The Art of Leadership
Tools for Leaders
If you are a leader then by definition it is implied that you are leading someone in something. Leadership consists of 6 key elements that all factor into creating a dynamic leader. No one person will excel perfectly in each of these areas, however a wise leader will strive to keep appraised on how they perform in each area so that they can maintain things they perform well and improve things they are weak in. The following evaluation forms are designed to help leaders gain an accurate view of how they perceive themselves and how others perceive them. Think of the self evaluation form as a first person camera shot. You are right in the action of all the things you are doing. Only you know why you make certain decisions and what factors influence you. Think of the peer evaluation form as a wide angle camera shot. You make decisions and other people are supposed to follow, however there may be factors you are not aware of that may derail your plans. Sometimes what we say doesn't come across to other people the way we thought it would in our heads. When you combine both views you create a more accurate story of a specific leadership event. These assessment forms are meant to help a leader learn how to improve after leading a specific event. It covers the vision/received vision, planning, communicating/training, and execution phase of a specific event.
Personal Preparation
Personal preparation is the often times the most neglected element of leadership, however this factor is the most important. The two words that should be foremost in a leaders mind are competence and teachability. If a person is a leader it is assumed that they have a certain degree of proficiency and aptitude equal to or higher than their subordinates. The aspect of competence plays a larger role in leadership events that are specialized. If the event you are leading is a soccer game you should at the minimum have a basic understanding of the rules. Moreover, you should have a good handle on the basic skills required to play. You should know the different positions that play in a game and how to perform the tasks required of each position. If you are leading a small section such as the defenders or forwards then you better know the ins and outs of playing that position. You should be competent in playing the position yourself and able to give advice to the other people in your section. When the event you are leading requires several tasks be performed and it is impractical/impossible to be a specialist in each task then you need to be knowledgeable enough to know whether the person you've delegated a task to is doing a good job.
Teachability is probably the greatest downfall to most leaders. The refusal to ask for help when they reach the limits of their abilities and knowledge is the undoing of not just the leader but the organization. No one likes to work with a “know it all”, especially when he really doesn't know what he's doing. When we are unsure how to plan or perform a certain task it is always better to err on the side of caution. A wicked man puts up a bold front, but an upright man gives thought to his ways.[1] We want to set a good example as leaders, and if our people see that we are willing to put the good of the team and event ahead of our personal pride then they will follow suit. We aren't going to be good at everything or know everything; however that should not deter us from striving to be the best we can be. We should strive to have a teachable attitude so we will be competent. Teachability is easily applied to things that we have little or no knowledge in, however teachability should play a role in things we are good at too. So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.[2] In everything we do we should give it our best. We should never settle in our efforts. We should always be seeking to improve fully invested in our tasks as though we were giving to God.[3]
Communication
Communication is the oil that keeps the organization functioning. Our groups and teams are made up of component parts that by the work and power of the Holy Spirit are made to fit together for the purpose of accomplishing His work. However, just like a car engine, if there isn't a little lubricant that relieves friction and allows each part to work in conjunction with each other then the engine will chew itself apart. A leader is part of a complex set of individuals meshed together to accomplish a single unified task. These individuals when brought together need to be given direction and purpose. The need to have boundaries set and a clear idea of what their individual tasks are. They must also know how the task they perform fits into the larger picture. This is all done through effective communication. Four things that will ensure a leader is effective in communication are clarity, brevity, understanding, and attitude.
When we communicate we need to be clear. There should be no doubt in our mind about what we are going to say. This implies that we will prepare what we say before we communicate. We also need to make sure that what we end up saying comes across clearly to our audience. We need to be brief with what we say. People don't remember long speeches. They pick out key words that give them a basic understanding of what you are trying to communicate. Therefore, communicate what you’re going to say with the least amount of words as possible. Keeping things brief will force you to be clear and keep to the facts. This in turn leads to increased comprehension for our subordinates. Although a leader communicates things to subordinates a proficient communicator knows that understanding is a two way street. Seek first to understand then be understood.[4] We need to be students of our people. We need to know what is going to be the most effective way of communicating ideas to different people under our authority. If we try to communicate unity of purpose to Betsy the baker in football terms we've done her a disservice and open the doors for miscommunication. We need to learn to communicate our ideas in the language that people will understand us. So communicating to communicate to Betsy unity of purpose we might talk about ingredients that go in a cake and how they all are different but when combined work together for the sole purpose of being a delicious cake. Although a leader is in charge of subordinates, many times the leader is under the authority of someone else. In this case there are three levels of communication. We must receive, interpret/understand, then put out the information that our superiors give to us. When we have no person in charge of us we all ultimately fall under the authority of God and must have clear knowledge about what He is saying to us. When we do fall under the authority of someone else then we have to understand what their purpose and goals are so we know what our part is in the grand scheme and so we can communicate purpose and vision to our subordinates. The way we communicate tasks and vision must be done with appropriate attitude. We should be excited when we have clear purpose and focus. Purpose is fulfilling and gives us peace of mind. When we are serving the Lord, there should be clarity and purpose so that we can confidently and joyfully carry out His work. Part of the role of Leader is the role of encourager. Regardless of the situation we find ourselves in we need to have clear vision and focus on our purpose. We need to cling to the Word of God and be immovable so that when things become difficult we point our people to what they should keep their eyes on which should be the rock and hope of our salvation Jesus Christ.
Professional Ethics
Part of being a leader is having attention turned to you. When leaders are given an official assignment, all eyes turn to the leader to see what they are doing. They are either doing right or wrong, it doesn't matter people will watch you regardless. People will also criticize or follow you. Most of the time people will criticize leaders when they are doing wrong. So hopefully, before you were given an official title you were already practicing doing the right thing. Hopefully you have been conducting yourself in such a way as not to bring discredit upon yourself. Now people will criticize you even when you are doing right, but they are less likely to be critical if you have been honest and humble about the mistakes you have made. Moreover, you will gain respect and honor if you simply accept responsibility for your actions both the good and bad. You have to also recognize that as a leader people follow you. So if you are doing the wrong thing they will do the same. However, often times the difference between the leader doing wrong and the subordinate doing wrong is that the leader knows better and the subordinate doesn't. Most of the time when a leader is doing wrong they are fully aware of the negative consequences of their wrongful actions but the people they lead into wrong don't. When you are guilty of leading people into actions you knowingly understand to be wrong you become a butcher leading innocent sheep to the slaughter. This is why it is imperative that a leader strive to be an example of good, and when he does wrong to quickly and openly resolve the matter so as to deter subordinates from making the same mistakes. As leaders we must recognize God's authority over us, thereby submitting ourselves to the moral code set forth in His guidebook. We are accountable to God's Word, therefore we should be avid students of His Word so that we are careful not to bring destruction to ourselves or others.[5]
Decision Making/Planning
The character and quality of a leader is determined by the decisions he makes. The negative aspect of this topic is that often leaders fail to make any decisions or they make poor and rash decisions. To guard against making poor decisions the leader must be adequately prepared. They must intimately know the details regarding a decision. They must weigh out the pros and cons of each decision. Do not let this process lead to the negative aspect of failing to make a decision. You cannot be crippled by indecision. One can and should spend time considering the consequences of a decision, however at some point in time a decision must be made. Having clear goals and priorities will help leaders make decisive decisions. If a leader knows what the desired end goal is then preparing a course of action to meet the needs of desired goal becomes clear. There are many ways tasks can be done but establishing clear priorities help to limit the range of decisions focusing and honing all tasks into contributing to the desired end goal. Therefore it is imperative that an adequate amount of time is spent defining the desired goal and communicating vision so that all intellectual contribution in planning relates to the accomplishment of the desired end goal. It is necessary to incorporate the input of our subordinates ultimately because they are the ones that are going to be executing tasks that contribute to creating an event. You want them to take possession of the task but give them clarity of purpose so that individual tasks contribute to the accomplishment of the desired end goal. It is impossible for anyone to do the absolute best they can if they are trying to do their best in more than one thing. Performance is going to suffer somewhere; therefore a dynamic leader needs to learn how to delegate. Leaders must know what they lack and where others excel. Leaders should delegate responsibilities to people whom they recognize display proficiency in the task required and leadership skills. When we delegate we are not simply passing of tasks. We are entrusting vital elements necessary for the accomplishment of the mission to someone else. When we delegate we are imputing our authority to someone else. We will ultimately be responsible for the actions of the individual we choose to entrust tasks to.[6]
Supervision
Supervision is probably one of the most misunderstood tasks of leading. There is a fine line to tread between lack of direction and micromanagement. To keep from falling into the former you must have established goals, a clear plan, set tasks and objectives, and excel in communication. You want your people to know exactly what to do, how to do it and why they are doing it. Don't make them guess or leave things so open ended that results will fail to meet the objective because of lack of communication and purpose. When the desired end state fails to be achieved the only one to blame is you. To keep yourself from falling into the pit of micromanagement you need to learn how to instill confidence in your subordinates and you must learn how to trust the people to whom you delegate responsibility. No one wants to have a hawk watching them as they work. You don't want your people to feel like your hanging around just waiting for them to mess up so you can swoop in for the kill. You also don't want to become too involved in a task that you've assigned to someone else. Then you will make the person feel as though you don't trust them to do an adequate job. Just as you are a leader, when you have subordinates, part of your job is to raise up and train future leaders. You will make mistakes, but if you are teachable and humble you will learn from your mistakes. You grow from your mistakes. Give your subordinate leaders the opportunity to grow too. You should never act as though you are irreplaceable. The moment you step into a position of leadership, you should already be thinking about finding and training a replacement. There are complications and unexpected distractions in life that may keep us from being in the picture. We don't want an event or an organization to fall apart because of the absence of one person. The event and mission are bigger than one person and must go on. A true leader who understands the vision/mission will do everything in their ability to ensure that the desired end goal is achieved regardless of their presence. They will put the good of the mission and team ahead of personal fulfillment.
Team/Community Development
The quality of a leader is measured in part by the success of his missions, however a deeper and more lasting measure of a good leader is found in the relationships he has with his people and the relationships his subordinates have with one another. This doesn't mean that everyone has to be best friends, what this does mean is that there is a sense of unity and possession with every member of the team. There must be a sense of community and cohesion. While building is community is an important aspect of being a leader it is not and should not be the primary focus. Community should not be built for the sake of community; it must be community with a purpose. Purpose and vision is the gel that holds the community together. If vision is not cast to every member of the group, then there is no reason for an individual to stay when faced with adversity. Everyone must have an understanding that the purpose and vision is about something bigger than one individual. They must feel a part of something important enough that they will set aside personal difference in favor of accomplishing the mission. While the desired end goal and mission should be placed above the individual needs of team members, you must not take this to an extreme. You must also make every effort to ensure that every member of the team feels like they belong. You want to make them feel like they matter and let them know that their contributions are vital and necessary.
[1] Proverbs 21:29(NASB)
[2] 1 Corinthians 10:31(NASB)
[3] Colossians 3:23(NASB) "Whatever you do, do your work heartily, as for the Lord, rather than for men"
[4] Stephen Covey. "7 Habits of Highly Effective People"
[5] Joshua 1:8 (NASB) "Do not let this book of law depart from your mouth, meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful."
[6] 1 Timothy (NASB) 5:22 "Do not lay hands on anyone too hastily and thereby share responsibility for the sins of others, keep yourself free from sin."
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