Leadership: Together, We Can Change the World. I was reflecting yesterday on the 11 supervisors Ive had in my career, both in the business sector and in the church. There were distinct differences between those I considered to be the best leaders vs. the ones I thought werent so good. Those who werent so good... 1. Seemed to take great delight in catching people making mistakes. 2. Were easily offended if someone disagreed with their opinions. 3. Tried very hard to be cool, not realizing that many thought it was awkward. 4. Consistently strove to convince people that they knew more than they really knew. I saw this often with young leaders. (I once was one!) 5. Didnt work at keeping confidences, fostering a lack of trust. 6. Intentionally encouraged employees to disclose information about other employees that placed them in a negative light. 7. Were highly envious of other well-respected employees. (Envy is the #1 problem in most workplace leadership cultures). 8. Didnt fire friends who shouldve been let go, thereby being guilty of patronage. 9. Micromanaged too many things, thereby stifling creativity and personal development. 10. Often viewed the opposite gender (or others who looked different than them) as inferior or lacking. 11. Made crude remarks that were inappropriate. 12. Didnt work at being diligent listeners. 13. Valued policies more than people. Those I considered to be the best leaders: 1. Genuinely cared about people and it was obvious. 2. Were very quick to admit their own mistakes. 3. Knew how to respond, not react. 4. Had a strong, active gift of encouragement. 5. Werent scorekeepers, but were always quick to forgive. 6. Delegated responsibility and totally trusted people to do their job. 7. Viewed confidentiality as a sacred trust. 8. Never verbally criticized a superior behind their back. 9. Were often great leaders at home, not just the work place. 10. Readily admitted that they always had much more to learn. 11. Spoke hard truth with great sensitivity and kindness. 12. Viewed vulnerability as a strength, not a weakness. 13. Were delighted when others got the credit. All of us who lead people need to continually hone our leadership skills. The best leaders are the ones who are first to admit that. The others?...not so good. Everything rises and falls on leadership. Pray for your leaders and supervisors. If youre a leader or supervisor, pray for those youre privileged to lead. Together, we can change the world.
Posted on: Sun, 30 Nov 2014 01:34:31 +0000