CHARACTER AND COMPETENCE

Integrity, Survival and Effectiveness

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Character Traits

Rick Warren: “Your character is essentially the sum of your habits.”

Integrity arises from Integration Inter-connected and coherent

Consistency builds trust and dependability We say what we mean We do what we say We neither abuse people nor manipulate them

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David Demonstrated Character and Competence

And David shepherded them

with integrity of heart;

with skillful hands he led them

(Psalm 78:72)

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Jesus as a Leadership Model

Working with or living and caring for imperfect people

Taking time to train, develop, and delegate Under constant scrutiny of testing of commitment

and integrity Required to handle rejection, criticism and

opposition Facing fierce competition and conflicting

demands from friends and foes

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Trust is Built on Character

Max De Pree

“Trust grows when people see leaders translate their personal integrity into organizational fidelity.”

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Characteristics to Cultivate 1: COMMITMENT

Arises out of conviction Through tough times For the long-haul

Maintain a clear focus Arises from passion Pace yourself to sustain momentum In some people commitment is ego-driven

Leadership is not about Me! Other people are there to enable Me to fulfill My

purposes and ambitions!

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Getting to the top?Getting to the top?

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Getting from here to there….Getting from here to there….

WHAT IS LEADERSHIP?WHAT IS LEADERSHIP?

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Characteristics to Cultivate 2: COURAGE

Stand up for one’s beliefs Admit mistakes Face the opposition Survive set-backs Neither reckless nor ruthless Courage to confront

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Characteristics to Cultivate 3: CONSIDERATION

Concern for the personal and professional well-being of others

Empathy–the ability to see things from the other person’s point of view

Arises from genuine humility Don’t pretend to know everything No interest in creating a dynasty Jim Collins: “More plow horse than show horse.” Humility is not underestimating yourself, but

forgetting yourself

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Russian Nesting Dolls

David Olgilvie of Olgilvie and Mather

“If you continue to hire people smaller than yourself we will end up with a company of midgets. If you hire people bigger than yourself we will end up with a company of giants.”

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Characteristics to Cultivate 4: CALM

Ride a storm without creating waves Able to keep both our nerve and our

temper Composure is the consistent display of

appropriate emotional reactions, particularly in tough crisis situations

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Characteristics to Cultivate 5: CAUTION

Not impatient and impetuous Stops to think through the possible

consequences In any leadership team you need the

creative tension between the courageous and the cautious

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Characteristics to Cultivate 6: COMPASSION

Compassion is empathy and caring in action Begins with curiosity about other people and

their experiences Benevolent attitude and predisposition to help

others Not uncaring and judgmental Coaching–helping others in their intentional

change process

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Characteristics to Cultivate 7: CREDIBILITY

Embody the change you wish to see in the world

Earned through consistency and dependability

People are fooling themselves if they think they can be truly great leaders without personal transformation

Being honest about ourselves

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Core Competencies1: CURIOSITY

An interest in everything See links between isolated pieces of

information Everything is related to everything else

A genuine interest in what other people think and why they think it

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Core Competencies 2: CREATIVITY

Flexibility regarding rules, policies and processes

Innovate as they go Build the bridge as they walk on it Have strong imaginations Have a child-like curiosity Have a willingness to repeatedly retool Prepared for the unexpected

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Core Competencies 3: COMMUNICATION SKILLS

Communication has to be two-way It takes a community to communicate Leaders need to anticipate the responses of

various groups and individuals Kurt Lewin’s “force field theory”

Sensitive to those who emotionally cannot handle more change in life

Most Conservative: empty-nesters Most adventurous: those ready for their final

fling in life!

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Leadership Images

Conducting the Orchestra

Leading the Jazz Band

Max De Pree, Leadership Jazz

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Core Competencies 4: CELEBRATE COMPLEXITY

Complexity must not cause panic, but stimulate creativity

Challenges us to think “outside of the box” Difference between linear and lateral thinkers Demonstrate flexibility Know your areas of strengths and limitations Need the resources of a community to handle

complexity

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Core Competencies5: DEMONSTRATE FLEXIBILITY

Cannot form long range plans for an unpredictable future Just-in-time planning Alternative scenarios - “What if…?”

Understand “management” more in terms of coping mechanisms than control systems

Knowledge does not necessarily come from experience

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Mike Breen’s Leadership Principles

Low Control High

Accountability Mutual

throughout the team

Low Maintenance