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