Aspects of ‘leadership’
Notwithstanding that I’m a bit of a sceptic about ‘leadership’ (see this post), and prefer Henry Minzberg’s ‘community-ship’ as a better descriptor of the community of effort in a church, below are some quotes that pertain to ‘leadership’ for those misguided souls who think that it is a better concept than ‘ministry’ in churches where people mutually serve, encourage and share with one another.
Jack Welsh: (ex CEO of General Electric)
Make people feel good about themselves. Make them better, fuller, richer. Tell people where they stand, and what they can grow up to become. Talk about mistakes.
Be real, not stiff. Motivate face to face. You can only rally a team by being with them and having them feel that you know them and care about them.
You want to get everyone to feel free to create and contribute their own ideas. Harness the best ideas, share them, and apply them across functions. Show clear vision. Be decisive. Care deeply.
The central idea at GE was to build great people
When you get it wrong, treat people fairly and move on.
Convey a passion to your people to be great in everything they choose to be and do. A leader can't build trust without transparency, and a team without trust won't win.
Colin Powell (ex US Army Chief of Staff)
Once I examine all the rough edges and make a decision as to what we will do, then we all move in that direction and stick with it, with coherence and consistency—until it's proven that we should move in a different direction.
Tolerate rebels who tell the emperor he has no clothes.
The people in the field are closest to the problem, closest to the situation; therefore, that is where real wisdom is.
The day that people stop bringing you their problems is the day you stop leading them. They either lose confidence that you can help them or conclude that you do not care. Either case is failure of leadership.
The leader sets an example. Other people take their cue from the leader —not so much from what the leader says, but from what the leader does
Michael Porter (Harvard University, Grad. Schl. of Business)
A leader also ensures that everyone understands the strategy. Strategy is not some mystical vision that only the people at the top understand. Strategy informs all of the things that get done every day, and aligns those things in the same direction.
Deciding which customers and needs to serve requires discipline, the ability to set limits, and forthright communication. Clearly, strategy and leadership are linked.
Rudy Giuliani, (former mayor of New York)
You can't accomplish anything of great worth without other people. If you're in charge of anything, ask yourself: "What are my weaknesses?" If you can balance your weaknesses with the strengths of others, you can create a great team. Build your team with people who have strengths in your area of weakness. Tell people why you do what you do. If you can't communicate what you know or expect, you can't lead people. Leaders are rarely doers. They rely on other people. They are teachers, motivators, and coaches.
From 10 mistakes that leaders make, (ones that I’ve seen from time to time in paid Christians (ministers)) (Harvard Business Review, June 09, p. 18)
Have poor judgment
They make decisions that colleagues and subordinates consider to be not in the organization’s best interests.
Don’t collaborate
They avoid peers, act independently, and view other leaders as competitors. As a result, they are set adrift by the very people whose insights and support they need.
Resist new ideas
They reject suggestions from subordinates and peers. Good ideas aren’t implemented, and the organization gets stuck.
Don’t learn from mistakes
They may make no more mistakes than their peers, but they fail to use setbacks as opportunities for improvement, hiding their errors and brooding about them instead.
Lack interpersonal skills
They make sins of both commission (they’re abrasive and bullying) and omission (they’re aloof, unavailable, and reluctant to praise).
Fail to develop others
They focus on themselves to the exclusion of developing subordinates, causing individuals and teams to disengage.
But all said and done, if the 'system' the community, or cultural configuration that you attempt to 'lead' within is flawed, then all you are doing is polishing fish before putting them back in dirty water. See here on 'leadership' and systems.
Because, really, its about community: the life of the body, not of one part!
