The Wandering Shepherd

"The Five Deadly Sins of Leadership" - 1 Timothy 5:17-25

Driving over a snowy road presents a number of challenges. Beyond the slipping, there is the typical problem of locating exactly where the road it. When we veer off the road, we can easily get caught in ruts and trapped in holes and ditches that line our nations highway shoulders. That challenge is not unlike leading people. It is easy to wander off the road and get trapped. Whether you are a mom or dad at home or the leader of a large corporation or even nation -- there are five traps that can destroy your leadership, even if it is built on the best intentions.

Some problems are admittedly caused by the leader: In Leadership magazine, Dave Wilkinson writes the following to pastors… Have you ever wondered why your pastoral resume doesn’t evoke more enthusiasm? Do you ever think, "What are these people looking for?" Perhaps the question should be, "What aren’t they looking for?" because with the numbers of applications pastor nominating committees receive, their first task is to eliminate applicants. Here, then, as a public service, are statements certain to stop a resume dead in its tracks. · "I believe empathy is overrated." · "In the five churches I have faithfully served over the past two years ..." · "My hobbies are pit bulls and automatic weapons." · "I am willing to sacrifice my family for the sake of the ministry. I am also willing to sacrifice yours." · "I have learned to cope with financial crisis at every church I’ve served." · "I require an attractive secretary and/or organist." · "My extensive counseling of church members has proved a rich source of pointed sermon illustrations." · "Amway taught me everything I know about evangelism." · "I’ve been told that every sermon I preach is better than the next." · "My personality has provided me ample opportunity to develop conflict-resolution skills." [Resume Stoppers, Citation: Dave Wilkinson, Leadership, Vol. 12, no. 1.]

Key Principle: The circumstances of leadership will change, but the principles will not.

Trap #1: Neglect – Take care of those under your charge (5:17-18)

1 Timothy 5:17 The elders who rule well are to be considered worthy of double honor, especially those who work hard at preaching and teaching. 18 For the Scripture says, "YOU SHALL NOT MUZZLE THE OX WHILE HE IS THRESHING," and "The laborer is worthy of his wages." NASB

There are a couple of words worth a closer look as we zero in on what Paul intended:

• Rule: “Pro-estotace”: some translate this as to "rule," but that is not the best translation. Some translations copy it as "to lead" invoking the Shepherd image. It literally means "to care for as a protector or guardian, to be out in front leading and guiding." It is interesting to notice that it is only used in Paul’s writings. One time referring to the gifts of God’s people in Romans 12:8 - leadership, 5 times in direct reference to elders in the Pastoral Epistles.

• Double Honor: “Diplace timace”: double price, this to the one who works hard “kopi-ontos” literally “wearies himself” in the Word and teaching.

One Pastor said: "A pastor who speaks to his congregation about honoring church leaders seems about as tacky as Congress voting themselves a raise", but that isn’t the only point of the passage.  Timothy was over a number of men in the city of Ephesus. He needed to gauge how well they were doing in the work, and how much they were working at it. The men needed to be able, but also faithful (2 Timothy 2). He was to measure and reward! That is no easy job. I have had to try to evaluate missionaries on the field. It is no fun.

How was he to “HONOR” them?  First, there is an attitude of honor, as in 1 Thess. 5:12-13: “And we urge you, brethren, to recognize those who labor among you, and are over you in the Lord and admonish you, (13) and to esteem them very highly in love for their work’s sake….” Beyond the attitude there can be financial support for them. Those who are called to communicate the Scripture are worthy of financial support based on  Deuteronomy 25:4 and Lk 10:7. Deuteronomy forbade a farmer from muzzling the ox as it tramples the wheat. Paul also quoted LUKE as SCRIPTURE! This is a word for word quote of Luke 10:7. Dr. Homer Kent notes: "No other meaning can be gotten from Paul’s construction than that he places both quotations on the same level (joined by kai, and) and terms them Scripture (he graphe). Paul wrote this letter in A.D. 62-63, and Luke’s Gospel was probably written before A.D. 60. Hence this verse is further evidence that the writings we call New Testament Scripture were recognized as such during the lifetime of their writers, and we may suggest in many cases from the time of writing."

How does this apply to the larger picture of leadership? Timothy had to find mechanisms to measure the effort and effectiveness of the men under his charge. You do no favor allowing men to be lazy and not correcting the behavior. It is uncomfortable, but essential. If you promote everyone, you kill productivity.

Trap # 2: Overreaction – Be careful about accusations and discipline (5:19-20)

5:19 "Do not receive an accusation against an elder except on the basis of two or three witnesses. 20 Those who continue in sin, rebuke in the presence of all, so that the rest also will be fearful of sinning."

Again, let's look closer at a few of the words:

• Accusation: “katagoria”: literally from kata: around, down from and “agora” the market. It meant a charge list from the “word on the street in the marketplace.

• Rebuke: "elenghko": call attention to, chasten. This is “in the presence of all” or before all that were a part of the offense, and was to be a deterrent to sin. 

When leading adults, expect some to have a problem with you, and to have a problem expressing that directly to you… Why demand two or three witnesses? Because church leaders live open and public lives, and are particularly vulnerable to false accusations. One writer I read pointed out that Leadership Journal, a quarterly journal for pastors, has at least one article about a pastor who’s ministry was destroyed by false accusation.

The same misunderstanding that happens in public leadership can be true in a family. Your children may not understand your reasons for the things you do. They aren’t in your area of responsibility!

Ultimately, we should treat those who lead fairly. We watch and we listen, but we expect clear and compelling evidence to believe something that is damaging to them. If you lead, be careful! Do not jump to conclusions based on what someone tells you. The formula, “I want to think well of you, but I have this report and I want to be sure that we are walking together properly…”

Trap # 3: Blinding Bias – Keep the standard impartially (5:21)

5:21 "I solemnly charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus and of His chosen angels, to maintain these principles without bias, doing nothing in a spirit of partiality." NASB

Note especially the word: Bias or "prokrimatos" which is literally from “before” and “judge”. Do not PREJUDGE.

Bias is damaging and dangerous. You can’t tell by the cover! During the preparations for an evangelistic crusade in Latin America, a very poor, unshaven man came to one of the week-long biblical counseling courses. It was unusual to see a man of this condition attending an in-depth training session. Most often, those with a better education and social standing are the ones who take an active role in this type of intensive preparation. The illiterate man attended every class, but those in leadership didn’t expect him to do much counseling. Several weeks later, all of the available counselors were busy when a physician walked in. This shabbily dressed man immediately greeted the doctor and took him into a room for counseling. Once the director discovered what had happened, he became deeply concerned. When the doctor came out, the director asked if he needed any help. The physician replied, “No, thank you. This fellow has helped me very much.” The next day that same doctor showed up with two other colleagues and asked to see the shoeless man. By the end of the week, that illiterate man had led four doctors and their wives to Christ. God needs nothing more than available servants. Christian Reader, Sept./Oct. 1991, p. 61

Timothy, place an expectation on your leaders to live consistently with the honor of that calling but don’t confuse integrity with perfection. What an awesome responsibility leadership is!"  Let the oldest child get away with it, and expect the later children to note that behavior and assume the right to do it as well!

Ray Stedman notes: " Timothy might well have felt inadequate, but notice whom the apostle summons to his aid, whom he says is watching: "in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus and of the elect angels." God the Father is involved. He is at.work in the congregation. He knows what is going on; nothing is hid from his eyes. Christ Jesus, Lord of the church, head of the body, is present also. Jesus can work from within. He can touch mens' consciences; he can get at their hearts. And the elect angels are involved, these personages whom the book of Hebrews tells us are as "ministering spirits sent forth to minister to those who shall be the heirs of salvation," {Heb 1:14 KJV}. I do not know exactly what these angels do, but it is very important and significant. Paul tells Timothy not to be intimidated. If it requires action, act -- patiently, lovingly, thoughtfully, carefully -- but act."

And so must you. Make sure those under your care are acting as they should be. If they aren’t and you “let them off” you damage the whole organization and fail to lead.

Trap # 4: Impatience – Take time to train and observe before appointment (5:22, 24-25)

5:22 "Do not lay hands upon anyone too hastily and thereby share responsibility for the sins of others; keep yourself free from sin… 24 The sins of some men are quite evident, going before them to judgment; for others, their sins follow after. 25 Likewise also, deeds that are good are quite evident, and those which are otherwise cannot be concealed.

Note the term "Evident": prodayloi is literally “before” and “manifest, open or obvious”.

It takes time and skill to identify the hardest workers and the members most valuable to the team. A gem dealer was strolling the aisles at the Tucson Gem and Mineral Show when he noticed a blue-violet stone the size and shape of a potato. He looked it over, then, as calmly as possible, asked the vendor, "You want $15 for this?" The seller, realizing the rock wasn’t as pretty as others in the bin, lowered the price to $10. The stone has since been certified as a 1,905-carat natural star sapphire, about 800 carats larger than the largest stone of its kind. It was appraised at $2.28 million. (Online Leadership Journal (America Online) To Illustrate: Redemption Wanda Vassallo)

Ray Stedman: "Some men are skillful at hiding sin. They appear to be very dedicated, committed people, but there is rotten evil in their hearts all the time. If you get into the habit of electing people to office or appointing them into some responsible position without giving time to observe them you will get into trouble. ’Time will tell,’ the world’s proverb says."

Trap # 5: Over-engagement – Don’t get torn up over the disappointments (5:23).

23 No longer drink water exclusively, but use a little wine for the sake of your stomach and your frequent ailments.

Leaders in ministry can get too absorbed in the work to use their head about caring for themselves in a proper way! It was probable that Timothy's problems with his stomach were related to his leadership role as a leader of other men. Paul was encouraging Timothy to deal with the signs of anxiety. Literally, he was to deal with himself by living a healthy lifestyle. We should be encouraging our leaders to do things that will keep them fit and refreshed.

Leadership has great rewards, but the costs are also quite real. We can become over attached to dear friends and co-laborers and then see them fall. I know of few things as painful. In all of the turns of the snowy road, we should ever remember, the circumstances of leadership will change, but the principles will not.

Team Hack #19: Staff Performance Reviews - Inspiring Growth or Firing Squad?

"Leadership Gurus" boil down performance for leaders into seven specific and measurable traits. If these are applied to a leader, he or she can be "reviewed" in a more objective way, with some opportunity to see specific steps that will lead to growth. In my work, I apply these to team leaders in the non-profit and missions work, as well as in Pastoral leadership in a church. They can, however, easily transfer to any leadership position. None of these eight are original to me, but I have used them for many years, and can only say that they are fairly common to many. I was told in one seminar they may have come from the US Army training, but I could find nothing to substantiate this. I couldn't find a single article that contained them all, so here it is!

General Leadership: Is there a "flock" behind them that wants them to succeed? If not, here are three areas that you can suggest exercises and charge that attention be paid:

1. Does this leader work specifically at instilling trust in those who follow him? This can be measured in small ways like "Are you typically known as punctual in meetings and well prepared to meet your team member?" "Do you deliberately create opportunities to allow a worker to succeed and then praise them for their specific contribution?"
2. Does this leader provide clear direction for the people under his charge? Do they report that the leader typically knows what he or she wants, and is able to convey it in a way that makes sense to the hearer? Is the direction both specific and measurable in nature?
3. Does the leader train others well? Good leaders are busy making followers into leaders.They do this through conscious and active delegation, constant praise, etc.

Adaptability: Does the leader "lose their head" when circumstances change and controls appear lost for a time? General Robert E. Lee once was reported to have remarked: "Things do have a way of moving out of control in a battle field." Some specific traits must be developed and measured in a leader in this regard:

1. Does the leader know how to think critically? Can they find the issue without allowing themself to be wrapped up in personal protection and pain issues?
2. Does the leader know how to think concisely? Can he or she relate a difficult situation by breaking the issues into component parts that could be managed? There are many leadership exercises that can be used to develop this ability.
3. Does the leader know how to adjust expectations to meet changing circumstances? Will they make tough decisions that may tie their hands later because it will keep the task on track?

Team Building: Leaders cannot lead without followers. Someone said, "If you are leading and nobody's following, you are just taking a walk!"

1. Does the leader deliberately take time to connect with people? Awkward people don't lead well, because they don't inspire confidence in the followers.
2. Does the leader attempt to connect people together and facilitate relationships? Good leaders try to make team members fit well together.
3. Does the leader work and play well with others? Good leaders involve themselves in the work and (in many cases) the play of the team. Teams that play together, often stay together - because they succeed at their tasks.

Stewardship Targeting: Every leader must be able to marshal the time, talent and assets of the company to accomplish the goals of the organization. To the extent they are successful as doing so, they will see significant success.

1. Does the leader have the ability to quantify assets well? This means, can they tell you what materials, skills within their team and other resources are available to them to accomplish the task given the team?
2. Can they make efficient use of the assets? Do they waste the time of other team members, their own time or other significant resources?
3. Can the leader manage several tasks at the same time without losing track of them? Do the workers that co-labor with the leader see them as an effective task manager?

Communication: Every leader must be an effective communicator and engender a frank and steady flow of communication.

1. Does the leader keep people who need to be informed "in the loop"? Do the follower FEEL they understand the progress of the project?
2. Can the leader tell you the difficult issues impeding progress on the project, based on his listening ear to those who are following? 
3. Does the leader know when to keep their mouth closed about issues, and when to keep confidences? Discipline in communication is also essential!
4. Does the leader process information clearly?

Productivity: Every leader needs to keep people moving ahead with vision casting and produce some growth toward the overall goals of the organization. Progress toward some goals may be hard to see clearly, but some measurable goals must be incorporated to aid the leader and the followers in measuring overall progress.

1. Has the organization set up specific and measurable goals by which progress can be measured?
2. Is the leader involved in constant evaluation of the progress toward stated goals?
3. Does the leader appear to take appropriate and necessary action consistently?
4. Are the desired results being achieved in the mind of the leader? his followers? his boss?

Inner Growth: We cannot take people further than we can go. Leaders should be avid learners. Opportunities abound to keep us informed and feed not only the mind, but the world view and "soul".

1. Is the leader involved in any pursuit of learning that will improve his or her abilities in the job? Are they growing in some other area of learning (language study, etc) that may not have anything to do with their current task, but is sharpening their mind.
2. Is the leader seeking mentoring relationships, reading in the field of pursuit, etc. ? Do they consistently demonstrate a desire and hunger to grow?

These are not the only measures of leaders, but this is certainly a good place to begin!

Perils of Leadership

There are lessons that leaders must learn. Jesus of Nazareth was a master at teaching about some of the dangerous turns and temptations in leadership! Beyond the specific criticism He offered Temple leadership of His day, look at the common list of tests that leaders will need to defeat!

In Matthew 23, Jesus addressed the crowds at the Temple during the week of His Passion. In this biting commentary on Pharisaic leadership, He pointed out three arenas of leadership danger:

 

1. Need to be an Example (23:2-3): Leaders have to BE what they desire OTHERS to be.
2. Need to offer Empowerment: Offering high standards but no help (23:4): Leaders have to EMPOWER people to attain the goals they are setting before them!
3. Need to get Affirmation: Hunger for affirmation and recognition (23:5-6): Real leaders are not servants.They cannot make the issues they are facing about THEM, but keep in mind they surrendered the right of self interest when they took on the leadership. The captain's focus must be on the good of the ship and crew, not himself. Many leaders have the desire for perks of power (23:6) that hinder them from serving effectively. (How many congressman should have avoided this danger!?!)

 

Jesus wanted His followers to desire to be something different from the pattern of spiritual leader they grew accustomed to meeting. He was looking to establish servant leaders (23:8-12). The failure of the spiritual leaders to see themselves as one who “serves God by serving others” led to Jesus’ most biting eight part condemnation (each signified by the word “woe”).

Each of these eight areas are common struggles every leader must face and overcome, whether spiritual leaders or secular. The eight are:

 

• Disconnection: Some leaders gain affirmation by disconnecting those below them on the ladder of authority in the organization from those above that leader. They deliberately disconnect those that follow them from those that lead the company above them all. In the spiritual sense, Jesus applied this by saying, "You push people from God" (23:13). By creating your own standard of      righteousness, you make yourself the doorkeeper of God’s Kingdom, and cut off many from entering. If you look closely enough, you will find that YOU don’t even qualify for the standard you have set!

 

• Self Advantage: Leaders get the opportunity to offer advise and counsel, and must be careful not to do it with an answer that is turned by self interest. Jesus said: "You take advantage of people" (23:14). You look for self advantage in your relationships. Some turn to you our of despair, and you funnel them to what helps you!

 

• Legalism: Leaders can help people understand the big picture and build a true desire to make the project successful, or they can train people to be petty, and focus on rules alone. Jesus said: "You pull people to love rules, not God" (23:15). Since your focus is on getting them into your program and making sure they adhere to the standards, you don’t get them into a relationship with God, and it leaves them with nothing but a list!

 

• Rule Making: Leaders can fabricate all sorts of legislation to give advantages to those they like, and keep the whole office off balance with their rule making. Jesus said: "You make up your own standards" (23:16-22). In the spiritual leadership realm, as you develop the list for your adherents, you add more human wisdom to your theological development. You get people to practice things in intricate patterns, but your real desire is to simply control them.

 

• Prioritization: Leaders should set the agenda and keep it focused on what is most important at each moment. Jesus said: "You don’t weigh out issues properly" (23:23-24). You put undue weight on the unimportant minutia while congratulating yourself. You don’t get the “main thing” as your focus!

 

• Compliance: People can comply in front of you without truly obeying. Teenagers are masters at this. Obedience doesn't occur until the team member connects their action to the good of the project. In spiritual terms, this is an easy trap to fall into. We can think that because people appear to be livin up to expectations, they are truly walking a life of faith. Jesus said: "You focus on externals and not real change" (23:25-26). Your failure to see that compliance isn’t necessarily obedience and external change isn’t necessarily real change is stopping you from effecting the depth of ministry you really should be accomplishing!

 

• Exemption: When a leader thinks of the laws for others and not them, they become the face of hypocrisy. Jesus said: "You personify hypocrisy" (23:27-28). You put your energy into the appearance you have before men, not the reality you have before the Lord!

 

• Arrogance:  Leaders can easily think they not only have the answer, they ARE the answer. They can conclude the project or company was dormant until their arrival. They can come to believe they are the best thing ever to happen to the company! Jesus said: "You wrongly think you are better than those before you" (23:29-36). You look at the past and mistakenly believe that you would make better choices now, when you demonstrate the same hardness as those who preceded you!

Leaders must face struggles and defeat them. Failure to meet the challenges will disillusion followers and defeat vision. The key areas haven't changed, and both spiritual and temporal leaders have to step up!

Team Hack #18: The Five Most Common Team Meeting Mistakes

 

We don’t know why we are invited to the meeting: Team members need a good idea what type of meeting this one is going to be, in order to properly prepare for the meeting. They also need to know how THEY relate to the other participants. If the nature of the meeting is to brief a team on new information, then notepad, recorder or other information gathering devices are appropriate. If the meeting includes active planning - calendars, "daytimers", or pdas will be essential to work out time lines and schedules. If this is a strategy session or problem solving session, more time will need to be allotted and cell phones will be entirely unhelpful. It is possible that the meeting has a number of these components, but it is helpful if you signal a division in the meeting to assert expectations (i.e. Am I supposed to respond and question this item or simply listen and absorb it?). More on this below…

 

We don’t know what is expected in the meeting: Feedback is sometimes appreciated, and at other times inappropriate. If the team leader makes it clear what is expected from the team, they will be better able to fit in to the plan. For many years I felt frustrated because I wanted to “get through the material without interruption” before we began with the question and answer portion of the meeting. Finally, I began sharing what my expectation was as I began each section of a meeting. People fit in when they have a way of understanding what you are looking for from them.

 

We don’t know who owns the problem: One of the most difficult mistakes for some team leaders is to be able to tactfully but clearly state the problem the meeting is set to address and what role each team member has in the process. In other words, we need to let members know if they "own the problem" (i.e. are being called on to solve it) or if we are simply seeking counsel from the team before the team leader makes a decision. People feel robbed if they “decide together” something in a meeting that is “overturned” because the team leader owns the problem and has not decided to give it to his or her team to solve. If we state that we want counsel but are going to decide on our own, people will still offer advice, but not expect the leader to be bound to it.

 

We don’t know what the follow up will be: To make a team meeting successful it should end with the exercise of stating clearly who will be following up on each action that is to be take, and who will check on the follow up (accountability) and report to the team leader. Without follow up, your team will find itself resolving problems that fail to be acted on after the last meeting due to an oversight on a team member’s part. How many times have you sat in a meeting and said, “I thought Joe was handling that!” Only to find out it slipped Joe’s mind totally after the meeting, or Joe didn’t realize HE was supposed to do it.

 

We don’t know if we are succeeding: Meetings are much more fun if the leader can show some victory for the hours invested by the team. If after several meetings a team member never connects the accomplishments of the team to the meeting, the meeting will be “competing” with the objectives of the team - not aiding it. Team leaders need to keep benchmarks and success stories in front of the team, so they feel their time is not being wasted.

Team Hack #17 "Six A's of Team Leading"

 

1. Assessment: Decide what needs to be accomplished. Leaders need to constantly be asking the team members, what do you need that we can provide that will help accomplish this task better?
2. Application: Where can I apply the talents of various people in the organization to the needs? Team leaders need to observe the team members well enough to know where they will be most effective in completing tasks essential to the team’s success. Putting a great detail person in charge of vision is a disaster. Likewise, the person who has great vision for a product of a service should be paired with a detail person to make the vision live.
3. Articulation: The team leader needs to be able to state clearly the objective of the project, the specific and measurable goals of the project, and how the project fits the organization’s purposes.
4. Assimilation: Team leaders need to provide a forum where every appropriate team member is able to contribute to the task’s formation and development. Ownership of a project occurs when I participate in its formation, or when I buy into the vision because it is so clearly connected to the purposes of the team. Smart team leaders get the best team members to put their heads together on projects and assimilate the ideas into one complete set of objectives.
5. Allocation: Clear lines who “who is doing what” are essential for any team meeting to be productive. Everyone should own the idea, but each should understand where they fit in accomplishing tasks.
6. Award: When a project in successfully completed, smart team leaders do everything they can to have the team recognized and NOT themselves. Nothing strips the future faster for the team than to have them feel as though their hard work was all credited to the boss.

Team Hack #16 Three Desired Traits of the Team Leader

The traits teams really want in their leader:

 

1. Someone who sticks to the game plan on      dates and direction: Leaders that “flop around the boat” like a newly      caught fish frustrate their team members. When the plan is in motion,      stick to the plan or call a “huddle” and inaugurate changes on the level      of the group. A team leader does not give up control of the situation by      admitting there is a problem and huddling the team.
2. Someone who can build consensus but      offers vision and direction. These two may seem contradictory, but      they are not. The team members must know their ideas will be truly      explored, but a leader must set parameters on the decision making process      or there will be chaos, and team members will lose any sense of security in      leadership decisions.
3. Someone who can motivate the team.      Motivation comes from attaching the project or goal to the fundamental      desires we all have to: accomplish meaningful tasks, own ideas that work,      solve problems, connect to other people, feel victorious over some      deadline or issue, etc. If a team leader connects the project to any of      these basic needs, team members will accomplish something and feel      something healthy!

Team Hack #15: Four Laws of Teamwork

There are four unchanging laws of the TEAM. Practice them and your team will develop better product, be more effective and be more fulfilled. Overselling? I don't think so:

Transfer vision and ownership: When the whole team is involved in shaping the vision and owning it, it is not YOUR dream or THE COMPANY'S dream - it is THEIR dream.

Execute plans on agreed time tables: Shared schedules and deadlines that are predetermined are as useful as the yard markers in an NFL football game - you can measure progress.

Act as the resource for the team: Your way of advancing the cause and leading the group is by anticipating the needs in resources as the project progresses - you become a servant to the team.

Motivate constantly: Praise each step that is completed well. Praise early, praise often, praise loudly. Let everyone know how important their contribution is to the success - you become someone they want to work for!

Team Hack #14: Five Notes from the Playbook of Inspiring Team Leaders

The best team leaders gather quality people and keep them. How? Mostly by motivating people to give their best. I ask again... how? There are some basic "inspiration points" that you can master:

1. Work hard at finding ways to make yourself a vital resource to your team. Because someone calls you the leader doesn't mean they are truly following you. There is one way that you can ensure that your team will coordinate what they are doing through you - become the key resource they need. Talented team members probably want to do a task well, but they need tools, time and inspiration. If you work at staying ahead of them, anticipating some of the upcoming issues and needs and pulling together the resources, you add value to the team. If you assume that because you have the title of team leader that you both add value to the team and the team knows and appreciates that, you need to spend more time near the water cooler hiding behind the wall and listening. The team leaders that inspire are constantly collecting tools for the coming issues, to be a ready resource to the next step of the process.

2. Create a reputation for the team members that they feel obliged to live up to. In other words, pick the right team to do the project, and carefully use every opportunity to share with the team why you chose each of them. Build them up truthfully, but constantly. People need to know they matter. They will sacrifice for the cause of the team if they are noticed and appreciated. Inspiring team leaders compliment team members in front of the team, and consistently speak highly of team members in private. If you have a problem with someone on the team, you should be addressing THEM, not other team members. By praising team members with specific and truthful encouragements like: "You are a fine organizer, and I am anticipating a report that reflects that", you create an expectation of positive productivity. If you know them to be what you said they are, you gave them a reputation to strive to live up to.

3. Invite the team members into the circle as far as you possibly can. Everyone wants to be "in the know" and be at the center of the "real story" on the work. Without creating drama in the office, make sure that every person on the team gets the "insider" feeling and doesn't sense they are on the periphery. In meetings with individual team members offer them the insider feeling, but be careful not to do so by gossip or negative speech about others. One way to offer them an insider view is to ask their opinion about how to best execute part of the plan. This brings me to the next point.

4. Invite the team members to share their ideas about how to do the work whenever possible. People work harder for ideas they own! In addition, as success comes to the team, this gives you the opportunity to offer credit to many on the team as you "cite" their ideas as one of the keys to victory. The team will work harder when the team leader is forthright about where the winning ideas came from.

5. Look past the actions of team members and praise their intentions. Some team members have a great idea, a great heart, and terrible execution. They tried, and they meant well in some area, but they weren't capable of delivering the goods. Try to discern their intention (usually by having a conversation with them) and offer them words of praise for the intent. If Ed tries to improve the productivity of the assembly of a product, but his methods are causing a problem in quality control, Ed's method may be dropped, but Ed's intent should be carefully praised. If a team leader encourages people to keep trying to refine processes, eventually there will be great ideas flowing from the team.

Four observations on the best team leaders I know:

1. The best team leaders I know are avid learners. They are growing all the time. When we lead people, we learn that there is much we do not about motivating people! It seems everyday brings a new challenge. Bookstores are filled with management and leadership materials, and the best leaders aren’t afraid to read them – they can’t wait. Leaders must be learners, or they will exhaust their ability to motivate and communicate in an ever-changing windstorm that is today’s workplace.
2. The best team leaders I know keep an eye on what is working well to improve it. They aren’t simply obsessed with what is broke on the team. They constantly look to “tweek” what seems to be going well, and see if there is a way to make it better!
3. The best team leaders I know have and communicate a very clear vision of what they expect from people. Ever since the days of the “One Minute Manager” I have been thinking of how to be clearer in every instruction I offer the people on the team. They need to know what I see as a success or “win” in their area. They need to see the overall project and its value. They need to connect their work with the big picture. Good team leaders communicate all of this, but do so in short and simple instructions and encouragements. Complicated thinking that produces complex communication confuses the vision for many on the team. Keeping it simple requires I know what I want before I begin sharing it with the team.
4. The best team leaders I know are bold enough to put trust in people others may not choose, but careful enough to watch them closely. People want to be let out of the box and produce something new and significant if they are at all worth having on the team. They want to add value to the room. To be allowed to add a voice in the creative process excites the team member. It has dangers, but it also ferrets out the creative genius of our team.

Team Hack #13: Three essentials for team leaders

J. Richard Chase was recently quoted in an article I read as saying: “Aristotle is credited with the concept that leadership requires character, competency and concern for others.” The short but important saying is helpful for all team leaders. In essence, there are three areas we must focus on mastering to successfully lead an effective team.

First, we must get good at being good (character). People are interested in following a person they believe in. They want someone who is living life by moral restraints that make them safe and reliable. They want to count on their leader. The bitterness of giving one’s self to a leader only to be betrayed by horrific character flaws was illustrated in a Presidency not so long ago. Some who ardently defended that President were the very people who were most hurt by his actions and subsequent cover-up.

Get good at doing good (competency). People want to follow a team leader that knows how to produce the desired result. Ineffective and inexperienced leaders frustrate the loyalty of followers. Nothing feels more fruitless than throwing yourself at a task for the team that you can predict will fail because it is stewarded by ineffective leaders. People will not stay engaged in fruitless efforts.

Get good at good giving (concern). People want to make a difference in the world. They hunger to leave a mark and help to fix a problem. When we give our team an opportunity to give to someone and transform the world of one less fortunate, we will immediately see the light in the eyes of each team member. They want to see someone have a better life because of their efforts.