New Day Leadership

Checking-In ... with Yourself

It’s happened every December for years. Perhaps it is the occasion of closing out a year and opening a new one that causes me to, with all meticulousness, introspectively investigate how I’ve been doing. 

 

Every year I end up with a list of things that causes me to a smile.

    

Then there’s the list of things that bring about a contorted grimace. I could have done a little … and sometimes a lot … better with the events on this list.

 

  And then there’s the final list. It’s the “I pretty much did the best I could considering my circumstances, and resources” list. Items only land on this final list after I’ve had some close-to-me-and-the-circumstances help accessing the situation; which keeps me objective. And, typically anything on this list is something I’ve been wrestling with day in and day out for a while.

   

Recently June has also brought about a similar season of heavy introspection and survey. Perhaps being a dad (of three) and the celebration of Father’s Day seems fitting for asking, “what am I doing, and how am I doing at it?”

  

Also interesting is how June brings about the more personal approach to assessment causing me to think about character, priorities, personal values, life goals, etc, while December continues to be flavored with a status of strategic planning.

  

One approach I’ve used to help with all this self-assessment is reading a few books about the common mistakes of others. Maybe you’ll find a few comments from these resources helpful as well - as you do what all responsible leaders do and with regularity and all meticulousness take an objective look in the mirror.

  

Finzel (2000), in The Top Ten Mistakes Leader’s Make, reports [mostly paraphrased]:

   

1. Having a top-down attitude and mentality
2. Putting paperwork before peoplework
3. Making affirmation absent
4. Not making room for mavericks
5. Using dictatorship in decision-making
6. Engaging dirty delegation (refusing to relax, let go and trust others)
7. Having chaotic, unclear and inconsistent communication
8. Ignoring or being blinded to the needed organizational culture
9. Succeeding without planning for succession
10. Failing to focus on the long-term future

 

Guilty of any of these?

  

In Finkelstein’s (2003) Why Smart Executives Fail, he concludes noting “Seven Habits of Spectacularly Unsuccessful People” as [each quoted]:

 

1.      They see themselves and their companies as dominating their environments

2.      They identify so completely with the company that there is no clear boundary between their personal interests and their corporation’s interests

3.      They think they have all the answers

4.      They ruthlessly eliminate anyone who isn’t 100 percent behind them

5.      They are consummate company spokespersons, obsessed with the company image

6.      They underestimate major obstacles

7.      They stubbornly rely on what worked for them in the past

 

Any of these bullets sound like something you do? Do they reflect or sum what others would say about you?

 

We will all do well to think carefully and investigate ourselves objectively in light of these thoughts.

 

© 2008 Randy Cobb, New Day Leadership

 

randy@newdayleadership.com

 

 

Personal Values

Growth, development and progress are in the air.  The Bradford Pair trees I planted nearly seven years ago in the backyard are blooming themselves silly, the daffodils are screaming the brightest shade of yellow, and the bluebirds and sparrows are once again fighting for the nesting box.  Maybe it has been the activity of springtime that has led me to digest two great books – Discovering the Leader in You [Lee & King] and S.H.A.P.E.: Finding & Fulfilling Your Unique Purpose of Life [Rees].

   

Both books reinforce the pivotal exercise of defining personal values. It is logical that values form, or at least should form, vision and mission. But how often do we as individuals carefully define and articulate our “personal” values?

   

Perhaps some would say, “Oh yes, my organization has done that.”  But my question is, have you?

Have you invested the elaborate thought necessary to define and articulate your values – your personal values? I’m proposing that if we do then we can become a great deal closer obtaining our innate need for fulfillment.

    

Well, having in mind the quote “make sure it works at home before trying to export it” (thanks Mel Waters, District Pastor of New Life Church) – I figure I’d best give it a shot so here goes personal values for me:

   

Obedience.

A while back I decided that God is smarter than I am. If He created me then He knows me much better than I do. Understanding this and trusting that He is love, it seems wise to me to trust His thinking and do as He says. Sure, some may feel that doing things God’s way and being obedient to Him is a giving up of your freedom, but the way I figure things obedience is a smart move for a healthy life. While I quickly acknowledge this logic is selfish I’m not hesitant to also proclaim that God can work and surpass our selfishness – when we are obedient to His continual nudging.

Psalm 139, 1 John 4:8 & 1 Samuel 5:22

 

Approachability. 

Approachability helps keep us honest, in community and continually learning and developing. Approachable people qualify to avoid the traps of self-deception, pride and vanity; those around them are willing to talk to and apt to be honest with them. Let’s face it we all need a dose of reality sometimes. Unapproachable leaders are likely to not be genuinely leading, but fall prey to what Maxell would call “simply taking a walk.”

1 Thessalonians 2:8

   

Authenticity. 

The glitz and glamour of the many things that get thrown our way on a daily basis make us think that perfection is the only standard of life. The problem here is that a habit of hiding our imperfections is created. We become the fake in day-to-day presentation of ourselves. We can easily become controlled by a fear that others will get to know who we really are and not like us. The focus on hiding things causes us to move so far into self-protection and preservation that we forget God, and thus we become our own God.

 

As my friends at Spring Branch Community Church have been recently preaching, “there are no perfect people.” Authenticity means being honest with self, and affording others the same opportunity. Trust, respect and personal integrity only sprout and grow in the nurturing culture of authenticity. While trustworthiness, respectability and integrity are all great values in and of themselves it seems to me that authenticity precedes them.

Matthew 5:37

   

Encouragement.

One way to help ensure that you don’t make the shallow choice of living only for yourself is to make it a habit to be an encourager to those around you. Encouragers are constantly making contributions in the lives of others and in doing so find many deposits having been made in their own lives. Encouraging someone while issuing a hard-for-them-to-receive challenge or rebuke may be a difficult task, but helping others receive admonition rather than degradation will help them embrace the message they need to hear.

Titus 2:15 & Proverbs 15:1

   

Worship.

We all worship something, or someone. The things we do are a reflection of our mind (thinking, interpretations, motives) and our heart (perspectives, passions, attitudes). Keeping our thoughts and affections in line with a perspective of God’s higher purpose in and through all things can help us live lives worshipping the only One worthy to truly be worshipped. Ultimately everything we do either gives adoration to God, or doesn’t. Those purposing to follow Christ will strive to do all things in a humble spirit of worship to God and in acknowledgement of His ways.

Psalm 19:14, Deuteronomy 6:13 & Colossians 3:17

   

So, what are your personal values?