Leadership Torque

Becoming the future you desire to see

It is said that you can only lead somewhere that you've already been. Maybe 'It also should be said' that you can only lead someone to become someone who you already are!

 

It dawned on me this week that leadership of people is not only about leading them toward a future of unchartered purpose and promise, but more centrally it's about leading your followers to become people who live Gods promise. Our task as leaders isn't to merely point tour followers in the right direction, or show them what we think the way is. Our task as leaders is to become the people we feel God wants our followers to become and then encourage, equip and teach them to become like us.

 

If you want your followers to be selfless servants, then first you must become a selfless servant.

 

If you want your followers to be passionate prayers, then first you must become a passionate prayer.

 

If you want your followers to love people who are far from God, then you first must love people who are far from God.

 

If you want your followers to be devoted worshipers, consistent Bible readers, keen and humble learners, sold out for Christ and his vision for you, then guess what? You too have to become that!

 

Did you notice also, that you have to not just 'do' these 'tasks' but you must become this kind of person. If you become the person you're passion and influence will be irresistible. If you do the task when you feel it's needed then you'll followers will become like that, except they'll rarely see the need!

Filling the Leadership Pipeline

I first heard John Maxwell speak about developing another leader to take your place: Lead so well, you actually work your way out of a job by reproducing yourself. Said differently Fill the leadership Pipeline.

Let's say the position you are in is the end of the pipeline! Your task as a leader is to fill the pipeline that is behind you with competent leaders who can actually do what you do in an effective way. The concept means that if done well, and if you happen to vanish one day - which I'm sure will only be by God taking you directly to heaven because of your excellent leadership - that there is someone who could step into your role and there is someone behind them that could step into their role and so on.

This means that you need to develop leaders who can also develop leaders. Whilst also developing leaders to replace you and to replace those who may replace you. Filling the leadership pipeline is a long term prospect, but one that will save you much pain and anguish and will enormously strengthen the infrastructure of your ministry.

Thinking ahead

Most people, leaders and followers assume that the Leader knows everything. The truth of the matter is that leaders often don't know very much more than their followers, but they are able to work things out and then come up with the solutions to the problems faster than everyone else. This is one of the things that makes them the leader, because others will rely on that person to find a way forward, if they prove themselves faster at being able to do that. So if you want to sharpen your leadership, work on coming up with solutions faster!

Servanthood

We recently had an event at the Church and afterwards I turned to go help in the kitchen and noticed that one of our new Young Adults was busying himself cleaning the dishes and scrubbing the pots and pans. I went in and with surprise said "Man, you've been here three weeks, and you're the only one in the kitchen. You shouldn't be doing this man, you've just arrived."

His response was great! He said "This is where you begin!" A couple of things dawned on e in that moment:

1. All leadership begins with servanthood and this guy understood ad embraced this!

2. Cleaning up and serving after an event, when everyone else is going home or sitting round chatting is te true measure of a servant.

3. Setting up for an event far outweighs cleaning up afterwards. Those who have real leadership potential are the ones who naturally jump at the chance to make sure things are cleaned up afterwards.

The missing... ball

It happened a few months ago, I was devastated, it fell from my desk onto the floor. Now it sits on my window sill as a reminder. The middle ball that hangs broke and consequently it stopped working. The strange thing is that when it's all fixed, the middle ball doesn't do much. It simply holds the harmony of the other balls. It acts a conduent of force, absorbing the force of one ball and then distributing that force elsewhere. What a metaphor for leadership. Much of what a leader of eladers does is this. We empower people by creating an energised harmony. Never easy and often we're not seen to be doing much, but if we aren't there, the whole thing doesn't work!

I had a little help...

Alex Haley, the late author of Roots, had a unique picture in his office. Framed on his wall was a shot of a turtle sitting on top of a fence post. Haley prized the picture because it was a constant reminder of a lesson he had learned long ago: "If you see a turtle on a fence post, you know he had some help. Any time I start thinking, 'Wow, isn't this marvelous what I've done!' I look at that picture and remember how this turtle, me, got up on that post." If you're sitting on a fence post enjoying the view, remember, you had help!

Leadership requires risk

Dr. Evan O'Neill Kane made history twice in the same day. The chief surgeon of Kane Summit Hospital in New York City was convinced that local anaesthesia was a better option than the accepted practice of always using general anaesthesia. Dr. Kane felt the patient sustained too many risks when completely put under. His plan was to find a volunteer who would allow him to perform an appendectomy (an operation he had performed nearly four thousand times) with local anesthesia. The search was difficult because prospects feared the local deadening might wear off, leaving them in great pain. Others did not believe it would work. At last, Dr. Kane found a willing volunteer. On February 15, 1921 the volunteer was prepared for surgery and given local anesthesia. The sixty-year-old surgeon performed the procedure without any complications. Dr. Kane proved his point, as the patient experienced only minor discomfort. Naturally, Dr. Kane became famous as a surgeon that day, but even more interesting is the fact that he became famous for being the patient as well. He proved his theory by operating on himself! Leadership shines brightest when the leader does what nobody else is willing to do. Which often means putting yourself on the line!

Insights from Nehemiah #1

I love Nehemiah. I love what he wrote too. And as I've been reading it this week I've discovered so many outstanding leadership insights, so I thought I'd share them here. Be warned however they won't be in any sort of chronological order.

Nehemiah arrived at Jerusalem after having heard that the city walls were in ruins. He returned with the blessing of his boss to rebuild the wall. He arrives in the city, connects with the Jews who were in charge (the priests, nobles and officials) and rallies them to rebuild the wall.

The project goes swimmingly well and after the wall was rebuilt the text says "I put in charge of Jerusalem my brother Hanani along with Hananiah the commander of the citadel, because he was a man of integrity and feared God more than most men do." (7:2) Sounds like a good choice to me, however it doesn't quite add up. What right did Nehemiah have to appoint someone/anyone to be in charge of Jerusalem? After all he was only the chief wall builder! Yet he did it and was unopposed. Why? Because great leadership naturally rises to the top.

The people were looking to be lead, and found someone who had proven themselves worthy. If you ever wonder what a great leader looks like and if you are one, look for the person that others look to, who is slowly gathering more influence, who is implementing healthy changes and who isn't afraid to loose their position to a better leader!

The Big Picture

Often when we lead our one area, a ministry, a department, part of an organisation, we forget that we are part of a much bigger picture.

The bigger picture is that my area, plus the area belonging to the person next to me, and the person next to her, and the person next to him, all combine to make up a bigger picture.

Whilst I may have goals, vision and markers for success, true success is achieved when the goals, vision and markers of success of the bigger picture are achieved. Taking this seriously means that I need to lead my department, ministry, area in such a way that it is always aware of and effectively contributing to the bigger picture.

You can read more about my thoughts here in this episode of The L-Message 041 - The Big Picture

The Difference (part 1)

p>There is a huge difference between (a) leading and (b) knowing how to lead or being familiar with different leadership philosophies, models or styles.

To read a leadership book, doesn't make you a leader. To go to a conference doesn't make you a leader. To write about leadership doesn't make you a leader.

What makes you a leader is when you find or put yourself in a situation that requires or even demands leadership from you and you step up to the challenge. Don't be lured into believing that you are a leader just because you know a bunch of stuff about leadership, make sure that you're in the game: casting vision, holding people to account, inspiring passion, setting goals, encouraging others onward, and all the other things leadership incorporates.

To read a book is great, but to lead a person is amazing!

You can read more about my thoughts here in this episode of The L-Message 040 - The Difference