I’ve had several conversations with Church leaders, ministry heads and non-profit executives over the past 12 months. Many are overwhelmed by the weight of leadership responsibility and they admit to feeling like a leadership failure. When asked what it would look like if they weren’t falling behind, most said they would give less time dealing with crisis to free up more energy to lead.
The root issue is that leaders are so inundated with one crisis after another, they have no time or energy to dedicate to leading. Click To TweetLeadership is a choice, a daily choice. Choosing to lead means embracing five critical functions of leadership and making them a priority by scheduling them into your calendar and task list. Once you fill your schedule with these activities and prioritize them on your task list, you will begin to lead like never before.
Leadership is a choice. Choosing to lead means embracing five critical functions of leadership & making them a priority. Schedule them into your calendar & task list. A what without a when is a never. Click To TweetBuilding Trust
The best leaders make building trust their number one priority. They build trust by strengthening their character, enhancing their competency and deepening their connection with others.
Character is strengthened as you make and keep your promises; apologize when you mess up (and we all do!) and, put the needs of the organization ahead of your own interests.
You enhance your competence when you assimilate new information into your thinking, learn new skills and develop your resilience to overcome obstacles and difficulties. I wrote more on this here. Great leaders are the most committed to personal growth because they understand that as the inner circle of knowledge and skill increases, so does the outer edge of ignorance and incompetence (thank you Stephen Covey).
Connecting with others is also critical. You deepen your connections with others as you put their needs ahead of your own; practice empathetic listening; become a consistent, encouraging voice, and; delegate authority and responsibility to build confidence.
Identify 2 or 3 things you can do this week to build trust with your team and then put it into your schedule. A what without a when is a never.
The best leaders make building trust their number one priority. They build trust by strengthening their character, enhancing their competency and deepening their connection with others. Click To TweetInspiring a Shared Vision
Without a clear vision the organization will move blindly into the future. Inspiring a shared vision cultivates ownership and responsibility. If your key people are not involved in creating the vision, they will not be committed to accomplishing it or they will be less committed than they would be if they saw their own ideas and voice in the vision.
Vision means having a compelling why, a clear sense of purpose, a list of clarified values with aligned behaviours and a picture of a preferred future that captures the heart. Good visions are captured in statements, but the best visions are captured in stories.
Leaders leak vision. They stay on vision. They clarify, communicate and cascade as often as possible. The best leaders are skilled at creative redundancy – communicating an inspiring message over and over again but in fresh ways.
What are the 2 or 3 things you can do this week to inspire a shared vision with your team?
Symbol of the Community
Leaders are a symbol of the community they represent which is why their presence matters. What you do, where you go, what you say and how you say it means a lot. Great leaders use their office to legitimize organizational values by making heroes of those who live them out well.
Heroes aren’t made by email announcements, it requires proximity and presence. Taking the time to honour someone in person helps build the right culture because what gets rewarded, gets repeated and then imitated by others.
Who are the 2 or 3 people you need to publicly honour for their exemplary contribution? When will you do that – schedule it and script it well.
Taking the time to honour someone in person helps build the right culture because what gets rewarded, gets repeated and then imitated by others. Click To TweetFocus on the Right Agenda
Every organization operates three simultaneous agendas: 1) the sustaining agenda; 2) the improvement agenda, and; 3) the change agenda.
Everyone owns the sustaining agenda. It is the combined sum total of operational tasks and activities for every role and position happening on a consistent basis.
The improvement agenda is owned by managers. Managers make improvements by enhancing efficiencies, facilitating skills training and leveraging synergies between departments and/or individuals.
Leaders own the change agenda. The change agenda is planned over a long time-horizon to mitigate resistance to change and to allow for the emotional transition needed to embrace what is new. If the leader doesn’t own the change agenda, no one will. If an organization has no change agenda it will be over-managed and under-led.
What can you do to empower your managers to own the improvement agenda? What can you do this week to start working on a long-term change agenda strategy?
Empower People
The best leaders carve time into their schedule to communicate the dignity, worth and potential of their people. They empower their staff by walking around to affirm little pieces of greatness and contribution.
They know that when it comes to believing in themselves, most people are agnostic, so good leaders take the time to say encouraging things and honour effort.
The best leaders are natural coaches, they continually ask questions and facilitate discussions that raise the level of awareness within their staff and a keener sense of empowered responsibility to act on what they know.
Who do you see that is trapped in self-doubt, how can you encourage him or her? Which emerging leader is ready to take on more responsibility, what can you delegate to them to build their confidence?
The best leaders are natural coaches, they continually ask questions and facilitate discussions that raise the level of awareness within their staff and a keener sense of empowered responsibility to act on what they know. Click To Tweet