Spiritual Leadership and Business Management Leadership - Differences/Similarities

Many Christian authors will write that spiritual leaders need to be careful in relation to adopting management principles from the business world. Kind of like the business world is some sort of disgusting sticky substance you can't get off your fingers once it's there. You may flip it around and say at times, business management principles have been adopted and/or changed from existing leadership principles handed down from the days of the New Testament.

What do you think? Are there many differences between spiritual leadership and managerial leadership?

I think the answer is yes. Spiritual leadership has a very different outlook and overarching purpose than management. Though we are of course not throwing business management out the window! There are still many similarities between spiritual leadership the business management world. Let's compile a list and consider the topic further:

Differences Between Spiritual Leaders and Business Leaders

Spiritual leadership is about fulfilling the purposes of God. Managerial leadership is about fulfilling the vision of the business, which are generally greater profits, and increased shareholder dividends, amongst other things. For spiritual leaders and business managers purpose is absolutely important. What the leader and organisation's core business is, is crucial. The difference lies in what that core business is. I have not heard recently of a business whose core business is to reach the lost and bring them to Christ!

Spiritual leadership has particular core values that underpin leadership activity, for example, compassion, humility, servant-hood, love for others, etc. Leadership in the business sector can still characterize those values, but more often than not values exist in business simply in order to reach a profitable end (so, if the profit/outcome/success does not occur when adhering to those chosen values, then the values can change). I don't want to be too negative here, but spiritual leadership is adamant that particular values like love, respect, servant attitude, and being God-honouring are non-negotiables. Here is a clear difference between spiritual leadership and business management. Jim Collin's Built to Last for instance, says that for businesses to be long-lasting, they need to be built upon strong core values, but listen, it doesn't matter particularly what those values are, just as long as the business sticks to it! Spiritual leaders develop their values from the Bible, and thus their value system is not dependent upon a changing business world but by an unchanging morality code. That being said, the general population still admire and respect businesses that hold to respectable and strong values, that are not just nicely written on the wall in the office, but actually affect the everyday business.

You may remember the story of Johnson & Johnson (founded in 1886 by Robert W. Johnson), that continues to have a vision to 'alleviate pain and disease'. It also said that it valued its customers above everything else. Have a read of this excerpt from Wikipedia in relation to needing to respond to a crisis:

On September 29, 1982, a "Tylenol scare" began when the first of seven individuals died in metropolitan Chicago, after ingesting Extra Strength Tylenol that had been deliberately laced with cyanide. Within a week, the company pulled 31 million bottles of capsules back from retailers, making it one of the first major recalls in American history. The incident led to reforms in the packaging of over-the-counter substances and to federal anti-tampering laws. The case remains unsolved and no suspects have been charged. Johnson & Johnson's quick response, including a nationwide recall, was widely praised by public relations experts and the media and was the gold standard for corporate crisis management.

This was a great test of whether the value system that Johnson & Johnson had, would actually be lived out within their business. They chose to stick by strong values over the quest for profits.
Spiritual leadership values humility highly, and not position. Any positional authority or power one has, is merely a gift from God, to be used for God. In managerial leadership, you have the sense at times, that business positions are highly sought after, by potential up and rising gifted leaders. The underlying reasons for this passion of climbing the corporate ladder, may well be the financial benefits of such a position, or the popularity that arises from such a position. The difference here seems to be that spiritual leaders are keen to acknowledge that their position is given by God, while working hard in the process, while business leaders may attribute their position to hard work and merely the right set of lucky circumstances to have them arrive at that point.

Spiritual leadership and managerial leadership are not necessarily poles apart. You can be a spiritual leader in a management position; that is, you can live out an expression of your core values and belief system in the business environment, while improving the business you are in. This is certainly what Ed Silvoso advocates for in his book, Anointed for Business (2002).

There are many more differences and similarities between spiritual leaders and managers, but we have discussed three important aspects:

1. Purpose
2. Values
3. Position. 

There is much more to say about spirituality in business; and I hope future posts may touch on such topics.

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~ Matthew 5:6 - Hunger and thirst for righteousness...

Join the discussion at Disciples in Training on Facebook.

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Also: The differences and similarities between leadership and management.

The truth about influence - what secular leadership won't tell you

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Selected Books to consider on spiritual leadership and leadership in business:

• Blackaby, Henry & Richard. (2001). Spiritual Leadership. Tennessee, USA: B&H Publishing Group.
• Collins, Jim. (2001). Good to Great. New York, U.S.A.: HarperCollins Publishers.
• Kouzes, James M. & Posner, Barry Z. (2010). The Truth About Leadership. California, U.S.A.: Jossey Bass.
• Sanders, Oswald. (2007). Spiritual Leadership. Chicago, USA: Moody Publishers.
• Silvoso, Ed. (2002). Anointed for Business. California, U.S.A.: Regal Books.

Change? We Don't Change! Leadership Insights on Change Management

Change is not a nice word for many people. Unless you fall into that small percentile of people who embrace change immediately (like those itching for a new ipad to be released), most change in life takes communication and a development of understanding. You know what I mean, for instance, 'Tell me why that change benefits me again?!'

In Organisation Development & Change (Waddell, Cummings and Worley, 2000), some tips of change management are highlighted. They say for effective change management you need to:

• Motivate change
• Create a vision of the change
• Develop political support for the change
• Manage the transition of the change
• Sustain momentum after the change is complete

These leadership insights are obviously written for organisations, and the managers and employees who are implementing changes to their workplace. Whether you are a leader in a church, a non-for-profit, a business, or even if you are seeking to make some change in your home environment, keep reading on.

Motivating Change

For people to want to embrace change, they need to be motivated to change. There needs to be a readiness for change. You can create a readiness for change by 'revealing discrepancies between current and desired states' (Waddell et al.: 152). For example, if the change is the moving of equipment, it's helping people understand that the equipment is more desirable to be in the new location than its current location, that is, the change is worthwhile!

Create a Vision

The vision can simply create excitement or 'buy-in' for the change by 'providing a compelling rationale as to why change is necessary and worth the effort' (Wadell et al: 155). I have written extensively on vision, and its potential positive impact on organisational life. Have a look at the visionary leadership post.

Develop Political Support

I would probably word this differently from the authors of Organisation Development & Change. Personally, as an Officer of The Salvation Army and minister of a local church congregation, I would grab hold a God-given change project (e.g. an extension of a building, the employing of someone new, or the expanding of a particular ministry), and then seek to help people understand the purpose of the change. This may well be the same as eliciting political support, but I would much rather see it, as gathering support and developing understanding from all levels of the organisation and all key stakeholders, so that they can see the benefits of the change. This differs slightly from the idea of needing to canvass political support, like its some sort of democratic process where people vote on whether this is the right change or not. I would possibly call this, 'Develop Organisational Understanding of the Change'.

Manage the Transition

The change process is not just about communicating a clear vision of the benefits of the change. Nor is the change process just helping all levels of the organisation understand the change. You must manage the transition of the change.

Years ago, in the church I was in, we transitioned into a new facility on a Sunday morning. We spent months communicating the rationale for the change; sharing the vision; getting people excited. This was all great, but without a smooth (or as smooth as possible) a transition into the new building, people would become dispondent and disappointed. They would no doubt say things like, 'It would have been better if we left things as they were!' This is why you need to make a smooth transition! Write a flowchart, mindmap or use a big whiteboard. Try to nut out the logisitics of the project. Think about people, finances, equipment, etc. Consider the hows and whys and whens... There is so much more to say, but we'll leave that for another day.

Sustain Momentum

For the example of the moving location of the church gathering, it was important to continue to create excitement and momentum following the change. For example, we wanted people to continually understand the increased value of being in a new location compared with the previous location. Since we had to set up this new location every week for our time together as a church, it was imperative to communicate the value of the change continually. We had to sustain momentum.

There you go. There's some quick leadership insights and tips into effective change management.
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As the old joke goes:

'How many leaders does it take to change a lightbulb?'

'Change?! We don't change!'

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Leadership Tips on Communication: 

• Communicating Effectively.
• Public Speaking without Notes
• Public Speaking while Nervous
• Speak Simply - Communicate God's Word so people understand!
• Preaching tips from George Muller
• Teaching Unteachable People

Emotional Leadership

• Emotional Intelligence and Emotional Leadership - Daniel Goleman
• Five Sources of Power - French and Raven

Visionary Leadership

• Visionary Leadership

Leadership and Management

• Leadership and management - The differences and similarities. 
• Change and Innovation - Some leadership tips
• Innovative Leadership and Cutting Edge Christianity
• Definition of leadership
• Top 10 Leadership Tips for Healthy Organizational Culture

Leadership Tips

• Intuitive Leadership 
• Mediocrity and apathy
• Leadership Transitions.
• Leadership Tips (Rinse your cottage cheese)
• Leadership Quotes - Short and Snappy
• Leadership Quotes - From Spiritual Leadership
• Personality Profiling glimpse

Leadership in Business

• Leadership Philosophy of the U.S. Military
• U.S. Military Leaders Core Competencies
• Changing Organizational Culture

Leadership in Politics

• Abraham Lincoln - Failing Forward in Leadership

Strategic Leadership

• Strategic Leadership

Stephen Covey

Stephen Covey writes some great material on leadership and personal development. The best teachings being both his '7 Habits of Highly Effective People' and 'The 8th Habit'. Have a read of the following few posts on Stephen Covey's leadership teachings:

A Summary of Stephen Covey's 7 Habits of Highly Effective People

Stephen Covey's The 8th Habit - A review of the 4 Human Intelligences

John C. Maxwell

John C. Maxwell has some great leadership insights, especially his 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership. Below are helpful and informative summaries on some of the 21 Laws, including some of my own stories.

• Law 1 - The Law of the Lid - We can lift the lid on our ability to lead.
• Law 2 - The Law of Influence - Leadership is influence...
• Law 3 - The Law of Process - Leadership develops over time.
• Law 4 - The Law of Navigation - Leaders learn how to navigate.
• Law 5 - The Law of E. F. Hutton - When the real leader speaks...
• Law 6 - The Law of Solid Ground - Trust is the foundation.
• Law 7 - The Law of Respect - People follow stronger leaders.
• Law 8 - The Law of Intuition - Intuitive leaders know... 
• Law 9 - The Law of Magnetism - We attract who we are.
• Law 10 - The Law of Connection - We must connect then inspire.
• Law 11 - The Law of the Inner Circle - Who is in your inner circle?
• Quotes on Leadership from John C. Maxwell.

Top 10 Leadership Tips for Creating Healthy Organizational Culture

STOP! You find yourself here because organizational culture can at times be frustrating and draining and you're looking for a solution. Many businesses are looking to improve workplace culture. Well I will outline some leadership tips for you that, I believe, will help and equip you in improving the culture of your organization (or at least assist you in understanding what parts of your organizational culture needs work). I write this, not as some hopeful blogger, that wishes to splat more useless information over the already overloaded internet. I write this as someone who serves God as an Officer in The Salvation Army (in the northern parts of Australia), and has managed employees, and empowered volunteers to reach for their best. I completed a Bachelor of Business, and have read a myraid of books related to empowering people and organizational culture, creating excellence and change management. This hopefully offers some context for the following blog and some credentials to allow you as the reader to read on, and embrace the elements in this list.  

Creating a healthy culture in an organization is vital, if an organization is going to be effective in the long term. We know stories of businesses that have crumbled because of a lack of integrity by the CEO, or a church that has closed because the senior pastor didn't know how to inspire a great culture within their church. How many morning tea times are full of gossip and frustrated employees who wish their business had a better culture? How many emails are sent daily complaining about the ins and outs of the workplace, all because leaders have not developed a great culture in their workplace? How many secret facebook messages do business people send to their friends, during work times, that relate to issues of culture?

Think about it: Bad culture, fosters bad results - especially over the long term.

Well, never fear, because I have the top 10 leadership tips for creating a healthy culture in an organization! Actually, its not a definitive list. Neither should you trust anyone that says they have the secret formula for organizational success! (Unless it's maybe Aung San Suu Kyi, Stephen Covey, Nelson Mandela or Jack Welch!) Leadership praxis is always up for debate. There may be tips on this list you think should be added, or you may reword or rework. That being said, I believe in this list. I see it in reality, that to create a vibrant, high performing culture within the workplace, the church, the school, the political realm, the entertainment industry and so on, the organisation/group/team needs to embrace these values.

Also have a look at the TOP 100 Leadership Tips here.

Ok, strap yourself in - here is the list:

Top 10 Leadership Tips for Creating a Healthy Culture in an Organization

1. Culture of Planning - Ever heard, without a plan you plan to fail? Too many businesses go about everyday business without planning. Two questions need to be asked: Firstly, where is our intended destination and secondly, how are we going to get there? The first question is a vision question, the second is a planning question.
   
   You can't climb Mount Everest without a plan, nor should you cruise through your workday without planning how you will achieve what you are hoping to achieve. While the implications of bad planning (or no planning) for the Everest Climber is death, for an organization, bad or no planning might mean a loss of income, loss of personnel, or a missed deadline. A culture of planning, is a culture of strategic thinking. It is about looking at the mission, vision and values of the organization, and saying, 'How are we going to achieve this?' 'What is our strategy?' 'What is our plan?' High performing organizations execute plans well, and adapt them as circumstances change. They create a culture within their organization of strategic thinking and planning.
   
   "Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and your plans will succeed" - Proverbs 16:3
2. Culture of Execution - This is the mantra that says, 'If you say you're going to do it, then do it'. This builds trust amongst the people of an organization. It's about following through with agenda items, and implementing the ideas into concrete realities. Within a business, a culture of execution might look like the announcement of a new product range - an idea that could transform the business! A healthy culture of execution gets the job done! The idea doesn't just sit on the desk, or in the heart of the leader, it is communicated, thought through, researched and if appropriate, is actioned. A culture of execution inspires people to move from ideas and abstract concepts to implemented tangible practices.
   
   Within a church, a culture of execution is needed, because so many visions and dreams sit on the leader's desk, or even in the minds of the people. There needs to be encouragement to follow through and make it happen, with God's help, so the dream is not just some pie-in-the-sky concept. I have sat in that camp. I have reflected upon dreams and wondered whether I should follow through. I am learning, that to motivate the troops, then having a culture of getting the job done is vital! Vision without action is merely wishful thinking.
   
3. Culture of a Big Vision - Without vision the people wander aimlessly says an old proverb. Without vision it is very easy to cruise through life, and to step back a year later and say, 'Have I actually gone anywhere?' 'Have I actually achieved anything that is purposeful?' While vision in itself is not enough to arrive at a place of effectiveness; vision helps inspire you, your team, your family, your co-workers, to reach for new heights.
   
   If you aim at nothing you'll hit it every time. Vision is important to me, because if I aim at nothing, I'll reach it! Though, if I aim at cloud number seven, and only reach cloud number three, I've still gone farther than if I have aimed at nothing! So vision, personally, provides an injection of passion and direction, that when aligned with strategy and intentionality can produce great results.
   
   A big vision in an organization helps produce a healthy culture, primarily because employees, from the cleaners to HR professionals to managers stop talking about what brand of coffee they are drinking, and start talking about the possibilities of the organization in which they work. It lifts their eyes from the mediocrity of mundane day-to-day work, to consider adapting their work choices, in order that the vision can be accomplished.
4. Culture of Referent Power and Expert Power - French and Raven in 1959 highlighted 5 different forms of power that leaders utilize. Those forms of power are coercive power, reward power, legitimate power, referent power and expert power. Click here for more on French and Raven. Firstly, coercive power is that autocratic, micro manager of a boss who is always bellowing out requests for you to fulfill. The predominant use of coercive power will hinder the creating of a healthy culture! In fact it will hinder it, and healthy organizational culture will suffer.
   
   Secondly, reward power, is the power that is perceived to come from the giving of rewards, for example a Christmas Bonus or an 'Employee of the Month' certificate. While this kind of power can create a healthy organization, relying on solely reward power, will have a detrimental effect on organizational morale over time, as people rely on gifts/rewards for their motivation.
   
   Thirdly, legitimate power, is the power that derives itself from a person's position. So, a CEO has legitimate power (positional power), and so he can expect something from board members because of his position. Legitimate power only goes so far. If the person loses their position, would they still have power/influence with others? Legitimate power, or rather leading from a place of position is limited. Creating a healthy culture in an organization, calls for the other two 'power sources' to come into play.
   
   Referent power is the influence/power that someone has over you that you allow based on your perceived positive qualities of that leader. When someone has a great past history because of what they have done for the organization, others will follow her. Organizations thrive on leaders who lead with referent power. They choose not to lean on their position (legitimate power), they choose not to coerce people into fulfilling tasks (coercive power) and they choose not to base their leadership solely on rewards (reward power).  They rather, choose to base their influence on the respect they have earned, and their capacity to do the job and inspire others in the process!
   
   Lastly, the use of expert power, is a leader who has influence based on being an expert within their field of expertise. Having a leader call the shots in an organization who knows 'her stuff', and who understands the ins and outs of the process is more likely to inspire others than having a lack of business knowledge.
   
   Appointing leaders who use referent power and expert power will help in boosting the morale of an organization. If you're wondering how you possibly create high morale in the workplace, maybe start with yourself, and consider whether you use coercive power, reward power, legitimate power, referent power or expert power. I suggest, the later two will help boost morale the most!
5. Culture of Passion - Daniel Goleman writes in Emotional Intelligence that emotions are contagious. 'Most emotional contagion is....subtle, part of a tacit exchange that happens in every encounter. We transmit and catch moods from each other in what amounts to a subterranean economy of the psyche in which some encounters are toxic, some nourishing' (: 114). How does this relate to creating positive organizational culture? The fact is, negative emotions, negative talk and gossip will catch on and spread through any business like wildfire. It takes some proactive, positive people to go against this grain and create a positive environment. Let your positive attitude (what a friend of mine calls PMA - positive mental attitude) dominate your response to each situation.
   
   Be a passionate person, and watch others catch it! Too many of us mope around waiting for the manager to change their outlook, or for the employee to stop grizzling, while we can all the while be influencing the culture of the organization. Passion will breed passion. This isn't about being an extrovert as such, it's about being passionate and positive about your job. It's about allowing that inner drive and passion to spread throughout your realms of influence. So, leadership tip number five for healthy, vibrant organizational culture is to foster a culture of passion.
6. Have a Clear Organizational Value System - Robert W. Johnson founded a business called Johnson & Johnson back in 1886, and this business remains enduringly strong today. Their vision is clear, 'To alleviate pain and disease.' In 1943 Johnson & Johnson, through the writing of R. W. Johnson, Jr. introduced the Johnson & Johnson Credo. Without highlighting the entire Credo, here were the five main points:
   
   (1) First responsibility is to those who use J&J products
   (2) Second responsibility is to the employees of J&J
   (3) Third responsibility is to the management of J&J
   (4) Fourth responsibility is to the communities in which we live
   (5) Fifth and last responsibility is to our shareholders
   
   Talk about a revolutionary business model! Most businesses ensure their shareholders are sailing on cruise ships before they consider the surrounding environment and community.
   
   The point I wish to make about Johnson & Johnson is its capacity to create loyalty, purpose and health based on its clear value system. The healthy culture that is espoused is based on a clear understanding of the fundamental values of the organization. The values are in the open, there is no murkiness; people know what the organization believes and they know whether they want to be a part of it.
   
   For Johnson & Johnson the credo at times lost prominence in the busyness of organizational life. How often have you witnessed businesses, churches, organizations lose hold of the fundamental values that their organization first began with? For Johnson & Johnson in 1979 this was a reality. The then CEO, Jim Burke said:
   
   'People like my predecessors believed in the Credo with a passion, but the operating managers were not universally committed to it... So I called a meeting of some 20 key executives and challenged them. I said, "Here's the Credo. If we're not going to live by it, let's tear it off the wall... We either ought to commit to it or get rid of it."... By the end of the session, the managers had gained a great deal of understanding about and enthusiasm for the beliefs in the Credo. Subsequently, [we] met with small groups of J&J managers all over the world to challenge the Credo' (as cited in Jim Collins and Jerry Porras, Built to Last, p. 72).
   
   I believe that adherence to a clear, inspiring value system, helps with creating healthy organizational culture. Now on to tip seven for creating great workplaces! If you are in management, I hope you are absorbing this!
7. Culture of Honesty and Integrity - We all know character traits like honesty and integrity are integral to healthy organizations. Though, when you read of some of the egotistical and dishonest antics of some CEOs and managers, you understand the need to state the obvious. Great leaders have developed great character traits (or have had them all along), like selflessness, integrity, servanthood, truthfulness, compassion, etc. May I say that while quite often people may have elements of these qualities, we all are caused to consider how well we express these elements in organizational life. In a sense, the world can normalize egotism, telling the occasional lie and hard-heartedness, but I personally believe an organization with a healthy culture, minimises such attitudes. Creating a great workplace surely begins with honest leaders!
   
   How do you create honesty and integrity in your organization? Obviously you can start by leading by example. Nelson Mandela lead by example when it came to forgiveness. Jesus of Nazareth offered a radical relook at holy living and lead an ordinary bunch of disciples to create a movement that transformed the world. Mother Theresa lived out compassion and selflessness. We must lead by example.
   
   You can ensure you are employing new staff with good character. Some managers have said, it is much easier to teach someone skills, than it is to teach them character. Good character must surely be seen as important in all aspects of business life, no matter what the industry - mining, hospitality, tourism or the military!
8. Culture that Focuses on God - From a Christian perspective, an organization intent on honouring God, will have the blessing of God. I have seen, read and heard of organizations, that have come against great odds, not simply because of the tenacity of the leader or manager, the focus of the team, or 'good luck', but rather the empowerment from God. While some organizations founded on Christian principles have become increasingly secularised others have remained true to their founding visions and ideals. Jesus never seemed too concerned with communicating something that offended people (not that the message needed to be offensive to those hearing it). He remained true to being the son of God, sent from God to 'take away the sins of the world'. I firmly believe that organizations that remain focused on God, amonst the whirlwind of organizational life, will have the blessing of God.
9. Culture of Encouragement - The Bible says, '...encourage one another, be of one mind, live in peace. And the God of love and peace will be with you' (2 Cor 13:11). Also, 'Encourage one another and build each other up' (1 Thes 5:11). Whether you believe in the Christian faith, in a sense is irrelevant at this point, but rather we are focusing on the importance of encouragement. If you are wondering how to create a great workplace you can start with encouragement! Great workplaces have great levels of encouragement. Great workplaces have a culture of supporting one another, caring for one another, holding each other accountable and looking out for one another. While the encouragement mantra has been communicated to millions over thousands of years, we no less need it today; and it's a simple point, yet some many businesses do not up hold this important value.
   We know psychologically humans need encouragement. A baby needs love in order to even survive. The older we are, the need for encouragement is no less important. The problem with management focusing just on the bottom line, results, and organizational objectives, sometimes causes management to neglect simple aspects like showing appreciation to employees and meaningful encouragement. 
10. Understand Different Personalities and Gifitings - Myers-Briggs profiling categorises people into 16 different personality types. A quick glance at Myers-Briggs shows that people's personalities can be defined in the following way:
    * Extraverted or Intraverted
    * Sensing or Intuitive
    * Feeling or Thinking
    * Judging or Perceiving
    I don't intend to delve into Myers-Briggs personality types here, but this is a popular management tool to help understand differnt personalities. Some people are very pragmatic and practical and struggle to comprehend 3 year visions and organisational strategy. Some personalities love to think about the future! Some personalities love to connect over a coffee, in a warm environment and talk about personal struggles; others have objectives to fulfill and their conversations are less personal and more about the task at hand. The key to good management is to understand these different personalities.
    Another profiling technique is Belbin, which aims to 'identify people's behavioural strengths and weaknesses in the workplace'. There are nine different team roles within the Belbin model and they are:
    Shaper, Completer Finisher, Specialist, Implementer, Team Worker, Resource Investigator, Monitor Evaluator, Co-ordinator, Plant. Go to http://www.belbin.com/ for more.
    Whether management wish to make use of these (at times expensive) profiling techniques is a question worth asking. They can provide a deeper appreciation and understanding of others, and thus improve the culture of the organization.

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I hope you have enjoyed the top 10 leadership tips for creating healthy organizational culture.

Also have a look at the TOP 100 Leadership Tips here.

Please go to www.facebook.com/petebrookshaw to read more on leadership, spirituality and how God can make all the difference in your life.

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More Leadership Posts here:

Leadership Tips on Communication: 

• Communicating Effectively.
• Public Speaking without Notes
• Public Speaking while Nervous
• Speak Simply - Communicate God's Word so people understand!
• Preaching tips from George Muller
• Teaching Unteachable People

Emotional Leadership

• Emotional Intelligence and Emotional Leadership - Daniel Goleman
• Five Sources of Power - French and Raven

'The laborer's appetite works for him; his hunger drives him on.' - Proverbs 16:26

Leadership Quotes - Short and Snappy!

Leadership Quotes for the Aspiring Leader! These Leadership quotes were taken from the Global Leadership Summit back in 2007. 

• Vision leaks: Recast vision all the time.

• What is a leaders greatest fear? Fear of failure...

• "The higher you rise in an organisation the less truth you hear" - Colin Powell

• Most of the time we are 'doing good', but are we doing the 'most good'? Are we using our time and resources to the best of our ability, producing the best results?

• If you're nervous when you are preaching or public speaking, and your palms are sweaty and your lips are dry, try licking your palms.

• In your leadership teams promote a clash of ideas. Encourage team members to participate. Leave the meeting with a united resolution for the future.

• Maintain an open door policy (except when going to the toilet)

• Have an optimistic attitude. Adopt the idea, that things will always look better in the morning.

• Employees that are highly motivated have a 40% higher performance in the workplace than those who are unmotivated.

• Get people around you that give you a motivational 'jolt' when they walk into the room.

• Make a point of rubbing shoulders with exceptionally inspiring people!

• Connect everyone you lead to a compelling cause

More on LEADERSHIP Here.

Changing Organizational Culture

Changing organizational culture can be vital, especially if an organization is struggling and desires to be effective in the long term. We know stories of businesses that have crumbled because of a lack of integrity by the CEO, or a church that has closed because the senior pastor didn't know how to inspire a great culture within their church. 

How many morning tea times are full of gossip and frustrated employees who wish their business had a better culture? How many emails are sent daily complaining about the ins and outs of the workplace, all because leaders have not developed a great culture in their workplace? How many secret facebook messages do business people send to their friends, during work times, that relate to issues of culture?

Changing Organizational Culture through a Culture of Planning

Firstly, an organization needs to have a culture of planning. Ever heard, without a plan you plan to fail? Too many businesses go about everyday business without planning. Two questions need to be asked. Firstly where is our intended destination and secondly, how are we going to get there? The first question is a vision question, the second is a planning question. 

You can't climb Mount Everest without a plan, nor should we cruise through our workdays without planning how we will achieve what we are hoping to achieve. While the implications of bad planning (or no planning) for the Everest Climber is death, for an organization bad or no planning might mean a loss of income, loss of personnel, etc. A culture of planning, is a culture of strategic thinking. It is about looking at the mission, vision and values of the organization, and saying, 'How are we going to achieve this?' 'What is our strategy?' 'What is our plan?' High performing organizations execute plans well, and adapt them as circumstances change. They create a culture within their organization of strategic thinking and planning.

The reason a lack of planning creates dysfunctional organizational culture, is because spontaneity reigns, and while this can at times be managed, quite often it simply means there is organizational choas and lack of direction. A culture of planning is needed.

"Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and your plans will succeed" - Proverbs 16:3

Changing Organizational Culture through Implementing a Culture of Execution

This is the mantra that says, 'If you say you're going to do it, then do it'. This builds trust amongst the people of an organization. It's about following through with agenda items, and implementing the ideas into concrete realities. Within a business, a culture of execution might look like the announcement of a new product range - an idea that could transform the business! A healthy culture of execution gets the job done! The idea doesn't just sit on the desk, or in the heart of the leader, it is communicated, thought through, researched and if appropriate, is actioned. A culture of execution inspires people to move from ideas and abstract concepts to implemented tangible practices.

Within a church, for example, a culture of execution is needed, because so many visions and dreams sit on the leader's desk, or even in the minds of the people. There needs to be encouragement to follow through and make it happen, with God's help, so the dream is not just some pie-in-the-sky concept.

Following through on tasks and commitments are important. Employees within organizations are disempowered if leader's don't attend the meetings they say they will, or if the leadership committee put forward another grandiose idea that everyone know will never happen. A culture of execution, lets people know, that people will do what they say. They will complete the assignments set for them, they will make the appropriate changes, because they believe in a culture of execution. This is a helpful leadership tip for creating a healthy culture in an organization! 

Changing Organizational Culture through Visionary Leadership

Without visionary leadership the people wander aimlessly says an old proverb. Without vision it is very easy to cruise through life, and to step back a year later and say, 'Have I actually gone anywhere?' 'Have I actually achieved anything that is purposeful?' While vision in itself is not enough to arrive at a place of effectiveness; vision helps inspire you, your team, your family, your co-workers, to reach for new heights. 

If you aim at nothing you'll hit it every time. Vision is important to me, because if I aim at nothing, I'll reach it! Though, if I aim at cloud number seven, and only reach cloud number 3, I've still gone further than if I have aimed at nothing! So vision, personally, provides an injection of passion and direction, that when aligned with strategy can produce great results.

A big vision in an organization helps produce a healthy culture, primarily because employees, from the cleaners to HR professionals to managers stop talking about what brand of coffee they are drinking, and start talking about the possibilities of the organization in which they work. It lifts their eyes from the mediocrity of mundane day-to-day work, to consider adapting their work choices, in order that vision can be accomplished. 

• Does your organization have a culture of visionary leadership?
• What do people talk about when they are grabbing their coffee? Is it about the organization's future and possibilities and potential? Is it a healthy discussion?

Changing Organizational Culture from Within - Integrity

One of most important leadership tip anyone could ever give in relation to creating healthy organizational culture, has to be the need for integrity. Now, this might seem simple enough, and we may well agree with the statement. It is when the rubber hits the road, that I wonder whether people really understand the importance of integrity.

Stories upon stories are heard of corrupt CEO's, abusive authoritarian leaders, a lack or morale because what the leader communicates does not match their actions, and the list goes on. 

Most leadership books comment on the importance of depth of character, integrity and a sense of morality/conscience and the effect this has on those you are leading. John C. Maxwell devotes a chapter to integrity in Developing the Leader Within You (1993). He says:

• Integrity builds trust
• Integrity has high influence value
• Integrity facilitates high standards
• Integrity results in a solid reputation, not just image
• Integrity means living it myself before leading others
• Integrity helps a leader be credible, not just clever
• Integrity is a hard-won achievement (p. 35-48).

Why does integrity amongst leaders help create a healthy organizational culture? Firstly, as already noted, trust is built. When the leader says something, you know they will be trustworthy, based on previous experiences. It is demoralizing to not be able to trust a leader, as this becomes an infectious disease within the organization! Secondly, integrity is paramount to this healthy organizational culture, because a leader exemplifies the 'do as I do, not just as I say' kind of rhetoric.

You may not be able to cause someone else to have integrity, but you can cause yourself to have it!

Finally, changing organizational culture takes leadership; visionary leadership, integrity, planning, and an ability to execute the tasks at hand.

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Visionary Leadership

Visionary Leadership is Vital!

Visionary Leadership is a must! The old proverb says that without vision the people perish; or as some say, without vision the people wander aimlessly.

I spent some time with our leadership team recently speaking about the vision of our church for next year, and the years to come. Why? Well, without a clear vision, it is so easy to wander aimlessly. It is so easy to merely work and work, and become busy 'doing' lots of things, and the question is whether you are achieving what you should be achieving. A vision keeps you on track. A mission statement highlights what your main purpose is, but a vision gives you an idea of the preferable future for your organisation.

A visionary leader motivates the troops. Without a dynamic vision, people will wander aimlessly not really understanding their purpose within the organisation. A vision helps people be on the same page, and to be striving for the same goals. A good vision will ignite passion in you to see change and transformation. A good vision will see people signing up to be a part of it. See Seth Godin's Blog.

• What are you doing to inspire vision in the organisation that you are a part of?
• Do you find there is a greater clarity and direction when you have a clear and purposeful vision?

Obstacles to Visionary Leadership

Commissioner Joe Noland of The Salvation Army, said:

"Do not let your vision be hindered by your resources
Do not let your vision be hindered by your experience
Do not let your vision be hindered by your self-esteem"

When we attempt to fulfil the vision laid on our heart, we inevitable hit roadblocks at times. The question is not whether we will have obstacles in our quest to fulfil vision, but how we will overcome them. Some of the obstacles we might have to reaching our dreams/visions are:

• Lack of personnel - lack of trained staff, committed volunteers, etc.
• Lack of resources - finances, buildings, tools/equipment, personnel, etc.
• Lack of insight - the lack of wisdom and understanding of how to strategically plan to fulfil the vision - i.e. the vision is out of your current capacity!
• Lack of confidence - young leaders especially question themselves at times, to their current capacity to actually work towards the vision they have.
• Lack of support/buy-in to the vision - If the vision doesn't touch the heart of the people, and doesn't inspire them, then you will have a tough time reaching the vision on your heart.

We can overcome most obstacles. We need time to sit in our lazy chair and consider the options. We need to plan and learn and discover. I am reminded of Thomas Edison who didn't discover the Light Bulb on his first go; not even on his 20th attempt. It took him hundreds of adaptations to finally fulfil his dream of inventing the light bulb! So, do not give up on the quest for visionary leadership, especially if the vision is a God-honouring, kind of vision.

• What are the obstacles you currently face to fulfilling the vision on your heart?

Visionary Leadership that Stagnates

'Decline is never the only answer' is an article from Leadership Journal.net. It mentions that nothing defeats the human spirit like stagnation. You know, that place you find yourself, where nothing is moving, nothing is changing, nothing seems to be working. So you stop; you stagnate. (Find the article here).

What needs to change first, is growth of the spirit inside the leader doing the work. That's so true. If the leader has lost the vision, don't expect others to keep the vision very long. When the leader grows in their ability to persevere and be strong, and be passionate, then they will battle against stagnation and decline.

Leaders who have fallen into a pit of despair need to pick themselves up and keep moving. 

Don't fall into the trap of denial - trying to justify to everyone that nothing is really wrong, that nothing really needs to change. Try not to fall into a place where you lack motivation. See the dream, and live it out. Let the vision and working towards its fulfilment be an absolute roller coaster, exciting journey! Don't be dismayed when few people are signing up. 

Consider whether there is something in your leadership style or behaviour that needs to change. Consider whether there is a different approach to the fulfilment of the vision. Maybe you need to head south-west, instead of south-east, so to speak. Consider whether you have let circumstances dictate your feeling about your vision - maybe its time to reengergize people with the value of what the vision/dream will mean, what it will affect, how things will be different when it is fulfilled. Maybe its time to turn the heat up on communicating the vision.

Become a visionary leader! 

Don't let vision stagnate. Don't let mediocrity set in.

• Is your vision at the forefront of your communication and thinking?

--> ALSO - What is a Visionary and when should I eat that Pie in the Sky?

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Leadership and Management Differences/Similarities

What are the differences and similarities between leadership and management? Is there a difference? Can you be a great manager and at the same time, be a great leader? Or are leaders and managers mutually exclusive? Below are some great quotes on those differences/similarities between both leadership and management:
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'Leaders are people who do the right thing; managers are people who do things right' - Warren Bennis.
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'Management is getting people to do what needs to be done. Leadership is getting people to want to do what needs to be done. Managers push. Leaders pull. Managers command. Leaders communicate.' - Warren Bennis.
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A great quote that shows the differences between managers and leaders: 'Leaders conquer the context - the volatile, turbulent, ambigous surroundings that sometimes seem to conspire against us and will surely suffocate us if we let them- while managers surrender to it. The manager administers; the leader innovates. The manager is a copy; the leader is an original. The manager maintains; the leader develops. The manager focuses on systems and structure; the leader focuses on people. The manager relies on control; the leader inspires trust. The manager has a short-range view; the leader has a long-range perspective. The manager asks how and when; the leader asks what and why. The manager has his eye on the bottom line; the leader has his eye on the horizon. The manager imitates; the leader originates. The manager accepts the status quo; the leader challenges it. The manager is the classic good soldier; the leader is his own person. Managers do things right; leaders do the right thing.' - Carter-Scott, C. (1994). "The Differences Between Management and Leadership."
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Top Story: Best Management Practices - Cutting the fat in business.
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'Leaders and leader/managers distinguish themselves from the general run of managers in at least six respects:

(1) They think longer term...

(2) In thinking about the unit they are heading they grasp its relationships to larger realities...

(3) They reach and influence constituents beyond their jurisdictions, beyond boundaries...

(4) They put heavy emphasis on the intangibles of vision, values, and motivation and understand intuitively the nonrational and unconscious elements in leader-constituent interaction.

(5) They have the political skill to cope with the conflicting requirements of multiple constituencies.

(6) They think in terms of renewal...' - John W. Gardner (1990). On Leadership.
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The definition of leadership vs the definition of management - once again shows the differences between the two - '...[T]he word lead, at its root, means "go, travel, guide." Leadership has about it a kinesthetic feel, a sense of movement... [Leaders] begin the quest for a new order. They venture into unexplored territory and guide us to new and unfamiliar destinations. In contrast, the root origin of manage is a word meaning "hand." At its core, managing is about "handling" things, about maintaining order, about organization and control. The critical difference between management and leadership is reflected in the root meanings of the two words- the difference between what it means to handle things and what it means to go places.' - James Kouzes and Barry Posner.
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'Management is the exercise of authority and influence to achieve levels of performance consistent with previously demonstrated levels...Leadership is making happen what wouldn't happen anyway...[and will] always tail working at the edge of the what is acceptable.' - Richard Pascale.
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The above Leadership and Management differences/similarities are highlighted in Stephen Covey's, The 8th Habit, pages 360-364. See a post on Stephen Covey's 4 Human Capacities here.
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A thought: The Bible says that if you have the gift of spiritual leadership, then govern diligently. We are called not to just manage the future, but to tranform it. We must not settle for merely managing human rights abuses, or managing the decline of organised religion or the local church. We are not asked to simply manage businesses so they can spew out the same results week in, week out and not acieve greatness. We must lead, and transform our spheres of influence and by the grace of God, we will witness change and transformation that honours the God who created us. (See 10 reasons why people don't go to church). 
If you have an inkling to lead - then LEAD, and don't just MANAGE! God is not after people who simply manage what is, but lead what can be. While we must be good stewards (managers) of what what we have been given, leadership allows us to soar above mediocrity and reach new heights, and affect change that was not even considered with a management mindset.

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There are many differences between leaders and managers. Management at times is said to be a subset of leadership. Others argue that leadership is a subset of management! Regardless of the debate, the functions of both leadership and management ARE different. Leaders are visionaries, and managers work to 'manage' the strategy behind the vision.

CEO Online has a helpful table of differences between leaders and managers. Check that out here. 

Check out Stephen Covey on Leadership and the 7 Habits of Highly Effective People