Twelve Leadership Failures That Will Sink An Organization--December 31, 2010

Over the past four years I have spent a lot of time reading about organizational health as I have worked on my doctoral dissertation. Be it the market place or the non-profit arena, the success or failure of the organization rests primarily upon the quality of its leadership. Though it is not a comprehensive list, I believe there are at least twelve leadership failures that will sink an organization. If you are in a leadership role in your organization, I would invite you to think through this leadership assessment and, along with your leadership team, make any necessary changes that will allow your organization to be healthy in 2011. I would invite your comments as a leader.

Leading with quality in mind,

Denny


Twelve Leadership Failures That Will Sink An Organization

1. A Failure To Lead By Example

Are the leaders willing to do what they are asking others to do?
Are the leaders willing to show others how to succeed?

2. A Failure To Create A Safe Place For Discussion

Are the leaders willing to be approachable and listen?
Are the leaders willing to accept constructive criticism from others?

3. A Failure To Plan For The Future

Are the leaders willing to be forward thinking when met with a challenge or problem, rather than taking the attitude “we’ve always done it this way before?”
Are the leaders willing to set strategic, measurable goals for the organization’s health?

4. A Failure To Learn From The Past

Are the leaders willing to express humility when things have not gone as planned?
Are the leaders willing to make the necessary changes so that history will not repeat itself?

5. A Failure To Invest In Future Leaders

Are the leaders willing to become mentors to the next generation of leadership?
Are the leaders willing to pass the baton of leadership and not grip power until the bitter end?

6. A Failure To Appreciate And Praise Others In The Organization’s Successes

Are the leaders willing to share the glory when things are going well?
Are the leaders willing to promote the contributions of those who serve behind the scenes?

7. A Failure To Distinguish The Difference Between Managing Programs And Leading People

Are leaders willing to care more about building a relationship with people rather than simply trying to manage them?
Are leaders willing to make people feel important?

8. A Failure To Empower Members To Reach Their Full Potential

Are leaders willing to make a concerted effort to lead others towards growth?
Are leaders willing to be replaced by those they have empowered to grow?

9. A Failure To Communicate In A Clear And Convincing Way

Are leaders willing to make sure that communication is clear and consistent?
Are leaders willing to listen and learn from others?

10. A Failure To Capture The Moment And Build Upon Energy And Momentum

Are leaders willing to lead on the cutting edge of change?
Are leaders willing to spend the necessary resources to ensure momentum does not fade away?

11. A Failure To Build A Team That Has Great Chemistry

Are leaders willing to make the necessary investment of time to make sure “the right people are on the bus?”
Are leaders willing to do what is necessary in order to build a team building culture in the organization?

12. A Failure To Make Strategic Adjustments During An Historic Challenge

Are leaders willing to think outside the box in order to compensate for a change in culture or circumstances?
Are leaders willing to admit incorrect assumptions and adjust to a new strategy that may demand structural changes in how the organization operates?

Ambition: How Will You Use It?

Ambition: "It's the instinctual motivation to aspire to things, to make something happen, to have an impact, to count for something in life." (Dave Harvey) How will your ambition make an eternal difference in 2011?

Year End Leadership Thoughts--December 29, 2010

It's a good discipline for every leader to read what other leaders are writing. Here are a few notable quotes that struck a chord in me:

The Impact A Leader Can Have Upon Many People:

“When you influence a child, you influence a life. When you influence a parent, you influence a family. When you influence a president, you influence a corporation. When you influence a pastor, you influence a church. When you influence a leader, you influence all who look to him or her for leadership.” Pg.171

Biehl, Bobb. 1996. Mentoring: confidence in finding a mentor and becoming one. Nashville, TN: Broadman and Holman Publishers.

The Importance Of A Leader's Impact Upon The Organization:

“The greatness of an organization will be directly proportional to the greatness of its leader. It is rare for organizations to rise above their leaders. Giant organizations do not emerge under pygmy leaders; therefore, the key to growing an organization is to grow its leaders.” Pg. 31

Blackaby, Henry and Richard. 2001. Spiritual leadership: moving people to God’s agenda. Nashville, TN: Broadman & Holman Publishers.

The Great Need For A Leader's Personal Growth:

“One of the issues regarding spiritual leadership is whether spiritual leaders can take people to places they themselves have never been. That depends on one’s definition of spiritual leadership. If spiritual leadership is understood as taking people to a location or completing a task, then leaders can lead people to places they have never been. But if the goal of leadership is a relationship, then leaders will never move their people beyond where they have gone themselves. Leaders can lead people to relocate their organization or to build a building or to grow in size without prior experience in these areas. But leaders cannot take their people into a relationship with Christ that goes any deeper than they have gone themselves. Followers may grow deeper spiritually in spite of their spiritually immature leaders, but they will not grow deeper because of such people. Thus, spiritual leaders must continually be growing themselves if they are to lead their people into a mature, intimate relationship with Christ. Leaders will not lead their people to higher levels of prayer unless they have already ascended to those heights themselves. Leaders will not lead others to deeper levels of trust in God unless they have a mature faith themselves.” Pg. 128

Blackaby, Henry and Richard. 2001. Spiritual leadership: moving people to God’s agenda. Nashville, TN: Broadman & Holman Publishers.

Keep on leading with quality in mind,

Denny Bates

Catalyst Thoughts on Wednesday Afternoon

CATALYST Reflections thus far: "Don't trade your future for a bowl of stew" Andy Stanley and "You've got to eat it before you tweet it." Beth Moore

More to come (pun intended!)

Leaders Who Are Leading--The Best of CATALYST 2010--October 6

Hello my dear friends. Hope each one of you are doing well this day. For the next three days I'll be passing on to you a portion of what I am hearing from some of this generation's leaders. Each speaker I hear this week brings incredible credibility as they function as leaders of leaders. Here are a few of the quotes from pastor and writer John Ortberg based upon his new book, "The Me I Want To Be." It's on my list as one of my next reads. I recommend it to you if you are interested on how you can experience spiritual growth. Ortberg said,

"What kind of people are we producing in the church: humble, transparent, loving?"

"Your life is not your project--It's God's (Eph. 3:10) You are not your handiwork. Only God knows what the best version of you are."

"We live in a gap of our destiny and where we really are."

"Transformation requires as much grace as salvation does."

"Living in grace is a learned behavior."

"We have reduced grace to the forgiveness of sins. We are to grow in grace."

"Saints burn far more grace than sinners could ever do--Dallas Willard."

"Question: who is more content? The man with a million dollars or the man with 12 kids?" Answer: The man with 12 kids. He is content. He wants no more!"

"Spiritual formation is not a program or event for 'the special.' It is happening all of the time to everyone whether they realize it or not. The inner you is being shaped all of the time."

"Spiritual growth is hand crafted, not mass produced."

"God has existed for eternity, but He has never had a relationship with you."

"You do not measure some one's devotion to God by their 'devotional' life."

"Are you producing pharisees or disciples?"

"We need to teach people to learn to live by grace."

"The world is not likely to respond to a gospel of transformation by untransformed people."

"What do you want? Good circumstances that go your way or living rivers that flow out of your inner being?"

Other speakers from today that I may blog about later are Michael Hyatt (CEO of Thomas Nelson), Chris Hodges (Church planter), Alan and Debra Hirsh (Writers), and Mark Batterson. Thursday and Friday will be full days of listening and learning. I'll pass on to you some of the CATALYST experience. Wish you were here to see it and experience it for yourself! In the meantime,

Keep on leading with quality in mind,

Denny Bates

Leading With Vision: Investing In The Future

Leadership is more than occupying a privileged seat at the boardroom table or having an impressive looking nameplate on one’s office door. Leadership, the best kind of leadership, is when the leader seeks to raise up other leaders who may eventually out perform him or her. Quality leadership is always on the lookout for younger leaders who will thrive under the care of a mentor. I have discovered two excellent resources that help explain the power of mentoring and the kind of lasting impact it can have upon the mentor, the mentoree, and the organization.

These are some notes from Bobby and Richard Clinton:

“Mentoring is a relational process, in which someone who knows something, the mentor, transfers that something (the power resources such as wisdom, advice, information, emotional support, protection, linking to resources, career guidance, status) to someone else, the mentoree, at a sensitive time so that it impacts development.” Pg. 2.4

“We categorized mentor involvement into various types depending on kind of empowerment, deliberateness, depth, and awareness of the effort. Nine types emerged and were categorized: disciple, spiritual guide, coach, counselor, teacher, sponsor, contemporary model, historical model, and divine contact.” Pg. 2.4

“A mentor is a person with a serving, giving, encouraging attitude who sees leadership potential in a younger leader and is able to promote or otherwise significantly influence that younger leader along to the realization of his/her leadership potential.” Pg. 2.6

Clinton, J. Robert and Richard W. 1991. The mentor handbook. Altadena, CA: Barnabas Publishers.

These are some notes from Ken Blanchard and Phil Hodges:

“Another way to tell a self-serving from a servant leader is how they approach succession planning. Self-serving leaders who are addicted to power, recognition and who are afraid of loss of position are not likely to spend any time or effort in training their replacements.” Pg. 18

“One aspect of a job well done as a servant leader is what we do to prepare others to carry on after our season of leadership is completed. Your personal succession planning efforts will speak volumes about your motives as a leader. It is likely that anyone leading from an ego involved in the promotion and protection of self is not going to spend much time training and developing their potential successor. Just as avoiding or discouraging honest feedback on a day-to-day basis is a mark of an ego-driven leader, so is failure to develop someone to take your place.” Pg. 20

“How are you doing in preparing others to take your place when the time comes? Do you consider them a threat or an investment in the future? Are you willing to share what you know and provide opportunities to learn and grow to those who will come after you? If not, why not? These are critical matters of the heart of a servant leader. A few minutes of brutal honesty regarding your motives as a leader are worth years of self-deception.” Pg. 21

“Servant leaders, who consider their positions as being on loan and as an act of service, look beyond their own season of leadership and prepare the next generation of leaders.” Pg. 21

“Jesus modeled the true servant leader by investing most of His time training and equipping the disciples for leadership when His earthly ministry was over.” Pg. 21

Blanchard, Ken & Hodges, Phil. 2003. The servant leader: transforming your heart, head, hands, and habits. Nashville, TN: J. Countryman (a division of Thomas Nelson, Inc.)

QUALITY THOUGHTS: Quality Leaders seek to mentor younger leaders. Quality Leaders are engaged in the future, knowing that the future health and vitality of the organization depends upon the effective training of future leaders.

Leading with Quality in Mind,

Denny Bates

Quality Leadership Consultants

Our Mission: To present Quality Ideas that will produce Quality Changes in
Quality Leaders and Organizations

Leading With Influence

Quality Leadership Consultants Blog—September 25, 2010

One of the great responsibilities of leadership is to properly steward the power or influence that has been entrusted to the leader. I have come across two books that clearly explain the consequences of a positive influence. Bobb Biehl reminds us of the transforming possibilities of when a leader is influenced.

“When you influence a child, you influence a life. When you influence a parent, you influence a family. When you influence a president, you influence a corporation. When you influence a pastor, you influence a church. When you influence a leader, you influence all who look to him or her for leadership.” Pg.171

Biehl, Bobb. 1996. Mentoring: confidence in finding a mentor and becoming one. Nashville, TN: Broadman and Holman Publishers.

In their leadership classic, “Spiritual Leadership,” Henry and Richard Blackaby share with us why a leader’s character matters:
“The issue of influence is critical, especially in Christian leadership. In people’s attempts to enlist a following, some have resorted to developing the appearance of a leader rather than developing the character of a leader.” Pg. 87

“Collins and Porras, in their book Built to Last, concluded that the contention that ‘visionary companies require great and charismatic visionary leaders’ is a myth. On the contrary, they determined that ‘a charismatic visionary leader is absolutely not required for a visionary company and, in fact, can be detrimental tåo a company’s long-term prospects.’ Great leaders, they discovered, built great organizations, not necessarily great reputations. When organizations are built around the personality of a leader, not only is the organization susceptible to the weaknesses and whims of its leader, but is also faces an inevitable crisis then the leader leaves the organization. When a church plummets in attendance after its pastor leaves or a company’s profits significantly decline after the CEO resigns, this may indicate the organization was built more on personality than on a healthy process or product.” Pg. 92

Blackaby, Henry and Richard. 2001. Spiritual leadership: moving people to God’s agenda. Nashville, TN: Broadman & Holman Publishers.

QUALITY THOUGHTS: Quality Leaders seeks to influence other leaders. Quality Leaders are authentic and seek to build an organization that is designed to outlast them.

Leading with Quality in Mind,

Denny Bates

Leadership 2.0

While browsing the web page of Catalyst Conference, I came across the notes of one of the lab presenters. Michael Hyatt is the CEO of Thomas Nelson publishers and is a keen thinker in terms of leadership issues. Below are some of his thoughts on leadership.

Leading with Quality in Mind,

Denny

Leadership 2.0

By Michael Hyatt | CEO, Thomas Nelson

I started blogging in 1998—before it was called blogging. I simply posted new articles to my web site, because I noticed that people would come back if the content kept changing. But it was a hassle. It wasn’t easy to change the content or structure of your site. Everything was fairly static.

But in 2002–2003, things began to change. They started becoming more dynamic. In fact, in December 2003, Eric Knorr, executive editor of InfoWorld, coined the phrase “Web 2.0” to describe the movement to a different kind of Web experience that was more focused on the user rather than the publisher.

According to Wikipedia, Web 2.0:

refers to a perceived second generation of web development and design, that facilitates communication, secure information sharing, interoperability, and collaboration on the World Wide Web. Web 2.0 concepts have led to the development and evolution of web-based communities, hosted services, and applications such as social-networking sites, video-sharing sites, wikis, blogs, and folksonomies.

I think that a similar paradigm shift has occurred in our understanding of leadership. Our interaction with the Web and the expectations it creates have shaped what we expect from our leaders.

Therefore, if leaders are going to be effective with the current generation of Internet-savvy web-users, they must shift their leadership style. I call this Leadership 2.0. Here’s how it compares to Leadership 1.0:

1. Leadership 2.0 embraces change. Like Web 1.0, old-style leadership was fairly static. Leaders resisted change and were more focused on preserving the status quo. However, Leadership 2.0 embraces change. New-style leaders are on the cutting edge of experimentation. If something doesn’t work, they change course quickly. They are more concerned about driving the right outcomes than maintaining business-as-usual.

2. Leadership 2.0 demonstrates transparency. Old-style leaders were opaque. They wouldn’t tell you anything they didn’t have to tell you. They kept themselves shrouded in mystery. (Think of “Oz.”) New-style leaders are open and transparent. They let you see them for who they are—warts and all. They risk self-disclosure, preferring to acknowledge the truth of who they are rather than pretend to be something they are not.

3. Leadership 2.0 celebrates dialogue. Old-style leaders delivered a monologue. They did all the talking. The fact that they were the boss was proof enough that they were smarter than everyone else n the room. New-style leaders listen more than they talk. They ask questions. They lead powerful conversations. Why? Because they know that “all of us are smarter than some of us” to quote James Surowiecki in The Wisdom of Crowds.

4. Leadership 2.0 employs collaboration. Old-style leaders were competitive. They held all the cards close to their vest. They didn’t “play well with others.” They refused to help anyone they perceived as the competition, even if they were theoretically on the same team. New-style leaders are all about teamwork. They are inclusive in the way they lead, drawing you in and making you feel that you are doing something great—together. They enroll others as “colleagues” and “partners.”

5. Leadership 2.0 practices sharing. Old-style leaders hoarded their resources—their contacts, their insights, their time, energy and money. They played a zero-sum game. They didn’t believe they could be generous without depleting their own pile of stuff. New-style leaders are just the opposite. They have an abundance-mentality. They freely share their resources, believing that “there is plenty more where that came from.” They know “it is more blessed to give than to receive” (see Acts 20:35)

6. Leadership 2.0 welcomes engagement. Old-style leaders were aloof and detached. They didn’t expect to get their hands dirty by actually talking to customers and other constituents. They stood above the fray, dispassionately observing the masses. New-style leaders don’t think in terms of hierarchy, as if something is beneath them. They jump in with both feet, happily and passionately engaging with anyone and everyone.

7. Leadership 2.0 builds community. Old-style leaders were rugged individualists. They pulled themselves up by their own bootstraps. They didn’t need anyone else. They could do it all themselves, “thank you very much.” New-style leaders, on the other hand, enjoy working with others and building a sustainable community that will go on long after they are gone. They get great satisfaction from working together rather than working alone.

Leadership 2.0 represents a quantum leap forward in effectiveness. It enables leaders to connect with their followers in ways that Leadership 1.0 could never do.

The irony is that this may not be so new after all. Jesus Himself was this very kind of leader. But that is a post for another day.

This article is from Michael Hyatt. Michael Hyatt is a popular blogger, speaker and the CEO of Thomas Nelson Publishing.

Printed from the Catalyst website (www.catalystspace.com).

The online version of this article can be found at
http://www.catalystspace.com/content/read/leadership_2.0_michael_hyatt/

Leaders Who Limp & The Power of Mentoring

Saturday, September 4, 2010

Leading With A Limp

We often think that leadership is only for the perfect leader, the guy or gal who has it all together. Sounds great in theory, but all of us, even the best of us, have a limp that the Lord has entrusted to us. And in spite of our struggles, we can, as Dan Allender reminds us, lead with a limp. Here are a few of the profound quotes in his book that impacted me.

“No one is a mere follower. If you are a follower of God, for instance, then you are called to lead. Every believer is called to help someone grow into maturity—and such is the core calling of a leader.” Pg. 25

“Every leader must count the cost of leadership, and the cost includes six realities: crisis, complexity, betrayal, loneliness, weariness, and glory. No one escapes these twists and turns in the valley.” Pg. 29

Allender, Dan B. 2006. Leading with a limp: turning your struggles into strengths. Colorado Springs, CO: Waterbrook Press.

The Power of Mentoring

In their book, Spiritual mentoring: a guide for seeking and giving direction, Anderson and Reese underscore the role a mentor has in the lives of those he or she mentors. Genuine mentoring is not just about passing along information, but looks to impact the heart.

“The term mentor actually comes from the world of Greek mythology. Ulysses placed his son Telmachus under the tutelage and care of a wise sage named Mentor. Ulysses was away fighting in the Trojan War, so Mentor was responsible for teaching young Telemachus ‘not only book learning but also in the wiles of the world.’ Mentor’s task was to provide an education of soul and spirit as well as mind, and education in wisdom and not merely in information.” Pg. 35

“Spiritual mentoring…
• Provides an effective means of enhancing intimacy with God

• Cultivates recognition of the already present action of God in the life of the mentoree through the Holy Spirit

• Aids in the discernment of God’s will

• Is a highly effective means for character and value formation

• Facilitates ultimate identity discovered as a loved and accepted child of God

• Is a necessity for the journey of faith

• Provides clarity and guidance for decisions and service for one’s life

• Is a source of encouragement, courage and hope

• Is rooted in the teaching of the church and biblical truth” Pg. 50

Anderson, Keith R. and Reese, Randy D. 1999. Spiritual mentoring: a guide for seeking and giving direction. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press.

Leading with Quality in Mind,

Denny

Leading With Humility

Saturday, September 11, 2010

Leadership can be a very “heady” experience. Our culture seems to elevate leaders in a way that may convince the leader to believe that he or she is essential, exceptional, and most of all, an elitist. We can be leaders of a non-profit, a for-profit business, or a local church. It does not matter what kind of organization we lead. We all need to lead with humility. It will do us well to keep in mind the words of a leader who led by example:

3 Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. 4 Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too.
5 You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had. Philippians 2:3-5 (NLT)

The apostle Paul’s charge is just as true today as it was 2,000 years ago. We must lead with humility. As I was doing research for my dissertation, I came across Kevin Harney’s book on leadership that underscores the dangers of leaders and organizations who lead out of pride and not humility. I’d like to share a few of his quotes that stood out.

“We are wisest when we have relationships and networks that fortify our lives as leaders. Healthy leaders not only practice self-examination but also move beyond reflection to invite others into the deepest parts of their souls . . . The best leaders will ask, even beg, others to show them where they need to grow, where they are broken, where sin lurks in the dark corners of their hearts. Where we have blind spots, those who are close to us, who love us, can identify areas in which we need to repent, change, grow.” Pg. 17

“As leaders, we must be sure we never grow to see the people we lead as cogs in a machine or pawns on a chessboard. We can’t let our hearts grow cold or distant. If we’re going to lead like Jesus, we must allow the dangerous power of love to fill our hearts. We can’t become like the nobles in Braveheart, who see the people as a means to maintaining their own position or even elevating themselves.

“In recent years, I have observed something I have never seen in the church before. I call it the Rock Star Syndrome. There is a new generation of church leaders who are treated like rock stars. They are elevated. They are exalted. They are the stars of the show. When people come to church and the Rock Star is not present, the ‘audience’ feels cheated. One senses that if this leader were to leave that church, many of the attendees would leave also. The crowds are not there to engage in the life of the body of Christ. They aren’t there to discover their gifts and faithfully serve. They have come to taste the flavor of the month.

“I worry as this phenomenon spreads, because these leaders seem to like and even encourage their ‘untouchable’ status. They build a moat between themselves and the people in the church. Often even their own staff can’t get to them for a conversation or for prayer. They are unapproachable.” Pg. 33

Harney, Kevin. 2007. Leadership from the inside out: examining the inner life of a healthy church leader. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan.

For those of us who lead, wherever we lead, may we lead with humility.

Leading with Quality in Mind,

Denny