There are different types of leaders. That everyone knows. But who is successful given current society? I have a tale of two types. One has been around a few years, one brand new.
Our church got a new senior pastor about six years ago. Before him, I had a minor role in church leadership--enough to know that there were lots of people with really cool ideas just busting to get things moving, but the current senior pastor and top lay leadership weren't listening. Then came the new guy. The first thing he did was encourage everyone to do things. I made a mistake and mentioned how a Chicago-area church has a cool bookstore. He said, well why don't you head one up. So, four years later I'm still running the church bookstore. Attendance has grown over double in a stagnant town. There's lots of enthusiasm everywhere.
Then there is the tale of a school administrator. (I was a school board memeber for eight years, and I saw my fill of school administrators.) The prevailing view is that school administrators should have been teachers with special additional certification (note I said certification, not qualifications). Trouble is, teachers are control freaks (I'm married to one, I know). So make one a manager and it's a rare one who breaks loose. In this case of someone I know, she took over a building as principal after school was out, so face-to-face is tough. But then there is the telephone... She has been administering by letter. Each week the teachers receive a new letter informing them of new assignments, new schedules, new whatever--all with no input. It's all top down, classic "leadership." She may survive given the contract structure of public schools. But I'm betting that in 3 years, the school is not a performing organization.
So, do you encourage people to do things, or tell them the way it'll be?
10:40:55 PM 
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