Credibility is important in any leadership position. If a leader desires followers to willfully work with passion to reach an established vision, then he or she must be trusted. Credible leaders have followers that share the organization’s values and work hard to achieve it. When a person’s leadership is not credible, followers are less likely to be team players and will be disloyal to the organization.
Leaders, do you lead from a place of fear or a place of security? In my experience, leaders typically tend to lead from one or the other. The leader dominated by fear is afraid of failing, fears that people are out for his or her position, or struggles to delegate and trust others (including God). The leader dominated by a sense of security trusts his or her abilities, is confident in his or her position and has faith in other people (including God).
Leaders have different styles, personalities, and strengths. For that reason, it only makes sense that leaders use different approaches to carrying out their leadership. That does not mean one approach is better or worse, or even more effective than another approach. They are simply different. In some settings, one may be the better approach at the time.
I have stopped being surprised when I receive criticism. In fact, I have observed that the more success an organization has and the stronger leadership exhibited, the more critics seem to rise. I try to discern which criticism is valid and which is not. (I posted about that previously HERE.) I think it is wrong to simply ignore critics. Some of it has really value, but all leaders will receive it. For that fact, we shouldn’t be surprised.
Another variable in determining strategy that is often overlooked is the strengths of the people within the organization at the time. I posted before about the way organizations typically replace senior leaders. (Read that post HERE.) Organizations usually replace the top position with someone opposite from the one that leaves. They do this to build on a strength they feel the former leader didn’t have.
I had a great couple days this week hanging out with Casey Graham of The Change Group as he visited with Kristin Ruther from The Aspen Group and Tim Stevens and Kem Meyer at Granger Church one day and then Scott Hodge from Orchard Community Church the next day. It was challenging, tiring, and personally rewarding.
Even so, in my position, I often have to say “Noâ€. I have to consider the amount of money and energy expended as it relates to the entire church organization. Honestly, there are times I feel like the dream killer more than I get to be the dream enhancer, because I often have to be the “No†voice, but the fact is, as with any organization, we operate with limited resources and sometimes saying no is the right decision at the time. In these times, I have to walk the delicate balance between saying yes and saying no.
Change is necessary, however, if organizations want to continue to improve and grow. The simple fact is that change requires a certain amount of faith. Faith is much easier to believe, and even to preach, than it ever is to live by.
In our recent series “Hunger†at Grace Community Church, I shared a system I have used for spiritual growth that has helped me mature. I had numerous people ask me the following week to describe the details of my “systemâ€. It really isn’t anything scientific or deeply thought out, but has helped me greatly.
