Monthly Archive for June, 2008

Character > Skill

Published
by
ryan russell
on June 24, 2008
in leadership and next leaders
. 0 Comments

 

Detour from money = Craig & I are having a great discussion right now as we travel together about CHARACTER & LEADERSHIP. Here are some thoughts of ours, some are borrowed from Hybels’ Courageous Leadership.

 

Sometimes leaders are attracted to young leaders because they posses some competency (passion and skills combined) in your organization that you want to build upon. However, I believe that people follow because of your character not your competency. If you start screwing around in the character issues and it goes unchecked (even small things) you loose your foundation for leadership. Lots of people can go out and put something shallow or slick together to draw attention, a following, money or all 3. However, when followers aren’t in it for the money or the fame, what you have left as a true leader is character.

 

Character comes through in the personal and small transactions in our lives:

  •  Small truths & lies

what difference does it make to admit small mistakes or errors? I can tell you what difference it makes to me and others — I have not hired and also fired people who lied about the small things because it gave me cause to have serious doubts about whether I could trust them with the big things.

 

  • Work ethic & initiative related items

Do you go the extra mile because you want to make sure that your responsibilities are covered? Do you give your organization more than they paid for in your performance and service or less?

 

  • Conversations

Are you known as someone who builds others up? Do you find the good & excellence in people, bringing out the best of their gifts & talents for the organization? Are you a teacher or a critic?

 

  • Choices that convey moral/spiritual convictions

Where do you spend your time in your off hours? How do you handle yourself with freedom from your normal environments? What do you watch, intake and who do you allow yourself to associate with that bring you down instead of your aim to lift this up? What is the fiber of your make up when you don’t think others are looking?

 

These are just some samples of small, everyday transactions that define leaders and whether others will be following. A fascinating thing about leading out of character is that it will attract individuals with leadership and talent that is beyond what you posses yourself. In your organization, if you are not leading with character, then you are not leading with anything. You can bribe people through bigger paychecks. You can fill their need to be needed. You can make them cool through association and affiliate fame. But you can not lead them in the direction that Christ wants to go.

 

To grow and really be seen as a leader among younger associates, come to understand well that your role is NOT just to show them how to do the job and then make sure that they get it done. Posses a bigger view. See yourself first as the example in all things — as the axiom goes, followers will not go to where you have not been, this includes character issues.

$tart with the small things (1)

Published
by
ryan russell
on June 18, 2008
in leadership
. 0 Comments

Continuing on with money and leadership for those young leaders out there that are currently avoiding this area. Following the next few posts will be few places will give you some action steps for growth in this area —

budget overview - chances are, if you don’t understand financial planning or accounting, then you neglect the budget overview that finance/accounting leader prepares for you every month. You might throw it in the trash or you count on someone else to explain to you where accounts stand and if you have anything to be worried about. What is critical is that you don’t understand the report yourself and what is more critical is that it is a symptom that you don’t understand how to lead in this area and that you are taking responsibility here.

ACTION = it is time for you to educate yourself. Make an appointment and sit with the lead money man/women of your organization. Ask him/her to explain things to you - go line by line - get the whole picture and don’t quit until you understand how to read and comprehend the thing yourself. You don’t need to understand the whole organization, buut you need to understand every figure that relates to your world of responsibilities. When you were a kid, mom and dad did that stuff for you. As a leader, you need to get engage in this stuff and get going with your education here.

I lost $11,000 and got to keep my job.

Published
by
ryan russell
on June 11, 2008
in next leaders
. 4 Comments

 It is true! I am not sure that many people get to say all of those things. They may get to say that they lost $11,000 on a venture and LOST their job.

 

The financial leader of our organization at the time called me into his office (of course he shut the door) and asked me how it happened. After we talked and I learned where I had gone off course, I had to ask him what the consequences were going to be. He looked at me and said, “well, we just made an $11,000 investment in your education, I am hoping that this will be a worthwhile expenditure on our behalf and that we won’t ever be having this conversation again”. And with that, I went back to my office to continue to do my work. But I went back with a new resolve to never be in that situation again.

 

Some people are good with money and some people aren’t. But if you are a leader, you are without excuse for taking responsibility for the financial situation of your group, your business, your ministry or your non-profit.

 

Here are things leaders do:

  • Educate yourself. Just be cause it doesn’t come naturally to you, it doesn’t mean that you can’t learn the basics. It bothers me tremendously when young leaders chalk this area up as “something they aren’t good at” then don’t bother to understand anything else from that point on. That just won’t do if you are going to be a leader.
  • Find a financial leader with experience beyond where you are and one whom you can trust - then let them lead you in these areas. You don’t have to hire them full-time; find a CPA who is a leader, not just a tax form filler.
  • Realize that something CAN be done about where the organization is currently standing
    • Control spending
    • Manage cash flow
      • who can spend?
      • how much they can spend?
      • when they can spend?
      • budget
    • Improve forecasting by recording the present in more detail
    • Take leadership on the income line
      • If you work at a non-profit you MUST learn to ask for donations/gifts
      • If you work at a business you MUST be concerned with new revenue streams