Trust September 21, 2009

What a great team!

Have you ever worked for a micro manager?  How depressing it becomes.  You know you will never live up to their expectations and whatever you do they’ll just redo it at some point or stand over your shoulder telling you what they want you to do – step by step.  When that happens you feel like saying to them, “Why don’t you just do it yourself?”

Leadership requires trust.  Now, if you’re a person of faith, then what I just said is a no brainer.  However, I’m not talking about just trusting God.  We do need to place our trust in God.  I’m talking about trusting your staff.  When we place our trust in those who work for us, we inspire confidence in them. When we hire someone to do a job, it’s our responsibility as leaders to provide them with the resources they need to do the job – and then let them get on with it.  Now, you might ask, “What if they do it wrong?”  Well, so what?  If and when that happens, you go back over it with them, help them fix it and then guide them through the process of learning what could have been done differently to produce a different outcome.  This is especially important if you’ve hired someone who has moved up to a new level of leadership and is experiencing some situations for the first time.   

Obviously, trust is something that grows as people learn to do a job and you learn to let go and let them get on with it.  However, when you place your trust in someone, you have to be willing to accept that they might fail in their task.  That’s the scary part. Now, it’s a bit different if you’ve hired someone who you know has experience to do a job and then through carelessness makes a mistake of huge proportions.  Well, you know that you’re going to have to do something about that!  However, in the day-to-day tasks that our staff must perform – from the front end employee to the supervisor – we need to trust them to do the job.

Micro managing your staff is counter-productive.  It says, “I don’t trust you.”  It also says, “You’re not good enough.”  That is not the kind of message that will help others develop and grow in their jobs.  It’s also an indication of a deeper problem – perfectionism.  There’s a difference between wanting to do a good job and needing it to be so perfectly done to our specifications that no one wants to work for us. 

We need to learn to let go. 

I’ve been off on sick leave for four months now and it is the first time in a very long time that I’ve been able to be away without having to worry about what is going on at work.  That’s because I placed my trust in my management staff.  Did they do everything perfectly while I was gone?  Probably not.  However, they did a good job and held their own through some difficult situations.  When they needed guidance, they called the right people.  When they needed to act on something, they did so.  When they needed to wait for me to return, they waited.  They carried on as if I were there and kept up the momentum. 

However, I had to let go.

God placed His trust in me by giving me the responsibility for our ministry.  I then passed it on. 

Pass it on!

grace… Kathie

I have a great staff!  Check them out:  http://www.caringplace.ca/who-we-are.html

Hi Again… July 5, 2009

I’m sorry that there haven’t been any posts recently.  I’ve been on sick leave now for two months and my writing time has been limited.  However, stay tuned for some more posts on Full Potential.  I’m hoping to have a new post very soon.

grace… kathie

Leadership From the Inside Out May 10, 2009

 

A life long Salvationist, originally from Long Island Newfoundland, Roxanne has been a SA Officer for 21 years. She has been happily married for 20 yrs to Larry and together they have a son Greg, 18. She loves cooking and baking and learning - actually, she considers herself a lifetime student!

 

I’m pleased to welcome Guest Blogger Roxanne Jennings to Full Potential.

  One of the questions that is often asked today is – do you have a coach?  If so, who is your coach?  I have to admit that I love the Coaching model and have done some studies on it and look forward to doing more.  And I am aware that coaching is more than just another technique to study, it is who I am.  Easy to say, not always easy to remember!  I want to learn all the techniques and practice them, yet I have had cause to reflect and the questions for reflection is:

Is coaching something else we need to learn how to DO and DO well in order to get to where we want to BE?

There is a danger of falling into a trap of believing that what we do is who we are.  I am a wife; I am a mother; I am a Salvation Army Officer; I pay the bills, that is not who I am – just what I do.

It is very difficult for us to learn to just be.  In the book  Leadership From the Inside Out, Kevin Cashmen says, “Our training, development, and educational systems focus on learning about things. We learn what to think, not how to think.  We learn what to do, not how to be.  We learn what to achieve, not how to achieve.  We learn about things, not the nature of things. We tend to fill up the container of knowledge but rarely consider comprehending it, expanding it or using it more effectively.”

If we are going to learn how to DO coaching then we are going to learn how to DO something outside of ourselves and while I believe some of that is necessary in learning the concepts and tools; we need to know who we are and lead from the inside out – to coach from our being and personhood.

We have been trained to DO adn now it will take conscious awareness to BE.

Take time to BE holy, the world rushes on;

Spend much time in secreet with Jesus alone;

By looking to Jesus, like Him though shalt be;

They friends in thy conduct his likeness shall see.

 

Take time to BE holy, BE calm in thy soul;

Each thought and each motive beneath his control;

Thus led by his spirit to fountains of love,

Thou soon shalt be fitted for service above.”

(William Dunn Longstaff 1822-1894)

 

The Really Hard Stuff April 5, 2009

One Terrific Management Team

Sometimes I hate what I do.  Well, not all of it, but parts of it.  Some of the things I have to do as a leader are quite difficult.  This week I’ve been faced with having to tell my management team that The Salvation Army has instituted some drastic policies regarding finances and budgets in response to our current global recession.  There will be no raises, no cost of living increases, a hiring freeze, no courses, no retreats, etc….  I have to say that I am so proud of their reaction and their dedication to ministry.  They were ready and willing to do what they had to do to make a difference.

I’m sure the decision to implement this policy wasn’t easy for our organization’s national leaders.  For many of our employees, that cost of living increase is very helpful and in hard times like this, badly needed.  To have to make the decision to forego this much needed increase for our employees this year must have been agonizing.  I know they didn’t make that decision lightly.

What can a leader do when faced with a situation that stretches us in this way.  For organizations or businesses that employ a lot of people, the largest single expense line on the budget is salaries.  It’s the easiest place to save money.  However, what looks great on the budget translates into a real crisis for real people on the other end.  Those employees that are affected have families, mortgages, car payments and mouths to feed. 

This past month the Board of the Christian school our children go to had to make some hard choices.  They were faced with a critical financial situation and in the end, some staff were laid off, one was a teacher with 8 years at the school.  Between the principal and the school they had to choose who would stay and who would go.  I’ve certainly been praying for them and the teachers who won’t be returning for another year.

Our community also suffered another blow when E-One Moli Energy laid off 220  employees at their battery manufacturing plant here in town.  Some employees had been there up to 20 years.  It was a very sad day for them. Unemployment in our community has risen this year and everyone is concerned for their jobs.   

When financial times are tough and there are hard choices to make, there are some things you can do to make it through.

• Pray.  Pray for wisdom, pray for guidance and pray for courage. 
• Be completely honest with the people involved.  Let your employees know that you’ve got some difficult choices to make.
• Involve your staff in problem solving.  They are important stakeholders and you will often find them willing to make some sacrifices to save someone’s job.  Give them a chance to step up to the plate.
• Be willing to make sacrifices for yourself as well – being a leader is more than being the boss.  It’s also being an example in tough times.

When all options have been explored and every possible solution has been discussed, and you still find yourself faced with having to lay off your staff, there is only one way to handle it. 

More prayer.

Openness and honesty.

Care and compassion.

How do you translate that into practical information?  Well, if you are at that point and have to lay off someone from your business or organization, here are some things to consider:

• No matter how hard it is, be direct – but make sure you show the concern you feel.
• Check an employee’s file – you don’t want to lay them off on their birthday
• Do it on a Monday or Tuesday and definately not on a Friday – it’s terrible to let them stew over a weekend.  Early in the week can let them start arranging EI benefits or visit an employment counsellor.
• The Golden Rule – treat them with respect
• They’re going to be hurting – remind them how helpful they were and affirm them as a valued employee.
• Keep the meeting private and have another manager with you when you deliver the news.  I always ask my officer husband to be there as he has the more pastoral role in our ministry unit.  When you’re the Executive Director, the employee can have strong feelings about you.  Ed always offers to pray with the person before they go.
• If you can, try to offer a severance package.  It goes a long way in the healing process for the person leaving. It shows them they’re valued.
• Talk to the rest of your staff right away – don’t let the laid off employee have to tell everyone what happened.

As leaders, it takes a concerted effort to do these things the best way we can. Every time I’ve had to let someone go from their job my voice has shaken with emotion.  One time I outright cried and tears poured down my cheeks as I broke the news.  It can be very difficult.  But we should remember what His word says, 

“God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.” Psalm 46:1

Much grace…. Kathie

Where have all the leaders gone… March 22, 2009

Well, I wrote this past month for The Rubicon, a great ezine edited by Geoff Ryan (one of my favourite writers) and wow, did I stir up a can of worms.  Well, The Rubicon is not the kind of ezine where topics are glossed over.  Rather it’s to the point, in your face and a bit on the edge.  So, with that in mind, I called it as I see it.  Where have all of the leaders gone – specifically Salvation Army officers?  Where are the new recruits?  What’s with the decline in people going into full time ministry – it’s not just a Salvation Army phenomenon.  Well, you can read what I said here:

http://therubicon.org/2009/03/the-shrinking-pool/

I’d be interested in hearing what you think on this subject.

grace… Kathie

Laying Down Those Fears February 26, 2009

Fear. 

It can grip us right in the gut and control us if we let it.  My son Evan has a fear.  He doesn’t like the dark.  Not only does he not like the dark, but his brother and his dad have exacerbated the situation by jumping out at him from behind corners.  Now, Evan won’t go down to the front door (our main living area is on the second floor) to answer it or get his back pack from the front hall or go into the family room downstairs.  Night or day, he won’t go there.

We become gripped with fears too.  Perhaps not as simply laid out like Evan’s.  However complex, our fears can result in holding us back from doing the things that God is calling us to do.

Like leading.

My fears are a mixed bag of leftovers from my younger years to newly developed concerns that come with aging. 

• What will people think of what I accomplish?
• Who do I think I am?
• Do I have the ability?
• Am I healthy enough to do this?
• Will it add to the demands on my life?
• I’m getting closer to retirement – do I have enough time?

Those are just some of the things that go through my mind when I’m considering a new project or task.  This blogazine was a leap of faith and I thought, “what if nobody cares what I think about leadership? ”

Fears are as unique as each one of us.  The day I learned to face my fears was the day I heard someone I admired for all they had accomplished share their fears with me.  I was stunned!  How could this very together woman who had accomplished so much in her life have any fears?  And especially fears that were very similar to mine?  This was a woman whom everyone loved and admired – and she felt inadequate.  She worried what people would think of her.

I think the devil has been having a hey day with us, using our fears to paralyze us and to stop us from accomplishing the very thing that God has for us to do.  If we’re ever going to get beyond our fears, we must confront them head on and also confront the one who is using them against us.

When I need to confront my fears I go to a mirror.  I look in the mirror and I pray.  Eyes open, I watch myself, my facial expressions, and gaze into the eyes that stare back at me as I take my concerns to the Lord.  My eyes.  Me.  I watch as my determination grows and I tell the enemy off and order him to cease and desist. I state my intention and affirm my security in Jesus Christ.  That’s when the fears begin to fade and I find the courage to move forward.  I’m not sure why it works for me, I just know that it does.  (My worst fear in the world is that someone will walk in and hear me!)

 Cyndy Salzman commented on last week’s post and shared that reading scripture and then journalling her prayers helps her to sort things out.  When we do that often our fears will come to light and we can see them for what they are in the light of day.

We all have different methods of recognizing and dealing with our fears.  What helps you recognize and then deal with the things that sometimes have you paralyzed?  What will it take to confront those fears? 

Would you share them with us?

grace… kathie

Decisions, Decisions…. February 16, 2009

One of the things I find the hardest to do as a leader is make a decision about something important.   Now, for those that know me I’ll bet they’re thinking, “What?  Kathie Chiu finds it hard to make a decision?”  I know – how can such a bossy boots have that problem?  Well, I must confess that over the years I’ve learned to value consensus.  That’s right.  I like to listen to what everyone has to say on a particular matter and then see if we can get everyone on the same page.  So, when it’s time to make the decision, everyone on the team is thinking along the same lines.  Even though it’s not easy to get people on the same page, once they are, the decisions come a lot easier.

However…. when everyone is on a different page no matter how hard we try, it sometimes comes down to the leader to make a decision.

How do we do that without quaking in our boots??? 

Pray.  Think. Decide.

Most of the time we know the answer.  We know what to do.  It’s just the courage we lack to step out with the answer.  What are we afraid of?  Failure?  What other people think? 

Sometimes we are afraid of who we are and what we can accomplish.  We are afraid of the power we have within ourselves to make an impact in this world. 

Sometimes we’re just afraid and we don’t know why.

So, if we’re going to be good at decision making, we need to confront our fears - one at a time, take them to Jesus and lay them at His feet.

Then decide!

Tell me… what helps you make those important decisions?  How do you confront your fears? Drop me a comment and let me know!

grace… kathie

The Cost of Leadership February 3, 2009

So much depended on me.  I felt the weight of it, a burden of monolithic proportions and quivered beneath its bulk.  So much to do. So many people to talk to.  So many issues to sort out.  I began to sense my inadequacies and begged God to take it away.

How can we cope?  I know the schpiel that God equips those who He calls.  I get that He won’t give me more than I can handle.  I know that.  What I want to know is how do we – practically speaking – cope with the enourmous task of leadership.

Here are some things I’ve learned:

• Delegate. 

Give as much away as possible of what doesn’t need your own particular attention.  However, this brings frightening prospects – what if the people you delegate to fail at their appointed task?  And you’re still held accountable for it.   Well, it goes with the territory and you just have to hope and pray that God is in the details.  Leadership requires stepping into the breach for the people you are leading.

• Order your day, order, order, order…

Organization may not come naturally to some people, however, if you want to be an effective leader and handle the overwhelming burden that leadership brings, you need to get organized.  Before I start the day I take a notebook and list all the tasks that need my attention.  As the day goes on I look back at it, over and over, checking off what is done and realigning the items on the list.  I don’t get too bogged down in sorting it out according to importance, I just get at it.  I usually pick something small to give me a feeling of accomplishment early on in the day.  You just have to start one task at a time.  I used to be able to multi-task, but as I’ve become more experienced, I realize that I get more done doing one thing at a time.  Multi-tasking wore out my brain and brought infomation overload to my weakened state.  No, don’t multi-task unless you absolutely have to.

• Pray.

Ok, so this sounds pretty basic, I know.  But let me tell you, if I don’t stop and pray once in a while, I can’t keep focussed when it’s busy.  It’s usually when I’m looking at my ‘to do’ list that I pray – “Lord, please help me get through this list” or “God, please show me what’s important for me to do next” and even a desperate “Lord, I can’t handle this… you gotta help me out here!!!”

I know that what you want to hear is the secret to doing it all and having it all.  But really, friends, it doesn’t work that way.  One of the most important aspects of leadership is knowing when to ask for help – from others, from yourself and from God.

Man, am I ever glad I have God!

So, what are some of the practical things that you do to help you be a more effective leader?

I’m looking forward to hearing from you….

grace… Kathie

The Search for The Meaning January 11, 2009

The Journey

What is a leader?  What is the real definition of leadership?  I’ve been searching the literature for several years and although there have been many who have come up with what they thought was a definitive concept, none have rung true in my mind.  Some of them are good attempts to describe what a leader does.  Here are some that I’ve found:  change agent, motivates others, decisive, trustworthy, assertive, a visionary.  The list can go on and on when you compile them all.  And yet when we look at some of the worlds leaders, they are not all alike.  Consider Nelson Mandela vs. Margaret Thatcher vs. Ghandi – all considered some of the greatest leaders of the 20th century yet all very different in nature.  So is there really one particular definition of leadership?

Something in all of this is missing.  For within the context of my personal belief in Jesus Christ as the Son of God, I find these attempts to define leadership meaningless -”vanity” as Solomon described.  The word “vanity” really means breath or vapor – easily dissolves into the atmosphere.  The world’s concept of leadership strikes me as just that – vapor.

Where then, can I find what I’m looking for – an authentic, genuine concept of leadership?

Jesus.

Jesus, the consummate leader whose message changed the world -  I must look to Him to discover the true meaning of leadership.

So as I look to Jesus, I see something that cannot be denied.  Rather than an assertive, take charge leader I find a humble man who inspired those around Him.  He was a servant, the greatest servant of all.  That is the model of leadership that I must look to.

So that is where I will start.  However, there will be many other leaders that will inspire me and by their example share practical examples for me to learn from. 

So the question is… who is someone that exemplifies true leadership qualities?  What is it about their leadership that inspires you?

I look forward to your comments!

grace… Kathie

The Launch of Full Potential December 31, 2008

Welcome to my new blogazine!  Is that a new name or has it been used before?  Not sure.  What I am sure about is the need for all women to reach their full potential in Christ.  God has made each one of us unique.  He has a plan and a purpose for us that includes many things – leadership is just one of them.

If you are a woman, you are a born leader.  We lead in many ways – in our families, at work, at church.  Many of us are in positions of influence, some without realizing it.  I hope to bring you some information and insight to help you develop into the woman that God designed you to be.

My goal is for this site is for it to be interactive and I encourage your comments.  If I’m online feel free to contact me through the chat widget on the right, I’m happy to answer your questions and encourage you.  Well, actually… I just like to chat!

Check out the page “About” and learn about who God has designed me to be and how I’ve come to learn about that!

grace…. Kathie