He would say, “it won’t work; it’s too expensive, the timing is not right, I can’t buy into that or I don’t like the idea.” However, within a few months or sometimes within weeks, he would present to the board of directors and/or to other leadership team members one of my ideas as his own. Other times, I have also seen one of my earlier ideas implemented by a sister organization, to the excitement of my superiors. I would hear occasionally, “Tony wasn’t that your idea?”

 You may be thinking why a leader or boss would reject an idea that could benefit the company and the people its serves. Some guesses are as follows:

• The leader or boss sees his or her subordinate as a competitor; therefore, the leader’s insecurity is heightened.
• The leader or boss has no confidence in his subordinate, does not see him or her as a credible performer and thus, the boss filtered what he or she hears coming from the subordinate.

The second bullet does not apply in this case because one of my former bosses took credit for many of my ideas.

Robert Verganti said there are many reasons why a boss may not accept ideas from a subordinate and one way to offset those reasons Verganti argued is to involve the chief executive at the incubator stage of your idea (http://blogs.hbr.org/cs/2010/08/how_to_sell_an_idea_to_your_bo.html).

Another writer, John Baldoni, author of the book: Lead Your Boss: The Subtle Art of Managing Up reported that he was conducting a workshop about leading from the middle when a participant mentioned he was “put in his place” when he presented new ideas to his boss.

Baldoni stated that when bosses reject the ideas of their subordinates the bosses are “very insecure in their positions and feel that creativity from below is a threat to their power http://blogs.hbr.org/cs/2010/12/how_to_sell_an_idea_to_your_bo_1.html. Baldoni also believes that those bosses don’t deserve to be in positions of authority, but nevertheless they are and because of that many innovative ideas are lost.

Of course, I was reminded of this when one of my subordinates shared an innovative idea with me. Thinking that it was a great idea, I shared it with my superiors. The creator of the idea was in the room as I shared it and gave her full credit. Others quickly turn to H…to compliment her for the great idea. Her smile and glowing face was priceless. This reminded me of how I felt when I was not given due credit for my ideas.

The bottom line– it matters to the person who has the idea to receive due credit and recognition. In this ways everyone wins–the company, the customer and yes, even the boss wins because he or she will be recognized as the person who created an environment where ideas are possible. It is the bosses’ job to create an organizational climate where ideas can flourish and be shared.

James Kouzes and Barry Posner (1995) believe that our best strategy for working with bad bosses or leaders is to treat them as we wish to be treated. We need to deal with them in an assertive, but not confrontational manner, and, at the same time, remain positive about ourselves. Kouzes and Posner argued that bad bosses “may not be pleasant to work with, but they can be great examples of what not to do” (p.331).

So today, I will begin to address five things I have experienced from bad bosses or leaders. I will also offer commentary on what not to do, or better yet, offer possible options to consider in your role as a leader or a boss.  Let us begin with my five bad leadership pet peeves. 

1. A leader or boss who lacks strategic vision and execution skills.
2. A leader or boss who takes credit for the ideas or works of his or her subordinates.
3. A leader or boss who fears the competitive spirit of his or her subordinates and therefore, stifles the growth of new and potential leaders.
4. A leader or boss’s leadership style that is not suited for the people or organization he or she is leading.
5. A leader or boss who leads from the premise of what is best for him or her; not what is best for the organization.

 So not to overwhelm I will discuss one item per post. Let us look at number one.

 A leader or boss who lacks strategic vision and execution skills

How many great ideas have been stunted and organizations on the verge of decline or failure because of a lack of strategic vision and/or execution skills at the top? In most organizations, ‘the vision thing’ is one of the key responsibilities of the CEO or the boss. Vision requires knowing your organization, listening to your staff and to your customers. It also requires networking with your peers and studying both the industry and political tealeaves. What happens, unfortunately, is that after a few years on the job, the chief stops learning. He or she gets comfortable. They have arrived, tenure so to speak, and so they stop doing their homework or even worse, they refuse to learn new things. Continual education or lifelong learning has been forgotten or “I will get to it when I can” and can never comes.

 The chief becomes too busy. The chief will send someone else in the organization to the critical conference or training and he or she can be informed later. “I have been here a long time; I have seen it all.” “There is nothing new to learn; it is a phase or an old trick with a new name and a new twist.” Wrong.  Our world is ever changing and these changes affect organizations. In such a fast-paced global environment, the chief must pay attention to how the world’s changes are affecting the organization and influencing the customer that the organization serves.

 It is at this very moment that the boss should be envisioning where he or she wants to take the organization and how he will get there. However, in her mind, the whole idea of strategic planning is drudgery and ‘I am doing it because it is forced upon me by policy or by the board.’ Hence, a strategic planning process is conducted, but not much thought was put into the planning process and therefore not much will come out of it; like an inspiring future vision, a plan and the means to execute our vision/plan. The most likely scenario was an agreement to keep the same vision that has been around for many years, the one that has lost its purpose, outdated in a fast-paced competitive environment.

Strategic visioning and execution skills do not come naturally. It requires the chief to be a vigilant student and observer. It requires him to ask questions of his staff and his customers. It requires him to compare his organization to the industry standard. It will require the chief to do several things listed here:

• subscribe and read industry trade magazine(s) and related trade and business magazines and newspapers;
•  stay on top of current events by reading the local newspaper; especially for insight into local politics, local business trends, and the impact that the local community and its politic is having on your organization’s customers;
• obtain feedback from your customer and make it easy for the customer to provide feedback. Give the customer an opportunity to give feedback at any time. Nevertheless, it is still critical to conduct formal feedback surveys, probably at least twice a year.
• allow you staff to offer feedback, without repercussions, and be willing to try out some of their recommendations or suggestions and finally;
• be willing to listen to your trade association members and the community at-large. It is impossible for you as chief to gather all of what is going on alone.

 With these various feedback mechanisms, a leader can begin to formulate ideas for a strategic vision. As the editors of Harvard Business Review OnPoint, remind its readers: “vision doesn’t come from divine inspiration. It comes from research, thoughtful discussions, reaching out, and looking inward” (p.2).

One way to look inward is to conduct a SWOT Analysis. SWOT is the acronym for strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threat. The SWOT strategic model is an excellent tool and can be used for early stage charting of the company’s execution process (who, when and how). The execution is all about accountability; it is not to point fingers, but to work as a team to live out the vision and to assure success in serving the customer. Nothing frustrates me more than to be given a clear vision of where we need to be, but little or no actions are taken to get us there. We are in a stalled mode. We have to process our strategy more. Let us together get on with it. External threats are real; timing for right opportunities is limited. Let us execute.

Execution in itself is a full topic; see (http://www.upwardedge.com/2009/03/executive-supervision-part-iii.html) and I hope to bring you an extensive topic on execution later. However, for now, execution consists of communicating the strategic vision to everyone. Breaking the strategic vision down into specific, measureable objectives and given the right resources to makes it achievable. Assign objectives to key staff members, track the objectives and have formal reviews to hold people accountable and to facilitate problem solving; again, this is not to point blame, but to work as a team to assure successful outcomes.

 Remember there are uncertainties in our world and gearing an organization for future survival takes a vigilant, studious and curious leader. Consider what happened on Wall Street and the many Fortune 500 Corporations several years ago. Although they employed the “best of the best” quick profits and greed overtook disciplined execution and strategic planning, which led to organizational failures and financial losses.

Organizational survival takes leadership that is ever vigilant, learning and studying business trends, industry directions, and economic and political pulses.  A bad boss often forgets this. A bad boss has no vision and blames bad execution or lack of results on others. A competent boss and a visionary leader will communicate the vision often and to many and will establish a mechanism to assure a successful execution process.

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*Kouzes, J.M & Posner, B.Z. (1995). The Leadership Challenge. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, a Wiley Company.

 The Editors. (Winter 2010). Make a difference. Harvard Business Review OnPoint, 2.

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I am black and beautiful….” Song of Solomon, 1:5, NRSV.

On the eve of celebrating Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, you will see various articles about his dreams and his leadership. First let’s reflect on his dream.

Who could forget the August, 1963 “I have a Dream” speech given by King at the steps of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, DC? Or the many marches that he and others led to capture such a dream. Can you hear freedom ring? Let’s listen.

“….When we let freedom ring, when we let it ring from every village and every hamlet, from every state and every city, we will be able to speed up that day when all of God’s children, black men and white men, Jews and Gentiles, Protestants and Catholics, will be able to join hands and sing in the words of the old Negro spiritual, Free at last! Free at last! Thank God Almighty, we are free at last!”

A recent poll (January 5-10, 2011) conducted by the Associated Press and GFK (AP-GFK) Roper Public Affairs and Corporate Communications revealed that 77% of Americans feel that as a country we have gone far in realizing King’s dream.

Yes, dreams are needed, but actions are more important. This reminds me of the Japanese proverb that reads: “vision without action is simply a daydream. Action without vision is a nightmare.” That’s what I want to highlight today. King was a leader, but not just any leader. He was a servant leader, a transforming leader. He was the kind of leader that we thirst for today; a leader to transform our minds and hearts; a leader to transform our country and to transform our world. King foresaw his legacy and delivered a message from the heart that was heard by many at his funeral. Here’s a portion of it.

“If any of you are around when I have to meet my day, I don’t want a long funeral. And if you get somebody to deliver the eulogy, tell them not to talk too long…. Tell them not to mention that I have a Nobel Peace Prize-that isn’t important. Tell them not to mention that I have three or four hundred other awards-that’s not important. Tell them not to mention where I went to school.

“I’d like somebody to mention that day that Martin Luther King, Jr. tried to give his life serving others. I’d like somebody to say that Martin Luther King, Jr. tried to love somebody. I want you to say that day that I tried to be right on the war question. I want you to be able to say that day I did try in my life to clothe those who were naked. I want you to say on that day that I did try in my life to visit those who were in prison. I want you to say that I tried to love and serve humanity.

“Yes, if you want to say that I was a drum major, say that I was a drum major for justice. Say that I was a drum major for peace. I was a drum major for righteousness….

King is one of my heroes. It was his vision and his leadership that made it possible for me to realize that my potential, my dreams could be a reality. A far cried from the reality that my parents and grandparents realized.

Now I want to leave you with a post that I penned on January 16, 2009, the weekend prior to the inauguration of Barack Obama, our first Black president of these United States.

I am black and beautiful. Not hard to say or believe now, but there was a time when I and many African-Americans wishfully wondered about such a statement: “I am black and beautiful. Yet today we have reason to celebrate; a reason to be proud of our skin color. For if it was not for Martin Luther King and the many civil rights leaders and brave souls of the 1950’s, 60’s and 70’s, January 20, 2009 would not be a reality today.

On Monday, January 19, 2009, the nation will celebrate and honor the work of Martin Luther King—the “Drum Major for Justice.” – “The Dreamer” – whose dream is becoming reality within the same generation, as the world witnesses Barack Obama take oath to be President of these United States. We go from “I have a Dream” to “Yes We Can.”

From Martin Luther King to Barack Obama and to all the community organizers, civil rights leaders and the faithful in between, we salute you. We praise you. We honor you and yes, we thank you. We thank you for your sacrifices; the sacrifices that have given this country an opportunity to live up to its creed; to show the world that America is truly a nation that believes all men and women are created equal.

• “Tough times come in cycles. In good times prepare for the tough times.” Edward L. Hamm, Jr. President and CEO of E.L. Hamm & Associates, Inc.
• “Leadership is about being strategic. Give people experiences…get people to do things that they don’t think they could do.” Rebecca A. Stewart, Vice President of Submarines and Fleet Support, Northrop Grumman Shipbuilding-Newport News.
• “Each organization needs certain type of leadership for the different cycles that an organization may go through.” Alvin J. Schexnider, President, Thomas Nelson Community College.

Another quote that I thought was interesting and it is right for this time and I will paraphrase here: “How to do more with less… less that’s more meaningful.”

The moderator for this executive session was Cathy Lewis, Host/Executive Editor WHRO. She asked each panel members, as well as, the audience to give their own definition of leadership. Well, this made me think. Several months ago I wrestled with my definition of leadership, to the point that I could not sleep. A result of that sleepless night in February, 2010, I gave birth to my definition of leadership and here it is.

Leadership is more than mouthy words, showy ceremonies or something you hope to do someday. Leadership is doing something now. 
 
Leadership is doing something your brain says is risky, but your heart says do it anyway. Leadership is doing what is right even at the cost of losing relationships and possibly your livelihood. 
 
Leadership is reflecting moral values and ethics. Leadership works to liberate the oppressed and to provide resources for the poor.

Leadership is action that is foundational, visible, transforming and life changing. Leadership has expectations and aspirations for real change. Real change can only come through practicing and living out what is in your heart and in your soul. 
 
Leadership is unlimited when you believe in something bigger than yourself.

Guess what; in a span of 90 minutes our distinguished panel members and our moderator came to the same conclusion. What is your definition of leadership?

• Leaders are inherently teachers, If you are going to lead, you need to have something worthwhile to say and demonstrate to others ( Dr. Myles Munroe, 2009).
• A true leader does not measure his success by comparing himself to others but by evaluating how he is fufilling his own purpose and vision ( Dr. Myles Munroe, 2009).
• Leaders commit others to action; convert followers to leaders and convert leaders to change agents (Warren Bennis & Burt Nanus, 1997).
• Great leaders do not desire to lead but to serve (Dr. Myles Munroe, 2009).
• Leadership is a journey that starts where you are, not where you want to be (John Maxwell, 2005).
• Good, effective, and relevant leadership is all about lifelong learning (Dave Kraft, 2010).
• The leader’s greatest calling and most significant long-term contribution is to recruit and train other leaders (Dave Kraft, 2010).
• Leadership is unlimited when you believe in something bigger than yourself (Tony Crisp, 2010).

If you are still coming to this site to read my spiritual insights and reflections, I want to remind you that I have moved that subject to www.faithscape.net. Here’s why (from post on January 1, 2010):

Today marks 1 year since I have started this blog. This blog has taken a different direction than I anticipated. In my January 8, 2009 blog, I stated that I wanted to bring “New Thoughts about Leadership.” I hope I have done that for you. I hope I have opened eyes in a new way. What surprised me, however, is that my new thoughts on leadership focused on my own journey with God; a journey of faith exploration and spiritual leadership. As a result of this 1 year journey, I have decided to start a new blog entitled “Faithscape” to further explore my faith journey, without confusing those seeking information on leadership (via Google, Yahoo, Bing, etc) to find something entirely different.

However, to my faithful readers/followers, you can still follow me on “Upward Edge” and on my new blog site “Faithscape” to see how one’s faith journey is intertwined to servant leadership and the transformation of lives. You can find my new blog at www.faithscape.net or going to my favorite links to your bottom right.

I will continue “Upward Edge” with its focus on leadership principles and today’s business leadership concepts and less about my personal spiritual journey. However, the bottom line, I want to teach, I want to inspire and lead people to fulfill their leadership passions whether it is in their faith community or in their secular organizations. My wish, my hope today as it was in 2009 “is to re-create, to bring new thoughts to old sayings and beliefs; to write about leadership, in particular, “transforming servant” leadership in a new and different way” (Upward Edge, January 8, 2009).

So again, I invite you to stay with me at Upward Edge, but also if you are so inclined to join me at Faithscape (www.faithscape.net). My recent post on Faithscape is always listed to your right of this blogsite. Thanks again for your support.

In his chapter entitled, The Leader’s Character, Kraft shares with us that a sponsored survey of nearly 1,500 business managers revealed that the managers desire a boss who is truthful, trustworthy and who has convictions. In other words, the business managers surveyed admire superiors with intergity. Mr. Kraft then quoted the late legendary basketball coach John Wooden from Coach Wooden’s book, They Call Me Coach. I think it is a wise quote so I will print it here for all us to review and remember.

“Be more concerned with your character than with your reputation, because your character is what you really are while your reputation is merely what others think you are.” (Wooden, 1972, p.62).

Until next time; lead on.

You can be that leader. It takes vision, courage and having the right words to encourage and to persuade. It takes the ability to recognize your assets and the willingness to put your assets to the test. It is the willingness to fail and to allow others to fail. Finally, it is believing in yourself and your willingness to risk for a greater cause.

A Leader must always re-invent himself. He must take risks to keep the passion alive. ……… ……………………….A simple thought, but hard to do.

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• Be confident. See the potential in yourself; others see it.

• What’s your leadership brand—problem solver, visionary, analytical/detail-oriented, etc.

• Find a mentor to help your branding and to boost your confidence.

• Attitude is everything. You must believe in what you are doing.

• Find time to stay informed (study, read, discuss and exchange ideas, etc) about your “product.”

• Don’t send out mixed messages—doing what is popular versus what is right or acting out on impulses.

• Be true to who you are. Integrity is everything.

• Seek out opportunities to learn, to teach and to lead

• Seek excellence in all that you do. This requires a commitment to hard work, a spirit of adventure, having an upbeat, expectant attitude and Christian Love (Presentation from Rev. Arlene Ackerman, 4/24/2005). Finally,

• Seek to be a role model. Many run away from that job now, especially athletes, but I think it critical to be a role model for our youth, for our peers and especially for those we supervise in our jobs and those we lead in other areas of our lives.

In the post entitled “Realizing Our Leadership Potentials” (January 31, 2010), I talked about John Maxwell’s premise that leadership is a journey and it is a “journey that starts where you are not where you want to be” (The 360 Degree Leader, 2005, p.274). That got me thinking so I would like to share some leadership tidbits with you. You have heard them before (thanks Rev. Maxwell), but it is always good to be reminded.

Before you do great things elsewhere, you must do it where you sit:

• Do your homework;

• Take the time to do great work; don’t feel like you have to rush a job;

• Take your own minutes after each meetings; noting action steps and key points;

• Speak out and do it boldly if you disagree with a proposed action. Take the risks, so you can live with yourself;

• Do the right thing, not the safe thing;

• Speak from your passion; not what you think others want to hear;

• Don’t be shy about what you believe in or what you do. We don’t need clones in our workplaces;

• Learn to say NO; only do what you can reasonably do successfully and lastly,

• Be the person, you believe God intended for you to be.

Good luck, we are all counting on you.

Hello readers and faithful followers I need your help on a future leadership topic I would like to write about. The title of the article would be “The Downside of Leadership.” We often glorify the leader, but rarely talk about the potential risks of leadership.

I would value hearing your experiences or the experiences of others about the downside of leadership. Please share your experience in the comment section of this post or if you desire a private response click on the envelope next to the word comment. Please send your response no later than May 31st. Thank you.

If you’re reading this then you are a leader or have the desire to lead. Today in my studies I came across three factors a leader needs to consider if he or she feels called to lead. These factors as defined by John Maxwell in his book, “Leadership Promises for Every Day” (2003) are opportunity, ability and desire. Let’s look at all 3 factors briefly.

Opportunity: opportunity is about timing. How often are we presented the opportunity to make a difference in our job, our community or place of worship? If the right opportunity presents itself and you feel you can make a difference, even though you may feel anxious, jump at the opportunity to lead. Maxwell would caution you and state that you have a better opportunity of success if the opportunity presented is aligned with your ability and your desire.

Ability: ability is all about competency. Do you have the knowledge, skills and talents to lead a specific project or to fulfill a need? The opportunity is there; is the competency aligned with the opportunity? So what’s next? John Maxwell would argue that the desire must be present.

Desire: desire is all about passion; a hunger to meet a need. It is not always about being in charge or leading, but it is all about a strong desire, a hunger, to meet a special need or needs.

Let’s pause for a moment. What are the needs in your job, your community, your house of worship? Are you passionate about meeting those needs? Do you feel you have the competency, despite the “butterflies” to help meet those needs and is the timing right. If you answered yes to all 3 then you are the right person to lead the charge to close that service need gap.

Oh, you have been here before. You have allowed pitfalls and potholes steal those opportunities in the past. Laurie Beth Jones in her book, “The Path” (1996) have described those pitfalls and potholes as feeling of inadequacy; as listening to the accusations of others; as small mindedness, fear impatience, apathy or just old fashion procrastination and distractions. I say forget about those pitfalls and potholes, especially if you have all the ingredients (opportunity, ability and desire) aligned. We need you; especially in today’s world. Strong active leadership can invigorate our economy and help meet the needs in our community. Can we count on you to say, “Here am I! Send me.”

Quadrant II is the quadrant of personal leadership and for personal growth and yes, team growth. It is one of the most important things you can do for your managers and your organization. It’s a critical time to “force” your key players to pause, to re-create, to plan, to build relationships and above all to learn.

So during our Fifth Tuesday of the month, I teach, or someone on the team teaches or we bring someone from the outside to teach us how to relax, to learn new information, to think strategically so we can stay competitive and to improve client services.

So, today as we were doing our Fifth Tuesday thing, it hit me: a good leader teaches. The leader teaches to sharpen the skills of his staff; to prepare the staff and the organization for the future; to improve customer service, service outcomes and above all to teach his staff how to relax, to reflect, to re-create and remind them of the sacredness and importance of this time. My managers love it.

So carve out a time for yourself and for your managers to focus on and to spend quality time building your team and growing your organization.

Leadership is doing something your brain says is risky, but your heart says do it anyway. Leadership is doing what is right even at the cost of losing relationships and possibly your livelihood.

Leadership is reflecting moral values and ethics. Leadership works to liberate the oppressed and to provide resources for the poor.

Leadership is action; that is foundational, visible, transforming and life changing. Leadership has expectations and the aspirations for real change. Real change can only come through practicing and living out what is in your heart and in your soul.

Leadership is unlimited when you believe in something bigger than yourself.

Once upon a time I was mesmerized by a story. Have you ever been mesmerized by stories that made you happy, sad, joyous or angry? Are you fascinated by those who touched every nerve in your body; those speakers who brought tears to your eyes and stirred an emotional, but passionate anger in your heart? After hearing that speaker; that speech, you knew you had to do something. You gave a donation; you volunteered; you were focused on the company’s goals. After hearing the CEO, the preacher, the club president, you supported the mission and you wanted to do your part to fulfill the company’s vision or spread the good news. Yes, you were motivated to do the right thing.

I have a secret. Effective leadership and storytelling go hand in hand. Have you ever thought of yourself as a storyteller? Think about it. As a storyteller you are both the messenger and the message and to be an effective leader you must learn to be a good storyteller. Howard Gardner states that not only should the leader be a good storyteller, but the leader must also “embody that story in his or her life. The leader is a symbol as well as a “keeper of the stories” (Spiritual Leadership, Henry & Richard Blackaby, 2001, p.80).

Think about the people you know who are good storytellers? This person can be someone in your faith community, your neighbor or someone at your job. This person could be a teacher, a friend, the mayor and yes, even your boss. What impact has this person’s storytelling had on your place of work; your social group, your neighborhood or your faith community? As he or she was telling the story did you also reflect on the person’s character? Were you more mesmerized by the story because of the messenger or was it the message alone that moved you to action? It’s wonderful when it is both!

Now, reflect on the time you moved a group forward through your storytelling. During a critical time in my church, I was able to defer the dismissal of our pastor through a compassionate story of forgiveness and second chances. On other occasions, I was able to move people because of the many stories I told about my uncle and grandmother. I portrayed how my grandmother and my uncle were my role models because of their faithfulness, their boldness and their commitment to what they believed in. I have a long tenure both in my church and at work and therefore, I am often asked by leadership about “how did we get here.” My hope is that I am asked to tell the stories, not only because of my tenure, but because they trust my intelligence, respect my character and see me as a leader.

In their book, Spiritual Leadership, Henry and Richard Blackaby said that “a story is a “compelling method of communicating vision…graphs and charts can convey data and engage people’s minds, but a story…can engage people’s heart and gain their commitment” (p.80, 2001). They also believe that leaders’ stories need to have three components: stories from the past, stories for the present and stories about future possibilities.

Yet another author, Charles Olsen, (Transforming Church Boards, 1995), persuasively argued that storytelling can enliven a church board and even energize a church body. He persuasively argued that history giving and story telling, along with biblical-theological reflection and prayerful discernment would move a church board past burnout and beyond “business as usual” to a board that can enthusiastically lead the faith community to visioning the future.

Storytelling possibilities are easy to imagine in churches, mosques or synagogues, but what about the business world. D. A. Benton believes that storytelling is one of 22 vital traits to becoming a Chief Executive Officer (CEO). She states that a good storyteller can set themselves apart from the rest of the crowd. A good storyteller gets involved with his or her thought processes; often paints pictures; usually humanizes his or her points and often will make him or herself colorful in the process as they tell the story (How To Think Like A CEO 1996). She said that “with storytelling, the scenic route gets you there just like the direct one, but you and the audience enjoy it a lot more” (p. 209). Storytelling helps “make information memorable, recallable, clear, useful and appropriate…and “the key for successful storytelling is [the ability] to fit stories into the conversation, have a good memory to recollect them for the proper occasion, and recall who has already heard them” (pp. 209-210).

Now let’s reflect one more time. Try to remember that story and the storyteller. Were you able to understand the messenger? Did you find the messenger interesting and were you persuaded that he or she was also smart? And finally, and more importantly, do you still remember the details of the story?

D. A. Benton writes that as a good storyteller, people will understand you better, that they will “remember what you say longer, find you smarter and [by the way] more interesting if you use good anecdotes to make your points” (pp.212-213).

So put your thinking cap on, practice that speech, and reflect how you can paint a picture, that will excite us, and above all, motivate us toward a more compelling and positive future. Are you a storyteller? Of course you are; we all are. Our goal now is to be a good storyteller. The end.

As I was preparing training slides for my next presentation on leadership, I came across two concepts that struck a chord in me. The first concept was coined by Dr. Myles Munroe in his book entitled Becoming A Leader (1993). He used the phrase “out there.” He writes, “While we often think of leaders as “out there,” we need to look within ourselves. Each one of us is a leader who can affect the people and institutions in our own spheres of influence” (p.13).

When there is a just cause; whom do you look to? Is there anyone better than you “who can get the job done so said that inner voice? Often the right person is our self. We need to look within ourselves to get the job done, to improve the employees’ morale, to right the wrong. Who do you have influence with; what changes have been made in the past because of what you said or did? You can do it again. Leaders are not people “out there.” Leaders are ordinary people who accept or, due to circumstances, are thrust into taking charge; and in the process, “bring forth their latent potential, producing character that inspires the confidence and trust of others” (Becoming A Leader, 1993, p.12).

Now pause and think for a minute. What about that time when you were thrust into a leadership role. Think of the people you influenced. What about those changes that were made due to your efforts and the efforts of those you led. Because of that special journey, you are still seen as a leader and are often called to lead the next adventure whether it is on your job, your neighborhood, a civic affiliation or in your faith community.

This brings me to the second concept which was coined by John Maxwell. He stated that leadership is a journey. It is a “journey that starts where you are, not where you want to be” (The 360 Degree Leader, 2005, p.274). Often times we want to get ahead of ourselves. We want to be the CEO of the company, the president or chair of a particular group or the one who will lead the next march on City Hall or Washington.

Maxwell writes that “you need to have your eyes fixed on your current responsibilities, not the ones you wish to have someday” (p.275). If you are not successful at your current level how can you assure others and yourself that you will be successful and will be “a qualifier for leading at the next level” (p.274)? As discussed in an earlier post, Henry and Richard Blackaby believe that prior small successes can be a good sign post for emerging leaders to take on greater responsibilities and that these successes, along with the person’s life experiences, can greatly affect the kind of leader a person will become (Spiritual Leadership, 2001).

Have you been there; I know I have? You want the larger role, but at the same time, there are unfinished businesses at your current level of responsibilities. If we take care of our present responsibilities, the future will take care of itself. Greater responsibilities and yes, sometimes a new title, more money, different stressors and headaches will come with your prized endeavor; but it is not your time yet. You have current responsibilities to take care of.

Leadership is a journey and like all journeys we pack our essentials to assure a safe, but fun trip. But like many journeys there are surprises along the way. Those surprises will not deter us if we do our homework before hand. As it relates to leadership, the leader must know where he wants to go. The leader must have a vision; a vision that usually comes from the leader’s conviction. On this journey, will the leader have followers? The leader needs people who will follow her, protect her and help her realize her vision. The leader and followers are confident about this new journey because of the leader’s success with previous journeys.

So we see that leadership is not a one time effort. It is a life time journey often prompted by our inner voice to right the wrong, to improve job processes, to enhance our neighborhoods and to strengthen our faith community.

So are you ready to listen to your inner voice and begin your next journey? We are counting on you.

Today we will discuss Administrative Do’s and Don’ts. The reference for this section is taken from the book “Secrets of Executive Success.” This book was written by Mark Golin, Mark Bricklin, David Diamond, and the Rodale Center for Executive Development. So let’s begin.

• Do trust your intuition: When I have gone with my gut instinct, I have often had better administrative outcomes. So if you have good instincts, trust yourself. Give yourself credit; you know more than you think. Therefore trust your hunches and remember those prior experiences that begat successes.

• Do appreciate good work: When your employees do good work; always praise them. To foster more good work always find a way to praise your employees in public. In today’s work environment it is pertinent to praise good work.

• Don’t take credit for the good work of your employee: Remember that your employees’ good work is a reflection on your ability to lead. Your job as an executive leader is to delegate, follow-up and to make sound management decisions. I remembered a time when a former boss of mine took credit for something I did and on another occasion that same boss rejected a conceptual idea that I proposed; however, several years later my boss presented that idea to his superiors as if it came from him. It was not a good feeling and I lost all credibility for that boss. If you want motivated employees give them the praise and the credit they deserve for the ideas and work that they have produced.

• Do get to know the work of your employees, both their work contributions and their personal lives: The best way to get to know your employees is to walk around, talk to them, listen to them and let them know that you genuinely care about their work, but you also care about other aspect of their lives outside of work.

• Don’t be inaccessible: Often times you will have time constraints, but it a must to have an open door policy with your employees. If you cannot talk with an employee on the spur of the moment; schedule a mutual time to meet. Face to face contact is essential and always appreciated; especially, in the age of emails, faxes and mobile phones. I do have to confess that this is a challenge for me. With the additional workload and limited time at my desk, I often found myself or I give the impression to my employees that “right now” is not the time to talk with me. A fair warning, watch your body language. Your body language or your facial expressions may give employees mix signals. Can I talk to him? He said he has an open door policy, but he gives out vibes that say I do not want to be bothered. We must make time for our employees; this helps us stay ahead of the curve of any dooming organizational problems or employee’s concerns.

• Do tackle problems as soon as they occur: Don’t let problems fester. Intervene quickly. In many cases, the quickest and direct way to deal with an issue or problem is to have the parties to meet and take ownership of the issue at hand. Your role may be as a facilitator and/or a mediator. Remember, however, that the final outcome rest with you.

• Don’t be afraid to be a little vague about your plans: It is not always wise to put all your cards on the table. Let timing and the input of others be on your side.

• Do treat your employees fairly. I did not say equally. When you know your employees, you know what’s fair for each employees within the confines of your company’s human resources policies.

• Do behave in a manner that will make your employees trust you: In other words, be ethical, be fair and above all “walk your talk.”

• Don’t underestimate the destructive power of disgruntled employees: Deal with morale issues quickly. This is similar to tackling problems that was discussed above. You cannot overlook or allow an issue to grow. Most executive leaders are not blind to morale issues on their watch, but they often struggle on the appropriate intervention to take. Seek out those you trust to gather information on how and why an employee or employees may be disgruntled. It does not hurt to go directly to the disgruntled employee to find out what is wrong and too, possible means to remedy the problem or issue.

• Do all you can to support the people below you: Don’t have them fight “battles” that you can and should do. Sometimes because of your authority you are the only one that can fight the battle that has impacted employee’s productivity and in some cases, their morale.

• Do be predictable: This helps employees know how to respond to you. You must provide predictability and calmness in the work environment. This is not always easy, but it must be. With job redeployments and job losses, calmness from the boss is a must.

• Don’t ignore your insecurities about being a leader or manager: It is okay to seek advice and ask for help. You can not expect to know every detail about your assignment or the tasks required of your employees. Trust your employees.

• Don’t lose sight of the long range goal: This can easily happen, if you do not take quality quiet time and as I have discussed in prior blogs, I recommend that you encourage your top managers to do the same.

I hope the Executive Supervision series have been helpful. I would love to hear from you.

Tool number 1: Perseverance/Resiliency. We all are familiar with the phase, “don’t let them see you sweat.” The executive leader must learn how to deal effectively with pressures. Pressures from the job and pressures from outside the work world; both will have an impact on how the executive leader will treat his or her employees and perform his job. To be resilient the executive leader must find ways to maintain interest and focus on the task or tasks before him or her.

The executive leader must find a way to balance his/her personal and work life. That balance is often hard to come by in today’s world. Our many “successful role models” today spends an inordinate time on the job, away from the family and for some even overlooking their own health. The most recent example is the successful Florida football coach, Urban Meyer. In his drive for success, Meyer compromised his health to the point that he contemplated leaving the job he really loves.

Having confidence in your staff can help you persevere in a tough job environment. Delegate what you can and hold your staff accountable. You will be surprised how much your staff can and will do to protect you and relieve of your some of your stressors. And yes, they will complete the task. In these ways, you will find balance, stay focused and “never let them see you sweat.”

Tool number 2: Practice Stephen Covey’s 7 Habits. Most of us are familiar with Stephen Covey’s 7 Habits; if you are not, I recommend that you go on the FranklinCovey’s website and order the book. Most importantly, the executive leader must find some quiet time (quadrant II) to think, to re-create, to re-energize, and to empower himself. In her Pathleader’s blog dated December 29, 2009, Laurie Beth Jones writes that a Fortune 50 company conducted a survey of “Emerging Leaders” to ascertain what the emerging leaders wanted for their CEO and for themselves. The answer was time to think. “These leaders from tomorrow wanted their leaders of today to have, and MAKE, the time to think.” Therefore, as an executive leader find time to think and allot time for your chief managers to think also. I often sat aside, at least, 1 Friday afternoon/month to think. I also set aside quadrant II time with my managers quarterly to think and to re-energize and I explore with them in their individual supervision time with me methods they use to think. It is encumber of the executive leader to also practice good time management skills. A good source again is the 7 Habits, but you may want to explore other time management books and seminar. One of I would recommend is Harold Lloyd’s book entitled “It’s About Time.”

Tool number 3: Identify your strengths and core values. Your strengths are what got you to your high level job in the first place; so those strong skills and attributes are what you need to focus on to enhance job performance. Too often executives focus on their weaknesses to the detriments of the strong points that have, in the past, helped their company and their career.

A number of Gallup Research studies have concluded that “Strength Based Development” is a key in improving and accelerating job performance. A part of identifying your strengths is being yourself and being aware of your core values. What are you not willing to compromise as it relates to your company achieving its mission and/or making a profit? Therefore, tool 3 is being aware of your strengths; utilize those strengths to improve your performance and finally know your ethics. What are those things that are important to you that you are not willing to compromise even when the going gets tough?

Tool number 4: Appreciate your work style. You are most effective when you appreciate your own work style. Again this goes back to knowing your strengths. How do you get things accomplished; what do you need to make informed decisions and how does your work style mesh with others around you to accomplish the company’s mission? It’s also critical to know and appreciate your managers’ work styles. What flexibilities will they need to accomplish their tasks; when is it the better time to meet with your managers to get the best out of them. The key here, is not to be someone else or try to replicate someone’s work style; but to be confident in your own your abilities and focus on your strength to lead.

Finally, Tool number 5 is Look at all challenges as an opportunity. My email tagline is “Turning challenging opportunities into remarkable successes.” I have often said in other settings that challenges are a gift from God. “An opportunity to grow; to soar like an eagle; to be the leader that you know you are; to be the leader God has called you to be” (Upward Edge, October 7, 2009). Challenges give you opportunities to stretch and to improve services and/or products for your customers. It is important not to take on challenges all alone. Seek advice from your peers, from your customers and from your lieutenants. The bottom line is that we all improve when we are forced to change and are challenged by opportunities.

So now you have it. Managing oneself is about finding quiet time to build on the tools above. It’s about prevention, preparation, planning and building relationships to not only manage, but to sustain oneself in highly competitive and stressful positions.

However, to my faithful readers/followers, you can still follow me on “Upward Edge” and on my new blog site “Faithscape” to see how one’s faith journey is intertwined to servant leadership and the transformation of lives. You can find my new blog at www.faithscape.net or going to my favorite links to your bottom right.

I will continue “Upward Edge” with its focus on leadership principles and today’s business leadership concepts and less about my personal spiritual journey. However, the bottom line, I want to teach, I want to inspire and lead people to fulfill their leadership passions whether it is in their faith community or in their secular organizations. My wish, my hope today as it was in 2009 “is to re-create, to bring new thoughts to old sayings and beliefs; to write about leadership, in particular, “transforming servant” leadership in a new and different way” (Upward Edge, January 8, 2009).