If I were a new pastor . . . Part 4

11.  Time management will be one of your greatest challenges.  In a normal job you start at a fixed time and end at a fixed time.  This is NOT true in ministry.  There will be demands from all sides, every one insisting that they are VERY important.  Your ability to balance your time and correctly attribute priorities will be one of the things which will mark you as effective . . . nor not.  If you have not already read it, go out now and buy Steven Covey's 7 Habits of Highly Effective People and read it/study it and practice what it says.  If you have read it - RE-READ it!  It will not only give you excellent and practical guidance in time management but provide some excellent and practical advice in other areas.

12.  Prayer IS important . . . and will be the first thing pushed out of your schedule unless you are careful.  Insist on keeping sacred a fixed time with God, and increase that time until you are regularly (at least 4 times a week) spending at least an hour at a time in focused prayer.  This may mean re-learning what prayer really is, it may mean changing how you think about God, BUT PRAYER IS IMPORTANT.

13.  EVERYBODY has an agenda.  In most cases their agenda is benign or possibly even beneficial.  In some cases there will be individuals with an agenda which they believe is beneficial but it runs crosswise with your vision and/or your understanding of God's will for the church or your ministry.  In a few cases, there will be individuals with an agenda which is entirely self-serving under the guise of being spiritual.  If you remember that EVERYONE has an agenda and pause to consider what that might be BEFORE you act, you will be more likely to find the right path.  This may sound easy but I can assure you that it is rarely black and white and the shades of gray can be very confusing.  Go slow, pray hard, and make sure you have some godly counselors you can consult if needed.

What Got You Here Won't Get You There

What Got You Here Won't Get You There, by Marshall Goldsmith

The book is arranged in four sections:

1. The Trouble with Success
2. The Twenty Habits That Hold You Back from the Top
3. How We Can Change for the Better
4. Pulling Out the Stops

As I stated in an earlier post, this book is more about honing your people skills than strategies for achieving corporate advancement.  However, as the author makes clear, it is precisely the people skills which keep most from achieving the kind of corporate advancement they desire. 

Goldsmith states "Given the choice between becoming a nicer person and ceasing to be a jerk, which do you think is easier to do?" p. 38.  This is the operational philosophy, i.e. focus on ceasing to be a jerk by targeting specific behaviors for change.  Although the author as a consultant uses a 360 degree anonymous review process to identify which behaviors to target, there is sufficient material in the book to assist anyone who cares enough to improve their behavior.  I saw myself in several of the 20 habits in section 2 and learned some ways to make minor changes which can have big results.

"As you go through life, contemplating the mechanics of success and wondering why some people are successful and others are not, you'll find this s one of the defining traits of habitual winners:  They stack the deck in their favor.  And they're unabashed about it."  p. 180  Using the material in this book does just that - it stacks the deck in your favor and I would consider this a "must-read," not to mention enjoyable.

Execution Book Study - Session 5

This was the final session of the book study on the book Execution by Larry Bossidy and Ram Charan.  We discussed chapter 8 & 9 in this session.

Probably the most significant thing to rise up out of chapter 8, and perhaps in this study as a whole, was the importance of connecting the people process to the strategic process.  The authors also pose these questions regarding the strategic plans:  Is the plan plausible and realistic?  Is it internally consistent?  Does it match the critical issues and the assumptions?  Are people committed to it?  These questions and others addressed in this chapter reiterate another focus that has come to the front as we have gone through the study:  ASKING THE RIGHT QUESTIONS.  The focus on asking questions as part of the execution process has surfaced repeatedly as one of the crucial roles of the leader whose desire is execution.

In chapter 9 the link between the strategic plan and the operations process is discussed.  Without this link the strategic process is typically a paperweight that reflects a "checked that off" mentality, instead of a culture of execution.  HOW will you get done what you have laid out in the strategic plan?  One interesting thing which came to light in the conversation is that some of the campus leaders have strategic plans for their campuses and others don't.  This final session has pointed out the need to rectify that missing piece, but also to make sure the strategic plan is connected to an operations process in relationship to people and budget.

The operation plan is summarized here:
1.  Set the targets connected to the strategic goals
2.  Develop action plans which will hit those targets (keeping in mind the need for contingency planning)
3.  Get agreement and closure from all the participants, establishing follow-through measures to make sure people are meeting their commitments or work up corrective steps if the aren't.

Sounds easy but requires the exercise of leadership.

If I were a new pastor . . . Part 3

8.  Don't change your focus with each new fad.  Pick a lane and stay in it.  Too often pastors seek to find a magic bullet which will solve their church's perceived problems and when there is not an immediate improvement, they move on to another idea.  Slow down!  Stay focused and give your plan time to work.  Set reasonable time lines for re-evaluation, but DON'T keep changing things.  All this does is undermine your credibility as a leader.

9.  Ministry is a high commitment profession and the minister's family has to be able to accept that there will be some sacrifices both in the economic and quantity of time available.  But there should not be any lessening of the quality of time.  Make your family a priority, realizing that at some times they might not be the top priority, they should never doubt your devotion and commitment to them.  If you fail your family you shouldn't be serving as a pastor to begin with.

10.  As much as possible, make your ministry a team effort involving your spouse and children.  You will be happier and so will they.  Too often the families of ministers begin to resent the church and God.  You have to work to avoid this by involving them, not forcing them, in your life and ministry.  They need to perceive God's love for people and see how you handle compassion and service as a response to love instead of a burden and a chore.

If I were a new pastor . . . Part 2

5.  Speaking of survival.  It is true you don't have to survive, you must simply follow the will of God. However, the interpretation of God's will is often not as rigid, at least in some areas as in others.  Wisdom will dictate a course based on love for the people, passion for God (which is essentially the same thing) and only then projects based out of your gifts, desires, etc.  if you get this backwards your effectiveness will be diminished possibly to the point that you will find staying at that church unacceptable, or worse, not possible.  Of course you can blame the hard hearts of the congregation, but you will know deep in your soul that you mixed up your priorities.

6.  You will likely be responsible for preaching at least weekly if not more often.  This is a primary responsibility which demands your full attention.  The more effective you are here the greater your credibility in affecting change in other arenas.  Preaching that connects with the congregation is the goal.  They should always leave with a clear idea of the core message from the sermon, along with an action step.

7.  Don't neglect to keep growing by exposing yourself to reading new books and talking with your peers and mentors about your personal development.  You should always be reading at least 4 books at a time:  a leadership book, a devotional, a novel, and a book devoted to some aspect of ministry.   Never, never, never ignore your own intellectual growth.

If I were a new pastor . . . Part 1

What should I know if I became the pastor of a new church, or if I was a newly assigned pastor in my first church?  Apart from the given that you will be a devoted follower of Jesus Christ and knowledgeable about the Bible there are a few things which are often overlooked in many books devoted to this topic.

1.  Your people skills matter to the congregation at least as much as your knowledge of the Bible.  This might not seem right or fair to you, but look at it from the perspective of the average layman who depends on you for guidance and support.  If you were a doctor, this would be called your bedside manner and indeed Pastor's are often called to be by the bedside of the dying and console the bereaved family members.  You will never achieve the kind of impact you would like to if you ignore this important aspect of ministry.  Every Pastor, and leader of all types for that matter, should immediately go out and buy, read and study Dale Carenegie's book  How to Win Friends and Influence People.

2.  You will occasionally be the recipient of gifts.  It might be tomatoes out of a garden or a handshake at the end of a worship service with a $20 bill in it.  Every time, without fail, no matter the size of the gift or the person offing it, you MUST write out a thank you card.  Some will not care if you do, but for others it will be a telling blow about your character if you don't, and may be used to describe you in the heat of the moment.  "Well, I've not found the Pastor or his wife to be particularly grateful."  Perception is truth, so make sure you are perceived as being grateful -every time.

3.  Find out who is related to whom as soon as possible.  This can save you untold embarrassment and possible unforgivable missteps.  If you can't understand why this is important, you a in the wrong job.

4.  Build relationships first, getting to know people and the history of the church BEFORE attempting to change very much.  Again, this will save you embarrassment and missteps which may be greater than your ability to survive.

More to follow

New book?

This looks like an interesting read

http://www.leadershipnow.com/leadingblog/2012/08/leadership_by_choice.html

Execution Book Study - Session 4

In this session we discussed chapters 6 and 7 of Execution by Larry Bossidy and Ram Charan.

Chapter 6 focused on the People Process

This chapter delivered not only an excellent reminder of the importance of getting the right people into the right places, but offered some interesting tools to assist in the process.  The Leadership Assessment Summary and the Continuous Improvement Summary were both noted by those participating as providing a practical way to assess current employees for fit and for potential development.  The importance of leadership grooming was hit upon several times.  This is an area where we can all do a better job in preparing leaders to move up as the opportunity presents itself. 

The linkage of the people process with strategic planning was also discussed.  The relevance here is to take time to look ahead at where you plan to be in your leadership and then to make sure you have the right number and type of people to MAKE SURE you hit your goals.  Probably too many fail at this point because they are not proactive but reactive.

Dealing with succession training and non-performers was also discussed as part of this chapter.  In both cases it comes back to the leader's willingness to deal with the present in a way that prepares for the future.  Lack of leadership defaults on the immediate and is ill prepared for the future, blaming a lot of different excuses without owning the truth.

QUESTION:  What process/plans do you have to make sure you are getting the right people into the right positions?

Chapter 7 The strategy process.

This chapter does a good job as a short summary to strategic planning.  Do you have a strategic plan for your campus/business?  Do you have the right people to achieve your strategic plan?

The authors state that a contemporary strategic plan is in actuality an action plan with identified building blocks which lead to the ultimate goal.  Those building blocks should be a half-dozen or fewer with clear actions that define what needs to be done and by whom and on what deadline.  Once this is clearly defined and the group has committed to the plan, then it is a simple matter of following-up and following through to completion.

QUESTION: Share your strategic plan for your campus.

EQ - the difference between success and the deadend

I started this book, What Got You Here Won't Get You There by Marshal Goldsmith with the full expectation of not to like it.  I figured it would be one more book which touted the top 7 (or 5 or 9 or 13, etc) things anyone can do to get to the next level.

Although I'm only a little over halfway through the book, I was pleasantly surprised to find that instead of touting a miracle approach to success it focuses on the fundamental aspect of true success which is often overlooked.  The term "emotional intelligence," is not used, or used so sparingly that I've missed it, but that is what this book is about.  How to increase the awareness of our shortfalls in the area of emotional intelligence, and some suggestions about how to address them.  I've already picked up some valuable nuggets!   

 

I will summarize the book in a later post but I thought this might be a good place to list a few other books dealing with this subject which everyone, anyone, who hopes to make it to an upper level of management should read AND incorporate into their life:

• How to Win Friends and Manage People, by Dale Carnegie
• The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, by Stephen Covey
• Primal Leadership: Learning to Lead with Emotional Intelligence by Daniel Goleman, Richard Boyatzis and Annie McKee
• Executive EQ:Emotional Intelligence in Leadership and Organizations by Robert Cooper and Ayman Sawaf
• The Resilience Factor: 7 Keys ot Finding Your Inner Strength and Overcoming Life's Hurdles, by Karen Reivich and Andrew Shatte
• Becoming a Resonant Leader: Develop your Emotional Intelligence, Renew your Relationships, Sustain your Effectiveness, by Annie McKee, Richard Boyatzis, and Frances Johnson
• Relational Intelligence:  How Leaders Can Expand Their Influence Through a New Way of Being Smart, by Richard Saccone.
• The Bible

And this is by no means a complete list, just what I have on my shelf that is specific to this topic.  Many other leadership books have sections devoted to this topic precisely because it is so fundamental to success.   If you have any desire to be better and more effective in EVERY part of your life, get one of these books and begin the journey!

 

Turn Around Teams

Here is a review of a new book on teams and how to turn-around a team that is failing.

I think you may want to review it.

Turn Around Your Team!

When falsely accused . . .

I will write this from the perspective of actually being falsely accused, rather than simply refusing to believe the truth in the accusation, as I think, most people are rather expert at twisting the truth to believe they are the subject of injustice far more than owning their reality.  Also, I am writing this in relationship to work situations, i.e. if a supervisor confronts you with an accusation of some inadequacy in your work, attitude, ethical conduct, etc.  With that being said, what should one do if falsely accused:

First, listen carefully to the description of your lack WITHOUT getting defensive.  This is the most important, and possibly the most difficult, thing you can do.  Being defensive, i.e. contradicting and defending your behavior can only escalate the situation, potentially resulting in hasty decisions, or actions, or both.  That is to say, you could quit in the heat of the moment, or get fired because of inflammatory remarks, or even be provoked to violence.  Far better to take a deep breath, or two, or three (it oxygenates the brain and helps you maintain control) and focus on listening.

Second, ask clarifying questions IN A NON-DEFENSIVE tone.  The goal here is to make sure you completely understand the issue being presented, not to defend your actions or honor.  The exception would be if you are specifically asked to make a defense, and even that has to be presented in as logical and rational a manner as possible.

Third, if possible, ask for a short period of time to reflect on the accusation and genuinely try to see the situation from your supervisor's point of view . . . and then determine what actions you could take to avoid the situation happening in the future.  Once you have cooled off enough to discuss the issue share your action plan with your supervisor.  Then do what you said you would do and follow the procedures you were directed to follow.

NEVER, NEVER, NEVER make derogatory comments about your supervisor to anyone within the system (co-workers, other supervisors, basically anyone at work) and even avoid negative comments with anyone who is not a very close friend.    These comments will ALWAYS come back to bite you.  No matter how much you trust the person, it WILL get back to your supervisor and you WILL have to answer for your comments (even if it is by standing in the unemployment line).  This also goes for any form of social media: facebook, twitter, linkedin, etc.  It may not seem fair, but social media is public property and many have lost their jobs because of exercising their "freedom of speech."  Remember you have freedom of speech and your supervisor has freedom to fire.

DO find a close friend, spouse or out-of-state relative with whom you can vent.  Everyone needs to let off their frustrations.  How you do it, however, can get you fired if you're not careful.

Finally, if you like your job and are willing to modify your behavior, assuming it is not unethical, you will likely be able to weather these kind of storms and have a long career.  If what you are being asked to do is unethical - report the supervisor up the chain - if that doesn't work find another job - your character is your most valuable asset.  If, however, you don't like your job, think seriously about making a move to a position where you could be happy.

Now you probably didn't want this kind of advice.  After all, you were falsely accused.  Sadly, the rain falls on the just and the unjust ( that means that bad things happen to good people).  So, grasshopper, pay attention to what I have just told you and things will work out.  They always do, eventually.

Everyone has a Story

I woke up in the middle of the night with these thoughts swirling around in my head:

• Everyone has their own story
• Every story matters, to the individual and to those within their circle of influence
• Every story is unique, based off
• Characters in the story and their interaction with the main character
• Choices made by the main character.
• Choices are motivated by:
• Money, or desire for what money can purchase
• Sex, or the desire for physical intimacy
• Power
• Love, or the desire to be loved/cared for/valued 
• Hate
• Choices can have a profound impact upon the story sometimes far beyond the seeming significance of the choice itself
• With discipline it is possible to intentionally make better choices with better outcomes
• Every story is ultimately about relationship
• We exist within a framework/spiderweb of relationships with all of the characters in our story touching and changing us, and being changed by us.
• We can, but often do not, choose the nature of our impact upon others.
• We cannot chose the nature of the impact of others upon us, BUT we can choose, but often do not, our reaction to the impact of others in our life.
• Everyone is part of other people's stories, 
• for some it is a significant overlap as with a spouse wherein they "become one flesh" 
• and with others is is the merest brush like that of a butterfly 
• every touch, no matter how small leaves a mark
• Every relationship is a reflection of our relationship with God

Focus on the choices you make each day - think about them in relationship to others and your own life story.

I just finished Taking People With you: The Only Way to Make Big Things Happen by David Novak.  David Novak is the chairman and CEO of YOU! Brands, Inc., The company's three restaurant chains, KFC, Pizza Hut, and Taco Bell operate in 117 countries and employees 1.4 million people.

Taking People With You is written in a personable and easy to read style with a lot of insert comments from leaders in the subject area being discussed.  Additionally, Novak has included with each chapter a wide variety of exercises and questions to make practical application of the principles he presents easy for individual or groups to assimilate.

The book is 222 pages long with three parts:

• Part One:  Get Your Mind-set Right
• Be Your Best Self:  Be Yourself, Know Yourself, Grow Yourself
• Be an Avid Learner:  Seek and Buiild Know-how
• Unleash the Power of People
• You Have to Believe It Can be Done
• Part Two:  Have a Plan: Strategy, Structure, Culture
• Strategy:  Tell It Like It Is . . . and How It Could Be
• Strategy:  Create a Vision and Personalize It
• Strategy:  Gain Alignment Every Step of the Way at Every Level
• Structure:  Resources, Organization, and Process Enable Execution
• Culture:  Make "Winning Together" a Big Idea
• Part Three:  Follow Through to Get Results
• Market the Change:  Be a Bold Ad for Your Big Goal
• Understand and Overcome the Barriers to Success
• Use Recognition to Drive Performance
• The Change is Never Over.

Novak's premise is stated in the first line of the introduction is:  "We all need people to help us along the way.  You can only go so far by going it alone. . . . You'll never accomplish anything big if you try to do it alone." p. 1  I thought this book would actually be about that, i.e. how to effectively work with people to mutually succeed.  Instead I found this to be a somewhat disjointed book on leadership principles with a heavy emphasis on marketing.  That's not to say that the principles aren't true and that the material isn't of value - it is, it just wasn't what I was expecting.  I can easily see where the design and presentation of this material would be better suited for some people but I found it to be somewhat disorganized and I constantly labored with the disconnect from the title to what I perceived in the content.  

Here are some of the quotes which I found particularly interesting, although I don't agree with all of them:

• "Remember that it's easier to make powerful ideas practical than it is to make pedestrian ideas powerful." p17
•  "Setting the right goal is the key to achieving success, and leaders often fall short in this area by not aiming high enough." p. 15
• "The bottom line is this:  If you can accurately identify the people you need to make something happen and then get inside their heads, then you will have the best chance of convincing them to help you accomplish big things." p. 22
•  "Leaders need to model the kind of good values they want their organization to live by, including the idea that each and every person in the company matters." p. 76
• "People don't really change until there is enough pain to force them to change, but you better believe that if they're standing on a platform that's on fire, they will be seriously motivated to jump." p. 99
• "You should present evidence that the strides you've made are working, and keep doing this as you make more along the way."p. 105
• "People don't want to go to work to just do their job.  They are most motivated when they know that what they're doing counts and they are helping the team drive toward a powerful vision of the future." p. 114
• "You have to make sure people understand three things:
• What do you want them to do
• What's in it for them
• Are you going to do it too." p. 133
• "Your ability as a leader to attract, develop, and retain people is fundamental to your success." p. 138
• "Sometimes the worst thing you can do as a leader is try to solve all the problems yourself." p. 170
• "You need to market your goal or your initiative in the same dynamic way you would a new product.  You need to keep that goal front and center in the minds of your target audience.  That means you need to get their attention, convince them of its importance, and keep convincing them."  p. 172
• "People are motivated by what is truly measured.  What you choose to measure is a signal to your people as to what you care about and what they need to do to get ahead in your organization." p. 195
• "As the leader, its up to you to determine what success looks like, and you have to make sure you've got the bar in the right place." p. 198
• "Who you choose to recognize has a real effect; it differentiates people, motivates them, and shows those who don't get recognized what it takes to get ahead." p. 201
• "The three best ways to keep the focus are through persistence, constant communication, and by playing like you're behind, even when you're not." p 207
• "You should be going to work every day believing that you'll succeed, but playing as though you're behind in the score.  That's the attitude that will give you the best chance at success."  p. 209

Overall I found a lot to commend in this book for those have the responsibility, and challenge, to lead people and would recommend it especially as a book to use in a group study with teams.

Colin Powell's 13 Rules - I think you'll enjoy this!

Colin Powell's 13 Rules

Do you know your "job?"

I attended a different church yesterday morning.  I had been there a couple of times before; filled out the information card on at least two different occasions.   Did not receive any response from those cards.  The response of the people at this visit, like the previous ones, was lukewarm,  neither inviting, except for a VERY few, nor hostile; apathetic to my presence as a visitor seemed about right.  As I was leaving the service yesterday I intentionally waited until the pastor was by himself at the door and went up to greet him.  He responded with a handshake and then the conversation turned flat.  I mentioned the weather being nice, he agreed and that was that.  No question of who I was, where did I live, etc.  No mention of seeing me in the past or ANY effort to engage me at all.

So I wonder, does that pastor know what his "job" is? 

I'm sure this is a question which MUST be addressed by each of us.  I saw a sign coming into the office building at NAU last week.  It said:  "We are in the people improvement business."  I like that, but how does that play out in what I do, and how likely am I to get lost in my "work" and miss the focus of being in the people improvement business.  I heard a great story from a student graduating last Friday in Minneapolis about how NAU and the education she received has helped changed her life.  A living example of being in the people improvement business!!

Figure out what business you are in . . . and then act like it.

Execution - Book Study, session 3

In this session we discussed chapters 4 and 5 of Execution by Larry Bossidy and Ram Charan. 

Chapter 4 dealt with creating the framework for cultural change.  Honestly this particular topic was a little hard to get a firm grip on.  Susan Winton made a connection with Culture Club at NAU which helped for those participating in the discussion.  Essentially the role of Culture Club at the local campus, as she described it, lends itself to building a sense of community around a shared set of values.  In correlation with this book, one of those values would be a focus on execution.  According to the authors, "cultural change gets real when your aim is execution." (p. 86)  They identify three behaviors which produce results in this area: 

1. Tell people clearly what results you're looking for
2. Discuss how to get those results (coaching)
3. Reward people for producing results

Each of these form a part of the culture of execution.  Clear identification of results seems self-explanatory but as some of those present shared, this is not always the case.  Leaders have to be able to discipline and distill their thought processes to make sure they are clearly communicating the results they are looking for - and then be willing to give and take in a conversation to make sure they are clear and what behaviors/actions will produce those results.  This is where the conversation focused on the topic of "robust dialogue."  Robust dialogue is the kind of open discussion where individuals can clearly express themselves and probe for greater understanding as well as offering new or different ideas without threat.  Mark Winkleman suggested using a format found in The Six Thinking Hats to foster this kind of discussion.   For anyone not familiar with this material - this would be an excellent training piece to use with your team, especially if you are having trouble with getting robust dialogue.

Finally, the focus on rewarding people as part of this culture was discussed.  As we all know there are many ways to reward people that have nothing to do with monetary compensation.   Gordon Brooks mentioned The Five Love Languages which basically says that everyone has a preferred way of being appreciated and of expressing appreciation.  Learning that information about those who work for us makes us better at offering the kind of appreciation which will be most effective at communicating the feeling.

 QUESTION:  As you have read the chapter, identify a "social operating mechanism" for your team and how you use that (or could use it) to promote a culture of execution.

Chapter 5 had to do with the job no leader should delegate:  having the right people in the right place.  I loved the list of "Why the right people aren't in the right jobs." 

1. Lack of Knowledge - do you know the nonnegotiable criteria you must be able to do in order to succeed at your job?
2. Lack of Courage (on the part of the supervisor) who doesn't have the emotional fortitude to confront poor performance and take decisive action.
3. Psychological Comfort Factor (on the part of the supervisor) because the supervisor has promoted and is comfortable with the employee, regardless of performance.
4. Lack of Personal Commitment (on the part of the supervisor) who is not invested in the organization enough to even care about performance issues.

The authors go on to discuss that hiring the right kind of individual who will contribute to a culture of execution means finding people who have a focus on performance.  They discuss various interview techniques and things to look for in hiring this type of individual.  This section finished up with performance appraisals and how to have the kind of conversations which contribute to a culture of execution.

QUESTION: Describe a time from your life experience which fits one or more of the list above about why people aren't in the right jobs; this can be either about yourself, a co-worker, or about how a supervisor behaved.  After describing the situation, comment on your perception of the leader and the organization and how it affected your own, or others' performance.

The Halo Effect, by Phil Rosenzweig.  I'm a little over half way through this book and it has been eye opening to say the least.  The willingness of the author to look at the major publications in the business field and their conclusions about business practice has been revealing.  When reading some of the other books discussed or hearing about the companies cited by other authors as examples of best business practices and models for other to follow, it is possible to get the sense that if you just follow the boiled down best practices, anyone can have a great company.  After reading the Halo Effect the amount of guesswork and gut-instinct that goes into defining these "best practices" becomes obvious.   In essence, the halo effect comes from any data which draws from subjective impressions and opinions, no matter how well informed, regarding a business' practices.  According to Rosenzweig, any company that is doing well will be considered to be doing better and have superior processes, personnel and strategies than those who are not doing well.  This is regardless of market and other environmental factors which may be completely out of the control of the business.  The halo effect, or the residual "shine" from being considered to be doing well, influences every other consideration so much that it is nearly impossible short of clearly objective data of separating fact from halo.

What is coming clear to me is that there are halos, both good and bad, pretty much everywhere you look and being aware of that can make me more capable of making better decisions and, perhaps, more cautious in handing out praise OR judgment.

This is a good read, although Rosenzweig's attack on pretty much every major business research book does get a little frustrating.  I'm anxious to see as I get into the last part of the book if this is anything more than a doom and gloom reaction to other writer's success.  I don't doubt there IS a halo effect, but I also am pretty sure that most of the principles I read in other books have some validity for best practices in the business world, even if they can't clearly be supported by hard data.

Expediency, Exigency, and Ethics

Expediency can be defined as: a regard for what is politic or advantageous rather than for what is right or just; a sense of self-interest.
Exigency may be defined: need, demand, or requirement intrinsic to a circumstance, condition, etc.: the exigencies of city life.
Ethics:  that branch of philosophy dealing with values relating to human conduct, with respect to the rightness and wrongness of certain actions and to the goodness and badness of the motives and ends of such actions.

Three 'E' words that make all the difference in how we live and conduct our lives.  I think it is  accurate to state that most would avow that they live their lives according to an ethical standard.  That standard includes such moral virtues as honesty, respect, fairness, etc.  Our behavior, for I include myself in this group, seeks to portray a belief in ultimate values of right and wrong with a focus on living a righteous life.


Now enters exigency.  Who of us cannot deny that life pushes at us and is sometimes almost overwhelming in its intensity.  The demands of work which focus on productivity, seemingly above any other consideration, the pressures of domestic life and relationships all create a sense of demand that brings us to the edge of our ethics and personal values.


Exigency then gives birth to Expediency.  What is advantageous for me, rather than what is right.  What will benefit me or mine in the moment of pressure often takes supremacy over our ethics.  We sign a paper we shouldn't have, we tell a lie to make ourselves look better, we pocket an item that doesn't belong to us.  The exigency of the moment passes and we find we have stepped beyond our ethics and for what?  Our act of expediency instead of enriching us, has lessened us.  Any temporary benefit received pales when evaluated against our loss of character.  The explanations we make to excuse the act are for others, or perhaps even to attempt to fool ourselves, but we know the truth.


Better to live right, to choose right, and to choose right in advance of exigency than to allow expediency to prevail.
 
 

Tone Makes the Difference

  Recently I have been reminded of the significance of Tone in how conversations are perceived and the reactions engendered.  This short video captures some of that with these three points:

1. Tone is more important than the words used.  How we say something is more important that what we say.  Understanding this is crucial for anyone who desires clear communication.  But it also means that there must exist a certain amount of Emotional Intelligence on the part of the speaker to control their own emotions enough to modify the Tone so that the content of the message can come through.  If you can't control your own emotions, you can be sure that what you are saying is usually misunderstood and could be the source of frustration and difficult relationships at work, or at home. 
2. People's reactions are determined a lot by your tone.  Those reactions may seem all out of proportion to what you have said, either for good, or for ill.  If you perceive that the reactions to your comments don't match the content, it is probably because your tone of voice has conveyed an entirely different meaning.
3. You control the tone.  The world is full of individuals who would prefer to be victims and insist that they have no control over such things and that everyone misunderstands them.  Honestly, I have little time for these kind of people.  Everything rises and falls on leadership and leadership starts with me leading ME.  I refuse to be a victim!  Which means I have to accept responsibility for my communication, and thus the tone of voice I use in that communication. 

In conclusion - ponder these three points and start paying attention to how you say things as much as what you say.  This includes your email, too.

Tips for Participating or Leading a Book Study

Here are some tips for those participating or leading a book study for work, church, or personal enrichment.  While not exhaustive, these tips should help you get the most out of the study and provide an enriching experience for all involved.

Participants:

1. Once you know the date of the next book study session, plan backward to allow plenty of time to read the material and reflect on it.
1. Read about 5 -10 pages at a time, any more and the material can be overwhelming, any less and you may miss important connections
2. As you are reading or while reading underline or highlight points that stick out as significant.
3. After reading sit quietly for a few minutes and ponder what the author was trying to say and try to contextualize it in your own life with an example, either in support or in contrast (yes, it is OK to disagree with the author).  Jot a few notes in the margin or at the end of the section from your pondering.
4. Also write down questions or observations which the reading has prompted.
2. The day before or at least the morning before the book study, review what you have underlined and the notes you have made so the material is fresh in your mind.
3. During the book study ALWAYS make sure you speak up at least once. 
1. Your participation enhances the learning experience for everyone
2. Your participation marks you as an interested learner, while your quiet observation could be construed as passive or worse.
3. Your participation will stretch your communication skills and enhance your ability to articulate concepts and interact with peers in a healthy exchange.
4. NEVER be rude or offensive in your comments, remembering "you catch more flies with honey than with vinegar."  Obnoxious people develop a reputation which almost always limits their upward mobility and reduces their number of friends and colleagues.
4. If the opportunity is offered to lead a discussion, ALWAYS volunteer.  This will elevate your communication skills and make you more likely to be noticed as someone willing to take a risk and exercise leadership.  To quote a line from the "Replacements" movie:  "Leaders always want the ball."
5. Following the study, take time to write a short summary of the conversations and points which made an impression.  Ponder those points and see where you could make application in your personal life.

Leaders:

1. ALWAYS be thoroughly prepared to carry the conversation for the entire session if necessary, anticipating that few may join in, if they do, that is a bonus; if not at least you are able to share content.
2. Start on time.
3. End on time
4. Set the date for the next session and announce it well in advance so participants have more than enough time to complete the reading.
5. Use questions which require longer responses.
6. Call on select individuals to respond to questions in a non-threatening fashion.
7. ALWAYS be positive when participants take the risk to respond - even if they are completely off target, be positive and then gently turn the conversation onto the right track
8. NEVER denigrate those in leadership in your organization, instead find the positive and keep that if focus.
9. Encourage participants to lead different sessions of the study.  This allows them to practice leadership and communication skills - HOWEVER, even if someone has volunteered to lead a session ALWAYS, ALWAYS be thoroughly prepared yourself to lead that session as well.  The individual could be called away or simply flounder so much that your assistance could be needed.
10. Use personal examples carefully and be especially careful about going into too much detail.
11. If someone is dominating the conversation, regain control by directing specific questions to other individuals directly.
12. After the study, write a short summary of the conversations, relevant points and a list of those present.  This will be useful if you conduct the study again in the future and there may have been points raised which require more research, or can be implemented into your personal or professional life.

Execution, by Larry Bossidy and Ram Charan - Book Study Session 2- Chapters 2 & 31

In this session we discussed the material found in chapters 2 and 3.

The session began with reference to this quote:  "...intelligent, articulate conceptualizers don't necessarily understand how to execute." p. 36  This resonated with several of those participating who felt they may have fit this description.  Certainly for many there is a disconnect between the thinking/analysis/planning of activities and the execution/doing/follow-through which produces results.  Bossidy and Charan talk about developing a culture of execution based on performance which prevades high performing organizations.

The four parts of Joe's learning curve (explained on p. 38) provide a case study and a paradigm for this culture of execution:  1.  Involve all the people responsible for the plan, 2. Ask the "hows" of execution, specifically, "how will we accomplish the goals we have set for ourselves," 3. Set clear, unarguable, milestones and then hold people accountable, and 4. Have a contingency plan to deal with the unexpected.  From the discussion we learned that for many the challenge of holding people accountable is probably the most wide-spread.  It also came to light that involving stakeholders in the contingency planning could contribute to developing the culture of execution as there would likely be greater ownership.

QUESTION:  Which of these four steps is the most challenging for you and describe how you might practice this step in the near future.

In chapter 3 the authors  present the Leader's Seven Essential Behaviors:

1. Know your people and your business: "In companies that don't execute, the leaders are usually out of touch with the day to day realities." p. 57-58.  One of the participants mentioned that he has a note on his desk he sees regularly that says:  "The Customers Are Out There" meaning out of the office.  Good leaders know the business and even find value in being quizzed by their own leaders as it provides an opportunity to learn as well as to shine.
2. Insist on realism:  from Jim Collins in Good to Great:  "You absolutely cannot make a series of good decisions without first confronting the brutal facts."p. 70  It is easy to delude yourself into believing things are fine, particularly when you ignore the essential behavior of knowing the people and the business.
3. Set clear goals and priorities:  "Leaders who execute focus on a very few clear priorities that everyone can grasp." p. 69  The tendency for most is to allow themselves to be pulled in so many directions that they accomplish little or nothing.  Focus is the key of achievement and it starts with identifying the key indicators for success.  (see other posts in this blog)
4. Follow-Through:  "The failure to follow through is widespread in business, and a major cause of poor execution." p. 71  The discussion focused on "follow through mechanisms."  These mechanisms are things which we put into place which forces us to remember to take action on the steps we have set for ourselves.  It can be as minor as putting an even on the calendar or as elaborate as a full project management system.  One thing for certain, without follow-up, things will NOT get done which will derail the plan.
5. Reward the Doers:  It is a fact that in our business (higher education) the ability to provide financial perks basically doesn't exist.  However, that doesn't mean we can't follow this behavior.  It does mean we have to provide more intrinsic rewards, the foremost of which has to be appreciation.  More people quit their jobs due to a lack of appreciation than any other factor.  Leaders have to be able to provide this for their followers, EVEN WHEN THEY THEMSELVES DON'T FEEL APPRECIATED.
6. Expand People's Capabilities Through Coaching:  "the skill of the coach is the art of questioning.  Asking incisive questions forces people to think, to discover, to search."  p. 74.  Leaders who care about their people recognize the importance of investing in them and coaching their performance to higher levels.  Coaches care about the individuals on the team AND the goals of the team.  They care about doing things right AND doing the right things.
7. Know Yourself:  "Emotional fortitude comes from self-discovery and self-mastery.  Good leaders learn their specific personal strengths and weaknesses, especially in dealing with other people, then build on the strengths and correct the weaknesses."  p. 79   Finding out who you are and "being comfortable in your own skin" is an essential behavior because it enables you to strengthen your weaknesses and capitalize on your strengths.

QUESTION:  Take one or more of the above and share your own insights as it relates to that point.

Indicators of Success

I wrote in an earlier post about the definition of success.  In this post I'm not going to focus on what success means but rather on those things which are the measures used to gauge the progress toward success.  If you have defined success in terms of money, or property, etc., what I'm talking about are the indicators you will watch to determine whether or not you are approaching your goal. 

Everything we do is an indication of something.  Finding the right indicators and then paying attention to them is what differentiates success from failure.  Let's look at a goal of being physically fit.  You may define that by a specific weight, or certain body dimensions or BMI or the ability to achieve defined athletic goals or any combination of the above or more.  Indicators which would lead to success might include measuring caloric intake, or fat intake, or exercise, along a path that will lead eventually to success.  For instance, you might set a goal of losing five pounds in weight.  As you track your caloric intake, nutrition, etc, you will be able to see yourself either proceed toward or away from your goal.  Not tracking these indicators can provide the illusion of success, while in reality you are going the opposite direction.  Those who are serious about achieving success will not just define success, but will also identify which indicators are most likely to identify progress toward that success. 

The indicators should be limited to as few as possible which will provide the necessary guidance.  Having too many indicators overburdens the mind's ability to stay focused and actually detracts from the possibility of success.  As an example, one author I read said that studies have shown (this is what everyone says but hardly anyone ever checks the studies) that those who have been most successful in consistently losing and keeping weight off have two patterns of behavior (I will call these indicators): they drink a glass of milk each day and weight themselves each day.  Two things - not a dozen.  The right indicators, once identified can place success within reach.

Execution, by Larry Bossidy and Ram Charan - Book Study
Session 1- Introduction and Chapter 1

The emphasis in the first session, covering the Introduction and Chapter 1 focused on discussing the 3 core processes mentioned in the book:  People, Strategy, and Budgeting/Operations and the role of the leader in each of those processes.  The authors state that often leadership views execution as something to be delegated, which is the case, in their opinion for the lackluster performance of many organizations and the ousting of many leaders.    Bossidy and Charan state that lack of execution is the single biggest obstacle to success most of the time and that one of the Leaders major roles is to instill and practice a culture of execution.

Questions: 

1. Have you ever experienced the effects of a lack of execution from leadership and what effect did that have on you personally and the organization?
2. Discuss the significance of the Leader’s investment in picking the right people, setting (and communicating) the strategic direction, and involvement in operations.  How balanced are these from your previous experience and where do you personally need to focus for improvement?
3. What is MBWA and why is it important – how does it contribute to a culture of execution?

I have read a number of books and articles on "how to succeed," and "what does success really mean."  Of course anyone can say how they believe true success should be defined, and just as often they are glad to tell you what success is, or should be for your life.  I think I've been that fount of questionable wisdom myself in the past.  Here are some things I think I have learned.

1. You can define success any way you like, but there are always external measures which will be used to gauge your progress.  Even if you choose to ignore these measures someone will apply them and force them upon your awareness.  Rare is the individual, apart for what we want to believe, who sets their own standards and cares not for the opinion of at least one other person.  Generally these individuals wind up turning out to be sociopaths, or artists (including musicians), or both.
2. Therefore, success is pretty much pre-defined in almost every aspect of our lives, within broad parameters.  This goes for work, marriage, parenting, and even our participation, or lack thereof, in organized religion.
3. As it turns out this is not necessarily bad.  The bad part is not recognizing this and continually attempting to create one's own definition of success which denies this reality.  Few can do this with equanimity and those who are able to find some peace usually have loved ones who, at the very least, don't understand and at the worst suffer from the attempt to reconcile two different worlds.  I'm thinking here of the spouse or children of such an individual and the conflict this disparity will inevitability bring.  Conflict might be too mild a term.
4. The broad parameters in which success is defined in any area of life, while bounded by rather firm, if permeable, boundaries allows the illusion of self-determination which is necessary for individualization and productivity that contributes to well being, both mental and physical.
5. That being said, the identification of what constitutes success for me in any area has a clear measurement.  I may blithely ignore any attempt at defining these measures and so wander haphazardly through life, or, I can give thought and energy to setting the standard to which I will strive and give due effort in its accomplishment.  Depending upon my personality either avenue may give me peace or anxiety.
6. I am of the personality which finds peace and fulfillment in setting the standards, making the vows, and working toward their accomplishment.  I feel this is fortunate since, especially in the world of work and business, that tendency is better rewarded than the other, more casual approach, however, it does not insure any more peace and may actually contribute to an unhealthy focus on doing instead of being, if one is not careful.

So, why include this commentary in a blog about leadership?  Because a leader should, I think, recognize that those they lead may not always understand success as they do, and thus their motives in following should be considered as part of the overall strategy.

Beginning April 20 I will be leading a book study on the book: Execution: The Discipline of Getting Things Done.  Any of the editions available will serve for the purposes of this study.  This book was originally published in 2002 and updated in 2009.  The book study will be conducted in live sessions for employees of NAU and through this blog for any who cannot attend the live session, whether NAU employee or not.  I will post a summary of the discussions and pose a question or two to which anyone reading along may respond.  Hopefully this will be beneficial in prompting new thoughts and even, dare I say it, execution.

According to the authors, Larry Bossidy and Ram Charan, "Execution is the great unaddressed issue in the business world today.  Its absence is the single biggest obstacle to success and the cause of most of the disappointments that are mistakenly attributed to other causes." p.5  Although this sentence was written in 2002, now ten years later, I still perceive this single factor to be the major culprit in the lack businesses and institutions of higher education achieving the results of the strategic plans so carefully worked out.

For April 20 we will be looking at the introduction and the first chapter.  I you want to follow along, click the "subscribe to" link for either just the posts or the posts and the comments.  Keep in mind I will be making other posts related to leadership issues between the book study posts, unfortunately you can't subscribe to one and not the other.

Order you book now and start reading.

I have in my closet a plastic storage bin which started it's life as a CD storage box.  It has now become storage for a myriad of cables which have some computer or audio function.  When the cables were initially placed in the box they were all neatly coiled, but over time, and my rummaging through the box, well, let's just say neat is not the right word to describe the contents of the box. 

Lately I've been thinking about self-confidence and its place in leadership.  As I've contemplated this my mind turns to my box of cables and I see a connection (ha!).  Without self-confidence there can be no leadership and the level of leadership rises with self-confidence until the self-confidence turns to hubris, or excessive pride (c.f. Collins' book "How the Mighty Fall" for a good discussion on hubris).  In other words there is a complex intertwining of self-confidence with the function of leadership.

Unless I have some belief in my own decisions, opinions, or ability, I will not do or say anything which might incur ridicule or attack.  However, should I gain some confidence in my ability or knowledge, or opinion in any area I might take the risk of expressing myself.  How that is received can have a profound impact on my development as a leader.  If well received, I may grow more confident and more bold in my expression, eventually developing into a leader, if not well received, I will likely withdraw.

Now, if all this is true, then I have the power of fostering or squashing leadership, and that too comes from my own level self-confidence or the the excess of hubris.  Unfortunately those whose lives are examples of excessive pride rarely perceive their flaw and damage both organizations and people without regard.

I will think about this some more and post on this subject another time.

I had the opportunity to attend the 2012 annual conference for ACCESS this past week in Columbia, South Carolina.  ACCESS is a national Christian distance education association, primarily composed of Christian institutions of higher education (colleges and universities), with some mission organizations and even a few working in secondary education.  The conference was hosted by Columbia International University.

Each time I attend this or any conference I am reminded of the great benefit of coming together with other individuals looking to expand their knowledge and competency.  In between conferences I start to get busy and begin to think, "do I really have time to take out of my VERY busy schedule to attend a conference where they will be talking about stuff I already am doing?"  But every time when I make the effort, and spend the money, to go I am richly rewarded.  One of those rewards comes through the various sessions.  Admittedly some are stronger than others, but if I approach each with an open mind, an amazing thing begins to happen; my mind begins to free-associate the comments from the presenter with my current needs, sometimes not even on the same subject, and I am all-of-a-sudden writing like crazy, making notes of ideas and links which could be game-changers.  Another reward is the networking which takes place and the very real friendships that can form over a period of years.  Some of my best friends have come from these conferences.  Relationships and networking are more important than ever and I make every opportunity to build bridges at these conferences, never knowing how God might use a simple conversation to open an exciting opportunity.  Another reward comes when I push myself to make a proposal and present at the conference.  Usually the presentation lasts from 45-90 minutes.  The benefit from this comes in at least two ways.  First, presenting forces me to organize my thoughts on a specific subject and to clearly articulate what and why and how so that others may take away something from the experience.  The other benefit is the opportunity to position yourself as a leader in your field.  This is part of becoming a leader.

Conclusion:  Go to a conference!  Find one with a topic which interests you, if possible make a proposal to present at the conference, and then go.  When you come back with a new thought and possibly a new friend, you and your work will benefit.

A Teachable Spirit

Dr. John Conley, who as I have mentioned in the past was a mentor of mine while he was President of Circleville Bible College, told me one day that one of the mark of a leader is how they accept correction and whether or not they have a teachable spirit.  Let's look at both:

• how do you accept correction?  The most common response most make when being corrected is to become defensive in their spirit and usually in their retort.  They reply with excuses and and reasons why they should not be corrected, or even held accountable.  A defensive response is the mark of an individual too proud to realize they are indeed human with room for improvement.  A defensive response clearly says I'm not really a leader, instead I'm looking for others/circumstances to blame.
• do you have a teachable spirit?  Do you recognize that you could be better than you are now?  Do you understand that no matter the level of expertise you have that the quality of the relationship you have with your manager and your employees demands that you keep an open mind to the possibility that you might not know everything?  A teachable spirit implies a willingness to accept instruction as an opportunity for growth.

The problem in both of these is the individual's personal self-actualization.  Our insecurities perceive any attempt at instruction or correction as personal attacks and we respond with all the fervor of our fight or flight instinct.  Only the individual who has laid aside this insecurity and replaced it with a new perception of individual worth AND potential for growth can meet this standard.  I hope that this describes you.

Finished Hannibal and Me. The conclusions in the final chapter sum up the content from the rest of the book.  As with many of this type of book, it is much easier to see the answers and then go back and interpret the actions, by that I mean that some of the conclusions may not be as useful as the author might have hoped.  For example, when faced with traumatic incidents, respond with the resiliency of Fabious who accepted and absorbed Hannibal's attacks, effectively neutering his effectiveness.  This sounds easy in retrospect but is quite different in the midst of the storm as evidenced by the fact that only one person in all of Rome had the wisdom to employ this strategy.  I'm not suggesting we can't learn lessons from Hannibal, Fabius and others mentioned in the book but somethings do depend on our personality, background and experience. 

There were a few interesting things that will stick with me.

1. Hannibal won all the battles, but failed to press the advantage and lost the war
2. The use of other factors besides the strength of arm, e.g. geography, can provide a win where a loss is predicted.
3. Sometimes wisdom is found in NOT reacting
4. That people who Win Big early in life often have difficulty later in life resolving their self-perceptions with reality, while people who are less focused early in life may (may being the operative word and not to be taken lightly) do much better later in life.  The key is figuring out when to take the risk and grab for the brass ring - which is almost as rare as the early Star Performer.
5. Keep you mind open, even as you age for the impossible.

I'm currently reading Hannibal and Me: What History's Greatest Military Strategist Can Teach Us About Success and Failure by Andreas Kluth.  Although slow at points Mr. Kluth does a wonderful job of analyzing Hannibal's invasion of Italy to conquer Rome and relates that to various other individuals through out history demonstrating the strengths and weaknesses of Hannibal's leadership.  


I have found the descriptions in every case enlightening and Mr. Kluth's analysis to be thought provoking.  As I've been reading, I have many times caught myself pondering my own life in light of the examples and my own responses, or lack of response, which has turned my life into a new course.  That is, after all, what this kind of book is supposed to accomplish: to provoke us to think about our own choices and how we might possibly learn from the mistakes, or successes, of others.  


One of the particular lessons which is coming through is Hannibal's ability to remain undefeated in battle for 13 years, winning some of the bloodiest battles in recorded history, and yet, how he was unable to subdue Rome.  Winning battles, but losing the war.  It might be important to consider the difference in our own lives.

I was talking with my son last night and he mentioned that a co-worker was going to assist him in making some networking connections.  This morning I received a request for an association on "Linked In" which is a networking site for professionals.  I have heard that more and more people are using these kind of sites both to connect with others of similar interests and also to provide the proverbial parachute should there be a change in employment status.

Networking is an important aspect of leadership.  It recognizes that we are not an island unto ourselves and that we really do need each other.  It equips us with a useful support system and resources to face the challenges.  It also provides the possibility of "giving back" through mentoring and supporting others who may need something we can provide.

Networking face-to-face and networking through sites such as Linked In, although providing the same kind of availability of resources and opportunities for support, require two different skill sets.  Face-to-face networking requires people skills.  To make connections of the quality that will result in relationships of support, an individual has to be able to see others as valuable and intentionally engage in relationship building.  This can happen at various levels from the merest acquaintance to a solid friend.  Face-to-face networking requires me to think about others, and their needs/feelings, if I'm going to truly build a relationship that will have a reciprocal benefit.

Networking through internet sites is much less demanding on people skills.  A click and you're connected.  About all that is required here is a willingness to invest enough time to make the connections and respond to the occasional message.  The value of these networks is that they can be much broader than is possible with face-to-face, even if the depth of the relationship is more shallow.  Still they can provide the ability to connect with a wide range of professionals which may not be possible in the face-to-face environment.

Bottom line:  Networking is important for effective leadership.  Don't ignore either the face-to-face or the social sites like Linked In.  You never know when you will need some help, but one thing is definite, eventually you will.  A little time spent along the way could make all the difference later.

Two assumptions that effective leaders make:

1.  They assume the level of authority necessary to do their job, unless it has been clearly defined otherwise.  The goal is to get the job done and effective leaders keep the goal in mind as they press forward.

2.  They lead in the area of their influence, recognizing they may not be able to influence those who are in leadership above them, they refuse to make excuses for their lack of direction. They choose instead to exercise leadership in every area for which they are responsible and through the areas of influence at their disposal.

How many different books can you read at one time and still keep them straight?  I'll have to let you know.  What I discovering is the amazing integration of concepts amongst the various books I am reading and how different ones will broaden a topic only lightly touched on by another, or provide a completely different perspective.

I've always taught my children they should be reading a minimum of 3 books at any one time, not counting their Bible, of course. 

• A professional book related to your vocation.  How else are you going to keep-up with current thought and practices, as well as expand your thoughts and improve your service.
• A devotional book, because we really are spiritual people and to ignore this is to court disaster eventually
• A novel - because it helps your mind dis-engage and in that process amazing links are made and restoration happens
• I also like to add that EVERYONE should always be reading a leadership book as well.  Because everything rises and falls on leadership and I'm first and foremost responsible for leading ME effectively.

So, what are you reading?  Is it changing your life?  Opening up new thoughts?  Challenging you to be better?

I know this is nerdy, but I was watching Green Lantern with my son over the holiday.  In the movie the hero wrestles with his fear and sense of inadequacy in the face of the need for someone to "stand in the gap."  Being fearless, he finds, is not the mark of the hero, but the ability to rise above fear, defined as courage.

Perhaps this is a good way to end the old year and start the new.  To resolve to be courageous, in spite of fear. Too many who could be leaders are trapped in their fear, afraid to take the risk of acting on their conviction.  Too many fail to show courage, to rise above their fear and act.  As I have written before, everything rises and falls on leadership, and I see a connection between leadership and courage.  I think this is especially true for those who are followers of Jesus Christ.

It is not imperative that I live, but that I love - that in spite of fear (courage) I choose to love for the sake of Christ, and that I lead wherever my influence extends with integrity and faith.  In this way we become heroes, albeit without the green spandex or the ring.

Another year is coming to an end.  I had challenged myself to post more often in 2011 and didn't live up to my expectations in this respect. I have been leading two book studies over the last couple months that will extend into the new year.  One, on Switch by Dan and Chip Heath, has been interesting because its focus on change.  Part of those attending are on the phone and the rest are present in person.  The concepts of that book are so important - and so basic - that knowing and practicing them can truly make anyone more effective in their leadership style.  And yet in discussing and grappling with the concepts I see really smart people making the same mistakes over and over again.  Probably the most obvious is ignoring the importance of the emotional aspect of change.

The other book study is Online Enrollment Management, by James Dunn.  This is also a leadership book, but focused specifically on managing a process AND staff related to enrolling students in distance education courses.  Mr. Dunn does a thorough job in addressing the topic and the concepts are well laid out and challenge the way typical educational institutions (non-profits and public) think about and manage their online programs.  Again, part of those attending the study are in the room and part are on the phone.  I want the discussion to focus us on ways to broaden our perception.  I want us to see possibilities.

Leaders and Managers - a Symbiosis

Although this blog is about leadership, I have lately become aware of the sometimes narrow gap between leadership and supervision.  At one end, there is a great separation in that supervision is the tool which leads to the accomplishment of the vision (which comes from true leadership), at the other end, supervision is the tool which leads to the accomplishment of the vision.  If this sounds the same, you are right.  Without appropriate supervision, having great leadership is frustrating at best and pointless at worst.  Without leadership, supervision flounders in direction and accomplishment.  It is definitely a both/and proposition.

I've written a lot about leadership and will continue to do so, however, I want to take a moment to point out the importance of good supervision.  I would also like to suggest that what is often identified as a lack of leadership is more often a lack of appropriate supervision.  Supervisors know how to work with people to accomplish goals.  They know how to prioritize, delegate, be accountable and hold others accountable.  They have strong people skills and good organizational skills.  They can communicate AND listen  (this is really redundant since good communication always includes the ability to listen).  The accept responsibility and avoid blame and CYB behaviors.

If leadership is the track, then the supervisor is the "little engine that could."  They carry the weight of the organization and without them the organization is bogged down in inefficiencies and lack of focus.

So, while I am a firm believer that EVERYTHING rises and falls on Leadership, I recognize that sometimes that means appropriate supervision.  Don't denigrate the manager/supervisor because they are not the "leader."  Instead be thankful and encourage them in their role, for your organization rises and falls on their effectiveness just as much, or nearly so, as it does upon the leader.

QBQ: The Question Behind the Question by John G. Miller is 115 pages in length.  But that is deceptive since the size of the book is a little smaller than normal, and it had widely spaced lines and LOTS of chapter breaks.  Additionally, the style is conversational and easy to read, so it reads like a 60 page book.

Who should read QBQ?  I think the book is a good read for any starting out leader, or anyone who wants to move into leadership.  Actually, I think this is the kind of book I would have forced on my children when they were growing up so that they would, hopefully, adopt the philosophy of personal accountability.  That is the real theme of the book:  personal accountability.  This quote forms the basis of the whole:  "The best thing we can do to get rid of victim thinking in our world is to get rid of it in ourselves." (p. 23)  Through a variety of illustrations and commentary Mr. Miller reiterates that theme over and over, reinforcing a concept which is sorely needed by everyone, particularly leaders.

This would make a great gift to a son or daughter, to a favorite niece or nephew, to the new hire at work, to your Pastor, your friend, your co-workers.  I am convinced if this material is taken to heart it could change a person's life and perhaps the world.  Of course that could be said about a lot of books, but still . . . .

I am in transition.  Leaving one job and moving into another.  I wasn't really looking for a new job, but I wasn't totally fulfilled at the old job.  Part of the problem was leadership.  In the old job, vision was scarce and always secondary to political expedients, in the new there is a clear and focused vision which drives the entire organization.  In the old, there was a focus on issues, often the wrong issues, but the focus was fragmented by delays and lack of administrative resolve.  In the new  the focus upon the vision moves everything forward and even devotes resources to remove barriers to that movement.  It really is true that everything rises and falls on leadership.

Still, I will miss my friends at the old job and will have to work to make new friends at the new; to leave the comfort of the known and venture boldly into the unknown.  But I am encouraged because it has been obvious that God has been in this move from the very beginning.  I am eager to see where the journey takes me.

I finished Onward by Howard Schultz Interestingly I was at the Global Leadership Summit (#WCAGLS) where he was on the agenda to speak and Bill Hybels was planning to interview him about the book.  Unfortunately, Mr Schultz canceled his appearance at the last second due to pressure from a minority group. 

I read the book because it was recommended in preparation for the WCAGLS and I kept wondering when I was going to come across the "meat," i.e. the instruction in leadership that was purported to be in this book.  I did find some interesting information that I didn't know:  Starbucks is socially conscious and environmentally conscious.  They make a serious effort to treat their employees with care and respect and they are serious, and I mean, SERIOUS about coffee.  Mr. Schultz did lead Starbucks through a re-organizational effort at the peak of the recent depression and brought the company back to a level of success, but how he did so couldn't easily be defined.  In my opinion, there was little "meat."  I suppose you could pick up some leadership tidbits from Mr. Schultz's rambling narrative, however, a lot of it felt self-vindicating, when he wasn't going into excruciating detail on issues that didn't seem to contribute to the book's purpose. 

What would I rate the book?  Probably 2 stars out of 5, and that's being generous. 
Would I read it again?  NO, 
Would I recommend it to a friend?  NO. 
Did Mr. Schultz's cancellation at @WCAGLS impact my opinion of the book? Possibly a little because it seemed to me that he defaulted on being a leader and caved in to pressure that was unfounded - definitely NOT a leadership trait.

Monday and Tuesday this week are my last days at Huntington University.  I have enjoyed my time at HU and believe that I have helped establish EXCEL on a track which will see it move forward in a positive direction.  There are always concerns when you make this kind of transition about whether or not what you have done actually has made a difference and I have included some comments below from adjunct faculty who have responded after hearing of my resignation:

• Wow! This is surprising! I have enjoyed getting to know you and to work with you over the past few years at Huntington.  You are brought EXCEL to a high level with your emphasis on student learning objectives and I know you will be missed.  I have found the interactions at Huntington and the training sessions for adjunct faculty to be very effective and worthwhile.
• I want to thank you for the opportunities that you have provided me during the last 2½ years.  I, too, believe that God sometimes leads us in His direction and we need to follow in faith.  Your enthusiasm for the EXCEL Program has been an inspiration to me as I continue to seek what God wants me to do with my background and experiences.
• I want you to know how much I appreciate your leadership, and also how much I appreciate and admire you as the person you are.  It has been a real pleasure for me to be a part of the EXCEL program and that is because of what you have done to make it what it is today.  Best wishes to you and your wife as you make this move, God bless and take care.
• I've appreciated your leadership and passionate Christian witness in conducting your professional responsibilities.  You came to me with an offer to instruct for EXCEL @ a critical time in my professional life.  Thank you for giving me the opppportunity to 'excel' in my teaching.
• This will be a huge loss to HU, but I trust that God will provide.  I have really enjoyed working with you.  It has been a joy to see how you have transformed the EXCEL program.  I love how you have pushed us.
• You are one of the brightest spots of growth for HU, and your work in growing EXCEL was amazing. I don’t know what prompted your desire to leave, but you will be very much missed here.
• I just heard of your resignation today.  You will be missed by Huntington.  Your inspiration and leadership during your tenure has dramatically changed the EXCEL program Rick. I believe that  you took the entire program to a higher, more professional level.  I have always found it to be a true pleasure working with you. You always seemed to have a professional approach to ensuring quality of the EXCEL Program.
• Rick:  I cannot tell you how much a loss you will be to our community and Life Long Learning.  You are a real champion in your efforts to help all adults.  I feel blessed to have worked with you and knowing you as a friend in Christ. 
• I just wanted you to know what a true pleasure it has been meeting you, working with you, learning from you.  I felt we had a meeting of the minds, so to speak, in that you took anything I had to say to heart, mulled it over, and respected the various opinions or suggestions that I had.  You can't begin to know what that meant to me.

 These comments have been encouraging to me as I make the transition from overseeing one program at a small university to   working with institutional effectiveness at a large university.  Still, it is the same kind of work that I have been doing and with God's help I hope I will be able to be as effective in my new role as I hope the records will show I was at HU.