understanding greatness

Have you ever noticed the number of books that claim to talk about "the greatest___________ of all time?" It could be the greatest leaders, the greatest homerun hitters, the greatest chefs...whatever noun one wants to put behind the adjective, there seems to be no shortage of "the greatest" in any category. My question is - how does one decide who is the greatest...and what makes them so?

I suppose that all of us would in some shape or fashion want to be known as "the greatest" in some area of our lives. We may not be the greatest of all times and places (Hank Aaron is still the greatest home run hitter of all time in my book), but we could be known in our little corners of the world as "the greatest" - could I ever be known as "the greatest Dean of Business at Concordia University in the first decade of the 2000s?" I suppose that when you are the only one within any given category, you can declare yourself to be anything you want - but what does it REALLY mean to be the greatest?

Christians often offer up the passage from the Bible where Jesus says to his disciples, "if you want to be the greatest, then you must be a servant (Matthew 23:11). So may people misunderstand this idea of greatness, and consequently put themselves at a disadvantage to ever accomplish great things. They see the role of servant as soft and quiet...they consistently never take the lead...they struggle to stand up and make their ideas known...they have little influence because their world is too small. They will never be known as "the greatest" at anything becasue they refuse to truly serve others and the Kingdom.

So how can we, especially those of us who are Christian, understand greatness? A few thoughts to contemplate:

• greatness begins with WHO ONE IS - do you know yourself well enough and comfortable with who you are to do that which you are called and wired to do?
• greatness is about ACTION - no one can be called "the greatest" if they don't do anything. Sitting around contemplating great ideas - and not putting them into action - cannot be considered greatness
• greatness is about WINNING - no matter how many times Thomas Edison failed, if he had never gotten around to actually inventing a light bulb that worked, no one would know of him today. 1000 failures and 1 win can lead to greatness...1001 failures with NO wins leaves you in the dust
• greatness is about OTHERS - it's difficult to be great all by yourself. Locked in a room for my entire life, I can be the greatest at anything in my own domain. However, to truly be great, one has to engage with others and include others and learn from others and mentor others and share with others and help others and...
• greatness is about INFLUENCE - Muhammed Ali is the greatest because he changed a generation of sports fans...Hank Aaaron is the greatest becasue he will always have more influence than Barry Bonds...Abraham Lincoln was the greatest because his words and ideas continue to influence people's leadership (does anyone remember a speech Calvin Coolidge ever gave?)
• greatness is about SERVING - looking at all the above aspects of greatness, it really is about being a servant - but a servant who lifts others up...a servant who builds capacity in others...a servant who undertands the big picture...a servant who works hard and long hours...a servant who makes others healthier, wiser, more free, and more autonomous (see Robert Greenleaf, Servant Leadership, 1977).

So how about you - are you the greatest? You might just be...so don't shirk the mantle. Be great! Lead! Influence! Make a difference! Change the world! Be the person God has intended for you to be!

thoughts from others...

I spent last Thursday and Friday at the Catalyst Conference, a place where young leaders gathered to hear from multiple speakers about leading with a Christian worldview. This was my second year in attendance (I take a group of students each year) and I have to say it is one of the best leadership conferences I have ever had the opportunity to attend. Below are a series of quotes/thoughts/ideas shared by the different presenters that were especailly meaningful to me:

Andy Stanley:

• are you open to what God has next?
• what man is a man who does not leave the world better?
• LEAN your leadership into a need - or into another person
• leaving the mark that has been designed by God for you to leave
• am I willing to submit my gifts and leadership to a bigger picture?
• not a leader in authority, but a leader under authority
• God takes full responsibility for a life wholly devoted to Him (attributed to Charles Stanley)
• I can't go until God tells me its okay to go
• Giving God (& others) maximum access to my leadership capabilities

Jessica Jackley:

• give people ownership - a fundamental shift in life (especially in education)

Malcolm Gladwell:

• incompetence irritates me; overconfidence scares me (one of my favorites)
• Humility: the willingness to stop and listen to others

Mitch Albom:

• faith is not about being IN or OUT - but figuring out what is important

Rob Bell:

• The bush is always burning; the ground is always holy
• Sometimes the crowd thins
• Our work comes from a particular place
• WHY am I building what I am building? Am I letting God build it?

Tony Dungy:

• you don't win every game
• I need to knowthat this relationship is worth fighting for

Matt Chandler:

• seeing repentance as a continuing ethic
• When we hesitate (is it a delay in obedience?) it may be that God is callling us to deeper waters

Priscilla Shirer:

• WHY has God called me to be __________________? And what am I going to do with that?
• Joshua, as a leader: 1) acted immediately; 2) acted fearlessly; 3) acknowledged the presence of God; and 4) anticipated that God would act (Joshua 3: 1-5)
• Help people take the lid off thier box
• Pray prayers that are unthinkable

Dave Ramsey:

• Creat momentum by pouring yourself into your vocation
• You lose focus when you begin to hear the footsteps
• You lose focus when you begin celebrating the results too early
• Intensity leads to excellence
• In the story, the tortoise ALWAYS wins
• What can happen when you decide to pour your life into someone (or something) over a significant amount of time?

Charles Swindoll:

• The Gospel frees us to change the world, i.e. transform communities
• leave room in your life for the crushings

the next question

I sat with a young man this week, discussing the field of ethics and values, especially as they 1) relate to business; and 2) are shaped by one's faith and theology. It was a wonderful conversation, going from books we are reading or have read, to ways of teaching ethics, to why one does the things they do - and that was what we decided should always be THE NEXT QUESTION.

It seems to me that the way we learn and develop - especially in our leadership roles - is to ponder the question of why we think, say and do the things we think, say and do. What is it that causes one to act in one way at one time - and another way at another time? What influences have been acting upon someone in any given circumstance to make them say those words that come out of thier mouth?What belief system (or other voices in one's head) directs the action for them to behave in a certain manner?

My freshmen students get a lot of this from me in the classroom - why do you think that is true? why did you choose that answer? what experience have you had that makes you think that way? But for me as a 50-year old adult, I have to face those questions in real life - NOT in a classroom. So what does that look like for me?

Over the past week, I have had multiple opportunities to ask this question of myself:

• as I listened to students complain, I had to ask myself why I was sympathetic with them at that point
• as I campaigned to get rid of an event on campus, I had to ask myself why I felt so strongly about this issue
• as I sat nervously answering someone else's questions about something I had done, I had to ask myself why I would feel that I had been right all along
• as I engaged in dialogue with a local enviromental activist at our Speaker Series, I had to ask myself why I was so attracted to his story
• as I argued against a recent policy that had been made, I had to ask myself why I was so angry and upset over that specific decision

And the list goes on and on. I believe that asking the WHY question does several things for me:

1. It helps me to clarify the main issue
2. It allows me to make a better judgement about the rightness or wrongness of my decision/feelings
3. It fuels (or dissolves) my decision to move forward on the issue
4. It puts my thoughts, actions and feelings into perspective
5. It helps me to better articulate my thoughts on the subject
6. It gives me reasons whether or not to pursue the issue or action to the next level

So start the habit of asking THE NEXT QUESTION...why do I think, say and act in the ways I do? It is in those answers that one can find their true selves and lead from their core being.

what the...?

Perhaps one of the most used lines by leaders is "What the...?" Of course, this line is seldom said outloud or in public, but how many times duirng a given week do you say/think to yourself, "What the ...?" Here are a few examples to consider:

• What the...just happened in that meeting?
• What the...is that doing there?
• What the...were they thinking when they said that?
• What the...was I thinking when I agreed to do that?
• What the...does this decision have to do with the mission of this place?

Or perhaps you find your self saying/thinking variations on this theme:

• Why the...did I think we should go down that path?
• Who the...made that decision?
• Where the...is that person when I need them?
• When the...is this meeting going to end?
• Why the...did he/she decide to do that?

I have found myself this past week asking that question many times over a recent incident. The problem is that I do not know how to answer those questions - and that for me is a REAL problem. If I cannot answer those questions, then something has gone wrong within the institution. While I understand that it is not my calling to make every decision - and while I understand that I should not be consulted on all decisions - and while I understand that I do not know all of the facts surrounding decisons made - and while I understand that decisions often need to be made quickly ----- I DO understand that as someone who has an integral role within the institution and in my department, I should be able to figure out why decisions are made the way they are. I may not agree with the decision AND I may not know all of the facts behind the decision, but I should be able to understand the CONTEXT in which the decision was made.

I have come to believe that CONTEXT is the key to communication (which is a topic for another blog at another time). I also have come to believe that decisions should reflect the mission and vision of the institution (yet another blog for another time). It's my hope that for each of us, the number of times we need to say/think the phrase "What the..." will occur less and less - or maybe not as we develop a keener sense of what it means to be a leader.

the limits of secrecy

I don't quite understand the need for secrecy within organizations. Yes, I understand that there is information that cannot be public at times, especially as it deals with individuals...and yes, I understand that there are negotiations with other individuals and companies that need to be kept between those parties to ensure right and proper behavior of others. But why would anyone want to withhold information from others that might just help them do their job a little bit better? Let's look at a couple of scenarios:

1. As an employee of an organization, the more I understand about the finances, the more likely it is that I will shape my work to better the bottom line. When that information is withheld from me, not only can I not respond with changed work habits, I will probably more than likely engage in unintentional activities that can hurt the financial aspects of the organization.
2. When people face difficulties in their lives, they will often say such things as "Now I'm telling you this, but please do not share it with anyone else." WHY NOT? Within any given organization, people come together for a common purpose and good. The more those people can build a sense of community, the better they can do their work. In sharing the good as well as the bad, a community has a better chance of pulling together. Is there a risk in sharing one's life? Absolutely. But given a safe environment, that sharing can produce amazing community - and organizational results.
3. Don't you hate it when someone says to you, "Now I shouldn't be telling you this, but..." or even worse, "Now I'm going to tell you something but you can't breathe a word of this to anyone else." Those type of comments breed secrecy - AND power games. What am I supposed to do with this type of information? I have learned to actually say to people, "Are you sure I should know what you are about to tell me? And if so, what do you want me to do with the information?" It gives the person telling me the secret a chance to pause and consider their action - and it keeps me from knowing things that compromise me and my position.
4. I have heard people say, "We can't share this information because most of the people in the organization would not understand it." My response is that we need to help them understand it. We so often sell people short on their ability to comprehend information and use it in an effective manner. If information is worth having, then it should be worth using. And if it is worth using by some, it is more than likely to be worth using by many. So train people how to use more and more information throughout the organization.
5. Finally, people like to use information (or hoard information) because in their eyes it gives them power. NEWS FLASH - information has NO power unless it is shared and used. Perhaps this is one of the main roles of a leader - to share information in a way that provides for sense-making to the people of the organization, and to assist others in using that information for the good of the organization and its constituents. Giving information (read "power") to more and more people not only creates a sense of ownership, it makes the organization itself more powerful.

So I guess it is no secret that I don't like secrets. One quick caveat - there are times in order to protect the institution and its people that one cannot tell everything. Perhaps an option at that point is to be honest and say that sharing this information would hurt individuals and the organization - and that the information cannot and will not be shared . The key to integrity at that point is then to NEVER share that information with anyone. That action alone can build an incredible sense of trust, which will allow for more information to be shared in the future.

the ultimate question - WHY?

I ran several meetings this week that focused on one question - WHY? These meetings were the first gatherings of these groups, and so in order to move forward in our charge, we needed to understand the importance of what we were doing. And so I began with the question - WHY are we being asked to do this? WHY is this important enough to spend our time on? WHY should we even think about engaging in this task?

This was not an easy question to answer for the groups - they wanted to dive right into operations and tactics...they wanted to debate the merits of doing things one way or another...they wanted to push their agendas and pet projects. My job as the leader of the group was to keep asking the ultimate question - WHY? When someone brought up a tactical maneuver, I asked them WHY that was an important thing to consider...when someone began debating the merits of one goal or another, I asked them to defend their opinions by describing WHY their way was better in meeting the charge of the team...when they would answer the first WHY question, I almost always came back and asked again WHY that specific idea would be important. Yes, it drove them crazy, but by the end of the meetings, we had several AHA! moments.

Thsi is also the question I teach my students to ask, as it helps to develop them into critical thinkers. Asking WHY something is so...asking WHY people believe one way and not another...asking WHY certain events took place...asking WHY they themselves (as students) believe certain things...even asking WHY they need to study and learn specific subjects and subject matter - all of these are important in shaping them a fully functional human beings and lifelong learners.

As leaders, one of our jobs is to help people see the big picture - to help them understand the importance of the work in which they are engaged - to help them keep the mission and vision in mind - and to assist them in their own leadership development. I believe that one of the easiest ways to do this is to teach them how to ask the ultimate question - WHY?

So before you leave this blog, ask yourself WHY I might have chosen to write about this particular topic today - WHY you either agree or disagree with this premise - and WHY you even spent the last few minutes reading this post.

what you don't get to do

People in positions of leadership and responsibility get to do a lot of really cool things - but today's list is about things that you DON'T get to do when you are in such a role:

1. You don't get to sleep in often - the quietest part of the day is early morning, so it is a great time to catch up on emails and other asundry items.
2. You don't get to ignore emails and phone calls - a friend of mine once said that people who do not answer their emails or phone calls within 24 hours are acting immature (or something like that).
3. You don't get to make your opinion known publicly - just because you think you are right, does not mean that you get to say it out loud in front of a group - think before speaking, and then decide to go to the person in private.
4. You don't get to dress down - as the public face of an institution, you need to look the part (though what that entails will change from institution to institution).
5. You don't get to play to your natural abilities - this is especailly true if you are naturally reclusive...leaders need to get out of their office and be seen.
6. You don't get to gripe about others publicly (see #3) - be careful what you say...and to whom you say it. Know to whom you can gripe - and keep that circle of trust limited.
7. You don't get to have a bad day - people look to you to set the tone and mood of the institution...if you are having a bad day, fake it publicly and talk about it with that small group of colleagues (see #6).
8. You don't get to not prepare for a meeting - if you have called the meeting, then you better be prepared and have an agenda that has been sent out beforehand.
9. You don't get to waste other people's time (see #8) - people are busy (and the people who report to you SHOULD be busy), so keep it succint and to the point.
10. You don't get to be late for meetings (see #'s 8 and 9) - you're in charge...you set the tone...you demand excellence...so be on time.
11. You don't get to be unorganized (see #'s 8, 9, and 10) - if you are naturally this way, use your administrative assistant, another colleague, or your Outlook to keep you organized. Again, you set the tone!

Any others to add? And by the way, just to remind you, there are A LOT of really cool things you DO get to do - but I'll save that list for another time.