Servant Resources

Corporate Turnaround Artist - Part 10

Principle 1 – Begin by committing to do what is right

Principle 2 – Stay on track by observing six spiritual disciplines

Principle 3 – Address moral issues first

Principle 4 – Lay out the plan for what you want to accomplish

Principle 5 – Open closed doors

Principle 6 – Commit to action

Principle 7 – Call your leaders higher

Principle 8 – Clearly explain your intention

Principle 9 – Remind others of their calling

Principle 10 – Provide a structure for status updates

 

How do you know whether or not what you want accomplished is indeed getting done, and getting done according to the standards you have set? In Hezekiah’s case, his leaders reported back to him in 2 Chronicles 29:18, 19. They told him that they had completed the task of cleansing the temple. They also went beyond a simple overview and detailed their specific areas of accomplishment as well.

 

Receiving regular feedback on what you desire to be accomplished is one of the basic components of leadership. It allows you to know if your expectations are being fulfilled, and provides a means for your leaders to connect with you around objectives.

 

In order for you to receive clear status updates you must first set your expectation. Not just in terms of what you want accomplished, but also in terms of the way you want it done. If your values are not clear you may end up with the result you requested, but with unintended consequences as well.

 

You must also set the level of detail you expect to have reported back. If you expect an overwhelming amount of detail then you run the risk of stifling trust; yet if you never request more than a simple overview, you may be missing things that are critical for you to know. You’ve got to clearly identify the “pulse” of what you need to know; the essential elements that are important enough to have assurance that your direction is being carried out.

 

Regular feedback also affords the opportunity for course correction as necessary. If a ship leaves a harbor for a distant port, and its course is off by one degree, the longer it goes in that direction, the longer it takes to get back on course. The same it true with the execution of your strategies and plans. It is much easier to make changes along the way then it is once the project is completed.

 

If you find that the assignment is not going well, you need to determine the cause. There are many different things that can affect the outcome of a particular task—many ways to get off course:

 

-          Perhaps your instruction was unclear

-          Maybe your communication was open to interpretation

-          It is possible that they didn’t listen well or got distracted

-          Possibly they didn’t understand the importance of the task

-          It is conceivable that you gave more “rope” than was prudent

-          It could be that you assigned a task beyond their ability

 

Set up your reporting expectations at the same time that you assign the responsibility. Different people and diverse tasks will require unique timeframes for reporting. Understanding these and getting them right is the responsibility of the leader. No one can do that for you.

Corporate Turnaround Artist - Part 9

Principle 1 – Begin by committing to do what is right

Principle 2 – Stay on track by observing six spiritual disciplines

Principle 3 – Address moral issues first

Principle 4 – Lay out the plan for what you want to accomplish

Principle 5 – Open closed doors

Principle 6 – Commit to action

Principle 7 – Call your leaders higher

Principle 8 – Clearly explain your intention

Principle 9 – Remind others of their calling

In speaking with the leaders of the nation, Hezekiah addressed them by speaking directly into their vocation. Appealing to those you lead on the basis of their professional role accomplishes one of two things; they will either rise to the occasion, because you are tapping into their passion; or they will not engage wholeheartedly because it does not resonate with the deepest calling on their lives.

God has gifted men and women in a great many ways. They can choose whether or not to put those gifts into his service or use them for their own purposes. I believe that he has a calling for each individual on earth, and the scriptures teach us that his gifts and his calling are irrevocable.[1] 

Hezekiah spoke of 4 primary duties to fulfill within their calling as they operated under his leadership. First, he told them to stand. Specifically, Hezekiah asked them to “stand before.” A leader is to stand before those he leads as an example; he does not stand behind them pushing them along; he stands in front of them and calls them forward. To stand before others is to be willing to assert as Paul did; “follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ.”[2]

Secondly, he encouraged them to serve. Someone who calls themselves a leader, but does not serve, is not a leader. Service is the essence of leadership. That service may take many forms; indeed it may not appear to be service at all. The apostles in the early church recognized this when they stated that it would not be right for them to “neglect the ministry of the word of God in order to wait on tables.”[3] They recognized that their service was to give their attention to prayer and the ministry of the word.

To some, this would look like haughtiness. Jesus had served them by washing their feet, but they couldn’t stop what they were doing to help serve widows? But it is not haughtiness at all. Jesus washed their feet as an example; he didn’t continue to wash feet after that particular time. He didn’t make a career out of washing feet. Likewise, the apostles weren’t speaking of an unwillingness to assist, but recognized that if they spent all of their time waiting on tables, their true mission would be neglected.

Thirdly, Hezekiah called his leaders to minister. To minister is to care for or tend after a person or group. The primary calling of a leader is to minister into the lives of others. They are to pour themselves into those that they lead. It is not a calling to simply direct others in the tasks assigned, but to call them to a place of ministry. A place where they are caring deeply for the lives of those over whom they have been given responsibility.

Ministry takes place in a variety of ways. It occurs in the workplace as well as the marketplace. The important issue is not so much in what that ministry entails, but whether or not your ministry to others is focused on them or on yourself. I’ve seen a lot of ministry come from a self-serving place; out of a desire for someone to lift themselves up and fill their own needs by reaching out to others. It’s often done out of a desire to feel important, or to show that they have capacity to give. Regardless of the reason, ministry that is done for any other purpose other than to honor God is not really ministry at all.

The last thing that Hezekiah calls his leaders to do is to burn incense. Burning incense before the Lord was one of their primary responsibilities. This seems to be of such insignificance in terms of the larger responsibilities of leadership. But the intrinsic value of what we do is not as important as paying attention to what we are called to do. It is often the small things that get overlooked. And lack of attention to the details is the downfall of a great many leaders.

When you speak into the lives of those who lead under you, remember to call them to stand before the Lord and those they lead in confident expectation of His power working in them and through them. Remind them that they are called first and foremost to serve and to minister out of the wealth that God has placed in them for the sake of others. And encourage them to focus on the things that God has called them to do, no matter how insignificant they may appear to be.

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[1] Romans 11:29

[2] 1 Corinthians 11:1

[3] Acts 6:2

Corporate Turnaround Artist - Part 8

Principle 1 – Begin by committing to do what is right

Principle 2 – Stay on track by observing six spiritual disciplines

Principle 3 – Address moral issues first

Principle 4 – Lay out the plan for what you want to accomplish

Principle 5 – Open closed doors

Principle 6 – Commit to action

Principle 7 – Call your leaders higher

Principle 8 – Clearly explain your intention

 

When Hezekiah called the leaders together and challenged them to set themselves apart, he spent a considerable amount of time explaining to them how they arrived at their condition. He walked them through precisely what had occurred that got them to the place where their nation was in disarray. He then spoke of his intention. There were two components to what he articulated; first he stated his intention and second, he called his leaders to not be negligent in their duties.

 

In terms of application to you as a leader from within your organization, here are some observations:

 

1.       Perspective Precision. Before you can clearly articulate how your organization got to where it is, you need to think deeply about it. There will be any number of things that are easily recognizable to the casual observer, but there will also be deeper root issues that require attention. If you miss these in your haste or presumption, you will carry them forward. Ultimately, they will resurrect within the new culture and sabotage what you are trying to accomplish.

 

A word of caution: You must be very careful how you present the history leading up to your leadership. It is not about tearing down previous leadership. If you are truly bringing new vision and life, it will be obvious and you won’t need to try to help others see that. You will do more damage than good focusing on the mistakes of past leaders. Hezekiah did speak strongly about past leadership, but there are differences. He was speaking to a nation with a God-chosen identity and strong familial cohesiveness.

 

2.       Indisputable Intention. Hezekiah’s intention was crystal clear in the minds of his leaders. There was no question of his allegiance. He uses the word covenant, which is a strong word for any believer, because they are not made lightly. Those who follow you must know your decided purpose, and that objective cannot be for your own gain. There can be no sense that you are using your current position to climb any ladders or to make yourself look good in the eyes of your superiors.

 

The intention of a godly leader should never be to move up, but to move out. True leadership begins within. The leader masters his own heart and soul first, and then seeks to influence those around him in ever-broadening ripples. I’m not talking about kingdom-building; but rather, pouring into others in ways that draw out the very best that God has placed within them. To release them into service that expands the kingdom of God in revolutionary ways.

 

3.       Negligence Negation. In order for your area of responsibility to get off track, negligence had to have occurred. Somewhere along the way, those who should have stepped up their game began to allow a careless attitude to creep in; inattention to the priorities became the normal environment. Typically this is blamed on the leader, which is correct; but it’s only half-correct. Everyone, every single person, has the responsibility to be a wise steward of what they have been given.

 

To become slack simply because the leader isn’t leading is nothing more than a futile attempt to excuse your own behavior. We are all responsible. We all have to answer the question of what we did with what we were given, how we stewarded our assignments and whether or not we spoke up respectfully when we saw things going the wrong direction.

Corporate Turnaround Artist - Part 7

Principle 1 – Begin by committing to do what is right

Principle 2 – Stay on track by observing six spiritual disciplines

Principle 3 – Address moral issues first

Principle 4 – Lay out the plan for what you want to accomplish

Principle 5 – Open closed doors

Principle 6 – Commit to action

Principle 7 – Call your leaders higher

 

Many nations would recognize politicians or wealthy businesspeople at the pinnacle of their leadership. For the nation of Israel, that position would be held by the Levites, or priests. As a highly religious nation, these individuals were perceived as leaders. The king certainly had strategic counselors, military chiefs and political advisors; but the Levites held positions of high honor and privilege.

 

These are the first individuals that Hezekiah is recorded addressing. He assembled them all together and charged them with consecrating themselves. Consecration simply means to set apart for God’s service. There were ceremonial preparations required of Levites to ready them for their spiritual duties, and Hezekiah called them to do what was necessary to ready themselves for what was to come.

 

When Hezekiah committed to action, the people looked to the Levites to see how they would respond. It is not enough for the leader to be the only one taking action; it must filter down through the ranks. And the place to begin is with your key leaders.

 

Every leader must set themselves apart at some level. By this, I don’t mean to imply setting apart through inaccessibility or by having a haughty attitude of superiority. I am talking about focus. Just as the Levites set themselves apart to focus on God’s service, so the leader must retain a concentration on what is vital to moving the organization forward.

 

There are a great many things that call out for the leader’s attention. Many of them are distractions that, if engaged in, will pull the leader aside from what needs to be accomplished. It is critical that you clearly define what it is that you are meant to focus on. It could be as basic as creating stellar customer service, or as complicated as a thorough analysis of the strategic plan and quantifying deliverables.

 

Fast-forward in your mind to some years down the road and ask yourself what it is that you want to have accomplished. What does success look like? It may take a considerable amount of time in reflection to see the answer, or it may come immediately. You will know you’ve found it when it rings true in every fiber of your being.

 

Once you’re aware of it, you’ll need to do several things to keep it in front of you consistently. Some recommendations are to:

 

            Clearly articulate what it is you are after, what is the goal?           

Reflect daily on progress toward the goal

            Review the past week – where did you get off course?

            Build your schedule around the objective

            Weave your purpose into every conversation

            Think of creative ways to teach others about it

            Define ways to measure successes, milestones and short term achievements

            Celebrate your progress

            Publically recognize those who accomplish things related to the direction

            Tell stories about the successes the team reaches along the way

            Give most of your time to those who are aligning with your purpose

 

Giving attention to these matters will enable you to clearly call your leaders higher, helping to speed the progress forward toward your desired outcome.

Corporate Turnaround Artist - Part 6

Principle 1 – Begin by committing to do what is right

Principle 2 – Stay on track by observing six spiritual disciplines

Principle 3 – Address moral issues first

Principle 4 – Lay out the plan for what you want to accomplish

Principle 5 – Open closed doors

Principle 6 – Commit to action

 

The narrative of Hezekiah’s reign tells us that he began executing his plan immediately upon taking office. In the very first month of his new leadership, he took significant action. He did take time to organize his thoughts and to lay out his plan, but he also put it quickly into action. We’ve all heard the saying, “actions speak louder than words.” The reason that quote exists is because it is a very common tendency for people to say one thing and do the opposite.

 

Hezekiah didn’t sit around waiting for something to happen; he got up and made it so. I’m sure that while many people rejoiced, there were plenty of others who disagreed with what he was doing. You cannot base your actions on whether others are for your plan or against it; however you must have a solid, well thought-out plan. The clarity of thinking used to create the plan of action is tremendously important, but so is the execution of the plan. They go hand-in-hand.

 

I also believe that it is critical to communicate the “why” behind what you are committing to. Be prepared to provide a clear explanation as to the reasons for your actions so that others can be clear and not come to their own conclusions. That doesn’t mean that you should spend a lot of time with the naysayers, but you do owe people a reasoned response.

 

The first actions you take set the stage for what kind of leader people will understand you to be. They will immediately look for clues and form their perspective of who you are and whether or not you are a person of action. All too often I hear people talking of great plans, creating ideas, adding suggestions or critiquing the work of others. Their flurry of activity seems to mean that they are busy, but closer examination reveals that there is never any specific accomplishment or action toward the goal.

 

Commit yourself to be the kind of person, who when they see the right path forward, takes it without hesitation.