People centered Leadership
15 August 2010People centered leadership is a big leap from program or performance centered leadership. One focuses on achievement and produce, the other on fruit and re-produce. We live in a very relationally aware age where people are more than just tools to get a job done…Leadership vs. Management
Leadership requires that we keep the end in mind at all times. It never looks at what is but at what is to come. It is not interested in maintaining a status quo but rather an environment for growth.
Effectiveness vs. Efficiency
Asking the question what is the most effective way of bringing a change puts the person being trainined at the centre, asking how can I do this efficiently puts You in the centre. Is there a better way? It’s about asking the right questions. If you are dealing with very large numbers we often fall into the trap of efficiency. When we work on a reproducible mindset then we are only concerned with effectiveness. We never are dealing with large numbers, but rather with a core group. As we start to change out thinking so the questions we ask changes.
Spontaneity vs. Structure
Show a family that enjoys spontaneity and I will show you a secure family. We often hold on to our structures as they provide a sense of security, but in fact all they do is mask our insecurity. Our security needs to come from the depth of relationship we have with one another and not upon any external structure.
Discernment vs. Measurement
Measurement is good, it shows us how things have physically grown. We measure our children’s height, shoe size, we measure our spending etc. but we can’t measure our maturity, these things can only be discerned. If we were to spend more time discerning these things we would be surprised at what we find. Discernment again is centred in the other person not upon our own personal growth. It puts the other persons development at the heart of what we are doing. True leaders learn how to discern rather than measure.
Cause vs. Effect
This is the same as saying its all about the root and not the fruit. A trap that most leaders and parents fall into is to be reacting to the fruit or effect instead of responding to the root or cause. Often it is much easier to deal with the fruit of something or effect of something than it is the cause. Real leadership requires taking the time to unearth the roots that bring about the fruit. It requires understanding and much patience. In most busy programme driven environments we simple don’t have the time to do this and so we find ourselves chasing the effects over and over again. Getting our thinking right means that we need to constantly ask what is the root of this and make time to work it through. Again this highlights our need to be people centred not performance centred.
Release / empower vs. control
A controlling parent in a home always breads insecure kids. This is seen also over and over in business and family situations. A very controlling leader produces either REBELS or ROBOTS. Neither of them are secure. People who are not heard or given room to grow often rebel or just give up and toe the party line. Everything about making disciples is about empowering and releasing. Control is the paradigm of management but not family. Control is only necessary where there is no relationship and only works for a period of time. A controlling personality comes from the root of insecurity. To become releasing requires first that we become secure. If you need people you can’t lead people. If you need people around you to qualify you for your job you will never be able to release them. It is often much easier to do something yourself but if this happens all the time who learns? This is seen right through parenting, when you include the kids in doing a task it takes 4 times longer and is never as good. The short-term view is this is a frustrating exercise, however the long-term view is this is training for the future. We have to lead and parent with the end in mind always.
More to follow next time…
3 Responses to ' People centered Leadership '
Leave a reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.
on August 17th, 2010 at 11:13 am
Hiya Dave,
Hope you and the family are keeping well, and still enjoying SA. All of the above are really good, but all serve only as headings, can we go deeper?
on August 26th, 2010 at 9:00 pm
Hi louisa, thanks for the encouragement, I will hopefully write more in each point over the next few weeks. Your perspectives and comments are always welcome.
D
on September 16th, 2010 at 2:53 am
Hi louisa, thanks for the encouragement, I will hopefully write more in each point over the next few weeks. Your perspectives and comments are always welcome.D
+1