Journal on Leadership, week 1

(Note to my readers: first of all, as always thanks for your grace with my infrequent - especially since returning from Kenya - updates. I commit to posting weekly beginning this week.)

As an assignment for class, our professor asked my colleagues and I to journal on leadership. He has asked us to focus on "all or a combination of the following questions:
* what am I learning about myself as I participate in this seminar and related activities?
* what has been particularly thought provoking as I interact with the seminar readings and class discussions?
* how do I define leadership and what do I need to do to grow in my leadership capacity?
* what leadership related activities and behaviors am I exhibiting and/or observing in my work environment?

I will be making effort in the next four week to at least comment weekly on these questions in a response to my professor's assignment. I decided to use this forum because journaling is hard for me, but dialoguing with you all (even though its not face to face) is somehow easier.
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While I have not finished the reading for this week, yet, I have made effort to reflect on leadership all weekend and think about my recent experiences with a variety of leaders and leadership opportunities, and to journal about them. I've also started reading a devotional book that Ish Smith gave me when I left Greenville, called Women in Leadership.

The first day it defined management and leadership thusly:
Management: getting things done BY others.
Leadership: getting things done WITH others.
~ I think those are pretty good short summaries of what leadership vs. management each really are.

As I was thinking about what Leadership IS and IS not, I identified these topics:
Leadership can be:
* setting a course, visioning
* doing something first
* doing something last
* listening and asking questions
* giving counsel
* teaching
* serving

Leadership should not necessarily be:
* blanket enforcement of "my way"
* prescriptive advice
* bossing
* controlling
(but I also understand that sometimes leadership has elements of those things - in crisis times, etc. Truly, leadership is about the heart and its attitude, I think, since so quickly we can devolve into the bossy cranky leader from the once affable and servant-hearted leader.)

As I read through Philippians I thought about the model that Paul gives us in Christ. And I think that it is a great picture for leaders.

Philippians 2:1-11 essentially says: take on the mind of Christ and lead from the lowest position. Christ's example teaches us that its not about titles, and recognition, and being seen. Authority is more than a nameplate, and when you have authority, in particular God's authority, to lead, you can speak with a whisper and the heavens will move.

When I think back on my recent trip to Africa, I was really struck by the difference in leadership styles of Marquette and myself. I am an arranger, and activator, and when something needs to be done, I find someone to do it, or I do it, and I try to make it fun (I'm an ENFP after all). And I saw my role, not as better than the students by any means, but certainly as responsible for their lives as traveled into these places that were a little dangerous. I parented more than Marquette did, for sure, in the sense of rules and being aware of where the students were at all times. Marquette is a super relational person (as am I, I know) but her style was to stop and talk to one person at the expense of everything passing by - she's a great listener and always gives her full attention. I give my full attention, but not always when we're in the field or when other stuff is going on - my mind is always to the next thing, anticipating the next need or crisis. In truth, even though sometimes our leadership styles clashed (and even here I haven't enough space to detail all of it), I think our styles were complimentary. It made me think of the debate in Spring semester between Shushok and McCormick - Servant Leadership vs. Shepherd Leadership. I identified with both sides during that debate, but clearly saw myself (in hindsight) using shepherd leadership on the trip - even as I washed dirty lunch dishes or painted the barn instead of doing the "cool" weed whacking, I saw very clearly how when I needed to lead the flock, I went to the front, while Marquette to the servant leadership route and stayed at the back to pen everyone in.

Today's devotional pages reminded me that:
* Decisive action always requires a bit of bravery.
and * Decisive action is necessary in critical situations.
~ I was thinking about how risky it is to be a leader. Whether you are a leader by position or just by circumstance, leading is difficult. The priests had to go first across the Jordan. Even Joshua who was the new leader of the Isrealites wouldn't go first - the priests were the ones. And I think sometimes of the first two priests, at the front of the poles thinking, "dang it, I should have taken the back today, but no, I wanted to be up front..." and I wonder what was going through their minds when they saw the Jordan river at flood stage and Joshua said, "Just put your toes in and start to cross. The Lord will make a way." I imagine those priests thinking, "Yeah right, Joshua! If you're so confident, why don't you step in." They had to risk everything on their belief that God would show up. And I think Leaders are like that, especially Christian leaders.

Recently I had the opportunity to hear Tommye Lou Davis speak on the 10 Characteristics of Effective Leadership. It was during an event for soon to be high school seniors, called the Christian Leadership Institute. Tommye Lou is the chair of the Baylor Committe for the George W. Bush Presidential Museum. She told a bit of her story about how that came about, how the Lord has presented her with a number of "burning bush" moments and then we worked on these 10 characteristics together:
L: listening, love, look closely, Lord
* listen to the voices within and to the voices of others - but be discerning.
E: empathy, equality
* empathize with the life history and needs of others
A: action, attitude
* we are the directors not victims of our lives
D: delegation, determination, discipline (Heb 12:11)
* trust others, let go, give jobs away, give glory and recognition away
E: enthusiasm, excellence
* get other excited, don't except less than an excellent product or effort - from yourself and others.
R: reflection, risk, respect
* think, meditate, ponder, pray, assess regularly
S: stewardship, serve, sacrifice, sincerity
* remember the golden rule
H: humility (james 4:10, Phil 2:1-11), humor
* consider others better than you, enjoy life and see the humor in all situations
I: integrity, invention
* say what you mean, do what you say, and when you don't... admit it.
P: patience, passion, purpose (col 3:17), positivity, planning, preparation, perseverance
* give yourself and your friends a break, let go of past mistakes, love what you do and work hard at it, plan ahead.

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So as of today, I don't have a definition of leadership yet. But I am still thinking about my leadership, how and when I lead and when I lead because I'm in a position to do it (like in my job with chaplains) and when I lead because it comes naturally (i.e. planning an event).

I'll be back with more reflections on leadership next Monday. And in the meantime, hopefully I'll be writing an update on my life, this week. :)

Blessings to you all. Phil. 1:9.