One of the great roles that a father (and grandfather) must play in the upbringing of his offspring is that of tower builder. I have two grandsons (3 and 1 year old) that live close by and when they come over to Poppy's house, I know that some of the time will be spent on the floor building towers out of the plastic and cloth blocks supplied by the builder. My job is to build the tower and theirs is to knock it down as soon as possible. Sometimes I get lucky and get three layers stacked up before one or both of the giants knock the blocks across the floor. Both of the boys have the mind-set of the ancient Assyrians: that no two stones shall stand upon another. One evening both boys were out of the room at the same time (diaper change and potty break), so I quickly got all the blocks I could find and made three towers as high as I could balance them. When the boys came back in and saw the towers unguarded, they charged the structures with incredible resolve and laughed with glee as they caused the blocks to fly in all directions.
Building towers in the living room is easy and fun. They are meant to be knocked down and rebuilt... the building/demolition process is to bring laughter and smiles to the boys' faces. But building community is no laughing matter. Building community is difficult and yet imperative. Creating a shared sense of purpose... a common vision... and a unified excitement is vital for the health and movement of an organization. Building a positive, vibrant community throughout the corporate entity is a common goal for CEOs. And yet, how to accomplish such a community is not an easy recipe .
Community demands vision - a fresh, challenging, inspiring vision, but it is more than that. Community requires purpose and a sense of mission - something worth living for, dying for and sacrificing for, but it is more than that as well. Community cries out for collaboration - friendships, a sense of family, a team spirit of altruism, and a group of kindred spirits running hand in hand, and yet there is still more. Community encompasses all of these things plus a secret ingredient - humble servanthood. Vision and purpose and collaboration plus humility demonstrated in service builds community. Being willing to serve others, being willing to put down our agendas; being willing to put the needs of others ahead of our own - this is the attitude that can create community.
However, just as my two grandsons can destroy a grand tower with a single kick, so organizational community can be easily devastated. The strong towers of vision, mission, and collaboration can be crumbled by enemies - both intentional and unintentional. Intentional acts like gossip, slander and jealousy can quickly remove the foundational stones of community. The poison of gossip seeps into the cracks of the ear and deep into the heart of man. Reputations of honest men and women are called into question and gaps of mistrust appear in the foundations of the organizational structure. Slander kicks the wounded and spreads misunderstanding among the troops. Jealousy drives men and women to act contrary to the vision and mission in the name of its own agenda.
Even in the midst of a strong community, an individual must guard against himself. Unintentional attitudes and wrong motives may begin to creep into the fabric of the community. If great sacrifice goes unnoticed, or if others are praised for jobs well done, but you seem overlooked in the glory of the moment, pride might raise its ugly head. "I deserve credit... I worked hard too... I can't believe they didn't notice..." The "I"s of pride are literally the eyes that can blind an organization and destroy its culture of humility.
Selfishness can take many forms: money, power, ambition and vanity to list a few. When one of these idols of the heart takes the place of the vision, purpose, or collaborative spirit of the organization, community will lose its effectiveness. I recently heard David Ramsey, CEO of The Lampo Group Inc., speak during a simulcast, and he shared that his company has a zero tolerance for gossip - negative language or gossip will not be tolerated and employees will be fired if they violate this expectation. Why so harsh? Because the culture and community that is being created can be so easily destroyed by the poison of the words of individuals.
Vision - YES! Mission - VITAL! Collaboration - ESSENTIAL! Humility and Service - THE SECRET INGREDIENTS! Beware of the enemies within and begin to build a strong community where you are.
Sunday, May 29, 2011
Friday, May 13, 2011
Commitment to the Growth of People - Greenleaf Pt 9
"Whenever I have a meeting with the boss, I feel that I am the most important person in the company - he listens, he refuses all in-coming calls, and he gives me his total attention."
"Not my boss.... he usually makes me wait 20 minutes for our scheduled appointment, he glances at his watch several times during for half our meeting, and he often takes two or three cell phone calls during our time together."
"Our budget doesn't allow for bonus checks or monetary rewards, but my boss is always looking for small ways to communicate his appreciation of a job well done. I've gotten a Pay Day candy bar in my mailbox at work with a two thumbs up sticker attached....a hand written card expressing her joy over my work in the company... a Hero Certificate presented in front of all at the department staff meeting."
"My workplace is a bit different. Our leadership feels that the paycheck we receive is reward enough - success is what we pay you for, seems to be their motto. No real pats on the back, just a slap on the wrist if we don't measure up."
There are many languages of appreciation and many dialects in communicating just how much a leader values an employee, but one thing is consistent - effective leaders must be skilled at conveying the worth and value they place on the organization's team. Each member of the team must know that they are a vital part of the mission/vision of the institution...each must wake up every morning understanding the essential part that they play in the success of the ministry... each person must know that their leader not only depends on them, but also values their opinion and perspective.
If a member of the team does not feel that they have a voice, they will not sense ownership in the direction of the organization. If a member feels devalued, ignored, or powerless, then the organization will suffer and a culture will be created that greatly weakens the overall effectiveness and life of the ministry.
Larry C. Spears (2000), in his article, Character and Servant Leadership: Ten Characteristics of Effective, Caring Leaders, takes a look at Greenleaf's concept of servant leadership. He states, "servant leaders believe that people have an intrinsic value beyond their tangible contributions as workers. As such, the servant leader is deeply committed to the growth of each and every individual within his or her organization."
Monetary compensation certainly communicates value and serves as powerful extrinsic motivation. Adequate salary and benefits are essential to attract and maintain quality personnel. The organization's sensitivity to the financial needs of each member of the workforce, is a primary factor in communicating value. But as Lennon and McCartney once penned, "Money Can't Buy Me Love" (© 1964 Northern Songs). Once a livable wage has been reached, the motivation of monetary reward decreases and other factors enter the picture that paints the portrait of value to the employee.
Delegating responsibility along with the empowerment to accomplish the task, demonstrates your trust and confidence in the employee - this shouts value. Speaking words of praise and acknowledging jobs of excellence in front of peers, reflects a leader's attention to quality - these are the cheers of influence. Personal words of appreciation, formal and informal letters of commendation, and a high-five offered with a genuine smile of victory are the small gestures that communicate huge messages of value - these are priceless expressions of the heart.
Value is also communicated to others when the leader demonstrates his/her commitment to the personal and professional growth of each employee. The boss, that is concerned about the personal family life of the worker, communicates that the employee's concerns are a priority to the company. When marriage and family are valued by the company, the employee experiences the heartbeat of the organization
There is no better way to communicate value to some employees than to provide professional development for them: workshops, webinars, training sessions, college classes, and providing for advanced degrees. As employees find themselves intellectually engaged in current best practice, ideas begin to flow, innovation begins to bubble-up, and change occurs at the grass roots level. Workers can find themselves in huge ruts of the status quo without even realizing it. Staying current allows many to climb out of the rut and provide creativity and excitement to the institution. A good leader will demonstrate the company's commitment to the people by providing and encouraging professional/personal development.
A leader must fight against the demands of management and the details of important tasks in order to be intentional about communicating value to his/her people. He/she must consider affirming words, tangible rewards, genuine encouragements, professional training, attentive listening, and many other methods to affirm his/her deep appreciation for the gifts and talents provided by each member of the team.
Spears, L.C. (2000), Character and servant leadership: Ten characteristics of effective, caring leaders. Concepts and Connections, (3), 8.
"Not my boss.... he usually makes me wait 20 minutes for our scheduled appointment, he glances at his watch several times during for half our meeting, and he often takes two or three cell phone calls during our time together."
"Our budget doesn't allow for bonus checks or monetary rewards, but my boss is always looking for small ways to communicate his appreciation of a job well done. I've gotten a Pay Day candy bar in my mailbox at work with a two thumbs up sticker attached....a hand written card expressing her joy over my work in the company... a Hero Certificate presented in front of all at the department staff meeting."
"My workplace is a bit different. Our leadership feels that the paycheck we receive is reward enough - success is what we pay you for, seems to be their motto. No real pats on the back, just a slap on the wrist if we don't measure up."
There are many languages of appreciation and many dialects in communicating just how much a leader values an employee, but one thing is consistent - effective leaders must be skilled at conveying the worth and value they place on the organization's team. Each member of the team must know that they are a vital part of the mission/vision of the institution...each must wake up every morning understanding the essential part that they play in the success of the ministry... each person must know that their leader not only depends on them, but also values their opinion and perspective.
If a member of the team does not feel that they have a voice, they will not sense ownership in the direction of the organization. If a member feels devalued, ignored, or powerless, then the organization will suffer and a culture will be created that greatly weakens the overall effectiveness and life of the ministry.
Larry C. Spears (2000), in his article, Character and Servant Leadership: Ten Characteristics of Effective, Caring Leaders, takes a look at Greenleaf's concept of servant leadership. He states, "servant leaders believe that people have an intrinsic value beyond their tangible contributions as workers. As such, the servant leader is deeply committed to the growth of each and every individual within his or her organization."
Monetary compensation certainly communicates value and serves as powerful extrinsic motivation. Adequate salary and benefits are essential to attract and maintain quality personnel. The organization's sensitivity to the financial needs of each member of the workforce, is a primary factor in communicating value. But as Lennon and McCartney once penned, "Money Can't Buy Me Love" (© 1964 Northern Songs). Once a livable wage has been reached, the motivation of monetary reward decreases and other factors enter the picture that paints the portrait of value to the employee.
Delegating responsibility along with the empowerment to accomplish the task, demonstrates your trust and confidence in the employee - this shouts value. Speaking words of praise and acknowledging jobs of excellence in front of peers, reflects a leader's attention to quality - these are the cheers of influence. Personal words of appreciation, formal and informal letters of commendation, and a high-five offered with a genuine smile of victory are the small gestures that communicate huge messages of value - these are priceless expressions of the heart.
Value is also communicated to others when the leader demonstrates his/her commitment to the personal and professional growth of each employee. The boss, that is concerned about the personal family life of the worker, communicates that the employee's concerns are a priority to the company. When marriage and family are valued by the company, the employee experiences the heartbeat of the organization
There is no better way to communicate value to some employees than to provide professional development for them: workshops, webinars, training sessions, college classes, and providing for advanced degrees. As employees find themselves intellectually engaged in current best practice, ideas begin to flow, innovation begins to bubble-up, and change occurs at the grass roots level. Workers can find themselves in huge ruts of the status quo without even realizing it. Staying current allows many to climb out of the rut and provide creativity and excitement to the institution. A good leader will demonstrate the company's commitment to the people by providing and encouraging professional/personal development.
A leader must fight against the demands of management and the details of important tasks in order to be intentional about communicating value to his/her people. He/she must consider affirming words, tangible rewards, genuine encouragements, professional training, attentive listening, and many other methods to affirm his/her deep appreciation for the gifts and talents provided by each member of the team.
Spears, L.C. (2000), Character and servant leadership: Ten characteristics of effective, caring leaders. Concepts and Connections, (3), 8.
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