Essential Leader

Welcome to Essential Leader!

Often I ask my students and clients what they see as challenges that they will have to overcome in the next two-to-four decades. Invariably one of the answers I get back is that leadership as it is thought of today is insufficient to take us through the increasingly complex and ambigous challenges that are facing the next generation. Leadership and leadership practices are already changing. New leaders and new, transformative leadership styles are bubbling up at the edges of society where traditional support structures have crumbled. This blog is an attempt to engage and nurture an ongoing dialogue about the essential ideas around the ever-changing nature of Leadership.

You are most welcome to join the conversation.

David McNamee

Fred recently considered an opportunity to take on an additional work assignment. It had all the earmarks of being a positive move: It increased his visibility to his organization’s board of directors. It gave him a chance to work across multiple departments and influence a wide range of projects and initiatives within the organization. But Fred was worried. His plate was already full with a new program launch and a number of program improvement initiatives. Not only that, he was heavily involved in several community organizations and still needed to be both husband and father at home. Fred had a tough choice and he was stymied.

As he shared his thoughts over coffee with a friend, Fred realized even before he asked the question that the only person who could decide how much capacity Fred had to take on more work, no matter how great the potential reward, was Fred. Fred realized that whatever he gained from life was largely a matter of his own choice. And because no two people are exactly alike, no one else could make a completely satisfactory choice except Fred.

In the end, he realized that taking on one more responsibility would be a disservice to himself and to others. By spreading himself even thinner, he would be placing himself in a bind that could only lead to unacceptable consequences. He chose to pass on the opportunity. In fact, he chose to drop one other responsibility as well in order to bring more balance to his life. Choice determines consequences. In this case Fred used his freedom of choice to refocus his life on things that were more important to him.

Small Acts of Heroism

While the cell phone network is virtually non-existent, news continues to trickle out of Haiti by way of email. We are struck by the growing number of small acts of heroism as people struggle to cope with the enormity of the tragedy.

 

Etienne Francois, the agronomist/veterinarian sponsored by our church, opened up his home and property to refugees. He and his wife, Darlene, are now struggling to care for more than 30 refugee families. This has entailed several 200-mile round trips to Port-au-Prince to purchase food and supplies at exorbitant prices. He tells us his savings are gone.

 

L. J. Scott and his wife, Ruth of Reciprocal Ministries International were surprised by a gift of more than 8,200 pounds of relief food supplies delivered by Agape Flights. More than 150,000 refugees have flooded into Les Cayes, about 100 miles west of Port-au-Prince. RMI and other local organizations were quickly overwhelmed. Nearly everything had been depleted and things were looking pretty desperate. Apparently someone at Agape Flights got wind of the situation. Over a 2-day period, the planes made several trips via Florida and the Dominican Republic to drop off much needed supplies—at no cost!

 

Rod and Debbie Wray of Harvest International gratefully received new visitors in the form of Doctors Bill Tenhaaf and Jon Roberts, who showed up from Missouri and began doing surgeries at the local hospital. Since they arrived, several smaller relief groups have combined efforts and cleaned out old storage/work shop areas and converted them to hospital wards for recovering Haitian patients. In addition, Rod tells me that he and his people are setting up a refugee camp that will support up to 200 families.

 

But not all of the news is good. Some smaller relief agencies, overwhelmed to the point of breaking, have given up and are packing it in. Unfortunately many of these agencies operate on a thin margin. Crises like this one are causing some to collapse.

Leaders Influence Others

Earning the respect of others and learning to use your leadership influence will make you a much more productive leader.

How effective authority and influence over the behavior of others is established depends on an ability to:

· Treat all people with basic dignity and respect;

· Focus on behavior, effectiveness and results rather than personalities;

· Care about people as people first and not as workers;

· Demonstrate expert knowledge about the work itself;

· Use effective communication skills to understand others and to be understood;

· Be open to new ideas from unlikely sources;

· Be willing to change and grow personally;

· Live up to your commitments;

· Make the tough decisions in a timely manner;

· Be on time;

· Be fair and equally in your policies and practices;

· Be lavish with help, encouragement, and praise. Give way more than you receive;

· Bring out the best in others and help them to succeed.

Ribbons

If I ask you to think about ribbons, it is very likely you will recall the brightly colored bits of silk that we weave through a child’s hair. Or perhaps you will reflect on the ribbons we wrap around the treasures and gifts we give each other to celebrate special events. Ribbons symbolize and highlight things delicate and precious. We use the word to describe creeks and moonlight and love.

A different kind of ribbon has been on my mind this week. I have been reflecting on the ribbons that service members wear on their uniforms. More than just pretty colors, these ribbons always tell a story. From bottom to top these ribbons document the mundane and the heroic. While these ribbons may be worn proudly by one person, to the discerning observer each ribbon speaks of selfless service to ideals invariably larger than any single life.

When my father passed away, we buried him at Willamette National Cemetery in the only suit that mattered to him, his Air Force uniform. Though I think of him as a crusty old coot, he was actually younger than I am now when he died. As we prepared to seal his casket, my mother asked me to retrieve something from him. His ribbons of service. She keeps them safely tucked away. Reminders of a life dedicated to the service of his country spanning the period from the Korean conflict to Vietnam.

A few years ago, the youth pastor at our church suddenly died of a heart attack while leading our high school youth group on a service tour in New Orleans after hurricane Katrina. Knowing that he had been an Air National Guard non-commissioned officer (NCO), my wife and I built a “shadow box” of memorabilia from his time of service. It contained the flag that draped his casket, patches that he had worn on his uniform, chevrons of the ranks he held, and his service ribbons. Puzzled by some of the unfamiliar ribbons that are unique to the Guard and wanting to make sure that they were properly arranged, I visited his old units at Portland Air National Guard Base to find out the stories behind the ribbons. The story that unfolded was not of unsung acts of heroism, but one of simple dedication to a mission. He was one among many that together wove a ribbon of veteran service to a country he loved.

Next month I get to put on my own set of ribbons and a uniform I have not worn in 15 years to administer the oath of commissioning to our oldest son. Proudly, and probably a little tearfully, my wife and I will welcome him to the ranks of veterans who have served. He will begin building his own collection of ribbons, his own precious story.

Today, let’s think about ribbons. And to those of you who have built your own little collection or know someone who has, thank you for your service.