Scalable Leadership

by john on January 20, 2010

Post image for Scalable Leadership

Leading a team should promote the continuance and growth of the team, in other words, scalability. The mission or purpose of the team in this case is long term, with a desire to see its continuance beyond a project with a specific completion date. However, even in the case of project-focused leadership, having a continuity plan where the project continues in spite of the leader becoming suddenly unavailable is critical to the successful completion of the project.

How can we replicate ourselves as leaders in a way that fulfilling the mission of the team continues beyond our involvement? How can we grow the leadership base to expand the influence of the mission overall?

Span of Effectiveness

Leaders can effectively lead and support anywhere from six to twelve followers. As the team grows beyond this point, intermediate leaders are necessary to have in place in order to provide personal guidance and support within the organization. These intermediate leaders must then add another layer of leaders as the organization grows (or in order to grow the organization).

Pouring into ones direct team is time consuming. It requires tremendous effort. This cascading leadership structure of a team provides opportunities for leaders to develop at various levels of responsibility within the team.

Leadership Qualities

Qualities of leadership activities that will produce a growing and scalable team include being intentional, integral, and inspirational.

Intentional

Continually looking for opportunities to share, expand, and promote the missional aspects of the team is something that cannot happen by accident, but must be intentional. Training and mentoring followers to pick up a leadership role at some level insures there is no sole reliance upon any one individual leader.  An intentional approach also becomes self-fulfilling since the mission of the team is top-of-mind in the leader and the continuously growing population of intermediate leaders and followers.

Integral

Activities of a leader are to be focused on fulfilling the mission of the team in such a way that they are woven into the fabric of the organization. It becomes a way of life that is shared with the followers. Connecting the dots of understanding how activities support the fulfillment of the mission is necessary for followers to make sustainable commitments to the team. Also understanding how certain activities can be detrimental to the mission is important to successfully accomplishing the team’s objectives.

Inspirational

The mission and purpose of the team should inspire people to stretch beyond what any one person can accomplish. People want to be a part of something bigger than themselves. The mission of the team should be sustainable, withstanding the test of time and scrutiny of rational thinking. It should be grounded in reality.

There is such a strong belief in the mission the leader cannot help but be excited and motivated. The leader must understand and live out the mission and purpose of the team on a daily basis. This way of living and leading is contagious and inspires followers to go beyond self-imposed limitations.

Fulfilling the Mission

These qualities should be promulgated throughout all levels of the team. Constantly asking the question of oneself as a leader, and of your followers, drives the fulfillment of the mission in a lively and dynamic way.

How is what you do as a leader furthering the growth and expansion of your team and its mission?

Pass it On:
  • LinkedIn
  • Facebook
  • email
  • Digg
  • del.icio.us
  • Google Bookmarks
  • Technorati
  • Print

{ 2 comments }

Not Just Another Day

by john on January 14, 2010

Post image for Not Just Another Day

Was yesterday just another day? Or the day before? No. A devastating natural disaster occurred a couple of days ago. Everyone around the world who has access to major news outlets (FoxNews, CNN, BBC, and others) knows of the earthquake that hit Haiti.

The ones who were there know about it more fully.

My heart breaks; collectively our heart breaks for the loss suffered. It was so unexpected and so undeserved.

Unexpected Happenings

Regardless of the current condition in which we live, we never expect sudden and immediate loss of life or loved one. Some may not have hope that it will get better, but we never expect our situation to get worse.

Undeserved Tragedy

No one group of people deserves to suffer such calamity as being experienced in Haiti over another group. The commentary of certain individuals stating they believe the people of Haiti deserved what occurred yesterday is wrong. By stating some isolated group of people deserve this catastrophe in Haiti, it implies that others don’t deserve to suffer. Extending this thought even further, offering up the idea that some deserve tragedy over others implies some deserve just the opposite of tragedy. We should all make careful consideration before arriving at such conflicting conclusions of things deserved.

Compassion

We are all subject to the catastrophes and challenges of life. None of us are immune. However, we are charged with loving and helping others in the midst of tragedy. People are showing compassion and responding to the immediate needs in Haiti through organizations like Samaritan’s Purse, World Vision, and so many others.

Daily Treasure

No, it was not just another day. Today is not just another day. We cannot expect to see another day.  We cannot bank on it. We do not deserve it. We have to treat each day as a treasure. Every day should be cherished. Look for something good in each day. Help and love others each day. Offer the gift of hope, both for today and forever.

How can you help the situation in Haiti? Here is one organization that is offering relief – Samaritan’s Purse.

How do you need to adjust your outlook so you treat each day as a treasure?

What can you do to pass on compassion and hope to others?

Pass it On:
  • LinkedIn
  • Facebook
  • email
  • Digg
  • del.icio.us
  • Google Bookmarks
  • Technorati
  • Print

{ 0 comments }

Difficult to Receive

Thumbnail image for Difficult to Receive

Fairness is one of those rules of life we follow so closely we expect it to always be there. If we do not think a situation is fair, we sometimes take extreme measures to make it right. Fairness is pursued when we believe another has received an advantage of some kind. We want to insure [...]

Pass it On:
  • LinkedIn
  • Facebook
  • email
  • Digg
  • del.icio.us
  • Google Bookmarks
  • Technorati
  • Print
Read the full article →

Outta Here

Thumbnail image for Outta Here

When he finds himself in an unpleasant situation, my youngest son proclaims, “I’m outta here!” My wife and I are working with our young and determined three year-old son to differentiate the various situations in which he finds himself and to respond appropriately. There are times when leaving is the appropriate response. Even then, the [...]

Pass it On:
  • LinkedIn
  • Facebook
  • email
  • Digg
  • del.icio.us
  • Google Bookmarks
  • Technorati
  • Print
Read the full article →

Count the Cost

Thumbnail image for Count the Cost

The decision framework we have presented is difficult to follow: considering others first with love, being completely honest, walking with integrity, stewarding resources with care, and pursuing justice for all with compassion. There may be times when it doesn’t seem worth it to be ethical. The decision to be ethical at all times should be [...]

Pass it On:
  • LinkedIn
  • Facebook
  • email
  • Digg
  • del.icio.us
  • Google Bookmarks
  • Technorati
  • Print
Read the full article →

Decision Framework

Thumbnail image for Decision Framework

A framework for making decisions must support consideration of other people while looking toward achieving a desired objective. What is the balance? How much should we lean toward insuring other people are not harmed and are taken care of during the process of making decisions?
If we go to an extreme of completely focusing on others [...]

Pass it On:
  • LinkedIn
  • Facebook
  • email
  • Digg
  • del.icio.us
  • Google Bookmarks
  • Technorati
  • Print
Read the full article →