What Type of Leader are You?

I was in a meeting yesterday in which leadership styles was discussed. The guy I was meeting is a coach of sort for pastors and he helps them to become the best leaders they can be. He said something that I found interesting. The way he looks at things, he sees that there are three different leadership styles:

1. Anxious leader
– Very reactive – emails and phone calls will dictate their day

2. Ambitious leader
– Always looking for next great program – one "break" away from "success"

3. Aligned leader
– Focuses on what God’s doing – finds where God is working an asks how they can come into alignment with him

He went on to say that the truth is we are in all of these categories at some time or another. The key for us is to try to spend more and more time in the "aligned" category as that is where we are most effective.

When I hear something like this, my natural inclination is to say, "That's nice. I should really try to be an aligned leader more often." However, as I have pondered this, I have realized that moving more of my leadership time into the "aligned" category just won't happen by itself. It will require a decision, effort and then discipline to seek after it (which will ultimately come from seeking after God).

As the urgent matters of life come at us, keeping our commitment to this becomes that much more difficult. So I recommend you do what you need to to regularly remind yourself of this and surround yourself with those who can hold you accountable to doing the things necessary to move you in this direction.

But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.

Matthew 6:33

Young Leaders

How many of you when you think about young people immediately have negative thoughts? How many of you think their work ethic is lacking? How many think their level of respect is well below the standard? My guess is that many feel this way.

I was asked to speak this morning before school to a group of student-athletes at Sylvania Northview High School (my alma mater). These kids gather together every Tuesday morning at 7:00 to honor God. They make up the school's huddle for Fellowship of Christian Athletes.

As I was interacting with this group, it dawned on me. These students are light years ahead of where I was at their age. I mean, there really is no comparison.

At that age, I was so concerned about what everyone thought of me. I knew nothing of God. I knew nothing about respecting and loving others. Here they are meeting early in the morning, to honor Christ. I'm sure they catch some flack from other students, yet they get together anyway. They are showing that they play to an audience of One. They are true leaders.

I am sure they asked me to come in to share something with them from my past experiences that might have a positive impact on them. I hope that happened. But I know for sure that they had an impact on me!

One thing I was reminded of is that I need to not be so quick to judge others, especially those younger than me. I don't know about you but that encourages me today and gives me great hope about the next generation!

Don't let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity.

1 Timothy 4:12

Leading By Example

In college, I played basketball for The University of Toledo. When I was a freshman, I was much like a scared kitten. I tried to just stay out of every one's way. I didn't have a clue about much of anything, especially leadership.

UT has a freshman on their team this year who amazes me. Jake Barnett's playing ability is not the thing that impresses me (although he is very good). It is his leadership that I marvel at.

As this article in The Toledo Blade shares, Jake was named by his teammates as a captain of the team. The first time a freshman has held that mantle in school history.

"There was a respect factor there for us as a whole group that we have for Jake," junior forward Justin Anyijong said. "That's why we did that. We don't look at him as a freshman. We look at him as one of our leaders."

Jake is the first one in the gym before practice and the last one to leave. Now I found out that after games, he goes back out on the floor to work on his shooting. Amazing. After practice, I think I was the first one in the locker room!

I was talking with one of the assistant coaches at UT and he told me that from day one, Jake has been a leader. In fact, he said that he came in and organized a Bible study for the team and has changed the entire team atmosphere. That sort of thing from a freshman is unheard of. And, it's very cool!

It's clear that Jake Barnett is not only going to have an impact out on the floor during his career at UT, but also in the lives of many!

Don't let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity.

1 Timothy 4:12

Moonshadow

Oh, I'm being followed by a moonshadow, moonshadow, moonshadow

Leapin and hoppin' on a moonshadow, moonshadow, moonshadow

And if I ever lose my hands, lose my plough, lose my land,

Oh if I ever lose my hands, oh if.... I won't have to work no more.

And if I ever lose my eyes, if my colours all run dry,

Yes if I ever lose my eyes, oh if.... I won't have to cry no more.

And if I ever lose my legs, I won't moan, and I won't beg,

Yes if I ever lose my legs, oh if.... I won't have to walk no more.

And if I ever lose my mouth, all my teeth, north and south,

Yes if I ever lose my mouth, oh if.... I won't have to talk...

Did it take long to find me? I asked the faithful light.

Did it take long to find me? And are you gonna stay the night?

Those are the lyrics from Cat Stevens' song Moonshadow. That took on a new meaning to me last night. I don't know if this was a universal thing or just something that happened where I live, but did you happen to look outside last night? It was amazing!

It was as light as I have ever remembered it (at least for 10:30 PM). And this all because of the shining of the moon (well, actually the reflection of the sun off the moon...). You could see distinct shadows from our trees in our yard and the whole atmosphere had a blue hue to it. It truly was beautiful. Someone mentioned to me that this weekend would be the brightest moon of the year. I'm not sure if that's true, but I believe it.

How about we take a cue from the moon this week and let our light shine wherever we go. Remember, you may be the only Bible someone you know ever reads.

In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise you Father in heaven.

Matthew 5:16

Are You Listening?

Yesterday I spent some time with someone I have known for a long time discussing Truth At Work. Gary is an extremely successful insurance agent and expert on sales (in fact he does a lot of sales training). He is someone I look up to and respect a great deal. I have always enjoyed being with him.

I left our meeting feeling really good. As I reflected on our time together, I was wondering what it was about Gary that makes me feel this way every time I am with him.

I realized that he is an excellent listener. He doesn't talk much about himself and he is always very interested in me when we are together. That's probably why I always feel so good when I am around him. I guess that also explains why he is so good at what he does!

My dear brothers, take note of this; Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry.

James 1:19

Patience

A good friend of mine, Rich called me on his way home from work the other day. He was as excited as I have ever heard him. His boss had just resigned.

This may seem like it's not a big deal...but in this case, it is a huge deal.

Several months ago Rich was sharing how awful it was to be working for this particular person. He mentioned that his situation was very similar to what I went through that led me to write Bleedership, Biblical First-Aid for Leaders. The fact he needed to deal with a boss like this was awful and I could definitely relate.

I suggested he go to the board of directors to see about having him removed. He said others had suggested that as well but that didn't feel right to him. He said he was just going to bide his time and possibly look for other employment. He said this was really tough, though because he loves where he works.

Well, his patience obviously paid off. Rich followed his convictions and didn't try to take things into his own hands. He let God deal with it and he has now been blessed for it. Thanks for the great example Rich!

Getting the Best From Others

Yesterday I shared with you some insights from John Maxwell on why the great leaders are great leaders. In a nutshell, John said the best leaders give their best to their people and they get the best from their people. Today John shares how the best leaders get the best from those on their team:

The Best Leaders Get the Best from Their People By...

1) LISTENING
The smartest leaders realize the limitations of their wisdom, and they listen to their people in order to capture invaluable insights. However, leaders don't just listen to gain knowledge, they also listen to give their people permission: permission to challenge the process, permission to test assumptions; and permission to take risks. Nothing turns off an up-and-coming leader like the deaf ear of a superior. The best leaders don't simply listen to incoming ideas; they proactively draw them out of their people. They listen actively, not passively.

2) RELATING
Leaders touch a heart before they ask for a hand. To touch a heart, a leader has to be open to disclosing his or her identity by sharing personal stories and owning up to professional weaknesses. Mysterious or aloof leaders may be successful decision-makers, but they won't get the heartfelt loyalty that comes from authentic relationships.

As simple as it sounds, making a person feel known correlates powerfully to their job satisfaction. In fact, Patrick Lencioni lists anonymity as one of the top indicators of a miserable job. Leaders dignify their people by studying their interests, learning about their families, and finding out their hobbies. Conscious of the power of connection, the best leaders refuse to be barricaded inside of an office, and they take responsibility for relating with others on a regular basis.

3) TEACHING
Gifted teachers have a way of making students out of disinterested bystanders. The best leaders have an infectious thirst for knowledge, and they take pride in cultivating knowledge of their craft and awareness of their industry. A leader's teaching ability depends upon ongoing personal growth. As Howard Hendricks said, "If you stop growing today, you stop teaching tomorrow."

4) DEVELOPING
The best leaders understand the differences between training people for tasks and developing people to be better leaders.

Training
Focus is on the job
Adds value to specific things
Helpful for a short time
Changes a performance

Developing
Focus is on the person
Adds value to everything
Helpful for a lifetime
Change the performer

The best leaders view their people as appreciable assets and prioritize investing in the talent on their teams.

5) MOTIVATING
After one of my presentations, an audience member approached me who was visibly indignant about my speech. "Why is motivation last on the list?" he demanded. "Well," I replied, "because if you listen, relate, teach, and develop your people, then they will be motivated!"

Sustained motivation comes by creating the right environment for your people and by doing the right things consistently to nurture them. Consider a flower. It cannot grow in the Arctic; it requires a climate conducive to growth. Yet, even in the right environment, the flower must be planted in hospitable soil, exposed to sunlight, watered, and freed of weeds.

REVIEW
The Best Leaders Give Their Best to Their People by...1. Growing 2. Serving 3. Modeling
The Best Leaders Get the Best From Their People by...1. Listening 2. Relating 3. Teaching 4. Developing 5. Motivating

Why The Best Leaders Are The Best Leaders

One of my favorite authors on leadership is John Maxwell. I recently received something from him that was very good so I thought I’d share it with you:

From 1996 to 2007, manager Joe Torre led the New York Yankees to the playoffs every year - winning an astounding 17 series in the post-season. Over those same 12 years, the Los Angeles Dodgers did not win a single playoff series. This past season, Torre departed New York to coach the Dodgers. The result? The Dodgers won their first post-season series in 20 years, while the Yankees missed the playoffs altogether. Ask Yankees and Dodgers fans, and they will tell you that Joe Torre's leadership matters. However, they may not be able to tell you exactly why Joe Torre is an excellent leader.

What's true of the fans in New York and Los Angeles is true for many of us. We experience the effects of leadership without understanding the cause. In this article, I hope to make plain why the best leaders are the best leaders. In a nutshell, remarkable leaders give their best to their people, and get the best from their people. Let's look at how this happens.

The Best Leaders Give Their Best to Their People By...

1) GROWING
People naturally follow leaders they respect as being more advanced than they are. For this reason, personal growth is directly proportional to influence. If you desire to gain followers, then pay the price of getting better.

To give people your best, you have to elevate your leadership capacity. Consider the metaphor of walking up a narrow staircase - you can only go as fast as the person in front of you. When leaders stop growing, they quit climbing and impede the progress of everyone following them. However, when leaders grow, they ascend the stairs and create space for those behind them to climb higher. Personal growth involves challenging yourself, and pushing beyond the realm of comfort. When is the last time you did something for the first time? How long has it been since you felt in over your head?

2) SERVING
"Only a life lived for others is a life worthwhile."~ Albert Einstein

Serving others is an attitude issue. Unfortunately, many leaders operate under a king-of-the-hill mentality. They attempt to pull down anyone above them in order to secure the top spot for themselves. In doing so, they clutch at power, grapple for control of company resources, and strive to dominate others. Seeing relationships as win-lose propositions, they ultimately burn bridges and isolate themselves.

The best leaders take an entirely different approach. Rather than dragging down anyone who threatens their position, they extend a hand to lift the performance of teammates and coworkers. They function with a mindset of abundance as opposed to an attitude of scarcity, and they wield their influence to prop others up rather than to elevate themselves. Over time, they are honored for the contributions they have made to the lives around them.

All leaders serve. Sadly, some serve only themselves. Serving is a motives issue, and the crux of the matter boils down to a simple question: "Who?" Does a politician serve the public or his pocketbook? Does a CEO serve to benefit her shareholders or to support her lifestyle? The best leaders set a tone by serving and prove they are deserving of being out in front.

3) MODELING
Growing leaders have something to share; serving leaders have something to give; modeling leaders have something to show. As V.J. Featherstone said, "Leaders tell, but never teach, until they practice what they preach." The best leaders embody their values. Their passion exudes from every pore and demands respect.

Good stuff huh? Wednesday I will share with you the second half of this article which shows how the best leaders get the best from their people.

A Peacock in the Land of Penguins

Have you ever felt like a square peg in a round hole, like you just don't belong somewhere? You probably have at some point in your life.

If you are a leader, you probably have people on your team or in your home who feel that way right now and it's possible it has to do with your leadership style.

Check out this short video that talks about accepting others for who they are and how by doing this you will be opening up the land of opportunity for them and for you. In fact, it says that the land of opportunity begins with openness to new ideas, a willingness to listen, an eagerness to learn, a desire to grow and the flexibility to change.

I hope you enjoy!

Corn Maze Leadership

Last night, my wife and I went to an event for small group leaders through our church. At the conclusion of dinner we went to a corn maze which was a first for me.

We split up into teams with the men on one team and the women on the other. The men were given a map and the women were not; however, they were given a five minute head start.

Even with the map, we got lost several times. Without a map I can see how you could spend a lot of time in there totally confused.

Well, even without a map, the women soundly beat us (I know that is not a surprise to many of you). But I discovered something interesting. Afterward, we discussed our experiences. The women seemed to bond and grow closer through this experience. Each of them experienced a chance to lead and they each found themselves trusting one another. They said they really felt like they were on the same team.

While we had a lot of laughs, our group did not really experience that. We spent most of our time following the guy with the map. As a result, we didn't bond as a group like the women did and we certainly didn't feel like teammates. Pretty interesting leadership illustration, huh?

As a leader, are you just charging ahead while looking at your map or are you getting everyone involved and building a team?

Grace

What would you do if some kids came in and vandalized your house and you caught them? What if they threw eggs, sprayed fire extinguishers, left water running in the kitchen and wrote obscenities on your walls? What if you found out the damage was $30,000?

Truett Cathy, founder of Chick-fil-A found himself in this very situation. Cathy is a strong Christian who made the news when he started his chain of restaurants because he refused to open his stores on Sundays. So how did he react?

He is not pressing charges and is agreeing with the punishment of the pre-teens reading a good book and writing "I will not vandalize other people's property" 1,000 times. Cathy said he did not want to prosecute the girls and leave them with a criminal record.

Now, that is grace in action.

Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as Christ God forgave you.

Ephesians 4:32

Attitude of Gratitude

A man is leaving one town and headed for another. Before reaching the town he encounters a fellow sitting roadside and asks him, “What’s it like in the town ahead?” Are the people friendly? Is the economy good?”

The fellow answers him with questions of his own—“What was it like in the town you just left? Were the people friendly? Was the economy good?”

The traveler snapped back, “Of course not, you fool. That’s why I’m leaving. The people were dumb and cheap and bad to do business with and the economy was awful.”

The fellow said, “I see. Well, I have bad news for you. The town up ahead is just like the one you left.”

An hour or so later, another, different traveler comes along, encounters the same fellow sitting by the side of the road, and asks him the same questions about the town ahead. Again, the fellow asks him, —“What was it like in the town you just left? Were the people friendly? Was the economy good?”

The traveler smiled and said, “Why yes, everybody was kind and friendly and generous and the economy was quite good.”

The fellow said, “I have great news. The town up ahead is just like the one you left.”

This story is so true. Our attitudes really do determine our altitude. I don't think there is a more powerful attitude than having an attitude of gratitude.

Zig Ziglar, had this to say about gratitude in this short article.

Time

I am oftentimes busy, even when I'm at home. I need reminders to take time out for the most important people in my life, my wife and kids. I admit, I sometimes take them for granted.

That is why I am so grateful for reminders like this short video which hit me right where I live - click here to watch.

The Best Laid Plans...

Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and your plans will succeed.

Proverbs 16:3

Saturday we celebrated Molly’s graduation from high school with friends and family at our house for an open house throughout the afternoon. We had been planning for this for about the past month.

The planning was ratcheted up a notch this past week as my wife, Connie and I frantically worked on getting things ready…food, decorations, tents, coolers, ice, desserts, yard work, etc…

Friday night before the event we felt we were in decent shape for the party. We knew that Saturday morning would be busy getting everything finalized but we were feeling pretty confident all would be fine.

Later that evening, around 9:40 a wicked storm came through which knocked out our power and that of all our neighbors (and later we would find out, thousands of others). Power was still out Saturday morning and did not resume until 7 PM Saturday (right after Molly’s party ended).

The very ironic thing about all this is that my men’s group on Friday just studied about planning and how to plan from a Biblical perspective. The study showed us that planning is crucial but that leaders need to be flexible and adapt to changes. These are a couple of the last lines in the lesson: “As you lead, be sure to plan. But in the process of your planning recognize that there will be changing circumstances beyond your control.”

Pretty appropriate for what was coming the next day for me, huh?

I have to give big-time props to my family. Everyone stepped up and helped to make it a fun day. In spite of the lack of power on a steamy afternoon, everything went great.

Looking back on it, the loss of power wasn’t really that big of a deal, it just added to the degree of difficulty in our preparations. Another thing it did is help us to more fully appreciate all of the friends who chipped in to help: Rick with much needed ice and coolers, Barb and the Bob and Beth with tents, Bob with a generator (which kept our fridge cold) and some great pasta salad, Keith and Julie with tables and chairs and many others who brought food and other helpful items.

At the end of the day, Connie and I looked at each other and both said we felt extremely blessed. We actually both agreed that we were thankful for the power outage as it added a degree of "fun" to the day and certainly made it memorable. Thanks to all of you who helped make this day a special one for Molly!

Perseverance

Perseverance - per·se·ver·ance [pur-suh-veer-uhns] - noun

steady persistence in a course of action, a purpose, a state, etc., esp. in spite of difficulties, obstacles, or discouragement.

On ESPN this morning they showed this picture of this amazing kid--the epitome of perseverance.

Catcher Adam Bender, 8, lost his left leg to cancer when he was a year old. He tried a prosthesis but didn't like it and refuses to use a wheelchair. If he reaches base, he uses crutches. He also played YMCA flag football this past fall.

Incredible!

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Hebrews 12:1

The Only Constant Is Change

Doesn't it seem like the only thing that is a constant is change? Everything changes it seems, especially the prices at the gas pump!

Leading a group to change can be very difficult but it doesn't need to be. This simple 3 minute video shares some great truths about leading through change. Check it out here.

Shout Praise, Whisper Criticism

On Sunday, I was asked to give a brief commercial to our congregation about the Willow Creek Leadership Summit at both of our church services. I was happy to do this because this is something I am pretty passionate about.

Everything seemed to go pretty well during our run through at 8 AM. Then at 9, during first service, it again seemed to go well. In between services, Emily (our worship arts leader) came to me and said, "Jim, you did awesome. However, can you go up there a little earlier during next service?" "Of course," I said.

Then I was approached by Denise, who runs the production team. She said, "Jim, you did great! However, can you put the microphone right up next to your mouth during 2nd service? People will be able to hear you better if you do that." I said, "Sure."

As I reflected on these exchanges, I was struck with how Emily and Denise both practiced something that a mentor of mine, the late John Savage, used to say. He would constantly remind me that in order to be an effective leader you must "shout praise and whisper criticism."

Thanks Emily and Denise for practicing this and reminding me of its importance!

Thankfulness

Last night Robbie, my son, and I got our hair cut. Mary (who has been cutting my hair for years) and I used to work together at a local software company in the late ‘80s. Another coworker of ours at the time just got married this past weekend and Mary was telling me all about it.

Mary said that Mary Anne, the bride, was walking around telling everyone how thankful she was for them being there, for this day, for her new husband, and basically for just being alive. This didn’t surprise me one bit as Mary Anne may be the most optimistic, upbeat person I know. I don’t know anyone happier than Mary Anne – and not just because she is a newlywed – she has always been this way.

Most people who come into contact with her probably think that Mary Anne has led a charmed life and that things go her way all the time and therefore she is happy. However, I guarantee you that Mary Anne doesn’t always have “good” days. I can also promise you that she has had problems. But she chooses everyday to be thankful which helps her to be joyful, optimistic and upbeat. What great characteristics! And you know what…we can choose to be that way too…regardless of our circumstances!

Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.

1 Thessalonians 5:18

Staying on Top

On Friday I discussed the fact that it is hard to stay on top and some of the reasons for that according to John Maxwell.

Today, to conclude, here are some things John says we need to do to stay on top:

HOW TO STAY IN FIRST PLACE

To preserve their first place status, leaders should give extra attention to their passion, practices and people.

Passion
When passion fades, so does a leader's trustworthiness. Gallup conducted a poll in which passion ranked as the leading indicator of credibility within an organization. The results of the survey are hardly surprising. After all, if the leader isn't excited about the purpose of the organization, then why should he or she be trusted? On the flip side, when leaders passionately sacrifice, commit, and invest in their business, they earn the respect of followers and the good faith of constituents.

Passion creates energy. When a leader exudes joy and excitement, he or she magnetically pulls co-workers and customers into a shared vision. Passion is exceptionally strong when linked with a leader's values. When leaders demonstrate principled passion, they are able to appeal to the moral and emotional instincts of those around them.

Practices
Leaders don't rise to the pinnacle of success without developing the right set of attitudes and habits. Healthy habits, practiced consistently over time, will always reap dividends. On the contrary, occasional compromises of values eventually snowball into poor decisions with negative consequences. To keep hold on number one, a leader has to make every day a masterpiece.

People
The best leaders are humble enough to realize their victories depend upon their people. When finding themselves in first place, leaders recognize they are indebted to the ingenuity and talent of those they lead. To stay in first place, leaders have to hand out credit and shine the spotlight on the contributors all around them.

How To Handle A Bad Boss

I am a big believer that everything rises and falls on leadership. I am also a believer that we are all leaders because we are all influencing someone. We are either influencing them positively or negatively.

Most people think about leadership in a work context. While leadership is important in all areas of our lives, I want to talk about it at work for a moment.

Hopefully, you have a heart that wants to lead from a Biblical standpoint--the way Jesus, Moses, Joseph, Paul and other great leaders led (To learn more about this, go here). I understand we all fall down and that is to be expected. However, if your heart is in the right place, that is what matters.

However, how do you handle someone who is not this way? What if they are your boss, and they're a really bad boss? I came across an article by Dimitri Ly that I think you'll find interesting. It contains some good advice on how to handle a difficult boss. I hope you enjoy!