The business leader just turned 50. He had advanced in his organization primarily through his relational skills. He was easy to like and most people felt comfortable with him. To this point in his career, his relational skills were sufficient. He had really been more of a manager than a leader. He thus depended on others to make decisions; he would carry them out with a good attitude and a good work ethic.
The First Sign of Problems
The problems began when he was promoted to a position that was clearly one of leadership. He was now expected to make decisions. He was to take initiative instead of waiting on others to move. He now had people who worked under him who waited on him to make critical decisions.
He failed. He seemed frozen in making decisions. He would not let others under him help him. He treated his new level of leadership as if he was still a manager who carried out tasks. He perceived it was his responsibility to do everything, rather than to see that everything got done.
He failed to delegate and thus he failed in his new job. Read it all
h/t to Robin Jordan of Anglicans Ablaze
I don't see these motivational speaking as being inspired. Why are they worthwhile? What theology could they have that tops what has been said before? What about the Priesthood of All Believers?
ReplyDeleteFair enough Mr Mcgranor, however, Thom Rainer is a Southern Baptist denominational leader and his point is more about leadership than doctrine. I am all for the priesthood of all believers: I would love to have more lay leaders in my parish who know how to lead and actually do so.
ReplyDeleteFrom a purly management perspective, leadership of anything, business or church, occurs from the front. Leaders lead because they inspire others to follow. To do that, they must make good, believable and executable decisions. I think many parishes suffer lack of "leadership" because potential leaders feel unequipped to make "religious" (that is good and executable) decisions. When a vestry makes decisions for its parish, the decisions often involve religious issues such as mission, Sunday School, or worship. Sometimes potential leaders don't feel they know enough about these topics to make the decisions to "lead". The basic problem, and answer to the problem, is more thorough grounding of all parishioners in the basic tenets of our faith. In some parishes, a clearer understanding of the roles of clergy and lay leaders would also probably be helpful.
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