Delegation

The Webster definition of delegation is the assignment of responsibility and authority to another.

Among the reasons why we fail to delegate to others is the fear of losing control or that someone else may do a better job or a worse job. Another is impatience and the un- willingness to take the time to teach or coach another person. And yet delegation done in the right way benefits all concerned: The one delegated to grows by handling new responsibility, the larger entity benefits as things are done more efficiently, and the leader is freed up to focus on what only he should be doing. One big error that I am prone to fall into is the failure to empower (provide with authority) others to get done what I give them to do. Without adequate authority people can feel used and frustrated. Another error of which I can be guilty is the tendency to abdicate instead of delegate. In this case, I dump responsibility on to others to get it off my plate rather than passing it on to them for the benefit of them and/or the organization. What lessons have you learned about delegation? How have you determined what things you should delegate to others versus keeping on your plate?

Decision Making

Leadership necessitates that decisions be made, and how a leader goes about that is a reflection of his/her leadership style. Dictatorial leaders tend to reserve decisions for themselves, viewing themselves as having a market on wisdom & truth. They show limited confidence in others to make decisions, and as a result the growth of others is limited. Servant leaders, on the other hand, while recognizing that certain decisions can only be made by them, involve others in key decisions as much as possible. Viewing themselves as developers of people, they provide people with both the opportunities and the space to make appropriate decisions. At the same time, they are willing to make the tough calls rather than pushing them off on others or avoiding them in the hopes that the need will go away. It seems to me that the factors that play into entrusting others with the authority for this responsibility are trust and proven capability with smaller responsibilities. How have you addressed the challenges associated with decision making in your arena? How do you determine which decisions should be made only by you without the input of those whom you lead?

Corporate Culture

In his book, The Top Ten Mistakes that Leaders Make, Hans Finzel defines corporate culture as the way insiders behave based on the values and group traditions they hold. He presents some excellent ideas on the topic. George Barna does likewise in his recent book Master Leaders. In my own experience, I have discovered that the biggest issue affecting culture is that of values. A huge challenge for me has been determining existing values when I enter an organization and from those which need to be preserved, eliminated or replaced—and how quickly. For example, in one situation I discovered that the concept of compassion, which was so vital to our organization, had to be redefined. Then over a period of time the new definition had to be implemented and modeled, so that it would become part of the fabric of the culture. What have you learned about organizational culture from your experience?

To Finish out 2009 with a good laugh

As we close out the year, I thought it would be appropriate to pass along some humorous thoughts as to what NOT to do as a leader. We’ve all been guilty of many, if not all, of these at times. I would appreciate hearing your feedback and experiences along these lines. Happy New Year!
HOW TO BE A TRULY INEFFECTIVE LEADER

1. Never give recognition for a job well done. This will keep people guessing as to
what you think and will help them to feel unappreciated. This will help to minimize
future efforts toward excellence and ward off the expectation of salary increases on the
part of your people.

2. In public, take credit for the team’s accomplishments. This will motivate people
to seek credit for themselves and help to create a competitive/cutthroat organizational
culture. This will minimize a team spirit and keep people dependent on you to resolve
interpersonal conflicts.

3. Pour added responsibilities on the shoulders of high impact staff members
without sufficient authority to accomplish them. This will help to kill initiative, and
prevent high achievers from outshining you and eventually getting your job. Because
they feel manipulated and used, they will seek employment elsewhere, thus eliminating
the threat that they are to you.

4. Make promises that you do not keep. By putting no promises in writing, you can
use executive authority to win any disagreements as to what you actually said. This will
will also help to remove the burden of following through, so that you can focus on more
important things.

5. Hire people who are similar to you in their thinking, gifts, strengths and
weaknesses. This will help to dispel questions, disagreements, and creativity. This
will, in turn, help to keep people feeling comfortable, stifle change and the associated
stress. It will also help your organization to preserve its reputation as holding on to the
past.

6. Dummy up the monthly statistics. This will prompt people to feel great about what
is happening, even though it really isn’t. It will also pave the way for setting huge
goals, which are impressive to others—even though they will never be reached.

7. Give people inflated reviews, so that they have an exaggerated view of their
performance and progress. This will help to eliminate the need for setting goals, for
which you would have to hold them accountable.

8. Refuse to confront difficult realities about others and the work environment.
This will eliminate a great deal of stress for you as the leader, as you can overlook the
weaknesses of others and not have to deal with inefficiency, mediocrity, and sloth in the
work environment. Most importantly it will help you to be popular with your people.

Copyright Reality Ministries llc, 2009

9. Give people responsibilities, and interfere by taking over when they do not
accomplish them in the time and/or way that you prefer. This will keep people
dependent on you, and stifle their initiative. It will also help to prevent others from
surpassing you in their achievements.








































Copyright Reality Ministries llc, 2009

Leaders sacrifice

Leaders are servants whose primary focus is helping others to be successful in route to the fulfillment of vision. As we know, this involves such skills as listening, encouraging, and when necessary confrontation. During this holiday season when we consider the birth, life, and death of Christ, we are reminded that true service is demonstrated by sacrifice of time, personal convenience and preference for the benefit of others. What have you learned about sacrifice in your leadership of others?
Have a Merry Christmas!!

Accountable to Anyone?

The recent revelation regarding star athletes together with that of political leaders, have prompted many of us to give consideration to the issue of moral authority as it pertains to leadership. It is much easier to see the connection with one in an official leadership role as in the political arena. In large measure they lose their ability to lead because of their immoral behavior. But what about someone in a position like star athletes, who have major influence on others by means of their athletic accomplishments? In such a situation, can performance be separated from personal morality? There are many who feel that they have no responsibility to the public for what they have done, and that it is merely a private matter that they must address with their families. As far as they are concerned, others have chosen to look up to them as role models rather than expecting them to meet a requirement, such as reporting to a boss or submitting to a spiritual authority. However, the reality is that success in the public arena puts people in the spotlight, especially with young people, so that they do have a degree of accountability whether or not they are willing to accept it. They should ask themselves what impact their choices will have on their followers. What are your thoughts on this issue?

Trust

November 30, 2009 Trust has been defined in many ways. Henry Cloud writes that to trust is to be careless, meaning that you do not have worry about yourself with that person, because he is going to be worried about that too. Warren Bennis calls it the emotional glue that binds followers together. Someone else has defined it as assurance that another has my best interests in mind. Needless to say, trust is essential for effective leadership. It is the foundation for meaningful relationships and effective teamwork. What are ways that we as leaders can build trust? One way is to operate with consistency between our words and actions, between what we do in private and in public, what we say to others in their in their presence and about them in their absence, and/or how we operate in everyday situations and when we are under pressure. In essence, living with integrity is essential for building trust. What has helped you to build trust with others, specifically as a leader in an organizational framework?