hope for the best, prepare for the worst

As Hurricane Harvey makes its way to the Texas coast, I am watching how communities, organizations, and individuals respond to what has been brewing for several days.  As people leave their homes, as owners board up their businesses, and as governmental agencies prepare their people and equipment, everyone is getting ready in their own way to brace for what could be a devastating weather occurrence.  As always we hope and pray for the best outcome, knowing that the worst could occur at any time throughout the next 48-72 hours.

Leaders of organizations, who should always be purveyors of hope, must also be people who are constantly on the watch for what could harm or devastate their organizations.  Today it might be a flood...tomorrow it could be a wildfire...and later on it will be a public relations disaster.  Whatever the time and place, all organizations are susceptible to outside occurrences that, while always hoping for the best, could produce the worst results.  So what can leaders do to prepare for the worst while hoping for the best?  Here are a few thoughts:

• ensure financial security: I have always taught that cash is king, and that is no more true than when a disaster strikes.  Having cash on hand to address immediate issues provides a safety net for all organizations.  Financial security also includes having the right insurance policies and having a relationship with a bank that can help in times of need.
• ensure that there is an emergency management plan (and that it is practiced): having a plan does not guarantee that anyone knows what to do for any specific emergency.  Having written a plan, read the plan, practiced the plan, and updated the plan is of utmost importance for organizations.
• understand the leader's role: many leaders see themselves as the person who should be "in charge" at all times.  In the case of an emergency or unplanned disaster, there are people with more expertise and competence than the positional leader of the organization.  Letting others be in charge at the moment speaks highly of the leader and those who step in to make things happen.
• understand the leader's role (part 2): this is the time to be the purveyor of hope...when all else seems to be in confusion and nobody (including the leader) has any idea what the immediate future holds, those who have been given the title "leader" should be the person who keeps the vision, values, and mission in front of everyone.  Each leader will do this differently, and each organization will expect and need different things from their leader.  
• wake up the next morning: there is a darkness that occurs in the middle of a disaster, whether it be the darkness of the night or the darkness of the moment.  Hope comes in the morning, and the leader needs to be there, finding ways to help those in the organization understand that there is hope and to be able to see that hope in action.  It is these moments (hours, days, months) after a disaster that might be the hardest times for the leader.

My prayers are with those who, at this moment, do not know what the next 2-3 days will bring.  For those who have evacuated, there is no way to know to what they will return...for those who have closed their businesses, there is no way to know if that business will be open next week...and for those who are preparing to be first responders, there is no way to know what they may find as they arrive.  They are hoping for the best and preparing for the worst, a lesson all leaders should take to heart. 

calling what is, is

Martin Luther, in his Heidelberg Disputation of 1518, stated the following theses: A theologian of glory calls evil good and good evil. A theologian of the cross calls the thing what it is.  This statement forms the basis of a theology of the cross, where the cross is central to how one understands their relationship with God and with others.  The cross is an instrument of torture...the cross causes pain and suffering...the cross brings death and destruction.  The cross, for Christians, is also a place of salvation...it is a place of redemption...it is a place that brings forth life.  For many, it is easier to focus on the second part of this paradox, where the cross is glorified and is only an afterthought to Easter and the resurrection.  For Luther (and for those who now claim him as a founder) it was the place of beginning, where Christ's work was done once and for all, a reflection of what St. Paul meant when he said "I preach Christ crucified." 

For me, this theological understanding is a critical component of good leadership, namely the ability to call what is, is.  Many writers on leadership have noted that leaders must name reality for others and for their organizations.  The ability to do this - to name reality - allows an organization to move forward by fixing issues and not ignoring what might be holding them back.  This is not an easy task for leaders, who are often promoted to their positions because they were good cheerleaders of others and their organizations.  Rather than calling what is is, leaders will often cover up the problem by fixing it themselves, not having to worry others with the situation.  Yet it is precisely the ability to name reality - to act in the same manner as a theologian of the cross - that will serve leaders and organizations well.

This past weekend saw evil manifest itself  through the protests in Charlottesville, where a group of people decided that their race, their nationality, and their status was more important and better than others.  The philosophy behind this group, the remarks that were made, and the actions that were taken are nothing short of wrong...nothing short of evil...nothing short of sin.  For them, their lives are more important than the lives of others, and they saw nothing wrong in making that known and bullying others for that right.  And that, for me, is sin.

It is easy to dismiss these actions as a group of fringe lunatics...it is easy to blame both sides for the bad behavior...it is easy not to be concerned with what happened because it does not affect one's own life or beliefs.  But for me, the beliefs, words, and actions of this group of people made me angry and left me in a state of flux, wondering what I can do to make a difference.  Thus this Friday Morning Blog.

There should be no fear in calling out evil and sin...there should be no fear in naming reality...there should be no fear in calling what is, is.  Leaders, it is time to stand up and call out bad behavior, both in our organizations and in the world.  Those who claim to be white nationalists or believe in their manifesto are nothing short of evil and sinful.  I know those are harsh words...I know those are words that bring division...I also know those are words that name what is, is...and I also know those are words that leaders should speak.

power given and withheld

A part of my morning devotional time includes the prayer book A Diary of Private Prayer by John Baillie (many thanks to my friend Rev. Walt Waiser for giving me this book over 4 years ago). One of the prayers I used earlier this week included “It is thou who hast put power in my hand to do one work and hast withheld the skill to do another.” This line struck me as the ultimate leadership prayer with an acknowledgement of what one can accomplish...and another acknowledgement that one cannot accomplish everything.  This acknowledgment is actually a reliance on a higher power and a deep understanding of oneself, a dual role that leaders should think about and engage with on a regular basis.  Knowing what one CAN accomplish (because of what they know and what they can do) and what one CANNOT accomplish (because of what they do not know and cannot do) brings great freedom to the one who leads, whether in a formal or informal role.  This freedom serves both the leader and the organization she leads, as it can clarify roles and give responsibility to others whom God has put power in their hands to do one work (power that might be withheld from the leader) and skills to do others (skills that have been withheld from the leader)...all of which develops and builds other leaders throughout the organization.

So why might this be an issue for leaders and, when not properly understood or practiced, can hurt them and their organizations?  Here are a few thoughts:

• followers often expect their leaders to possess all power and all skills to accomplish all things.  Leaders who buy into this false assumption begin to believe that a) either they must and will accomplish all things; or b) once they realize they cannot live up to this belief, they question their own leadership abilities and abdicate all use of power
• when one knows what they can and cannot do, time on task can be spent on what can actually get accomplished.  Attempting to do the impossible gets no one anywhere (unless you are Superman, and when mere mortal leaders attempt to leap tall buildings in a single bound, someone is going to get hurt)
• leaders HAVE been given power to do something and gets things accomplished...so by all means, they should get those things done.  This is a gift given by God, so the proper stewardship of that power is to use it for the good of the organization and those who are being served
• knowing that a certain skill has been withheld does not release the leader from ensuring that that particular item is accomplished.  As the steward of an organization, the leader learns what he can about that skill, finds someone who has been gifted with that skill, and then provides the resources to ensure that skill gets done well.  Note that the prayer does not say God has withheld the responsibility, only the skill
• as leaders do accomplish goals and move their organizations forward, it can become easy to believe that they actually do possess all power and skill, and quickly forget the essence of this prayer, that power given and/or skills are put there (or not) by God.  An ongoing reliance on a higher power and an understanding of ones own finite self serves the leader well, both in times of abundance and in times of leanness.

One final thought: KNOWING what power has been put in ones hand and what skill has been withheld is, in and of itself, an act of leadership.  It may take others to help one know and understand the particular powers and skills that have been given or withheld.  The sooner a leader knows and put this into practice, the more quickly they are able to lead authentically and from a place of freedom.

on leaving well...for leaders

Last week's post on leaving well kept me wondering what people who might be leaving would say about their supervisors, and everything they or the organization may have done (or not done) to help facilitate a "bad leaving" process.  As employees leave (for whatever reason) and try to do the right thing in making the transition smooth, there are times the organization and its leadership can get in the way and hurt the process for the one who is leaving.  As with the person who is doing the leaving, actions by others that make for a "bad leaving" are often unintentional, and yet have consequences for everyone involved.

So today has me thinking about how leaders and their organizations can help their people leave well.  Here are a few thoughts:

• help the person leave quickly: asking someone to stay longer because you need them is seldom in anyone's best interest.  Helping to facilitate a quick departure can be just what someone needs to move on with their lives
• be very clear with expectations: whether these be  specific dates of clearing out the office, last paychecks, and any final paperwork that is due, get clarity - in writing - so that everyone is aware of what is expected and how to deliver on those expectations
• determine the best way to announce one's departure: this should be a conversation between the supervisor and the person leaving.  Depending on the circumstance (and the culture and norms of the organization), this might be handled differently for different people.  Don't assume that everyone wants to (or should be) handled in the same manner.  This would be true for any final recognition or celebration as well...work with the person to determine the best way to handle these items
• work closely with your Human Resources department: this should go without saying, but issues such as benefits, outstanding debts, legal paperwork, and other items are best left to the professionals.  Do not promise anything that the organization might not be able to deliver - let the details be handled by those who are learned and practiced in this area
• do an exit interview: again, while these are most often handled by the HR department, supervisors might also want to do something less formal as a way of saying a final goodbye and wrapping things up.  The ability to learn something from one who is leaving (especially if they are leaving well) can reap rewards later on
• follow up at a later time: nothing speaks more highly of an individual and an organization than following up on employees who have left.  Not only does this keep a relationship moving forward (who knows when you might want someone to come back), leaders can learn from former employees who are now at other organizations

Just as it is difficult at times for people who leave their organizations to move on, it can be just as difficult for supervisors to move on as well.  Consistently mourning the loss of a great employee can have a negative effect on those who remain; beating one's self up over and over because you weren't able to keep someone can drag you and the entire organization down; and continual talk about what the former employee did keeps others from putting their best ideas forward.  Leaving well is something that is the responsibility of the person leaving AND the one who is supervising their leaving...together they can create a process by which leaving well can positively impact the organization and everyone involved.