gainesville's QB and middle linebacker, Isaiah. "I wouldn't expect another parent to tell somebody to hit their kids. But they wanted us to!"

And even though Faith walloped them 33-14, the Gainesville kids were so happy that after the game they gave head coach Mark Williams a sideline squirt-bottle shower like he'd just won state. Gotta be the first Gatorade bath in history for an 0-9 coach.

But then you saw the 12 uniformed officers escorting the 14 Gainesville players off the field and two and two started to make four. They lined the players up in groups of five—handcuffs ready in their back pockets—and marched them to the team bus. That's because Gainesville is a maximum-security correctional facility 75 miles north of Dallas. Every game it plays is on the road.

This all started when Faith's head coach, Kris Hogan, wanted to do something kind for the Gainesville team. Faith had never played Gainesville, but he already knew the score. After all, Faith was 7-2 going into the game, Gainesville 0-8 with 2 TDs all year. Faith has 70 kids, 11 coaches, the latest equipment and involved parents. Gainesville has a lot of kids with convictions for drugs, assault and robbery—many of whose families had disowned them—wearing seven-year-old shoulder pads and ancient helmets.

So Hogan had this idea. What if half of our fans—for one night only—cheered for the other team? He sent out an email asking the Faithful to do just that. "Here's the message I want you to send:" Hogan wrote. "You are just as valuable as any other person on planet Earth."

Some people were naturally confused. One Faith player walked into Hogan's office and asked, "Coach, why are we doing this?"

And Hogan said, "Imagine if you didn't have a home life. Imagine if everybody had pretty much given up on you. Now imagine what it would mean for hundreds of people to suddenly believe in you."

Next thing you know, the Gainesville Tornadoes were turning around on their bench to see something they never had before. Hundreds of fans. And actual cheerleaders!

"I thought maybe they were confused," said Alex, a Gainesville lineman (only first names are released by the prison). "They started yelling 'DEE-fense!' when their team had the ball. I said, 'What? Why they cheerin' for us?'"

It was a strange experience for boys who most people cross the street to avoid. "We can tell people are a little afraid of us when we come to the games," says Gerald, a lineman who will wind up doing more than three years. "You can see it in their eyes. They're lookin' at us like we're criminals. But these people, they were yellin' for us! By our names!"

Maybe it figures that Gainesville played better than it had all season, scoring the game's last two touchdowns. Of course, this might be because Hogan put his third-string nose guard at safety and his third-string cornerback at defensive end. Still.

After the game, both teams gathered in the middle of the field to pray and that's when Isaiah surprised everybody by asking to lead. "We had no idea what the kid was going to say," remembers Coach Hogan. But Isaiah said this: "Lord, I don't know how this happened, so I don't know how to say thank You, but I never would've known there was so many people in the world that cared about us."

And it was a good thing everybody's heads were bowed because they might've seen Hogan wiping away tears.

As the Tornadoes walked back to their bus under guard, they each were handed a bag for the ride home—a burger, some fries, a soda, some candy, a Bible and an encouraging letter from a Faith player.

The Gainesville coach saw Hogan, grabbed him hard by the shoulders and said, "You'll never know what your people did for these kids tonight. You'll never, ever know."

And as the bus pulled away, all the Gainesville players crammed to one side and pressed their hands to the window, staring at these people they'd never met before, watching their waves and smiles disappearing into the night.

Anyway, with the economy six feet under, it's nice to know that one of the best presents you can give this year is still absolutely free.

Hope.

Special Gifts in Our Lives

2008-12-22T16:56:00.006-07:00

As we think about the Christmas holiday we often think about gifts. Gifts and Christmas go together! God has reminded me of several special gifts in my life and that I need to focus on these this year at Christmas.

So, I thought I would share these special gifts with you:

The Gift of God’s Son

o Without baby Jesus there is no Christmas – He is the primary reason for celebrating at Christmas time.

o This is a remarkable gift to us because wrapped up in baby Jesus is all of the goodness and grace the world will ever need.

o So, our hearts should be full of worship and praise because of this special gift.

o Mt. 1:21 – “And she will have a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.”

The Gift of Relationships

o We need each other and are really dependent upon each other

o Spending time together on purpose is important. Like: having Fun together, Encouraging each other, Keeping each other accountable, Caring for each others needs and many more…

o This is a great time of year to let each other know how much you appreciate them and love them

o 1 John 3:11 – “This is the message we have heard from the beginning: We should love one another

The Gift of Grace

o I think that at this time of year when non-believers are more open to hearing about Jesus – it is easier to find common ground

§ Even secular radio stations (KSOI 101) play songs like: Hark the Herald Angels Sing

· "Born that man might die no more"

· "God and sinners reconciled"

o God has given us the opportunity to reach out to those who do not know Him and share the glory of His grace. We should look for these opportunities.

o We will be spending Christmas dinner with our neighbors across the street. It will be fun to be with them and relate together during this special time of the year

o 1 Corinthians 9:22 – “Yes, I try to find common ground with everyone so that I might bring them to Christ.”

The Gift of Gratitude

o We have a lot to be thankful for and Christmas is a great time to express our thanks to God and those around us

o Even in the midst of difficult economic times and unsettled tension around the world

§ God is still in control

§ He is unchanging and faithful and these challenges do not faze him

o Our thankfulness will grow as we trust God

o Psalm 100:4 – “Enter his gates with thanksgiving; go into his courts with praise. Give thanks to him and bless his name.”

So, hopefully during this Christmas Season we can all embrace these special gifts in our lives.

Merry Christmas to you all!!

Is Flexibility in Leadership Important?

2008-12-16T16:05:00.004-07:00

One of our church elders recently sent me this article. I found this information to be interesting and enlightening. These perspectives on the tendencies of different generations seem to apply to the work place but can be used in multiple settings to attract these different generations.

What do Traditionalists, Boomers, Gen Xers and Millennials (Gen Y) have in common?

They all want flexibility.

This new mix of generations brings many advantages for businesses, from life experience and honed expertise to innovation and finesse at navigating technology. Organizations must strive to attract new talent while retaining the knowledge and expertise of the time-honored generations. Flexibility is crucial for all generations as we continually define and redefine how, when, why and where people work.

Who are these generations? What are the benefits of having this generational span in organizations? And how does leadership attract, retain and motivate them simultaneously?

The Traditionalists (1900-1945, 75 million), known as the "radio age," are a massive generation that predates modern technology and networks. They possess invaluable information and historical perspectives, and their knowledge and expertise need to be captured before all have left the workforce.

Like Traditionalists, Boomers (1946-1964, 80 million), known as the "TV age," have a wealth of knowledge and expertise that is indispensable to the organization. They generally possess a "can do" attitude. Boomers are experienced in forging relationships and are seen as mentors in their organizations. From a management perspective, flexibility is something this generation is seeking as they want and need to remain in the workforce longer but would prefer reduced workloads and more control of when and where they work.

Gen X (1965-1981, 51 million), known as the "computer age," has a strong affinity for technology because they are coming of age in a time when technology is being used as a tool for personal and professional empowerment. They have a strong streak of individualism and use technology as a vehicle for self-expression. They have more faith in themselves than established institutions and are adept and comfortable with change. This generation is noted for introducing successful, large-scale, flexible work arrangements.

Millennials (Gen Y) (1982-1989, 78 million) and the beginnings of some new entrants of the Screenagers (1989-1994, 24.3 million), known as the "Internet, digital age," are the real "digital natives" and view technology as an inclusive tool for social networking and reaching out to communicate and collaborate. Technology is transparent to them. The barriers of time and space have different meaning for this generation. Content is what drives them. They prefer using technology to communicate, and this generation is the largest and most networked in world history.

From a leadership perspective, Gen X and Millennials are accustomed to using technology to enable a looser, more improvisational work style and feel that traditional work environments are restricting. They place high value on work/life balance. In fact, Millennials don't make a traditional distinction between work and personal life. Both generations use technology to work smarter and more efficiently while trying to minimize process. They leverage mobile technology to work anytime, anywhere, putting less emphasis on "being there" as an indication of commitment.

Overall, companies are challenged with the changing definition of work and work styles. It is in the organizations best interest to empower employees with the tools needed to work anytime, anywhere. Employees now work outside the company's offices more than ever before. And as flexible work styles and increased mobility become the norm, secure and easy-to-use remote access to business resources becomes non-negotiable.

Beth Gulas, President of WorkForce Management (bgulas@aol.com, www.workforcemgmt.com), helps organizations understand how to collaboratively bridge the generational gaps and realize greater business success.

Choosing Wisely

2008-12-03T08:47:00.004-07:00

So much of our lives is about the choices we make. This is especially true as leaders. Our individual choices effect us personally and they effect those we influence through leadership. There is a new business book coming out by David Cottrell entitled, "Monday Morning Choices: 12 Powerful Ways to Go from Everyday to Extraordinary." In this book Cottrell offers 12 principles for successful living, grouped into three types of choices:

Personal Choices

These are the choices people make that mold their character, including accepting responsibility, commitment, values and integrity.

Action Choices

These are the kind that lead to success, and include being focused by sticking to your objectives, maintaining enthusiasm about work and life, and being willing to deal with difficult issues head on instead of avoiding them.

Investment Choices

These have nothing to do with the economy or how you are investing in the stock market. Instead these are choices that we make by investing in relationships, accepting constructive criticism, seeking the truth, and giving back to others.

Our choices truly do make a difference in our lives. I hope that as a leader you can use wisdom with your personal choices, your action choices, and your investment choices.

Thanksgiving and Leadership

2008-11-24T11:30:00.002-07:00

We have all heard it said that leaders lead by example. I believe this is really a true statement. In 1863 Abraham Lincoln led by example when he proclaimed that the last Thursday of November would be a day of Thanksgiving and praise to God. His proclaimation goes like this...

By the President of the United States of America.

A Proclamation.
The year that is drawing towards its close, has been filled with the blessings of fruitful fields and healthful skies. To these bounties, which are so constantly enjoyed that we are prone to forget the source from which they come, others have been added, which are of so extraordinary a nature, that they cannot fail to penetrate and soften even the heart which is habitually insensible to the ever watchful providence of Almighty God. In the midst of a civil war of unequaled magnitude and severity, which has sometimes seemed to foreign States to invite and to provoke their aggression, peace has been preserved with all nations, order has been maintained, the laws have been respected and obeyed, and harmony has prevailed everywhere except in the theatre of military conflict; while that theatre has been greatly contracted by the advancing armies and navies of the Union. Needful diversions of wealth and of strength from the fields of peaceful industry to the national defence, have not arrested the plough, the shuttle or the ship; the axe has enlarged the borders of our settlements, and the mines, as well of iron and coal as of the precious metals, have yielded even more abundantly than heretofore. Population has steadily increased, notwithstanding the waste that has been made in the camp, the siege and the battle-field; and the country, rejoicing in the consiousness of augmented strength and vigor, is permitted to expect continuance of years with large increase of freedom. No human counsel hath devised nor hath any mortal hand worked out these great things. They are the gracious gifts of the Most High God, who, while dealing with us in anger for our sins, hath nevertheless remembered mercy. It has seemed to me fit and proper that they should be solemnly, reverently and gratefully acknowledged as with one heart and one voice by the whole American People. I do therefore invite my fellow citizens in every part of the United States, and also those who are at sea and those who are sojourning in foreign lands, to set apart and observe the last Thursday of November next, as a day of Thanksgiving and Praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the Heavens. And I recommend to them that while offering up the ascriptions justly due to Him for such singular deliverances and blessings, they do also, with humble penitence for our national perverseness and disobedience, commend to His tender care all those who have become widows, orphans, mourners or sufferers in the lamentable civil strife in which we are unavoidably engaged, and fervently implore the interposition of the Almighty Hand to heal the wounds of the nation and to restore it as soon as may be consistent with the Divine purposes to the full enjoyment of peace, harmony, tranquillity and Union.
In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the Seal of the United States to be affixed.
Done at the City of Washington, this Third day of October, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, and of the Independence of the Unites States the Eighty-eighth.
By the President: Abraham Lincoln
President Lincoln used his leadership to point people to the source of our generous provisions. Will you as a leader use your influence to instill in others the importance of being thankful? Along with this will you direct people's attention to God as the source of every good and perfect gift?
Happy Thanksgiving to all of you!!

Leadership Tips from Bill Gates

2008-11-05T10:27:00.004-07:00

Bill Gates writes about four leadership tips that he applies:

1. Take two “retreats” every year.

“Leave your office to develop long-range strategies.” Leadership transcends the tactical management and leads the strategic initiatives. A great way to refresh and refocus is to get out of the mold, so you can gain a different perspective on where things are heading.

2. Read books on other topics.

“Read books on topics that don’t pertain strictly to your business or industry. It’s the best way to maintain a broad perspective.” Leaders need to open up broad channels of input; you need to assess what other industries are doing as they impact yours. Microsoft did not attain its level of success by forgetting about their customers were doing. Their customers were small and medium businesses in healthcare, government, finance, and “mom and pop” shops, etc. All these other industries are intertwined with all the rest of the world.

3. Identify problems early.

“Identify problems early by tracking “exceptions,” such as sales figures that suddenly sag for a particular product. Jump on them right away.” Know what to expect and you will find anomalies. Once you found an anomaly, you have found a potential problem worth exploring. But, all in all, you need metrics in place to track anything.

4. Stop at the end of each day

“Stop at the end of each day to analyze how well you used it. If you wasted time on things you didn’t need to do, eliminate them tomorrow.” Just imagine how much more efficient and effective you will be!

Heart and Leadership Check-Up

2008-10-29T15:55:00.002-06:00

The greatest resource for leadership development is the Bible. We can read about many development practices for leaders in God's Word. One great challenge is for a leader to “Guard His Heart.”

How can you focus on guarding your heart?

By looking for Straight “A’s” in your heart and in your leadership:

A – Attitude: This is a decision of the will and it is about choosing the right attitude.

q Philippians 2:5-7 – servant

q Romans 12

A – Affection: What are the affections of my heart? What are the expressions of my heart?

q Philippians 1:3-8

q Foundation of our affection – Jesus; act like Jesus

A – Alignment: GC2 – Great Commandment and Great Commission

q Align your heart and people to the main thing

q Ephesians 4:1-4 – this is our description of power

q Key = Unity. It is important to remember that many times when we are aligned there can be eruptions. Pursuing unity does not necessarily mean 100% agreement.

A – Application: As leaders we need to be doers of the Word. As we are doers the skills exhibited will be honoring to God.

q Unsharpened axe vs. Sharpened axe: James 1:22 - sharpened axe; Ecclesiastics 10:10 – unsharpened ax

q Key = keeping your axe sharp

Well, now comes the tough question, are you getting Straight "A's" with your leadership? I'm guessing we all have room for improvement. I hope this is helpful as you think about your heart for leadership.

Praying For Our Nation

2008-10-02T10:03:00.003-06:00

We are going through a time of great uncertainty as a nation. What is around the corner? The good news is that God knows what is around the corner and we can depend upon Him. As leaders our greatest response to uncertainty is prayer. I read this article this morning from Patricia Raybon and found it very encouraging - I hope you do as well and that it leads you to pray.

1) Be still.

Commit to stop spinning in circles about the “financial meltdown,” the “impending financial catastrophe,” the political campaign – how it’s all going to turn out, what’s in the news, who’s ahead in the polls – or even about your own family’s financial future, says Raybon. “Instead, follow the examples of Bible heroes and first be still before the holiness of God.” Especially during a crisis, but on every day, “take real time to get quiet and turn your attention solely on God – focusing on the Lord, breathing in his rest, peace, wisdom and his amazing presence.” She cites Psalm 91:1 as a reminder. "They who dwell in the secret place of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty." (Psalm 91:1) The result? Renewal, refreshment, vision, power in prayer.

2) Seek God.

Put aside your worries and concerns to instead seek God’s face. Seeking him “changes our focus from the news, the problems, the crisis, ourselves – back to God. As we humbly seek him, meantime, we’ll recognize he is already taking care of our nation and its concerns, providing his answers to our problems.” She cites the Matthew 6:33 as a familiar but key verse: "Seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well."

3) Be Humble, Fast and Forgive.

Glorify God and unlock his prayer answers by humbly turning from the wickedness of unforgiveness against others. Or as Jesus said: "And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive him, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins." (Mark 11:25) Adds Raybon: “Ask the Holy Spirit to remove vengeful, evil feelings about others from your heart, especially during the tenseness of these tumultuous days. Look to Jesus instead for his light and healing. After the cleansing of forgiveness, you will pray with renewed power.” A reminder: "The Lord is far from the wicked but he hears the prayer of the righteous." (Proverbs 15:29)

4) Turn from Evil.

If you have a hidden fault – one you know is offensive to God – now is the time to turn from it for good. Focus today not on what Wall Street executives did. Instead, examine your own life. As the Lord told Solomon in II Chronicles 7:13 “When I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain, or command locusts to devour the land or send a plague among my people, if my people who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.”

5) Get up.

Put some “feet on your prayers.” Go help somebody else. Indeed, as the Lord told the prophet Jonah regarding Nineveh’s national crisis, “But Nineveh has more than a hundred and twenty thousand people who cannot tell their right hand from their left, and many cattle as well. Should I not be concerned about that great city?” In other words, use this time of national crisis to reconcile yourself to God – but also to others, by helping somebody else. Ask God to show you another’s needs you can meet. In that way, praying is not just about asking, “it’s about how we live,” says Raybon. “That’s the message in these biblical stories. Be humble. Seek God. Pray. Clean up our own living. Then God will also heal our land.”

For more information about her ministry visit: www.patriciaraybon.com.

Leadership Quotes to Ponder

2008-09-30T11:23:00.002-06:00

Vision is the currency that purchases the buy-in of leaders.

Become pre-occupied with those you haven't reached as opposed to those you are trying to keep.

Management is doing things right; leadership is doing the right things.

When your memories exceed your dreams, the end is near.

Vision begins with a burden.

A leader is a dealer in hope.

Lead with courage, because there is much at stake.

Don't tell people how to do things, tell them what to do and let them surprise you with their results.

The best executive is the one who has sense enough to pick good men to do what he wants done, and self-restraint to keep from meddling with them while they do it.

Leadership is the art of getting someone else to do something you want done because he wants to do it.

What do you think?

Making Waves

2008-09-11T09:50:00.006-06:00

Our Children's Ministry Director recently gave me an article to read about change. Creating healthy change is a big part of leadership. Environments of change should not be "change for the sake of change, but change for the sake of progress." This article by Larry Shallenberger highlights some important steps to consider when going down the path toward change.

Brain Waves

Effective change begins in the mind of the leader. It is important to carefully analyze the change you are thinking about instituting. This analyzing should include considering the dynamics that will come into play in your situation. So, be sure to start with this question - what do I hope to accomplish through this change?

Sound Waves

Now that you are clear and the why's of your change begin to think about how you will communicate this change. Shallenberger says, "Lasting change always starts with the invisible and progresses to the visible. Change minds before structures." So, the second question is - can you make a compelling case for your change in two sentences?

Light Waves

Once you have communicated the change and the reason for this change you are ready for implementation. In most cases, if the reasons are communicated clearly and in a compelling way this step should not be to difficult. The important thing to remember here is to execute with excellence. So, the third question is - what do we need to do to launch this change with

excellence? It is during this wave that you can go to great lengths to build trust with your team. Trust from your team will come as you communicate with them and get them the needed resources to help with the launch of the change.

Shock Waves

Harvard Business Professor Leonard Schlesinger says this, "By accomplishing anything of value, a whole segment of the population will not appreciate what you are doing." So when the waves come - how should we respond to criticism?

Listen Graciously
Honor this person for having the courage to come and confront you
Lead with Strength

If you are convinced that this change is right for your organization, be careful not to shrink back when criticized. Nothing creates confusion faster than a wavering leader. Remain steady and have the courage to continue implementing your change.

Change is a part of life. Organizations that are unwilling to change soon become ineffective. So, be willing to make waves for the sake of moving forward.

Story of Influence

2008-09-03T17:05:00.000-06:00

In 1986, something remarkable happened in the little town of Conyers, Georgia. High School officials there discovered that one of their basketball players - who had played forty-five seconds in the first of the school's five post-season games - had actually been scholastically ineligible. They discovered this after the championship game was history. What did they do in response? Had they just swept it under the rug, no one would have noticed. The studenthad only appeared once for forty-five seconds! It was not that big of a deal. But that's not how they saw it. They returned the state championship trophy they had won just three weeks before. They could have kept quiet and kept the trophy, but they had too much moral intelligence to do that.

To their credit, the team and the town, althought they were sad, stood behind the school's decision. The coach said, "We didn't know he was ineligible at the time...but you've got to do what's honest and right and what the rules say. I told the team that people forget the scores of games; they don't forget what you're made of."

This is an amazing story of integrity. Integrity in leadership is critical for the credibility of the leader.

So, here's a few lessons for our leadership from this story:

1. 90% of our leadership life is about our character.

2. The invisible trumps the visible. The inside should always come first.

3. From our being as leaders flows our doing.

4. Small compromises by leaders can go unnoticed for a period of time but eventually these compromises will have a negative impact on the leader's influence.

So, integrity in our leadership should never be compromised!!