Tag: Relationships

Confidentiality

One of the most critical areas of leadership involves an understanding of confidentiality. Leaders must know how to keep something in confidence.

Confidentiality speaks to a sacred trust. Followers need to know they can place their lives into the hands of someone they trust.

1) When leaders keep confidentiality, relationships are built.
2) Confidentiality makes leaders approachable.
3) Doing so provides guidelines for developing greater leadership.
4) Keeping a confidence grows a more Christlike character.

Confidentiality is critical for leaders. They must guard what has been placed into their sacred trust. When they do, the resulting development of character builds a leadership worth following.

Making Choices

One of the most frustrating challenges in relationships is reflected in a statement by Colin Powell, “You can’t make someone else’s choices. You shouldn’t let someone else make yours.”

When leaders make choices for others, the potential of resentment exists.

When leaders make choices for others, a certain expectation can be created.

Making choices for others can also lead to an unhealthy dependency.

Leading is about relationships and leading others involves helping them make the right choices, not making those choices for them.

Leadership has the potential of influencing others for a greater purpose. Let us always lead with the desire to help others see the choice of Jesus.

Mentoring…part 4

The mentoring relationship is a mutual relationship designed to establish and achieve specific well-defined goals.

These goals are connected to developing the ability to know, think, and perform.

The ultimate purpose and design of mentoring is to create a relationship that nurtures learning.

A number of elements essential for a learning-centered mentoring program include: reciprocity, learning, relationship, partnership, collaboration, mutually defined goals, and development.

The design is to promote stronger relationships that motivate, inspire, and contribute to development and growth.

This relationship is collaborative and channeled to achieve a support system of success. The mutuality in mentoring increases the viability of the desired purpose in the relationship.

Mentoring…part 1

Information about mentoring is unlimited and various approaches indicate there are options available.

Mentoring involves an experienced and trusted advisor who trains and counsels someone else. The mentoring relationship may extend from a few days to a few years depending on the nature and purpose of the relationship.

As a spiritual influence in the lives of others, we all want to pursue ways we can mentor someone in developing a mature faith.

While it is important to examine ways to get involved in mentoring others, we should also seek someone who can be a mentor. Pray about how to do both.

Last Chance

We have no way of knowing how long we have before desperation creates a situation of panic and despair.

A number of warning signs may indicate we face the last chance for something significant when considering our leadership.

This may be the last chance to…

a) Help someone reach their potential in fulfilling personal dreams and goals.
b) Prepare those closest with a legacy that will help them carry on without us.
c) Build a relationship that improves our ability to lead others to greater success.

If we treat every opportunity as the last chance, what we accomplish may make a lasting difference.

Working Together

“It takes a village to raise a child.” Whether we agree or disagree, one thought is clear, each part is connected and contributes value to the development of the whole. This includes leadership.

Followers need leaders and leaders need followers. Each relies on the other to fill specific gaps that develop stronger relationships.

God designed the church this way. Romans 12 and 1 Corinthians 12 claim the church consists of numerous individuals possessing a variety of gifts. One gift is not greater than another, one person is not more valuable than another, and the proper function of the whole requires each to exercise their ability accordingly.

Flexibility

Travel increases the awareness of flexibility. Cultures vary from one country to the next. At the same time, each culture establishes their own practices and finds a rhythm that flows through the people who participate in the daily activities of life.

While leadership is complicated enough, add the cultural factors among the various backgrounds and relationships of people who make up the church, and complexity reaches a new level.

Leaders need flexibility. I do not mean compromising truth, but leadership focuses on the needs of those who follow.

Flexibility becomes critical to the twists and turns that factor into leading a multi-cultural people.

Time

From the day we are born to the day we die, we only know time: The time we sleep, the time to get ready for work, the time we spend at work, and the list goes on.

Once time passes, we cannot get it back. It cannot be regained or relived.

When we look at leadership, the value of time takes a sharper focus. From the time we prepare ourselves to lead and influence others to the time we actually spend in building those relationships, every second contains great value.

Let us use our time wisely and make the most of the opportunity to lead with care.

Confidentiality

One of the most critical areas in leadership involves an understanding of confidentiality. Leaders must know how to keep something in confidence.

Followers need to know they can place their feelings, even their very lives, into the hands of someone they trust.

The ability to keep something in confidence makes leaders approachable and strengthens the bond of relationships.

Confidentiality is a privilege that provides guidelines for developing greater leadership.

Leaders must guard what has been placed into their sacred trust. When they do, the character they develop builds a leadership worth following.

Friendship

Friendship is a beautiful relationship of mutual trust and support.

A relationship of mutual trust and support between two people is unmatched.

Leadership is not always seen from the perspective of friendship. Leadership is often accompanied by loneliness and seen as a lonely position. We often hear the idea expressed, “It’s lonely at the top.”

While this may be true in many corporate or political settings, it does not have to be true in every situation.

When leaders develop relationships of mutual trust and support, the friendships that blossom provide a source of strength and encouragement for addressing all challenges.