Thursday, January 30, 2014

GRACE-FILLED LEADERSHIP by Chris Lautsbaugh

I love the idea of being a leader who extends and embodies grace, especially when I see so many other leadership models that seemingly are convinced that grace will diminish rather than improve your leadership effectiveness.  And I am pretty sure being a Christ-like leader means that we have to believe deeply and regularly default to grace when it comes to our relationship with those who we have been given the privilege to lead...grateful for the reminder today from this blog post and author's thoughts...
Here is a list of 8 traits of grace filled leadership:
1. Emphasis on principles rather than rules - Rules modify behavior, principles change hearts. Anyone can adjust their lifestyle for a season or adhere to a structure. Lives are truly changed through transformation rather than conformity. When we focus on principles, it teaches people wisdom which works in a multitude of situations.
2. Valuing people - It is easy to view people as a means to success in our teams. If our people feel cared for and valued for who they are, not merely what they do; we will have their hearts and their loyalty. This involves listening to our people and finding ways to serve them; all motivated by a desire to see them succeed.
3. Push towards excellence, leaving room for failure - As gracious leaders, we know our own shortcomings and failures. This gives us the ability to push people towards success while also allowing them to make mistakes. After all, people allowed us to learn some of our greatest lessons through failure. No one wants to work for a leader who demands perfection.
4. Allows different opinions while promoting commonalities - One of the leading traits of controlling leaders is insecurity. Insecure leaders hurt people. Gracious leaders recognize the need to surround themselves with other strong leaders, valuing differing strengths and ideas.
5. Confronts personally - Gracious leadership is not a free for all with no confrontation. Rather, the confrontation occurs in a manner which values the team member. You want to avoid general announcements or side comments to a group. Value people enough to say the hard things to them face to face.
6. Allows people to experience the consequences of their actions - Another misconception of grace is “sloppy agape”. True grace realizes lessons are often learned through experiencing the result of a bad decision and learning from it. Grace does not remove consequences or attempt to protect people from their bad decisions. Titus 2:12 tells us, “grace trains…”
7. Believes the best - We must trust our people; doing away with judgment, critical spirits, and suspicious attitudes. This value allows us to truly release people to do the job, avoiding the dreaded dirty delegation or micro-management.
8. Willing to be abused - Grace filled leaders often get accused of being taken advantage of. People naturally look for loopholes or ways to work the system. But, this happens in rule-based leadership as well. The potential for abuse does not disqualify the leadership style. A few will work the system, but more will flourish and thrive under this style of leadership.

Wednesday, January 15, 2014

Marks of a True Influence Leader

Like this description from Jeremie Kubicek...gonna be thinking lots about leadership in the next months as we hire student leaders for the 2014-15 school year and reframe leadership training curriculum and experiences across several platforms at CU...

A True Influence Leader:
  • Leads with vision;
  • Leads from the head and the heart;
  • Practices humility and service to others (let’s go of status and self-preservation);
  • Influences rather than pushes or demands;
  • Invests in the success of others first;
  • Rises above unethical practices, pressure, and petty politics;
  • Attracts a diverse and dedicated team of future leaders;
  • Delivers more than expected;
  • Wields the tools of forgiveness, gratitude, and laughter;
  • Reaches out to make the last first.

  • http://jeremiekubicek.com/the-mark-of-a-true-influence-leader

Wednesday, January 1, 2014

Looking Back and Ahead: A Quick Review of 2013 and A Few Hopes for 2014

As we head into 2014 in the midst of a very cold and snowy winter season here in west MI, I once again want to take a few minutes to look back and dream ahead...

3 Reflections from 2013:

1. Settling in deeply in Grand Rapids...kids established and doing well in schools; developing our favorite places and traditions; experiencing all west MI has in terms of the beach/lake and culture; small group connections via church; discovering professional fulfillment and service connections and partnerships that fit us as a family and as individuals...

It's interesting to see when you hit that tipping point and you feel like this is fully home...and I think our fifth year has brought us to that place in many ways...

2. Hiring new members of my Student Engagement team at Cornerstone University...I've loved having several new folks as part of the area I lead at our school...they are talented and passionate young leaders, close friends, and like-minded servants of Jesus...couldn't be more excited about getting to watch them impact the lives of college students and investing my time and resources into their growth and development...

3. Watching God continue to broaden and strengthen my heart and head when it comes to global realities and our need to be a voice and change agent for the oppressed and broken and forgotten people and systems in our world...a new exposure to and decision to help others respond to the issue of immigration reform in our country and my community has once again connected me with the heart of God and the values and teachings of Scripture...wouldn't have dreamed even 3 months ago that this issue would be a centerpiece in my job, personal life, and faith journey...


4 Visions for 2014:

1. Better physical care of myself...recently read a book called EAT, MOVE, SLEEP that helped frame for me some targets that I need to pursue to make my stewardship of my body and life more fruitful and honoring the one who made me to function well instead of failing to discipline myself in these areas...

2. Intentionally creating experiences and conversations for our family that cause us to seek to live a bit of a counter-cultural life as followers of Jesus in the schools and churches and neighborhoods and communities of our suburban American world and lifestyle where God has placed us and called us in this season...exciting to talk and think and act together on this challenge before us...

3. Seeking to grow and maybe even double the impact of NIGHT OF NETS in helping to end malaria in sub-Saharan Africa...the key will be me empowering others and inviting other schools and groups to be part of this project...and we will be fueled up once again by the Zambian people and church on another trip in May as we see the need and partner with our friends on the other side of the world in changing family's lives through the distribution and use of a simple $6 bed net...

4. Reading & Writing...I've discovered that these two things deeply affect my capacity to lead well, the level of my personal energy & spirit, and it truly is one of the things I can do to most affect others God brings into my life as His follower...more books, more blogs, and more engagement with ideas and truths and Scripture and stories daily and weekly and in special seasons will bear much fruit in 2014...

What are your reflections looking back and your goals/visions for the new year ahead?